Chapter 1006 Founding Celebration (6)
The fixed morning exercise time at the Luhuitou Peninsula Army Base is at six o'clock in the morning. Once the time is up, a loud bugle will sound to wake the soldiers from their sleep. Except for rest days and holidays, the morning exercise arrangements at the base are unbreakable. There are half an hour to forty minutes of queue training and physical training every morning. Even if the weather conditions are not good, the exercises will be carried out in the barracks. In addition to logistics units and duty personnel, all military district garrison personnel, including agencies, are required to perform operations, and even time travelers are no exception.
The training content in the morning is generally relatively simple and not too intense, just running circles around the playground, doing gymnastics, queue training, etc. However, due to the requirements of the military parade recently, all the exercises have been changed to queue training, and the duration has been increased to one hour. The morning exercise on April 1st can be regarded as the last step of cramming, and then it is time to see the real chapter.
After the drill, the soldiers gathered and set off after breakfast, taking a special train to the Victory Port area ten miles away to stand by. The troops participating in the parade include all establishments of the navy and army, with more than a thousand personnel. It can be regarded as the largest military parade in recent years.
Sun Zhen is a big man and has a big appetite. Ordinary people can eat two big steamed buns, but he has to eat four. Because the time for morning exercises was extended and the time for breakfast was shortened, he had to carry two large steamed buns to eat on the way. It was only when he was about to get off the train that he could stuff the last piece of steamed bun into his mouth.
Most of the railways running from Tiandu Industrial Zone to Sanya Port via Victory Port were freight trains. It was not possible to mobilize enough passenger cars and trains to transport the troops, so Sun Zhen and his comrades were squatting in the freight cars. inside. The carriage was probably hauling coal, and the carriage was full of coal ash. After getting off the train, everyone hurriedly patted their bodies clean and checked to see if there were any marks on their faces to avoid causing trouble during the military parade. Make a joke.
Sun Zhen stepped onto the platform with his rifle and saw that Chen Yixin was already calling for the soldiers of the special operations battalion to assemble, so he trotted over quickly. Chen Yixin will also participate in the celebration military parade today, but he will not watch from the stage, but will form a parade formation with the soldiers.
In order to avoid delays in the loading and unloading process at the train station, heavy equipment such as artillery and various vehicles that require animal power were transported yesterday. Therefore, today's train was all loaded with infantry. It was easy to assemble after getting off the train. Very quickly, we marched on foot towards the port area south of Pier 1, taking the review square as a unit.
It was about two miles from Victory Port Station to the troop gathering and waiting area at the port. Thousands of armed troops passed through the city, which naturally attracted the attention of the people who got up early. By the time this unit marched to the port area, well-informed people had already seen their mission, and the crowd of onlookers immediately started making noises, and immediately burst into warm applause and cheers.
It has been more than a year since Sun Zhen joined the army in Penghu the year before last, but this is the first time he has felt this atmosphere. In the past year or so, there are basically only two places he has stayed, one is a military camp or a military controlled area, and the other is a battlefield. From Penghu to Taiwan, and then from Taiwan to Zhoushan, Sun Zhen was almost always on missions when he walked out of the military camp, and had almost no opportunities to contact the people. And in the few contacts he had, he could clearly feel the people's fear of the Haihan Army - just like the northern refugees who had just arrived in Penghu.
Sun Zhen could understand these people's fear of the unknown. After all, when he first arrived in Penghu, he felt equally uneasy when he saw the Haihan soldiers with live ammunition. Sun Zhen had never even dreamed of a situation like the common people eating pots of pulp and welcoming people along the street, because in his opinion, it was impossible to achieve such a harmonious relationship between the army and the people. Even when he returned to Sanya with Chen Yixin this time, Sun Zhen didn't think he would get any different courtesy here.
But the reaction of the people was obviously different from what Sun Zhen had expected. Seeing the excited expressions on the faces of the onlookers, Sun Zhen realized that the people of Haihan had a very different view of the army from the situation in the Ming Dynasty. The people here He does not regard the military as something that must be kept at a distance and be careful about, but truly regards it as his protector and pride. Looking at the people waving and cheering enthusiastically on both sides of the street, Sun Zhen thought of what the publicity officer usually calls "a fishy relationship between the military and civilians", which seemed to be reflected in Sanya.
