Chapter 20 Back to Shanghai Building a New Army (1)

  Xu Shao-wen and Li Zhen-ning's current military positions are not insignificant, one being the Shanghai Garrison Commander and the other the Shanghai Frontier Defense Supervisor, both of whom can be considered as having control over local power. However, although Yuan Shi-kai allows them to hold power, this power still needs to be gradually accumulated by themselves, and what they can accumulate is what they will get. The current great powers in Shanghai, not to mention Zheng Ju-cheng, would not let go easily, even Yuan Shi-kai would not lightly hand over to two young whippersnappers.

  The Army Department assigned a newly graduated deputy officer from the Lecture Martial Hall to Li Zhenning. However, under Xu Shichang's pressure, the Military Officer Department finally assigned a relatively senior deputy officer to Xu Shaowen, who was a captain who had commanded troops for two years.

  This captain is not shallow in terms of experience, but there are two regrets. One is that he started from scratch and has no background connections. The other is that he is too honest and doesn't understand political struggles. As a result, he has only managed to become an officer on probation at the military headquarters, and even at the age of 30, he is still a titular captain without any real duties.

  Xu Shao Wen psychologically understood why Uncle Xu Shi Chang had to have an experienced person by his side. After all, this Shanghai Garrison Commander was obtained by Xu Shi Chang with great difficulty, and Xu Shi Chang did not want to ruin the signboard of the Xu family.

  Xu Shao-wen and Li Zhen-ning wanted to wait in Beijing for Guo Songling, Lin Wei and other old friends to return, so that everyone could gather together to bid farewell. However, the Presidential Palace thought that taking up the post of Shanghai Garrison Commander was an urgent matter that could not be delayed. In the end, the two of them had no choice but to leave behind a letter of farewell before setting a date for their return to Shanghai.

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  On November 3rd, four cars and one armored vehicle were parked outside Shanghai Train Station. Four officers and twelve soldiers stood waiting at the gate with a spirited appearance. The newly appointed Shanghai Garrison Commander and Border Defense Commissioner from the Beijing Presidential Palace was a big deal, so after receiving the telegram, no one in Shanghai dared to slack off.

  Although Xu Shao-wen and Li Zhen-ning are two inexperienced young men, one without experience and the other without military power, they have a strong background among the influential figures in Shanghai. Moreover, the power to supervise the new army is far-sighted and will eventually become military power. Zheng Ru-cheng has always been supportive of Yuan Shikai, whatever Yuan says he believes, since President Yuan sent someone to supervise the new army, he naturally had to cooperate fully.

  Moreover, the training of new troops is not just a matter for Xu and Li alone, it's a major event for the entire Shanghai. With the current turmoil in the south, who knows when another surprise attack on the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau will occur? Once the new army is trained, it will greatly enhance the defense of Shanghai.

  When Xu Shao Wen and Li Zhen Ning, both high-ranking military officers, emerged from the train station with two deputy officers and four guards following behind them, the Shanghai Garrison Command's welcoming party, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately stepped forward to greet them.

  "Major Lin Zunian, deputy commander of the Shanghai Garrison Command, has come to welcome Director Xu and Director Li." One of the four officers, a middle-aged officer with the highest military rank, stepped forward and saluted Xu Shao-wen and Li Zhen-ning.

  "Deputy Lin, thank you for your trouble." Xu Shaowen smiled politely and looked around at the small square outside the train station. Some passersby were casting curious glances in their direction. The appointment of a new military governor was always a big deal, and reporters from various news agencies should have been flocking to cover it, but apparently Shanghai had not publicly announced the specific time of the new military governor's arrival for security reasons.

  Lin Zunian saw Xu Shao looking around, thinking he was blaming Zheng Rucheng for not coming in person. He immediately smiled and explained: "Oh, Lord Zheng has been busy with official duties these days, and is also preparing the foundation for the new army for Lord Xu, so he didn't come to greet you today."

  "It's nothing, anyway, Lord Zheng was still taking care of me a month ago," Xu Shaowen hesitated for a moment, but soon smiled again. After thinking for a while, he suddenly asked, "I wonder if the basic infrastructure for preparing the new army has been fully prepared? Beijing Central is very anxious about this matter, and Shanghai must also urgently need new troops to increase defense."

  "Please be assured, sir," replied Lin Zounian, "all matters have been settled. However, due to the short notice, the Military Governor's Office and the Consulate are not yet fully prepared, so we will have to trouble you to work with the Gendarmerie Command for the time being."

  "Oh, I see," Xu Shaowen slightly furrowed his brow, he was preparing a new army and working with the garrison command, wasn't that too restrictive?

  Just then, Li Zhenning stepped forward with a smile and said: "Wenyuan, don't worry, from the day we left Beijing, I sent a telegram to my father, he will donate a villa as the military governor's office, and you won't have to bother about accommodation, just live in my house directly."

  "This doesn't seem quite right, I reckon even you can't live in your own home, huh?" Xu Shaowen said, looking at the four guards who had followed them all the way from Beijing, before turning to Li Zhenning.

  Of course, the Supervision Office is no problem, it's just that a supervisor and a supervisor are needed, big people come and go with guards, can't let the guards live in Li Zhenning's house too, even set up a sentry at the gate of Li's villa?

  "This is also it." Li Zhenning smiled bitterly.

  "Alright, let's discuss this later," Xu Shaowen gave up and turned to Lin Zuyan, asking, "Deputy Lin, where will we be temporarily accommodated?"

  "It's all arranged, the two gentlemen will temporarily stay at the officer's quarters in Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau for a few days, and Zheng will soon arrange a suitable residence for the two gentlemen." Lin Zounian said with a flattering face.

  "Alright then, let's go first." Xu Shaowen nodded and led the way towards the sedan.

  Lin Zounian rushed forward and opened the door of a relatively luxurious sedan in the middle for Xu Shaowen and Li Zhenning.

  Xu Shaowen couldn't help but feel a sense of infinite emotion at this moment, realizing that he too had such a glorious time. However, just then, he suddenly saw a familiar figure on the east side of the small square in front of the train station, and involuntarily stopped in his tracks to gaze over.

  Only on the east side of the small square, many fruit and vegetable vendors gathered, while a woman wearing tattered clothes was carrying a dirty bamboo basket, passing through the stalls of these fruit and vegetable vendors. Sometimes she would see discarded fruit and vegetable leaves on the ground and pick them up one after another to put into her basket. Even with the ridicule and humiliation from the nearby fruit and vegetable vendors, she endured it silently.

  This woman was Su Wan'er, the dancer he had met at Weston's dance hall two months ago when he first went on duty with the military police. He couldn't help but feel surprised in his heart that this woman couldn't find work in any of Shanghai's dance halls and still hadn't taken the path of selling her body, she was really too strong.

  "Director Xu, what's wrong?" Lin Zuonian asked curiously as he saw Xu Shaowen staring at the east.

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