"Yo! Mr. Xu, I've heard of you for a long time, and I finally met you today. Hua Xiongmao watched Xu Shuzheng, who was handcuffed, being brought into the headquarters, and got up and said with a smile.

Xu Shuzheng just snorted but didn't answer, he actually knew that Hua Xiongmao was an "old bandit" in the People's Party, and today was the first time he saw it.

Hua Xiongmao looked Xu Shuzheng up and down. has worked with Chen Ke for more than ten years, Hua Xiongmao has never seen Chen Ke give orders because of personal feelings, but before Hua Xiongmao went to work this time, Chen Ke rarely talked to Hua Xiongmao about Xu Shuzheng. The People's Party has special information about the Beiyang generals, and after capturing most of the Beiyang officials, this information is even more. According to the records, Yuan Shikai once commented on Xu Shuzheng: "He is also a person, and there are also small talents, if he follows the right track, he can expect to be far away." But the arrogance is self-sufficient, and there are many people who are guilty of it."

Of course, Hua Xiongmao didn't know that Chen Ke was moved by some compassion because Xu Shuzheng had the exploits of recovering Outer Mongolia "in history". Looking at Xu Shuzheng's arrogant demeanor after being captured, Hua Xiongmao remembered Chen Ke's evaluation of Xu Shuzheng, "If a person is a little capable, he must be sharp in Beiyang, too arrogant, bold and daring, and make too many enemies." We can't set any precedent for Xu Shuzheng, there are quite a few such comrades in our People's Party. Xu Shuzheng must have a way to die, but if he can, don't kill him. But if you should kill it, you don't have to let it go. ”

Let Xu Shuzheng sit down first, Hua Xiongmao said straight to the point: "Mr. Xu, I have a question. Do you think you have a reason not to die? ”

Xu Shuzheng thought that Hua Xiongmao was going to persuade him to surrender, but he didn't expect that it would be such a problem to get off the horse. He was about to be angry, but he quickly calmed down, and he suddenly grinned, "It's not enough to kill people below, but it's very easy to find a reason to kill them." ”

Hua Xiongmao smiled: "Killing people is not counted? Let's not brag about it. Is it that you can't count it, or that there are many people who have been killed. I think Mr. Xu is only afraid of the former. ”

was ridiculed by Hua Xiongmao like this, Xu Shuzheng only sneered, but stopped talking.

Hua Xiongmao continued: "You kill me and I will kill you in the war, this is my duty. I will never kill you for this. As for your hostility to our BJP, it is not a capital crime. As for you drinking the blood of soldiers and eating empty wages. This is all your Beiyang business, and we will not kill you for these reasons. ”

"Humph! Since you said that these reasons are not the reasons to kill me, then Xu has no reason to kill. Xu Shuzheng sneered.

Hua Xiongmao smiled slightly, "Then let me ask you something, in Guisui you ordered the killing of sixteen people who refused to pay taxes." There's always been this, right? Do you think you should die? ”

After Xu Shuzheng heard this, he was furious, "If you don't pay taxes, why can't you kill?" Haven't you the People's Party killed such people? ”

"Not a single one." Hua Xiongmao stared at Xu Shuzheng's eyes and replied seriously, "Our People's Party has never killed people for money, let alone killed people. I didn't mention the looting of the people along the way when your Beiyang Army was marching, and I can tell you responsibly that in our case, robbery by officers and soldiers along the way is punishable by death. No one has ever escaped punishment for such a thing. In the more than 10 years since the founding of our army, there have been several cases of this kind of thing, and all the participants have been shot. ”

Whether a person is lying or not can be seen from his eyes and expressions, Xu Shuzheng looked at Hua Xiongmao's eyes, but saw that Hua Xiongmao had no sign of lying. After a long confrontation, Xu Shuzheng said: "Then the People's Party must kill me." ”

"So I'll ask you first, do you think you have a reason not to die." Hua Xiongmao said solemnly.

Xu Shuzheng said loudly: "Because I didn't surrender, do you want to make an example?" ”

"You don't make sense!" Hua Xiongmao couldn't help but correct, "We persuade to surrender, what are the conditions for persuasion?" Even if he has no personal blood debt, we will not kill him. You killed people because of government affairs, which is not a private blood debt, so it is not within the scope of killing. But if you don't surrender, the basis for this non-killing will naturally not exist. One thing is one thing. ”

For the People's Party, Chen Ke has been trying his best to instill the modern concept of governing the country that all are equal before the law for more than ten years, so Hua Xiongmao is very clear logically. For Xu Shuzheng, his thinking is still the traditional "good guy bad guy" mode of thinking, good people have the right to get different treatment, and bad people can be executed without even committing a crime. And power is the highest criterion for determining good guys and bad guys. In addition, although Xu Shuzheng is a martial artist, he is literate at the age of 3, can write poetry at the age of 7, is a talent at the age of 13, and is known as a prodigy, so he cannot accept this concept of the People's Party.

