The Lantern Festival of 1916 was fast approaching. As mid-February arrived, the weather began to warm noticeably. On the tiled roofs of many houses in Fengtian City, the accumulated snow started to melt, with water droplets dripping from the eaves to form small pits in the snow below. Zhang Xiluan's carriage traveled through the streets, making a rumbling sound. The ice and snow on the road surface had melted into water under the crushing weight of pedestrians and carriages, no longer freezing over. This lent a comfortable humidity to the air.

As long as there was no severe cold snap, spring would arrive in another half month.

Sitting in the office chair of the General of Zhen'an, Zhang Xiluan began to write letters with swift strokes. March 7th by the Western calendar was Zhang Xiluan's birthday, and he was inviting the Military Governors outside the pass and local prominent figures to a banquet.

Receiving the official missives from Marshal Zhang Xiluan, the Military Governors of the various provinces and the leading figures in the army dared not slight the invitation. Especially knowing that Zhang Xiluan might leave the region this year, they hurriedly prepared gifts. Regardless of anything else, Zhang Xiluan had been outside the pass for forty years; his disciples and former subordinates were everywhere. Everyone felt compelled to show their respect at this time.

On March 5th, Jilin Military Governor Meng Enyuan arrived in Fengtian leading his subordinate division commanders. Upon seeing Zhang Xiluan, Meng Enyuan hurriedly stepped forward to salute. "Marshal, I wonder if Military Governor Zhu of Heilongjiang has arrived?"

Zhang Xiluan laughed. "Although Brother Zhu is much younger than you, Brother Meng, young people are clearly lazier. It is Brother Meng who arrived in Fengtian first."

Jilin Military Governor Meng Enyuan, hearing Zhang Xiluan's praise, could not help but smile. "To be honest with the Marshal, I simply wanted to arrive before Brother Zhu to show the sincerity of my birthday congratulations."

Everyone around them laughed, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

Although Meng Enyuan and the others arrived early, it was only by less than half a day. By evening, Heilongjiang Military Governor Zhu Qinglan and the Commander of the Heilongjiang Provincial Army Division, Xu Lanzhou, also arrived in Fengtian.

That evening, Zhang Xiluan hosted a banquet for everyone who had come to celebrate his birthday. The restaurant was filled with officials and local gentry, who were entertained by local Fengtian officials. The military men were invited to the General of Zhen'an's official residence for the banquet. Zhang Xiluan appeared in person. After three rounds of wine, leaving the adjutants and entourages to drink in the flower hall, Zhang Xiluan invited four men into the rear hall.

Currently, there were four divisions outside the pass: the 27th Division in Fengtian, Feng Linge's 28th Division in Beizhen, Jinzhou, Meng Enyuan's Jilin Army Division, and Xu Lanzhou's Heilongjiang Provincial Army Division.

At this time, the commander of the 27th Division, Zhang Zuolin, had been transferred to the capital, and the 27th Division was once again completely under Zhang Xiluan's control.

When the four men holding military power—Jilin Military Governor Meng Enyuan, 28th Division Commander Feng Linge, Heilongjiang Provincial Army Division Commander Xu Lanzhou, and Heilongjiang Military Governor Zhu Qinglan—took their seats in the rear hall, they all felt that Zhang Xiluan was going to speak some parting words, and they had all prepared their farewell speeches.

Servants served tea to everyone. After a while, the door curtain was lifted, and Zhang Xiluan, wearing the uniform of the General of Zhen'an, strode into the living room. Sitting on the main seat, he ordered, "Gentlemen, I have military orders."

The four men were stunned. How could there suddenly be military orders when everything seemed fine? However, Feng Linge, commander of the 28th Division, quickly stood up to listen to the order. The other three then remembered that Zhang Xiluan controlled the military affairs of the three provinces outside the pass, and hurriedly stood up together.

Zhang Xiluan looked solemn. "The situation inside the pass is currently chaotic. In order to suppress the situation outside the pass, I will conduct a military exercise in Fengtian."

All four were confused. Holding a military exercise was a major event; why had nothing been said before? Xu Lanzhou thought Zhang Xiluan knew that Heilongjiang Military Governor Zhu Qinglan was preparing to secretly raise troops against Yuan Shikai, and his eyes immediately lit up.

Jilin Military Governor Meng Enyuan probed, "I wonder when the Marshal plans to hold the exercise? Does the Ministry of War know?"

"There is no time like the present; it will be held on my birthday," Zhang Xiluan replied indifferently.

Being in high positions, the four naturally knew that things were not that simple. Before the four could react, Adjutant Liu led a squad of guards in amidst the sound of footsteps, standing behind the group.

Zhang Xiluan continued as if he hadn't seen them. "The exercise involves many aspects. I have decided to switch defenses first. Two regiments will be transferred from the 27th Division to Heilongjiang for defense duty. Two regiments will be transferred from the 28th Division to Jilin for defense duty. The remaining troops of the 27th and 28th Divisions will conduct exercises together with the Jilin and Heilongjiang Provincial Army Divisions."

