Winning Hearts Through Virtue (Seeking Collections, Monthly Passes)

"I want to switch back to Ninth Squad."

Jiang Peng got straight to the point, afraid Fang Huai wouldn't give him a chance to speak.

Fang Huai saw Jiang Peng up close and noticed a not-so-conspicuous bruise on his face. He couldn't help but chuckle.

Instead of scolding him immediately, he teased him first.

"Old Pan got to you, huh? Finally realized Ninth Squad is better? You thought anyone could let you talk back to them? You got screwed, didn't you?"

Fang Huai made a wild guess.

Yesterday, during the whole regiment's shower time, the regimental commander had someone secretly film old soldiers physically punishing new recruits. During the meeting, all the squad leaders were lectured by the regimental commander, and some were even disciplined. How could those squad leaders be happy about that?

Old Pan from Eighth Squad must have scolded them a lot when he got back, and Jiang Peng, unable to take the scolding, talked back to Old Pan a couple of times and got beaten.

This guess wasn't baseless. From what he overheard the new recruits discussing in the hallway earlier, this kind of thing had happened quite a few times throughout the entire new recruit regiment last night.

And Jiang Peng couldn't report it a second time so soon.

He had just switched squads and then reported his new squad leader. The Chief of Staff definitely wouldn't pay attention to him.

Then, seeing Ninth Squad looking so harmonious, he regretted his decision.

Jiang Peng was a bit surprised after hearing Fang Huai's words.

He hadn't even explained yet, and Fang Huai had guessed so accurately.

He wanted to retort a couple of times but realized it was meaningless. He could only soften his tone and say, "I know Hao Chengbin values you. If he agrees, when my uncle visits me, I'll put in a good word for him."

Fang Huai listened and said with a half-smile, "Why didn't you say this to Old Pan? I heard recently that he takes leave often. It seems he has a house in Guiyang, so he'd be more eager to transfer over, right?

It would be more appropriate if you told him about your uncle's connections and asked him to take care of you."

Jiang Peng's eyes suddenly flashed with anger. "I did! He didn't believe me! He even mocked me!"

Fang Huai was amused.

If it were me, I wouldn't believe it either.

It's easy to ruin things, but difficult to get things done.

Transferring a soldier between detachments isn't that simple. Both detachments have to agree, and there needs to be a reason.

With his uncle's position, it would take a lot of effort, unless it was his own father.

Moreover, Old Pan was a veteran who had been in the corps for nearly ten years. Who doesn't have a few familiar leaders? Who would ask a new recruit to help them with such a matter?

Not only would it likely fail, but it would also make him a laughingstock.

Seeing that he hadn't refused, Jiang Peng thought there was still hope and continued, "Can you just help me pass on the message?"

Fang Huai had had enough fun and waved his hand dismissively.

"You're dreaming! Han Yong is great, we all like him very much. And if I go run errands for you, where would you transfer me?" Fang Huai teased.

"You..." Jiang Peng was instantly speechless.

"You want..."

Fang Huai raised his hand again to interrupt him.

"Don't even think about it. Talk back less, think less nonsense, and you'll live longer. Also, call him Squad Leader Hao, not by his name. You're in the military now, I advise you to have more respect for this place."

After saying that, without waiting for his reply, he turned and left.

This guy... if you call him worldly, he hasn't fully grasped the principles yet.

I have a grudge against him, yet he dares to ask me for favors. Isn't he afraid I'll report him?

Even if both squad leaders agreed, who would dare to transfer a soldier against the Chief of Staff's order?

And even if I really helped him, looking at the entire process of his "plan," I would have to risk incurring the squad leader's wrath to speak for him, bearing the greatest risk...

He didn't even prepare any benefits for me?

Of course, even if he had, Fang Huai wouldn't have cared. It would have just given Fang Huai more reason to mock him.

Fang Huai returned to Ninth Squad's area to continue teaching them how to fold blankets. Yue Tao and the others immediately crowded around.

