Looking at Chu Xiong's leaving figure, Su Qian's eyes were complicated. He understood Chu Xiong's good intentions, but now he had long been involved.
Chu Xiong didn't know that Su Qi'an and Su Xuanyong had reached an agreement to ensure that the tenth prince Su Xian would ascend the throne. In this step of seizing the throne, he had to leave.
Except for Su Xuanyong and Su Fengling, no one else knew about this matter. Su Qi'an did not intend to tell Chu Xiong. Firstly, he did not want him to worry, and secondly, it was to ensure their safety.
If this matter were leaked, several Su Qi'an would be dead. Now that he can govern Dongzhou, he can still be calm and composed when being targeted by people in the court.
In addition to his own means and strength, what is more important is that Su Xuanyong supports him.
At first, Su Qi'an only planned to keep a low profile and be patient, but as his status was raised step by step, he had to be forced to make changes.
In the court, if you want to be stable, you have to pay something. Interacting with Su Xuanyong is currently the best chance to save his life.
Anyway, he has already embarked on this path. As for what will happen in the future, he will just take it one step at a time. At least for now, everything he does is still in accordance with his plan, and the harvest is still great.
Chu Xiong's emergence has solved a problem in Su Qian's heart, and then the reform of Dongzhou's army can be officially launched.
On the second day after bidding farewell to Chu Xiong, Su Qi'an once again summoned the governors of the nine frontline counties in Qingchong County.
At this time, Wu Dingguo, Fan Chong, and Fang Jingzhi were also seated here. The reason why the nine frontline county governors were summoned without the participation of the rear nine counties was mainly because the biggest resistance to this reform was precisely the nine county governors including Qin Zhen. .
The army soldiers assembled in Houjiu County, under the auspices of Fan Chong and Fang Jingzhi, basically completed the reform. According to Su Qi'an's order, the 50,000 Dongzhou soldiers in Houjiu County were reduced to 30,000.
The remaining 20,000 people were disbanded on the spot, and among the 30,000 people retained, a group of grassroots officers who had experienced the Dongzhou War were added, as well as some new recruits.
This is done, on the one hand, to improve the combat effectiveness of the troops, and on the other hand, to divide the various hills.
If the Houjiu County is still in the hands of Zhou Zibin, Feng Nan, Yu Biao and others, this time the military reform may not be so smooth.
But this time, with the end of the Dongzhou war, Zhou Zibin committed suicide, and Feng Nan and other officials and wealthy officials pleaded guilty. The Dongzhou soldiers in Houjiu County did not need to be overly intimidated. Most of them were very obedient and followed the arrangements.
Therefore, the military reform of the Dongzhou soldiers in the latter nine counties went smoothly, and what Su Qi'an wanted to operate now was the Dongzhou soldiers in the former nine counties.
After the Dongzhou World War I, out of the 50,000 Dongzhou soldiers on the front line, there were only less than 30,000 left. However, due to recruitment of new soldiers, the strength quickly returned to 50,000.
The imperial court gave the total strength of the nine counties before and after Dongzhou to only 100,000, and the latter nine counties only had 30,000 troops left. Su Qi'an planned to reduce the number of Dongzhou soldiers from the first nine counties to 30,000.
The remaining 20,000 soldiers must undergo assessment and training, and those who pass the test will join the Dongzhou Navy.
This time Dongzhou's total military strength will remain unchanged, but the land army and navy will undergo major changes. Each of the nine counties at the front and rear will retain 30,000 land troops, and the remaining 40,000 Dongzhou naval forces will be formed.
The 40,000 Dongzhou Navy formed, regardless of the front or rear counties, was jointly ordered by Wu Dingguo and the new supervisory envoy, and could patrol the huge Dongzhou without hindrance.
Everyone can see that this reform is mainly to strengthen the combat power of the navy. Qin Zhen and other nine county guards have no objection to this. Even the internal organization of Su Qian's Dongzhou soldiers was changed to the latest divisions, brigades, and Regiments, battalions, companies, platoons, and squads all had no objections.
The biggest objection is that they don't understand why the land army has been reduced by 50,000.
The back nine counties are downsized. Due to their geographical location, the number of troops can be reduced. However, the front nine counties are the front line and have a vast coastline. With the reduction of land army establishment, their combat effectiveness will definitely be greatly weakened.
This is just one aspect. The most important thing they didn't say was that after the drawdown, no one wanted to take advantage of their own troops, and everyone wanted to retain more of their own troops.
Before the reform, they had heard some news. During this period, they had approached Wu Dingguo, hoping to intercede with Su Qi'an not to downsize or reduce the number of layoffs.
But the result was Wu Dingguo's ruthlessness. Although they were rejected, it did not mean that Qin Zhen and the others would give up.
Since Su Qi'an insists on implementing it, let's put this matter on the table and say that as long as they boycott together, even if Su Qi'an is the Dongzhou Supervisor, it will be impossible to enforce it. Don't blame them for not giving Su Qi'an face.
Qin Zhen and other nine county guards sat in the mansion according to their seats, listening to Wu Dingguo's story with expressionless faces. No matter how Wu Dingguo persuaded them, they remained silent.
Seeing this scene, Wu Dingguo's face darkened, he slapped the table and shouted in a low voice.
