Chapter 493: Supporting the Army
This group of about 500 soldiers marched on the straight road with their own equipment.
Travelers and pedestrians seen in front jumped off the straight road to get out of the way.
All behaviors in the Taishan Army are based on the code of conduct, and everything must be done according to standards.
So even marching is like this.
In the Taishan Army, marching speed can be divided into three categories. One is to march for two and a half hours a day and fifty miles. One is the urgent march, which takes three and a half hours a day and marches sixty to seventy miles. The last type is the raiding army, which travels day and night, without stopping, and can go as fast as it can.
But now the Ganling soldiers were obviously moving at the first normal marching speed. Looking at their brand-new military uniforms with a layer of salt and frost imprinted under the scorching sun, you can tell that this is a long march.
Many of the passers-by have children from their families who have joined the army. They are considered military-supporting households, so they are somewhat aware of the affairs of the Taishan Army.
If there is one thing that is most difficult for the Taishan Army, it is the march.
Marching ability is the most important training subject of the Taishan Army. Unless there is a specific reason, the marching speed of the Taishan Army must reach a speed of fifty miles a day. This kind of marching conditions is comparable to the most elite troops of the Han Army, but in the Taishan Army, it is something that a local garrison can achieve.
The march of these garrison soldiers was not just on foot, but they had to carry food that could last for fifteen days, as well as armor and equipment.
But why could the Taishan Army achieve such a level of march?
One is that the military officials share weal and woe. The officers of the Taishan Army have always adhered to the style of the old Taishan period, and there is no difference between them. Even military officials with horses would choose to march on foot with their subordinates during the march.
This is the Taishan Army. Military positions have superiority and inferiority, but personality does not.
As long as you become a Taishan Army, you must learn to endure hardships and stand hard work. If you want to come here and get some credit, if you want to make a fortune later, then please don't get involved.
Of course, if you can do it, the reward will not be easy.
While the outsiders were joining in the fun, the insiders in the crowd noticed something unusual.
The equipment of this Zhengzhen garrison is a bit too sophisticated, almost the configuration of the Taishan Army field army.
These experts are Lu Yu and Zheng Yi.
As for Liu Deran, he didn't know how to fight. He was watching the excitement with the merchants just now with great interest.
Lu Yu and Zheng Yi had participated in the Zhongrenting Battle, and they had an intuitive understanding of the equipment composition of the Taishan Army.
In that day's battle, although the Taishan Army's bravery and fearlessness left a deep impression on Lu and Yu, what impressed them most was the various long-range strike equipment in the Taishan Army.
During the battle at Zhongrenting, Lu Yu was beside Lu Zhi, so he understood Lu Zhi's pre-war plan better.
The Chinese army originally on the front slope were the most elite veterans of the Northern Army of the Han army. They were used to resist the enemy's front, so as to create a decisive effect for the rear army resting on the rear slope.
But the result? The Taishan Army just pulled a batch of crossbows to the front of the formation and crippled Lu Zhi's most elite Northern Army.
At that time, the rain of arrows released from the front of the battle blocked the sun. It was a scene that Lu Yu and Zheng Yi would never forget.
But what now? However, the two of them saw several ballistas among the garrison.
When they thought about it, it was naturally impossible to equip them with such terrifying equipment, so it was obvious that this so-called garrison was performing some kind of mission, so it could be equipped with some kind of weapon that exceeded their level.
It's just a pity that no matter how outstanding they are, Lu Yu and Zheng Yi are still outsiders. It's hard to imagine what kind of changes are taking place in the Taishan Army today.
Specifically, as the Taishan Army took complete control of Jizhou and Youzhou, there was no shortage of military supplies such as salt, iron, and horses.
In addition, the Taishan Army has always attached great importance to the craftsmen group and deliberately developed productivity. Therefore, the ballistas originally equipped only for a small number of the fifth field armies began to be expanded to equip the entire army, even for important local towns such as Ganling to defend the southeast. Equipped with these.
And with the widespread use of equipment such as stone machines and ballistae throughout the army, the Taishan Army's tactics began to change.
In the end, the Taishan Army finally finalized the following long-range strike tactics.
In the independent formation of the Ichika Corps, the throwing troops are at the forefront, followed by the stone-throwing fleet, then the crossbow corps, and finally the crossbow corps.
Before contacting the enemy, each team attacks in turn.
