Chapter 2: Who Was Yuan Shikai?

Yang Xiaolin knew that the Japanese were so eager for him to meet Sun Yat-sen because the Russo-Japanese War was imminent. Having finally secured a period of respite, he had to make the most of it to prepare a surprise for both the Russians and the Japanese once the war began.

He needed to focus on both software and hardware. The "software" was the environment for the coming battle; he had to build a solid base of operations that could both attack and defend.

Equally important was the reputation of his troops. The attitude of the local populace toward his forces would be a crucial factor. If they viewed his men as their own sons and brothers, he would at least have the advantage of fighting on home turf.

The "hardware" was easier to define: the quality of the soldiers and the quality of the weaponry. Current firearms were mediocre at best. Given the state of China's industry—a blank slate in terms of technology and manufacturing—it was a fantasy to expect his weapons to be superior to those of others.

However, under equal conditions, if his side possessed better tactical proficiency, a more refined combat system, and more rational firepower deployment, he could still look down on the enemy. Creating a few simple, novel gadgets to surprise the Russians and Japanese was well within reach.

He could certainly achieve better firepower deployment than either the Russians or the Japanese. Both armies relied primarily on rifles, with very few machine guns. Their combat philosophy was still stuck in the Napoleonic era—a barrage of artillery followed by a direct infantry charge.

A Russian battalion was typically equipped with only about five heavy machine guns, and the Japanese were even worse off. Yang Xiaolin remembered that during the Russo-Japanese War, General Nogi Maresuke, hailed as a "God of War," had led the Japanese in an assault on Russian positions. The entire Japanese division had only a few machine guns, all mounted at the rear of the formation—not to fire on the Russians, but to shoot any Japanese soldier who tried to retreat.

The fact that the Japanese had provided the Gulushan bandits with over a dozen machine guns, despite their own desperate shortage, truly touched Yang Xiaolin. He wondered what they would think when, in the future, he turned those very muzzles against them.

Close-quarters combat was another area for improvement. A simple bayonet was the only guarantee for a soldier in hand-to-hand combat, and this was another area where Yang Xiaolin could outperform them.

As soon as that British rogue delivered the machinery, Yang Xiaolin could easily convert his current rifles into semi-automatics. Then there were the grenades; the ones currently in use were primitive, with long fuses and poor blast fragmentation. By making some adjustments to the shrapnel, he couldn't guarantee a massive increase in power, but it would certainly be better than what they had now.

Then there was the most important aspect: uniforms. Yang Xiaolin felt that if he was going to hold high the banner of a Volunteer Army, it wouldn't do to have them looking like beggars.

He had already started the process. He had wanted to make camouflage, but that was too difficult, requiring technical expertise in both fabric and dyeing. Instead, he settled on two sets of uniforms for his future volunteers: a set of single-layer, earth-grey fatigues and a set of white cotton-padded winter clothes.

"Staff Officer Kong, have you notified the folks in the nearby villages?"

"I have. Once the fabric is bought, they’ll send people to collect it. These people are quite good to us now. Many in the villages say that as long as we keep fighting the Russians, they’ll take care of the sewing for free."

Kong Luodi smiled as he spoke, his expression clearly showing how much the surrounding mountain villages' attitude toward Gulushan had changed. At first, no one dared to accept the grain Yang Xiaolin offered; the second time, they had voluntarily sent "protection money"; and now, they were willing to help him for free.

Just as the Russians had sworn never to surrender to Yang Xiaolin, these shifts were partly due to the Russians and the Qing troops. When the enemy had come to encircle the mountains, Yang Xiaolin had warned the villages, but many hadn't taken him seriously and suffered heavy losses as a result.

Their change of heart confirmed to Yang Xiaolin that he was on the right path. "We must pay them. Let's see... they gave us money back in the spring, didn't they? You still have the ledger I told you to keep, right?"

Kong Luodi nodded. "I do. There’s an account for every village."

Yang Xiaolin thought for a moment. "Publish the amounts each village gave. We’ll use the excuse of making these uniforms to pay them back."

As soon as he said this, Liang Qichao, who was sitting nearby drinking tea, spat it out. Yang Xiaolin glanced at him. "Ren-gong, drink slowly. I’ve already promised that all those tea leaves are yours; no one is going to snatch them from you."

Liang Qichao waved his hand and set down his cup. "Yang Dagui, what did you say you were going to publish?"

"The money those villages gave me. If I keep it, it’ll just disappear on random expenses. These hunters scraped that money together from their own meager savings. Don't you think it’s only right, Ren-gong?"

Liang Qichao gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Well, you're not wrong, but it feels strange. The Imperial Court never says a word about how they spend the money they collect, and here you are, a bandit, publishing an account of the money you've extorted! What am I supposed to say to that?"

