Chapter 370: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 380 Lu Commander, It's Time to Go Home

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Outside Zhengzhou City, field hospital.

"Lu Commander, we're at the hospital." The driver got out and opened the car door.

Lv Muzhi nodded, stepping out of the sedan.

After several months of major battles, the hospital had many wounded; medical staff hurried about without panic.

The Japanese invaders had their strategy, while Lv Muzhi was busy raising and training troops, handling military and civil affairs in his jurisdiction.

A counteroffensive was certain, but having just ended a major battle, the troops needed rest; the Youth Corps expansion plan was ongoing, the agreed military contract had not been implemented, and Lv Muzhi needed time to recuperate.

Zhang Fei whispered an introduction beside him, leading Lv Muzhi inside.

"Thanks to our penicillin, infections among the seriously wounded are well controlled; those treated recover quickly, and some lightly wounded can already walk around."

Lv Muzhi walked closer and saw a young nurse carefully changing the dressing for a soldier whose arm was wrapped in bandages.

The soldier's face was still pale, but his eyes had spirit.

Seeing Lv Muzhi, the wounded soldier struggled to sit up and salute.

"Lie down, rest well." Lv Muzhi pressed him down, checked his injury record, "You are... from the Youth Army 1st Army?"

"Report, Commander! Yes, Assault Battalion, Third Division, First Army!" The soldier's voice was weak but still carried backbone.

"Good." Lv Muzhi patted his uninjured shoulder, feeling somewhat relieved in his heart.

These soldiers were the greatest capital for dealing with the Japanese invaders and the greatest responsibility on his shoulders; he must do his best to treat them well, prioritizing penicillin for them.

Lv Muzhi and the others continued their inspection.

Zhang Fei seized the opportunity to whisper a report: "Lu Commander, according to your instructions and last meeting's resolutions, the Youth Corps' latest establishment is basically implemented."

The Corps commands four Youth Armies, each Army standardly equipped with three Divisions.

Calculating at eighteen thousand per full-strength Division, four Armies and twelve Divisions total about 220,000 troops.

Lv Muzhi listened silently, walking without stopping, his gaze sweeping over the wounded and medical staff along the way.

"Additionally, including the Air Corps directly under the Youth Corps, Jiang Defense Marine Corps, field hospital, Military Police Corps, etc., troop strength reaches 250,000;"

"There is also the Guerrilla Corps you specially ordered formed, to operate in occupied territories, organized into five Detachments of ten thousand each, making 50,000."

Qiu Qingquan knew the numbers by heart: "Thus, our Youth Corps' four Youth Armies, one Air Corps, one Guerrilla Corps, Jiang Defense Marine Corps, Military Police Corps, field hospital... all forces combined total about 300,000!"

Zhang Fei nodded: "A 300,000-strong army! Dominating North China, truly a mighty force!"

Lv Muzhi showed no pride, instead frowning, his responsibility even greater.

Leading the Youth Corps, he held the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Border Region, and military and civil affairs in his jurisdiction still required his attention.

"Three hundred thousand troops... with our current effort to maintain troop treatment and equipment standards, feeding such a large army, just the daily grain alone is an astronomical figure."

"Not even mentioning guns and ammunition, uniforms and bedding, vehicles and fuel, just opening mouths to eat is a burden enough to crush many local finances."

"That's why I must rack my brains, play along with foreigners, and strive for every foreign loan and supply."

"Relying on ourselves alone is too hard; sooner or later we'll sit and eat until the mountain is empty."

Zhang Fei nodded in deep agreement: "Commander is right."

"In earlier years, we had just one Army, relying on central government finances and Lu Commander's own hand, supporting several tens of thousands with ease; even during the Xuzhou Campaign, expanding to two Youth Armies, 100,000 troops, feeding soldiers was still manageable."

"Now the scale has swollen to 300,000, while expenses have grown manyfold."

"Relying on Lu Commander alone, plus the central government's meager subsidies, it is indeed hard to bear such enormous military expenses."

Qiu Qingquan said: "Now the military and civil affairs of this four-province border region are all overseen by Lu Commander; our main jurisdiction is in Henan South, on our own turf, we must develop a stable and reliable source of military funds."

