A strong army must have faith.

Faith is not about belief in Buddhism, but faith in the emperor and the country, protecting the country, being loyal to the country, knowing what you are fighting for, and knowing the value of your battles on the battlefield.

With such belief, no matter how weak the army is, it can fight its way out.

But Gu Qing's style of military management is different. Gu Qing's ideas are influenced by his previous life. He advocates learning from the wolf culture of enterprises, using the most straightforward interests to impress them, and feeding them. When they actually fight in the future, they will

He will be like a very hungry wolf, desperately killing his enemies to gain benefits for himself.

The generals were promised promotions and titles, and the ordinary soldiers were promised money and land, using the most direct benefits to inspire their will to fight on the battlefield.

Gu Qing knows that this is not the best way, but it is undoubtedly the most efficient way. Troubled times are coming, and Gu Qing does not have much time.

However, Pei Zhounan was very disgusted with Gu Qing's way of running the army, so the first thing he had to solve after taking over was the profit-seeking problem of the Anxi Army. Otherwise, it would be very dangerous if it continued like this. If the emperor wanted to recruit them in the future, would he have to use money and titles to seduce them?

?

There is another reason for cutting off reward money and meat for soldiers.

When Gu Qing was here, the reward money and meat provided to the Anxi Army officers were financed through various channels such as taxes and rents paid by merchants doing business in the city. However, after Gu Qing left, the originally bustling market in the city became deserted for some reason.

In the final analysis, it is Pei Zhounan's own fault.

When Pei Zhounan first arrived in Kucha City as a supervisory censor, he had a conflict with Gu Qing in order to seize power. Gu Qing decisively gave up the military power to him, and he took it unceremoniously, and then ordered the Anxi Army to suppress the bandits.

He immediately returned to camp, causing several barbarian caravans on the Western Regions trade route to be robbed and killed by bandits.

This matter had already spread throughout Kucha City. Pei Zhounan was once criticized by the common people and merchants in the city, and was almost called a street rat. Later, he had to hand back his military power, and finally managed to gain a foothold in Kucha City.

After that incident, Pei Zhounan learned a lesson and did not dare to confront Gu Qing in a fierce way again. However, the businessmen in the city remembered him firmly.

In the eyes of the merchants who came and went in Kucha City, most of the labels attributed to Pei Zhounan were derogatory. He did not care about the life and death of the caravan, selfishly seized power, grossly interfered in the military affairs of Anxi, etc. In short, no one had a good impression of him.

Gu Qing's transfer from Anxi was a big bad news for the merchants in Kucha City, and Pei Zhounan's temporary taking over as Jiedushi was another big bad news.

Together with the two bad news, businessmen from various countries suddenly lost investment confidence in Kucha City. At this time, Gu Qing's capable business subordinate Kang Dingshuang was temporarily seconded to Ge Shuhan, and the market of Liangzhou City was in Kangdingshuang.

Under the construction, there are gradually signs of prosperity. At the same time, Liangzhou City is located in Yumen Pass, and its geographical location is much better than that of Qiuci City.

In contrast, the prosperous merchant market in Kucha City gradually became deserted day by day. Merchants went to Liangzhou City to do business, and Kucha City became increasingly desolate.

Pei Zhounan was anxious in his heart, and even issued several decrees on tax cuts and subsidies, but still could not restore the businessmen's determination to leave.

The merchants were robbed by Liangzhou City, and the business was reduced. Taxes were reduced, and the income of the Anxi Festival House was naturally greatly reduced. In the past, Gu Qing was generous to the soldiers of the Anxi Army and rewarded money and meat. He was not stingy and felt sorry for him. When he arrived at Pei Zhounan's place,

, the income of Kucha City can only support the normal expenses of the Jiefu and Anxi Army, and there is no spare money to reward the soldiers with extra money and meat.

Of course Pei Zhounan was suffering in his heart, but the soldiers of the Anxi Army did not know how miserable he was. They only knew that after Lord Gu left, their treatment was getting worse day by day. Not only were they deprived of reward money and meat, but they also had to endure the law enforcement team every night.

