The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 420: Famous Old Friend

The middle-aged officer's riding boots had obviously just been polished, shining black in the sunlight.

Looking at the middle-aged officer approaching, his dusty face that was both familiar and unfamiliar, and the mustache on his upper lip that was obviously newly grown, Teng Yuzhao's heart was filled with emotions.

The middle-aged officer who made Teng Yuzao's heart beat fast was none other than Duan Qirui, Teng Yuzao's classmate at Beiyang Wubei Academy, who also studied in Germany...

Early this morning, Teng Yuzhao had just arrived at the front-line command post with the General Staff when he received an urgent message from Li Yulin and the staff of the camp office who stayed behind in Yi County.

Duan Qirui, director of the artillery team of the Wuwei Right Army, arrived in Yi County early this morning, escorted by a squad of guards. After learning that Teng Yuzhao was commanding the battle at the front line, Duan Qirui insisted on coming to Laishui to meet Teng Yuzhao despite dissuasion, and then set off overnight.

Li Yulin met Duan Qirui in Baoding. Although Li Yulin encountered obstruction and cold treatment from Ting Yong in Baoding and failed to complete the task assigned by Teng Yuzhao, he still had to rush to Luzhou immediately to preside over the relevant matters of the camp office, especially since the Allied Forces had begun to move south, and Luzhou's defense needed someone to supervise and could not be delayed.

Li Yulin was unable to get away, so he had to send someone to bring Duan Qirui to Yi County.

In the Beiyang Military Academy, Li Yulin was only one year younger than Teng Yuzao, so he not only knew Duan Qirui, but also knew about Teng Yuzao's and Duan Qirui's study abroad experiences. However, he had an important mission and could not accompany Duan Qirui to meet Teng Yuzao.

Duan Qirui's arrival made Teng Yuzao quickly become full of doubts after his initial surprise.

He wrote a letter to Duan Qirui, in which he cordially invited Duan Qirui to join the vanguard army and fight against the coalition forces of foreign powers with him.

However, Teng Yuzhao had not received a reply from Duan Qirui for a long time. Only the letter he wrote to Shang Dequan and Wu Dingyuan, two other classmates who were studying in Germany with Duan Qirui and were now in the Wuwei Right Army, received a reply, and their letters had only been received not long ago.

The contents of the two people's replies were almost the same. They both talked with Teng Yuzao about their school days and old friendship at the Beiyang Military Academy and when they studied in Germany, and then they all declined Teng Yuzao's invitation.

Moreover, the reasons for their refusal were exactly the same, that is, Yuan Shikai had been very kind to them and they could not bear to leave him.

Teng Yuzao was once quite frustrated about the attitudes of these three people who went to study in Germany with him.

Because of his predecessor's overly straightforward personality and somewhat unsociable nature, and because he was the youngest of the five people who went to study in Germany, there was a certain age gap between him and Duan Qirui and others, and his thoughts and ideas were very different.

For example, Duan Qirui was six or seven years older than Teng Yuzao.

Due to his age, Teng Yuzao had few common topics with them, so his predecessor had a very ordinary relationship with them.

After returning to China, his predecessor had little contact with Shang Dequan, Wu Dingyuan and others.

Moreover, after they returned to China, Li Hongzhang took great care of his fellow countryman, and Duan Qirui was allowed to continue staying in Germany to study military manufacturing. The relationship between Teng Yuzhao and Duan Qirui was thus severed.

At this time, although he was already the head of an army and the governor-general of Zhili, a newly-appointed frontier official, he was only one step away from becoming the head of all governors-general in the world.

In terms of status and reputation, Teng Yuzao was much more prominent than Yuan Shikai, but people still kept their distance from him. This made Teng Yuzao somewhat disdainful of his predecessor's way of dealing with the world.

Now, Duan Qirui suddenly arrived. Teng Yuzhao's first reaction was that someone was finally willing to help him, which made him ecstatic.

But then he thought about it and felt that he might be wishful thinking.

Because, if Duan Qirui came to join him, it is impossible that he would bring guards with him.

Now Duan Qirui came here with a squad of guards in a grand manner. It was obvious that he had other purposes. The most likely scenario was that Duan Qirui came here to deliver a message to Yuan Shikai and to show goodwill to him.

