Chapter 97

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Zhang Fei pushed Lv Muzhi's wheelchair into the ward, seeing Minister Song Zhiwen, who managed finances, standing by the window, looking at the scenery outside.

"Muzi, what a fine mood, basking in the autumn sun of Wuchang City, chatting idly with a beauty—much more pleasant than the Northern Expedition, right?" Song Zhiwen turned around and teased Lv Muzhi.

"Minister Song is joking again; that's a reporter sent by the Principal to cover the Nanchang Battle, and Muzi is just cooperating with the work."

Zhang Fei brought over a chair, placed it beside Song Zhiwen for him to sit, poured hot tea for both of them, then left the ward and stood outside the door.

"How did you know I came to Wuchang? And why did you have Zhang Fei invite me over?" Song Zhiwen asked.

"Although I don't know, someone as famous as you—reporter friends know about it. You came to Wuchang to organize economic work, and it's already the talk of the town." Lv Muzhi raised his chin toward the window; Song Zhiwen looked over and saw reporter Zhu Sanxiang sitting on a bench on the grass below, flipping through a notebook.

Song Zhiwen smiled: "I'm very busy. Is there something?"

Lv Muzhi sighed: "I still remember before the Northern Expedition set out, you said in the Principal's office: if you can't stay in the army, you can come to me for help. Now I'm completely at my wit's end."

Song Zhiwen frowned: "Nonsense! You already hold the rank of Major General—how can you say you can't stay in the army?"

Lv Muzhi pulled open his patient's gown, revealing the scar on his chest: "After being wounded in Nanchang, a piece of shrapnel is still close to my heart. The medical conditions here can't remove it; with any strenuous movement, my chest hurts. My military career is finished."

Song Zhiwen stepped forward to observe: "So serious? What did the Principal say?"

"The Principal and Commander Liu are discussing it; once they take Shanghai City, they'll transfer me to Shanghai for treatment."

"When will they take Shanghai City?"

"I don't know. It's already the end of October, and the troops have only reached the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Border. At this pace, they might not arrive until next year."

Song Zhiwen crossed his legs, stroking his chin. Lv Muzhi had come to him on his own initiative, clearly trusting him; besides, Song had previously boasted about it, so he really couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

"This... I do know quite a few American doctors; I can help you contact them. Only..."

"Only what?"

"Only you'll have to temporarily leave the country and go to the United States for treatment. After all, they probably wouldn't be willing to cross the Pacific Ocean just to come to our Xia Guo."

Lv Muzhi nodded: "When asking others for help, naturally there's no reason to make them run back and forth. I'm willing to go to the United States and actively accept treatment. I ask Minister Song to help me coordinate; Muzi will not forget this kindness."

"Sending you to the United States—that's no problem. But are you willing to just leave like that?" Song Zhiwen suddenly asked.

Lv Muzhi looked puzzled.

"According to my knowledge, the Northern Expedition is only halfway through, and you've already been promoted to Major General. If you strike while the iron is hot and take on more military achievements, it wouldn't be bad. Leaving now would be a pity." Song Zhiwen shook his head.

Lv Muzhi smiled: "The body is the capital of revolution. If the body is ruined, I am a useless body to the revolutionary cause."

"Since that's the case, I'll send a telegram when I get back to contact them. You can't go abroad alone; you can bring one or two considerate people with you."

"That would be best. The one standing outside is my confidant Zhang Fei; I want to take him with me."

"Hmm, is one enough?"

Lv Muzhi thought of the female reporter Zhu Sanxiang; her family had money, and as far as he understood, she was an only child.

Although it was temporarily unclear which faction she belonged to, there was only one thing: Lv Muzhi wanted to try using her family's property to accumulate funds for the War of Resistance in the American stock market.

Why not take her to the United States first? For further observation. He indeed lacked original capital; Zhu Sanxiang's family funds behind her might be usable.

And the entry point was Zhu Sanxiang downstairs.

If that didn't work, he could only continue working for the Principal and Minister Song, watching as the vast majority of wealth fell into the hands of the Four Great Families.

