Chapter 316 Award Ceremony
Wei Ping did not have as many scruples as Luo Shengdong. He was not like Luo Shengdong, who had a future as the father-in-law of Yazhou Zhizhou and had hundreds of water village soldiers who could be mobilized. After Wang Tongzhi retires at the end of this year, Wei Ping's only reliance will probably be on the Yulin Inspection Department. But in fact, the so-called Inspection Department is just an empty shell. Anyone with skills will directly change the department and join the army. He went to work under the name of the Haihan people. In fact, there are only a few old brothers who have nowhere to go in the inspection department following him. So when Ren Liang proposed to transfer some people from the security team to the Inspection Department as "temporary workers" a few days ago, Wei Ping didn't even have the confidence to object - if the Inspection Department didn't increase its manpower, he would soon become the bare commander. .
Wei Ping knew very well that if he lost his inspection skills, he would be basically useless in Victory Port. Don't look at the fact that there are still some businessmen who are polite to me every time they see me, and even show a little filial piety from time to time, but if I really take off this skin, I am afraid that I will immediately become a transparent person. The most effective way to maintain the Inspection Department as an institution is to cooperate honestly with the Haihan people. Of course, if you want to get along better, just "cooperating" is definitely not enough. Wei Ping already knows everything about Luo Shengdong's family history, and he also learned some truths from it. For example, sometimes if you have a more proactive attitude, you can Get more opportunities.
Seeing the shocked silence among the guests watching the ceremony, Wei Ping immediately cheered loudly: "The Haihan Militia is so powerful that it will definitely keep our Yazhou safe and sound! On behalf of the local people, I would like to thank the Haihan Executive Committee for their contribution. With money and effort, we organized this team to protect the countryside and the people!”
Luo Shengdong secretly cursed "shameless person" in his heart, and then said not to be outdone: "Inspector Wei is right. Since the establishment of the militia, the public security in Yazhou has gotten better day by day. With my official In my opinion, both the Haihan Executive Committee and the militia have contributed a lot! However, Yazhou has a long coast and a wide area. With the existing strength of the militia, it is difficult to fully protect Yazhou. I hope that the Executive Committee can train more. Some people will develop this militia to maintain local security.”
The business delegation from the mainland nearby were all dumbfounded. What is going on? The local magistrate and the garrison commander are vying to flatter the Haihan people? Even if there is some friendship between the two parties, when the official people see that the vigilante group is so powerful, shouldn't they be wary and the correct reaction?
On the other side, the North Vietnamese mission, accompanied alone by military personnel, had a different feeling. Zheng Zha had already met the business inspection group from the mainland and the official viewing group from Yacheng at yesterday's banquet. Although he had no direct contact with the people from these two parties due to his status, he was accompanied by the people in Haihan Under his guidance, the identities and status of these people were basically understood, further confirming Haihan's influence locally and even in the Ming Continent.
In terms of financial resources, the Haihan people themselves have extremely strong economic strength. Now that they have attracted this group of mainland businessmen, each of them can be said to be worth millions, and with the backing of Haihan, a local snake, it is conceivable that this "Qiong Lianfa" "How strong will it be after its establishment. Zheng Zha is not a playboy with no knowledge of civil affairs. He is currently taking care of most of the business affairs of the Zheng family. Zheng Zha still knows how much power these wealthy businessmen will have when they unite. These wealthy businessmen are planning to invest in Yazhou, so they naturally take a fancy to the Haihan people's ability to make money, but aren't the Haihan people using them to expand their influence?
How could the Haihan people invite local high-ranking officials from Yazhou to support them? Zheng Zha didn't know how, but it was obvious that the purpose of the Haihan people was to allow these businessmen to invest in Yazhou with confidence - today's military exercise display must be the same. part of it. With so many wealthy businessmen forming a group to spend money in Yazhou, local officials will inevitably look at them differently. After all, there are too many interests involved. During this period, Zheng Zha was really impressed by the Haihan people's ability to strike a balance, and Zheng Zha also clearly felt that he was not an outsider in the Haihan people's plan, otherwise he would not have arranged the time like this. By chance, the North Vietnamese mission arrived in Port Victory before all the excitement.
