Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 198 The King of War
Less than half a month after the peace talks, Zhu Cilang basically arranged the backlog of affairs in the court and the army in the temporary palace in Yuezhou Prefecture, and met with local gentry in Guizhou and Guangdong. Then, based on Du Yinxi's proposal, he ordered the "Five Military Governor's Office" to make proper arrangements and went north to the prefectures of Huguang to inspect the construction of defensive fortifications and military training.

Among the current prefectures in Huguang, Xiangyang and Jingzhou are particularly important. They are the hubs of the central battlefield and no mistakes are allowed. Naturally, these two places are also the places that Zhu Cilang focuses on inspecting, especially Xiangyang, which is located on the front line.

In Yicheng County, Xiangyang Prefecture, the sky was a pale pale morning. The rising sun stained the city walls with a thin golden glow. The winding Han River flowed silently like a jade belt. The sound of horse hooves echoed in the still morning light, kicking up clouds of dust. Dusted horses arrived from Xiangyang City in the north, relaying military intelligence from the front lines.

With the arrival of Zhu Cilang's imperial carriage, Li Guo had already been waiting for a long time in front of the east gate of Yicheng County with his generals.

As the commander of the "Loyal Camp", Li Guo put on a gorgeous suit of Wenshan armor to welcome the emperor. He looked dignified and resolute. When he saw Zhu Cilang, he immediately knelt and saluted, saying in a loud voice:
"Your servant, Li Guo, leads the officers and men of the Loyal Camp to respectfully welcome Your Majesty!"

Zhu Cilang was wearing his regular military uniform at the time. Upon seeing this, he immediately stepped forward, leaned over to help Li Guo up, and said with a smile:
"General Li, please excuse me. I am here to inspect the defense and military training. I am sorry to trouble you, General Li."

After hearing this, Li Guo's expression became solemn. He clasped his hands towards Zhu Cilang and said, "Your Majesty has been working hard for state affairs. I, your servants, have tried my best to assist you and share your worries. This is our duty, and I dare not complain."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, then turned and waved to the civil and military officials accompanying him, saying:
"Let's go, everyone, get on your horses and follow me into the city."

Upon receiving the order, a group of civil and military officials quickly mounted their horses one after another with considerable skill. Riding is one of the essential skills for following Zhu Cilang, the emperor on horseback.

Under the guidance of Li Guo, Zhu Cilang first arrived at the military camp in Xiangyang City. The houses on both sides of the training ground were arranged neatly, with flags flying. The soldiers were conducting formation training, and their shouts were deafening.

He patrolled along the way, carefully observing every move of the soldiers. Seeing that their movements were neat, powerful and full of energy, he felt quite relieved.

Li Guo's ability to command the army was naturally good. He also actively cooperated with the severe crackdown launched in the army during this period. At this time, there was almost no unhealthy trend of embezzlement and corruption in the "Loyalty Camp".

Zhu Cilang inspected the entire military camp and found everything in order, which satisfied him very much. He then went to the city wall to continue his inspection.

At this time, the southern part of Yicheng was being repaired after the city walls collapsed during the previous siege. Craftsmen were busy working on the walls, while conscripted civilians from around the county town were helping to move stone materials.

Yicheng County is located about seventy miles south of Xiangyang Prefecture, on the west side of the main stream of the Han River, and controls the throat of Xiangyang Prefecture to Chengtian Prefecture.

Although the terrain on both sides of the Han River is mostly plain, the river channels are crisscrossed and there are continuous mountain ranges in some places. Apart from the Han River channels, it is not suitable for large-scale transportation of military supplies.

In other words, after the Zhongzheng Battalion reinforced the city here, it only needed to deploy one battalion of soldiers to be able to defeat ten of them and block the main force of the Qing army's attack from the south.

Since Zhu Cilang had already ordered the army to stop the attack and resume production, these vital transportation hubs were where he had to make arrangements. So more than a month ago, he ordered Du Yinxi to deploy local officials and recruit laborers to go to Yicheng to repair the city walls.

However, since Yicheng was only a temporary early warning station to defend against Qing attacks, he did not intend to expend too much manpower, material resources, and financial resources to build the city too strong. Once the new recruits were trained, the Palace Army would launch a new round of attacks, and this "early warning station" would be useless.

The situation has changed now. Zhu Cilang has almost taken over the entire Huguang region. Except for the remnants of the Western Army, southern Sichuan and Chongqing are also under his control. The Zhongzheng Camp and Zuozhen have stopped their two-faced behavior. For him, the Qing army no longer has an absolute advantage.

After all, Zhu Cilang can now launch attacks in four directions, including Liaohai, where the Qing army no longer has the advantage. Under tremendous military pressure, the Qing court will inevitably become more brutal in order to expand its troops and prepare for the needs of the army. This will arouse violent resistance and then fall into the vicious cycle of the Chongzhen court.

