Chapter 65

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Liu Jun disbanded the team and gathered all the officers above the rank of team leader for a meeting.

The main content of the meeting was two points. The first point was that Liu Jun required each banner and team to conduct a post-battle summary, carefully summarizing this anti-bandit operation. The banner leaders and team leaders were also required to submit separate summary reports after the holiday. The second point was that the leaders at the bureau, banner, team, and squad levels must submit combat evaluations of the team members as soon as possible. Liu Jun also specially assigned military guards to personally talk to the team members to verify whether the evaluations by the officers were fair.

"This evaluation of the team members is very important. The team will base the final scores on your evaluations of the team members, and these scores will be converted into points. The team members can then exchange these points for money, food, and other supplies. Therefore, the evaluation must be fair, just, and transparent."

The idea of combat scoring, converting scores into points, and using these points to exchange for rewards was the result of Liu Jun's long consideration. Originally, Li Chunjiang had proposed that a certain percentage of the spoils of war be used as rewards for the soldiers. However, Liu Jun did not agree with this. In his view, if this became a precedent, everyone would be willing to fight only when there was money to be made. If the enemy was poor, who would be willing to fight?

This would certainly create a bad atmosphere within the Nine-Headed Bird.

After much thought, Liu Jun decided that the evaluations should be based on the combat performance of the soldiers, and the scores would be converted into points, with fixed rewards for the points. Therefore, regardless of the amount of spoils from a battle, the final scores would be based on the performance of the soldiers, and the soldiers could then use their points to exchange for money, food, and other supplies.

The evaluation would be divided into three parts: collective performance, individual performance, and casualties. Although future battles would still value the capture of enemy heads and prisoners, the collective performance would account for a large part of the evaluation.

"I want this evaluation to be done immediately. Before the team members go on leave tomorrow, I hope they can receive their points and even exchange them for rewards," Liu Jun instructed.

With Li Chunjiang absent, Liu Jun was the head of the Nine-Headed Bird team, and his words were military orders.

Since Li Chunjiang was not present and the Nine-Headed Bird had been reorganized into a four-banner system, Liu Jun was now the acting team leader and no longer held the position of right banner leader.

Liu Jun promoted his four sworn brothers to the positions of banner leaders for the front, back, left, and right banners. Although some of the Li family's servants who served as team leaders had objections to this appointment, their opposition was a minority, and Liu Jun approved the appointment.

"Zhang Shan as the left banner leader, Wang Qian as the right banner leader, Zhang Xiyu as the front banner leader, and Cai Yuan as the back banner leader." Liu Jun did not avoid promoting his relatives; all four banner leaders were his sworn brothers.

With the promotion of the four team leaders, four team leader positions were vacated. Liu Jun then appointed three of his brothers as team leaders. Among them, Cai Yuan's previous position as the leader of the musket team was exceptionally given to Zhang Donggou, who had performed exceptionally well in the anti-bandit operation.

When Zhang Donggou was called to the meeting hall, he was somewhat nervous and uneasy. When Liu Jun announced in public that he was promoting him to the position of leader of the back banner musket team, he was so surprised that he couldn't speak, his mind buzzing with disbelief. When he was promoted to squad leader, he already felt very surprised. Now, just a few days later, he was promoted to team leader.

"This is what you deserve. In this anti-bandit operation, you alone killed seven people, including the bandit leader's son. This achievement cannot be erased by anyone. I always reward those who have made contributions. Now that you are a team leader, I hope you will continue to work hard. You are an excellent musketeer, but I hope you will train the musket team members to become sharpshooters," Liu Jun said, standing in front of Zhang Donggou and patting his shoulder to encourage him.

Finally, he handed him a flag spear and a helmet flag, saying, "Work hard!"

Zhang Donggou was so excited that he couldn't speak, and he stiffly accepted the team leader's flag spear and helmet flag.

Finally, Liu Jun took out a copper plaque with the inscription, "Zhang Donggou, Leader of the Back Banner Musket Team."

After the meeting, Cai Yuan and Zhang Donggou returned to their banner's barracks together.

"Attention!"

Cai Yuan came to the front of the formation, scanned the group, and loudly announced, "I now announce the team's appointment. The former squad leader of the musket team, Zhang Donggou, is specially promoted to the position of leader of the musket team. Everyone, give him a round of applause!"

All the musketeers looked at Zhang Donggou in surprise, amazed at his rapid promotion. Dogsheng was excited, happy for his fellow villager and comrade's promotion.

"Team leader, what about you?" someone asked.

