Chapter Seven: The Initial Emergence of Recruitment

Brothers, I implore you, today is the first military meeting of the Gongyi Camp. It would be quite embarrassing to be late, so hurry up and go in quickly!

Unexpectedly, as soon as the words were spoken, the atmosphere turned cold. The generals looked at each other, lowering their heads in silence, leaving the Niu Xie platform unattended.

"You are truly confused. General Zuo's headquarters is at Wenchang Gate, which is over ten miles away. This is the Niu Xietai of the Gongyi Camp..." As he spoke, another round of drumbeats echoed, and Wanshitong excitedly gazed towards the military camp, gesturing animatedly as he said: "This is the second drumbeat; if the third drumbeat does not gather the generals, heads will roll! The new official at Niu Xietai might just execute a few to establish his authority!"

Wang Kefan replied amiably, "Before joining the army, I was a student at Shangu Academy. In the Gengchen year's imperial examination, I was a top scholar and was recommended by the Wuchang Military Defense Officer to join the Gongyi Camp."

As the crowd entered the central hall, Wang Kefan stood alone in the corner at the back

Wang Kefan, on the other hand, remained calm and composed, nodding politely whenever his gaze met someone.

"Niu Xietai, why are you so nervous? We are just a small honor camp, not the prestigious camp of He Junmen." The other generals, however, were completely unconcerned, with some who were familiar with Niu Zhongxiao even joking and laughing.

Suddenly, a loud voice emerged from behind the crowd

The reward offered by Niu Zhongxiao is not low, but what he got in return was a lot of complaints and strange words.

All the generals looked on with furrowed brows and cold expressions, as if they were gazing at a fool

It is an unshirkable responsibility

Choosing such a person to serve as the commander of the new army, He Tengjiao's insight in selecting talent is truly exceptional

What jumped out was Hu Dahai, whose robust figure stepped forward two paces, confronting Wang Kefan like a provocative fighting cock. His large head pressed forward continuously, his breath nearly spraying onto the other person's face, with a fierce gaze that seemed ready to erupt at any moment

Thank you, Xie Xietai ... ... '' Just as Wang Kefan was about to bow and pay his respects, he was interrupted by someone beside him.

The military position in the governor's yamen? It is definitely not a member of a noble family, nor a successful candidate in the military examination. It can only be the trusted relative of He Tengjiao, similar to Niu Zhongxiao.

"What are we wasting words for? The camp has already emptied six posts. If we recruit more soldiers, what will we eat in the future?"

Niu Zhongxiao trembled with anger and slammed the table, shouting: "Hu Dahai! Don't you even consider where this is? You keep speaking disrespectfully; do you still see this general in your eyes?"

You! Niu Zhongxiao recalled Hu Dahai's background and was momentarily speechless

Hu Dahai was once again taken aback, his mind somewhat short-circuited

Wang Kefan parted the crowd and emerged from the masses

... ...

The warm face meets the cold rear, and Niu Zhongxiao clears his throat twice before getting to the point: "The most urgent matter at hand is to replenish the troops of the Gongyi Camp. Well, let us all consider how to accomplish this task effectively"

Gradually, people began to notice the camel that had infiltrated the flock of sheep. The nearby military officers turned their heads to size up Wang Kefan, their gaze cold and vigilant. Occasionally, they whispered to each other, speculating about his background.

... ...

At this moment, Niu Zhongxiao was standing outside the central military hall, wearing a full smile and cupping his fists in both hands, repeatedly bowing to the military officers who were entering in single file.

At the foot of Moshanshan by the eastern shore of Donghu Lake in Wuchang Prefecture, there has been a military garrison for many years. The local residents have grown accustomed to the sounds of drums and gongs and can discern their meanings.

Only by being upright can one hold others accountable. Although Niu Zhongxiao has never heard of this saying, he understands its principle. In order to make this group of unruly soldiers obedient, the vacant six outposts must first be filled.

How can a scholar become a soldier? How can a student from the Shangu Academy serve as a sentry officer? This is completely unrelated and does not connect at all

Indeed, a talent is worth only five taels of silver; who would be willing to sell their life for that?

Niu Zhongxiao's face turned red and then pale, pale and then red again, leaving him momentarily speechless

Wait! Who are you? Are you from the Gongyi Camp?

At that moment, someone nearby exclaimed: "I remember now, you are from the Wang family of Hengshili! Why have you come to Gongyi Camp?" The Wang family of Hengshili is a prestigious and renowned family, well-known in Huguang, and although all the members present are military officials, some have speculated about Wang Kefa's background

Forget it, today just ... ...

