Chapter 38: Republic of China: Starting from Whampoa Phase 1 Chapter 38 Holding Two Positions

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

"Principal, is this one thousand yuan too much?"

Lv Muzhi looked at the number on the check; his position as platoon leader of the Training Regiment paid a monthly military salary of 30 yuan, which was already enough for thirty-three months of his military salary.

"Too much? Not really. Your short-selling suggestion brought huge gains to the Revolutionary Army; the specific amount cannot be disclosed to you. Do you see the two Training Regiments outside? That money could support them for two years without a problem." The Principal leaned back in his chair, narrowed his eyes, and continued:

"For true revolutionary talent, my Party and my Army—of course mainly myself—have never been stingy with costs. I am not interested in money; just take it."

Since the Principal was so generous, Lv Muzhi naturally had no reason to decline; he still had parents at home who needed support.

"By the way, your father resigned from Shanghai Higher Elementary School last month due to an eye ailment, and moved back to your hometown of Fenghua with your mother to tend to the two mu of fields at home. I suppose their letter hasn't reached the school yet; I'm telling you in advance, just giving you a heads-up." The Principal flipped through the documents on his desk, saying it nonchalantly.

Lv Muzhi's mind buzzed; the Principal had investigated his family background.

In Lv Muzhi's memory, his father was indeed an elementary school teacher in Shanghai, and his eyes had always been a bit troublesome; his mother was a housewife.

Before joining Whampoa Military Academy, after Lv Muzhi graduated from middle school, he even relied on his father's connections, and the father and son taught at the same elementary school. Because he applied to Whampoa Military Academy, he was scolded by his father.

Lv Muzhi stared at the Principal's crew cut, and the more he thought about it, the more terrified he became. The Principal investigated him so closely that it was really uncomfortable.

"Don't misunderstand. You are a Qingtian Party member, serve in the Training Regiment, and have recently entered the sight of the higher-ups; an investigation is only natural. Most importantly, I have a new arrangement for you." The Principal handed over a folder.

Lv Muzhi took it and opened it; it was a letter of appointment.

"Muzi Ah, you also know that our school has too few terrain instructors. The Second Phase students have already enrolled. Your topography score was full marks, first in the school for that subject alone. I've also found you a position as terrain instructor, of course only a concurrent post. Your main task is still to lead your own platoon well and put more effort into troop training."

"Be an instructor? So I have to serve as platoon leader of the Training Regiment and also serve as topography instructor of Whampoa Military Academy?"

"What? Any problem? Young people, doing more and learning more is a good thing. Don't worry; both salaries will be paid. Platoon leader pays 30 yuan a month, instructor pays 50 yuan a month. Now that your parents have returned to their hometown and have no jobs, you still need to earn more to subsidize the family."

The Principal's words were sincere and heartfelt. If Lv Muzhi hadn't crossed over, he would have put on a performance of bitter tears.

He was very clear that this was nothing but the Principal's art of controlling people, hoping he would be grateful and devoted. The Principal still hoped these Whampoa students would help him conquer the world.

After leaving the Principal's office, Lv Muzhi thought that being an instructor was also a cushy job. Not only did he get an extra salary, but he could also meet junior students from other phases.

The Second Phase, Third Phase, Fourth Phase... there were quite a few future generals and commanders among them!

Getting to know more people wouldn't make this crossing a waste.

A few days later, the Whampoa students, according to the work assignment plan of the Principal's office, officially took up their posts.

The students the Principal favored served in the First Regiment, Second Regiment, or Whampoa Military Academy; other classmates were assigned to the Yue Army or other places.

On the first day as platoon leader, He Yingqin, the regimental commander of the First Regiment, convened a meeting of all officers above platoon level in the regiment.

He Yingqin stood on the stage and said mostly empty words. What platoon leaders should do would naturally be instructed by the battalion commanders and company commanders when the time came.

Lv Muzhi only cared about who attended this meeting. With a glance, he saw all three battalion commanders of the First Regiment were present: First Battalion Commander Jiang Dingwen, Second Battalion Commander Liu Zhi, Third Battalion Commander Yan Fengyi.

There were too many company commanders, not all were classmates of the same phase, and Lv Muzhi didn't know them all. He only knew the Artillery Company Commander was Chen Cheng.

There were many platoon leaders—more than twenty, almost all familiar faces from the First Phase, all future general's stars: Hu Gongnan, Gui Yongqing, Li Xianzhou... Zuo Quan, Xu Xiangqian, Chen Minren... all crowded into one regiment as platoon leaders.

Lv Muzhi's platoon belonged to Liu Zhi's Second Battalion.

Throughout the meeting, Lv Muzhi was busy recognizing people and didn't notice what He Yingqin said on stage for twenty-plus minutes. He only knew that afterward, each battalion commander went up to speak and share their thoughts.

At the end of the meeting, every attendee was issued a copy of the Training Syllabus!

He Yingqin stood on stage to conclude: "Good! The revolution has not yet succeeded. Gentlemen, continue to work hard. When you return, strictly demand of your subordinates according to the Training Syllabus, train diligently, and build an invincible new army! Dismissed!"

When leaders hold meetings, one only needs to listen to the concluding remarks. The attendees, clutching the Training Syllabus, began to take up their posts.

The Training Regiment's station was on Changzhou Island, on the large open space behind Whampoa Military Academy, where the soldiers' camp was built.

Lv Muzhi's platoon had three squads, 10 to 12 men each, totaling thirty-three men. Their weapons were all Mosin-Nagant Rifles, bayonets, and hand grenades; there were no machine guns. Only Platoon Leader Lv Muzhi had a twenty-shot Bolt-action Rifle.

He flipped through the Training Syllabus: drill, marksmanship, field engineering, cross-country, bayonet drill......

All were basic subjects he had learned at Whampoa Military Academy. He just needed to teach what he had learned to the soldiers.

This was the role of Whampoa Class 1: to cultivate a large number of grassroots officers and quickly expand a combat-ready force.

The new recruits of the First Regiment went to Changzhou Island in September and had already trained for two months, learning what they should learn.

Lv Muzhi didn't rush to start training. First, he needed to get to know everyone in the unit, just like when he was an elementary school teacher, getting familiar with all the students in the class.

After roll call, Lv Muzhi chatted with them and found that the new recruits of the First Regiment were all from good families, with no troublemakers. Before enlisting, they were either workers or farmers, with good discipline. It was obvious they had been selected.

Most importantly, most of these people were recruited from Zhejiang Province, mainly soldiers from Taizhou, Shaoxing, Lishui, Jinhua, Fenghua, and other places.

No need to think; this must have been the Principal's instruction.

Lv Muzhi continued to inquire and learned that the Workers and Peasants Party and the Qingtian Party had set up recruitment stations in the Shanghai French Concession, recruiting from all over.

"You ask why I came to be a soldier? Our factory's trade union mobilized me to come. Besides, the monthly salary here is high, food and lodging are provided, and I can save money."

"I heard the principal of this military academy is our old fellow townsman, the treatment is good, eight dollars a month, much better than farming at home. I heard our army will redistribute land in the future. Platoon Leader, is this true?"

"Platoon Leader, are you also from Zhejiang Province? Can land be distributed? Old fellow, you can't cheat old fellow!"

After listening, Lv Muzhi laughed and cried. So the recruitment advertisement was put out like this.

It was truly old fellow cheating old fellow, with tears welling in his eyes.