Of course, the focus of the other two parties is different. As Haihan's military partner, Zheng Zha is most concerned about today's military exercise. Zheng Ting, who happened to be next to him, had personally participated in the perfect landing battle two months ago, and could explain the battle process and tactical arrangements to Zheng Zha in real time. While Zheng Zha was watching, he was also weighing in his mind whether the current North Vietnamese army could defend the Haihan people's offensive method, but the conclusion made him feel very frustrated - even if some defensive measures could be taken in advance, his own army would Their performance will probably not be any better than that of the South Vietnamese rebels two months ago.
There is no other reason. In addition to differences in military training levels, there is also a huge gap in weapons and equipment between the two sides. Even if Zheng Ting didn't say anything, Zheng Zha had already noticed that the guns used by the Haihan militia were obviously sharper than the weapons sold to him. The shooting speed of the muskets used by the militia was at least faster than the ones he bought. times, and the range and power of the militia's artillery were obviously more powerful than those sold by the Haihan people.
Moreover, Zheng Zha also saw an artifact that was rumored in the military to allow the Haihan people to communicate with each other across a distance of several miles. Zheng Zha, who had experience on the battlefield, could easily imagine that with such an artifact, it would be easier for people to command operations on large battlefields. Convenience. It's a pity that the Haihan people have always regarded this thing as a treasure. Zheng Zha knew without asking that the Haihan people would never sell this thing.
"These profiteers!" Zheng Zha couldn't help but have such thoughts in his mind. Of course, he also knew that if it were him, he would definitely not sell the best-quality weapons to outsiders. What the Haihan people did was actually just a normal act of self-protection.
Considering that the military support of the Haihan people will be needed for a long time in the future, Zheng Zha can only hold this anger in his heart - if he really protests to the Haihan people on this, the smiling tiger Tao Donglai will soon come back. It is necessary to use reasons such as "insufficient production capacity" to limit the number of weapons purchased by one's side.
The Ming Dynasty's officials and military actually expressed their appreciation and support for the Haihan people's behavior of organizing private armed forces in such a public place. This was indeed something Zheng Zha did not expect at all. Before that, he had even planned to watch the show, preparing to see how the Ming officials would criticize the Haihan people for their bold actions. Unfortunately, the result disappointed him. The performance of these officials was like the domestic slaves of the Haihan people. I began to doubt whether their identity was true.
Rich and powerful, this is Zheng Zha's most profound impression on the Haihan people so far during his trip. It was obvious that this group of people was no longer just a group of maritime merchants living in Daming Yazhou, but a force whose control and influence had truly surpassed that of the local government.
After the military exercise, each participating company left the exercise ground by boat in batches and returned to the station. The officers boarded the "New World" collectively because there was still an award ceremony to be held.
Yan Chujie, the top leader of the military, delivered a speech before the ceremony: "Today we are here to award awards to the soldiers of the militia who went to Annan to fight for the collective benefit two months ago and made military exploits with their bravery! Our soldiers Who are we fighting for, who are we bleeding for, and who are we dying for? I hope everyone here will remember that they are fighting bravely at the risk of their lives to protect the safety of everyone in Victory Port! Everything they have done will be remembered by history and praised by future generations. They are heroes worthy of respect and commemoration by everyone!”
A group of people from the military took the lead in applauding, and then the local people who heard the content from the loudspeakers installed on the shore also started to cheer - the soldiers of the Haihan Militia are basically from the local area, and many of them are from those who have done meritorious service. The family members came here specifically to watch the meritorious award ceremony today. This kind of affection also made the local people feel the same and excited.
