Early the next morning, Chongzhen led 3,000 cavalrymen and 800 barbarians from the cavalry battalion to the small school field of the third camp. Xu Yingwei, Yan Yingyuan and other ten recruits were fully armed and lined up.
On the large campus not far from the small campus, more than 200,000 new troops were looking at this side eagerly, with unconcealable envy in their eyes.
They are both new recruits, but their appearance is completely different.
I saw Xu Yingwei and other ten leading soldiers already wearing mountain armor and phoenix-winged helmets.
There is also a flintlock short gun on the waist. This was specially made by Chongzhen in the arsenal. From now on, it will be specially used to equip officers and artillery. Each cavalryman must also be equipped with one.
But there are not so many handguns yet.
Therefore, the cavalry battalion and Yiding are still equipped with the original equipment.
The cavalry battalion still uses three-eyed blunderbuss or thunder blunderbuss.
The Yiding used Rumi guns or matchlock guns.
Because the cavalry battalions and Yiding relied more on their swords to fight, Chongzhen did not rush to equip them with flintlocks, but gave priority to the flintlocks to the new army.
The 2,700 new troops of the Tenth General Army were divided into ten small square formations.
Every soldier has put on the newly issued red cloth face armor and a brand new hat-shaped helmet.
There are two types of cloth armor, one is to wrap iron pieces with cotton cloth, and the other is to use rivets to fix small iron pieces on the inner surface of the cotton armor.
In terms of cost alone, the latter is obviously more expensive.
Chongzhen equipped the new army with the second type of cloth armor.
Just a set of cloth armor and a donut-shaped helmet are worth five taels.
But this price is nothing compared to chain armor and iron armor.
To equip all the 270,000 new troops with cloth face armor and donut-shaped helmets, 1.35 million taels of silver would be needed!
But Chongzhen didn't feel sorry for this kind of expense at all. Isn't the money raised from bond issuance used to equip the army? How about imitating Zhu Yousong from another time and space and using it for the draft?
Also, each recruit is armed with a flintlock rifle.
A white bullet bag is slung across the body from the left shoulder to the right waist.
This image is somewhat similar to Angsa's Lobster Soldier, which really makes people speechless.
Chongzhen thought that he would have to ask the logistics department to change the color of the bullet bag from white to black.
Small bags are divided horizontally inside the bullet bag. Each small bag can hold one paper-cased bullet. The entire bullet bag can hold thirty paper-cased bullets in total. This is also a combat base determined by Chongzhen.
Seeing Chongzhen approaching on horseback, the ten soldiers with no special reaction, but the more than 2,000 new recruits were extremely excited. This was the second time they saw Long Live Lord, and last time there were 270,000 people together.
When I was inspected by Long Live Lord, I just took a look from a distance, but this time I was much closer.
Finally seeing the living Long Live Lord, the recruits were extremely excited.
"Long live!" I don't know which recruit shouted first.
Immediately afterwards, more than 2,700 recruits shouted: "Long live!"
Chongzhen was also affected by the emotions of these recruits. Since traveling to this time and space, he finally saw a Ming army with high morale.
The military camp is not counted, as it is not an army in the true sense.
The combat experience of this new army in front of them may be far inferior to that of the frontier troops in Xuzhou and Wuchang, and even the Xiang Yong from Huai'an Prefecture, but in terms of morale, it instantly defeated the frontier troops and Xiang Yong.
Chongzhen could clearly feel the high morale exuded by the new recruits.
At that moment, Chongzhen also drew out his sword, lifted the sky with the blade, and shouted: "The sun, moon, mountains and rivers will always be there!"
"The sun, the moon, the mountains and the rivers will always be there! The sun, the moon, the mountains and the rivers will always be there! The sun, the moon, the mountains and the rivers will always be there!" The recruits shouted one after another, and finally gathered into one unified voice.
Even Xu Yingwei and other scholars also shouted along.
Amidst the roar of the mountain and the tsunami-like shouts, Chongzhen drew his waist knife in the direction of Wuchang, and once again shouted: "Everyone is here, target Wuchang Prefecture, set off for the battle!"
The next moment, the scholars' commands sounded one after another.
"Everyone, Mr. Laodong, turn right and walk together!"
"All Jiangyin generals, turn right and walk in unison! Follow us!"
…
Groups of new troops left the military camp one after another and embarked on the long journey to Wuchang Prefecture.
Chongzhen did not plan to let the new army take a boat, but planned to have them march on foot, and they would march fully armed. After arriving at Caojiang Admiral's Office, there would be baggage waiting for them.
Each soldier must carry his own supplies.
Each ration includes ten days' worth of fried rice, as well as corresponding amounts of dried plums, black beans, coarse salt blocks, and vinegar steamed cakes.
In addition, there is a backpack for each person. There is a felt pad and a blanket in the backpack, which are used when camping to avoid non-combat attrition due to frostbite.
In addition, a donkey was given to each wife.
