"My father has been registered at the Ministry of Army for two months, why can't we see Director Huang? We marched from Guangxi to Nanjing to participate in the Northern Expedition, but now no one takes care of us or asks about us. It's cold season now, and all soldiers are suffering from hunger and cold, is this how your Ministry of Army treats us?"

  Every day, such a play has to be performed dozens of times. The receptionist at the governor's mansion has long been out of patience. At first, there were physical conflicts with the salary officers, but now the reception staff are all expressionless, like a mud Bodhisattva statue placed somewhere.

  Huang Zongchang was too afraid to meet these soldiers who came to collect taxes because he had no money in his hands, and those responsible for receiving them naturally became the target of their anger.

  From the perspective of later generations, Wang Zhenyu naturally knew that this governor's office was a mess, completely a trick thought up by Yuan Shikai to harm him. He didn't give him any real power, only giving Huang Xing a nominal title as governor, which was just like a joke to those who looked at the revolutionaries.

  Of course, it can't be said that Yuan Shikai is a complete villain. In fact, the situation of this President Yuan is not much better than Huang Xing's now. The Beijing government had been out of money since the late Qing dynasty, otherwise they wouldn't have been unable to even dispatch troops to suppress the revolution.

  The current Beijing government is also facing financial difficulties. After the revolution, the so-called central government could only control a few provinces in the north. The allocations from various provinces were all intercepted by local warlords. Now, not even one cent can be issued, and the army's wages have been owed for more than three months.

  The central government's main revenue comes from salt taxes and tariffs, but unfortunately, these two major sources of income were mortgaged to foreigners by the incompetent Qing government. The Four-Power Banking Consortium took advantage of this point to force Old Yuan to sign a very harsh post-war loan agreement. Because as long as the powers do not recognize the Beijing government, Yuan Shikai will not be able to get one cent from the tariffs and salt taxes controlled by the powers.

  This is the tragedy of China at that time. Later generations only know how to mock and scold Yuan Shikai for signing such an unequal post-war loan agreement, but they don't know about these deeper things. Why did Yuan Shikai have to give up this loan when the Four-Power Banking Consortium found out about his plan to sign a relatively mild national loan agreement, even though 25 million silver dollars had already been received?

  What Yuan Shikai wanted was not this loan that was no different from extortion, but rather he hoped to obtain recognition from the powers and then use the central government's name to get the tariffs and salt taxes that originally belonged to China. When Yuan Shikai finally got this loan, he still allocated 8 million yuan for military expenses in the south, but by that time it was almost May, and the Nanjing governor's office had already been dissolved. The final destination of these huge funds could only be the southern provinces.

  In fact, when Yuan Shikai signed the post-war loan agreement, what he wanted was not this loan itself, but rather to use it as a means to obtain recognition from the powers. He hoped that by signing this agreement, he could get the powers to recognize the central government and then use this recognition to get back the tariffs and salt taxes that originally belonged to China.

  However, this plan ultimately failed. The powers did not recognize the Beijing government, and Yuan Shikai was unable to get the tariffs and salt taxes. The loan agreement became a burden for the Chinese people, and it also became a tool for the powers to control China's finances.

  This is the real reason why Yuan Shikai signed the post-war loan agreement, which has been misunderstood by later generations as a sign of his weakness and incompetence. In fact, he was trying to use this agreement as a means to achieve his goal of obtaining recognition from the powers and getting back China's rightful income.

  Unfortunately, however, the revolutionaries had to take on this thankless task under pressure from various forces (with the Jiang-Zhe financial group being the most active).

  The result was that the 300,000-strong army preparing for the Northern Expedition suddenly turned into beggars, and Huang Xing also transformed from the Chief of the General Staff to the leader of a beggar gang. Every day, he would travel back and forth between Nanjing and Shanghai, relying on his thin connections to borrow money from the wealthy Jiangsu-Zhejiang financial groups to make ends meet. On this side, Huang Xing couldn't see the unpaid officers, while in Shanghai, the financiers refused to see him. This was truly a big joke, with the table full of ridiculous cups.

  Wang Zhenyu was also helpless, unable to do anything, and even hoped that Huang Xing would be in a bit more trouble, so his own plan to sell arms on the sly would come true. He habitually gave the officer who was causing the disturbance a glance, and suddenly froze, Ah Liu Dehua!

