Before Chen Chao left, he heard an astonishing rumor that Lu Shan, who had been transferred to the reserve as a commander, had defected with several officers and went nowhere. Because all the main officers of the headquarters left the old camp in Yizhou, Chen Chao immediately used the phone to find Qu Hongxiang, who was promoted to vice principal of the military academy in the battalion, to verify whether the news was true. Qu Hongxiang also expressed his surprise, saying that he had heard the rumors but did not know whether they were true or false, and that at present, the commander took Chief of Staff Ning and others to Beijing, and Deputy Chief of Staff Situ took the headquarters to Jinan to discuss with the governor Yamen the location of the Fifth Town Headquarters, but could not be contacted. However, it is hoped that Mr. Chen will not spread the news.

How can I not be contacted? Chen Chao has always admired Mengshan Army's well-informed and fast delivery, how could there be a situation where he could not be contacted? Chen Chao suspected that Qu Hongxiang was hiding something from him. The army has its own strict discipline, and it is to be expected not to disclose inside information.

How could Lu Shan defect? Where did the defection go? Do you want to take refuge in Beiyang Yuan Shikai? A thick mystery shrouded Chen Chao's heart.

If you count the generals under Long Qian, Lu Shan is almost second to none. Is it because he didn't become an assistant president? If it is true, then it will definitely cause violent turmoil within the Mengshan army. The army has just completed its reorganization, and Long Qian is not in the army at the moment, what kind of consequences this serious incident will bring, it is really worrying.

Lu Shan's wife and children are in Yizhou. Chen Chao, who learned the news, immediately inquired about Li Wenxiu's situation, and the result was that Li Wenxiu and Lu Shan's son who was not yet one year old were normal, not missing, nor had any abnormalities, and they were still living their lives peacefully.

What's going on here? Lu Shan defected with a part of the officers - who were the others? No one could tell Chen Chao about the news.

Chen Chao has already learned the results of the reorganization of the fifth town. It was the personnel left behind in the General Staff Office of the Headquarters who were ordered to report it. At that time, he was surprised by the reversal of Lu Shan and Wang Mingyuan, and felt that this result was a little unexpected. Wang Mingyuan is also a general that Long Qian trusts and reuses, but he left the main force after the reorganization of "21" and stayed in Zhengjiazhuang to train reserve officers and soldiers. He was a faithful and reliable young man who was still married. At the beginning, his wife You Shi had intended to marry Xiaoxian to Wang Mingyuan, but Chen Xian fell in love with Ye Yanbing.

With shock and doubts, Chen Chao embarked on a trip to Jinan on the second day under the escort of Wang Zhifeng and several others. On the third day of November, I arrived in Jinan after a long absence. It's a finger count. The last time I came to the provincial capital was 12 years ago.

In terms of the enlightenment of people's wisdom and the new trend of ideas, Jinan naturally cannot be compared with Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Wuchang and other metropolises. Chen Chao, who has lived in the mountains for a long time, is even more blind. His dissatisfaction with the Manchu court came from the failure of the imperial examination. It also comes from studying behind closed doors in Chenjiaya after giving up the illusion of the imperial examination. If it is a previous study for the purpose of taking an exam. Then the later reading is for the peace of the soul. I don't remember which sage said that. In the past, reading was for oneself, and now reading for oneself. Chen Chao, who has family resources, has the conditions to study in seclusion, after giving up the scientific examination. Chen Chao calmed down and read some books. The posthumous writings of sages such as Wang Chuanshan, Gu Yanwu, and Huang Zongxi enlightened his mind and made him start thinking about things that he had never thought about before. Chen Chao began to care about poverty, was willing to help his neighbors, and became a well-known virtuous gentry. Long Qian took Jiang Yun to reconnoiter the terrain around Zhengjiazhuang, and for the first time he met Chen Chao and was a guest at Chen's house, he vaguely realized that Chen Chao had a rare germ of democratic thought in Chen Chao's long talk.

