The anti-Qing movement began with the looting of the Eight-Nation Alliance.

Chapter 277 Alludes to the Southeast

The elderly man in his fifties with a thin face standing before them was none other than Zhai Hongming, the newly appointed Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Guangxi. He was traveling with them to Guangxi to assume his post.

Although the military and government are two separate systems, he is still a high-ranking official in the province, so Zhang Tieniu dared not be negligent.

"Hehe! What were you thinking about so intently, General Zhang? I called you several times but you didn't hear me," Zhai Hongming asked with a smile, stroking his beard.

Zhai Hongming was originally just a minor sixth-rank official in the Censorate, but because of his integrity and uprightness, he offended many people.

Unexpectedly, with the establishment of the new dynasty, he was recommended by Chang Le, the Left Censor-in-Chief, and the emperor appointed him as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Guangxi.

This was a high-ranking official of the third rank, especially since the new dynasty had just been established and local reforms were inevitable. His authority as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner was even more formidable; to put it bluntly, even the Governor of Guangxi had to defer to him when he arrived in Guangxi.

He had originally thought he would retire as a sixth-rank official. Now, the Emperor had promoted him to such an important position, and Zhai Hongming was deeply grateful. He secretly vowed to make a name for himself to repay the Emperor's great favor.

Zhai Hongming, having served as an official for over twenty years, was certainly no novice. Especially in a place like Guangxi, where local customs are complex, he needed support to make any significant moves.

We can't count on anyone else right now, but Zhang Tieniu will be in charge of military power in a province in the future. It's essential to cultivate a good relationship with him.

Although Zhai Hongming looked down on these martial artists, he still swallowed his pride and befriended Zhang Tieniu.

"Oh! I was just thinking about how to start the work after I came to Guangxi!" Zhang Tieniu chuckled.

“Yes! Guangxi is a complex region, with Han and Miao people living together. It’s not easy!” Zhai Hongming said seriously.

"However, with the support of the imperial court and His Majesty's many blessings, the people should be grateful," Zhai Hongming said confidently.

So the two began to discuss it in hushed tones...

At 2 PM, the train arrived at Jiaozhou Station. A young senior colonel had been waiting at the station for some time.

"General!"

"Old Tian! Hey, why are we being so polite, brothers?" After lowering his salute, Zhang Tieniu reached out and shook Tian Shuyao's hand, laughing heartily.

"Come, come, let me introduce you, Lao Tian. This is Zhai Hongming, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Guangxi, Lord Zhai!"

"Lord Zhai, this is my political commissar, Tian Shuyao!" Zhang Tieniu introduced Tian Shuyao to Zhai Hongming.

"Greetings, Lord Zhai!" Tian Shuyao stepped forward and saluted.

"Very good! Lord Tian doesn't look like a military officer, but rather like a scholar! Hehe!" Zhai Hongming found Tian Shuyao, with his fair complexion and scholarly air, very pleasing to the eye.

"To be honest, sir! I did have a few years of schooling before joining the army!" Tian Shuyao replied honestly.

“I knew it! Just from your name, I knew you were a scholar! Did you ever achieve any official rank?” Zhai Hongming asked, stroking his beard.

As someone who passed both the imperial examinations and the provincial examinations, Zhai Hongming naturally preferred to associate with scholars.

"To my shame, after studying for over twenty years, I've only achieved the title of Xiucai (a lower-level scholar)!" Tian Shuyao said embarrassedly.

"Not bad! It's not easy to pass the imperial examination at such a young age." Zhai Hongming nodded with a smile.

"Lord Zhai, let's get off the train first! There's still a lot to do. You can talk again once you're on the ship!" Zhang Tieniu quickly interrupted when he saw the two still exchanging pleasantries.

"Alright, let's get off the train first. Shuyao! I'll have a good chat with you once we're on the ship!" Zhai Hongming was very interested in this young officer.

"Yes, sir! Men, escort Lord Zhai out of the station and then safely onto the ship!" Tian Shuyao nodded and beckoned to the guards beside him.

Several soldiers immediately came over and escorted Zhai Hongming and his group of more than ten people out of the station.

Because a large number of Shandong's products are shipped to all parts of the world by sea, the railway was built directly to the dock, making it not far from the sea.

"Let's go! You have so much to do, how can you still have the mind to chat with him!" Zhang Tieniu turned and walked towards the back of the train.

“My General Zhang, we have arrived in Guangxi, a place where we know no one. It is essential to build good relations with the local officials.”

"What a wonderful opportunity to get to know the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner in advance!"