At the eastern foot of Baiyun Mountain, the sound of killing on the mountain and down the mountain shook the sky, gray figures fought fiercely on the hillside, among the trees, and in the grass, and from time to time there were officers with red armbands shuttling among them, and when they arrived there, the fighting there stopped, and then left part of the crowd, and the rest continued to move forward.

Chiang Kai-shek put down the binoculars in his hand, soft and a little sour eyes, since the first phase of the students shined in the graduation exercises, the graduation exercises of each phase of the military academy cadets are modeled on the first phase, set the subjects and then let the students play on their own, the commander-in-chief of the two sides is still the instructor, still give orders and do not plan. Chiang Kai-shek was in a meeting, and he could not have participated in such exercises, but he felt guilty about the students of the second and third phases, after the students of the second and third phases entered the school, they were still holding the counterinsurgency Liao case in the middle of the two successive Eastern Crusades, and they could not be like the students of the first phase, and they were personally involved in the school, and now that they were about to graduate, Chiang Kai-shek was determined to participate in their graduation exercises, not only that, but he also invited the general adviser Ji Jiashan and the military adviser Luo Jia Juefu to observe the scene, and he vaguely felt that Ji Jiashan did not care about the Northern Expedition as much as Borodin, and every time he talked about the Northern Expedition, He's always looking left and right about him.

"I'm incompetent as a principal, I care too little about them, Maoru, you bother too much." Chiang Kai-shek was quite satisfied with the exercise, and the students were very brave on the exercise ground, so Chiang Kai-shek was still quite satisfied with Wang Bailing.

"The principal is responsible for the country, so naturally we can't do everything by ourselves like the first phase, and we must be more dedicated as subordinates." Wang Bailing's humility contains a trace of pride, which makes Zhang Zhizhong seriously disdainful, Wang Bailing's escape in the battle of Tamsui has long been spread throughout the school, and there is no prestige among the students at all, and he has long wanted to leave the military academy, and he has very little control over the affairs of the military academy.

But Chiang Kai-shek didn't seem to know, and insisted on putting the credit on Wang Bailing's head: "This is where the words are, if you occupy your position, you have to do your job, and I, the principal, should be criticized if I don't do my best, I have too many positions, I should remove a few, and spend more time on running the school." ”

Wang Bailing didn't dare to answer now, he knew Chiang Kai-shek, how many positions did he remove? Remove that, the principal of the Whampoa Military Academy? Military councilor? Commander of the First Army? Commander of the garrison? These are all key positions, and those who hold real power cannot be taken away in Wang Bailing's opinion.

"The principal's words are to the point, the principal's duties are indeed too many, and it is difficult to take care of them," Zhang Zhizhong deeply agreed, he used to work part-time as many as a dozen times, and he resigned one after another, leaving him with three positions: chief of staff of the garrison headquarters, chief of staff of the Second Division, and head of the Whampoa Military Academy Student Corps.

"Looks like you're suffering from it too." Chiang Kai-shek's interest was very high, Zhuang Jihua's bill was passed, and the next is to formulate a bill, because Zhuang Jihua submitted three drafts at the same time, and the congress also elected an eleven-member legislative committee, so Chiang Kai-shek believed that these three bills should be decided soon, so that the political and economic strategy before the Northern Expedition was determined, and the hidden danger between the two parties was eliminated, and troops could be dispatched by July this year at the latest.

"Alas, the water is in dire straits, and my feet don't fall to the ground all day long, it's either a motorboat or a car, but if you really ask what you did, it's really hard to say, and then think about it, it's better to quit and concentrate on one or two things, and you may get more." Zhang Zhizhong smiled and introduced his experience.

"Well, you're right." Chiang Kai-shek was very appreciative, and he could see that Zhang Zhizhong was telling the truth: "I plan to resign from the two posts of commander of the First Army and commander of the Guangzhou garrison, Wen Bai, what do you think?" ”

"In the future, the First Army will be stationed in Dongjiang, and it will be difficult for the principal to take care of it, and the post of army commander can be resigned, but the garrison commander is not necessary." Zhang Zhizhong replied after thinking for a while, Wang Bailing broke out in a cold sweat, the army commander is the real power, he controls the army, Zhang Zhizhong is too bold?

