Chapter 9: Positive and Negative

  "This time to Baoding? This is really a pleasant thing," Guo Songling laughed, "To be honest, I'm looking forward to visiting the Baoding Military Academy. I heard that the campus of Baoding Military Academy is three times larger than our Army University."

  Xu Shaowen took a look at Guo Songling's playful and irreverent appearance, and couldn't imagine that he was a 31-year-old man who had established himself. He shook his head helplessly and asked Lin Wei: "Brother Weiwu, what else is written on the bulletin board?"

  "That's all, just some details, you can take a look later," Lin Wei shrugged and turned to Guo Songling, "But this time, Brother Maoshen really has the opportunity to fulfill your wish. The notice says that 30 participants will be selected for this competition, and the Military Academy will also organize some excellent students to study together, all food, accommodation and travel expenses are covered."

  "'If what you say is true, then it's really worth paying attention to,' said Guo Songling with a hearty laugh."

  Li Zhenning turned around to look at Duan Yunfeng, who was standing in the back, and said with a hint of reproach: "Ren Chu class leader, this matter of recommending names for the class leader position, I suppose you knew about it early on. Why didn't you inform us?"

  Duan Yunfeng just smiled lightly and said, "I also only found out yesterday from the Dean of Studies. The Dean just told us to recommend six or more but no more than twelve undergraduate students for each department, and then he will pass them on to the Principal, who will decide on the contestants." He added another sentence here, "I think this notice will be made public sooner or later, so you can see it for yourselves at that time, which is why I didn't tell you."

  Actually, everyone knows that Duan Yunfeng is a man of few words, so no one blamed him much.

  Li Zhenning smiled and took a step forward, stretching out one hand to hook onto Duan Yunfeng's shoulder, asking: "As for this good thing, has Brother Renchu already got someone in mind?"

  Duan Yunfeng thought for a moment and said: "I haven't thought of it yet, but if you are willing to take the initiative, I will definitely consider it first."

  "This is enough for now, let's discuss it further in the dormitory tonight," said Guo Songling excitedly after hearing Duan Yunfeng's words.

  At this point, Duan Yunfeng suddenly looked at Xu Shao and Li Zhenning, saying with a hint of apology: "However, I'm afraid you two will be disappointed. This time, the Dean specifically instructed that this competition is crucial, only victory is allowed, no failure is permitted, so it's best if all the recommended candidates have served in the military."

  "What kind of talk is this?" Guo Songling blinked his eyes, looking somewhat indignant. "This is the Republic era, after all. We should be talking about equality. Besides, Wen Yuan and Wen Han may not have joined the army before, but they can be considered a new generation of military officers who haven't been tainted by the army. Who knows, maybe they'll come up with some extraordinary insights that are different from ordinary people."

  "Alright, alright. You're still as sharp and insightful as ever. And you're a new generation officer too. Brother Mao Chen, you're really joking. Xu Shao Wen was amused by Guo Song Ling's words. His mood wasn't affected at all by Duan Yun Feng's words. He turned to Duan Yun Feng and said: "Brother Ren Chu, don't mention my name again. Since the Dean specifically wants to choose students who have served in the military, it's natural that he hopes they can perform practically. Besides, I'm a person who only acknowledges familiarity, not strangeness. In an unfamiliar setting, I'd be worried about being nervous and awkward. It's better if I don't go."

  Li Zhenning saw Xu Shaowen voluntarily give up his place, and didn't seem to want to argue about it anymore. He smiled and said: "In that case, Wen Yuan and I can only step aside. However, Ren Chu class leader, this competition is beyond hope now. But as an excellent student who has been learning with us, you must help me and Wen Yuan strive for it."

  "Excellent students are selected by the Dean of Studies from the assessment results of the first half of the year. I can't say I helped." Duan Yunfeng smiled and declined. "However, Wenhan and Wenyuan, you two have been performing well in your studies and training. I believe it will be easy for you to be selected as accompanying students."

  "What a pity. But Wen Yuan, such a man with great insight, cannot participate. What a huge loss for our Military Academy!" Lin Wei said half-jokingly and half-sighing on the side.

  Xu Shao Wen hastily interrupted and said: "Wei Wen brother, you're openly trying to kill me!"

  A group of people chatted and laughed, after loosening up at the entrance of the quadrangle courtyard, they began to walk back to their dormitory.

  After returning to the dormitory, Duan Yunfeng was urged by his classmates in the Physical Education Department to start preparing for the recommended quota. However, the people who were urging him on were just looking for excitement, and when Duan Yunfeng asked who was willing to volunteer for the quota, not many people were willing to come forward. Although this time the Military Academy had offered many excellent rewards, some students at the Army University still felt resistant to this insincere competition.

  It is said that the revolution has won, and with it comes overall progress in public thought. Although the Military Academy was under the jurisdiction of the Northern Government, or rather, Yuan Shikai's private property, and the Northern Government is currently the orthodox government of China, and Yuan Shikai is also the orthodox president of China, however, the students of the Military Academy found it hard to believe in what the orthodox government and president did.

  Recently, I was forced to participate in a petition, which was just a formality and going through the motions. However, this time it's clear that it's a national declaration, and if not handled properly, it would offend colleagues from other military schools, or even worse, be ostracized and have one's identity clearly defined. Studying at a military academy is to serve China, not to serve the Beiyang government.

  As for the students of this exam who are cautious and have a sense of restraint, they all happen to be concentrated in the infantry department. This made Duan Yunfeng record only six people's names after asking around, barely meeting the minimum quota of six required by the Dean of Studies. However, overall speaking, submitting such a small number of recommended students will definitely attract criticism, as it doesn't give the Dean and the Principal any opportunity to select from among them.

  In the end, at Guo Songling's suggestion, in order to help Duan Yunfeng get through, Xu Shaowen and Li Zhenning contributed their own quotas. Although the Dean of Teaching had initially reminded Duan Yunfeng that it was best if the recommended list consisted of those who had served in the army, as for Xu Shaowen and Li Zhenning, he could pretend not to know whether they had been in the army or not. Moreover, this was just a matter of making up the numbers anyway.

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  I'll continue to strive for votes and work hard on writing! Congratulations again on signing another 20,000 words contract.