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The selection of recruits in Luzon Island did not take long at all, and the children of the new immigrants were grateful to Geng Jingzhong for his life, and after the rice harvest, they were even more able to step into a well-off family. The bitter days of not being able to drink two meals of gruel a day are gone, and now it is common to buy catties of meat and beat teeth every once in a while, and the whole family has bought a few new sets of clothes. As soon as this conscription notice came out, the people who signed up were extremely enthusiastic, and every registration point was almost crowded.

There are more than 60,000 households and nearly 70,000 people, which family does not have more than two young and strong, although this conscription order only limits one person from one family, which is not enough to order re-election, but the total number is also close to 70,000. It is easy to say that it is easy to select 10,000 recruits from these 70,000 people, but the method of selection is a little different from that of other military conscriptions in the past. Of the more than 60,000 soldiers of the Mawei Army, in addition to the original 20,000 veterans who had followed the Geng family for many years, 20,000 were adapted from pirates, and 20,000 were the children of fishermen in various prefectures and counties in Fujian, and there were also many descendants of sailors from the former Ming Dynasty.

Several selections were not as strict as this one, after all, recruiting the Navy is not the same as the Army. Those pirates are already very familiar with the sea, and those fishermen are not too much different, and it is almost enough to teach them the rules after half a year of intensive training, and with the later experience, a strong army is slowly formed. But this cavalry is a completely new army, and everything needs to be learned together. Moreover, Geng Jingzhong wants to train an elite cavalry in the shortest possible time, so the best way is to recruit a group of young and strong men who are already in excellent health.

"His second uncle. Why was Daikin able to participate in the selection. Two gold and three gold can't be? What kind of reasoning is this? "At the entrance of the recruitment point in Shangshui Village, Zhoukou Town. Zhou Wu was arguing loudly with his village chief's brother Zhou Wen, and his mouth was a burst of spittle, but Zhou Wen didn't dislike it at all, and patiently explained to this brother who pulled him up: "Oh, big brother, I said it just now, this is an order from above, and I can only do it." Can you go without thinking about your three nephews? I also hope that the three Daikin brothers can be selected! But isn't there no way, every clause on the red paper is clearly written, oh, there are people sent by the police station over there who are in charge of selection, and I can't get involved. ”

Zhou Wu's black face looked even darker, and his face was full of unhappiness. In fact, he also knew what Qiangshang's proclamation had written, and his three sons were all literate and hyphenated under the teaching of his little uncle, and had already read the content to him, but he was a little unwilling, thinking that his younger brother was the head of a village with 2,000 people. There should be a way, so I blocked the door. The second and third gold behind him were also full of unhappiness. From time to time, he turned his head to look at the long row of tables in front of the large field in the village not far away, and there were peers who were lining up to register their names, revealing a feeling called envy, jealousy, and hatred.

Before preparing for conscription a year ago, the Governor's Palace had done meticulous publicity. If this is in the mainland, few people may come to join the army, after all, as the old saying goes, "A good man is not a soldier, and a good iron is not a nail!" But here in Luzon it's different. If you participate in the conscription of the Governor's Palace, there are several advantages. First, as the Doge's Office proclaimed, one of the responsibilities of the newly formed army was to defend the homeland. These four words are obvious, and the people also know that the land they now own was obtained by the Mawei Army after the Spanish colonists were driven away, and such a treasure land was taken away by you, will people give up? I know it's unrealistic to think about it with my toes.

But are the people still willing to go back to the days when they could starve to death at any time, or to put it mildly, the days when they didn't have enough food and clothing all day long? Look at your current granary, look at your new clothes, and look at the smiles on your mother-in-law and children's faces, is there any other choice? Therefore, this reason alone is actually sufficient. In addition to this first rule, the second is the treatment after becoming an official horsetail soldier. The people had already questioned these policemen, who were temporarily served by the Marines, and their treatment was enviable. Two large silver dollars per month, usually not plus other benefits. If you have meritorious service in battle, you can be promoted, and there is a large amount of reward, which is only stronger than their farming. Not to mention, after joining the army, you can also get a good piece of military land.