Unexpectedly, Chiang Kai-shek shook his head and said: "There is no need for that, Wang Dongcheng wants to be the commander of the garrison, I will give it to him, and I must resign from these two positions." ”

Zhang Zhizhong restrained his smile and said with a serious expression: "Wang Dongcheng is slightly lacking, his conduct is uncertain, and he can't take on heavy responsibilities, even if the principal wants to resign from the post of garrison commander, he can't hand it over to Wang Dongcheng." ”

Chiang Kai-shek's expression was unmoved, and his eyes turned slightly on Zhang Zhizhong's face: "Meet, Wang Dongcheng still has talent, you are his chief of staff, don't judge the commander casually." ”

Zhang Zhizhong then remembered that he was still concurrently serving as the chief of staff of the Second Division, but he didn't expect to be a villain now, he couldn't help but smile bitterly: "What do you think of the principal, if I were only the chief of staff of the Second Division, I wouldn't be here, I am now speaking as the head of the Huangpu Military Academy Cadet Corps." ”

Chiang Kai-shek smiled: "I thought Wen Bai was an honest and honest person, and it turned out that he also had a side of change." After saying that, he laughed.

Zhang Zhizhong said with a wry smile: "Forced by the environment, forced by helplessness, there is no way to talk about changing power." ”

Everyone looked at each other and laughed, at this time Ji Jiashan put down the binoculars and spoke Russian, Chiang Kai-shek and others turned to look, and the interpreter told Chiang Kai-shek that Chiang Kai-shek was talking about a wonderful mountain attack and defense exercise at this time, and the cadets were very brave and comparable to the Soviet soldiers, but their tactical ability was still lacking. Chiang Kai-shek knew that this was a translator to save face for him, which he had just seen, three points of military and seven points of politics This is the characteristics of the Whampoa Military Academy, which was set by Sun Yat-sen, and as far as the current teaching force is concerned, the education of the Whampoa Military Academy is only an army primary school at most a secondary education, and students have to complete the three-year study tasks of others in one year, and no one can be perfect.

"You're right," Chiang Kai-shek nodded, "They just completed the curriculum of the army primary school, but now the revolution needs a large number of cadres, and they can't be trained completely step by step, and they can only let them study in the war by themselves in the future, in fact, their study is long enough, and the first batch of students is only six months." ”

Chiang Kai-shek's implication was that the first phase of students only studied for six months, and still completed the Eastern Expedition to quell the rebellion and unify Guangdong, and the third phase of students studied for one year, which could fully meet the needs of the Northern Expedition.

Ji Jiashan didn't understand, he shook his head and said, "It is difficult for such an army composed of students to defeat the powerful Northern Army. ”

Chiang Kai-shek chuckled in his heart, how could Ji Jiashan speak like this he looked left and right, Zhang Zhizhong stared at Ji Jiashan thoughtfully, serious but a little excited, Wang Bailing looked at the drill on the opposite hill with a grin, as if he didn't hear it.

"Consultant Ji, the first batch of students has only studied for six months, and the combat effectiveness of the first army is obvious to all."

Ji Jiashan shook his head and said, "No, no, General Jiang, it's not that I despise your colonel, Chen Jiongming is just this compared to your army," he said and raised his little finger: "But compared to your army and the northern army, you have become this." ”

Seriously furious, he snorted angrily, turned to leave, Chiang Kai-shek's face was hot, he suppressed the anger in his heart, and said coldly: "Adviser Ji, the Whampoa Party Army is the latest army in China at present, and the officers and soldiers have a high political consciousness and the courage to sacrifice, so we can defeat all enemies." ”

"No, General, although your army is brave, bravery does not mean everything, bravery can win a battle, but not a war." Ji Jiashan is still stubbornly insisting.

"Isn't political work the experience of building your country's army?" Chiang Kai-shek was very surprised in his heart, and what he meant was that you passed on this experience to us, so why did you actually deny it.

