Starting from the fourth day of May, the gongs and drums in the new city were noisy, and a platform to worship generals was set up in the school grounds in the west of the city. The official worship lasted for four full days.
The four Han military camps, four field camps, two training camps and one guard camp established by the Marshal's Mansion were assembled in sequence. The Grand Marshal awarded each battalion camp flags, gold medals, seals, and drum music.
Liu Chengzong awarded 44 generals, 320 captains, and 1,300 captains at one go, and awarded military honors to tens of thousands of soldiers in the army.
The generals, captains, captains, and military honors here all belong to casual ranks, just like the dragon and tiger generals of Jianzhou Wei Numou. They are traditional Chinese military ranks and do not represent actual positions.
In the Ming Dynasty, official positions were composed of positions, ranks, honors, and titles. An official must have his position and rank, and he could also have honors and titles.
The casual rank is equivalent to the official rank and military rank, the official position is the actual position, the honorary rank is the major merit, and the title is the hereditary major merit.
Ranks and honors are the product of the development of the twentieth rank of the Qin and Han Dynasties. When the rank of the twentieth rank was excessive, the honors developed. When the honors became excessive, they continued to be improved in the reforms of the Song Dynasty and became the later San Rank and rank.
The Ming Dynasty had a system of ranks and honors, which was very mature.
Liu Chengzong thought about moving the more concise military ranks in his mind, but gave up after thinking carefully.
Even if they move here, it would be nothing more than changing Generals Huiqi, Jinwu, and Longhu to generals; Generals Zhenguo, Dingguo, and Fengguo to lieutenant generals; Generals Zhaoyong, Zhaoyi, and Zhaowu to major generals... It doesn't make sense. big.
One of the improvements Liu Chengzong could make was to reduce the number of general positions and increase the proportion of captains in the army, so as to avoid the phenomenon of high ranks and low positions in the Ming Dynasty, and extend the ranks and honors from generals to soldiers, so that the ranks and honors of the rank and file could be extended The bit system is more complete.
According to the characteristics of the Marshal's Mansion, soldiers are divided into three levels and nine levels: Caiguan, Huben, and Xiaoqi. They correspond to the three stages of training in the military training camp, studying in the central military camp, and serving as soldier officers in each battalion. The training time of grassroots officers is appropriately lengthened. , improve soldiers’ treatment and sense of honor.
Mo Yue's Tang soldiers from Beijing went north from Bajiao City, crossed the Yellow River from Salar Station, entered Hehuang all the way through Gaodianziying and Xining City, and delivered the urgent report to Ju'erwan New City.
Faced with the urgent military situation, Liu Chengzong completed the awarding of honors and ordered Dai Daozi to lead the Tang soldiers from Nanshan and Guide to the Heka grassland to explore intelligence.
On May 13, the fourth day after the medals were awarded, officers above General Zhaoyong were summoned to assign tasks to idlers without actual duties and prepare for war.
Just as Mo Yujing suspected, Liu Chengzong miscalculated.
His analysis of the development of the war situation was indeed based on the fact that Hu Duntu had 30,000 troops. Therefore, he never paid enough attention to the war itself, but paid great attention to the control of the situation.
As a result, Liu Chengzong, who was sitting in the hall, raised his hand and tapped his forehead... Hu Duntu Khan led his troops away. Who would have thought of this!
Chahar and Oirat had already traveled four to five thousand miles when they arrived in Qinghai, and traveled another three to four thousand miles back and forth in Qinghai. After a long journey, even though Oirat was stronger, they couldn't bear to beat them up.
But this couldn't stop Hu Duntu Khan from running away with his troops, which immediately touched Liu Shishi's knowledge blind spot.
He said: "According to the original plan, the army should be allowed to rest for a while, so that each battalion will be familiar with the six departments of the commander's office. But now the situation has changed. The commander's office needs to complete preparations as soon as possible. The front line is back to Tang. Please distribute the newspaper and read it."
Intelligence mainly comes from three aspects.
The first is the news from Mo Yujing from Bajiao City.