The brainwashing of loyalty to the emperor and the country.

The atmosphere in the camp had already become very depressing unconsciously.

The gap between the two coaches was too big, and the resentment in the hearts of the soldiers was growing.

During the drumming practice today, not a single soldier in the whole battalion came out of the tent to go to the school grounds, which shows how deep everyone's resentment is.

Ordinary soldiers were resentful, and what was even worse was that the senior generals of the Anxi Army did not give Pei Zhounan a good look.

"The rewards of money and meat will never be restored. The imperial court allocates food and grass every year so that everyone will not go hungry. Lord Gu also asked the imperial court for many war horses and weapons. Almost everyone had one war horse, and the weapons and arrows were piled up like a mountain.

Throughout the Tang Dynasty's frontier armies, which military town's officers and soldiers lived as richly as the Anxi army? They are so rich and yet they are not satisfied. I am not used to this problem and must change it!" Pei Zhounan said in a more serious tone.

Chang Zhong and others looked at each other quickly and said nothing.

When Pei Zhounan saw that no one of the generals responded to him, he became even more angry and his face became terrifyingly gloomy.

"I know you only recognize Mr. Gu and not me, Pei Zhounan. It doesn't matter. Pei was ordered to temporarily lead the Anxi Army. Even if your Majesty transfers me tomorrow, at least today I will still be the commander-in-chief of the Anxi Army. My words are military orders.

, if you dare to dissent, don’t blame Pei for getting someone to operate on you.”

After speaking, Pei Zhounan shouted loudly: "Come here, beat the second drum immediately and urge the soldiers to go to the school field. If they are still not standing on the school field after three drums, behead them!"

The big cowhide drum beat again, and the rumbling sound of the drum was like a reminder from the King of Hell. Every time it was beaten, the atmosphere in the camp became more gloomy and heavier.

Chang Zhong and others looked at him coldly, and their mood gradually became heavy.

I'm afraid something will happen today!

Pei Zhounan could do whatever he wanted, but Chang Zhong and the others were generals who loved their soldiers as much as their sons. They could not sit back and watch the generals below being inexplicably used by Pei Zhounan to kill chickens and scare monkeys. It would be too unworthy to die.

Their hearts were full of anger, but Chang Zhong, Li Siye, Shen Tian and others quickly walked to their respective generals' camps, cursed loudly at the camps, and ordered them to assemble on the campus immediately.

The soldiers did not give Pei Zhounan face, but these generals were still quite prestigious in the Anxi army. After a few curses, everyone finally reluctantly walked out of the camp and moved slowly towards the school grounds.

Seeing this, Pei Zhounan couldn't help but smile.

There are so many military orders in the camp, and as expected, no one dares to resist them. His law enforcement teams have been scattered among the camps. I believe that before long, the officers and soldiers of the Anxi Army will still be an elite division loyal to His Majesty. All the shortcomings left by Gu Qing

and hidden dangers will be completely corrected.

Countless soldiers of the Anxi Army were sparsely standing on the school grounds.

When Gu Qing opened this school ground, he spent a lot of manpower and material resources. Not only did he spend a huge amount of money to compact the flat open space with dust, but it was also large enough to accommodate 50,000 soldiers to train in formation at the same time.

Pei Zhounan stood on the high platform, looking coldly at the slouched and listless soldiers below the stage, his expression becoming increasingly dissatisfied.

The soldiers also looked towards the high platform one after another.

What they were looking at was not Pei Zhounan, but a three-foot-high flagpole next to the high platform. In the past, when Gu Qing was here, every time he practiced, he would always order someone to hang a bunch of copper coins on it in advance, and then hang a white and tender raw flagpole.

leg of lamb.

Gu Qing's intention was to make the soldiers look at money and meat during training, and to use money and meat to stimulate their competitiveness and desire for fame and fortune. In this way, they can gain the greatest effect from the training.

However, after Gu Qing left, nothing was hung on the flagpole next to the high platform.

