Chapter 6: Sun Duojun

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  "Fourth Uncle, Third Master has already explained it in detail just now." Nie Tian smiled wryly, "I fell from the tree and my brain is still a bit dizzy from the impact. My head is still spinning, there's nothing to add."

  "Tiān Gēng, do you still remember how you fell from the tree?" Wu Dao Shi continued to ask reluctantly.

  "I don't remember clearly either, it seems like the branch I was standing on suddenly broke and then I fell down." Nie Tiange actually had no idea what was going on after possessing this young master's body. If he hadn't seen his own face reflected in the creek water on the way, looking exactly like this young master's, he would have been too embarrassed to speak up by now.

  "What?" Nie Ou Ting furrowed his brow, as the safety of his only son was at stake, and he naturally took it very seriously. "Fourth brother, you suspect someone is secretly plotting against Tian Ge? But among the eighteen brothers who went, aside from Tian Ge, there are only San Dang Jia and Hu Zi left. Are you suspecting those two?"

  "No." Wu Daoshi hastily shook his head and said, "The Third Master and Hu Zi are absolutely fine, I'm worried that someone is hiding in the dark to make trouble, this matter is indeed a bit fishy."

  Nie Ou Ting sighed: "There's no use talking about things without evidence, lest it confuses the minds of our troops."

  "Yes." Wu Daoshi said, "However, the safety level of the mountain stronghold may need to be upgraded. Especially for Shao Dangjia, don't go out easily."

  "It's probably not going to work, my uncle is likely to pass away soon." Nie Quting shook his head in difficulty, "He doesn't have any children of his own, and has always treated Tiange as if he were his own son. Tiange must go."

  "Is Director Sun critically ill?" Wu Daoshi was also startled, "This is a big deal, brother, we need to think carefully about it."

  "Yes, Sun Liechen hasn't seen me since I married Xiugu. " Nie Quting sighed, "This bandit leader of mine has ruined the reputation of Director Sun."

  It's no wonder that Wu Daoshi is so cautious, Nie Tian Ge's uncle Sun Liechen is a big shot in the three northeastern provinces, and it's not an exaggeration to say that he's second only to Zhang Zuolin and above everyone else!

  It was because of Sun Liechen's persistence that Nie Tianke studied both literature and martial arts, inviting a special teacher to learn many cultural courses such as the Four Books and Five Classics.

  Sun Liechen was one of Zhang Zuolin's most trusted generals. After the Xinhai Revolution, Zhang Zuolin became the commander of the 27th Division and Sun Liechen became the commander of the 54th Infantry Brigade under that division.

  When Zhang Zuolin and Tang Yulin, the commander of the 53rd Brigade, fell out, Sun Licheng stood by Zhang's side and opposed Tang. The relationship between Zhang Zuolin and Sun Licheng was very close.

  In 1917, Feng Delin was deprived of his military power for participating in Zhang Xun's restoration, and Sun Liechen was promoted to the commander of the 27th Division under Zhang Zuolin's recommendation. During the War for Protection of the Constitution, the Fengtian- Anhui coalition army marched into the Pass, and Sun Liechen served as the commander of Xiangdong and later as the deputy commander of the Fengtian Army.

  In 1919, Zhang Zuolin forced the Beijing government to appoint Sun Liechen as the military governor of Jilin Province, but was unsuccessful and instead appointed him as the military governor of Heilongjiang Province. In August of the same year, he was promoted to General of the Army and concurrently served as the Governor of Heilongjiang Province.

  In March 1921, Jilin military governor Bao Guiqing fell out of favor with Zhang Zuolin. Zhang Zuolin appointed Sun Liechen as the new military governor of Jilin and concurrently provincial governor, while Wu Junsheng succeeded as military governor of Heilongjiang.

