Under the setting sun, An Yi watched thirty horses being happily taken away by Jiang Dingwen and other officials and a group of guards. An Yi felt so distressed that he almost cried.
Huzi and Yin Jinan were not feeling well either. Huzi's face turned blue and his eyes were half-closed. Yin Jinan simply turned his head and refused to look.
Hu Shusen and Xu Tingyao looked at each other and smiled. Hu Shusen took out a document from his pocket and said loudly: "An Yi, Hu Jialin, and Yin Jinan follow the order!"
"My subordinate is here!"
An Yi weakly crossed his legs. Hu Zi and Yin Jinan didn't dare to neglect and immediately stood up straight.
Hu Shusen opened the document and solemnly read out: "After study and decision by the division headquarters and approval by the military headquarters, An Yi is appointed as deputy battalion commander of the Second Division Engineer Battalion and promoted to the rank of major; Hu Jialin is appointed as company commander of the first company of the engineer battalion and captain of the engineer battalion.
Staff officer; appoint Yin Jinan as company commander of the third company and political instructor of the engineering battalion, and be promoted to the rank of captain. This order! Commander of the second division: Liu Zhe."
An Yi and the others were still immersed in pain and anger. After hearing the good news, they were not mentally prepared at all. The three of them looked at each other, not knowing what to do, and their faces were confused under the shock of happiness and worry.
"Haha, you didn't expect that, did you? When did the master and us superiors not remember the merits of their subordinates? Are you as petty as you guys think?"
Xu Tingyao stepped forward and patted An Yi's shoulder gently: "This is the reward you deserve. The principal was very happy to receive our telegram in the afternoon and encouraged him a lot. Deputy Commander Wang also issued a commendation order. The whole division
All our brothers know that without your timely discovery and reporting, we would not have achieved such an outstanding record of capturing more than 3,800 people without losing a single soldier. Without you leading your brothers to bravely block the attack, our Second Division would not be as good as it is.
Smooth implementation surrounded.
Maybe you don't know that General Tang Shengzhi was very angry when he learned that we had captured these stubborn enemies, and scolded his general Liu Xing who led the team to Wulipai to lay a dragnet. This second division of the Hunan Army is the strongest in the direct Hunan Army.
The troops that can fight are not only strictly disciplined, but also all veterans. It was Zhang Hongluan who led them to defeat General Tang Shengzhi's two divisions and drive him out of Hengyang City. He also defeated them in the early hours of this morning at the cost of nearly half of the casualties.
General Tang Shengzhi's He Jianshi was blocked by eight thousand officers and soldiers, and He Jianshi was seriously injured and managed to escape, so it's no wonder General Tang Shengzhi is so angry, haha!"
Hu Shusen continued: "I think I should tell you something. Of these 3,800-plus prisoners, our Second Division only received three companies of 500 pitiful men. The rest were ordered to be transferred to the First Division of Deputy Commander Wang Boling for training.
Therefore, you should understand the difficulties of Master Shi and the good intentions of our superiors.
Also, for the thirty horses today, you should think that many battalion commanders do not have horses, and they also need horses to travel. If you are allowed to stay all, wouldn’t you become a thorn in the side of others? I believe you should have this awareness.
Yes, I just felt uncomfortable for a moment when I saw that what I had risked my life to get back was gone.
Okay, I won’t say much else. The three of you must make great achievements in your new positions, continue to carry forward the spirit of the model company you founded, and strive to turn the engineer battalion into a model battalion for the entire army, and serve for us.
Winning honor for the Second Division will also bring glory to the Master and us officers who think highly of you!"
"yes!"
An Yi took the lead and answered loudly. Hu Shusen and others happily approached the tall war horse selected for him and the two of them. They patted the horse's neck lovingly and were about to ride on it. An Yi quickly went over and asked: "Chief of Staff, our camp is Du
How will the instructor and First Company Commander Li Houcai arrange it?"
Hu Shusen put down his legs and patted his forehead: "I almost forgot to tell you that Du Zhengkuan was promoted to the division headquarters, and Li Hou was promoted to the division. Your brother Li Yannian was asked to serve as the company commander, and the second company commander Cao Fuming was also promoted.
