Chapter Sixteen: Hu Chen's Grand Military Review in Jinzhou

  As the sun just showed its face, He Tianci walked along the city wall towards the high place. The faint misty air and the moist muddy smell kept hitting his face and drilling into his nose. Standing on the wall of Liujiabao, overlooking the surroundings, this thousand acres of land was all his own territory. Looking at the unique mountain and wild environment here, He Tianci was still very satisfied in his heart. He knew that as long as he set up a good defense, Liujiabao would be an easy place to defend but hard to attack, and now he had already laid the foundation for his career.

  He is confident in the future, believing that he will be able to clear a way for himself and exhaust the strength of both Japan and Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, reducing the threat to Manchuria. Before the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution, as long as he can hold on to Shanhai Pass, he will be able to control the situation in Manchuria, capture Shenyang City, and use it as a starting point to gain the greatest benefit between Yuan Shikai and Sun Yat-sen. He wants to sit on the throne of the King of Manchuria and let the Chinese nation rise, spreading its power in all directions.

  He Tianxi stood on the city wall not far away, watching everyone train. This time he was also free and no longer personally went to teach everyone to march in formation. Looking at the new recruits of Liujiapu being trained hard under the leadership of old soldiers, he felt relieved and began to learn horse riding.

  On the training ground, the scorching sun was high in the sky. A huge furnace hung above the world. The red light shot down to the ground like a rocket, and the ground seemed to be on fire, reflecting the boiling flames like oil. Sweltering, suffocating, fierce, and stifling, it was as if people's cells and fibers were about to shatter from trembling. He Tianxi rode his horse indifferently and coldly across the training ground, watching the troops march by in formation before him.

  After several days of strict training, the three battalions of old soldiers were not a big problem, and the new recruits were no longer in that miserable state, and they gradually began to take shape.

  After discussing with Hu Wen-yong, He Tian-xi made a new and more "modern" plan for the entire Liu Family Fortress. Six major areas were set up: military training area, barracks area, warehouse area, prison area, office area, and family residential area. The barracks area was the largest, with dining halls, dormitories, parade grounds, and bathhouses. The military training area was used exclusively for tactical training and shooting practice. This area was located on more than ten hectares of empty land behind Liu Family Fortress. He Tian-xi had Hu Wen-yong lead the workers to build a simulated battlefield in this mountainous area, constructing multiple trenches and many shelters for tactical simulation training.

  It's not a mock military exercise like the Red Army and Blue Army of later generations, but a real-life simulation of all-out war.

  The cafeteria near the school grounds was particularly emphasized, and the women from Liujiapu, as well as some rural women who were found in the surrounding areas to help with cooking, formed a logistics "cooking class" responsible for making meals for the soldiers.

  He Tianxu attaches great importance to the diet of his soldiers, as the daily rigorous training requires high nutritional demands. Therefore, in addition to their regular meals, he provides extra supplies of oil and salt, hoping that each person can get a certain amount of meat. However, this is still not enough for the current situation at Liujiabao. He Tianxu plans to establish farms, pastures, and livestock breeding grounds in each battalion area, as well as plant grains and vegetables around them.

  "After making these plans, he called Hu Wenyong and asked him to find a good horse in Liujiabao. Then he went to the warehouse himself, first to select jewelry and accessories for Zhang Furen's own mother-in-law and Miss Zhang Qi, and secondly to select some antiques for Zhang Xiluan."

  When He Tianxi arrived at the warehouse, he didn't know what Mrs. Zhang and Miss Zhang Qi liked, but he knew that his adoptive father, Zhang Xiluan, liked BMWs and antiques, calligraphy and paintings. Considering that Mrs. Zhang was a noblewoman with status, he thought of giving her gold, while Miss Zhang Qi was a talented young lady from Jiangnan, so he estimated that she would also like something delicate and elegant, a beauty to match the precious jade.

  After thinking about it, He Tianci carefully searched the warehouse and finally chose a pure gold necklace, a pair of sheep fat white jade bracelets, and a Song Dynasty calligraphy painting.

  At night, Hu Wen-yong sent over the horse he had been searching for. It was a batch of Mongolian war horses. This horse was all red, like a raging flame, without a single strand of miscellaneous hair. On its forehead, there was a white mark. It could be said to be a precious horse, just like the one described in the Three Kingdoms as Lu Bu's Red Hare. The Red Hare treasure horse is really the same! Could it be that this Red Hare treasure horse has been reborn in the Qing dynasty? Father Zhang Xi-ruan loves horses like his life, I estimate he will definitely like this horse.

