Chapter 6: The Taste of Protection

  Votes, collection, urgent request!

  Good wine, good meat, good dishes.

  The whole table was filled with dishes, and in the middle of it all, there were three hundred big silver coins wrapped in red paper. However, the four people sitting at the table found it hard to swallow their food.

  "It's all because of brother's stinky mouth!"

  "Yang, Elder Brother, he didn't mean it either, don't take it to heart."

  "Alas, let's not mention this matter again. No one is intentionally trying to cause trouble. Let's think about what to do next instead. I think Brother Yang... might really be left in the lurch this time."

  "Or I'll go and... them, to explain." Bingwen glanced at the three of them and muttered a sentence. In fact, even if he didn't say it clearly, the three of them all understood that this doll-faced person was connected to those people, which wasn't a secret in the logistics camp anyway.

  "Never mind, let's eat!" Yang Qiu was the first to pick up her chopsticks and stabbed them fiercely into the chicken's buttocks. Since shrinking one's head would result in being beheaded just the same as stretching it out, worrying was useless. She might as well wait until they really reached the bridgehead before doing anything else.

  Yang Qiu is a broad-minded person, and with the secret of the data machine, he has no worries about his career or life. If all else fails, he can simply go to America, sit back and watch the tide of the times change, like an old fool, without any problems at all.

  Seeing Yang Qiu eating with a mouthful of oil, the three people still thought he was venting his anger. Especially Xiang Ankou, who had spoken out of turn, felt even more guilty in his heart. Not to mention that Yang Qiu had saved his life, just thinking about how he had previously wanted to make him a confidant made him extremely regretful.

  "Eat, don't just stand there." Yang Qiu wiped the corner of his mouth and casually threw the chicken bones on the ground. He smiled at Xiao Anguo: "Sir, do you remember what was said three days ago? Since we are already brothers, why bother to blame yourself for a minor mistake. Besides, even if it was intentional, what's the harm? When soldiers come, we'll fight them off; when water comes, we'll dam it up! As long as I'm in your army, hehe, would they dare to sneak in and take my head?"

  "That's right! As long as Brother Hu Zi is in the army, can't our hundreds of guns protect one person?" Ma Kui slammed his hand on the table and immediately received applause.

  "Alright!" Xiao Anguo raised his wine cup and took a big gulp, swearing: "Brother, rest assured, as long as I, Xiao Anguo, am in the army for one day, I will guarantee it for one day, even if it's a party member......" After glancing at Bingwen, Xiao Anguo paused slightly and continued to say heavily: "Don't blame me for being impolite."

  "I think they... won't be unreasonable either." Benwen didn't know what Xiao Anguo's glance meant, but thinking of Yang Qiu's lifesaving push earlier, he secretly vowed not to let anyone harm him at will.

  "By the way, since adults and you have become brothers, why are you still calling him 'adult'?" Ma Kui saw that the atmosphere had relaxed a bit, and suddenly joked: "Penalty drink, must penalty drink."

  "Right, right, right! Brother Yang, you must drink three cups."

  "Haha... Alright then, I'll punish myself with three cups as an apology to Big Brother."

  "Come, drink!"

  Although everyone had their own worries, after suppressing them at the bottom of their hearts, this wine was still drunk with great relish. At the banquet, Xiao Anguo humbly asked for advice on some military matters, and even Bingwen asked a few questions. Yang Qiu, although not a straightforward person who answers every question, also explained many ways of training soldiers. As for how he learned it, he only said that he had read some foreign military books while studying in Shanghai, and the three did not suspect anything.

  At the end of the time, Yang Qiu originally wanted to divide the three hundred taels, but Xiao Anguo and his two companions insisted on getting the reward as well, so they could only stay by their side for the time being.

  －－－－－－

  －－－－－－

  "Bang!"

  Just as Yang Qiu and others were eating hot pot, a loud noise of slapping the table came from the street outside Yufu.

  "This Zhao Erfeng is simply gathering those royalists to show off to us, this matter cannot be delayed, we must think of a way to crush his arrogance immediately!" By the Eight Immortals' table, wearing Japanese student attire but smoking like a gangster, Wang Tianjie was furious about what had happened that day. As one of the leaders of the Tongmenghui in Sichuan, he was extremely annoyed by the fact that their opponents had received a large sum of aid at a time when they were on the verge of taking action.

