The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 263 Commander Jiang's Strength
The battle report, delivered by urgent courier from Guangyuan County, lay quietly on Jiang Han's desk.

Did they capture the government army guerrilla general Ma Ke alive?

Jiang Han tapped his fingers lightly on the table. He was no stranger to the name Marco.

Ma Ke was born into a military household in Xining.

His family held hereditary military positions and had a strong foothold in the local area.

This man was no mediocre talent; on the contrary, he was a formidable general on the northwestern battlefields at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

This man was probably Li Bei's deputy general in his early years, following Li Bei in suppressing bandits in Shaanxi.

The problem is that Jiang Han remembers very clearly that he did not see Ma Ke when he killed Li Bei in Yan'an Prefecture.

Could he have been temporarily transferred to Hong Chengchou's command?
In the original history, Ma Ke was transferred to Hong Chengchou's command after Li Bei's death.

Under Hong Chengchou's command, Ma Ke continued his daring and aggressive style, serving as a sharp and swift weapon in Hong Chengchou's hands.

In the Battle of Tongguan Nanyuan, he joined forces with Cao Bianjiao to defeat Li Zicheng, leaving him with only eighteen riders who fled in disarray, achieving remarkable military exploits.

It is worth mentioning that Ma Ke also fought in the Battle of Songjin, which lasted from the early years of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign to the end of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign and even into the early Qing Dynasty.

However, Marco's combat prowess cannot mask his inherent pragmatism and wavering nature.

Historically, his trajectory is clearly marked by the word "repetition":
After Li Zicheng captured Beijing, Ma Ke, then the commander-in-chief of the Jizhou garrison, surrendered to the Shun regime with little resistance and was granted the title of Earl of Huai Ren.

On the side of Da Shun, Ma Ke also worked diligently, conquering Sichuan and attacking Tongchuan, but was later defeated by Zhang Xianzhong.

After Li Zicheng's defeat at Shanhaiguan and the Qing army's capture of Xi'an, Ma Ke and a group of surrendered generals surrendered to the Qing army.

It completed its "grand slam" of the Ming, Shun, and Qing camps.

Marco is capable in combat, but his loyalty is not high.

The core logic behind every choice this person makes is to preserve strength and avoid harm while seeking benefit.

He was not an ambitious and ruthless warlord like Wu Sangui, but more like a realist who was trying not to be submerged in the turbulent times and to preserve his family's status and his own interests.

Looking at Marco's "flexible" resume, Jiang Han fell into deep thought.

Should we bring this person under our command?
After repelling the encirclement and suppression by Hong Chengchou and Lu Xiangshan, Jiang Han was about to send troops to completely annex Sichuan, establish his own government, and transform from a bandit into a true local regime.

Marco, though not very loyal, is indeed a good "working person".

The establishment and consolidation of the new regime relied not only on its own people, but also on the assistance of many Ming Dynasty generals and officials who had surrendered.

Ultimately, the Ming Dynasty is not lacking in talent, but Jiang Han is currently lacking in talent.

It's impossible to arrest and kill everyone, making us enemies of the whole world.

In fact, Jiang Han had his own set of principles regarding the recruitment of defectors and traitors.

In the midst of battle, each fighting for their own master, past grievances can be disregarded.

Contending for the world is not like a dinner party; on the battlefield, swords clash, each fighting for their own master, and bloodshed is inevitable.

If you are meticulous about everything, then you will have no one to rely on.

Historically, when Li Zicheng attacked Kaifeng, he was shot in one eye by Ming general Chen Yongfu, a feud that was considered irreconcilable.

However, when Chen Yongfu surrendered, Li Zicheng still broke an arrow as a pledge to forgive and forget, demonstrating his magnanimity.

Jiang Han asked himself, he might not be able to resolve such a deep-seated hatred with the magnanimity of Li Zicheng, but he still had to have the basic magnanimity of "not cutting off people's way home because of old grudges on the battlefield".

This is the foundation for establishing a regime that attracts talent.

