Chapter 8

  This book is quite good-looking, it's a wonderful book. If you have any opinions, leave a comment.

  The next day, news came from Ningxia that Feng Yuxiang's army was going to head northwest. The leader of the Ma family army, Suiyuan General Ma Fuxiang, was appointed by Feng Yuxiang as the Northwest Border Defense Commissioner, serving as Feng's assistant, and Suiyuan General was replaced by Li Mingzhong, a division commander in Feng's army. Liu Yufen's unit from Feng's army had already entered Ningxia.

  Ma Ke shouted: "Isn't Feng Yuxiang in Beijing? What's he doing running to the Northwest?"

  The staff said: "Old Feng is good at changing, stabbed Wu Peifu with a knife, drove Cao Kun away, and Old Feng became the revolutionary party. He changed the army into the National Army, welcomed Sun Yat-sen, and Duan Qirui, Wu Peifu, and Zhang Zuolin joined forces to fight against Old Feng. They gave Old Feng a Northwest Border Defense Supervisor position, so Old Feng came to our northwest to grab territory."

  "Does he control the entire northwest?"

  "The central government appoints him, whoever disobeys him he will collect whoever, his soldiers are very powerful."

  Skew: Northwestern dialect, awesome, capable. What's up with the library on the line?

  Bad news came one after another. Ma Fuxiang's two sons, Ma Hongkui and Ma Hongbin, obediently followed Feng Yuxiang to reorganize the army and became division commanders. Feng's general Liu Yufen led his troops into Lanzhou, buried Li Changqing, the commander of the First Division of Gansu Army, alive, and reorganized Li Changqing's troops. The four towns in eastern and southern Gansu were unable to withstand a single blow. After the National Army cleaned up Ningxia, Shaanxi, eastern and southern Gansu, they marched towards Hezhou, Liangzhou, Su Zhou, and Gan Zhou, with their battle-axes hanging over the neck of Ma's army. The Ma brothers vowed to join forces to counterattack Feng Yuxiang. However, none of them were brave enough to resist. Since Ma Zhan'ao surrendered to Zuo Zongtang, the Ma family army had been particularly precious about their red hats, and they were no longer used to resisting. The Ma brothers were timid and hesitant, unable to decide between war and surrender.

  Liangzhou is now Wuwei, Suzhou is now Jiuquan, and Ganzhou is now Zhangye.

  Ma Bufang said: "Feng Yuxiang's military control is not inferior to Zuo Zongtang, why must we clash head-on? It's best to let a third party take the initiative, and we'll mediate in between, reaping the benefits of the fishermen." Ma Qi tapped on Ma Bufang's head, "My son, the watermelon is ripe." Ma Bufang said: "Our Ma family ancestors relied on Zuo Zongtang back then, all because of that fool Bai Yantiger."

  Ma Qi said: "This time I'm afraid no one dares to be a fool, the National Army is the most powerful team."

  Ma Bufang said: "Ma Zhongying is a fool, no need for a fan, just blow a breath and he will be on fire."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Don't believe me? Try it yourself."

  "What is Brother Liang most afraid of hearing?"

  "What I fear most is saying he's not a son."

  At that time, the northwest was in a severe drought for many years, and the people were struggling to survive. Gansu military governor Liu Yufen only knew how to rush grain collection and forced labor, but did not care about the lives of the common people.

  In the spring of 1928, at a banquet in Ningxia, Garrison Commander Ma Qi toasted and said two sentences. His beard suddenly shook like a ball of fire: "The National Army wants to swallow our Ma family army, they want to swallow all of Gansu; we are old, we can't be sons anymore."

  Ma Tingxi said: "Shaanxi's famous knife guest Guo Jian was cheated by Feng Yuxiang to drink wine, and old Guo was shot into a beehive by machine guns before he even reached the table." The officers were in an uproar, Ma Tingxi said: "Old Guo didn't bring a knife or a gun, wearing a white silk shirt and holding a sandalwood fan, Old Guo still wanted to compare calligraphy with Feng Yuxiang."

  The officers cursed, "Damn Feng Yuxiang, what's the point of fighting with swords and guns? Old Guo is a swordsman, but Feng Yuxiang is not a thing, his son is not doing this kind of despicable thing."

  Ma Qi said: "There's another thing, Feng Yuxiang is recruiting soldiers in the northwest, one thousand people per county. Each soldier costs ordinary people 200-300 yuan, and they also have to pay land tax and rich household tax. Ordinary people all hate him to death. If there's a brave man who can lead the way and kill off Old Feng's prestige, everyone will respond."

  The young and vigorous soldiers had a surge of black blood, especially the Eleventh Regiment Commander Ma Zhongying and the Third Regiment Commander Ma Teng. Their eyes sparkled with blue light, like flames surging like seawater. The old garrison commander was stunned, "We have been rooted in Qilian Mountain for over 600 years, it's time to produce a good horse." The garrison commander walked up to his young nephew and offered him a toast. Ma Zhongying and Ma Teng hastily stood up, at a loss. In the Ma family army, there was no tradition of older people toasting younger ones. All the officers of the Ninghai Army were stunned by this unprecedented honor, staring at Ma Zhongying and Ma Teng. Ma Zhongying stepped forward, "Young nephew, I'm not worthy of this toast, it should be me who is offering the toast." Ma Qi said, "There are only a few young men among you, you do well. Feng Yuxiang is waiting for our Ma family to perish, but we have someone!"

  Ma Zhongying was very excited, and after dinner, he found the garrison commander alone to borrow troops to rebel. The garrison commander was taken aback at first, "Ah, nephew, Liu Yufen is not easy to mess with, you can't afford to provoke him, if you can't, then just forget it, and obediently stay in the barracks as your regimental commander, Ah Da hasn't driven you out yet." Ma Zhongying snorted, "I don't want your troops, take your Ninghai army to be a grandson of the National Army! Nephew, I can use one arm as a flagpole!" Ma Zhongying pulled out his pistol and slapped it on the table, "You keep your gun safe!"