The American David was taken back to Mengshan, and instead of being locked up in Dongzhai with the captives, he lived with Long Qian, and David's three pieces of military equipment: a pistol (including five bullets) and two military binoculars naturally became Long Qian's trophies.

David was very frightened for a while when he confirmed that it was not the Qing Dynasty official army but the bandits who rescued him from the boxers, but then found that this bandit army was very different from his resemblance, especially the bandit leader, who knew English and had a good understanding of the United States. It reassured him.

This group of people, especially their leader named Long Qian, did not treat him as a prisoner, and arranged for him to live next door to Long Qian, and it was the best proof that he could wander around the cottage without restrictions.

So David asked to let him go down the mountain.

David's first request, of course, was to leave the mountain. When his uncle dies at the hands of a mob, his travel plans come to an end and he returns to the United States.

But this request was politely rejected by Long Qian. Long Qian did not hide the battle that took place a few days ago - many people died, and near the steep slope to the west, the blood of the dead on both sides stained the hillside red, and the traces of artillery bombardment were like traces. At present, more than 100 captives of the most elite regular army of the Qing Dynasty were imprisoned in the mountains by them to work as coolies, and now their military uniforms were stolen from the hands of the official army. The officers and soldiers who had just entered the cottage would come back at any time, and for reasons of secrecy, no one was allowed to leave the mountain for the time being.

"When?" David asked.

"Dear David, wait until I think it's okay." Long Qian replied.

"I protest! You do not have the right to detain a U.S. citizen. I would like to protest to your government that if you do not release me immediately, you will be punished with the severest punishment. ”

"Put away your set. The rules of diplomacy are of no use to me. You have seen that we are bandits, bandits who have been chased by the government, you are a smart person, you think that bandits will obey the law? Long Qian had a sneer on his face.

"Sir, you are a civilized man and well-educated, I can be sure of this, I don't know why you are a bandit."

Long Qian interrupted David's words, "David, it's not something you can understand why I'm a bandit. Now I have to tell you this: you must stay in the mountains for the time being. As you can see, my men and I only let you be guests for a while, and we didn't treat you as a prisoner. Isn't it? If you want to escape, I'm sorry, my sentinels don't care about diplomacy, they'll shoot you! ”

David was extremely depressed. But he couldn't help it, he didn't dare to escape, and after the incident of Pingyi Village, David believed that this mob who ignored the law would not care about killing a foreigner.

At the end, Long Qian comforted, "Dear David, you said that you like oriental culture, so you came to China for the purpose of visiting your uncle, but in fact, your main purpose is to travel. Right? You've traveled quite a bit, but I can assure you that you haven't been in contact with the lowest strata of the people, including us bandits. However, the purest culture is hidden in the people, and you can't see, hear, or see it in those big cities. I hope you treat this experience as a pleasant getaway. In the future, maybe you can write a book, and I think it's going to sell well. Of course, in the mountains, you can't eat toast or drink milk coffee. I can't help this. Long Qian spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders as he learned from Westerners.

"Get rid of you, your men aren't friendly to me." David was frustrated, "They all saw me as an outlier. ”

"That's exactly what you need to understand. If you're going to write a book that promotes Chinese culture — and I want you to write one, that's the most engaging part. China is a very tolerant nation, which has no revenge for any outsider and is willing to live in peace with people of any nationality. But why do so many Chinese, especially the peasants at the bottom, hate you? Just because you have yellow hair? And blue eyes? I don't think so. ”

"This__" David was speechless.

"I believe that your dead missionary uncle did nothing intolerable, which is why I commanded your subordinates to save you from the fire. But why would so many peasants hate the messengers who preach the gospel of God? Isn't that worth exploring? ”

"They're all savages, mobs!" Thinking of the scene in Pingyi Village, David had palpitations.