Jiang Han had only one major principle regarding the matter of recruiting and accepting defectors.

Those who massacre civilians will not be tolerated! This is an inviolable red line!
As for looting, to be honest, looting was almost commonplace in ancient armies.

Throughout the entire history of feudal dynasties, only the Yue Family Army and the Qi Family Army could achieve the principle of "freezing to death rather than dismantling houses, starving to death rather than looting."

The discipline of Yue Fei's army was achieved through Yue Fei's personal moral appeal and extremely strict regulations.

Most importantly, there is the need for relatively stable and prioritized logistical support.

This is a rare combination of idealism, personal charisma, and a relatively ample material foundation.

For Qi Jiguang's army, its strict military discipline was also based on strict constraints and relatively generous military pay.

But what about these northwestern border troops from the late Ming Dynasty?
The imperial court's finances collapsed, and the border troops were often in arrears with their pay for years or even decades.

In addition, civil and military officials embezzled funds at every level, leaving soldiers hungry and poorly clothed.

How can you expect them to fight on an empty stomach and not commit any offenses against the enemy?

That's asking too much.

In Jiang Han's view, the root of the problem should be attributed to the systemic collapse of the Ming Dynasty, rather than the unforgivable crimes of individuals.

Therefore, Jiang Han would show some understanding towards ordinary acts of looting when trying to persuade someone to surrender.

Jiang Han absolutely could not accept a systematic, large-scale, and organized massacre.

In particular, they would readily massacre entire villages and hamlets, taking pleasure in killing innocent people to claim credit or simply to vent their anger.

Like Cao Wenzhao and his nephew Cao Bianjiao, they were indeed brave in battle. Cao Wenzhao was even praised as "the best general in the late Ming Dynasty".

However, in the process of suppressing peasant armies, they have repeatedly earned a notorious reputation for slaughtering civilians and killing innocent people to claim credit.

Jiang Han would never recruit a Ming general whose hands were stained with the blood of innocent people and who was known for his brutality, no matter how capable he was.

This is a matter of principle, concerning the moral foundation of the new regime and the support of the people.

Comparing his own personnel policies with those of Ma Ke, Jiang Han re-examined Ma Ke.

He has combat capabilities and is a natural-born fighter. He is familiar with the tactics of the government army and is especially skilled in cavalry raids.

Although Marco surrendered multiple times throughout history, there is no record of him carrying out large-scale, systematic massacres of civilians.

He fought fiercely against bandits in the Northwest, killing countless thieves, but this fell under the category of "each serving their own master".

Marco's surrender was more of a self-preservation choice.

This is fundamentally different from Li Chengdong's three massacres in Jiading and Shang Kexi's massacre in Guangzhou.

After much deliberation, Jiang Han made his final judgment on this person.

Marco was not a perfect person, and in fact, in the eyes of most people, he could be considered morally flawed. However, he had no history of massacring civilians, so he could be recruited.

More importantly, recruiting a guerrilla general under Hong Chengchou to surrender would have significant symbolic and practical value in demoralizing the government troops in the north, obtaining crucial intelligence, and even inflicting future divisions on the government forces in the northwest.

"Someone, relay my orders!"

Jiang Han waved to summon the messenger.

"Have Fang Heizi escort Ma Ke and his trusted subordinates to Jianzhou and hand them over to Dong Erzhu for disposal."

"Order the two of them to act according to the circumstances and try to persuade Mako to surrender."

Several days later, in Jianzhou City.

The weary-looking Hei Zi, escorting the dejected Ma Ke and his deputy Tang Yang, arrived outside the city.

Having already received the order, Dong Erzhu personally greeted them at the city gate.

"Hey, I've missed you so much!"

A loud shout rang out, filled with undisguised joy.

Dong Erzhu laughed loudly as he rushed down the steps and gave Hei Zi a tight bear hug.

After several years apart, the old brothers who struggled to survive together at the bottom of society have now become independent and capable, but the camaraderie they shared in the military has not diminished in the slightest.

"Pillar!"

