Chapter 62

Chen Ke had little experience riding horses. Although he wasn't as wobbly as the characters in TV dramas, he felt he had somewhat mastered horseback riding. However, a discerning eye could tell from the subtle details that Chen Ke was a rookie with great potential as a cavalryman.

A few days ago, after intense rehearsals, the military march "The Beiyang New Army Advances" finally achieved phased success. "Two Tigers" was completely finished. Bu Guanshui directed the military band to play the adapted "Two Tigers" skillfully, gaining approval from the superiors. Then, Bu Guanshui led the team to participate in the "Hejian Autumn Maneuvers." Chen Ke requested to go along, and Bu Guanshui boldly decided to take Chen Ke, Chen Tianhua, Wu Xingchen, and Pang Zi with him.

Now, the group had completed their observation of the Hejian Autumn Maneuvers and was on their way back to Beijing.

They rode side by side, with Chen Ke and Bu Guanshui leading the way, and the other seven people trailing far behind. Without turning back, Chen Ke could imagine the expressions on Pang Zi and the others' faces. According to historical records, there was a young ruffian in Yan named Qin Wuyang. In Sima Qian's "Assassins' Biography," it is written, "In Yan, there was a brave warrior named Qin Wuyang, who at the age of twelve, killed a man, and no one dared to look at him crossly." This warrior, whose gaze alone could make people dare not look at him, turned pale and trembled with fear when he saw the majestic Qin court, to the point that the ministers found it strange. Jing Ke had to explain, "He is a barbarian from the northern frontier, who has never seen the Son of Heaven, so he is frightened."

From Sima Qian's records, it is clear that Qin Wuyang did not get close to the Qin king. If Qin Wuyang could have helped, although it might not have changed the fate of Yan, the "terrorist act" would certainly have changed the fate of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

The group stayed at the Hejian exercise site for less than two days. From what they saw, most of Pang Zi and the Shandong heroes were quite similar to Qin Wuyang. The military band arrived at the encampment first. Pang Zi, who had been cold to Bu Guanshui, felt uneasy when he saw the rows of tents. The encampment of over 20,000 new army soldiers stretched for several miles, with reconnaissance cavalry patrolling around. It had a somewhat strict and imposing atmosphere.

One of the hosts of this exercise was Wang Shizhen, known as one of the "Three Heroes of the Beiyang." Bu Guanshui had a high opinion of him, believing he was a true officer who understood modern military affairs. Chen Ke felt that Wang Shizhen's military skills were definitely above his own at this stage. However, since he planned to start a rebellion in 1905, he would definitely have to deal with this Wang Shizhen in the future. He asked Bu Guanshui to explain what made Wang Shizhen so remarkable. Despite his youthful enthusiasm, Bu Guanshui did not overly praise this "Dragon of the Beiyang." He simply said that this person had a meticulous mind and could consider both major and minor matters, somewhat like Zhuge Liang.

After handing over the military band, Chen Ke asked with interest, "So, Brother Bu, what do you think are the shortcomings of Wang Shizhen in terms of army building?"

"Follow me." Bu Guanshui, who had talked with Chen Ke for several days, knew that Chen Ke was indeed a person of real talent. He led Chen Ke into a large tent. The light inside was not very bright, but the military bed was relatively neat. In the position where a chair would be placed in a room, there was a memorial tablet. Chen Ke looked closely and saw that it was Yuan Shikai's "Longevity Tablet."

"Is this the only tent with one?"

Chen Ke asked knowingly.

"How could it be? Every tent has one. The Beiyang Army is now Yuan Shikai's private army, not a regular army. Everyone trains hard just to get promoted and become wealthy. If the Beiyang New Army continues like this, how can it defeat foreign armies?"

"But I think the Beiyang Army is full of life and vigor," Chen Ke said with a smile.

"Scholar Wenqing is joking again." Bu Guanshui had known Chen Ke for less than ten days, but he was clear that Chen Ke's words were not sincere. "My current evaluation of the Beiyang Army is two words—'decline.'"

