Republic of China, 1922: Rise from the Post-Zhili-Fengtian War

Upon seeing this, Gu Cheng felt a sense of oppression in his heart.

Clearly, the shrewd Wang Yongjiang was well aware of the extent of the problems accumulating within the Fengtian Army:

Inflating numbers, withholding military supplies... all of these were done to line their own pockets.

As for having Mo Dehui personally supervise the funds, Wang Yongjiang probably doesn't even trust Gu Cheng himself.

Clearly, regardless of whether they were old or new factions of the Fengtian Army, every single one of them was a warlord who robbed money, grain, and women; it was always better to be on guard.

Thinking of this, he shook his head and smiled, then continued scrolling down:

The plan also explicitly proposed "using soldiers as laborers and combining labor with training," allowing soldiers from the 11th Mixed Brigade to participate in the construction of the main camp. This would save on labor costs, provide an opportunity to strengthen the soldiers' physique, and improve military discipline.

This coincided with the idea he had previously discussed with Zhang Tingshu:

After this defeat, even Wang Yongjiang, who was preparing military supplies in the rear, saw through the old army's laxity and indolence, and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity of building a large camp to promote the reorganization of the army.

"It seems my thinking was right."

Then, the scale of the main camp was listed in detail:

It can accommodate all officers and soldiers of the brigade, with more than 300 barracks, four armories, and two large training grounds... There are also simple military medical rooms and granaries, and even specially planned stables and artillery training grounds, which are in line with the troop configuration of the 11th Mixed Brigade.

It is evident that when formulating the plan, Wang Yongjiang and others had already thoroughly investigated the mixed brigade's troop strength and equipment, and this was by no means a casual discussion.

What's even more remarkable is that the plan also mentions "treating soldiers well, paying their full military pay during work hours, providing additional work subsidies, and strictly prohibiting officers from withholding pay," which is completely consistent with his idea of ​​stabilizing the morale of the soldiers through tangible benefits.

Turning to the last page, Gu Cheng saw Wang Yongjiang's handwritten annotations. The handwriting was slightly messy, showing that he was already very weak when he wrote them: "Jinzhou is the gateway to western Liaoning. The completion of the camp will not only bring peace to the army but also to the people. I hope that whoever takes over will uphold his original aspirations, organize the army and enforce discipline, and not fail the young marshal's entrustment or the people of the Northeast."

These few words, however, fully express the heart and expectations of this capable minister of the Fengtian clique—he opposed Zhang Zuolin's use of force against the mainland throughout his life, and devoted his entire life to developing the Northeast so that he would be able to drive out the invaders who occupied the Northeast.

Despite the defeat of the Fengtian Army and the precarious situation in Northeast China, he still took on the heavy responsibility of organizing the camp despite his illness, just to leave a solid foundation for the Fengtian Army and a peaceful life for the people of Jinzhou.

Gu Cheng read the annotations twice, feeling both admiration for Wang Yongjiang and a heavy sense of responsibility.

He knew that this plan was not just about building a large camp, but also an important step for the Fengtian Army to reorganize and strengthen its military and stabilize the Northeast. It was also the key for him to take over the command of the 11th Mixed Brigade and defend Jinzhou and even western Liaoning.

But one problem after another is looming ahead:

Wang Yongjiang is seriously ill, and Mo Dehui is not yet able to shoulder the heavy responsibility of Jinzhou; there are also the Zhili army eyeing the area near Shanhaiguan and Luanzhou, not to mention Sun Liechen who is waiting to watch the show...

What bothered him most was that damned Japanese devil.

He had watched many movies and TV dramas in the 21st century. The Japanese soldiers in them were all stupid and ignorant. They either only knew how to shout "Baka yarou" (idiot) while baring their teeth and claws, or they were easily fooled by the protagonist's few broken Japanese words and simple tricks.

It seemed as if they could manipulate the Kwantung Army at will with just a little effort.

