Chapter 20: Cai E and Jiang Baili

  In June 1916, Chen arrived in Guangzhou because a groundbreaking research result was about to undergo its first trial at the hospital in Guangzhou, while simultaneously being carried out at several major hospitals in Washington and New York in the United States. When Fleming applied for a patent for penicillin, many people were shocked. To test its actual effect, as long as the patient agreed, the US government also agreed to inject this new type of medicine into patients in the hospital.

  For Chen Shao, he didn't come to Guangzhou to see if penicillin was effective or not, he already knew the effect, his main purpose here is to relax and at the same time discuss business with European countries when penicillin takes effect, meanwhile, he also brought a lot of drawings, he believes that as long as the military officers from various European countries see those drawings, they will all be very happy to establish business relations with him.

  Along with Chen Shao to Guangzhou are also Wang Xiaoshan and Jian San. After a year of development, Chen Shao is no longer as cautious as when he first arrived. Now his subordinates can be said to be strong and powerful. After more than half a year of suppressing bandits, the entire GX province can be said to have eliminated all banditry. Originally, it was planned to only clear the surrounding bandits around the base, but thinking about the gains from suppressing bandits, Chen Shao directly decided to suppress the entire GX province together. If he didn't want to touch other people's nerves, Chen Shao would also like to eliminate the bandits in the surrounding provinces and cities. The entire province's suppression of banditry also made Li Delin, the commander of Nanning, unable to sleep for several days. He thought that Chen Shao was going to send troops to seize GX province. Fortunately, under Chen Shao's repeated assurances and sending many gifts, Li Delin finally put his mind at ease.

  After half a year of development, 3,000 elite warriors have all reached the level of second-class soldiers, and many have even reached third-class soldiers. The 7,000-strong reserve team has also completed its training and will not be weaker than the original team's combat strength six months ago. In addition to the 4,000 naval students in Port City, there are over 1,000 future marine corps soldiers. After half a year of development, the air force now has 300 students who can fly independently. The entire Huashi Town is now under Chen Shao's control, and the reserve team's garrison has been relocated to the surrounding areas of Huashi Town. At the same time, a new unit has been stationed there, a unit with only over 400 people, also the first armored unit under Chen Shao's command, possessing 100 armored vehicles, but its combat strength is still unknown due to short training time.

  Moreover, although he is now in Guangzhou, the defensive forces around him are not weak at all. On the surface, there is a squad of soldiers, and secretly, there is also a platoon of guards who are all third-class privates. In addition to Wang Xiaoshan, who is close to being a martial arts master, Chen Shaocai's current skills are no weaker than Wang Xiaoshan's. Furthermore, there is also the high-level spy Jian San, whose skills as a high-level spy are not weak either. Therefore, Chen Shaocai can leave his own sphere of influence with peace of mind.

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  Chen Shao and his party arrived in Guangzhou and directly checked into a large hotel opposite the Guangzhou Hospital.

  While drinking tea in the hotel lobby, a conversation between two people next to him reached Chen Shao's ears.

  "Songpo brother, I didn't expect that this trip to Guangzhou would be in vain. A group of people who disregard the people of the world are not worthy of leading China." The speaker was a middle-aged man with a small mustache, about 30 years old.

  "Alas, Brother Baili, the national situation is like this, what can we do?"; The person who replied was also around 30 years old, and shook his head after speaking.

  Chen Shao heard the names Songpo and Baili, suddenly a spark of inspiration, could it be those two? If it were really them, they should now be under Yuan Shikai's command, how would they end up in Guangzhou? Chen Shao suppressed his urge to greet them and sat there listening quietly.

  Jiang Baili, originally named Jiang Fangzhen, styled Baili. A famous modern Chinese military theorist and educator. He studied in Germany at an early age and later served as the principal of Baoding Military Academy and acting president of the Army University. In his 1937 published collection of military essays "National Defense Theory", he proposed the military theory of protracted war against Japan, being the first among KMT generals to do so. He also influenced Bai Chongxi to a certain extent later on.

  Cai E (December 18, 1882 – November 8, 1916), originally named Genyin, styled Songpo, Han Chinese, from Baoqing, Hunan (now Shaoyang City). Cai E led the National Protection War against Yuan Shikai's attempt to reinstate monarchy in China and was an outstanding military leader in the early years of the Republic of China. His posthumous works were compiled into "The Collected Works of Cai Songpo".

  "Alas, what a pity for those fine young men in my Baoding Military Academy."

  "Never mind, let's just go to Yunnan then. Tang Jiyao is the military governor of Yunnan now, let's see if he can help us."

  Chen Shao-yi knew that when he heard about the Baoding Military Academy and Tang Jiyao, it must be those two. The one with a beard was Jiang Baili, who had been the principal of the Baoding Military Academy, while Tang Jiyao used to be under Cai E's command.

  Recently, Chen Shao ordered James and Jian Er to collect teaching materials from the military academy, and also instructed Jian Er, who was in Europe, to dig up instructors from Munich, Germany. Several high-ranking officers of various military branches were also working hard to compile textbooks. He had long wanted to establish a world-class military academy, but since he was not well-known, he feared that if he built a military school, few people would come, and others would think it was just a small warlord's petty affair. However, if he could bring these two men to Qinghe Village and establish a military academy in their names, it might be a different story.