The Sixth Regiment of Dongsheng was transferred to serve as the commander of the newly expanded company. There is no suitable candidate for the vacant position of commander of the second company yet, so you can take it concurrently first. Anyway, the first and second companies are also the ones who implemented it.
If you have any difficulties, just go to your battalion commander Kuang Shimin."
"But, so..." An Yi said anxiously.
"But what? Go back and think about it. I am usually a very smart person, but now I am confused. I don't know how you managed to follow Mr. Ou Yaoting for so long..."
Xu Tingyao interrupted An Yi's words without politeness, and he and Hu Shusen happily rode back. As they walked, they praised each other that your horse is better than mine, and then said that our horses are not as good as those of An Yi's three boys.
, but it is indeed much stronger than the original horse.
An Yi thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. Hu Zi and Yin Jinan were both real people. They had been officials for a short time and had no experience in this field. The three of them discussed for a while and walked together to the camp headquarters five hundred meters south.
The battalion headquarters was a granary owned by a landlord in the lower village. The food inside had long been robbed by the attacking troops, leaving only a tall and sturdy warehouse, which was suitable for office space.
After the report, An Yi and the others went to sit down next to the battalion commander Kuang Shimin. The lonely Kuang Shimin greeted the orderlies to serve tea and looked at An Yi with a sad face, which immediately shocked An Yi:
"Battal Commander, are you sick?"
Kuang Shimin took the cigarette from his beard and replied angrily: "It would be better if I was really sick! Everyone has climbed to the top of the tree except for me. If you guys weren't still here, I wouldn't be here either."
Pat your butt and leave!"
An Yi understood Kuang Shimin's thoughts: "Battalion Commander, you didn't go to the commander to talk to him, right? The position of quartermaster of our division has always been vacant. Considering the relationship between you and the commander, it's not just a matter of words?"
"Oh! I don't have any kind words for my brother. During this period, I have been looking for the master, but the master also has his own difficulties! Everyone is staring at the position of the director of military supplies, and no one is willing to come to pick him up.
In my position, especially after your third company was established as a model company by the principal, the people who want to come are not qualified. The people who can come are not willing to train to death day and night like the three of you, and they are worried that they will not be able to manage it.
You, the principal's favorite student, live here, so I have to stay, do you really think I am willing?"
Although Kuang Shimin has a cowardly character, he has no scruples in front of An Yi. On the contrary, since An Yi came to his command, he respects him in everything and never forgets to give him a reward as the battalion commander. Kuang Shimin is also grateful for An Yi.
The outstanding performance of the Third Company has accumulated the indispensable capital for the promotion of mid-level officers. Therefore, regardless of whether he contributed to the achievements of the Third Company, at least the fact that he has good teaching cannot be easily obliterated.
An Yi nodded to express his understanding: "Battal Commander, if this is the case, you can't come in a hurry. Maybe there will be a bright future in another village, just like my subordinates are doing now. It's useless to rush. The chief of staff and the deputy division commander just came to my place.
After dinner, he wiped his mouth and cursed us, and then threatened to take away the thirty war horses we captured. If the remaining six horses had not been hit by bullets and needed to recover, they would have all been lost. Just us
When the three of them were discouraged, the chief of staff suddenly announced that he would appoint his subordinate as your battalion deputy. Both Huzi and Jinan were promoted, serving as company commanders of the first and third companies respectively, as well as battalion staff officers and instructors. But we didn't have this in mind.
Damn it! No, the three of us are in a daze and have no ideas, so we can only come to you for advice."
Kuang Shimin stood up in surprise: "Really? Why didn't I know?"
"It probably happened suddenly. Deputy Commander Xu told me that they would come to me after the military headquarters called me back. The letter of appointment will be sent to me tomorrow morning."
An Yi answered truthfully, told all the words Hu Shusen and Xu Tingyao left before leaving, and asked Kuang Shimin what did this mean?
Kuang Shimin sat down slowly with a smile on his face: "Xiaoyi, you brothers are crazy! It seems that I, the battalion commander, will soon give up my position to you, haha! I really hope that you will become the battalion commander tomorrow!"
