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

Ji Jinchun quickly stood up and said, "Master Gu, you've put it this way, if I refuse again, I'd be ungrateful!"

As for whether I become a deputy brigade commander or not, I really don't care... but as for training, Master Gu, rest assured, I will definitely train each and every one of these brothers in the 11th Mixed Brigade to be well-trained.

Gu Cheng stood up, pressed his shoulder and sat him down, smiling gently: "We're all on the same side, no need for formalities... You've been leading the brothers to clean up the camp these past few days, you should know some of the specifics."

Ji Jinchun nodded: "Yes, Master Gu, I was thinking of reporting to you when we arrested the Lu family. Among the number of people reported by the 11th Mixed Brigade, quite a few were just there to make up the numbers."

He counted them off one by one on his fingers, "The older ones are all over fifty, and some are out of breath after running a few steps, and can't even hold a gun steadily."

Several others bore old wounds and walked with a limp. "With the order to reorganize the troops, the higher-ups were going to check the personnel and quotas, and these people were going to be eliminated."

Gu Cheng looked back at his earnest gaze and nodded seriously: "Cleanup isn't necessarily..."

It's about streamlining the organization, not firing people. These people have followed Tang Yulin for so many years; even if they haven't made any great contributions, they've certainly worked hard. To cut them off indiscriminately and leave them with their families to starve is not the way I, Gu Cheng, would do.”

Ji Jinchun's eyes lit up slightly as she waited for him to continue.

Gu Cheng thought for a moment and continued, "Building the camp goes without saying, what we need most are odd jobs and laborers... In addition, guarding the warehouse, watching the material yard, and handling logistics are jobs that don't require carrying guns and charging into battle, and older people and those who are physically weak can also do them."

Transferring these personnel and reassigning them from the combat sequence to the logistics support sequence is a win-win situation—it's accountable to superiors and appeasing subordinates.

Ji Jinchun slapped his thigh: "Master Gu's method is good! It clears up the ranks without hurting the brothers' feelings. You've thought of everything! I've always heard people say that Xiao Liuzi... ah, I mean, the young marshal led Guo the devil to carry out the reorganization of the army. Many brothers were dismissed and had no way to make a living. Some caused trouble, and some even committed suicide."

If all the brothers have food to eat, and no one tries to kill themselves or cause trouble... then when we recruit soldiers in the future, no one will think we're discarding them after they've served their purpose.

Gu Cheng waved his hand and said, "However, someone has to do this. During this period, you and Cai Changyuan will work together. You will be responsible for verifying the list and coordinating the labor needs of the main camp."

Brother Huisheng was responsible for talking to the brothers and doing ideological work. He had served in the 11th Mixed Brigade for many years and had a close relationship with the veterans; the brothers listened to what he said.

Upon hearing this, Ji Jinchun hesitated, "Well, I have to tell you this—Brother Huisheng is a good-natured man in the 11th Mixed Brigade. I'm afraid he won't be able to handle this task."

Just then, Yang Song's voice came from outside the door: "Report! A call from the Marshal's residence!"

Gu Cheng responded and got up to walk outside, instructing as he went, "Uncle Ji, please sit down. I'll be right back."

The telephone room was located at the other end of Gu Cheng's bedroom, connected by a specially installed line that ran directly to the Fengtian Marshal's Mansion.

Gu Cheng pushed open the door, picked up the receiver, and had just said "feed" when a loud, rough voice burst out from the other end.

"Jingchuan! You've done a great job in Jinzhou!"

Zhang Zuolin's voice boomed through the receiver, making Gu Cheng's ears ring. He instinctively moved the receiver away, and only brought it back to his ear after the sound subsided.

"You flatter me, Commander. I was merely doing my duty."

"It's my duty?" Zhang Zuolin snorted, his tone ambiguous, neither a compliment nor an insult. "You arrested the Lu family, confiscated their account books, and turned the Jinzhou Chamber of Commerce upside down—"

"Is this what you call doing your job? Do you even know that the Japanese have come knocking on our door, saying they're 'seriously concerned about the situation in Jinzhou'? What the hell does their Kwantung Army's mess have to do with my Jinzhou?"

Gu Cheng was silent for a moment, and just as he was about to speak, Zhang Zuolin continued his tirade.

"And that Kikuchi! I sent him to Jinzhou to give the Japanese a way out, not to let him act like a big shot. If he goes, you should cooperate and be on guard. If he dares to boss people around or try anything funny in Jinzhou, you better give him a piece of your mind! I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong!"

Gu Cheng's hand gripping the receiver suddenly broke out in a cold sweat: "What? Kikuchi's coming? Which Kikuchi? It can't be your Japanese advisor, can it?!"

As a time traveler, he was well aware of the situation of the Fengtian Army and Northeast China.

This "Kikuchi," whose real name is Takeo Kikuchi, was not only a member of the Japanese Imperial Family but also a graduate of the Army War College.

He participated in the Russo-Japanese War and spent nearly twenty years in China, serving as a military advisor to three successive Fengtian military governors: Zhang Xiluan, Duan Zhigui, and Zhang Zuolin.

Moreover, he belonged to the Japanese General Staff Headquarters, not the South Manchuria Railway Bureau's intelligence system... Compared to Harukami Hiromi, that wretched woman, Kikuchi Takeo had a legitimate status and position, and his methods were more numerous and difficult to deal with.

However, after a moment of silence upon hearing his words, Zhang Zuolin burst into loud laughter on the other end of the phone, as if he had heard some incredible joke.

"What? Are you scared?"

Gu Cheng regained his composure: "It's not that I'm afraid, it's that I don't trust him."

"Don't you believe him?" Zhang Zuolin snorted. "Whether you believe him or not is unimportant, and whether he believes you or not is also unimportant. What's important is—he's my advisor. If I tell him to go to Jinzhou, he has to go. If I tell him to investigate a case, he has to investigate. If I tell him to get lost, he has to get lost."

Gu Cheng remained silent for a moment, without replying.

Zhang Zuolin cursed again on the other end: "Damn it, Jingchuan, you're smart, but sometimes you just overthink things."

Kikuchi is Japanese, but he's worked for me for almost ten years. I know him better than you what kind of person he is, what he's capable of, and what he's up to.

Gu Cheng took a deep breath: "The commander-in-chief is right. But Kikuchi is from the General Staff Headquarters, and Harukami Hiromi is from the South Manchuria Railway Research Department—the two families have never gotten along."

He came to Jinzhou, ostensibly to investigate a case, but actually to clean up the mess. I'm worried that if he teams up with Haruka Hiromi, it'll be even harder for me to deal with him.

"Join forces?" Zhang Zuolin interrupted him. "Do you think I'm stupid? What good would it do Kikuchi and that woman to join forces?"

"That woman ruined everything; the South Manchuria Railway Bureau's investigation department's operations in Jinzhou are completely in disarray. If Kikuchi helps her, he'll be cleaning up the mess for the South Manchuria Railway Bureau—why should someone from his General Staff work for the South Manchuria Railway Bureau?"

In fact, Gu Cheng had also thought of this point: although the two groups of Japanese soldiers belonged to different factions, they shared the same interests in Jinzhou and the Northeast, which was a large and lucrative region.

Zhang Zuolin continued on the other end of the phone: "Jingchuan, remember this—the Japanese are different from us. No matter what trouble we Fengtian clique cause, we are still my brothers."

But on the Japanese side, the General Staff, the Kwantung Army, the South Manchuria Railway Research Department, and the Ministry of the Army each had their own agenda and direction. They couldn't even agree on their own, so why would you be afraid of them joining forces?