The Anqing Military Advisory Office was full of people, and Secretary-General Gao Ming and the internal affairs staff were busy sorting out the information gathered from all sides. Barnes led a group of British and Chinese staff officers to summarize the maps and materials of Mongolia, deduced the battle situation on the sand table, and kicked the back of the head with his busy heels.

Others were busy with their feet not touching the ground, but Chai Dongliang was leisurely drinking iced sour plum soup with Gao Chuguan and Gu Weijun in the office.

"Governor, don't worry about the Russians, this [***] establishment is a taboo of the Western powers, and Russia does not dare to openly stand up for Jebtsundamba, at most it is just a small move behind the scenes." Gu Weijun reported while sipping the sour plum soup with ice beads.

Chai Dongliang nodded, scooping the sour plum soup in the glass with a silver spoon, thoughtfully. Yuan Shikai sent a telegram from Yanjing, asking the Jianghuai Revolutionary Army to send troops to Mongolia quickly, and gave Chai Dongliang the rank of lieutenant general, Kuang Haishan, Lu Kai and others were also named major generals, and Tang Xiangming, commander of the Yangtze River Fleet, was also a lieutenant general at the same level as Chai Dongliang.

Don't forget to mix sand at any time, Yuan Shikai's methods are really enough! Seeing that Mongolia and Xinjiang were about to be divided, the provisional president of the Republic of China did not forget to give himself eye medicine, Chai Dongliang smiled bitterly.

Gao Chuguan has also become familiar with Chai Dongliang in the past few days, so he will not hide it: "Du Du, I have a question in my throat, please Du Du to solve your doubts!" Our Jianghuai army is out of Saibei, what is the intention of the governor? ”

Chai Dongliang said with a smile: "Defend the family and the country, this reason is not enough? ”

Gao Chuguan coughed and lowered his head and drank sour plum soup, Gu Weijun also felt that this was not Chai Dongliang's style, this governor has always been unprofitable and unprofitable, when Feng Guozhang hit Wuchang, Li Yuanhong sent seven telegrams a day for help, and in the end he was knocked by Chai Dongliang with 500,000 silver dollars for military expenses. Beat Yangzhou to bring back 7 million taels of silver from the salt envoy Yamen, and brought the salt merchant back to Wuhu. A few days ago, he forced salt merchants to invest in industry, and he also set up an industrial management company, and poached 40 percent of the shares of more than a dozen cement factories opened by salt merchants in Anhui, Jiangxi, and Jiangsu.

Traveling thousands of miles to send troops to Mongolia with their own food and salary, just to defend the territory? These words coaxed those newspaper reporters and student dolls full of enthusiasm, but Gao Chuguan and Gu Weijun didn't believe it at all!

Gao Chuguan said worriedly: "Governor, it's not difficult to send troops to the north to pacify Mengjiang, but it's not easy to withdraw." ”

Chai Dongliang didn't want to hide it anymore, and said with a smile: "Mr. Xiang Yuan is too worried, I never planned to withdraw the army, and I want to firmly root this nail in Mongolia??? Shaochuan, you are a diplomatic wizard who knows the West very well, how long do you think the peace of Europa can be maintained? ”

Gu Weijun said without thinking: "Ten years at the long, five years at the shortest, there will be a big war in Europa!" ”

Chai Dongliang shook his head and said, "Two years at most." ”

Gu Weijun glared and said, "Two years, will it be so fast?" ”

Chai Dongliang smiled: "It's so fast!" ”

It is almost an open secret that there is about to be a big war on the European continent, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy formed an ally and also pulled the Ottoman Turkey, Bulgaria and other little brothers to help them, Britain and France and Russia formed a three-country entente, Austria-Hungary intended to dye Europe, Russia regarded itself as the protector of the Slavs, the tension between the two sides was almost irreconcilable, France and Germany were a feud, and last year they almost made a move in Morocco in North Africa. Britain and Germany compete in all corners of the world??? With so many powder kegs, it only takes one spark to fall and knock Europa to the ground.

Gao Chuguan is a little confused, what does a possible war in distant Europe have to do with Mongolia? It has no connection with Anhui at all, the foreign devils have been killed, and the Chinese can live in peace for a few days!

