Rise From Eight Hundred

The grand military parade finally ended!

Officers and soldiers who did not participate in the military parade began to enter the venue, and the soldiers responsible for setting up the stage also got busy. The people also entered the area to watch the party according to the positions designated by the town government staff.

The venue was noisy, and many people were still immersed in the military parade that had just ended. They had great expectations for the upcoming party program, or more expected the content after the party.

The earthen stove in the northwest corner of the venue also started to light up, and the chefs and helpers carried a lot of meat and vegetables into their workplaces.

As soon as the party ended, it was the stage of the buffet. According to the long tables and chairs prepared, there were about 3,000 people eating at the table. Judging from the scale of the people now, this meal might have to last until the evening.

Many people had to wait for a whole day with hungry stomachs. Fortunately, Tang Dao had anticipated this and ordered more than 20,000 steamed buns from major restaurants in Zhengzhou City as early as yesterday. When people entered the venue in order, soldiers carried baskets of steamed buns to distribute.

One for each man, woman, old or young!

It's not that Tang Dao is stingy and reluctant to distribute more, but Henan Province is a wheat-producing area with noodles as the main food. In addition, it is close to the north and has a rough character. The eating utensils are also very different from those in the south, which pays attention to refinement.

Noodles are eaten in large bowls, which are generally called basins in the south. Naturally, steamed buns are not small. One steamed bun is not much smaller than the mouth of a bowl. Generally, southerners may not even be able to eat one.

Even so, many people don't eat, and quietly put the steamed buns into their arms to take them home.

It's not that I'm not hungry, nor am I reluctant to leave. People from Henan Province are smart. I'm here for a feast. The hungrier I am, the more I'll eat later!

This is Henan Province, simple yet smart! It was also formed by the long-term war disasters brought by the so-called battleground for thousands of years. If you are not smart, how can you survive in troubled times!

However, the civilians are still impressed by the majesty of the soldiers with live ammunition. Although it is chaotic, it is still orderly and they don't run around.

The more lively area than the civilian area is probably the "celebrities" in the straw hut area.

Compared to ordinary people, these big guys who "bought" VIP seats are treated much better. There are straw huts to block the wind, and there are stoves for heating. There are also several plates of snacks such as melon seeds and candies on the eight-immortal table. Tang Tuanzuo's concept of "customers are God" makes the "celebrities" feel that it is still worth the money.

Even if they walk around, no one says a word about them.

So what you said is that the more than 200 VIP customers who came contributed 32,500 yuan. After deducting the nearly 20,000 yuan spent on the entire New Year's military parade, the Quartermaster Department of the Four-Line Regiment earned more than 12,000 yuan. With such an input-output ratio, it is a good business!

When Tang Tuanzu received the gift statistics before the military parade, his mind was full of ups and downs. Should he replicate today every year in the future? It's just that the officers and soldiers put in a lot of effort, and they got more than 10,000 yuan, which can at least solve the problem of pensions for dozens of sacrificed officers and soldiers.

Yes, for the current Tang Dao, the most difficult thing is not the problem of cashing in the bonuses and military pay of officers and soldiers. Although those gaps are large, the more than 20,000 US dollars sent by his future father-in-law can completely fill this big hole.

The pension for the sacrificed officers and soldiers is a bottomless pit.

To encourage morale, Tang Dao promised the company commanders at the beginning of the independent battalion that no matter in the past or in the future, all the soldiers who fought and died under his command would receive a one-time pension and annuity from the military pension department, and each person would receive an additional 100 yuan pension from the regiment to support their parents. If there were wives and children at home, another 100 yuan would be added.

For officers at all levels, the first level standard is 50 yuan, starting from warrant officer. Su Zhu also used himself as an example. If he died in battle, the Four Lines Regiment would have to subsidize his family 450 yuan. This was when he was a bachelor. Now he has been engaged to Tan Tai Mingyue. According to Chinese traditional rules, he is also a married man, and the pension is 550 yuan.