In fact, Chen Chao's democratic ideas came from the inspiration of those late Ming thinkers.

Wang Chuanshan, who despised Cheng Zhu Lixue, who had completely ruled the ideological circles since the Ming Dynasty, once said, "Do not suspect the world with one person, and do not use the world as a private person" won Chen Chao's great appreciation, and linked with Huang Zongxi's bold questioning of the monarchy, Chen Chao was more able to accept Long Qian's thoughts.

Subsequently, Chen Chao experienced great changes in the countryside, quiet, unchanged hometown became the "base" of Xiangma, although Chen Chao did not lose property under the protection of Long Qian, and there was no personal humiliation, but the reality is cruel, due to the occupation of the Mengshan army, his hometown became a den of bandits, and was suppressed by the official army in turn.

But it was this turbulent life that made Chen Chao realize the difference between Long Qian and the Mengshan Army he built, and realized Long Qian's eloquence, from suspicion to cooperation, and then to join the Long Qian Group to follow him on an adventure, Chen Chao has experienced a long mental mileage. What prompted Chen Chao to embark on this "road of no return" was the actions of the Mengshan Army under the command of Long Qian. Chen Chao never expected that a Xiangma that had been entrenched in Mengshan for many years would have such strict military discipline, not robbing the people, not humiliating women, and even wholeheartedly benefiting the township. If this is a bandit who does all kinds of evil, then what is the official army of the government?

Chen Chao witnessed Long Qian taking more than a dozen villages centered on Zhengjiazhuang as the foundation, recruiting and training troops, repeatedly defeating the invading officers and troops, the bigger and bigger the troops, the stronger the more they fought, accepted Zhao'an, led the army north to Qinwang, turned into an official army, and then garrisoned the two prefectures of southern Luzhou, made great efforts to develop industry and commerce, and created a good situation that Chen Chao was dumbfounded, until the Mengshan Army was expanded into one of the six towns of Beiyang, and became one of the most combat-effective new armies in the imperial court that occupied the whole province. Looking back on the process, it's like a dream.

Of course, Chen Chao knew that Long Qian was not only not a lonely minister loyal to the Manchus, but on the contrary, he was a "traitor" who overthrew the Manchus and rebuilt the country. But after Chen Chao experienced a period of time when Mengshan Army occupied Chenjiaya, he became more and more accepting of Long Qian's thoughts and what Mengshan Army did, otherwise he would not agree to treat his niece as his own and make a private agreement with Long Qian for life.

The Mengshan Army is already a force that cannot be ignored, and its rise is so fierce that even Chen Chao, who is in the middle of it, can't believe it. But the Lushan incident weighed heavily on Chen Chao's heart. I asked Wang Zhifeng privately, he was Jiang Yun's main assistant, and he should have already gotten the news. But Wang Zhifeng said that he had not yet received accurate news, and the matter could not be spread randomly. If it is true, how should Long Qian deal with the aftermath? Chen Chao's heart was in turmoil, but Wang Zhifeng and several others were doing as usual, talking and laughing, and they were not affected by this incident.

Is it a rumor? But the phone call with Qu Hongxiang has confirmed that there are indeed rumors. The so-called no wind and no waves, could it be that the intelligence department would not know such important news?

Lu Shan's voice has always lingered in Chen Chao's heart. At all costs. Chen Chao could not believe that Lu Shan would betray the Mengshan army. Long Qian has a set of rules for governing the army, and the promotion and promotion of his main subordinates is also the norm, Ye Yanbing was dismissed from the post of battalion commander because of a minor mistake, and was transferred to the cold bench of the battalion military academy for two years. I didn't see any dissatisfaction with Ye Yanbing. "21" reorganization, didn't Wang Mingyuan also get snubbed? Isn't it conscientiously doing the designated errand in the position designated by Long Qian? And it's pretty good? It's Lu Shan, who was the deputy commander but had no military power, and he didn't hear him complain? Why bother to destroy your future when the Mengshan Army is thriving?

