After talking with Liu Qi about the military affairs of Jingzhou Prefecture at the Zhizhou Mansion, Bai Gui resigned and left.
No need to disturb me any more...
It's just that compared to before coming, when Bai Gui walked out of the magistrate's mansion, he had an extra good simple knife hung on his saddle.
This is what Liu Qi used in the past.
After the peace talks in Shaoxing, Liu Qi, a famous general, was also sent to Nanshan and took up the civil position of magistrate. He no longer led the army in war, so he gave this simple sword to Bai Gui, his close nephew.
In this world, although Bai Gui wears a sword, he travels in casual clothes, and a scribe wears a sword. In the Han Mansion, he has been learning battlefield killing from Han Shizhong, but the sword is too light, so he picked up his Guanshan knife again.
Got up.
Guanshan knives are knives made by later generations of swordsmiths based on the simple knives made in the Song Dynasty.
It's just that the former has a short handle and the latter has a long handle.
The Pu Dao has a short head, a long handle, and no sheath. The long handle can be removed from the head and used as a rod.
The simple swords Liu Qi gave to Bai Gui were all made of iron. They were not ordinary simple swords popular among the people, but more like the Qinglong Yanyue sword used by the martial sage Guan Yu.
A single horse walks down the street.
From time to time, he went to a neighborhood in the south of Jingzhou City, found Li Zheng, and showed his tooth tag.
As Tang Wan said, officers who have reached Bai Gui's level no longer need to hang out with lower-level officers in the military camp, and have private residences in Jingzhou City.
Li Zheng personally greeted him and called a few rough servants to clean the court.
Although this house is located in a remote place, it only has two entrances. There are not many interior facilities and it looks relatively simple. But Bai Gui has been used to living a hard life in the past few years, so this small problem is not a big deal to him.
As for Liu Qi, although he values more, he obviously will not make too many arrangements in this aspect.
If you can't bear even this small setback, why bother joining the army? Just go home and become a scribe. Although it won't mean simple food and clothing, it is still a test in disguise.
The maid cleaned up and left.
When Bai Gui moved in, he was calm and not at all arrogant.
Ten days later.
Bai Gui went to the magistrate's mansion again to visit Liu Qi.
Liu Qi said about this incident, "My nephew was born into a wealthy family and lives in a shabby alley. He has never shown any sign of resentment. It seems that Han Liangchen really has a good disciple."
Sometimes, when reading history books, the ancient people’s tests are very simple to answer.
But the simpler it is, the better you can test your true temperament.
For example, Lu Zhi, an upright official in the Tang Dynasty, once visited Zhang Yi, the famous governor of Shouzhou at that time. Zhang Yi thought that Lu Zhi was a rare genius, so when he left, he gave Lu Zhi a million dollars, but
Lu Zhi only accepted some tea leaves, but refused the other money. Later, Lu Zhi received a lot of benefits because of his reputation for integrity, and was promoted to the prime minister.
Maybe there really is something up his sleeve.
But in other words... if you don't even have the ability to maintain this scheming, then there is no need to talk about any test.
Regardless of scheming or not, if you can do this, you have already surpassed many people.
In Liu Qi's view, Bai Gui is the son of a rich family. He grew up with a golden spoon in his mouth. He was awarded the title of Boy Boy when he was young, and then won the top prize in martial arts. For people like this, if they go to the back alleys, it's okay to go to the back alleys in one or two days, but in ten days
, which proves that his character can be cultivated.
"Uncle Liu, thank you very much."
"The Master said: Eat sparingly, drink water, bend your arms and rest on it, and enjoy it. I heard that Uncle Liu was selecting good soldiers for me and preparing a lot of weapons. From this point of view, Jingzhou City is the best.
The mansion is only a hundred or so long, and it is not worth a good horse."
"I dreamed of many good horses, so why not worry about living in this poor alley!"
Bai Gui looked calm and replied.
What the "Han Family Army" wants is not a humble gentleman, but a junior who is good at making progress, so that they can maintain their interests and connections and continue their "tradition".
So the meaning of Bai Gui's words is very obvious.
He didn't mind such a simple life because Liu Qi was arranging elite soldiers and equipment for him. A fine mansion in Jingzhou City cost only more than a hundred guan, but a good horse was worth at least several hundred guan.
There are so many, it is clear at a glance who is superior and who is inferior.
Even if he just resells ordnance, he can still make a lot of money.
Why care about living in the back streets for these ten days?
"Good! As expected of the disciple of Po Han Wu."
When Liu Qi saw this, he couldn't help but slapped the case and praised loudly.
This sentence greatly changed Bai Gui's impression in his heart. Quoting Confucian classics, this is the seedling of a Confucian general, and he is an educated man. Quoting Confucian classics, but not sticking to Confucian classics, this is the way to change the battlefield.
.At the same time, being good at sizing up situations and forbearing one's temper is one of the most important factors in becoming a commander-in-chief.
Don't forget that some veteran generals on battlefields look down on Confucian generals who came from civil servants, thinking that they are blind leaders. But privately, they have no shortage of teachings for their descendants, and they all want to become generals and have a few more Confucian generals.