Hei Zi's eyes welled up with tears of excitement. He hugged Dong Erzhu back tightly and punched his fist twice on Dong Erzhu's broad back.
"You son of a bitch, after all these years, you've transformed into the commander-in-chief of Jianzhou!"

"That's quite impressive!"

After exchanging pleasantries, Dong Erzhu's gaze swept over Ma Ke, who was under close guard, and he said in a low voice:
"Did something go wrong on the way?"

"This is Marco?"

Hei Zi grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth:
"rest assured!"

"They're tied up so tightly, they can't escape even if they sprout wings!"

He also lowered his voice.

"However, it seems he's still a bit unconvinced."

"Back when we were outside Guangyuan City, this guy discovered I was an inside man and almost pounced on me to bite me."

"Let's go back and discuss it properly."

Dong Erzhu nodded and didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he warmly invited Hei Zi into the city and handed Ma Ke and the others over to his trusted confidants for strict supervision.

That evening, Dong Erzhu hosted a private banquet in the backyard of the government office.

There were no delicacies, only a large pot of stewed meat, freshly baked flatbread, two kinds of wild vegetables, and several jars of strong liquor.

This is the kind of feeling old buddies should have when they catch up.

After several rounds of drinks, a few bowls of strong liquor dispelled the chill of early spring and also brought us closer together.

The two talked about the amusing stories of following the commander in his ghost stories back then, then about their own battles over the years, and finally about their fallen comrades, sighing with emotion.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was warm and sincere.

After their reminiscing subsided slightly, Dong Erzhu picked up the wine jar and filled Hei Zi's and his own bowls again, his smile fading a bit.
"Hei Zi, I've read the letter from the commander-in-chief requesting surrender."

What do you think of Marco?

"Have you figured out any tricks of the trade while traveling?"

Hei Zi picked up the bowl, but didn't drink immediately. He squinted and thought for a moment:
"It has a slightly slippery feel!"

"Although I don't know why the commander-in-chief is so sure that this man surnamed Ma can be persuaded to surrender, his resistance is indeed not strong."

"Unlike the Ming generals we encountered before, who would readily commit suicide to die for their country."

"But when I tried to persuade him to surrender again, he started spouting nonsense about loyalty to the emperor and dying for one's country, and he kept changing his mind."

"When this person was placed in a separate villa, he accepted it, but showed no gratitude whatsoever, as if it were his due."

Hei Zi took a swig of wine, smacked his lips, and

"You can't really say he's afraid of death; but you can't really say he wants to surrender either."

"Anyway, they're just unpredictable and slippery."

Dong Erzhu thoughtfully munched on a guokui (a type of flatbread) and analyzed:

"Isn't the commander giving us the order to persuade him to surrender a bit too much?"

"We two are barely passable when it comes to fighting enemies, but this is the first time we've ever tried to persuade a Ming general to surrender, and we have absolutely no clue how to do it."

"You just said that when this person mentioned 'loyalty to the emperor and dying for one's country,' he was evasive and contradictory. Could it be that he himself doesn't even believe in this stuff?"

"Is he just using loyalty and righteousness as a shield, or rather, trying to save face?"

"His lack of gratitude for our appeasement suggests that he is either extremely guarded or simply doesn't care about the small favors we've given him?"

He looked at Heizi.
"Have you taken Marco around the neighborhood?"

"How did he react?"

Kuroko shook his head:
"I was in a hurry on the road, so I didn't have a chance."

"However, since the commander-in-chief has ordered an attempt to persuade him to surrender, I'm thinking of taking him for a tour of Jianzhou City tomorrow?"

"Let him see the people under our rule, who are a hundred times better off than those under Zhu Ming. Maybe that will move him?"

The next morning, Hei Zi changed into a neat set of casual clothes and went to the small courtyard where Ma Ke was being held.

The courtyard was located in the northwest corner of the city, heavily guarded, but fortunately the environment was quiet and secluded.

"Brother Ma, did you sleep well last night?"