  During the First Zhili-Fengtian War, Sun Liechen served as deputy commander of the Zhenwei Army. After the defeat of the Fengtian Army, the Zhili warlord Wu Peifu led his troops northward, putting great pressure on Zhang Zuolin's position, which was extremely precarious. Sun Liechen then led a solitary army to break out of Jinzhou, single-handedly withstanding the attack at Yuanguan, defending the Nine Gates Pass, and directing the battle array for dozens of days and nights, resisting the Zhili Army's offensive and stabilizing the situation in the three northeastern provinces. This led to peace talks between the two factions. Sun Liechen represented the Fengtian faction in negotiations with the Zhili representative Wang Chengbin on a British warship in Tianjin, reaching a ceasefire agreement. Zhang Zuolin then closed the border and began to reorganize his army, establishing the Northeastern Three Provinces Army Reorganization Bureau, with Sun Liechen as director and chief of staff (equivalent to Chief of General Staff), Zhang Xiang and Jiang Dengxuan as deputy directors, and Zhang Xueliang as chief of staff. They began comprehensive training for their troops, established military schools, cultivated military cadres, and planned the establishment of an air force and the first ordnance factory in the Northeastern Three Provinces. The Fengtian Army's strength thus began to increase.

  Sun Liechen held multiple positions, was plagued by illness, and had been stuck in the city of Fengtian Province for a long time, unable to extricate himself to handle military and government affairs in Jilin. He feared that he would miss the opportunity, so he submitted his resignation to Zhang Zuolin and recommended Zhang Zuo as the governor of Jilin and Wang Shuhan as the provincial governor. However, Zhang Zuolin did not approve, only allowing him to return home for quiet recuperation.

  Hei Hu Zhai is located between Shengjing and Jinzhou, its geographical location is so important, and the mountain stronghold has thousands of people and horses. However, Zhang Zuolin, the king of Northeast China, did not take any action to suppress Hei Feng Zhai, which cannot be unrelated to Nie Tian Ge's uncle Sun Liechen.

  Now Sun Liechen is critically ill, Hei Hu Zhai also lost its biggest backer and is at the mercy of the wind and waves!

  Nie Tian's heart moved slightly. This time, encountering danger by the Daling River, was there some kind of connection between this and his uncle Sun Liechen's critical illness?

  The Japanese have always had their eyes on the three northeastern provinces, and Nie Tian Gong is clearer about this than anyone else. As Hei Feng Zhai is located in an important strategic location, it's natural that the Japanese would want to take control of it.

  The reason is simple. If Heifengzhai was captured by the Japanese, it would cut off the route between Fengtian City and Jinzhou City. In that case, if the Japanese were to attack Fengtian and the battle was unfavorable, even the retreat route to Guannei would be cut off.

  Nie Tian was thinking that after Sun Lie's death, would Zhang Zuolin also take action against the Black Tiger Fort?

  Since Hei Hu Zhai was so important in the eyes of both the Japanese and Zhang Zuolin, Nie Tian Gong felt it necessary to make something out of this matter.

  As for this trip to Fengtian, Nie Tian had some expectations.

  "Big brother, now that Sun Dujuan is gone, I'm afraid many people will have ideas about our Black Tiger Fort. We must be on guard." Indeed, the astute military advisor Wu Daoshi immediately saw through this thin disguise, "General Zhang previously spared us because of his relationship with Sun Dujuan. The Japanese also refrained from openly attacking us due to this connection."

  Now, Nie Tian became even more interested in this seemingly refined military advisor. After all, in this era, someone with such strategic vision was already a rare find, not to mention in a bandit lair like the Black Tiger Fort.

  Perhaps such a person can lend himself a helping hand. Nie Tian couldn't help but have this idea, and it became more and more uncontrollable!

  "It can only be one step at a time." Nie Quting sighed, "This big brother of mine is only 52 years old this year, and his body is already so weak, not even as good as my husband who is always out in the wind and rain."

  "Dad, why don't you go together?" Nie Tian couldn't help but persuade, "This time, Uncle might reconcile with you and return home."

  "Tiān gē, it's not that your father doesn't want to go," Nie Quting said with a bitter smile. "Your uncle values face the most. After your mother married me, this bandit, he even cut off ties with her. It's not just me who can't go, even your mom can't go. We can't let your uncle lose face at this time."

  "It's fine if Tiangou goes alone." Wu Daoshi said with a smile, "The most important thing is that Director Sun is happy, this is better than anything else."