At a time when the Youth Army was increasing its investment and adjusting its deployment, in Nanjing, the Beiyang Army was also actively preparing for this decisive battle around China's richest southeast region.

With the help of Wang Shizhen, Feng Guozhang successfully drew up a set of combat plans, and the direct effect of this plan was to force the youth army to readjust its troop deployment before the battle.

To the north of the Yangtze River, Feng Guozhang transferred Zhang Xun's Dingwu Army and Ni Sichong's Anwu Army, the combined army of these two was almost 50,000, and their combat effectiveness was not weak, plus Wang Zhanyuan's second division and Zhang Huaizhi's fifth division. Feng Guozhang invested 100,000 horses in the entire northern Anhui, and once the war was fierce, the first, fifteenth and sixteenth divisions in the north would move south from Xuzhou, plus the servant local armed forces in Anhui and northern Jiangsu, the Beiyang Army in Jiangbei would reach a scale of about 200,000 people.

In the area south of the Yangtze River, Feng Guozhang's troops that could be mobilized included Yang Shande's Seventh Division and Lu Yongxiang's Tenth Division, as well as Jin Yunpeng's brother Jin Yunqi's Fourteenth Division.

However, these superiority in strength is very superficial, and the difficulties are still impartially placed in front of Feng Guozhang.

First, among the 300,000 troops, the army of Zhejiang General Zhu Rui is very politically unreliable, so it is still somewhat possible for them to resist Sun Wen's Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi provinces in Zhejiang.

Second, Zhang Huaizhi's Fifth Division and Lu Yongxiang's Tenth Division were both Duan Qirui's people strictly speaking, and if it weren't for Duan Qirui's nod, these troops might have been very high.

Third, if the above two problems are not still within the scope of human solutions, then the third problem is really life-threatening. The troops of the first, fifteenth, and sixteenth divisions raised by Yuan Shikai in the north were unable to move south when they arrived in Xuzhou, in addition to protecting Beijing, mainly because there was no money.

Feng Guozhang's biggest headache now is this matter, military salary, arms, and opening fees, which one does not need a lot of white money? But where did the money come from? In the past two years, the chaebols of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, who have been beaten hard by Feng Guozhang for a long time, saw the situation this time, and very shrewdly chose to cut the flesh and mend the sores and no longer invest in Beiyang, but hid in the Shanghai concession with their families, and when Feng Guozhang sent someone to search for it, sorry, he was not at home.

On the central side, there is also no money, and the most direct consequence of the war is that the foreign adults have deducted the full amount of the customs duties and salt taxes. So Yuan Shikai also racked his brains to raise money for the front, and he almost sold the presidential palace in Iron Lion Hutong.

"Hireqing, this battle is difficult for us, if the president can't make up the money, I guess it's a little suspenseful next. Besides, what is going on with Duan Zhiquan, at this point, does he still want to engage in infighting? Could it be that his descendants are sitting in the south and watching my old Feng lose the battle? If my people are lost in northern Anhui and southern Jiangsu, he thinks that he can turn the situation around with Zhang Huaizhi and Lu Yongxiang's troops? ”

Wang Shizhen shook his head and said: "Duan Zhiquan is good at everything, but he is too conceited, I don't believe that he didn't see the current crisis, he just doesn't believe it, I think I will go back to Beijing as soon as possible, and help Huafu solve these messy things." ”

Feng Guozhang nodded again and again: "Then there is a secretary of labor, soldiers cannot go without pay for a day, and I hope that the president will solve the problem of military pay as soon as possible." ”

Wang Shizhen Zuihou still decided to remind Feng Guozhang: "Brother Huafu, the war is imminent, and I can't help much, the only thing I can do is to remind you that this battle is a matter of life and death in Beiyang, and you can't lose it no matter what." If you win, the whole world belongs to our Beiyang, and if you lose, you will lose all your efforts. Please, Brother Huafu, for Beiyang. ”

Feng Guozhang sighed deeply and nodded silently......

At this time in Nanchang, a new unit was being formed, the 11th Division of the Youth Army Army. Lu Diping, Wang Zhenyu's hardcore brother, is about to become the commander of the 11th Division of the Youth Army, and at this moment he is selecting his team from the 9th and 10th Divisions.

The Ninth Division formed after the outbreak of the Protectorate War was different from the Tenth Division, the Ninth Division was formed by the merger of the First Division of the Hunan Army and the Southern Hunan Protector Army, so Wang Zhenyu of this unit was not in a hurry to replace its middle-level officers. As a result, Cheng Qian's youth army system was further expanded, and Zuihou became a giant of the youth army, and he struggled with Wang Zhenyu until he retired, which Wang Zhenyu did not expect at the beginning. The 10th Division is dominated by the armies of Guo Renzhang and Zeng Jiwu, so except for Zeng Jiwu who remained as the division commander, all the officers above the regimental level were replaced, and even the officers above the regimental level were replaced, and even the officers from Hunan were not replaced, but officers from Guangxi, which may be the reason why Zeng Jiwu would abandon Wu Congwen and become a member of the National Assembly.