On the Ganga Grassland to the west of Bajiao City, Oirat has established four forts and 16 mountain outposts, with a total force of about 10,000, for building equipment, grazing and resting.
Next, in the direction of Dai Daozi's Nanshan Fort, the Tang soldiers scattered in the Heka Grassland and Huangnan Xiaohetao sent back information.
The Oirat coalition forces were also divided into several groups, ranging from hundreds to thousands, and camped on the grassland along the river. Dai Daozi recruited Mongolian sailors from the naval yamen, and was trying to follow the Mongolian exploration horses galloping back and forth to find their main force. Where the food and grass are.
As for the last source of information, it was a letter sent by the National Advisor Khan of the Heshuo Special Department to Nanshan Fort.
The words of the national counselor Khan were more humble than before. While reporting the good news that Chahar Khan was about to die, he also asked for surrender, hoping that Liu Chengzong would allow him to conduct military operations in Huangnan, Heka, Ulan, Dulan, Golmud, and Dachuai. Dan and other places are grazing, and the tribute market is open to issue gold medals. The Heshuo Special Department is willing to surrender with thousands of horses and pay tribute every year.
Yang Yao and Wang Wenxiu, who were sitting on the left and right sides of the hall, read the information and letters. The two generals Dingguo from the Marshal's Office looked at each other. Both of them couldn't help but laugh at the letter from the National Preceptor Khan, and they suppressed their laughter and said nothing.
To the generals of the Marshal's Mansion, the writing of this bird's letter was too familiar... This is how their invincible general sent a letter to Emperor Chongzhen asking for Qinghai.
Now Oirat's national counselor Khan also wrote to the generalissimo to ask for land. Isn't this a dream?
However, Zhang Tianlin, who was sitting next to her, didn't hold back. She slapped her thigh and immediately clasped her fist at Liu Chengzong and said, "Early strike has the advantage of early strike, and late strike also has the benefit of late strike. Commander, give the order!"
All the generals nodded in agreement. The situation was very clear, and people's determination to fight was also very firm. All that was left was to make arrangements for the war.
Sunday Qiang, who had been a civil servant all his life, was forced to put on a military uniform because he was awarded the title of Colonel Huaiyuan. He saluted in the hall and said: "Commander, the Navy Yamen is rushing to make military rations. It will be shipped to Nanshan Fort within three days. It can support ten thousand yuan." Military degree.”
Wang Kun, the steward of Juerwan, who was also awarded the title of Captain of Huaiyuan, was not far behind. He saluted and said: "Juerwan can also rush to produce military rations, and it is closer here."
Liu Chengzong had a smile on his face.
The benefits of setting a casual rank are obvious. The casual rank is a way to distinguish grades, which is equivalent to the level of treatment you enjoy. It means that the Marshal's Mansion finally has an official position system, so that these people who do not fight can have more enterprising spirit.
However, this is also a characteristic of chaotic management. There are cattle, sheep, rice and grain in Juerwan, and fish, meat and ghee in Navy Yamen. They should be put together in one place for coordination.
Various generals should also assign tasks under the control of the Ministry of War and Brigade Generals.
However, this kind of military discussion may be the first and last time. As long as the Marshal's Mansion crosses this hurdle and elder brother Liu Chengzu and younger brother Liu Chengyun are transferred back from the Hekou front line, the Sixth Department of the Marshal's Mansion will be managed by someone.
Liu Chengzong already had a candidate for the head of the Sixth Department. The civil service department belonged to his father, the household department was for transportation, the military department was for his eldest brother, the work department was for his teacher Chengwo, and the criminal department was reserved for Yang Dingrui. As for the etiquette department, there was no suitable candidate yet, which made him a little bit confused. regret.
Yang He should be tied up.
He stood up and walked towards the map in the hall and said: "This military food matter will be under the control of Xining Mansion. All ministries have stepped up their planning. We have tentatively decided to garrison troops in three routes and send out troops in two routes."
