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

"Father! What are you doing?! Maochen fought a bloody battle at Shanhaiguan. Without him, the Third Army would have been defeated! The entire Fengtian Army would have been defeated! Now you not only don't reward him, but you want to send him to Japan?! What are the soldiers of the Third Army supposed to think?! Isn't this chilling the hearts of meritorious officials?!"

As soon as Zhang Hanqing finished speaking, his father, Zhang Zuolin, turned around instantly, his face ashen. Pointing at him, he roared, "Little Six! You've grown wings, haven't you?! You actually dare to pressure the emperor for official positions on behalf of your subordinates?! Let me tell you, I conquered this empire! I can reward whomever I want!"

"Dad! This isn't fair!"

"fair?!"

Zhang Zuolin sneered, "What am I rewarding this time? It's for the merit of conquering territory in the south! Yang Yuting and Zhang Zongchang are about to go and fight Sun Chuanfang to the death! What has that devil Guo done? He's been opposing my southward advance in the camp every day! If he doesn't want to fight, then let him go to Japan!"

"So, the credit for Shanhaiguan doesn't count?!"

Zhang Hanqing roared with red eyes.

"I'll remember Guo Guizi's contribution!"

Zhang Zuolin refused to back down: "Go back and appease him, tell him that once I've pacified the South, he'll be well rewarded! Now, get out of here!"

After saying that, he didn't listen to any explanation, turned around, and faced away from his son.

Zhang Hanqing stood there, trembling with anger. He stared intently at his father's back, and after a long while, he gritted his teeth, turned around, and slammed the door shut as he left.

Hearing the footsteps receding outside the door, Zhang Zuolin's anger subsided completely.

He turned around, looked at the empty lounge, and let out a deep sigh, filled with endless calculation.

"Sixth son, oh sixth son..."

Zhang Zuolin walked to the window, looked at the gray sky outside, and muttered to himself, "Do you really think your father is blind and can't see Guo Degang's achievements?"

A glint of light flashed in his cloudy old eyes.

"The Third Army Corps is the most capable unit in the Fengtian Army. Guo Songling's prestige among the young officers below him is almost surpassing that of you, the corps commander! If I were to grant him the high position of military governor now, allowing him to fully consolidate his power..."

"In the future, when I kick the bucket and you take over, what will you use to reward him? What will you use to tame this tiger?!"

Zhang Zuolin shook his head, hands behind his back, his voice so low only he could hear: "A debt of gratitude can turn into enmity... Your father is playing the villain today to suppress his arrogance. When you come to power, you can then show him favor and promote him, and only then will he be truly loyal to you. All of this I'm doing is for you..."

……

The Third Army Corps camp on the outskirts of Beijing.

Inside the central command tent, Guo Songling sat at a table, slowly and meticulously wiping his sidearm with a piece of white cotton cloth.

His expression was unusually calm, as calm as a deep well without any ripples.

Everything that happened in the conference room an hour ago, including the list of awards and even Yang Yuting's sarcastic remarks, had reached his ears without missing a single word.

It wasn't that he was well-informed; rather, it was someone with ulterior motives who deliberately leaked the information to him.

As for who leaked the information, Guo Songling didn't care.

The tent flap was lifted.

Zhang Hanqing walked in with a livid face.

Looking at Guo Songling sitting at the table cleaning his gun, I opened my mouth, but didn't know where to begin.

Overwhelmed with guilt, he felt as if his throat was stuffed with cotton.

Although his elder brother warned him to be wary of Guo Songling, Zhang Hanqing couldn't help but stand up for him.

"Mao Chen..."

Zhang Hanqing began with difficulty, "There's a meeting today..."

"Hanqing, you don't need to explain."

Guo Songling didn't look up, nor did he stop what he was doing. His voice was flat and emotionless: "I already know the list."

Zhang Hanqing said urgently, "Maochen, it's the old marshal who's confused! Yang Yuting is sowing discord between us! Don't worry, I absolutely won't stand for it! I'll go see the old marshal right now and do everything I can to get you a position as military governor!"

Guo Songling stopped what he was doing, raised his head, and his slender eyes revealed a worldly-wise arrogance and contempt for the Fengtian clique's top brass.