The Beiyang Army, which Bu Guanshui described as "declining," had already intimidated Pang Zi and the other heroes. Bu Guanshui privately took Chen Ke and the others to watch the training. On a small hill, they could vaguely see galloping horses and long military formations in the distance. Chen Ke didn't have much of a reaction, but when he looked through Bu Guanshui's telescope, it was much better than the modern "line-up execution." However, he saw several straight trenches that seemed to extend to the horizon. Chen Ke was speechless, unsure if the Beiyang Army was too lazy to dig modern trenches during the exercise or if this was their actual level.

Handing the telescope to Pang Zi, Chen Ke asked Bu Guanshui, "Are the trenches dug so straight? Don't you fear that if a real war breaks out, shells will fall in and immediately kill many people?"

"Scholar Wenqing, do you see it this way too?" Bu Guanshui asked excitedly.

"Europe has always emphasized artillery. From what I see, the density of artillery will reach an unprecedented level in the near future. During the Franco-Prussian War, the army still relied on mobility. At that time, the density of artillery fire was not high. Now, with the rapid development of military equipment, soldiers' charges will have to face artillery fire several times, dozens of times, or even hundreds of times denser than before. Digging trenches like this is just a joke."

"It's not just artillery; there are many changes." Hearing Chen Ke's understanding of military affairs, Bu Guanshui immediately felt he had found a kindred spirit.

"Are you talking about the Maxim machine gun?" Chen Ke asked with a smile.

"You have studied in Europe and America, no wonder." Bu Guanshui praised. "I told Scholar Wenqing that I am not favored in the Beiyang Army and am only responsible for translating foreign military works. So, in my spare time, I design some tactics. With long-range artillery in the rear, artillery units on the front lines, and a large number of Maxim machine gun positions in the trenches, any infantry charge will result in massive casualties. Even a cavalry charge will not have an advantage."

"Cavalry charge?" Chen Ke couldn't help but laugh when he heard this.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" Bu Guanshui asked.

Chen Ke knew that during World War I, Russia had once tried a cavalry charge against the German-Austrian alliance, which became a big joke. He said with a smile, "I just think Brother Bu is right. I don't need to defend with infantry; I just need to set up a deep defensive line with machine gun positions layered. When the cavalry charges in, I can use artillery to cut off the infantry's follow-up. Machine guns against cavalry is a massacre."

"Scholar Wenqing, have you never attended a military academy?"

"I have some friends who are in military academies. We discuss these things over drinks. Listening to them, I think it's very correct."

"Are they Chinese?" Bu Guanshui asked excitedly.

"Foreigners."

Hearing Chen Ke's words, Bu Guanshui sighed in disappointment.

Listening to Chen Ke and the others discuss military affairs, Pang Zi watched the Beiyang Army's exercise with a pale face. The telescope had been taken by Wu Xingchen. He muttered, "When the enemy advances, we retreat..." He had only muttered a few words when he felt a sharp pain in his lower back. Turning around, he saw Wu Xingchen glaring at him. The punch had come from Wu Xingchen. Before the exercise, Chen Ke had explained the essence of guerrilla warfare—the "sixteen-character maxim."

Pang Zi had fought against the Beiyang Army and knew its strength. Thinking of how thousands or tens of thousands of people had been defeated by the Beiyang Army, and seeing the armed and disciplined troops through the telescope, as well as the distant artillery positions, Pang Zi felt his whole body stiffen. With so many people unable to defeat the Beiyang Army in the past, Pang Zi, who had not yet gathered a force, was no match for these Beiyang soldiers. Just seeing this scene made him feel a chill in his heart and difficulty breathing.

But Pang Zi was the kind of person who, even knowing he couldn't win, refused to admit defeat. Hearing Bu Guanshui talk about military affairs, he couldn't help but repeat what Chen Ke had taught, to boost his own courage. Fortunately, Wu Xingchen, following Chen Ke's instructions, had been closely watching Pang Zi and the others. When he noticed Pang Zi starting to talk nonsense, Wu Xingchen immediately intervened.

