Mengshan Army

Liang Huada understood that what Shi Dashou said did not mean that he did not mean the military training of the bandit army, but that he had never heard of such a concept in the New Army: the first priority of the army is not to be loyal to the emperor, but to defend the country and the people.

Isn't the court the country?Shi Dashou discussed with Liang Huada privately. Liang Huada certainly believed that the imperial court was the country, but Shi Dashou questioned this issue that seemed to need no discussion: I think what Commander Long said is right, the imperial court is the imperial court, and the country is the country.We have the Spring and Autumn and Warring States, Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties changed, but the country remained the same.Shandong is still Shandong, Zhili is still Zhili, should soldiers be loyal to the court or to the country?Just like Commander Long said that Taiwan was ceded to Japan, and the residents of the island cried out and rose up to resist. If we were in Taiwan, would we follow the imperial court’s order and hand over Taiwan to Japan, or rise up to defend our country’s territory? ?To defend the innocent people abandoned by the court?

Shi Dashou was an officer whose rank was second only to Liang Huada among the prisoners of war in the new army. The two shared the same illness, and they were fellow villagers in Jinmen, so naturally they discussed everything together.Regarding Shi Dashou's concern, Liang Huada knew that he had listened to Long Qian's instigation.Soldiers don't obey the emperor, so what's the matter?Didn't it become a separatist regime?But Liang Huada admitted that the tragedies that Long Qian said about Taiwan after it was ceded to Japan were indeed true.As a soldier, thinking of millions of soldiers and civilians in Taiwan being abandoned by the imperial court, of course I feel very sad.But Liang Huada still couldn't agree with Long Qian's point of view—of course it was the traitor's point of view, "Dashou, don't listen to Long Qian's nonsense. You are also a educated person. You are loyal to the emperor and then patriotic. Long Qian has different ambitions and ulterior motives." , don’t be fooled by him.”

Shi Dashou didn't take it seriously, "Brother Zicheng, if Mao Yangzhen hadn't failed, how could I have heard these eye-opening comments? What they say is right, and the more you debate it, the more clear it is. I think what they say is right!"

Liang Huada knew that Shi Dashou's surname was always Zi, even some two hundred and five, "Dashou, even if that guy Long Qian is right, we can't compare with those ignorant soldiers. We can't blame us all for being defeated and captured, can we? ? But surrendering the enemy is another matter﹍﹍”

Shi Dashou interrupted Liang Huada, "Old Liang, although these people are bandits, most of them are honest farmers' children. I know all the heart-to-heart meetings they hold. In fact, they don't hide it from us. It was also forced by the imperial court! The reason why several of my brothers made up their minds to vote for Longqian was because they were moved after hearing his heart-to-heart talk. Surrender to the enemy? I still think what they said is right, the bandits are also Chinese, They are also citizens of the imperial court. If the imperial court cherishes its own people, there will naturally be no bandits and bandits. Surrendering your own people is not a shame for your ancestors. As long as you don’t surrender to the foreign devils, you can still enter the ancestral grave. You know their attitude towards foreign devils. Anyway, I think what they say is better than what I learned in the camp school! Which foreigner is really helping us in China? The dignified new army is not as good as a bunch of thieves !"

"Dashou, you still have to be cautious. This is a matter related to your own future. I heard from Du Sanli that they are going to release us recently. I don't think they are lying to me."

"Old Liang, I am not an ignorant child, so of course I will be cautious."

Shi Dashou was obsessed with Long Qian's lectures, and the recent topic was the achievements of Japan's Meiji Restoration and the trend of external expansion, which was naturally related to the collision with Russia in the Northeast.To be honest, even though Liang Huada was an officer in the new army, he couldn’t figure out that the Northeast was involved in the confrontation between Russia and Japan. The judgment that there is a war in the Northeast has argued with Shi Dashou several times.It is arguing whether there will be a war, and also arguing who will win if Japan and Russia go to war, and whoever wins will be beneficial to China.The last question of debate was left by Long Qian for the listeners to think about.Shi Dashou's conclusion is that Japan's victory is more beneficial to China.Liang Huada concluded that no matter who wins, the loser is always China.

After Shi Dashou and Liang Huada became frequent visitors to study at night, under their influence, more prisoners joined the ranks of listening to lectures.Not only did they listen to current affairs, but the prisoners also participated in literacy classes, especially those who were illiterate, who showed great enthusiasm for literacy.

A few days later, Shi Dashou told Liang Huada, I'm not going back!I decided to join the Mengshan Army.

Liang Huada was taken aback, "Big birthday, this is no small matter, don't be hasty."

Shi Dashou smiled, "A good bird chooses a tree to live in. It's ridiculous that I treat him as a bandit. Following Commander Long is much more interesting than following Master Cao. Since I was captured, I have no future when I go back. Mengshan Army The team, I believe it will not stay on this poor mountain for a long time. Many of my brothers are ready to sign up to join them."

Liang Huada knows something about the recent changes in the thinking of the captives. At least seven or eight of the original engineering team applied to stay. In the later period, that is, more than two months after being captured, the actions of the Mengshan thieves have already moved Zeng's pride. soldiers of the army.Many captives even organized a team to participate in the so-called football match in front of Guangming Temple, and the lower-level soldiers have gradually integrated into the vigorous Mengshan Army.

