None of the ministers expected that the king would really kill Zhao Yan. At first they thought the king was just threatening.
But as the guards held up the bloody head and presented it to the king, the courtiers finally reacted.
"Your Majesty! Although Uncle Zong is guilty, he definitely does not deserve such a death sentence." Zhao Cheng suddenly cried out in grief.
Zhao Yong glanced at the other party, his face still showed an indifferent look.
But looking at the familiar face in the guard's tray, he couldn't help but tremble in his heart...
But immediately, he shook away the traces of guilt in his heart.
He has tried his best. But how could he stop someone who was seeking death?
If this matter is not decided today, more things like this will surely happen in the future. How will the new law be implemented?
The thunder method is just to prevent more unnecessary bloodshed and sacrifices.
The new law involves the foundation of Zhao State after all!
In the past, Lord Shang carried out political reforms, and Duke Xiao also took action on his own younger brother. How could he, Zhao Yong, dare to spare his life today?
He would kill all the elders of the three dynasties of the Zhao Kingdom and the uncles of the Zhao family. From now on, he would like to see if there are still those half-hearted and inconsistent people in this huge Zhao Kingdom.
Zhao Yong glanced at the ministers for a week.
He waved his hand and asked the guards to take away the terrifying thing.
Zhao Bao just sighed and said nothing more.
He had always disliked this cousin with his stubborn temper. But today, I saw that the other party ended up in a different place because of the unwarranted honor, and I couldn't help but feel a little sad for the other party.
The rest of the courtiers were all silent and did not dare to say anything.
Zhao Yong said loudly: "The new law is implemented by the people, and it is stronger than the country! Today, I am trying to reform the new law, but I have killed my relatives out of righteousness to show our Zhao country's subjects!"
"Power! Power! Power!"
"Wei! Wei! Wei..."
Zhao Yong immediately stopped talking and turned towards the high platform: "Practice troops!"
"Woo! Woo..." followed by a high-pitched horn sound.
Punishing the ill-willed is just an interlude, an interlude that was not part of the original plan.
The purpose of preparing for this military exercise is to review the fighting methods used by Hu Fu in new battles. The troops participating in the exercise, in addition to the New Army Cavalry Brigade, will also consist of a hundred-man team from each of the three standing battalions. The new law has just been promulgated, and new military uniforms are still being prepared. Several hundred pieces that have just been produced will be distributed first to the soldiers in the military exercise.
There are not many items for infantry training, and the methods are still simple. The weapons are still mainly bows, crossbows and spears and halberds.
Without the wide robes, big sleeves, and skirt-like lower garments, the soldiers' efficiency will naturally be greatly improved whether they are stepping or turning. Although most of these soldiers are wearing Hu uniforms for the first time, they are all veterans with rich combat experience. If you add some tactical drills to them, the soldiers will quickly adapt and the training will be effective.
Although the content of the drill is the same as before, the generals who have been on the battlefield all year round can see at a glance that the new army's "combat" effect is indeed much better than before. Whether it is the sudden advance of the square formation, the speed of withdrawing troops into formation, or the efficiency of multiple square formations in organizing battles with each other, the results have been greatly improved, and the communication of superior orders has become smoother. The combat appearance of the entire military formation seemed to be completely new.
Looking at the new army with high morale below, Zhao Yong nodded with satisfaction. Even the ministers and generals who were originally suspicious of the new law couldn't help but nod along as they watched the new soldiers' training pace.
Zhao Cheng, who was on the school platform, sighed without concealing it. He suddenly felt a little pity for his cousin Zhao Yan, who had died just now.
If the opponent could see the effect of Hu Fu on the new army at this time, I am afraid they would not risk their lives to 'admonish' them.
The effect of the Hufu has been fully utilized on the infantry, but it has to be said that everyone on the school platform can still only see a rough idea.
Following the waving of the flag from the stage, the infantry phalanx retreated to the edge of the school field in an orderly manner.
The ministers immediately followed the king and headed towards another high slope ahead.
Below the hillside is a school ground with a wider terrain.
This is where the joint drill of cavalry and chariot troops takes place.
The flags are hunting, the setting sun is like blood.
On the school grounds, five hundred cavalrymen in new uniforms were divided into five square formations, equipped with dozens of chariots, and were ready.
Although the number of people participating in the inspection was not large, Zhao Yong could still feel the killing momentum from the soldiers of the cavalry brigade.
This is a kind of confidence and a kind of rigor.
Pang Nuan, who was in the center of the cavalry formation, walked out of the formation on horseback and bowed to Zhao Yong on the high slope: "The new cavalry brigade has been assembled. I respectfully invite the king to review!"