Chai Dongliang put down the cup in his hand, spread out the map on the huge sandalwood desk, pointed to it and said: "You see, there are two traditional trade routes between China and Russia, one in the west is through Baotou, Kulun, and Kyakhta in Mongolia, and the east trade route is from Manchuria to the eastern section of the Trans-Siberian Railway. If we occupy Manchuria, we will be able to monopolize trade with Russia??? The Russians were very unprepared for the war, so we sold them guns and gunpowder to make them more lively??? Now that we have a surplus of production in the arsenal, it's time to exchange arms for gold. ”

Gao Chuguan's face suddenly turned cold: "Dudu, are you planning to help the Russians?" This rakshasa ghost is very bad! ”

Chai Dongliang said with a smile: "Foreign devils are fighting, we don't help each other, whoever gives money we sell weapons to, I am determined to make the foreigners' national disaster!" Smiling and smiling, his expression became solemn: "This is the best opportunity for our China to get rid of a hundred years of weakness and bullying by foreigners, I will not miss it!" ”

Gu Weijun is quite familiar with the situation in the West, Russia's national conditions are almost a fight with the dim-witted Qing Dynasty, Tsar Nicholas II was the crown prince in his early years when he visited the capital, the assassin cut off his scalp on the head, and since then he has contracted a headache, often unable to deal with government affairs, Empress Alexandra's reign has made the Russian government chaotic, the wise minister Count Witte and others have been excluded, and the court is full of courtiers with Germanic blood. Russia is no longer the mighty empire of Alexander III's time, and just last year Stolypin, the last wise and powerful minister, was assassinated at the Kiev Opera House.

Stolypin was as important to Russia as Li Hongzhang was to the Qing Dynasty, and his death indirectly condemned Russia's political death, and there was no one to check and balance the last bit of the foundation of the Romanov dynasty that had been hollowed out by the corrupt ministers.

Russia's industrial base was originally the last among the great powers, but it was the natural bravery of the Russian nation and the abundant military resources that made the European countries fearful. But the war that would take place two years later would not be a local war like the Russo-Russian War, but a major war that would engulf the whole of Europe, and the antiquated bureaucracy and inefficient industrial system of Tsarist Russia would certainly not be able to support a war of this magnitude. Large-scale purchase of arms, food, clothing, and all other materials related to the war will be Russia's inevitable choice. Now the great powers are preparing for the imminent outbreak of war, and enemies like Ben and Russia can sign secret treaties, and the arrogant British can also put down the glorious isolation shelf and sign the Triple Pact with France and Russia. Chai Dongliang just made up a play "Dingmengjiang" and scolded a few Rakshasa ghosts, which is just a trivial matter. The Tsar's mind was no longer clear, and he would not have made a big move in the Far East at this sensitive time.

In another time and space, this war money was sent by the United States and Yueben, Chai Dongliang absolutely did not allow that result to appear again, at least he had to meet and divide half of it to barely meet the requirements.

Chai Dongliang's purpose is very clear, China must send troops at the moment when the blood of Europe is about to be drained, which will become the last straw that breaks the camel's back and occupy an important position in the post-war world pattern??? Before that, the only thing was to make a lot of war money and accumulate the capital to participate in the world war.

Regardless of whether it was an Entente or an Allied power, as long as it gave them money, it was still very difficult to sell arms and strategic materials to Germany and Austria-Hungary from a geographical point of view, and under the blockade of the British Navy, what could they do to transport these things back to distant Europe? Only Russia, which has a weak industrial base and is adjacent to China, is the most suitable dumping ground, who will it not sell to Lao Maozi?

However, in order to help the Europeans fight the war a little bigger and more lively, in the future, they can reveal some weapons information that is slightly ahead of this era to the Germans, and the right is to do a good deed!

Gu Weijun and Gao Chuguan thought about it again and again, and both felt that it was almost an impossible task to let a lone army occupy Manmeng. Not to mention whether the Russians will sit idly by, even Yuan Shikai of Yanjing will feel a thorn in his back.

"No, no!" Gao Chuguan shook his head and said: "The lone army hangs in Mobei, as long as Beiyang cuts off the return route and grain route, it will collapse without a fight." ”

Chai Dongliang nodded and said: "This is a risky move, but if this move is alive, then our Jianghuai Army will really be a flying dragon in the sky, and no one can control it!" ”

Gao Chuguan said with a wry smile: "Fighting a war is like playing Go, it is impossible to go deep alone with only one eye, and without two eyes, chess cannot be lived!" ”

Chai Dongliang smiled slyly and said, "How does Mr. Xiang Yuan know that I didn't make two eyes?" ”

Gao Chuguan and Gu Weijun looked at Chai Dongliang in astonishment, and their hearts turned over and over, this governor who is only twenty-four years old is proficient in English, knows how to make guns, machinery, and skilled soldiers, and is also skilled in using the political skills of newspaper public opinion, and has a unique understanding of constitutionalism.

It's just that what is the other eye he has crouched down?

??? Dividing line ???

The seventh lunar month in Anqing is hot and anxious, and the clouds are low, but it doesn't rain, and it sweats like a pulp when you sit still.

Anqing Chengdong Street Shanxi Hall is the base camp of Jin merchants in Anhui, and the money bank, the shopkeeper of the ticket number, and the owner of the family to Anhui Province generally live here.

