Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 70 A Brand New Army
As all training basically stopped, the day for the army to set out quietly arrived. The Tianwu Left Camp, stationed in the "Xinpukou Camp" and selected by Zhu Cilang as the vanguard of the northern expedition army, was the first to take action.

Inside the military camp, countless soldiers were packing their bags in an orderly manner, and the military law soldiers were ready to inspect each barracks one by one.

After half a year of training that was far more intense than that of the border troops, these soldiers have now mastered most of the combat skills required by military manuals, and they look like they have been reborn.

However, the Palace Army had not yet experienced full mobilization and actual combat tests. Zhu Cilang had no idea how they would perform if they really encountered the Eight Banners Army on the battlefield.

All he can do now is to ensure that the soldiers in each battalion are fully equipped with weapons and armor, and at the same time try his best to ensure that the army has sufficient supply of food and fodder.

Li Banghua and Gao Hongtu worked together. During the past six months, they not only emptied the arsenal of Nanzhili, but also transported and purchased a large amount of iron materials, armor and firearms from Zhejiang and Guangdong.

After getting back on track in the last three months, the Yingtian Weapon Bureau has been working at full capacity, producing all kinds of weapons and equipment needed for combat for the army day and night.

At this time, the soldiers of Tianwu Left Camp were fully armed from head to toe. In addition to a main weapon, each person was equipped with at least two auxiliary weapons.

Among them, auxiliary weapons are mainly waist knives, short-handled axes, iron-bone swords, daggers, etc. These weapons can play an unexpected role in special combat situations or close combat as long as the combat skills are correct. Among them, short-handled axes and iron-bone swords can cause huge damage to armored soldiers.

In addition, tents, mats, heavy armor and other equipment all needed to be carried onto ships and transported by conscripted laborers and mules and horses on the way north. The soldiers' physical strength needed to be conserved during the march and used in the battle.

Zhao Zhengdong checked his bag and confirmed that it was correct. Then he went to the barracks where his soldiers lived to inspect and urge the soldiers inside to speed up:

"Don't dawdle any more, hurry up and do what's best for me. If anyone is late and gets spanked by those damn military judges and has their monthly salary docked, don't come to me to beg for mercy.

After finishing up, everyone is waiting in the barracks. The Military Court will soon send someone to inspect. After counting the personnel, they will report to the captain. After lunch tomorrow, the army will immediately set out.

The soldiers in the room shouted "Yes" in unison, and then continued to organize their belongings with their heads down. Countless times of beatings with military sticks and corporal punishments had made abiding by military discipline a part of their subconscious.

After Chen Tao saw Zhao Zhengdong walk out of the barracks, he turned to look at Gu Defu and said softly, "Brother Fu, help me check if my things are all there."

Last time, during the army's surprise attack drill, he was careless and dropped a coconut shell in the barracks. In the end, he was beaten with thirty military sticks and had two cents of his monthly salary deducted.

This time, he would never dare to be careless again. After packing his luggage, he checked it twice and still felt uneasy. Finally, after thinking about it, he asked Gu Defu for help and wanted him to help him.

However, although Gudefu was fast in sword and gun training, he was very slow when it came to packing up his things and packing his luggage. He still hadn't packed his things.

"Don't try to hurt me, kid. Check it yourself. I won't be able to finish it in a while." Gu Defu didn't even raise his head as he continued to nervously pack his bag and count his equipment.

Chen Tao looked at the other party's anxious expression and sighed in his heart. It seemed that he could not rely on this good brother now.

However, Gudefu performed very well in his training. He was good at using not only the spear but also various weapons. The two of them were in the same flag team, so after going to the battlefield, he still had to stay by his side.

Thinking of this, Chen Tao turned his head and looked at the swordsman Sun Da who was standing beside him. The other party had already prepared himself, but before he could speak, Sun Da smiled and asked in a low voice:

"Chen Tao, can you help me check if I have everything I need?"

Chen Tao listened, his eyes turned, and then he quickly responded: "Okay"

He immediately compared the luggage he had packed with his own and helped Sun Da count them one by one. He didn't feel relieved until he was sure that the quantity and style of the equipment on both of them were exactly the same.

One of them is a fire soldier and the other is a sword and shield soldier. Although their main weapons are different, the armor they wear is light and flexible chain mail, and most of their other equipment is almost the same.

Chen Tao's main weapon is an iron-tipped shoulder pole, both ends of which are made of the highest quality Fujian iron. The sharp part can even break through iron armor. His auxiliary weapon is a Qi knife weighing one jin and ten liang, three feet and two inches long, which is extremely sharp. He also has a dagger inserted into his waist.

On his head was an iron helmet with a neck guard, and on his body was a chain mail. When going into battle, he would also wear a cotton armor inside. Double armor was the standard configuration for going into battle.

Soon, the bugle sounded, and six teams of military soldiers immediately entered the barracks from different directions to check. This time, there were no wailing sounds coming from the barracks of Tianwu Left Camp like the previous times.

