Chapter 3433 Changes of the Times
How come the "second ministers" like Li Jina who surrendered to His Majesty Li Er halfway are still able to be the leader of the ministers today, on par with Changsun Wuji, the former "most powerful minister in Zhenguan"? It is precisely because Li Ji is not only a god in using troops, he is known as the "second military god" after Li Jing. He is also known as the "second military god" after Li Jing. He is also known for his ability to control the country when he mounts his horse, and to calm the people when he dismounts. He is a general and a prime minister, and he is both civil and military.
Although Du Ruhui and Fang Xuanling were better in domestic affairs, they were inferior in military affairs. As for Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong and others, they are naturally at a lower level...
Su Dingfang was able to capture Pingrang City in such a short period of time, and also properly placed the remaining Goguryeo forces in the city, making the city orderly and stable. This ability has been vaguely chasing those famous Zhenguan officials who were "general and prime minister". It dwarfed both of them.
If they were to change places, the two of them would probably only pick up the butcher's knife and kill whoever was dishonest. If that didn't work, they would just kill them all and end it all...
Ashina Simo increasingly put away his previous slight dissatisfaction, especially after entering the city and seeing that the navy had gone through two battles of Gong Ping Rang and Shou Ping Rang. Although he was covered in blood and injured everywhere, his morale was still high. The military is at its peak, so we have to keep a low profile and be humble, not daring to make mistakes.
He was born into a Turkic royal family, and he had been exposed to the knowledge that cavalry was the most powerful army in the world since he was a child. The infantry of the Tang Dynasty were also considered brave. However, the sea frontier was dangerous, the areas close to the sea were barren and sparsely populated, and the navy was How strong can it be?
However, during the Eastern Expedition, the navy often displayed its strong combat power at the beginning of the crisis, not to mention that almost hundreds of thousands of troops' supplies were transported across the sea by the navy, so they became more and more in awe of the navy's combat power. Plus, it feels unfathomable.
Now that he has abandoned his boat and landed on land, he is still attacking cities and plundering lands and overthrowing his country. How can he still dare to feel any dissatisfaction in his heart?
I also understand more and more why during the Eastern Expedition, the government and the public unanimously rejected the navy and did not include it as the main force of the Eastern Expedition. With the combat power of the navy, they could have sailed warships across the ocean to land on the coast of Goguryeo, or even go upstream at the mouth of the river, and then destroy everything along the way, siege cities and land, and there would be hundreds of thousands of troops on land. thing?
In the past, he thought it was because of Fang Jun that everyone was squeezing out Fang Jun, a popular person in front of His Majesty. He also laughed in his heart, mocking Fang Jun for being too wanton and not knowing how to hide his strength and bide his time. We now know that the various factions in the military are afraid that the Navy will take away all the achievements, so they have to unite to reject and boycott...
Walking all the way to the temporary tent set up in the city, Ashina Simo felt a little lost.
The navy's strength far exceeded his expectations. Although Goguryeo established a state and a city, its ancestors came from the Far East and still retain some characteristics of the nomadic people, attaching great importance to the formation and training of cavalry. This time he fought with the Goguryeo cavalry several times and knew how powerful they were. However, for such a country with a huge cavalry force, the navy landed from the sea and killed them all the way to the capital. They stormed the city, beheaded the leader, and overthrew the country.
Imagining these powerful Goguryeo cavalry being slaughtered like lambs and livestock in front of naval firearms, Ashina Simo felt a sense of panic in his heart.
He started out as a cavalryman, and now he has surrendered to the Tang Dynasty and has a considerable number of cavalry. Only with the strong combat power of the cavalry can he have a place in the Tang court. After all, he is not as good at singing and dancing as Jieli Khan. The art of entertaining people is to make the Emperor of Tang Dynasty smile...
But what if one day firearms became widely available in the Tang army, causing the status of cavalry to plummet? What would I do?
Even more than that, if we spread our thinking, will all the nomadic peoples who mainly used cavalry in the past cause the Han people to suffer a lot, will be vulnerable to the Tang army's firearms in the future?
Is it possible that the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty will one day be able to dominate the world and dominate the world? All ethnic groups in the world will be shrouded in the light of the Tang Dynasty and bow their heads. After a few years, they will forget the majesty of the grasslands and deserts that their ancestors marveled at, and they will only sing and dance. The talent...
Thinking of this, Ashina Simo quickly shook his head.
How ridiculous...
