Volume 1: The Military Academy Chapter 28: Arrival in Shanghai

  Tonight at midnight, I will update an extra chapter. I hope readers can help spread the word and thank you all for your support.

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  After a four-day journey, Xu Shaowen and Li Zhenning finally arrived in Shanghai. Whether it was the Republic of China era or the 21st century, Shanghai has always been a place that can turn the clouds and rain upside down. Of course, Xu Shaowen knew that Xu Wenqiang, Ding Li and others who appeared in the 21st-century TV series did not exist in history, but there were still many Green Gang bosses in Shanghai.

  The train arrived at around 8 pm, and the autumn sky was already dark, with a starry night sky. Originally, Xu Shao-wen and Li Zhen-ning were both considered to be probationary officers dispatched from the central government, and the Shanghai Garrison Command should have sent someone to greet them. However, because the train's original arrival time was at noon, due to delays caused by changing trains along the way, they missed the welcome from the Shanghai Garrison Command.

  However, Li Zhenning didn't care about that. The people from the Shanghai Garrison Command wouldn't wait for hours at the train station just because of two probationary officers. But as a young master of the Li family, one of Shanghai's most prominent families, the person sent to welcome him had been waiting since morning until night, and finally waited for the young master to arrive.

  Li Zhenning and Xu Shaowen had just gotten off the train with their luggage when they were hastily greeted by the Li family's butler and a driver on the platform. The butler was an old man in his fifties, with white hair and a youthful face, wearing a silk jacket, giving off a rustic air of elegance, looking very honest and simple-minded. When the old butler saw Li Zhenning, he greeted him with concern: "Young Master, how was your trip? This foreign train thing is really unreliable."

  Li Zhenning smiled and said, "Fu Bo, look at what you're saying. When a train changes tracks, it always takes some time. From Beijing to Shanghai, we've passed through dozens of stations along the way, so there's bound to be some delay. But as I'm back safe and sound, isn't that all that matters?"

  "Master, come on," Old Fu, the steward, hastily beckoned the driver to come forward and take Li Zhenning's luggage, then said, "The old master has been waiting for you today. Originally, a banquet was prepared at noon to welcome you back, but Master, you didn't arrive. Now the old master is busy preparing tonight's banquet, let's go back now."

  Li Zhenning didn't respond to Fu Bo, but instead looked at Xu Shao Wen beside him and said: "Wen Yuan, it's so late, why don't you come with me? In the past when I was in Nanjing, I invited you several times to come to Shanghai during your vacation, but you never agreed. Anyway, this time we'll be staying in Shanghai for a few months, so just stay at my place directly and let me play host."

  Xu Shaowen looked at the sky and found it was very late, he himself was a newcomer to Shanghai, the headquarters of the Shanghai Garrison Command and the Third Military Police Battalion were in different places, he originally planned to stay with Li Zhenning for one night, as for living in Li Zhenning's house for a long time, he always felt a bit embarrassed.

  "Wen Han, it's possible that I won't be able to make it back tonight to report, so I might really have to go to your place to stay overnight. But tomorrow morning, I'll pack my things and head to the military police camp. The Shanghai Garrison Command will arrange accommodations for me anyway." Xu Shao Wen said to Li Zhen Ning.

  "What a mess, the barracks are dirty and inconvenient," Li Zhen looked at Xu Shao Wen with some discontent, saying seriously, "You're alone in Shanghai, unfamiliar with the place, and the military police station is just next to the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, not far from my home. You can stay at my house, it's convenient for you to go back and forth on official business every day. Moreover, we are both interns at the Garrison Command, and we can take the same route to and from work every day."

  Xu Shaowen also knew that coming to the Shanghai Garrison Command for an internship wouldn't be as rigid as a regular garrison, and some officers could still come and go freely. Especially someone like Li Zhenning who was interning as a staff officer in the headquarters, it would be more like working in an ordinary government department, going to work in the morning and leaving in the evening. And Xu Shaowen himself was interning at the military police station, which was actually similar to a police bureau.

  Due to Shanghai's unique administrative division at the time, almost half of the area was concession territory, so no municipal government was established. As a result, corresponding government management mechanisms had to be transferred to the Garrison Command and the Public Security Command. The Shanghai Garrison Commander not only exercised the power of mayor but also controlled the jurisdiction of the Shanghai garrison. Therefore, except for the two regular army divisions stationed in Shanghai, other official institutions operated like government civil service agencies.

  "But I'm afraid that such an uninvited stay would be resented by Li's family, after all, I am just an outsider." Xu Shaowen still felt that it was not very convenient for him to live in Li Zhenning's home, possibly due to the influence of the "Shanghai people are xenophobic" concept in the 21st century.

  Li Zhenning felt a bit unhappy and interrupted Xu Shaowen's words, saying seriously: "Wenyuan, what's with this 'outsider' business? Have you always considered me an outsider? Honestly, let's settle this once and for all. You'll come to my place with me. If you keep making excuses, it really won't be enough for our friendship. I'm getting angry."

  Seeing Li Zhenning's serious face, Xu Shaowen also felt that he was being too polite and could only thank him and say: "Well, since you're so enthusiastic, I'd be rude to decline again. Then thank you first."

  "We are like two brothers in this world, why be polite to each other?" Li Zhenning's face immediately lit up when he saw Xu Shaowen agree to move into his house.

  Li Zhenning asked old housekeeper Fu to move Xu Shaowen's luggage onto the car as well, and then they left the train station together. At the entrance of the train station, a well-maintained sedan had already been parked there, Li Zhenning politely invited Xu Shaowen to get in the car.

  The sedan was driving, and Xu Shaowen took in the night view of Shanghai. Indeed, just like the scenes that appeared in 21st-century TV dramas, Shanghai had a prosperous and resplendent atmosphere at any time. Although it was already evening, the image of the city that never sleeps was still so dazzling under the neon lights.

  Many buildings on the street were influenced by Western styles, with tall floor-to-ceiling windows and embossed pillars. Cars came and went, honking their horns as if to show off these new gadgets to those who stuck to tradition. No matter how you describe it, the bustling atmosphere was always the underlying tone.

  Li Zhenning's home in Shanghai is near the concession area. In the carriage, Li Zhenning also introduced to Xu Shaowen that their Li family has more than one house in Shanghai. There are also villas in the British and French concessions, but they usually don't live there. Xu Shaowen knew that Li Zhenning's father was a prominent figure in Shanghai, not only controlling many legitimate companies, but also having several shares of dividends with the underworld behind his back.

  The sedan arrived at the Li family's large mansion, a typical foreign-style building with a large courtyard and garden. The house appeared to be three stories high from the outside, plus an attic, making it four stories in total. Overall, it was absolutely majestic and luxurious. After hearing the car horn, the gatehouse immediately came out to open the large iron gate, allowing the car to enter.