Ning Shijun and David broke up in Jinan, and David was escorted to Tianjin by Hu Fucai, the first member of the Intelligence Bureau, and Ning Shijun began to carry out the "diplomatic" mission given to him by Long Qian. But the first thing was messed up, Yuan Shikai didn't see him at all, and a series of issues related to the stationing, establishment, military spending, and weapons of the troops were impossible to talk about. After waiting for a few days, I only saw Yuan Shikai's chief of staff Xu Shichang, this person has a lot of titles, but it is the duty of the chief of staff, where are these three words straightforward and clear? Is this reciprocal reception? Ning Shijun found that Xu Shichang judged the two of them when he was handling Zhao'an affairs, and he could no longer see his original humility, and the shelf was completely up, except for arrogance or arrogance between words, the only gain was to hand the report to Xu Shichang, there was no reply, and there would be no reply.

Ning Shijun knew Jinan's attitude, out of politeness, he waited for two more days, and then went to see Xu Shichang, and the people below said that Lord Xu and Lord Yuan went out to inspect the troops, and they didn't know when they would come back. Ning Shijun no longer wasted time, turned around and went to Taiyuan.

Ning Shijun was one of the very few generals in the Mengshan Army who understood the meaning of Long Qian's opening of the joint. I also understand that the most important thing at present is not military spending and weapons, but real control of Yizhou and Yanzhou. The so-called real control is military occupation, that is, to squeeze out the troops directly under Yuan Shikai's Wuwei Right Army, and the Mengshan Army will take over the defense of Yizhou and Yanzhou. Unable to do this, all of Commander Long's grand plans are just on paper.

It was not that there were no people in the Mengshan army who did not realize the importance of this issue, but that few people really understood the meaning of Long Qian's use of diplomatic mediation to achieve his goals. What Commander Long needs is to violently develop his power in a relatively quiet environment, rather than re-enter the war with the government.

It has been more than nine months since he was recruited to become an official soldier. Few people in the army considered themselves officers and soldiers. This phenomenon is what Ning Shijun is happy to see. From the Mengshan thieves to the Mengshan army, and then to the right wing of the Weisheng army, the earth-shaking changes in just two years have conquered Ning Shijun, and he firmly believes that Long Qian will make this army develop greater, and recently Commander Long always uses the word "group", which is very vivid and appropriate.

Long Qian's appointment as the town guard envoy of the two states made the top brass of the army ecstatic. With the passage of time and the gradual completion of the reorganization, the desire of the top management to occupy Yanzhou and Yizhou became more urgent. Thousands of people cramped in a dozen villages, and it is winter, accommodation. Training is problematic. Long Qian once said jokingly. I, the town guard, are not in a hurry to enter the city and take their places, they are more anxious than me. Don't you just want to live a more comfortable life? It is easy to go from thrift to luxury, and it is difficult to return from luxury to thrift, which is very noteworthy.

As Chief of Staff in charge of the training and logistics of the troops. Ning Shijun understood the feelings of the generals. The belief that it could not simply be seen as the generals' desire for a more comfortable life was their main motivation for rushing into the city. They mainly want to occupy territory. After the troops left Mont Mountain. The benefits of establishing a base area can be regarded as a taste. Now there's a bigger stage. Greater room for maneuver is impossible to achieve without urgency. But Ning Shijun despised the superstitious attitude of most people in the group. They believed that since Commander Long was already the envoy of the two states, it was natural to occupy Yizhou and Yanzhou. It is completely possible to expel Li Chun and Cao Kun's two defeated generals by force. This attitude is represented by Lushan. Feng Guozhu and Feng Lun are their staunch supporters, they believe that now the strength of the Mengshan army has reached the strongest ever, and they can defeat the official army at the beginning, but now there is no reason why they can't do it, they even privately complain about Long Qian's weakness to the government, they don't retreat, just drive away! Anyway, let's take advantage of it, we're afraid of the ball!

Feng Lun Feng Guozhu even thought that Commander Long was completely determined to be a loyal minister of the court after surrendering to the imperial court, and he became timid and timid.

