The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 217 Confidence
Spring River Plumbing Duck Prophet.

Upon returning to the border region, the atmosphere in Datong and even Yanmen Pass was quite different. People in the countryside were busy repairing and inspecting their own fortified villages, reinforcing the areas that needed to be reinforced, and stockpiling food and supplies.

It's completely different from the Gyeonggi region; nothing has changed there. As for the more distant inland areas, they probably have no idea.

After returning to Yanmen Pass, Wang Xin took stock of the various armies.

Because arquebuses and breech-loading cannons could not be manufactured domestically and they needed to wait for news from Xue Yan, the number of arquebusiers and artillerymen remained at 500 and 120 respectively, without any increase.

The number of archers has increased, tripling from one hundred to three hundred. Then there are the cavalry, who currently number nearly three hundred, most of whom can maintain two horses each.

The infantry numbered less than 1,300, and was mainly composed of chariot soldiers. The ratio of infantry to other branches of service was one to one, and the number of pure infantry was even smaller, accounting for only 10% to 20% of the entire army.

The cavalry commanders were mainly Zhang Can and Ma Fan; the artillery commanders were mainly Tang Ping; the archer commanders were mainly Li Wu; the chariot commanders were mainly Zhao Yong; and the infantry commanders were mainly Liu Tong and Zhao Sheng.

The infantry of the Hexi Camp are different from the infantry outside. Not only is their proportion extremely low, but they are also the elite of the elite. They were carefully selected by Liu Tong and, in accordance with the tactical spirit of the Mandarin Duck Formation, they are an important force for the entire Chariot Camp to prevent leaks and fill gaps.

Without mobilizing the garrison troops from various regions, the Hexi Camp assembled at Yanmen Pass a few days later.

Flags of all colors and shapes were scattered all around, and each unit stood ready and motionless beneath them.

Although it's hot in the summer, soldiers are willing to wear armor on the battlefield to save their lives. Now that it's a training exercise, they are wearing it on the drill ground, but not on ordinary days.

After being away for more than a month, Wang Xin observed the morale of each department and wondered if they had strictly followed his orders during his absence. Now was the time to test their results.

The generals dared not raise their voices, knowing that the general was testing them. Although they were confident, they were still uneasy and worried that something unexpected might happen.

Wang Xin first arrived at the archer camp, and Li Wu followed closely behind.

Three hundred archers carried bows and arrows and quivers, with swords at their waists and cotton armor on their bodies. While cotton armor offered less protection than iron armor, it was lightweight and more suitable for technical troops.

Archery is not only a technical job, but also a physically demanding one, so archers are well-fed.

Each face was full and spirited as they looked at the general. Wang Xin nodded in satisfaction. This was what soldiers should be called. They weren't soldiers who were given a wooden stick and starved to the bone.

Wang Xin praised, "Not bad."

The archers were the first to receive the general's approval, and they were proud of themselves. In order to get used to the bow and arrow as soon as possible, they had been practicing day and night for more than a month. Fortunately, they had captured a lot of bows and arrows, so they did not have to worry about the lifespan of the bows and arrows.

"It's a pity that most of them are short bows; we'll have to practice with longbows later," Li Wu said with regret.

Of the three hundred archers, only one hundred carried longbows, while the rest carried shortbows.

The production time for bows and arrows was longer than that for muskets. Because a lot of bows and arrows were captured outside the pass, the number of archers could be expanded. However, the bows and arrows of the Hu cavalry were relatively soft and short, making them convenient to use on horseback, but their range was not as good as that of longbows.

“It’s better to train than to have nothing,” Wang Xin said with a smile. “At least we can draw our bows and shoot arrows at the enemy, instead of standing still with weapons in hand, helpless against enemies in the distance.”

Li Wu shook his head and said, "I've only been practicing for a month or so, I'm still a long way from being qualified."

Although the Hexi Camp has always offered good treatment and the soldiers are well-trained, and the best are selected from among them, becoming a qualified archer is not something that can be done in a short time; it requires at least six months of training.

Hearing the conversation between the general and Li Wu, Zheng Hao, who was standing nearby, was speechless and tried his best to hold back his laughter.

Generally speaking, it's the subordinates who lavish praise on themselves; there's no one like Li Wu.

Wang Xin was quite satisfied with Li Wu, not because Li Wu was flattering him and taking the initiative to play the good cop so that he could play the bad cop and make the soldiers like him, but because Li Wu genuinely felt that his subordinates had many shortcomings.

It's important to understand that archers are a technical unit. Even if the emperor makes promises and offers various incentives, the facts remain the same and cannot be changed. It's impossible to train a qualified archer unit in just over a month.

The problem isn't too big for the chariot troops, nor is it too big for the infantry.

As for artillery and musketeers, Wang Xin had no better options and could only wait, placing his hopes on the Xue family.

The original plan was for 3,000 men, but in reality, it was only 2,500. There were too many limitations. Wang Xin did not want ordinary infantry, and the cost of maintaining troops was very high, so rapid expansion was not possible.

The sun is getting bigger and bigger, and the temperature is getting higher and higher.

Wang Xin inspected the various departments, which took less than half an hour in total, and quickly ordered them to be dismissed.

"How is the morale of the garrison at the West Gate?" Wang Xin asked Fang Hua with a smile.