When the enemy reached 180 steps, the ballista team at the rear took the lead and fired. When the enemy reached fifty steps, the crossbow team began to fire. Then, when the enemy reached thirty steps, the throwing team and the stone-throwing team attacked together.
If the enemy can resist such four rounds of long-range strikes and still rush in front of the Taishan Army, then the infantry team will choose to block and carry the line, and the swordsmen and soldiers will fight head-to-head.
It is foreseeable that after occupying the vast Hebei and absorbing huge population resources and material resources, the strength of the Taishan Army has once again jumped to a higher level.
And these changes, no matter how long Lu Yu and the others stayed in Hebei to investigate, they would not encounter them.
However, Lu Yu and the others were half right, that is, this Ganling town soldier did have a special mission.
Their destination this time was not Ganling, but Pingyuanjin.
Pingyuanjin is a bridge over the river and an important passage from Qingzhou to Jizhou from the north.
There, an unexpected conflict is taking place. And this group of soldiers had received the notice from the county government, so they were speeding up their march there.
Obviously, while the Taishan Army was executing a fundamental strategic plan, the heroes in the south were not stupid and were also taking action.
……
In the Ganling camp rushing to Pingyuanjin, there was an ordinary official named Han Chang.
Han Chang is still not familiar with his new name.
In Ganling's hometown, he has been called Scarface by the villagers because he has a scar on his face since he was a child.
Scarface's parents were from poor Guizhou provinces near Ganling. Even his father and mother were not a normal union, but a wild union. After giving birth to Scarface, his mother abandoned him to his father and then disappeared.
And his father didn't want to raise him, so he threw Scarface away. It was an old woman in the village who picked up Scarface and fed him with goat's milk.
Scarface has been living with the old woman since then.
Perhaps he had a scarred face due to hardships and had never eaten anything good, but he somehow managed to grow into a strong body and learned military martial arts from an old soldier in the village.
This old soldier's surname is Han, and he is the second best person in Scarface's world after the old woman.
Later, one winter, the old woman died, and Scarface lived with Lao Jun.
If Taishan's army had not fought across the river, Scarface might have only been called Scarface forever, and there was a high probability that he would have died some winter. But the Taishan Army came and began to divide the territory in the Qinghe area. From then on, Scarface's fate began to change.
Everything is divided into primary and secondary. When the two work together, the secondary assists the primary. And when the two conflict, the second must obey the Lord.
For the current Taishan Army, winning this world-changing war is the most important thing at this stage.
Therefore, during the period of land distribution, the Taishan Army regarded food collection, military recruitment, and combat service as the most important tasks of each township office.
Specifically reflected in the recruitment, that is, the community needs to mobilize a sufficient number of field guards and recommend some outstanding soldiers to the local garrison.
And this is also the biggest headache for local township officials, even more headache than mobilizing households to provide food?
Why? Because recruiting troops has been more difficult than recruiting food since ancient times.
In terms of grain collection, the taxes of the Taishan Army were heavier than those of the Han Dynasty. But in fact, this tax is completely affordable by the Guizhou leaders. Not to mention, the kindness and fairness given to them by the Taishan Army during this process made them not hesitate.
But it is much more difficult to get Ding to join the army. Because after the land was allocated, the population of each family was very nervous. In addition, there had been several years of continuous war, and the population loss was not small. And compared to sweating and losing one's life, it is much more dangerous to bleed and lose one's life. Therefore, it is indeed difficult for localities to recruit troops.
The Taishan Army has also considered these, knowing that transferring too many local Dingkou to join the army or serve as laborers will definitely affect local production.
Therefore, even if there was an instinctive urge to expand its troops, the Taishan Army still restrained it. They only built a field-protecting army in the township and stationed a town garrison in the city.
Compared with the governors and princes in the south who were devoting their efforts to fishing, they can undoubtedly be regarded as elite troops and simple administration.
The current situation has developed to this day, and even the most obtuse person knows that the world has entered an era of great strife.
In this kind of game where there is only one winner, all power lords will do their best to develop their troops. Whether they can survive will never depend on how much food they have, but how many soldiers they have.
Otherwise, no matter how much food you have, it will still be someone else’s granary.
These lords of the Central Plains do not think about the future like the Taishan Army. They are just robbing the enemy and winning first. If there is not enough food, then starve to death. Those who starve to death deserve to die of hunger anyway.
But Taishan Army cannot do this because it will damage the legitimacy of Taishan Army's power. When the Taishan Army revolted, they held up the banner of Dao for Heaven, which stipulates that they must follow the right path, otherwise there will be no basis for your justice.