A group of ministers followed Zhu Cilang to climb up to the rooftop of the tower on the south side of Yicheng, overlooking the craftsmen and laborers who were building the city wall like ants. To the east of the fortress, along the river, several towers were being built at a rapid pace.

Li Guo didn't wait for Zhu Cilang to ask any questions, and immediately reported with his hands clasped together:
"Your Majesty, in addition to raising and strengthening the walls of Yicheng and installing a large number of artillery pieces on them, I have also built multiple layers of fortifications, laid traps and trenches all around, and stationed heavy troops to guard the city in case of an attack by the Qing army."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang nodded with satisfaction. Li Guo then pointed to the watchtower on the riverbank not far away and introduced it:

"Your Majesty, please look over there. That's the warning tower line I built along the banks of the Han and Zhen rivers."

Zhu Cilang looked in the direction of Li Guo's finger and saw a series of square watchtowers standing on the banks of the Han River. They looked very solid. He then asked:
"Li Qing, are these watchtowers going to be completed soon?"

Li Guo immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I have already built six marquisate towers along the river, and another nine will be completed soon. Even if the Qing army attempts a surprise attack, our cavalry will have ample time to react."

Li Guo deployed these watchtowers along the Han River in Yicheng, arranged in groups of three, each capable of responding to the others. Each group was approximately five miles apart. Each watchtower was manned by a dedicated sentry. Upon detecting an enemy, they would immediately relay the news via beacon fire, quickly reaching Yicheng. This traditional early warning system greatly enhanced the Loyalty Battalion's defensive response to sudden attacks by the Eight Banners.

Zhu Cilang nodded in praise. "Mr. Li's arrangements are meticulous and well-intentioned. These watchtowers are like the eyes of Yicheng. They can clearly detect any movement within a radius of ten miles. If the Qing army moves south, they will definitely be exposed to us."

"Your Majesty, thank you for the compliment. This is my duty." Li Guo said gratefully.

After hearing this, Zhu Cilang walked to the battlements of the parapet of the city wall, stroked the hard brick wall, looked at Yicheng and the rushing Han River in front of him, and his heart was filled with emotion.

However, looking at the flat and open Han River Plain, Zhu Cilang couldn't help but feel a little worried.

He was well aware that the situation in the north-south confrontation between the Ming and Qing dynasties had undergone a qualitative change. No matter how strong his city was, the Qing army would hardly attack again in the short term. However, if he wanted to march north, he needed more cavalry.

Otherwise, the Ming Dynasty would be unable to cope with future wars.

After inspecting the repairs of the city wall fortifications and watchtowers, Zhu Cilang quickly rode his horse to the plain south of Yicheng.

On the makeshift training ground, the thunder of hooves and the rising dust of dust were the backdrop of a cavalry training exercise. Hundreds of cavalrymen from the Loyalty Battalion, under the command of their officers, practiced tactics such as array charges, post-battle retreats, and dispersed outflanking maneuvers.

Zhu Cilang stood on the high platform, watching the drills on the grassland intently. Cavalry has always been a decisive force on the battlefield, especially in the vast plains. The mobility and impact of cavalry far exceed those of infantry.

If he could increase the number of cavalry in the current Ming army, he would definitely be able to gain an advantage in the future Northern Expedition against the Qing army.

Chang Denggui and Lin Changfeng stood beside Zhu Cilang, also watching the cavalry training on the grassland. Both of them were cavalry officers and created the current world-renowned "Tianqi Army". They are experienced in cavalry training and are now also training cavalry.

Zhu Cilang looked around the cavalry training ground and said calmly:

"Cavalry is the king of war, and training must be rigorous. Only rigorously trained cavalry can unleash their greatest power on the battlefield, launching surprise attacks before the enemy can react, disrupting their formation, and swiftly pursuing the enemy as they retreat, leaving them with nowhere to escape."

"Your Majesty is absolutely right. In the future Northern Expedition, the role of cavalry on the battlefield cannot be underestimated. Their mobility and surprise attack capabilities far exceed those of infantry, which means they can often determine the outcome of a battle." Chang Denggui immediately responded.

"But forming a cavalry army is not easy. Time is pressing. As for the new recruits needed for the Heavenly Cavalry's subsequent expansion, I intend to select some elite soldiers from the Beijing Camp, the Loyal Camp, the Left Town, and other units."

Chang Denggui immediately nodded in agreement:

"Your Majesty is wise. This will greatly accelerate the formation of the Heavenly Cavalry Army. Cavalry training encompasses a wide range of subjects, focusing not only on riding skills but also on tactics. Only by mastering various tactics can one be able to adapt to changing circumstances on the battlefield and maximize combat effectiveness. Veterans are the perfect fit for this."

