"General, our military budget for Xiangxi has been finalized. Please review it." Ma Xicheng handed over the ledger with a courteous smile.

  Wang Zhenyu took over the account and looked at it seriously. The treatment of this army was confirmed in Wuhan, as follows:

  * Brigade commander's monthly salary is 180 yuan, and consolation for death or injury is 1,800 yuan.

  * Regimental commander's monthly salary is 120 yuan, and consolation is 1,200 yuan.

  * Battalion commander's monthly salary is 80 yuan, and consolation is 1,000 yuan.

  * Company commander's monthly salary is 50 yuan, and consolation is 500 yuan.

  * Platoon commander's monthly salary is 30 yuan, and consolation is 300 yuan.

  * Squad leader's monthly salary is 20 yuan, and consolation is 200 yuan.

  The above-mentioned deputy positions are uniformly handled at 80% of the same level as the chief position.

  New recruits are listed as privates, with a monthly salary of 8 yuan, a family allowance of 20 yuan, and consolation of 80 yuan.

  First-class soldiers are old soldiers who have served for one year, with a monthly salary of 15 yuan and consolation of 150 yuan.

  However, later on, according to needs in Nanjing, three supplements were added:

  Military allowance:

  - Soldiers' monthly subsidy is 5 yuan

  - Lieutenants' monthly subsidy is 20 yuan

  - Captains' monthly subsidy is 60 yuan

  - Generals' monthly subsidy is 100 yuan.

  Family allowance: Junior officers receive 10 yuan per month, middle-ranking officers receive 30 yuan per month, and senior officers receive 80 yuan per month.

  Allowance for senior military officers: battalion-level officers receive 10 yuan per month, regimental-level officers receive 20 yuan per month, division-level officers receive 30 yuan per month, and army-level officers receive 50 yuan per month.

  During wartime, double pay was issued. For those who were injured or disabled once, compensation was made according to the monthly salary standard of the regular post at 12 times, and the civil affairs office of the garrison command was responsible for making a register and paying 1 yuan of glorious allowance as living expenses every month.

  In the event of death, compensation will be made at 24 times the monthly salary standard for the officer's rank. If there are children, they will enjoy nine years of free education, and ordinary residents will have six years. According to the wishes and physical condition of the children, priority can be given to re-enrolling in military school for study.

  According to this standard, and the subsequent expansion plan, the field army will reach 24,000 people, and the security forces will reach 12,000 people. Among them, the monthly military salary of the field army will reach a staggering 720,000 yuan, and the security forces will receive 50% of the field army's salary, which will also reach 180,000 yuan. In other words, not counting equipment and logistical expenses, just the military salaries alone, Wang Zhenyu will have to spend a staggering 900,000 yuan. This is still in peacetime, the military is really a bottomless pit.

  Wang Zhenyu pinched his fingers and calculated that this industrial construction would require a not-so-short period, and the construction of transportation, model cities and other infrastructure would also take a long time. If he really wanted to create benefits for himself, it would be several years later. What he could do now was to use the business tax in Xiangxi area to maintain itself.

  It seems that we still have to rely on the bank to print more money to alleviate the financial situation, and the 100 million yuan I raised myself looks scary, but in reality, there's not much left after using it.

  Wang Zhenyu did not comment on the military budget, but suddenly turned to Wan Yaochang and said: "Director Wan, the military academy is divided into officer training (mainly for company-level officers such as platoon leaders, deputy platoon leaders, and quartermasters, selected from high school graduates and active-duty soldiers through exams), infantry command (training officers above the company level, selected from active-duty officers below the company level based on merit and recommendation), artillery command, and staff officer training (training professional military staff officers). In addition, a strategic research institute is established to train military intelligence personnel and intelligence analysts. I will personally serve as the president of this academy, and you will serve as the education minister. Hurry up and get the first phase started. It's always difficult at the beginning, but once we have a good foundation, it will be easier later on."

  "Please be assured, General," Wan Yao said as he stood up. "I will spare no effort and live up to your expectations."

  Wang Zhenyu pointed to Wan YaoHuang and said, "You guys, now it's okay if you call me 'Commander', but don't be so formal with the 'your subordinate' stuff. We're all brothers who have been through thick and thin together. In the future, you'll all be in charge of your own domains and will need to have prestige. YaoHuang, especially you, what happened to that carefree attitude you had on the ship?"

