After leaving the Daxiaochang Camp, Hu Zongxian visited and inspected several other military camps in Yingtian. The naval camp of Marquis Linhuai and the Zhenwu Camp of Duke Wei were naturally included. Moreover, because a mutiny had just occurred in the Zhenwu Camp, Hu Zongxian deliberately stayed in the Zhenwu Camp for two days as a focus of his inspection.
Hu Zongxian's mood became worse every time he inspected a military camp. Every military camp had a lot of problems, almost all of which had common problems such as false reporting of troops, lax discipline, dilapidated armaments, weakness and disorganization, and low morale.
There were so many problems, but no military camp took the initiative to make corrections. Hu Zongxian used both rewards and punishments to barely force them to verbally express their willingness to make corrections. However, whether they could actually implement the corrections remained an unknown.
cope!
Their faces and eyes are full of "coping"!
Hu Zongxian was furious. "Back then, the nine border camps were barely acceptable, but these camps in Beijing are simply unbearable! Now that the Japanese invasion is so serious, the camps are turning a blind eye and making no preparations for war! They are still eating empty salaries, the military preparations are still neglected, the military discipline is still lax, and the morale is still weak... Yue Wumu said: If civil officials don't love money and military officers don't fear death, the world will be peaceful. But if military officers love money and are afraid of death, what will happen to the world?!"
"There was a mutiny in the Zhenwu Camp, but the Beijing Camp has not learned its lesson and has not yet found ways to correct its shortcomings..."
"You can deal with me, Hu Zongxian, but how are you going to deal with the Japanese pirates when they come?!" Hu Zongxian couldn't help getting angrier and angrier when he thought of the faces of some people who were obviously just dealing with the matter and not really taking it seriously.
"What other military camps are nearby?" Hu Zongxian asked his accompanying clerk after sighing gloomily for a moment.
"Sir, there is a Beijing camp called 'Zhenwei Camp' outside the city of Yingtian. There is also a militia camp more than 60 miles southwest of the city..." The accompanying clerk replied after opening the book and checking.
"Zhenwei Battalion... Tuanlian Battalion..." Hu Zongxian repeated it silently, then turned to the accompanying official to verify, "The Tuanlian Battalion was established by Zhu Ping'an, the deputy director of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provincial Criminal Investigation Department?"
"My lord, the militia was formed by Lord Zhu Ping'an, and it was registered as the 'Jiangsu and Zhejiang Militia Army', abbreviated as the 'Zhejiang Army'." The accompanying clerk flipped through the books and bowed to report to Hu Zongxian.
After Hu Zongxian confirmed that the regiment training camp was formed by Zhu Ping'an, he immediately showed interest and nodded, saying, "I must go and see the regiment training camp formed by the top scholar. Maybe it can give me a surprise..."
"Sir, the capital's army is so corrupt, what can the militia do?" The accompanying official asked in confusion.
In his opinion, the Beijing Army was a regular army among regular armies, while the militia was not even a local ragtag army, but just a militia. If the Beijing Army was so bad, what could the militia do? It would only be worse.
"Who knows, Zhu Ping'an is not an ordinary person. Maybe he can give me a surprise."
Hu Zongxian did not comment.
"Sir, is our next stop the 'Zhenwei Camp' or the 'Zhejiang Army Training'?" asked the accompanying clerk.
"Of course it's the Zhenwei Camp." Hu Zongxian said without hesitation, "Zhenwei Camp is the Beijing Camp, and the Zhejiang Army is just a regiment. In terms of importance and priority, Zhenwei Camp should naturally take precedence. Go back to the yamen today to sort out the inspection situation, and go to Zhenwei Camp early tomorrow morning. After the inspection of Zhenwei Camp is completed, go to Zhejiang Army for training."
"Yes!" The accompanying officials accepted the order.
In front of the gate of Zhejiang Army Camp in Taohuaji, Marquis Linhuai and Duke Wei arrived together. They did not come empty-handed, but brought with them twenty carts of supplies, all of which were in-demand cotton, cloth, grain and fodder.
The two wanted to go directly into the military camp to visit Zhu Ping'an, but were stopped by the guards at the gate of the camp. The two showed their official badges, but it didn't work. They also said that they were Zhu Ping'an's uncles. The guards insisted that they wait outside the camp and wait until they reported to the inside and got permission before they could enter. The day before yesterday, Datou, Erdan and others were beaten with sticks for letting outsiders into the camp without permission. They remembered it vividly, so how could they dare to repeat the same mistake. Therefore, no matter how the Duke of Wei and the Marquis of Linhuai threatened and lured them, the guards at the gate insisted that they report to the inside first according to military regulations and let them enter the camp after getting permission.
"You are such blockheads, you don't know how to adapt!" Duke Wei couldn't help but glare at them, "Why don't you go and report it quickly!"
Marquis Linhuai looked at the guards at the door, thoughtful.
Not long after the guard at the door passed the message inside, Zhu Ping'an came jogging out of the military camp.
"Uncle, I am sorry for not coming to greet you in person. Please forgive me." Zhu Ping'an bowed and greeted Marquis Linhuai and Duke Wei. He was a little out of breath when he spoke because he had been jogging all the way.
"Don't be anxious, nephew. It's not too late to breathe evenly. Haha..." Duke Wei and Marquis Linhuai said with a smile.
"Haha, sorry to have embarrassed you, uncle. Please come in." Zhu Ping'an paused for two seconds, then smiled and extended his hand to invite the two men in.
"Nephew, please."
The Duke of Wei and the Marquis of Linhuai nodded and entered the camp.
"My dear nephew, your guards are very strict. We showed our ID badges and revealed our identities..."
After Duke Wei and Marquis Linhuai entered the camp, the guards at the door heard Duke Wei talking to Zhu Ping'an. Due to the distance, they could not hear clearly, but they could clearly sense that Duke Wei's tone was unfriendly.
"Did you hear that? The Duke who just came in is complaining to our master. Do you think we will be punished?"
A guard said with some concern.
"No way. When Datou and Erdan were beaten the day before yesterday, the adults emphasized the military rules. They said, 'As long as they are not soldiers of the Zhejiang Army, they will not be allowed into the barracks even if the emperor comes!' We are also following military discipline and following the adults' wishes. We can't be punished, right?!" said another guard.
"But the Duke and the Marquis are your uncles. If they file a complaint, can you not give them this face?"
"No way?"
The guard at the door became worried for a moment.
Just when they were worried, Liu Mu came from the camp. When the guards at the door saw Liu Mu, their backs tightened. Military discipline, military rules, and military law were all the responsibility of the Supervisory Camp. Liu Mu was the commander of the Supervisory Camp. Could it be that the Lord heard the Duke's complaint and sent Liu Mu to punish us by military law? !
The guards clenched their toes nervously.
"Don't be nervous. This is a good thing. You have done a good job today. My Lord asked me to reward you. Starting from this month, your monthly salary will be increased by 10%. " Liu Mu smiled in the nervous eyes of the guards.
"Ah?! Thank you very much, sir! Thank you very much, sir!"
The guards were ecstatic.