At the same time as educating soldiers on self-improvement and defending against insults, Zhang Zhidong also worked hard to develop "military wisdom", that is, to try to improve the cultural quality of soldiers (most of the generals of the new army came from modern military academies, and their cultural quality was relatively high compared with that of soldiers). In terms of recruitment, Zhang Zhidong regarded cultural quality as an important condition, and not only stipulated it explicitly, but also gradually raised the requirements.

In 1898, when he expanded the engineering corps into an engineering battalion, he stipulated that "only those under the age of twenty who can read and write shall be allowed to earn income". In 1902, "half of the soldiers entering the camp must be literate" was listed as the first article of the "Essentials of Military Training in Hubei."

Two years later, the recruits were required to "be able to read and write, and be able to understand literature and science." These regulations fully show that Zhang Zhidong attaches great importance to the cultural quality of the new army and warmly welcomes young intellectuals.

The Hubei New Army did recruit a large number of intellectuals, and "there were quite a few Xiushi who entered the camp." At the same time, Zhang Zhidong also attaches great importance to the education of soldiers after entering the camp. In 1902, Zhang Zhidong set up large and small "lecture halls" and "newspaper reading rooms" in each banner and battalion of the New Army, which was undoubtedly conducive to improving the cultural quality of the soldiers. In particular, Zhang Zhidong was ingenious in setting up a special primary school for the Hubei Army, and selected those who were "fluent in literature and science" among the soldiers, so that they would "come to the hall during the day to pay attention to their subjects, and return to the camp at night", and "graduate and enter the camp more often", so as to "imply universal education in military training."

In the whole process of compiling and training Hubei recruits, Li Yuanhong has always been Zhang Zhidong's most effective assistant and cadre.

In 1903, the Qing army was restructured, and the central government set up a military training department. The imperial court planned to organize and train the new army in 36 towns. Hubei, the new army was set up in two towns. In 1904, Zhang Zhidong played the Ming court, and the specific establishment of the two towns in Hubei Province was three battalions of infantry (brigade) artillery, two cavalry battalions, and one battalion of engineering and Zizhong. There was a shortage of infantry in each town, which was left to be replenished when the military budget was sufficient.

Zhang Biao was appointed as the commander of the first town and the assistant commander of the regent. Li Yuanhong was appointed as the commander of the second town.

At this time, Li Yuanhong had already become a senior general of the Qing court and the number two person in the Hubei military circles.

In 1906, due to a lack of funds, the military establishment of the two towns in Hubei was reduced to one town (division) and one mixed association (brigade). According to the unified establishment of the Qing court's military training department, the first town in Hubei was changed to the eighth town, and Zhang Biao was the commander. The second town in Hubei was changed to the 21st Mixed Association, and Li Yuanhong served as the co-ordinator.

In this position, Li Yuanhong has been able to achieve the Wuchang Uprising. Although he is the No. 2 person, in the Hubei military circles, Li Yuanhong's prestige is much higher than that of the No. 1 person, Zhang Biao. Because, whether it is military quality or good management of the army, Zhang Biao and Li Yuanhong are far from being on the same level. Li Yuanhong himself has excellent skills, strictly administers the army, and is extremely "knowledgeable" and "loving" for soldiers, and has been widely praised by all walks of life.

In April 1899, when Hubei had just begun to train the new army, a high-ranking French officer, Roberly, visited Hubei, and Zhang Biao hosted a banquet to entertain him, and Li Yuanhong attended to accompany him.

During the dinner, Roberly casually asked about some military business. At this time, Zhang Biao, who was in a high position, rarely asked about military affairs. This is an era of change, and the new army is different from the old army, and its knowledge in all aspects is updated rapidly. Zhang Biao sometimes doesn't even know what the other party is asking, let alone how to answer. In embarrassment, he looked at Li Yuanhong for help, and Li Yuanhong calmly came one by one.

When Roberley left, Zhang Zhidong led the crowd to see him off, and he was full of praise for Li Yuanhong, saying that Li Yuanhong was a "general who knows the soldiers".

On weekdays, Li Yuanhong is famous for his leniency towards soldiers. He was careful in the use of military spending, and tried to reduce unnecessary expenditures as much as possible. As long as there was a surplus of military supplies, he tried to use them on his soldiers, either to improve their food or to add new clothes to them. At that time, whether in the old army or the new army, it became a common practice to withhold military salaries at various levels. But under Li Yuanhong's rule, such things were strictly stopped.

In order to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, Li Yuanhong also set up a quilt factory in his army to make his own military uniforms and quilts. In this way, even under the condition that military spending is not guaranteed, his unit can also distribute military uniforms and other supplies on time. Walking down the street, the neatly dressed men of his unit were in stark contrast to the tattered clothes of other troops. After a long time, the common people knew from their attire which people were the subordinates of the 21st mixed Xieli marshal.

Li Yuanhong is strict in governing the army, and he can also lead by example. At that time, the Wuhan garrison, the officers above the pipe band level all lived in private houses and never lived in the barracks. Although Li Yuanhong's family had moved over early, he only went home twice a month, and spent the rest of his time at the headquarters of the barracks. Like the soldiers, listen to the bugle and rest. Get up as soon as the wake-up call sounds, fetch water and wash by yourself, and never need to be taken care of by the guards.

Every festive season, the soldiers in the barracks are all people who leave home, and they miss their families during the New Year's holidays. Li Yuanhong not only often accompanied the soldiers in the barracks to celebrate the New Year's Day, but also often asked his children to go to the barracks to greet the soldiers.