But what puzzled Liang Huada was that Shi Dashou was a serious officer, and he was regarded by Mr. Yuan as the new army of the seed army. The platoon leader could not say that he had no future.

Liang Huada couldn't help it, "You don't want your own future? Follow them, and there is no military salary﹍﹍"

"Brother Zicheng (Liang Huada's word), I firmly believe that Commander Long's Mengshan Army has a better future. Compared with Long Tuisi, Cao Zhongshan, who I thought was worth following wholeheartedly, is not worth mentioning. Although Mengshan The army is still very small, but, as Captain Long said, it is a radiant sun, and no one or any force can stop its rise. In fact, I have decided a long time ago——Since I heard After Commander Long’s lecture, a window was really opened before my eyes, and I understood why I became a soldier, what is the difference between a soldier and a bandit, what is the meaning of a country and a nation﹍﹍ People have their own aspirations, I don’t worry about the old robes scolding me for being a bandit, and I don’t worry about embarrassing my ancestors—they are not bandits, have you ever seen such bandits?”

Liang Huada was still undecided.Indeed, the whole set of methods of the Mengshan Army opened his eyes, and Long Qian himself is also deeply charming in personality.But if he wanted to say what kind of future this thieves had, he didn't believe it in his heart.At most, he was recruited, so how would he compare with Lord Yuan's new army?What's more, I still have a wife who has been married for three years and a daughter who is less than one year old. I really can't let go, "I can't compare with you."

"I know." Shi Dashou nodded, "I'm all alone, with no worries. It's different from you."

Finally, just after the Dragon Boat Festival, under the leadership of Shi Dashou, 55 captives voluntarily joined the Mengshan Army.Among them were 30 members of Liang Huada's original supply team, and the rest were soldiers from Li Fu's troop who had fought bloody battles with Long Qian's men in Zhangjiazhai.

For this reason, Long Qian specially asked the big room to hold a relatively sumptuous dinner for these newcomers who "turned away from the dark and turned to the bright", expressing their welcome to everyone.Long Qian, who never drank alcohol, made an exception that night and drank a large bowl of wine.Liquor is a precious thing in the cottage, and very little is strictly controlled by the Song and Jin Kingdoms. Anyone who wants to have to get Long Qian's approval has become one of Long Qian's magic weapons to reward officers and soldiers.

Long Qian said to the former Xinjun brothers who voluntarily joined the group, "I have been waiting for this day. We were in different camps, and there was no way to meet each other. The past is over, and we will be one family from now on. People, please rest assured, I promise to treat everyone equally, with meritorious rewards and punishments. However, you must abide by the military regulations of the Mengshan Army. This cannot be vague. You must also make up for the training of the Mengshan Army. Of course, I believe that everyone will complete the training subjects relatively smoothly, after all, everyone has a good foundation. Finally, please tell the old robes who do not want to join the Mengshan Army, and we will let you go back after a while."

Officers above the platoon leader of the Mengshan Army all participated in this welcome banquet. Those who did not understand Long Qian's policy of treating prisoners kindly before had basically turned around. Those who lead troops do not think that they have too few soldiers Well, these fifty or so people are all strong and strong with military training foundation, as long as they are issued with guns, they can go into battle.

"Deputy Commander Zhou, do you understand now? In the future, when our Mengshan Army expands its army, the best soldiers will be on the opponent's side. We just want to expand our team every time we fight. It won't be so hard in the future." Long Qian smiled and toasted Zhou Yi, before, Zhou Yi was quite disgusted with Long Qian's kindness to the captives.

"It's still the commander who sees far." Zhou Yi said with a smile.

"You discussed with Shi Jun and the others to add a military rule about captives. There are differences between us inside and outside. We treat all captives from our country, including Manchus, as long as they don't have the blood of innocent people on their hands. Those who are willing to join are welcome. If you don’t want to, let it go. For foreign prisoners, it’s another matter.”

In the end, Liang Huada did not stay.After Long Qian decided to release the rest of the captives, Liang Huada left Mengshan after receiving two taels of silver.

Those who stay and those who leave are exactly in half.Of the 113 prisoners of war who were captured up the mountain at the beginning, 3 were killed for escaping, 55 of them voluntarily joined the Mengshan Army, and 55 of them were unwilling to stay.Long Qian invited the captives who were leaving to have a dinner, and each of them gave Wenyin two taels as a package.Said to these happy prisoners, "I hope we will be friends instead of enemies in the future. Of course, it is very likely that we will meet again on the battlefield. Please return to the brothers of the New Army and tell the new army chief. Conquest is an ideal, and I really don't want to meet the Chinese with swordsmen."

Liang Huada expressed his gratitude to Long Qian on behalf of the released prisoners.After explaining the reason why he had to go back, Long Qian expressed his understanding and said with a smile, "I hope Captain Liang will take good care of himself, and hope that in the future we will go to the battlefield of the national war together as comrades-in-arms, instead of shedding the blood of our compatriots in the civil war! "

Liang Huada was speechless.