It is important that young people who do not have a dream of being a general! There are many cases in the Mawei Army that were originally just small soldiers, but within a few years, they became squadron leaders, captains, and even battalion commanders. If you are promoted, then the monthly salary will be more, not to mention that you can glorify your ancestors! This last article is the same regulations on the treatment of military dependents as in Fujian. This last one adds to the madness of the common people, everyone is vying to participate in the selection, and only by participating in the selection can they have a chance to become a full-fledged warrior.

As for being a soldier and fighting a war, people die? Fighting a war would have killed people, but if they didn't join the army, then their current qiē would disappear quickly, and their lives would be very dangerous. In fact, the most reassuring thing for the people is the record of the Mawei Army against the Spanish colonial army last year. 1,000 Marines fought against more than 2,000 Spanish colonial troops, and the Marines almost completely annihilated the enemy after only 100 casualties, and this record also reassured them. They all believe that their sons, or their husbands, are also well-known men, and they will not lose to others after joining the army.

"Whoever gets the license plate will tie the license plate to the wrist, don't lose it, if you lose it, you will be disqualified!" Zhou Wen finally persuaded his eldest brother Zhou Wu and his two nephews to retire the second and third gold, and finally came to the registration table before the end of the level on the big field. Due to the crowd in front of him, and most of them were taller than him, he stood directly on the table, took the bullhorn and shouted to the three hundred and seventy-six strong men in front of him: "Whoever makes any more noise will be disqualified!" ”

Suddenly, it was all silent. So he continued to say loudly: "That's right, just now Captain Wang of the police station was still telling me that he wants to be a qualified soldier. The most important thing is to obey orders. Don't make loud noises when standing in line. Look at what you guys just did, it's really a shame for our Shangshui Village! Okay, let's announce the details of the assessment. ”

"There are only three things to be assessed. The first test is weightlifting, the second is running, and finally standing in a military position. As for the last one, Captain Wang and a few police brothers who can't stand will teach you. One by one, I was cheered up, and as I said, this selection would rather be lacking than excessive. In other words, as long as one item is not passed, it will be brushed off. If there aren't enough people, look, your brothers are still waiting for you! You have seized the opportunity, give me the opportunity to take advantage of it, don't embarrass yourself! Okay, let's start with the first weightlifting assessment. ”

Compared with when they first immigrated, the young adults who came to take the test today have greatly improved their physical fitness. After all. When I arrived on Luzon, I never went hungry again, and I had a bumper grain harvest since November. Every family has surplus money, and their living standards have been greatly improved, and many people's thin bodies have also been enriched, and a lot of meat has grown on their bodies. And in the past half a year, they have not been idle, whether it is farm work in the field or doing other things, he has developed a good strength.

In the big field, the position of the original registration long table is now full of all kinds of stone locks, there are thirty, fifty, and eighty catties of three gears are below 100 catties classified as the first level, and 100 catties, 120 catties, and 140 catties are counted as the second level; One hundred and eighty catties is counted as the third level, which is the highest level. The score of each level and each gear is different, in short, the more weight you lift, the better the result. For the tester, this is not a problem. For example, forty-year-old Zhou Wu, who used to work for the landlord's family when he couldn't eat enough, could pick up more than 100 catties of burden, and these young and strong young men had no problem. Although the test now is not the strength of the shoulders, but the strength of the arms, the overall essence of the body is there, and it will not be any worse.

"Test begins!" With Zhou Wen's order, the test of the weightlifting event began first.

Three hundred and seventy-six people were lined up in eight teams, with no more than fifty people per team, and the round of testing could be completed quickly. The men honestly lined up the line, and although there was no noise in the back, they still tilted their heads to see the results of the people in front. At the front of each team there was a clerk, the staff member who had just given them the name of the rank, and after each person had lifted the heaviest stone lock possible, the clerk would register their results, that is, behind their names.