"Stop talking nonsense. I have exhausted all my efforts to recruit just over thirty people. Who can recruit another two hundred? What a load of rubbish!" The tall officer who spoke first was quite arrogant, and his foul language drew a burst of laughter.

Dong—, Dong—, Dong—, Dongdongdongdongdong

Without waiting for Niu Zhongxiao to respond, a group of military officers immediately began to grumble, creating a lively and noisy scene.

Officer Hu, please stop causing a scene. Brother Wang has just joined the Gongyi Camp a couple of days ago and is currently the supervising officer of our Gongyi Camp! Niu Zhongxiao promptly intervened to defuse the situation

For the establishment of the Gongyi Camp, He Tengjiao appointed Niu Zhongxiao as the camp officer and recommended him for promotion to the rank of Deputy Commander and Commander, a genuine second-class military officer. Niu Zhongxiao was grateful for the opportunity and wished to repay He Tengjiao's kindness with his life.

These military officers assigned to the Gongyi Camp regard taking pay without work and drinking the blood of soldiers as a shortcut to wealth. The replenishment of troops infringes upon their interests, which is why they collectively instigated unrest and resisted recruitment

"Then what do you do?" Hu Dahai was perplexed, looking at Wang Kefa's attire, which resembled that of a scholarly gentleman. Could it be that he intends to impersonate a Confucian general?

Niu Zhongxiao quickly waved his hand in confusion: "We can't say such things, how can we face He Junmen? Our Gongyi Camp is also under the command of He Junmen, it is a newly trained army under the supervision of the governor's office..."

Hu Dahai was taken aback, took two steps back, and looked up and down at Wang Kefan. The position of a disciplinary officer is a coveted one, and many people are eagerly eyeing it. It's better to do some tricks than to be a useless employee. There's no reason to become a referee, right?

Martial arts practitioner

Wang Kefan clasped his hands together towards the assembled generals and smiled as he said: "In times of national unrest, I am willing to wield a three-foot green blade to cleanse the treacherous. In the future, as we all serve together as generals, I kindly ask for your support, brothers"

It's not that we can't recruit soldiers, but these military officers are unwilling to recruit.

Niu Zhongxiao shook his head and frowned, saying: "Although a notice was issued, very few people came to enlist in the army. We need to think of another way to replenish the troops."

Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby solemnly swear to the heavens that I have no intention of embezzling military funds!" Niu Zhongxiao spread his hands and explained helplessly, "There are still six posts vacant in the camp because there are no suitable officers. I promise that if anyone can recruit enough able-bodied men, regardless of their rank, even if they are ordinary soldiers, they will all be promoted to officers!

General Zuo's soldiers are still receiving 60% of their salary without doing any work, we should at least receive 70%!

The sergeant retorted indifferently, "Hey, the little bit of relocation funds you sent is less than chicken droppings. I have exhausted my efforts to gather more than forty people, and I can't manage to get even one more!"

Everyone took a sharp breath, a fierce-looking general appeared in their minds, stepping on several heads, the steel sword in hand still dripping with fresh blood, like a ferocious and evil deity...

He did not come from a traditional military background, but was instead a son of a scribe from Nanyang County, having served as a minor official in the county office during his youth. In the first year of the Tianqi era, He Tengjiao was appointed as the magistrate of Nanyang County. The skilled martial artist Niu Zhongxiao caught his attention, and under his promotion and trust, he followed closely by his side, serving as the chief bodyguard for over a decade, earning He Tengjiao's deep trust.

Everyone needs to support their families, the cattle association, we must leave a financial path for our brothers!

He Tengjiao has high hopes for the Gongyi Camp. The method of training troops is derived from the famous general Qi Jiguang's Qi Family Army of this dynasty. The entire camp is organized in a four-by-four structure, with twelve men forming a squad, four squads making a team, and four teams constituting a post. The post commander leads over two hundred men, with a seventh-rank military officer serving as the overall commander, which can be considered a proper military formation.

As a newcomer without prior experience, it is not easy for Niu Zhongxiao to serve as a camp officer in the military. Each of these military officials has their own background; either their ancestors were military nobility or they are descendants of military families. In fact, they are all his subordinates, making it difficult for him to impose punishments lightly.

Someone asked in response: "General, which general? Is it General Zuo of Ningnan County?"

In the hands of He Junmen, there were no soldiers. He suffered a lot from Zuo Liangyu's insults. Even the Governor of Huguang felt uncomfortable. Niu Zhongxiao had already made up his mind to turn the Gongyi Camp into an elite army to share the burden with He Junmen.

In the Ming Dynasty military, there were also officers in charge of logistics, similar to deputy chiefs of staff. When Du Yinxie recommended Wang Kefa, he intended to secure a position for him as an officer in charge of logistics. However, Niu Zhongxiao had always been reluctant to agree. At this moment, the situation was awkward, yet he blurted it out.

