Did he trick the young marshal into becoming sworn brothers and then go south to Huangpu Military Ac

The heavy mahogany door closed behind me, shutting out the faint scent of sandalwood from the study.

Lin Qi stood in the corridor of the Grand Marshal's Mansion and let out a long breath. The February weather in Guangzhou was humid and stuffy, and the back of his shirt was already soaked with cold sweat.

That refusal just now was extremely dangerous.

The position of principal of Whampoa Military Academy is highly coveted, and the fact that the professor offered it to him was an immense favor. If one were to refuse it even slightly, one would be labeled as arrogant and ungrateful.

Fortunately, he used the excuse of "armchair strategist" to push Chiang Kai-shek out, and subtly exposed Xu Chongzhi's fatal flaw of old warlord habits.

This series of moves not only allowed him to escape unscathed, but also solidified his image as a noble and virtuous patriot in the gentleman's mind.

Once you get involved in politics, you can't get out. What he wants to build is an independent and self-reliant heavy industry base, and he absolutely cannot be tied to any faction's war machine and become a target.

After calming his breathing, Lin Qi straightened the collar of his robe and strode out of the mansion. There was still a batch of special steel waiting to be calcined at the arsenal, and he didn't have time to waste in the officialdom.

Just as I turned a corner covered in ivy, I bumped into two people.

Madam, and the Third Miss who was by her side.

Lin Qi stopped in his tracks, cursing his bad luck inwardly.

Today, the third young lady wore a very fitted moon-white dress with an ankle-length hem, and a pair of exquisite high-heeled leather shoes. Her hair was styled in fashionable waves, and she held a small Suzhou embroidery fan in her hand.

Their eyes met, and the third young lady's eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, revealing an undisguised aggressiveness.

Instead of yielding like a typical young lady from a prominent family, she took half a step forward, directly blocking Lin Qi's path.

"Greetings, Madam; greetings, Third Miss."

Lin Qi bowed slightly, displaying impeccable manners but exuding an aloofness that kept people at arm's length.

The third young lady looked him over with a half-smile, gently waving her round fan in front of her chest.

"Why is Dr. Lin in such a hurry?"

Her voice was clear and crisp, with a hint of coquettishness and questioning: "These past few days in Guangzhou, why have you been avoiding me like I'm a thief? Do you find me annoying?"

His words were blunt; anyone else would have melted at the thought.

Lin Qi remained expressionless, knowing full well how difficult this woman was, and immediately brought out a high-sounding shield.

"Miss, you flatter me. The arsenal is in dire need of rebuilding, and hundreds of people need to eat. I spend my days and nights in the workshop watching over the machine tools and reaction towers, and I'm covered in the smell of machine oil and nitric acid. I really wouldn't dare to be so presumptuous as to offend you. I just finished reporting the progress to the gentleman, and I have urgent business at the factory, so I can't leave."

The explanation was so thorough that there was not a single flaw.

After saying that, Lin Qi bowed again, not giving the other party a chance to continue entangled, and walked around to the side without looking back.

The third young lady stood still, watching Lin Qi's tall and resolute figure disappear at the end of the corridor.

Instead of being angry, a deep smile curved his lips, and the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

The more uncontrollable a man is, the more it ignites the fervent desire in her heart to completely conquer him.

The warlord sons and tycoon scions who fawned over her in Shanghai were not even worthy of carrying her shoes in front of this man.

The lady stood to the side, taking in everything, and chuckled softly, covering her mouth with a silk handkerchief, breaking the silence.

"Third sister, you're completely bewitched! You haven't really fallen for this Dr. Lin, have you?"

This was originally a joke.

The third young lady turned her head, put away her fan, and nodded with utmost seriousness.

"Second sister, I really like him."

His tone was firm, without any hesitation.

"A man of such talent and good looks, with such profound wisdom, is one of a kind in this world. I've made up my mind."

The lady was taken aback at first, then revealed a complex expression of deep thought and surprise.

As the older sister who watched her younger sister grow up, she knew all too well how high her sister's standards were; men who could catch her eye were extremely rare.

More importantly, the lady possesses an extremely keen political sense.

Lin Qi's current status is immense: a gratuitous donation of 150,000 silver dollars and absolute control over the Ishii Arsenal.

Even Mr. Lian listened to him and obeyed his every word. Even the Minister of Foreign Affairs personally recognized him as a relative and nephew.

This force is taking root and sprouting in the south at an alarming rate.

If the third sister could really marry Dr. Lin, it would be equivalent to completely binding this huge force, which could influence the entire Republic of China, to the Song family and Mr. Song's chariot.

This is no ordinary marriage; it is a political marriage of the highest order. With Lin Qi, a financial tycoon and a military industry expert, as their backing, the husband's position will be as stable as Mount Tai.

"Since you like it, leave it to me."

The lady took her sister's hand in return, patted it gently, and said with delight in her eyes, "I'll find a suitable opportunity to mention it to the master myself."

The third young lady smiled.

As for the San Francisco fiancée that Lin Qi mentioned on the passenger ship, in her eyes, she wasn't even a stumbling block. As long as you wield your hoe well, there's no corner you can't dig down.

