Chapter 3 of 10

Chapter 3

16 min read3,889 words

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"Hmph! General, you're just talking big! Is Yuan Shikai so easy to deal with? He has six divisions of elite troops, controlling Zhili, Shandong, and Henan provinces! Even if all the troops in Fengtian were to enter the pass, they wouldn't be enough to defeat Yuan Shikai!" Feng Lingge said angrily! Since Yuan Shikai launched a military coup and took control of the Beijing region, various loyal Qing officials had loudly called for support, but few actually took action!

"Yes! Even if our four brothers' troops were to gather together, we probably wouldn't be a match for one division of the Beiyang New Army!" Ma Tengxi also said! The Fengtian patrol camp was equipped with old-fashioned muskets and lacked artillery, making it impossible to compete with the Beiyang New Army! If they really followed Shengjing General Zhao Erlun's order to enter the pass and support the Qing, they would likely die in battle, their bodies wrapped in horsehide!

"Entering the pass to support the Qing is a dead end; we absolutely cannot do it!" Wu Xingquan, Wu Haoxuan's father, also said! Among these four, except for Ma Tengxi, the other three were bandit leaders. For them, preserving their strength was the most important thing. Only with men and guns in hand could they maintain their status!

"But, how should we respond to the General? The General is pressing harder and harder, and I can hardly hold out any longer!" Zhang Yuting said helplessly!

"Uncle Zhang, why should we listen to Zhao Erlun? In my opinion, the troops controlled by Father and the three uncles already make up more than half of the entire Fengtian army! We might as well join Yuan Shikai!" Wu Haoxuan said from the side.

"What? Join Yuan Shikai?" Wu Xingquan, Ma Tengxi, Feng Lingge, and Zhang Yuting all stared at Wu Haoxuan, making him feel uneasy! Although the Qing dynasty was corrupt, it had been recognized by most Chinese people for over two hundred years. Supporting the traitor Yuan Shikai would be a great act of treason!

"Haoxuan, don't talk nonsense!" Wu Xingquan said sternly, fearing his son's reckless words would cause trouble!

"Father! How am I talking nonsense! The Qing dynasty is corrupt, and everyone knows it! Now that Yuan Shikai has launched a military coup, no official in the country can threaten him! Plus, Yuan Shikai has the support of the foreigners. I think the change of power is a foregone conclusion! We might as well take this opportunity to join Yuan Shikai and earn a place in his new regime!" Wu Haoxuan continued! On the way back from the United States, he had been thinking about how to open up the situation! Although he had many businesses in the U.S., without a territory, he couldn't develop smoothly! Now that Yuan Shikai had launched a military coup and was facing a difficult situation, if the Fengtian leaders supported him, they might get a territory in Northeast China when the time came to reward their contributions! Although Northeast China had a small population, it was rich in fertile land and resources, perfect for developing heavy industry!

"Haha! Brother Wu, you're right, this is a good plan! We're not slaves to the Manchus. If Yuan Shikai can launch a military coup, why can't we support him? What's the big deal? Brothers, what do you think of this plan?" Zhang Yuting said with a smile! Among the four, he was undoubtedly the most ambitious. If he could gain a higher position through Yuan Shikai, it would be a good deal!

"I think it's a good idea too! I've had enough of Zhao Erlun! Let's bind him and send him to Yuan Shikai! Maybe Yuan Shikai will be so pleased that he'll give us a general or governorship!" Feng Lingge said, slapping the table! Though he hadn't robbed for years, he still occasionally showed his bandit nature!

Wu Xingquan was hesitant, but thinking that the suggestion came from Wu Haoxuan, he finally nodded in agreement!

Ma Tengxi, as a scholar-general, didn't want to commit such a treasonous act! But since his three brothers had this plan, he, as the eldest, couldn't stay out of it!

"Since everyone thinks this plan is feasible, let's discuss how to get the biggest benefit!" Zhang Yuting said excitedly! He had been driven mad by Zhao Erlun these past few days. Now he could finally solve this problem. If successful, they might gain a huge benefit, a win-win situation!

"Kid, what other ideas do you have? Speak up quickly!" Zhang Yuting patted Wu Haoxuan's shoulder, urging him!

