Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

In this era, a single military branch can no longer adapt to the complex and ever-changing battlefield landscape. Swords, bows, and crossbows alone are no longer sufficient to confront the siege of powerful enemies. Only a rational combination of military branches, fostering complementary forces, can ensure absolute superiority on the battlefield. Therefore, Zhu Cilang so resolutely ordered the General Staff to optimize the military's organization to meet the needs of future wars.

He knew full well that the Ming army must strengthen its use of firearms, building an elite corps centered around the Mandarin Duck Formation, and integrating lances, muskets, and four-pound cannons into a coordinated combat system. Li Xiaolin's troops also needed to make these adjustments in order to better prepare for the upcoming battle.

Zhu Cilang turned slightly, his eyes fell on Zhang Huangyan, and asked in a calm but sharp tone:

"Zhang Huangyan, besides following the old drill methods, have these troops also added new training methods from the General Staff? I just observed that the army's movements and attacks seem to be more agile than before, and the formation changes are more fluid. The speed has increased significantly, but the soldiers haven't been thrown off balance. Is this due to years of training, or is there some innovation in the drill methods?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huangyan immediately clasped his hands and replied respectfully:

"Your Majesty, it's a bit of both, but the main reason is the improvement of training methods. During this period, the General Staff has widely solicited opinions from officers at all levels, combining their actual combat experience to systematically optimize the training system. This is especially true for mid- and lower-level officers like flag captains, centurions, and battalion commanders. They have been among the soldiers for a long time and are well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the soldiers. Therefore, they have put forward many extremely practical suggestions. Some of these adjustments have even refreshed their subordinates, which shows that these officers have a keen insight into the battlefield situation."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang's face showed a trace of relief, and he slowly said, "Hahaha, it seems that their suggestions have given you a sense of sudden enlightenment. Over the years, I have been thinking about how to continuously improve the combat effectiveness of the army without being constrained by inherent thinking.

Facts have proven that the most direct approach is to fully mobilize the enthusiasm of these grassroots officers and have them actively participate in training reforms. The military hierarchy is strict, and while I hold a high position in the government, I am ultimately far removed from the soldiers. If I don't listen to the voices of those closest to the battlefield, many tactical adjustments will easily become mere paper, or even become mere wishful thinking.

He paused slightly, looked around, and continued:
"Of course, in terms of military proficiency, most of them can hardly be compared to you, far from it. If even you can't come up with a tactic, they certainly can't figure it out on their own. However, they train and fight alongside the soldiers every day, making them most sensitive to changes in grassroots combat power. Because of this, their opinions can often provide you with inspiration, making your thinking more in line with actual combat conditions. If you could use this opportunity to discover a few exceptionally talented generals, that would be a pleasant surprise."

Zhang Huangyan deeply agreed with this statement and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise! I have also considered that throughout history, famous generals have often emerged not simply because of their family background or mentorship, but rather through the tempering of battle. If we can open up channels for communication and integrate the experience and wisdom of officers at all levels, we will surely make our army even stronger!"

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the soldiers on the drill field. Ahead, the drill continued: formations, changes of formation, charges. Every command was executed with ease, demonstrating a highly mature military character.

"Very good." Zhu Cilang's tone revealed an unquestionable determination: "A strong army is not achieved overnight, nor can it be achieved by my own efforts alone. From now on, the General Staff must continue to implement this method, absorb battlefield experience, and constantly improve training methods. Once the army is truly integrated and formed, no enemy in the world will be a threat!"

Under the leadership of Zhu Cilang, the Ming army is implementing a comprehensive military reform aimed at mobilizing the initiative of officers at all levels and tapping into the army's hidden talent. From flag captains to captains, every officer is required to regularly summarize their findings on drills, tactics, and military management, and submit them in written form to the battalion commander.

Thus, the Ming army's "literacy classes" came into being, initially promoted among the officer class. This mechanism not only encouraged soldiers to learn literacy but also served as a subtle form of identification and incentive. The acceptance of reports, as well as the corresponding reward and promotion standards, were publicly posted within the army to prevent favoritism and ensure fairness and transparency.