  A few days later, it was time to visit Zhang Xiluan and Zhang Dazhuang. Li Yuanfang and Wu Xiaolin led a group of soldiers to guard Liujiabao, while He Tianxi led the five battalions of cavalry and infantry to Jinzhou Prefecture. After these days of training, all the soldiers stood tall with their heads held high, full of energy and spirit, attracting many admiring glances along the way.

  After two days of traveling, they rested for a night at Heishan in Zhen'an County and arrived at Jinzhou Prefecture the next day at noon.

  In the afternoon, He Tianxi accompanied his adoptive father Zhang Xiluan, Madam Zhang, and Miss Zhang to the drill ground. The four of them inspected He Tianxi's five battalions. Zhang Xiluan wore a brocade uniform with a court pearl necklace around his neck and a second-class official hat with a red tassel.

  Zhang Xiluan sat upright on the platform, with Mrs. Zhang and Miss Zhang Qi sitting on either side of him. He Tianxi stood in front of Zhang Xiluan and politely asked: "Director General, has the inspection begun?"

  Zhang Xiluan stroked his beard and nodded in affirmation.

  Below the reviewing stand, nearly 2,500 officers and men of the five battalions stood in formation under the command of Na Zhiwu, Li Enyi, Wang Zhan Kui, Liu Dazi, and Zhao Datou. With guns in hand, they shone brightly in the golden sunlight, their silver equipment flashing dazzlingly. The soldiers were majestic and awe-inspiring. He Tianxi waved a small red flag at the reviewing stand below and shouted loudly: "The review begins!"

  Only five battalions of soldiers performed "hustle hustle" in unison, followed by performances of bayonet fighting and shooting.

  Zhang Xiluan looked down at the stage, a smile on his face, stroking his beard and nodding straight, while Zhang Qīnguāng (Miss Zhang) was also convinced by the neat military performance, revealing a gentle smile beside him. At this time, He Tianxi took back the red flag in his hand, and the five battalions of soldiers gathered together, standing upright with their guns at attention below the stage. The drill had come to an end. He Tianxi stepped forward to Zhang Xiluan's front, "slapping" sound of his boots, saying: "Reporting to Director Zhang, the drill is over, please give us a speech."

  Zhang Xiluan walked up to the front, followed by Mrs. Zhang and Miss Zhang Qi. Zhang Xiluan pulled out a long tone and said in an official tone: "General Zhang's military governance is strict and his troops are well-organized. As the saying goes, 'a strong general has no weak soldiers.' Recently, he also recovered the grassland wolves and eliminated Liu Erhuangdi. On behalf of General Shengjing Xunqi, I declare that He Tianxi's unit will be expanded to five cavalry and infantry regiments, with He Tianxi as the commander (equivalent to a regimental commander)."

  Then he presented the letter of appointment to He Tianxi. He Tianxi received the letter of appointment, and his heart was overjoyed. This uniformed officer was equivalent to a brigade commander. At this time, Zhang Zuolin had already been left far behind by himself. Then he said respectfully: "Thank you for the imperial court's kindness, thank you for the General of Shengjing's cultivation, thank you for the General Manager's love, He Tianxi will not disappoint everyone's expectations, and will wholeheartedly serve the imperial court, with no complaints."

  "Good!" said Zhang Xiluan.

  At night when the lanterns were lit, Zhang Xiluan invited He Tianxi to his house for a talk. He Tianxi entered Zhang Xiluan's house and said respectfully: "Your son greets his adoptive father and mother, and has seen Miss Zhang."

  Zhang Xiluan smiled and said: "Tiger minister has arrived, take a seat."

  He sat on the chair with half his buttocks, the other half hanging in the air, looking very respectful. Zhang Qī (Miss) couldn't help but laugh at the sight and quickly covered her mouth, her face turning red like a ripe apple.

  He Tianci unconsciously shifted his gaze to Miss Zhang Qi, who timidly raised her head. In the afternoon, He Tianci was busy rehearsing and hadn't gotten a clear look at her face, so he had only sensed that this woman had a slender figure and a graceful demeanor, a rare beauty in the world, but couldn't see her eyebrows clearly. Now, with her suddenly raising her head right next to him, He Tianci was taken aback for an instant.