Perhaps after seeing so many people, Pang Zi no longer found Wu Xingchen as terrifying. He glared and pouted, ready to argue. Wu Xingchen didn't say much, just raised the telescope to continue watching the Beiyang Army. Pang Zi, with some basic sense, didn't continue speaking.

"So, Brother Bu, when you get to Anhui, how do you plan to train the Anhui New Army? It's not like here, where the Beiyang Army uses modern equipment. The Anhui New Army probably doesn't even have the Hanyang rifles, let alone artillery." Chen Ke asked. Bu Guanshui had told Chen Ke that he was about to be transferred to the Anhui New Army. The paperwork had already been issued, and this performance of the military march was his last task in the Beiyang Army.

"That will depend on infantry tactics. I have been thinking, in the face of such firepower, how should infantry act flexibly? If it's a frontal battle, there's no future." Bu Guanshui sighed.

"The techniques of Qi cannot withstand the elite soldiers of Wei; the elite soldiers of Wei cannot withstand the sharp soldiers of Qin; the sharp soldiers of Qin cannot withstand the discipline of Duke Huan and Duke Wen; the discipline of Duke Huan and Duke Wen cannot withstand the righteousness of Tang and Wu." Chen Ke responded. This wasn't just flattery. When Chen Ke was young, he had also fantasized about being a master of martial arts, using special forces equipment to kill invaders. He had even seriously calculated how long it would take him to kill an entire infantry division. Later, he imagined being a top sniper, displaying his prowess on the battlefield, killing enemies as easily as taking something from a pocket.

But as he grew older and gained more knowledge, Chen Ke knew that these were just beautiful fantasies. An individual's strength is nothing compared to the power of an organization. Ultimately, the political system is the most important.

This was content from Xunzi's "Discussion on Military Affairs," which Bu Guanshui had read. Seeing Chen Ke's serious expression, he laughed. "Scholar Wenqing, I'm not someone who just uses Western learning for China."

"Those so-called 'Western learning for China' are just loyal to the existing system of the court. That's not acceptable. But our great Chinese civilization is not just the Qing Dynasty's limited capabilities. Brother Bu, don't get it wrong."

Although Bu Guanshui came from an official family, he had seen many humiliating events during the Qing Dynasty, studied at a military academy abroad, and upon returning, refused to be loyal to Yuan Shikai, leading to an unhappy career in the Beiyang Army. He didn't have personal animosity towards the Qing Dynasty, but his loyalty was also basically non-existent. Hearing Chen Ke's words, Bu Guanshui nodded. "I wonder if the ancient sages could rise from the dead and save China."

Chen Tianhua, listening to their discussion on military affairs, couldn't interject. He didn't want to compete with the other heroes for the telescope. At this moment, he thought about Chen Ke's suggestion to build a glass factory at the school. If the glass factory were built, it could produce telescopes. Fighting without telescopes would be very inconvenient. Although Chen Tianhua had his own ideas about military affairs, Bu Guanshui, a graduate of a German military academy, and Chen Ke, a 21st-century reader, had far superior military knowledge. Their conversation was concise and clear, but to Chen Tianhua, it was like a cloud of mist, completely incomprehensible. When they started discussing politics, Chen Tianhua couldn't help but interject, "Brother Bu, since the current world is not the prosperous era the sages hoped for, why don't we build it ourselves? You are both a scholar and a warrior, why be so discouraged?"

Hearing this, Bu Guanshui turned around. Although his relationship with Chen Ke was getting better, he hadn't interacted much with Chen Tianhua and the others. At least they had introduced themselves, so he smiled. "Brother Xingtai, you're right. I've been abroad and know the gap between Europe and China. Seeing the court's lack of progress, I can't help but sigh."

"Have you read Scholar Wenqing's books?" Chen Tianhua asked.

"Scholar Wenqing has written books?" Bu Guanshui was very interested.

"Just some humble thoughts. When we get back to Beijing, I'll give you a set." Chen Ke replied.

"Looking forward to it."

As they were talking, two horses galloped up the hill. They were two scouts. They quickly reached the group and, seeing Bu Guanshui's uniform, didn't dare to speak.

Bu Guanshui knew that their presence had been noticed. He shouted to the two scouts, "We'll be down soon. You can go back."

