"What you said makes sense. The Manchurian cavalry is indeed quite capable. However, in my eyes, dealing with them just requires a little more effort. I have full confidence in my soldiers." Zhang Rui didn't seem to care. replied.
"Moreover, if I were not here, how would those guys from the Qing Dynasty have the determination to fight us to the death? Only by defeating their cavalry can we attack Xuzhou City with peace of mind."
"The King of Han is right. It was the incompetence of his ministers that allowed the King of Han to take such a dangerous situation. I and others deserve death." After hearing this, Wang Kaiyuan knelt down and confessed. Even several other officials in the camp knelt down and confessed.
"Get up! How can I blame you? Although we have some advantages now, after all, we have just started, and we cannot withstand the hardships. And although the battlefield is dangerous, I will feel at ease with you." Zhang Rui comforted him. said.
"I thank the King of Han for his trust, and I will die ten thousand times to repay your kindness." All the kneeling ministers replied in unison.
"Okay, everyone, get up, I believe in you." Zhang Rui nodded and responded, and quickly stepped forward to help Wang Kaiyuan and others who were getting up.
Zhang Rui was actually helpless to the group of officials below who always loved to kneel and kowtow. After entering Nanjing, Zhang Rui repeatedly emphasized that all officials should not kowtow and accuse. However, the order was issued several times, but to no avail.
No matter how much Zhang Rui emphasizes, he still cannot stop the power of the times.
It seemed that if Zhang Rui didn't let them kneel down, they would feel uneasy. Only when they knelt down and worshiped did they feel that they were part of the bandit-suppressing army, even Wang Kaiyuan, who had been with Zhang Rui for a long time.
In this regard, Zhang Rui had no choice but to let it go and try to change slowly. After all, it’s difficult to change a person’s habits at once, let alone the ethos of a society?
"Colonel Zhang, how are the grain and grass reserves?" Zhang Rui turned to look at Zhang Shide, who was now a colonel of the Logistics Department, and asked.
"Back to the King of Han, our army currently has sufficient rations. According to the latest statistics, the army's rations can last at least one month." Zhang Shide, who was named, quickly stepped out of the queue and replied.
"Moreover, our army's current food channels are unobstructed and no crisis has been found. As long as the food transportation is normal, our army's current food and grass can be said to be completely worry-free."
"Yes, good job. However, food and fodder for the army is by no means a trivial matter. The logistics department must pay more attention to it. Any situation must be dealt with in a timely manner. We must not take it lightly." Zhang Rui warned.
"Don't worry, King Han, I will not dare to relax at all." Zhang Shide replied.
"Okay, I have great trust in Aiqing's ability to do things." Zhang Rui nodded with satisfaction.
"I thank you for your kindness." Hearing this, Zhang Shide knelt down and burst into tears of gratitude.
Since the uprising, the issue of food and fodder for the bandit suppression army has always been Zhang Rui's greatest concern. As the saying goes, before the three armies move, food and grass will go first. If you have food in your hands, you will not panic in your heart.
Looking at the late Ming Dynasty, how many Ming armies were not defeated at the hands of the enemy but also lost to lack of food?
As the saying goes: People are like iron rice or steel. If you don't eat one meal, you will be hungry. People who have never experienced hunger may have difficulty understanding the true meaning of this statement.
No matter how powerful the army is, once it is short of food, it can only become weak and powerless and let people bully it.
Before hybrid rice was developed, food had always been a heavy sword hanging over the head of the Chinese dynasty.
Since ancient times, most of the unrest in China have been related to food shortages. It is precisely because of this that all Chinese dynasties advocated heavy agriculture, and its important purpose was to ensure the food for the people and to ensure their stability.
If the bandit suppressing army wants to be rogue bandits, then it will naturally be easier to provide military supplies. After all, rogue bandits will not be polite when they plunder the food and grass from the people. However, if the army became like this, Zhang Rui felt that there was no point in revolting against the Qing Dynasty.
Military rations should have been obtained from the government's tax on local people. However, because the anti-bandit army captured the city too quickly after the bandit uprising, many areas were not even equipped with officials, let alone food collection.
Moreover, due to the outbreak of the war, the Manchu and Qing court shamelessly imposed heavy taxation of two or even three years on the areas occupied by the anti-bandit forces. Many people had only a handful of food left in their homes, which was enough to survive. . If the bandit-suppressing army continues to collect grain, it will easily cause trouble and be difficult to clean up.
Since food cannot be robbed, it can only be bought.
The war went smoothly, and the bandit-suppressing army made a lot of money from the Manchu and Qing Dynasties. Coupled with the liquidation of those large households who followed the Manchus all the way to the end, the money in the hands of the bandit suppressing army is still optimistic. More importantly, the bandit suppression army also controlled maritime trade at this time. Therefore, the money and silver in the hands of the bandit suppressing army cannot be said to be in short supply.
Buying grain is nothing more than buying it from the common people or buying it overseas.
At this time, the people under the rule of the bandit-suppressing army did not have much food in their hands. Although the anti-bandit army would pay to buy some from them, they would not dare to buy in large quantities from them.
Otherwise, food prices will rise significantly, and the anti-bandit forces will not only spend extra money, but will also make life difficult for the people under their control.
In this way, the military rations that the bandit suppression army lacks can only be obtained through sea trade.
Sea trade has always been a weapon for China. You know, at that time, foreign maritime merchants had been looking down at the Chinese market. It's just that the Manchus have always shown no desire for sea trade, so they are helpless. Now they encountered such a wealthy and wealthy leader of the bandit suppressing army, but they were very happy.
Compared with the silk, porcelain and tea leaves that the Manchus could only exchange for real gold and silver, now no matter what the merchants brought over were grain, wood, copper, iron and steel, cotton and wool, even just a shipload of sulfur ore, the bandit-suppressing army They all accepted the order without any hesitation.
It was also due to the large-scale purchases made by the bandit-suppressing army that the territory controlled by the bandit-suppressing army showed an exceptionally prosperous sea trade scene.
Today, there is such a saying among Japanese maritime merchants.
Once the rice that is unsalable in Japan is brought to China, it will be a boatload of silver.
…
Xuzhou outer suburbs
Manchu Qing Dynasty, Jiangnan bandit suppression camp.
During the meeting in the hall.
At this time, Fu Heng beside the desk was looking at the simple map in the hall with a serious look on his face.
Suddenly, Fu Heng turned around and asked the generals who were sitting down in confusion.
"This morning, Tan Ma came to report and found that the rebel West Route Army and South Route Army had entered Xiangcheng (Huaibei City) respectively, and the East Route Army also captured Pizhou. Now the rebels have formed two armies to attack our army. . I wonder what you think of the current situation of our army?"
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