Wang Zhifeng saw Chen Chao's thoughts. When staying at night, Wang Zhifeng said to Chen Chao, Mr. Chen, your identity is different. Troop business. Actually, I don't need to hide it from you. There is one thing that you can rest assured that the commander does not need to worry about the control of the troops, and the loyalty of the troops to the commander does not need to be doubted. Even if what happened to Lushan is true, it doesn't affect the overall situation. Waiting for you to see the commander. Everything is clear.

Wang Zhifeng's persuasion made Chen Chao cheerful. yes. I met Long Qian. Isn't everything clear?

When Chen Chao arrived in Jinan, someone picked them up outside the city and took them to a courtyard in a rather Jiangnan water town-style alley in the city to live. Chen Chao didn't know the person who received them. But I know that it must be a secret stake of the intelligence department. I had heard some rumors about the intelligence department before, especially after moving to Yizhou, a lot of business news, and the opening of a business in other cities depended on the intelligence of the intelligence department, and he knew that the intelligence department under the direct management of Long Qian had its own points in many big cities.

Chen Chao doesn't like things like spy politics in his bones, in "Twenty-four History", the most diligent study is "History of the Ming Dynasty", and privately believes that the Ming Dynasty is not so much to die in foreign troubles and exiles, but to die in the hands of eunuchs, especially the east and west factories presided over by eunuchs. once mentioned this to Long Qian, but Long Qian said that you compare the Intelligence Department to the East Factory, and you really look down on them. But one of the important conditions for achieving great things is to be deaf and clear, and the intelligence department is my eyes, which can only be strengthened, not weakened. Don't worry, the Intelligence Department can't do Jinyiwei and Dongchang, and I won't let it become Jinyiwei and Dongchang.

Wang Zhifeng settled Chen Chao in the upper room, "The commander's itinerary has changed a little, stay in Beijing for a few more days, please Mr. Chen rest for a few days, if you want to visit Jinan, tell me, I will arrange it." ”

"Jinan has changed a lot. I've been here twice before, and I'm a little unrecognizable. The iron stove was burning in the room, it was very warm, Chen Chao sat on the chair by the stove, and motioned for Wang Zhifeng to sit down as well, but Wang Zhifeng was still standing there.

"That's right. Yuan Shikai can still do things. Although he was in charge of Shandong for a short time, he did something to renovate and expand the provincial capital. Today's saddle horse is tired, if you want to play, sir, I'll talk about it tomorrow. ”

"There's no rush to this. If it's convenient, find me some newspapers to read. ”

"It's easy to say, I'll explain it."

Soon, they sent Chen Chao a lot of books and newspapers. After taking a nap after lunch, Chen Chao began to read the newspaper.

Ever since he saw a number of "rebellious" newspapers and periodicals in Long Qian's study, Chen Chao knew that the world was undergoing drastic changes. Lunan economy is developing rapidly, but there is no public publication of those anti-Qing books and newspapers, Chen Chao thinks that it must be Long Qian's intention, and now it seems that Long Qian did this, quite a bit of foresight.

Among the books and periodicals sent were "Ta Kung Pao", "Qing Yi Bao", "National Daily" and other newspapers, the number of daily periodicals was incomplete, it seems that they were found in a hurry, and there was also a copy of the Swiss Rousseau's "Treatise on the People's Covenant", at first Chen Chao was not interested in foreigners' books, but soon fascinated him. In the book, Rousseau said that people in the state of nature should enjoy freedom and equality, that the sovereignty of the state belongs to the people, and that the people have the right to overthrow the autocracy that destroys the social contract, violates human rights, and violates nature.

Can a subject be the master of the country? No matter how high or low, everyone is equal? If there is social injustice, can you justifiably rebel? If it weren't for the countless long conversations with Long Qian before, the first time he saw such a book, Chen Chao would have felt that he must have encountered five thunderbolts! Now it is different, Chen Chao can read the booklet calmly and ponder the reasonableness of its contents.