"We're the real mob!" Long Qian's voice was filled with anger, "But, have my subordinates violated you?" In this cottage, apart from you, who else lives in a single room like me? Who else, certainly not including those wounded and sick, wandering around the mountains with nothing to do with you? Mr. Divin, when you see the result, you have to use your brain to explore the reason, which is what a civilized person should do! ”

Since David was not allowed to leave, he had to stay in the cottage. Long Qian's story of writing a book really touched him, and if he wrote about this experience, eighty percent of Americans who like to explore adventures would like it! And this team of bandits does have a lot of differences from his impression, such as their very high level of queue training, as well as the field training ground that has just been built in the south of the village, and the improvised football field in front of the Guangming Temple__These are not what David is most interested in, the most puzzling thing for David is Long Qian, who lives next door to him, obviously, this is a highly educated civilized person, his speech and demeanor, his respect for women, all make David feel cordial and secure. But why did he become a bandit, and where did he learn English? He asked him these questions more than once, but did not get satisfactory answers.

Just when Long Qian and David were communicating more and more deeply, the first defection with a gun occurred in the Mengshan army. When Cheng Erhu rushed in and stammered to report that a company had defected and had exchanged fire with the sentry, Long Qian jumped up suddenly, "Where is it?" How many people? ”

"Aggressive Ridge. Lu Shan has been, has been investigated, cleared, two. They were all in the second and second platoons, and they all carried guns. ”

Leaving David, Long Qian and Cheng Erhu ran to Dudu Ridge, Cheng Erhu was the leader of the first platoon of the first company, and it was the people of the second platoon who defected.

Guarding the aggressive village was the third company. Since the reorganization, Long Qian has redivided the responsibility area of the sentry posts, and each company is responsible for one area, thus changing the original situation that there is always a squad that cannot participate in training.

There is no garrison in the village, but there are posts, and they are double posts. Now all the sentry settings were personally chosen by Long Qian. From the village to the south, the road was rugged, and the officials and troops only set up an encirclement from afar and did not march from there, mainly considering the road factor. Long Qian led the team back to the mountain, and did not make any effort to repair the burned down village, because there was enough accommodation. But considering that there is always a road in and out of the cottage here, although it is not easy to walk, it is not like the northern slope of a pure cliff, and there is no need to consider that the enemy will climb from the north.

"What's the situation?" Long Qian asked the aggressive village that had gathered a lot of people.

"Two, Company Commander Feng and Company Commander Lu have already led people to chase down. It is estimated that they will not be able to run far. Dog thing, actually shot and wounded a sentry! The people of the third company reported.

Then he won't be able to run far! Long Qian put his mind at ease, "What are you waiting for?" Get him to the hospital quickly. Long Qian saw the sentry who had injured his arm.

Long Qian was very surprised, indicating that the normal troops on the ground would defect with guns? It's one thing to desert empty-handed, but the nature of running with a weapon is completely different!

Half an hour later, Lu Shan and Feng Lun escorted back the two defectors, one of whom had a blue nose and swollen face, and was obviously beaten.

"Why are you running away?" Long Qian asked coldly.

"Captain," one of the deserters immediately knelt down, "for a moment of confusion, spare me." ”

This is a soldier of the old eighth team, Long Qian remembers that he was by his side when he was fighting Zhangjiazhai, "I asked you why you ran away!" ”

"I'm confused," the soldier kowtowed, begging to be bypassed.

"Who shot the sentry?"

"It's him." The kneeling soldier pointed to another accomplice.

"Eggless guys." That one was a little backbone, and said proudly, "It's my idea, just keep squatting on the mountain, and sooner or later it'll be over." It's better to find a way out early. If you don't say it, you want to kill or chop, it's up to you. ”

Long Qian recognized this person as a soldier of the Old Sixth Team, "Escort it back first, and then deal with it after I interrogate it slowly." He felt very uncomfortable, waved his hand fiercely, turned around and left.

