Chapter Twenty-Four: Selecting People

  These noisy things have nothing to do with Fang Zidao for the time being, just like Song Jiaoren once said, Sun Wen is a person who loves to brag and stir up trouble. In the past, when Fang Zidao only read about history, he didn't think much of it, and even felt reverence and admiration when he first met Sun Wen in Shanghai. But these days have long since passed, and now he finally understands that revolution is not pure, and the pioneers of revolution are not gods on high pedestals. Sun Wen is just a thorough troublemaker who will jump out from time to time to disgust people. Wherever he appears, there will be no peace. In private, Fang Zidao has also given this "revolutionary pioneer" a nickname with a bad taste - "Not Stirring Up Trouble Is Not Comfortable Ski".

  Fang Zidao was then given a task, Song Jiaoren specially sent him to Nanjing, the main task is to contact the Eighth Division stationed in Nanjing.

  Before departure, Song Jiaoren made a special effort to meet with Fang Zidao amidst his busy schedule. The 8th Division was originally under Huang Xing's command, and after Huang's death, it was taken over by Zhao Hengti. This division was one of the elite troops of the KMT reorganized from the Nanjing provisional government, especially the Lin Hu Tiger Regiment of the 8th Division, which was Huang Xing's guard regiment at that time, with considerable combat effectiveness. Winning over this division is of great significance to the KMT. Song Jiaoren could not leave Beijing for the time being, and it would be conspicuous to send other party members at present, so he assigned this task to Fang Zidao.

  Fang Zida took Zhang Huchen and quietly left Beijing. He didn't go directly to the train station, but instead found a horse-drawn carriage and headed northwest out of the city.

  "Master Fang, aren't we going to Nanjing? How did we end up here?" Zhang Huachen asked curiously, looking at the quiet and secluded path.

  "Go find someone first." Fang Zida said with a smile, shaking his folding fan.

  "Looking for someone? Here?" Zhang Huichen thought it was strange. Could this small place still have friends of Fang Ye?

  "You'll know when you get there." Fang Zida didn't say much more, leaning back in the carriage with his eyes narrowed, until the driver stopped the carriage and he looked up to see that they had arrived.

  Qinghe Town, a small town near Beijing. After asking someone for directions, he walked further and saw his destination today - Qinghe First Reserve Army School.

  "Halt! Who goes there!"

  Before the carriage approached, the soldier on duty shouted a warning and the coachman was so frightened that he hastily pulled in the reins.

  "Get off with me and don't talk nonsense." After handing over to Zhang Huichen, Fang Zida jumped off the horse cart and walked straight towards the gate.

  "Military area, no loitering allowed. Leave immediately!" The soldier pulled the bolt back and asked with unusual vigilance.

  He glanced at the simple yet solemn gate, as well as the soldiers standing guard at the entrance, wearing puttees and Northern-style uniforms. Fang Zidao couldn't help but secretly admire Yuan Shikai's military training skills, at least in terms of discipline and orderliness, which was quite impressive, and completely unlike the depiction of sloppy soldiers in later films.

  "Is the General Manager in? Please report, just say Fang Zida from Beijing wants to see him!" He took out a name card and handed it over to Zhang Huachen, who stood at the door with an air of authority.

  "Looking for the General's office? From Beijing......?" The soldier eyed Fang Zidao with an extraordinary air, took over the name card and looked at it, then lowered his gun and slung it on his back: "Please wait, let me report!"

  The soldier holding the nameplate rushed inside, leaving a soldier standing upright at the gate. Fang Zidao didn't rush either, staying aside to take in the surrounding scenery, with the faint sound of drilling from within the campus still echoing in his ears.

  It wasn't long before the soldiers who had just entered came back, followed by an officer.

  "This gentleman, the General's Office has invited you. I am the deputy officer of the General's Office, please follow me." The officer led Fang Zidao in with a smile, and while walking, he was still puzzled in his heart, who is this young man? Why have I never seen him before?

  Not far from here is a small building, and General Shang Dequan, dressed in military uniform, was already waiting at the door. When he saw Fang Zidao, he hurried forward to greet him warmly and shook hands with him.

  "Director of Commerce Office, I came suddenly, please forgive me."

  "Ah, Mr. Fang, please come in, please come in." With a firm handshake, Shang Dequan ushered Fang Zida into the house. After the deputy officer who had brought them helped serve tea, Shang Dequan asked, "Mr. Fang, what brings you to our school today? Is it something from the President's office...?"

  Smiling and waving his hand, Fang Zida secretly sighed that Yuan Dabuzi's face was really useful. Of course, after considering the task in Nanjing next, he thought about the problem of entourage and safety. Zhang Huchen was a reliable entourage, but this time they couldn't just rely on him alone. As for selecting personnel from within the KMT, Fang Zida had already vetoed the idea at first. This trip to Nanjing was also very important, and it wasn't convenient to ask the government for people either. After thinking about it, he found Yuan Keding, Yuan Dabuzi, and planned to select a few military school students who were still in school to follow him on the road.

  This matter would be difficult for others to handle, but who is Yuan Da Gongzi? It's worth noting that Shang Dequan has always been a subordinate of Yuan Shikai. When he was training troops in Xiaozhan, he was the commander of the artillery division, and now he serves as the general manager of the Qinghe Military Academy. Yuan Da Gongzi and Shang Dequan are very familiar with each other, and it only takes one call to settle things. That's why Fang Zida arrived here just before his departure.

  Of course, Yuan Daguizi didn't explain anything to Shang Defan beforehand, he just asked him to cooperate with Fang Zida and try his best to satisfy the other party's requirements. Listening to Shang Defan's words, Fang Zida mistakenly thought that he was helping Yuan Shikai with something, so he smiled secretly and didn't explain, but simply waved his hand and said: "Actually, it's not a big deal, I have been ordered to go south this time, so I came to find Brother Shang to borrow a few students as attendants."

  "Receiving orders? Heading south?" Shang Dequan's mind turned quickly and immediately connected Fang Zida's words with the current situation, his first reaction was that this person might be Yuan Shikai's secret envoy, as for the task of heading south... Heh heh heh, Shang Dequan thought he had guessed a few points.

  "No problem at all, Brother Fang needs how many people? Is one class enough?" Patting his chest, Shang Defu readily agreed.

  "Why do we need so many people, this trip to the south is a secret matter, I only need two or three people." Fang Zida shook his head and smiled, thinking for a moment before saying: "How about this, Brother Shang, as the head of the military school, can you recommend a few people for me to choose from?"

  "This... no problem!" Shang Dequan hesitated for a moment, then agreed. He asked Fang Zida to wait for a moment, and soon returned with a list of names, pointing out the people who were specifically circled on the list and introducing each person's situation to Fang Zida.

  Listen carefully to the introduction, then look at the list. Fang Zidah looked and suddenly his eyes lit up, pointing to two people and asking again. After Shang Dequan explained in detail, he decided on the spot that it was them!