As he spoke, Liu Chengzong pointed to the two strongholds of Nanshan Fort and Guide City on the map, and said: "The Chinese shogunate was built on the Riyue Mountain on the Daotang River. The Second Battalion of Left Brigade Commander Yang Yao stationed at Nanshan Fort, waiting for an opportunity to clear out the enemies on the Heka Grassland. Army; the second battalion of Wang Wenxiu, commander of the right brigade, stationed in Guide City to threaten Huangnan and assist the left brigade in crossing the Yellow River."
The two generals immediately stood up and responded to the order. Also standing up were the left brigade generals Zhang Tianlin and Yang Chengzu; the right brigade generals Gao Yingdeng and Wei Qian'er.
After the six people sat down, Liu Chengzong continued to give the order: "Xie Erhu, the commander of the left brigade in Tuntian, led the second battalion to guard the Nanshan Fort grain road, and Basang, the commander of the right brigade in Tuntian, guarded the grain road in Guide City."
The two generals then stood up, along with their subordinates Wasi and Xiao Daiqing; Ah Liu and Bu Chi stood up to answer the order.
This little Daiqing is Mergen Daiqing, the first Mongolian leader to occupy Haibei, and he contributed a lot with Liu Chengzong in the southern expedition.
When he returned from Nangqian north, he was the leader of the Qinghai advance team of Chook Rabbit in his early years. Xie Erhu lost all his troops and was unable to participate in subsequent battles. It was not until this time that he was rewarded for his military exploits and was reactivated.
After assigning tasks to them, Liu Chengzong looked at the last two generals leading the troops, Huang Shengxiao and Feng Yu, and said: "The two Caiguan battalions moved to the Riyueshan Daotanghe River with the Chinese shogunate."
Caiguan Camp was the military training camp in the past.
It's just that the sergeants who were once the most elite training camp under Yang Yao and Wang Wenxiu were assigned to the newly formed two brigades and four battalions. Today, the Caiguan Battalion is just an ordinary unit after reorganization.
Caiguan itself was in the local reserve soldier system of the Qin and Han Dynasties, and was also the title of infantry. In Liu Chengzong's Marshal's Mansion, Caiguan was the lowest level among the three levels of military honors for soldiers.
In Liu Chengzong's conception, the army of the future Marshal's Mansion should be composed of five levels of troops: the Chinese Army's Huben Camp, the Veterans Field Camp, the Overseas Field Camp, the New Military Officer Camp, and the Hehuang Five Town Camp.
Based on the elite veterans, after retirement, they were put into the five towns of Hehuang to train civilian Zhuang; those who excelled in the assessment were recruited and served in the new military personnel camp as third-class military officers.
After the assessment reaches the standard of the regular army, he will be given a second-class talent officer and transferred to an overseas field camp to serve as the fourth commander; after passing the assessment, he will be promoted to a first-class talent officer and transferred to a field camp as a soldier.
After the assessment and selection, he was promoted to the third-class Huben camp and transferred to the Huben camp next to Liu Chengzong to learn the art of culture and war.
After completing the training in the Tiger and Ben stage, he will be awarded the title of Knight Cavalry and serve as commander of the field battalion, field camp management team, and general manager of the five towns. The length of the entire soldier stage is five years before he can serve as the deputy management team of the field battalion and become an officer. ranks.
Once this system is completed and operates normally, Liu Chengzong's army will no longer be the disposable army it is today, and will not be severely damaged by any major defeat.
But at present, this system is more like Liu Chengzong's ultimate fantasy. He cannot afford to raise more troops, and since the Gansu border army in the north is the next strategic direction, it is very likely that he will not be able to cultivate his own army in the future.
Liu Chengzong shook his head slightly, put this confusion aside, and asked Shi Chengwo: "With regard to the lack of artifacts in the armor of each battalion, what is the situation with the master craftsman?"
I sat in the back with a worried look on my face, as if I was distracted during the military discussion.
When he heard Liu Chengzong calling him, he stood up quickly, thought for a moment, and said: "Coming back to the commander-in-chief, the eleventh battalion has all the soldiers and armor, but the seventh battalion's artifacts include four heavy cannons and twelve light cannons that have not been cast; nine hundred spears, Eight hundred heavy muskets have not yet been made, but there are enough clay molds, and the artillery can be assembled and transported to the camp within a month... But the big muskets cannot be built until the beginning of autumn."
