The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 411 Attack and Kill
There are more tents on the grassland.

Once you leave Guihua City, you used to rarely see herders, but now you can encounter them from time to time, as if you can find herders no matter which direction you go.

With these herders around, people are less likely to get lost and can easily obtain supplies.

A thousand cavalrymen.

Two hundred horse archers, four hundred lancers, and four hundred musketeers.

Wang Xin believed that his Datong military town had the most cavalry among the nine border military towns.

There are approximately 260,000 horses in the entire area outside the Great Wall.

It supplies 40,000 to 80,000 horses to the mainland each year.

From nothing to something, in just five years, relying on its current advantages, the Datong Army has grown from no more than 3,000 cavalry to 15,000 cavalrymen. Among them, 5,000 cavalrymen can ride two horses or even three horses. The number of pack horses in the army is no less than 10,000.

If they were to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs and forcibly requisition horses from the herders, they could easily acquire 100,000 horses in one go.

But what's the point of that?

If you lose the hearts of the people, can 100,000 horses become 100,000 loyal cavalrymen?

Every year, the army needs to replenish two to three thousand horses due to injuries, disabilities, and deaths during training. If war breaks out, even more horses are needed, averaging more than three thousand horses per year. This also helps maintain the prosperity of the civilian economy, allowing the Datong army to obtain military funds through construction rather than through looting and slaughter.

This is the different path that I took compared to the Qing Dynasty.

Slaughter and plunder can indeed take away someone's life's worth of wealth in the shortest amount of time, while building and accumulating wealth is slow and easily suppressed and destroyed. However, the latter is the path to sustainable development.

The march came to a halt.

Although it was still early, the army's marching speed slowed down because of the large number of cattle and sheep they were herding.

Various materials for building the camp were transported with the army in large carts.

With the soldiers' help, the ground was leveled, and many tents were quickly erected, surrounded by simple fortifications.

"Put your heart into it."

The officer rode back and forth on horseback, giving instructions to his soldiers.

"Don't worry, boss, we'll bring it to Daning intact," a soldier said with a smile.

"Our commander knows how to do business."

Another soldier, both amused and exasperated, said helplessly, "We also have to pick up a errand from the merchant along the way; it's clearly a march."

"They're giving us money and food, what's wrong with helping them out on the way?" the officer scolded. "How has the commander treated us all? You can't be without a conscience. Besides, working for merchants to earn money is for everyone's benefit."

"What did the boss say?" the soldier complained. "I was just saying."

Before setting off from Datong, the military commander suddenly found several merchants who did business in Daning and told them that he was going to Daning and could bring them goods along the way. He also arranged for cattle and sheep to be brought to Daning.

The cattle and sheep graze along the way, and you can hear the sound of sheep milk.

As long as the losses do not exceed 10%, the sheep that are injured or die of exhaustion along the way can be used by the army. With the rewards from the merchant guild, although it cannot offset the losses of the entire army, it can make up for nearly half of the losses.

We ate flatbread and drank mutton soup for dinner.

The flatbread was tasteless, dry, and hard to swallow. It was usually the worst-tasting military ration. However, because it was easy to carry and had a long shelf life, the soldiers couldn't refuse it even though they didn't like it.

With the mutton soup tonight, even the flatbread tastes delicious.

Instead, they became a perfect match.

The soldiers enjoyed a delicious meal, and all their fatigue vanished.

They set off as usual on the second day. After seven or eight days, they approached the Xiaohuang River area. There was a Class A battalion and a Class B battalion stationed in this area, totaling 6,000 men. There were also many agricultural reclamation teams and ranch teams in the surrounding area.

I waited for two days.

Just as Wang Xin was about to lose his patience, Li E'ci finally arrived with two merchants.

Li E'ci did not bring many men; he only had a few dozen riders with him.

"Hehehe."

far away.

In their spare time, the soldiers on horseback galloped wildly in the sunlight, shouting loudly and unrestrainedly.

Li Eci instinctively stared over.

The remaining horses of the Zhou army cavalry had glossy coats, strong limbs, and swift hooves, which, together with their riders, conveyed a sense of ease and comfort.

“Zhou Jun took very good care of his horse, better than us.”

Li Eci was convinced.

They looked more like Hu people than the Hu people themselves, as if they were born on horseback.

In this year of great disaster, their tribe struggled to survive. Many horses starved to death, and most of the surviving horses were so thin they resembled skeletons, no longer comparable to the Zhou army's cavalry.

"The commander has personally come to the Yellow River. Are you a fool if you don't hurry up and show your loyalty?"

The shopkeeper was extremely disappointed in his son's lack of ambition.

He disliked war the most.

The war affected his business.

Whether they were Hu people or herdsmen, they were all his customers who needed to sell his goods. He was eager for his customers to have money in their hands and buy more of the goods he brought.