Zhao Yong nodded slightly and waved his sleeves towards the audience.
"Woo..." The familiar horn sound sounded again.
As soon as the horn sounded, the flag bearers on both sides of the cavalry formation immediately waved flags towards the hundred generals in each square formation.
"kill!"
"Kill..." The cavalrymen held long swords and shot them out quickly like arrows from the string.
The shouts that reached the sky and the earth could not help but startle the courtiers watching the ceremony on the high slope. Zhao Yong suddenly seemed to have returned to the bloody battlefield of the past!
The first phalanx led by Pang Nuan was the first to rush out, their horses' hooves trampling the ground, causing loess to fill the sky.
As the distance of the attack lengthened, the originally square formation of the cavalry brigade and the rear row of cavalry began to extend toward both sides as if in tacit agreement. There was always a gap of three to five meters between each cavalry. As the terrain unfolded, the square formation It also expanded from the initial row of three cavalry to a row of ten cavalry, and gradually extended to a row of a hundred cavalry. The cavalry formation spread out on the flanks, like a wild goose soaring in the sky.
The torrent of steel in red clothes and armor is like a life-seeking evil ghost climbing out of hell, crushing the enemy wantonly. The heads of the long spears reflected a frightening cold light under the rays of the setting sun, making people tremble with fear.
But today's opponents are not the barbarians of the past, but scarecrows with no strength and no fear.
The hundreds of straw men imitating the enemy troops at the end of the school grounds were undoubtedly shattered to pieces by the impact of the new army's cavalry.
The spears that had become embedded in the enemy's 'flesh' were abandoned without hesitation by the warriors. The steel geese that rushed out a certain distance, after a moment of recovery, pulled out the long swords at their waists and charged towards the enemy again.
The remaining enemy's will was gradually worn away, and the fragmented enemy began to 'run' away into the distance, while the long and soothing wings of the cavalry gradually began to close towards the center, until the enemy's flesh and blood was completely swallowed up.
"This, this..." Many clan ministers who had never experienced the Battle of Yunzhong or the Battle of Jinyang were stunned and speechless by the powerful fighting power of the cavalry.
Wu Guang, the former commander of the army who had been dealing with barbarians for many years, was trembling all the time. Of all the people present, no one understood the customs of the Hu people better than him, and no one understood the terror of the cavalry better than him. If Zhao State had such a large-scale cavalry in its early years, Zhao State's current land area would be more than a thousand miles away, and there would be no need to fear the harassment of barbarians.
No wonder, no wonder Lou Fanren was defeated so quickly. This iron cavalry is Zhao Guo's capital to turn defense into offense.
Wu Guang was suddenly eager to lead this cavalry and gallop freely on the grasslands of northern Xinjiang.
Suddenly, everyone's eyes couldn't help but light up again.
As the cavalry brigade phalanx returned, the chariots that had been waiting for them finally started to move. As the flags kept swinging, the chariots interspersed in the cavalry formation in an orderly manner according to the established tactics.
The chariot is in front and the cavalry is behind. The cavalry is divided into groups of four, three groups in a row, and six chariots interspersed in the middle.
With the high-pitched sound of the attack horn, the steel torrent started again. The tactics remained unchanged, but the lateral distance became narrower due to the addition of tanks, but it could still reach a distance of tens of meters. The chariots sprinted first, followed by the cavalry, but at this time, in addition to the long swords in their hands and the long swords at their waists, the cavalry also carried a curved bow.
Another round of destruction. The chariot and the cavalry charged forward and then separated. The cavalry dispersed according to the formation and harassed with shooting skills, while the chariots continued to charge in circuitous ways. The two always cut the enemy into the encirclement.
The coordinated operation of the cavalry and the chariots was not as shocking as the collective charge of the cavalry brigade just now. But the generals on the school platform can all see that the coordinated combat of the horse and the horse has the more powerful power of the charge.
Of course, most of the coordinated responses between cavalry and cavalry are infantry phalanxes, or encounters between two armies.
It is powerful, but its flexibility is still inferior to that of a pure cavalry.
Zhao Yong nodded, he was already very satisfied with this, because the two originally dealt with different war situations. But it has to be said that chariots still do the most damage to Hu cavalry, and chariots themselves are a good defensive platform. And in grassland warfare, the role of tanks has never been a single offensive weapon.
The strength of the cavalry once again refreshed the perceptions of Zhao's ministers. Until the end of the military exercise, they were still in a state of confusion. The shadow of Zhao Yan and others' beheading seems to have been forgotten long ago.
The success of this military exercise is inseparable from the new uniforms worn by the soldiers. If it were still the old tops and bottoms, wide robes and big sleeves, the cooperation between the soldiers would never be so harmonious.
