Black Flag Army

Chapter 159: Xinjiang Conspiracy

Xian Yuji objected: "The four great masters of the Justice Party have all gone to the front lines to fight, leaving the rear empty. What about our safety? What should we do if a few Japanese assassin masters appear? Who will deal with them?"

Li Fei said: "This is easy. Just transfer Leng Hanbing or Liu Zhendong back. Leng Hanbing has avenged his family in the battle of Beiling Province. It's time for him to go back to work in the Supervisory Office. The Supervisory Office can't do without Leng Hanbing. Liu Zhendong has been fighting since Beitang City. He has been fighting for several years. He should have taken a break and returned to the headquarters to be a staff officer or something."

Di Xiong laughed and said, "You racked your brains to find reasons to transfer them back just to get to the front line, without considering what others think. Liu Zhendong is regarded as the sharpest knife in the army by the Chief of General Staff, and he probably won't be able to come back. Leng Hanbing can be considered, the Supervision Department is under too much pressure. I see that Su Jinxu has a lot of white hair on his head, and he is only 22 years old! But if he returns to the Supervision Department, how will his work be arranged?"

Su Jinxu said: "I will give him the position of director and become his deputy. I have limited abilities and am not suitable to be the director of the Supervision Department. Director Leng should have returned long ago."

Di Xiong asked Bian Zhimei, deputy director of the Supervision Department: "What is Director Bian's opinion?"

Bian Zhimei said: "I support Director Su's opinion. If Director Su is demoted to deputy director, I will be the section chief!"

Di Xiong said: "That's not necessary. The Supervisory Department has a large staff, so we can have two deputy directors like the Intelligence Department. I will also send a telegram to ask Leng Hanbing for his opinion! If he has no objection, let him return to the Supervisory Department!"

Su Jinxu said: "It's great that Director Leng is back. My pressure is much lighter now. Thank you, Di Juzi!"

Di Xiong asked: "If Li Fei joins the army, which army group would he like to join? What position would he hold?"

Li Fei said: "I want to go to the First Army Group. As for the position, it will naturally be arranged by Di Juzi. It doesn't matter even if I start as a soldier."

Di Xiong said, "Liu Zhendong is in the First Army, so you should go to the Second Army! First, serve as the army's staff officer and commander of the special forces regiment. The last commander, Shi Zhu, died, and the special forces regiment also lost most of its soldiers. We need to recruit and train new soldiers, so you have to shoulder this heavy responsibility."

Li Fei stood up and said, "I will obey orders firmly!"

After the meeting, Di Xiong met with Deng Haoxiong alone and asked him about technical issues such as submarine diving, surfacing, and charging. Deng Haoxiong answered fluently, and it was obvious that he was not a boastful liar, but a real talent. However, after graduating from the German Naval Academy, such a person could not find a suitable job for five years.

Di Xiong sighed and said, "I have heard about your situation from Sister Lan. The Personnel Department of the Navy Department of the Beiyang Government and the local navy departments use recruitment as a tool to make money. Mediocre people or even laymen and waste can join the navy as long as they pay money. Professionals like you who can't afford the joint fee can't join. How can such a navy become strong? In the future, when we fight with foreign navies, the ending of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 will most likely be repeated. At present, we have no navy. We only have a damaged frigate under repair. We only have a naval preparatory office, and Feng Anbang is the director. You will be the deputy director. I have asked the Germans Beck and Martin to buy the submarines you need in Germany. The world war is over, and all German submarines must be destroyed under the supervision of the British and French. It should be no problem to smuggle one or two here."

Deng Haoxiong asked: "Since they were all destroyed, how could they be smuggled in?"

Di Xiong raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a sly smile, and whispered: "Those foreigners are actually no different from us Chinese. There are many corrupt officials. Take the Germans for example, they also want to make money! And what about those so-called British and French supervisors? Hehe, they are also thinking of ways to make some money. As long as we are willing to invest and open up these key links, the submarines that should have been destroyed can be smuggled to us!" As he spoke, he tapped the table lightly with his fingers, as if he had already seen the beautiful scene after the plan was successful.