"Okay, you guys are full-fledged and you can't listen to anything, right? Do you think that this reform is just to take away the power in your hands?"
"They are all county guards who have been serving for so many years, and they have also led troops for many years. How come they all have selfish motives and are greedy for the power in their hands?"
"I put my words here. If you don't take a stand today, you must take a stand. If you continue to remain silent, fine, then it will be treated as your agreement. I will immediately issue an order to disarm!"
Considering what Wu Dingguo said, it was naturally impossible for Qin Zhen and others to remain silent and pretend to be deaf and dumb. Qin Zhen was the first to speak.
He cupped his fists at Su Qi'an and Wu Dingguo on both sides of the top position.
"Since the Grand Governor has spoken out about this, then my subordinates will also speak out what is on their mind."
"Grand Governor, I, Qin Zhen, have been leading troops on the front line for more than ten years. You know that if you are really greedy for power, you may have surrendered to the enemy long ago, so why bother to persist."
"I know that the main purpose of this military reform is to vigorously develop the navy and improve the combat effectiveness of the Dongzhou soldiers, but why should we attack our land forces?"
"To put it bluntly, after so many years of fighting, how much combat effectiveness did the naval force exert? It was our land army that finally cleaned up the mess!"
"That's right, Supervisory Envoy, Chief Superintendent, please forgive my subordinates for being frank. A lot of money has been invested in the naval force over the years, but in the end, it was either ineffective at critical moments, or it was because the warships were not properly maintained and could not go to sea."
"That's right, even this Dongzhou War did not rely on the support of the Yuezhou Navy and the blockade of our land army on Zhoushan Island. Without us, the brothers of the Navy would have been in ruins again."
"It's not that we can't clearly see the navy, but their performance is too bad. We all agree with the supervisory commission's development of the navy, but again, we have to withdraw from our personnel establishment. A hundred of my brothers are dissatisfied. If I really do this, I can't tell my brothers who I want to be the county governor."
With Qin Zhen taking the lead, the other eight county governors all expressed their opinions and complained, and later even threatened to resign from their official positions.
Su Qi'an didn't know how hard it was for Qin Zhen and the others. Although the words sounded ugly, they were indeed the truth.
But Su Qi'an understood better that if he wanted to really make the Fusang Kingdom across the sea stop prying, he had to build a powerful naval force.
This is not decided by being looked down upon or by not wanting to do it, but by the geographical location of East and Vietnam states.
No matter how much it costs, Su Qian will build a complete and powerful Dongzhou navy in Dongzhou.
When Wu Dingguo heard the bitterness of Qin Zhen and others and the threat to resign, he raised his eyebrows and was about to curse, but was stopped by Su Qi'an.
Su Qian's face was calm, and he looked at Qin Zhen and others who had objections. After listening to everyone's complaints, he was silent for a while, and then said calmly.
"What you all said is indeed reasonable. These envoys can understand it. Just as Qin Commandery said, in the battle of Dongzhou, the navy of Dongzhou did not exert much power. If it were not for the Yuezhou Navy and everyone A desperate and fierce battle, it is difficult for the Dongzhou Navy to survive this battle."
"In your words, it is not up to you to clean up the mess in the end. If the Fuso Kingdom invades again, I believe you will fight to the death."
"I understand your courage, but I ask you to think about it. No matter how powerful our land army is and can fight, what can you do if it encounters the Fuso Navy that can fight and retreat at any time. "
"Not to mention anything else, in the Battle of Zhoushan Island that just passed, you all were brave and tenacious, but in the end, nearly 10,000 Fuso Navy soldiers were able to escape due to weather conditions."
"This time the 50,000-strong Fuso Navy came, leaving us with more than 30,000 casualties. If the next one comes with 100,000, 200,000, or even 300,000 people, how long can the land army alone survive? ?”
"Do we have to rely on the lives of our brothers to fill the gap every time? How many lives can we have to fill the gap?"
Su Qian's voice was very soft, but everyone was silent for a while after these words.
The silence of everyone did not stop Su Qi'an, but continued.
"Everyone has also seen the weakness of the Dongzhou Navy, but since you have seen it, why not give it a chance? Now everyone in Dongzhou has also seen that many officials who were corrupt and violated the law have been eradicated, and the family has become prosperous, not to mention prosperous. The trend is getting better.”
"Now we can take advantage of the victory in the Dongzhou War and ask for support from the imperial court. With your cooperation, is it true that the huge Dongzhou cannot produce a powerful Dongzhou Navy?"
"Everyone is willing to watch helplessly as the Dongzhou Navy continues to weaken until it becomes indispensable. By then, not to mention whether Fusang will despise us, I am afraid that the Yuezhou soldiers adjacent to us will laugh at you. ”
"I know that you feel uncomfortable, have thoughts and opinions, but I am still willing to negotiate with you out of respect."
"Today I have said my words and talked about your bitterness. I welcome you to change your mind. If you continue to persist in your stubbornness, don't blame me for being ruthless. I have put my words here. No matter who it is, no one can change me. The envoy will promote the establishment of a new Dongzhou Navy, no matter how high the cost, I will implement it."
"Finally, if you want to resign, no problem. You can apply now and I will approve it on the spot."
