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

Zhang Jinghui was so angry at this opportunist that she was practically spitting fire. She glared at him and then turned to Feng Delin, who remained with his eyes closed, saying, "Control your nephew! He's clearly one of our own, so why is he always siding with these people from the General Staff?"

Feng Delin was taken aback, then opened his eyes and looked at him blankly. He smirked and said, "Who am I supposed to care about? You mean Jingchuan? Don't make me laugh. I couldn't even control my own sister back then, let alone him? Your brother doesn't have that kind of ability—"

Zhang Jinghui got even angrier and nudged him with her elbow: "Go away... I think you're getting senile!"

Feng Delin smiled憨厚ly: "Regardless of whether I'm senile or not, our Northeast is in trouble right now. As an old fellow of the Fengtian Army, I should step forward at this critical juncture and support our Northeast."

Heh, but some people, all they care about are their own little bit of benefit. As soon as they hear about military reorganization, they either shirk responsibility or feign illness, without considering the bigger picture at all—and yet you expect me to speak ill of these juniors? Even if I'm confused, I can't bring myself to do it!

Feng Delin's sarcastic remarks left Zhang Jinghui feeling extremely hurt, and she stared at him for a long time, unable to find a retort.

At this moment, Zhang Xueliang cast a glance at Gu Cheng, clearly saying: Well done!

"Alright!"

Zhang Zuolin tapped the table again and said loudly, "Since even Third Master has spoken, everyone hurry back and take care of all the important and minor matters in your respective units! Don't wait until it gets to yourselves and then say that I, Old Zhang, am heartless!"

Apart from Zhang Zuoxiang and Feng Delin, the other old-school people all looked like wilted eggplants. Yang Yuting looked around, then stood up and began to read the prepared documents.

Similar to the terms Gu Cheng had seen in the 21st century—

The old and outdated troops were dismissed, the personnel were reorganized, and the military pay was checked according to the actual number of personnel. Then, the weapons of each unit were standardized, and the training regulations were finalized one by one.

Not only Wu Junsheng and Zhang Jinghui were getting restless, but even Zhang Zuoxiang's expression turned somewhat strange.

After the detailed rules were read aloud, Zhang Zuolin waved his hand dismissively, no longer bothering with formalities. His booming voice and glaring eyes were so loud that they could be heard throughout the corridor: "If you all understand, hurry back and clean up your messes! Within three days, each army must send its organizational structure and pay rosters to the Army Reorganization Department... No concealment allowed!"

He paused, then remembered Tang Yulin who was faking illness to avoid coming, and his anger flared up again. He slammed his fist on the table and cursed, "And Tang Erhu! Damn it, he's faking illness on me!"

Xi Shun, get the car ready and go to Fengtian Hospital to call him! If he still has a "headache" today, I'll take a gun and crack his skull open! Perfect for setting discipline!

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines upon hearing this. They all knew that Zhang Zuolin meant what he said, so they bowed in agreement and, not daring to linger, got up and dispersed.

Gu Cheng and Feng Yong followed Zhang Xueliang and Guo Songling out of the Tiger Hall and walked slowly along the long corridor of the Grand Green Building. The sun was shining brightly outside, but the young people's faces showed not only solemnity but also a hint of anticipation.

Jiang Dengxuan spoke first: "Jingchuan, when did you return from Japan?"

Gu Cheng turned to look at him and smiled: "I just got back last month."

Jiang Dengxuan nodded and smiled: "You're adapting fairly well, aren't you? Our Fengtian Army has gained another outstanding talent from the sergeant academy!"

Gu Cheng looked at Feng Yong and recalled the high praise that later generations had for Jiang Dengxuan: that he loved his soldiers like his own children and treated the local people well—after Guo Songling shot him, the local area was in an uproar to send him off.

He naturally felt a sense of closeness to this young and promising soldier: "I had heard from my uncle that Jiang Chaoliu was a top student at the Army Academy... As for me, I can hardly be considered an outstanding talent. I only managed to enroll thanks to my uncle's connections."

Feng Yong, who was standing to the side, grinned and said, "That's right. My younger brother spent more than half a year studying Japanese in order to go to Japan to learn real skills. He suffered a lot... But after we came back from Jingchuan, our experience was extraordinary. Even I felt that he had changed a lot in just three days."

Zhang Xueliang also chimed in with a smile: "Jingchuan's abilities are no joke. Just now, he silenced Fifth Master with just a few words in the hall. With the help of brothers like you who are former sergeants, our reorganization of the army will surely succeed."

When the young marshal made his statement, Han Linchun and others nodded in agreement, but Guo Songling remained silent with a sullen face.

"Hey, I heard Ting Shu has also arrived in Fengtian, why haven't I seen him today?"

As they were talking, Zhang Xueliang suddenly remembered something, "Why didn't you invite him when you came over?"

Gu Cheng knew he was referring to Zhang Zuoxiang's second son, Zhang Tingshu, who was not only a classmate of Zhang Zuoxiang at the Military Academy but also a famous anti-Japanese general in later generations.

When Zhang Zuoxiang went to Fengtian to attend the meeting on military reorganization, his son, as a member of the new faction, should have also come.

Before Han Linchun could reply, Feng Delin, with a stern face, quickly caught up from behind and said to Gu Cheng in a gruff voice, "Come with me."

Then, at a corner at the end of the corridor, he lowered his voice and scolded, "You were too reckless in the hall just now! Who is Zhang Jinghui? You exposed his shortcomings in public, were you afraid people wouldn't hold a grudge against you? Saying those useless things almost put our Feng family in a hot seat!"

Gu Cheng knew that ever since he led his men to the capital and nearly lost his life following the Qing army, he had focused solely on making money in Xinmin and no longer concerned himself with the politics of Fengtian.

"Uncle, I know I was rash just now, but Fifth Uncle and the others are too infuriating! The war has turned out like this because these old folks have outdated ideas... If this continues, the entire Northeast will fall into their hands."

Gu Cheng took a deep breath. "I know that my cousin and I are now insignificant and can't do much for the Fengtian Army and the Northeast, but Hanqing trusts us so much, how can I let him down? Besides, even disregarding his feelings, as a man from the Northeast, how can I sit idly by?"

Feng Delin looked at his nephew as if he didn't recognize him, then sighed, "Jingchuan, I know you have the will to serve your country, but serving your country doesn't mean making trouble for yourself: if you want to do things for the Northeast and the Fengtian Army, you have to protect yourself and your family... Even you've been caught in the crossfire, how can you still do things for the Northeast?"

Gu Cheng was about to reply when he caught a glimpse of a burly figure flashing through the corridor out of the corner of his eye.

Feng Delin also noticed: the man's military uniform jacket was open, his face was covered in sweat, and he was panting heavily with a flushed face.

"The fourth one?"

He immediately chuckled coldly, "Heh, wasn't Erhu in the hospital because of a headache? Why is he rushing off like this? He should still be lying in the hospital!"

Gu Cheng understood that he was still holding a grudge because Tang Yulin had tricked him back then, and he sneered, "Weren't you going to resist the reorganization of the army? Didn't you hear that the Marshal was going to smash his head, so you rushed over here?"

Feng Delin quipped, "If he really stood his ground, I'd truly respect him as a man... But he came running here empty-handed after being intimidated by Yu Ting, isn't he just a coward?"