Chapter 56 Fool (First Update, Seeking Collection)

  Guangzhou. There are not many people going out during the day in Guangzhou, and most households are closed behind doors. The shadow of war makes people dare not go out, and the market is too deserted, and people's hearts are very unstable.

  However, these are not what Chen Jiongming is concerned about. What he is concerned about now is how to get a lot of money from Guangzhou! He not only transferred all his finances in Guangzhou to Huizhou, but also set his mind on those big households in Guangzhou! If you don't let these big households bleed, how can you have money? If you don't have money, how can you afford to raise troops? Without troops, how can you make a comeback?

  Chen Guangming did not know that he had changed, from a revolutionary at the beginning to a speculator who sought benefits for himself, or an autocrat.

  Chen Guangming can be said to be the most changed among revolutionaries, and there are many objective reasons inside, but human greed is indeed the original sin!

  Chen Guangming inquired about the defense of Huizhou, then asked about the progress of Yunnan and Guizhou. Only then did he stand in front of the map for a long time without speaking. He looked at the five-color flag of the Beiyang government hanging high, his eyes revealing complex emotions.

  "He muttered: 'It's all for you, but isn't it also for personal gain? Revolutionaries? Ha! In the end, it's all about oneself. Ideals? Nation? Aren't those just for oneself too? Without power or strength, what's the point of ideals? If no one funded us, if those influential people didn't support us, and we only relied on those poor laborers, where would the money come from? Can you buy weapons without money? Build factories? That's all nonsense! I may not be great, but at least I'm better than you. At most, I just extort some ill-gotten gains, but you...you're borrowing from foreigners, using national interests to make deals! No matter how bad I am, I wouldn't do that!"

  Before long, he let out another deep sigh and said dejectedly: "But what's the use? In the end, I still couldn't hold onto Guangzhou, and it will ultimately be taken back by you! Without Guangzhou, there is no great righteousness. You are eloquent and can talk your way through things, but in the end, you're not even my match!"

  Chen Jiongming has lost his fighting spirit, he doesn't want to admit it, but he still thinks that he has already lost the initiative and missed the best opportunity to eliminate Sun, letting him escape from Guangzhou was a predetermined outcome!

  Ye Jiu was still organizing troops to resist the Yunnan and Guizhou armies, slowing down their advance, while Hong Zhaolin hastened his transfer in Guangzhou, which was also Chen Jiongming's intention!

  Hong Zhaolin has started to raid some merchants who have sympathetic attitudes towards the Sun system or have connections with them! Many soldiers rushed in, countless families cried and shouted, and there were even gunshots ringing through the sky! At this moment, Guangzhou is like entering the end of the world.

  Many Guangzhou citizens left Guangzhou with their families, either to other provinces or to the Chaozhou area. They would not go to Huizhou because they all knew that Chen Jiongming was from Huizhou, which was his old haunt. If it was like this in Guangzhou, what about Huizhou?! Of course, most people did not go to the Chaoshan region either, as there was also fighting going on there!

  The telegram finally arrived, after waiting for two days, on the third day, the German headquarters still sent a reply, and the content was naturally what Maofeng wanted to see. The German side agreed, but the total amount of funds required for purchasing weapons and steelmaking equipment reached 4 million taels! However, this price was still acceptable to Maofeng, because it not only included the surface-level equipment, but also auxiliary devices, technical personnel control and training for Chinese personnel, and an additional regiment of carbines, also known as floral organs.

  After Mao Feng and Ba Wei had finalized the specific arrangements, Ba Wei immediately ordered someone to send a telegram. Then Mao Feng and Ba Wei drank wine to celebrate. Both Mao Feng and Ba Wei were intentionally friendly with each other, and they both considered each other important.

  But what they didn't know was that this agreement shocked the German government, as it would greatly increase job opportunities and provide a way to promote German military talent!

  After the end of World War I, as a defeated country, Germany could only maintain an army of 100,000 people, with the air force disbanded and the navy only allowed to retain small-tonnage warships. A large number of experienced soldiers retired, although Germany still managed to establish militia-like departments such as the Volkssturm, but they could only satisfy a part of them, and without combat, they could not maintain their combat effectiveness, nor could they have space for growth. This made the high-level officers of the German military anxious, but this telegram from China gave them an idea!

  The result of the private discussion among German military officers was to dispatch a team of more than 50 instructors, which is just an advance party. If there is really potential there, then another team of middle and senior military officers will be dispatched. Many weapons that had been put in storage were reactivated! These weapons would become reserve ammunition, and they all believed that if the Chinese side really had potential, then expansion would become a necessity, and subsequent purchases would definitely follow.

  Although Mao Feng knew history, he also understood the butterfly effect. He only knew that Germany would attach great importance to China, this ancient country in the East, but he didn't dare guarantee what the outcome would be! He was taking it one step at a time, and for a country like Germany, it's always better not to think too highly of them, no matter what you do, having a backup plan is never excessive!

  Ohno Katsuhiro, as a seasoned diplomat and intelligence officer, is extremely familiar with China. Having come to China since childhood, the cultural differences between China and Japan are negligible for him.

  He is now in Guangzhou, and his purpose for coming here is to deal with Chen Jiongming. Of course, he also follows the principle of benefiting from both sides. He wants to support Chen Jiongming as a proxy for Japan while continuing to maintain good relations with Sun Yat-sen. A China embroiled in civil war suits Japan's interests, and a strong neighbor is something no country wants to see.

  Taisho Ohno did not think that Chen Jiongming had no chance of turning over, as long as he could unite with Lin Hu's troops in Chaozhou and Meizhou, it was possible to continue fighting against Sun Yat-sen! Moreover, Sun Yat-sen's current economy is really not good, the capital chain has been unsmooth, this war is spending money, how can you do without money? How can you govern the people's livelihood without money? The people are already having trouble living, how can they support your so-called party leadership.

  He was rebuffed once again, which made his face a bit gloomy, but he still maintained his composure as he left. However, when he got to the car, his face completely fell apart.

  He said gloomily, "Ba Ga, you really don't know how to behave! Have things come to such a pass and you still don't know how to repent? It's truly the case that the ignorant are fearless. Is this what they call backbone?"

  ōno Katsuo did not return to his apartment, but instead went directly to visit Hong Zhaolin. Although Hong was a bit surprised, he still received ōno.

  After seeing the 50,000 taels of silver handed over by ōno Katsuo, his first reaction was that there must be a conspiracy, but then he thought about what else he could do now. Hong Zhaolun pretended to decline once and accepted it calmly the second time. ōno Katsuo smiled and said: "General Hong has a great reputation for fighting, and I have also heard a lot about him. Today, after meeting you, I know that it is even more than what outsiders say."

  Hong Zhaolin smiled and said: "Oh no, oh no! Mr. Ohno is too kind, too kind!"

  As the conversation deepened, Hong Zhaolin heard that Oyama Katsuo wanted to provide financial support for him to expand his troops and was also willing to contact Japanese military officers to come and help train the troops. As soon as Hong Zhaolin heard this, he immediately understood that this little Japanese guy wanted him to replace Commander Chen! Although Hong Zhaolin was not a good person, when it came to Chen Huiming, there was only one word: loyalty!

  Hong Zhaolin burst out laughing and took a word, drag! Ono Katsuo had no choice but to bid farewell and leave. On his way back, Ono Katsuo scolded loudly in the car: "What a boor! He took the money and still acted like this! What a big swindler!"

  Hong Zhaolin looked at the check, a smile never leaving his face. He said: "Since you're giving me money, I'll gladly accept it! Anyway, I'm short on cash to spend! It's really great if there were more idiots like this!"