Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Chapter 130 Badge

This badge is not an ordinary military medal, but one that Gu Jinyan specially commissioned craftsmen to make. It is engraved with the word "loyalty," symbolizing the most precious quality of a soldier.

The news quickly spread throughout the army, and the soldiers, upon learning that a commendation ceremony would be held, were all curious about who would be the recipients of the awards.

Some speculated that it was a frontline general with distinguished military achievements, while others thought it was a meritorious logistics officer. However, when they learned that it was veteran Li Shouhe, everyone was surprised.

This veteran was a man of few words and a reliable worker, but few would have imagined that he would become a role model.

On the day of the commendation ceremony, Gu Jinyan, dressed in military uniform, stood on the high platform with a solemn expression.

Li Shouhe stood at the front of the line, looking somewhat cramped.

He had never imagined he would receive such an honor, so he stood there nervously, unsure of what to do.

Gu Jinyan smiled slightly, stepped forward, took the specially made badge, and said in a clear and powerful voice: "Today, we are here to honor a soldier—Li Shouhe."

He didn't achieve any particularly distinguished military exploits, but his actions proved a truth: loyalty is the most precious quality of every soldier.

She solemnly pinned the badge to Li Shouhe's chest and then said, "Since being appointed as a supervising soldier, Li Shouhe has always been conscientious and dedicated to his duties without complaint."

He always kept military orders in mind, never neglecting his duties because of personal feelings, and never slacking off because of fatigue.

His actions deserve the respect and emulation of every soldier.

At this point, Gu Jinyan glanced at the soldiers below the stage and continued, "The strict rules in the army are to protect the interests of the entire army."

Every grain of rice and every piece of supply is essential for the survival of the soldiers on the front lines.

Anyone who acts out of selfishness is betraying their comrades and the entire army.

Soldiers like Li Shouhe, who are loyal and responsible, are role models we should admire.

As soon as she finished speaking, a round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience, and the soldiers all looked at Li Shouhe with admiration.

Although Li Shouhe was somewhat shy, he still stood straight, his hands clenched into fists, facing the applause of the entire army.

He knew that this badge was not only an award for him personally, but also represented a responsibility and a trust.

He looked at Gu Jinyan with a firm gaze and gave a standard military salute: "Thank you, sir. I will live up to this honor and continue to serve the army loyally."

Gu Jinyan nodded and replied, "Keep it up."

After the commendation meeting, Li Shouhe's deeds quickly spread throughout the army, and many soldiers began to discuss his performance in their daily work in private.

Some soldiers who initially resisted the system began to reflect on their attitudes.

They saw that their down-to-earth and responsible behavior would not only not be overlooked, but would instead earn them the respect and commendation of the entire army.

The power of this example began to spread throughout the army, greatly improving the soldiers' self-discipline. Many people took the initiative to comply with the food distribution process and no longer harbored any illusions.

In the following period, Li Shouhe's behavior gradually became an example for the soldiers to emulate.

Gu Jinyan has always been exceptionally meticulous in his logistics, and he has always been meticulous in the storage and management of grain and fodder.

Every evening, she would wear simple military uniform, with a wide black belt around her waist, and her sleeves rolled up, revealing her hands that were often busy on the go. Although her skin was no longer delicate, it exuded a kind of determination.

As the sun set, its soft light fell on her shoulders, making her silhouette appear exceptionally upright. She looked both capable and sharp, like a short sword ready to be drawn at any moment.

Her steps were light and brisk as she inspected the granary. Her eyes were sharp as a hawk's as she carefully scanned the neatly stacked bags of grain.

She checked every seal and every label one by one, never overlooking any detail.

During her routine inspection that day, she noticed that some of the grain sacks showed signs of being slightly loose.

The hemp rope at the bag's opening appeared to have been re-tied, the knots appearing slightly messy and inconsistent with the previous neat knotting method.

This subtle anomaly immediately caught her attention.

She approached the grain sacks, carefully examined the knots at the openings, and gently pressed the surface of the sacks with her hand, wondering: Had anyone moved these grain sacks during the night?

She called the soldiers on night watch aside and asked with a stern expression, "How was the guard duty last night? Has this batch of supplies been moved or relocated?"

Her tone was calm yet commanding, carrying a hint of authority.

The soldier, looking slightly nervous under her sharp gaze, immediately replied, "Reporting to the commander, I did not find anything unusual during my patrol last night; the grain sacks were not moved."

He lowered his head, as if trying to recall if he had overlooked any details.

Gu Jinyan did not let the matter rest easily. She continued to press, "What about last night's patrol log? Were there any changes to the patrol routes that were supposed to be patrolled every half hour?"

The soldier hesitated for a moment, then stammered, "No...nothing has changed. We follow the prescribed route every time we patrol..."

Gu Jinyan nodded, but doubts remained in his heart.

She carefully checked the patrol records and verified the night's grain and fodder count to ensure that everything was as accurate as it appeared on the surface.

