Chapter 463: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 473: Close Ties Between Teacher and Student, Settlin

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

The group of foreigners clustered outside the official residence were all people of some importance.

They were creditors sent by France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and other countries to demand repayment of loans.

Lv Muzhi, backed by Xia Guo's national credit, had borrowed funds of various sizes from them, most of which were used to develop the Youth Army, with a portion handed over to the Central Government.

These countries were willing to lend money because, first, they saw bright prospects for Xia Guo's War of Resistance and an urgent need for war funds, and second, the interest Lv Muzhi promised was simply too high, no different from usury.

The background to the borrowing was that Lv Muzhi led the army and defeated one hundred thousand elite Japanese troops in one battle at Huangchuan, gaining international fame; countries realized the Japanese army had no chance of conquering Xia Guo, and all lent money as an investment—a sure thing.

But the countries had only received one year's interest last year, and this year's money couldn't be collected no matter how much they pressed!

"Xia Guo simply doesn't keep its word! I went to their Ministry of Finance to demand money, but was told there was a fiscal deficit and they couldn't produce any now, asking me to wait—could they be trying to welch on the debt!" a Luxembourg debt-collecting official said indignantly.

A French official was even more indignant: "You only lent a few million—do you know how many 155-millimeter-caliber cannons that Lv Muzhi borrowed from my country to buy? A full forty-eight!

If the Xia Guo people can't pay back the money, they must return the cannons, and we'll stuff these cannons into the fortresses of the Maginot Line!"

A Dutch official asked: "Is the situation really that urgent now? France's army is supposedly the best in the world!"

The French official looked deeply worried: "I don't know the inside story; I'm just here to demand money and cannons. Now it's not just that the situation on the French mainland is grim—our Indochina colony has also been targeted by the Japanese army."

The Belgian official looked surprised: "The Japanese army?"

The French official nodded: "The Japanese army was blocked in Xia Guo and has now shifted its attention to Southeast Asia, frequently sending naval fleets to patrol and reconnoiter along the coastline of French Indochina colony, and the colonial governor even reported incidents of arresting Japanese spies in the interior!"

The Luxembourg official asked: "I also heard the rebels in French Indochina are very rampant, and even British Burma has rebels of considerable size."

The French official shook his head with a headache: "This time I'm pressing Xia Guo for money and cannons largely to urge on French Indochina colony.

Today, whether we get money or cannons from Xia Guo, a considerable portion will be sent to French Indochina colony and handed over to the local French army to strengthen control over the colony!"

The Luxembourg official asked: "Are the rebels in the colony really that crazy?"

The French official nodded confidently: "I come straight from the Indochina Governor's Office; according to the governor's report, a rebel organization called the Zhongnan Yixin Society roams the entire Indochina Peninsula.

They have a unified organization and action program, have developed for nearly ten years, their primary slogan is anti-colonialism, their power is great, they specifically target colonial governments, and colonial rule in Southeast Asia can now be said to be beset by troubles from within and without."

Upon hearing this, the officials of the three small countries—Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands—all felt the outlook was grim.

Li Zongren had just come out of the reception hall and was standing on the steps; seeing the commotion in the distance, he asked what was going on.

The Whampoa generals below the steps didn't care about those foreigners coming to demand payment, but were more concerned about the meeting between the old man and Lv Muzhi inside the reception hall.

"De Gong, they're just foreigners coming to demand money, it's nothing."

"Right, how are the talks inside going? Everything going smoothly?"

"The old man personally went out, and Lv Wei Yue should bow his head and admit his mistake by now, right?"

Tang Enbo and Hu Gongnan asked one after another.

Li Zongren recalled the conversation that had taken place inside and replied: "The meeting inside... the atmosphere was very harmonious!"

Bai Zhongxi walked over and said: "De Lin, when will the talks inside end? Those foreigners have gone mad; I don't know where the news leaked from, but they're all blocking the old man's door."

Li Zongren smiled, turned to Bai Zhongxi, and whispered softly: "Jiansheng, don't rush, don't rush—they're all here to collect debts from the old man; just watch the excitement."