……
In fact, he more than vaguely felt that the power of firearms was enough to cause a fundamental change in the previous war model? Even Eulji's stepfather did not fail to realize this, so he chose to surrender to Su Dingfang, thereby getting closer to the navy and getting in touch with this new weapon that shocked the world as soon as it came out.
Li Ji, who had already arrived in Anshi City, held the good news sent by the navy and read it twice carefully before placing it on the table. He sighed softly, frowned and murmured: "Navy...firearms...are enough to dominate the world."
Cheng Yaojin, who was opposite him, also shook his head and said with emotion: "When Fang Jun came up with gunpowder, everyone thought he was just messing around and setting off a few fireworks for fun, but who could Did you expect that this thing can directly produce powerful weapons such as thunder, muskets, and artillery? What an amazing talent!"
Li Ji nodded slightly, deeply convinced.
When Fang Jun tinkered with the firearm, the world only knew how powerful it was, but did not realize how shocking this weapon would be. Anyway, the fireworks in the sky during the New Year's Day are very beautiful...
Even when His Majesty established the "Shenji Battalion" under the command of Fang Jun, which not only developed firearms on a large scale, but also formally equipped the army with firearms, the giants in the army disapproved of it.
It wasn't until Fang Jun accompanied Hou Jun to the Western Expedition and fought against the Turkic wolf cavalry on the banks of the Puchang Sea. This was an amazing moment, and the military officially recognized the power of firearms in actual combat.
Afterwards, Fang Jun led his Youtun guards out of Baidao and straight into Mobei. They rushed and beat Xue Yantuo's cavalry all the way, causing them to abandon their helmets and armor, run wildly, and even go straight to Longting and Leshi Yanran. Only then did all the Chinese and foreign military forces Shocked by the power of firearms.
Not to mention that Fang Jun then organized the Royal Navy with all his strength. Everyone in the army was equipped with firearms, and they used it to roam the world and wreak havoc overseas. With tens of thousands of soldiers in the navy, they coerced and subdued dozens of foreign countries in the East and Southeast Asia, and even Coerce their desires, interfere in internal affairs, and seize huge benefits.
Although he didn't want to admit it, this time Li Ji completely understood that times had changed. As firearms became more and more sophisticated, they became more powerful and more convenient to use. A cavalry requires many years of continuous training and a huge amount of resources to cultivate it. However, the control of firearms is too simple. Even the stupid men and women, the old, the weak, the sick and the disabled can be trained in a short period of time. He rushes into battle and still displays his combat power.
The difference between them is simply a huge difference.
To a certain extent, as long as there is a sufficient population and sufficient supplies, an army mainly composed of firearms can run rampant across the world and invade the territory of any party.
Sighing, Li Ji picked up the tea cup and took a sip. He rubbed his sore waist from the continuous rush and joked: "Perhaps when we return to Chang'an, after the situation stabilizes, we will all go to the Zhenguan Academy." We need to learn more in the martial arts hall, otherwise when firearms become popular, we will not understand their tactics, and I am afraid that we will be surpassed by young people in one fell swoop and no longer be able to lead troops."
This may seem like a joke, but in fact it is very likely to become true.
The emergence of firearms not only represents a powerful new weapon, but also completely changes the mode of war. The strategies and tactics used to command infantry and cavalry in combat in the past were no longer applicable to armies equipped with firearms.
Anyone who fails to keep pace with the times will be abandoned by the trend of the times.
It seems that they, a generation of famous generals who have fought for a lifetime and achieved brilliant achievements, have solidified their thinking and find it difficult to accept new strategies and tactics. The ability to accept new things is much worse than that of young people. When groups of young people in the "Martial Arts Hall" flood the army with the most advanced tactics, will they, the commanders, have to rely on their status and qualifications to boss them around? ?
The torrent of the times is vigorous and unstoppable. You must either take advantage of it or be crushed to pieces...
Whether Li Ji or Cheng Yaojin, although they are past their prime, their bodies have not yet aged, how can they be willing to hand over their military power so easily, stay away from the center, and travel around the woods and springs?
Cheng Yaojin also took a sip of tea, turned his head, and seemed to be able to see through the wall the building not far away where His Majesty Li Er's coffin was parked. His heart felt as heavy as a lead.
"This Eastern Expedition led to the death of His Majesty, and we are all guilty of death. After returning to Chang'an, we still don't know what kind of crisis we will face, whether the country will decline, whether the empire will collapse... Even if we fight this Life, I don’t know if I can turn the tide, so how can I have time to think about those distant things?”
The sky is full of wind and snow outside, the north wind is howling, and the situation in Guanzhong will only be more severe than the wind and snow in Liaodong. (End of chapter)