Late Yuan Dynasty: I am the true emperor

Chapter 218 The Yuan Army Arrives
Seeing that Chang Yuchun was somewhat persuaded by him, Shi Heng immediately continued to explain.

"What's the difference? The difference is huge. First of all, it's the difference in identity.

"In every dynasty, when a general led hundreds of thousands of troops outside, the emperor would always send a military supervisor to supervise the battle on behalf of the emperor. Who were the military supervisors at that time? They were either eunuchs in the inner court of the emperor, or important civil officials in the court. They only played a supervisory role.

“These people may not be able to fight, but they have great power and are always giving orders to the commander-in-chief.

“When food and grass are in short supply, he forces you to advance regardless of the enemy’s situation, just to save food and grass;

"The enemy ahead deliberately exposed a flaw in order to lure you to attack. The military supervisor, eager for merit, urged you to attack, causing the entire army to fall into the trap and suffer a great defeat.

"Or maybe the military supervisors were greedy for money and lustful, and they plundered the newly annexed lands by trickery, causing the people to be angry. If there were spies to instigate, the people would rise up and attack them, leading to a great defeat for our army. These are all stupid things that military supervisors in every dynasty have done.

"And then? These military supervisors are either important officials in the court or close ministers of the emperor. The commander can only obey them and cannot hit or scold them. He must obey them in everything and be careful in what he says and does. Of his ten thoughts, nine points are used to deal with his own people, and only ten points are used to think about how to fight the enemy.

"No matter how the battle goes, the military supervisor will be fine. If they win, it will be the merit of the military supervisor's effective supervision. If they lose, the responsibility will be put on the commander-in-chief. You are the commander-in-chief. You and the emperor's close ministers submit petitions to the emperor at the same time. Do you think the emperor will trust you more, or the close ministers who have been with him every day and grew up with him?"

Chang Yuchun's forehead broke out in sweat when he heard this. This kind of military supervisor sounded scary. As for who to trust, is there any need to think about it? If he is a wise and brave ruler who founded a country, it would be fine as he would be able to distinguish right from wrong. But if he is a ruler who maintains the status quo during a peaceful period, they and the eunuchs around them can almost be considered childhood friends. Do you think he will trust his childhood friends, or you, a stranger he has never met?
"Of course I will trust my close ministers." Chang Yuchun swallowed and finally responded.

Shi Heng continued, "That's terrible. Does the commander want the Marshal to send such a military supervisor? No matter how the battle goes, if you lose, the Marshal will just chop off your head, and the military supervisor will be fine anyway."

Chang Yuchun frowned again and asked, "What's the difference between a military instructor and a military supervisor?"

“There is a big difference. Although the training officer also has the responsibility of supervising the army, in the final analysis, it is a difference in status and traditional military supervisors. I, as a training officer, am also in the military officer system. In the future, I will be promoted and transferred with the commander. Even if I am promoted in the future, I will follow the path of a military officer, and the ultimate goal is just a military minister.

"To put it bluntly, you are a soldier in life and a ghost in death. I have to bear the responsibility with you. If you win the battle, I will be promoted along with you. If I mess around and cause our army to be defeated, the Marshal will chop off your head, but I won't be able to save my head.

"The commander-in-chief and the military instructor are actually one and the same. They prosper together and suffer together. Under such a system, do you think there will still be military supervisors who did stupid things in history?"

Chang Yuchun's eyes lit up when he heard this. "That's true, but the commander and the instructor share life and death, merits and demerits. What if the two of them collude and deceive the master together?"

"Hahahaha." Shi Heng laughed immediately.

"The commander is worrying too much. Even if you and I collude to deceive the commander, don't we still have the division instructor and the military instructor to supervise us? Even if the division and army level officers protect us, don't we still have the Military Academy Military and Political Department and the Military Command Department?

"If there is no good person from the Marshal down, then there is no need to worry about conquering the world. We should just disband as soon as possible."

Chang Yuchun nodded when he heard this, "Yes, that is indeed the truth, but I still feel uncomfortable with letting the training Sima have the same military rank as the commander. When the commander is in the front, it is always the commander who goes to the front, and the Sima does not go into battle, so why should he have the same rank as the commander?"

Shi Heng rolled his eyes speechlessly.

"I deserve to be equal to you. The instructor appointed by the Marshal is not only responsible for supervising the deployment of troops, but also for preparing and transporting food and fodder, eliminating enemy spies, enforcing military discipline, boosting morale, reviewing military merits, and punishing lawbreakers. Are these tasks easier than commanding a battle?

"Yes, you led these 4,500 soldiers, but I was in charge of their eating, drinking, and defecation. Did I let you starve?

