With 100,000 elite soldiers at the start, what should you call me?

……

Inside the frontline command center.

Li Tian spent his first difficult night with two army commanders, Zheng Youren and Feng Wei.

They were well prepared.

Two battalions were sent to ambush at the pass, and two regiments were sent to flank and block the enemy's retreat. At the same time, positions were built in the rear, in preparation for the remaining four regiments to fight the final defensive battle.

Li Tian didn't sleep all night. He had never stayed up all night before, so after his first all-nighter in a tense atmosphere, he was still in a state of excitement.

As dawn broke, the entire process, from the sound of gunfire at the front lines to its conclusion, lasted no more than two hours.

Li Tian was somewhat worried and immediately sent someone to contact the front.

"Report! Commander, Corps Commander, good news! The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 1st Regiment of the 3rd Army have successfully completed their mission and blocked the Qing army at the pass."

"According to reports from the front, a total of more than 2,300 Qing soldiers were annihilated, more than 3,500 were captured, and more than 1,000 horses were seized! A number of weapons and equipment were also captured."

Hearing the victory report, Li Tian breathed a sigh of relief, but he was more concerned about his soldiers; "What are our casualties?"

"Nine of our soldiers were killed, more than sixty were wounded, and more than one hundred guns were damaged."

Upon hearing the casualty figures, Li Tian felt neither joy nor sorrow.

The Qing army mobilized more than 6,000 men, while the New Army that fought against them numbered less than 2,000.

The difference in numbers is huge.

However, the two sides were in different situations. The Qing army was attacked in a narrow pass and was equipped with outdated equipment, mostly swords, spears, arrows, and crossbows.

Although the new army only had the Hanyang rifle as its weapon, the Hanyang rifle was far more advanced than that of the present era. Moreover, it had the advantage of unlimited ammunition and could launch a preemptive attack from high ground.

Such a high casualty ratio is quite reasonable.

In Li Tian's mind, however, the life of each loyal soldier was far more valuable than that of a hundred or even a thousand Qing soldiers.

"Good, very good. Record the names of the dead soldiers, give them a proper burial, and erect a monument for them. Treat the wounded soldiers immediately."

"As for the prisoners..."

Li Tian frowned. To be honest, these prisoners were all a burden.

The current situation of the new army is that they are struggling to find food, and their food and lodging conditions are extremely tight.

Adding these 3,500 mouths might just be the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

These 3,500 people have nothing to eat and may very well rebel on the spot, making them a destabilizing factor.

But he needs these 3,500 people as cannon fodder.

In future battles, it's impossible to have all his loyal bodyguards go first, right?

Every one of the 100,000 elite warriors who dies is one less to lose. If they all die, Li Tian's base of influence in this world will be gone.

The only people he trusts most in this world are these 100,000 people.

We need to find a way to get food!

At that moment, a soldier hurriedly entered the command room.

"Reporting to the commander, the Ming army has sent someone over again, saying they want to see you and have important matters to discuss with you."

Upon hearing this, a flash of inspiration struck Li Tian: this might solve the food problem!

"How long have you been here?"

"I arrived yesterday afternoon."

"Why are you only telling me now?" Li Tian frowned. Negotiations with the Ming army were also important, so he was only telling him now.

"Reporting to the Commander, Commander Yu Qiang immediately sent someone to inform you. At that time, you had just finished fighting Lijiazhai and had just arrived at the front line. Later, Commander Yu Qiang decided to wait until after the battle to discuss this matter, so that you could focus on dealing with the Qing army."

Li Tian pondered for a moment; "I know."

Yu Qiang's actions were perfectly timed. By keeping the Ming army's envoy in the camp, he could then show off his chicken to the Ming army after the war.

"Zheng Youren, Feng Wei, I'm entrusting the affairs of the front lines to you."

"Yes, Commander, I guarantee to defend the front line."

Zheng Youren and Feng Wei bowed to each other.

~

Inside the New Army camp.

After a day's work by 20,000 people, the base camp finally looked like a proper place, and Li Tian finally had a decent command center.

The rough wooden structure was very simple, but sufficient for its purpose.

The soldiers borrowed many tools from nearby villages and even hired some carpenters to help build the house.

However, the camp is still very rudimentary, and many soldiers slept in the open last night.

It is currently the transition period between spring and summer, and temperatures and weather changes are unpredictable.

Mosquitoes, snakes, and scorpions also began to become more active.

If it rains, the temperature drops, or there are accidents caused by mosquito bites, it could very likely result in a large number of non-combat deaths.

This is something Li Tian doesn't want to see; he must solve the accommodation problem for 100,000 people today.

Yan Ying stayed one night in the new army camp. To be honest, it was very simple, a dwelling made of grass and wood, without even a door. She didn't sleep very well.

"Envoy Yan Ying, our commander has returned and requests your presence."

A soldier came to inform her, and Yan Ying got up and followed the soldier out of the camp.

Early in the morning, I saw the soldiers in the camp starting to get busy, building fortifications and setting up camp.

This morning, however, many soldiers had some decent tools in their hands.

Outside the camp, on a clearing near the mountain, a group of Qing soldiers with spiky hair and wearing tattered clothes stood together, their hands tied behind their backs, looking around blankly.

They were surrounded by a ring of soldiers, all carrying Hanyang rifles.

The surviving Qing soldiers trembled at the sight of the Hanyang rifle. That thing was much more powerful and had a faster rate of fire than a matchlock gun. If they made any unusual move, they would all die here!

Yan Ying walked over and saw how heavily guarded the place was. He couldn't help but look at the group of people. Through the gaps between the soldiers, he gradually saw what kind of group of people were standing in the middle.

It was the Qing army, at least three thousand Qing soldiers!

Judging from this, these three thousand Qing soldiers are all prisoners!

An unbelievable guess popped into his head.

Last night, this rebel army fought a battle with the Qing army and won a great victory!

Yan Ying was shocked; her pupils gradually contracted as she tried to see what was happening inside.

"Envoy Yan Ying has arrived, and our commander is there."

"General Yan Ying, we meet again. I happen to be dealing with some matters, which is a bit of a dilemma." Li Tian smiled as he saw Yan Ying arrive.

"General Li is brave and mighty, what could possibly be difficult for him?" Yan Ying immediately put on a smile, and all the resentment she had felt all night disappeared.

Li Tian: "General Yan, what brings you here today?"

"I've come to tell General Li some good news. The Imperial Advisor would like to invite General Li to discuss jointly guarding Jianning Prefecture." Yan Ying cupped his hands in the direction of Jianning Prefecture.

Upon hearing this, Li Tian's eyes lit up. Being able to live in the city would quickly solve the problems of accommodation, food, and sanitation for 100,000 soldiers.

"Oh? What are the conditions and requirements?" Li Tian asked.

Yan Ying: "Of course, General Li has a large number of men, but Jianning Prefecture is a small city and cannot accommodate so many people. Therefore, General Li can only lead a thousand men into the city. After entering the city, they must follow our arrangements."

Li Tian felt increasingly uneasy. Was this an invitation for him to defend the city together?

Are you sure you're not planning a trap to swallow Li Tian whole?