My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 325 Expansion Plan
After conveying Yuan Ziyou's instructions, Yang Yu, Gao Qian, and the others left.

After several days of continuous spring rain, the overcast and drizzly weather, coupled with a sudden cold snap, caused the temperature to drop slightly.

The Tian Ce Mansion in Dongyang City was not as magnificent as the mansions near Juye Marsh, but it was small yet complete.

Like a young nobleman who had just finished a night of revelry, Gao Yu was quite unrestrained, lying half-reclined on the soft blanket without any regard for his image, looking at the rockery and pond in the inner courtyard, which was quite a unique experience.

Yang Changchu served him from the side, along with Cui Zhifan, Yuan Miao, and others, all of whom were skilled in singing and dancing. Cui Zhifan was also a skilled zither player.

"Is my husband going out?"

Despite having already given birth to Gao Yu's eldest son, Yang Changchu still looks like a young girl. The combination of these two contrasting qualities—that of a married woman and that of a young girl—creates a unique charm.

She brewed tea for Gao Yu and then asked him a question.

"Ah."

Gao Yu nodded. He was supposed to leave earlier, but the continuous rain had affected his plans.

He decided to spend that time with the women in the inner courtyard.

"Where's Aze?"

"The nursing mother has finished breastfeeding and is sleeping."

Yang Changchu was the eldest son of Gao Yu, who named him 'Ze', hence the name Gao Ze.

Erzhu Yuechan's daughter was named 'Yan' by Gao Yuze, and was called Gao Yan.

When talking about her child, a deep maternal love appeared on Yang Changchu's young face.

"When Aze turns one year old, I will come back to hold a first birthday celebration for him."

The eldest son is of extraordinary significance, and the ceremony should be grander, even inviting various famous figures.

This is not only about saving face for oneself, but also about showing how much importance one attaches to the Yang family.

Upon receiving Gao Yu's promise, a hint of joy flashed in Yang Changchu's eyes. Even the most magnanimous woman will transfer most of her love to her child after having a child.

Gao Yu is very busy.

Yang Changchu knew better than anyone what kind of situation Gao Yu was facing.

She bit her lower lip lightly, "Husband, if you're too busy, there's really no need to go to such lengths..."

"really?"

Gao Yu chuckled and retorted, "Then I'll..."

"Husband!"

Yang Changchu pouted, looking aggrieved. One second she was a mother, and the next she turned into a spoiled young girl.

Gao Yu couldn't help but laugh, and simply lay down on Yang Changchu's long legs, looking up at her, "Don't worry, I'll be back."

Gao Ze was born at the end of September last year, which is just right and still possible. If he had been born a little later...

Calculating the time, Erzhu Ying'e's delivery would probably be around the end of October or the beginning of November. By then, I really might not have time.

"Let's change the song."

Cui Zhifan paused for a moment, but still followed Gao Yu's advice.

Gao Yu also enjoyed this rare moment.

…………

March 11.

The rain has finally stopped.

Outside Dongyang City, the area was bustling with activity as people stopped to watch.

The soldiers, along with their own troops, weapons, and rations, are heading to Pingchang County to assemble.

Gao Yu was also preparing to go; he had to go to Nanqing Prefecture with them.

There are still a large number of refugees gathered in Nanqing Prefecture, who have become mountain bandits. This is good news for Gao Yu, although it will take some effort to wipe them out and capture them. But these people are all potential laborers.

It can also be a training opportunity for the soldiers. There are two completely different concepts between those who have seen blood and those who have killed.

Even if the intensity of the campaign to wipe out the refugees wasn't high, it was still a real battle.

The five Zhechong Prefectures within Qingzhou have a total of five thousand soldiers. Gao Yu mobilized all of them this time, and they do not need to take turns resting for the time being. Moreover, he wants to divide his troops to quickly capture all the refugees in Nanqingzhou, and then absorb the strong ones among them into soldiers, and quickly promote this method.

He needs to take bigger steps and make faster progress in Nanqingzhou.

Of course, they couldn't stop within Qingzhou either.

"Mulan, ten more Zhechong Prefectures can be established within Qingzhou. You can discuss the candidates for the positions of Colonel, Commandant, and Brigade Commander yourselves, and have someone submit the list to me for review."

“Zu Xin, you are in charge of selecting soldiers from Qingzhou, but it is better to have fewer but better ones.”

Gao Yu was also helpless.

If you mass-produce troops, you have to accept a decline in the overall quality of your army.

no way.

In order to prevent local rebellions, especially to prevent Han Chinese from becoming too powerful, the Northern Wei Dynasty implemented a series of measures.

For example, in the earliest times, Han Chinese were not allowed to serve as soldiers, and the army was only allowed to communicate in the Xianbei language to prevent Han generals from getting too close to their soldiers.

During the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, all the elite Xianbei troops distributed in various prefectures and counties were incorporated into the central army in Luoyang.

It was only when the central army was too busy in the later stages that they loosened the restrictions a little, allowing each prefecture and county to recruit a certain number of soldiers to maintain basic security, and allowing Han Chinese to be among the soldiers.

However, the soldiers of the prefectures and counties were just a group of farmers who had received some simple training, and were no different from ordinary farmers.

This is also why, in the face of rebellion, as long as the central army in Luoyang fails to quell the rebellion, the rebels can easily occupy various prefectures and counties, because there is simply no usable armed force in the local area to resist.

Gao Yu also made an exception, allowing locals of Qingzhou to be incorporated into the local militia, in order to ease the tensions.

Otherwise, the soldiers in the previous garrison were all brought by Gao Yu and were refugees who ran away from Yan and You, which would eventually cause resentment among the local aristocratic families of Qingzhou.

"After recruiting soldiers, Mulan must conduct rigorous training and inspect them every half month. If anyone fails to meet the standards three times, their household registration will be revoked."

"Here!"

There is currently no opportunity for actual combat.

However, the status of a soldier in the imperial guards was extremely attractive to ordinary farmers!

Becoming a soldier in the government forces allows one to transcend social classes.

They had land and troops.

With such high-level treatment, the rigorous training intensity didn't elicit many complaints.

Gao Yu couldn't turn them into seasoned veterans overnight, but he could train his own troops rigorously to become a well-trained army, and that would be enough.

As for the true elite.

Then you have to go into actual combat and raise the Gu yourself from piles of corpses.

Gao Yu is not a god; he cannot turn stones into gold.

You can't turn a group of greenhorns who have never seen blood or killed anyone into seasoned veterans overnight.

You have to eat one bite at a time, and you have to accomplish things one step at a time.

If you want to speed, you can't reach it.

"Zichong, rest assured, I will definitely not let you down."

Yang Kan also promised Gao Yu, "I will personally inspect the training results of the garrison troops! We Han men will never lose to the barbarians!"

Gao Yu felt slightly helpless.

Fortunately, there weren't many Hu people who followed him, otherwise Yang Kan's remarks as a "steel-blooded Han emperor" would have really offended people and caused internal turmoil.

(End of this chapter)