The funeral arrangements for the soldiers who died in the expedition two months ago had been completed as early as February, and pensions and rewards had been distributed. This time, the award ceremony was aimed at the living objects. It was less sad and more celebratory.
The military's combat merit statistics method does not adopt the first-level merit recording method of the East Asian armies of the same era, but is a more scientific approach of modern armies. It takes the importance and completion of combat tasks as the basis for consideration, and then refers to the completion process. Specific performance is used to determine the level of military merit. The first award is for various collective merits. All personnel who participated in the Annan Campaign across the sea, including civilian husbands and logistics personnel, will receive a bronze "Vietnam Aid War Commemorative Medal." Of course, this commemorative medal is not just in name only. All non-military personnel will be rewarded with ten-yuan coupons issued by the Executive Committee, while the reward for military personnel is twice as high - this can also be regarded as a war dividend to the civilian population. part of.
This decision immediately attracted a tsunami of applause from thousands of onlookers. When the army wins a war, it is reasonable to give some rewards, but I have never heard of the practice of giving money to the soldiers and civilians to mark their merits. Perhaps before this, the people had some objections to the executive committee recruiting a large number of civilians to participate in the war, but now that they can get actual rewards, it is difficult for a small number of people to have a market for their dissatisfaction.
In addition to commemorative medals and bonuses, all officers participating in the war will also receive corresponding military merit badges. This is a personal resume that will always be worn on the chest of the combat uniform. The military merit medals are basically based on the standards of the national army in later generations. They are arranged in a long strip on the chest, with three medals in each row. In the middle of the first row is the "Level Chapter", which distinguishes different levels of military positions by color and the number of five-pointed stars on it. On the left is the "Military Service Seal", which uses color bars to show the officer's military service life and will be changed every year. However, because the Haihan Militia has been in the army for a short time, all officers currently have the same military age. The "Commemorative Medal" awarded this time and the "Meritorious Medal" received at the individual award ceremony later can also be worn on the chest to show the officer's personal qualifications and increase the military personnel's personal sense of honor and belonging. .
For example, Yan Chujie, the top leader of the military, can now wear the military merit badges on his chest, including the "one-year military service badge" with a green background and red bars, the "serious battalion grade badge" with double silver stars on a blue background, and the "War to Aid Vietnam" "Qualification Chapter". However, this benefit starts from platoon-level officers at the lowest level, so at this first award ceremony, no naturalized civilian soldiers will receive the award of military merit badge for the time being.
Then there are the various collective merits of the participating troops. The first award was given to the Black Earth Port Special Operations Company for their outstanding achievements in this battle. The special operations company fought deep behind enemy lines several times during the Battle of Annam. Not only did it obtain a large amount of intelligence, but it also caused heavy damage to the enemy's supply lines, making it impossible for the South Vietnamese Army to hold on to their positions north of Zhengjiang for a long time. Regardless of the importance of the combat mission or the actual completion effect, the special operations company can be said to be the best performing team in the entire campaign, and it is well-deserved to receive this award.
As the chief military officer of Heitu Port, Qian Tiandun came to the stage to receive the military medal for second-class collective merit. This is not only an affirmation of the combat performance of the Black Tu Port Special Operations Company, but also an affirmation by the Executive Committee and the Military Commission of the military development plan implemented by Qian Tiandun in the Black Tu Port area. The military establishment of Black Tu Port will also be further expanded on the existing basis, rising to a battalion-level establishment, and the jurisdiction will also be expanded from the original two strongholds of Black Tu Port and Tushan Peninsula to the south to Yong'an Port near the north-south dividing line. In addition, the formation of a water force dedicated to the Annan garrison has also been included in the agenda with the formal implementation of the Black Earth Port Shipyard expansion plan.