"I can't go alone either. I suggest sending some publicly funded overseas students along. Once the Northern Expedition succeeds, the country will have a hundred neglected undertakings awaiting revival. After they return from studying abroad, they can come back to build the country."

After Lv Muzhi finished speaking, he just looked toward the blue figure on the bench outside the window.

"Oh~ I understand..." Song Zhiwen smiled, thinking Lv Muzhi was acting on lust:

"Publicly funded study abroad? You really thought of that... truly using any means necessary. Fine, wait for my news. I'll also explain things clearly to the Principal."

After saying that, Song Zhiwen left the ward and left the hospital.

Zhang Fei walked in: "Miss Zhu is still downstairs. Should I invite her up to sit?"

Lv Muzhi said: "Old Zhang, the matter I promised you earlier about entering Whampoa Military Academy... I might have to go back on my word."

Zhang Fei wasn't very surprised: "What's that? As long as you're willing to take me with you, I don't care about that military academy at all!"

"Good brother!" Lv Muzhi patted Zhang Fei's shoulder. "Are you willing to go to the United States with me?"

"Willing! Which province is the United States in?"

"Er... it's a foreign country, a place full of foreigners."

"Ah?!"

——————————

Two days later.

"What? You're going to the United States?!" Zhu Sanxiang asked in surprise.

Lv Muzhi nodded: "Ai, I'm afraid I won't see you again after this. I've been very happy chatting with you these days, and I'll miss you."

"Miss? What are you saying..." Zhu Sanxiang clutched her small notebook tightly. "Then what about our interview? It's ending so quickly. I thought I could interview for a few more days..."

"That's not important anymore."

The two fell silent for a long time. Zhu Sanxiang couldn't help but ask:

"Can you tell me what happened to that Beiyang Army soldier in the end? Did he really cut off the ears of our Revolutionary Army soldiers?"

"Er... if we're fated to meet again, I'll tell you. I need to prepare to return to Guangzhou, where I'll take a ship to the United States..."

————————————

In mid-November, Lv Muzhi, wearing sunglasses and wrapped in a windbreaker, boarded the Taikoo Steamship Company's passenger ship bound for the United States. Zhang Fei carried a suitcase, also wearing sunglasses and a windbreaker, walking beside Lv Muzhi.

"Commander, she doesn't seem to have come..." Zhang Fei said suddenly.

"Who didn't come?" Lv Muzhi's face was expressionless, but in his heart he marveled that Zhang Fei was indeed coarse yet meticulous.

Seeing Zhang Fei say nothing, Lv Muzhi muttered: "You're the one with all the complaints! Minister Song's activity funds must be kept safe."

"Rest assured, that ten thousand dollar check given in the early stage, I guarantee the money never leaves my person, person with money! The first thing upon arriving there is to find that whatever Doctor Smith of Medicine, perform surgery on you, remove the shrapnel."

Besides this ten thousand dollars, if there were no other sources of funds, Lv Muzhi was unsure how much funding he could pry loose in the United States, for use in future anti-Japanese war preparations.

Ten thousand dollars... enough?

"Commander? How come I seem to have seen Miss Zhu at the wharf?" Zhang Fei exclaimed.

"Where?"

"That one, there are quite a few people, several dozen! Holding a banner: Fruit preserve... publicly dispatched to the United States... study abroad group." Zhang Fei read word by word.

Unexpectedly Minister Song Zhiwen gave out so many publicly dispatched study abroad slots at once, this looked to be over a hundred people!

Zhu Sanxiang was among them, at this time she had already put on a light green trench coat, pulling a suitcase.

The autumn wind was strong, Zhu Sanxiang kept arranging her hair behind her ears, Lv Muzhi gave a glance, Zhang Fei went up to meet her, taking the suitcase from Zhu Sanxiang's hand.

Zhu Sanxiang thought someone was snatching luggage, her face losing color in alarm, just then meeting Lv Muzhi's eyes as he removed his sunglasses.

Zhu Sanxiang happily laughed: "General Muzi, can you tell me now? How exactly have those Beiyang Army soldiers turned out?"