"May I ask the name of the commander? We need to report back." The scouts asked timidly, but since they had come up, they couldn't go back without a clear answer.

"Brother Wenqing, you go down the hill and wait for me. I'll be back soon." Bu Guanshui got on his horse and galloped down the hill. The two scouts followed him.

Pang Zi and the others also wanted to mount their horses, but Chen Ke shouted, "Lead the horses down the hill." He led by example and did so himself.

"Brother Wenqing, are you planning to recruit Brother Bu into the party?" Chen Tianhua asked as he followed.

"I have that intention, but we can't rush it."

As they were talking, Wu Xingchen also came over and asked, "Brother Wenqing, since we're going to Anhui, and Brother Bu is also going to Anhui, is this fate?"

"Fate is good, but it depends on human effort. Follow the will of heaven, but do your best." Chen Ke finished and, seeing that Pang Zi and the others were still far behind, he whispered, "Brother Wu, keep an eye on Brother Pang. I brought them here to broaden their horizons. If they are just scared and learn nothing, this trip would be a waste."

"Brother Wenqing, do you not trust me?" Wu Xingchen asked straightforwardly.

"Are you questioning my trust in comrades?"

"Yes. Brother Wenqing, I know my performance hasn't been reliable. But after spending time with Pang Zi and the others, I now respect you. I want to hold a party meeting."

According to the People's Party's rules, a party meeting must be held wherever there are three party members. Wu Xingchen's request made Chen Ke very happy. "Let's find a safe place and a time today."

The group went down the hill and waited for a while before Bu Guanshui returned. He looked excited. "Brother Wenqing, we'll be performing the military march in public tonight. Let's go back and rehearse."

In the evening, as outsiders, Chen Ke and the others naturally couldn't participate in the Beiyang Army's activities. Bu Guanshui arranged for them to stay in a tent in a corner of the encampment. It seemed the party meeting wouldn't happen. But unexpectedly, Wu Xingchen went to check the surroundings and, finding no one around, returned with a serious expression and said to Pang Zi, "Old Three, are you convinced now?"

Pang Zi didn't speak. Wu Xingchen didn't let him off. "Old Three, I told you before that Brother Wenqing is not an ordinary person. Now you've seen the Beiyang Army's formation. Are you convinced?"

Before coming here, Chen Ke had explained the basic concepts of people's war and some basic tactics. Facing an enemy with superior numbers, equipment, and training, the rebels must become the people's army and grow in the enemy's weakest areas. At the time, Pang Zi was very不服气 (unconvinced), thinking he was a local strongman and not afraid of the Beiyang Army. Wu Xingchen had scolded him before, but Pang Zi had been stubborn. Today, after just a short observation, his arrogance was completely gone.

"Speak up, you big man." Wu Xingchen pressed.

Pang Zi gritted his teeth and said with a gloomy face, "Mr. Chen, I, Pang Zi, was wrong. I apologize for my past mistakes."

"Damn it!" Wu Xingchen was furious. "When Brother Wenqing criticizes you, you still don't admit it? Do you think Brother Wenqing has ulterior motives? Huh! If he had ulterior motives, he would just flatter you, just like the Qing Dynasty did. If he didn't care about you, why would he say so many things you don't like to hear? How many times have you insulted Brother Wenqing, and he hasn't held it against you?"

Pang Zi's face turned red and white as he was scolded, but he stubbornly refused to speak, acting like a dead pig not afraid of boiling water. Wu Xingchen, enraged, raised his fist to strike. The Shandong brothers immediately held him back. The one named Chai Qingguo complained, "Old Three, speak up. Brother Wu is doing this for your own good. If you have something to say, just say it. What can't be said among brothers?"

Pang Zi held his breath for a while and, under everyone's gaze, finally spoke, "Mr. Chen is not one of us. Although what he says is correct, I cannot follow him as a leader."

Hearing this, Wu Xingchen was stunned, and Chen Tianhua looked slightly disappointed. The other Shandong brothers showed some agreement. But Chen Ke laughed, "Brother Pang is right. I shouldn't be followed as a leader."