Chapter 0010 Confidential Discussion (Part Two)

By the time he returned home, it was already 10:30 PM. Most of the household had gone to bed, and Chen Jingyun did not wish to disturb them. He specifically instructed the doorman not to make any noise, nor to inform Chen Yushi. Nevertheless, the young servant in the doorman's quarters hurried inside, clearly to notify the maidservants in Chen Jingyun's courtyard.

With this base of 160,000 yuan, Chen Jingyun felt somewhat more at ease; at least the funds for the short-term battle were secured. As for future military expenses, that was not something to worry about at the moment. When the time comes to support the army, it cannot rely on donations from the revolutionaries and people like himself; it will have to depend on local finances.

Chen Huiyang set down the lantern and walked in, handing over a ledger while saying: "The accounts for the first half of the year were completed last month, but the young master has been unwell for a while, and these days he has been stationed at the military camp, so there has been no opportunity for him to review them! The various managers and stewards below are all waiting for the young master's response! This old servant understands that the young master is busy with official duties and did not dare to disturb him at the military camp. I just heard that the young master has returned to the residence... The various managers and stewards below are all waiting for the young master's response! This old servant understands that the young master is busy with official duties and did not dare to disturb him at the military camp. I just heard that the young master has returned to the residence..."

Although the remaining individuals did not contribute thousands or tens of thousands, they did contribute several hundreds

While the revolution and the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty are important, the right to lead the revolution is equally significant

Wei Shengtian also nodded: "Mr. Peng is right, I believe Xu Chongzhi will understand our approach"

Then who will be the commander? Zheng Zuyin asked those present. As soon as this question was raised, the atmosphere instantly turned cold. To be the commander of the rebel army, the most important requirement is to possess a sufficiently high military rank and prestige, so as to effectively lead the new army and attract other new and old troops. However, there are not many among the revolutionaries who meet this criterion, primarily including Xu Chongzhi, the commander of the 20th Brigade, Lin Zhaomin, the commander of the 40th Battalion, and Chen Jingyun, the commander of the 38th Battalion. Although Xiao Qibin and Lin Wenying from among the others have some prestige within the revolutionary party and command a considerable force, their military ranks are too low. If they were to become the commander, it is uncertain how many rebel officers would heed their commands. As for Zheng Zuyin, Wei Shengtian, Liu Tong, and others, it goes without saying that they hold no military rank at all. Their role lies in personal connections and fundraising before the uprising, and matters of warfare do not fall within their purview.

As Luo Li went out to prepare hot water, footsteps sounded outside again. Shortly after, an elderly man, around fifty years old and dressed in a silk gown, entered, carrying a lantern, and arrived in front of Chen Jingyun's room: "Young Master!"

Chen Jingyun showed a look of confusion: "Oh, Fourth Uncle, is there something going on so late?"

At this moment, Chen Jingyun sighed and said, "Since everyone insists on this, then I can only be forced to comply and do my best!"

Zheng Zuyin also said: "Zihua, your appointment as the commander is the will of the people, so do not delay any longer"

The person approaching the door carrying a lantern is Chen Huiyang, the steward of the Chen residence. He is a distant cousin of Chen Jingyun's father and has been with the Chen family for several decades, having followed Chen Jingyun's father in his early years.

Upon entering the courtyard where he resided, he discovered that the lights inside the house had already been turned on. Several maids in his room were already waiting, all dressed in thin, form-fitting silk garments, without any outer clothing, clearly having been hastily summoned after going to bed

After a period of dull silence where I looked at you and you looked at me, Xiao Qibin suddenly said: "I propose that Chen Jingyun be appointed as the commander of the rebel army, with Lin Zhaomin as the deputy commander"

As it was already late and given the current tense situation, a curfew had long been implemented in Fuzhou, especially near the South Parade Ground. Therefore, Chen Jingyun and Lin Chengkun could not return to the military camp in a carefree manner. After parting ways, they each went home.