The four regiment commanders of Lu Diping's 11th Division were He Yingqin, commander of the 111th Regiment, Zhang Huizan, commander of the 112th Regiment, Gu Zhenglun, commander of the 113th Regiment, and Tan Daoyuan, commander of the 114th Regiment. After all, now that the family is big, Wang Zhenyu doesn't pay much attention to the appointment of regimental-level officers, if he is asked to look at this list, it is estimated that it is not difficult for him to understand that the 11th Division Weishenme will become the main force of the Hunan Department of the Youth Army together with the 9th Division in a few years.

However, at this time, Cheng Qian did not have enough consciousness to facilitate Lu Diping's expansion of Shili, since joining the Youth Army, Cheng Qian relied on the old-timers of the Hunan Army, and the status of the father of the Xinhai Revolution was quickly trusted and reused. The Ninth Division of the Youth Army has also expanded very rapidly in his hands, and has now reached the scale of 39,000 men. Therefore, Lu Diping wants to form the 11th Division this time, and the focus of the source of troops is the 9th Division.

It's been almost two days since they talked at the headquarters of the Ninth Division, and Cheng Qian is still playing haha, but he doesn't give people a happy word.

This has made Lu Diping very dissatisfied, you must know that because of his personal relationship with Wang Zhenyu, when Zeng Jiwu, the commander of the 10th Division, saw him, he was not only polite, but also immediately allocated 7,000 people from the department, although these 7,000 ** are Guo Renzhang's old department (Guo Renzhang was transferred to the vice chairman of the provincial council), but the meaning of haode is very obvious.

Cheng Qian and Zeng Jiwu seem a little ignorant when compared, but Lu Diping doesn't care about these. He knew that the warrant of the Supreme Command was there, and this soldier Cheng Qian Zuihou would definitely give it, but he didn't know what benefits he would ask for, this was a standard politician.

"Brother Songyun, the military situation is urgent, if this matter can't be done today, the brothers over there in the Supreme Command are going to eat the board, you have to help my brother no matter what" Lu Diping decided not to go around in circles, and went straight to the point and made a request.

Cheng Qian smiled and said, "Brother Yong'an, brother, I have already assigned 5,000 people to you in your brigade, why are you still not satisfied?" ”

Lu Diping hurriedly shook his head and said, "Brother Songyun, can you hide the situation of the Ninth Division?" If a family doesn't speak two words, don't talk about one division of people and guns now, it's more than enough to make up two divisions. Don't blame my brother, I didn't remind you, the staff is tracking down the weapons seized in the battle of the Fourth Division of the Jiangxi Army, and I can help as much as I can. ”

The expansion speed of Cheng Qian's Ninth Division came from the capture of the First Battle of Ji'an, otherwise it would not have been able to expand just by having soldiers without guns.

Hearing Lu Diping's slight threat, although Cheng Qian was a little angry, he could only suppress it, after all, he had not yet gained a firm foothold in the Youth Army. However, his original purpose still had to be achieved: "Brother Yong'an, I knew that with you, I didn't have to worry about anything, in this way, 15,000 guns were drawn to you, okay?" Brother, I have something else to ask you for today. ”

When Lu Diping heard that Cheng Qian had finally promised, he was immediately overjoyed and said, "Okay, happy." Don't say anything please, don't please, if there is something Brother Songyun, you just say hello directly. ”

Cheng Qian hurriedly retreated left and right and said: "Brother Yong'an, I can't hide it, although we are both handsome who defected halfway, but your personal friendship with Dashuai is not comparable to me." I, Cheng Songyun, am not the fickle villain, but the future of tens of thousands of brothers under my command is tied to me. I'm worried about the future of me and the Ninth Division. Whether a bustle like mine can stand in the youth army in the future is also a big question, and I'm also worried about this these days. Please also point me through the maze. ”

Lu Diping glanced at Cheng Qian, thinking to himself whether this old boy was really confused or fake. If you talk to yourself face to face about this kind of thing, how can you let people reply to you? So Lu Diping just looked at Cheng Qian with a smile on his face and didn't answer.

And Cheng Qian seemed to have expected Lu Diping to behave like this, and he also added: "This matter, I will talk to you about Yong'an, in fact, don't worry too much about everything, do it with your heart, and you will not treat us badly if you want to come to Dashuai." It's just that this forest is big, and all birds are used, and many times, many things, our brothers still have to communicate more, communicate more, and help each other more. ”

Lu Diping only then understood Cheng Qian's original intention, and he wanted to win over himself with others, what is wrong with this, in fact, don't look at Lu Diping and Wang Zhenyu's personal relationship, but many years of experience in leading soldiers tell me that it is easy to walk with more friends, otherwise it is difficult to go far just by relying on a boss.

"What Brother Songyun said is very true, the days to come will be long, everyone is a brother, and I hope to take care of you in the future" Lu Diping quickly said an answer that satisfied Cheng Qian, Cheng Qian hurriedly ordered the people below to set up a banquet, and he wanted to treat Lu Diping warmly.

was talking and laughing, when suddenly there was a noise outside: "We want to see the teacher, why don't you let us in?" ”

Cheng Qian, who was on the rise, was suddenly unhappy: "Who dares to make a loud noise, don't you know my military regulations?" Bring them all in for me? ”