Chapter 204: Chapter Twenty-One: The Medal

Dense clusters of torches flickered in the wind. Huang Shi’s gaze rested on Song Army Supervisor’s face for a moment, then slowly moved downward, finally settling on his ceaselessly trembling hands. Song Army Supervisor sensed his Regional Commander’s stare. He tried desperately to stop this useless quivering, but the harder he strove to drive out the fear and grief, the more maddeningly those feelings clung to him. Under Huang Shi’s fixed gaze, his hands shook even more violently, until his arms and the long spear he gripped began to vibrate in unison with them.

Though the surrounding torchlight was dim, Huang Shi could still see with perfect clarity the hand on the spear shaft beginning to spasm, its knuckles already deforming from gripping too tight.

“Squad Commander Song Army Supervisor.” Huang Shi uttered another soft, sharp call.

“Your subordinate is here.” As he spoke, the arquebusier squad commander instinctively thrust out his chest and snapped his legs ramrod straight, so that he seemed to shoot up several inches in height.

The martial vigor that suddenly radiated from the man opposite pleased Huang Shi greatly, and his tone hardened: “When did you join the Firefighting Battalion, and what medals have you earned?”

Song Army Supervisor’s answering voice seemed to carry a metallic clang. He shouted, “Your subordinate joined my lord’s army in the fifth month of the third year of the Tianqi reign. Your subordinate has received two Valor Medals and two Assault Medals in total.”

The so-called Valor Medal was awarded to soldiers who were severely wounded — an idea Huang Shi borrowed from the American “Purple Heart” medal he had seen in films in his previous life. As for the “Assault Medal,” as the name implied, it was a reward given to soldiers who fought bravely and gained it through assault. This medal was generally awarded to those who held their ground without retreating, led charges, or resolutely carried out offensive orders (the medal system, of course, still needed refinement). The fact that Song Army Supervisor had already earned four medals was enough to make Huang Shi understand why he had risen from a common soldier to arquebusier squad commander in just two short years. One had to know that arquebusiers were mostly veterans to begin with, and the arquebusier squad commander naturally had to be the elite of those veterans to command respect.

Huang Shi’s gaze swept past the veteran before him. He raised his head and scanned the entire assembly, then shouted with all his might: “Firefighting Battalion, Second Company — every man this time will be issued one Assault Medal. And of course, every fallen soldier of Second Company shall also receive one.”

Not a single soldier below made a sound, not even a whisper. Everyone felt this reward was only right and proper. Huang Shi withdrew his gaze from the crowd. He rummaged inside his tunic and produced a heavy copper badge, then raised it high with force, slowly turning to display it to every soldier below. This gesture instantly set off a buzz through the ranks, a buzz filled with exclamations of wonder.

This copper badge was forged. Among its patterns was a viper identical to the one on the Firefighting Battalion’s battle flag, only without the cloud patterns of that flag. In truth, the Boulder Battalion’s battle flag also bore an identical snake. The only difference between the Boulder Battalion and Firefighting Battalion flags was that the cloud patterns on the Firefighting Battalion’s flag were replaced by a green mountain, and the snake — baring its venomous fangs and flicking its tongue — coiled upon that green mountain.

This special medal was called the “Excellence” Medal. It was only forged after Huang Shi acquired hydraulic forging hammers. It came in three grades: gold, silver, and copper. So far, Huang Shi had only issued one “Third-Grade Excellence” Medal each to He Dingyuan and Yang Zhiyuan — the very copper medal he now held in his hand — to reward their respective achievements in the Battle of Nanguan and at Shimonoseki in Japan.

After turning a full circle, Huang Shi lowered his head again to gaze at Song Army Supervisor before him. The latter’s hands had now completely stopped trembling. Song Army Supervisor had more or less guessed what was about to happen, but he simply dared not believe it, and the man was already so agitated he could scarcely breathe.

“Firefighting Battalion, Second Company, Arquebusier Squad Commander Song Army Supervisor — at the critical moment when all officers of the company were killed or wounded and eighty percent of the soldiers were lost —” Huang Shi heavily drew out his final syllable while raising his voice a full octave: “Led the entire company’s officers and men to persist in combat, maintained the company’s morale, and superbly fulfilled his duty.”

