The Anti-Japanese War Begins with the Northeast Army

Jiang Cheng had no intention of communicating with her any further, and he was very clear about her identity and future, and had no intention of having anything to do with her. He said a few polite words and asked Zhao Xishun to send her back personally.

Seeing the beauty being sent away, Zhang Hanqing immediately became angry: "What are you two doing? I, I just..."

Zhang Tingshu wanted to hit someone: "I don't want to embarrass you in front of Miss Song - you don't even think about the time when there is a Japanese fleet near Zhoushan."

"There are Wu Peifu's troops on the outskirts of Shanghai! How can you still have the heart to dance and have fun, and even look for women?"

The words were rough but the truth was there. Jiang Cheng looked back at the angry Zhang Tingshu with a sidelong glance, and finally his gaze fell on Zhang Hanqing.

Being looked at by him, she felt guilty for a while, but she yelled at the guards to get out first, and then she gritted her teeth and said, "Jiang Feilan, what are you looking at? Oh, in your eyes, I have nothing serious to do every day, except having sex with women and smoking opium, right?"

Zhang Tingshu curled his lips: "You have some self-awareness to say this."

Zhang Hanqing stared back at him: "Who are the reporters meeting? And who are the foreign ambassadors mediating—"

"Who is protecting all the big and small forces in Shanghai? If I hadn't been there to help you two, the British, French, and American people would have intervened long ago!"

"You want to fight the Japanese Combined Fleet? Yes, I admit that you, Zhang Tingshu, are capable. I admit that your Jilin navy is powerful, with strong ships and powerful guns... Let's have a big fight with the devils?"

Zhang Tingshu wanted to curse, but when the word "you" came out of his mouth, he was suddenly speechless.

Even Jiang Cheng understood: their fleet is fierce, but it depends on who they are targeting... The British, German and Russian ships, as well as the others are converted land artillery pieces from shipboard weapons. If they were to go head-to-head with the Japanese, they would most likely be no match.

At this time, the Japanese only dared to test the waters near Zhoushan, which was indeed related to Zhang Hanqing's maneuvers.

It was clear that the war situation was tense at the moment, and it was a good opportunity for them to take advantage of the situation. The Combined Fleet had quietly followed them as they moved south.

During this period, ambassadors from several countries had close contacts with Zhang Hanqing. Under pressure from all sides, even if the Japanese were greedy for this piece of land in Shanghai, they did not dare to make any plans for the time being.

"I know that all this is your credit... and I also know that the reason why our Fengtian Army is accepted by the people of Shanghai and gets along well with them is also due to you, Zhang Hanqing."

Jiang Cheng looked back at him and said to him who was becoming increasingly unhappy, "But how do you explain this Miss Meiling?"

The two were stunned at the same time, and said in unison: "You, you know her?"

Jiang Cheng knew he had said something wrong, but in an instant he acted like a deputy commanding a million soldiers: "Hehe, I can't help but know her, I also know where she came from."

"The third daughter of a wealthy family in Shanghai, proficient in English and social skills, and a good writer—"

"Hanqing, I know what you are thinking...but this lady is not of the same kind as our Fengtian Army!"

"It wasn't like that before, it's not like that now, and it will be even less like that in the future! I advise you to stay as far away from her as possible when you see her in the future - this thorny rose can not only pierce you, but also the entire Northeast!"

Thinking of the Northeast Army that was coaxed into the Central Plains, Jiang Cheng almost told the truth.

But how could Zhang Hanqing, who was obsessed with beauty, listen to him? Just as he was about to refute, Jiang Cheng threw out his trump card: "I say if you want to play with women again, I will call back to Fengtian and tell the Marshal and the eldest sister!"

"Oh yeah, why don't you tell our sister about it? See if Sister Shoufang will come over here and twist your ears?"

Now it was the other person who was scowling. After a long while, he said viciously, "You bastard, you are so cruel!"

"Okay - I won't have any more contact with Miss Song, but, but I have to make it clear, I'm in the rear, and I'm not idle!"

Jiang Cheng was just about to say "Yes, yes, you are also very busy", when Han Ming ran up from behind and said, "Master Jiang - urgent telegram from Zhenhai!"

The Zhenhai was a converted British dreadnought and was Zhang Tingshu's flagship. The telegram from it must have been about an extremely urgent matter.

"Oh no! The Zhi army fleet heading south has deployed in the surrounding waters. I'm afraid a big fight is about to break out... I have to hurry back to the fleet."

After reading the contents of the telegram, Zhang Tingshu cursed, said goodbye to Jiang Cheng, and walked away quickly, cursing as he walked, "Damn it, Zhang Hanqing, if I hear you hanging out with women on the shore and not doing anything serious again, I will fire all my cannons and beat you to pieces!"

Even after they had walked quite a distance, Zhang Hanqing could still vaguely hear the curse. He was so angry that he wanted to curse: "Look, look! It was all your idea. What do you mean by helping you stabilize the rear——"

"What have I become in everyone's eyes?"

Come on, it seems like I’m really doing serious things every day.

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes at him and said insincerely, "Young Marshal, you are wronged." But he still changed the subject: "I sent a telegram to Fengtian. I have to convey the Marshal's meaning to you."

After relaying what Fengtian said, Jiang Cheng continued, "But I watched with cold eyes as the Luoyang Army arrived. The flames of war in Jiangsu and Zhejiang seemed to be extinguished by a basin of ice water..."

"The scouts I sent out reported that Qi Xieyuan, Wu Peifu, Sun Chuanfang, Lu Yongxiang, and He Fenglin all stayed in their camps and did not move."

Zhang Hanqing quickly said seriously: "What does this mean? Are you not going to fight anymore?"

According to Wu Peifu's habit, he would get his pen before his troops arrived... By now, the entire Shanghai should have been overwhelmed by his "telegraph war".

However, there has been no news about the Zhi army in Shanghai recently, let alone telegrams, even serious news is hard to hear.

"impossible."

Jiang Cheng shook his head. "You came all the way from Luoyang to Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Are you here for a picnic to relax?"

"The Zhi army has a large number of soldiers and horses, and they need to have supplies continuously sent up from the rear when they set up camp... Every extra day is a day of consumption."

During the last Zhi-Feng War, the Zhi army almost mutinied because of "demanding pay", and coupled with the previous financial run in the capital and the collusion of many warlords to make money, their military funds were still very tight.

Under such circumstances, Jiang Cheng determined that it was impossible for them to have no purpose.

"But...what are they waiting for?"

Listening to Zhang Hanqing's confusing words, Jiang Cheng took a deep breath and said, "I think both sides are afraid of being consumed."

"The Zhi army knows very well that we suffered a loss at their hands last time, and they will definitely try every possible means to take revenge - once the battle starts in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it is hard to say what the situation behind it is." (End of this chapter)