There was still continuous training and training every day, but there was no reward of a penny. After the training, everyone returned to camp, and the commander and generals did not show any signs.

For ordinary soldiers, it undoubtedly severely damaged everyone's morale.

It's not just about the reward, but more importantly, without the reward, the soldiers have lost their sense of competition, and the turbulent atmosphere that can be clearly felt no longer exists.

Chang Zhong waved the command flag vigorously, and the soldiers got into position and began to drill. Pei Zhounan watched quietly for a while, but his face became increasingly unhappy.

The soldiers' movements were loose, and each movement looked as if they had not eaten for several days. Their movements were chaotic and inconsistent, and they had no strength at all. They were worse than a mother-in-law's fancy fists and embroidered legs.

When Gu Qing was there, Pei Zhounan saw the Anxi Army's drills with his own eyes. At that time, the camp was filled with excitement, the soldiers were sweating, and every movement was done with all their strength. Compared with the scene today, Pei Zhounan was deeply moved.

I felt deeply humiliated.

Gu Qing is not here, so you don’t take me seriously? I am also the coach of Anxi, how dare Anxi treat me so slowly!

"Stop! Stop everyone!" Pei Zhounan shouted loudly.

Chang Zhong glanced at him and waved the command flag in his hand, causing the soldiers to stop their movements.

Pei Zhounan glared at Chang Zhong and said, "General Chang, have you practiced like this before? Are you fooling me?"

Chang Zhong bowed: "The last general will not dare."

Pei Zhounan sneered: "What are you afraid of? Your Majesty's order has not yet arrived, and I am still the governor of Anxi. How dare you deal with me like this? Do you think I dare not use military law against you?"

Chang Zhong still bowed and said: "The last general is incapable of running the army. If Commander Pei Jie wants to punish him according to military law, please punish the last general first."

Pei Zhounan said in a gloomy tone: "Are you irritating me? I don't know how many bad habits you have gotten used to when Gu Qing was here. I am not Gu Qing, and I am not used to your bad habits!"

Chang Zhong said calmly: "The final general will be left to Pei Jieshuai's disposal."

Pei Zhounan sneered several times, and was just about to give the order to strike Chang Zhong with his stick, when someone from the ranks of ordinary soldiers below the stage interrupted loudly.

"If you don't reward me with money or meat, who will show me the training? Mr. Gu was much better than you when he was here..."

Pei Zhounan was furious: "Who? Who is talking?"

The crowd was silent.

Pei Zhounan's forehead was throbbing with veins, and he gritted his teeth and said: "Come here, find the person who just interrupted, strike him with a military stick ten times... No, behead him directly!"

The law enforcement team from Chang'an quickly rushed into the crowd, captured all the people in the queue that made the noise, and then identified them one by one.

Chang Zhong couldn't help but said: "Pei Jieshuai, I am willing to accept the punishment. Please let the innocent soldiers go."

Pei Zhounan said coldly: "If you don't obey military orders and interrupt randomly, he doesn't know the majesty of military law. I will teach him how to do it today."

Soon, the sergeant who had just interrupted was found by the law enforcement team and carried to the high platform.

Pei Zhounan stared at him, silent for a while, then suddenly waved his hand and said: "Behead him!"

The whole army was in an uproar, and Chang Zhong, Li Siye and other generals were also stunned. They did not expect that Pei Zhounan would dare to kill the soldiers of the Anxi Army.

We are all leaders of troops, and we know that Pei Zhounan wanted to establish his authority today, but for beheading soldiers at every turn, the punishment would be too severe, and something would happen.

So all the generals stepped forward one after another, clasping their fists to plead for mercy for the innocent soldier.

As soon as he said half a sentence, there was a click behind him, and the law enforcement team moved with great force and cut off the sergeant's head with a knife.

Chang Zhong and others sighed feebly and backed away silently.

The cold wind howled on the school ground, and all the soldiers in the army stared silently at the dead head on the yellow sand.
Chapter completed!