Ning Shijun now believes that Long Qian was by no means a loyal servant of the Manchu court. Although he showed a conscientious side on the way to escort the imperial court, and after the establishment of the right wing of the Weisheng Army, he would also say some words of loyalty to the imperial court and sharing worries for the queen mother on some occasions from time to time. Ning Shijun noticed that this kind of thing is usually said only on occasions where outsiders are present, such as Tang Shaoyi and Wu Yong. In the internal meeting, Long Qian rarely mentioned the imperial court, which was still the same since the reorganization of the Mengshan Army. The greatest evidence is that Long Qian seized the opportunity to resolutely rob the palace, proving that he was not prepared to stand in the same boat as the Manchu court. This judgment is happy to see for Ning Shijun, and I don't know when Ning Shijun was completely disappointed in the imperial court, perhaps it was the defeat of the First Sino-Japanese Naval Battle that brought disaster to the family that changed his fate, or maybe it was in the time of Mengshanzhai that he had the idea of changing the dynasty. But what can be confirmed is that it was only after Long Qian took over Mengshanzhai that a window was opened in front of Ning Shijun's eyes.

The first is the change in his fate. The Sun brothers discriminated against intellectuals, and if it weren't for Long Qian in power, he would not have risen to the high position of chief of staff, especially the reorganization of "Eryi", and he became the nominal number two person in the Mengshan Army.

The second is the development of the army, from a team of ringing horses that was destined to have no results, in just two years to achieve an incredible turnaround, to become a new army of the imperial court, with its own establishment and territory.

The third is Long Qian's astonishing foresight, such as the use of the general trend of the world last year, to get rid of that person, who would have thought that a war in Beijing and Tianjin would completely change the fate of the Mengshan army? Who will be able to start planning for this war in March? Long Qian did not hide Jiang Yun's task from him, he knew it completely, and at that time he wondered if Long Qian had taken it for granted, because of the Boxers, the imperial court would really fight with foreigners? Even if there is a fight, what will the Mengshan Army do? The result made him indescribable. A ringing horse in the hinterland of Lunan became famous in the first battle, and completely realized the gorgeous transformation from a rebel to an official army. Not only that, the first battle of King Qin gave the Mengshan army a strong material foundation, relying on the gold and silver that was robbed, what could not be done? It's enough to sit and eat! However, Long Qian was far-sighted, brought in Jia Jiying, and used David to expand his business layout. With this incredible foundation, in time, how far will the Mengshan Army develop under the leadership of Long Qian? He couldn't have imagined.

The fourth is Long Qian's emphasis on the economy. If the training and reorganization of the army to fight shows its military talent, it cares about the people's livelihood. Planning for industry and developing the economy is a more important aspect. Some short-sighted fellows are always accustomed to looting, and a force of thousands of men may survive by robbing houses, but what if the army grows five times ten times or more? How can you do without your own territory? How can you do it without your own business? From Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang to Zhang Zhidong, which of those big figures who are destined to leave a name in history did not swoop down and take care of the economy himself? Long Qian didn't know much about some of the ideas of the economy, although he had the most opportunities to communicate with him, and Long Qian didn't hide anything from him. He thinks that many of Long Qian's alternative ideas may be related to his overseas experience, and he is much worse in this regard. But only with money can you train a strong army, and the truth is clear to you. At the beginning, my uncle's father said that the Beiyang Naval Division has been developing slowly for more than ten years, and they are all eating their old books. It has been surpassed by the Japanese Navy. Guy was unable to afford to buy new ships. This is true for a country, and the same is true for a family, without money and food, what kind of soldiers do you raise!