An Yi and the others didn't know how to understand it. Kuang Shimin waved away the orderly and motioned for the three of them to sit closer:
"Xiao Yi, everyone in the division knows that on the surface, the commander treats your Third Company the same as he treats other departments, but in his heart, he cares most about the Third Company. You have indeed given credit to the commander and the superiors, let's not talk about winning the bet.
Zhang Huizhan’s 100,000 yuan, just the honors you have earned in the past few months make our second division very proud. Can you not treat you differently? Besides, Xiaoyi and Jinan are both students whom the principal attaches great importance to. After graduation,
The principal of the ceremony personally called your name, and all the school ministers unanimously recommended you two to take the stage to receive the Zhongzheng Sword. Even the beard comes from Huangpu like me. You have not thought about this relationship... Okay! It seems that you also understand in your heart.
, I will continue."
Kuang Shimin drank half a cup of tea and continued: "First company commander Li Houcai and second company commander Cao Fuming both graduated from the third-stage infantry course. Like all the generals in the army, they look down on our engineering soldiers. The two of them went up and down before going out.
They are looking for ways to be transferred, and after you three guys arrived, they made dazzling achievements one after another. Think about it, are the two of them still willing to stay? I wouldn't want to either.
, because the appointment of battalion commander is not expected. If I fall behind the three of you, it is better to go to the infantry regiment where it is easiest to make achievements. Besides, their old profession is infantry. Now you understand... Besides, why not transfer new ones?
The company commander came in, but let the three of you take on the role. This is easy to understand. There are only two possibilities: First, they can't find a suitable candidate for the division, and they don't want the three of you to encounter too much resistance.
, I deliberately use this opportunity to let you take up the responsibility and mature as soon as possible, especially Xiaoyi. If I guess correctly, the day you become the battalion commander may be the day that I, Kuang, get his wish. And according to the development of the war, this time
It won’t be too long. Compared with the examples of promotions in the two Eastern Expeditions, the three of you have been promoted relatively slowly!”
"I understand, that's what it is... Battalion Commander, please tell me what your second possibility is?"
Now An Yi finally had an enlightenment, and this enlightenment was extraordinary. He had already vaguely guessed what Kuang Shimin's second possibility was.
Kuang Shimin laughed: "The second one is what our Principal Jiang means. I don't think Principal Jiang will say it out loud, but since the Principal suddenly proposed to establish your third company as a 'model company for the whole army' and generously equip it with a batch of new weapons
At the beginning, everyone in the senior management should understand the principal's ardent hope, not to mention that the teacher and several superiors also had such plans. In addition, Xiaoyi, you are a man of both sides and can get along with everyone, so this vague decision was made. Understand
Come on, haha!”
The three of them suddenly realized it and had mixed feelings in their hearts.
An Yi thought for a while and said: "Battal Commander, I estimate that we only have half a day tomorrow morning. We may have to leave in the afternoon. Therefore, we must confirm the officers at all levels of the entire battalion tonight at the latest at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."
Come down, otherwise it will turn into a mess!"
Kuang Shimin laughed loudly: "Isn't this easy? The three of you will make a list here, and write down whoever you like. If you don't have a diploma, add the word agent in front of the title. I will send it to the division headquarters immediately after writing it.
Go. I guess the teachers and the others are still in a meeting at the moment, so I can just give them a stroke of my pen. I will blow the whistle tomorrow morning and make a centralized announcement and it will be over."
"Battal Commander, you know the first and second companies better, please tell me how many people to choose, otherwise I won't know what to do!" An Yi smiled respectfully.
How could Kuang Shimin not know that An Yi was taking care of his own face? He was pleased to propose two candidates for platoon commanders and one company deputy. After that, he said to An Yi, half jokingly and half seriously: "Xiao Yi, what if one day you guys get promoted?"
, I have to come to beg for food!"
An Yi laughed: "Batalion Commander, you are hurting me. No matter what happens in the future, you will always be my battalion commander. You know that I, An Yi, do not promise easily, but as long as I promise, I will do it."
Done!"
"Okay! I know you are very loyal, otherwise how could you have so many brothers working hard for you? Haha... write quickly, don't waste time!"
Kuang Shimin stood up happily, his face smiling like a chrysanthemum.