lcionline Chapter 483 Goodbye Master Zhong
Chapter 483 Goodbye Master Zhong
In September of the second year of Chonghe (1119), in Datong Prefecture, the former Xijing of the Liao Dynasty, the Tenglong flag of the Yangwei Army had been hoisted on the city wall, cannons had been mounted on the four city gates, and a row of spirited Yangwei Army soldiers were standing in neat rows.
At this time, the entire land of the Liao Kingdom, except for the Zhongjing City Dading Prefecture, had basically been occupied by the Yangwei Army and the Jin Army, and two-thirds of the land had become the territory of the Yangwei Army.
After occupying a large area of land, ordinary Liao people quickly accepted the new regime. All Liao soldiers were incorporated into the Yangwei Army. The old, weak, sick and disabled were eliminated, and the remaining troops were disbanded and incorporated into the various guards of the Yangwei Army.
Today's Yangwei Army has expanded to 6 guards, and the establishment of each guard has also expanded to more than people. Together with the hidden shadow guards, the entire Yangwei Army already has well-trained field troops, of which guards are pure cavalry.
In addition to these 200,000 regular troops, there are also "Yongning Guards" scattered all over the country in the name of Yongchang Escort Agency, and militias stationed in various cities. When necessary, these militias only need a little training and equipment, and they are not much worse than the regular armies of Song and Liao.
The Liao Dynasty, which was once powerful, usually had a standing army of about 200,000 to 300,000 people. However, almost all the people of the grassland ethnic groups are soldiers, and when necessary, they can urgently expand their troops and mobilize 600,000 to 700,000, or even millions of soldiers.
Of course, it is impossible for all the soldiers and horses that were urgently mobilized to be equipped with armor, and even their weapons are relatively simple.
The 200,000 regular troops under Lu Cheng's command are elite troops with complete equipment, sufficient armor, and a reasonable combination of various arms.
The ability to accumulate so many weapons and armor in a short period of time was also thanks to Lu Cheng's mobilization of craftsmen, who vigorously mined the Anshan iron ore, improved the smelting process, established a complete assembly line, and used mechanical power such as water wheels to drive the stamping device to mass-produce armor plates and armor.
Of course, even for the Yangwei Army, it is impossible for the entire army to be equipped with armor. On the one hand, it is due to the limitations of the industrial base, and on the other hand, it is due to different combat requirements.
Light cavalry and horse archers mainly wear leather armor or light armor covered with iron plates.
As for the baggage troops and artillery battalions, there is no need to equip them with armor.
Even so, equipping these 200,000 elite soldiers is basically the limit of what Lu Cheng can undertake at the moment.
If the elite forces continue to be expanded, more military expenditures will be consumed, which will affect people's livelihood and economic development and lead to unhealthy development of the entire system.
Of course, training and equipping these 200,000 elite soldiers is not easy in any dynasty.
In history books, there were often battles involving millions of soldiers, but in reality, there were only a few elite soldiers. A soldier who could wear ordinary cloth, hold a simple spear, and undergo a period of assassination training was considered a qualified soldier.
On the wall of Datong Prefecture, Lu Cheng stood on the tower and looked to the south. Then he turned to ask Lu Da, "Lu Da, has the old General Zhong replied?"
"I was just about to report to the general that half an hour ago, the Feiyu Guards just delivered a letter saying that the old General Zhong has set out and will arrive at the border in five days to meet with the general."
Lu Cheng nodded: "Then let's set off tomorrow."
After saying this, Lu Cheng suddenly asked casually: "Old Lu, how do you feel after following me for so many years?"
"General, I am a rough man, and I originally had no ambitions. I just saw many unfair things in this world, and I always hated myself for being alone and powerless to change anything. I could only draw my sword and fight against the unfair things I encountered.
But since I met the general, I knew that the general was the one who could lead us to change the world, and that was indeed the case. Over the years, I have led my brothers to fight in many battles, and have seen the people of the Song Dynasty living in dire straits, and the people of the Liao Dynasty suffering in dire straits. The words and deeds of the superiors may cause the destruction of millions of families.
I only hope that the general can lead us to unify the country as soon as possible, so that the people of the world can have enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear, so that there will be someone to take care of the injustices in the world, and let the people live like human beings! "
"That day will come. Lao Lu, you have to work harder. Only if you brothers work together can we achieve our wish sooner."
"I will try my best and never regret it even if I die!"
"No, you have to stay alive, and you have to watch our business grow."
After saying that, Lu Cheng looked at Shi Jin who was standing aside and said, "Shi Jin, when the world is pacified and the war is over, is there anything you want to do?"
"General, Shi Jin really hadn't made up his mind for the moment. Back then, I was Shi Dalang of Shijiazhuang. I devoted myself to martial arts and didn't work on the farm. My mother thought I was not doing my job properly, and she tried to persuade me many times without success. Then she fell ill in bed, and later there was no cure, so I passed away early.
Although my father supported me, he also hoped that I could start a family, get married, have children, and continue the family line. But Shi Jin was always obsessed with guns and sticks, and was almost killed by the chivalry of the rivers and lakes. Thanks to the general, Shi Jin is what he is today.
Looking back on this journey, Shi Jin has challenged the best fighters in the world, moved freely among thousands of soldiers, and climbed the city wall alone to be the first to climb it. Now thinking about it, Shi Jin has lived a happy life, but he has failed to live up to the kindness of his parents in raising him.
If the world is pacified one day, Shi Jin hopes to return to his hometown and rebuild Shijiazhuang in Huayin County to glorify our Shi family!"
"That's a great wish. I'll go to your Shijiazhuang and have a drink with you later."
The three of them smiled at each other, and all the things of the past came to their minds. So many years had passed unknowingly. These two people were not only subordinates, but also brothers and friends.
A few days later, at the northern border of the Song Dynasty, the original junction of the Song, Liao and Western Xia, the two armies slowly approached each other, and then stopped less than 5 miles apart.
Afterwards, a small group of people walked out from each of the two armies and headed towards a certain location in the middle.
"After many years, I met you again. I never thought that your status has changed drastically. Should I call you Prince Consort? Or General Lu?"
"Mr. Jinglüe, you are too polite. You and I are friends, so you can call me whatever you want."
"Then I'll still call you Prince Consort. However, Prince Consort dominates the north and has the potential to swallow up the world. I'm afraid we won't be friends for long."
"As long as Mr. Jinglue is willing, we can actually remain friends forever."
Hearing this, Zong Shidao shook his head and said, "My Zong family has been loyal to the Song Dynasty for generations, and we must be loyal to the end. Besides, I am old and don't have much time left to live, and I don't want to lose my integrity in my later years. I took the risk to come here today to ask you, my husband, if one day you seize the world, how will you treat the government? How will you treat the people? How will you treat us generals?"
Hearing this, Lu Cheng smiled slightly: "After all, the emperor is my father-in-law, so he will naturally have a good ending. As for how I treat the people, I don't need to say much. I just need to send someone to inquire about it. As for the military generals, the military generals of the Song Dynasty lived too aggrieved. I will pay equal attention to civil and military affairs."