On the morning of February 5, 1919, at the Xinjiang Province Altay City Garrison Command, Brigade Commanders Fan Yaonan and Zhang Chunxi walked into the headquarters. Fan Yaonan said to Commander Yang Zengshou, "Commander! If the arrears of wages and rations are not paid, the soldiers will cause trouble!"

Yang Zengshou was half-lying on the armchair, his eyes slightly closed, quietly listening to the melodious and fluent Peking Opera singing coming from the antique phonograph. He gently waved his folding fan with his left hand, and beat the rhythm with his right hand from time to time, looking intoxicated.

However, this tranquility and comfort was broken by the sudden intrusion of two brigade commanders. They looked panicked and walked quickly to Yang Zengshou. Zhang Chunxi anxiously explained the reason: "Marshal! The soldiers haven't received their pay for a long time. Now everyone is very emotional. If we don't find a way to solve it, I'm afraid it will cause riots!"

Hearing this, Yang Zengshou slowly opened his eyes, with a hint of displeasure on his face. He slapped the armrest hard, stood up, and said unhappily: "You guys, why do you always bother me with things like unpaid wages and making trouble? Can't you just let me listen to the show quietly?"

After a pause, Yang Zengshou continued, "You also know that our Xinjiang region is originally poor and barren, and the financial situation has always been very tight. What can I do if the higher-ups don't allocate money and food to us? Can I conjure silver from cracks in the rocks to pay you?" After saying that, he spread his hands helplessly, indicating that he was also powerless.

Zhang Chunxi wanted to say something else, but was stopped by Fan Yaonan. He winked at Zhang Chunxi, and Zhang Chunxi stopped talking. Fan Yaonan said to Yang Zengshou, "Sorry to bother you, Commander. We'll take our leave now."

After exiting the slightly dilapidated gate of the headquarters, Zhang Chunxi frowned and said to Fan Yaonan beside him: "Why don't you let me continue? If we don't distribute money and food to the soldiers, they will probably scatter. This army is the foundation of our survival and achievements!"

Fan Yaonan spread his hands helplessly and responded with a sigh: "Yang Zengshou is simply a good-for-nothing! If it weren't for his brother Yang Zengxin's relationship as the governor of Xinjiang, how could he have taken the position of the Altay City Garrison Commander? Even if you talk to him till you're dry-mouthed, it's useless. We still have to find another way to solve the current urgent problem of food and salary."

Zhang Chunxi asked, "Brother Fan, what solutions do you have for the food and salary problem?"

Fan Yaonan said, "Although we are poor here, our neighboring province, Beihai, is extremely rich! Otherwise, there wouldn't be tens of thousands of refugees fleeing to the northeast. I heard that a family there can get 20 mu of land, and they don't have to spend money to buy seeds, farm tools, or oxen. The local government will rent it to you and you can pay the rent when you have money. Before the first harvest, the government will provide free food, drink, and shelter. This shows how rich Beihai is! Otherwise, how could they afford to support so many refugees?"

Zhang Chunxi frowned and said, "Brother, are you really planning to go to Beihai Province to join them? I don't want to go! I heard from others that the Black Flag Army has very strict military discipline, and the daily training is extremely difficult. Even things like opium are strictly prohibited from being touched." As he spoke, a look of fear appeared on his face, as if he was full of fear and disgust for that place.

Fan Yaonan showed a cunning smile, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and sneered: "Who said we are going to rely on those people? What I mean is, since they are so rich and we are so poor, why don't we rob them? This is called 'killing the rich and helping the poor'! From ancient times to the present, many heroes have done this!"

His voice revealed an undisguised greed and ambition, as if he had seen the scene of treasures piled in front of him. At the same time, his eyes became sharp, full of desire for wealth and power. It seemed that he was announcing to everyone that he was about to become a person who changed destiny.

Zhang Chunxi said, "But Beitang City is too far away from us, and they have patrol planes. Although we are cavalry, it will take at least five days to get there. I'm afraid we will be discovered by them before we even reach Beitang City, and then groups of bombers will appear over us."

Fan Yaonan said, "We are not going to Beitang City, but to the nearest Wubusu Pink Salt Factory. Wubusu Pink Salt Factory is the largest salt factory in Beihai Province, earning more than one million dollars in profit for Beihai Province every month. The pink salt produced is as white as snow, unlike the bitter salt here. I have always wondered why we can't produce such good pink salt in Xinjiang, which also has salt lakes?"

