Chapter 6: The General's Summons

At present, among the new army, those who are capable are all suspected of being party members. Aside from them, there are only those officers who have been donated and the mediocre individuals who merely exist without purpose. Once any trouble arises, he truly does not know whom he can rely on

Fu Qi's full name is Xilin Jue Luo · Fu Qi. He is a member of the Manchu Zhenglan Banner and is now in his forties. As a Manchu, he naturally faces criticism in an era where resentment towards the Manchu people among the Han Chinese is increasingly severe. However, historical records indicate that he was not an inflexible person. Since being appointed as the General of Guangzhou, he has been dedicated to educational reform, reorganizing primary and secondary schools within his jurisdiction, and often advises his fellow Manchus to pursue enlightenment through learning

Fu Qi raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "You really know how to speak."

I have no such intention. With the wisdom of a great person, one can easily distinguish between the capable and the mediocre; a mere piece of clothing cannot serve as a disguise before a great person. Wu Shaoting said calmly and without deference.

The Army Office of the Governor is merely a nominal establishment, as the Army Office is quite inconveniently located in the suburbs. Most of the time, Fu Qi conducts his business at the General's residence in the urban area. This is also the reason why, after the Officer's Department sent the files of Wu Shao and Tu Shu Ting over, it took several days to receive a response.

Wu Shaoting knew that Fuqi was referring to Xu Chongzhi, but he was not concerned with others' matters at the moment

Wu Shaoting maintained a soldier-like demeanor, revealing no signs of flattery or servility

On the previous day, Wu Shaoting took special care of his hair, reluctantly shaving off the hair from his forehead and tidying up the braid at the back of his head. The meeting with the governor was scheduled for noon, so he put on his clean German officer's uniform early in the morning, instantly looking refreshed and considerably more spirited

"The state has nurtured me, and it is to encourage me to serve the country diligently rather than to haggle. Therefore, I will absolutely obey the arrangements of the authorities; wherever I am needed, I shall go there." He spoke with conviction and adopted a serious demeanor, striving to leave a good impression in Fuqi's eyes

I understand, and I will not disappoint your expectations in the future" Wu Shaoting said solemnly, standing tall.

Thank you, my lord. Wu Shaoting finally let out a sigh of relief; he had never knelt before anyone in his previous life. If he were to actually kneel down, it would likely leave a psychological shadow on him in the future

After waiting for a moment in the corridor outside the office, Fu Qi finally instructed the secretary to invite Wu Shaoting in

Oh? I thought you were intentionally showing off that you had studied abroad!" Fuqi said with a hint of teasing in her smile.

Wu Shaoting entered the office and steeled himself to prepare for a kneeling salute

Wu Shaoting replied: "The subordinate understands."

He paused for a moment, then changed to a tone of regret and said: "A foreign-educated officer with the surname Xu, who returned from Japan two months ago, actually went to Fujian because the position assigned by the government was too low. Such a person is undesirable; he should consider who covered his overseas education expenses for several years."

Fu Qi, upon hearing these words, could not help but nod, revealing an expression of appreciation, and said: "Very good, what the court needs are overseas students like you who do not forget their roots"

Wu Shaoting was taken aback; the position of company commander was equivalent to that of a battalion commander, which was no small role. In the twenty-first century, the average age of a battalion commander was around 40 years, so one could imagine how long it would take to gain the necessary experience in the military to attain such a rank. He understood that as a newly graduated officer from the military academy, it was impossible for him to rise to such a position overnight, and thus he did not harbor excessive fantasies.

Although Secretary Chen of the Officer's Office did indeed submit Wu Shaoting's file and resume to the Governor's Office the next day, it was not until four days later that Wu Shaoting received a summons from Fuqi, the Governor and General of Guangzhou.

Fu Qi nodded and said, "Alright, you may leave for now."

He sighed and pondered to himself: Although Wu Shaoting is the grandson of Wu Changqing, times have changed, and it is uncertain whether he can be trusted or not

Fu Qi looked at Wu Shaoting's imposing demeanor and felt quite satisfied, saying: "Very well. You will take up your post at the Mountain Character Camp next month, and the other matters will be properly arranged by Chief Accountant Chen from the Officer's Department."

"Your Excellency, during my journey back to the country, I did not wash my clothes. A few days ago, I washed all my garments, but they have yet to dry. Therefore, I can only present myself to you in this attire," replied Wu Shaoting.

Well, it is great that you have a positive attitude. In fact, there is not only a vacancy for a fire officer in Guangzhou; the 24th New Army Division has recently formed a new infantry battalion, and there is currently no one selected for the commanding officer of this battalion. " Fuqi said mysteriously.

Fu Qi saw Wu Shaoting in a Western-style military uniform, and the stiff jacket would certainly make it inconvenient to perform a kneeling salute. Therefore, he smiled faintly, waved his hand, and said: "No need for formalities."

He arrived at the army headquarters, and when he saw the minor officials in the front courtyard again, these individuals approached him with nods and bows, perfectly exemplifying the idiom "to judge by appearances".

Although students studying abroad are more likely to be suspected of being influenced by "revolutionary" ideas, it is said that Japan and the regions of Southeast Asia are the high-risk areas for such rebellion. At least Wu Shaoting is far away in Germany, which is currently also an imperial power (in reality, a dual-monarchial system), and would never allow such heretical notions as "republic" or "democracy" to arise.

Wu Shaoting felt somewhat frustrated. What does Lord Chen mean? Just because he did not express his opinion at the time does not mean he has no objections. Assigning an officer trained in Xi Jin military studies to lead soldiers armed with cold weapons is nothing short of a blatant waste of human resources. However, since Fuqi has already voiced his thoughts, he has no choice but to accept it.

Fu Qi picked up a document from the desk in front of him and glanced at it, then said: "Officer Chen from the Military Affairs Office has added a few notes after your resume at m.hetushu.com. It seems you have no objections to the assignment to the old military post by the office, do you?"

"Sir, when may I assume my position?" he inquired

Wu Shaoting performed a bow and then withdrew

"What’s the matter? Do you not have a decent set of clothes? Is it that foreign things are better? Is there something wrong with our own products from the Great Qing?" Fuqi sat behind the large writing desk, the earlier smile vanished without a trace, and his face showed no signs of emotion.

Fu Qi gazed at Wu Shaoting's back, his expression gradually becoming somewhat serious. The current situation across the nation is increasingly unsettling, and he does not know how long the Manchu regime can hold on. He is well aware of the circumstances within the new army in Guangzhou; revolutionary ideas have already permeated many grassroots soldiers. If adequate countermeasures are not taken, it will inevitably spiral out of control.

I have a good impression of you. However, I did not immediately recognize your true talents as you claimed. The reason I mentioned that there is still a shortcoming in the 24th Town is that I hope you will perform well and convince me through your actions. Rest assured, I am not an ordinary person; the military is crucial for national defense, and officers are the backbone of the military, so I will certainly take it seriously

"Sir, what brings you here..."