"Five days later, I will give you a battalion of cavalry, one man and one horse. The remaining four battalions will be fully staffed and will not be paid for free. Anyway, with your family background, you will not be short of the money for free pay.
I’ll give you eight hundred-year-old iron armor, one thousand for leather armor, and three thousand for paper armor…”
With a stroke of his pen, Liu Qi finalized the official document.
In these ten days, one is to examine Bai Gui's temperament to determine how much investment he will make in this "good nephew"; the other is to mobilize the Jingzhou Prefecture's treasury armaments and calculate the appropriate amount.
, and then give it to the newly established Imperial Army.
The previous Forbidden Army had too many soldiers and officers, and was severely underpaid, so the Privy Council decided to establish a new Forbidden Army in Jingzhou Prefecture.
"Thank you uncle."
"But... I only need 300 of these 500 horses. I'll ask my uncle to replace the remaining 200 horses with mules. My nephew will imitate Li Xilie and form a mule army."
Bai Gui thought for a moment and said solemnly.
The Mule Army was not a specialty of the Nian Army in the late Qing Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, Li Xilie, the military governor of Huaixi Province, formed a Mule Army, and Li Xilie's Mule Army also had great military exploits.
There is a saying in the "Old Tang Book": "People were robbed by Xilie... Since there were few horses in the land, there were many mules, and they used them to fight. They were called the mule army, and they were especially brave."
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng also formed an army of 20,000 mules for combat.
The Nian Army was able to use its mule army to defeat Senggelinqin's elite cavalry many times.
And he had the advanced experience of the Nian Army and formed a mule army. Even if it was not as good as the Nian Army, it was still much better than being without horses.
As for why these two hundred war horses were abandoned, there was also a reason...
War horses were a military control material of the Southern Song Dynasty, and it was difficult for private individuals to purchase them. However, if you did not give up these two hundred war horses, you would not be able to exchange them for mules. This is because the imperial army was paid by the Song Dynasty, not by the Song Dynasty, which was free of charge.
Even if he could buy so many mules, he would not be able to donate them to the Forbidden Army. Once he did so, wouldn't the Forbidden Army become his private property? This is a taboo for a general, and is even more terrifying than using power for personal gain.
The imperial court may allow you to eat empty pay and drink the blood of soldiers, but it will never allow you to show such kindness to the soldiers under your command.
"Mule Army..."
Liu Qi frowned, and Zhu Bidun typed on the slip, "Li Xilie established the Mule Army in Huaixi because it occupied Caizhou, Bianzhou, Ruzhou, and Dengzhou. The terrain was flat, and the reason why the Song Dynasty abandoned the Mule Army was
, Firstly, mules are difficult to use on the battlefield because of their unstable temperament, secondly, training mules is expensive and difficult to use, and thirdly..."
He gave a lot of reasons.
"Everyone knows what my uncle said, but the Mule Army is short of horses in the Song Dynasty, and there is no way to do anything about it."
"I don't want you to try it. If it doesn't work, my nephew is not stubborn. He will try it briefly. If he can, he can learn the method of training mules, which will be beneficial to the country. Although he will not defeat the Jin people with this method, he can use the mule army to defend without worries.
also."
Bai Gui cupped his hands and said.
Liu Qi's frown gradually relaxed, and he nodded. Bai Gui's words spoke to his heart. Anyway, it was just a try, and it didn't take much effort. It would be a good thing if it succeeded, but if it didn't,
It can also be regarded as a training for Bai Gui.
"Since you have made up your mind, my uncle will not dissuade you."
"There are two hundred war horses. One war horse can be exchanged for two or three mules at the market price, but this is the market price..." In the "General Strategy of Military Affairs" it is said: 'Each army group buys a donkey.', what do you think?
The army should have 250 donkeys, but now I will adjust the number for you and give you 800 donkeys..."
he said.
Bai Gui made a mental calculation.
Three hundred war horses, plus eight hundred donkeys and mules. It is impossible for all of these eight hundred donkeys and mules to be used for riding. One hundred are used for transportation and carrying goods. If each camp is closer, then there will be enough left.
Seven hundred donkeys and mules, a total of about one thousand "cavalry".
One thousand cavalry, if used properly, can be enough to influence the outcome of a great war.
It is already considered a very strong force.
"Thank you uncle."
Bai Gui then thanked Liu Qi.
"Although your master has taught you the art of war, training cavalry cannot be accomplished in an instant. If there is anything you don't understand, don't hold back, come and ask me."
"Don't be embarrassed..."
Liu Qi said these last words and waved his hand, asking Bai Gui to step back.
The eight hundred donkeys and mules were basically not sent out by the imperial army, but by the local civil affairs and Xiang army in Jingzhou Prefecture. Liu Qi was busy with the rest.
It is no easy task to recruit so many idle mules.
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
Well, a cousin has brought her partner and wants to play mahjong with me. She can't shirk it, so after this update, there will be no more updates tonight. Sorry, maybe we can play until early in the morning, and then we can make up for it. If not, we won't be able to play mahjong all day long tomorrow.