After Li Yuanhong was promoted to the co-unification, he received five hundred taels of silver per month. He built a Chinese-style building near Zhonghe Gate in Wuchang and a Western-style villa on the outskirts of the city. He also built a lot of bungalows for rent, and his family life was already very wealthy. However, he still maintains his true character as a civilian on weekdays, and is willing to live a hard life in the barracks, which is different from those officials who spend all day drinking and drinking.

Li Yuanhong is famous for his love for soldiers. The experience of begging for food and suffering from childhood also made him particularly sympathetic to soldiers with special difficulties, and he often paid for them out of his own pocket.

Li Yuanhong respects knowledge and cherishes and reuses knowledgeable people. There is a soldier from Yichang named Zhang Zhishan. was born in Xiucai, and due to the sudden change in his family, he couldn't support his elderly mother, so he had no choice but to go to the barracks to serve as a soldier. Like Li Yuanhong's father, he wanted to use his meager military salary to support his mother, but his mother went to the mountains to collect firewood on a snowy day, and fell to her death on the mountain road.

When Zhang Zhishan heard the news, he was in pain, and he had neither the money to go home nor the money to bury his mother. After Li Yuanhong learned about it, he personally took out 80 oceans and sent them to Zhang Zhishan, allowing him to take leave and return to his hometown to bury his old mother.

Because Zhang Zhishan has a high degree of Chinese in the barracks, the barracks can be used to the fullest. In the name of the Army Primary School Association, Zhang Zhishan was escorted as a student soldier. This incident was passed down as a good story in the barracks and was recited for many years.

Zhang Taiyan wrote an inscription for Li Yuanhong: "The army is strictly benevolent, and the army is not overused for a single penny, and if there is more, it is necessary to arrest soldiers, so the military uniforms of the department are rectified, and they are not better than other armies." Lying down, all are allowed to be military horns, not in vain. The night will stay in the army, although it will not move when it meets the year. The priest is afraid that he will not be able to fulfill his talents, especially the doctor, and one side will return to his heart. ”

In his life, Mr. Zhang rarely praised people, and Li Yuanhong was an exception. In a few words, it fairly summarized Li Yuanhong's governance of the army, and it can be regarded as a final conclusion. Of course, that's for later.

The Hubei Army has a special requirement for commanders, whether it is training or actual combat, the commander's orders must be written within five minutes. Whenever Zhang Biao encountered this, he was done by several staff officers. Li Yuanhong always took matters into his own hands, whether on the march or in the rain and snow, he could write an order of four or five hundred words in five minutes anytime and anywhere. And it is concise, accurate and clear, and the subordinates look self-evident. This move has also become a must in the Hubei army. Although this depends on his profound skills, it also lies in his usual learning and accumulation.

There is a record of this in the history books: "Although he is a military general, and he usually does not release the scroll, the army books printed in the Hubei Supervision and Training Office have the name of Li Yuanhong's proofreading." ”

Because Li Yuanhong has real talent and learning, and he is extremely serious in his work. Whenever there was a plan and planning in the Hubei army, and even a major decision, Zhang Zhidong relied on Li Yuanhong.

And Zhang Biao, the number one person in the Hubei Army, is always the executor.

For example, the history books say: "Wenxiang (Zhang Zhidong) attaches great importance to the Li family, and often obeys his words, and all military plans depend on Li." …… Every time there is a plan, it is decided by Li Bo, and Wen Xiang makes Zhang Biao implement it. ”

Zhang Zhidong's cherishing and reuse and Li Yuanhong's own efforts enabled him to rise from the battalion to the assistant commander in the ten years from 1896 to 1906 from the navy to the army, and he also served as the commander of the town (army commander), and his rank and rank also changed from the general to the garrison, and he was promoted to the commander of the capital, and then to the deputy general.

Zhang Zhidong's appreciation and attention to Li Yuanhong is all-round. Once, everyone accompanied Zhang Zhidong to the riverside to inspect, and Zhang Zhidong saw the "Chutai" military ship that had just been bought back from Japan moored on the shore. came to the interest, and took everyone on board the boat.

I was enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Yellow Crane Tower and the riverside with everyone, and suddenly the sky changed, the wind was strong, and the waves were rolling. The warship was in the middle of the river, shaking violently and almost capsizing. At this time, news came, because it was a sudden incident, and the helmsman on the warship was found temporarily, without going through the wind and waves. In this situation, everyone is very afraid, fearing that they will die in the river.

In the emergency, Zhang Zhidong remembered that Li Yuanhong beside him was born in the navy, so he ordered him to save the emergency. Although Li Yuanhong is not a special helmsman in the navy, he has been trained in this area after all, and has experienced strong winds and waves at sea. As soon as he got the rudder, he turned left and right, and operated calmly, and the warship quickly returned to stability. Everyone had a false alarm, and their hanging hearts finally let go, and they all admired Li Yuanhong even more.

After landing safely, Zhang Zhidong was full of emotion and praised Li Yuanhong as "an amphibious promising, and real talent and learning are rare".

Following Xiangshuai Zhang Zhidong back to Hubei, to the fifteen years after the Wuchang Uprising, Li Yuanhong experienced three changes in governor and two changes in governors. There are always all kinds of games, jealousy and competition in officialdom, and there are many colleagues who slander and frame Li Yuanhong. However, because of Li Yuanhong's magnanimity and kindness to people, the contradictions can be resolved. In addition to gaining a good reputation among soldiers for loving soldiers, he also gained good popularity and high prestige among his colleagues.