Chapter 123 General’s Family Banquet

In the blink of an eye, it was January 22, and topics about bandit suppression in the city are still emerging one after another.

Some things also happened in the western suburbs military camp. The first thing was the investigation about Chen Sheng being shot. This incident once made the entire army of the First Bang nervous, but after a few days of investigation, there was no result and it was finally left unresolved. Of course, Wu Shaoting knew that it was Zhao Sheng who was urging the matter to calm down as soon as possible, so the entire investigation was a start and abrupt end.

Not only was Chen Sheng's case calmed down, but even Zhao Qianxun's crime of fearing the enemy and the rebellion of those soldiers were all hastily done. After all, everyone was dead and there was nothing to be investigated. Just bear a bad crime.

The second is the first target personnel transfer after the bandit suppression.

Although the first bid was killed after this bandit suppression, some soldiers were killed, but the number was not too large and there was no need to rush to make up for the gap. However, the bandit suppression operation was a battle, and rewards and punishments must be arranged clearly after a battle.

On the second day after returning to Guangzhou, Wu Shaoting leaped over Zhao Sheng and sent it directly to the Army Yamen.

After he came back, he also made some modifications to this recommendation book and added recommendations to Sun Jizhi, Li Jishen and others.

The next day, the Army Yamen received an approval. Except for two training officers who were asked to be transferred to the military academy and one training officer took the initiative to request to be transferred to the military school, all the others were approved.

Ni Duan successfully became the intern manager of the Third Battalion. In addition, Wu Shaoting only arranged Chen Fang to enter the First Battalion and served as the intern deputy of the First Battalion. Lin Guangli and other training officers were all assigned to the Second Battalion and the Third Battalion.

The purpose of his doing this is to not show the expansion of personal power too obviously. On the one hand, this can reduce Zhao Sheng's vigilance so that he will not hinder the approval of this letter of recommendation; on the other hand, the arrangement of these people in the Second Battalion and the Third Battalion can also be regarded as consolidating the authority of the Second Battalion and the Third Battalion.

As the New Year approaches, the weather gets colder and it rains again that afternoon.

Wu Shaoting walked out of the First Commander's compound. He had just gone to the Military Control Office to ask about the distribution of cotton clothes for the new army during the winter. Since the beginning of winter, the soldiers have been wearing summer uniforms. Some soldiers can barely wear two single clothes to wear to keep warm, but more of them can only hide in the barracks and roll up beds, or go outside to run and warm up.

The military officers at all battalions level have asked the Military Officer of the Commander's Office several times, but the Military Officer of the Commander's Office has been dragging it down again and again.

Until today, Wu Shaoting could no longer bear it, so he came to scold the military officer in person. Although the other party agreed repeatedly, it was still unknown whether it would be what he wanted.

He stood at the gate of the commander's compound for a while, intending to wait for the rain to return to the camp office.

The four guards at the commander's gate were trembling with coldness, huddled under the eaves of the door while stomping their feet while chatting.

Wu Shaoting took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and asked the soldiers: "Is there any fire?"

A guard immediately took out a box of matches from his pocket and trotted here.

Wu Shaoting took out five cigarettes and said, "Get the points down."

The guards company thanked, "Thank you, Lord Wu." So they turned around and dispersed the other three cigarettes to the other three soldiers.

The other three guards surrounded them.

After lit cigarettes one after another, Wu Shaoting took a deep breath, and there was no sign of comfort on his face.

A guard next to him asked carefully: "Mr. Wu, why haven't the winter clothes been sent yet? Last year, my brothers bought quilts by themselves. If we don't send out the cotton clothes this year, we really have to get through it."

"Yes, yes, this winter is much colder than last year. We have to buy charcoal ourselves and send our New Year's fee to our house. There is no extra silver at all." Another guard also said.

"Oh," Wu Shaoting spat out a smoke ring and said helplessly, "I'm here today to ask the Military Control Commission to urge this. The military control commission is a fucking group of goods. The brothers in the camp below are even worse than you, and the barracks are all leaking water and air."

"Uh..." The guards were speechless. They knew that although Lord Wu was a good person, they could not do anything about this matter.

"I'll go to the yamen to ask tomorrow," Wu Shaoting said, "Don't worry too much, there will be a result before the New Year. Our 24 towns have not sent winter clothes since its establishment. If they don't send them, we will not be able to attend in winter."

The rain was getting lighter, and Wu Shaoting threw away his cigarette butt and quickly returned to the first battalion.

As soon as he returned to the gate of the First Battalion Battalion Office, the newly appointed trainee adjutant Chen Fang came out, holding an exquisite card in his hand.