Hearing these words, the three big figures from Jilin and Heilongjiang looked blank, truly feeling like monks groping for their heads—completely at a loss. Feng Linge, commander of the 28th Division, was even more puzzled. Such a major event should have been discussed with him, but he knew nothing about it beforehand.

Everyone remained silent, guessing at Zhang Xiluan's intentions. Jilin Military Governor Meng Enyuan could not understand what Zhang Xiluan was plotting by doing this. Zhang Xiluan was the General of Zhen'an and had been outside the pass for forty years; even now, the military affairs of Heilongjiang and Jilin were still under his control. Whether it was an exercise or a change of defense, he really could issue such orders.

But Zhang Xiluan was seventy-three years old this year, already a candle in the wind. Although he had been a hero for a lifetime, his son was truly incompetent and could not take over Zhang Xiluan's military power at all. Creating such a big situation, how did Zhang Xiluan plan to end it?

Amidst the confusion, Heilongjiang Provincial Army Division Commander Xu Lanzhou stepped forward and saluted Zhang Xiluan, then pointed at Heilongjiang Military Governor Zhu Qinglan and shouted, "Marshal, this subordinate wants to report Zhu Qinglan for colluding with the southern chaotic party and conspiring to rebel..."

Zhu Qinglan of Heilongjiang heard Xu Lanzhou loudly recount how the southern Revolutionary Party had made contact and who had privately met with Zhu Qinglan, and was truly somewhat shocked in his heart. Although this matter was not a complete secret, Zhu Qinglan had thought that no word had leaked out. He had not expected Xu Lanzhou, who should have been his subordinate as the Heilongjiang Provincial Army Division Commander, to state it so clearly.

Seeing Xu Lanzhou's high spirits, he had evidently prepared for a long time; this was by no means a sudden attack.

Jilin Military Governor Meng Enyuan originally supported Yuan Shikai. Hearing this news, he felt he had found a path and loudly petitioned Zhang Xiluan, "Marshal, let this subordinate lead the army with Brother Xu to exterminate Zhu Qinglan and the other rebels."

Zhu Qinglan also thought that Zhang Xiluan's so-called exercise was targeted at the anti-Yuan group in Heilongjiang. Seeing the situation had come to this, he simply stepped forward and said seriously, "Marshal, President Yuan is the President of the Republic. Proclaiming himself emperor is a betrayal of the country and a betrayal of the republic. At this time of crisis for the Republic, it is the day for our generation to support the country. The Marshal has always been wise; you definitely cannot fail to understand such a matter."

If he hadn't spoken with He Rui, Zhang Xiluan would probably have felt that Zhu Qinglan had backbone and ideals. Hearing Zhu Qinglan's words now, Zhang Xiluan didn't care at all.

However, at this moment, Heilongjiang Provincial Army Division Commander Xu Lanzhou felt that he had an opportunity to show his loyalty. He went up to grab Zhu Qinglan by the collar. How could Zhu Qinglan let Xu Lanzhou be so rampant? He immediately tried to push away Xu Lanzhou, who was pressing in on him.

"Pull them apart!" Adjutant Liu gave an order, and the personal guards immediately stepped forward to pull the two apart, forcing them back into their seats.

Zhang Xiluan looked at everyone and smiled. "Brothers, I just want to conduct a defense swap exercise and have no intention of pursuing anyone. Tomorrow is my birthday. You brothers have come from afar, so let us drink together. For this matter, you brothers only need to sign your names on the official documents."

As soon as the voice fell, Adjutant Liu ordered people to place four official documents on the tea tables beside the four men respectively. While the others were still trying to figure it out, 28th Division Commander Feng Linge was the first to understand: Zhang Xiluan really wanted to take back military power.

Feng Linge hurriedly asked, "Marshal, which blind subordinate of mine did something wrong to anger the Marshal like this? As long as the Marshal tells this subordinate who it is, I will go back and shoot the scoundrel."

Zhang Xiluan ignored Feng Linge completely and just said to Jilin Military Governor Meng Enyuan, "Brother Meng, for this exercise, I want to hand over leadership to one person. Brother Meng should be very familiar with this person."

Meng Enyuan began to recall the talents under Zhang Xiluan in his mind, but he thought left and right and could not figure out who Zhang Xiluan would bring out to do the current task.

Before Meng Enyuan could ask, footsteps sounded, and a tall young Lieutenant Colonel walked into the living room. The four big figures from outside the pass realized they didn't recognize him.

They heard the tall young Lieutenant Colonel introduce himself: "Big brothers, this little brother is the Siping Military Governor, He Rui. I am under orders to preside over this exercise and the defense swap affairs."

Although they had never seen He Rui, all four had heard of his reputation. For a moment, they didn't know what to say.