This invisibly placed pressure on all officers—if they couldn't read, they struggled to complete reports. Failure to submit reports on time not only affected their promotion, but even impressive battlefield achievements couldn't compensate for this shortcoming. The military emphasized the importance of strict adherence to orders; once a command was issued, it must be unconditionally followed. Even if they felt reluctant, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and adapt.

Zhang Huangyan stood aside and listened to the emperor's views on reform. After a moment's silence, he clasped his fists respectfully and said:

"Your Majesty, you are absolutely right. These regular reporting systems are already showing initial success. With the help of summaries from officers at all levels, I now have a more comprehensive understanding of the military situation. Furthermore, most of the new drill methods are collected and compiled by battalion officers at the grassroots level, then reported to me. They are then reviewed and revised by the General Staff before being implemented throughout the army. More importantly, this system has indeed unearthed many talented individuals within the army. If carefully nurtured, they will surely be entrusted with important tasks in the future."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly upon hearing this and slowly said, "Very good. The General Staff should quickly finalize a set of clear rules regarding the rewards and promotion standards for these reports. In the future, this will not only be another path to promotion besides military merit, but also an important means of selecting talented generals and cultivating pillars of government."

He paused, looked around at the generals, and said in a more serious tone:
"Don't underestimate the promotion of literacy classes, nor should you underestimate this channel for officers to offer suggestions. I am implementing this system precisely because it concerns the future of our Ming army and even determines whether we can defeat all enemies in the future! Talent is the key to victory in war. Generals of a great army must not only fight bravely on the battlefield, but also contribute their wisdom after the battle, propose valuable tactical adjustments, promote military reform, and continuously improve combat effectiveness."

Hearing this, Zhang Huangyan and the others nodded in agreement. Zhu Cilang continued:

"In a few years, I will ensure that all officers in my army, above the rank of captain, are able to write independent reports and possess the ability to analyze enemy and our own strategies. I firmly believe that with the right system, a group of outstanding generals, renowned throughout the world, will emerge from the ranks of our army. They will no longer be reckless warriors who only know how to charge into battle, but will truly be capable of controlling the course of battle and strategizing."

As Zhu Cilang finished speaking, Liu Shijie hurried forward, clasped his fists, and respectfully declared, "Your Majesty possesses foresight and consistently formulates groundbreaking strategies. You are truly the destined ruler of the Ming Dynasty! Now, under your command, the army is becoming increasingly disciplined and its combat effectiveness is growing stronger. In the future, wherever your troops point their spearheads, all enemies will vanish into thin air!" Zhu Cilang smiled faintly at Liu Shijie's words, his expression showing no sign of relaxation. He knew that while the Ming Dynasty was currently thriving in all aspects, to truly achieve its goal of sweeping across the land and restoring its territory, it still needed to proceed cautiously and steadily. This military reform was a crucial step in that process.

In the distance, the training was still going on. The spearmen, musketeers, and artillerymen had clear divisions of labor. Following the general's order, each unit quickly changed formations. Their tactics were skillful and smooth, and they seemed to have the prototype of a modern army.

Zhu Cilang stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze deep before him, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind. Ultimately, wars are fought by men. As long as the army continues to produce outstanding generals, the Ming Dynasty will remain invincible on future battlefields. And the system he's implementing today may be the key to his future conquests and the restoration of Ming glory!

Liu Shijie and Gao Jie were in charge of training the new Long Pike Square Formation, designed to integrate Long Pike, Musketeer, and Artillery units into a tactical system that would advance step by step, combining both offensive and defensive capabilities. However, there was always a gap between theory and practice, especially since many generals, accustomed to traditional formations, might not adapt quickly to the new system.

Therefore, Zhu Cilang slowly asked, "Liu Shijie, Gao Jie, how is your spear formation training going? Did you encounter any difficulties during training?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Shijie took the lead, clasping his fists and speaking loudly, "Your Majesty, the spear formation may seem simple, but in reality, it involves many key aspects, such as infantry coordination, firepower coverage, and battle formation operation. On the surface, the military forces are limited to three types: spears, muskets, and artillery, and the formation is not as complex as the Mandarin Duck Formation. However, to truly meet Your Majesty's requirements, practicing is far more difficult than imagined. I did encounter many difficulties at the beginning..."

