Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

Jimenba Military Training Ground, west of Beijing.

This is one of the largest military exercise grounds in the Great Xia Dynasty and even the world. It is usually overgrown with weeds, and only becomes lively during the martial arts examinations in autumn.

But today, this land, which has been dormant for a hundred years, has been completely awakened.

The ten-mile-long drill ground was paved with yellow earth, and clean water was splashed on the streets.

One hundred thousand troops of the Beijing Garrison filled the entire field of vision in a dark mass.

But unlike the old Beijing garrison, which was usually loose and sloppy with its armor unkempt, all the soldiers present today were dressed in dark blue cotton uniforms, with leather belts, tight leggings, and uniform melon-shaped or straw hats on their heads. Their leather boots made a uniform, muffled thud as they stepped on the ground.

What's even more striking are the weapons they carry.

Gone were the miscellaneous weapons of varying lengths and rusty surfaces; in their place were uniform Yuanfeng-type flintlock muskets and extended bayonets slanted across the back.

The gun body has a uniform steel-blue luster, which is the unique texture of Cizhou crucible steel.

The high platform on the north side of the drill ground is called "Guande Platform".

Below the stage, the generals of the Left Commander-in-Chief's Office of the Divine Martial Army, led by Han Lie, were all dressed in brand-new military uniforms and stood solemnly according to their rank.

On the stage, besides Xiao Chen's dragon throne, sat the cabinet ministers and the six ministers who were barely maintaining their composure, as well as a dozen powerful border generals who had been urgently transferred back to the capital from the nine border regions.

Most of these border generals had somber expressions, their eyes filled with scrutiny, suspicion, and even undisguised arrogance.

They are hereditary nobles, military giants who have climbed up the ranks through generations of bloody battles.

They harbored immense anger towards Xiao Chen's abolition of military households, the formation of a new army, and especially his handing over the Beijing Garrison to a "nouveau riche" like Han Lie.

"Your Majesty," Wang Jizu, nephew of Wang Chonggu, the Governor-General of Ji-Liao, and currently the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong, clasped his hands in a deep voice, his tone barbed, "the Beijing Garrison is the Emperor's personal army, historically serving as a model for the entire nation. Now, their attire resembles that of a rural militia, utterly lacking in dignity. Moreover, having abandoned swords, spears, bows, and crossbows in favor of firearms, what if it rains? Wouldn't they be helpless and await their fate?"

Upon hearing this, several border generals nodded in agreement, their faces showing a disdainful "I knew it" expression.

Xiao Chen sat upright on the dragon throne, dressed in bright yellow casual clothes, without wearing the elaborate crown and tassels.

He didn't even look at Wang Jizu, but simply said to Mo Qi beside him, "Mo Qing, tell General Wang what dignity is."

"As you command."

Mo Qi took a step forward, his figure as straight as a pine tree. He suddenly waved his hand, letting out a sharp whistle!

"Ugh—!"

A long, drawn-out bugle call resounded throughout the drill ground!

In an instant, the 100,000-strong army, which had been sitting still, awoke like a sleeping giant!

"brush--!"

One hundred thousand flintlock muskets were simultaneously hoisted onto the shoulders in perfect unison, the sound of the butts striking the shoulder sockets creating a sonic boom that ripped through the eardrums!

Immediately afterwards, the first rank of soldiers knelt on one knee, and the second, third, and fourth ranks stood up in turn, forming a huge square formation that stretched for miles and was four columns deep! Under the sunlight, countless gun barrels gleamed with the light of death, pointing towards the sky.

"Report your numbers!" Han Lie's voice echoed throughout the entire venue through the copper megaphone.

"One! Two! Three! Four!..." Tens of thousands of people shouted in unison, their voices rolling and their spirits shaking the mountains and rivers! It was not the shout of one person, but an iron torrent formed by the will of hundreds of thousands of people!

The expressions on Wang Jizu's and the others' faces changed instantly.

This discipline and this momentum are nothing like the "rural militia" they talk about! Even the Qi Family Army at its peak was no better!

"Change formation!" Han Lie ordered again.

The massive square formation began to flow as if it had come to life.

The left flank troops extend to the left, the right flank troops flank to the right, and the rear echelon inserts to fill in the gaps.

In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the originally dense square formation has transformed into a huge "hollow square formation," surrounding the central platform at its core while leaving passageways open on all four sides, ready to launch an attack or retreat at any time!