It was evening.

The back garden of the Grand Marshal's Mansion.

The evening breeze was slightly cool, carrying a hint of moisture from the Pearl River.

After finishing reviewing official documents for the day, the gentleman and his wife were taking a stroll on the stone path in the garden to digest their meal.

He frowned slightly, his mind still on the conversation that had taken place in the study that afternoon.

Lin Qi strongly recommended Chiang Kai-shek, and Lin Zichao also stepped forward to recommend him, which caused his original inclination towards Xu Chongzhi to shift dramatically.

Xu Chongzhi is a senior officer with troops under his command.

But Lin Qi is right. The old warlord mentality is too strong. If the new army is handed over to him, the military academy will sooner or later become a training ground for the old bureaucrats.

Chiang Kai-shek had no power base in the Grand Marshal's Mansion and could only rely on himself, which was his greatest advantage.

While weighing the options, the lady suddenly and naturally steered the conversation toward Lin Qi.

"Lin Tuozhi is a young man who works quickly and efficiently. He has only been in charge of the arsenal for a few days, but he has already produced bullets that do not explode in the barrel."

The lady smiled and praised, "At such a young age, to have such composure and skill is truly a rare national treasure."

The gentleman nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

"Yes, this person will surely be a cornerstone of the South in the future."

The lady stopped and straightened the gentleman's collar.

"Sir, Lin Tuozhi is young and promising, and has spent many years traveling overseas. Now that he wants to settle down and build a factory in Guangzhou, how can he manage without someone who cares about him and takes care of him?"

She lowered her voice and said gently, "These past few days, my third sister has been talking about him all the time. I think she's completely focused on him."

Upon hearing this, the gentleman was initially taken aback.

Then, in the twilight, he burst into an extremely hearty laugh.

"Great! Great! They are truly a perfect match."

For Mr. Lin, Lin Qi was perfect. The only uncontrollable factor was that he was too independent, had an unfathomable background, and was meticulous in his work.

If only I could become his brother-in-law, the son-in-law of the Song family.

Then Lin Qi is one of our own, and there's no escaping it.

The arsenals, vast funds, and clan connections under his control were all the absolute private property of the Grand Marshal's Mansion.

"I think this is an excellent idea."

The man strode forward, his mood suddenly brightening: "Tuozhi is a rare talent, and my third sister has a keen eye. Once the arsenal is on track, I'll personally discuss this marriage with him."

The night breeze rustled the shadows of the trees.

The man instantly understood.

Since Lin Qi is the future brother-in-law, he is definitely one of our own.

Since his own people strongly recommended Chiang Kai-shek and analyzed the shortcomings of the old army incisively, and with Lin Sen's strong endorsement, the situation was very favorable.

Compared to Xu Chongzhi, who was deeply entrenched in the old warlord mentality, Chiang Kai-shek, who had no roots in Guangzhou and could only cling to him, was indeed the most perfect candidate for principal.

The scales of power in Mr. Chiang Kai-shek's heart tipped completely in favor of Chiang Kai-shek in the gentle breeze of that night.

The next day, in the morning.

The Grand Marshal's Office officially issued the letter of appointment.

Chiang Kai-shek was appointed as the chairman of the preparatory committee for the Whampoa Military Academy.

The news sent shockwaves through both military and political circles in Guangzhou.

Xu Chongzhi, who was originally the most popular candidate, flew into a rage and smashed a cup in the headquarters, but he dared not disobey his boss's orders and could only grit his teeth and swallow his anger.

Chiang Kai-shek's hands trembled violently the moment he received the letter of appointment.

He had waited for this day for far too long.

He knew that this was not only due to his teacher's trust, but also because of the overwhelming force behind Lin Qi that had pushed him to the top.

Without Lin Zichao's strong protection, and without Lin Qi personally delivering that blow to Mr., this appointment letter would never have fallen into his lap.

Chiang Kai-shek immediately rushed to the Ishii Arsenal without even changing out of his military uniform.

……

Ishii Arsenal.

In the rough machining workshop, machine tools roared.

Lin Qi, dressed in oil-stained work pants and wearing canvas gloves, was staring at a mortar base being machined on a newly repaired German lathe.

Sweat streamed down his face.

These past few days, he has been living and working in the workshop. The production of sulfuric acid using the traditional method has stabilized, and the cleaning progress of nitrocellulose has been greatly improved. The next key steps are granulation and drying.

Once this batch of smokeless gunpowder is mass-produced, the new army will have real teeth.

The workshop door was pushed open.

Chiang Kai-shek strode in, ignoring the iron filings scattered on the ground and the pungent smell of engine oil, and went straight to Lin Qi's side.

He stood at attention and gave a perfectly standard military salute.

"Brother Tuozhi."

Chiang Kai-shek's voice boomed, brimming with barely suppressed elation and gratitude: "The letter of appointment has been issued. I, Kai-shek, am honored to be the Chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the Military Academy. I am deeply grateful and cannot express my thanks. From this day forward, my life belongs to Tuozhi."

