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

Gu Cheng scrutinized him, not in a hurry to finish what he was saying, but instead crossed his legs and silently examined the other person.

Shen Yi quickly noticed Gu Cheng's gaze and hurriedly stepped forward: "Master Gu, please give me a chance to redeem myself! What is this second path? As long as you can tell me, I'm willing to go!"

Gu Cheng smiled slightly at him: "Alright, since you've brought it up, I'll suggest another path for you. I met a few people outside the exam hall today, one of whom is named Li Dazhu, a platoon leader."

I met him a few months ago when I first arrived in Jinzhou. He's literate, can count, and is a capable commander; he's a promising talent.

He continued, "This person wasn't on the list submitted by the camp. He came here to try his luck after hearing about the exam."

Shen Yi was stunned for a moment, not realizing why the topic had suddenly shifted to Li Dazhu.

He rubbed his hands together nervously and replied, "Li Dazhu... I vaguely remember that name, I think he's from the Second Battalion."

"Whether you remember or not is not important," Gu Cheng interrupted him. "What's important is that someone like him was overlooked. Staff Officer Shen, I've seen over a hundred candidates today. There are quite a few with good foundations, but those with both good foundations and a willingness to work hard, like Li Dazhu, are few and far between."

Shen Yi suddenly realized: "I understand. You mean, you want me to investigate whether there are any other people like Li Dazhu who have been overlooked."

Gu Cheng smiled and said, "You're quite clever."

Hearing this, Shen Yi relaxed a little and said loudly, "Master Gu, don't worry! I will go back and retrieve the registration records of each battalion and company, and check them one by one."

Within three days, I will provide you with a clear and detailed list, ensuring that no talented person goes unnoticed, and no opportunist slips in.

Gu Cheng nodded, and then spoke with a more authoritative and imposing tone: "Whether the 11th Mixed Brigade can fight in the future and gain a foothold in western Liaoning depends on this group of people."

If we select the right people, we'll have dozens of promising leaders in the future; if we don't, we'll have wasted our time and effort.

Shen Yi straightened his back: "Master Gu, I know what's important."

Gu Cheng waved his hand, signaling him to leave.

Shen Yi stood at attention, saluted, and turned to walk towards the door. After taking two steps, he stopped again without looking back.

"Master Gu, I'm sorry for what happened to Demao, and I've also let down those who got their degrees through their own abilities. Once this is over, I... will speak to him personally."

Gu Cheng remained silent.

Shen Yi pushed open the door and strode out.

His back was still somewhat hunched in the sunlight, but his steps were much more steady than before, as if he had finally let go of something that had been weighing on his mind for a long time.

Watching Shen Yi's figure disappear at the courtyard gate, Gu Cheng took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and slowly smoked it.

Gao Tianqi walked over and sat down opposite him: "Jingchuan, aren't you worried he'll tamper with the list again if you let him check it?"

Gu Cheng exhaled a puff of smoke: "He probably won't dare to do it again this time. It's not terrible for someone to make a mistake, what's terrible is not knowing the pain... Shen Yi has felt the pain today, he will handle things well."

Furthermore, Zhou Demao's relationship with him is clearly not ordinary—think about it, this kid is just a lowly company commander, yet he's so arrogant and domineering; Shen Yi must have been protecting him quite a bit.

Gao Tianqi thought for a moment: "So you mean...?"

Gu Cheng chuckled, standing up with a cigarette between his fingers. "What could I possibly be thinking? Do you think I could use a nephew to deal with Shen Yi? Besides, he's behaving himself now, so why would we need to mess with him?"

Gao Tianqi also laughed: "If you put it that way, then I understand. By the way, Jingchuan, I also bear some responsibility for this matter... You entrusted me with the supervisory power, but I didn't handle it well; after I settle things with the military supplies, I might as well go with Shen Yi to investigate."

Gu Cheng stood up, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Good brother, there's no need for these formalities between us! Actually, I didn't think this through. You're very busy in the quartermaster department, so I shouldn't have put you in this position."

As they spoke, the two got up and walked out of the reception room. It was almost lunchtime, and a strong aroma of roasted pork filled the courtyard, making the two young men's stomachs rumble. Even Yang Song, standing to the side, sniffed, "Oh my, what delicious food did the chef at home make today? I'm so hungry."

Before Gu Cheng could answer, Li Mingshan, the steward of the Jinzhou official residence, arrived with a letter in his hand, saying that Wang Yongjiang had received an order from Fengtian:

The commander-in-chief ordered him to hand over all the work in Jinzhou to Mo Dehui by the end of the month, and then return to Fengtian to take charge of the work.

Therefore, Wang Yongjiang decided to hold a banquet at his residence three days later, inviting the leaders of Jinzhou to attend.

After receiving the invitation, Gu Cheng said he would definitely bring a gift. Upon hearing this, Li Mingshan waved his hand and said, "Master Gu, you are too kind. These days, the master has been mentioning you, saying that you are a rare talent in Northeast China."

Furthermore, you saved his life with the help of a doctor. Not only him, but everyone in the household is grateful to you!

Gu Cheng smiled and said, "You're being too polite! We're all family... cough, what I mean is, we're all working under the Marshal, so if I can help, I should lend a hand."

Gao Tianqi chuckled to himself, and Li Mingshan also laughed: "Master Gu, you're being too polite—actually, not only does everyone in the manor know about you and Miss, but even the Commander-in-Chief probably knows… Don't blame me for being a blabbermouth, but while Master is in a good mood, why don't you propose marriage soon!"

Gu Cheng felt embarrassed by what he was said and quickly made up an excuse to brush it off, saying that the brigade headquarters had prepared a pork stew for him and invited him to stay for lunch.

Li Mingshan excused himself, saying he had something to do, and Gu Cheng watched him turn out of the hanging flower gate. When he turned back, he saw Gao Tianqi still secretly laughing.

"What are you laughing at?"

Gu Cheng's face flushed again. "What, you're laughing at my affair with Miss Wang too!"

Despite his glaring eyes, there was no real threat in his gaze. He raised his hand as if to strike, but Gao Tianqi dodged with a smile, still retorting, "I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing at what Steward Li said—'While the master is in a good mood, why not propose marriage sooner?' A steward has already paved the way for you, and you're still glaring at me like that?"

Gu Cheng punched him: "Proposing marriage is inevitable, but now is not the time. The Jinzhou camp isn't finished yet, the army reorganization isn't complete, the Japanese are still watching, the Chamber of Commerce has just been stabilized, and Yang Yuting is still sabotaging us from behind... What do you expect me to offer as a proposal? I can't just go to Lord Min empty-handed and say, 'I'll take your daughter away!'"

Gao Tianqi put away his joking expression and nodded: "That's true. But Jingchuan, Steward Li is right—you should settle this matter while Duke Min is still in Jinzhou. Once he returns to Fengtian, if you want to propose marriage to him, it won't just be a matter of paying a visit; you'll also have to consider the Marshal's feelings, which will be much more troublesome."