The last thing is Long Qian's personal charm. Ning Shijun is different from the others in the "group". He had read books. There is no need to talk about the Four Books and the Five Classics. He has read through the "Compendium of Easy Knowledge", "Zizhi Tongjian" and the first four histories. This is a must-read for scholars who are seeking fame in this era, and he has nothing to be proud of. Perhaps his understanding and grasp of history is not as good as Chen Chao and others. Since Mengshan reorganized the army, he quietly compared Long Qian with the founding emperors of the previous dynasties he knew, which could not be said to anyone. Clever, open-minded, knowledgeable, and familiar with the general trend of the world, these common things, that person is all prepared. And the simplicity of life, the strictness of self-discipline, and the high level of personal cultivation make him admire. What touched Ning Shijun the most was that that person's care and love for ordinary soldiers and ordinary people came from the heart, and it was by no means fake. At first, he thought it was just a play that was inevitable for the superiors, but after a long time, he subverted his own opinion, it was his nature, and it was definitely not a play.

With these five points, it is logical that Ning Shijun is determined to follow that person to the end. This is the reason why flies attach to their tails and lead thousands of miles. He knew that he was not the only one who had such thoughts, and that a large number of officers and soldiers had a heartfelt admiration for their big leader. But he is different from them, they are just a low-level follower, and he treats that person as Liu Bang, Liu Xiu, Cao Cao, and Zhu Yuanzhang. Ning Shijun firmly believes. As long as Long Qian is given enough time, he will definitely create a new era.

The common characteristic of the heroes is that they can judge the situation and be able to bend and stretch. Therefore, Long Qian suppressed the dissatisfaction of some generals and adopted the general rules of the official face to solve the current problems, Ning Shijun not only understood, but also deeply appreciated. He left this matter to himself, which shows his trust in himself. It was expected that things in Jinan would not be done well, and Yuan Shikai's attitude did not exceed Long Qian's estimate, but there could be no mistakes in the trip to Taiyuan. It is necessary to use the psychology of the imperial court to divide the generals to achieve the goal of suppressing Yuan Shikai. These words that cannot be said to others, Long Qian has said to himself. Therefore, Ning Shijun was not discouraged by the coldness of the Shandong governor's yamen, and still went to Taiyuan, where the imperial court was located, with confidence.

If you change someone else, you won't be able to do this. But Ning Shijun can. That's why they come from different backgrounds. The key to accomplishing this is two people, one is Rong Lu and the other is Li Lianying.

After arriving in Taiyuan, Ning Shijun first found an inn to live in, and calculated the order of his actions. He believes that Rong Lu should be found first, and then Li Lianying. First, the relationship with Rong Lu is closer, and second, Rong Lu is easier to see than Li Lianying. The most important thing is that Rong Lu is the top boss of the right wing of the Wasion Army, and it is natural for Li to report to him on the reorganization of the right wing of the Wasion Army. After seeing Rong Lu and depending on his attitude, he decided how to ask Li Lianying, the great eunuch.

Ning Shijun must first find out where Rong Lu is now. But he had no friends in Taiyuan. When he came to Taiyuan with Long Qian, he barely left the military camp in the southern suburbs, and then led the army to Niangzi Pass to defend against foreign soldiers. After thinking about it, he first went to the Taiyuan branch of the Dadeheng ticket number to try his luck. I hope to see Jia Jiying, the only person of my own. But it is estimated that Long Qianxiang is in favor of him, a fellow from Shanxi, who is now in Beijing. Sure enough, when Jia Jiying was asked, the ticket number said that he had resigned and sought another job. While speaking, a young man in a sauce-colored robe turned out of the back hall, and when he saw Ning Shijun, he was stunned, and then shouted, "Oh, this is not Lord Ning under General Long?" Xiao Ke once went to your army with Manager Jia. ”

Ning Shijun was overjoyed. I vaguely remember this thing, "It's Ning, forgive Ning for forgetfulness, are you?" ”

"My surname is Qin, and I used to be Mr. Jia's assistant. Meng Dongjia appreciated and took over Mr. Jia's position. Didn't General Ning go east with the army to Shandong? ”

"Yes, this time I came to the court on business on the orders of my general__"

The shopkeeper surnamed Qin invited Ning Shijun into the back hall, and after some talking, Ning Shijun got the information he needed: Rong Lu was in Taiyuan, living in a small courtyard with two entrances next to the palace. The Qin shopkeeper cared about Jia Jiying's whereabouts, saying that Qiao Caidong was very sorry for Jia Jiying's resignation, and vaguely heard that Jia Jiying had taken refuge in Long Qian, and Qiao Caidong even wanted to go to Shandong to visit General Long Qian in person.