Although the pension standard for an army colonel is only 550 yuan, compared with the pension level issued by the Ministry of Military Affairs, if an army colonel dies on the battlefield, the pension is only 1,000 yuan, plus the annual pension of 500 yuan, it is only 1,500 yuan.

And this is already a middle- and senior-level officer, and the soldiers are even worse. The second-class private is 80+40, and the highest-level sergeant among the soldiers is only 150+80. The sergeant is only 230 silver dollars. How can such a sum of money support parents and raise wives and children?

Su Zhu's extra pension has undoubtedly added worries to the officers and soldiers, but this fund is not available just by Leng Feng's promise. Leng Feng has to earn it.

Especially since the beginning of the independent camp, it has encountered continuous wars, from Jiaxing to Jiashan and then to Guangde, plus the Sichuan Army Corps of the dead ghost Liu Ruzhai who was later incorporated, Leng Feng's soldiers who died in battle alone have reached hundreds of people, and the average is 200 silver dollars per person, up to more than 100,000.

But this was not the worst. Leng Feng knew that once he arrived in the north, even if his Four-Line Regiment did not change its flag, it was almost certain that it would not obey orders. The person might not be in a hurry to deal with a small infantry regiment for the sake of the so-called overall situation. The military pay would be allocated, but the pension was definitely overthinking.

That almost also meant that the Four-Line Regiment had to find a way to raise the pension from the Military and Political Department, which was another gap of more than 100,000 silver dollars.

The funding gap of more than 200,000 silver dollars is even just a starting point, because there may not be a large-scale battle like the Battle of Xuzhou on the northern battlefield, but the battle behind enemy lines to destroy the Japanese invasion's transportation and supply lines will be equally cruel.

Sacrifice is almost a daily occurrence.

The delivery note that Comrade Lao Wu gave to Leng Feng is still in Erya's backpack. Not to mention that, Leng Feng is trying hard to suppress himself from thinking about the funding gap of millions of US dollars, but the Bofors mountain gun and the machine gun that can be used for both high and low altitudes are always in front of Su Zhu.

Su Zhu is very smart. Maybe he can build a military factory in Taihang Mountain after hard work and produce machine guns, rifles and even small-caliber mortars, but he can't even think about producing weapons like Bofors mountain guns and machine guns and meeting the performance standards of imported weapons.

It is not only a technical problem, but also a lack of materials. For China at present, the biggest difficulty in producing artillery is the barrel. China does not have the technology to forge barrel steel. Therefore, even if the old man from Shanxi owns the top two military factories in China at this time, he can seem to be able to imitate Japan's Type 41 mountain gun, but because the technology of the barrel is not up to standard, not only is the range several hundred meters shorter, but the life of the barrel is also much lower.

Making money has become one of Leng Feng's most important tasks at present.

Therefore, Su Zhu, who walked down the rostrum, accompanied by Tan Tai Mingyue and Staff Officer Fan sent by the theater command, arrived at the VIP seating area and had a cordial and friendly conversation with all the "celebrities". What if they meet a sentimental upstart who is willing to donate military funds? Tang Tuanzuo can't miss this opportunity.

Even if Tang Tuanzuo would never personally mention the matter of donating money to support the army, everything is based on the principle of voluntariness.

The last two square formations of the military parade definitely had a tear gas effect. With smiles on their faces, three big merchants were willing to contribute 10,000 yuan to the Four Lines Regiment to provide compensation for the sacrificed officers and soldiers and retired wounded soldiers.

In fact, the appearance of the last two small square formations of the Four Lines Regiment was so touching that even the most cold-blooded businessmen in front of money could not help but be moved to tears.

For this, Tang Tuanzuo certainly accepted it with pleasure and promised in public that if the merchant's caravan passed through his Four Lines Regiment or the 43rd Army in the future, he would definitely ensure that it was safe.

This was almost as if he was saying that you will be included in the list of friendly people of my Four Lines Regiment in the future, and you can just come to my Sichuan Army’s territory and report my name Tang Dao.