"Firearms demonstration!" Xiao Chen finally spoke, his voice calm.

"Target, distant target wall! Fire salvo!"

"put!"

"boom--!!!"

The deafening gunfire was like the sky falling and the earth splitting! One hundred thousand flintlock muskets fired in three alternating volleys!

Smoke instantly enveloped half of the drill ground, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of sulfur.

The wooden target wall in the distance, under such intense firepower, was swept away like a hurricane, instantly turning into a sky full of wood chips!

"Bayonet charge!"

The smoke of battle has not yet cleared, and the bugle sounds again.

One hundred thousand troops roared in unison, charging towards the pre-arranged "enemy formation" like a flood bursting its banks!

They were no longer jogging leisurely like the old Beijing garrison, but instead maintained a tight formation, trotting forward with bayonets like a forest, exuding a murderous aura! The earth trembled beneath their feet!

At this moment, all doubts and arrogance were crushed by the overwhelming force of this steel torrent.

Wang Jizu's face was deathly pale, his lips trembled, and he couldn't speak.

Another veteran general from the Nine Garrisons, the Commander-in-Chief of Yansui, gazed at the orderly formation, tears streaming down his face, and murmured, "I'm old... really old... This isn't an army, it's a machine! It's heavenly soldiers and generals! Your Majesty, this old minister... this old minister is convinced!"

Xiao Chen stood up, walked to the edge of the platform, and looked down at the 100,000 soldiers.

"My esteemed ministers, have you seen this?"

Xiao Chen's voice, though not loud, clearly reached the ears of every border general: "This is my new army. There are no hereditary privileges, only rigorous training; no fancy martial arts, only deadly discipline."

"I know that some of you are not convinced and think that I am just making a fuss. You think that without cavalry and crossbows, the Great Xia army is no good."

Xiao Chen's gaze, like a tangible blade, swept over the border generals whose faces remained gloomy.

"But I tell you, the reason why the Northern Barbarian cavalry was able to break through your defenses was not because their arrows were superior, but because your army was undisciplined, poorly equipped, and lacked effective command!"

"Now, I have given you an example. The capital garrison has been reborn. The armies of the nine border regions must also be reformed! They must be reformed!"

Xiao Chen suddenly raised his voice, which resounded throughout the entire venue:

"Effective immediately, all garrisons in the nine border regions shall, within one year, undergo a complete reorganization modeled after the Beijing Garrison! The old and weak shall be laid off, the able-bodied recruited, and they shall be equipped with new weapons and trained in new formations!"

"Anyone who refuses to comply will be considered a traitor!"

"Anyone who fails in reorganization and whose combat effectiveness declines instead of increasing will be dismissed from their post and investigated!"

"What I want is an army that can win battles, not nobles who occupy positions without doing anything!"

"Han Lie!"

"Your subject is here!"

"I hereby appoint you as Imperial Commissioner for the Reorganization of the Nine Garrisons! Bear my Imperial Sword, travel to each garrison to oversee the reorganization and training! Anyone who disobeys orders will be executed first and reported later!"

"Your Majesty, I obey! I will certainly not fail in your trust!"

Han Lie's voice boomed like a bell, his eyes flashing with sharp light. He knew the real test had arrived—it was about pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth and venturing into a dragon's den!

Xiao Chen sat back on the dragon throne and looked at the border generals below the stage. Some were apprehensive, some were unwilling, and some were terrified.

"Today's military parade is not for showing off military strength."

Xiao Chen said slowly, "Just to tell the world, to tell those enemies who are still dreaming of the future—"

"Da Xia, you're awake."

"And my sword is already sharpened."

The parade continued, with cavalry units (light cavalry) practicing maneuvering and flanking maneuvers, and artillery units (using new gunpowder and newly cast cannons) demonstrating precision strikes. The entire parade ground transformed into a carnival of steel and gunpowder.

The border generals no longer dared to show the slightest contempt. They could only sit stiffly in their seats, watching everything that overturned their understanding, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.

The deterrent effect has been achieved.

What follows will be a profound reform, akin to scraping the bone to remove poison.

Xiao Chen believed that with Han Lie in charge of the Divine Machine Battalion and Mo Qi's omnipresent Embroidered Uniform Guard, no one could stop the tide of this military revolution.