Chapter 66: Everything is Ready

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  January 1, 1914, New Year's Day.

  Nanjing Confucius Temple, Shunde Residence.

  "I heard our division is going to be reorganized again?"

  "Where did you get this news from?" Xiong Shihui narrowed his eyes and took a small sip of wine from the cup, then looked up at Liu Zhen and asked back.

  "What's with all the whispers going around, huh? I'm asking you a serious question, why are you still drinking?" Liu Zhen snatched the wine cup from Xiong Shi Hui's hand, clearly dissatisfied.

  Laughing and shaking his head, Xiong Shi Hui said: "I say, Jing Fu, this drink is specially brought by you, how come? Are you reluctant to spend money on wine?"

  "Pffft!" He slammed the wine cup heavily towards Xiong Shi Hui and Liu Zhen's expression turned solemn, "I heard that this reorganization is quite a big deal, it's possible that they'll cancel the 8th Division's designation. What? Aren't you worried?"

  "What's there to worry about? If anyone should be worried, it's the battalion commander or the regimental commander. You and I are just small team deputies, why bother with these idle worries? Come on, come on, you and I, brothers in the same 8th Division, but how many times have we actually had a drink together? Let's have another cup!" He poured himself a full cup of wine and raised it with a hearty laugh.

  "Liu Zhen's face changed, seemingly annoyed at his friend's attitude, but before he could slam the table and scold him, Xiong Shi Hui burst out laughing."

  "Ah, Ah, you're worrying about nothing. Who was it that brought us to the 8th Division? What position is Mr. Zhen holding now? Even if our division is reorganized and someone else takes a loss, do you think Mr. Zhen would let you and me take a loss?"

  Liu Zhen was taken aback, rubbed his head and burst out laughing: "That's also true, I heard that Mr. Deng Ming has become the son-in-law of the President and even became the general manager of the Central Bank. The Eighth Division of the Ministry of War, as the trusted aide of General Duan, would have to consider Mr. Fang's face, wouldn't they?"

  "That's the way it is!" Xiong Shihui nodded.

  It has been several months since Fang Zidao left Nanjing, during which time he did not forget the Eighth Division and a few close relatives, and there were always letters back and forth, especially with Xiong Shihui and Liu Yan.

  Xiong Shihui and Liu Yan were brought by Fang Zidao from Beijing to the Eighth Division, also his deliberately planted chess pieces in the Eighth Division. As KMT hot-blooded youths, Fang Zidao was well aware that these two young men sometimes could not help but be impulsive and reckless. At first on their way south, and during their time in the Eighth Division, Fang Zidao had often given them a hard time, until today it seems his efforts have been somewhat effective.

  At least, when Fang Zhongda married Yuan Siqi and the news reached Nanjing, these two original "shit youths" did not have much reaction, as if everything was natural, from this point it can be seen that their mentality and political maturity gradually transformed.

  When the news of the central government's decision to reorganize the troops, especially the first reorganized Eighth Division, came from the north, there was still a stir within the Eighth Division, and even Liu Zhen couldn't help but worry. In terms of politics, compared to Liu Zhen, Xiong Shihui saw more clearly that Fang Zidao, who had grasped the power of the Eighth Division with an iron fist, would not easily give up his rights, nor did he believe that Fang Zidao would let go after bringing him and Liu Zhen into the Eighth Division. Although he couldn't guess what Fang Zidao was thinking, he always felt vaguely that this reorganization wasn't so simple.

  As expected, when Xiong Shi Hui and Liu Zhen returned to the military camp together after a good meal and drink, an old friend was already waiting for them. Seeing the two men, they were overjoyed and rushed to greet them.

  "Captain Zhang, when did you arrive? Why have you suddenly come to Nanjing?"

  It wasn't someone else, but Zhang Huchen, the original commander of the 8th Division's constabulary battalion. Since escorting Jiang Zhicheng and He Yingqin to Beijing, Zhang Huchen had been staying there, and with dozens of his original constables from the 8th Division, seemed to have become Fang Zidao's private bodyguard in Beijing. In the eyes of the officers above and below the 8th Division, after Fang Zidao took over as the general manager of the Central Bank this time, Zhang Huchen, as a trusted aide, was likely to leave the 8th Division from then on. Unexpectedly, Zhang Huchen suddenly returned, and at the first opportunity, he found them.

  "Heh heh, I'm still the provost marshal of the Eighth Route Army, of course I have to go back to Nanjing. What? Has someone taken away my position?" Zhang Huchen, who usually didn't joke around, rarely made a humorous remark.

  Three people chatted and laughed as they entered the house. After sitting down, Zhang Huachen put away his smile, took out a letter from his pocket, and said seriously: "I originally wanted to find each of you separately, but unexpectedly, Jing Feng and Tian Yi are together today. This is good too. This letter was entrusted to me by Mr. Zhen Ming to give to you."

  It was said that it was Fang Zida's letter, Xiong Shihui and Liu Yan hastily took over to take a closer look. Afterwards, the two exchanged glances, nodded slightly.

  "Brother Hu Chen, please inform Mr. Xiang Ming that we will definitely handle it as instructed in the letter."

