knife

Chapter 676 The Army Can Only Have One Voice

On the point of unifying military power, Linghu Ye and Li Dachui were of the same mind.

They will never allow dissenting voices within the military.

The current army under the Beiting Protectorate is actually composed of a very complex group of troops. There are Xiao Changche's direct troops, Li Dachui's three battalions of Heaven, Earth and Man, the guards of Tai'an City, as well as the private army under the Chang family with complicated ties to Linghu Ye, Chen Liang who came from the field army outside the pass, and later the Eagle Bandits, An Xuan of the Western Hu, and so on.

However, without exception, these armies were all reorganized after joining the Beiting Protectorate. After being disrupted and reorganized, they were completely cut off from their original ties by using new manuals and a sound command system.

This is the concept of "a well-organized army, but an unorganized general," which Li Dachui advocates.

The combat effectiveness of any army under the current Beiting Protectorate is roughly the same regardless of which general commands it, and there will be no major fluctuations.

This may have made the military lose some of its distinctive features, but it has made it more stable.

The current Beiting Protectorate does not have many standing troops; it mainly consists of local soldiers. Therefore, those who truly control the army are the lowest-ranking officers, regimental commanders, and captains, rather than the higher-ranking generals.

Generals are only appointed to command troops in times of crisis.

Now, in the eight towns of Jiangnan, Li Dachui has had Fang Xiaomao transfer over a thousand core soldiers from Sichuan to join the army. His purpose is to completely transplant the military system from outside the pass to this area.

Of course, things will be a bit more difficult here, but since Li Dachui has already dealt with Jiang Qian, things will proceed smoothly from here on out. This is because the troops in the eight towns of Jiangnan are now controlled by Kang Zhen, Li Xiu and other disciples of the Five Tigers Breaking the Gate Blade, as well as Ke Wuji, Zhan Zhao and Su Qi, who come from the Demonic Sect.

For both public and private reasons, these people wouldn't go against Li Dachui on such an important matter.

Compared to Li Dachui, Linghu Ye actually faces more difficulties.

Those powerful and influential families had comprehensive control over the government, including politics, military affairs, and civil affairs; they wanted to have it all in their hands.

The Linghu family was not considered one of the top families among the powerful clans.

The reason why the powerful families chose Linghu Ye is twofold: firstly, because Linghu Ye is indeed currently the strongest and most capable fighter among the powerful families; secondly, precisely because Linghu Ye is not the absolute best.

Linghu Ye was naturally unwilling to be manipulated by others.

However, the power of aristocratic and wealthy families is something that makes people both wary and envious.

How to absorb the power of these families has always been a question that Linghu Ye has been trying to figure out.

Linghu Ye knew he didn't have the stomach capacity to swallow them whole; he'd burst.

However, if these forces are crippled or rendered useless, then Linghuye will not suffer any aftereffects from consuming them.

Who should play?

Who else is there besides Li Dachui?

Cui Ming and his men saw this as the perfect opportunity to strike first against the Beiting Protectorate.

Can they win?

Linghu Ye felt it was unlikely. Even if they could win, it would only be a pyrrhic victory, and the effect would be the same as his intention to recruit them.

This is the real reason why Linghu Ye brought Li Guohua back to replace Linghu Zhishu.

Such a complex situation is beyond Linghu Zhishu's ability to handle; only an old fox like Li Guohua could steer it perfectly.

"General, if this operation succeeds, the aristocratic families will become history!" Li Guohua smiled as he closed the dossier and looked at Linghu Ye, saying, "We've gathered the power of countless aristocratic families to win the favor of you, General!"

"I've carefully studied Li Dachui's governing principles and policies outside the Great Wall. I think he wants to build the world into a supreme imperial family, with countless commoner landlords below, plus countless wealthy merchants. Land and wealth are dispersed. Add to that his official selection system, and heh heh, the government offices remain unchanged, but the officials come and go. He's taken meritocracy to a new level. I think it's pretty good. So, once we abolish those aristocratic families, we might as well learn from them and put them into practice!"

"Isn't the General afraid that Li Dachui will laugh at you for picking up his leftovers?" Li Guohua laughed.

Linghu Ye chuckled: "Those who achieve great things don't concern themselves with trifles. As long as it's useful, that's all that matters. Guohua, Li Dachui is truly a talented man. If he weren't the son of Li Zemin and He Qingqiu, I would definitely use him to rule the world if I gained power!"

"What a pity!" Li Guohua sighed. "Two tigers cannot share one mountain."

“That’s more interesting!” Linghu Ye said. “You have a very heavy responsibility going to Boling this time. If you can win, that would be great. If you lose, you still have to protect them and make sure they lose all their capital. What’s left will be our bargaining chip!”

“If these families can hand over all command authority to me without reservation, and have no doubt about my orders, and are willing to sacrifice and take responsibility, then I am confident that I will never lose to Xiao Changche,” Li Guohua said.

"So, you're actually pessimistic about this battle!" Linghu Ye said.

Li Guohua nodded and said, "General, Xiao Changche has served under you for so many years, you know her abilities. This woman has a beast-like intuition about the battlefield situation. Facing her, I'm really not confident. If I were leading our old troops, it would be a 40/60 split. I'd get 40%, she'd get 60%. But the main force in this battle is the armies of these aristocratic families. Will they all listen to me? Even if these troops are strong, well, this battle is only a 30/70 split! I'm afraid my biggest concern should be how to clean up the mess and prevent Xiao Changche from taking everything!"

"Xiao Changche!"

Linghu Ye felt a deep sense of regret when he thought of this once unruly and valiant general under his command.

That damn Li Dachui, he gets all the good things.

"General, is Cui Shu really going to fall from his cultivation level?" Li Guohua asked curiously.

“Think about Kou Zhong back then?” Linghu Ye said, “The Phoenix Fire haunted him his whole life. This time, Cui Shu was even more unlucky. Not only was the Phoenix Fire poured into his body, but the Moon Essence Weak Water was also poured in.”

"Can't it be removed?"

"The most sinister aspect of Phoenix Fire and Moonlight Weak Water lies here, or perhaps it's the sinister nature of the Qi of Heaven and Earth. Kou Zhong never managed to expel them in his entire life. And this time, I tried to expel them too, but I couldn't, because they've become one with Cui Shu's own true Qi. There's only one way to expel them!"

"Disable your own martial arts!" Li Guohua uttered four words.

Linghuye nodded.

Li Guohua suddenly realized why Kou Zhong had been entangled with for his entire life. Cui Shu would probably suffer the same fate, or even worse, since Kou Zhong was far more capable than Cui Shu.

"That's great!" Li Guohua laughed. "It will be even more helpful to our grand plan. Cui Shu is crippled, Cui Ming is old, and Cui Cheng, though seemingly steady and mature, is actually restless and irritable, making him easier to deal with!"

(End of this chapter)