Huang Shi stepped down from the small earthen platform and walked up to Song Army Supervisor, who stood as straight as a flagpole. He shouted with force: “I, Huang Shi, in governing my army, reward every merit without fail. To reward Song Army Supervisor’s outstanding achievement, I specially confer upon him one ‘Third-Grade Excellence Medal.’”

Before personally hanging the medal around Song Army Supervisor’s neck, Huang Shi added in a calm tone: “Squad Commander Song, to have a subordinate like you is truly my good fortune.”

“My lord’s words are too weighty. They overwhelm this humble man…” The moment Song Army Supervisor heard such words from the Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent before him, a lifetime of ingrained experience instantly surged back. His knees instinctively bent, and he was about to kneel and kowtow in humble refusal.

“Squad Commander Song.” Huang Shi’s voice was soft but carried an unquestionable authority: “Stand straight.”

After fastening the gleaming yellow copper medal onto Song Army Supervisor, Huang Shi stepped back two paces and was the first to begin applauding. Behind him, Hong Antong immediately led the Internal Guard to clap furiously and shout their approval. The drummers and standard-bearers behind Song Army Supervisor, thinking of their fallen comrades, clapped and shouted their approval even as tears streamed down their faces. The several thousand officers and soldiers on the field, cradling their weapons in their arms, clapped until their palms thundered. Whether officers or the lowest-ranking privates, every one of them now cherished the hope of one day receiving such honor in public — the third precious Excellence Medal of Changsheng Island had thus been awarded to an obscure low-ranking non-commissioned officer, and in their eyes, this ideal no longer seemed so unattainable.

“M-My lord…” Song Army Supervisor’s voice quivered so badly it was nearly unintelligible. He pressed the medal to his chest with his left hand and stammered: “Your subordinate will wear it every day, wear it outside my armor, so that every man can see it!”

Huang Shi smiled slightly: “Of course it should be so.”

“My lord, your subordinate swears, henceforth whatever blocks my lord’s army’s path, even if it be a great mountain, your subordinate…” Song Army Supervisor forcefully stamped the long spear in his right hand against the earth, producing two muffled thuds. His arm was now steady and powerful, without the slightest tremor: “Your subordinate will use this long spear — to push it aside for my lord!”

Huang Shi nodded approvingly: “I am deeply convinced of this.” After a brief pause, he followed up: “Squad Commander Song, you have not participated in the Training Corps, have you?”

“In reply to my lord, I have not.”

The Training Corps was Changsheng Island’s first non-commissioned officer school. Many of the NCOs trained there were further cultivated as seeds for commissioned officers. Now, all officers on Changsheng Island above the rank of Vice Battalion Commander were products of the Training Corps, as were the staff and intelligence officers. Currently, many squad commanders in the various companies had come out of the Training Corps, but there were also quite a few like Song Army Supervisor who had been promoted to squad commander through accumulated merit.

Song Army Supervisor’s answer did not surprise Huang Shi. He had personally taught all the members of the Training Corps, so he basically had an impression of every one of them. Huang Shi unhesitatingly issued his order to Song Army Supervisor: “This general, in my capacity as commander of the Firefighting Battalion, hereby appoints Song Army Supervisor, with the brevet rank of Battalion Commander, to temporarily act as commander of the Firefighting Battalion’s Second Company, until the Firefighting Battalion returns to Changsheng Island.”

“As ordered, my lord.” Song Army Supervisor replied in a loud, exultant voice. During this period, he would be an officer directly under Huang Shi.

Huang Shi added flatly: “After arriving at Changsheng Island, this general will dispatch someone else to take over Second Company. At that time, you will be relieved of all duties and will personally report to the Changsheng Island Instruction Corps.”

Song Army Supervisor drew a sharp breath. Everyone knew that the Instruction Corps was where Changsheng Island cultivated its core officers. Members of this Instruction Corps would also have the opportunity to interact with all of Changsheng Island’s senior officers. For example, Yang Zhiyuan would come to lecture everyone on the details and significance of military regulations and law; Jin Qiude would arrange for Instruction Corps members to intern with the Staff Corps; and He Dingyuan, Li Yunrui, Deng Ken, and so on — all would come to teach them, expounding on Changsheng Island’s various military ordinances and experiences, such as infantry-artillery coordination, training recruits, intelligence analysis and utilization, logistics transport, and how to quantify supplies. In addition, Huang Shi himself would teach these members to read and write. The Changsheng Army’s current military regulations stipulated: all appointments to company deputy commander and above must pass the final review of either the Training Corps or the Instruction Corps (this naturally excluded earlier appointments, such as the old brothers He Dingyuan and Jin Qiude).

