Chapter 65: Turtle Head
Chapter 65: Turtle Head
In Baijiawei, military songs were resounding.
The two battalions were training at the same time, filling the training ground in the weir.
It was already the third day after the Huai Army captured Baijiaweizi. The Huai Army seemed satisfied and did not cross the river to attack the Qing Gang's territory. Instead, they started training steadily. It seemed that they were not going to return to Shaojiaweizi, but were going to stay here permanently.
Shao Quanzhong was fully dressed in military uniform, wearing a tweed coat, white gloves, and holding a Western command sword, and he personally supervised the operation.
Song Laosan asked his platoon leader to lead the soldiers who were resting to sing military songs, and approached Shao Quanzhong, "Brother Shao, do these veterans under my command still need to practice?"
Shao Quanzhong glared at him and said, "You are just a veteran. If you really want to train properly, you haven't even touched a gun in two months.
If the situation permits and there is enough money, I can have two years to train 7,000 soldiers, including infantry, artillery, cavalry, and engineers. That would be enough to form an army of 100,000 with 7,000 soldiers as the backbone and dominate the world.
Unfortunately, time waits for no one.
If we don't suppress the bandits, we won't be able to stand firm. If we don't destroy the salt smugglers, Mr. Qiao won't be able to raise enough money to expand our army.
So now we are forced to do something, we have to fight even if we have no choice, and only when we have established a good situation can we train our troops with peace of mind.
I may have to use some tricks, and you, a sharpshooter, have to help me. If there were enough soldiers and they were good enough, would I have to risk my life?
Don't think that just because your soldiers can shoot accurately, that's enough.
You think we are doing well now, that's because we are only suppressing bandits, and our opponents are the smuggled salt dealers who are not worthy of being shown in public.
The Taiping Army also has veterans who have fought in many battles. If they really confront Chen Yucheng and Li Xiucheng, advanced weapons alone may not be of any use.
Didn't the foreign rifle team get beaten to a pulp by Li Xiucheng? Besides, the Taiping Army also had a quick-shooting team.
Have you heard of Liao Tianyan and Deng Guangming? How was the Jiangnan camp destroyed? How did Suzhou fall? Don't underestimate your opponent.
On the battlefield, a slight mistake can lead to a huge disaster. When our team is pulled into the real battlefield, we must strictly obey orders.
If anyone thinks he is good enough, he doesn't need to compete with a sharpshooter like you. He can compete with me in shooting. If he wins, he doesn't need to train. If he loses, he will be beaten with ten military sticks. I will take over at any time!"
"Report to the commander, some villagers nearby are coming to reward the troops."
The people who came to reward the army this time were real fellow villagers, not even a single gentry.
It is said that when Hou Batian caused chaos in Guazhou, the real gentry in the vicinity had already fled, and the only ones left were poor people who had no choice but to flee.
The gentry could run away and become exiles, but the poor, when they left their hometowns, became refugees and could only stay at home.
The Huai Army had not yet reached the west bank of the Grand Canal, so the real fellow villagers from Guazhou could not come. Instead, those who came were the fellow villagers from Jiangdu County on the east bank of the canal.
The Huai Army stationed in the Fairy Temple and did not harm anyone. The villagers of Caijia Village did not even know when they left.
Nowadays, ordinary people have never seen such an army. Perhaps only when Yue Fei was in charge of Taizhou, could the Yue Family Army do this?
They have lived in war for too long and long for stability and peace.
No matter how bad the rule of the Qing Dynasty is, there is order. The worst order is much better than no order at all.
Hou Batian had no ambition to rule the world. After occupying Guazhou, his only thought was to make money by smuggling salt. He did not maintain order at all, and the common people suffered.
When they heard that such a disciplined government army was coming to suppress the bandits, the people from more than a dozen villages nearby, including Xiannv Temple, Huayuangou, Daqiao, Zhuanqiao, Maqiao, Yiling, and Baita River, took the initiative to connect together.
They collected food and money, pushed wheelbarrows, and drove pigs and sheep to reward the soldiers, hoping that the government troops would drive Hou Batian away as soon as possible.
Looking at the simple faces of these ragged fellow villagers, Shao Quanzhong, who had a heart as hard as stone, felt a little sad.
He was wearing a military uniform, but instead of saluting, he took off his hat and bowed deeply to his fellow villagers.
“I appreciate the kindness of the villagers, but I cannot accept these things.
We are the government troops, protecting our hometown and our elders, and it is our duty to suppress the bandits. Although we are short of food and money, we will definitely take it from the salt smugglers and bandits, and we can no longer take things from the poor villagers. Brother Le, please accept these pigs and sheep, give them to the brothers as extra food, pay the villagers according to the price, and ask the villagers to take the rest of the money and food back to live on.
Shao hereby promises that within half a month, he will give the people of Guazhou and Jiangdu a bright and clear sky. "
When the fellow villagers returned, they were all filled with admiration and remembered the names of the Huai Army and Shao Quanzhong.
Hai Qing pulled Tian Xing beside him and said, "Brother, when we were in Jingjiang, my second brother colluded with the government and made money by grabbing the land, which was exactly what I wanted.
Why did they change their temper here and refuse to accept the money and food that the people offered to them? "
Tian Xing smiled, "My second brother is also a sentimental person, he feels pity for the common people.
Jingjiang and Taixing are peaceful areas, and the people there can make a living even if they are extorted. But the people here are staring at the fact that they can't even afford to live.
Besides, hehe... in Jingjiang and Taixing, if the people want to curse, they will curse County Magistrate You and County Magistrate Zhao. We get paid a lot, so the loss of our reputation will be limited.
Here, how much money and grain can the poor people in a dozen villages gather? It's not even a fraction of what we seized in Baijiaweizi.
If you don't take this small amount of money, our Huai Army's reputation will be exposed. You are a cunning man."
Hai Qing scratched his head, "I always feel that if I don't take the money that comes to my door, I will be punished by God."
"So you can't be a commander..."
"report!"
The one who came this time was Le Sen.
"The Bai brothers returned from Hou Boqiu's place. Hou Boqiu brought only his thirteen adopted sons to the other side of the Grand Canal.
I have arranged to meet you this afternoon, Commander, and ask you to cross the river to discuss the matter of recruiting us."
Shao Quanzhong nodded slightly. "Hou Boqiu, although he is cunning, he is too greedy and will definitely take the bait."
Le Xiucai was very nervous, "The other side of the river is Hou Batian's territory, and he only brought thirteen people with him, how can we know there won't be an ambush?
Sir, you should let him come over. If you must go, please bring more guards with you."
Shao Quanzhong shook his head and said, "Hou Boqiu only brought his thirteen guardians with him to test my sincerity.
If I don't dare to go, or bring too many people with me, this old turtle's head will retract.
Ask the Bai brothers to tell Hou Boqiu that I will only bring two guards across the river to meet you this afternoon. See you there.”
Le Sen was anxious, "Sir, this is too dangerous..."
Shao Quanzhong patted Le Sen on the shoulder and laughed, "Brother Le, I'm not in any danger at all.
You have to understand people's hearts. Is there any benefit for Hou Boqiu to kill me? It will only arouse the anger of Master Qiao, and he will send more troops to suppress him.
He did this because he wanted to eat the bait but was afraid of being hooked.
Hou Boqiu is doomed to die, but the timing of chopping off the turtle's head must be mastered.
Siwen, go and call Song Laosan over to me."
(End of this chapter)