This is due to two years of exchanges with businessmen from various countries. From their mouths, Chen Chao learned about the current administrative system of Britain, the United States, Germany and other countries, and believed in the existence of a country without an emperor and was unique. Among them, the British constitutional monarchy was particularly praised by Chen Chao, believing that it was superior to the United States. Therefore, he paid special attention to the articles of Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao, who were in exile in Japan, but unfortunately there were only a few copies of the "Qing Yi Bao", and he did not see such passionate articles as "Young China Says".

If the Manchus also had a constitutional monarchy, as Japan and Britain did, would it work? In Chen Chao's understanding, none of the emperors of the Qing generation were faint monarchs, including Jinshang Guangxu, who was elevated and placed under house arrest. They are diligent and erudite, and they have never been like the Wanli Emperor who did not go to court for decades. In modern times, it has encountered various external troubles, including the problems of foreigners and the problems of the imperial court itself. And the problem of the court itself is that there is a chicken Si Chen, Cixi has controlled the government for decades, and things are all in the hands of this woman.

It wasn't until Wang Zhifeng invited Chen Chao to dinner that Chen Chao's contemplation was interrupted. At dinner, Chen Chao asked Wang Zhifeng if he had Long Qian's exact itinerary, Wang Zhifeng said that the reason for changing the itinerary was because the imperial court temporarily summoned the commander, and when he came back, he had not yet received the news, "There are many famous places in Jinan, Daming Lake, and Thousand Buddha Mountain are all scenic spots, if Mr. is interested, how about I accompany Mr. to visit tomorrow?" ”

"That's fine." Chen Chao agreed.

The next day, Wang Zhifeng found a four-wheeled carriage, at a glance it was Huayuan's product, and took Chen Chao around several famous scenic spots for a day, passing by the governor's yamen, Chen Chao had the idea of visiting Zhou Fu, but then dispelled, maybe Long Qian summoned him to Jinan, and did not want Zhou Fu to know. Thinking of this, Chen Chao realized that Long Qian had formed an independent force, which was of course a military group with the Mengshan Army as the core, but he could feel that Long Qian was extending to other aspects, such as industry. It is said that Long Qian appointed a senior senator surnamed Fang, which was quite important, and it can also be seen that Long Qian consciously strengthened the construction of the civil official group.

Walking slowly along the shore of Daming Lake, the lush lotus flowers in the lake in the summer have been adjusted to zero, there are few tourists in winter, the whole lake area is covered with a layer of gray, even the sky is gray, compared to the cold but clear sky in Lunan, it makes people feel very depressed.

"This season is really not the season to visit, come here in spring and summer, the scenery is very good, 'lotus flowers on all sides and willows on three sides, a city with mountains and half a city lake.' The victory of Jinan lies in this lake. ”

"Mr. is a gentleman, and we martial artists don't understand it." Wang Zhifeng said with a smile.

"I think you're a good learner."

Chen Chao waited for four days at his residence on Qushuiting Street, and Long Qian finally returned. Accompanying him back was Ning Shijun.

"Mr. Lao has been waiting for a long time." Long Qian, who was dressed in casual clothes and wore a light gray felt hat, greeted Chen Chao with his hand.

"I'm just resting, and I'm much more relaxed than in Yizhou. You're finally back. Chen Chao stared at Long Qian, he hadn't seen each other for a few months, he had lost a lot, and he had a tiredness on his face that couldn't be concealed.

"It's so cold today. Let's talk in the house. Long Qian and Chen Chao returned to the house, but Ning Shijun did not follow up, and stayed in the courtyard to explain something to Wang Zhifeng and a few people. (To be continued......)

PS: Just came back from shopping in the supermarket, and the unlucky unit was busy at the end of the year, and there was no time at all. In addition, dear friends, I'm going home to accompany my parents during the Spring Festival, because there is no Internet in my hometown, I need to find an Internet café, and the update will be unstable, please forgive me. I wish the book friends a happy Spring Festival and a happy family!