However, none of these people in the room have been in the killing field and officialdom for decades, they are all human spirits, and soon they all figured out what Zhang Zuoxiang really meant.

Zhang Zuoxiang's words seemed to be for Song Zhewu's sake, but he was actually afraid that Song Zhewu would not leave Shijiazhuang in the future, which would be to drive the tiger at the front door and enter the wolf at the back door. If Song Zhewu really wants to insert a foot in Hebei, it will be really difficult to do.

Song Zhewu is not a rootless duckweed like Shi Yousan, Song Zhewu is much better than Shi Yousan in terms of financial resources and military strength, and even his reputation in the hearts of the Chinese people.

Thinking of this, except for Ge Guangting, who smiled bitterly, everyone else nodded again and again, and everyone supported Zhang Zuoxiang's suggestion in their hearts.

Yu Xuezhong slapped the table and said loudly: "Deputy commander, in my opinion, whether Yan Xishan returns to Shanxi or not, and whether Song Zhewu will send troops, we must transfer troops from the Northeast, and first solve the ungrateful Shi Yousan, otherwise let others think that our Northeast Army is easy to bully, and we can only rely on Nanjing to succeed." ”

Wang Shuchang also echoed and said: "Deputy commander, I agree with Brother Xiaohou's opinion, the affairs of our Northeast Army still have to be solved by our Northeast Army itself, and we rely entirely on relying on others and not relying on it. In fact, with Song Zhewu containing and monitoring the Jin Sui Army and the 29th Army, as well as Sun Dianying's 40th Division, we don't need to transfer many more troops into the pass, it is enough to transfer the four brigades from Liaoning into the pass. The deputy commander asked Chairman Chiang to order Liu Zhi to march eastward from Henan, and we attacked twice, and Shi Yousan would be defeated. ”

The words of the two generals were very much in line with Zhang Xueliang's temper, and also made the trace of fear of Shi Yousan disappear without a trace in his heart.

With Zhang Xueliang's surname, he really wanted to mobilize troops to enter the pass, first teach Shi Yousan a hard lesson, and let out this evil breath in his heart, so that those people in the customs and even in the northeast who harbor evil intentions and want to see his Zhang Xueliang's jokes can see that he Zhang Xueliang is not easy to bully.

Zhang Xueliang, who was happy to take revenge, was impulsively about to immediately order the transfer of troops into the customs.

But when he saw the silent Zhang Zuoxiang and Rong Zhen, Zhang Xueliang tried to suppress that impulse again. He is now the supreme person in charge of the Northeast Army, and his every move must be considered comprehensively and carefully, and the two people in front of him are thoughtful people in Zhang Xueliang's eyes, and one thing they must listen to.

Zhang Xueliang resisted the impulse in his heart, looked at Rong Zhen and Zhang Zuoxiang, who did not express his position, hesitated for a moment and said: "Wen Ge said in the letter that he is likely to provoke a war in the Northeast, what do you think of this matter?" ”

In the Northeast Army, Zhang Zuoxiang has brains, self-cultivation, integrity, humility, approachability, no bad habits, high morality in the Feng group, and is known as a loyal elder. Of course, because he is too modest to fight and win, there are many people who think the opposite of him.

Zhang Zuoxiang has always believed that the Northeast Army should "stick to the outside of the pass, recuperate, train soldiers, and expand its strength." That is the fundamental way for the Northeast Army to survive and develop, and it should not come to this muddy water outside the border at all.

For himself, the evil neighbor who broke into the house, he still has to be like Zhang Zuolin, since he can't afford to drive him out now, he must not be too irritated first, lest he take the opportunity to play tricks and make the family suffer even greater losses.

But it is also impossible to blindly accommodate him, lest he sit big and finally squeeze himself out of the house. To deal with himself, he had to wait until he was strong enough to have a showdown with him, and even desperately.

Therefore, during his two tenures as chairman of the Jilin Provincial Political Axe, Zhang Zuoxiang held such an attitude, preferring to let the people suffer a small loss in small matters, and as much as possible not to have conflicts with Yue himself, but he would never compromise on major matters related to the interests of the northeast.

For example, in the construction of the Jihai Railway, he resolutely resisted the pressure of asking for loans or equity participation, and insisted on using his own capital and private funds to build it.

