▁the ▁T ong m eng hui ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁Gu ang d ong ▁Military ▁Primary ▁School . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁sixth ▁class ▁of ▁the ▁Ba oding ▁Military ▁Academy . ▁ ▁However , ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁he ▁depart ed ▁south ▁for ▁Gu ang z hou ▁and ▁joined ▁an ▁army ▁created ▁by ▁Sun ▁Zh ong sh an ▁and ▁Chen ▁J ion g ming ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁captain . ▁ ▁After wards , ▁he ▁became ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁batt alion ▁of ▁Sun ' s ▁body guard . ▁ ▁When ▁Sun ▁and ▁Chen ▁fell ▁out , ▁X ue ▁esc orted ▁So ong ▁Ch ing - L ing ▁to ▁safety . ▁ ▁X ue ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁effective ▁national ist ▁command ers ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ex ped ition , ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Army . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁April ▁ 1 2 ▁Inc ident , ▁he ▁recommended ▁that ▁Chi ang ▁K ai - she k ▁be ▁arrested ▁as ▁a ▁counter re volution ary . ▁ ▁P urg ed ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Army , ▁X ue ▁returned ▁to ▁Gu ang d ong ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁divis ional ▁commander ▁under ▁Li ▁J ish en . ▁ ▁After ▁political ▁tur mo il ▁that ▁saw ▁Chi ang ▁return ▁to