Chapter 26

Feng, who looked somewhat familiar, was probably none other than the Commander Feng of the Northwest Army, historically. It was then that he realized why he found him familiar; he had indeed seen him in history, even a famous figure, Feng Yuxiang, the founder of the Northwest Army. The well-known Yan Xishan also gradually rose to prominence under the Northwest Army, absorbing what Feng Yuxiang had left behind, eventually becoming a warlord in the northwest. Historically, Feng Yuxiang had a mixed reputation; he was one of the main culprits who sparked the Central Plains War, causing the region to suffer from prolonged warfare. He even earned the nickname "General Turncoat." However, to a certain extent, his performance during the War of Resistance was commendable. At this moment, he was just a young officer, having just graduated from the Beiyang military academy and joined the Beiyang Army, serving as a low-ranking official, full of vigor and vitality. No wonder he seemed so heroic and outstanding.

He tried to ask, "Is it Brother Feng Xianzhang?"

Feng Yuxiang's eyes sparkled with a fierce light, like a fierce tiger, and his aura suddenly rose. The other two also stood up, one of them shouting loudly, "Who are you?"

Uncle Guang inwardly groaned. The three soldiers in front of him were not ordinary soldiers; it was clear that they had fought their way through countless battles, exuding a natural aura. He didn't know why Yang Yuanzhao knew the name of the soldier in front of him, but if he mishandled the situation, it might lead to a fight.

"I heard Brother Songqing mention it once. I studied in Britain and once received guidance from Mr. Yan Youling," Yang Yuanzhao said calmly, though he was inwardly worried.

"Li Songqing, Yan Youling?" Feng Yuxiang looked puzzled. Li Songqing was Li Yuanhong, the temporary commander of the 21st Army, currently leading the new army in Hubei. Yan Youling was the famous Yan Fu, who belonged to the naval branch, quite different from their army. Although Feng Yuxiang was proud, he knew that as a newly promoted mid-level officer, he was unlikely to leave a deep impression on someone like Li Songqing. Despite his doubts, his expression relaxed a bit.

"Exactly!"

"So, you are an old acquaintance!" Feng Yuxiang said dryly, not showing much warmth at the mention of Li Songqing and Yan Fu.

"Brother, I told you, there are no so many people with ulterior motives. We're not on a secret mission, you're suffocating me!" the honest man said loudly, "Commander Li, did he mention me? I'm Shi Congyun."

Yang Yuanzhao smiled bitterly. As a mechanical engineer, his knowledge of history was limited to famous figures. The current Feng Yuxiang was far from being well-known, not yet the Army General who would control the Northwest Army in the future. He might not even remember this name. The people who could walk closely with Feng Yuxiang were clearly officers, but Shi Congyun's name was unfamiliar, at least in the history of the Republic of China.

In the early 20th century, China was rife with wars and political upheavals. Many heroes perished in the complex and chaotic environment. History only recorded major events and the most famous figures. Unless one was a researcher of the history of the Republic of China, like Yang Yuanzhao, knowing Feng Yuxiang was already quite good.

"Feng, shut up!" Feng Yuxiang shouted. Shi Congyun pouted but didn't say anything more. Feng Yuxiang then asked, "May I know your name, Brother?"

"My name is Yang Yuanzhao, and I do a small business in the northwest."

"Small business, but you can afford a Mauser pistol!" Shi Congyun said, his eyes already fixed on Yang Yuanzhao's waist. Unlike Yang Yuanzhao, who was not familiar with military equipment, even through clothing, he could identify the weapon by its shape.

"It's just for self-defense!" Yang Yuanzhao thought for a moment and took out three Browning 1900s from his device, placing them on the table. "We met by chance, a small gift, not much, but it's a token of my appreciation!"

Three Browning 1900s were not a small gift in 1908 China. In the late Qing Dynasty, firearms and ammunition were hard currency. A new British or American standard rifle would cost about 70 yuan, and a refurbished one would cost around 50 yuan. As for pistols, they were rare and priced similarly to rifles. The Mauser pistol, known as "one gun, two horses, three Mausers," was a favorite of soldiers and bandits, with a price of 90-100 yuan, often unavailable.