After all, the Tianwu Left Camp army had previously had several experiences in large-scale military assembly and march exercises, and countless soldiers had been severely punished for various reasons.

This time, none of the more than 2,000 soldiers in the entire battalion made these simple mistakes. They were all uniformly dressed, presenting an unprecedented, brand-new appearance, awaiting the military judges' inspection. After inspecting the barracks and before leaving, the military judges announced that the army would organize a group to write suicide notes for all illiterate soldiers that night, and that the flag commander of each flag group would be responsible for organizing and collecting them.

"I heard that if we die in battle, we can get fifty taels of silver as compensation?"

As soon as the military judges left, Chen Tao turned around and asked Gu Defu impatiently. He didn't quite believe that his life was worth so much money, but he hoped it was true.

"You have neither a wife nor children, so who are you going to give this money to?" Gu Defu snorted coldly, then looked at Hu Laoqi who was cleaning his gun at the time.

After hearing this, Chen Tao followed Gu Defu's gaze and looked over. The strong back of Hu Laoqi appeared in his eyes.

He knew Hu Laoqi. This guy was not a boat tracker, but a native of Yanzhou Prefecture, Shandong Province, who had followed the boat trackers south to Huai'an. He used to be a hunter. It was said that all his family of more than 30 people were killed by the Tartars who entered the Great Wall two years ago, leaving only him and a thirteen-year-old son.

Now, his son has been sent to the village fort west of the military camp and is learning to read in school. He has food and drink every day and does not have to worry about anything.

According to the instructor, if someone like Hu Laoqi died on the battlefield, his son would not only receive a pension of fifty taels of silver, but the court would also raise him until he was sixteen years old, and the land originally allocated to the family would not be taken back.

If they did not die in battle, but only had broken limbs or were seriously injured, they would receive a compensation of 20 taels of silver, and their family land would be cultivated by other people in the village or by recruited refugees.

It is said that if one makes a contribution, one can get a sinecure job managing a garrison, which is safe and can also receive a monthly salary.

However, when they heard the news, they felt relieved and knew that they had to defeat the Tatars even if they died in battle.

Otherwise, not only would their wives and children in the rear not receive any compensation, they might also be killed by the Tartars or taken as slaves. This further strengthened the determination of those soldiers of the Palace Army who had families to fight to the death.

"Brother Fu, how many Tartars do you think this big fool can kill? Looking at his dull appearance at ordinary times, all he does all day is clean his gun. Don't let him act like this on the battlefield, or he will be killed by the Tartar with one knife." Chen Tao retracted his gaze and muttered softly.

"Damn it, what are you saying?" Gu Defu couldn't stand what Chen Tao said and gave him a fierce look. He really admired Hu Laoqi in his heart.

Seeing this, Chen Tao was worried that Gu Defu would yell and be heard by Hu Laoqi, so he immediately pulled Gu Defu aside with an awkward smile and whispered:
"Brother Fu, I don't mean to curse him, I'm just worried!"

Gu Defa looked at him with a look of disgust and said, "The Tartars are not invulnerable to weapons, nor do they eat people. What are you worried about, you coward?"

"I" Chen Tao was left speechless.

He was indeed a bit timid, and often complained privately about the hard training. Ever since he heard that he was going to march north, he had been very nervous, fearing that he would be killed by the Tartars.

"I'm just worried about what would happen if I really died, and what would happen to the fifty taels of silver."

"Damn it, who's saying these depressing words?" Zhao Zhengdong just walked in when he heard Chen Tao's voice, but he didn't drag him out, just shouted:
"A Tartar's head is worth ten taels of silver. If you have the ability, go and earn the reward. What kind of man are you if you only think about the fifty taels of silver for compensation all day long?

We have been training for so long, not to be killed by the Tartars, but to kill the Tartars. If you really feel that you have suffered a loss, why not cut off a few more Tartar heads this time and come back to marry two wives? Are you still worried about not being able to have a son? "

For a moment, the barracks was silent, and everyone's eyes turned to Zhao Zhengdong. Only Hu Laoqi was still wiping the gun in his hand.

Zhao Zhengdong glanced around fiercely. Most of these soldiers, who were originally boatmen, were bachelors. Even if they died in battle, they would not receive any pension, so the morale of the army was not stable.

Even when preparing to write a suicide note, they were not very proactive because they didn't know who to leave it to.

"Alright, stop daydreaming here. Think carefully about your ancestral home and the names of your ancestors. You'll need them when you write your suicide note tonight. If anyone is really that unlucky, when the Central Plains is recovered, the court will arrange for someone to help you return to your roots."

After Zhao Zhengdong finished his instructions, he glanced at the people who were frowning, and then said:
"Also, there's one more thing. Chief Instructor Zhang will be inspecting the camp tomorrow. He said His Majesty has something to say to us, and he'll be delivering it on his behalf!"

　Thanks to the book friends "Book Friends 20210301106456987798", "Yueken Road Dazhuang", "

　　Ah, little lady, don’t run away” reward.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)