Jiang Bin really didn't expect that this phenomenon would happen. 20,000 of the remaining 30,000 people were willing to follow him. This really surprised him. Did he really have such a great appeal and influence in this army? Even if they surrender, Li Wufeng and the others will still follow him? He really couldn't believe it, and it wasn't until his confidants quietly went to find out more that he learned the secret.
Although they followed the Taiping Religion to join the army, these soldiers from the poorest classes did not seem to have benefited at all from the uprising and war. There did not seem to be many changes in their hometowns. The original fantasy of dividing the land between the rich and the poor was The things that I longed for seemed to be gradually forgotten, and no one mentioned it again. It seemed that the only change was that the family could get a small piece of land, which was far from what they had originally expected. There seems to be no word of salary in the Crusaders, and these farmers from the lowest level began to get tired of these wars one after another, and even began to evade and flee.
The comrades-in-arms fell one after another, which made them feel the essential difference between the army from the northwest and the imperial troops that were about to collapse. Seeing the people living around them turn into clay all of a sudden, these things have not gone through too much Soldiers who fought many cruel wars began to feel the cruelty of war, and the surrender terms announced by the leader allowed those who did not want to surrender to leave. Many people could not believe it, and even wondered whether this was a trap to massacre prisoners.
There seems to be only one way left, and that is to surrender, sincerely. The Northwestern Army's generous salaries and loose policies have already caused various shocks among these people who have never enjoyed similar conditions, which also prompted them to voluntarily Following the reason why the coach surrendered, this change not only surprised Jiang Bin, but also Wu Feng. Could this be the same tenacious and unyielding army that fought with his own army to the death two days ago? The truth that the material basis determines everything seems to be particularly obvious and correct in this surrender process, which makes Wu Feng simply unimaginable.
"Brother Jiang, what are you planning to do in the future?" Wu Feng asked casually while walking casually on the city wall. After a day of long talks, from political economy to military strategy, Wu Feng's eloquence was fully demonstrated, and Jiang Bin also deeply realized the difference between the Taiping Religion he originally followed and the power represented by this guy in front of him. Although there is no clue from the current situation, Jiang Bin knew that the two sides were in an extremely unequal position from the beginning. It was an extremely asymmetrical competition. The Taiping Sect could do it in a short period of time. It stirred up turmoil all over the sky and could even shake the foundation of the empire, but it would never be the Taiping Sect who won the world in the end. Jiang Bin was impressed by Li Wufeng's ambition and foresight in the shortest time. He was even glad that he had made a It was an extremely knowing choice. Recalling that for a period of time he had been obsessed with the fantasy of the Taiping Sect's domination of the world, he was simply ashamed of the childishness and simplicity of his thoughts.
"Sir, since Jiang has surrendered, he will naturally act in accordance with your orders. However, this army may be a little different from the elite soldiers under your command. First of all, they have not received formal training, and they rely on courage to fight. Secondly, after all, they have just experienced such a bloody battle, and their morale has been somewhat affected. Thirdly, if they want to immediately turn their guns and attack the Taiping Army, I am afraid it will be difficult for them to change their minds for a while, so please understand, "Jiang Bin euphemistically said Expressing his opinion, he knew that although the man in front of him was young, all the generals under his command were capable of fighting, but they all bowed down in front of this man, which showed that this man's insight and ability were extraordinary. Naturally, I need to be cautious in my words and actions in front of him to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
"Brother Jiang, there is no need to be so polite. I will never go back on what Li promised. I have no intention of letting your army participate in the battle against the Taiping Army, but I want to hear how you plan to transform this army. According to me As far as I know, although your army is currently relatively stable, there are still many problems within it." Wu Feng shook his head gently and explained with a smile.
"Your Majesty, your words are serious. Since Jiang has surrendered, this army will naturally be under your command. Jiang is just entrusted by Your Excellency to take care of it temporarily. It's just that there is a problem with what Your Excellency said, and Jiang also feels it. Although these two More than ten thousand people have followed Jiang to surrender, but there are already many people inside who have two ambitions. They are just worried about being retaliated and assassinated, so they have to pretend to be submissive. I think we should clear out these people first. Only retain those who are truly willing to serve you, sir, so the situation will be much better." Jiang Bin also understood the meaning of Wu Feng's words, and he was not worried about anything else. After all, if the other party does not trust him and his troops, he would be However, after entering the city and surrendering, he had an absolute advantage and captured himself and his troops. However, the other party did not do so. Instead, he generously handed over the troops to his command and management. This made Jiang Bin feel happy and happy. ashamed.
