Chapter 53: The Rise of China

  When everyone had sat down, the loud voice said: "Please instruct the education chief!" Instantly, the old students responded with rhythmic applause, while the new students' applause was chaotic and disorderly! At this time, a not-so-sturdy military man stood up, scanned all the students present, and said: "Today is a special day for our Central Military Academy, today will be recorded in history! Because just today, 654 new blood supplements were added to our revolutionary team! It's possible that some old students still miss their classmates who died in the January 28th Shanghai War of Resistance, but I want to tell you that these new students will surpass you old students at the fastest speed! By the way, I'm Zhang Zhizhong, the education chief of the Central Military Academy!"

  As soon as Zhang Zhi Zhong reported his family name, Zhang Lieyang was shocked and excitedly thought to himself: "He is actually General Zhang Zhi Zhong of Peace! I finally met him!"

  After a while, Zhang Zhizhong's face sank and he said: "I want to criticize the old students first. You have forgotten our military school motto! Arranging new students who don't even know the school song in the most conspicuous position, are you trying to make them lose face on their first day of enrollment?!"

  Upon hearing Zhang Zhizhong's words, the old students in the audience all lowered their heads. Seeing this scene, Zhang Zhizhong also didn't want to continue blaming them and found an excuse to say: "Since you haven't forgotten! Then tell these new students what our military school's motto is?"

  "Unity! Sacrifice! Struggle!" The old students in the audience shouted in unison.

  "Good! So I hope you will unite the new students and carry forward the spirit of our school!" Zhang Zhizhong said, taking out a piece of paper from his pocket. "This is an answer given by someone who participated in the January 28th Shanghai War when he was taking the entrance exam for our military academy. I think everyone must be wondering what the examiner asked him at that time? Now I'll tell you, the examiner asked him why he applied to the military academy?"

  Everyone in the room fell silent when they heard Zhang Zhong's words. This was because Zhang Zhong waved the paper in his hand and said, "The answer is on this piece of paper!" As he spoke, Zhang Zhong handed the paper to the officer next to him. The officer took the paper and read it out loud: "In the land of Yan and Huang, there are many heroes who can defeat a hundred men with one. Those who are not afraid will surely avenge their enemies, look at the blood of our Chinese sons! The blood of our sons is strong and fierce, with a heroic spirit that pierces through the heart like iron. With a golden knife in hand and a white jade pendant on the body, they can eat the beautiful heads of the enemy and drink the blood of the Luo Cha. Let go of love between men and women, only now decide...!" (Omitting hundreds of words!) When the officer finished reading the contents of the paper, Zhang Lieyang's face suddenly turned red!

  After handing the paper back to Zhang Zhizhong, Zhang continued: "All our military academy students have such spirit, why worry that the powerful countries will not be driven out of China?!"

  Then Zhang Zhizhong looked at the new students and shouted: "Zhang Lieyang stand up!"

  Zhang Lieyang immediately stood up after hearing this. At this time, Zhang Zhizhong looked at Zhang Lieyang and said: "The content read by the officer in charge just now was written by him! Moreover, during the January 28 Incident, he commanded a regiment plus an reinforced company to defeat two complete regiments of Japanese bandits on Qiujiang Road and Qingyun Road!" As he spoke, Zhang Lieyang saluted and said: "Reporting to the Director of Education, that reinforced company was entirely composed of family soldiers and did not belong to the National Army's combat sequence!"

  Upon hearing Zhang Lieyang's response, Zhang Zhizhong laughed and said: "You've already joined the army, so why do you want to take the military academy exam?!"

  "Reporting to the Minister of Education! I graduated from West Point in the United States and returned home, but was unwilling to enter the military, so my family had me attend school. After the September 18th Incident, seeing the Japanese invaders occupying our Chinese territory, this time they want to occupy Shanghai too. As a student, I couldn't bear it anymore, so I led my family's servants to Shanghai to assist in defending the city! Now that the battle in Shanghai is over, but the Japanese invaders' intention to occupy China will not die, and we will inevitably fight them again soon. Therefore, as a student, I can only put down my pen and take up arms, training a hundred-battle-strong army for the party and country!" Zhang Lieyang said calmly.

  After listening to Zhang Lieyang's words, Zhang Zhizhong took the lead in applauding and asked: "Now I will recognize you as a temporary instructor, and order you to completely change all new students within half a year! Can you do it?"

  "I guarantee completion of the task!" Zhang Lieyang said, bowing to Zhang Zhizhong!

  In the following days, new recruits did not undergo military training but began to receive concentrated instruction on "Political Education" by political instructors after two days of learning about military bearing and discipline.

  At noon break that day, a messenger suddenly found Zhang Lieyang's dormitory and asked after entering the dormitory: "Who is Zhang Lieyang?"

  Zhang Lieyang stood up and said: "It's me!"

