Traveling through the late Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese civilization

Chapter 738 The New Qionghai Naval Academy

At Zhu Jinhu's command, the soldiers, as fierce as wolves, pounced, pinned down the ringleaders, and began beating them with two-foot-long wooden sticks right there in the street. The men, not expecting it to be for real, howled in pain. The others tried to help their fellow villagers, but the other soldiers brandished their rifles and bayonets, warily aiming them at them, preventing them from making any rash moves.

Unlike other parts of the Ming Dynasty, the Qionghai Navy soldiers in their standard uniforms were untouchable in Lingao. From peddlers to gentry, everyone preferred to offend the county or even the prefectural government rather than a common soldier, let alone an officer. Now, the Qionghai Navy enforced discipline; a row of soldiers standing there silenced passersby, who quickly walked around them, none daring to watch the spectacle. The instigator of this incident, the madam of "Cuiyun Tower," immediately retreated to the brothel, and the girls upstairs disappeared from the windows.

Xiang Yu was puzzled. It's human nature to watch a spectacle, so it was already strange that no one was watching. But if Qionghai was known for his fierceness, why were the shops along the street still open as usual, completely unaffected?

He quietly took two steps back and whispered to a peddler selling cosmetics outside the brothel, "Brother, why are pedestrians all going around you? Why don't you pack up and avoid trouble?"

The vendor replied, “These soldiers are fierce, but they all follow the rules. They are straightforward and clear-cut. If they want to target someone, they will never take advantage of the situation to cause trouble for us ordinary people. Over the years, everyone has figured out these soldiers’ routines: he does his job, I do my business, and we don’t interfere with each other. But if you go over to watch the show or interfere with his work, you’ll end up being sent to work in the mines.”

Xiang Yu nodded, his opinion of the Qionghai Army rising even higher. An army that could establish authority among the people while simultaneously ensuring they were never harmed was undoubtedly admirable.

After the military law was carried out, a few unlucky ringleaders had their buttocks ripped open and were covered in blood. They were carried away, and the rest of the people were also intimidated. No one dared to disobey the order and obediently followed the instructor to report to the military academy.

The distance from the dock to the Ma Niao Military Academy is a few miles, neither too far nor too close. If a high-ranking official were to visit, he would certainly travel by horse-drawn carriage or similar means of transportation, but soldiers obviously would not receive such treatment.

Zhu Jinhu shouted, "As soldiers, you should have received basic training. A few miles should be no problem for you. On my command, all of you: Destination: Ma'ao Military Academy, four miles away. Run!"

These reserve officer cadets were all from inland areas and were mostly seasick. They hadn't eaten a single grain of rice since disembarking, and they were reluctant to run four miles to their destination under these conditions. However, thinking of their comrades' bloodied and mangled backsides, they dared not utter a single complaint. Under unified commands, everyone started running and quickly left the dock.

After all, they were carefully selected people, and their physical fitness was outstanding among their peers. Despite being hungry, everyone successfully reached their destination without anyone falling behind. However, the line was a bit long, with the first and last people arriving at different times by about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Xiang Yu was the first to arrive, even faster than the instructors and veterans. When Zhu Jinhu arrived, he looked at him approvingly and praised, "Not bad, quite interesting."

Xiang Yu proudly replied, "Brother Zhu, I told you before that as long as you have enough to eat and the strength to keep up with me, you might not be able to catch up with me."

Zhu Jinhu chuckled softly and said, "Being able to run is a skill, but in the Qionghai Navy, what's more important is the ability to remain unmoved in the face of the enemy. My instructor once said that warfare emphasizes strict discipline and unified action, requiring one to be 'swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as fire, immovable as a mountain, and powerful as thunder'..."

Xiang Yu asked curiously, "Brother Zhu, what does this mean?"

"To put it simply, in military campaigns, when moving swiftly, we are like a whirlwind; when advancing leisurely, we are like a forest slowly unfolding; when conquering cities and seizing territories, we are like a raging fire; when defending, we are like a towering mountain; and when the army is mobilized, we are like a thunderbolt." Zhu Jinhu explained, "You must remember, in the Qionghai Navy, running away is not our forte. Since its formation, the Qionghai Navy has never had a precedent of fleeing from the battlefield. Those who flee on the battlefield are always our opponents!"

Xiang Yu's blood was pumping as she listened, and she said excitedly, "That's really powerful, I like it."

At this moment, a burly officer walked over and greeted Zhu Jinhu: "Instructor Zhu, you brought all these lads back? I heard they were subjected to military law at the dock? Tsk tsk, why didn't you leave them for me to teach them a lesson? My hands are itching to do it..."

Zhu Jinhu laughed and said, "You're going too far. Don't hurt them. You almost crippled me back then, and you still want to harm these students?"

The other person chuckled and said, "It's been over a year since then, why do you still remember it? How long do you plan to hold onto this old, trivial matter?"

This man was none other than Lan Lin, who had become acquainted with Zhu Jinhu after a fight years ago. Now, both of them had become company-level officers. They were selected to serve as instructors for the first term of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign during this major military expansion. After completing their mission, they would return to their units to serve as military commanders.

Zhu Jinhu turned to the trainees and introduced them: "This is also your instructor, named Lan Lin, who is in charge of physical training. I am in charge of tactical explanations. Together with the other eleven instructors, we will be responsible for your training over the next few months. As long as you pass the assessment, you can become a formal officer and enjoy the corresponding honors and benefits. Otherwise, you will be a failure and return to the army as a private. Whether you can walk out of this school with your head held high depends on your efforts and fate."

Upon entering the campus, everyone's eyes widened in astonishment at what they saw. If the bustling activity at the docks had given the cadets a glimpse into a wonderland, then the military academy's majestic buildings and expansive training grounds truly opened their eyes to a world where training grounds could be so magnificent.

As the strength of the Qionghai Navy has steadily increased, the Ma'ao Military Academy has undergone several renovations and expansions, transforming from a small military camp into a modern military campus covering hundreds of acres. The teaching buildings and student dormitories are four-story bamboo-reinforced concrete structures. The training ground is functionally divided into several areas, including a physical training area, a weapons demonstration area, and a combat simulation area. The physical training area is fully equipped with cast iron training equipment such as parallel bars and horizontal bars, as well as an oval cement running track. The weapons demonstration area neatly displays actual mountain guns, field guns, and mortars to familiarize students with their performance. The combat simulation area features artificial hills, lakes, forests, and other complex terrains for tactical simulations in different terrains.