Chapter 9: Rectification

  Head of the Security Team Song Shoushan and Police Chief Chen Deqi concentrated all their forces on Yongxing Street Square. Lieutenant Kameyama, County Magistrate Chen Xinwen, Deputy County Magistrate Kitayama, and Chamber of Commerce President Shi Yingshi stood on the podium, quietly watching how Mr. Hu reorganized the security troops.

  "Everybody has it, turn left! Run - march!" Hu Zhiyong stood in the center of the drill team wearing a majestic Huangpu Military Academy uniform, shouting orders.

  One lap, two laps, ten laps, Hu Zhiyong still didn't let the troops stop. More than half of them had fallen behind, and some were so exhausted that they collapsed to the ground.

  "Ready... Go!" Hu Zhiyong finally gave the order at lap 17.

  "Congratulations to you, this is just the first step in my selection! What I want are 'crack' troops, a combat unit that can strike swiftly. Commander Song Shoushan of the Garrison Brigade and Police Chief Chen De-gui!"

  "Here!" Song Shoushan and Chen Degui rushed quickly in front of Hu Zhiyong.

  "Dismiss all unqualified security personnel, and the rest will be divided into two battalions. I'll send instructors to train them." Hu Zhiyong gave the order without mercy, then turned to his subordinates: "Anyone who smokes opium will not be spared!"

  "Yes! Gather!" Song Shoushan quickly turned around and began to tidy up the formation for the crowd that stayed behind.

  "Good job, you're really capable!" Kameda nodded repeatedly, showing his approval of Hu Zhiyong's approach.

  "Captain Kameda, for now we only have over 500 people, barely enough to form four companies. To speed up the pacification of the towns, I suggest dispatching them to Mingyang Town, Lizi House Town, Qingdui Town and Xianrendong Town."

  "Your deployment I don't interfere with, just the county town—" Kameda was taken aback. He had sent all his troops out, how could they defend the county town?

  "Don't worry!" Hu Zhiyong smiled: "The imperial army only needs to hold on for a week, and I will send over the newly formed ' elite' troops to garrison. Currently, there are large numbers of wandering soldiers and scattered heroes everywhere, and I have already recruited more than 1,000 people in the mountains for training. What is most needed now is equipment such as weapons, telephone lines, and searchlights. I hope our superiors can solve this problem soon."

  "Don't worry, I'll deliver the goods according to the list within three days!" Kameda hesitated and said: "The number of 300 submachine guns is too large, my superiors are afraid..."

  "Captain Kameda, I want to establish a rapid mobile unit, and the equipment must be first-rate! If you find it difficult, I can take out the payment for these weapons." Hu Zhiyong knew that such a large amount of military expenditure would not be approved by the Japanese Ministry of War. "Alright, I'll do my best to help you!"

  "Captain Kameda, this isn't you helping me, it's me who is helping you!" Hu Zhiyong corrected.

  "Right, right, you're helping us!" Kameda said with a sly smile, nodding his head repeatedly like a chicken pecking at rice.

  "Uncle Two and Uncle Three, have the wealthy families in each village been notified?" Hu Zhiyong turned away from Gu Tian to ask Chen Xinwen and Shi Yingshi who were walking over.

  "Here we are, all in the big courtyard of 'Flower' Bank." Chen Xinwen was delighted. His nephew was so clever and everything would be absolutely fine if he listened to him.

  "Captain Kameda, let's go and meet these local gentry!"

  "Yeehaw!"

  In the courtyard of the bank, more than 2,000 celebrities from all over Zhuanghe County were seated. When Hu Zhiyong and others arrived, this group of people hastily stood up to greet them. Gao Zhan Kui introduced each one, and especially explained to him the person in charge of the Hu family's industries in Mingyang Town, Lizi House Town, and Qingdui Town.

  "Alright!" Hu Zhiyong waved his hand for them to sit down and ordered Hu Da, who had arrived earlier, to distribute cigarettes to everyone.

  "Everyone, Zhanghe County is yours and ours, the Hu family's. Although war has arrived, we must do everything possible to minimize losses! Each township, town, and village will have someone in charge of leading, if there is a problem in that area, I will hold you responsible! My requirements are: within one week, population and household registration must be handled properly, suspicious persons must be reported promptly! Any questions?"

