The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 80 Zhang Xiyuan and the Guard Platoon

"grown ups."

Zhang Xiyuan, assistant manager of the Kaiping Military Academy, who was attending the meeting, stood up and spoke somewhat stiffly.

Zhang Xiyuan, the general manager of the "Kaiping Camp School", was also the general manager of the camp affairs office of the Wuwei Vanguard Army. The general manager of the Wuwei Vanguard Army would definitely not come to the Vanguard Army to serve. Although Teng Yuzao's appointment as the president of the Vanguard Army was a foregone conclusion, in the eyes of many people, Teng Yuzao was just a lucky person.

The senior officers of the Wuwei Qianjun, which was the elite among the elite in the eyes of the Qing court, still looked down on such people from the bottom of their hearts.

Therefore, this time when the camp school came to the vanguard army, they could only temporarily appoint one person to be in charge of the camp school. Zhang Xiyuan was temporarily appointed as the assistant manager, and he was responsible for the daily affairs of the camp school. Because it was only temporary, Zhang Xiyuan's presence was not strong.

Zhang Xiyuan also graduated from the Beiyang Military Academy, and could be said to be Teng Yuzhao's junior. Teng Yuzhao and his group of officers had a natural sense of closeness with Zhang Xiyuan.

Zhang Xiyuan was over 30 years old, and he was obviously much older than Teng Yuzhao. This was because he had first served as a soldier under Ye Zhichao in the Zhengding Army in Gubeikou in his early years. It was not until the seventh year of the Guangxu period that he was selected to study at the Zhengding Army Yuguan Military Academy. In the seventeenth year of the Guangxu period, he transferred to the Beiyang Military Academy in Tianjin. Due to his excellent performance, after graduation he was assigned to teach at the Cavalry Camp School of the Huai Army stationed in Kaiping under the command of Nie Shicheng, the governor of Zhili.

After that, in the 20th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, Zhang Xiyuan served as the chief instructor of all battalions of the Dingwu Army Infantry of Hu Jufen. In the 21st year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, when Yuan Shikai was training troops in Xiaozhan, Zhang Xiyuan also served as the deputy commander of the first battalion of Yuan Shikai's newly established army artillery and the commander of the Hubei Military Academy.

It was not until the 24th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, which was the year before last, that Zhang Xiyuan returned to Zhili from Hubei and served as an instructor at Nie Shicheng's Wuwei Front Army Military Academy.

In general, Zhang Xiyuan's career was not smooth, which made him develop the habit of being cautious in everything.

This time he took the initiative to speak, which made Teng Yuzhao perk up.

"Brother Gumin, if you have anything to say, just speak frankly. There's no need for us to be so polite." Teng Yuzhao said with a smile.

Zhang Xiyuan smiled awkwardly, but still maintained a respectful demeanor and said, "Su Xilin, the cavalry instructor of our school, wants to join the Vanguard Cavalry Battalion. He asked me if you could take him in, sir?"

The instructors of Kaiping Camp School were to join the vanguard army, although it was a bit against the rules. After all, they were sent by Nie Shicheng to help him train the troops. Moreover, Nie Shicheng had already given him all the graduating students of this term. Those students were temporarily placed with Sun Shijun by Teng Yuzhao. He was helping Sun Shijun train the new recruits and also asking Sun Shijun to help inspect them. Then Teng Yuzhao would use them according to their abilities.

If we kidnap their cavalry instructor now, it would be hard to justify.

Just as Teng Yuzao was thinking about how to refuse, Xue Zhiqian stood up and said.

"Sir, although this instructor Su Xilin has not received any special cavalry education, he is not only an excellent rider, but also very knowledgeable about the use of cavalry tactics. It would be great if he could stay in our Vanguard Cavalry Battalion."

With Xue Zhiqian's words, Teng Yuzao no longer had any worries. He nodded and said to Zhang Xiyuan with a smile, "Brother Gumin, tell Instructor Su that I very much welcome him to join the Vanguard Army. His position..."

Teng Yuzao thought for a moment and said, "Brother Humin, how about asking him to be an assistant in the cavalry camp?"

Zhang Xiyuan nodded repeatedly, "Thank you, sir. Instructor Su will definitely agree."

Teng Yuzao had already prepared to take over the Kaiping Camp School, but it was still too early. However, Nie Shicheng probably wouldn't mind just taking out a teacher. Teng Yuzao asked everyone again if they had anything else to do. Only Liu Yuzhi and Li Xiance said that they were still short of available officers and wanted some of the graduates of the Kaiping Camp School that Nie Shicheng had agreed to.

Teng Yuzhao hesitated again and again about this issue but finally rejected their request. Although there were only more than 200 students, now they had to help Sun Shijun train soldiers. The number of new soldiers he wanted to recruit was not one or two thousand, but tens of thousands. This matter could not be delayed as it was a major plan for the development of the vanguard army.

Seeing that everyone had no more questions, Teng Yuzao stood up and said, "Let's adjourn the meeting now. Everyone should hurry back and prepare. I have a feeling that the battle tonight will not be an easy one. It will most likely be a tough one."

After everyone left, Teng Yuzao was about to take a short break when Wu Peifu came in with a brand new military uniform and a tall young officer in his early twenties. "Report, Li Yaoting, the platoon leader of the guard battalion, is here to report to the military commander."

The tall young man was Li Yaoting, the guard platoon leader assigned to Teng Yuzao by Li Yulin and his colleagues, whose courtesy name was Hanhun.

Teng Yuzao smiled and said, "Hanhun, would you be willing to be my guard?"

Li Yaoting stood up and said, "It is my humble wish to be able to listen to the military's teachings at all times."

Teng Yuzao nodded. "Okay, let me ask you, are the people you brought with you absolutely reliable?"

Li Yaoting was a little confused by Teng Yuzao's words, but he still answered carefully, "General, these people are our old brothers selected one by one by Captain Liu and I. There should be no problem."

Li Yaoting did not make a promise immediately. This cautious attitude made Teng Yuzhao very satisfied, and he nodded and said.

"Han Hun, I have a task for you. Check this row of people carefully again. Those who may be unreliable must be eliminated resolutely and sent back to the guard camp. Only those who are absolutely trustworthy should be left in your row."

"Also, you can pay attention to the new recruits. If there are honest and reliable ones who know some martial arts, you can find more. Don't worry about the large number of people. I plan to expand your platoon to a battalion. But you have to remember that it is better to have less than enough. From now on, you will only be responsible to me. Do you understand me?"

"I understand. From now on, the guard platoon will only obey the orders of the general." Li Yaoting answered straightforwardly.

Teng Yuzao nodded with satisfaction and said, "Do your job well, go ahead."

After Li Yaoting walked away, Wu Peifu asked carefully, "General, this is your new uniform. Do you think you should change it now?"

All the vanguard troops had put on new uniforms, except for the president himself, Teng Yuzao, who was still wearing the uniform of the former Wuwei Army, which was the style of the Wuwei Vanguard Army.

Although the uniforms of the Wuwei Front Army were too Western-style and were even called fake foreigners, Teng Yuzhao thought it was not enough. The uniforms of the Wuwei Front Army still had the shadow of the ancient uniforms of the Qing Army. He wanted to completely Westernize the uniforms because Western-style uniforms were more suitable for the requirements of modern warfare.

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(End of this chapter)