After hearing this, Lin Changfeng immediately added, "Cavalry training must be combined with actual battlefield conditions. It's best for new recruits to go through a real battlefield so they can quickly improve their combat effectiveness. These are things new recruits can't meet.

Following Your Majesty's instructions, I have now arranged regular exercises for the Heavenly Cavalry. These exercises allow the cavalry to familiarize themselves with the battlefield through these near-actual combat scenarios and practice various tactics during these exercises, so that they can respond flexibly in future battles."

They all knew that the advantage of cavalry lay not only in its speed, but also in its flexibility and deterrence, and these required "actual combat" exercises like hunting to be truly improved.

You know, on the vast plains of North China, it would not be easy for the Ming army's cavalry formation to perform. It might even be impossible to have any chance after a great battle.

In other words, in order to adapt to future battlefields, Zhu Cilang, Chang Denggui, Lin Changfeng and the generals under their command all accelerated their "make-up lessons" to make up for the gap in combat power with the Eight Banners in field battles.

After Lin Changfeng finished speaking, he frowned and then said worriedly:

"Your Majesty, cavalry is indeed a powerful weapon on the battlefield, but with our current cavalry strength, if we cannot fully utilize the power of the cavalry formation, I am afraid it will be difficult to fight the main force of the Qing army's Eight Banners on the plains."

Zhu Cilang nodded after hearing this. He understood Lin Changfeng's concerns, then turned to look at the two of them and said:
"Chang Qing, Lin Qing, the horse farms in Nanjing and Changsha have already accumulated 30,000 high-quality war horses. I intend to add another army-level cavalry unit to the organization of the central army in front of the palace. What do you think?"

Chang Denggui was overjoyed when he heard this, but after a moment of contemplation, he slowly spoke:

"If my army could have two fully-organized cavalry units, we would be able to attack and defend with ease. Your Majesty is truly far-sighted!"

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, having already made up his mind. He looked at the cavalrymen on the grassland and said slowly:
"If we launch a full-scale northern expedition, we won't be able to retreat to the city walls and rely on them to defend against the Qing cavalry as we have in the past. Before launching a full-scale northern expedition, I intend to add cavalry battalions to the Beijing Camp, the Loyal Camp, the Left Town Camp, and other units to ensure that there are sufficient cavalry forces on the battlefields everywhere."

When these words were spoken, all the civil and military officials, including Li Guo, could not help but show surprise on their faces. Although this was just Zhu Cilang's idea, the young emperor always did what he said.

However, adding cavalry to the central army in front of the palace is already a big deal. The smuggled war horses purchased from the southwest, Nanyang, and Liaohai in the past two years may not be enough. If the same is added to other armies, it may be impossible to achieve it with the current national strength of the Ming Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, the training and maintenance of cavalry is extremely costly. Not only do we need a large number of war horses, but the soldiers also need sophisticated equipment. Your Majesty, have you made any arrangements?"

Lin Changfeng asked a question, worried that Zhu Cilang might misunderstand him. He paused and then quickly explained:

"I am concerned that cavalry's combat terrain requirements are too high. While cavalry's advantages can be fully utilized on plains, their mobility and impact are greatly reduced in complex terrain such as mountains and river valleys."

He naturally knew that with the further expansion of the Palace Army, especially as the war situation changed, the Celestial Cavalry Army would not be able to dominate forever. However, the sheer volume of warhorses and equipment required by cavalry made their cost-effectiveness quite low. Furthermore, the Palace Army's tactics of using infantry to control cavalry were becoming increasingly sophisticated, so a full-scale expansion of the cavalry was no longer so urgent.

However, because Lin Changfeng is the commander-in-chief of the Tianqi Army, he has a special status and vested interests, so he is very worried that he will be misunderstood by Zhu Cilang.

Chang Denggui listened to Lin Changfeng's advice and secretly admired him. He not only understood the importance of cavalry, but also fully considered the battlefield environment and military logistics supply issues in various places. He then bowed and said:

"General Lin is absolutely right. The formation and training of a cavalry unit takes quite a long time. Armor and food are easy to come by, but obtaining war horses is probably much more difficult."

When Lin Changfeng heard Chang Denggui's words of support for him, he was delighted and said:

"If we want to obtain the war horses needed to train tens of thousands of cavalrymen in addition to the central army, I'm afraid it will only be possible after we recapture Shaanxi and Gansu."

Afterwards, Li Guo, Zhang Huangyan, Wu Jinxi and other civil and military ministers who accompanied the emperor also came forward to give advice and remonstrations, fearing that Zhu Cilang would become too ambitious and blindly arrogant.

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly after hearing this. He had witnessed the loyalty and ability of these ministers over the past two years. Now, looking at the ministers in front of him who dared to speak out and advise, he felt quite relieved.