In places like Guihua City, business is booming, but competition is fierce.

Why not explore areas further along the Yellow River?

The Hu people were in dire need of goods from the Great Zhou Dynasty, and they were able to bring goods from the Great Zhou Dynasty to sell. After making money, they bought animal hides, cowhides, cow horns, and cow tendons from the Hu people and transported them back to the interior of the pass to sell for money.

Although it's a bit tough, who would turn down money?

"Manager Liu, I know what you're thinking," Li E'ci said indifferently. "The tribe doesn't want to fight anymore either."

"Why do we have to fight each other?"

Manager Liu sneered, "Living a good life is more important than anything else."

Li Eci nodded.

“If we weren’t desperate to survive, who would be willing to travel thousands of miles to fight a war? The Zhou people have a saying: ‘Kill a thousand enemies and lose eight hundred of your own.’ Moreover, we Hu people have suffered more defeats than losses, and our casualties are no less than those of the Zhou people. If there is any way to survive, no one would want to fight.”

Manager Liu didn't take it seriously.

The Hu people may seem honest and simple, but they are actually cunning. They easily trusted the other party and ended up being betrayed without even realizing it.

"Good to know." Manager Liu said calmly.

The young people of the tribe all do business with him, and many want to work in the trading company, leaving the barren and boring tribe and yearning for the exciting interior.

Nowadays, we can trade for the goods we need without fighting, and young people are unwilling to fight.

However, Manager Liu still wanted to make this happen.

One option was to report their achievements to the military governor's office and expand their influence; the other was to minimize the risks and avoid any possibility of war.

Li Eci fell silent.

Looking around at the seemingly chaotic and disorderly military camp, which was actually relaxed on the outside but tight on the inside and full of vitality, this atmosphere was different from the past, yet it had a suffocating power.

Everywhere he went, he was implying to Li Erci how disciplined this army was.

"Greetings, Commander Wang."

Li E'ci entered the main tent and, upon seeing the young face inside, took the initiative to kneel on one knee and spoke in the difficult-to-pronounce Great Zhou language.

"Please get up."

Wang Xin smiled gently.

Today is not what it used to be.

The power of the Hu people outside the Great Wall was no longer enough to cause any major disturbances.

The fact that no storms are brewing doesn't mean everything is completely alright.

Counterinsurgency operations can sometimes be more suffocating than war, and the costs can even exceed those of war, not to mention the economic damage they cause. In the current situation, Wang Xin's interests are aligned with those of the merchants on this point.

"There is no need for the Zhou people and the Hu people to fight."

Not wanting to worry about the security war doesn't mean being afraid of trouble. Wang Xin wanted Li E'la to understand this point, and he also wanted to explain the reasoning to him thoroughly.

"Everyone has black hair, black eyes, and the same skin. When Zhou people wear Hu clothing, they look like Hu people, and when Hu people wear Zhou clothing, they look like Zhou people. So what difference is there between us? It's just a difference in interests."

The shopkeeper stood respectfully to one side, nodding repeatedly upon hearing the commander's words. If everyone stopped fighting, they could continue doing business, but it also depended on the situation. Doing business hadn't been easy in the past, so the commander's words were somewhat naive.

Wang Xin then changed the subject, saying, "The Zhou people have a population a hundred times that of the Hu people. To be realistic, the Hu people must assimilate into the Zhou people. Their interests will not only not be harmed, but they will actually gain even greater benefits."

Li E'ci was somewhat displeased upon hearing this, but since he was under someone else's roof, he had no choice but to swallow his anger.

Yan Zhongzheng did not come.

He was to be stationed at the Datong Military Governor's Office, so that in case of an emergency, he could summon several generals in the name of the Military Governor's Office to make a decision.

The copy was made by Jia Huan, who seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

Despite the respectful demeanor of the Hu people before him, there was a hint of resentment in their eyes. He was all too familiar with that look. He wanted to remind the commander, but he knew it wasn't the right time.

"Then how about assimilating the Zhou people into the Hu people?" Wang Xin looked at Li E'ci seriously. "What method can both protect the interests of the Zhou people and achieve this goal?"

Li Eci was stunned.

He was unsure whether the military governor of Datong was testing him, and dared not answer rashly, but did not know how to answer. For a moment, he stammered and broke out in a cold sweat.

Wang Xin did not expect Li E'ci to believe him.

He wanted to express his views and tell the people of the northern frontier that those who could accept his reasoning would have confidence, and that was for the sake of these people.

As for those who do not accept their own reasoning.

So, can he come up with an answer?
“Li E Ci”.

Upon hearing his name called, Li E'la quickly raised his head and respectfully replied, "General, you are here."