  Wang Zhenyu hastily shook his head, wondering if space-time had gone awry, for he had actually seen the great Hong Kong and Taiwan star Andy Lau from a later era.

  Take a closer look at this red-faced and thick-necked Andy Lau. Hmm, it should just be that they resemble each other, but I don't know who resembles whom.

  Wang Zhenyu suddenly became interested in this person and walked over to persuade him along with others.

  Andy Lau was so angry that he slammed his hand and rushed out, Wang Zhenyu hurriedly chased after him and stopped him: "Judging from your accent, you're from Hunan!"

  Andy Lau's anger dissipated a bit, and out of politeness or perhaps a nod, he said: "You're also from Hunan."

  Wang Zhenyu hastily drew near: "Yes, we're all from the same place, don't be depressed, I'll treat you to a meal, let's go!"

  Four dishes and a soup, two small bottles of wine, Wang Zhenyu and this knockoff version of Andy Lau became fast friends with a cup for you and a cup for me.

  "Are you Zhao Hengyu? The commander of the 16th Brigade?" Wang Zhenyu looked at the handsome man in front of him with some disbelief.

  Zhao Hengti was the most famous warlord in Hunan's history during the Republic of China era. He was the first to call for provincial autonomy, and he was also the only popularly elected governor of a province during the mainland period of the Republic of China. I didn't expect him to look just like Andy Lau, no wonder he got elected as governor!

  Wang Zhenyu suddenly had a mind to love talent, he wanted to bring Zhao Hengru under his command, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Zhao Hengru said it was too late: "Brother Wang, it's not that I'm putting on airs, I promised to go back to Hunan last month to do things for Governor Tan, how can I be faithless?"

  "Why is that old guy still in Nanjing now?" Wang Zhenyu said with some discontent.

  "I was a military instructor in Guangxi before, and when the revolution started, I brought more than 300 students to aid Hubei. We arrived at Wuchang, but the war had already ended. It was said that the Hunan army launched a surprise attack on Yubademen, and the Beiyang army was unable to advance southward. So we went along the river to Nanjing, intending to participate in the Northern Expedition, but the Qing emperor abdicated, and the north and south negotiated a peace treaty. From our departure from Guangxi until now, it has been four or five months, and our military pay has not been settled. The soldiers' daily ration is only half a bowl of thin porridge that can't even stand up to chopsticks. As April approaches, everyone is still wearing winter clothes, tattered and worn out like beggars. Now the garrison wants each army to return to their home province, but we don't even have the fare to go back. Can't just ask for food on our way back to Guangxi! I, Zhao, can abandon my troops and take up a new post in Changsha with ease, but these students followed me from Guangxi to participate in the revolution. I couldn't do such a thing." After finishing speaking, Zhao Hengyi raised his small cup of wine and downed it in one gulp.

  Wang Zhenyu nodded in approval: "Brother Zhao is a man of his word and keeps his promises, he's a real man."

  But in my heart, I was overjoyed. This time I came to Nanjing, to a large extent, it was for the famous student army in history. Many future leaders of the New Guangxi Clique, such as Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, Huang Shaohong, Liao Xun, Li Pixian, and Yu Zupei, were all in this student army. This is really like having someone deliver a pillow when you want to sleep! Hehe!

  Wang Zhenyu thought for a moment and said: "Brother Zhao, we are also destined to be together, there's something I must say."

  Zhao Heng stared blankly at Wang Zhenyu, really wanting to be as cool as Andy Lau.

  "The situation in Hunan is quite complicated, and Governor Tan is also at a critical moment of using people. If you leave a day earlier or later, the situation will be different, so you need to consider this carefully. As for these more than 300 student soldiers, they are indeed a trouble. Wang's ability is limited, if we say arranging a future for these people, it's indeed somewhat difficult, but taking them in and managing their food and clothing is not hard either."

  Zhao Hengyu: "Brother Wang, although we've just met, you're like a timely rain for me. If you can really take them in, that would be a great help to me!"

  Wang Zhenyu's hands were tightly grasped by Zhao Hengyu, although his face was smiling, but in his heart it wasn't that comfortable, how did I become the Song Gongming who betrayed his brother to achieve his own success?!