Liu Chengzong almost laughed out loud when he saw his anxious look.
The newly established Tuntian camp is not equipped with heavy artillery, and the muskets and artillery are all captured old Ming army weapons. In this regard, the Marshal's Mansion is very rich in armaments.
However, Huben, Caiguan, and the Seventh Field Battalion are all elite troops, and their designs are based on past training camps. Except for cold weapons and armor, other firearms and equipment are self-made weapons.
On paper, each battalion should have four thousand-jin heavy cannons, eight three-hundred-jin light cannons, 300 muskets, 600 heavy muskets, and 600 bird muskets.
The Marshal's Mansion suddenly expanded its army and formed a large number of troops. Naturally, there would be a large number of gaps in the self-made weapons. The interval between wars was too short, so it was difficult to build all the equipment for each battalion in a short period of time.
Even all the guns and heavy guns could be manufactured in the Beginning of Autumn, and the production capacity had exceeded his imagination. He thought it would be delayed until the Chinese New Year.
Therefore, Liu Chengzong did not criticize harshly, but simply asked: "What's the problem with the arsenal?"
Shicheng shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Come back to the commander, there is no difficulty. We have many mountain factories, the materials are sufficient, and the craftsmen are enough. It's just that the interval between wars is too short...but this is not the difficulty of the arsenal."
Liu Chengzong laughed first, and the generals did not hold it back and burst into laughter.
The generals in the Marshal's Mansion did not take the shortage of firearms seriously, because everyone knew very well that it took ninety workers to lift a gun and forty-five to carry a heavy gun. If it doesn’t come out, it can’t be created.
Even if I kill my master, I won’t be able to create one.
"The current weapons are sufficient. I heard that the Oirat has many muskets but not many cannons." Liu Chengzong stopped laughing and said to everyone: "Each battalion picks blunderbuss from the warehouse and tries to make up the firearms to half of the total strength. , but don’t get too many kinds of lead bullets, be careful because there are too many types of lead bullets, I will directly transport lead blocks to you and ask you to melt the bullets yourself on the battlefield.”
Liu Chengzong smiled, looked back at his father, and said, "Da, there are enough war horses from all the ministries participating in the war, but there are only more than 30,000 donkeys and mules in the army. They need to be recruited from Xining Prefecture. We must collect 70,000."
The father sitting next to him took out the smoking pipe and nodded calmly in the light blue smoke: "Well, there are more than 20,000 in Xining. Nianbo also has some Lanzhou donkeys. I will buy some from Hehuang. Half a month. It takes half a month to gather the donkeys together, and it won’t delay your fight.”
He Huchen, Yang Qi, and Wang Chengen were dumbfounded. Seeing the accustomed looks of the generals in the commander's mansion, the three of them looked at each other.
What did the father and son say?
They always believed that the rebels were poor people. Even if Qinghai was occupied by Liu Chengzong, Qinghai would not be a given place.
Compared with the Ming Dynasty, the Qinghai Marshal's Mansion is still poor.
Until now, seeing that the Marshal's Mansion had mobilized less than 40,000 troops for war, but had to mobilize 70,000 donkeys and mules, and everyone was used to it, they finally realized the huge gap between the Marshal's Mansion and the official army.
In the past, during the wars in the Ming Dynasty, the general officers commanded the battle as the commander-in-chief of the town. War meant that the Ministry of War issued an order, and the general soldiers worked hard to figure out how to complete the order based on what they had in hand.
In the simple conversation between the Liu family and his son, they discovered that the battle in the Marshal's Mansion was not fought like this.
This is obviously because Liu Chengzong had an army, occupied Qinghai, and reluctantly created a small court in the Marshal's Mansion in order to deploy various war materials.
How can Daming compare with this freak who is all about war?
Liu Chengzong didn't notice the surprise of the three veteran soldiers. He just stood up again and said solemnly: "Everything is ready when the donkeys and mules arrive. Brothers, please lead the army to the castle. When the victorious division returns, I will reward the army with a heavy reward." I am willing to serve you as officials and generals again!"
