Chapter 1: The First Encounter with Su Xue

Chen Yi waved his hand while receiving the document from his subordinate, respectfully presenting it with both hands, all the while observing the leading officer of the Lu Army.

In the autumn of the ninety-second year of the Republic

What is the matter, Colonel?

However, he did not dare to show the slightest contempt. At that time, the stationed troops in Shandong were the 17th Army Division, whose commander was already young and impetuous. Moreover, it was not uncommon to have a young female commander in a high position.

Chen Yi shouted loudly: "Major General Su Xue! What brings you here?"

The soldiers across the way, however, paid no attention to this and instead gathered closer. The colonel quickly noticed that at the forefront was a female officer who appeared to be about one or two years older than himself. She wore a blue military cap adorned with the emblem of the Iron Blood Eighteen Stars, and her flowing long hair cascaded down her shoulders, covering her shoulder insignia. Yet, the long hair could not conceal her snow-white neck, which was precisely at the level of his line of sight. This was due to her tall stature, which made her a full head taller than him, compelling him to look up at her oval-shaped, exquisitely beautiful face.

The officer in charge took the transferred documents, flipped through a few pages with hands as delicate as jade, nodded slightly, and said: "Very good! Director Chen! Can we begin the handover?"

The sharp sound of the whistle, mixed with the rumbling of the wheels, shattered the tranquility of the morning. Accompanied by the piercing sound of brakes, the completely black locomotive, pulling a long train of carriages, entered the station, gradually slowing down until it came to a steady stop.

Listening to this magnetic voice, a look of joy unconsciously appeared on Chen Yi's face

Newspaper! Newspaper!

Chen Yiying said: "Very well, Your Excellency the Colonel. Is the quantity of arms delivered this time in accordance with the original plan?" Although the uniform of the Lu Army originated from the E faction, it was quite different, with a silver war eagle representing the rank of Colonel. Chen Yi, being well-informed, recognized it at a glance

The colonel closed the received document, nodded slightly, and the lieutenant colonel behind him took out the seal and handed it over. Once the seal was affixed, the formal handover would commence. Following that, as long as the numbers were verified to be correct, this batch of arms would be officially transferred to Chen Yi.

The colonel pointed with his slender fingers behind Chen Yi and said, "Are these people here for the handover?"

For this reason, the central government was eager to expand the Eight Divisions near Beijing. However, the Battle of Zhi'e that year had nearly depleted the local stockpiles. Suddenly acquiring such a large quantity of military supplies at an extremely low price was indeed a pleasant surprise. Chen Yi had been reprimanded multiple times over this matter and had been frowning for several days. Now that the issue could be resolved smoothly, how could he not be delighted

Yuduz Yang Linyi once again asserted that the military governor's corps must not be reinstated, provoking a chorus of condemnation from the military governors in the capital

One of the officers in the Lu Army, who was the leader, returned a military salute and said politely: "Good! Good! We are all part of the central system; we are essentially one family... Do you have the receiving documents?"

The three governors of the Yangtze River have expressed their support through a public statement, greatly boosting the morale of the military commanders

The situation in the Northeast is unfavorable, and the Li Zhongyi Brigade has suffered heavy losses again! The Feng Army is now fighting a desperate battle!

Having finished speaking, he walked to a position about six or seven steps in front of the colonel, removed his military cap, and performed a standard military salute, saying: "Your Excellency, the Second Reserve Brigade of the Army has been ordered to come and collect the arms"

Then the colonel waved his hand, and a lieutenant colonel officer standing behind him fluently reported: "Nine thousand smoothbore rapid-fire rifles with accessories, one thousand seven hundred smoothbore cavalry guns with accessories, four hundred handguns without accessories, three hundred thousand rounds of ammunition, thirty-eight two-pound rapid-fire cannons, seventeen three-pound quick-firing cannons, eight five-pound cannons, four six-pound cannons, each cannon without mules and accessories, only carrying one hundred fifty rounds of ammunition, one hundred fifty thousand tin cans, one thousand seven hundred saddles..."

After a while, the train doors opened, and more than ten soldiers dressed in khaki military uniforms disembarked. The officers on the platform quickly approached them, and the leading officer performed the most standard military salute, saying: "Welcome, brothers of the Lu Army! I am Chen Yi, the Director of the Ordnance Department of the Army, sent by the Minister to receive this batch of arms!"

This is a beautiful face that is both charming and slightly pouting, occasionally fluttering her eyelashes at herself. With delicate eyebrows and a refined nose, her skin appears flawless. The blue military uniform does not conceal the natural beauty of this female officer; rather, it adds a touch of allure. The long skirt barely covers her thighs, revealing a segment of her radiant skin beneath a pair of meticulously crafted black military boots. Beside this female officer stands an elderly officer, standing straight at her side.

The commanding officer appeared to be around twenty years old, strikingly handsome. His short hair fluttered gently in the morning breeze, and his slender figure, along with a face as pure as freshly fallen snow, was always adorned with a faint smile. If it were not for his impeccably tailored khaki military uniform, complemented by the eagle insignia on his shoulder epaulet, he would seem overly delicate, leading one to wonder if he were a reincarnation of Mulan, disguised as a man.

The colonel took the pass and was about to stamp it when he suddenly stiffened and said, "Your Excellency Chen Yi, wait a moment."

As they gazed at the train arriving at the station, several officers in yellow military uniforms on the platform felt a surge of spirit, brushing off the dust from their uniforms and standing up straight

The 17th Division stationed in Shandong, although officially designated by the central government, has long been at odds with it. Recently, due to the withholding of revenue from the Jinpu Railway by Shandong, the central government was extremely dissatisfied and nearly dispatched troops southward to attack Shandong. Fortunately, several senior officials in Beijing intervened to mediate, and the Shandong side also expressed a desire to improve relations with the central government, voluntarily offering to sell some weapons and supplies at a low price

Chen Yi turned around and, at a glance, was surprised to see suddenly hundreds of people in the distance. All these individuals were dressed in military uniforms, although the uniforms appeared somewhat outdated. He could not help but feel greatly alarmed and shouted loudly: "Who goes there? This is a sensitive area; unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter"

The youthful voice of the newsboy brought a great deal of vitality to the morning of the capital, yet the desolate fallen leaves echoed the invasion of the cold wind, and the station still saw very few people.

Beiping Railway Station

"Me?" replied the female officer named Su Xue, "I am here to collect my arms!"

Zhang Buyun claimed that if the central government does not provide support, the Fengjun army will retreat along the entire front line

The quality of arms produced by Lu is superior and does not fall short of those manufactured abroad. At this time, the Rouran rebels are advancing southward, repeatedly launching attacks on the three special districts of Rehe, Chahar, and Suiyuan. Additionally, the Fengtian Army has suffered multiple defeats in the Northeast, and there are renewed discussions in the southwestern provinces about sending troops to Hunan. The situation is akin to the chilling autumn wind, rapidly deteriorating.

Not only that, but the more than ten officers following him were also remarkably handsome, and Chen Yi could even tell at a glance that many of them were female officers in military uniform