"By the way, find a quiet place to talk; what just happened inside the reception hall was truly wonderful!"

Bai Zhongxi looked curious and followed Li Zongren away.

Only the Whampoa officers below the steps were left staring at each other, eager to know what had actually happened inside.

Inside the reception hall, the old man and Lv Muzhi returned to a table to drink tea.

With Li Zongren no longer present, the old man was less reserved.

"Wei Yue."

Lv Muzhi pricked up his ears; the old man's tone when calling his own name was actually much gentler than before.

Hard approach failed, so now the soft one?

"Just now there were many people, I spoke a bit loudly, don't take it to heart."

Upon hearing this, Lv Muzhi understood—after the meeting, both hard and soft tactics had been employed.

"Wei Yue dares not take offense; I don't know what further teachings you have?"

The old man looked into Lv Muzhi's eyes, hugged his knees with both hands, and said in a calm tone: "Do you still remember, in Republic of China Year 13, a young man came to Whampoa Military Academy?"

This young man was extraordinary; he entered my sight because of his mastery of military topography, and I treasured him, cultivating him with great care.

Daily instruction and admonition, morning and evening teachings.

After graduation, I appointed him Second Lieutenant Platoon Leader; hearing that his father was unemployed, I also ordered him to serve concurrently as Topography Instructor to earn extra subsidy for household expenses.

The reason I cultivated this young man so greatly was that I cherished him as a spark of revolution."

Lv Muzhi listened seriously, looking at the old man's sincere expression.

"This young man indeed did not live up to my expectations."

"He followed me on the Eastern Expedition and Northern Expedition, repeatedly achieving extraordinary merits."

"From Second Lieutenant Platoon Leader to Company Commander, Battalion Commander, Regimental Commander... until now, through my promotion, he has become a General of the Army with brilliant military achievements!"

"You tell me, Wei Yue, who exactly is this young man?!"

Lv Muzhi sighed: "It's me, Principal."

The old man stood up excitedly: "That's right, Wei Yue, that young man is you!"

"Have you forgotten all the events of the past?"

"Is this how you repay my grace in promoting you back then?"

The old man spoke with deep sincerity, eyes brimming with tears, truly causing Lv Muzhi's heart to waver somewhat.

However, Lv Muzhi was no longer the young man of those days.

Lv Muzhi had seen too many people fall—guilty or innocent, close or strange, revered or hated......

Too much death had long made Lv Muzhi see the old man's blood-stained hands, and the corrupt, incompetent government.

He had once thought of transforming this era, but it was only futility.

Internal forces were complex, and external enemies coveted.

The Great Revolution had long failed; Lv Muzhi, then in the United States, had more than once thought of distancing himself from trouble.

But the War of Resistance did not allow Lv Muzhi, as a soldier, to do so.

To match the powerful Japanese Army, a powerful army had to be trained.

To train a powerful army, there had to be legitimate backing.

Therefore, all Lv Muzhi could do was go with the flow and train the Youth Army to fight the Japanese Army.

But if Xia Guo were to truly regain vitality, it had to be reshuffled with entirely new ideas and iron-blooded methods after the War of Resistance ended.

Lv Muzhi had no intention of participating in the situation after the War of Resistance.

Lv Muzhi's tolerance of the old man and the government had already reached its limit; he could not possibly draw close to him again.

But for the stability of the anti-Japanese situation, Lv Muzhi would not directly remove him from the platform.

"If you talk to me about favors, then I'll settle accounts."

"I bled in the Eastern Expedition, I was wounded in the Northern Expedition, and earned not a little merit. You were removed from office and returned to power again and again—wasn't that the result of me and my Whampoa Classmates backing you?"

"The Japanese Army invaded—who turned the tide and created the current favorable situation for counteroffensive? You've moved from Chongqing to Hankou now, heh heh, you should know who held Wuhan Sanzhen!"

"The Kong and Song families' wealth must be more than you can handle, right? Do you especially regret now not pouring more money into training the German-equipped Division, otherwise how could I be so unrestrained today?"