Chapter 16: Republic of China: Starting from Whampoa Phase 1, Chapter 16 Classroom Debate

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

In mid-September, the Grand Marshal led his troops to Shaoguan, preparing for the Northern Expedition.

XZ was drilling soldiers at the Whampoa Military Academy, and had already decided that once the Training Regiment's soldiers were trained, the Whampoa Class 1 students would also graduate, just in time to assign them into the Training Regiment as company and platoon leaders, party representatives, and other posts—this would be a highly loyal and trustworthy force!

What needed to be done now was to use his own eye for spotting talent to select usable talent from among the students, to serve as the backbone for his own rise.

In the office, XZ flipped through the students' midterm test grade book, and as he looked, he took a fountain pen from the pen holder and began circling the students' names, noting their specialties beside the names.

"Jiang Xiangyun, an all-rounder... such talent I can't bear to send to the battlefield; he should have great use, only pity there's always something between us......

He Zhonghan, usable; this man is deep-minded, fortunately he is very obedient to me, eloquent, and can serve to monitor student movements;

Chen Geng, has military experience, clever, grades not bad, usable;

Li Zhilong, mature in character, and has attended the Naval School, usable;

Hu Hanming, Zheng Dongguo... Du Yuming, Guan Linzhen... Song Xilian......

Circling the names of excellent students while smiling smugly, these people would all be usable for him in the future!

When he got to the last one, XZ thought of another person, found Lv Muzhi's name in the register: "Not bad, his recent grades have improved rapidly, already leaping into the top fifty; this little brother's stock trading technique suits my heart, fortunately I sold off the ship stocks early last time, otherwise I would have lost another eight hundred silver dollars for nothing!"

After speaking, he circled Lv Muzhi's name in the book again, noting: Proficient in surveying and map work, knows stock trading, old fellow villager......

In the classroom, Instructor Wu was giving the students a lesson.

"Classmates, in today's class, we won't discuss theory or read textbooks, but instead talk about current events, the current events in this city."

The students below looked at me, I looked at you; the previous several instructors were all Qingtian Faction people, their lectures were empty and hollow, causing strong dissatisfaction among the students.

This time's new instructor brought no lecture notes, but instead talked about current events.

"We should be clear about what we are doing; to understand this, we must know what is happening around us. Which student can tell us what has happened in Guangzhou City?"

He Zhonghan immediately stood up to perform: "I think the biggest event is the Grand Marshal moving his headquarters to Shaoguan, preparing for the Northern Expedition; the second major event is that new recruits are being trained on Huangpu Island, preparing to organize the Training Regiment."

Instructor Wu nodded and asked: "Anything else?"

Jiang Xiangyun stood up to answer: "Actually not. I think the most important thing is that Guangzhou is in danger; not to mention Chen Jiongming eyeing it covetously from the east; the Merchant Corps armed forces within the city still exist, and their leader has even negotiated with Acting Grand Marshal Hu Hanming, demanding the return of the military supplies we confiscated.

There are even rumors that as long as Chen Lianbo publicly repents, the warrant against Chen Lianbo will be canceled. From this we can see that there are differences of opinion within us regarding the handling of the Merchant Corps; our interior is not monolithic."

Instructor Wu was very pleased: "Jiang Xiangyun is right. From the wavering attitude toward the Merchant Corps, we can see the differences existing within us. Some within us have long hesitated to strike the Merchant Corps hard; but what the Merchant Corps actually wants is to drive us out or even replace us."

Instructor Wu's words caused the students in the classroom to discuss animatedly. Most Whampoa students had seen the Merchant Corps' might; not that their combat power was fierce, but four thousand armed men, carrying weapons and with murderous intent, were a major trouble wherever they went.

He Zhonghan had especially seen the Merchant Corps' methods; he was the only Whampoa student ever captured by the Merchant Corps, and had even been beaten. At this moment, hearing everyone discussing the Merchant Corps, he felt very uncomfortable and immediately retorted:

"Actually, the reason the Merchant Corps doesn't obey orders is understandable. It's purely because merchants with property began to worry their property would be confiscated, so they bought guns and went on strike."

He Zhonghan's words were aimed at the Worker-Peasant Faction people, meaning the Merchant Corps merchants feared the Worker-Peasant Faction growing stronger day by day and their property would be confiscated, hinting that today's chaos was largely caused by the Worker-Peasant Faction.

Everyone was shocked; He Zhonghan had clearly pushed all the recent mischief onto the Worker-Peasant Faction.

Instructor Wu: "What I want to say is, student He Zhonghan is right, but not entirely right. There is indeed this part of the reason; merchants have an innate repulsion toward our faction."

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room erupted in an uproar.

Instructor Wu gestured for everyone to be quiet: "I only say that the contradiction between the Worker-Peasant Faction and merchants is one of the causes of the Merchant Corps strike incident. There are other causes waiting for students to discover. Which student is willing to talk about it?"

The words had just fallen when Chen Geng immediately stood up, wanting to set the record straight: "I think the more direct cause is that the Grand Marshal's Residence, to raise funds for the Northern Expedition, increased the tax burden on merchants. Chen Lianbo, as the largest property owner in the city, was naturally dissatisfied. This is the most direct cause of their buying guns and launching the strike. Of course, what Instructor just admitted is also one of the causes."

He Zhonghan stood up again: "Now we are organizing trade unions and peasant associations everywhere in factories and countryside, educating them with culture and education. Although permitted by the Grand Marshal's Residence, I feel it has gone too far. This is really not conducive to the stability of the situation!"

Lv Muzhi originally did not want to join the discussion, but upon hearing He Zhonghan's words, he was furious:

"According to He Zhonghan, do workers and farmers deserve to be exploited? As far as I know, what the trade unions demand is nothing more than reasonable regulation of working hours, with no unreasonable demands; what the peasant associations currently demand is only reasonable tenant rent, with no demands on the land;

The reason the Merchant Corps rebels is that they fundamentally lack revolutionary nature. As long as anyone can let Chen Lianbo continue to exploit workers, no matter who governs Guangzhou, merchants like Chen Lianbo simply won't care.

Merchants have already united and long organized the Merchant Corps Army. Landlords in the countryside have also always had village militias and civilian corps. They formed the Merchant-Gentry United Defense Headquarters as early as May. They want to overthrow us, so of course we must unite workers and farmers, organizing trade unions and peasant associations to check and balance them."

Lv Muzhi's words caused strong resonance among the students. Very few students had big merchant family backgrounds. Educated, ambitious youths in their twenties generally liked to fight injustice and support policies aiding workers and farmers. Everyone basically supported it.

Lv Muzhi stared at He Zhonghan and continued: "One of the Grand Marshal's Three Major Policies is aiding workers and farmers, hoping to use the power of workers and farmers to achieve revolutionary victory. We are revolutionary soldiers and should choose workers and farmers with stronger revolutionary nature. This is a struggle. The Merchant Corps has already bared its fangs first. We should use thunderous means against the Merchant Corps, not try to find excuses for Chen Lianbo.

Take the Training Regiment new recruits we recruited—who isn't a worker or farmer's son? You, He Zhonghan, speak for Chen Lianbo, a foreign national comprador. Are you still a Whampoa soldier?!"

Instructor Wu saw Lv Muzhi was emotionally agitated. He didn't know what grudge existed between Lv Muzhi and He Zhonghan, nor did he expect Lv Muzhi to say such things, as if he had received related education.

He Zhonghan didn't expect Lv Muzhi to jump out. He made a mental note against Lv Muzhi and swore he would definitely go to the office to file a complaint!