Chapter 015: Forcibly Recruiting Disciples

  "Your Honor, elder brother, Mr. Ed, I think it's not proper!"

  "What's wrong?" Jin shouted: "Zhou Xianzhang, from now on, you are the fourth-term infantry science student of Tianjin Martial Arts Academy, and I declare that I officially accept you as my apprentice. You immediately kowtow to me, from now on, I am your master, you must make me proud!"

  Before Zhou Xuanzhang could speak, Feng Guozhang was overjoyed: "Zhou Xuanzhang, Master Hui is willing to accept you as his disciple, this is a great joy, why don't you quickly kneel down and thank him!"

  Feng Guozhang originally just wanted Jin to agree to let Zhou Xuanzhang enter the school as an ordinary student. According to the unwritten rules of the Qing Dynasty, Jin was the vice president of the school, and all the students in the school were his disciples. Of course, this kind of master-apprentice relationship was just a nominal one and did not have any substantial significance.

  Unexpectedly, this stubborn and obstinate man, Jin, actually took it seriously and wanted to take Zhou Xianzhang as his own disciple.

  Meng Sheng was already speechless, and that was equivalent to being Jin's godson!

  If someone else were to be a godfather to Zhou Xuanzhang, it wouldn't matter much. The key is that the one who became his godfather was actually Jin!

  Although Jin is stubborn and conservative, he is no ordinary person!

  In the Qing dynasty, countless people cried and begged to become a disciple of that Jin!

  That Jin was a fourth-rank official in the imperial court, which seemed not to be high-ranking. Compared to the Governor and Commander, it was much lower. However, that Jin, this fourth-rank official, was not to be underestimated!

  It all started with the purpose of establishing Tianjin Martial Arts Academy by the imperial court.

  After two Opium Wars, the Sino-French War, the Taiping Rebellion and the Nian Rebellion, among others, the Qing court finally realized that whether it was the Eight Banners or the Green Standard Army, or the later Xiang Army and Huai Army, there were insurmountable drawbacks in their military systems, which fundamentally could not cope with modern warfare. The Qing state wanted to strengthen its army, but making limited reforms on the basis of the existing army was impossible.

  The only way is to establish a brand new army!

  To build an entirely new army, it is necessary to have entirely new military talent.

  Under the strong promotion of Li Hongzhang and other officials, the Qing government sent students to study military affairs in Germany, a world military power. However, this was far from enough.

  To get enough talent, you can only cultivate it yourself.

  The Qing government established the Tianjin Military Academy and hired German instructors to teach advanced military concepts to its students.

  In the eyes of the imperial court, these students will be the future officers of the Qing army!

  That is to say, the future Beiyang Army will be in the hands of students from Tianjin Military Academy!

  The army is the lifeblood of the imperial court! Military officers must be absolutely loyal to the imperial court! Otherwise, the imperial court would be lifting a stone to hit its own foot.

  But in order to guarantee the loyalty of officers, those who teach them must be loyal!

  So, the officials and instructors of all levels at Tianjin Martial Arts Academy were selected layer by layer from the imperial court. These people were either high-ranking officials of the Qing Dynasty or had intricate relationships with high-ranking officials, princes, and nobles.

  The principal and president of the Tianjin Military Academy, although not high in rank, are even more crucial positions. Especially the position of president is particularly important. According to the rules of the Qing Dynasty, the so-called principal is actually just a nominal title, while the president is the real headmaster responsible for daily affairs! Those who can become principals and presidents must be people trusted by the imperial court!

  So, without looking at Jin's personal background, just by looking at the fact that he can become a director of Tianjin Martial Arts Academy, it can be concluded that this person has an extraordinary background!

  Of course, what background Zhen Jin has, ordinary people do not know. However, there are two points that everyone can see: First, Zhen Jin's surname Yehe Nara is of the same clan as the current Empress Dowager! Second, Zhen Jin's older brother Na Tong serves as the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, and the Minister of Revenue is the famous imperial teacher Weng Tonghe. It is said that Weng Tonghe highly appreciates Na Tong!

  In short, Jin Fei is not a trivial matter. Being able to become a disciple of Jin Fei means that it is possible to enter the core layer of the Qing Dynasty court! A bright future lies ahead.

  Of course, Zhou Xuan Zhang was completely unaware of this. All he knew was that China and Japan would inevitably go to war, and if he became a disciple of Na Jin, according to the bet, he would have to cut off his own head for Na Jin!

  Zhou Xuan Zhang hastily said: "I'm sorry, sir. I, a humble person, have overstepped my bounds by discussing national affairs and spreading rumors to deceive the people... Moreover, I am untalented and unvirtuous, with an ugly appearance, not worthy of being your disciple..."

  "Considering you're young and ignorant, I'll let you off the hook. Quickly kowtow to me!" Na Jin had already put himself in the position of a master.

  "As an adult, I am from a humble and poor family, I fear it would be beneath your esteemed reputation."

  "A hero does not ask about one's origin, you don't have to belittle yourself." Those words of Jin Yu were full of deep meaning.