"Hanqing, whether I become the military governor or not is actually irrelevant."

Guo Songling inserted the cleaned gun into the holster at his waist and gave a cold laugh.

"I just can't stand Yang Yuting's smug, petty attitude. What makes him worthy of being the military governor of Jiangsu? Just based on his theoretical knowledge of military strategy?"

Guo Songling stood up, his eyes full of sarcasm: "Even if he gets that position, does he think Jiangnan is so easy to take? Can he withstand the counterattack of Sun Chuanfang's allied forces from the five southeastern provinces? Zhang Zongchang's soldiers who only know how to smoke opium, and the White Russian soldiers who rob civilians, can they fight a tough battle?"

Zhang Hanqing was terrified. Fearing Guo Songling might say something even more outrageous, he quickly changed the subject: "Maochen, the old marshal said... said he wants you to go to Japan to observe military exercises at the Army University. If you don't want to go, I'll go talk to the old marshal right now! I absolutely won't let you leave at this time!"

Guo Songling looked at Zhang Hanqing's anxious appearance, his eyes softened for a moment, but then returned to their coldness.

He walked to the tent entrance, lifted a corner of the curtain, and turned back to speak.

"How can we not take such a great opportunity?"

Guo Songling's voice was soft but resolute: "I will set off tomorrow."

Zhang Hanqing was stunned: "Maochen, are you really going? This is clearly a way to get rid of you!"

Guo Songling did not answer the question. Instead, he looked at Zhang Hanqing and coldly uttered a chilling prophecy.

"Hanqing, before I leave, there's something I must remind you of."

Guo Songling spoke slowly and deliberately, as if a judge were issuing a verdict:

"The front lines will surely be defeated within three months."

Zhang Hanqing was jolted, his eyes widening in shock.

"You will stay behind in Beijing and Tianjin with the Third Army Corps."

Guo Songling remained expressionless: "Prepare in advance, be ready to clean up the mess at any time."

After saying that, he didn't look at Zhang Hanqing again, and strode out of the tent, not giving Zhang Hanqing a chance to continue asking questions.

The camp was empty.

Zhang Hanqing stood frozen in place.

A gust of wind blew in through the slightly ajar curtain, making him shiver.

Within three months, defeat is inevitable at the front.

These words were like a knife, stabbing him deeply into his heart.

Before Lin Qi appeared, the person Zhang Hanqing trusted and admired most in the world was Guo Songling.

He knew all too well how sharp Guo Songling's military acumen was.

And now, Guo Songling has made the exact same pessimistic conclusion as his elder brother Lin Qi!

Lin Qi said that the Fengtian Army would inevitably get bogged down if it marched south.

Guo Songling predicted that the frontline would be defeated within three months!

Two of the world's top strategists have reached the same conclusion!

"Could it be...could it be that the Fengtian Army is really going to suffer a crushing defeat? Was the old marshal's decision really wrong?"

Zhang Hanqing was extremely anxious, pacing back and forth in his tent. He felt as if an invisible net was closing in on the Fengtian Army.

His first thought was to go to Guangzhou and seek Lin Qi's advice on how to break the deadlock!

However, the thought that the Fengtian Army and the General Headquarters are now in a state of nominal existence or even subtle hostility due to the breakdown of the tripartite meeting is a great relief.

At this time, if he were to send a telegram to ask for advice in his capacity as the young marshal, he would not only lose face, but it would also arouse suspicion from the old marshal and Yang Yuting, and might even bring trouble to Lin Qi.

"We can't do it openly... we have to find an excuse."

Zhang Hanqing's mind raced, and suddenly, his eyes lit up.

"A flanking maneuver!"

He picked up a pen and paper and drafted a telegram.

However, instead of sending the telegram to Lin Qi in Guangzhou, he sent it to Lu Xiaojia, who was far away in Shanghai!

The telegram contained highly personal information and carried a strong air of frivolous extravagance:

"Brother Jia, congratulations on your father's appointment as the Pacification Commissioner of Jiangsu and Anhui. I've heard he's doing very well in Shanghai. I've been feeling quite down in Beiping lately and miss him dearly. I'd like to visit him. Could you ask if Brother Tuozhi is free these days?"