Although the soldiers' answers were satisfactory, she remained highly vigilant and decided to pay closer attention to these details in the coming days.

That afternoon, Gu Jinyan went into the warehouse and gathered several soldiers in charge of inventory to count the grain and fodder.

She meticulously checked the weight and seal of each bag of rations, comparing them with the previous day's records.

"Every bag of rations is the lifeline of the soldiers on the front lines. If anything goes wrong, it will cost lives."

"You must remember, every single number must be accurate." Her tone was firm, with an undeniable seriousness in her words.

During the inventory process, she noticed that the weight of several bags of grain had changed slightly, as if some had been removed or added.

She calmly noted down the data, then questioned the soldier in charge of recording it: "Why were there errors in the records of these bags of rations yesterday? Did anyone else handle these rations?"

The soldier in charge of recording looked flustered and quickly explained, "Sir, these bags of rations were switched during last night's watch. There might have been a slight error during the re-transportation, but we have tried our best to be accurate."

Gu Jinyan frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "We are not allowed to use 'as much as possible'."

The quantity of grain and fodder, no matter how much, must be accurate.

If a similar situation occurs again, it must be reported and dealt with according to military regulations. Her gaze was stern as she swept over the crowd, making sure they understood the seriousness of the order.

The soldiers nodded in agreement, not daring to slacken their efforts in the slightest.

Although Gu Jinyan did not pursue the matter further, he had already noted this detail in his mind. The fluctuation in the weight of the grain bags might not have been an accident; there might be another reason behind it.

So Gu Jinyan conducted a brief interrogation of each soldier in charge of provisions, inquiring about their recent work status.

After checking him, she noticed that one of the soldiers looked a little tired, so she stopped and said in a slightly gentler tone, "You didn't get enough rest last night. You can go back earlier today so you'll be more energetic when you take over your shift tomorrow."

The soldier paused for a moment, somewhat surprised, then nodded and thanked him.

However, Gu Jinyan changed the subject and solemnly reminded, "The guards inside the warehouse must not be careless; they are easily negligent when they are tired."

If they are truly unable to perform their duties, they can voluntarily request a reassignment. Her words were both caring and subtly warning, intended to remind the soldiers that their responsibilities in the granary were no trivial matter.

The soldiers felt her strict management, but also felt awe because of her care.

They were more cautious and dared not slack off when carrying out their missions.

After each daily patrol, they would return to their tents and record in detail the inventory results of the warehouse and the soldiers' duty status.

She meticulously recorded every possible anomaly, noting the date and time, and then repeatedly checked these records.

She would even speculate on whether the storage of grain and fodder might be affected based on the weather and personnel handover.

Through these details, Gu Jinyan not only gained a thorough understanding of the warehouse situation, but also gradually built up his own list of suspects.

These subtle differences on the surface may be clues to the enemy's covert actions.

While maintaining a stable supply of provisions, she constantly observed the soldiers' actions.

However, during her daily patrols, she gradually noticed something unusual.

During an evening patrol, Gu Jinyan noticed several soldiers whispering to each other in a corner of the warehouse, their voices low and their expressions revealing unease.

She didn't rush to interrupt, but calmly stood at a distance and observed.

Several soldiers glanced up and saw Gu Jinyan in their haste, immediately stopped talking, and pretended to sweep away the dust.

Gu Jinyan frowned slightly, a doubt arising in his heart, but he did not show it on his face and continued his inspection.

In the following days, Gu Jinyan paid even closer attention to the movements of these soldiers.

She noticed that the soldiers always seemed to deliberately avoid her gaze, were unusually hurried during shift changes, and some even left hastily before the patrol was over.

Gu Jinyan knew that military regulations were strict and that she should not leave her post at will, and this detail made her even more alert.

She turned her gaze and casually walked to a corner, thoughtfully observing the expressions of several soldiers. Their eyes clearly avoided hers, their gazes filled with a hint of panic and unease.

Several days later, in the evening, during her routine patrol, she saw the soldiers gathered again near the corner of the warehouse.

From a distance, she noticed one of them with his head down, secretly taking out a slip of paper from his sleeve. He glanced at it quickly, and his expression suddenly became tense.

Gu Jinyan stood between the shelves on one side, holding his breath and observing their every move intently.

At that moment, she could almost hear her own heartbeat. A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she pressed herself against the wall, motionless.

The soldier hurriedly stuffed the note back into his sleeve, glanced around nonchalantly, and whispered a few words to the others.

Gu Jinyan noticed that his hand was trembling slightly, and the other soldier looked flustered, as if he was afraid of being discovered.

Suddenly, Gu Jinyan deliberately took a few steps closer. His footsteps echoed in the quiet warehouse, and the soldiers immediately stopped talking, their eyes filled with vigilance.

Under Gu Jinyan's gaze, the soldiers seemed to become even more uneasy.

One of them deliberately yawned to cover up his earlier nervousness, and then nudged the person next to him with his elbow.