  The orderly said: "Please follow me. The Director of Education wants to see you."

  Zhang Lieyang suddenly felt stunned, although he felt strange in his heart, but Zhang Lieyang's heart was clear and he still followed the orderly soldier to walk out of the dormitory. When they arrived at the door of the Education Director's office, the orderly soldier gently pushed open the door and motioned for Zhang Lieyang to enter. Zhang Lieyang stood at attention with his feet together and said loudly: "Reporting to the Education Director! New recruit Zhang Lieyang from the 9th term of the Central Army Military Academy reports for duty!"

  A stern voice came from inside the door: "Come in!"

  Zhang Lieyang then walked in with big strides and saw Zhang Zhizhong sitting upright at his desk, staring at him.

  Zhang Lieyang stopped about two meters away from Zhang Zhizhong, gave a standard military salute, and then stood silently at attention. Zhang Zhizhong got up and walked around Zhang Lieyang in circles, although Zhang Lieyang was somewhat puzzled, he didn't move a muscle. Zhang Zhizhong suddenly sighed: "Indeed a talented person! You must be very curious why I let you take charge of the new recruits as their instructor at the meeting?!"

  "Yes! The students don't know, so teach them and show them the way!" Zhang Lieyang said seriously.

  Upon hearing Zhang Lieyang's words, Zhang Zhizhong clapped his hands and the soldier walked in from outside. After the soldier entered, Zhang Zhizhong said to Zhang Lieyang: "Take a look at who he is?!"

  Zhang Lieyang turned around and was immediately stunned. It turned out to be Tang De, the regiment commander of the 722nd Regiment of the 361st Brigade of the 87th Division of the Fifth Army of the National Revolutionary Army, who had come to take over the defense. Tang De said to Zhang Zhizhong after seeing Zhang Lieyang: "Report to the military seat, at that time, after taking over the defense of Qingyun Road, I learned from talking with Yu Fangren, the regiment commander, that the battles on Qiujiang Road and Qingyun Road were all commanded by this trainee!"

  "Go down first!" Zhang Zhizhong said to Zhang Lieyang, "Tang De is now my guard platoon leader! If he hadn't seen you at the new recruit registration office, I wouldn't have known that you were applying for military school!" Zhang Zhizhong personally poured a cup of water for Zhang Lieyang and asked him to sit down before continuing, "In the past few days, after receiving a call from my old friend Xiao Shixiong, I believed Tang De's report! But I had no idea you were the grandson of Old Master Zhang Jingzai!"

  "Does the Director know my grandfather?" Zhang Lieyang asked in puzzlement.

  "Yes! Your grandfather was a member of the Xingzhonghui, and your grandmother was a member of the Tongmenghui! In other words, both your grandfather and grandmother were members of the revolutionary party!" Zhang Zhizhong recalled for a moment before continuing: "One year, your grandfather met Premier Sun by chance in Honolulu. After talking to each other, your grandfather was deeply moved by Premier Sun's grand vision. From then on, he often came into contact with Premier Sun. Under Premier Sun's influence, your grandfather became a secret member of the Xingzhonghui when it was first established in 1894. Not long after that, your grandfather returned to China but still maintained secret contact with Premier Sun. After returning to China for several years, your grandfather inherited the family business. Afterwards, he secretly supported Premier Sun's revolutionary cause. Several years later, the Tongmenghui was established, and your grandfather became a secret member of the Tongmenghui again. He also got to know your grandmother, who was also a member of the Tongmenghui."

  "So Nantong Mayor Luo Huiqiao also knows my grandfather?!" Zhang Lieyang asked hesitantly.

  "Yes! Luo Huiqiao's journey to the revolutionary path was guided by your grandfather, and it can be said that he was still a student of your grandfather!" Zhang Zhong took a sip of water and continued: "After the death of Premier Xuan, your grandfather became depressed and unhappy. With the warlords fighting each other, your grandfather stopped participating in politics and focused on business, unexpectedly developing the family business to cover the whole country and even Southeast Asia! The establishment of the Whampoa Military Academy also received great support from Grandfather!"

  Upon hearing Zhang Zhizhong's words, Zhang Lieyang curiously asked: "How did the Education Director think of letting me train new students? And I'm also a new student?!"

  "You can train a household servant to become a seasoned veteran who can withstand thousands of ghosts, why can't you train the students at Central Military Academy?! I want you to train them into outstanding talents who can lead a hundred battles!" Zhang Zhong looked at his watch and smiled, saying: "Today is the first time I, Zhang Zhong, have wasted students' rest time for personal matters. Don't blame me, okay?"

  "Not at all!" Zhang Lieyang said with a smile to Zhang Zhizhong: "Don't worry about educating them! Half a year later, you will see a group of completely different new recruits!" With that, Zhang Lieyang gave Zhang Zhizhong a standard military salute and turned to leave.