"Mr. Wu, the General's Mansion just sent someone to send an invitation. It was said that the General was holding a banquet at the mansion on the New Year's Eve and wanted to invite Mr. Wu to the banquet." Chen Fang said.

"General, the general, hold a banquet? Who are you invited except me?" Wu Shaoting was a little surprised and asked while walking into the hall.

"This subordinate is not clear, and the person who came here didn't say much. But since all invitations have been issued, there should be many people who should invite them!" Chen Fang replied.

"How can you not go if you invite the general? What is the day when is the young New Year?" Wu Shaoting asked again.

"The 24th day of the twelfth lunar month on the twelfth lunar month? Oh, sir, you are asking about the Gregorian calendar. It should be January 27th." Chen Fangxin calculated for a moment and then said.

"Okay, the camp has only the problem of winter supplies recently. I will implement it before New Year's Eve." Wu Shaoting took the invitation from Chen Fang and took a look, then put it away casually.

In the next few days, after pressure from many battalion-level officials, the Army Office finally allocated funds to buy winter clothes for the new army.

However, the first batch was only 2,000 sets, and the entire army of the 24 towns had nearly 5,000 people, and even half of them could not get together.

The Army Yamen said this is the maximum. After all, the officials in the Yamen also have to celebrate the New Year, and there are still many expenses to be filled. It is already very good to be able to pay 2,000 sets of winter clothes.

Although the officers and soldiers below still complained, they couldn't even squeeze out a penny to beat them to death. This matter gradually came to an end, and everyone could only pray that they could receive the first batch of winter clothes first.

On the day of New Year's Eve, Guangzhou is very lively and gradually it has the flavor of New Year.

However, for those poor farmers, the New Year's Eve is the most sad every year. The year is approaching, and the land mainly collects rent. After a hard work for a year, it is also impoverished. Of course, this is a good result. When the payment is not complete, the profit will be increased, and the tragedy of selling children and daughters-in-law will also happen.

On that day, the officers invited to the General's Mansion to attend the banquet in the Western Suburbs discussed riding horses into the city together.

Wu Shaoting naturally followed everyone. In addition to him, there were also the artillery chief general staff officer Wei Rucong, the first Biaobiao chief Zhao Sheng, the first Biaobiao chief He Fuguang and Xu Haiying, as well as the general chief officers of the Army Yamen Office, the Military Law Department, the Military Supply Department and other officers. There were a total of nine people.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, everyone rode away from the western suburbs and entered the city under the escort of ten cavalry.

Today, Fuqi's General's Mansion is not the original site of the General's Mansion in all dynasties. The full name of the original General's Mansion was "Guangzhou General Yamen", and it is the former site of the Prince Shang Kexi's Mansion, King Pingnan. Guangzhou Generals (including the Ming Dynasty) before Daoguang worked here. After the Second Opium War, the Guangzhou General Yamen and the Governor's Mansion of Guangdong and Guangxi were captured by the British army.

The former once became the British consulate. Although the British consulate has moved to the Shamian Concession, foreigners still occupy the old general's house and refuse to return it, and they also called it "a consular other career."

This incident is a shame for the Guangzhou General who took office after 1860.

Today, the General's Mansion is located on the Middle Road of Liumen Street, and the area covers far less than the old General's Mansion. It is just an ordinary four-in and four-out house.

The group came to the gate of the General's Mansion. The servants of the General's Mansion had been greeting at the door and came forward diligently to lead the adults.

On the street opposite the general's gate, several sedan chairs and carriages had already been parked. It seems that there are indeed many guests coming to the general's mansion today, and they are either rich or noble.

Wu Shaoting even felt that he had the lowest official position among the crowds attending the banquet today. The general in the entire new army only invited him a battalion-level officer. However, he was not nervous at all. On the contrary, he should feel more honored, which means that the general still values ​​him very much.

After everyone dismounted, the guard stayed in the hall, and the invited guests walked into the courtyard under the leadership of the general's mansion.

After passing the front gateyard, we came to the front hall. At this time, there were more than a dozen guests in the front hall. Except for some officers in the second and cavalry commands, the rest were all upper-class celebrities and social wise men in Guangzhou. However, I didn’t see Zhang Zhi, and I don’t know why.

At the front hall, the butler of the general's mansion took the guest from the servant, nodded and asked everyone to enter.

After the officers from the Western Suburbs entered the front hall, the officials of the same level at the same level were all standing up to greet each other. Everyone greeted each other and then sat down according to their official positions.

As expected, Wu Shaoting was really the lowest-ranking person today and was arranged to seats in the second corner of the right.
Chapter completed!