Looking at the entire Qi State, the registered population totals six to seven million - although it is not as large as the population of Chu State, it is still considered a large country with a large population during the Warring States Period.
Because of the continuous wars during the Warring States Period, the population of various countries generally showed more women than men, and many of the surviving men were people who returned alive from the battlefield but were disabled. Of course, these disabled people could not return to the battlefield again. was conscripted into the army.
All in all, the serviceable population probably only accounted for one-tenth of the total population.
Qi has a population of six to seven million, so if we count seven million, the number of able-bodied and age-appropriate men will be seven hundred thousand.
Generally speaking, when recruiting an army, you should draw one out of three men, and for a country that is aggressive in military affairs, you should draw one out of two men... But the current Qi State has almost all the men on the battlefield!
Spread your fingers and think about it——
Not to mention the distant ones - just in the Chuisha War last year, Qi State was killed by 150,000 people one after another by the damn Xiong Wuliang! And the entire army was wiped out!
This year, the coalition forces attacked Qi.
A few months ago, Xiong Wuliang fought again in Qinnan Mountain Col and beheaded 60,000 Qi soldiers.
The above are already lost.
There is also a 600,000-strong army in Jixi, which is confronting the coalition forces across the river.
At present, another 80,000 people were forcibly put together and placed under the jurisdiction of Lord Mengchang, trying to contain the offensive of the Chu army in Qinnan, which had just destroyed the Song Dynasty and was at its peak.
Lin Lin made some calculations and found that the total number of soldiers far exceeded the 700,000 estimated just now...
In other words, Qi State even dragged many old people, children and even healthy women onto the battlefield to serve as soldiers.
It can be said that the whole country has been mobilized and the destruction of the country is imminent.
Mengchangjun stared into Li Fei's eyes with a heavy expression.
Li Fei gritted his teeth: "The final general will definitely live up to the high hopes of the king and will definitely hinder the Chu army's offensive!"
Tian Wen breathed a sigh of relief and encouraged: "Okay! So ambitious!"
"I have 80,000 men in my hands, but I have to guard the entire Qinan. I can't leave them all to you... I will select 20,000 of the most elite soldiers for you! Guard Wucheng for me!"
Li Fei was horrified and felt that he had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders.
"I will obey the general's orders!"
Lord Mengchang slowed down his tone again and said with a smile: "The Chu army has only 70,000 people, and you have 20,000 people defending the city...According to common sense, the Chu army has less than ten times your number, so attacking a city should be an attack." Not coming down.”
"But Xiong Wuliang is by no means comparable to ordinary generals."
"So I don't ask you to defend the city forever, I only ask you to defend it for two months! As long as you defend it for two months, I will count you as a great achievement!"
"As for the rest of my army of 60,000, they are stationed in [Mengshan] and other places behind. They are at the horns of your [Wucheng] and can come for reinforcements at any time."
…
Lord Mengchang left Wucheng, and Wucheng guard Li Fei breathed a long sigh of relief.
He had never felt so much pressure.
Li Fei also understood the quality of the "80,000 Qi Army" under Mengchang Jun.
They were basically a ragtag group of people, among whom there were only ten or twenty thousand healthy young men who were truly brave and capable of fighting... Mengchang Jun left all these capable soldiers to Li Fei, which represented great trust and responsibility.
Li Fei took a deep breath and suddenly gave a stern order: "Pass this order to my general! Send more scouts to find out the Chu army's movements and location!"
"The city has been strengthened for security. The army is divided into three squads. They take turns to rest day and night. Beware of a sneak attack by the Chu army!"
"If anyone among the generals at all levels dares to slack off, leave his post without permission, or look for flowers and willows... even the general's close associates will be killed in front of the formation! I will also ask the king to invade his entire clan!"
"Both men and women in the city, the whole city is mobilized!"
"Old men and young children carry baggage and stand sentry for our defenders; young women are responsible for carrying heavy objects and cutting arrows; demolishing houses throughout the city and using them as rolling logs and stones! Anyone who disobeys orders will be killed!"
Li Fei gritted his teeth and said harshly every word: "What nonsense, Marquis Quyang, I will fight with you!"
The people in the city cried and shouted, but they did not dare to resist. They watched helplessly as their houses were demolished into ruins... The dismantled building materials were transported to the city wall and piled up like mountains, ready to be used to smash the intruders to death. The Chu army under the city...
The eyes of the people of Qi were about to burst, and all their resentment turned into hatred for the people of Chu...
Li Fei stood on the city wall like an iron tower, looking southward, waiting for the arrival of the Chu army.
Xiong Wuliang, don’t you claim to be victorious in every battle?
Aren't you a famous general?
I don't believe it!
Today, I, Li, am ready... just waiting for you to come!
Either you die or I die! Fight!
…
To the south of Wucheng, smoke and dust rose.
Li Fei immediately climbed to the top of the city and looked into the distance, where all the birds in the forest were circling on the treetops.
Li Fei's heart sank!
The Chu people are coming!
"General, the Chu army has arrived outside the city!" Some soldiers came to report.
Li Fei nodded and stood on the city wall for a while, watching the billowing smoke getting closer and closer, and finally thousands of Chu troops appeared at the gate of Wucheng.
Even though he was fully mentally prepared, Li Fei still took a breath of cold air.
In the marching team of the Chu army, there were a large number of shining soldiers in iron armor... This was the Quyang New Army who had repeatedly made extraordinary achievements and gained a great reputation!
Quyang's disciples!
The most sophisticated heavy infantry phalanx in the world since Wei Wuzu!
No sane general would be willing to fight this famous and elite soldier unless absolutely necessary.
But since you can't run, you have to fight! Li Fei's heart was full of fighting spirit!
The Chu army in front of us has just defeated the Song Dynasty, and it is a time of great morale... But our Wucheng defenders are also determined to die!
…
The Chu army came to the city, but they were not in a hurry to attack the city.
Xiong Wuliang could see clearly - the Qi army's heads were wrapped in white cloth on the top of the city, and they were silent in the face of the Chu army's majesty... They were obviously ready for a decisive battle.
If you attack the city by force, the casualties will be huge.
"Set up camp and wait for my order." Xiong Wuliang waved his hand.
It's a pity that all the kerosene seized in Shangqiu was spilled on Orion Mountain. Otherwise, if the labor and capital were to hit this [Wucheng] with a few rounds of 'Sky Fire', there would be no need to worry about the city being destroyed.
Now if I want to raise so much kerosene, I won't be able to get it all at once.
Xiong Wuliang gave the order, and the 70,000 Chu troops retreated a certain distance in an orderly manner. Then, under the command of Shaohu and Wu Ben, they began to cut down trees and garrison the camp in an orderly manner.
Sixty thousand garrison guards were on the outside, ten thousand new troops were in the middle, and six hundred soldiers were in the center of the entire camp, guarding Xiong Wuliang's commander's tent and Hou Banners layer by layer.
"Our army has just arrived, and its morale is at its peak - please give me five thousand soldiers and horses to the general. I am willing to find out for you the truth of the military city!" Wu Ben cupped his hand and said in an angry voice.
However, Xiong Wuliang shook his head and said succinctly: "There is no rush, set up camp first, I have my own strategy to break the city."
The generals were ordered to disperse, and Xiong Wuliang also lifted the curtain and entered his commander's tent.
This tent is so big that it can even accommodate dozens of generals holding meetings at the same time. The facilities inside are very simple, with only a map, a case and a dozen seats - this is the Chinese shogunate.
Xiong Wuliang glanced around and saw no one, so he shouted softly: "Huang Wu? Yin metaphor?"
…