According to Changsheng Island’s military ordinances, all new recruits would also be led by elite veterans from the Instruction Corps. This would allow the recruits to mature quickly, give the Instruction Corps trainees a chance to practice what they had learned, and also help build bonds between future officers and combat soldiers.

The Instruction Corps’ review was extremely strict. But once he passed the final review, Song Army Supervisor would receive what was called Changsheng Island’s “Battalion Commander Qualification Certification.” This meant he would have the opportunity to enter the Staff Corps, the Intelligence Corps, or return to the line units as a company commander or deputy company commander. Of course, even if he failed the final review, graduates of the Instruction Corps would still be assigned to units as squad commanders — it was just that Song Army Supervisor’s ambitions were certainly not to mark time in place.

“My lord! As ordered, my lord!” Song Army Supervisor bellowed with every ounce of strength he could muster.

…

At the same time, most of the members of the Firefighting Battalion’s Auxiliary Corps were eating their meal. Du Guqiu had just received his rations and sat down to eat when someone came to notify him to report to the Auxiliary Corps commander immediately after finishing. Du Guqiu wolfed down his bowl of food in three hurried bites, then rushed out of the temporary mess to the designated location.

Arriving at the designated spot, Du Guqiu immediately saw several officers and soldiers from the Firefighting Battalion’s Auxiliary Corps and Internal Guard standing there solemnly, holding torches. He quickly found a place to stand. A short while later, several more people arrived in dribs and drabs.

After making out the people around him from the corner of his eye, Du Guqiu began to grow nervous, swallowing dry spit one gulp after another, because he noticed that the dozen or so people here were all former Han Army members. After coming to Changsheng Island, though he dared not openly form connections, he still knew in his heart who had served in the Han Army. Emotionally, they were closer to one another.

This sense of shared misery had originally been diluted considerably by the Firefighting Battalion’s impartial treatment, but when Du Guqiu noticed that those summoned tonight were all former Han Army men within the Firefighting Battalion’s Auxiliary Corps, the unease in his heart suddenly surged up again. Du Guqiu dared not even breathe loudly. He nervously stole glances at the stern expressions of the Internal Guard officers and soldiers. Their faces, flickering between light and shadow in the torchlit night, looked more and more terrifying the longer he stared. As time slipped by second by second in waiting, cold sweat began to seep from Du Guqiu’s forehead, and the muscles on his cheeks began to twitch and tremble.

The commander of the Firefighting Battalion’s Auxiliary Corps finally arrived. He strode briskly before the nearly twenty former Han Army soldiers.

“Attention — Salute.”

At the two brief commands, Du Guqiu, like the others, snapped his legs tightly together, then in unison bowed with clasped hands toward the Auxiliary Corps officer: “Greetings, my lord.”

The Auxiliary Corps officer crisply returned a military salute: “At ease.” — This was another command Huang Shi had borrowed from his previous life.

The Auxiliary Corps officer called their names one by one. Du Guqiu mechanically answered “Present,” then quietly awaited what would follow.

The Auxiliary Corps officer held his head high and chest out, his voice like a great bell: “This officer will not beat around the bush. The first reason you have been called here so late tonight is: you are all former Han Army soldiers! The second reason is: you are personnel recommended by the various squad commanders of the Firefighting Battalion’s Auxiliary Corps. Your performance today was all exceptionally outstanding.”

Huang Shi had long ago resolved to thoroughly digest the surrendered Han Army troops and transform them into undiluted members of Changsheng Island. This spirit was also embodied in the various new ordinances recently issued on Changsheng Island.

“According to our Changsheng Island ordinances, all auxiliary soldiers who display outstanding performance shall be recommended to become combat soldiers of our Changsheng Island. And once you become combat soldiers of our Changsheng Island, you will receive a monthly pay of one tael and four qian of silver, and enjoy various benefits surpassing those of auxiliary soldiers and military households (such as getting an extra fish with your meal). We will give priority in arranging marriages for combat soldiers; medical treatment for wounded combat soldiers is free; if a combat soldier’s family members fall ill, they may also receive free herbal medicine; and all merits you earn in the future will be compensated with hereditary land grants from Dongjiang Town in the days to come…”

The Auxiliary Corps officer rattled off a long list of benefits for combat soldiers, making the men below listen with hearts pounding. Du Guqiu had now completely relaxed, simply waiting for the officer to announce the formal order making them combat soldiers.