In this first level of the test, one hundred and eighty-eight people will be eliminated, that is, half, and only the one hundred and eighty-eight people with the best results will pass the examination. Of course, there are also fixed criteria for military selection, and if they are not met, they will all be brushed off! There are now 12 towns in Luzon, each with 15 villages, that is, a total of 180 villages, with an average of 60 people per village. Therefore, this elimination rate is still very high. It's only the first round, and if you want to be selected, you have to use all the strength you can. In fact, everyone was desperately trying to lift the heaviest stone locks to ensure that they were the most difficult to be selected.

It is precisely because of this psychology that no one cares about the stone locks of thirty catties and fifty catties at all, and everyone starts from eighty catties, and some even start from one hundred catties. After all, it is a person who works all year round, and he has strength and stamina, and the key is whether he can play it at this time. Zhou Dajin has learned a few dealers since he was a child, his body is strong, he was a good hand in his hometown in the mainland, and of course he has a strong desire for weightlifting, and his uncle is the village head, so he wants to take the first place and win glory for his father's uncle. In the end, Daikin successfully lifted a hundred catties with one hand and a weight of one hundred and eighty catties with both hands, and it is estimated that it will be difficult for anyone to surpass him in the future.

Sure enough, after the weightlifting test was over, in less than a quarter of an hour, the results of the three hundred and eighty-eight people were all counted. Chow Tai Kim successfully became the first place in the weightlifting test, and according to the final statistics, there are more than 20 people who lift more than 180 pounds of stone locks with both hands, which is really a huge potential. There are not a few others who lift 140 catties, and the first pass in Shangshui Village exceeded the minimum bottom line of the army's selection requirements by more than 30 people, reaching 220 people who passed the line. But unfortunately, only the top 188 can participate in the second round of selection, and the rest, let's wait and see!

Those who passed the first round were of course cheering, while those who failed were regretful, and many people were unwilling. But no matter how much you think about it, it's useless, your strength is not as good as others, and there is nothing to say. As for those who didn't play well on the spot, I'm sorry, I let you try it a few times when I was lifting weights, and I won't have a second chance to test it! If you really want to join the army, maybe you won't have a chance in two years.

Zhou Wen is also very happy to take the list of customs clearance personnel, which meets the minimum requirement line but exceeds the requirements, if it is a little less, there will be no problem, but if it is too much, in the future, it will not be easy to stand up when you meet people from other villages! "The big guy is good, he didn't embarrass our village, don't be discouraged if you don't pass the test, continue to work hard next time! This is followed by the second test, long-distance running. The route is very simple, starting from our big field, running east along the road with flagpoles planted on the periphery of the village, running to Dameng Village, ten miles away, giving the number plate in his hand to the police brother who guards the entrance of the village, and then returning here. The ninety-four people who arrived first can get this red wooden card in my hand, which means that they have passed the level. ”

"By the way, there is another one, no matter how well you run later, you must stick to me to the end, if anyone stops and doesn't run, it will be recorded by the inspectors, and there will be no chance in the future! This means that in the future, if there is any sergeant selection in the town, county, or even the governor's palace, no one who has no grades can participate in the selection again! Is it all clear? ”

"Clear!" The following replied in unison. It's just that many people are a little stunned in their hearts, and it is twenty miles back and forth, this distance is indeed a little far, and in the shortest possible time, just these ninety-four mahogany cards, and brush off half of the people, it's difficult! Although the remaining one hundred and eighty-eight people are not small, they have passed the first level and are more confident in their own body. In the past, there was no problem for these young men to go up the mountain to chop firewood or carry heavy burdens for more than ten or twenty miles, but the key thing is that the race to run is more difficult than who runs faster and whose endurance is better. But the remaining one hundred and eighty-eight young men were not frightened, and after a moment of stunning, they immediately became fighting again. Nearly 800 young people set off eastward in a swarm. (To be continued......)