Tong Guò counted the number of people in each department, and finally found that the third battalion was missing thirteen people, and then Xiao Zhenlei asked each department to conduct morning training, not because someone was a deserter, the troops should be in a state of chaos, and they should be as usual.

At seven o'clock in the morning, the morning training ended, and all 13 people led by Deng Jiujin who tried to escape were captured, one of whom was killed on the spot in the process of escaping, and the remaining 12 people, including Deng Jiujin, were all captured.

After breakfast, the daily training continued, but at this time, Xiao Zhenlei summoned several battalion commanders and platoon commanders of his direct company to his tent for a meeting, and the content of the meeting was how to deal with the twelve people led by Deng Jiujin who tried to become deserters.

"Bring everyone here, I think you must also know what to do, that is, how to deal with the twelve deserters led by Deng Jiujin, what do you think should be done? Tell us your own opinions and opinions! Xiao Zhenlei said while smoking a cigarette.

Hao Lianshan, the platoon commander of the machine gun platoon, was a middle-aged man with a somewhat violent personality, and he said in a rough voice: "Sir, what else is there to say about this, shoot it directly, if you don't be ruthless this time, what if there are deserters in the future?" Isn't it not pursued? ”

Qian Wanli, the commander of the artillery company, said loudly at this time: "Of course you can't just forget it, no matter how you say it's not right to be a deserter, but I think that shooting them seems to be too heavy a punishment, so you have to give people a chance to turn over a new leaf, right?" Those people just don't want to be soldiers anymore, and they haven't committed some heinous crimes! ”

Wu Shiyou, the commander of the first battalion, frowned and said, "I don't agree with this statement, what is the barracks?" Do they come when they want and go when they want? Besides, it's like a long-term worker working in the landlord's house, knowing to say hello before leaving. You long-term worker eats and drinks, and you slipped away without saying hello before you took the money and didn't work. What is this? ”

Qian Wanli retorted: "Even so, they don't deserve death." At best, a thief who stole some silver, and I have not heard of a dynasty or generation of laws that sentenced thieves to death! ”

The second battalion commander Chen Jizu nodded and said: "Shooting them directly is a bit too severe, I think they will each be beaten with thirty military sticks, and they will be punished in confinement for a few days, so that they know that they are a little powerful, and also give others a little warning!" ”

The commanders of these battalions and companies all expressed their opinions, but Zhou Chuandong, the commander of the third battalion, who was the direct commander of the deserters, did not express his position, he sat and smoked vigorously without saying a word.

Xiao Zhenlei asked, "Camp Commander Zhou." What about your opinion? ”

Zhou Chuandong knew that he couldn't hide, Xiao Zhenlei would have to ask his opinion sooner or later, he smoked a few puffs of cigarette and threw away the cigarette butt and spit out the murderous four words: "Shoot them all!" ”

Xiao Zhenlei said: "Reason? ”

Zhou Chuandong was silent for a few seconds and said: "In troubled times, all of my battalion except for the officers have just been adapted from bandits, those people used to be wild, and they used to do murder and robbery, who has not seen blood on hand?" I don't rule out that there are people with a clear conscience among them, but how many such people will there be? If the punishment is not severe, it is not enough to deter others, and this is my reason! ”

listened to Zhou Chuandong's words. Xiao Zhenlei smoked a cigarette for several minutes and did not speak, and the others were also silent, and everyone present had different attitudes towards this matter, almost saying that it was justified. The mother-in-law said that the mother-in-law was reasonable, and Xiao Zhenlei couldn't decide for a while.

After smoking a cigarette, Xiao Zhenlei extinguished the cigarette butt and said, "This matter will be put aside for the time being." Let me think about it first, and lock them up first. The training progress of each battalion and company must not be left behind, and the meeting will be dismissed! ”

"Yes!" Everyone stood up in unison and answered loudly.

It has been more than ten days since I set up camp in Zhoujia Town. The reconnaissance platoon that was sent to investigate the whereabouts of Zeng Qinglin and other horse bandits had already sent the news, and now Zeng Qinglin and the others were hiding in a village called Beitang Village, which was more than 120 miles away from Zhoujiazhuang.

At the same time, Xiao Zhenlei led his troops to stay in Zhoujiazhen on the one hand to wait for Cai Naihuang to send someone to send supplies, and on the other hand, to test Cai Naihuang's reaction.

On October 28, Cai Naihuang finally sent someone to send grain, grass, and ammunition, and sent someone to send a letter, which said that he should do his best to pull out the camp and set off to exterminate Zeng Qinglin.

