Chapter 21: Deeply Moved!

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  For historical celebrities of the same era as Wei Ren, Zhang Xinghan can still recognize them. He was originally a special forces soldier and most of the books he liked were about recording historical figures and events.

  For modern historical figures, although I don't dare say I know them all, I also have a rough idea.

  While Zhang Xinghan was still in shock, Song Zheyuan, Pang Bingxun, Zhao Dengyu and other generals had already stood at attention and saluted Chairman Chiang.

  Zhang Xinghan stood in the back row and also hastily stepped forward two steps, standing upright and saluting.

  In this era, it is necessary to show respect to Director-General Chiang, at least on the surface.

  At close range, Zhang Xinghan saw more clearly that at this time, Chairman Chiang's eyebrows were clear and his eyes were bright, with a dignified demeanor, smiling and shaking hands one by one with Song Zheyuan and others, offering condolences.

  Soon after Chairman Chiang and a group of generals shook hands and exchanged greetings, he asked: "Which one is the anti-Japanese hero who killed the Japanese Major General?"

  "Report to the Chairman! He is Zhang Xinghan! Excellent marksmanship, brave in battle, at the Battle of Xipingkou, he shot and killed the commander of the 4th Regiment of the Japanese Army." General Zhao Dengyu hastily walked up to Zhang Xinghan and said to Chairman Chiang.

  After finishing speaking, he gently pushed Zhang Xinghan with his hand and hinted at him with his eyes.

  Zhang Xinghan immediately understood Zhao Dengyu's meaning and hastily stepped forward, standing at attention and saying loudly: "Reporting for duty, Chairman of the Committee! I am Zhang Xinghan, a soldier from the 217th Regiment, 109th Brigade, 37th Division, 29th Army of the National Revolutionary Army. Please give me instructions!"

  Chiang Kai-shek looked at the young Zhang Xinghan, tall and majestic in stature, with a dignified appearance, and an air of elegance that came naturally to him. Moreover, Zhang's height was almost the same as Chiang's, which somehow increased Chiang's favorable impression of him.

  Moreover, in Zhang Xinghan he seemed to see himself when he was young and followed Premier Zhou during the revolution.

  When Zhang Xinghan saluted, Chairman Chiang smiled with a humble face and in his thick Jiangsu-Zhejiang accent said: "Not bad, young and full of spirit, indeed heroes emerge in youth. The country needs soldiers like you to resist foreign humiliation and defend the nation!"

  "Thank you for your praise, Chairman!" Zhang Xinghan said loudly and confidently.

  "Where is Xing Han from?" Chiang Kai-shek, instead of being annoyed by Zhang Xinghan's unruly behavior, actually liked him a bit because the young man in front of him was too similar to himself when he was young. Moreover, he had indeed achieved great merit, so he asked.

  Zhang Xinghan's previous life was in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, very close to Chiang Kai-shek's hometown of Fenghua. Due to the suddenness of the event, he did not expect Chiang to ask him this question. In his haste, Zhang Xinghan could only answer truthfully: "Reporting to the Chairman! My humble hometown is Ningbo, Zhejiang Province."

  "Oh? You're from Ningbo? General Chiang was apparently somewhat surprised, he had not expected that there would be people from Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the 29th Army, let alone someone from Ningbo. Ningbo and Fenghua are adjacent to each other, and Yin County is less than thirty kilometers away from Xikou, General Chiang's hometown. In General Chiang's view, as long as you're from Ningbo, or even Zhejiang, you're considered a fellow countryman."

  Chiang Kai-shek's use of personnel is based on two considerations: one is ability, and the other is background. From historical records, it can be seen that in the National Government's various departments and military units, Chiang especially liked to employ and reuse talents from Fenghua, some high-ranking government officials were mediocre but able to rise step by step, why? Because they were from Fenghua, and were considered by Chiang as his trusted confidants.

  This Fenghua clique is not simply people from Fenghua, but generally speaking, anyone from Zhejiang Province can be classified as part of the Fenghua clique.

  For example, Chen Cheng, a leading figure in the KMT's engineering corps and Chiang Kai-shek's trusted aide, known as "Little Chairman", and Tang Enbo, who was called one of the "four evils" by the people of Henan during the Anti-Japanese War, were both from Zhejiang and were absolutely trusted generals of Chiang Kai-shek. Tang Enbo had mediocre abilities but enjoyed a smooth career, which is inseparable from his family background.

  Return to the right path.

  "Yes!" Zhang Xinghan nodded solemnly.

  "Is there anyone else at home? How can you go to the northwest to join the army?" Chairman Chiang asked further.

  "Lost his mother at a young age, his father had been engaged in business since early years, the whole family moved to Xi'an. Later, his father gradually became seriously ill and spent all the family's savings without being cured. When his father passed away, he once instructed Xinghan that he must join the army and fight against the enemy to avenge the country!" Zhang Xinghan fabricated a lie that he thought was quite convincing.

  But unexpectedly, Chairman Chiang was deeply moved by the words and nodded heavily: "Good! Good! Serve in the military and report to the country! Your respected father is very understanding of the great righteousness, and he is admirable!"

  He immediately reached out and patted Zhang Xinghan's left shoulder, saying: "Xinghan, do a good job! The country needs people like you, and the resistance against Japan also needs soldiers like you!"

  After finishing speaking, he turned around and walked into the administrative building with a big stride under the crowd's escort. The people present all saw a hint of it, they all knew that being able to make Chairman Chiang pay such attention, this young man would be reused sooner or later! So the eyes looking at Zhang Xinghan had both envy and admiration.

  Chiang Kai-shek then convened a consolation meeting, mainly to comfort and reward the 29th Army for their great victory at Xifengkou.