"The political work of the army is to ensure the loyalty of the army and enhance the soldiers' will to fight, but for senior officers, it cannot be used as a factor to measure the victory or defeat of a war." Ji Jiashan explained to Chiang Kai-shek.

This was difficult for Chiang Kai-shek to accept, and he had always regarded the introduction of political work into the army as a proud move, and during his visit to Soviet Russia, the leaders of Soviet Russia also repeatedly told him about the important surname of political work.

"Mr. Adviser, when I visited your country, the leader of your country, Trotsky, regarded the political work of the army as a powerful source of strength for the Soviet Russian Red Army, and the Whampoa Military Academy was established under the guidance of Adviser Bao and General Galen." Chiang Kai-shek coldly changed his name, but Ji Jiashan, who was not a Chinese, did not know the meaning at all.

In the face of Chiang Kai-shek's questioning, Ji Jiashan still spoke eloquently: "Trotsky is a political leader, he is not a professional military general. You can ask General Rogajov that he certainly did not take political work into account as a condition when planning the war. ”

Strong words, Chiang Kai-shek sneered, forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart, he felt that Ji Jiashan must have other purposes in slandering the Whampoa Military Academy like this: "But even so, compared with the northern army, our strength is not weak. At present, there are five armies in Guangdong, and General Cheng Qian is in the process of forming the Sixth Army, and after a while, General Li Zongren of Guangxi can also form an army, so that by July, the two Guangxi will be able to mobilize 100,000 troops to go on the expedition. ”

"Most of your army can only be regarded as mercenaries, such an army is very weak in combat effectiveness, I talked to General Gerkel before I came to China, and he said that General Wu Peifu's army is highly disciplined, and the soldiers are brave and good at fighting, and it is the most powerful army in China." The Comintern once took Wu Peifu as their first choice, and the more they flew to China, the first one to look for was not Sun Yat-sen but Wu Peifu, and it was only after Wu Peifu rejected Soviet Russia and suppressed the 27th National Strike that Soviet Russia turned its target to Sun Yat-sen's Kuomintang; Therefore, Soviet Russia had all the intelligence information about the various forces that came over in China. Ji Jiashan had read these materials before coming to China, and he was very impressed by the introduction of Wu Peifu in the materials.

"General Gerkel?" Chiang Kai-shek hadn't heard of it, so he asked Ji Jiashan suspiciously.

"Oh, he's the head of my country's General Staff College, and he used to be a military attache in China." Ji Jiashan felt that he had lost his words, and hurriedly covered it up. However, under Chiang Kai-shek's gaze, his expression was slightly panicked.

Despite his doubts, Chiang Kai-shek reluctantly accepted Ji Jiashan's explanation of Gerkel, and he still reluctantly said: "It seems that his vision is not good, and Wu Peifu still failed." ”

When he said this, he remembered Zhuang Jihua's judgment in Yunqiao, this Gerkel seemed to be inferior to Zhuang Jihua, just a fool.

"No, General Wu is only a temporary setback, and now he is leading the armies of the fourteen provinces to crusade against Zhang Zuolin, the lackey of the imperialists." Ji Jiashan defended Wu Peifu.

"Then you should really advise him." After Chiang Kai-shek finished speaking coldly, he left angrily, the translator didn't dare to translate in his words, and Ji Jiashan's demeanor told everyone that he didn't care.

Although Borodin had not yet left, Ji Jiashan had already begun to inherit his position in Guangzhou, Ji Jiashan had his own set of plans, in his opinion, Chiang Kai-shek's confidence in advocating the Northern Expedition was to build the heroic and good fighting of the party army, if Chiang Kai-shek could realize the strength of the Northern Army, then he would not mention the Northern Expedition again.

On the opposite hill, the defenders finally drove the attackers down the hill, but just as they were in pursuit, a group of soldiers rushed out from their flanks, and the front immediately turned into an attack, and the defenders fell into confusion under the two attacks.

Chiang Kai-shek had no intention of watching the exercise at the moment, he stood there with a depressed expression and stared at the other side, his eyes empty, allowing the chilly mountain wind to blow the Buddha.