  "Thousands of rifles, I don't know how many comrades they will kill, we absolutely cannot let Zhao Erfeng this old dog succeed."

  "In my opinion, it's better to launch an attack before the soldiers get their guns!"

  "There is also that Yang Qiu, who killed my comrades and humiliated my revolution. I must immediately report to Guangzhou to send someone to kill him. If not, the Qing government will use it for propaganda, which will inevitably set back the revolutionary tide."

  "That's right, that big fellow! I saw him today. In my opinion, we should immediately contact our comrades in the Hubei New Army, lest we have a long and sleepless night."

  "It's all useless talk." Wang Tianjie picked up the rifle from the corner of the wall and said viciously, "I'll go kill him right now."

  Inside the dark room, the atmosphere was tense and excited. Led by Wang Tianjie and Wu Yujiang, members of the Tongmenghui were shouting and yelling, looking like they were about to take action at any moment. Before two sentences had been spoken, Yang Qiu was dragged out for criticism, and everyone seemed to want to tear him apart, as if they wanted to eat his flesh and gnaw on his bones to vent their anger.

  The members of the Sichuan Alliance, who were excited and enthusiastic, made Pu Tianjun, who was secretly rejoicing in the corner, sigh inwardly. The loud shouts and curses that filled the room made his heart skip a beat, and he couldn't help but wonder if things had gotten out of hand.

  Since secretly planning the establishment of the Sichuan Railway Protection League with Luo Lun and being elected as its president, he knew that in order to protect the Han-Yong railway, it was necessary to contact all the outstanding talents in Sichuan. So he contacted the Tongmenghui and invited Wu Yuzhang and Wang Tianjie, but now these voices made him realize that his original idea of peaceful protection might soon turn into a war disaster!

  Pu Tianjun admired Mr. Sun Yat-sen and knew that these heroic members of the alliance were ready to sacrifice their lives for their ideals at any time, but when war broke out, it was still the people of Sichuan who suffered. If in the end, it was because of his own momentary mistake that brought cannon fire into Sichuan, then he would truly become a sinner of Ba-Shu.

  After secretly sighing, Pu Dianjun clenched his fists and thought that if the Sichuan army really mutinied, Zhao Erfeng would also be responsible. If he hadn't contacted the Hubei New Army as soon as he took office and assembled so many troops and ammunition in Sichuan, how could things have developed to this point?

  Wang Tianjie picked up the gun, actually just pretending, seeing that everyone had been stirred up in anger, secretly pleased with himself. Unexpectedly, he saw Pu Dianjun's face was not pleasant, and his heart was very dissatisfied with this pretentious guy, so he deliberately asked: "Mr. Pu, say something." Unexpectedly, Wang Tianjie suddenly threw the sharp point at him, Pu Dianjun secretly thought it was bad, at this moment, not only did the members of the Tongmenghui look at him, but even the people from the Baolu Association also looked at him.

  "Yes, it's going to be a long one. You'd better take charge now! Zhao Er Feng clearly came prepared."

  "Alright, let's just turn it over then."

  "It's not possible, the government army has just obtained a thousand long guns and their power has greatly increased. What if they are forced to make an urgent report to the imperial court to dispatch a large army into Sichuan? How will things turn out then?"

  The party had just lost its voice, and another dispute arose within the preservation society, making Pu Tianjun's heart even more chaotic. It wasn't until now that he realized things had really gotten out of control. He lightly cleared his throat to interrupt everyone, then thought for a moment before gritting his teeth and saying: "For now, I can only go see Governor-General again. If... it seems there is only one way left!"

  As soon as the words came out, the members of the Alliance clenched their fists excitedly, while some people in the Protection Association sighed deeply and shook their heads with a hint of helplessness.

  "It's fine to see Zhao Erfeng, and it doesn't matter if we talk again. If you want to make a move, that's also no problem." Just as everyone was thinking wildly in the dark room, a big man wearing a green shirt and shorts suddenly walked in, his tiger-like eyes scanning the crowd before stopping on Pu Dianjun's face, asking: "I just want to know, after losing the Guang'an checkpoint, what can we use to stop the tens of thousands of Hubei new army?"

  "Chairman Qin."