The term "Xietai" mentioned by the omniscient refers to Niu Zhongxiao, the sitting official of Gongyi Camp, who holds the newly added rank of Second-Class Deputy General, commonly referred to as Xietai in official circles

The sound of "dong dong dong" echoed as the three-way signal drum was struck. Niu Zhongxiao entered the central military hall and approached the general's table at the center.

Good! Very good! I hereby appoint you as the seventh sentry officer, responsible for recruiting two hundred and twenty young men, with a deadline of fifteen days. If the required number of recruits is not met by the deadline, military law will be enforced! Loyal and righteous individuals should be given due recognition, and the Niu Xietai will not hesitate to offer high positions and generous rewards.

Dozens of military officers responded wearily, all displaying an air of lethargy and indifference

"Not really." Wang Kefan shook his head again

Hello, officer! Unfortunately, I do not have that fortune. Where can I find a full two hundred people?

The dull sound of drums suddenly erupted, startling several white-headed ducks that were foraging on the surface of the lake

Hiss ... ...

Two days ago, he met with Niu Zhongxiao and learned that he was the sitting officer of the Gongyi Camp's new army, but he did not expect his character to be so soft!

However, they are truly being excessively unreasonable. The relocation fee of 5 taels of silver is already considerable, and each person is also provided with 2 bolts of cloth. Such recruitment conditions are certainly not poor, and in addition, there is a monthly salary of 1.5 taels, which is sufficient to support a whole family.

A lull in the conversation, yet again a lull in the conversation

Without training, one cannot become a soldier. The newly formed Gongyi Battalion particularly requires diligent practice. However, with a total strength of over 3,000 personnel, the Gongyi Battalion currently has only about 400 to 500 soldiers. With the ranks not yet filled, how can they train? Therefore, Niu Zhongxiao prioritized recruitment as the foremost task and brought it up in the military council.

Niu Zhongxiao's tone was quite urgent

Ladies and gentlemen, our righteous camp has just been established, and General He holds us in high regard. This is indeed a tremendous opportunity with boundless prospects! Everyone must train diligently and strive for achievements, so that in the future, we may seek to secure a title and provide for our families.

"Calm down, don't be angry, anger can be harmful to your health!" The officer named Hu Dahai remained indifferent, speaking in a sarcastic tone, exuding an air of unwarranted confidence.

"Are you from a martial arts background?" Hu Dahai interrogated Wang Kefan about his background

All thanks to the support and assistance of the cooperation platform

Your Excellency, I humbly request permission to enlist troops. Please issue the order

Where did this guy come from, has he lost his mind

This is the drum for summoning generals, the commander is currently selecting his generals! The man speaking has high cheekbones, a gaunt face, and his eyes are darting around restlessly, clearly a know-it-all and a chatterbox, a character who loves to show off

By the end of the Ming Dynasty, it had become a common practice in the military to receive pay without actually serving. Not only the commanding officers benefited, but also various ranks of subordinates engaged in layers of exploitation. The number of personnel missing in the military often exceeded half, with 60% to 70% not being uncommon, and this was openly acknowledged in a blatant manner, to the extent that even Emperor Chongzhen was helpless in the face of it

Upon the recommendation of Xu Bingzhong and Du Yinxie, he has joined the Gongyi Camp, but a specific position has not yet been assigned to him. In other words, he is still in the internship period, and today he is here for a visit

No," Wang Kefan shook his head

He is simply a pushover

At such an awkward moment, when someone stepped in to mediate, Niu Zhongxiao felt both surprised and delighted, even somewhat moved. Wang Kefa truly lived up to being a cultured and principled man, as he indeed stood up at a critical juncture.

Buzzing filled the air, accompanied by laughter and chatter, creating a somewhat chaotic scene. Niu Zhongxiao felt a surge of blood rush to his head, wanting to disregard everything and confront Hu Dahai first. However, after hesitating several times, he could only let out a long sigh in resignation

"The Bull Association has already issued a recruitment notice, hasn't it? Why are we in such a hurry!" After a long while, a tall sentry finally responded, but his tone was unfriendly

Wang Kefan calmly looked at Hu Dahai, eye to eye, face to face, yet did not take a step back. The two men's faces were almost touching, and the surrounding military officers began to stir, loudly cheering and adding to the commotion, causing the atmosphere to suddenly become tense

Not yet," Wang Kefan continued to shake his head

Wang Kefan followed behind the generals, watching all of this with some surprise

"Good! Can one sentinel recruit two hundred and twenty people?" Niu Zhongxiao said with a beaming smile and a friendly tone