“In the past, when Emperor Gaozu of Han was evaluating merits for founding the country, Xiao He, who was in charge of food and manpower, was the first to receive the credit, and the generals who led the troops to fight could only rank behind him. Although the main work of preparing food and grass for our army is done by local civil officials, I am in charge of the allocation and transportation of food and grass. Even if my contributions are not greater than yours, what’s wrong with being on the same level as you?
“Even if you can command hundreds of thousands of troops to march north and attack Dadu in the future, won’t I still be responsible for the food, drink, and defecation of these hundreds of thousands of soldiers under your command? Don’t I have less responsibilities than you?
"Besides, as a commander, you need prestige to lead the troops. So, as a regimental commander, do I not need prestige? If my rank is low, how can the soldiers respect and fear me? If the soldiers do not take me seriously, how can I punish the soldiers who violate military regulations?
"Moreover, the training officers of each unit have their own duties. If we are fighting on the front lines and the political officer appointed by the Marshal's Office has not arrived, I, a senior colonel of the fourth rank, have the right to concurrently serve as the temporary prefect of the newly annexed area. The training officers of each battalion can also concurrently serve as temporary county magistrates to maintain the stability of the newly annexed area until the political officer appointed by the Marshal's Office arrives. If the training officers' rank and title are not high enough, who in the local area will obey them?"

This string of reasons left Chang Yuchun speechless. It was only after he heard what Shi Heng said that he suddenly realized that a disciplinary officer actually had so many tasks and responsibilities.

Shi Heng still felt that this was not enough, and continued, "The Marshal felt that the military supervisors in the past dynasties would only hinder the commander-in-chief, so he established the position of training officer to assist the generals in handling miscellaneous affairs, so that the commander-in-chief would no longer have to worry about anything and could focus all his attention on fighting the enemy. This is the Marshal's original intention of establishing the training officer."

Chang Yuchun was not a person who did not know what was good for him. He was also very smart. Upon hearing this, he immediately bowed and said solemnly, "It was I, Chang, who misunderstood our instructor before. I did not know the good intentions of the Marshal. I apologize to you today. I hope that we brothers can get along well in the future and make new achievements together."

Shi Heng finally laughed upon seeing this. After speaking out today, with the support of the military commander Chang Yuchun, his work would be easier in the future, so he returned the greeting.

"That's easy. We are all brothers. We just help each other and support each other." At this point, Shi Heng suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "In fact, when I was assigned to be your training officer, the Marshal specifically told me something."

"What's the matter?" Chang Yuchun immediately pricked up his ears when he heard that it was Lu Jin who specifically instructed him to do so.

"The commander-in-chief said that Yuchun is one of the best warriors in the Shengwu Army in terms of martial arts and bravery. Although Yuchun is brave, he has a short temper and is easily angered. He also has a murderous heart."

Chang Yuchun's eyes widened when he heard this, and he asked in confusion, "I admit that I have a quick temper, but why did the Marshal say that I am bloodthirsty?"

Shi Heng immediately said, "Listen to me first.

"The commander said that the art of war says that a general should avoid raising an army in anger. First, it is easy for the enemy to take advantage of you. Second, it is easy for the enemy to set a trap based on your personality. Third, raising an army in anger is easy to lose your composure. There may be a better way, but because of your temper, you choose the most difficult one."

Chang Yuchun nodded repeatedly. He felt that Lu Jin was quite accurate in this regard. He did have a quick temper. If he listened to Lu Jin's advice more, he might have made fewer mistakes. "Brother Shi, please continue. What else did the Marshal say?"

"The Marshal also asked me to tell you that Yuchun has great ambitions and wants to lead 100,000 soldiers. Although Yuchun is the bravest among the three armies now, he is only a vanguard. If he wants to be able to lead a team on his own, he needs to remember one thing."

"What?" "When faced with major events, one must remain calm. The commander-in-chief said that Yuchun's bravery and perseverance have shown that he has the potential to become a famous general. If he can think more calmly when faced with major events, his future achievements will surely be far superior to those of ordinary people."

"Don't be impatient and angry, think calmly." Chang Yuchun repeated the sentence twice and nodded, "I remember this. And what else, why did the commander say that I have a bloodthirsty heart? Since I joined the army, I have never killed anyone indiscriminately."

Shi Heng immediately explained, "Of course you didn't kill people indiscriminately. The Marshal said this because he felt that you were cold-hearted and indifferent to life and death. A qualified general should not only be courageous and resolute, but also be kind. Don't be soft-hearted when you should kill, but don't kill when you should be gentle."

Chang Yuchun frowned when he heard this, as he only half understood what was said. Seeing this, Shi Heng could only speak more directly.

"In fact, the Marshal is worried that you have a hot temper and may kill prisoners and surrendered soldiers in the future. The Marshal only asked me to tell you, 'Kill the surrendered, don't surrender.'"

Chang Yuchun was even more confused and looked behind him. "When did I kill the surrendered soldiers? Many of the soldiers in our Thirteenth Regiment were captured and surrendered soldiers in Chuzhou. As long as they were obedient, why would I kill them indiscriminately?"

Shi Heng immediately asked, "What if the captives are disobedient and planning a rebellion?"

"Of course we should kill them. Why would we keep such people alive if we don't kill them?"

Chang Yuchun was so excited that he blurted out the words without thinking. Halfway through, he suddenly realized, "Oh, I really thought so in my heart? The Marshal saw through this?"

Shi Heng immediately showed an expression of "as expected" and then comforted her.