"It has always been like this. The Hu people could not accept the Zhou people. There was no difference between the Zhou people and the Hu people, but the fact is that the Zhou people had a population a hundred times that of the Hu people. The Hu people either integrated into the Zhou people peacefully and became one with them, or both sides suffered heavy losses. There was no third way."

Wang Xin hoped that Li E'la could hear him.

This is a raw beard brought by Ou Yanhu from distant Siberia.

The Emperor Emeritus passed away, and his body was kept in state for several months.

It's unexpected that this old man, who schemed so much about the people's hearts, would end up like this. It's true that man's plans are no match for God's. In the matter of everyone dying, there is finally some fairness.

Zeng Zhi was responsible for dealing with these complicated procedures of the imperial court.

Things calmed down in the south, but trouble from the northern barbarians started to rise again.

And Daning.

"What does the military governor want the general to do?" Although Li E'ci found it hard to accept, he also felt the other party's sincerity and couldn't figure out the answer himself.

"Eliminate the bandits."

"I've never believed in empty promises of loyalty," Wang Xin laughed. "Go and wipe out the bandits who are plaguing the desert."

Which tribe is serious about eliminating bandits?

So, whichever tribe is of one mind, then they are all one family, all Zhou people.

If we are not of one mind.

Even if they have the same hair color, the same eye color, or even the same skin color, they are not one of us.

Certificate of submission.

Li E'ci thought to himself.

The governor of Datong's ship was indeed not easy to board. If you wanted to take advantage of the situation, he was smart enough to block any possibility of swaying in one move.

"What is Li'eci Taiji still hesitating about?"

Manager Liu urged him on with dissatisfaction.

Li E'la sighed, "Your Excellency, please rest assured, I will do my utmost to eliminate the bandits upon my return."

"Alright, let's see what you've accomplished."

Wang Xin smiled.

Abushan.

Jose arrived quietly with all his men and several tribes that had sworn allegiance to him, totaling more than 6,000 people.

"The merchants have sent intelligence that the treacherous Wang Xin will pass through this area soon."

Jose said happily.

Several Taijis smiled.

They originally intended to attack the trading post and plunder the merchants' goods.

They were actually reluctant to do this, as it was a short-sighted act, but Jose persuaded them, and no one dared to refuse. Instead of attacking the trading post, they would launch a sneak attack on Wang Xin. If successful, it would deal a heavy blow to Datong.

Without Wang Xin, Datong would likely be plunged into internal strife.

That's always been the case on their grasslands.

"Is the news reliable?"

Ertton asked cautiously.

Jose said without hesitation, "The information is very reliable, everyone can rest assured. Wang Xin only has a thousand men, while we have six times that number. Even if he were the reincarnation of the God of War, he would still perish here."

Six thousand against one thousand.

We can win this battle.

"I'm afraid we'll miss it," someone reminded us. "We need to send out more scouts."

Jose certainly knew.

Abu Mountain has many grasslands, and if you are marching, you will definitely pass through this place.

They only brought seven days' worth of provisions.

We can only wait three days.

According to the information provided by the merchant, they should meet Wang Xin no later than the day after tomorrow.

Jose dared not make a mistake. "I made an agreement with all the Taijis that once we encounter Wang Xin, each department must go all out to kill him and prevent him from escaping. If he escapes, our days will be even more difficult."

"Jose Tej is right."

night.

Jose sighed.

I stayed in the tent with my old friend, Ertdon, and drank.

The wine brought by the merchants from the Great Zhou Dynasty was so delicious that they couldn't put it down.

Half-drunk, José remarked, "The Hu people have suffered too much loss in recent years."

"Yes."

Ertdon looked on in agreement.

José looked at the wine jug in his hand with a hint of disgust in his eyes, yet he was reluctant to let go. Finally, as if giving up, he took another sip.

He said somewhat angrily, "Needless to say, the Hetao region was also slaughtered by Ou Yanhu. After bringing back a large number of people, he died suddenly. The region fell apart and began to fight amongst themselves. After several calamities, the Hu people were really exhausted."

"Everything started with Wang Xin's appearance."

José spoke with unwavering conviction, as if he had made up his mind: "As long as this man is killed, the situation can be turned around."

"Recover?"

Erteton was somewhat confused.

The number of merchants from the Great Zhou Dynasty increased, bringing a large number of goods that the tribes liked, and also bringing a lot of wealth to the tribes. Even young people who had nothing had more options.

Many young people hope to work in trading companies and eventually stay in mainland China through these companies.

These young people, who are passionate, knowledgeable about the border regions, and skilled in horsemanship, are also very popular with the business.

The situation is beyond repair.

Unless you drive out the merchants.

Everyone is going back to the hard life they used to live, but are people still willing to endure hardship?

Ertton was somewhat skeptical of Jose's opinion.

(End of this chapter)