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

Zhang Tingshu and Yang Song were both completely bewildered.

But the two were also well aware that even if they were not regular Japanese troops, their fighting strength should not be underestimated.

Moreover, with the Zhili Army patrol team behind them, it was practically impossible for their small squad to take over Lianshan Station and move their supplies smoothly.

They came not to eliminate the enemy, but to obtain supplies to solve Jinzhou's urgent crisis.

If you can't get anything back, there's absolutely no need to cause trouble.

The group then quickly returned along the same route. On the way back, Gu Cheng made a point of noticing any other teams operating nearby.

When everyone rode back to the west gate of Jinzhou, a faint white light was already appearing on the horizon. The morning mist, carrying the lingering chill of the previous night, blurred the blue brick and tile houses of the regiment headquarters.

The men and horses were covered in bits of weeds and mud, and both men and horses showed signs of exhaustion from traveling all night. But both Gu Cheng and Zhang Tingshu still had the sharp eyes that were characteristic of soldiers.

As soon as they reached the entrance of the regimental headquarters, they saw Mu Haisheng pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back; while Gao Tianqi, standing to the side, watched him go around in circles like a donkey pulling a millstone with a wry smile.

Hearing the sound of hooves, Mu Haisheng turned around sharply, his face immediately showing anxiety. He quickly rushed forward: "Commander Gu! You're finally back! I haven't slept a wink all night, the brothers were worried sick... I asked Staff Officer Gao, and he said he didn't know where you went. I was so afraid something had gone wrong!"

Hearing his rather incoherent words, Gu Cheng dismounted, casually brushed the dust off his uniform, and looked back at him meaningfully: "Oh? So, Brother Haisheng, you were quite worried about me? Could it be that when Tingshu and I went out at night, you specially arranged for someone to keep an eye on us?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Haisheng quickly waved his hands in defense: "Commander Gu, you jest! How could I dare to do that? You are an officer sent by the Marshal's Office; I'm too busy trying to curry favor with you, how could I dare to keep an eye on you? It's just that the situation in Jinzhou is complicated right now. If you go out at night on your own, I'm afraid you might encounter bandits or Zhili soldiers, and I can't bear that responsibility!"

As he spoke, he secretly observed Gu Cheng's expression. Seeing that the new commander didn't seem displeased, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He then stepped closer and stammered, "The reason I was so eager to wait for you is because there are two important things I need to report to you."

Gu Cheng glanced at Gao Tianqi before smiling gently, "Since there's something to report, of course we need to go inside and talk."

The group strode in. Zhang Tingshu rubbed his throbbing temples and said impatiently, "Hey, Brother Mu, just get to the point and stop beating around the bush—we're exhausted from our business trip with the regimental commander and we don't have time to beat around the bush with you."

Yang Song silently arranged for the guards to lead the horses to the backyard to feed them, while he stood guard at the entrance of the regimental headquarters, vigilantly observing the surroundings, not daring to leave for even a moment.

Seeing Gu Cheng sitting in a chair drinking water, Mu Haisheng mustered up his courage and said, "The first thing is that the merchants in the city sent someone to find me, saying they want to see you."

Gu Cheng put down his teacup, gesturing for him to sit down as well: "Looking for me? Heh, I'm just a soldier, I can't concern myself with the affairs of the merchants in the city—tell them the battle is over, they can now return to the city one by one and continue their business."

He paused for a moment, then added, "By the way, Wang Yongjiang is currently in charge of Jinzhou: although he is the top official in Fengtian Province, after the war broke out in the interior, the commander-in-chief ordered him to coordinate the supply of provisions and equipment in Jinzhou... At present, the administration of Jinzhou is under his jurisdiction."

Mu Haisheng turned to look at Zhang Tingshu, then winked mysteriously, "Commander, I think you should meet them. These merchants, hehe, they're all incredibly filial—"

Filial piety?

Upon hearing this word, Gu Cheng instantly understood its meaning.

"Is that so? It seems that in this chaos of war, even the wise have learned to protect themselves."

He slightly raised his chin, his smile becoming more meaningful. "Since everyone is so kind, if I don't step forward, it would seem like I, Gu Jingchuan, am heartless."

Seeing that Gu Cheng had relented, Mu Haisheng rubbed his hands and smiled: "Actually, Commander, you know this: the battle is over, and the merchants in the city are all eager to come back and set up their stalls again... but naturally, they're also afraid of bandits coming after them."

Gu Cheng raised his hand to interrupt him: "That's true—Jinzhou has always been a vital passage for trade due to its advantageous location."

Before the war broke out, this was the largest market in western Liaoning: grain depots and shops clustered together, merchants relied on this area for their livelihood, how could they really bear to give it up?

Mu Haisheng nodded repeatedly: "That's right! I heard that you studied abroad and come from a prominent family in Fengtian, so naturally you know more about these things than us roughnecks."

Ignoring his fawning smile, Gu Cheng continued, "Alright, since you're familiar with the people on the ground, go and make the arrangements."

At this moment, Gao Tianqi returned with water and said to Zhang Tingshu as he entered the room, "Hurry up and go outside to wash up. I don't know where you've been rolling around. You look like the Earth God."

Zhang Tingshu chuckled as he took the towel and soap, then yelled at Gu Cheng, "Alright, alright, we've been up all night, let's talk about it after we get some sleep!"

Gu Cheng was starting to feel sleepy, but Mu Haisheng said, "Commander, you mentioned Wang Yongjiang earlier... Now that you're taking up your post in Jinzhou, shouldn't you meet him?"

Gu Cheng scrutinized the other person: "This is the second thing you wanted to tell me, right? Now that he's the top official in Jinzhou, I definitely have to pay him a visit... Let's sort out the situation in the troupe in the next day or two!"

As he spoke, he got up and walked towards the basin. Yang Song came over with a bucket and changed the water in the basin.

While washing his face with water, Gu Cheng asked Mu Haisheng to arrange a meeting with the merchants, and also asked him to cooperate with Gao Tianqi to take stock of the situation within the group within two days.

After saying this, he added with a smile, "It wouldn't be right for me, as the regimental commander, to be completely clueless about the number of soldiers and the equipment in my regiment. And Brother Haisheng, the military pay approved by Fengtian is due soon, I need to make sure our little calculations are clear, right?"

Upon hearing his nickname mentioned, Gao Tianqi feigned anger: "You're a regimental commander now, how can you still speak without thinking?"

Mu Haisheng scratched his head and laughed: "Yes, yes! Haozi and I haven't had much schooling, and things have always been a mess in this regiment—with Staff Officer Gao here, things will be clear from now on."

Gu Cheng knew perfectly well that this guy was deliberately playing dumb, but he didn't point it out. Instead, he said seriously, "That's true, but military regulations are as solid as mountains. The confusion in the regiment can't continue any longer."

We all know the Generalissimo's order to reorganize the army. If things continue to be chaotic, not only you, but I and Ting Shu will also be shot. The people in the Army Reorganization Department all came out with a pledge of military authority.

"You and Tianqi Haozi don't need to do anything for the time being. Within two days, you need to report the exact numbers I need—how many brothers can fight, how many guns can fire, and how much food can last us. I need to know everything clearly!"