Since April 1924, when Zhang Zuoxiang took office as the superintendent and governor of Jilin Province, he has won the support of the people during his more than seven years in charge of Jilin. After he took office, he vigorously selected outstanding talents and clarified the rule of officials. Crack down on banditry and protect the territory and the people. We should actively rectify fiscal and tax revenues, so that the fiscal revenues that had been in deficit in the past years can be surplused, and revenues have increased every year.

Zhang Zuo strictly banned the cultivation, transportation, sale, and food of opium, so that the entire territory of Jilin was protected from the harm of opium. Zhang Zuoxiang used the surplus financial income for the construction of public welfare undertakings, built a 200-kilometer-long railway from Jilin to Hailong, built a waterworks, built river embankments and asphalt roads in the provincial capital Jilin, developed primary and secondary education in the province, and founded Jilin University, with Zhang Zuoxiang as its president.

Everything he does is in accordance with his "will recuperate and expand his strength." "Come and act.

It is precisely in line with this purpose that Zhang Xueliang sent troops outside the customs this time, and he tried his best to stop it.

Zhang Xueliang insisted on it, after all, Zhang Xueliang is now the top leader of the Northeast Army, and in the end he had to agree. But now, if he transfers troops from the northeast, the elite in the northeast will be about to be emptied, which is completely contrary to his proposition of sticking to the outside of the pass.

However, Wang Shuchang and Yu Xuezhong, the two cronies and generals that Zhang Xueliang valued the most, agreed to send troops, and he was not rash to object, so he came to Cao Ying with the surname Xu Shu and sat there silently.

Rong Zhen was very worried that something would happen in the Northeast, and he knew the situation in the Northeast best, and he agreed with Song Zhewu's judgment that he wanted to provoke a war in the Northeast. Rong Zhen believes that what he is doing now is definitely to provoke an incident in order to find an excuse to start a war, and finally force Zhang Xueliang to give them more benefits and achieve greater benefits in the Northeast.

At this time, it is really dangerous to transfer troops from the northeast into the customs without taking precautions. However, Wang Shuchang and Yu Xuezhong, Zhang Xueliang's right-hand men in military affairs, proposed first, and it was not easy for him, the chief of staff, to explicitly oppose it immediately.

However, after all, he is the chief of staff of the Northeast Army, and it is impossible for him to pretend to be confused like Zhang Zuoxiang, and he has the responsibility to remind Zhang Xueliang.

Rong Zhen pondered it carefully, looked at Zhang Xueliang, and said worriedly: "Deputy commander, I suspect that the Wanbaoshan incident was supported by Yu himself behind his back, and their purpose was to make the matter bigger, but fortunately, Xiqia handled this matter well, and quickly brought the matter under control, so that Yue himself did not find an excuse to expand the situation." ”

"However, this time Guan Yuheng's secret execution of Nakamura Zhentaro is very troublesome, and I will never let it go easily, and it is difficult for us to satisfy them with the four articles they proposed......

As soon as these two things were mentioned, Zhang Xueliang's face immediately became gloomy, and then he interrupted Rong Zhen and said: "Those four are not that it is difficult for us to satisfy Yue himself, but that we will never be able to satisfy them." ”

"I say that I ask us to punish Guan Yuheng and others severely, which is absolutely unacceptable."

Zhang Xueliang quickly glanced at Zhang Zuoxiang, who was slightly closed and leaning on the sofa silently, then looked away, reached out and took out a telegram from under the pillow, waved it in his hand, and said in an excited tone: "Also, Xiqia is incompetent, and the handling of the Wanbaoshan incident has lost my face Zhang Xueliang, but he did not let Yu himself find an excuse, but he also made me lose face in front of the chairman of the committee, and even in front of the northeast fathers and elders and all Chinese." ”

Zhang Xueliang held up the telegram and said in a hateful voice: "This is the reply of the chairman after reading the investigation report of the Changchun Municipal Preparatory Office on the Wanbaoshan incident. ”

Hong Fu stepped forward expressionlessly to take the telegram and read it aloud.

"Negotiation on the one hand, invasion on the other, negotiation of false negotiations, as a cover for invasion, its deception and cruelty are an ugly trick unprecedented in human beings, and the goal has been achieved, it is a false concession and retreat. This step-by-step spiral strategy, I have seen its lungs and liver. Alack! Since then, there have been many events in the world, and I am very sorry for the people. ”

In his reply, Chiang Kai-shek did not complain about Xicha's poor handling of the matter, but he clearly expressed his concern about the situation in the northeast. The matter is in Zhang Xueliang's hometown in the northeast, how can this make Zhang Xueliang have face.

