Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 379 Promotion of the Boy Camp System

Li Mingyuan had already planned a tour route to various parts of the local area in his mind. He would start from Gyeonggi Province, pass through the three central states of Jiangzhou, Weizhou, and Songzhou, then turn back from Songzhou to inspect the development of Wuzhou, Yangzhou, and Luozhou in the Jiangdong region, and finally take the coastal waters. After paying some condolences to the officers and soldiers stationed in Patagonia and the pioneering people, he would end the tour and return to Chang'an City along the original route.

After returning to the inner court of the imperial palace from the Zhongji Hall, Li Mingyuan told Wu Lingxuan and Zhang Baoyi the news of his upcoming trip. After obtaining the consent of the two women, on August 1881, 8, a huge group of nearly 12 people, including 2500 guards officers and soldiers, 1300 officials from various central departments, officers of the army and navy staff, attendants, palace maids, etc., left the imperial city of Chang'an. The first stop was Jinjiang Town (Carlos Paz), more than 4000 kilometers away from Chang'an. On the grassland and woodland in the east of the town, Li Mingyuan, the queen, the imperial concubine and others accepted an audience with the people of the town.

The eastern part of the town has a wide view. At a glance, you can see a grassland that stretches for more than ten miles. Rows of green short trees are arranged in an orderly manner, dividing the grassland into pastures of different sizes.

At the edge of the grassland, at the intersection of the stream and the woodland at the foot of the mountain, you can vaguely see nearly ten thousand cattle and sheep, as well as more than a dozen local people scattered around the cattle and sheep.

"Your Majesty, the people have prepared a few small performances for Your Majesty, the Queen, and the Imperial Concubine. Do you want to start now?"

Leaning against the center, the attendant respectfully asked for instructions.

"It's time to start. Let the boys from the accompanying Boy Scout camp go up and perform a few shows with the people. They have been confined in the Boy Scout camp for so long. It's time to find a chance for them to relax."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will go and inform you right away."

The attendants bowed and left. After a while, local young and strong people, dressed in the characteristic costumes of their hometown and dressed in their best, formed groups of dozens and performed six or seven programs with a strong rural flavor.

"Your Majesty, look at those little ducks, they are so cute!"

While watching the performances of the people, the Queen Wu Lingxuan, who was sitting next to him, excitedly pulled Li Mingyuan's sleeve and pointed with her right hand at the six or seven penguins in the middle of the front and side, saying in amazement, "What strange ducks, short and fat, without feathers, I have never seen them before."

"That's not a duck, it's a penguin. There are a lot of these penguins in the Patagonia region in the south of our country. If you like, I can have someone bring you a few to keep as pets."

"The weather in Patagonia is very cold. If we bring penguins back from there, will they be unable to adapt to the weather in Chang'an City?"

“It has a certain impact, but some penguins live in places with mild climates and can adapt to the climate environment in the Gyeonggi region.”

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Then please have someone bring back a few more penguins and give two to Baoyi, Ying'er, Xiaolan and the others."

"Okay, it's all up to you."

Li Mingyuan held Wu Lingxuan's hand lovingly and agreed.

Li Mingyuan has been married to the two women for a year and a half. Wu Lingxuan is lively and cheerful, while Zhang Baoyi is virtuous and gentle. Although the two women have not yet become pregnant for some reasons, Li Mingyuan still loves them as much as before.

"Your Majesty, Ying'er and Xiaolan are now of marriageable age. Do you think we should choose a date to bring them into the palace?"

Imperial Concubine Zhang Baoyi was sitting on the left side of Li Mingyuan. She noticed that the maids Xiaolan and Ying'er were secretly looking at Li Mingyuan. After considering it for a while, she spoke up and brought it up directly.

"Baoyi, are you worried that I've neglected you because you haven't gotten pregnant since entering the palace?"

Li Mingyuan suddenly heard Zhang Baoyi's words and comforted her, "Don't worry about the baby. When the time comes, the baby will come naturally."

"Your Majesty is the ruler of a country. It is my duty to give birth to a child for Your Majesty. Your Majesty loves me and my sister, and my sister and I are very happy. However, for the sake of national stability, I beg Your Majesty to take Xiaolan and Ying'er into the palace as soon as possible. This will give Xiaolan and Ying'er a status and also calm the hearts of the ministers and generals in the court."

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I know that I am of low status and dare not curry favor with Your Majesty. Please take back your order."

Xiaolan and Ying'er were standing behind the three of them. They had not expected that Zhang Baoyi would bring up the matter of marrying for the emperor in public, so they hurriedly explained.

"Mother also mentioned to me that the Queen and the Imperial Concubine have yet to give birth to a royal heir. Even though the court ministers and generals don't mention it on the surface, they are definitely worried about the lack of an heir to the country. Xiaolan and Ying'er have been with Your Majesty for a year and a half. Your Majesty, Sister Baoyi and I know them inside out. Although they are of a lower birth, Sister Baoyi and I can see their love and loyalty to Your Majesty."

After being reminded several times by her mother, Wu Lingxuan has accepted the possibility that Li Mingyuan will marry other new people into the palace again, so she took over Zhang Baoyi's words and advised him together.

"I understand your intentions. Xiaolan and Ying'er are both good girls, and I can see that from their performance."

Li Mingyuan held the two girls' hands, turned his gaze to Xiaolan and Ying'er and said, "You have heard what the Queen and the Imperial Concubine said. Are you willing to stay in the palace forever?"

"Being able to serve Your Majesty is a blessing that I have cultivated for several lifetimes. I am willing to stay in the palace and serve Your Majesty forever."

Xiaolan and Ying'er blushed and answered in a low voice, "No one is forcing you. If you don't want to, the palace won't stop you from leaving the palace. You should think about it carefully. You don't need to give me an answer right away."