Hei Zi pushed open the door, his tone much gentler than when he was in Guangyuan.

"The commander-in-chief has ordered us to treat the general well."

"The weather has been nice lately. Shall I take the General for a stroll around Jianzhou to relax?"

Inside the house, Marco looked at Hei Zi suspiciously, unable to figure out what the other was up to.

Relax?
Are we going to chop off his head? It doesn't look like it.

He bowed slightly without making a sound, his tone indifferent:

"General Fang, you're too kind."

"As a prisoner, I can only live one more day at a time."

Seeing his aloof demeanor, Hei Zi didn't mind and led Marco and several bodyguards out of the courtyard.

After a period of governance by Prefect Li Xinghuai and Assistant Prefect Wu Xi, Jianzhou has recovered considerably from the floods.

Although the city was not exactly bustling, it was orderly in every aspect.

The streets were spotless, and most shops were open for business.

Outside the government-run, affordable grain stores, people lined up in long queues, their faces showing no signs of malnutrition.

The storyteller's voice drifted from the teahouse, mingling with the cheers of the tea drinkers.
Hei Zi deliberately slowed his pace, pointed at the street scene, and spoke with a proud tone:

“Brother Ma, look, ever since the commander-in-chief took over northern Sichuan, he has been promoting capable officials and eliminating the remaining poison of the Ming dynasty.”

"The officials in charge adhered to the policies, reduced taxes and levies, and encouraged agriculture and sericulture."

"Although it is not as peaceful as in the past, the people at least have a way to survive and no longer have to live in fear every day, or resort to cannibalism."

As Kuroko explained, Marco's gaze swept across the city's streets, shops, and pedestrians. A hint of surprise did cross his face, but that was all.

He nodded, his tone remaining calm:
"Yes, you all have exceptional abilities in governing the army and managing the people."

Although it was meant as praise, it sounded more like an evaluation of a trivial matter that had nothing to do with him.

Upon reaching a soup kitchen outside the city, the group saw elderly people and children queuing up. Hei Zi seized the opportunity to explain:

“A few days ago, there was a major flood in northern Sichuan, and tens of thousands of people were affected in Jianzhou.”

"The commander-in-chief has ordered that all the elderly, weak, women and children should have two bowls of porridge every day until the autumn harvest this year."

"Although it's hard to get enough to eat, it's enough to keep us alive."

Marco looked at the soup kitchen, but his gaze was somewhat unfocused, as if he were lost in thought. He simply replied casually:

"Very well, benevolent governance." The perfunctory attitude even made the guards standing beside him frown slightly.

Hei Zi cursed inwardly, but kept a straight face. He then led him out of the city to see several irrigation canals and settlements that were under repair, and listened to the local officials explain the plans for diverting water for irrigation and increasing grain production.

Marco listened, occasionally humming in response, his attitude extremely perfunctory.

His attention was more focused on the soldiers patrolling around him, observing their equipment, pace, and morale.

After a round of explanations, the official was hoarse, but Marco's reaction remained unchanged:

A polite surprise, a bland agreement, and a deep-seated indifference.

He showed little interest in the cleanliness of the streets, the establishment of soup kitchens, or the construction of water conservancy projects.

Only when he saw a convoy of grain transport passing by, or a small patrol of relatively well-equipped rebel soldiers, would his gaze linger for a moment, a subtle scrutiny flashing deep in his eyes.

After returning to his courtyard in Jianzhou, Ma Ke dismissed his servants and sat alone by the window.

Outside the window were heavily guarded soldiers and a corner of Jianzhou City, peaceful and serene, but his heart remained completely calm.

In terms of people's livelihood, these thieves have indeed done a good job.

Komako came from a military family and was exposed to military merits, promotions, pay, and territory from a young age.

As for matters concerning people's livelihood, those are things that civil officials need to consider.

What he really cared about was the quality of the army in northern Sichuan!
Based on what we saw today, the patrolmen wearing red turbans near Jianzhou City marched in fairly orderly steps and were in good spirits, but their equipment was mostly leather and cloth armor, with iron armor being a rare sight.

