Volume 2 King of the Northwest Chapter 48: House Rules (Part 2)
House rules? Looking at the women who were looking at each other in bewilderment, Dai Jiliang was indifferent.
"This matter was originally my fault. I should have set rules in my house long ago, but I was too busy and kept forgetting about it. Things are different now. I can see that our family is getting bigger and bigger. We have maids, servants, and Miss Liu. If it weren't for the war a few days ago, she would have married into the family long ago."
When they heard Dai Jiliang talking about the fifth son who was about to marry into the family, the three women except the first wife Li Yuan twisted their bodies unnaturally, but Dai Jiliang pretended not to see anything.
"So before we get married, there are some things I need to make clear to you all.
You have been following me for quite some time, so you should know what kind of temper I have.
It is said that a harmonious family brings prosperity to all, and it is also said that a harmonious family brings order to the country and the world, so I will never allow anything to go wrong at home."
Dai Jiliang stood up and paced in the living room for a few steps, his eyes passing over the faces of the women.
"I just got home and heard some people arguing. They were saying that they had given birth to children for the Dai family, but why was their monthly allowance still so low? They also said some nonsense that didn't care about life or death."
As soon as Dai Jiliang said this, Qi Xiu's eyes were fixed on Bai Miaozhi opposite her, and Dai Jiliang glared at her.
"Don't look at it, that's not what Old Four said."
Of course, Dai Jiliang does not blindly favor one side.
Then he also opened fire on the Bai family.
"Some people's maids are so arrogant that they act so arrogantly at home, as if something has happened to their master. It seems that they are half the master and can be ordered around at will in the mansion."
Dai Jiliang spoke calmly, but Bai Miaozhi's face turned pale all of a sudden. Knowing Dai Jiliang's temper well, she knew that the anger behind his words was uncontrollable, so she hurriedly knelt down at his feet.
"Get up!"
Dai Jiliang didn't even look at Bai and just sat back in his chair.
"Get up and sit back down!"
Bai had no choice but to sit back.
"In the end, it's all about money. I'm now a military commander and governor. In the future, I'll be the commander of the 14th Division and may also be the commander of the Shaanxi Security Force. Even if I'm not greedy, I can't do without . I don't have much to spend, so even if I spend 3,000 yuan, won't the remaining 7,000 or 8,000 be enough for my family?"
Dai Jiliang suddenly remembered the mother and daughter he kept outside, so he changed his words temporarily. Even so, everyone could still hear the dissatisfaction in Dai Jiliang's heart.
"Yuan'er is the eldest wife, so it's okay if she doesn't take care of the household affairs, but you still have to keep an eye on the household affairs, and you have to be responsible for disciplining them if anything goes wrong."
If the family is compared to a company, then Dai Jiliang is the chairman and Li Yuan is now the supervisor.
Although the problem still lies with the CEO, Dai Jiliang will continue to criticize him.
"Xi'er is younger than the Liu family's daughter, so Xiu and Lao Si are the only two who can take care of the family, so the dispute is nothing more than this matter."
Dai Jiliang looked at the two women holding handkerchiefs and sighed secretly.
"Well, stop arguing. I'll give you two choices. The first is to manage the household affairs, all the money expenditures, household personnel, and everything else. The second is to manage the household affairs."
Foreign affairs? Qi Xiu and Bai Miaozhi immediately looked at Dai Jiliang.
"That's right, Foreign Affairs, although I have some shares outside, I have a great use for this money and cannot use it casually.
Your salary of several thousand yuan is not enough to spend, so you have to think of some way to make money.
I think we can open some teahouses, bathhouses, foreign goods stores, rickshaw shops, etc. outside the government, but this will require someone to manage it.
I have no other requirements. I will not force anyone to buy or sell, and I will not bully others in the market.
Tell me, who of you will do it?"
Qi Xiu and Bai Miaozhi looked at each other, thinking constantly in their minds, and neither of them spoke first.
"Eighty percent of the money earned by the external affairs department will be handed over to the government, and the person in charge of internal affairs can check the accounts at any time. Of the remaining 20%, 10 percent will be transferred to my private account as repayment for the money I borrowed to open the store, and the remaining 10 percent will be at the disposal of the person in charge of external affairs as her reward."
Seeing that the two women remained silent, Dai Ji added that in this way, the one who was in charge of internal affairs had power, and the one who was in charge of external affairs had money, which made it even more difficult for the two women to make a decision.
"You don't want to choose, right? Then I'll decide."
Dai Jiliang looked at the two women. Since they both had their own plans, the chairman would make the decision himself.
"Second brother, didn't you say that money is hard to spend? You come to do the external affairs."
Dai Jiliang's strategy was also to divide people. In fact, there was no need for Qi Xiu to be in charge of external affairs. As soon as he gave the signal, people who curry favor with him would naturally come to help Qi Xiu manage it. Qi Xiu would just have a nominal title and supervise things on a daily basis.
"Old Four, you were the housekeeper before, so you should take care of the housework. However, those in your room should be kicked out and those who should be beaten or punished should be disciplined."
"yes!"
This is the best arrangement at the moment, and Qi Xiu and Bai naturally have no objection.
"Xi'er, your sister from the Liu family is studying at a foreign school. When she gets admitted, I will hire a female teacher to teach you. Even if you are at home, don't be idle all day."
"Everything is up to me!"
Qi Xi was still at an active age, and Dai Jiliang's bones were softened by her singing in Beijing dialect like a yellow warbler.
"Now that everyone has made their choice, no more infighting."
Dai Jiliang slowed down his tone.
"Do you understand?"
Now that the family has been settled, it is natural that the Shaanxi Army must be settled. The more than 2,000 casualties before and after this northern expedition have seriously damaged the Shaanxi Army. Therefore, the first priority is to reassure the living and bring glory to the dead.