  Wan Yao Huang's old face turned red, and he immediately puffed out his chest and said: "Yes, General, Wan Yao Huang will definitely complete the task."

  Wang Zhenyu shook his head with a wry smile and said, "You guys!"

  Then I looked at the wall clock, which was given by Hans from Germany. I don't know what this foreigner was thinking, but he actually gave someone a clock for no reason. Fortunately, I'm not superstitious about this: "Hmm, it's almost six o'clock. We don't serve dinner here, everyone go home and eat, the meeting is dismissed."

  After finishing speaking, Wang Zhenyu got up and went to find Ye Ziyuan. His wife was still complaining this morning.

  Watching his younger cousin leave, Ma Xi Cheng helplessly shook his head and grabbed Wang Zhen Bang who was about to put away the notebook and leave: "Younger brother, you should inform the kitchen that we brothers will keep them company and invite everyone for a meal..."

  The construction of the new Anjiang River model started at the end of July, and the first to break ground was the Xiangxi Army Officer School. At that time, Wan Yaohuang, who was in charge of military school affairs, spared no effort to start the project as soon as possible, even going so far as to pester Yang Wanguo until he finally got his way and took over the engineering battalion directly under the division headquarters as laborers. As a result, many years later, the engineering system still regarded this education chief as an enemy, and it even became a precedent.

  With the signing of a series of cooperation agreements with Wabico Bank in Belgium, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sch?dlingsbek?mpfung and Luxemburg's Albeda Company, in mid-August, the construction of highways and commercial towns in Jingzhou was completely handed over to local officials and gentry. Nearly 20,000 prisoners formed a labor army and were transported to Anjiang by waterway. To ensure the progress and quality of the project, the Town Guard Command issued an order. These 20,000 prisoners were pardoned for their crimes and, after serving for three years, were repatriated and granted military status based on their performance during this period, with a monthly salary of three yuan.

  Although the salary is low, at least there's hope now, so the phenomenon of running away has disappeared. Compared to being caught by fierce soldiers and executed, suffering here for three years really isn't anything. And even if you could escape, what then? Continue being a bandit?

  Bandits and beggars are the inevitable products of class rule, the more extravagant the rulers are, the larger the number of this stratum.

  200,000 laborers were uniformly received by the New Anjiang Construction Headquarters. Although the railway also needed people, considering that the route survey work had not been completed, these cheap labor forces were concentrated in Anjiang.

  The first task was to build a dock, and Chen Shao quickly got the design plan from German designers, while Wang Zhenyu grabbed a group of people to study it overnight and agreed. However, all equipment had to be transported by water to Anjiang, so building a dock became an urgent matter. Wang Zhenyu also specifically instructed: "In the later stage, the steel rails needed for railway construction also need to use the dock, so it is suggested to build modern docks in Hongjiang and Qiancheng as well."

  More than 3,000 strong workers leveled a 600-meter-long and 300-meter-wide area on the banks of the Yuanjiang River in less than five days. Then, Baota brand cement produced by Jingzhou Cement Plant was transported over, pouring a thick layer of 20 cm cement. The steel frame structure of the warehouse, office building, lighthouse and four giant dragon gates were all in place within just 15 days, which amazed German engineers.

  Then, ship after ship of cement and building materials were loaded and unloaded here. The port management team under the command post selected 200 sturdy laborers to be responsible for loading and unloading at the dock. The entire Jingzhou Cement Plant, not yet fully completed, used the parts that had already been put into production, day and night without stopping, in just twenty days, transported three million tons of cement to the Anjiang Model City construction project. The whole Anjiang was also bustling with activity, with horns blaring and fires burning everywhere.

  On the morning of September 10, Chen Shao, the commander-in-chief of the Xin'anjiang Construction Headquarters, Vice Commander-in-Chief Chen Quzhen, and the persons in charge of the industrial project group, administrative project group, living area project group, as well as Ye Zuwen, Liu Guojun and others, all stood honestly at the Yuanjiang dock that had just been put into use for a few days, seemingly waiting for the arrival of an important figure.