Zhang Xueliang let out a long breath, tried to calm the anger in his heart, and said: "The chairman of the committee is very worried about the Wanbaoshan incident, and now there are reports in the newspapers, all of which are attacking me Zhang Xueliang, and the Guan Yuheng incident must not let us become the target of the people again." ”

Zhang Zuoxiang is the chairman of Jilin Province, dealing with the Wanbaoshan incident, Xiqia also sent him a telegram to ask for instructions, and he also agreed with Xiqia to do this, seeing that Zhang Xueliang was dissatisfied, Zhang Zuoxiang could no longer speak.

Zhang Zuoxiang sat up straight, looked at Zhang Xueliang and said earnestly: "Han Qing, how to deal with the Wanbaoshan incident, Xiqia has asked me, if you want to blame me, blame me!" ”

Seeing that Zhang Xueliang frowned slightly and didn't say anything, Zhang Zuoxiang sighed and said, "I don't know if Han Qing has thought about something?" What should we do about my own unreasonable provocation? ”

Without waiting for Zhang Xueliang to answer, Zhang Zuoxiang continued to take care of himself: "Yes, I only have more than 20,000 people in the northeast headed by the second division, although we can't beat him one-on-one, but our troops in the northeast are far more than him, even if you transfer four more brigades from the northeast, our Northeast Army still has more than 100,000 in the northeast, even if we trample on them." But the point is that many people don't think about how to deal with the aftermath after the fight. ”

"If we can't bear to clash with the Yue army, and we destroy the Yue army in the northeast, or defeat the Yue army, will the Yue himself give up, and they will inevitably mobilize a large army from North Korea and their own territory to invade the northeast, and then our Northeast army will be able to stop Yue himself? In that case, the foundation that the handsome has worked so hard to create will be finished. ”

"Don't say that our Northeast Army can't beat Yue himself, even Lao Maozi can't beat Yue himself!"

Zhang Zuoxiang's words touched the deepest sore spot in Zhang Xueliang's heart, and the Middle East Road incident was a shadow that will never linger in his heart.

Seeing Zhang Xueliang's face was discouraged and his expression was extremely depressed, Zhang Zuoxiang knew that Zhang Xueliang had listened to his words.

"There is no way, for Yue himself, now he can only tolerate it, not to intensify the contradictions, so that Xiao Yue Ben can't find a reason to go to war with us, this is the best way to keep the Northeast."

Wang Shuchang snorted dissatisfiedly and said, "Is it just like this to let Xiao Yuben ride our neck and?" ”

Zhang Zuoxiang smiled disappreciatively and said, "What does Tingwu mean that he is originally hard with Xiao Yue?" I'm still the same sentence, how to deal with the aftermath? In that case, Xiao Yueben probably won't just want to build a railway and open a mine in our northeast. ”

Although he was very dissatisfied with Zhang Zuoxiang, Wang Shuchang couldn't find a way to refute Zhang Zuoxiang for a while, but he still said unconvincedly: "Is it just so that Xiao Yue has to make inches?" I think that this little Yueben, like Shi Yousan, is also a wolf cub who can't be fed, and they don't have time to be satisfied. ”

Zhang Zuoxiang said with a wry smile: "Dashuai was soft grinding and hard bubbles when he dealt with Xiao Yue, but in fact, it was just one word, drag." The more time passes, the more beneficial it will be for us, and the most important thing now is not to give Xiao Yuben an excuse to go to war......"

Seeing that Zhang Xueliang was in a depressed mood, Rong Zhen secretly sighed in his heart that this young marshal was still too young, and couldn't help but shake his head secretly. But he came to ask Guan Yuheng how to deal with it, and if this continues, he is very worried that something will happen to Guan Yuheng.

Rong Zhen interrupted Zhang Zuoxiang's words and asked Zhang Xueliang: "Deputy commander, Guan Yuheng is dedicated to the safety of the Northeast...... Look at what to do, I said that I was pressed very hard! ”

Guan Yuheng's incident really gave Zhang Xueliang a headache.

Zhang Xueliang not only knew about the shooting of the spy of the Yue Army, but also specially instructed him to do the secret, and he must not let Yue himself seize the handle, but this Guan Yuheng ......

According to his own intentions, shooting Guan Yuheng will certainly make him lose the reason to make trouble, but it will inevitably chill the hearts of the soldiers, and his prestige in the Northeast Army will be greatly reduced.