Casually offering something worth nearly 300 yuan, which was enough to buy 10 acres of land in the countryside and set up a household, was indeed not a small gift.

Before Feng Yuxiang could speak, Shi Congyun picked up the pistol, disassembled it skillfully, and praised, "Good stuff, brand new and original. The feel of this is definitely top-notch. Thank you!" He then tucked the pistol into his belt.

Shi Congyun's lack of courtesy made Feng Yuxiang glare at him, but before he could speak, Shi Congyun interjected, "Brother, this is an old acquaintance of the Beiyang Army. Besides, he's being so generous, you can't refuse."

Feng Yuxiang was somewhat helpless. Soldiers loved guns, and they were mid-level officers in the Beiyang Army. Feng Yuxiang was the deputy commander of the third battalion, while Shi Congyun and Wang Jinming were the company commander and adjutant of the third battalion, respectively. The Beiyang Army placed great importance on military equipment, all of which were imported from Germany. However, even he only had a common old pistol from 20 years ago, far inferior to the Mauser pistol. He was tempted, let alone his subordinates.

He glanced at Wang Jinming, who didn't speak, but Feng Yuxiang could see his thoughts. He smiled bitterly and said, "Since Brother Yang is so generous, let's accept it."

Wang Jinming didn't show the same joy as Shi Congyun but quickly put away the Browning 1900. Soldiers loved guns, and a good pistol was the last line of defense for an officer. A good gun could save a life on the battlefield.

With the gift accepted, the atmosphere relaxed. Uncle Guang was relieved, not expecting the problem to be resolved this way. He didn't care where Yang Yuanzhao got the Mauser pistols. As Li Shitang's deputy, he had handled millions of gold and silver, and a few items were nothing. He had even given a gift of 100,000 taels, so spending 300 to solve a problem was commonplace.

Meeting the first famous person of the Republic of China, Yang Yuanzhao was delighted. He looked at Feng Yuxiang and the others and asked, "Where are you headed on official business?"

"Zhengzhou!"

Zhengzhou, which Yang Yuanzhao was very familiar with, was the capital of Henan in the future. He had even been there with the ZS team during a performance race. The newly built city left a deep impression on him. In the late Qing Dynasty, Zhengzhou was still a new city, and the center of Henan was Kaifeng. The Pinghan Railway was originally planned to pass through Kaifeng, but due to the Yellow River Bridge, it was decided to build a station at the narrowest and shortest point, which became the origin of Zhengzhou. A new city and the largest marshalling yard in Asia thus began its story with the railway, perhaps a necessity within the realm of chance.

"Brothers, what official business are you on to Zhengzhou? If it's confidential, you don't have to say more."

Feng Yuxiang said calmly, "It's not confidential. We're going to collect pay."

"Collect pay?" Yang Yuanzhao asked in surprise, "The Beiyang Army is short of pay?"

"Of course, the Beiyang Army is short of pay. Except for the favored Manchu troops and the model Third Division, all other divisions of the Beiyang Army are short of pay to varying degrees. Our 83rd Regiment, originally part of the Right Guard Army, is even worse. If it weren't for Brother Feng's efforts, we might not even have food to eat!" Shi Congyun said angrily.

Yang Yuanzhao looked at the three in surprise. He knew that the Beiyang Army was the strongest army of the time, but it seemed more complicated than he thought. Chinese people were always good at internal strife, and the Beiyang Army, with its strong old-style influence, was deeply affected by the Qing Dynasty. Its origins were very complex, including the old troops from the Xialu Army, the trained army, and even some newly trained troops. It was a mix of good and bad. Clearly, even with his outstanding personal abilities, Feng Yuxiang was not favored at this time.

This was probably why he later went to the northwest. The era of the Beiyang Army belonged to figures like Duan Qirui and Cao Kun, and the rising stars. He was not a major player in this era.