"What did he say to you?"

Fang Huai waved his hand. "Nothing, just asked if I was going to participate in the Regulations Competition. He probably wanted to gather intelligence! Eighth Squad probably wants to compete with us! Should I tell him?

You guys study hard! Surpass them!"

Fang Huai fabricated a plausible reason and even encouraged everyone.

Unexpectedly, when everyone heard this, their heads immediately started to ache.

Zhao Bing was the first to pat Fang Huai's shoulder. "We definitely can't lose! We're all rooting for you! Squad Leader Fang!"

"Right, right! Vice Squad Leader, you go for it! Beat them! We really can't do this part!"

Amidst their grumbling about Eighth Squad, the members of Ninth Squad all played dead and continued to tidy their blankets.

Fang Huai gave a wry smile. These guys were good at physical training, but making them memorize regulations? Even giving them a shot of "Life No. 1" wouldn't be enough.

"Squad Leader, I can memorize it! My high school grades were good!" Han Yong, uncharacteristically, chimed in.

Fang Huai knew this kid was smart but also lazy. The fact that he was willing to memorize regulations touched him; it showed a maturity that made his heart ache.

"Alright, if you can participate in the competition, your squad leader will be very happy," Fang Huai said with a smile, encouraging him.

Han Yong nodded, tidying his blanket with more seriousness, but he was clearly stalling.

Fang Huai knew he had something to say, so he taught him slowly.

When even the slowest, Sun Lianhai and Liu Yue, had entered the classroom, and only he and Han Yong were left in the corridor, Fang Huai patted his shoulder and said, "Don't overthink it."

Han Yong turned, his expression unusually serious. "How does he plan to get rid of me?"

"His family has some connections, minor ones. They're definitely not as significant as yours, but this isn't about connections," Fang Huai said with a smile.

Han Yong looked surprised. "How did you know my family has connections?"

Fang Huai remained silent.

If I don't bluff you a couple of times, how would I know?

Seeing Fang Huai's expression, Han Yong sighed with some helplessness. "My family... knows people in the provincial general team, but I can't call home right now... Can you help me?"

Fang Huai shook his head, his tone serious. "Don't be like him, annoying people. Your family sent you to be a soldier for more than just losing weight. Some habits need to be changed. And where do you think this is? He can just come and go as he pleases? Your family's connections aren't meant for using a anti-aircraft gun to swat a mosquito. He can't change things. Don't be like him, spending all day dreaming instead of focusing on studying and training."

Han Yong listened, his eyebrows raised as he shook his head.

Fang Huai was taken aback. "What, you don't believe me?"

Han Yong shook his head. "No, it's just... your tone is too much like my dad's."

Fang Huai's mouth twitched. This kid clearly hasn't had his mouth shut down since he was little.

You've said all that, do I acknowledge you as my son or not?

Fang Huai suppressed the urge to act like a father and sighed. "If I had as much money as your dad, I wouldn't send my son to be a soldier if you beat me to death."

During the morning inspection, Hao Chengbin meticulously checked all the blankets. Uncharacteristically, he wasn't joking, pointing out issues one by one. Han Yong, Yue Tao, and Peng Yingqirui's blankets were all "gloriously" deemed as "blankets that will be thrown into the toilet next if not properly managed." Fang Huai even felt a bit wronged for them; those blankets had probably been tidied for nearly an hour, yet the squad leader spoke as if they had been slacking off. The key was that this wasn't easy to teach; it truly involved aesthetics and personality, and they could only learn through gradual understanding.

From Hao Chengbin's actions, Fang Huai could tell that the Regimental Commander had likely put a lot of pressure on them during yesterday's meeting. Although Hao Chengbin didn't vent his anger on them, he didn't even have the mood to make sarcastic remarks or crack jokes.

After the inspection, the reveille sounded. Hao Chengbin went outside to take a look, then returned and began issuing orders.

"Today is the weekend, seize the time to memorize the materials!"