Zhang Zhizhong quietly approached Chiang Kai-shek and whispered: "It seems that Ji Jiashan does not approve of the Northern Expedition. ”

Chiang Kai-shek nodded and shook his head, Zhang Zhizhong didn't know what Chiang Kai-shek meant, and looked up at him in some surprise.

Chiang Kai-shek didn't speak, but his heart was repeatedly thinking about what Ji Jiashan said.

After the exercise, the students of the third phase of the exercise dragged their tired bodies, carrying mud and dust, neatly arranged on the exercise ground, Chiang Kai-shek looked at the hundreds of strong eyes in front of him, and his heart was full of mixed feelings: "There is a deputy couplet in front of the Whampoa Military Academy, please go to other places for promotion and fortune, and do not enter the gate if you are greedy for life and fear of death; Are you afraid of death? ”

Nine hundred throats shouted in unison: "Die for the revolution, die as you deserve!" ”

"Well said! We joined Whampoa to die for the revolution, our personal lives, whether we die today or tomorrow, we don't know, like the first, second, and third students, many have died, the battle of Dongjiang, the battle of Shaji, the battle of Yang Liu, many students died, if we do not understand the meaning of life, that is, die for struggle, we must also feel wronged. I believe that the dead students understand what I say, and they are all very fast, because our lives are not fragmentary, but continuous. ”

Chiang Kai-shek paused for a moment, his anger still burning, and he remembered the fallen soldiers under the city of Huizhou: "Our revolutionary slogans, 'Down with imperialism,' and "Down with the warlords," were all set by the prime minister during his lifetime. We must do the Northern Expedition, this is the will of the prime minister, and it is also our mission. Our revolutionary army is a heroic hero, capable of hard work, able to endure hardships, not afraid of difficulties, not afraid of death, to defeat our enemies, to achieve our final success. ”

………。

After venting, Chiang Kai-shek's mood calmed down slightly, and then he slowed down and continued to preach:

"Although you have graduated now, the actual level is not as good as that of the army middle school, not only is the academic subject far behind, but also the political ideology and the responsibilities of party members, and you do not have a thorough understanding. …… The biggest purpose of education is to hope that the educated will study and manage by themselves, so that they can make progress, and they must not rely on the educators to supervise, otherwise the results will definitely not be good. ......, we should not think that the time to reform politics or fight an armed war is a revolution, because we must know that the scope of the revolution is very wide, and the food, daily life, words and deeds are all within the scope of the revolution.

.........., our revolution has been carried out for more than ten years, and it has not been able to succeed, not because our prime minister is inferior to Lenin, but because our Chinese society and environment are too bad, people with blood surnames have also become lazy surnames, and people with ambitions have become twilight, only knowing selfishness and self-interest, unable to stand on their own feet and self-reliance, and have simply become a half-dead and half-alive person, who is oppressed and bullied by others, and who does not feel ashamed, has no blood surname, and has no ambition, how can the revolution succeed.

……”

Chiang Kai-shek, who watched the speech, was full of worries, and the change in Ji Jiashan's attitude surprised them, before Chiang Kai-shek had told them that Borodin supported the Northern Expedition, and Zhang Zhizhong also participated in the formulation of the Northern Expedition plan, but now .........., how did it suddenly change.

However, Chiang Kai-shek did not abandon his plan, and the next day he proposed to the Military Council to resign from the post of army commander and garrison commander, and proposed that the army commander system be abolished, and that training be carried out in divisions in peacetime and temporarily appointed in wartime.

Wang Jingwei got Chiang Kai-shek's resignation letter and felt that there was something strange about it, and it was understandable that Chiang Kai-shek resigned as army commander, but why did he resign as commander of the garrison?