  And promised General Song Zheyuan to fully supplement military supplies and weapons.

  On the eve of the meeting's conclusion, Wang Shihe, the chief of the guard, took out a commendation letter at the behest of Director-General Chiang and read it aloud: "In accordance with the decision made by the Military Commission and the National Committee, General Zhao Dengyu, General Wang Zhibang, He Jishen, and Zhang Xinghan are each awarded one Order of Blue Sky and White Sun to encourage them. May all the generals continue to display their bravery in fighting the enemy and defending our territory."

  "Thank you for your praise!" The four of them hastily stood up and said.

  "Please take a seat!" Chairman Chiang smiled and waved his hand. He immediately said, "Gentlemen, I have already arranged for a banquet to be prepared, today is to welcome you and also to celebrate our victory!"

  Just as Chairman Chiang's words fell, General Song Zheyuan suddenly stood up and said with righteous indignation: "Chairman, the current situation at the front line is urgent, our soldiers are fighting bloody battles against the Japanese invaders. I wish to return to the front line as soon as possible to command the troops in resisting the enemy's attack!"

  "Haha, Mingxuan! (Song Zheyuan's courtesy name) Your ambition is commendable! All of you generals have been traveling by boat and carriage, so let's finish dinner first, rest for a night, and return to the front line tomorrow. Fighting is important, but one's body is even more important. If you exhaust your body, who will command the troops?" Chairman Chiang smiled and said.

  It must be said! Chiang Kai-shek is indeed very good at winning people's hearts. His concern for his subordinates has moved and inspired men like Pang Bingxun and Zhao Dengyu, although the experienced Song Zheyuan was not taken in.

  After all, the Northwest Army is not a central army, and it can get the care and love of the chairman, which is what every Northwest Army general has been dreaming of.

  Under pressure from Chairman Chiang, General Song Zheyuan agreed with Chairman Chiang's intention.

  After dinner, Zhang Xinghan, who had just arrived at his residence with General Zhao Dengyu, received a message that Chairman Chiang wanted to see him.

  Under the encouragement of General Zhao Dengyu, Zhang Xinghan came to the office of the Chairman of the Commission with mixed feelings. Standing at the door of the office, Wang Shihe, the Chief of Staff, reported in a low voice: "Chairman, Zhang Xinghan has arrived."

  "Oh! Ask him to come in." A voice came from inside, it was Chairman Chiang's.

  Wang Shihe slightly nodded his head and Zhang Xinghan solemnly nodded in agreement before striding inside.

  Walking into the office, Zhang Xinghan strode up to Chairman Chiang and stood at attention, saluting: "Chairman! You wanted me?"

  "Ah, Xing Han! Come on in! Take a seat!" Chairman Chiang smiled and gestured with his hand.

  Zhang Xinghan was also straightforward and didn't beat around the bush. As a soldier, he sat down on a nearby sofa without any fuss.

  Chiang Kai-shek stood up and walked over to a sofa, sat down with a smile and said: "Xing Han, I called you here mainly because the Central Army Academy is going to recruit some young people with aspirations this year. You should know about the Central Army Academy? That's the party-state talent training base, are you willing to enter the school for study and training?"

  Zhang Xinghan suddenly enlightened, it turned out that Chairman Chiang wanted him to enter the Whampoa Military Academy for further study, which showed his deep intention. Even a fool like Zhang Xinghan understood.

  Zhang Xinghan was thinking rapidly in his mind, the Long March anti-war would inevitably end with the defeat of the Chinese side, this is a historical fact, and with Zhang Xinghan's current ability, he was not enough to change history.

  If I didn't go to Nanjing to further my studies at the Central Army Academy, and stayed with the 29th Army, after the end of the Great Wall War and the Tanggu Truce, I should have been promoted to company or battalion commander.

  However, if one enters the Central Military Academy in Nanjing, it's a different story. As long as you graduate from the military academy, you'll become Chiang Kai-shek's favorite student and have the opportunity to enter the upper echelons of the National Army, with Chiang's trust and favor, your future prospects shouldn't be a problem.

  Only in this way can one rapidly enhance their own abilities and influence, so that when the moment of history arrives, they will have the ability to change it, not allowing the tragedy of history and the shame of China to be reenacted again, or at least minimizing the damage.

  Promotions and wealth are not what Zhang Xinghan wants. As a Chinese, in this critical moment of national crisis, how can one have the idea of seeking promotions and wealth?

  Having made up his mind, Zhang Xinghan immediately stood up and expressed himself in a resolute tone: "I am willing, I will definitely study hard, carry forward the Whampoa spirit, and go to the battlefield to kill the enemy and serve the country in the future. For my whole life, I will not have any thoughts of promotion or wealth, I swear to be loyal to the party and the country, and to be loyal to the principal!"

  "Good!" Chairman Chiang was overjoyed upon hearing this, especially the last two sentences of Zhang Xinghan, which were exactly in line with his own thoughts. He couldn't help but nod and say: "Loyalty and bravery are commendable! My heart is greatly comforted! After entering school, you must study hard and make progress, and in the future, contribute to the country and be loyal to the party state!"

  "Yes!" Zhang Xinghan stood up straight and saluted loudly.

  "Hmm! You go back first! The 29th Army doesn't need to return, I will notify Song Zheyuan and Zhao Dengyu, and arrange for you to be sent to Nanjing to study. You can stay here for now, later, I will arrange for someone to send you to Nanjing." Chairman Chiang instructed with satisfaction.

  "Yes! Your subordinate takes his leave!" Zhang Xinghan stood up straight and saluted with a loud "crack", then turned around and strode away.