Wu Haoxuan was stunned; he hadn't expected his suggestion to be adopted so quickly! He had thought he would need to persuade them more! It seemed these bandit-turned-generals had already harbored rebellious thoughts!

"Father! Uncles, this is what I think! Although Yuan Shikai has successfully launched a military coup, he faces opposition from the entire country! Although the foreigners temporarily support him, if he can't break the deadlock, they might change their stance! Without foreign support, it would be impossible for Yuan Shikai to seize power! If we can stand up and support him now, it would be a great contribution!" Wu Haoxuan explained immediately!

The others nodded in agreement.

"We can send someone to contact Yuan Shikai directly, offering to support him in clearing the court! However, as a return, he must give us the three provinces of Northeast China! We don't seek independence, just the military and political power in the three provinces! Finally, we want a few divisions of the new army. Then, the three provinces will be our territory!" Wu Haoxuan said!

Wu Xingquan, Feng Lingge, and Zhang Yuting's eyes sparkled. If they could become the actual rulers of the three provinces, it would be a huge windfall! Back when they were bandits, they never imagined such a day!

"Haoxuan, although we are now supporting Yuan Shikai, under domestic pressure, Yuan Shikai might agree to our conditions! But I think Yuan Shikai is not an easy person to deal with! Once he secures his power, he might turn against us!" Ma Tengxi said worriedly! Yuan Shikai had a history of betraying his allies!

"Uncle! There's no need to worry! The three provinces of Northeast China are poor and rugged. Yuan Shikai won't care too much about them! Compared to the rich regions inside the pass, Yuan Shikai won't waste too much energy on us! Even if Yuan Shikai tries to betray us, will we be afraid of him? As long as we get the new army's division, and build up our troops, Yuan Shikai won't be able to take the three provinces from us!" Wu Haoxuan said!

"Haha! Let's do it! As long as we control the three provinces, we won't fear Yuan Shikai!" Feng Lingge said!

The other three also nodded. Clearly, although there were some risks, if they could control the three provinces, it would be a highly profitable deal!

Next, they discussed some details, and didn't leave Wu's residence until the moon was high in the sky! According to their plan, they would first send someone to Beijing to contact Yuan Shikai. If Yuan Shikai agreed to their conditions, they would bind Shengjing General Zhao Erlun and send him to Yuan Shikai as a token of their loyalty!

"Haoxuan, speak up, what do you really want to do?" After Ma Tengxi, Feng Lingge, and Zhang Yuting left, the father and son returned to the residence, and Wu Xingquan asked directly! This son who had studied in the U.S. for four years was becoming increasingly inscrutable!

Wu Haoxuan was taken aback, then said, "Father! I just don't want this country to continue to sink, to be bullied by foreigners!"

Wu Xingquan looked at Wu Haoxuan as if he didn't recognize him, and after a while, laughed heartily, "I knew it! My son is not ordinary! Son, with your lofty ambitions, I won't hold you back. I'll do my best to help you!"

"Thank you, Father!" Wu Haoxuan said, moved!

"However, it seems you should tell me the truth, what have you been doing in the U.S. these years? Why did you bring back so many weapons and two foreigners this time?" Wu Xingquan looked at Wu Haoxuan with a smile!

Wu Haoxuan had no choice but to tell Wu Xingquan about his four years of success in the U.S., though he deliberately concealed most of his income, not to hide from Wu Xingquan, but to avoid shocking him!

Even so, when Wu Xingquan heard that Wu Haoxuan had a munitions factory in the U.S. and had partnered with a major American family to open a pharmaceutical and chemical plant, his mouth opened wide enough to fit his fist!

"Haha! Good! You haven't wasted your time in the U.S. these years! Now that we have money and weapons, the three provinces of Northeast China will be ours to command!" Wu Xingquan said excitedly! As a military man, even an old-style one, he had the dream of commanding thousands of troops! Although he was the commander of the Fengtian rear patrol camp, he only had five patrol camps, and after deducting the phantom payroll, he only had about two thousand troops!

"Father! Just wait and see! We will shock the entire country! But, the weapons I brought back this time, Father should quickly hand them over to trusted troops to form a combat force! This way, we will have more confidence when the time comes!" Wu Haoxuan said! If they decided to act against Shengjing General, there would definitely be a fierce battle. To gain a larger share of the spoils, they needed a strong fighting force!

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