The grain convoy seemed to be carrying mostly millet and other grains, with very little white rice, and the logistics did not appear to be very abundant.

Overall, this army was stronger than the lower-ranking garrison troops, but still inferior to the elite Qin army under Governor Hong.

With an army like this, they might be able to hold the passes and occupy Sichuan, but what then? How will they get out?
To be honest, this isn't Marco's fault.

He had never dealt with Jiang Han's team before, and his knowledge of Jiang Han's achievements was only hearsay.

The patrolmen he saw today were mostly militiamen.

The key reason why Marco hasn't surrendered yet is that he hasn't witnessed the true core combat power of Jiang Han's army.

The matter of thievery is not to be taken lightly, as it could bring disaster upon one's family.

Ma Ke was not a penniless common soldier; his Ma family had been rooted in Xining for generations, which was still under the rule of the imperial court.

After so many years of fighting, he knew very well that the Ming Dynasty was now engulfed in flames of war and teeming with rebels.

Although the army could still be dispatched to suppress the rebellion, the feeling of impending collapse lingered.

Although he had no psychological burden about surrendering to the rebels, he was even less willing to jump from one fire pit into another that seemed to have no future and could be destroyed at any time.

He needs to see hope of winning, to see overwhelming force!
He saw that he had enough resources to support his betrayal of the court, and even to secure his livelihood and advance further!

The hater, of course, was unaware of the key to this.

After sending Ma Ke back, he was seething with anger and rushed back to the government office to discuss the matter with Dong Erzhu.

Meanwhile, in the government office, Dong Erzhu wisely brought in the prefect Li Xinghuai and the assistant prefect Wu Xi, hoping that these two scholars could help him with his advice.

Hei Zi returned to the government office with a belly full of anger and described Ma Ke's reactions all the way in detail and vividly.

"Gentlemen, you didn't see the look in that guy's eyes!"

"Looking at a soup kitchen is no different from looking at stones on the roadside!"

"When I suggested diverting water to irrigate the fields, he just mumbled a few perfunctory words, his mind clearly elsewhere!"

"When he sees the grain convoy and the patrolling soldiers, this guy surnamed Ma's eyes dart around like lightning!"

"Is this guy scouting enemy positions? Trying to slip away under the guise of an escape?"

After finishing his sentence, Hei Zi took a big gulp of tea, filled with righteous indignation.

However, Li Xinghuai, the prefect standing to the side, managed to glean some insight from what he heard.

"General Fang, according to what you said, this man surnamed Ma didn't care much about people's livelihood along the way, only showing some interest in military affairs."

"I think this guy isn't scouting the enemy's situation, but rather assessing our strength."

"Think about it carefully. He's under strict guard right now, there's no way he can escape."

"And this man did not commit suicide after surrendering, which shows his loyalty. You should be able to see something from this, right?"

Hei Zi and Dong Erzhu were taken aback upon hearing this, and asked in unison:

"What do you see?"

Now it was Li Xinghuai's turn to be dumbfounded. He had already explained everything to this extent, so why didn't he understand?
He stroked his beard and explained carefully:
"The two generals are not surrendered generals, so they do not understand the key point here."

"To my shame, I am also a surrendered official, and I have some understanding of the psychology of surrendered officials."

"I think Marco is secretly assessing our military strength."

"He was afraid of dying, but he was even more afraid of joining the wrong side, dying meaninglessly, and even bringing shame upon his family!"

"For generals who lead troops into battle, the people's livelihood is the least of their concerns."

"No matter how well you improve people's livelihoods, if you can't hold onto your territory, it's all just a mirage."

"Only a powerful army can guarantee the future of surrendered generals and make them consider switching sides!"

Wu Xi, standing to the side, echoed:
“Prefect Li is right. This man keeps mentioning ‘loyalty and righteousness’, but that’s just him trying to embellish his image and find a fig leaf to cover his shame.”

"What he was really considering was the pros and cons, and even the future prospects, and had nothing to do with people's livelihood."