Upon hearing this, Lin Wenying from the Restoration Society also stated, "I agree as well. Here, only Brother Chen and Brother Lin hold the highest positions in terms of duty and authority. Moreover, the Second Battalion under Brother Chen will be the main force of the uprising. Therefore, it would be the best strategy for Brother Chen to serve as the commander and Brother Lin to serve as the deputy commander.

Unexpectedly, Chen Jingyun said, "What about Xu Chongzhi? He is the commander of the 20th Division; it would be truly fitting for him to take on this role as the commander!"

In this way, it is Chen Jingyun who occupies the greatest advantage! He holds a sufficiently high military rank and prestige within the army, and most importantly, he commands the only regular infantry battalion within Fuzhou city.

Xiao Qibin, who had been mostly silent, finally spoke up: "We originally planned to take action in the next few days and have a sum of money on hand, not much, just over 20,000!" After a slight pause, he continued, "However, I can personally donate 2,000 yuan!"

With these two individuals starting off, Chen Jingyun felt compelled to say something, so he stated, "I, Chen, will also contribute 4,000!" After saying this, he immediately turned to Lin Chengkun and said, "You have a considerable fortune, so you should also contribute 1,000!" In Chen Jingyun's mind, he had long regarded the army as his own. Even if the revolutionaries did not provide any funds today, Chen Jingyun intended to temporarily take money from his own household for military expenses. However, since the revolutionaries had money to contribute, it would naturally be used by them.

After Chen Jingyun finished speaking, the others also appeared calm. Zheng Zuyin and the others understood that although they were willing to sacrifice their lives for the revolution, the soldiers at the grassroots level did not share such high awareness. They were aware that, while the situation might be different elsewhere, the Hubei militia was currently offering substantial salaries to recruit soldiers; otherwise, aside from passionate students, it was likely that no one would enlist.

After agreeing on various matters, everyone considered this informal meeting to be concluded. After the meeting, Chen Jingyun bid farewell to everyone and left with Lin Chenkun

Chen Jingyun waved his hand and said, "Everyone go back to sleep! You don't need to worry about me"

However, Lin Wenying, www.hetushu.com, and Lin Zhaomin, among others, did not leave immediately; the dim kerosene lamp inside the room remained lit until midnight

The crowd then discussed the structure of the command center and various possible arrangements, while also indulging in a moment of beautiful fantasies about the future. When it came to the future, everyone was filled with enthusiasm, claiming that once the Qing court was overthrown, China would be able to join the ranks of great powers within a few years, restoring the grandeur of the Han and Tang dynasties, and that the people would live in peace and contentment. Although Chen Jingyun did not share their enthusiasm for such grandiose talk, he felt it inappropriate to hinder their dreams of the future and could only echo a few sentiments.

Thus, a total of nearly 160,000 yuan was surprisingly gathered.

At this moment, Lin Wenying also said: "A few days ago, Mr. Tao Chengzhang also transferred a sum of money to me, amounting to 70,000 yuan." This is for the Restoration Society

It is hard to believe that Xiao Qibin's family background is so affluent. Despite this wealth, he is willing to dedicate his family assets to the revolution. Such noble sentiments are something Chen Jingyun admits she cannot even aspire to match.

Chen Jingyun smiled and said, "I fear you might be worried that I would leave early in the morning, which is why you hurried over at this moment!"

Chen Huiyang also smiled slightly: "Young master, please have some understanding for this old body of mine!"

After a brief moment of calm following our mutual glances, Zheng Zuyin was the first to speak: "For the past few months, I have been raising funds for the uprising, and I now have over 60,000 yuan. I originally intended to use this money to purchase arms, but I will now allocate it as military funds!" This is from the Xingzhonghui.

Peng Shousong said: "I can gather together with my brothers and come up with two thousand yuan."

