Republic of China, 1922: Rise from the Post-Zhili-Fengtian War

Summer of 1922.

That year, the Zhili-Fengtian War ended in a crushing defeat for the Fengtian Army, which could only retreat hastily to the outskirts of Shanhaiguan.

All the newspapers in the country devoted extensive coverage to the entire event. Even the Shen Bao newspaper in Shanghai devoted a full issue to reporting on the war and published the decree from Beijing to dismiss Zhang Zuolin.

Public opinion in China was in an uproar, and rumors were rampant: various forces were speculating about the future of the situation in Northeast China.

The once bustling city of Fengtian was now on high alert. A curfew was imposed as soon as the sun set, and sentries stood guard at the city gates, with soldiers patrolling the streets everywhere.

The entire city was under heavy security, and people were filled with anxiety.

Gu Cheng was sitting upright in the reception room of the Grand Green Building of the Marshal's Mansion, his gaze quickly sweeping over the guards standing ramrod straight in the corridor.

It was clear that the entire Marshal's Mansion was on edge.

This defeat caused Zhang Zuolin, a powerful figure who had ruled for half his life, to suffer a significant setback.

In contrast to everyone else's uncertainty about the unknown, Gu Cheng was very calm.

This composure stems from a familiarity with the course of history:

He comes from the 21st century and is an engineering student obsessed with military affairs and modern history.

An accident transported him to 1922, where he became Gu Cheng, the nephew of Feng Delin, a veteran warlord of the Fengtian clique.

At 21, he had just returned from graduating from the Japanese Military Academy, full of enthusiasm and ambition, and was planning to join the army to restore the glory of the Feng family.

"Jingchuan, isn't this weird? The Fengtian Army just suffered a defeat, and the President immediately issued me the appointment letter as military governor. And that shorty Zhang just had to summon us to the Marshal's Mansion at this time. What exactly is he up to?"

The speaker was Feng Delin, the once-famous commander of the 27th Division, the sworn brother of Marshal Zhang Zuolin, and an indisputable veteran of the Fengtian clique.

Three years ago, he was dissatisfied with the warlord's monopoly of power in the Northeast and fought him openly and secretly. In the end, he was tricked into getting involved in the internal strife in Beijing and was forced to step down.

He had just received his appointment letter from the capital that afternoon, and that evening he was summoned back to the Marshal's Mansion, supposedly to discuss "important matters." But as soon as he entered the door, the shrewd Marshal sensed danger from the tight security.

The Feast at Hongmen was absolutely a trap!

Gu Cheng reassured him softly, "Look at what you're saying. Even if the commander-in-chief suffered a defeat inside the pass, if he wanted to wipe us all out, would he need to invite us to his residence? I think—"

Before he could finish speaking, Feng Delin rolled his eyes and muttered sourly, "Handsome my foot! I've dealt with him for half my life, he's full of tricks and his methods are ruthless!"

Feng Yong, who was standing nearby, quickly chimed in, "Father, I think Jingchuan is right. If he really wanted to harm us, there would be no need for him to go to such lengths."

Feng Delin slapped his thigh in anger, but kept his voice down so as not to startle the guards outside: "You two don't know anything! Look at this mansion, when has it ever been this peaceful? Usually, people who flatter and fawn over you would wear down the threshold! Today, not a soul is breathing in the front and back courtyards!"

He even added, "Jingchuan, you're quick-witted. If this little guy really does something stupid, you'd better take your brother and run!"

Seeing that he was getting more and more nervous as he spoke, Gu Cheng simply teased him: "Why are you running? You're the military governor of Fengtian appointed by the capital, you're not here."

Feng Delin raised his hand to strike: "You brat, you're still playing tricks on me! What you see as an appointment letter is actually a treacherous scheme orchestrated by Cao San and Wu Xiucai for the Northeast... Not only are they trying to harm our Feng family, but they're also planning to destabilize the situation in the Northeast!"

Seeing his anxiety, Gu Cheng said seriously, "Even you understand this matter, how could the Commander-in-Chief, who is so shrewd, not know? Don't worry, the Commander-in-Chief's invitation to you this time is definitely to reinstate you!"

Feng Delin scoffed, "I think you've been drinking too much Japanese ink and can't even smell blood anymore... You really dare to say that!"

