mtl008 Chapter 522 Independent Regiment
Chapter 522 Independent Regiment
Liang Xiaoming firmly stated, "I manufactured this homemade cement. Since it can be manufactured in Lingao, why can't it be manufactured locally in Shandong? The military camp must be built into a bastion, otherwise I will resign as the commander-in-chief."
Knowing that Liang Xiaoming was always stubborn about technical matters, Liu Ye gave up his own ideas: "Alright, I'll listen to you about the military camp." He didn't expect that Liang Xiaoming's insistence would soon help this new army in Dengzhou avoid a catastrophic disaster and even save Dengzhou City. Of course, that's a story for another time.
Liu Ye agreed to build the new military camp according to Liang Xiaoming's suggestion. However, this meant that Liang Xiaoming would have to stay in Shandong for a period of time, as the design of the bastion and the manufacture of the cement were inseparable from him.
He cautioned, "This means you won't be able to return to Lingao for a while."
Liang Xiaoming lowered his head: "Let me stay in Shandong for a while... I've fallen for Li Xiangjun, but not as a substitute—compared to the previous 'her,' Li Xiangjun, though stubborn, is much more innocent. I want to marry Xiangjun, but I don't know how to face Xiaoru..."
Liu Ye was stunned. No wonder Liang Xiaoming was unusually enthusiastic about military matters; it turned out he had this idea in mind.
He asked, puzzled, "But running away isn't the solution, is it? You can't hide in Shandong forever."
“Let Xiangjun live carefree in Shandong for a while, and let her recover from the pain Hou Fangyu caused her. If we go back now and Xiaoru makes a scene, it won’t be good for anyone.” Liang Xiaoming’s voice was soft but firm. “Once Xiangjun has recovered enough, I will take her back to Lingao. I will apologize to Xiaoru with a thorn in my side.”
Liu Ye said helplessly, "Your thinking is still stuck in the era of gender equality in later times. You have to understand that this is the 17th century! Although I agree with your attitude of respecting Liu Ru, your thinking cannot change the reality of male superiority and female inferiority in this era. What's wrong with a real man taking a concubine? You even carried thorns to apologize. You are the second-in-command of the Qionghai Army. Don't lower yourself to this level, okay?"
Liang Xiaoming shook his head, staring into Liu Ye's eyes, and said, "Although we live in the 17th century, we are still 21st-century people at heart. Our education, worldview, and values are modern. Memories may fade, but our thoughts won't change. Although we have to follow the survival-of-the-fittest rules of this era after time travel, when we are strong enough to make the rules, should we continue to insist on barbarism and ignorance? Even if we travel back to primitive society, it doesn't mean we have to eat raw meat and drink blood. At least, we can treat our loved ones with equal values!"
Faced with Liang Xiaoming's determined gaze, Liu Ye avoided eye contact, feeling somewhat lost.
Having lost the constraints of modern rule of law and ethics, he initially adapted to and enjoyed the privileges unique to those in power and men in this era: the power to decide life and death with a single word, to arbitrarily control the fate of women, to act with swift retribution, and to indulge in sensual pleasures. However, after hearing Liang Xiaoming's words, he couldn't help but wonder: had power made him lose his way? Should everyone who offended him truly be exterminated along with their entire family? Should the women around him live like mindless pets?
He thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "What you said makes sense. We follow the rules of the game in this era, but that doesn't mean our thinking should regress. No matter how powerful our technology and military become, we must maintain a sense of awe for the world."
He stood up: "Alright, since you're willing to stay in Shandong temporarily, I support you. You're already the General of Dengzhou, so it's only natural for you to exercise the powers of a General. How about I leave Su Hongtu to you as the chief military officer?"
Liang Xiaoming was very pleased: "I am very satisfied with this candidate. He comes from a humble background, is hardworking, eager to learn, and has experience working independently in Jinan."
"He also led troops independently against the combined forces of Gao Yingxiang and Zhang Xianzhong," Liu Ye added. "When he withdrew, he brought out a portion of the new army. Now, we will use these soldiers who have experienced battles as the backbone, recruit new soldiers locally, and rebuild a force. Externally, it will be the local garrison of Dengzhou, but internally it will use the designation of the Qionghai Navy. Let's call it the Qionghai Navy Dengzhou Independent Regiment. In principle, it will not need to undertake military tasks for the Lingao headquarters, but will only be responsible for the defense of Dengzhou."
"What about provisions, pay, and weapons?" Liang Xiaoming pressed. "Shouldn't headquarters allocate the full amount? We're a modern army; we can't expect our soldiers to fight with spears issued by the imperial court."
Liu Ye laughed and said, "You, as the nominal commander-in-chief, are quite convincing, knowing how to secure resources for a unit that hasn't even been formed yet. Don't worry, this independent regiment won't be mistreated. Its weapons and equipment will be provided according to the standards of the First and Second Regiments, with no shortage of light and heavy weapons. Its rank and allowances will also be allocated by headquarters. However, it will have to raise its own food supplies locally. If it encounters difficulties, go to my future father-in-law. He has managed Dengzhou and Laizhou quite well after the war, and production has recovered well. Raising food supplies for the garrison shouldn't be a problem. In addition, the imperial court also provides rations and stipends. Even a small amount is still a contribution, and it will provide some subsidies."
Liang Xiaoming, true to his engineering roots, couldn't shake off his meticulous and even mechanical work style. He added, "These are the things we need headquarters' support for. But if we rely on headquarters for ammunition supplies, it's manageable in peacetime, but it definitely won't be enough in wartime... If you allocate me some more funds, I'll recruit workers in Dengzhou City and build an ammunition factory to supply lead bullets and shells specifically for the Independent Regiment—forget about the complicated shotgun shells, the supporting facilities can't keep up, but the requirements for solid shot are a bit lower, so that's still doable."
Liu Ye initially wanted to mock him for taking it too seriously, as if he were treating Dengzhou like a front line. However, upon closer reflection, he realized that even if there were no battles to fight in Dengzhou, these facilities wouldn't go to waste. In the future, using Dengzhou as an advance base would alleviate the pressure on ammunition transport when the army marched north. So, he made the decision: "Since you're the second-in-command, all these requests are approved."
He struck while the iron was hot, summoned Su Hongtu, told him everything they had just discussed, and then instructed him: "Master Liang won't stay in Shandong forever. After the bastions and ammunition factories are built, he will return to Lingao. At that time, you will act as a general in name only and become the commander of the Independent Regiment. You will be in charge of the military affairs in Dengzhou on your own. Do you have confidence?"
Su Hongtu saluted and said in a loud voice, "Thank you for your trust, General. I guarantee I will complete the mission! However, I have two more requests."
"Tell me, whether you want money or people, as long as it's reasonable, I can do it."
"First, I request that the general send me a staff officer from the Military Affairs Office as my assistant."