Fang Hua is the garrison commander of the west gate of Yanmen Pass. He is not under my control, but he is at my command, just like my relationship with Feng Yong in the past.

Feng Yong couldn't control himself, but he managed to control the generals at Yanmen Pass and even promoted a group of them. Fang Hua was one of them, and also the one he valued most, so he entrusted the important West Gate to him.

“Since the general took office, he has not only not withheld subsidies, but has also paid them on time. The soldiers below are all very satisfied and speak highly of the general,” Fang Hua replied respectfully, a smile involuntarily appearing on his face. “That’s good,” Wang Xin said with a smile.

The military system of Yanmen Pass was divided into two parts: the mobile force of the Hexi Camp and the local garrison, mainly composed of local militia. The Hexi Camp was personally led by Wang Xin, and the local garrison also obeyed Wang Xin, but logistics were controlled locally and were also influenced by local officials and wealthy families.

Leaving aside the Hexi Camp, Wang Xin believed that the defending army's methods had both advantages and disadvantages.

There are indeed many drawbacks, but the advantage is that it's cheap.

The local government provided over 1,500 garrison troops, costing only about 1,000 taels of silver per month. Moreover, even if they didn't serve in the military, they had to participate in civilian labor or drills in the county town during their free time, and they even received subsidies for military service.

After deducting rations, the monthly military pay was only a few coins. For these local people serving in the army, as long as there was no war and the allowance was paid on time, they didn't resist it. They rarely had any extra income on weekdays, but they could still find time to go home and help out when they were busy, so it didn't affect their income from the fields.

However, those who live near mountains live off the mountains and those who live near water live off the water. The garrison at Yanmen Pass was also exploited.

Although it was only a thousand or so taels of silver, it was considered a fortune by the officers below, so the militiamen suffered greatly and were unwilling to serve. Most of them deserted after arriving.

The local commanders were happy for these people to escape back, as it would be easier for them to receive salaries without working. The only drawback was that if the Hu people really broke through, even if the passes in various places had the advantage of terrain and could have blocked the Hu people, the lack of guards or the failure of the guards at the forts along the way to warn the rear would have allowed the Hu people to easily break through.

It would have only taken a thousand taels of silver to make the defense system of Yanmen Pass function, but because that thousand taels of silver was embezzled, other places suffered even greater disasters.

It seems unbelievable, but Wang Xin is not surprised at all. There are countless examples of people who have caused great disasters by being greedy for small amounts of money.

"General, may I join the Hexi Camp?" Fang Hua couldn't help but ask.

"why?"

"Following the general makes it easier to get promoted," Fang Hua said sincerely.

"Haha." Wang Xin couldn't help but laugh, patting Fang Hua on the shoulder, "Do a good job, you'll have your chance."

What are elite troops used for?
Used to deal with powerful enemies.

The Hexi Camp had only 2,500 men and had been formed for less than two years, yet its expenses were enough to support the 1,500 garrison troops at Yanmen Pass for 20 years. This is why elite troops are not maintained in peacetime.

Moreover, the mainland has enjoyed a century of peace and prosperity. What does a century even mean?
Wang Xin was very clear about his path.

Protect our homeland and defend our country.

When people need me most, I will step forward without hesitation and live up to their expectations; when people don't need me most, it means they really don't need me, so of course I'll just be a lowly general in times of peace.

If they don't need me, then let alone using civilian means to control the military, I would not hesitate to retire from the army and return to my hometown.

Focus on your work, but also keep an eye on the bigger picture. Only then can you be readily available and effective when needed, and remain steadfast and content when not in a position to pursue your goals.

My path remains unchanged; I am true to the people and to myself.

After seeing Fang Hua off, Wang Xin summoned Zhao Yong and Tang Ping.

"I trust Zhao Yong."

"I trust Tang Ping."

"I trust both of you. Don't cause any more trouble. If it affects the Hexi Camp, I will punish you both."

Wang Xin smiled, looking at the two of them with a smile, but his tone left no room for doubt.

The two men's faces were stiff. If they weren't generals, neither of them would have given in first. But now they dared not hold a grudge and could only grit their teeth and bow, giving each other a way out. With this face-saving gesture, the atmosphere between them eased considerably.

“I’m going to Datong tomorrow to meet Zhang Wenjin.” Wang Xin looked at Zhao Yong and said, “I’ve already instructed Zheng Hao to help me make an appointment with those bigwigs in Daizhou. I need to discuss things with them when I return from Datong.”

Zhao Yong quickly reminded him, "Zhang Wenjin is the kind of person who won't act until he sees a benefit. If you don't offer something in return, General, I'm afraid he won't give in."

"He has no choice now."

Wang Xin sneered: "When there are no enemies, he can do whatever he wants. Whether it's merit or demerit, they can decide. But battle reports can lie, but the front line can't lie. When there are enemies, whether it's merit or demerit, the enemy won't listen to them."

He shifted all the blame onto himself and Feng Yong. Now, Zhang Wenjin said he would be responsible for quelling the chaos. Did he think he was Wang Huazhen?
Even if he were Wang Huazhen, he would still have to yield to these generals who were in charge of fighting the war.

I used to tolerate him not because he was a civil official, but because he had no enemies. But now that enemies have appeared under his rule, I have to be tougher on him.

(End of this chapter)