  As the whistle sounded, a thirty-ton steamship docked, which was the cargo ship of Yuanjiang Shipping. At present, Yuanjiang Shipping has been merged into Xiangxi Development Company, and all the ships in the Yuanjiang River basin have to join Yuanjiang Shipping under semi-compulsory and semi-commercial circumstances. With a large number of sailors familiar with water transportation, Ye Zuweng immediately decided to take action, what? Buy a ship. The price of a thirty-ton cargo ship in Shanghai is 15,000 yuan, the price of a fifty-ton cargo ship is 20,000 yuan, and the price of a seventy-ton cargo ship is 30,000 yuan. As for larger ones, they are not considered for the time being, as the water depth of Yuanjiang River is limited, and there are many shoals and reefs. The engineering battalion was divided into three routes to blast through, but it has not been completed yet, and the battalion commander Hu Litu regretted that he should have asked for a higher price at the beginning, instead of just asking for an engineering battalion, he should have asked for an engineering brigade directly. The engineers also expressed that in fact, being a construction worker in Anjiang was still quite promising, at least they didn't have to open roads with their own pickaxes every day, and they didn't have to sleep on the streets.

  Given the current shipping capacity and river conditions, 30-ton and 50-ton ships are the focus of procurement. Among them, 200 30-ton ships were purchased, and 100 50-ton ships were purchased. Most of the sailors on the boat got settled and continued to run boats on the Yuanjiang River. Although the exorbitant profits are gone, it's still good to have a fixed monthly salary, and the company also promised to provide pension benefits. What a great deal! However, the trackers lost their jobs because steamboats don't need trackers to pull them upstream. But don't worry, about 3,000 trackers were eventually recruited to the Xin'an River, becoming members of the labor army.

  As the ship docked, the inner guard troops responsible for the outer defense mission became tense. Only to see Wang Zhenyu, with a smile all over his face, holding his wife Ye Ziyun's hand and walking down the gangway. He first shook hands with the people from the Construction Command Department, thanking them for their hard work over the past month. Then, holding his father-in-law Ye Zuwen's hand, he said to Ye Zuwen and Liu Guojun: "You've worked hard. If this project didn't affect our future ten years of gas production, I wouldn't have let my father and Brother Liu stay here in the wind and sun."

  Ye Zuwen smiled and said, "As a father, I have also been engaged in trade for a lifetime. At the age of not being perplexed, I can actually start my own business. Why should I be tired? On the contrary, I want to thank you, Wen Zheng."

  Liu Guojun was more straightforward, just smiling foolishly, without saying any polite words. Joking aside, if it weren't for this Commander Wang in front of him, he would probably still be back in his hometown of Changzhou running his own grocery store. Life is short, only a few decades, do you want to settle for a small shop or experience the grand scene before your eyes?

  Wang Zhenyu then helped Ye Ziyun onto the four-wheeled carriage, with Chen Shao and Ye Zuwen in the same vehicle, sitting opposite Wang Zhenyu and his wife. As they rode along, he introduced the construction situation of Xin'anjiang.

  Wang Zhenyu thought to himself as he listened: Although this horse-drawn carriage is comfortable and spacious, it's still not as good as a car. Once the new Anjiang Road is built, I'll ask my big brother Liu Hongsheng to help me get some American cars.

  Ye Zhiwen found that her husband had been getting more and more distracted lately, she didn't even care about her father sitting across from them, habitually pinching Wang Zhenyu's ear: "Thinking of some bad idea again?"

  After finishing speaking, she felt that the words were ambiguous, and her face turned red as she let go of Wang Zhenyu's ear, placing her hands awkwardly on her knees.

  Wang Zhenyu didn't notice his wife's embarrassment, and instead said to himself: "What bad idea can you think of? Ah, right, from now on our home will be settled here. Later, you'll go with me to the administrative district to take a look at the design plan of the German guy, and see what our Wen Lou will finally become?"

  "Wen Lou?" Ye Zhiwen looked at her husband with a puzzled face, blinking her eyes, very cute and lovely.

  Wang Zhenyu couldn't help but gently scratch her nose and said, "Let's name our new home with the last character of your name, okay?"

  Ye Zhiwen's face, which had just turned pale, blushed again, and her powdered cheek stuck to Wang Zhenyu's arm said: "You have a sweet mouth, oily tongue, and an evil heart."

  Wang Zhenyu burst out laughing: "What's wrong with me?"

  Ye Zuwu on the other hand was delighted that his daughter's husband and wife were loving and living a happy life, but at the same time felt some unease, after all Wang Zhenyu had become a powerful noble: "Wen Zheng, isn't this not good!?"

  "It doesn't matter."

  Since Lushan can have Mei Lou, Anjiang having a Wen Lou won't cause any trouble.