  Thinking of this, he turned around and found that the few people were about to leave. Chen Shao hastily stood up and walked over, with a smile on his face, saying: "Gentlemen, slow down, I've disturbed you. As a newcomer to Guangzhou, seeing your extraordinary conversation and concern for the country, may I ask if we can sit down and chat, and make friends?"

  Cai Qu and Jiang Baili were just about to get up and leave when they heard someone calling out to them. They thought it was an acquaintance, but it turned out to be a young man. As the saying goes, "Don't hit a smiling face," so Jiang Baili and Cai Qu couldn't directly refuse him.

  "It's better to obey than to show respect."

  Chen Shao led them to his tea-drinking table, Wang Xiaoshan and Jian San stood up, letting the two sit down, Wang Xiaoshan directly walked behind Chen Shao and stood there.

  "In a moment, go call the boss to brew another pot of good tea, I want to have a good chat with these two friends."

  It's strange to say, but facing Cai Yun and Jiang Baili, he didn't feel particularly excited. Perhaps his own goals were set higher than these people. Even if he was familiar with the names of these so-called celebrities, what use was that? Maybe his arrival in this era would inevitably lead to countless celebrities being overturned by him, and then countless celebrities would have their fortunes reversed because of him.

  "Little brother Chen Shao, may I ask if you know the names of these two gentlemen?"

  "My name is Jiang Baili, and this is my friend Cai E." Jiang Baili pointed to Cai E.

  "Colonel Chen Shao, commander of the 18th Infantry Regiment of the Guangxi Provincial Military Governor's Office, has met with Director Cai and Principal Chiang."

  Confirmed, Chen Shao immediately stood up, with a solemn expression, and did not show the usual excitement, perhaps it was just admiration. Chen gave a military salute. This military salute made Cai Tuo Jiang Baili look a bit dazed, obviously different from the Republic of China's military salute, but it felt pretty good.

  "No need to be polite, I didn't expect this young brother to be a senior colonel and regimental commander at such a young age, his future is boundless!" Cai Yun said with great courtesy, but also seemed quite unfamiliar.

  Cai Gui and Jiang Baili sat opposite Chen Shao, but it was Jiang Baili who seemed to be deep in thought after hearing Chen Shao report his identity. At this time, the three of them did not speak, all sizing each other up.

  Looking at Cai Gui in front of him, Chen Shao seemed to recall that he had some serious illness, thinking of this, Chen Shao decided to take him to the hospital for a check-up after a while.

  Jiang Baili was also sizing up the young battalion commander opposite him. The two had indeed met before. Last year at military school, he had received a letter saying that 10,000 new uniforms were being sent to him. At the time, it was winter and this solved one of his problems. The signature on the letter was Chen Shao, and Jiang Baili still carried the letter with him, thinking that when he met Chen again, he would thank him in person.

  "Director Chen's kindness in donating, Jiang certain is not dare or forget, I thank Director Chen on behalf of the soldiers." Jiang Baili was telling the truth, at that time it was in the midst of a cold winter, and the soldiers didn't even have enough warm clothing. Chen Shao's 10,000 sets of new-style bedding saved them from the emergency. "Moreover, the quality of those military blankets is very high, all the soldiers who used them said they were good, even Jiang certain personally tried one."

  "Principal Jiang is being too kind! I'm just doing my humble duty!" Chen Shao didn't mince words, and it was basically the truth. Among the various warlords of the Republic of China, Jiang Baili and Cai E were rare true military men and great heroes.

  Cai Yue came back to his senses at this time and found that the two of them were already acquainted. Seeing Jiang Baili's high praise for him, he couldn't help but ask: "I have a matter I don't know if Commander Chen can help me clarify."

  "The supervisor only manages straightforward words, and those below him must know that nothing is left unspoken."

  Cai Yun's expression remained unchanged as he asked, "What do you think is the biggest problem facing our Republic?"

  Chen Shao shook his head and said: "Not to deceive the commander, internal worries and external troubles, people can't live eight words, enough to explain all the problems."

  "Internal worries and external troubles, the people are struggling to survive? What a great eight-character question." Cai E smiled and said: "The internal worries and the people's struggle to survive are indeed true, but as for this external trouble, I don't know where to start talking about it."

  In response to Cai E's inquiry, Chen Shao was not worried at all. Indeed, the Republic of China had not suffered any large-scale foreign invasions so far, but as for what would happen later in history, even if Cai E were a genius, it would be hard to imagine that "with internal troubles unresolved and people struggling to survive, national power will weaken to its limits. Then, won't a vast and resource-rich country attract the attention of others? Or even be taken over directly?"

  "What did you say?" Jiang Baili was obviously awakened by something and asked with a plugged mouth.

  "I've heard that you, Director, and Principal Chiang were one of the three Japanese military officers back in the day. I'd like to ask, Director, what was it that the Japanese and Russians were fighting over during the Russo-Japanese War? And what is Korea like nowadays?"

  "The Russo-Japanese War was just a fight for the Liaodong Peninsula. As for Korea, I heard from Japan that the entire peninsula across the sea was not even worth living in, like pigs and dogs." Cai E seemed to understand something, shaking his head as he spoke.

  "What the supervisor said is very right." Chen Shao smiled and said, "We are getting weaker and weaker, while the powerful countries are getting stronger and stronger. What we will get in return won't be charity or sympathy, but invasion. Some people, when they don't have enough to eat or wear at home, their only thought is to go to their neighbor's house to take what's readily available."

  "...". The two fell into deep thought for a long time, recalling some experiences they had in Japan that year.