You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 54 Whether we are mad or foolish, we only know to keep rushing forward.

The training ground was filled with the deafening sounds of battle.

Looking down from the command platform, Jiang Qingyun could clearly see everyone's performance.

500 unofficial soldiers dressed in black, with belts around their waists and red ribbons around their necks, 200 Han Banner soldiers, and 300 regular soldiers are practicing formations.

One side of the wall was written in whitewash:

Unite our will! Defend the Qing Dynasty!
Obedience is our duty!

"Prepare paper and pen."

"Yes."

He picked up his pen and wrote on four sheets of paper, each with only one large character: wind, forest, fire, and mountain.

Zhou Cang, who was standing to the side, craned his neck and asked, "Sir, what does this mean?"

"Stop asking. Beat the drums, assemble, and prepare to divide into camps!"

……

The sound of the cowhide drum was extremely penetrating. The soldiers scattered across the drill ground hurriedly gathered and lined up on the command platform, and there was no sound.

An officer led the way, shouting, "Greetings, Your Excellency, Left Vice Censor-in-Chief!"

All the soldiers knelt down on one knee in unison and shouted, "Greetings, Left Vice Censor-in-Chief!"

Jiang Qingyun looked around.

"Brothers of the Five Cities Garrison, you've worked hard. Tell me, what's the most important thing for a soldier who gets paid?"

"obey!"

The soldiers answered in unison.

"Very well. In order to better adapt to the needs of defending the capital, I intend to disperse all personnel of the Five City Garrison and reorganize them into four battalions: Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain."

As Sun Tzu's Art of War says, "Swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as fire, immovable as a mountain."

"The Wind Battalion is temporarily composed of 350 men, light cavalry, responsible for daily city patrols. The Forest Battalion is temporarily composed of 250 men, responsible for apprehending thieves and gathering intelligence on bandits. The Fire Battalion is temporarily composed of 150 men, responsible for fighting fires and clearing ditches. The Mountain Battalion is temporarily composed of 250 men, heavy cavalry."

"The Mountain Battalion can only leave the camp with an official's written order."

"Now, begin dividing into camps."

Jiang Qingyun flipped through the roster and selected the soldiers on the spot, paying attention to grouping those who were slightly weak in physique into the Fire Battalion and those who were physically outstanding into the Mountain Battalion.

……

Fifteen minutes later, the camp division was completed.

Jiang Qingyun looked at the four battalion commanders and suddenly had an idea.

"Gentlemen, do you have any objections to the division of camps?"

After a dozen or so breaths, someone actually stepped forward.

The former commander of the North City Military Command said, "Your idea is excellent, but I am worried that it may violate the regulations of the court. After this adjustment, the Five City Military Commands will become the Four Camps Military Commands."

"Yeah yeah."

Several people immediately echoed this sentiment.

"Sir, the duties of each battalion are different. Should their salaries be readjusted?"

The speaker was a former constable of the Southern City Military Command who had stood on his side during the armed conflict with the Uerte.

……

A northwest wind blew across the drill ground, and sand and dust stung the eyes.

Jiang Qingyun's smile vanished, his eyes hardening, and he roared, "Where are the armored soldiers?"

"exist!"

"Take down these two."

Eight guards rushed forward and pinned the two men down.

"What does it say on that wall over there? Obedience is our duty. What do you learn in your daily military discipline classes? Obedience is our duty! Where is your discipline?"

“Strip them of their armor and hats, and throw them into prison.”

"Also, take down all six of those who were just jeering."

Jiang Qingyun stood on the command platform, pointed at one of the targets, and the guards rushed in to tie one up.

Everyone was stunned.

Why did the adults suddenly turn on us?

……

Jiang Qingyun continued to impose additional punishments: "Send people to the homes of these eight people to collect three months' wages. If they cannot pay, they will all be imprisoned."

"Brothers of the Five Cities Garrison, tell me loudly, what is your sacred duty?"

"obey!"

"I can't hear you! Speak louder!"

"obey!"

This time, the decibel level increased by at least 40.
Jiang Qingyun's eardrums were ringing from the vibrations, and he took a deep breath.

shouted:
"Remember, there can only be one voice in the Southern City Military Command, and that is this official! You have only one duty, and that is to obey! Absolute obedience!"