Ning Shijun didn't answer Qin's shopkeeper's question head-on, and asked rhetorically, "What is the matter with your family looking for my general?" ”

Shopkeeper Qin said with a smile, "I greatly respect General Long's exploits. I also heard that the general's ancestral home was Taiyuan, so I sighed that I couldn't visit General Long in person, and I also blamed Mr. Jia for this. Soon, he resigned from the position of the treasurer of the Taiyuan branch, and I don't know what happened, and I guessed that he must have gone to vote for your army. We said that General Long has a bright future, and if he can climb high to General Long's friend, Da Deheng's business will definitely be expanded__"

"Very good. Now my general is stationed in Lunan and has wiped out the Lunan giants. He repeatedly discussed with the prefects of Yiyan and Yiyan to implement new policies and develop industry and commerce. Based in Lunan, you will definitely receive strong support. ”

The two talked very happily, the shopkeeper of Qin insisted on inviting Ning Shijun to eat wine, and there is a famous snack in Taiyuan called the brain, which is regarded as a kind of medicinal food, and it is the most nourishing in winter. Shopkeeper Qin immediately sent his men to the famous Qingheyuan Restaurant to book a seat. After eating a meal, I heard a lot about the movements of the imperial court and Beijing. Speaking of Zhao Shuqiao and Zhao Junji, who were forced to commit suicide some time ago, the shopkeeper Qin sighed.

"It's miserable. The dignified prime minister was forced to be like this by foreigners__"

Ning Shijun didn't care about the fate of those court officials. As long as Rong Lu is alive, it's fine. This time he came to Taiyuan, he carried a huge amount of silver tickets and prepared to make some joints, and also brought some local products from Shandong. Everything was bought in Jinan. Ning Shijun thought, Rong Lu is also a scholar, is it more appropriate to buy a more elegant gift as a meeting gift? Therefore, he inquired with the shopkeeper Qin about the location of the Taiyuan antique shop, and on the second day, he left two retinues to stay at the inn, and he took a personal entourage (a soldier selected from the guard company) to hang out in the market. As the temporary capital of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, Taiyuan was much more prosperous than a few months ago when the imperial court first arrived. A few streets not far to the south of the imperial court line are the commercial center of the ancient city of Taiyuan. Ning Shijun inquired about the location of the antiques, walked all the way, browsed them one by one, and chatted with the owner in an antique shop called Yiguzhai.

When the shopkeeper knew that he was going to give a gift to the courtier, the shopkeeper, who was chubby like a meat ball, smiled and asked, what is the status of the nobleman who the guest official wants to give?

"Nobleman, yes, nobleman. Almost one person is below ten thousand people. ”

"Well, this is it. The price is medium__" The shopkeeper brought Ning Shijun into the back hall and took out a frame of ancient painting, which was a painting by Wen Zhengming in the Ming Dynasty, "Ancient Wood Cold Spring Map".

"Oh, is it genuine?" Ning Shijun doesn't understand ancient paintings.

"Actually, why bother with the authenticity?" The fat shopkeeper smiled, "The key is that the things we have a name are recognized." ”

"Understood. Wen Zhengming's paintings are not many left in the world, and the imperial court has been hunting here for a while, so no one buys such things? ”

"You're on the point." The fat shopkeeper lowered his voice, "I've sold this painting three times. ”

"Oh, I see. What price? ”

The shopkeeper grinned and stretched out a finger, "This is the market for seeing military aircraft." Fixed price. ”

"Okay then." Ning Shijun took out a silver ticket of 10,000 taels of Da Deheng from his arms and slapped it on the coffee table, "I want this painting." (To be continued......)