Wang Shizhen put his eyes on the teacup, turned his eyes around and said, "Governor Xu, the eastern army, led by the two generals Wang Zhanyuan and Cao Kun, advanced rapidly. After recapturing Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, he forced several Sun Wanling's divisions to Nanjing. Since then, the rebels in the south have been frightened and have been huddling on the south bank and have no more movement!"

Wang Shizhen is telling the truth. Since Sun Wanling took the initiative to withdraw from Nanjing, the entire National Revolutionary Army has adopted an active defensive policy south of the Yangtze River. For more than a month, there has been no major move. (eng.com)

Xu Shichang stood up and turned around and asked, "So with General Wang's experience, do you think the Southern Rebels do this normally?"

Wang Shizhen was wondering what Xu Shichang wanted to say, and he was really unhappy to always beat around the bush, so he asked tentatively: "What the governor means is that Tang Jian is accumulating strength and ready to counterattack at any time?"

Xu Shichang smiled and said, "It's still a general who is so good! I guessed it as soon as I guess!"

Wang Shizhen thought to herself, after you ask this, no one can guess it, can you still use high opinion? However, Wang Shizhen dared not reveal this dissatisfaction. Although he looked down on Xu Shichang, the powerless sorrow of Xu Shichang was not just a reputation for becoming Yuan Shikai's important counselor. He pretended to be confused like this, so he must have his purpose.

Wang Shizhen bowed and said, "The General Supervisor has been awarded too much, and Bei Zhi knows what to do! From today on, the defense forces in Jingzhou will be strengthened, and we must pay special attention to the southern rebels on the other side."

"Haha, General Wang is a smart man, so I won't say much about this. Since the general asked me to be the general, there is naturally his reason, and I cannot insult the general's trust in me. Although Jingzhou is not on the real main position, Jingzhou is related to the important security of the entire Beiyang New Army's right wing. It has an extraordinary strategic position and must not be missed. Otherwise, you will know the consequences! Xu Shichang said lightly.

Although Xu Shichang said slowly, Wang Shizhen still felt a hint of chill in his words. There will be no gains or losses in Jingzhou, otherwise it will be the consequences of losing one's head.

"Yes, yes! You must be loyal to your duties and ensure that Jingzhou is safe!" Wang Shizhen nodded quickly.

"In addition, the Grand Marshal asked me to come this time and asked me to investigate why Feng Guozhang surrendered to the enemy!" Xu Shichang smiled mysteriously.

Damn, Xu Shichang's speech was full of twists and turns, which made people frightened. He just calmed like a ball of water, and now he was smiling. I wonder what he was selling in the gourd? Did he already know that it was his own inability to rescue, which caused Feng Guozhang to fall into a siege and was forced to surrender to the enemy? Thinking of this, Wang Shizhen's heart that had just calmed down had turbulent again, and dense beads of sweat oozing into his forehead.

Wang Shizhen quickly calmed down and pretended to be calm and said, "This, this is Feng Guozhang taking a risk to advance, attacking the Southern Rebel Command without authorization, and finally retreated in time and was surrounded by the Southern Rebels. Although I personally led the army to rescue him, Feng Guozhang was defeated too quickly. By the time I arrived, Feng Guozhang had already been defeated and surrendered to the enemy!"

"Oh, is that right?" Xu Shichang asked meaningfully, "I heard that Feng Guozhang got your approval when he attacked the Southern Rebel Command and asked you for help from the beginning. How could he not be able to rescue him? I also heard that General Wang and Feng Guozhang have always had a gap!"

When Xu Shichang said so casually, Wang Shizhen was immediately frightened and quickly explained: "Governor Xu didn't know anything. On that day, I strongly opposed Feng Guozhang's attack on the southern rebel command, but Feng Guozhang insisted on his own and wanted to make a contribution, so I couldn't resist it, so I had to go with him. When he asked me for help, I immediately led the troops to rescue him. However, the Governor also knew that it was rainy in the south, the roads were muddy, and the speed of the reinforcements was slow. I just couldn't imagine that Feng Guozhang would be defeated so quickly! Although Feng Guozhang and I had a little misunderstanding, I also knew that the public and private distinction were clear, so I hope Governor Xu would be careful!"

"Oh, so that's how it is!" Xu Shichang suddenly realized, "Haha, General Wang is like this. This general knows better than me. Since General Wang said that, it's naturally like this. When I go back, I will naturally report the real situation to the general!"

Wang Shizhen secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "It's still Governor Xu who understands the righteousness!"

Xu Shichang returned to his seat and poured Wang Shizhen a cup of hot tea, saying meaningfully: "I don't want Duan Qirui to follow Feng Guozhang's footsteps!"

Wang Shizhen and Xu Shichang clinked a cup, and the two looked at each other. Although Wang Shizhen could not see anything abnormal from Xu Shichang's deep eyes, he could still hear the meaning behind this sentence from his last sentence, that is, if Duan Qirui was in trouble, he would definitely not be able to hide his own personal information. He must help him and ensure the safety of the Yangtze River defense line.

Wang Shizhen smiled and said, "Come on, Governor, we have done this cup!"

Xu Shichang also said: "Come on, cheers!"

After the banquet ended, Xu Shichang revealed to Wang Shizhen that the Russian army was about to go south to help the new Beiyang army, so that he could prepare. The army would go south in the near future. After his words, he faintly stated that Yuan Shikai would use Wang Shizhen as the pioneer of going south.

