After Xiao Zhenlei rushed to Jiangning, it was very smooth to meet Zhang Renjun, Zhang Renjun had read the official letter sent by the War Department before, and he liked Xiao Zhenlei very much, in addition to Xiao Zhenlei's military talent, there was another reason, because Zhang Renjun was Yuan Shikai's son and daughter, Xiao Zhenlei had Yuan Shikai's shadow on his body, and Zhang Renjun naturally took care of him.

In addition, Xiao Zhenlei also went to visit the new Jiangning general Tie Liang, who was a member of the Murcha clan and a man with a white flag in Manchuria. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, he called himself a "knowing soldier". The status of the rank of General Jiangning is higher than that of the Governor of Liangjiang, and on the ground of Jiangning, in addition to the Jiangning General Tieliang and the Liangjiang Governor Zhang Renjun, there is also the Jiangnan Governor, and the Jiangnan Governor at this time is Zhang Xun, which is later known as the "pigtail" Zhang Xun.

General Jiang Ning commanded the garrison of the Eight Banners, and had 1 member of the left wing deputy commander stationed in the same city, and 1 member of the deputy capital commander of Jingkou. The subordinate officers include assistant leaders, assistant leaders, defense guards, cavalry schools, etc., and about 4,000 people lead forwards, leaders, vests, infantry armor, and raising soldiers. In addition, General Jiang Ning was also in charge of the Eight Banners Jiangning Naval Division. General Jiang Ning is from the first rank, the same level as the governor of Liangjiang, but because General Jiang Ning has always been held by the Manchu people, and the rank is in front of the governor when the meeting is performed, it is said that the status of the general Jiang Ning is higher than that of the governor of Liangjiang.

In addition to the commanders of Jiangnan who are mainly in charge of the local standards, associations, and battalions of the prefectures and counties in Xiajiang, the governors of Jiangnan also control the general troops of the two towns of Langshan (including the Yangzhou battalion and the Taizhou battalion) and Susong (stationed in Chongming, with jurisdiction over the three battalions of the original standard and the battalions of Chuansha and Wusong).

When Xiao Zhenlei asked to see Tie Liang, Tie Liang himself claimed to be a soldier. After seeing Xiao Zhenlei, a young officer with considerable military management ability, he was quite appreciative, and when he met Zhang Renjun afterwards, he mentioned his appreciation for Xiao Zhenlei. In his speech, he vaguely proposed that he could promote this young man by one or two, and Zhang Renjun also liked Xiao Zhenlei, a young man with a resolute style.

Two days passed. Governor Cheng Dequan received the order and letter of appointment from the Liangjiang Governor's Office, and transferred Ai Zhongqi, the 23rd Mixed Association Commander, to Jiangning to serve as the Senator of the Governor's Office, Xiao Zhenlei, the 46th Standard Commander of the 23rd Mixed Association, was promoted to the 23rd Mixed Association Commander, and the post of 46th Standard Commander was promoted to Cai Guodong, the deputy standard commander.

Cheng Dequan saw this appointment and two appointments, as if he had been beaten in the head, and he had a fire in his heart, and he was angry that Zhang Renjun stretched out his hand to the twenty-three mixed association, not only was the position of the co-ordinator obtained by Xiao Zhenlei, but the position of the forty-six standard system was also sat by Xiao Zhenlei's people.

In fact, it's no wonder that Zhang Renjun beat the idea to twenty-three mixed into the association. The main reason is not that Zhang Renjun and Tie Liang both admire Xiao Zhenlei and want to promote him, but because the Ninth Town of the New Army, which he regards as forbidden, is not the same heart as him, the Ninth Town of the New Army is the direct force of the Governor of Liangjiang, but there are many revolutionaries in the Ninth Town, and many of them are officers, the most famous of which are Zhao Sheng, Bai Wenwei, Xiong Chengji, Ni Yingdian, Ni Sichong, Lin Shuqing and others, these people were in the Ninth Town of the New Army before, and Xiong Chengji and Ni Yingdian were dead at this time. Zhao Sheng had fled under the protection of Xu Shaozhen, the commander of the Ninth Town.

Zhang Renjun was not only suspicious of the many revolutionaries in the Ninth Town of the New Army, but also suspicious of Xu Shaozhen, who was not the rule of the revolutionary party. Xu Shaozhen is not a revolutionary, not even a constitutionalist. He once wrote to the imperial court and vigorously displayed Zhongjun's patriotic thoughts. He also strongly advocated the introduction of conscription first and then the establishment of a constitution. It should be said that he still wants to be a good official at this time, rich and strong. Defend the country. But he was also bitter about the corruption of the Qing court, and he took good care of his soldiers. Year. When he inspected, he found that Gong Shifang, a soldier of the 3rd Battalion, had anti-Manchu words and sentences in his notebook, and he only persuaded him to retire perfunctorily. Last year. Zhang Renjun wanted to take the famous Zhao Sheng, Xu Shaozhen also tried every possible way to protect him, and finally Zhao Sheng resigned and escaped. wanted to be a good official of the imperial court, and showed mercy to the revolutionary party's subordinates, but in exchange for dissatisfaction at both ends, Xu Shaozhen was really wronged.

The darkness of the Qing court and the stupidity of the officials have long made Xu Shaozhen, who has a strong sense of nationality, very dissatisfied. The previous governor of Liangjiang was aware of it, and he was suspicious of Xu and his new army Ninth Town, and Zhang Renjun's attitude towards him became even more severe after taking over, but Xu Shaozhen never dared to act rashly.