"Well, this point must be resolved immediately. I don't want this phenomenon to exist in my army. Brother Jiang can reiterate that anyone who does not want to stay can leave safely and be given travel expenses, but they are not allowed to stay in the areas under my control. , give one last time, if those who have not left but have different aspirations, don't blame us for not giving them a chance." Wu Feng's words were very calm, but the last sentence had a hint of coldness.
Jiang Bin nodded in agreement with understanding. The army is not like other departments. Disloyalty to the commander is absolutely not allowed to occur. This is of course understandable. "Sir, please rest assured. Jiang Bin will definitely arrange this work carefully and will never Those with second thoughts will be allowed to mix in this army, but according to Jiang's opinion, the number of such people will not be too large. After all, the vast majority of them had already left when the original announcement was made, and the rest either followed Jiang. Brothers who are old brothers who have been here for many years, either stay here because they admire your lord’s reputation, and the majority of people in these two fields should make up the majority.”
"Okay, let's not talk about this issue anymore. What I just asked you has another meaning. How do you plan to transform your army?" Wu Feng didn't want to go around any more and asked directly to the core of the question.
Jiang Bin's face became serious. He also knew that when the coach invited him out, he must discuss this issue. He said it was a discussion, but in fact it was to give himself face. Of course, he was the leader of this team, and the other party must also ask for his opinion. , he has already prepared in his heart.
"Sir, my idea is that after clearing out the unstable elements in the army, can we first take the troops to an area designated by your Excellency? It is best to break away from the area where the Taiping Army is in contact, disrupt the original organization, and follow the Northwest Army's The establishment has been reorganized and trained. I heard that the Northwest Military Academy is a cradle for training officers at all levels. Could you please arrange some graduates to serve in this army? You can also select some with potential and future among the existing officers and soldiers. I would like to take this opportunity to go to the Northwest Military Academy to study and train, so that they can systematically learn and master military knowledge. I also want to take this opportunity to study in the academy." Jiang Bin suggested to Wufeng solemnly with a serious look on his face.
Wu Feng couldn't help but admire the shrewdness of the guy in front of him. He had almost completely covered the issues he had considered. He not only fully expressed his loyalty to himself, but also expressed his opinions without leaving any trace. He also thought about everything he had thought about. Many problems have been summarized. A veteran is a veteran and will do things flawlessly.
"The idea is good. Changing the organization is inevitable. Since you become a member of the Northwest Army, of course you must follow the existing organization of the Northwest Army. What you said about letting graduates of the military academy to serve and letting officers enter the military academy for training are both It's a good idea. All matters are decided by you, but you are not involved for the time being. This army cannot do without you for the time being, and you are still needed to stabilize the overall situation. You don't need to have other unnecessary ideas. Mr. Li has always done things well. You are aboveboard, if there is any change, I will negotiate with you directly." As if he had seen through Jiang Bin's thoughts, a faint smile appeared on Wu Feng's lips, but in Jiang Bin's view, it seemed to have a hint of good-natured teasing. meaning.
"As for where to go for training and reorganization, I think Northern Luzon should be a good place. If necessary, you can also go to Wusun and Beggala for training. By the way, you can broaden your horizons. Fighting in the civil war is not considered a hero. If you have the ability, you can pull it out. Only those who show their majesty on the outside can be regarded as true heroes." Patting Jiang Bin's shoulder, Wu Feng stared meaningfully at the other person's complicated face, and said with a smile, "I'll give you half a year, I hope to be able to Half a year later, we will be able to see a brand new army."
Unable to help but sigh, Jiang Bin had complicated emotions in his heart. What else could he say? His own probing behavior turned out to be a sign of narrow-mindedness. The other party's mind was really beyond the reach of ordinary people. A man who knows his friends will die. This sentence is probably the only sentence that can sum up Jiang Bin's mood at this time.
Seeing the look on the other person's face, how could Wu Feng not understand what the other person was thinking: "Brother Jiang, you don't need to say anything else. Li can tell you frankly that Li will not be willing to be the victim of others. Human beings only have a few short decades in their life. If you want to leave a scene on the huge and long historical stage, you must seize the opportunity to show yourself. Now that history has given you and me opportunities, why can't we hold me firmly? Will this opportunity leave a strong mark on the mainland’s historical records?”
These words set off huge waves in Jiang Bin's heart. Even after a long conversation, Wu Feng had never opened his heart to a general who had just surrendered like him. The other party's trust and respect for him had reached an unprecedented level. , without another word, the red-faced Jiang Bin just bowed respectfully: "I am willing to serve you!"
It was probably at this time that this guy truly surrendered to himself from the bottom of his heart. Even though Wufeng prided himself on being calm and self-respecting, at this time he couldn't help but develop an air of arrogance.