  "No!" Among these people, those who wanted to be officials and those who were like grabbing wealth were naturally happy. With the Hu family in charge, they only obeyed orders.

  "Uncle Two, Uncle Three, the rest is up to you two now. I won't be here to talk too much." Hu Zhiyong waved goodbye to everyone and took Yinlong and Huofeng back to the living room.

  "Major Kameda, Captain Ko's arrangement is good!" Kitajima praised, thinking that this would quickly improve the security situation.

  "This exceptional talent among the Huaxia people will become our most formidable enemy once he becomes hostile towards us!" Kameyama said in a low, cautious tone.

  "Captain, his industries are all here, I don't believe he dares to rebel!" Kita Teiichi said disdainfully: "Fighting against the Great Japanese Imperial Army, I'm afraid he doesn't have the guts for that!"

  "I hope we haven't been deceived by him." Kameda nodded heavily.

  In the living room, Yin Long carefully reported the situation of the cavalry who had defected: "Young master, all 800 war horses were received without exception. After screening, more than 400 people stayed behind. According to your suggestion, a cavalry battalion was formed with Ma Xian Deng as the battalion commander."

  "Alright!" Hu Zhiyong took a sip of tea and said, looking at the map on the wall: "Guiyun 'Flower' Township is the northwest 'gate' of Zhuanghe County, where two cavalry regiments are stationed. Hehua Mountain Town is located in the northwest of Zhuanghe County, west of Shuangta Town, Pulandian City, across the river, and east, south, and north respectively bordering Changling Town, Chengshan Town, and Guiyun 'Flower' Township. One cavalry regiment was dispatched. The 'gate' is basically no problem, only a few towns around the county still have no one in charge."

  "Adding Bazhou Mountain, we already have seven towns under our control. But I'm worried that these people who surrendered will run away." Yinlong said with concern.

  "Tell them, if they want to leave, I will personally escort the people who need to leave out of the border. If anyone dares to 'privately' escape, I will send someone to catch and severely punish them!" Hu Zhiyong's eyes gleamed with a fierce light, his sharp gaze flashing with precision.

  "Young master, the personnel for your planned Guiyun 'Flower' Township woodworking factory, vegetable base and breeding base are being recruited. As for equipment problems, there's nothing to do but wait for you to think of another way."

  "I've already spoken with Kameda, and recently we're going to have a batch of equipment sent over from the island nation. Also, I've specially hired two rice experts, and we'll be conducting trial plantings of rice in Mingyang Town, Lizi House Town, and Qingdui Town." Hu Zhiyong looked at Kameda who was following behind: "Lieutenant Colonel, this time I'm really putting my heart and soul into it, I hope I don't end up losing everything!"

  "You're very clever, the plan is even better than I thought. Commander Hu, the industry of our island nation is already very good, I don't understand why you need so many machine tools." Kameyama looked at Hu Zhiyong, hoping to get a reasonable answer.

  "The individual and 'private' industrial workshops in Lìzǐ Fáng town, such as the blacksmith shop, carpentry shop, oil mill, garment shop, repair shop, etc. are mostly owned by the Hu family. I hope to improve quality and quantity through mechanized production. In Qīng Duī town, we will focus on developing enterprises in metallurgy, chemical industry, machinery manufacturing, building materials, textiles, papermaking, clothing, food, grain and oil processing, etc. Can't you do it without machines? My purpose is to get rich, I don't need to flatter you!" Hu Zhiyong squeezed his eyes, his complacent gaze told Kameyama: "You understand my purpose!"

  "Haha! You have a great vision, I admire you!" Kameida is not afraid of Hu Zhiyong's investment, the more he invests, the more at ease he feels.

  "The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere is aimed at achieving long-term development of our industry and agriculture. The villagers will not oppose you as long as they live a good life, am I right?" Hu Zhiyong kicked the ball to Kameyama, muttering in his heart: "Little devil, you'll cry later!"

  "Yo, yo!" Kameda was even more delighted. The young master of the Hu family in front of him, he believed would not be an enemy of Japan.

