The final selection of recruits went smoothly. In the ancient feudal society, no common people dared to challenge or disturb the government in recruiting soldiers.
Together with the full co-operation of the Yiwu county magistrate, Zhu Pingan successfully selected 1,200 names of recruits to his liking in the second half of the afternoon of the third day.
All of them were dark-skinned, honest, strong, hard-working, young and strong country men.
“Why does it feel like every one of them is black and naive ……”Liu Dazhou touched his head and muttered to himself.
“Big Dagger, what are you mumbling about?”Zhu Pingan asked.
“No, nothing, hehehe.”Liu Dazhou could not help but shrink his head, hemmed and hawed, and prevaricated.
The first time the candidates were set, Zhu Pingan had people move basket after basket of silver to the recruitment site, moving six large baskets totalling six thousand taels of silver. Under the sunlight, it gave off a dazzling silver light, like six silver mountains, lifting the whole atmosphere of the army recruitment site to the highest point.
“All newly promoted Zhejiang army generals, congratulations on joining the Zhejiang army and becoming the robe brothers of this official and all Zhejiang army generals! Now, all newly promoted Zhejiang army generals go to the clerk in turn to register, recording their name, age, place of origin, address, and facial features in detail, and after registering, they will receive five taels of silver as a settling-in fee. The silver is not much, but it is a token of this official’s appreciation, so I hope that you brothers will not mind.”
Zhu Pingan stood on a table in the centre of the recruiting grounds and shouted loudly to the twelve hundred Yiwu recruits who had managed to get in.
“What’s the settlement fee, never heard of it since ancient times, hey, just got selected and given five taels of silver, really happy.”
“These days, soldiers’ pay is often in arrears, and the lord even gives out extra settling-in money, it’s really kind.”
“Did you hear that? His Excellency called us brothers. You’re a fourth-grade officer, you’re calling us brothers.”
“Thank you for your compassion, thank you, your honour treats us as brothers, we will die for you.”
One by one, the newly promoted Zhejiang soldiers were happy and touched as they paid tribute to Zhu Pingan and swore to serve and die for him.
Those who failed to be selected, and the people on the sidelines, all looked enviously at the newly promoted Zhejiang Army soldiers in the field, and secretly swore: next time I will definitely enroll ……Next time I must be selected ……
Zhu Pingan the reason why the first time to the newly promoted zhejiang army generals register to do military registration, one is to determine the candidate, after the registration, they are zhejiang army recruits, subject to military law constraints, after the selection shall not be reversed, after all, the recruitment of troops once is not easy; two is the control of zhejiang army, the military registration is the basis of the management of the army, such as “Qi Shao Bao Zaozi,” “record the record of the soldiers of the book, all the stubborn and malefactors, the evils of fleeing, are and their wives, and their families.The ills, all have and their wives and offspring, the system of its death, so it can get its death”.
After the newly promoted generals of Zhejiang army had all registered and received the settlement fee, Zhu Pingan once again stood on the table and said loudly: “Brothers, from this moment onwards, you are not peasants or miners, but new recruits of my Zhejiang army. Nowadays, the Japanese plague is getting more and more serious, the Japanese invaders are burning, killing, looting and pillaging, countless folks, brothers and sisters are shivering under the butcher’s knives of the Japanese invaders, and are not able to protect themselves at night. It is the responsibility of every man to fight for the prosperity of the world. As generals of Zhejiang, our first and most important duty is to eliminate the Japanese invaders and protect our country! I assure you that from today onwards, no matter whether it is windy or rainy, whether we are fighting or camping, we will pay our soldiers’ wages on time every month, without fail! But you must remember that these wages are the blood and sweat of the court collected from the common people, and once you have received these wages, you must take up the responsibility of defending the country! You have to train hard, you have to go into battle and kill the enemy! If you can’t take up this responsibility, it’s not a waste of the people’s blood and sweat! If you can’t take up this responsibility, then what’s the point of raising you and the others?!”
“Your Honour’s lesson is right, after eating, we have to work, we understand this reasoning, we will definitely take up the responsibility of protecting our family and defending our country, and going into battle to kill the enemy.”A group of newly promoted Zhejiang Army soldiers opened their mouths to state their position.
“Very well, this official believes in you all.”Zhu Pingan nodded vigorously.
“Many thanks for your trust, we will live up to your trust.”The crowd of newly promoted Zhejiang Army soldiers were moved.
“Defending the country and going into battle to kill the enemy is a responsibility and an opportunity. As the saying goes, misfortune and blessings are mutually dependent. Today’s worsening of the Japanese plague is a crisis, but it is also not an opportunity for you. As long as you are brave enough to kill the Japanese, you will be rewarded with silver and promotion. Soldiers who don’t want to be generals are not good soldiers, work hard, as long as you fight bravely to kill the Japanese, all of you can become generals, and all of you can have wives and children and honour your ancestors!”
Zhu Pingan loudly encouraged the crowd.
“A soldier who doesn’t want to be a general is not a good soldier ……Your Excellency’s words are so good, I just think of the Great General ……”
“In the past, when we fought over the mines and armed battles, we could only bleed and sacrifice for nothing, how can we compare to the glory of going into battle to kill Japanese and defend the country, killing a Japanese pirate is rewarded with thirty taels of silver, and we can also be promoted to be a general.”
A group of newly promoted zhejiang army soldiers listen, can’t help but body blood boiling, one by one excited fist rubbing palms, can’t wait to go to the battlefield now to kill a bunch of Japanese invaders, for a large pile of silver, put on the general’s uniform ……
“A good sentence does not want to be a general’s soldier is not a good soldier ……I want to be a soldier.”
The crowd of onlookers heard this and also felt their blood boiling.
“Alright, today’s recruitment ends here, all the newly promoted Zhejiang Army brothers go back to settle down at home, cherish and enjoy the time to reunite with their families, come here tomorrow morning to gather and set off with me back to the Zhejiang Army’s main camp – Peach Blossom Collection School Ground.”Zhu Pingan clapped his hands and said to the group of newly promoted Zhejiang Army soldiers.
“As you command, thank you, my lord, we will come and gather early tomorrow morning.”The group of Zhejiang Army soldiers loudly led the order, and with the five taels of silver for settling in, they went home with their heads held high and in high spirits in the envious eyes of the crowd of onlookers.
“Congratulations to Your Excellency for raising 1,200 elites.”Governor Zhao arched his hand and congratulated Zhu Pingan.
“Hehe, thanks to the assistance of Governor Zhao, this official was able to raise one thousand two hundred recruits in such a short period of time.”Zhu Pingan arched his hand and smiled as he returned the salute, then added, “When this official goes back to report on the matter of recruiting soldiers, he will definitely include the great assistance of Governor Zhao in it.”
This time, thanks to Zhao Zhixian’s assistance, no matter whether it is reminding the suggestion to get through Chen Dacheng’s work and make a situation, or deploying a large number of clerks and servants to assist in recruiting soldiers and improve the efficiency of recruiting soldiers, all have given themselves a great deal of help.
“It’s all a show of hands, my humble servant is truly ashamed.”Governor Zhao said modestly in succession, but did not refuse.
These days, who would mind less political achievements. He had vigorously assisted Zhu Pingan without any reason in this regard.
With more achievements, the report card would look much better during his term of office, which would greatly benefit his future promotion. He did not want to be a magistrate for the rest of his life.