  As soon as they saw the newcomer, Wang Tianjie and Wu Yuzhang exchanged a glance, both seeing the dissatisfaction in each other's hearts, because these few words had indeed struck at the greatest weakness of the current Tongmenghui deployment - the lack of truly their own armed forces.

  "It turned out to be Qin Dazhangjia." Pu Dianjun hastily stood up to greet him. Although the incoming Qin Zaiheng was of the same age as him, he was the leader of tens of thousands of Ba-Shu brothers on the vast land of Bashu. Even the Tongmenghui treated him with courtesy when they met. His Anji Society was now the largest armed force of the Tongmenghui in Sichuan.

  Qin Zaihong nodded to everyone and then hastily walked up to Pu Dianjun, asking: "Brother Pu, although Du Lao Liu is a bit of a scoundrel, he's now being held in the great prison. What do you think should be done about this?"

  This time he was really anxious, Du Lao Liu, although not a prominent figure in the Ge Lao Hui, and his recent misbehavior in Guang'an had caused quite some criticism, but the more than 100 rifles and that Hotchkiss machine gun under his command were crucial in controlling the key passage from Guang'an to Chengdu. Now that they had been taken away, it meant that if something happened, the Hubei New Army could advance unimpeded.

  If it were before, everyone might not have worried, but now if they really want to take action, the new army of Hubei closest to Sichuan will definitely enter Sichuan overnight. Without Du old six intercepting in the middle, the comrades-in-arms and the brothers in the surrounding areas would not be able to block them even if they knew the news. So what can replace Du old six has become his heart disease. Moreover, since Zhao Erfeng was able to get 1,000 rifles from the new army of Hubei, it means that the Qing court had already made preparations and there is no foolproof plan. With the power of the Elder Brother Society in Sichuan, I'm afraid it can only be a case of hitting a stone with an egg.

  What's more, he also met Yang Qiu in the crowd that afternoon, and the guy gave him a very dangerous feeling. Moreover, an ordinary new army soldier could cut off the flag and capture the commander, making people worried about the combat effectiveness of the Hubei New Army.

  "Brother Qin worries too much." Wang Tianjie, seeing that everyone was a bit downhearted, immediately clasped his hands and said: "Don't be misled, I can guarantee that in the Hubei New Army, there are already many like-minded companions who have been planted. Whatever moves we make, we will definitely be able to grasp."

  Wang Tianjie paused for a moment, and then emphasized that the new army had already been controlled, saying: "Moreover, Mr. Song Jiaoren has also decided that if Sichuan rises up, Wuhan, Changsha, Nanchang, Guangzhou and other places will definitely follow suit, at which time the Qing court will not be able to send troops into Sichuan."

  "This is true!" Qin Zaihong grabbed Wang Tianjie: "We are all members of the group, why didn't I know?"

  Wang Tianjie did not expect Qin Zaiheng to ask such a question, but he couldn't say "The Elder Brother Society is just a group of rascals and scoundrels, how can they know this secret" although he joined the society earlier than Qin Zaiheng, before coming Huang Xing had instructed him that in Sichuan he must follow Qin Zaiheng's arrangements.

  Fortunately, he reacted quickly and said: "Not hiding from Qin Ge, I also knew about this matter yesterday, it can be seen that Mr. Song has made all the necessary considerations."

  "I'm relieved then." Qin Zaihong, being straightforward and not suspicious, nodded and said: "Qin will go take care of some things. If you all make a decision, just send someone to Su Ma Pier and respond with one word. My tens of thousands of brothers, the Anji Society's thousand or so guns will definitely join forces for justice!"

  "Brother Qin, please forgive my foolish brother." Upon hearing this, Pu Tianjun knew that things had gone too far to be salvaged, and could only say: "If negotiations... fail, I will certainly follow your orders before our elder brother's horse."

  "Brother Pu is being polite." Qin Zaihong nodded and was about to leave, but Wang Tianjie saw that his face still didn't look good, and worried that he would miss the timing of the uprising. He had no choice but to grab him and ask: "Big Brother Qin, this is a critical moment, what are you going to do by leaving like this?"

  "Hmph." Qin Zaihong let out a cold snort, his face as stern as ice and said: "The one who killed my brother, how can I let him live a carefree life!"

  。

  。