  "But I haven't read the Four Books and Five Classics." Zhou Xianzhang didn't even finish elementary school.

  Nan Jin burst out laughing: "Even if you haven't read the Three Character Classic, I have confidence that within a year, I can make you familiar with the classics and history, and become a talented scholar!" Nan Jin was from a family of imperial scholars, and the various schools of thought were his strong suit. Teaching Zhou Xianzhang would be a piece of cake for him.

  "But I'm naturally stupid, with a low IQ, free and disorderly, lacking in love, beating the masses, abusing mother pigs..." Zhou Xuanzhang was trying to avoid being a student of that school, so he kept pouring dirty water on himself.

  Zhou Xuan Zhang pushed three to block four, Jin Zong finally understood, and shouted in anger: "Zhou Xuan Zhang, you have been talking about it all along, you lack faith in the prophecy of your master!"

  Zhou Xuan Zhang lowered his head and said nothing, but in his heart he secretly thought that it was not a lack of faith at all, it was a foregone conclusion!

  That Jin is so stubborn!

  In the Temple of Martial Saint, there were four people who made predictions about the Sino-Japanese War, with three to one. If this had been in the 21st century, where the minority submits to the majority, then Jin should have abandoned his own views. However, that was the Qing Dynasty in the 19th century, and in the Qing Dynasty, three subordinates dared to disagree with their superiors' opinions, which is called "below offending above", not keeping in high unison with the central government, and rebellion!

  Jin was furious and shouted: "Feng Guozhang, Ai De, I command you in the name of the meeting to immediately arrest Zhou Xuanzhang for being disrespectful!"

  Shangguan spoke up, and Feng Guozhang and Ai De didn't dare to slack off. The two of them each grabbed one of Zhou Xuanzhang's arms and pinned him behind his back.

  "Zhou Xuan Zhang shouted: 'The little man is innocent!'"

  "How dare you doubt the teachings of your master! This is a capital offense!" Jin roared.

  Zhou Xuan Zhang wanted to argue, but Jin Da shouted: "Get the disrespectful Zhou Xuan Zhang to kneel down at my feet and knock his head!"

  "Ah!" Feng Guozhang and Ai De shouted in unison, pinning Zhou Xianzhang to the ground. The two of them pressed Zhou's head against the ground, forcing him to kowtow three times with a loud thud.

  He then turned his anger into joy, stretched out both hands to hold Zhou Xuan Zhang's arm, and said with a heavy heart: "No need for courtesy, no need for courtesy. Today, Zhou Xuan Zhang kowtows to me as his master, he is my disciple from now on. Disciple Zhou must be humble and cautious, study hard, serve the country, do not shame the imperial court above, nor shame the school below. Ah, I have only you as my disciple, you must make me proud!"

  After all that fuss, Jin is forcing him to become his apprentice!

  Zhou Xuanzhang was extremely disheartened, arriving in this Qing dynasty, first being forced by Feng Guozhang to become sworn brothers, then being forcibly taken as a disciple by this old stubborn man. Becoming sworn brothers with Feng Guozhang was one thing, but becoming a disciple of that Jurchen, that's something that could cost him his head!

  Jin helped Zhou Xuanzhang up and said kindly, "Zhou Mengsheng, I know you don't have enough faith in my prophecy. It's not surprising, since you haven't followed me to study yet. I promise you, if you follow me for three days, you will deeply believe in what I say!"

  Zhou Xuanzhang sighed in his heart, this Jin is going to brainwash him!

  "The facts will eloquently prove that my prophecy is amazingly accurate! Zhou Meng, I solemnly assure you that in three years, your head will still be on your neck! As for where this Mr. Feng's head will be... Hehe..." Na Jin smiled but didn't answer.

  Feng Guozhang didn't rush, and instead bowed to Jin: "Your subordinate congratulates Director Hui on acquiring a talented student, and congratulates Zhou Xuanzhang on meeting a wise teacher."

  Zhou Xuan Zhang was speechless! Feng Guozhang's head would definitely not move, the one who had to move his head could only be Zhou Xuan Zhang himself! This damn Feng Guozhang was really too ungrateful, actually using his brother's head as a bet! Zhou Xuan Zhang glared fiercely at Feng Guozhang.

  Feng Guozhang didn't care at all and gave Zhou Xuanzhang a faint smile.

  Thus, under the dual recommendation of Hui Bao and Feng Guozhang, Zhou Xuanzhang, with a head that was not guaranteed to be safe even for a day, nervously entered the Tianjin Military Academy as a student in the fourth class of infantry.

  Zhou Xuzhang would certainly not sit and wait for death. He was very clear that the Qing Empire would inevitably go to war with Japan, and history could not be changed! By then, that old stubborn Jin would have to fulfill his promise!

  To keep his head on his shoulders, the only way is to escape from school before the Sino-Japanese War and run as far away as possible, best to go back to his hometown in western Hunan, where the sky is high and the emperor is far away, it's unlikely that Feng Guozhang and Shanxi would find him.

  But wanting to escape from school is harder than climbing to heaven!