  "Good!" Zhang Huchen naturally knew what Fang Zida's letter said, seeing them respond so readily with a smile and nodding his head. However, he added: "There's no need to pass it on, I'll tell you the truth, Mr. Deng Ming will come to Nanjing and Shanghai again in person after the Spring Festival."

  "This is great! With Director Yang in Jiangsu, it's much easier!" Liu Zhen exclaimed.

  "What? Has the situation of the 8th Division changed?" Zhang Huchen was slightly stunned for a moment. After going through the difficulties in prison, Zhang Huchen had changed a lot, and with the experience of following Fang Zidao these days, he was no longer the simple Hanzi who showed off his strength at Tianqiao. Otherwise, Fang Zidao would not have let him take charge alone. A simple sentence, but Liu Sui heard a different meaning in it, and quickly asked back.

  Liu Zhen's expression was somewhat awkward, and Xiong Shihui had to explain for him. Originally, after Fang Zidao left, the eighth division commander Zhao Hengti, who had been suppressed by Fang Zidao all along, finally broke free from his muddy Buddha-like attitude and began to slowly intervene in military affairs. Although Fang Zidao used Huang Kaiyuan to replace himself and also restrained Commander Zhao Hengti with Wang Xiaozhang, after all, Zhao Hengti was the nominal commander. In recent days, Zhao Hengti's private actions have been quite frequent. On the one hand, he has been using his trusted 31st regiment to control Shanghai and constantly competing with Huang Kaiyuan for control of the eighth division. On the other hand, he also sent people to win over Jiangsu Governor Chen Dequan, openly wanting to borrow Chen's power and fully grasp the eighth division as commander.

  "Hmph! Clown!" Zhang Huichen snorted, Zhao Heng had always looked down on this master, if it weren't for Fang Zidadi's iron-fisted methods, the majestic master Zhao Heng would have been driven to desperation by Lin Hu long ago. In order to maintain the overall stability of the Eighth Division, and considering Zhao Heng's nominal position in the Eighth Division, Fang Zida had not taken action against him, but instead let him sit safely on the throne of the division commander.

  As for Jiangsu's governor, Cheng Dequan, this nominal big shot Zhang Huchen was even more disdainful. This guy hadn't even started fighting before he hastily ran to the Shanghai concession to take refuge, and as soon as the situation was settled, he jumped out again shouting slogans in support of the central government. Such an incompetent governor had already made a name for himself throughout the land. What kind of trouble could these two guys stir up together?

  "Let them have a few more happy days, and then there will be a good show waiting for them!" Zhang Huichen said with a cold smile.

  In Beijing, in Fang Zida's mansion, Yuan Sizhen was helping to sort out clothes. Although Fang Zida still had more than a month before heading south, Yuan Sizhen had already started making preparations for him.

  "It's still early for departure, and it's not as cold in the south as it is in Beijing, so there's no need to bring so many things." Fang Zida said, unable to help himself, as he entered the house and saw several large trunks.

  "It's always good to bring some extra things on a poor family's rich road. The south has a lot of moisture, it's easy to catch a chill." Yuan Sizhen replied lightly, carefully putting a neatly folded outer garment into the trunk.

  He smiled slightly, and Fang Zida's heart warmed up a bit. This wife, Yuan Sizhen, was really not bad. After all these years, he finally had a sense of home for the first time.

  After finishing packing, Yuan Siqi came to Fang Zida's side and sat down, leaning her head on his shoulder, and asked softly: "Zida, can't you take me with you?"

  Shaking his head, Fang Zida stroked her hair: "This time going south I have a big deal to take care of, bringing you along would be too inconvenient. How about this, after the Shanghai branch is established, I'll send someone to pick you up?"

  Nodding, Yuan Si-chen leaned against Fang Zida's sturdy shoulder, slowly closing her eyes, with a happy smile on her face. While Fang Zida had a cigar between his fingers, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed, as if pondering something important.

  The framework of the central bank has been set up, and according to his ideas, many aspects of the newly established central bank are referenced from the central banks a hundred years later. The General Office, Monetary Bureau, Financial Bureau, Statistics Bureau, Accounting and Finance Bureau, Payment Bureau, Currency and Precious Metals Bureau, Treasury Bureau, International Bureau, Internal Audit Bureau, Personnel Bureau, Research Bureau, and Security Bureau were established. Most of the main personnel are elite backbones brought by him from the split of the Bank of Communications. Zhou Chen, who volunteered, temporarily served as the director of the General Office, and changed the general office system to the general manager system. Fang Zidao was appointed as the general manager, Yang Du as the deputy general manager, and another deputy general manager was concurrently appointed by Tang Shaoyi, the Minister of Finance.

  The framework of the central bank is in place, and next comes the specific work. Coinage and financial rectification are the top priorities. The manufacturing bureaus in Nanjing and Shanghai will be reorganized, with some parts merged into the Currency and Silver Bureau, while other parts and the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company and Hanyang Ironworks will have separate arrangements by Fang Zidao.

  So Fang Zida had to leave Nanjing again and head south for business, the time of departure was also set, which is after the Spring Festival.