"Above Heaven"
... After the military exercise was over, Zhao Yong ordered people to reward each of the soldiers who participated in the military exercise with five coins, and the generals were rewarded with double the reward.
After making two huge war windfalls, Zhao Yong also became rich. Besides, no one can starve the soldiers who work hard to fight.
Today, the scale of Zhao's cavalry has been gradually expanding, from three thousand cavalry last year to five thousand cavalry that are about to be exhausted now. The scale of horse administration in various parts of Zhao State also gradually expanded, and the official horse farms in Daidi also expanded from two to five. In addition to the war horses captured from the Tonghu people's trade and the First World War in Northern Xinjiang, it is more than enough to expand the size of the cavalry brigade to two thousand more.
Although there are war horses, there are not many good riders. Zhao Yong has been expanding his horses and issuing decrees. People who are good at riding and shooting are being recruited throughout the Zhao Kingdom and supported by salaries.
The expansion of the cavalry brigade means that Zhao Yong has started a war mode of high salary and high integrity.
Now Zhao's treasury is still full, but at best it can only temporarily maintain the status quo of the army. Fortunately, the reform of land administration is also being expanded in an orderly manner. Internal historian Zhao Tian estimates that Zhao's grain production capacity will double next year, but this is far from meeting Zhao Yong's requirements...
In this era, food is the confidence and food is the population, but it is obvious that Zhao State has some limitations. Under the current conditions, if Zhao State wants to continue to expand its national power, there are only two ways, to exploit the common people or to engage in foreign war.
Exploiting the common people will only lead to political instability and is not advisable.
The annexation of land and population has always been the main theme of this era.
…
Before returning to the palace, Zhao Yong saw that Captain Niu Zan seemed to have something to say, but he immediately suppressed it.
The Niu family has always been at the forefront among the aristocratic families in the Zhao State. In the military and political system of the Zhao State, many of the Niu family's children are generals, and two of them have reached the rank of doctor. In addition to Captain Niu Zan, there are also others. His cousin Niu Jian, the captain of Wucheng.
In the Longtai Palace, Zhao Yong had just finished dinner when a report from the palace came from outside the palace: "Your Majesty, the doctor Niu Zan is asking for an audience outside the palace."
Zhao Yong was stunned for a moment. He could probably guess what the other party would say.
Niu Zan has always been relatively close to the conservatives of the Zhao family. At first, the other party also clearly opposed the implementation of the Hufu order. However, the Hufu order has been decided. Now that the matter is over, does this guy also want to make a death remonstrance?
But the other party is a general in the army after all, and Zhao Yong also wants to hear what amazing words he can say.
"See you!" Zhao Yong ordered to the door.
…
In the side hall, Niu Zan bowed at the door: "Niu Zan, the sinner, pays homage to the king."
Zhao Yong was a little puzzled by the other party's words: "What is your crime?"
Niu Zan said truthfully: "It is one crime to disturb the king's rest late at night, and the words that I will say are two crimes."
interesting……
Zhao Yong looked at the strong man in front of him who was almost eight feet tall with great interest. Compared with his cousin Niu Jian, Niu Zan, who is in his early forties, has a stronger figure and the same face with curly beard.
Judging from the appearance alone, these words do not seem like something the other party can say.
But Zhao Yong knew that Niu Zan was famous in the Zhao army for his intelligence and bravery. As the commander-in-chief of one of the three standing commanders of Zhao, his appearance did not mean much.
Zhao Yong joked: "I will forgive you for this crime. If you step back now, I will forgive you."
Niu Zan was stunned. He didn't expect the king to answer like this. Neither his punishment nor his continued downward quotation.
But how could he really retreat like this: "My lord, I still want to say something."
"It doesn't matter if Qing Dan says it," Zhao Yong said nonchalantly.
Niu Zan was about to vomit blood. He really couldn't figure out what the king meant. But now that he is here, he has no intention of leaving the palace alive, and then grits his teeth and says: "I believe that the country has a fixed registration, and the army has a regular system. Changing the registration will lead to chaos, and losing the registration will lead to weakness.
Today, the king has abolished the previous army establishment and marched with cavalry. This is changing edicts and throwing out norms. I thought that it was because the soldiers were familiar with their original weapons and tactics that they could underestimate the enemy and dare to fight, but the king changed them. The minister believes that this is an approach that damages the reputation of the king and the national strength of our Zhao country. The ancestors once said: If the vested benefits are less than a hundred times, you cannot easily change customs; if the vested benefits are less than ten times, you cannot easily change the equipment. The king has now dismantled the original army organization, and is now riding and shooting in Hufu.
I am afraid that the profit gained from the attack is not worth the cost lost! "