"Speaking of which, you still want to kill me Xu." Xu Shuzheng sneered.

Hua Xiongmao was also a little annoyed, he sighed and said: "You just don't talk about logic, if I want to kill you, what am I going to do with you." Lock you up first, and wait until Yulin is liberated, and then open the court. Naturally, someone will sue you, and then you will be tried according to the law, and finally sentenced. What am I doing with you with this tongue? Is it fulfilling to make you bow your head and confess your sins? I'm a lazy person, and the affairs of justice are not within the scope of my interference. So I'm asking you one last time, do you think you have a reason not to die. ”

Although Xu Shuzheng still can't understand and accept the people's party's thinking, he has at least understood one thing, Hua Xiongmao is neither for prestige nor for fun. I'm afraid that it's really as Hua Xiongmao said, find a reason why Xu Shuzheng can not die. No one wanted to die, even if he felt great humiliation, Xu Shuzheng couldn't help but think about the reason why he could not die.

After thinking for a while, Xu Shuzheng finally replied: "If it is according to your People's Party's standard of killing, I have no reason not to die." After saying this, Xu Shuzheng showed a bleak smile on his face, "After I died, I had something on my mind." In the past few years, I have planned a plan to recover Outer Mongolia, and I am almost done by this time. Since you have fought the Japanese, you are not afraid of the Russians, and if you have the courage to fight the Russians, then you might as well use the strategy. ”

Hua Xiongmao originally really wanted to kill Xu Shuzheng and pull him down, not that he had any opinion of Xu Shuzheng, between being able to let Xu Shuzheng go and not letting Xu Shuzheng go, Hua Xiongmao thought that it would be more beneficial for Chen Ke to execute Xu Shuzheng. However, after listening to Xu Shuzheng's words, Hua Xiongmao felt that Chen Ke was quite prescient, and after Beiyang fled to the northwest, he had no enterprising spirit. Xu Shuzheng's intention to try to take back Outer Mongolia is probably to expand the territory of Beiyang, no matter what his original intention is, if there is really such a plan, then this person's backbone is very unusual.

"That's why you can't die." Hua Xiongmao said, "If a person is effective and loyal to the country's mind and efforts, we still have to give a way for the policy." ”

Xu Shuzheng's last words were actually half-truths and half-truths, although he did make preparations to recover Outer Mongolia, but this plan was only a plan. Limited to the strength of the remnants of Beiyang, Xu Shuzheng completely relied on his own personal ability to operate this matter, whether it could be done or not was between the two. The reason why I said this was that I wanted to ridicule Hua Xiongmao's mind was also quite heavy.

Unexpectedly, Hua Xiongmao didn't care about Xu Shuzheng's other things, and when he heard that Xu Shuzheng was trying to recover the country, he praised it a lot, which made Xu Shuzheng feel that it was quite boring.

Xu Shuzheng looked at Hua Xiongmao for a while, and then said slowly: "It's just a plan in the next place, but maybe you can do it." If you think that my plan will definitely work, then you can't help but think too highly of Xu. ”

Hua Xiongmao replied calmly: "There are many external factors that can be done, but whether to do it or not is a personal attitude. This attitude proves that you are still a true patriot and know that the meat has to rot in your own pot. Can you show me this information? ”

Xu Shuzheng naturally didn't lie, in order to enter Outer Mongolia, he accumulated a lot of information. Coupled with the dictation of his plan, the whole seal is very convenient.

In fact, Xu Shuzheng's method is not very subtle, due to the "October Revolution" in Russia, the princes and nobles of Outer Mongolia headed by Jebtsundamba lost their backers, so they decided to return to China to protect their own interests. Xu Shuzheng has already made contact with Outer Mongolia, and he plans to lead the second infantry brigade and the first cavalry regiment to march out of the fortress and march towards Kulun. At the same time, large business groups such as Jin merchants were invited to all parts of Outer Mongolia to promote the economic construction of Outer Mongolia with commerce. Then try to find a way to put the "Prime Minister" of the puppet regime in Outer Mongolia, Badma Dorji, as well as the princes and the living Buddha of Jebtsundamba under house arrest.

Hua Xiongmao was quite appreciative of this plan, which can almost be described as adventurous, and the People's Party was far superior in manpower and material resources compared with the remnants of Beiyang. However, there is one thing that is not advantageous, and that is the network in Inner and Outer Mongolia.

The biggest reason why Chen Ke did not want to immediately use troops in the northwest was that there were not enough cadres within the People's Party, and there were a large number of systems that were still vacant and urgently needed to be built. Another reason is that the BJP has no influence in the northwest. As the saying goes, "if you don't fight, you don't know each other", from a dialectical point of view, this fight is also a process of deepening understanding and testing the bottom line. If a new system is used to enter the northwest, the contradiction between the People's Party and the old system will immediately become the main contradiction in the northwest.