"Okay, dismissed."

"Tonight, each person will have half a bowl of wine added to their dinner."

……

This seemingly accidental incident was actually orchestrated by Jiang Qingyun. During his 20 years in government, he had learned a valuable lesson about officialdom: opposition is an attack, and stirring up trouble is a test.

Democratic consultation should absolutely not be conducted before an ideal institutional framework has been established.

When subordinates have their own ideas and dare to express them publicly, the leader's authority has already been damaged. The leader's prestige collapses with each similar public opposition.

The leader must retaliate immediately, make an example of the leader, and regain control of the group.

This applies to human populations, and it also applies to monkey troop formations.

……

"Opposition" and "advice" are not the same.

To raise objections to a leader in public, in front of many people, is called opposition.

Only when one raises objections to a leader in private, without a third party present, can it be considered remonstrance.

A nice guy can't be a good leader.

An excellent leader is not a "good person" in the purest sense, just as the monk Tianji said, "Buddha's heart and demon's heart must coexist."

Of course, it's not enough for a leader to just show "power"; bestowing "favors" is also essential.

In short, if Jiang Qingyun wants to accomplish something earth-shattering in this era, he must unify thought and suppress dissenting voices within his own territory.

One must surpass Zhang Juzheng in political maneuvering.

His arrogance surpassed even that of Dorgon.

Yes, he should take more concubines and have more sons.

……

Chiang Kai-shek's residence.

"Congratulations, young master! Congratulations, young master!"

Maids and old women filled the courtyard, beaming with joy.

"Where does joy come from?"

"The lady is pregnant."

"Alright, everyone in the manor will receive an extra month's allowance."

"Thank you, sir. Thank you, madam."

This scene suddenly reminded Jiang Qingyun of a time before he traveled back in time, when he accompanied a CEO on a golf course. The CEO made a hole-in-one and was overjoyed.

They immediately sent someone to retrieve a box of cash and distribute red envelopes to everyone at the stadium.

It seems there are similarities.

good sign!
……

Although we all live under the same sky, human joys and sorrows are not shared.

The Zhenglan Banner defense zone was lifeless.

A once bustling teahouse has closed its doors to customers.

More than 70 mid- to low-ranking officers were drinking tea and smoking cigarettes in silence, including Korkun, who had just been released. He was no longer a magistrate; he was now a lowly armored soldier.

Suddenly someone spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Tomorrow is February 26th (the day we agreed to get vaccinated).

"I'd rather die than plant it."

"This time, the imperial court really wants us dead."

"Has the Aisin Gioro family gone mad?"

……

An old man suddenly stood up from the crowd.

"Gentlemen, please listen to me for a moment."

"This isn't the first time the Aisin Gioro family has gone mad. Back then, the old servant killed our banner chief Shurhaci and gave half of the Plain Blue Banner to Daišan."

"Later, Huang Taiji killed the next banner chief, Mangultai, and dismantled the Plain Blue Banner again."

"Later, Dorgon killed our next banner chief, Hauge, and dismantled the Plain Blue Banner again."

"Now, Fulin wants to repeat his old tricks. This kid is even more ruthless than his ancestors."

The atmosphere inside the teahouse plummeted to freezing point.

This old man is no ordinary person. He is 65 years old and has experienced the entire process from tribe to empire. He is a living fossil of Zhenglan Banner.

The old man cursed again:

"The Aisin Gioro clan actually tried to wipe out my Plain Blue Banner through smallpox; their intentions were malicious. In Han Chinese terms, it's like cutting down all the bamboo on the mountain to record their crimes."

"Now that things have come to this, what should we do?"

"Rather than lingering on in misery, let's burn brightly."

……

The temperature inside the teahouse rose rapidly.

Everyone was inspired.

A young colonel grabbed a brush and wrote furiously on the white wall: "I don't know if we are crazy or foolish, we only know to keep rushing forward."

……

[This book is now ranked 5th on the overall new book list! Gentlemen, let's work together to defeat the enemy and support this book to the very end. Please swear loudly: I will not rest until I finish reading this book!]

(End of this chapter)