Chapter 100: Republic of China: Starting from Whampoa Class One Chapter 100 — Trading Military Authority for Dollars?

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Jinling City, Zijin Mountain.

"Muzi Ah, I've waited for you so bitterly long!"

Liu Zhi and Lv Muzhi strolled on Zijin Mountain; after arriving in Jinling, the old commander Liu Zhi sought him out directly.

Liu Zhi is now the First Army Commander; his coming directly to find Lv Muzhi likely represents the highest level.

"The Premier is busy with affairs; let me talk with you first." Liu Zhi said.

"Domestic warfare is unceasing; your student has heard of it even while abroad."

"I keep wondering, when will the Northern Expedition succeed? Now some people outside call us new warlords! You tell me, is that right?" Liu Zhi stood with hands on hips, clearly very angry.

The Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum's steps are very long; the two climbed them step by step.

Lv Muzhi gave a dry cough, pretending not to know: "Your student hasn't heard of that; who exactly is saying it?"

"The Guangxi Clique's Li Zongren rose up against us in March last year, and I repelled him; at year-end the Hunan Clique's Tang Shengzhi jumped out, and I repelled him again; now Northwest's Feng Yuxiang and Shanxi's Yan Laoxi have jumped out too;

not to mention inside the big mountains of Jiangxi Province...... how did it come to this? During the Northern Expedition we were clearly comrades fighting shoulder to shoulder! I don't understand!" Liu Zhi sighed.

"Regardless, unification must come as soon as possible; I see Japan's wolfish ambition — years ago they bombed Zhang the Great Marshal to death; now the country is fragmented; if Japan takes advantage to make trouble, it's truly dangerous."

Lv Muzhi spoke, then sighed; the September 18th Incident is about to erupt, yet domestically warlords still attack each other; whatever happens, he must still prioritize the overall War of Resistance.

"Right now the Central Plains War is on the verge of breaking out; the higher-ups' meaning is: the military is exactly at a time when it needs men — do you have the willingness to return? A brigade commander's post is waiting for you!"

Lv Muzhi thought it over; he'd been away so long that division and brigade commanders were already filled — one radish per hole — where would there be a place for him?

And the most important point: if he went to join the Central Plains War, and the Pacific Foundation side happened to have a breakthrough, he'd be busy with the great war and face the risk of being sidelined in the Foundation.

Liu Zhi's meaning represents the higher-ups' meaning; Lv Muzhi was very vigilant.

It's very possible the domestic top brass wants to trade military authority for the three hundred million dollars frozen in the Foundation belonging to the Zhu Family and himself?

If the Pacific Foundation falls into the Four Great Families' hands, how much useful stuff can be bought back is hard to say; perhaps he should merge the Zhu Family into a fifth great family, so they have a voice in the Foundation — that's the most important.

By comparison, this Central Plains War is secondary; even if he luckily gets a Lieutenant General rank in the war, losing the Foundation would make it hard to play any role in the future War of Resistance.

The Swiss Bank still has his two hundred million dollars laundered clean, but unless absolutely necessary he can't use it lightly — that's his reserve funds.

His father-in-law's eighty million dollars must be used to expand his domestic import-export trade undertaking, helping him successfully join the ranks of the fifth great family.

That Foundation totaling eight hundred million, of which three hundred million belongs to the Zhu Family and himself, must be held onto!

"Old Commander, I haven't experienced battle in a long time; going would probably just be a burden; what I'm thinking is......"

"What are you thinking?"

As they spoke, they had already reached the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum gate.

Lv Muzhi pointed at the four-character plaque "All Under Heaven for the Public" above: "In the early founding years, the First Premier yielded to Yuan Shikai, agreeing Yuan would train a million elite troops, the First Premier would build two hundred thousand li of railways; but now?

So many years have passed; Xia Guo probably has only a million weak troops, and is fragmented with each belonging to its own master; railways also fall far short of two hundred thousand li."

Hearing Lv Muzhi's words, Liu Zhi's mood was very complex; his steps hesitated, not stepping through the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum's main gate.