Lin Qi took off his gloves and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

This was exactly what he expected; the script was proceeding exactly as he had planned.

With Chiang Kai-shek serving as a target and training ground for the new army, he could hide in the back and steadily climb his heavy industry technology tree.

"Brother Chiang, you're too kind. It's truly well-deserved."

Lin Qi patted the iron frame of the machine tool: "Since the military academy is going to be established, how many people are you planning to recruit for the first term, and how big is the weapons shortage?"

When it came to serious matters, Chiang Kai-shek immediately suppressed his elation and got into a focused state.

"The initial plan is to recruit 300 to 500 people, but there is a huge shortage of weapons. Most of the Hanyang rifles transferred from the Guangdong Army are severely worn, with no rifling, and ammunition is extremely scarce."

Chiang Kai-shek looked at Lin Qi: "We're counting on the output from the arsenal."

"Let's make do with the Hanyang rifle for now. Once the wire drawing machine I ordered from Germany arrives, I'll equip the military academy with the new Mauser copy."

Lin Qi said confidently, "As for ammunition, before the start of the semester, I allocated 100,000 reloaded bullets to the military academy, guaranteeing a barrel explosion rate of less than 0.5%."

Chiang Kai-shek gasped. One hundred thousand rounds. In Guangzhou at that time, this number was simply astronomical.

With this batch of bullets, the training level of military academies will experience a qualitative leap, and they will no longer be mere decorations shouting "Charge!" while holding empty guns.

The two were talking.

A car horn sounded outside the factory area.

Liao Zkai's car was parked at the entrance of the workshop.

Liao Gong, dressed in a gray Zhongshan suit and carrying a leather bag, strode into the workshop.

Chiang Kai-shek quickly saluted and greeted him.

Liao Zikai smiled and nodded, then turned his gaze to Lin Qi.

"Takumi, the sir is very satisfied with the progress of the arsenal. You've worked hard these past few days."

Liao Zikai spoke in a kind tone, conveying the care of an elder.

"It's my duty, Liao Gong. Did you come today to give you any new instructions, sir?"

Lin Qi asked.

Liao Zikai waved his hand, took two steps closer, and lowered his voice.

"Let's set aside official business for now. I'm here today to deliver a message for you, sir."

Lin Qi's heart skipped a beat.

"Tuozhi, the master knows you've been living and working at the factory these past few days, and you've done a great job. He specifically instructed that a family banquet be held at the Grand Marshal's Mansion tonight to reward you."

Liao Zikai wore a meaningful smile.

"Family dinner".

Lin Qi frowned slightly.

"Yes, there are no outsiders."

Liao Zikai patted Lin Qi on the shoulder: "Just the four of you: Mr., Mrs., and Miss Lin."

Lin Qi's smile froze.

Chiang Kai-shek listened intently from the side and was suddenly jolted.

The gentleman hosted a family banquet, which was attended not only by his wife but also by his unmarried third daughter.

What this means is clear to anyone with even a little political common sense.

This is an attempt to find a suitable son-in-law, to completely transform Lin Tuozhi into a member of the imperial family.

Chiang Kai-shek's gaze toward Lin Qi grew even more awe-inspiring, even bordering on fanaticism. His sworn brother was not only a benefactor and a military industry tycoon, but was about to become half the master of the South.

Lin Qi felt like a million grass mud horses were galloping through his mind.

Despite all precautions and attempts to avoid it, I still couldn't escape this overwhelming debt of romantic entanglements.

The gentleman personally hosted a family banquet to act as matchmaker; this is called a political marriage.

Refusing would be slapping Mr. Song in the face, breaking ties with the entire Song family and the Jiangzhe financial magnates, making it impossible for him to move an inch in the south from now on.

To agree would mean being completely tied to the Kuomintang's war machine.

If one's entire life is marked by comprador capitalism, the grand ambition of establishing an independent heavy industry system will become nothing but empty talk.

A dead end.

Lin Qi took a deep breath, and the stiffness on his face instantly turned into an extremely calm and submissive expression.

"Please trouble you, Mr. Liao, to convey to the gentleman that I will certainly attend the banquet on time."

Liao Zikai nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.

Chiang Kai-shek stepped forward, his face beaming with smiles.

"Brother Tuozhi, congratulations! This is double happiness!"

Lin Qi looked at Chiang Kai-shek's obsequious face and sneered inwardly.

Double happiness?

What a load of rubbish.

Tonight's dinner is more dangerous than facing hundreds of heavy machine guns.

When a cunning old fox encounters a real warlord, the way to break this deadlock must be found at the root.

How can I refuse this marriage proposal without causing a scene and while still having a legitimate reason to do so?

The gears in Lin Qi's mind were spinning wildly.

The excuse of having a fiancée in San Francisco was too weak to suppress the power of the Song family.

We must take drastic measures.

He was given a strong medicine that his wife would not only not blame, but would also praise him for his noble character.

Lin Qi grabbed a rag and wiped the oil off his hands.

Tonight, a spectacular show will be staged at the Grand Marshal's Mansion.

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