Businessmen are not stupid. They come here to invest in the future! The Four Lines Group has already shown its strength and the future of a strong army. If they don't invest now, when will they have another chance?

What's more, the impression given by this Tang Tuanzuo is not the rough and tough guy that everyone imagined before they met. The iron-blooded temperament unique to soldiers is obvious in him. But from the moment he replied to invite all families to come to the garrison to attend the gala, no one dared to despise the wisdom contained in this seemingly abnormal behavior of this iron-blooded soldier

Everyone knows that if he is invited to Zhengzhou City for a banquet, he can only go to those families with the greatest influence. Others will not have too many complaints. This is human nature. If they want to complain, they can only blame themselves for not having enough influence.

It's just that it makes people feel a little embarrassed

But Leng Feng avoided the embarrassment of most people who sent visiting cards with a reverse invitation, and even received a large amount of gifts, and they were all willing. The most amazing thing is that this person can make you feel that the trip is worthwhile.

He can fight and has such a wise mind, especially at such a young age. Even if he is a little frivolous, so what?

What youth is not romantic? Being old-fashioned and worldly-wise is the synonym of entering old age. It is the performance of young people to dare to shout such exciting slogans on such occasions.

Seeing Leng Feng's promise and asking the accompanying personal orderly to write down the names and business names of the three big merchants, more than a dozen merchants followed suit, some donated 2,000 oceans, some donated 3,000, and some donated 5,000.

These amounts are naturally the result of careful consideration by each family based on their financial resources and the future of Leng Feng and the Four-Line Group.

The unexpected harvest of more than 60,000 oceans excited the director of the quartermaster department who followed. The battle of Laojinkeng did not make this former infantry company commander feel anything. Now, looking at the numbers written on the solemn donation list of each merchant, his face was more red than the red lanterns hanging on the straw shed.

Perhaps some people were moved by the sentimental military parade and donated generously, which was expected by Tang Tuanzuo.

But what he didn't expect was that some people were not only moved, but also took a fancy to his people in the Four Lines.

"Captain Tang, can you please have a word with me?" The old man in brocade robe who led the donation of 10,000 yuan to the Four Lines for the pension of disabled and sacrificed soldiers waited until Su Zhu was a little free and stepped forward to say.

Su Zhu just learned that the famous businessman Jia Dongxing's family was in the textile business and had the largest textile factory in Henan Province. However, many of the raw materials of the factory came from Jiangnan, which was also the main battlefield between China and Japan in the past few months. Because of this war, the business losses were actually very large. It took enough courage to donate 10,000 yuan in this situation.

"President Jia, if you have any difficulties, just say it, as long as it is within Leng Feng's ability." Leng Feng addressed this person by his title, the president of the Zhengzhou Textile Industry Association.

"With your words, Captain Tang, I feel relieved." The old man in golden robes breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile on his face: "I wonder if the Major Su Zhu who started the conversation is married?'

Su Zhu was stunned, what are you trying to do?

"If you are not married yet, my little girl is over twenty this year and has not found a suitable match yet. I just saw that Major Tang Dao is the best candidate for his character and talent. I wonder if Commander Tang can help match her?" The old man in brocade robes said. continued.

Go, are you here to find a son-in-law? Could it be that the girl is just not good-looking? Leng Feng couldn't help but murmur in his heart when he looked at the uncle who looked decent.

Being a matchmaker was a first for Tang Tuanzuo. Even though he was as smart as a ghost, he was a little confused by the additional effects of the magnification move.

In this regard, the old man in golden robes had to have experience. Seeing that the young Tang Tuanzuo had not spoken for a long time, he knew what he was worried about, so he quickly explained:

"Please also worry about Su Zhuhai. Although my daughter is not talented, she only went to a girls' middle school and did not go to university, but she has also experienced a new education. She is clumsy and clumsy in running business at home, and she is also filial to her parents. My old wife and I have always regarded her as Zhenbao, the reason why she hasn't left the palace at twenty is because she has too high a standard and never sleeps with someone. It's rare to take her out for a walk today. Young people have to interact with each other.