Gu Cheng certainly dared to speak out, because he knew very well that the disastrous defeat in 1922 had thoroughly awakened Zhang Zuolin: relying solely on bandit loyalty was simply not enough to win the wars of the new era.

So, after much painful reflection, in addition to declaring provincial autonomy, he began a two-year "military reorganization" in the Fengtian Army, and in the Second Zhili-Fengtian War in 1924, he avenged his previous defeat and completely knocked the Zhili warlords off the stage of history.

"Uncle, please rest assured, the Commander-in-Chief is definitely..."

Before he could finish the second half of his sentence, a hearty laugh suddenly broke the deathly silence of the corridor outside, and the guards inside immediately slammed their boots together with a loud thud.

Immediately afterwards, a short man in his early fifties, wearing a silver-gray long gown, walked into the reception room with a grin.

If it weren't for those triangular eyes that still gleamed brightly even when they were just smiling, Gu Cheng would have found it hard to associate him with the powerful warlord Zhang Zuolin.

The group quickly got up to greet them.

"My dear third brother, we've been waiting for you!"

As soon as he entered, Zhang Zuolin went straight to Feng Delin, grabbed his hand in a few steps, and said, "You've finally given me face! It's been so long since we last met, the last time we met was..."

With his hand gripped tightly, Feng Delin's expression became complicated. His previously tense lips relaxed, and he replied, "The last time we met was three years ago... I had just been released from the Gongdelin Prison in Beijing and was on my third day back in Fengtian."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zuolin immediately adopted a respectful demeanor and led him to sit down beside him, saying, "Third Brother, you have such a good memory!"

Feng Delin glanced at Feng Yong and Gu Cheng out of the corner of his eye, then lowered his head and said respectfully, "That time, it was all thanks to you, brother, that I was able to spare Old Duan's life! As the old saying goes, a seven-story tower is not as good as a single lamp in the dark: I, Feng Lingge, will remember this favor of yours and never forget it for the rest of my life."

Zhang Zuolin waved his hand and laughed, "Not at all, Third Brother, what are you saying... It's purely that Duan is despicable, using public law to settle personal grudges. Now he's ended up isolated and abandoned by everyone, he's reaping what he sowed!"

Feng Delin gave another bitter laugh, then sighed and said, "It's all in the past! I, Feng Delin, am not the kind of person to kick someone when they're down."

Zhang Zuolin nodded repeatedly, then gave a thumbs-up in praise: "Yuting knows Third Brother's character very well..."

While reminiscing about old friendships, he seemed to notice Feng Yong and Gu Cheng standing to the side, and waved his hand in an elder's manner, "Hey, what are you two doing standing there? Sit down—oh, besides my eldest nephew, you brought Jingchuan along too?"

Feng Delin and Gu Cheng quickly exchanged glances, then Feng Delin's face lit up with a smile: "I've been idle at home with nothing to do. Since you want to see Yuting, bring him to the provincial capital to broaden his horizons."

Zhang Zuolin smiled gently: "If you ask me, Third Brother, you're just being modest. You even came here to broaden your horizons... I heard from Sixth Brother that after graduating from the Military Academy, Jingchuan resigned from his position in the Guard Brigade and went to Japan to study at a military academy! That's great, our Fengtian Army needs talent like that right now!"

Feng Delin had just uttered, "What does he know?", but then instantly grasped the deeper meaning of his words: "Yuting, you..."

At this point, even Feng Yong had more or less understood. Zhang Zuolin looked around at the group, sighed deeply, slapped his thigh, and shook his head, saying, "Third Brother, actually, the reason I invited you here this time was to prepare the official seal and hand it over to you—"

Seeing him rise and hastily decline, Zhang Zuolin quickly grasped his hand and sat him down. "We brothers have risked our lives for each other. It's better for you to be the warlord than for anyone else! From now on, Fengtian and the Northeast will be under your command... Whatever you ask me to do, I'll do!"

Feng Delin's scalp tingled with fear. He abruptly pulled his hand away from Zhang Zuolin's grasp and stood up abruptly: "Yuting, what you've said is tantamount to killing me! If anyone else tries to make me a warlord, I'll kill myself right here and now!"