Zhang Donggou stepped forward and answered, "Captain Liu has already announced in the team meeting that Cai Team Leader is promoted to the position of back banner leader. Everyone, congratulate Cai Banner Leader."

Cai Yuan accepted everyone's congratulations and then said to Zhang Donggou, "Zhang Team Leader, with your promotion to team leader, the musket team now has a vacant squad leader position. According to Captain Liu's instructions, you will personally appoint the new squad leader. Who do you want to appoint as the new squad leader?"

Zhang Donggou was surprised, "I get to appoint someone?"

"Yes, the new squad leader will work with you, so it's natural for you to appoint him," Cai Yuan said with a smile.

Zhang Donggou scanned the ten team members and finally stopped at Dogsheng, his fellow villager. Dogsheng was his best friend in the team. They had been bird musketeers together before and later joined the musket team. When Zhang Donggou became a squad leader, Dogsheng was his subordinate. In this anti-bandit operation, Dogsheng also killed two bandits.

"Zhao Dogsheng!"

"Here!" Dogsheng's face turned red with excitement when he heard his name called.

"I announce that Zhao Dogsheng is appointed as the squad leader of the right squad of the musket team, effective immediately."

The team members were not surprised by this appointment. Dogsheng was a fellow villager and a good friend of the new team leader, and he was also a good musketeer who had killed two bandits in this operation. Everyone was convinced that he was the right choice for squad leader.

"Zhang Team Leader, the musket team is now in your hands. Don't let Captain Liu down," Cai Yuan said.

"I will do my best to lead the musket team well."

"That's good. Now, your team only has eleven members, and you are short one person. After the holiday, I will assign you a new member. Now, hold a summary meeting with your team members, and don't forget the evaluations. I need the reports later."

Zhang Donggou looked embarrassed, "Banner Leader, I can't write."

"That's fine. Prepare what you need to say, and report it to me later. I will help you write it down. However, since you are now a team leader, you should learn to read and write. After the holiday, we will have a literacy course. Remember to attend and study hard."

"Yes!"

"Alright, if you have any issues, come to me. Now, hold your meeting."

After Cai Yuan left, Zhang Donggou gathered his team in the dormitory. He had everyone sit down and said loudly, "You all heard Captain Liu's special request that each team hold a post-battle summary meeting. What is a summary meeting? It's where everyone takes turns to speak about the battle we just fought, discuss it, point out some problems, and suggest improvements. Everyone must speak, and you must also evaluate the other team members' performance in the battle. Remember, don't give random scores, don't deliberately give high scores, and don't deliberately give low scores. You must score based on the actual situation. Those who give random scores will be punished. Understand?"

After repeating what he had heard from Captain Liu, Zhang Donggou didn't know what else to say. The eleven musketeers sat in silence, staring at each other, unsure of what to say.

Finally, Dogsheng stood up first. Since Donggou had promoted him, he couldn't let Donggou down.

"Brother Dong..."

"Call me Team Leader," Zhang Donggou interrupted.

Dogsheng quickly corrected himself, "Team Leader, I'll speak first. I think we fought well this time, but our muskets are quite large and have a long range. However, firing at a hundred paces is still too far, making it hard to hit the target. I think we should strengthen our shooting training. Also, if we can let the bandits get closer, to within eighty paces, I believe we can hit more accurately."

"Hmm." Zhang Donggou nodded. Although he had hit most of his shots in the battle, the other musketeers had hit very few. When the team fired together, hitting two or three targets was already very good.

"I think if we wait until fifty paces to fire, more than half of us will hit the target," another musketeer added.

With someone speaking up, others also began to share their thoughts.

"I think having twelve musketeers in our team is not good. We don't have any soldiers to carry our supplies, and after firing, no one helps us cut off heads. It's frustrating to kill someone and not get the head."

"Exactly, exactly."

Everyone started to speak freely, but they didn't really say much of substance.

"If there are no other issues, we will now start evaluating our teammates. Remember, be fair and just."

The previously lively group suddenly fell silent.

On the other side, Liu Jun was talking to the group of rescued women.

"I have already sent letters to your families to inform them that you are here with me. Perhaps they will come to pick you up in a few days," Liu Jun said. However, the women did not believe him. They had already secretly contacted their families, but no one was willing to come and take them back, treating them as if they were dead.

"Of course, if you are willing to stay here, that's also fine," Liu Jun comforted them. "I plan to open a service cooperative near the military camp to serve our Nine-Headed Bird militia. In the future, we may also open a clothing factory, a gunpowder factory, and so on. We will need people for these."

"What does a service cooperative do?" one of the women asked.

"It's similar to a general store," Liu Jun explained with a smile.

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