Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

"We have almost absorbed all the soldiers from the villages and towns under the jurisdiction of Sanjiang County. Almost every household has someone serving in the security corps. We can slowly build up the militia. In this way, the shortfall in military pay will not be too much of a headache for us for the time being."

Wang Hua patted his head and said to Su Zhengyang: "Captain, hasn't Honghe County been occupied by us? Honghe County is much more prosperous than Sanjiang County. There are many landlords and gentry like Du, Ma, and Guo in the county. Most of them are just like these families in Sanjiang County, doing some useless things. We can copy the way we handled it in Sanjiang County and raid the homes of these bastards. They are all very rich, and this can also reduce the pressure on our Northwest Revolutionary Army."

Su Zhengyang nodded and said, "Okay, this way we can quickly win the hearts and minds of the people in Honghe County, killing two birds with one stone. I'll leave this matter to you later."

"Commander, I also have an idea. We got rid of those landlords and tyrants in Sanjiang County before, and they have so much land that they can't count it. How can the common people have good land? These good fertile lands are now in our hands, but no one is cultivating them. We can introduce a policy that anyone who sends young and strong people from their families to our security corps to serve as soldiers can have priority in obtaining the right to rent land from our revolutionary army. We don't want rent from the common people. Every year, they only need to hand over half of the harvest from the fields as rent. This is a great thing. It will not only allow the common people to gain tangible benefits, but also solve our food problem in the long run."

The idea proposed by Gu Chenghai was quickly unanimously approved by everyone.

"Commander, our revolutionary army now has more than enough light and heavy machine guns, but not enough submachine guns and pistols. We can't let our officers go without even pistols. And you and Old Liu's commander Tang Hengdao, who wouldn't be jealous?"

Su Zhengyang smiled and pointed at Liu Chengxu and said, "Your abacus beads are falling on my face."

After discussing for most of the day, a series of issues such as the specific organization and firepower equipment of the Northwest Revolutionary Army were properly resolved.

"Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock! All the soldiers of the Northwest Revolutionary Army will gather at the training ground for a swearing-in ceremony. You will notify everyone at every level."

"Yes, Commander!"

The officers present stood up in unison and saluted Su Zhengyang with a standard military salute.

The next morning, the entire Northwestern Revolutionary Army, totaling 21,400 soldiers, gathered on the training ground in battalions.

On the rostrum, Su Zhengyang held a large loudspeaker and first announced the decision to establish the Northwest Revolutionary Army. He then handed the loudspeaker to Qin Huaiyi, asking him to announce the appointment of officers at all levels and the changes in the military and division organization.

An hour later, Qin Huaiyi finished reading, and many veteran soldiers below showed delighted expressions.

"Brother Ershun, you are now the deputy commander of the First Brigade's reinforced regiment. You are so powerful. Remember to treat us to a drink later."

"Brother Chenggui, did you hear that? You will be the deputy commander of the Second Brigade Reinforcement Regiment in the future! You will really bring honor to the people of Liujia Village."

"By the way, if we form our own Northwest Revolutionary Army, we won't have to rely on the Guo faction warlords anymore."

"Our commander will be the commander of the Northwest Revolutionary Army in the future, and he will be on an equal footing with the leader of the Guo faction warlords."

Su Zhengyang took the loudspeaker from Qin Huaiyi and coughed lightly a few times. The Northwest Revolutionary Army soldiers who were immersed in joy below suddenly quieted down.

"From today on, our Northwest Revolutionary Army is officially established. Brothers, what is the reason for you to join the security group? Please answer."

At the front, Liu Ershun’s brother, the honest and simple Liu Dashun was named.

After standing up a little stiffly, Liu Dashun scratched his head and said, "I don't know why others join the security team. I joined the security team because my brother Ershun said that the security team can eat meat every meal and can also make a lot of money for the family."

The soldiers immediately burst into laughter.

Su Zhengyang also smiled and said, "The soldier who just spoke is called Liu Dashun, and his younger brother is the newly appointed deputy commander of the First Brigade Reinforcement Regiment, Liu Ershun."

"Don't laugh, Dashun is a real man. I believe that all of you here had similar ideas when you first joined the security team. You wanted to make a living, earn a few more dollars for your family, and make life better for your parents and relatives."

"But today, I, Su Zhengyang, want to tell you what the significance of being a soldier is after we have formed the Northwest Revolutionary Army."

The soldiers below all showed expressions of admiration and looked at Su Zhengyang intently.

"The meaning of being a soldier is to fight for peace! Fight for the millions of Chinese people!"

"I want to ask everyone, before I, Su Zhengyang, came, the Du, Ma, and Guo families oppressed the people for years. Who dared to stand up and resist?"

"But since I, Su Zhengyang, came here, the security team has completely changed its appearance. We have eliminated those landlords and tyrants who only know how to harm their neighbors and exploit the people, allowing the people of Sanjiang County to truly live a good life. Now, who outside doesn't praise our security team as upright and brave men! This is the true meaning of our military service!"

Su Zhengyang explained to the soldiers in a simple and clear way what it meant to fight for peace and what it meant to fight for the people. In the eyes of the Northwest Revolutionary Army soldiers, weak but blazing seeds of fire were ignited. This is the power of faith.

"Now, the people of Sanjiang County have escaped from the sea of ​​suffering, but outside Sanjiang County and Linzhou Province, there are still tens of millions of people living in dire straits. The foreign powers have wolfish ambitions and covet our Chinese land! They want to trample our entire nation under their feet! Brothers, do you agree?"

The soldiers of the revolutionary army raised their right hands spontaneously and roared with great force: "We don't agree!"

"Get them out of our land!"

"To protect the country and the people, to make millions of people live a prosperous life, to expel the foreign powers, and to get these ambitious alien races out of our Chinese land! This is the meaning of our Northwest Revolutionary Army's existence!"

"I, Su Zhengyang, will lead all my colleagues in the Northwest Revolutionary Army! For this ideal, for this goal! No fear of life or death! Use our entire lives to keep moving forward!"

"Revitalize China! Protect the country and the people, and drive out the invaders! This is the lifelong mission of our Northwest Revolutionary Army!"

"Revitalize China! Protect the country and the people! Drive out the invaders!"

The powerful shouts, with their unstoppable momentum, shook the heavens and the earth. This was the cry from the soul of a nation.

At this moment, this Northwest Revolutionary Army truly had a soul! The soul of China.