Hearing her say this, Chen Jingyun said nothing further. If he were to fall ill, the only ones who would suffer, apart from himself, would be the numerous servants in the courtyard

After all, the monthly expenses for a town's military alone amount to nearly 200,000 yuan, not including the costs for purchasing equipment, maintaining equipment, and various other expenses

According to reason, among Chen Jingyun, Lin Zhaomin, and Xu Chongzhi, Xu Chongzhi has the most substantial qualifications. Not only does he hold the highest military rank, but he was also an early capable assistant to Sun Wen and a key figure in the Xingzhonghui in Fujian. However, Xu Chongzhi has long been viewed with suspicion by Sun Daoren. Just a few days ago, following the incident in Wuchang, Xu Chongzhi was sent to Zhaowu Prefecture, making it impossible for him to fulfill the duties of commander if he were to come.

Chen Jingyun said: "I have eaten. As for bathing, there is no need to trouble the people in the kitchen; I will just use cold water later!"

Subsequently, Zheng Zuyin proposed the formal establishment of the headquarters for the rebel army. Everyone was in strong agreement, as the uprising was imminent, and it was essential to avoid chaos at that time; all military actions and related matters needed to be conducted in an orderly manner

After hearing this, the several maidservants exchanged glances, and then one by one, they withdrew, leaving only one behind. This young woman appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, with an oval face and an exceptionally delicate appearance. Although all the maidservants were of good stature, she stood out among the three or four present. This young woman was Luo Li, the personal maid of Chen Jingyun. Originally, she was not one of the maidservants in Chen Jingyun's household; however, due to Chen Jingyun's previous serious illness, Chen Yushi, out of concern, sent her own maid, Luo Li, to Chen Jingyun's room to help manage the other maidservants and attendants.

In this way, it was only to be expected that Chen Jingyun would become the commander-in-chief of the rebel army. However, this command was more nominal; at least, Chen Jingyun could not command the forces under these revolutionaries. To truly obtain power and gain real control over everything in the rebel army, he would have to rely on himself! To be precise, it would depend on the people and the guns under his command

Apart from these reasons, there is an even more important point, which is the internal factional strife within the Tongmenghui. The conflicts among the Xingzhonghui, the Guangfuhui, the Gongjinhui, and even the factions represented by Peng Shousong, although not yet at their peak, have already shown signs of escalating. It is conceivable that they are unlikely to accept the influence of another party to lead them

With Xiao Qibin taking the lead, Lin Zhaomin was also unwilling to be outdone: "My Lin family can also put forth 1,000 yuan, not for anything else, but to avenge my younger brother!"

"Cough!" Peng Shousong waved his hand and said: "Currently, Xu Chongzhi is still in Zhaowu Mansion. How can he command the troops and win over the other new and old armies as the commander?"

Chen Jingyun smiled and said, "Please take a seat"

She first stepped forward to take Chen Jingyun's coat, and then asked, "Young Master, have you had your meal? Will you be taking a bath later?"

Lin Zhaomin and Chen Jingyun can be said to be equally matched, holding the same military rank, and both have only recently joined the Tongmenghui. When it comes to their motivations, neither can be considered entirely pure. However, the two regiments under the command of Lin Zhaomin's 40th Brigade are not stationed within the city of Fuzhou; one regiment is in Zhaowu Prefecture and the other in Yanping Prefecture. In simple terms, he is currently just a figurehead commander

At this moment, Lin Chengkun, who had been standing behind Chen Jingyun with a tense expression, finally relaxed. As Chen Jingyun's trusted confidant, he was aware that Chen had long desired this leadership position; otherwise, Chen would not have gathered members from the Restoration Society, the Gongjin Society, and the Huaxing Society for a meeting. With the friction and distrust among these three factions, Chen Jingyun was able to find an opportunity. It has now been proven that Chen Jingyun, possessing formidable strength and not belonging to any of their factions, has become the lubricant among them. Only Chen Jingyun's presence can facilitate cooperation among the figures from these three parties.

After Chen Huiyang sat down in response, he immediately opened the account book and began to explain it to Chen Jingyun item by item. Chen Jingyun, having integrated the memories of both individuals, had a general understanding of the Chen family's assets in his mind

Unexpectedly, Luo Li said: "There is hot water over there in the kitchen, how could it be a trouble? Moreover, young master, your illness has only just improved a few days ago. If you catch a chill from washing with cold water, I would be guilty beyond redemption!"