Compared with those distant "border" areas on the Haihan territory, Sanya has been completely transformed under Haihan's rule for several years. The people are not only accustomed to being under the protection of Haihan's army, but they are also very clear about the areas controlled by Haihan. Every expansion is almost the result of the army's expansion of territory. The transformation of Sanya from a sparsely populated borderland into the prosperous scene it is today is indeed due to the military.
In addition, among the local people in Sanya, the proportion of military personnel is really high. In the early years, Haihan provided many preferential conditions for military recruitment. In addition to benefits such as one person enlisting in the army and the whole family becoming naturalized, there were also many benefits such as arranging jobs for family members, enrolling in school, etc. In the early days, most of these resources were concentrated in Hainan Island. In the southern region, many military family members have been resettled in the areas around Sanya. In addition, as the political and economic center of Haihan, the scale of the garrison has always been large. The east and west sides of Victory Port are military bases for the navy and the army. , the public's acceptance of military personnel is also quite high.
In addition, the official propaganda previously published in the Times specifically introduced the illustrious military exploits of each of the reviewed troops over the years and spared no effort to boast about it. This has also been a hot topic for local people to talk about after dinner in recent times. one. Everyone knew that those who appeared here today were all Haihan's ace troops, so naturally the enthusiasm of the onlookers was very high. Sun Zhen even saw that on the walls and roofs on both sides of the street, there were many figures climbing up to watch the excitement, which made him straighten his back again.
Sun Zhen's body shape is a typical Shandong man, tall and strong. Compared with his colleagues who came from the southern part of the Ming Dynasty and even the Indochina Peninsula, he is more than a size larger. He is also particularly eye-catching when walking in the team. Chen Yixin also took a fancy to his figure and asked him to be the flag bearer for the parade of the special operations camp. The tall and powerful Sun Zhen walked in front of the team holding the military flag, which naturally attracted more attention.
When the troops under review began to assemble in the port area, the senior residence area inside and outside Fort Victory also began to become lively. Today can be regarded as one of the most important days in the history of Haihan. All the time-travelers participating in the celebration attach great importance to this and have already gotten up early to pack up. Although there was no television broadcast in this era, it was not possible for the citizens of Haihan Kingdom to witness the grand ceremony and the grace of the leaders with their own eyes, but at least there were tens of thousands of people watching near the venue, so the scene was still big enough.
As there were more than 300 travelers attending the celebration today, the only local four-wheel box carriages with a dozen or so had to turn back many times to transport them all. Fortunately, the distance between Fort Victory and the venue was only a few miles away, so it wouldn't cause a long delay. When the troops under review arrived at the waiting area, the first group of travelers had already boarded the carriage and headed to the venue. Of course, arriving early doesn’t mean you have to hang out on the beach to cool off. Behind the rostrum, a large tent was set up specifically for the distinguished guests to rest. Before the celebration begins, both the host and the guests attending the ceremony can rest here. Waiting to appear.
There are more than 300 people in Haihan alone who need to be protected, which is indeed a big test for the security department. Therefore, from the departure point of Victory Port to the rostrum of the venue, the military, police and Haihan Security Department jointly deployed a security defense line along the way. Especially around the rostrum of the venue, there were hundreds of security personnel densely packed outside. Three cordons were formed to ensure that no unknown person would enter the venue and approach the leader. Guests invited to the ceremony are also required to undergo security checks, and can only bring one unarmed attendant into the viewing area to facilitate monitoring by security personnel.
Due to the special nature of the celebration, the security measures this time are far more stringent than those at anniversary celebrations in the past. Even though most units and institutions have already gone on holiday, the security-related departments are still operating at full capacity. In particular, He Xi, Hao Wanqing, Ren Liang and others who were responsible for commanding and coordinating security work arrived at the venue in advance and deployed security measures on site.
"To be honest, I wasn't so busy when I was in Guangzhou. I have been extremely busy these days after I came back!" He Xi sighed and said, "When I finish these days, I'll go to the mainland." Hao Wanqing said with a smile: "Save it for yourself. You've been lazy outside these past few years. It's time for me to go out and take a rest."