"Ready—fire!"
In the newly built Shaanxi Army Cemetery at the foot of the Qinling Mountains, twenty rifles fired into the air again and again. In this solemn atmosphere, Dai Jiliang watched the military police in white uniforms place the remains of the fallen soldiers in the coffins into the graves.
"salute!"
The entire Shaanxi Army, including Dai Jiliang, raised their hands in unison. This was the first time in the history of the Republic of China that such a grand military funeral was held for the fallen soldiers. Although the Shaanxi Army's accounts were incurred an additional expenditure of tens of thousands of yuan for this, no one thought it was unnecessary.
"Some of them were officers, some were sergeants, and most were just soldiers, but they all died for the Shaanxi Army as a whole. We must remember them!"
Dai Jiliang took off his military cap and stood bareheaded in front of nearly 5,000 representatives from various military units who were watching the ceremony.
"Can the funeral expenses and pensions represent that they were once living people? No! But the monument to the fallen soldiers can, and the battle history of each regiment can!"
Dai Jiliang spoke in an excited tone, and the people listening below also looked excited.
"We hold memorial ceremonies twice a year. As long as I, Dai Jiliang, am in Shaanxi, I swear that our fallen soldiers will no longer be wandering ghosts, and will always be worshipped by the people!"
"Swear to be loyal to the Marshal until death! Swear to defend the Shaanxi Army until death!"
Under the leadership of the officers, the atmosphere on the scene reached a climax.
"As for those who are injured and disabled and cannot return to the army, we have taken back the twelve counties in northern Shaanxi. You can go there to be police officers or clerks. We also have dozens of schools in Shaanxi that need military teachers. I think you are all suitable."
Dai Jiliang announced loudly.
“As for retired soldiers, if they are willing to return home, they will be given priority in travel expenses and various compensations.
If you are willing to stay in Shaanxi, Shaanxi Fu Company can help you find a proper place to stay.
I still say that, as long as I, Dai Jiliang, have something to eat, you guys will never starve."
"Long live the Shaanxi army! Long live the Marshal!"
"In life, you are the Marshal, in death, you are the Marshal's ghost!"
"Eat the Shaanxi Army's food and die for the Marshal!"
The scene became increasingly heated.
"Now you can report."
With the withdrawal of all troops completed, the Shaanxi Army's post-war summary was finally held.
Dai Jiliang glanced at all the people present, including the brigade commanders and regiment commanders, all of whom had a solemn look on their faces.
"In this battle, 641 of our soldiers were killed, 41 were missing, and 317 were disabled due to minor or serious injuries. Therefore, the loss of 999 soldiers was 999. Some of the wounded will need more than three months of treatment before they can return to the team."
E Tao's tone was heavy. This meant that three entire regiments had temporarily lost their combat effectiveness.
If the northern militia had not suffered greater casualties, the outcome of this battle would have been uncertain.
"In addition, our army lost or destroyed 392 rifles, consumed more than 1.2 million rounds of various bullets, more than 3,200 rounds of various artillery shells, and the total military expenses of double pay and burial expenses during the war amounted to nearly one million yuan."
"Chen Guang, what's the situation at the Arsenal now?"
Dai Jiliang suddenly interrupted.
As the domestic situation develops in the future, it will become increasingly difficult for the Shaanxi Army to obtain foreign weapons and ammunition. Therefore, when Dai Jiliang heard the relevant consumption figures, he subconsciously asked about his small gun repair shop.
"Reporting to the Marshal, the production line for the 79 round-nosed bullet has already started production, and Meihua has promised to deliver the production line for the pointed-nosed bullet before February next year.
However, we are short of raw materials and importing is difficult, so we can currently produce 300 79 round heads per day.
In addition, the machines for the black powder factory have been delivered and are being installed.
There is no news from Meihua regarding the smokeless powder factory facility yet.”
Chen Guang stood up and told everything.
The daily output of 300 pills means the monthly output of 9,000 pills. Although it cannot keep up with the consumption, at least it is not a situation where there is only expenditure and no income.
"Marshal, the affairs of the arsenal are getting more and more complicated, and I am too busy to handle all the duties. I am afraid that I will delay your work, so please send more people."
"Brother Zhi, I remember we have a graduate of the third phase of the logistics department in Baoding, his name is Wu Guozhen, right?"
Dai Jiliang nodded. Chen Guang was worthy of being his assistant. This suggestion was very timely. Therefore, he turned to look at E Tao.
"The Marshal has a good memory. There is this person. He is a fellow countryman of the Marshal. He is from Jiangdu, Jiangsu. He is now a lieutenant deputy company commander."
E Tao answered with a smile.
Among the Baoding students who have joined the Shaanxi Army, a considerable proportion are from Jiangsu. Most of them are either from Yizheng or Jiangdu, and they are all Dai Jiliang’s fellow townsmen.
"Let him be the ordnance supervisor for the gunpowder department."
Dai Jiliang immediately decided.
"Brother Zhi, please continue."
"Of course our results are brilliant."
E Tao looked at the document in his hand and continued talking about the unfinished content.
"We killed or captured more than 3,000 militiamen, including famous KMT members such as Li Jicai, Ma Qingyuan, and Wang Shaoyou. We seized more than 1,100 rifles of various types, more than 12,000 bullets of various types, four 2-pound guns, one 3-pound gun, one 6-pound gun, and more than 80 shells of various types. We destroyed two 2-pound guns and one 6-pound gun."
After E Tao finished speaking, he sat down. Dai Jiliang then looked at Zhang Zili and announced, "Now, please let the Chief of Staff talk about the shortcomings of this operation..."