The donkey is responsible for carrying tents for ten people and half a month's rations for the entire team.
In addition, each team is equipped with an additional carriage, which is responsible for carrying the entire team's ammunition.
In addition to paper shells, the ammunition included mainly long-handled grenades, four for each person.
This is actually part of endurance training. An army that cannot endure hardship cannot fight a tough battle.
The Shiziying followed Chongzhen on the mountain roads for several months. They were also fully armed and brought all their luggage. It was really miserable when it rained and the roads were muddy.
Therefore, Chongzhen hoped to repeat such a march.
Anyway, there is enough time. The journey from Nanjing to Wuchang over the Dabie Mountains is about more than a thousand miles. Even if we walk an average of fifty miles a day, we can get there in twenty days at most.
In twenty days, the rebels had little hope of capturing Wuchang.
However, this time it was not just the new army from Nanjing that sent troops, but also the troops from Xuzhou and Guide.
According to Chongzhen's request, Du Yinxi will mobilize 50,000 troops from Xuzhou, 50,000 troops from Guide, and 100,000 troops. They will pass through Runing Prefecture in Henan Province, enter Huangzhou Prefecture in Huguang, and then enter Hanyang Prefecture to block the Wuchang rebels from crossing the Yangtze River and fleeing north.
Or a way to escape westward to prevent the rebels from going to Chengtian Mansion to join the puppets or to Sichuan to join Zhang Xianzhong.
Population is always the most precious resource, and young men are especially precious.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Therefore, Chongzhen will never give these more than 100,000 strong men to Pseudo Shun or Zhang Xianzhong in vain, even if he captures these 100,000 rebels to mine and make steel, it will be fine.
But it's free labor.
Therefore, we have to provide sufficient rations to the soldiers in Xuzhou and Guide.
The town soldiers brought their own weapons and equipment and received no military pay, but the rations had to be provided by the court.
In the future, the weapons and equipment of the soldiers will be updated, and every time they go on an expedition, the court will have to provide weapons and ammunition to the soldiers.
At that moment, Chongzhen waved to Zhu Shunshui and asked in a deep voice: "Have the rations for the 100,000 soldiers in Xuzhou and Guide towns been prepared?"
"Your Majesty, everything has been prepared." Zhu Shunshui bowed his hands and replied, "According to the standard of one liter of rice per day, a total of three months' rations for 100,000 soldiers have been prepared, a total of 90,000 shi, which will be transported to Huang by the navy.
State capital.”
"The three-month ration is less." Chongzhen thought for a moment and said, "Add double it."
"I accept the order." Zhu Shunshui said without thinking, "I will go to the Si Yao Treasury to adjust the grain."
Watching Zhu Shunshui go away, Chongzhen ordered Gao Qiqian again: "Gao Banban, please go to the Chu State Duke's Mansion to invite Zuo Mengeng to me, and Jin Shenghuan will also be invited."
When Gao Qi sneaked into the Duke's Mansion of Chu, Jin Shenghuan and several other lieutenants, guards, and guerrillas who had been awarded the title of third-class loyal and brave son were gathering with Zuo Mengeng to drink.
But to be honest, Zuo Menggeng's Duke's mansion in Chu was really shabby.
After all, he is a dignified Duke of Chu. Even if it is not comparable to the Duke of Wei's palace, at least it cannot be worse than the mansions of marquises and earls, right? But who would have thought that the Holy Emperor only rewarded him with a small courtyard with three rooms and three rooms.
Not only is it a small courtyard, but this small courtyard is also located in Zhutanfang, Nancheng.
How many taels of silver is a small courtyard in Zhutanfang worth? It’s two hundred taels.
This reality made Zuo Mengeng a little angry, and the Holy One was too stingy.
Not only Zuo Mengeng was angry, Jin Shenghuan and other old subordinates were also grumbling.
If Zuo Menggeng, the dignified Duke of Chu, is like this, it can be imagined that the residences of the first-class loyal and brave sons and the third-class loyal and brave sons are only given to each of them an ordinary house, with only two rooms.
Residential houses.
This is true and makes people a little angry. Your Majesty, this is just killing the donkey and killing the donkey. It is too unscrupulous.
Thinking back to the time when we just won the battle in Xuzhou, I was full of longing, and it felt like it was a lifetime ago.
"Bah!" Jin Shenghuan slammed the wine bottle onto the rough wooden table and said with a dark face, "We can't survive this day, so let's go."
"Go?" Zuo Mengeng frowned and asked, "Where are you going?"
"You can go anywhere." A lieutenant general who was awarded the title of Third-Class Loyal and Brave Son said, "With your reputation and the abilities of our brothers, where can't I make a living?"
"That's right," said another guerrilla, "there are times when the Holy One regrets."
"It's useless." Zuo Mengeng raised his neck and drank the wine from the wine bottle, waving his hands and saying, "Without soldiers in our hands, we are like chickens that have lost their feathers. They are not welcome anywhere."