Fang Huai seized the opportunity to praise Han Yong. "Squad Leader, Han Yong said his physical fitness isn't good, but his memory is excellent, and he's willing to memorize more to participate in the Regulations Competition!"

Hao Chengbin looked surprised. "Oh? That's great! Is anyone else willing to participate?"

"Me!" Fang Huai raised his hand.

Hao Chengbin waved his hand, stating as a matter of course, "You're definitely participating. Anyone else? Be proactive! This is to bring honor to the squad!"

Fang Huai suddenly didn't want to exchange Military Merit Points for regulations anymore. It was 6 Military Merit Points! What did he mean by "definitely participating"?

"Squad Leader... isn't only one person from a squad forced to go? We've already signed up two, so we don't need to, right?"

Hao Chengbin explained with practiced ease. "If more people prepare, we can select the best to compete and have a chance to win! With over 800 recruits, do you really think it's that easy to get a ranking? If you participate, you can't just memorize the key materials provided by the company headquarters; you have to memorize the regulations themselves! Of course, the penalties for problems at different levels follow a pattern! Later, you can even guess some of the unclear ones correctly!"

Everyone started flipping through the materials in their hands.

Yue Tao was amazed again. "Squad Leader! Look! Interior Regulations Article 123 states that after hearing the midday break signal, all personnel except those on duty shall rest in bed, maintain silence, and refrain from other activities. Even the duty officer should check the midday break status of all personnel!

We didn't follow the regulations! Are we going to be punished!"

As he spoke, he looked around, trying to find a penalty for not sleeping during the midday break.

Hao Chengbin, however, was not stumped. He sneered, "You want to follow the regulations? Fine. From now on, you can join me in getting up when the whistle blows in the morning, and then spend half an hour washing up and tidying your quarters.

If you don't do it well, I'll deal with you!

You can also go to bed at noon, but you have to sleep with your blankets spread out. When you get up, you have to fold them again!"

"No need, Squad Leader! I think new recruits shouldn't sleep during the midday break!" Yue Tao immediately closed the materials with a sheepish grin.

It was a joke. It took two hours every morning to fold one blanket, and the midday break was exactly two hours.

The timing was perfectly matched.

Yue Tao conceded, but Hao Chengbin put his hands behind his back, glanced at the new recruits, and took the opportunity to lecture them.

"You probably have the same thoughts, right?

But I'm telling you! Regulations are the standards that constrain soldiers, but there are exceptions!

Before you become qualified soldiers, don't even think about adapting your lives to the minimum standards of the regulations!

Besides, go and compare the regulations yourselves. How many of them can you recite?

Starting next week, there will be unscheduled checks on appearance and discipline! If there are problems, points will be deducted. At that time, hehe!

I'll put a nail clipper in the desk drawer in a moment. Your uniforms, hats, and badges – get them all cleaned up!

Also, since no one else has volunteered to participate in the competition, the whole squad will participate! Fang Huai, organize the recitation. I'll be checking tonight. I'll ask each of you ten regulations. If you can't answer a single question, it's three tens!

Since the regiment wants to strengthen ideological education, we'll combine ideological education with physical training!"

"Squad Leader... what's 'three tens'?"

Hao Chengbin smiled. "It's the military workout package: sit-ups, push-ups, squats. Three tens means ten of each!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the new recruits all began to groan.

This was political and ideological education?

This was Confucius with a saber – winning people over with 'virtue'!

Hao Chengbin naturally saw what everyone was thinking.

"Political education? A great man once said that politics is fought for at gunpoint!"

Fang Huai secretly shook his head upon hearing this.

Alas, he had thought that as an old soldier, Hao Chengbin would be quicker to accept new ideas.

As expected, his true colors showed in three sentences. Old soldiers were still accustomed to the saying "filial piety comes from the rod."

Hao Chengbin was about to lecture them further when the door opened.

Wang Jian, looking worried, beckoned to Hao Chengbin.

"Old Hao, come out for a second. I need to tell you something!"