Yang Xiaolin found this amusing as well and smiled. "Ren-gong, I’ve said it before: don't think of me as a bandit. Once my brothers have established a foothold at the foot of the mountain, I intend to build a school. When that time comes, I hope you’ll provide some help."

Liang Qichao sighed helplessly. "I have no choice but to help, since no one is coming to pay a ransom for me. But let's be clear: whoever I bring in, you must guarantee their freedom and pay them a proper salary."

Yang Xiaolin nodded. "Rest assured, Ren-gong. By the way, I received a letter yesterday pleading on your behalf. The writer said that you are the hope of China and that your falling into my hands here in Changbai Mountain is a stroke of destiny. He asked me to treat you well and promised that if we ever meet, he would owe me a favor. Can you guess who it is?"

Liang Qichao was intrigued. "Oh? Someone still cares about me? Let me think... you wouldn't take a letter from an ordinary person seriously. Could it be Prince Chun?"

Prince Chun, Zaifeng, had a very close relationship with the Guangxu Emperor and was highly favored by the Empress Dowager. Zaifeng was enthusiastic about the Westernization Movement; though he was close to the Empress Dowager, he inwardly sympathized with the Hundred Days' Reform.

Zaifeng had met Liang Qichao several times in the Legation Quarter and had promised that as soon as the time was right, he would lift the warrant for his arrest. Naturally, he was the first person Liang thought of.

However, Yang Xiaolin shook his head. "No. Guess again, Ren-gong."

Liang Qichao guessed a few more names, but none were correct. By now, even Yang Du and Kong Luodi were curious. Yang Xiaolin placed the letter on the table. Yang Du leaned over to look and was shocked: "Yuan Shikai!"

It was truly unexpected. No one had imagined that Yuan Shikai, the man who had betrayed the reformers, would be the one pleading for Liang Qichao. Liang Qichao's hand trembled as he held the envelope. After a moment of hesitation, he didn't open it, but tucked it into his breast pocket and sighed deeply.

Yang Xiaolin sat down beside him. "Ren-gong, in your opinion, what kind of man is Yuan Shikai? If he cares so much about your safety, why did he betray you all back then?"

Liang Qichao remained silent for a long time, clearly lost in the past. Finally, he spoke. "That was years ago. I don't want to talk about it."

He stood up and, ignoring Yang Xiaolin and the others who were still waiting for an answer, walked slowly out of the room.

Watching him, Yang Xiaolin suddenly felt that the failure of the Reform Movement might not have been solely due to Yuan Shikai's betrayal as the history books claimed. There were clearly hidden details he couldn't know, secrets that had been lost to time. His curiosity was piqued; he wanted to chase after him and ask for the full story, but he knew Liang Qichao wouldn't say anything more for now.

Just as they were feeling frustrated by Liang's departure, Nier came in from outside. "Commander, our Mr. Robert is here."

Yang Xiaolin was delighted. He knew Robert would come back; for a rogue like him, the pile of money was enough to make him ignore any danger. There was, of course, a chance that after Yang had turned him into a hero, he might have decided to turn over a new leaf and stop coming, but fortunately, the rogue remained a rogue. He hadn't disappointed.

"Robert! I'm glad to see you again. Did you get what I wanted?"

Yang Xiaolin believed that dealing with two types of people was effortless: smart people, who understood you with half a word, and bad people, who didn't require any pretense of friendship. They were there to make money, and as long as there was profit, there was a partnership.

Robert flashed a brilliant smile. "Mr. Yang, please rest assured. Since I’ve come to see you, I’ve certainly brought them—the finest German products. You know the world-renowned quality of German machinery. It took a great deal of effort to acquire these, and the bribes at the customs office alone were no small expense."

Yang Xiaolin knew this meant he wanted more money. That was fine; a little extra for the first deal to keep Robert happy was a small price to pay. He looked at Robert and asked curiously, "Mr. Robert, you seem to have changed quite a bit. At first glance, I thought I was looking at a gentleman—a gentleman of high society."

Robert laughed and pulled a cigar from his pocket. "You must understand, I am now a British hero. I thank you for opening the door to high society for me. I am trying my best to squeeze in. I’ve definitely stopped using those 'damn it's' from before."

Yang Xiaolin curled his lip. "So, will you still do business with us once you've become a proper gentleman?"

Robert nodded eagerly. "Of course! You know, people in high society, aside from avoiding profanity, do things far dirtier than any rogue. Compared to them, I consider myself quite pure."

Yang Xiaolin laughed heartily. "Haha, well, since the pure Mr. Robert has brought the goods, let's talk price."