Lv Muzhi followed: "These years abroad, I've inspected American industry; I believe steel is the backbone of a nation; I can't build two hundred thousand li of railways, but I want to smelt two hundred thousand tons of steel for the country!"

Liu Zhi understood: "I see — you want to switch to economic undertakings? Actually I understand too; you've stirred up wind and clouds abroad, and with the money gained you could perhaps command a million strong troops, but the waters here are deep — have you thought about retiring at the peak, where the military would actually be safer?"

Lv Muzhi shook his head: "The nation is newly built, a hundred wastes await revival; we must immediately put effort into industry — we cannot wait any longer."

"This matter...... still needs further discussion. By the way, a few years ago a female journalist went to interview you; unexpectedly you two became a couple — congratulations." Liu Zhi changed the subject, clearly not wanting to let Lv Muzhi go; he still had to strive to complete the task the higher-ups gave him.

"Wasn't it the higher-ups' matchmaking?"

"Haha, I didn't mean that; as far as I know the higher-ups didn't mean that either; at the time it was indeed just to publicize the Nanchang Battle; but your vision was vicious enough — her Zhu Family is indeed huge; after you stirred things up in America, the Zhu Family is already known to everyone in the top brass; they all know the Zhu Family has hard connections with American merchants, the most and best import-export channels.

I've heard about the Pacific Foundation too; there's indeed great merit from you and the Zhu Family; after the Foundation lands, we still hope you can persuade the Zhu Family to share the country's worries; rest assured, the higher-ups won't shortchange you and the Zhu Family — once this succeeds, for you, what's two more stars on your shoulders?"

Looks like the highest level indeed covets that three hundred million dollars; they even dare paint a pie as big as a full general!

Lv Muzhi absolutely cannot agree; if completely controlled by the Four Great Families, this Foundation might entirely turn into American villas one after another.

"This Foundation has my and the Zhu Family's three hundred million dollars; don't laugh, my father-in-law is very generous to family but a miser to outsiders...... however if I can participate in industrial work, I can turn the three hundred million belonging to me and the Zhu Family into factories one by one, into guns and cannons one by one!"

Hearing this, Liu Zhi was quite surprised; Lv Muzhi actually planned to voluntarily invest his and the Zhu Family's money into industry; then he really had nothing to say, and instead felt anticipation for the future.

Although the great families all hope to seize the Foundation entirely, after inquiring they actually discovered the Zhu Family's relationship with New York State Governor Roosevelt isn't shallow; the Zhu Family's Pacific Foundation director seat — they couldn't move it a single inch.

Lv Muzhi plans to use his family wealth to build the country; what does he have to say against that? In his heart he no longer wanted to speak for the big families above his head.

"Since you have this intention, I'll go back and discuss with the higher-ups; in principle your current rank can be retained; just a pity for you, General — we were still hoping you'd achieve merit on the Central Plains battlefield."

Hearing Liu Zhi mention the Central Plains War again, he said: "This Central Plains War is extremely thorny; the Northwest Army and Jinsui Army have joined forces together, the south side has the Guangxi Army echoing; I think we should go to the Northeast and ask Young Marshal Zhang to send troops — if we can secure the Northeast Army's three hundred thousand, the Central Plains War ends; just hope this is the last warlord war......"

Liu Zhi stared into Lv Muzhi's eyes: "I have exactly that intention; the higher-ups have already dispatched Guangdong Governor Wu Tiecheng to the Northeast to visit Zhang Hanqing, requesting he send troops to mediate the Central Plains War; you think the same as us."

"Old Commander, I want to go with Governor Wu to the Northeast to visit Young Marshal Zhang." Lv Muzhi proposed.

"You too? With Wu Tiecheng there, isn't that enough?"

"Your student cannot directly join the Central Plains War, so he can only contribute in persuading Young Marshal Zhang to send troops; at the same time, I want to inspect Northeast industry — domestically speaking of industry, the Northeast should be number one; since I've decided to devote myself to economic industry, I should borrow this opportunity to inspect thoroughly."

Liu Zhi thought it over; it indeed made sense: "If you can truly secure Young Marshal Zhang's three hundred thousand Northeast Army, you'll have done me a great favor."