"What do you care about so much?" Just when Wang Jingwei was pondering, Chen Bijun said nonchalantly beside him: "If you want him to stay, you can stay, and if you want him to leave, you can leave; It's a big deal to let Wang Dongcheng do it. ”

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Chiang Kai-shek once proposed to abolish the army commander, but Zhu Yizhi (that is, Zhu Peide) and Li Renchao (that is, Li Jishen) They did not agree, this time it is possible for him to take the lead, but why should he resign as the commander of the garrison?" What Wang Jingwei didn't understand was this.

"What does he say in his book?" Chen Bijun asked while rummaging through the meeting report.

"He said he wanted to concentrate on running the school." Wang Jingwei shook his head, obviously thinking that this reason was a bit far-fetched.

"Do you think you can put Wang Dongcheng (i.e., Wang Maogong) on the board of the Central Committee?" Chen Bijun asked suddenly, and Wang Jingwei's thinking didn't keep up for a while. Seeing him stunned, Chen Bijun smiled softly: "I mean, if Wang Dongcheng is made a member of the Central Committee, is he qualified to take over as the commander of the garrison?" ”

Only then did Wang Jingwei understand Chen Bijun's intentions, he thought about it a little and said: "This is for Chiang Kai-shek, Wang Dongcheng is his subordinate after all, he agrees, and we will push him up." ”

"Why do you have to ask him to agree, you are the chairman of the Kuomintang." Wang Jingwei's weakness made Chen Bijun very dissatisfied.

"My lady, don't be in a hurry, simmer in the soup, you have to take your time; What's more, Chiang Kai-shek now supports me very much. Wang Jingwei's implication is that there is no need to change people now.

Chen Bijun sighed and said, "You, when you really want to drink soup, don't make soup but it's gone, at least Wang Dongcheng should be obedient." ”

Wang Jingwei was slightly stunned, and after thinking about it, he said: "I'll ask him at the meeting tomorrow to see what he thinks." ”

However, Wang Jingwei did not see Chiang Kai-shek at the meeting venue the next day, and it turned out that Chiang Kai-shek had taken a leave of absence on the grounds that he had a foot disease. Wang Jingwei was inexplicably ill when he had a foot disease, but seeing that he was going to be elected as a member of the Central Committee in two days, Wang Jingwei could not afford to wait, so he hurried to Chiang Kai-shek's villa in the afternoon to visit the patient.

"Podiatry?" Chiang Kai-shek's illness and failure to attend the Second National Congress surprised many people, Wu Chaoshu, who had been paying attention to Chiang Kai-shek, frowned and thought for a long time after getting the news, and suddenly laughed, but Jiyuan and Li Yanguo looked at him puzzled, I don't know what is ridiculous about this.

"The two of you, there is a door, and there is an infighting between them." Wu Chaoshu said seriously after retracting his smile.

"Why did Yun Gong say this?" Ji Yuan asked suspiciously: "Wang Jingwei just supported the proposal of the Zhuang Cultural Revolution, what is the problem between them?" ”

"Jiyuan, you don't know this, Chiang Kai-shek is playing Yuan Shikai's trick. In Xinhai year, the Qing court wanted to cut Yuan Shikai's military power, didn't it mean that he had foot disease, and later Wuchang Shouyi, the Qing court wanted to use him again, and Yuan Shikai also asked the Qing court for foot disease. Chiang Kai-shek has some foot disease, he only went to see the military academy exercise yesterday, and today he has foot disease, and his disease is really strange. "Chiang Kai-shek's two people didn't know about watching the exercise yesterday, so they didn't believe that Chiang Kai-shek was really ill, but they didn't know what Chiang Kai-shek meant, Wu Chaoshu's words suddenly blew away the fog in front of the two of them, which made the two very excited.

"Yun Gong, what do you think Chiang Kai-shek means by this?" Li Yanguo asked.

"I don't know, but one thing is certain, there is a conflict between them, which is a good thing, and it should be revealed." Wu Chaoshu stood up with great interest.

"Okay, but Yun Gong, then what should we do next?" Jiyuan asked with a smile.

"Do nothing, wait." Wu Chaoshu said affirmatively: "We don't do anything, if we move, they will join forces again, then we will have no chance, and when the contradictions between them accumulate and increase, to a certain extent, we will make another move." ”

(To be continued)