"If truly necessary, appropriately lower the standard of supporting troops, for example, the number of tanks per Division; the new standard has increased to 45 vehicles, can be reduced somewhat, saving some expenses."

Lv Muzhi shook his head firmly: "The standard of supporting troops cannot be lowered, especially regarding rations; first, let the brothers eat their fill, this is the foundation of maintaining combat effectiveness."

"Starting from the next harvest season, in the counties and townships we actually control, in the name of grain requisition for resistance and national salvation, requisition a certain proportion of grain; with this vast Central Plains earth, feeding the army full should not be a problem."

"Within our jurisdiction, measure the land of good landowners and big households, and requisition grain in proportion."

"At the same time, within our jurisdiction, implement wartime law, embedding grain requisition actions into the law, specifically enforced by our Military Police Corps."

Qiu Qingquan hurriedly recorded, saying with some concern: "The land belongs to big landlords; we requisition grain to fill the soldiers' bellies, but what if the landlords raise rent on their tenants?"

Lv Muzhi said: "What to do? Special measures for special circumstances!"

"Now is wartime; we must set a suitable standard for tenants' rent, not too high;"

"If landlords' rent to tenants exceeds the maximum standard I set, then in the name of disrupting anti-Japanese military and civil affairs, speak with the gun barrel, not excluding directly requisitioning their land!"

Zhang Fei nodded: "Wartime, special measures for special circumstances, that's fine, but I'm still worried."

"If we do this, I fear local landlords and gentry will unite to oppose us; if it reaches the central government, it won't end well."

Lv Muzhi ignored these: "The common people are the foundation of our resistance, especially the farming common people; we must pay attention to protecting their interests;"

"You set the standards, carry out land measurement simultaneously, then execute immediately; see who stands up to oppose, then I'll deal with them one by one;"

"To prevent soldiers from going hungry, we must first make the landlords suffer; if it reaches the central government, I'll take the blame!"

Qiu Qingquan said with hands on hips: "Right, the Eighth Route Army's methods toward landlords are far more thunderous than ours; we're still mild..."

Zhang Fei hurriedly interrupted Qiu Qingquan: "Ai ai ai... Yu'an, watch your words, watch your words; we do our work, all this is to support the troops, for the long-term plan of resisting Japan."

Lv Muzhi smiled: "For landlords, follow my policy: the more land, the more grain; first survey the cultivated land clearly;"

"Order the main commanders of each Army and Division; starting next month, the entire army implements a new schedule."

"Besides normal military training and combat duty each week, two days must be arranged as fixed 'public duty days'."

"Public duty days?" Zhang Fei was slightly puzzled.

Lv Muzhi explained: "I am preparing to carry out water conservancy construction in the Henan South region to help develop local agricultural production."

During these two days of labor days, apart from necessary combat-ready troops, all units shall participate in water conservancy construction, digging canals and building dams, organized by company and platoon, led by officers.

Apart from this, care must be shown to the people within the jurisdiction: emergency harvesting and planting, repairing roads and houses, helping with farm work during busy seasons, and carrying out construction during idle seasons—all must participate.

Even if the big landlords have objections to us, at least in the eyes of the common people, my Youth Corps is not eating free meals in Henan South for nothing; they can also stand up and speak for us."

Zhang Fei's eyes lit up: "Lu Commander, this method is good, it can both relieve logistics pressure and improve military-civilian relations, but it sounds a bit like the style of the Eighth Route Army next door..."

Lv Muzhi patted Zhang Fei's shoulder: "An upright person fears no crooked shadow. If I had enough grain to feed these three hundred thousand people, why would I need to do this?"

From the perspective of anti-Japanese military and political affairs, what I am doing is reasonable; if anyone dares to question it, let them come find me."

Also, regarding military discipline within the troops, strict control must be exercised. First, place the Military Police Corps in order, and appoint Chen Minren as Commander-in-Chief of the Military Police to inspect the three armies!"

Qiu Qingquan suddenly remembered something and asked: "Lu Commander, you haven't been home for nearly two years; shouldn't you go back for a visit?"