And why the leaders of Hebei and Guizhou were able to identify with the Taishan Army so quickly? Isn't it because they felt that the Taishan Army was sent by God to help them uphold the right path?
Therefore, the Taishan Army cannot and does not want to do that kind of behavior of recruiting young people into the army.
But in this long war, some people value the support of the people, and some value the way of overlord. This does not mean that whoever is just is bound to win. In the end, it all depends on the comparison of strength between the two sides.
Therefore, even though Zhang Chong and the other disciples of Zhengshitang despised those fools, they did not dare to look down upon them. They are trying to make the leaders of Guizhou understand and agree with them, making them realize that this is their war, and the outcome of success or failure is closely related to their destiny.
Obviously, the Taishan Army's field division operation has undoubtedly greatly strengthened this awareness.
In the past, the leaders of Guizhou did not care about the success or failure of the struggles of princes, generals, and ministers, because no matter who was in charge, their misery would never change.
But things are different now. After they have enough land, especially when the land is separated from the powerful, they can no longer stay away.
Whether the Taishan Army can consolidate its victory determines whether these lands can remain in their hands.
Don't think of these people as fools, and don't think that these people are stupid. These people may not know the written word and lack sufficient knowledge, but they do not lack the common sense of life and the wisdom of survival.
Of course they understand that the reason why they can live a good life now is guaranteed by the military victory of the Taishan Army. Even though the land officials had been saying that whoever planted the land should belong to him.
But just listen to this. If they should naturally own this land, then why have their ancestors been tenants for generations?
They know who this is all because of!
So when the Taishan Army began to recruit troops locally, these people understood the fact.
That means they and Taishan Army are a real family. Only if they help the Taishan Army win this war can their descendants no longer live the miserable life of their ancestors.
That's it, the Taishan Army and the majority of Guizhou leaders completely stand together. Recruiting troops to defend Hebei and liberate the whole world would have unparalleled legitimacy.
But don’t forget that humans are such complex creatures.
Beautiful slogans and great righteousness can only reduce resistance when promoting policies, but if you want people to join the army enthusiastically, you need other tangible things.
There is a very simple truth.
You tell the leaders of Guizhou that we are a family, and they believe this. But people will also think about another thing, that is, wouldn't it be better if someone else joins the army and I continue farming?
Isn't it a good thing to have someone to protect everyone without putting yourself in danger?
So as long as someone has such an idea, he will not take the initiative to join the army, but will choose to continue to wait and see. Let honest people join the army to help the Taishan Army protect Hebei and conquer the world. They can just sit back and enjoy the success.
In fact, this was also caused by the Taishan Army themselves.
In the past, the easiest way for the Han Dynasty to issue soldiers was to capture all the merchants' sons and their sons-in-law to serve as soldiers. These people do not have land, so their capture will not affect local production.
Take Zhang Chong’s own example.
Back then in Dasangli, when the villagers issued watchmen to go to watch the clock, they specifically mentioned that the only son in the family would not go. But why did Duman, the only son, go?
Because after Duman became a merchant, there was no land in Lishe, so even if it was taken away, production would not be affected. Therefore, such people will always become the priority candidates for various assignments.
But things are different now. The Taishan Army has allocated land to all Guizhou leaders.
Then who still wants to be a soldier? Even though they knew that the land would not last long if they were not soldiers, they still hoped that others would become soldiers and that they could keep the land and live a good life.
Therefore, the Taishan Army had to find other ways to break this deadlock.
This method is the "supporting the army first" policy that the Taishan Army has been using since the old Taishan period.
That is to say, it provides higher economic benefits and higher social status to those who join the military and their families. For example, when dividing fields, good fields will be allocated to military families first. When sergeants retire, they can directly work as local officials.
Through the above preferential treatment, sergeants and military families will be separated from the Guizhou group and become a group closer to the Taishan Army.
It was against this background that Scarface joined the Taishan Army.
His adoptive father, an old soldier, sent Scarface to the army, and then he became the president of the local club.
Scarface, who joined the army, officially took the surname Han after the veteran soldier, and according to the tradition in the army, he took the Chinese character for his name and called him Han Chang.
Tomorrow at 4 o'clock in the morning, I will set off to catch up with the flying army to Xinjiang. Tsk, tsk, I will update you all in Xinjiang in the next week. The poor little Kalami from the southeast wants to go to the northwest of the motherland to absorb some spirit.
(End of chapter)