"No one forced me. I served Your Majesty and the two ladies voluntarily. If Your Majesty dislikes me and does not allow me to continue serving you, I will die to prove my innocence!"

At the end of the 19th century, in Chinese society, most women valued their reputation more than their lives. Although reforms were carried out locally, in terms of the inheritance of traditional culture, both the government and the public were generally conservative on moral issues such as marriage and reputation between men and women. If a man arbitrarily beat, scolded, or bullied his wife, and failed to fulfill his corresponding responsibilities to his wife, children, and parents, he would not only be criticized by people around him, but would also have to bear corresponding legal responsibilities.

On the other hand, while the social status of local women has been greatly improved, they also pay more attention to their personal reputation and prestige. Xiaolan and Ying'er are the maids of Zhang Baoyi and Wu Lingxuan respectively.
According to the customs at the end of the 19th century, after they accompanied their young ladies into the palace, they became the emperor's women. If Li Mingyuan let them out of the palace, no family would dare to marry them home.

Out of respect for them, Li Mingyuan might not have thought that far, but the two women could not have been unaware of the consequences of leaving the palace. Of course, since they entered the palace and lived with Li Mingyuan day and night, they had already developed feelings for him and had no intention of leaving the palace.

Zhang Baoyi took advantage of the emperor's trip to bring up the matter of marrying a new concubine in public. At first glance, it seemed a little inappropriate, but upon careful consideration, it did have some profound meaning.

Li Mingyuan thought about it for a moment and understood Zhang Baoyi's intention, but he just smiled and didn't take it to heart for the little girl's little thoughts. Xiaolan and Ying'er, who had fulfilled their wishes, were very grateful to Zhang Baoyi and kept expressing their gratitude to Zhang Baoyi and Wu Lingxuan with their eyes.

Agreeing to marry Xiaolan and Ying'er as concubines was just a small episode in the parade, after watching the performances of more than 40 teenagers from the common people and the Boy's Camp.

Li Mingyuan ordered his followers to escort the four tired women to rest, and after gathering the main officials and generals who were on the trip, he took the opportunity to put forward two policies that had been brewing for a long time.

"Everyone has just watched the performances by the Boys' Camp and the young men of Jinjiang Town. I think the performances were very good. They used the unique terrain around the town to hold activities such as horse racing and simulated hunting. They combined education with entertainment. This can not only enrich the leisure life of the people, but also strengthen the physical fitness of the people and improve the country's military potential. It is of great promotional significance!"

"Your Majesty, do you plan to hold similar events a few more times each year?"

A mid-level officer guessed.

"Holding regular military training activities is only one way. Establishing a comprehensive youth education and training system is the foundation of a long-term strategy."

Li Mingyuan explained, "I plan to popularize basic military education for all citizens. On the basis of universal military service, I will establish a semi-civilian organization that is responsible for the political and military education of young people. It will mainly teach local young people knowledge and ideas about loyalty to the emperor, patriotism, physical fitness, and defending the country. Starting from childhood, we will reshape the patriotic and promising young people needed for national development, and ensure that when a major war breaks out in the future, the local army and government will have sufficient reserve officials, officers, and soldiers to supplement them."

"Isn't this similar to the Boy Camp system?"

A young guard officer who was a Boy Scout suddenly realized.

"You have a very flexible mind."

Li Mingyuan praised the other party and said with a smile, "The Boy Camp system plays an irreplaceable role in the imperial army. We want to promote and expand the Boy Camp system and set up corresponding branches in every immigrant township, every county, and every state to uniformly manage the political and military education of young people."

“How should the newly established institutions be positioned? Should they be under the jurisdiction of local governments?”

Liu Pu noticed the hidden power dispute and asked directly.

“The new organization is temporarily named the Great Han Empire Youth Reserve Soldiers Loyalty to the Emperor and National Defense Federation, or the Great Han Youth Army Association for short. The Youth Army Association is a semi-civilian organization and is not subject to the jurisdiction of local governments.

"

Li Mingyuan said the name he had chosen for the new organization, and continued to explain, "I plan to set up a Youth Army squadron in each immigrant township. The size of the squadron will be determined according to the population of each immigrant township, with a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 200 people. The squadron leader will be a young person under the age of with outstanding performance.

Each county will set up a brigade with a number of 600 to 1500 people. The brigade leader will be an outstanding lieutenant-level officer in active service. The selection criteria for the brigade leader are outstanding young officers under the age of 25 and with a rank between second lieutenant and first lieutenant. Each state will set up a corps! The commander-in-chief will be an active school-level officer. The selection criteria for the commander-in-chief are outstanding officers with the rank of major or lieutenant colonel, under the age of 35, and with actual combat experience. The Youth Army Association headquarters will set up several management departments, with the chief officer of the department being a colonel or major general, responsible for coordinating the education management of young people across the country, and supplying the army with excellent soldiers with strong political ideas and firm fighting will in wartime and peacetime. "

"Your Majesty is wise. If the branches of the Qingjun Association are successfully established, the local field armies and garrison armies will not lack excellent soldiers."

"If we had established the Youth Army Association system when we fought Argentina, we might have been able to reduce a large number of casualties among the soldiers."

Following Li Mingyuan's ideas, the military officers and generals quickly understood the benefits of establishing military and political education for young people, and they all echoed his ideas.

"The family situations of local people vary, especially the families of new immigrants, whose living conditions are relatively difficult. For these young people, the township and county-level branches should cooperate with local management departments to provide free food, accommodation and other logistical support while they are receiving training, so that they can feel the care of the government and feel that the country treats all young people equally."…………

(End of this chapter)