He Xi said sternly: "Speaking of this, it may be that you really have to go to the mainland next. It depends on when the executive committee will notify you."
Hao Wanqing thought He Xi was still joking, so he waved his hand and said: "I'm just saying it. If you really go back to the mainland to live, you won't be as comfortable as in Sanya. Whether you want to be lazy or work, it's up to you. , anyway, the executive committee will not take the initiative to intervene in the personnel arrangements of the Security Department.”
He Xi shook his head and said: "I'm not joking, I'm serious. Old Hao, you'd better say hello to your family as soon as possible and see how to arrange it. If you have any personal requirements, you should also submit them to the executive committee as soon as possible. I think as long as It’s not an unreasonable request. In principle, the Executive Committee will agree to it.”
Hao Wanqing then said solemnly: "It seems that I will be transferred to the north?"
He Xi nodded and responded: "As long as you understand. There is a meeting to be held after today's dinner, and the specific situation will be known then."
Ren Liang listened carefully to every word and roughly guessed 70% to 80% of it. He smiled and congratulated Hao Wanqing: "It seems that Boss Hao is expected to return home in glory!"
Hao Wanqing waved his hand and said: "Don't be kidding, what about returning home in glory! No one knows who I am in this era... Let's see how the executive committee arranges it first."
Hao Wanqing was joking, but he was still a little uneasy in his heart. After traveling through time, he stayed in Sanya. The farthest place he went to was Qiongbei, and he only went there after the local area came under the rule of Haihan. Although he has been based in Sanya in the past few years and has handled the affairs of the Haihan Security Department in an orderly manner, he has never lived in non-Haihan areas as an intelligence frontline worker. Nowadays, the social conditions and living standards in Sanya are getting closer and closer to the era before time travel. If you go to the Ming Dynasty, you will definitely feel the huge contrast between life and social environment.
Moreover, Hao Wanqing already has a family here in Sanya, and his child has just begun to toddle. If he is transferred to another place all of a sudden, he may not be able to come back in three to five months or even a year and a half. Will his family take him with him? Not taking it?
"Boss Hao, people have started to be let in outside. Can we finally confirm the layout of each viewing area?"
Ren Liang's inquiry pulled Hao Wanqing out of his thoughts, and he quickly responded: "Okay, let's go together!"
The armed security personnel deployed in the outer ceremony area this time were mainly military and police. The number of field personnel from the Ministry of Security was not large. Most of them were deployed beside the travelers to provide personal protection. The remaining personnel were dispersed and deployed. The role it can play is also relatively limited, so the role of the Security Department in the joint command is mainly to provide information and serve as the central liaison.
At nine o'clock in the morning, invited guests from various countries began to arrive one after another. These guests are divided into two categories. One category is guests with political status, such as the young prince of Annan Zheng Zha, General Fan Ji of the Champa Kingdom, Governor Fan Diemen of the East India Company, etc.; the other category is civilians, among whom Naturally, it is mainly businessmen who can’t afford to be early because they have no profit.
The number of guests of the latter category is several times greater than that of the former, but for Haihan, the main external audience for this politically charged celebration is still the people in power from various countries. The main purpose of the businessmen who came here to watch the ceremony was to take advantage of this opportunity to do more business, which had limited effect on improving Haihan's political reputation. In addition, the status of civilians is mixed, and Haihan does not want to leave too many hidden dangers in terms of safety. Therefore, the two groups of guests will be seated separately during the celebration. Politicians will sit on the podium with Haihan's travelers. On the stage, hundreds of other invited guests were seated in the viewing seats on both sides of the rostrum.
With so many guests gathering together, all kinds of social greetings are naturally indispensable. For this reason, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Haihan also came out to participate in the reception work at the venue. This can be regarded as the largest foreign affairs event in Haihan's seven-year history.
Naturally, there are inevitably some envoys who dislike each other, such as Annan and Zhancheng, who have never dealt with each other. Zheng Zha and Fan Ji seem to create sparks every time their eyes meet. There is also Portugal and the Netherlands, which regard each other as the main competitors in the Far East. It is inevitable that there will be some smell of gunpowder when they meet.
(End of chapter)