He knew that what they said was true, but this was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. He was just waiting for Gao Yigong to recruit the remaining troops of the Western Army in Chongqing, and then he would immediately launch a small-scale Northern Expedition to expand his cavalry.

"My dear ministers, rest assured, I do not intend to accomplish this all at once. Adding cavalry battalions to the various armies will only be possible after we have recovered Shaanxi and Gansu and can acquire large quantities of war horses from the northwest. I am well aware of this."

Chang Denggui immediately guessed what Zhu Cilang meant when he heard this. He had been with Zhu Cilang for a long time and was very familiar with the young emperor's thoughts. He was second only to Chen Fu in the army, so he couldn't help but ask:
"Your Majesty, are you waiting for Sun Kewang and Li Dingguo, the remaining members of the Western Army, to accept the offer of surrender?"

Zhu Cilang nodded, took a deep breath and said:
"If the remaining troops of the Western Army accept the offer, I can launch a new offensive in northern Sichuan and southern Henan six months later. However, whether these two people truly accept the offer is still unknown, so I dare not take it lightly at this time."

Du Yinxi had already arrived in Chongqing and even started negotiations to recruit the Qing people, but he had to turn back halfway because of the news of the Qing court's peace talks. In the end, only Gao Yigong negotiated with the four brothers Sun Kewang, Li Dingguo, Liu Wenxiu, and Ai Nengqi in Chongqing.

However, Chongqing and Yuezhou are separated by long distances and mountains. Even if one gallops at full speed for 800 miles, it will still take nearly ten days for a horse to make a round trip. Zhu Cilang had not yet received any accurate news from Gao Yigong.

However, Li Guo, the leader of the remaining Shun army, was full of confidence. He immediately said:

"Your Majesty, do not worry. Although these four men have not yet formally accepted the offer, their true intentions are clear. I believe that with Your Majesty's power, you will be able to bring them back to their will."

Besides, Li Guo didn't take these four nephews or nephews seriously at all. The Shun army, with more than hundreds of thousands of troops in the east and west, failed to make any waves and finally accepted the amnesty. The four adopted sons of Zhang Xianzhong, including their families, were only a few tens of thousands of defeated soldiers. What could they do?
Of course, it was also because of Zhu Cilang's trust in him that he saw a different side of the Ming Dynasty and developed a sense of belonging to the Ming Dynasty. Under such a practical policy of appeasement, he did not think that Sun Kewang, Li Dingguo and others would have any reason not to accept it.

"That being said, Sun Kewang, Li Dingguo, and the others are so hesitant, they must have ulterior motives. Even if this attempt to pacify them is ultimately successful, we must guard against their reversals. I believe that General Gao should dispatch capable personnel to closely monitor their movements."

As the negotiations dragged on, different voices gradually emerged in the court regarding Zhu Cilang's decision to pacify the remaining Western Army troops. Fortunately, Zhu Cilang's prestige was high enough that such weak voices were not enough to change anything.

He naturally knew this and nodded.
"Lin Qing is right. I have a plan. I intend to dispatch elite troops from the Palace Army and the Heavenly Cavalry Army to southern Sichuan to strengthen control over the area. At the same time, the defense of Jingzhou must be strengthened to ensure that the remaining Western Army troops relocated to Huguang do not dare to harbor disloyalty."

After hearing this, Chang Denggui became more certain of Zhu Cilang's intention and asked:

"Your Majesty originally wanted to station the remaining Western Army in Sichuan and Huguang, hoping to confuse the Qing army by making a feint to the east and attacking in the west. But if we concentrate most of our forces in southern Sichuan and Jingzhou, the defense of other fronts will definitely be affected, and the Qing army will probably notice it!"

Zhu Cilang smiled slightly and said confidently:
"Don't worry, Mr. Chang. I have considered everything carefully. This recruitment is actually a preparation for the future Northern Expedition of the Ming Dynasty. Southern Sichuan and Jingzhou are both strategic locations, and the Qing army needs to take care of both. If we can secure these two places, our rear base for the Northern Expedition will be as stable as Mount Tai."

"Your Majesty is wise. If we can stabilize southern Sichuan, we can march north from here, enter Shaanxi, seize Shaanxi and Gansu, obtain horse-producing land, and provide sufficient war horses for the subsequent northern expedition from Huguang and Jiangnan." Upon hearing this, Lin Changfeng immediately understood what Zhu Cilang meant and was filled with admiration.

Zhu Cilang smiled and nodded, saying, "That's right. Once southern Sichuan and Jingzhou are stabilized, I can mobilize troops and advance on two fronts. The Qing army will find it difficult to defend the entire front. Then, we can make a feint to the east and attack the west, and seize Shaanxi and Gansu without any problem.

This area connects to the outer reaches of the Great Wall. There are many Mongolian tribes in the west and north, and they are rich in war horses. If we can control them, we can greatly enhance our cavalry strength."

(End of this chapter)