Upon hearing this, Dong Erzhu suddenly understood. He stood up, paced back and forth, and looked excited.
"Understood!"

"To deal with this kind of person, talking about benevolent governance and people's livelihood is like casting pearls before swine."

"If you want him to surrender, you have to completely shatter any remaining hope or doubt in his heart."

"It made him clearly realize that following the Ming Dynasty and Hong Chengchou would only lead to his death, and his family would also be implicated."

"We have a strong army and a bright future; by following the commander, Marco will not only survive, but may even rise to a higher position!"

He stopped and stared intently at Heizi:

"Let's split up tomorrow."

"You're in charge of taking him to the drill ground in the south of the city, and I'll be in charge of organizing the troops for training. Let him see the might of our army!"

The next morning, as dawn broke.

Kuroko returned to Marco's courtyard, this time dressed in a sharp military uniform, with a long sword at his waist and a grim expression.

"General Ma, please."

"Let's go somewhere else today."

The hater's tone left no room for argument.

Marco felt a chill run down his spine, knowing that the real drama was about to begin.

He silently got up, followed Hei Zi out of the courtyard, and mounted his horse.

The group rode out of the city and headed straight for the west side.

The closer we got to our destination, the clearer the deep, powerful roar became.

Upon entering the heavily guarded camp gate, the sight before him caused Marco's pupils to contract instantly, and his breath to catch in his throat.

A chilling atmosphere filled the air, and the morning mist had not yet dissipated over the vast training ground.

Thousands of soldiers are training.

There was no noise, only the officers' short, forceful commands and the sound of the wind whipped up by the waving of the command flags.

Hei Zi looked down at the square formation on the training ground:

"General Ma, I'm afraid you don't know, those people wearing red turbans are the militia newly recruited by our army."

“Those in the middle wearing double armor are our soldiers.”

"It is a ferocious army that will conquer Yinchuan, kill Prince Qing, and behead Cao Wenzhao, Hou Liangzhu, Zhang Ling, and others!"

Marco pursed his lips, staring intently at the training ground before him, without uttering a word.

On the drill ground, several huge infantry formations were practicing offense and defense.

The front row of spearmen stood like a forest, their movements perfectly synchronized with the command, the tips of their spears gleaming coldly.

The swordsmen and shieldmen advanced slowly in tight shield formations, coordinated with the spearmen, their steps compact.

The sense of power that erupted from that silence was far beyond what Marco had seen from the patrolmen in the city yesterday!

Further away, the sound of horses' hooves continued.

Two cavalry units, each with over a thousand men, were slowly approaching from south to north, riding their warhorses.

Through the telescope, Mako saw thousands of warhorses, plump and strong, their muscles bulging as they galloped.

As the column accelerated, a cavalry force of over a thousand men suddenly broke through the ranks and galloped toward the target range on the other side.

Amidst the dust and smoke, the cavalrymen on horseback suddenly pulled on their reins, stopping in unison at the edge of the firing range. They then grabbed their flintlock muskets, dismounted, and quickly formed three ranks, unleashing their firepower.

Marco's eyes widened as he turned to look at Kuroko beside him:

"General Fang, I've never seen this battle tactic before."

Kuroko waved his hand casually:
"It's nothing, it's something my commander just came up with, something called Dragon Rider."

"It is said to be used for rapid deployment of firepower on the battlefield."

When Ma Ke first followed Li Bei, he was already known for his cavalry skills. Now, upon hearing about the new tactics, he immediately became interested.

"Would it be possible to take a closer look?"

Seeing his excited expression, Hei Zi stretched out his right hand:
"nature."

As the group passed through the drill ground, Marco carefully observed the soldiers' equipment, even touching it with his own hands.

The iron-leaf cotton armor is thick and lightweight, with protection for vital areas such as the heart, throat, and armpits for soldiers.
The equipment of the vanguard at the very front was even more astonishing. They wore iron arm guards, helmets with bowl-shaped handles, and face armor.

