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

Gu Cheng raised his eyebrows: "Explain clearly, what exactly happened?"

Jiang Yingrong looked at Gao Tianqi, then sighed and said, "Jingchuan, a few days ago, I asked him some questions... and also checked some accounts."

Furthermore, Yang Yuting somehow got wind of this and, in front of several people at a staff meeting, made sarcastic remarks about my brother, saying that he "had overstepped his bounds" and "was getting too close to Jinzhou."

Gu Cheng's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes involuntarily darted away: "This... is my fault."

Jiang Yingrong quickly waved her hand: "My brother didn't say anything else. But even over the phone, I could tell he was feeling very upset."

Gao Tianqi sneered: "It must be Yang Yuting deliberately making things difficult for me. That person's heart is smaller than a pinhead... I heard when I was in Fengtian that if someone holds a grudge against him, he will make them submit to him."

Gu Cheng's face darkened.

The records show that although this person was very talented, he could only be controlled by the old marshal. Even though he was relatively obedient under the old marshal, he was secretly accumulating strength.

Later, after the explosion at Huanggutun, the young marshal took over and the Northeast changed hands. Yang Yuting became increasingly arrogant and domineering, not even putting Zhang Xueliang in his eyes, which eventually led to his death.

Talent is real, but loyalty may not be.

Gu Cheng silently recited a sentence in his heart.

Yang Yuting is a man who never puts all his eggs in one basket. His influence in the Fengtian Army is deeply entrenched, and he controls the arsenal...

He'll continue to flirt with the Japanese in the future, and even the old marshal turns a blind eye to it. What can Gu Cheng do about it?

But now he's made a move against Jiang Dengxuan, which means he's targeting one of his own people.

How could he tolerate being targeted by his own brother?

He incurred Yang Yuting's wrath because he helped him find out where the money was, and Gu Cheng felt increasingly annoyed the more he thought about it.

He had never been this upset, not even when Yang Yuting embezzled money from the Jinzhou camp and spoke ill of him behind his back to the commander-in-chief.

Looking at Jiang Yingrong now, and thinking about how her brother had suffered these past few days, Gu Cheng couldn't help but grit his teeth: "I'll figure out a way to deal with Yang Yuting. As for Brother Chao Liu's matter, that's my matter. He suffered because of helping me with the accounts, and I won't let him suffer for nothing."

Jiang Yingrong looked at him with a complicated expression in her eyes. Her lips moved, but she swallowed them back and finally just nodded gently.

Gu Cheng then looked at her: "Sister Rong, go back and tell Brother Chao Liu—if he's not happy at the General Staff Headquarters, the door to Jinzhou is always open for him. If he comes, there's a place for him here."

Upon hearing this, Gao Tianqi quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, if Brother Chao Liu comes, I'll be his assistant!"

As if noticing Gu Cheng's surprise, he continued, "Jingchuan, I've been too busy with military supplies lately... Tingshu asked me to help out at the General Staff, but I'm really overwhelmed. How about—"

Although he didn't finish his sentence, Jiang Yingrong was still deeply moved: "I don't know what to say! Jingchuan Tianqi, I... I really thank you!"

Gu Cheng said earnestly, "I know Brother Chao Liu's abilities better than anyone else. He's wasting his talents in the General Staff Department; he should come to Jinzhou."

"I need to reorganize my army, build a large camp, manage the chamber of commerce, guard against the Japanese, and deal with Yang Yuting's petty tricks. I desperately need an assistant like him."

Jiang Yingrong didn't speak, but picked up her teacup and took another sip, as if she was digesting the weight of those words.

"I will talk to him," she said softly, "but you know him, he's afraid of causing you trouble."

Gu Cheng quickly said, "No trouble at all. Let him come and take a look, then we'll talk. Jinzhou may be a bit worse than Fengtian, but the people are nice, there's less work, you can eat well, and you can sleep soundly. Isn't that better than suffering indignities at the General Staff Headquarters?"

Jiang Yingrong was amused by his words and smiled. Her smile was much lighter than before, and she finally showed some of her usual cheerful demeanor.

She stood up, picked up the bamboo basket on the table, and pushed it forward a little: "Alright, I've delivered the message."

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and took out an oil paper package from her purse. "Oh right, Yu'er asked me to bring this to you... She said that you should have finished your cigarettes by now, so she asked someone to bring you some more."

Gu Cheng was slightly taken aback, his gaze falling on the oil paper package.

It was wrapped up tightly, with the edges folded neatly, as if it had been carefully folded.

He didn't take it immediately, but glanced at Jiang Yingrong first before reaching out to take it.

It has a certain weight to it, and you can smell a faint tobacco aroma through the oil paper, which is crisp and mellow, exactly the same as the one he usually smokes.

"She remembers that," Gu Cheng said in a low voice, as if he were talking to Jiang Yingrong, or perhaps to himself.

Jiang Yingrong smiled, a smile that held a hint of understanding and a deeper meaning: "She said that if you keep an eye on it, you should have finished all your cigarettes by now. That pack of tobacco last time was brought back from the interior by someone she asked. She knows you smoke fast."

She then added, "Yu'er may seem quiet and reserved, but she's more perceptive than anyone else. What she cares about is always on her mind."

Gu Cheng didn't reply. He held the oil paper package in his hand, weighed it in his hand, as if he was sensing something.

"Thank her properly for me," he said.

Jiang Yingrong nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the door.

She took a couple of steps, then stopped, turned back to look at him, her gaze serious: "Jingchuan, what you just said—about my brother, you were serious, weren't you?"

Gu Cheng nodded: "When did I ever say anything joking?"

Jiang Yingrong looked at him, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, as if trying to discern something from his expression.

After a moment, the corners of her mouth curved slightly, clearly relieved of her worries: "Okay, I'm relieved to hear that."

She strode out of the side hall, and Gu Cheng escorted her to the door, watching her figure disappear around the street corner, still clutching the oil paper package in his hand.

He glanced down at it, but didn't open it; he simply put it gently into his pocket.

As Gu Cheng walked back to the courtyard with Gao Tianqi, his hands were still in his pockets. His fingertips touched the edge of the oil paper package through the fabric. He didn't touch it intentionally, but just knowing that it was there gave him a sense of peace.

He walked up the steps and was about to enter the house when Yang Song quickly came up from the corridor and said in a low voice, "Master Gu, Chief of Staff Shen has arrived and is waiting for you in the side hall."

Gu Cheng paused for a moment, then turned his head to glance at Gao Tianqi.

Gao Tianqi nodded slightly, understanding the situation without saying a word. The two walked into the side hall one after the other, and Shen Yi immediately came forward to greet them and saluted.

Gu Cheng gestured for him to sit down, then smiled gently and asked, "Officer Shen, how did the exam go today?"