The second collective military medal is also a second-class merit. Compared with the Black Earth Port Special Operations Company, the scale of this combat group is much smaller, but no one will ignore the existence of this special unit - the elite from the North American Gang. Combat Team. As the most well-equipped combat team in the base camp, the North American Gang was led by Allied General Staff Chief Tom Wang. It acted as a forward sentry during the battle and successfully repelled several enemy attacks on the commanding heights. Nearly a hundred enemies were directly killed and wounded, which made a great contribution to the coalition's control of the frontal battlefield. The only regret is that Johnson, the bearded man who brought up his family in the North American gang, was left at the base camp due to family reasons and was not able to participate in this battle with the large army, so this collective second-class merit has nothing to do with him. . It is said that Johnson regretted this and vowed not to miss the next military operation again.
The third collective military medal was awarded to the artillery company. The coalition forces were able to defeat enemy forces several times their own on the frontal battlefield. At least half of the credit must be attributed to the artillery. Later, the artillery troops bombarded the South Vietnamese military camp, causing a complete rout of the South Vietnamese army, giving full play to the advantages of long-range strike firepower. If we talk about the results of direct killings, the gains of the artillery unit actually far exceed that of the large number of musketeers. It can be said to be the main force of the coalition's firepower output.
The onlookers at the port gave each winner enthusiastic applause and cheers. As for the course of the Annan Battle, in fact, through various reports by the militiamen and the recent steady flow of South Vietnamese prisoners of war arriving at Victory Port, most local people know about sixty-seven points, but there has been no official confirmation. Today's ceremony allowed the gossip-loving people to finally verify all the previous rumors, and truly realize that the Haihan Militia's combat prowess was not just bragging, but was actually fought on the battlefield with swords and shots.
The highlight of course is the individual military merit award ceremony that follows. For military personnel under the framework of the Haihan military system, being able to make meritorious service in battle is the most ideal and fastest way to get promoted. This does not matter whether it is for military personnel. It is equally applicable to the time-traveling officers and the naturalized soldiers. In fact, among the list of people who will be promoted to military positions due to their military career, there are many names of naturalized civilians.
"The squad leader of the first squad of the second company of the militia Yu Tiezhu!"
"Arrived!"
"According to the recommendation of the Second Company Headquarters, the Battalion Headquarters verified the combat merit and reported it to the Military Commission, confirming that Sergeant Yu Tiezhu was brave and tenacious during the battle and commanded effectively. The Haihan Military Commission now commends Tiezhu as follows. He was awarded the third-class personal merit once and won One military medal and one medal for meritorious deeds, promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant, and a one-time reward of fifty yuan in circulation coupons, as well as a qualification for further training in the military academy. The above rewards are effective immediately! ”
Hearing such a generous reward, Yu Tiezhu couldn't help but shake his hands when he saluted Yan Chujie. The company commander had already talked to him about the promotion for meritorious service a few days ago, and he was somewhat mentally prepared, so he wasn't too surprised. The reward of fifty yuan circulation coupons seems to be a lot, but for a naturalized civilian officer of his level, it is not an astronomical figure. The military pay, allowances and rewards he received after returning from this expedition alone are It's already thirty or forty yuan. What excited him the most was actually the last item, obtaining the qualification for further training at the military academy.
After returning from this expedition, there were rumors in the army that the superiors would set up a school specifically to teach combat knowledge. This school was different from the existing literacy classes and cadet classes for underage children. When the militia trains mid-level officers, they also teach more advanced military command subjects. Yu Tiezhu had also heard this rumor a long time ago. In his opinion, this was actually something that would definitely happen - the scale of the militia was getting bigger and bigger, and Officer Haihan only had such a small number of people, so it was impossible to let them serve as commanders all the time. For grassroots officers, it is only a matter of time before they are promoted to naturalized civilians. Before promotion, according to the usual practice of the Haihan people, they must first undergo a period of specialized training.
Yu Tiezhu had always planned to make a name for himself in this system, so he paid special attention to this matter and also used various connections to find people to find out the inside story.
(End of chapter)