“However —” The officer drew out his voice, and only after commanding maximum attention did he emphasize in a graver tone: “You are all currently within the scope of our Changsheng Island’s ‘Protection of Former Han Army’ ordinance, and none of you have yet exceeded the three-month period stipulated by that ordinance. But the combat soldier training on our Changsheng Island is extremely strict, and it contradicts the ordinance that forbids insulting, beating, or mistreating you… By order of His Excellency, any former Han Army soldier who wishes to become a Changsheng Island combat soldier must voluntarily renounce the protection ordinance.”

“Our Changsheng Island combat soldier training is very, very brutal. Being beaten half to death is a common occurrence.” The officer shook his head, a trace of disdain flickering in his eyes, and his voice carried a hint of contempt. The officer asked loudly: “Do you — dare to join?”

…

“This officer declares one final time: by order of His Excellency the Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, you must join the Changsheng Island combat soldier units voluntarily.” After receiving affirmative replies from the men below once more, the Auxiliary Corps officer nodded solemnly and yielded his place to an Internal Guard officer who had come with him.

That Internal Guard officer stepped onto the small lectern and cleared his throat: “You will remain in the Auxiliary Corps until you return to Changsheng Island. Then, all recommended auxiliary soldiers — including you — will be transferred to the Changsheng Island Recruit Camp for thirty days of basic training. The Instruction Corps will dispatch instructors for you, to guide you in familiarizing yourselves with combat soldier commands, drum signals, flag signals, and formations. After that, you will be reassigned to the various companies of the field battalions — that is, your own combat units. The field battalion companies will also arrange for veterans to instruct you. After another sixty days, you will be qualified Changsheng Island warriors.”

The Internal Guard officer drew a deep breath and slowly swept his gaze over the crowd below: “Brothers, you have chosen a path full of glory and thorns. The combat soldiers of Changsheng Island are the Great Ming’s most elite soldiers, and must also endure the harshest training and the strictest military ordinances. But you will surely obtain hereditary land grants from Dongjiang Town, surely earn battle honors that do not shame your ancestors and bring blessings to your descendants. Those who perform outstandingly will surely become squad commanders, become battalion commanders, even Mobile Corps Commanders and Assistant Regional Commanders. This is the future His Excellency the Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent promises to every combat soldier — Gentlemen, strive!”

…

The company banners of the Jianzhou Army at Huang Shi’s feet were already piled in thick, overlapping layers. The Boulder Battalion’s Fifth Company and the Cavalry Company had also completed their reports and strode off with martial pride. Several thousand officers and soldiers stared at that pile of war trophies. Across the entire field, apart from the crackling of the burning torches, there was a deathly silence.

Huang Shi shouted: “All troops — Dismissed.”

“Kill~~~”

A unified roar erupted from the several thousand officers and soldiers, shaking the whole city and halting the drifting clouds…

But they did not disperse immediately to eat as they usually did. After shouting, the soldiers of the two battalions not a single man moved, as if still waiting for something. After an unknown length of time, a sudden cry rose from deep within the ranks: “Liaoyang!”

“Liaoyang!”

Many others took up the cry.

“Liaoyang, Liaoyang!”

Countless officers and soldiers did not know why they were so stirred today either, but everyone shouted with all their might.

In Huang Shi's previous life, Nurhaci should have moved his capital to Shenyang this year, because in that timeline, the Later Jin had already eliminated the threat from Liaonan and had no concerns about Liaoxi, so Nurhaci could move his capital to Shenyang while simultaneously addressing pressure from Liaobei and Liaodong.

But in Huang Shi's world, Lin Danhan of Liaobei had already fled far into the great desert, and the threat from Liaonan grew more severe by the day, so Nurhaci could not shift his strategic focus away from Liaoxi and Liaonan, and thus Liaoyang remained the political center of the Later Jin all along.

"Liaoyang."

"Liaoyang."

"Liaoyang."

Including Huang Shi and Hong Antong, the officers and soldiers present all seemed intoxicated by the fervent atmosphere; one after another they thrust up their right arms, shouting with all their might the location of the tiger's den.

This heaven-shaking, earth-moving roar not only startled the officers at the banquet, but also brought Wu Mu, who had been hurrying to find Huang Shi, to a halt.