stonecrandall Chapter 193 Rectifying Military Discipline: Military Orders Are Like Mountains
Chapter 193 Rectifying Military Discipline: Military Orders Are Like Mountains
Chapter 194 (4k long chapter) Rectifying Military Discipline: Military Orders Are Like Mountains
When Hermione announced her intention to teach her brothers and sisters to rejoin the Boxer Rebellion, Harry and Ron exchanged bewildered glances, completely baffled.
Harry clasped his hands and said, "What's the meaning of your words, elder sister? Why do you want to go in again?"
"Strictly speaking, we are just a general term."
Hermione tapped her slender fingers and listed them off in detail, "Flags and badges, overall plans, review standards, internal rules... the Boxers didn't have any of these things."
"Whether in the magical world or the non-magical world, we can only be considered a large-scale rogue gang."
Harry was enlightened and exclaimed, "Big sister is truly a female Zhuge Liang! This analysis is like a bright lamp illuminating a dark room, making me suddenly understand everything!"
Hermione was most pleased with Harry's flattery, and a hint of smugness appeared on her face. But in the blink of an eye, she frowned and said with concern:
"But I don't know how to handle these specific details. Maybe we should ask someone for help."
Harry laughed heartily upon hearing this, "Why should I worry, sister! This kind of gang-running is just what I'm looking for!"
"The most important thing for any uprising is funding. My ancestors had several businesses that were enough to feed a thousand or so Boxer brothers. There's no need to rush the money allocation for now."
"As for crafting weapons and healing the sick, magic wands can help, so there is no need to set up a separate shop."
"The most urgent task is to establish rules and regulations!"
Harry finished his rambling speech and suddenly shouted, "Bring me paper and pen!"
Before he finished speaking, two men hurriedly brought it over and presented it to him.
Harry already had a plan in mind, so he didn't refuse. He picked up the quill pen and wrote with lightning speed.
But the sound of the pen moving swiftly, like a silkworm eating leaves, filled a page in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Ron and Hermione stepped closer to examine it closely, and both nodded repeatedly.
The rules for joining the group were quite simple: one only needed to have no dark wizards in their family for three generations. Anyone who joined would receive three Galleons per month.
To learn the Unforgivable Curse, one must be over fifteen years old and have achieved seven "A" grades in the OWLs exam.
When they saw the rules of the group later on, the two of them were both stunned.
The words written in black and white on the paper read: "We would rather freeze to death than dismantle houses, or starve to death than plunder; wherever our army marches, we shall not commit any offenses; those who damage civilian houses or rob civilian property shall be executed without mercy."
Hermione frowned, looking surprised and uncertain. "Harry, this doesn't seem right?"
"Why do I feel like these words are more suitable for Aurors? No, I should say official ones."
"Then there's nothing wrong with what's written!" Ron waved his hand and said, "Once we overthrow the Ministry of Magic, won't we be the official authorities?"
Hermione's lips twitched, but she didn't respond to Ron's words and continued to carefully examine the document.
Upon closer inspection, one can sense that although the brushstrokes are bold and unrestrained, the underlying meaning is profound and subtle.
Although the terms and conditions are simple and the handwriting is messy, they cover everything, big and small, without leaving any room for error. It truly is a case of small but complete.
Hermione was surprised and looked up to ask, "Harry, you know anything about politics?"
Harry waved his hand modestly and said, "Elder sister, you flatter me. I often hang out with the brothers who are in charge of this matter, and I've only learned a little bit from what I've seen and heard."
Very well, it's his brother again...
Hermione muttered a few complaints to herself, then changed the subject, asking, "So, what are the flags, badges, and overall program?"
Harry chuckled and said, "I've already considered the matter of the program."
"There's no need to rush into designing this emblem. Let's discuss it further with all of you when we gather in the secret chamber tomorrow, so that it will be more comprehensive."
As night fell the following day, the secret room was brightly lit, and hundreds of Boxers arrived one after another.
As everyone stepped into the secret chamber, they saw that the scene inside had changed completely.
On either side of the statue of Guan Sheng Di Jun, two newly erected vermilion wooden pillars, each about three zhang tall, were hung with two large apricot-yellow banners with brocade borders, which fluttered in the cold wind from the ground.
The flag on the left is embroidered with four large characters in ink: "Acting on behalf of Heaven," and the flag on the right also has four large characters: "Eliminating violence and protecting the innocent."
Qiu Zhang caught sight of the eight large characters and was instantly struck dumb, frozen in place.
What the hell?!
Is this still Hogwarts?
Cedric, who was standing beside her, noticed that she was staring intently at the words on the flag and asked in surprise:
"Qiu, what words can you read?"
"Hmm... Chinese is my mother tongue."
Upon hearing that she understood the true meaning of the character "旗" (qi), several students nearby hurriedly gathered around to ask her questions.