Because Zhang Renjun was suspicious of the ninth town of the new army, he turned to support Zhang Xun's Jiangfang battalion and patrol battalion, and the weapons, ammunition and military salaries were allocated to Zhang Xun in terms of Jiangfang battalion and patrol battalion, and now he saw Xiao Zhenlei coming to visit, so he had the idea of wooing Xiao Zhenlei, Xiao Zhenlei saw that he could take Zhang Renjun and Tieliang as backers, of course he was willing, and he expressed his allegiance to Zhang Renjun at that time, which is why the Liangjiang Governor's Mansion was not connected to the yamen of the governor of Jiangsu, and directly promoted Xiao Zhenlei to the twenty-third mixed association, with Zhang Renjun and Tie Liang, Zhang Xun and other three people supported, and Cheng Dequan could only eat coptis dumbly and swallow the bitterness in his stomach.

Although Cheng Dequan was extremely dissatisfied with the Liangjiang Governor's Office's interference in the military affairs of Jiangsu Province, he had no way to refuse this appointment order and two appointments, otherwise he would not only offend Zhang Renjun, the governor of Liangjiang, but also offend Tie Liang and Zhang Xun, and offend these three people at the same time.

On May 7th, Xiao Zhenlei and Cai Guodong came to the governor's yamen, what they didn't expect was that Ai Zhongqi was also here, Xiao Zhenlei still didn't know that Zhang Renjun had appointed him as the 23rd Mixed Association Leader, and Ai Zhongqi was about to be transferred.

"Lord Co-ordinator, are you here too?" Xiao Zhenlei saluted after seeing Ai Zhongqi, Cai Guodong had been acting in charge of military affairs when Xiao Zhenlei was not in the army, and he had also seen Ai Zhongqi, so he also saluted a military salute.

Ai Zhongqi was also quite surprised to see Xiao Zhenlei and Cai Guodong both coming here, so he nodded and said, "Well, the governor sent someone to inform me to come over today, why, you also received a notice from the governor?" ”

"yes!" Xiao Zhenlei asked, "Lord Ai, do you know what the Governor is looking for us for?" ”

Ai Zhongqi shook his head and said, "I don't know, wait and see, I'll know when I see the governor!" ”

Soon after, Cheng Dequan came to the outer hall accompanied by his master, Ai Zhongqi, Xiao Zhenlei, Cai Guodong and other three people stood up and saluted, and the military attache saw that the superior officials did not need to kneel down, but only had to salute.

"See your lord!"

Cheng Dequan's face was a little unsightly, anyone who encountered this kind of thing would not be too happy, he waved his hand: "Excuse me, there are several things related to you who called you here today, the first thing is related to Ai Xietong, Lord Zhang, the governor of Liangjiang, admires you quite a lot, and thinks that you are quite talented in military affairs, so he decided to transfer you to the Liangjiang Governor Lian Gong Office as a senator, this is an order, Senator Ai, congratulations on your promotion!" ”

Xiao Zhenlei didn't expect that the Liangjiang Governor's Mansion would transfer Ai Zhongqi away, although Ai Zhongqi is a relatively conservative person and a little bold, but this person is not sorry for Xiao Zhenlei, he is very worried that the successor to the position of co-commander will be held by a person who is hostile to him, so he will be very troublesome.

Seeing Cheng Dequan say words of congratulations, although Xiao Zhenlei was very worried, he could only suppress this worry in his heart, and followed Cheng Dequan to say congratulations to Ai Zhongqi.

Ai Zhongqi understood in his heart that it seemed that he was transferred to the Supervision and Training Office under the Governor's Palace, but in fact, he was promoted and secretly descended, he was going to be a senator, not a general senator, this authority was much smaller, where could it be better than being the emperor of the soil in the twenty-third mixed association, but he also knew that this day would come sooner or later, after all, his backer was transferred, and the new governor would not let him occupy this position all the time, and this day finally came, and he had already prepared in his heart.

"Thank you, sir, for my obedience! My lord, I don't know who the new co-president is, when will I go to Jiangning to take office? Ai Zhongqi took the order and asked to suppress the loss in his heart.

Cheng Dequan took another official document from his master and said: "Xiao Zhenlei, the forty-six standard commander, has a good command of the army, can be cultivated, and is a good general of the country, and he is specially promoted to the twenty-three mixed co-ordination, and the forty-six deputy standard commander Cai Guodong is promoted to the standard commander, the handover between you will be completed within two days, and you will go to work immediately after completion!" ”

"Yes!" All three stood up and saluted at the same time.

Xiao Zhenlei and Cai Guodong are easy to say, Cai Guodong does not need to hand over to Xiao Zhenlei, he directly takes over the position of the standard, and the Nanqiao military camp is not far from Suzhou, you can drive to it in an hour, and the handover with Ai Zhongqi can be completed in a short time, but Ai Zhongqi still has to rush to Jiangning, but this place is not far from Jiangning.

In less than a day, Ai Zhongqi and Xiao Zhenlei completed the handover work, Ai Zhongqi will take his family north to Jiangning to take up his post, and before leaving, Xiao Zhenlei sent their family to the train station to get on the train.

Before getting into the car, Ai Zhongqi said to Xiao Zhenlei: "Huanyu, you are a person with military strategy and tactical talents, the future is unlimited, the twenty-three mixed associations are in your hands, I am relieved, but you are too young, pay attention to hiding your edge, otherwise you will be easily hated, and how far you can go in the future depends on yourself!" ”

"Thank you for your teachings!"

After sending Ai Zhongqi away, Xiao Zhenlei returned to the 23rd Mixed Association Department, which was located in the 45th Standard Station, very close to the Governor's Yamen, but Xiao Zhenlei was not worried about what Cheng Dequan would do to him, and after discussing with Cai Guodong this time, he decided to divide the 46th Standard Guard Company into two, half of which left the 46th Standard Guard, which was supplemented by Cai Guodong himself, and the other half was used by him as the backbone of the guard battalion. (To be continued......)