According to Dong Erzhu, who was standing nearby, these were all elite troops wearing three layers of armor.

Marco found it even more unbelievable: could all of these thousand people wear three layers of armor?
Seeing his incredulous expression, Dong Erzhu casually picked out two elite strikers from the formation and asked him to inspect them on the spot.

Marco stared wide-eyed at the chainmail, bright silver chainmail, and iron-leaf cotton armor that had been removed from the elite fighter, speechless.

The spears, waist knives, and shields were all of the same standard, and the archers used well-made longbows or powerful crossbows.

Marco's expression had changed; his previous indifference had vanished, replaced by a solemn look.

How can these be considered bandits?

This is clearly a well-trained, well-equipped, and highly motivated army.

Even in Liaodong, where military funding is plentiful, only elite guards would be able to wear this kind of equipment.

And today, he actually witnessed it firsthand with the bandits in this remote corner of the southwest.

"General Ma, how is it?"

"Given your status as a renowned general, what do you think of our team?"

Kuroko stood to the side, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance.

Marco's Adam's apple bobbed, and he uttered two words with difficulty:

"The best soldiers of our time!"

Hei Zi scoffed upon hearing this.
"Elite troops?"

"This is just a detachment from northern Sichuan."

"In Kuizhou Prefecture in eastern Sichuan, my commander is leading the main force to garrison troops in Qutang Gorge to block the Ming army from Huguang."

"In addition, there are three other military commanders who are leading their troops to conquer cities and territories in Chengdu Prefecture and Tongchuan Prefecture."

He waved at Marco, looking mysterious:
"Come with me, I'll show you some good stuff."

In his shock, Marco had completely forgotten about observing the new cavalry tactics.

He followed closely behind Hei Zi, passing through layers of sentry posts, and arrived at an independent camp surrounded by a tall wooden fence behind the training ground.

The security here is even tighter.

When the wooden gate was slowly pushed open and the scene inside was revealed, Marco was struck dumb, frozen in place, his eyes wide open and his mouth slightly agape.

This is the location of the supply depot.

The first thing that catches the eye is a mountain of standard weapons: long spears, waist knives, and flintlock muskets gleaming with a chilling light, clearly indicating their high cost.

On the other side, there were neatly arranged armors of all kinds, with a large number of thick cloth-covered iron armors piled up densely, making Marco's mouth water.

If these weapons and equipment were all given to the Qin army in the northwest, wow!
At the heart of this supply camp, partially covered by tarpaulin, were dozens of heavy cannons.

The sight of several thick, dark cannon barrels peeking out from the gaps in the tarpaulin was chilling.

Next to it were boxes of solid iron bullets and gunpowder packets tightly wrapped in oil paper!
"So many heavy artillery pieces"

Since entering the supply depot, Marco's mouth has never closed.

He knew all too well how much logistical support and supplies affected the Ming army's combat effectiveness.

Kuroko watched with satisfaction as Marco looked on in disbelief, then walked up to a heavy cannon and patted its cold, heavy barrel.

"How is it, General Ma?"

Kuroko's voice wasn't loud, but it was full of allure.

"Hong Chengchou was trapped in Hanzhong and could not move an inch."

"Lu Xiang-sheng was blocked at the Kuimen Pass, and the naval forces could not cross the line even a step."

"Sichuan will be ours sooner or later!"

"Once we defeat the two government armies, my commander will lead his troops westward and conquer the entire Sichuan province!"

Hei Zi clenched his right hand tightly in the air, as if he were holding the entire Sichuan province in his palm.

He stared intently at Marco, who was visibly shaken, and said, word by word:

"My commander-in-chief said that we should take advantage of the natural defenses of Sichuan and Chongqing to establish a government, train troops, and stockpile grain."

"To the south, we can seize Yunnan and Guizhou to solidify our foundation; to the north, we can take Hanzhong to control the three border regions of Shaanxi; to the east, we can conquer Huguang and reach the Yangtze River!"

"I wonder if General Ma is interested in this?"

(End of this chapter)