Qiu Zhang pondered deeply and racked his brains to clearly dissect the essence of "acting on behalf of Heaven and eliminating violence and maintaining peace" in English.
Upon hearing this, everyone praised it, saying that the two flags were placed perfectly.
As they were discussing this, the stone door suddenly opened again, and the scarred man entered, carrying a knife and a staff. He went straight to the statue of Guan Yu, stood there, and looked around at the room full of heroes, shouting:
"Today, all of you brothers and sisters have gathered here, a truly blessed opportunity. I have an important matter to discuss with you all!"
Colin, always eager to chime in, called out before Harry could even finish speaking, "Harry! Is it related to those two flags?"
"Indeed! Although we are gathered together, without a guiding principle or clear rules, we will ultimately be a disorganized mess."
"Today, I hereby establish these eight characters: 'Act on behalf of Heaven, eliminate violence and bring peace.' Do good deeds, but never forget righteousness!"
Having said this, he looked around at everyone and said in a deep voice, "If anyone feels that they cannot bear the weight of this destiny, they may withdraw on their own. I will not force them."
All around was silent, and the hundred or so people stood as still as pines and cypresses, not one of them moving an inch.
Harry was delighted and said, "As the saying goes, we must start afresh. Although the name of the Boxer Rebellion remains the same, its internal structure must be completely renewed. Today, I will establish a few new rules."
Hermione stepped forward and read aloud the rules Harry had drafted. Upon hearing that they would receive three Galleons each month, all the students were overjoyed.
Although their monthly salary of three gallons is not comparable to that of ordinary people making a living in the market, it should be noted that they still live in a school, and their food, clothing, and lodging are all covered by public funds, so their expenses are very small.
Moreover, Harry's orders were no different from usual, requiring morning and evening drills. He said, "Military orders are like mountains, and those who disobey will not be spared." How was this any different from getting free money?
The students were overjoyed and happily agreed, but a few timid ones were secretly terrified.
Suddenly, a Slytherin raised his hand and shouted:
"Excuse me, Miss Granger, I have a question—we seem to be just a group of students, don't we?"
"Were these regulations really not copied from the Auror's office?"
"Of course not." Hermione glanced at him and said unhurriedly, "The main reason for setting up these rules is that Harry wants to teach you the Unforgivable Curse."
As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous cheers erupted in the secret room, as if a steamer had been overturned.
Everyone's face was flushed and their eyes were shining, making it even more noisy than when Dumbledore had mentioned the Triwizard Tournament at the opening banquet.
The title of Warrior is ultimately unattainable, chosen from among thousands. The Unforgivable Curse, however, is an opportunity available to everyone; the two are of vastly different importance.
Fred and George jumped up, their four boots clapping loudly on the floor tiles.
Seamus tightened his grip on Neville's neck, nearly choking him to death.
Just as things were in an uproar, Hermione calmly announced a set of rules.
In an instant, cries of anguish arose from all sides. Colin and a group of lower-grade students continued to grumble and protest, their faces filled with resentment.
Fred and George jumped three feet higher, saying that "seven A's is too difficult."
Harry's eyes widened, and he leaped forward, shouting, "These are the ironclad rules I established, and not even the King of Heaven himself can change them!"
"Anyone who dares to make a fuss will have to get past my fist first!"
Colin pursed his lips, swallowed the rest of his words, and remained silent. The Weasley brothers, even more so, kept their eyes downcast and didn't utter a word.
Seeing that everyone had calmed down, Harry changed the subject, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to the crowd, saying:
"Now that the regulations are in place, there is still one important matter to consider."
"Now that we have a name, how can we be without banners? But what kind of design should be embroidered on these banners? We hope that you will all offer your suggestions."
As soon as Harry spoke, everyone's thoughts turned to the matter of setting up a flag and emblem.
Everyone chimed in with their own ideas, offering a cacophony of suggestions. But after half a day of commotion, they couldn't escape the confines of the four academy badges.
Some wanted to put the lion, eagle, badger, and snake together to create a bizarre and incongruous design; others simply patched up the school badge, altering some corners; and still others, unwilling to use their brains, simply used the school badge as a substitute.
Harry, who had intended to gather opinions from all sides, was now growing increasingly agitated and slammed his fist on the table in anger, exclaiming:
"All this constant revisions are so petty! It's all stuck in Hogwarts!"
"The Boxers have their own principles; how can they be mere appendages of this organization!"
This rebuke was like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads. All the students looked at each other and immediately fell silent.
After a moment of silence in the secret room, Naravane raised his hand and said, "How about using a dove, a symbol of peace?"
Harry nodded slightly. "This plan does have a fresh and innovative feel to it."
"But these pigeons are ultimately mortal. We act on behalf of Heaven, which inevitably involves bloodshed, but what does that have to do with peace?"