But if he didn't, he would have a reason to provoke a war. Zhang Xueliang didn't dare to imagine that he could destroy 20,000 troops like Zhang Zuoxiang, in the Middle East Road incident, tens of thousands of Soviet troops defeated his hundreds of thousands of elite Northeast Army, making him disgraced, if it wasn't for Song Zhewu to help, I don't know how to end? This is said to be even stronger than the Soviet army. During the Russo-Russian War, the army defeated the Soviet army, which was three times its size.

After hesitating for a long time, Zhang Xueliang said helplessly: "The matter of Nakamura Zhentaro being a spy is said to be a spy, the evidence is ironclad, Guan Yuheng did the right thing, and this matter cannot be done according to his own requirements." However, I still have to be appeased, I think so......"

Zhang Xueliang lowered his head, looked at his fists that had turned white because of his clenched strength, and said with difficulty: "Guan Yuheng was removed from his post and investigated, and he was brought back to Shenyang by the military police headquarters for detention, which can be regarded as an explanation to himself." Chief of Staff Rong then handed over the evidence of Nakamura Shintaro as a spy to him, and he didn't want to go too far. ”

"If you show me the evidence, our military secrets in the Xing'anling area will be leaked." Rong Zhen said a little unwillingly.

Zhang Xueliang exhaled lightly and said: "If the army can fight there, the Northeast will be gone, what is that military secret?" ”

Thinking about what Zhang Xueliang said, when the army really needs military secrets there, the northeast has long been occupied by the army. However, this can be wronged by Guan Yuheng.

As for whether Yue Jun would stop because he dealt with Guan Yuheng, Rong Zhen was very skeptical.

"Deputy Commander, the Kwantung Army has been conducting frequent exercises recently, especially the increase in night exercises, so we still have to be prepared! Also, did the deputy commander ask the Nanjing side to negotiate with the political axe of Yumoto, and let them restrain the behavior of the Kwantung Army. Moreover, in the event that the Kwantung Army provoked a war, what was the attitude of the Central Committee? What are we going to do? ”

As Zhang Xueliang's chief of staff, Rong Zhen knows very well that Zhang Xueliang is unwilling and does not dare to do anything with him, so as long as he can tolerate it, he will tolerate it. But now the question is not whether Zhang Xueliang dares to fight, but that he has been looking for an excuse to fight, and it is impossible to be unprepared.

Moreover, although Zhang Zuoxiang is the left-behind commander of the four northeastern provinces, Zhang Zuoxiang knows that he is from the green forest and his ability in military command is not good, so he will hand over military affairs to Rong Zhen and will never interfere. As the de facto supreme military governor in the Northeast now, he really needs Zhang Xueliang to give him a clear explanation.

As a matter of fact, the frequent military exercises are the most anxious for Zhang Xue's conscience, and people with a little military knowledge know that exercises are often drills and harbingers before military operations are carried out.

Zhang Xueliang sincerely hoped that his own exercise was just a threat and intimidation, and that he really wanted to do it, and he really had no way to do it now. Because he thinks that it is best not to fight with him, he will lose a fight, a small defeat, a big defeat.

Taking a breath secretly, Zhang Xueliang pretended to be calm and comforted Rong Zhen and said: "I said that the purpose of my frequent exercises is nothing more than two: one is to threaten us; The other is to use the exercises to create friction, to find an excuse for them to provoke a war, and to force their political axe to support a war against us. ”

"According to the information obtained in Nanjing, the mainstream of the political axe does not support the current army to start a war. Therefore, we must restrain our troops, and we must not start another dispute with Yue himself and fall into the hands of the Kwantung Army. Once he finds an excuse to go to war, the Northeast will be in danger. ”

"If our Northeast Army wants to fight against the Yue Army, it is absolutely to touch the stone with an egg, and there is absolutely no chance of winning. Therefore, the only way to deal with his own provocation now is to endure. ”

"Regarding the attitude of the central authorities, when I was in Nanjing, I discussed with the chairman of the committee the affairs of the chairman of the Northeast Committee, and the chairman of the committee also wanted us to 'no matter how the army is provoking in the northeast, our side should avoid military conflicts and not be angry for a while.'" ”

After saying these words with difficulty, Zhang Xueliang felt very tired, and he took a sip of a glass of water to stabilize his anxious mood.

Zhang Xueliang, who was anxious, didn't want to mention his own affairs anymore, so he turned the topic to Shi Yousan.

(To be continued)