"Don't worry, since the Marshal has already guessed this, he will not let this happen. The Marshal specifically asked me to assist you, especially in the conversion of the surrendered soldiers.

"After we cross the river, we will definitely have to expand our army and absorb a lot of surrendered soldiers. The Marshal has taught us a lot about how to use these people and prevent them from rebelling. In the future, when we fight, you can just leave those surrendered soldiers to me. I guarantee that they won't cause any big trouble, but you have to promise me not to kill them."

"Okay, I promise you everything."

Chang Yuchun was impressed by Lu Jin's vision at this time. He was surprised enough that Lu Jin saw through his character flaws that he himself was not even aware of. Moreover, Lu Jin specially sent someone to help him and brought him so many words. The importance and cultivation in his words were very obvious. How could Chang Yuchun be ungrateful? He agreed on the spot.

The 13th Regiment withdrew from Chuzhou and moved to Quanjiao. The vacant Chuzhou was soon occupied by the newly formed 18th Regiment, which was Liao Yongzhong's direct force and also a newly formed force. Although most of the personnel were veterans, the three newly added battalions were all surrendered soldiers from Anqing. These people were not familiar with the techniques and tactics of the Shengwu Army, so they had to stay in Chuzhou, the "rear city", for training before they could be put into combat.

The 36th Division of the 106th Army on the northern line is now guarding Lai'an and Chuzhou. Liao Yongzhong is the commander-in-chief, holding the rank of major general and serving as deputy chief of the 36th Army. Under him are Yu Tongyuan's th Regiment, Zhao Zhongzhong's th Regiment, and his own newly formed th Regiment.

When Liao Yongzhong received his new appointment, he also received a secret letter from Lu Jin saying that Zhao Zhongzhong was not good at defending the city.

Moreover, there is a Li Ruizhong in the Tenth Regiment, formerly Li Pusheng. This person used to have contact with Xu Song. Although he has expressed his intention to cut off ties with Xu Song and loyally join Lu Jin, one must still be on guard against others. Lu Jin suggested not to let Zhao Zhongzhong's Tenth Regiment take on the task of defending the front line. If it is to be defended, it can only be used to guard the rear. If it is to be placed on the front line, it is best to put it into offensive operations to prevent these people from having wild thoughts and causing trouble.

Liao Yongzhong listened to the advice. His 106th Division's defense zone only covered Lai'an and Chuzhou, so he let his newly formed th Regiment guard Chuzhou, Yu Tongyuan's th Regiment guard Lai'an, and Zhao Zhongzhong's th Regiment camp in the wild along the Qingliu River to the west of the two cities as a mobile force, ready to support Haozhou or Lai'an at any time.

On Zhu Liangzu's 102nd Division's side, three regiments were guarding two cities. Feng Sheng's 14th Regiment was stationed in Dingyuan. Zhu Liangzu personally led the Fifth Regiment to guard Haozhou. In addition, Zheng Yong's Second Cavalry Regiment provided mobile support outside the city.

At the end of last year, Lu Jin told them that the Yuan army would definitely come from the north to suppress them this year. The task on the northern front this year was to fight a defensive battle, withstand the attack of the Yuan court, and prevent them from entering the base.

Zhu Liangzu and Liao Yongzhong had been making preparations. Both of them were guessing whose defense zone the Yuan army would attack first. But soon they didn't have to guess anymore. The development of the matter was similar to the information provided by Lu Jin. They didn't know which direction the Yuan army's main force would attack, but the Yuan army's vanguard cavalry was heading straight for Haozhou.

A vanguard group of about 3,000 cavalrymen followed, led by a general named Chelibuhua. Even the number of enemy troops was similar to what Lu Jin had guessed.

Zheng Yong, who had been maneuvering and cruising on the outer lines to scout the enemy situation, quickly brought back the news.

"General, the Yuan army's vanguard has really arrived, with about 3,000 cavalrymen, just as you predicted!"

Zheng Yong returned to Haozhou and immediately reported to Zhu Liangzu excitedly.

Zhu Liangzu's eyes lit up when he heard this. "Fuck, they're finally here. We've been waiting for several months. Have you sent scouts to find out what equipment these 3,000 cavalrymen have? Do they have armor? What's their military discipline like?"

Zheng Yong said immediately, "They are all light cavalry, without horse armor, mostly archers, few use lances or horse spears, the soldiers do have some armor, but it is estimated that only 30% at most, about 1,000 are armored.

"As for military discipline, it's hard to say for now. In Haozhou, the people north of the Huai River have all been relocated by us. Even if that group of cavalrymen wanted to rob the people, they wouldn't be able to steal anything."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Liangzu laughed out loud, "Hahahaha, the Marshal really guessed it right. Now the area north of the Huai River is completely cleared. I want to see what they eat and drink.

"By the way, your Second Cavalry Regiment did not show itself to the enemy, did it?"

Zheng Yong quickly shook his head and said, "No, some cavalry did fight with them, but the enemy at most thought they were our scouts and didn't expect that we had thousands of cavalry."

"That's good. Then we have more strategies to use."

(End of this chapter)