Everyone was speechless upon hearing this.
At this moment, Neville suddenly took a breath, no longer remaining silent, and raised his voice to call out:
"How about using a phoenix?"
Neville pushed through the crowd and rushed in front of Harry. He pulled a herbal book from his pocket and carefully took out a drawing from between the pages.
When unfolded, one sees a crimson-gold phoenix soaring into the sky, its beak holding a magic wand and its claws grasping swords. It exudes a chilling yet compassionate aura, and a sharp edge hidden within its tenderness.
Harry was used to fighting on the battlefield during the Song Dynasty in his previous life. What kind of banners and commands had he not seen?
One glance is enough to tell that this design is extraordinary; it is by no means a casual scribble, but must have been carefully crafted with painstaking effort.
He couldn't help but ask in astonishment, "Where did the Neville brothers obtain such exquisite designs?"
Neville's eyes darkened as he said, "I found this six months ago when I visited my parents at St. Mungo's."
Listen carefully, dear reader: it turns out that Neville's parents were both members of the Order of the Phoenix. This design was originally a emblem they created for Dumbledore.
Before the design could be presented, he was captured by the sorceress Bellatrix, who subjected him to countless tortures that drove him insane. He is currently being cared for in St. Mungo's.
After hearing Neville's story, Harry's face flushed with anger, and he simply patted Neville on the shoulder.
"Brother, don't worry. Once I find that slut, I'll definitely chop off that bastard's head to avenge you!"
Feeling saddened, Neville said no more, simply offering the sample before leaving.
Harry immediately made the decision to use the sword and phoenix as the emblem, and then ordered people to embroider a large banner in the same style.
From then on, the Boxers shed their ragtag appearance and became a force to be reckoned with. Harry, as promised, personally taught the Unforgivable Curse to the qualified students.
Those who didn't meet the standard also became extremely determined. Those who usually brandished weapons now put aside their stances and simply held books in their hands, studying diligently.
Even the younger students, when they had free time, stopped playing around and filled the library to the brim. They just hoped they wouldn't have to take the OWLs exams in fifth grade.
In addition, every morning and evening, Harry would lead everyone to gather in the Chamber of Secrets for drills. However, they did not practice martial arts or magic, but only the rules of conduct for walking, sitting, and lying down.
Although Harry is usually a straightforward person, now that he is playing the role of a teacher, he is very serious.
Anyone who breaks the rules, even slightly, will be punished in public.
At first, everyone was embarrassed, but considering that they would receive three Gallon coins every month for free, they all accepted it.
However, Harry was kind-hearted and, considering that the children were still young, he did not punish them severely.
This has led some people to forget their mistakes, especially the female student.
It should be noted that a woman from Ravenclaw was late for her morning exercise, and Harry publicly punished her with a cane, striking her on the buttocks with the scabbard more than ten times.
From the next day onwards, all the girls followed suit, one breaking the team rules, another slacking off, all violating the regulations, hoping only for Harry to punish them.
By the end of the day, he had received over a thousand strokes of the cane. Even Harry's iron arms couldn't withstand it.
"Pavati Petil! You're late for practice! You deserve twenty strokes of the cane!"
Upon hearing this, Parvati's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward with a grin, as if he were receiving a reward.
"one!"
"Oops~"
"two!"
"Hiss~"
"three!"
"Oh~"
Parvati received twenty lashes, but it was as if a spring breeze had swept over him; he felt no pain whatsoever. Instead, his face glowed with satisfaction, and he retreated to the side.
Hermione couldn't bear to watch any longer and strode forward, saying sternly, "Harry, you can't do this anymore."
"You're wasting thousands of Galleons a month like this!"
Ron stood to the side with his arms crossed, and said indignantly, "Hermione's right, look at the way they're acting!"
"Is that a punishment?"
"If you ask me, that could easily win the Witcher Weekly's Happiest Smile Award!"
Harry sighed, "How could I not know what my elder sister and brother were saying?"
"I'm just afraid that if I go too far, they won't be able to handle it."
Hermione wrinkled her nose and placed her hands on Harry's shoulders. "Harry, don't let your money go to waste."
Just then, a series of light footsteps approached, and Naravane swayed her hips as she drew near, calling out in a sweet voice:
"Oh dear, I'm sorry, Harry, I'm late."
Hermione narrowed her eyes, tiptoed closer to Harry's ear, and said, "You are their employer."
Harry didn't answer and strode away.
Naravendet was wearing heavy makeup today, and her eyes were full of charm as she blinked constantly.
Harry remained expressionless, gripping the scabbard tightly, and said in a deep voice:
"Being late for evening practice will, according to the rules, result in twenty strokes of the cane. Do you have anything to say?"
"Oh, Harry, what can I say? After all—"
"Aww!!!"
(End of this chapter)