Career
He was military Governor of Shandong from 15 October 1923 - 24 April 1925 and military governor of Anhui from 24 April 1925 - 29 August 1925. Zheng was an Anfu Club General. During the Second Zhili–Fengtian War, as the Zhili army marched on Fengtian forces, On September 27, 1924, Zheng cabled Cao Kun, the Chinese president
Beijing sent 250,000 troops with modern weaponry against Zhang Zuolin"s forces in Manchuria.
Zheng said "Mukden will be captured in a matter of days". Zheng, who was displeased Fengtian clique leader Zhang Zuolin made Zhang Zongchang commander in Shandong and transferred Zheng to the position of governor of Anhui, declared the province neutral.
Fengtian forces were not allowed entry, and the railroad was torn up as part of the resistance plan. During the Second Zhili–Fengtian War in 1924, as the Fengtian clique General Zhang Zongchang moved down the Tianjin-Pukou railway toward Jiangsu and eventually Shanghai, Zheng Shiqi declared Shandong"s neutrality and forced Zhang"s forces into retreat to Cangzhou.
But when a government with Duan Qirui was installed as head of state of China, at the beginning of December Duan permitted Fengtian forces to occupy Jiangsu while guaranteeing Zheng"s position at Shandong.
Zheng then permitted Fengtian troops to pass, and on December 10 he abandoned his neutrality, joining the Fengtian forces.