At this point, he paused, his lips curled up slightly, and his tone became much more confident. "But since Your Majesty formulated an overall strategy for the army, all soldiers have been greatly encouraged and have become more rigorous and diligent during training. I am well aware of the importance of military orders. On a daily basis, I have devoted my utmost to implementing Your Majesty's will, widely listening to the opinions of officers at all levels, allowing them to brainstorm and jointly improve training methods.

Today, the difficulties that plagued us have been overcome one by one. To ensure that the results of the training are not forgotten, I have ordered the officers of each battalion to compile the lessons learned from the training and the adjustment methods into a book. After the General Staff reviews and revises it, it will be promoted throughout the army.

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly upon hearing this, then said, "Oh? Tell me in detail, what difficulties did you encounter? And how did you gradually resolve them?"

He spoke with a hint of relief, "I've only sketched out the concept of this formation before. After all, theory on paper is not as concrete as actual combat. I originally thought it would take many simulations and actual combat trials before it could be finalized. I didn't expect General Liu to progress so quickly."

Liu Shijie's expression was solemn as he answered loudly, "When General Gao and I first practiced this formation, we strictly followed the organization outlined by Your Majesty, using 560 men as a square formation to establish its core framework. However, during our initial practice, we discovered several thorny issues—"

He paused, glanced at the generals around him, and seeing that everyone was focused, he continued:

"First, there's the issue of coordination between the pikemen and the musketeers. Traditionally, pikemen are responsible for close combat, while musketeers provide ranged support from the rear. However, this formation requires close coordination between the two. The musketeers must quickly reload between attacks and promptly retreat into the pike formation when the enemy approaches to avoid being overwhelmed by surprise. However, during initial training, the musketeers' rhythm of retreat was not properly mastered, often leading to disorganization of the formation and even accidental casualties by the pikemen."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly. This is indeed an important question. Liu Shijie continued:
"To resolve this issue, I ordered the officers to repeatedly adjust the rhythm of their formation changes and to have the musketeers and pikemen practice in pairs to cultivate rapport. At the same time, I adopted a flag captain's suggestion and appointed 'retreat markers' for the musketeers. These would blow short whistles at appropriate times, signaling a unified retreat. This allowed the musketeers to withdraw in an orderly manner and immediately reload alongside the pikemen's defenses. Following this improvement, the musketeers' retreat became more orderly, and the formation was no longer disrupted."

Zhu Cilang was quite interested and said with a smile, "This is a very clever idea. The establishment of retreat markers is indeed a good idea. It shows that the insights of grassroots officers in training should not be underestimated."

Liu Shijie also smiled and said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. I've come to realize that many battlefield problems may be difficult for high-ranking generals to detect, but mid- and lower-level officers who have been on the front lines of training for a long time can find solutions based on their experience."

He continued, "Secondly, there's the issue of coordinating the four-pounders. Although the phalanx is equipped with artillery, the artillery must constantly reposition during the march to provide effective support. During initial training, the artillery often couldn't keep up with the infantry, resulting in gaps in firepower. For this reason, I've altered the artillery organization, moving the gun crews, which were originally scattered on either side of the formation, to the center. I've also assigned them dedicated escort teams, tasked with clearing obstacles and carrying the guns, ensuring a more stable firepower output."

Zhu Cilang's eyes flashed with appreciation as he nodded, "This is a reasonable move. The flexibility of the artillery on the battlefield determines the overall firepower output of the phalanx. This adjustment will indeed improve the mobility of the artillery."

Liu Shijie was even more excited to see His Majesty's approval. He added, "Furthermore, I've noticed that soldiers often react slowly due to nervousness during battle. Therefore, we've incorporated 'actual combat pressure training' into our training. Specifically, during simulated engagements, we'll have spearmen and musketeers deliberately speed up the enemy's charge and fire artillery at extremely close range. This will teach the soldiers to remain calm under extreme pressure, preventing them from panicking on the real battlefield."

As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding generals nodded in agreement, clearly expressing their strong approval of this training method. (End of this chapter)