Late Ming Dynasty: Special Forces in 1645

No matter how tearfully Liu Dazhu pleaded, Liang Zicheng would never give him special treatment.

Both Li Chengming and Liang Zicheng valued the agricultural administration team highly, as it was the most important part of "bringing power to the countryside."

The agricultural administration teams replaced landlords and gentry as the exercisers of grassroots power. As the first pilot township, the selection of personnel was of paramount importance!

Liang Zicheng asked Liu Dazhu to lift the stone mill in exchange for him joining the agricultural administration team, which was considered giving him an opportunity.

That stone mill weighed 150 pounds. Even a strong man would have a hard time lifting it, let alone Liu Dazhu, who looked quite thin.

The onlookers were discussing it animatedly:

"Liu Dazhu is so pitiful, and his family background is impeccable. He should join the agricultural administration team."

"Lord Liang, aren't you making things difficult for Liu Dazhu? That millstone is too heavy for even me to lift, let alone him!"

"I'm really afraid Liu Dazhu will break his back with his thin frame."

Liang Zicheng remained expressionless, unconcerned about the villagers' gossip. He had been given the opportunity; whether he had the ability to seize it was up to him.

Moreover, Liang Zicheng really didn't want to make things difficult for Liu Dazhu, but rather wanted him to back down. He had just seen Liu Dazhu's registration information, and he was the only male left in his family. Why couldn't he just focus on farming and getting married? Why did he have to get involved in this mess?

Liu Dazhu had no other thoughts. Since he had said he was strong, now was the time to prove it.

Walking up to the stone mill, Liu Dazhu gritted his teeth, bent down, and grabbed both sides of the millstone with his hands to test the leverage.

When they saw Liu Dazhu about to lift the millstone, the onlookers stopped talking and stared at him with wide eyes, but most of them thought that Liu Dazhu was just showing off.

Liu Dazhu's eldest sister tried to step forward to dissuade him, but her younger sister held her back, leaning closer and saying, "Big brother can do it, let's just watch!"

The eldest sister didn't believe Liu Dazhu could lift the millstone either, but at this point, there was nothing she could do to stop him. She could only choose to believe what her younger sister said and trust her eldest brother.

Liu Dazhu gripped the millstone with both hands, then exerted force, his face turning a deep liver color.

With a loud shout, Liu Dazhu slowly lifted the millstone off the ground. His hands trembled, and although his movements were slow, he did not stop.

The people around him cheered in hushed tones, but then quickly stopped, afraid of disturbing Liu Dazhu, and all stared intently at him.

Liu Dazhu's two younger sisters were so excited that they clasped their hands together, holding their breath and not daring to make a sound.

Liu Dazhu lived up to everyone's expectations, slowly lifting the millstone, straightening his back, and raising the millstone to chest height.

"Good!" Everyone cheered for Liu Dazhu.

Liu Dazhu couldn't hold on any longer. He threw down the stone mill, staggered, and almost fell over. He coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Liu Dazhu's two younger sisters quickly went over to support him, asking with concern, "Brother, are you alright?"

Liu Dazhu took a breath, shook his head, and slowly walked up to Liang Zicheng, saying weakly, "Sir, does what you said still stand?"

Liang Zicheng nodded, his gaze towards Liu Dazhu filled with appreciation, and said, "Of course it counts. Now you're a member of the Fengtouling Town Agricultural Administration Team. Welcome to the team!"

Upon hearing Liang Zicheng's admission, not only were Liu Dazhu and his two siblings overjoyed, but the surrounding people were also happy for him, cheering them on.

Seeing this, Liang Zicheng was deeply moved: with power in hand, a small decision can change the joys and sorrows of many, and alter the fate of one person...

Shaking his head, Liang Zicheng shook off the jumbled thoughts in his mind and continued recruiting the remaining members of the agricultural administration team.

After half a day of careful selection, Liang Zicheng managed to choose fifty people as the first batch of agricultural administration team members.

All the agricultural administration team members came from the lower classes. They were all beneficiaries of the new policies, so they were motivated to protect the new policies from being undermined, and they were an important force in suppressing the power of the local gentry.

Next, Liang Zicheng appointed a platoon leader from the Xingfu Army as the captain of the Fengtouling Town Agricultural Administration Team, responsible for the team's military training and leading the team to maintain stability in the town!

As the first captain of the agricultural administration team, Wang Changjian volunteered to take on the role.

Wang Changjian came from southern Shaanxi and was one of the earliest members of the Restoration Army.

When he joined the Restoration Army, he and two of his fellow villagers were chosen by Liang Zicheng to take him away.

Those who came from the rebel army back then, in just a few months, went through more than ten battles, large and small. Apart from a very small number who escaped, some died, some were wounded, and those who survived were all promoted.

Some have become company commanders, some have become battalion commanders, and some are even rumored to be promoted to regimental commanders, which is above battalion commander. However, the largest and most common group of people are still serving as platoon leaders, like Wang Changjian.

Wang Changjian was not dissatisfied with the status quo. He was lucky; after so many battles, he had never even suffered a minor scratch.

If he stayed in the Restoration Army, he was confident he could become a company commander, or even a battalion commander.

Two of Wang Changjian's fellow villagers died in battle: one in a major battle against the Zheng army led by Shi Fu, and the other in a major battle against the Zheng army led by Xiao Gongchen.

Witnessing the sacrifice of two fellow villagers firsthand deeply moved Wang Changjian.

Before they died, the two villagers handed over all the money they had saved to Wang Changjian and asked him to visit their graves every year and, if possible, bring their remains back to their hometown for burial.

Wang Changjian was not afraid of death, but he was afraid that after he died he would not be able to do what his fellow villagers had entrusted to him, and that he would be buried in a foreign land like them, never to return to his hometown.

Wang Changjian sometimes had this thought: if he survived the next battle, he would apply to retire from the army and return to his hometown to live in seclusion. Once the world was at peace, he would take the remains of his two fellow villagers back to his hometown for burial.

Later, Liang Zicheng spread the word in a small circle that he wanted to select a platoon leader to serve as the captain of the agricultural administration team in Fenglingtou Town. When Wang Changjian heard the news, he immediately volunteered to Liang Zicheng.

Wang Changjian didn't hide anything and told Liang Zicheng about the people and events he had experienced after joining the Restoration Army, as well as his own thoughts. In the end, Wang Changjian didn't even care whether Liang Zicheng agreed or not. He had been suppressing his feelings for too long and just wanted to say what was on his mind and vent his emotions.

After listening to Wang Changjian's story, Liang Zicheng didn't say much. He agreed to Wang Changjian's self-recommendation, patted him on the shoulder, and only said one sentence: "Do a good job!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Changjian almost burst into tears. He knew that Commander Liang could understand him and was able to understand him. For a moment, he regretted not choosing to stay in the Restoration Army.

In response, Liang Zicheng said, "Who said you left the Restoration Army? Although you've been assigned to a township, you're still part of the Restoration Army's organization. In fact, if you perform well enough in the township, you might even have a chance to be promoted to company commander!"

After Liang Zicheng's explanation, Wang Changjian finally understood the true nature of the agricultural administration team.

Unlike the local garrisons of the Ming Dynasty, the agricultural administration teams were not places where people could simply make a living. As a semi-military and semi-civilian organization, the agricultural administration teams were responsible for maintaining stability in townships after the implementation of new policies and for ensuring that the new policies were not undermined by enemies, whether overt or covert.

In conclusion, the establishment of the agricultural administration team was crucial to the success or failure of the new policy!