The situation is not very complicated. I just feel that the cottage has no future, and I want to go down the mountain to find another way to live. As for carrying a gun, it's even simpler, if you don't have a gun, you don't have force, and you can defend yourself.

"What should I do?" Long Qian asked several company commanders and the leaders of the directly subordinate groups.

"If you didn't say it, shoot it!" Lu Shan said in a loud voice.

The rest agreed. When Sun Dewang was in charge, there was no second way for defectors to be killed, sometimes lynched before beheading, in order to warn others. Today's incident was very bad, but Long Qian felt that the problem was not simple, and he was about to run away after the cottage got rid of the danger.

"My opinion. The guy who shot is to death! But the other was coercion, beaten with fifty sticks, and locked up with the captives for hard labor. Long Qian made a decision.

"Commander, I don't agree with that. Rules are rules, and if the rules are broken, it will be difficult for soldiers to bring. Although Zhi Lianming is an old man of Team 8 and has done a good job in the past, this time he broke the rules, and he can't spare his life just because he didn't shoot like a sentry. Wang Ming said from afar.

"Mingyuan, yes, yes." Feng Guozhu also agreed.

Lu Shan's face turned red, and the two who defected were all in the same company, which embarrassed him, especially Zhi Lianming, who had always been a member of his team, "Captain, I asked that kid, it's nonsense to say that there is no way out." Is there a way out if you run out of the gang with a gun? ! The main reason is that he feels that the cottage is too bitter, he can't eat well, he is exhausted from military training, he can't drink alcohol, and women are not allowed to play. That's what he really thinks. I didn't take care of my people this time, so please deal with me as well. As for the two of them, I agree with Mingyuan's opinion and make an example of them. ”

Long Qian had a cold face, didn't say anything, and continued to listen to them.

"It's better to make a difference." Feng Guozhu opened his mouth and said, "Zhi Lianming did a good job in the past, this time he is not the main culprit, and besides, he also admitted his mistake. I think the commander's handling is right, spare his life, and let him make meritorious contributions. ”

Feng Lun was silent, probably feeling that it was difficult to express his position. Long Qian looked into his eyes and saw it, but he turned his head.

"Deputy Commander Zhou, tell me your opinion."

"What Zhi Lianming said has some truth. Everyone has really had a hard time during this time__, I think you should do it according to the commander's opinion. Zhou Yi said his opinion slowly.

"Commander, I've already given everyone a chance before, and if you don't want to do it, take the silver and walk. The rules are set for everyone, and life is hard? Who doesn't know bitterness? The commander is not special. Wang Mingyuan insisted on killing Zhi Lianming.

"It's okay, it's dead!" Long Qian weighed the pros and cons and was ruthless, "Mingyuan's opinion is right. Compassion is not in charge of soldiers, and righteousness is not finance. Give them a good meal and send them on their way tomorrow! Long Qian closed his eyes, "This incident makes me feel sad, it seems that the military regulations are going to be changed." In addition, there is something else to be added to the military training, and I can't guarantee that the others don't have the same thoughts as them. ”

After the morning exercise the next morning, Long Qian publicly announced the death sentences of the two armed defectors. At the same time, the relevant personnel of the first company were punished: the squad leader of the deserter was removed from his post as a soldier, the platoon commander was demoted to squad leader, and the first company commander Lu Shan was demoted to the second platoon as a platoon leader. Ye Yanbing was appointed as the commander of the first company.

Lu Shan is Long Qian's oldest team, and Long Qian's handling is definitely ruthless. Long Qian stressed: Each company commander should manage his own company well, each platoon commander should manage his own platoon, and each squad leader should manage his own squad well. If you have a business trip, you will not be merciful.

In Dudu Village, two gunshots ended two lives. Almost all of them, including those who learned of this, thought it was a matter of course. But Long Qian felt that there were too many things that he needed to correct, and if he wanted to build a strong army according to his own ideas, it was not enough to just teach them military knowledge, it was far from enough.