At this time, Jin Shenghuan suddenly suggested: "Master, why don't we go back to Wuchang?"
"Go back to Wuchang?" Zuo Mengeng's heart was pounding. They had already known about the mutiny in Wuchang Town. They had also taken the initiative to ask Chongzhen to go to Wuchang to recruit the rebel soldiers, but Chongzhen refused.
After a pause, Jin Shenghuan continued: "Originally, it was not easy for us to return to Wuchang, but the Holy Father made a mistake and abolished the Jinyi Guards years ago, but he gave us a chance to escape."
"Is it possible?" Zuo Mengeng asked, "What should I do if I'm discovered?"
Jin Shenghuan said: "Without Jin Yiwei's spies keeping watch for twelve hours, it would be easy for us to escape."
Zuo Mengeng said worriedly: "How do you know that Jin Yiwei has really been abolished? What if this is fake? What if this is a trap set by Chongzhen? If we abscond at this time, wouldn't we be committing suicide?"
"Uh..." Jin Shenghuan was at a loss for words. Thinking about it carefully, this is really a possibility.
At this moment, a high-pitched voice suddenly sounded outside the door: "There is an edict, and the Duke of Chu will accept it!"
"It's broken, someone must have snitched on me!" Zuo Mengeng jumped up angrily and ran out before he could change his clothes.
Jin Shenghuan and the others did not dare to avoid it, and hurriedly followed Zuo Mengeng to the gate. They saw Gao Qiqian already waiting at the gate.
"Master Jin is here too, which saves trouble."
Gao Qiqian smiled and shouted in a sharp voice: "There is a decree, Duke Zuo Menggeng of the State of Chu and Jin Shenghuan, the first-class loyal and brave son, will immediately go to the emperor to wait for dispatch. I admire you here."
"I accept the decree." Zuo Mengeng and Jin Shenghuan quickly bowed down.
When they got up again, both of them had bitter looks on their faces. Well, now they didn't even have the chance to escape.
Needless to say, Chongzhen must have been worried about the two of them, so he kept them under surveillance to prevent them from escaping back to Wuchang to meet up with their old troops and posing a greater threat to the court.
…
Chongzhen really just doesn't trust Zuo Mengeng and Jin Shenghuan.
Especially Zuo Mengeng. After all, he was the only son of Zuo Liangyu and had a great influence on Zuo Jun.
Once Zuo Menggeng is allowed to escape back to the Wuchang rebels, he can't say that he can completely control the entire army with one call and a hundred responses, but he can at least gain the support of most of the rebels. After Zuo Liangyu died in another time and space, Zuo Menggeng took over smoothly.
He defeated the Left Army and was defeated by Huang Degong in several battles without losing the support of the army.
If Jin Shenghuan is allowed to escape back to the rebels, it will be even more troublesome.
To be honest, Jin Shenghuan still has some ability, and his performance in the Xuzhou battle was acceptable.
If this guy is sensible enough and can stay calm during this inspection period and not act like a monster, Chongzhen actually doesn't mind giving him the opportunity to lead troops, but if he acts like a monster, he will be dead.
Furthermore, Chongzhen summoned Zuo Menggeng and Jin Shenghuan into the army to understand the rebels.
After all, Zuo Menggeng was once the young master of the Zuo Army, and Jin Shenghuan was also one of the five major colonels in the outer camp, so the two of them must know the rebels far better than anyone else.
The Art of War says that if you know yourself and the enemy, you can fight a hundred battles without danger.
No matter how much you look down on the rebels in Wuchang Town, you can't underestimate the enemy. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the details of the rebels in Wuchang Town through Zuo Menggeng and Jin Shenghuan.
…
At the same time, in Xuzhou.
Yang Ponu put the iron armor and cotton armor on the back of the mule, tied them tightly, and checked them carefully again.
He bought this mule for 25 taels of silver. It can be ridden as a war horse after being saddled. It is slower than a real war horse, but it can still be used.
In addition to the mule, Yang Ponu also bought a cow, which cost him a total of 30 taels of silver.
This price can be said to be very low, thanks to a deal between Du Yinxi and Pseudo-Shun, in which he exchanged 500,000 shi of grain for hundreds of thousands of mules, oxen and donkeys.
These hundreds of thousands of mules, oxen and donkeys solved the problem of having no animals to plow the fields.
However, compared to the mule, the two pairs of armored stomachs tied to the back of the mule are the most valuable possessions. If they are not tied tightly and are lost during a rapid march, it will be a big loss.
Losing a stomach is not only a financial loss.
What's more important is that the chance of saving one's life is also reduced.
So you have to be careful and careful to make sure nothing goes wrong.
After making sure that both armors and stomachs were tied firmly, he tied the dry food to the back of the mule.
The dry food was made by Widow Wang in two nights. It is a kind of pastry made from glutinous rice. Compared with wrinkled rice, eating this kind of dry food is many times more delicious.