This judgment made Teng Yuzao's mood become gloomy again.

When Teng Yuzhao just learned that Duan Qirui had arrived in Laishui, he was somewhat uninterested in meeting this old classmate, so he planned to let Duan Qirui rest first and then go to see this old classmate after the war.

Duan Qirui actually insisted on coming to the front line to watch the battle immediately, so he had to arrange a staff officer to pick him up. Although Teng Yuzao was a little annoyed, he still had to prepare to warmly welcome his classmate.

Seeing that Duan Qirui was about to arrive at the headquarters, Teng Yuzhao straightened his military uniform, straightened his body, strode out of the shade of the trees, and stretched out his hand from a distance.

"Brother Zhiquan, I have missed you for a long time!"

Duan Qirui was obviously surprised that Teng Yuzhao suddenly came out alone.

After looking Teng Yuzhao up and down for a long time, he finally confirmed that the man in front of him, who was wearing the uniform of a low-level German cavalry officer but had no military rank, was his old classmate who was arrogant and conceited. He was obviously surprised at first, and then he couldn't help but be overjoyed.

Duan Qirui took a few quick steps and was about to stretch out his hands to shake hands with Teng Yuzhao, but then he thought of something and quickly retracted his hands, quickly straightened his military uniform, and then respectfully saluted Teng Yuzhao.

"Reporting to General Fu, Duan Qirui, the general commander of the artillery of the Wuwei Right Army, has been ordered by General Yuan to come to General Fu's command and now reports to General Fu."

The General Yuan that Duan Qirui was referring to was naturally Yuan Shikai, the Governor of Shandong.

In the Qing Dynasty, the governor was generally called Zhongcheng. However, because Yuan Shikai was also the president of the Right Army of the Wuwei Army and held a military position of leading troops, Duan Qirui called him Junmen.

Calling Teng Yuzhao "Fu Shuai" is also a respectful title for Teng Yuzhao, just like calling Zhang Zhidong "Xiang Shuai".

But doing so clearly showed his estrangement from Teng Yuzao, which made Teng Yuzao even more unhappy.

Teng Yuzhao has confirmed that Duan Qirui was indeed sent by Yuan Shikai to come here. The difference is that he did not come just to deliver a message, but to "observe and practice" here. He felt completely disappointed.

"Hahahaha", Teng Yuzhao seemed extremely excited to see Duan Qirui. Without waiting for Duan Qirui to put down his saluting hand, he stepped in front of Duan Qirui, reached out and pulled Duan Qirui's still raised hand, held it tightly with both hands, and said excitedly.

"Brother Zhiquan, we have not seen each other for more than ten years. I have been thinking about you day and night for a long time! But I have to lead the battle today, so I have not been able to come to meet you. I hope Brother Zhiquan will not blame me!"

Duan Qirui was obviously a little surprised by Teng Yuzhao's enthusiasm, but he still said it with a smile.

"General Fu, what are you talking about? The war is imminent, so of course the war is urgent. Have the foreign coalition forces come after us?"

"it is good!"

Teng Yuzhao took Duan Qirui's hand and walked towards the command center, talking as he walked.

"Brother Zhiquan, I'm glad you don't blame me! The military situation is indeed urgent now. Although the foreign devils haven't caught up with us yet, they are not far from here. Let's go in and I'll introduce you to the military situation."

Since Duan Qirui has clearly stated that he came here on the order of Yuan Shikai, he is only here to help temporarily. After the war is over, he will definitely leave.

In other words, Duan Qirui still recognized Yuan Shikai as his master. There was nothing to say about this. After today, he would handle all official affairs impartially, and there would only be a distinction between superiors and subordinates, and there would be no more friendship between classmates.

As for whether Duan Qirui will stay or leave in the future, we can only take it one step at a time.

After thinking this through, Teng Yuzao felt much more natural in dealing with Duan Qirui, and of course this also made him more polite to Duan Qirui.

"Brother Zhiquan, please take me to write a letter to General Yuan to express my deep gratitude to him for helping me in this difficult time!"

As the saying goes, there can't be two tigers in one mountain. He and Yuan Shikai were bound to fall out eventually, so Teng Yuzhao didn't even bother to reply to Yuan Shikai's letter.

(End of this chapter)