Zhang Chunxi's eyes widened, and he asked in disbelief, "Brother, are you really going to rob the Wubusu Salt Factory? This... this will anger the powerful Black Flag Army!"

Fan Yaonan's face was as gloomy as water, with a trace of determination and firmness in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and said, "That's right! I have made up my mind. You know, the workers of the Ubusu Pink Salt Factory eat top-quality beef and fresh canned fruit every day, and the wages they earn every month are so much that they can't spend them all, and they save them all in the bank! Not only that, it is said that there is a large-scale wool textile factory in Ubusu City, which gathers many young and beautiful female workers. As long as we can successfully attack this Ubusu City, everything will be different!"

Zhang Chunxi was shocked when he heard this. He knew that although his elder brother's move was extremely risky, if it succeeded, it might really change their current poor living conditions. However, his fear of the Black Flag Army made him unable to fully accept such an act.

Just when Zhang Chunxi was in a dilemma, Fan Yaonan patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly: "Brother, I know you have some concerns in your heart. But the reality is so cruel. If we don't take a risk, how can we get ahead? Besides, how can those rich guys have such huge wealth? We are also hard-working people, why can't we have a share of it?"

Zhang Chunxi said: "But the Black Flag Army defeated hundreds of thousands of Russian troops. We robbed the pink salt factory, and they will definitely retaliate against us."

Fan Yaonan raised the corner of his mouth slightly, revealing a sinister smile, and said softly: "We must not use the name of the Xinjiang Guard Brigade to attack Wuvsu, wouldn't that be asking for trouble! But, you see, isn't there the White Hat Army of the Xila Kingdom to the west of us? Hehe, this is a great opportunity!"

He paused, his eyes flashing with a shrewd light, and continued: "As long as we disguise ourselves and pretend to be the White Hat Army, no one will notice us! What's more, we are all cavalrymen, as fast as lightning, and can rush to Uvs overnight! When the time comes, we will make a lot of money and withdraw after robbing. We will never drag our feet and give them a chance to fight back! When they come to their senses, let the Black Flag Army fight the White Hat Army to the death! Hahaha..."

After saying that, Fan Yaonan couldn't help but laugh triumphantly, as if he had seen the beautiful scene after the plan succeeded. Zhang Chunxi listened to his words and nodded in agreement, full of expectations and desire for Wubusu. He added: "In order to make it more realistic, I suggest hiring a group of real white hat soldiers to participate in the war, and then keep them as cannon fodder, so that the black flag army will be more convinced that it was the white hat soldiers of Xila country who did it, anyway, the white hat soldiers were originally reorganized from horse bandits."

Fan Yaonan was very satisfied with Zhang Chunxi's proposal, and the two then began to plan the specific details of the action.

A few days later, a cavalry unit disguised as the White Hat Army quietly marched towards the Ubusu Pink Salt Factory. They had a total of 8,000 cavalry, including two brigades of Xinjiang garrison troops and 2,000 White Hat Army cavalry. They took advantage of the night to quickly approach the Ubusu Pink Salt Factory and caught the salt factory guards off guard. Although a regiment guarding the Pink Salt Factory put up a tenacious resistance, killing thousands of enemies and guarding the factory and equipment, the warehouse was captured by the White Hat Army, and hundreds of tons of salt and canned food were stolen.

Because the robbery went very smoothly, Fan Yaonan asked Zhang Chunxi to lead his men to transport the supplies back, and he led his men to attack the wool textile factory. However, the Uvs City Security Brigade had already arrived. After a fierce battle, Fan Yaonan and the White Hat Army left more than a thousand bodies behind, failed to break through the wool textile factory, withdrew from Uvs City, and fled back to Xinjiang. This action caused more than 800 casualties in Uvs City and lost goods worth 100,000 silver dollars. Fan Yaonan and his men did not know that this action had attracted the attention of the Justice Party Supervision Department. The Supervision Department and the Intelligence Department launched an investigation and gradually pointed the clues to Fan Yaonan and his troops.

In Altay City, Xinjiang, Fan Yaonan and Zhang Chunxi are dividing up the spoils and enjoying the fruits of victory. They thought their plan was flawless, but they didn't know that danger was quietly approaching...