The anti-Qing movement began with the looting of the Eight-Nation Alliance.

Before setting out, Shen Lian, as usual, issued a proclamation in the name of the Tailin Martial Arts Office, warning all mountain bandits, outlaws, and Boxers to immediately surrender. Otherwise, they would be killed without mercy upon the arrival of the army!

Before the oath-taking ceremony, Shen Lian gathered officers of company level and above for a speech.

"Stand up!" Shen Lian shouted as he entered the conference room. All the officers stood up, their bodies ramrod straight!

Shen Lian glanced around and said, "Sit down!" The officers sat down with a click.

"Before we set out, the first thing I want to emphasize is military discipline! We are a righteous army, a kingly army. We must have excellent military discipline! You are all very familiar with the military regulations, so I don't need to say more."

"It has always been said that bandits are like combs, and soldiers are like fine combs! We must reverse this image and show the spirit of our new army. During this campaign, anyone who has committed crimes such as rape, plunder, robbery, indiscriminate killing, or looting will be executed immediately."

"Officers at all levels, especially political instructors and political instructors, must play your role. Assist and supervise your superiors in maintaining military discipline! Anyone who condones or protects a soldier, no matter who they are, will be severely punished!" Shen Lian slammed his hand on the table, startling the officers.

Hearing Shen Lian describe the situation so seriously, the hundreds of officers below straightened up and listened attentively.

"This campaign to suppress bandits, besides pacifying the local area, is more about training troops. We practiced various tactics, and every soldier had to see blood."

"But don't be reckless, and don't try to take credit. Before the battle, brainstorm and develop a good strategy. Every soldier is important; they all have a family behind them. You must cherish your soldiers and not be stingy with ammunition."

"Regardless of your achievements in this operation, if the casualties are too great, I will deal with it seriously."

"Alright, meeting adjourned! Go back and prepare yourselves. I'll see you off tomorrow!"

Shen Lian really wanted to go, but he had too many things to do right now. He simply couldn't leave.

The next morning, everyone in the entire city rushed outside the city. Everyone wanted to see the might of the new army.

On the parade ground, thousands of soldiers stood proudly. They wore grass-green uniforms, belts around their waists, leggings, and cloth shoes.

He carried a bedding set and a rolled-up blanket on his back, and a gleaming Mauser rifle on his shoulder. The bayonet at the muzzle gleamed coldly.

On the open ground in front of the column, rows of heavy machine guns and cannons stood imposingly! The local people watching were completely silent.

Shen Lian, also dressed in military uniform, led the prefect and several officers from the prefecture cities as they slowly walked past. At each formation, the soldiers raised their hands in salute, and Shen Lian returned the salute.

"Your Excellency truly understands the art of training troops! I never imagined that such elite soldiers could be trained in just six months. I am utterly impressed!" Prefect Wu Huiqing flattered from the side.

But Shen Lian knew that these soldiers were only somewhat recognizable as soldiers. They were better equipped and had better discipline. They were far from being elite troops. He hoped that this months-long campaign against bandits would bring some improvement.

"Victory! Victory!" The soldiers below shouted in unison after Shen Lianzhan stepped onto the platform!

The shouts of thousands were like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down. Although this was only half the size of the army, it still filled Shen Lian with a surge of pride. This was the foundation for his conquest of the world. It was all worth it for him to have amassed money from all over the place to equip them, ensure they were well-fed and clothed, and even pay them high military salaries.

Standing on the platform, Shen Lian wanted to say a few words, but for a moment he didn't know what to say. After staring for a moment, he simply roared, "Send the troops!"

"Victory! Victory! Victory!" the soldiers shouted three times. Then they regrouped and set off.

More than 5,000 people set off in just over an hour without causing any trouble. Shen Lian was quite satisfied!

Five days later, at the dock in Xintai County, Tai'an Prefecture, Zhang Tieniu was watching the soldiers disembark. After lining up and clearing the personnel and equipment on the shore, Zhang Tieniu and his deputy squad leader, Wang Chuan, began to arrange for the soldiers to maintain order.

Their second battalion was assigned to Tai'an Prefecture, while their first company's mission was to suppress the bandits in Xintai County.

Their first rank was the vanguard of the entire company, walking at the very front. And his platoon, the first squad of the platoon, was the pathfinder, the first to arrive.

Soon, the instructor was seen jumping off a boat, pulling aside a platoon leader to give him some instructions before walking over.

"Tie Niu, bring a few men and come with me!"

"Yes, Instructor!" Zhang Tieniu selected eight soldiers and led them into the city.

Seeing the soldiers marching in a single file, the initially panicked people on the road quieted down, secretly observing them.

"Where did these soldiers come from? They're so impressive! How come they march so neatly?" an old man wearing a melon-shaped hat asked after the column passed by.

"Where else? It must be Governor Shen's new army! Didn't you see the notice at the city gate?"

"Yes! Lord Shen said he would send troops down to suppress the bandits, but I didn't expect them to arrive so quickly!"

"As expected of Shen Qingtian's new army, look at their style! Tsk tsk! Those damned bandits are in trouble now. Heh! Serves them right!"

The people along the roadside started discussing it enthusiastically.

Clearly, the county government had received word of their arrival, and the county constable was leading several soldiers out of the city. They happened to run into Zhang Tieniu and his men at the city gate.

"The First Company of the Second Battalion of the New Army has been ordered to suppress the bandits. Please make contact!" the political instructor said, stepping forward and saluting.

"Hmm! Very well! May I ask how I should address you, sir?" The county constable asked, bowing awkwardly.

“My surname is Jiao, you can just call me Instructor Jiao!” Jiao Long said, handing over the documents.

"We received the official document from the Daotai's office a long time ago. May I ask which general is leading the troops this time? Please lead me to pay my respects." The county magistrate simply opened the document, glanced at it twice, and handed it to Jiao Long.

"My company commander will be there shortly, so there's no need for you to trouble yourself, County Commandant. Please show us around the garrison first!"

"Alright then! Then, Jiaozhi, finger..."

"Instructor!" Zhang Tieniu prompted him when he saw that he couldn't speak for a while.

"Yes, yes, it's Instructor Jiao. Please follow me!" The county lieutenant wiped the sweat from his brow, turned around, and led the way.

After entering the county town, the group soon arrived at an old barracks.

"Instructor Jiao, this used to be a military camp. It's a bit dilapidated, but I've already sent people to clean it beforehand," the county lieutenant said, bowing and scraping.

Zhang Tieniu followed the instructor inside and saw a small drill ground of about five or six acres in front of the old military camp. The three tiled houses directly opposite were probably the former government offices, and there were two long, narrow thatched houses on each side, which were probably the soldiers' dormitories.

The three tiled houses looked a bit crooked, but the foundations were still in good condition. The two thatched houses, however, were terribly dilapidated; the cracks in the walls were wide enough to fit a hand inside. The thatched roofs also showed signs of repair everywhere.