  That afternoon, Zhao Hengyi took the student army to the garrison of the 9th Brigade, and the Liushoufu also handled the reorganization procedures very quickly. However, the number of the 16th Brigade was not abolished, and Zhao Hengyi still had to take the 800 Hunanese officers and soldiers of the 16th Brigade back to Changsha together. Strictly speaking, it was a defensive transfer action, but the Liushoufu simply didn't have the money to pay for the mobilization expenses.

  No big deal, Wang Zhenyu generously sponsored Zhao Hengru with 30,000 yuan for road expenses, and his generosity left Zhao Hengru speechless. On the spot, he proposed to become sworn brothers with Wang Zhenyu, and Wang Zhenyu was naturally delighted to be sworn in with this Republic of China's Andy Lau. The handsome guy next to him is also a handsome guy, and Wang Zhenyu became sworn brothers while being flirtatious.

  Wang Zhenyu received this team of over 300 people and did not rush to merge with his original team, but instead conducted a roll call.

  Li Zongren

  "Arrive"

  Bai Chongxi

  "Arrive"

  Huang Shaohong

  “。。。。。。”

  One less, and some of the future leaders of Guangxi's new Gui clique would have been here.

  Can he become China's No. 1 man in the future? Wang Zhenyu is not sure.

  But there is one thing, Wang Zhenyu is clear that military and football have a lot in common.

  It's not that buying all the stars and forming a team will make them invincible.

  Let's not consider the fame of these people in history, their fate has changed. If they hadn't accidentally met Zhao Hengti, the final result would have been that they were dispersed back to Guangxi with the dissolution of the Nanjing garrison, and remained unknown for more than a decade. Li Zongren's memoir clearly states that at the most difficult time, Li Zongren didn't even have a job, and there are records of him begging for food from both the Yunnan Army and the Guangdong Army.

  Until Lu Rongting was severely beaten by Sun Yat-sen and Chen Jiongming, his overall control over Guangxi sharply declined, allowing the so-called New Guangxi Clique to rise.

  These student soldiers will be the best grassroots military backbone for Wang Zhenyu in the future. Now he has his own personally trained Second Regiment, Hubei, and later expanded, if nothing else is said, this officer will not be lacking.

  After the excitement, Wang Zhenyu reminded himself not to get too close to these historical celebrities who had already been drawn into his own camp. If things developed too smoothly, it might not be a good thing, and if things went wrong, he would end up harming them instead of helping them, so it was better to let them rely on their own abilities and take one step at a time.

  Then came the speech, Wang Zhenyu publicly stated that he was willing to go home and could pay for the fare. Those who were unwilling would stay here as reserve officers.

  At the same time, the wages for these over 300 people for half a year were paid in one lump sum. The monthly salary of the students was only four blocks, not much, and the governor's office couldn't afford it either. This also shows from one side that Nanjing's finances have reached what kind of situation. No wonder Sun Yat-sen would unhesitatingly resign as president to let Yuan Shikai usurp the country, because the most actual situation is that the family is so poor there's nothing left to steal, and what thief are you guarding against? Steal away, steal away.

  These students will not have a good future if they return to Guangxi, as the current rulers of Guangxi, such as Lu Rongting, are all bandits and will not recognize these regular military school students. Therefore, except for Huang Shaohong and a few others, most chose to stay in the 9th Brigade. Wang Zhenyu was somewhat reluctant to part with Huang Shaohong, this historical figure, but he kept his word and immediately gave each of the thirty students who wanted to return to Guangxi an additional ten yuan for travel expenses, and warmly told them: "Kids, if you can't find work when you get back and are struggling to make ends meet, remember to come back and look for Uncle me."

  Next, they were assimilated into the new members. Wang Zhenyu divided the remaining 280 people into 27 classes and appointed Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, Yu Zupei, Liao Xun, Li Pinxian and others as deputy class leaders. Each squad was assigned to a class, which initially dispersed them.

  Then Wang Zhenyu and Yang Wanguo were responsible for the settlement of these new troops. He first changed new uniforms for these student soldiers, and then sent them to each squad one by one. He also repeatedly warned the squad leaders not to bully the newcomers, not to engage in regional attacks, and those who violated this rule would be punished with 20 military sticks. These people-friendly actions made Li Zongren and other Guangxi student soldiers have a good impression of him.

  It's extremely good, and since we just arrived here, with back pay being issued and officers being promoted, everyone's morale is very high.