If the situation had not developed well, the People's Party would have had to look forward to Shu, hoping to take the opportunity to restore the old land that had been cut off by Russia, and the mobilization of troops in the northwest would have to be delayed for a while.

After discussions with Xu Shuzheng and some captured officials in Inner and Outer Mongolia, Hua Xiongmao reached a consensus with them. Pardon the crimes of the Beiyang people in the Mongolian region who were willing to revolt and surrender, including Xu Shuzheng, who joined the People's Party's military campaign to recover Outer Mongolia.

Originally, Xu Shuzheng wanted Shanxi's business groups to contribute money and efforts to promote the economy of Outer Mongolia, but the People's Party is now shouldering the responsibility for economic construction. Originally, the troops that Xu Shuzheng wanted to mobilize had been defeated, and the People's Party's troops naturally became the only military force. What Xu Shuzheng and what they want to do is to use their connections to assist the People's Party in completing the revised Xu Shuzheng plan and returning Outer Mongolia to the embrace of the motherland.

Xu Shuzheng and the Outer Mongolian officials in Beiyang were originally less enthusiastic about this change, which after all, had a taste of making wedding clothes for others. However, after learning from Hua Xiongmao that the People's Party's plan was far from this, and that the recovery of Outer Mongolia was only one part of the People's Party's recovery of the old land, Xu Shuzheng and others immediately became enthusiastic.

If only the plan to recover Outer Mongolia is completed, Xu Shuzheng and others are just a group of generals who are greedy for life and afraid of death. If they can work hard to recover the old land, Xu Shuzheng and others will be real national heroes. For the sake of his current interests and the reputation of the world after his death, there is no need to make any "difficult choices" about where to go.

After this matter was done, Hua Xiongmao was also very happy. Originally, he thought that Chen Ke might have some relationship with the Xu Shuzheng family, but now he had to suspect that this was some small trick played by Chen Ke. Hua Xiongmao has been a spectator in many of the People's Party's internal and external wars, and now being able to undertake such an unprecedented heavy responsibility is an excellent opportunity to establish Hua Xiongmao's military reputation.

As a result, the military plan was sent to the People's Party Military Commission. Hua Xiongmao upheld the tradition of the strong offensive spirit of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, and also began to make intensive preparations.

With Xu Shuzheng and others as the leading party, the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army broke through the troops sent by Duan Qirui to meet the attack, and quickly liberated the entire Suiyuan. The captured soldiers naturally surrendered, and after the captured officers were screened, those officers who could be saved also surrendered happily after being advised by Xu Shuzheng and others who "revolted".

In the process of doing things together with the People's Party, these people discovered that the People's Party was indeed very different from Beiyang and even the Manchu Qing Dynasty. In addition to the factor of having money, the People's Party has two strongest feelings for Beiyang. One is that the People's Party is really not greedy for money, and the second is that the People's Party really knows how to spend money.

Just like the wool business, the price of wool on the grassland is very low, and the processing technology is very poor, in fact, it is not very easy to do. The BJP's approach is not at all a bandit-like method of setting up cards and charging fees. Caravans of troops moved back and forth across the steppes, and when they met herders, they began to promote the existence of the BJP caravans.

Due to the good firepower of the troops and the large number of people, large and small groups of horse bandits were not afraid. In the deal, the BJP's approach is even more peculiar. In addition to the normal trade of wool for daily necessities, the People's Party actually exchanged wool products for wool. Sweaters, woolen gloves, woolen hats, sheepskin jackets, sheepskin boots, and even the exchange of felt for building yurts. The ratio is about 1.5 to 1.

Xu Shuzheng was puzzled by this obviously loss-making business, "Commander Hua, do you have no land if you have a lot of money?" Why are you cheap these Mongols? ”

Hua Xiongmao explained: "How can this be called a cheap Mongol? If the Mongolian compatriots don't know that their worthless things can be exchanged for these good things, how can they really be willing to make business bigger with us? ”

Xu Shuzheng didn't seem to understand this, and Hua Xiongmao had to explain further: "Do you think our products are much better than those produced on the grassland?" ”

"It's nature!" Xu Shuzheng still has this minimum vision.

Hua Xiongmao continued: "Since the Mongolian compatriots have seen this fact, they can understand that the products of the steppe need our processing technology to become so good, and they have a demand for us. ”

Xu Shuzheng thought for a while and asked a new question, "What if they want to get these technologies from us, and then they also start these productions themselves?" ”

Hua Xiongmao felt that Xu Shuzheng was really smart, and he was able to see this step, and he smiled: "To learn our things, you have to be able to speak Chinese, write Chinese characters, and accept the cultural education and production methods of the Han people." If the Mongolian compatriots in the steppe had learned all this, they would have been Han Chinese. How good is that. ”

Xu Shuzheng has also been known as a prodigy since he was a child, he never imagined that Hua Xiongmao would think like this, he was stunned for a while, Xu Shuzheng didn't know what he should say.