No One Was Dissatisfied

Zhang Xueming stood up, ramrod straight and utterly composed.

"Reporting to the Marshal: when a general is in the field, he need not obey every order from headquarters."

Zhang Yuting was so choked by his words that he pointed at Zhang Xueming's nose and laughed in anger.

"Good! Very good! 'When a general is in the field, he need not obey every order from headquarters!'"

"Originally, I planned to make you Commander-in-Chief of the New Second Group Army."

"Now it seems you want to climb straight to the top?"

"Not a chance!"

"I'll give you a Corps Commander's post. You can take it and have a good think about what you've done!"

Those words made more than a few people present feel their hearts skip a beat.

Commander-in-Chief of a group army—that was the highest position beneath the Marshal, commanding several corps.

He'd defied orders, and they'd demoted him straight to Corps Commander?

That was no light punishment.

Just as the atmosphere had grown unbearably tense, Zhang Fuchen, seated beside Zhang Yuting, hurried to his feet to smooth things over.

He shot Zhang Xueming a meaningful glance, a smile plastered across his face.

"Marshal, Xue Ming was only thinking of what was best for the Feng Army. He's young, and it's good that he has some drive."

"Xue Ming, hurry up and thank the Marshal!"

Zhang Xueming understood at once. He stepped forward and said in a clear voice, "Thank you, Marshal! I'll definitely..."

"I'll definitely build up Fengtian's industrial system. Within five years, our Military Factory will be able to make planes, cannons, and..."

"Shut up!"

Zhang Yuting slapped the table, cutting him off on the spot.

"I made you Corps Commander so you could lead troops into battle!"

"Not so you could spend every day tinkering with your bottles and jars!"

"If you go off topic again, you can forget about being Corps Commander, too. Get back to running your Armaments Factory!"

Zhang Yuting glared and bristled, but anyone with a keen eye could tell that there wasn't much real anger deep in his eyes.

He'd scolded Zhang Xueming and punished him; now it was time to offer him a sweetener.

He lifted his chin toward Yang Yuting, who stood to one side.

Yang Yuting immediately caught on. He cleared his throat, stood up, opened the folder in his hands, and began reading the appointment in a completely emotionless voice.

"By order of the Marshal!"

"Zhang Xueming is hereby appointed Corps Commander of the Fengtian Army's New First Army!"

"The army will comprise the New First Division, New Second Division, and New Third Division, as well as six attached mixed brigades: Artillery, Engineer, Quartermaster, Cavalry, Guard, and Communications."

"At full strength, the army will number thirty-five thousand!"

As Yang Yuting finished speaking, a wave of gasps swept through the conference room.

Every general's eyes turned red.

The New First Army!

That wasn't just an army!

It was a damn miniature group army!

Three full-strength divisions, plus six mixed brigades of technical troops!

Artillery, engineers, quartermasters, cavalry... This lineup was so lavish it was downright unreasonable!

More important still, everyone knew that the New First Army's soldiers had been handpicked from among the more than two hundred thousand troops of the Feng Army, the finest of the veteran soldiers.

Its weapons and equipment were all German-made—the latest gear Zhang Xueming had "bought" from the Germans.

From the moment it was formed, this force had been destined to become the Feng Army's top trump card!

Who knew how many people had fought tooth and nail for the Corps Commander's post, doing everything they could to get their foot in the door?

Everyone knew that the position was ninety-nine percent certain to go to the Zhang family's Second Young Master. But there was always that one percent chance...

Now the appointment had been announced, and the matter was settled.

They were envious and jealous, but not a single one of them was dissatisfied.

Even Guo Songling, who had always been strict with his troops and disapproved of this sort of "nepotism," could only gaze at Zhang Xueming in silence, his expression complicated.

He had to admit it.

Across the entire Feng Army, apart from this audacious Second Young Master Zhang, who could bring back hard cash and advanced technology for the army,

there really was no one else qualified—or capable—of holding this position.

Only in his hands could the New First Army realize its full potential.

Zhang Yuting gave a cold snort, dragging everyone's thoughts back to the present.

He didn't even look at Zhang Xueming. Instead, he picked up a thick kraft-paper folder from beside him and tossed it at Zhang Xueming's feet.

"Take it!"

"You can decide for yourself who gets appointed to every officer's post at battalion level and above in the New First Army!"

"I've given you the blade and the men. If you cause me any more trouble, just see how I deal with you!"

Zhang Yuting's voice remained stern, but the meaning behind his words made every general present gasp again.

The authority to appoint officers!

That was an enormous power!

The soul of any army lay in its middle- and upper-level officers. And the Marshal had just handed that authority to Zhang Xueming in its entirety?

That meant the New First Army would become Zhang Xueming's personal force, through and through!

Zhang Xueming bent down, picked up the folder, and brushed off the dust. His expression remained calm.

He said nothing more, simply facing Zhang Yuting and giving him a solemn Military Salute.

"Yes, Marshal!"

Seeing how calm and unbowed he was, Zhang Yuting felt the fire in his heart ease for some inexplicable reason.

He waved Zhang Xueming to one side, then swept his gaze around the room, his expression turning grave.