The outside is hot and humid, but the second floor of the hall is quiet and elegant, a spring bamboo curtain separates the inside and outside, and only the sound of silk and bamboo floats by, which is as pleasant as fairy music. More than a dozen ice basins are evenly distributed in each corner, and the huge ice cubes are carved into the shape of rockeries, which can not only drive away the scorching heat but also be pleasing to the eye. Even in Anhui, Jin merchants still retained the habit of talking about business in the "Xianggong".

Li Zhichang, the manager of Guanghua Bank's Nanjing branch, was recently promoted to general manager of the head office, and it was when he was only 27 or 8 years old that he could reach such a high position. Sitting with him was an old man in his sixties.

The old man was dressed in a light gray summer cool cloth robe, leaning on a white Western chair, the hem of the robe was lifted and resting on the back of the chair, his clear face was full of wrinkles, and the two broomsticks were straight and pouting, and at a glance he knew that he was an old man with a very stubborn surname.

"I think back then, Lafayette went to our Dade Tong, and Qiao's old boss invited the little military machine king to a banquet, hehe, he heard the word 'Xianggong', and he ran to it with his feet, but he held it all night, his face was dripping, and he didn't even have a kind word when he left. Later, when he inquired, it turned out that he thought that the 'Xianggong' was a child, and he felt that this military plane Zhang Jing liked rabbits! Such an elegant place can be used as a rabbit nest by him??? Since the day of the fight, I knew that this Qing Dynasty couldn't grow, and the military machine chapter Kyoto likes rabbits, so this court is not like a rabbit's tail? It can't grow, it can't grow! The old man chattered about the past of Chen Guzi's rotten sesame seeds.

Li Zhichang was originally the shopkeeper of the Wuhu branch of the Dade Pass number, and he also listened to the old man with the ticket number talk about these things, and laughed while drinking tea. The person sitting opposite was none other than his former boss, Yan Weifan, the treasurer of the Dade Pass number.

"Zhichang, this business is the same as being a man, you have to be willing to pay a lot of money if you see it, when Qiao's old boss lent Zuo Juexiang five million taels of silver, Zuo Xiangye relied on this money to defeat Zhang Gubai and pacify Xinjiang Province, and our Dadetong has the scenery it is today. Although you are no longer working in Dadetong, there will always be your body in the ticket number, and we are both prosperous and lossy. Your business is the business of Dadetong, I bet this bet on Chai Dudu, not to mention that he is kind to our Da Detong, last time he lent us Wuhu Branch, through the run to solve the urgent need, not to mention that Guanghua Bank still has our Da Detong shares, just because you are the general manager of Guanghua Bank, Da Detong also has to work for Chai Dudu, who made you the person from our Dade Tong? You can mix well, I am happy to see the old man, and Dadetong is also glorious, isn't it? "Yan Weifan's words are always heart-wrenching and comfortable, and he deserves to be the number one shopkeeper in the Jin merchants.

Li Zhichang hurriedly thanked him.

Yan Weifan said with a smile: "Back then, Qiao Dongjia invited me to be the big shopkeeper, an old man in his seventies, I have to sit if I don't sit in a sedan chair, this sedan chair can't sit in vain!" I've sold it to the Qiao family for the rest of my life??? Chai Guanghua, as the governor of a province, will lead the stirrup for you, and I am afraid you will have to sell it to him in this life! ”

Li Zhichang remembered that when he was released from the War Department prison, Chai Dongliang personally led the horse for him and walked thirteen miles, and the scenes at that time came up one after another, and Li Zhichang's eyes were a little moist. ”

Yan Weifan smiled and patted him on the shoulder and soothed: "Zhichang, you are the person who was used by our great virtue, I think you are no different from my own nephew??? I'll sell an old man and tell you a heartfelt word, this person, I'd rather be a good man with a stirrup than an ancestor for Lai Hanzi, you can follow a master like Chai Dudu, this life is worth it! ”

Li Zhichang nodded heavily with red eyes and said, "Well, it's worth it!" ”

Yan Weifan took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Li Zhichang, and said with a smile: "There are still a lot of miscellaneous things in the general number, and I can't stay for a long time and have to go back to Qi County today, you give this letter to Governor Chai Du and tell him that the Russian consul of Kulen has been dredged??? and the Russian demon monk he specially explained, I have also taken care of it clearly, and the end is very clean. Our Western Gang has been rooted in Mongolia and Russia for hundreds of years, and this little thing can still be done??? The black eyes of our Chinese can't see the silver, and the blue eyes of the foreign devils can't see Brother Kong Fang, as long as the Russians have silver, there is nothing they can't do??? I haven't run north in person for many years, and this trip to Russia almost broke up my old bones???? His favor has been repaid! ”

(To be continued)