Got it! Su Zhu knew what he was talking about. He brought his precious daughter here to 'play', but he didn't expect that this guy Tang Dao was too handsome and was attracted by his daughter. The daughter was embarrassed to say it, so the old father took it upon himself to inquire. .

"As far as I know, Major Tang Dao is not married yet, but as you know, President Jia, this is a private matter and I can't force it." Leng Feng thought for a moment and answered seriously. "Just wait for me for a few minutes, and I'll ask Chief of Staff Zhuang to ask the unmarried officers in our regiment. If anyone has such an intention, I'll do my best to facilitate it!"

However, President Jia, please think twice. Soldiers like us are ready to go to the anti-Japanese front line at any time. We have no choice but to live or die by ourselves. If it harms my young lady’s future, that’s not what we want.

"Commander Tang, to be honest, before today, if I were the father's choice, I would not find a soldier as my son-in-law. But today, I watched the military parade of your regiment and saw with my own eyes that I, a Chinese son, fought bloody battles on the anti-Japanese front line and did not hesitate to do so. My body and mind were shocked!

If I don't want to, and you don't want to, does that mean that as a soldier, there will be no successors? How many people are willing to go to the front line? If the skin is not left, how can the hair be attached? If China is occupied by the Japanese, my Jia family will earn

No matter how rich you are, it’s just making wedding clothes for others!’ That’s all!” The old man in brocade robes shook his head slightly, his eyes

Guang Qingming said with determination.

"Furthermore, if my daughter's favorite person is willing, and we can exchange letters for a period of time, we can set a marriage first, and wait until the war has stabilized before we get married. My Jia family's textile business was moving to Shu two months ago, and it also needs manpower. !'

What do you mean by an old fox? This is what he says! He sounds impassioned on the surface, but he also has his own small thoughts. My daughter hates me and I can’t help it, but I can settle the engagement first. If the war is stable in a year or two and everyone is fine, this engagement will be fine. That's it.

But this kind of petty consideration for one's beloved daughter is not popular. On the contrary, he thrust his daughter away just because he was moved. Serving the country and the nation is a great righteousness, but before righteousness, there is a long love between children. Zhi Xiaoqing is an abnormal person.

His parents didn't love him, his wife and children didn't care for him, but he could still sacrifice his life for justice on the anti-Japanese battlefield? Leng Feng didn't believe it.

Every soldier who goes to the battlefield has a home behind him. Protecting his home is their original intention. If they don't go to the battlefield, the war will burn down their home sooner or later.

Human beings are the most complex animals in the world. Darkness and darkness are intertwined in almost everyone. However, most people only reveal their most beautiful side.

Just like Leng Feng, he is usually very iron-blooded and cold-blooded, but the moment he looked at his fiancée under the lamp, just a few fingers could make his eyes bristle. If it weren't for his future father-in-law, who is also a man, despite the cold wind, he was standing in the yard. Guard, the consequences for a certain little white rabbit are dire!

Therefore, it is normal for this big businessman who did not hide his little thoughts to win Tang Dao's favor.

Originally, Su Zhu had concerns, so he prohibited the officers and soldiers in the regiment from having too much contact with the older girls in the town to avoid harming others. During the war years, traffic was not smooth, and it might take several years or even more than ten years to lose contact with each other.

Now that I think about it, I think too much. At worst, when I reach the Taihang Mountains and establish a foothold, I can open up a good base area and arrange for people to come here to pick up all the women who are in love with me. This can also avoid the terrible famine three years later.

In troubled times, whether men or women, whether soldiers or civilians, their lives are in danger. How precious it is to be in love with each other!

How many young people die without even tasting the taste of love? What a pity it is.

With President Jia's reminder, Leng Feng suddenly had an idea!