Wang Shizhen was naturally overjoyed when he heard this. He understood that this must have been Xu Shichang who gave him a few words in front of Yuan Shikai, which gave him the opportunity to be a vanguard before the war. When he thought of this, Wang Shizhen was naturally grateful to Xu Shichang.

Finally, Xu Shichang told Wang Shizhen that he had not been in Jingzhou for long and would set off tomorrow to Anqing to inspect Duan Qirui's station.

Wang Shizhen knew that she could not force her, so she held another banquet to entertain Xu Shichang in the evening.

Early the next morning, Wang Shizhen personally sent Xu Shichang to the city gate. He was relieved when he saw Xu Shichang's convoy disappearing from the horizon.

Adjutant Wang Shizhen, who has always been smart and good at observing words and expressions, walked to Wang Shizhen and said, "General, this Governor Xu has left!"

At this time, Wang Shizhen, who had been looking at the direction where Xu Shichang left, realized and said, "Go and go home!"

The adjutant smiled and said, "Haha, as soon as Governor Xu left, we can breathe a sigh of relief!"

Wang Shizhen glared and cursed: "It's a big deal! Let all the generals open their eyes immediately. Don't let the rebels scramble to Jingzhou City. This Jingzhou City must be kept by me. If you can't defend it, don't even think about living!"

Seeing that Wang Shizhen suddenly got so angry, the adjutant nodded and responded: "Yes, I'll make arrangements now! Let all the officers guarding the city strengthen their vigilance and will not let the rebel spies infiltrate in!"

Xu Shichang is worthy of being Yuan Shikai's imperial counselor and confidant. Wang Shizhen deeply understood it at yesterday's banquet. A few words made him frightened, and Feng Qingyun Dan revealed that he had no connection with Feng Guozhang's defeat and surrender to the enemy.

Xu Shichang's short words during the meal showed Yuan Shikai's attitude, that is, Wang Shizhen bears an unshirkable responsibility for Feng Guozhang's surrender to the enemy, but Yuan Shikai puts the overall situation first and will not hold him accountable for the time being. He just hopes that he can defend Jingzhou well and does not want Feng Guozhang to happen again. In other words, if Duan Qirui is in trouble with Feng Guozhang, Yuan Shikai hopes that he will help Duan Qirui at all costs.

Since Wang Shizhen has been in the officialdom for so many years, he would not be able to hear any clues from Xu Shichang's words. This time Xu Shichang came to him to give him a warning first and give him a sweet fruit. As long as he guards Jingzhou well, when Russian reinforcements go south, Wang Shizhen can become the vanguard of going south and make the first contribution.

After a short negotiation, Wang Shizhen did not dare to underestimate Xu Shichang, who was a literati, and obediently implemented the orders issued by Yuan Shikai to him, strengthening the guards of Jingzhou City to ensure that Jingzhou is foolproof.

………

On the third day after Xu Shichang left Jingzhou, Wang Jianchuan brought more than 200 lonely wolves with makeup and ordinary people to scatter and scattered on the north bank. After arriving at the north bank, he found that the entire Jingzhou was well-guarded and was far from as easy to get in as imagined.

On the morning of that day, Wang Jianchuan took He Shan and Ma Rushan, one-armed two-legged men and two men to Jingzhou. Since the Lone Wolf handed over to Wang Jianchuan, Wang Jianchuan divided the two hundred and twelve lone wolves into two companies according to Tang Jian's suggestion, namely the Lone Wolf Company One Company and the Lone Wolf Second Company. He Shan is the company commander of the Lone Wolf Company, and Ma Rushan is the company commander of the Lone Wolf Second Company.

Although Wang Jianchuan brought more than 200 numbers into the north shore in advance, due to Wang Shizhen's high alert, a large number of weapons did not climb to the north shore with the brigade of men, but were loaded in batches in cargo ships under the cover of night before being quietly transported over.

Wang Jianchuan, He Shan and Ma Rushang, had been wandering outside Jingzhou City for a whole day, but he still had no plans.

There are heavy troops at each gate of Jingzhou City, with fixed posts above the city wall, and a patrol team will patrol every half an hour under the city wall, and a curfew is imposed in the entire Jingzhou City.

Every ordinary person entering and leaving the city must undergo a strict body search, and this kind of body search is not a simple body search. The baggage, trouser legs, cuffs, and arms that carry you all have to search.

From the elderly in their seventies to the children in Huangkou, everyone has to search for their bodies before they can enter and exit.

Not only that, all the goods coming and going must be inspected one by one.

"You! Stop it!" Suddenly, Wang Jianchuan saw a Beiyang New Army soldier guarding the city gate from afar and a big man with a gun.

The big man said, "Mr. Jun, I have something urgent to do when I enter the city!" He was about to break into it after that.

"Damn it, do you want to stop and hear? If you have something urgent? If you have something urgent, you have to search your body!" That was the soldier with a gun scolded.

"Oh, it's not Jun Ye, I really have something urgent to do..." Before he could finish speaking, two soldiers rushed up from behind and immediately began to search.

"What is this?" a soldier who searched his body scolded, and he found a sharp knife in his hand.

The soldier holding the gun saw that he had found a sharp weapon, and immediately pulled the bolt to stare at the big man's head and cursed: "Okay, you spy from the southern rebels! How dare you sneak into Jingzhou City?"
Chapter completed!