  "Captain, I have assigned four squads to guard each of the four city gates. You just need to inspect them, and if there's a problem, discuss it with me. I believe that from now on, Zhuanghe will become even more prosperous and set an example for the Greater East Asia Sacred War!"

  Hu Zhiyong stood up: "I want to go to each township to take a look, everything wait for the cargo ship to arrive, equipment to arrive and notify me."

  "Yo Xi!" Kameida saw Hu Zhiyong was about to leave and had no choice but to bid farewell and rush to handle the supplies.

  "Hú shǎo yé, I want to go out with you!" Beri suddenly walked out of the room and said hesitantly.

  "Alright, going out for a walk is also good. Let's go, we'll leave the city now!" Hu Zhiyong replied, leading Xianglong, Huo Feng and Beryl to quickly depart.

  In the mountain forest of Hujiazhuang, more than 900 'crack' troops stood neatly. Hu Zhiyong looked at them one by one with a smile and asked: "Is everyone satisfied with life here?"

  "Satisfied!"

  "Report!" Cavalry Regiment Commander Ma Xian Deng shouted loudly.

  "Speak!"

  "The young master doesn't say much about his feelings for everyone, but I won't be a servant for those little devils!"

  "You're wrong!" Hu Zhiyong shouted sternly.

  "Was I wrong? Didn't you tell us to lay out a defense for Xiao Guizi?" Ma Xian Deng asked in confusion.

  "The little devils have stationed troops in the remote towns? Your responsibility is to maintain law and order at the Zhuang River border. The people need you, only by blocking the bandits' harassment can the people have a way out. That kid has only 200 men hiding in the county town, I'll take care of that place myself. Brothers, the current situation is not optimistic, we must learn to use our wits and strategy. To be frank, taking down one of the little devils' companies in the city is not difficult, but who can stop them from sending in heavy reinforcements? In the end, who will suffer? Brothers, I know you are all hot-blooded men, but without a unified command to resist the enemy, we cannot fight back. So, I ask you all to calmly train here and take care of your bodies. Once the country has a leader, I'll support you in leaving here to go to the front lines!" Hu Zhiyong spoke emotionally, and the soldiers were stirred up.

  "Master, I believe you!" Ma Xian Deng knelt down.

  "Master, we're all listening to you!" Everyone knelt on the ground, each with their heads held high.

  "Brothers, first learn to master the skills of killing enemies, then there is a possibility of defeating strong enemies. I'll provide the money and everyone provides the labor, Zhuanghe is the hope for the future! Get up, each month you must take out ten days to come back and receive training, I want to pass on the ultimate move of killing enemies to everyone!"

  "Yes, young master!" The 900 people chorused in unison, standing up and looking at Hu Zhiyong with a spirited demeanor.

  "Brothers, shed blood and sweat but not tears. Fine grains 'refined' 'meat' are available, but you must do as I require! Next, I declare: Huang Jinshan!"

  "Arrived!"

  "I appoint you as the commander of the First Regiment, leading the 1st and 2nd Infantry Battalions, the 1st Cavalry Squadron. The 3rd Battalion will be handed over to you after its formation!"

  "Yes!"

  "Horse first, man later!"

  "Arrived!"

  "I appoint you as the commander of the second battalion, leading the 4th and 5th infantry companies and the 2nd cavalry squadron. The 6th company will be handed over to you after its formation!"

  "Yes, young master!"

  "Third Battalion Commander Song Shoushan, leading the 7th Company, 8th Company, and the 3rd Cavalry Platoon. The 9th Company is waiting to be formed. Each company's platoon leader has been personally appointed by you, so make sure to choose someone trustworthy and with good military quality. Su Xiqing!"

  "Arrived!"

  "With you as the commander of the Garrison Brigade directly under the division, your main task is to defend the safety and security of Zhuanghe County and the division headquarters."

  "Yes! Young master, where are the soldiers under my command?"

  Everyone burst out laughing, and Hu Zhiyong smiled: "Among these 900 people, you are the first to choose, not one of the 270 can be less!"

  "Master!" Huang Jinshan and Ma Xiandeng shouted together.