But he always understood that the plots in those movies and TV dramas were just artistic embellishments, and that the Japanese soldiers in reality were far more cunning and cruel than he imagined.

A female spy daring to kill someone within Jinzhou's borders clearly shows she doesn't take the Fengtian Army seriously, nor does she care about Jinzhou's defenses.

There must be a bigger conspiracy behind this, it's definitely not as simple as just gathering information.

"Then let's have a go."

…………

Early the next morning, Gu Cheng summoned Cai Changyuan and Lu Qingshan to discuss the construction of the camp and the preparations for the work-study program.

The two entered one after the other, bowed, and sat down on the left and right sides respectively.

Gu Cheng didn't beat around the bush, directly laying out Wang Yongjiang's proposed camp plan on the table: "I've invited you two here today to finalize one thing. Construction of the camp outside the city will begin immediately, and from now on, the brothers of the 11th Mixed Brigade will 'use soldiers as laborers, combining training and labor'—"

In other words, we have to build the barracks ourselves, dig the foundations, and renovate the training grounds!

As soon as he finished speaking, Deputy Brigade Commander Cai Changyuan frowned immediately: "Master Gu, forgive my bluntness, but a soldier's duty is to carry a gun, fight, and kill the enemy. Since ancient times, what kind of regular soldiers have ever wielded sledgehammers, moved bricks and stones, and personally built houses?"

Gu Cheng was about to retort when he continued confidently, "The battle is over. Our Fengtian Army fought tooth and nail to defend Jinzhou City, and now the people are gradually moving back—"

Why don't you just conscript some laborers according to the old practice, and then hire some craftsmen to lead the work? If you're worried about these lazybones slacking off, we can just send a few people to watch over them.

But making soldiers do hard labor not only undermines the military's dignity but also disrupts daily training; it's simply inappropriate!

Gu Cheng, interrupted by him, didn't rush to refute him. Instead, he turned his gaze to Lu Qingshan beside him, as if to say, "What do you think?"

The latter, having received instructions, immediately sat up straight and stated: "Commander Cai, you're looking at things from an outdated perspective: the situation is very different now."

The Zhili army is eyeing Shanhaiguan with hostility, and the bandits outside the city haven't been completely eradicated. Forcing the people to work now will not only easily incite public resentment, but will also cause the fields to be neglected… Just think, it's almost July; if we delay, the brothers will go hungry after the autumn harvest.”

"Furthermore, the laborers will incur a large expense. The funds for the main camp have just arrived, and money is needed everywhere. Work-study programs are just right. The brothers can do it themselves, saving expenses, and they can also use the labor to toughen up their bodies... It's a win-win situation, and there's nothing better than that."

Cai Changyuan wanted to argue, but Gu Cheng had already sneered and opened his mouth. His tone was not heavy, but it hit the nail on the head: "Some people talk about ancient principles and military might, and they can talk about them better than a grand opera."

But during my time in Jinzhou, I've heard quite a few rumors—that many men in our 11th Mixed Brigade are genuine dual-wielding soldiers.

Upon hearing this, Cai Changyuan's face immediately fell: "What do you mean by that?"

Gu Cheng crossed his arms: "What, do I have to explain this to you? These so-called 'dual-gun soldiers' are just a pipe in one hand and a rifle in the other."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, his words blunt and harsh: "He shirks his duties and slacks off during the week, gathers with others to smoke, squanders his military pay, and has no spirit or energy when it comes to fighting."

If these men were left idle in the camp, they would likely become like Tang Zongxi, loafing around, disturbing the peace, and causing trouble. Sooner or later, they would commit acts of utter disregard for military discipline.

Cai Changyuan gritted his teeth, thinking to himself, "Yesterday at the banquet we said we wouldn't bring up old grievances, but now they're bringing up that ghost who was shot again."

However, he also knew that Tang Yulin had always been laissez-faire about these matters, and even tacitly approved the use of opium to control the soldiers' behavior.