In fact, Cai Naihuang has no choice, after Jiang Guodong's two battalions were defeated by Zeng Qinglin, Cai Naihuang only had three battalions of troops in his hands to guard Shanghai Beach, and there was no extra force to deal with Xiao Zhenlei, and the actual number of those three battalions was less than 1,200 people, and now Xiao Zhenlei has adapted the surrendered four hundred bandits, and the total strength is already equivalent to the number of Cai Naihuang's three patrol battalions, he is really afraid that Xiao Zhenlei will pull the flag and rebel, if that is the case, his position on the platform is only afraid that it will not be guaranteed, and there is only a name, Of course, he can hide in the concession, but is it safe to hide in the concession? Therefore, Cai Naihuang decided to entrap Xiao Zhenlei after careful consideration, and he also said in the letter that he had recommended Xiao Zhenlei to Zhang Renjun, the governor of Liangjiang, to take the position of the 46th standard commander of the 23rd Mixed Association of Mixed Formations, and only waited for Xiao Zhenlei to eliminate Zeng Qinglin, the appointment letter of the Liangjiang Governor's Mansion and the appointment order. The state took office.

Xiao Zhenlei knew that Cai Naihuang must not have written a blank check this time, since Cai Naihuang dared to write these words on the letter, it means that this person has indeed written a letter of recommendation to Zhang Renjun, although Cai Naihuang and Zhang Renjun can't pee in the same pot, but the twenty-third mixed association is stationed in Su? The state is under the jurisdiction of Su Song Taidao, and the military expenses and food are also allocated by Su Song Taidao, as the Taoist of Su Song Taidao, Cai Naihuang certainly has the right to recommend candidates to be any standard, if Zhang Renjun does not give this face, as long as Cai Naihuang does not allocate the military expenses for the formation of the 23rd Mixed Association, the 23rd Mixed Association is just a number, and it cannot be established at all, so this matter is basically a sure thing.

After Xiao Zhenlei sent people to receive grain, grass and ammunition and sent away the soldiers of the patrol battalion who were escorted, he immediately convened a meeting of all-standard officers and announced that he would go north in the near future to exterminate Zeng Qinglin and other horse bandits. But before that, he had one more thing to do, and that was to announce the decision on the disposal of the twelve deserters.

In the early morning of 29 October, the whole army gathered and prepared to go, but at this moment, all 12 people headed by Deng Jiujin, who had been deserters, were escorted to the point platform, and these 12 people were tied with their hands tied behind their backs, and a wooden sign was inserted behind their backs, and the word "deserter" was written on the sign, and on these two words there was also a "kill" written on it, and this word was drawn in a circle.

When they saw this scene, everyone knew that these twelve deserters were really in a catastrophe, just when the twelve deserters led by Deng Jiujin were escorted to the point platform and knelt down to wait for the execution, they all shouted loudly and cried out bitterly, Xiao Zhenlei was wearing a neat factory guard uniform, wearing a big cap, an armed belt around his waist, a pistol, riding boots on his feet, and a solemn face strode up to the point platform, followed by several battalion commanders and platoon commanders of directly subordinate companies.

Walking to the front of the point platform, Xiao Zhenlei said loudly: "Today we are going to set off north to exterminate Zeng Qinglin and his gang of horse bandits, but before that, we must do one more thing, that is, to execute these twelve evaders!" Yes, that's right, it's an execution! Some people may say, is it too heavy? If you want me to say, it's not heavy at all, why? Except for the officers, everyone else in the third battalion surrendered, I gave everyone a choice, those who wanted to leave, I didn't stop them, and the people I left were entangled, and those who were willing to join our army, I expressed a warm welcome, but from now on, we must abide by our army's military regulations, I said so at the beginning, right? ”

"Yes!" Many of the soldiers of the 3rd Battalion replied in unison.

Xiao Zhenlei continued: "Since you have joined us, then we are a family, and the people of the first and second battalions have not discriminated against you, right?" Your pay and treatment are the same as those of your brothers, right? Have I ever treated you badly, what they eat, you are what they get, you will take as much military salary as you get, of course, you have no military salary for the first month, but you have all received a settlement fee, this amount is the same as other brother troops, have I Xiao Zhenlei treated you badly? Did the officers below deduct a penny from you? Sue me? ”

"Nope!"

"The settlement fee is ten oceans, and not a penny is less!"

"That's it!" Xiao Zhenlei said sharply: "I want to slip away after taking the money, and I don't say hello, how can there be such a thing from ancient times to the present?" As the saying goes, take people's money and eliminate disasters with people, don't these deserters understand these truths? The barracks are not other places, not that you can come in if you want to come in, and you can go out if you want to. This is the army, the army is to maintain local peace, to ensure that the people live and work in peace and contentment, and to safeguard the integrity of the country's territory and sovereignty. If there is no army, wouldn't bandits, robbers, and foreigners who flaunt their military might be able to do whatever they want on the land of China? The army is a place of discipline, without discipline can not be refined into an invincible iron-blooded army, so any military who violates military rules and discipline and disobeys military orders must be punished, now is a critical period, so these deserters must be punished heavily, killing people is not our goal, just a means, our purpose is to let others understand that military discipline is strict, military orders are like mountains! No one can cross that line, and once they do, they must be punished, and there is nothing else they can do! Come on, execute the execution! ”

"Bang bang?" The twelve soldiers pulled the bolt to load the bullet, pressed the muzzle of the gun against the back of the head of the twelve deserters, and pulled the trigger at the order of the squad leader. (To be continued......)