pappabearbooks Chapter 76 Reorganizing and Dividing the Army
Chapter 76 Reorganizing and Dividing the Army
"He deceived the emperor, acted selfishly and ruined the country, nearly causing the loss of an entire army, and I still want to reward him?"
Liu Hong's tone was unwilling, and his face was gloomy.
Zhang Rang leaned down and chuckled, revealing the secret in one sentence: "Your Majesty, in the end, no great disaster was caused, so the outcome is good."
"Moreover, judging from the results, our Great Han Heavenly Army decisively defeated the three chieftains Que Ji, Ke Zui, and Murong, and inflicted a great defeat on Tan Shihuai, capturing tens of thousands!"
"This is a victory unseen for decades!"
"What are a subject's personal desires worth mentioning?"
"Only by richly rewarding Xia Yu can we solidify the great victory of the Northern Expedition and demonstrate Your Majesty's wisdom and martial prowess, surpassing even Emperors Guangwu and Mingzhang in achievement!"
"The people of the world only know that the Han Dynasty defeated the Xianbei, and only know that Your Majesty is wise. Who will delve into the details?"
"His achievements are remarkable... a resurgence is in sight..."
Liu Hong murmured to himself, the gloom in his eyes vanishing, replaced by a look of smug satisfaction.
The emperor's pride and vanity ultimately prevailed over all his anger.
He readily agreed and adopted Zhang Rang's plan.
After a moment, Liu Hong suddenly remembered the young relative far away in Liaoxi, and his tone softened: "Liu Bei is my lucky general."
"You twice saved me from peril, pacified the borders during a major epidemic, and thwarted the Northern Expedition. How should you reward me?"
Zhang Rang quickly advised, "Your Majesty, the greatest credit should go to Xia Yu. This is the overall situation of the court. Liu Bei's merits should not be rewarded too heavily."
"Why not bestow some imperial items upon them to show our favor, thus preserving the overall situation and appeasing our meritorious officials?"
Liu Hong agreed wholeheartedly and had already given up, but then, inexplicably, the image of the four Zhongxing swords from the inner palace surfaced in his mind.
In the third year of Jianning, he was full of vigor and determined to revive the Han Dynasty. He summoned the best craftsmen in the country to forge four swords, with the words "revive" engraved on the blades, hoping to support the country.
However, the sword master's words, "Of the four, there must be one that is lost," made him wary, so he sealed all four swords away and never showed them to anyone.
Four is an unlucky number, so why not break it into three to bring good fortune?
Liu Bei was a member of the Han imperial family, a lucky general, and a loyal and reliable man. Giving him a sword was the most appropriate thing to do.
Upon realizing this, Liu Hong clapped his hands and laughed, his mind no longer troubled.
The following day, at the grand court assembly, Emperor Ling issued an edict granting amnesty to the entire realm, and richly rewarded Xia Yu, bestowing upon him the title of Marquis, granting him the authority to wield the axe and halberd, and allowing him to establish his own government, bestowing upon him the highest honors.
At the same time, a casual imperial edict was sent to Liaoxi, bestowing upon Liu Bei a sword made by the emperor to revive the dynasty, as a sign of imperial favor.
None of the officials paid any attention to the sword, regarding it merely as a casual gift from the emperor.
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Three days after the imperial edict was issued, Liu Bei officially resigned as magistrate of Yangle County and was transferred to the position of Commandant of Liaoxi Commandery, commanding the troops of the entire commandery and wielding the power of war in the northern frontier.
Inside Yangle City, the Commandant's Office has been renovated. With its high walls made of blue bricks and armored soldiers standing in formation, it has become more solemn and dignified than the former county government office, and less bustling with the everyday life of the city.
Liu Bei moved his civil and military officials into the mansion, and still appointed Wang Lie as the chief clerk of the Commandant's Office, in charge of all official documents and general affairs.
In the main hall of the mansion, the register of five thousand battle-hardened cavalrymen was laid out on the table.
Liu Bei sat upright in the main seat, his gaze sweeping over the generals below, his expression calm and dignified.
This time, the imperial court has transferred Yan Gang to Liaodong as governor, and Zou Dan to Shanggu as commandant. Today, they part ways and will each be stationed in their own regions, each in charge of their own affairs.
Liu Bei slowly spoke, "Brother Gongji, I have already discussed this with the Prefect."
"The border region of Liaodong is bitterly cold and surrounded by the Xianbei. Without elite troops, there is no way to establish a foothold."
"You are permitted to select 800 elite soldiers from among your former 5,000 cavalry to take to Liaodong to guard the border and protect the flank of Youzhou."
Liu Bei raised his hand and tossed the troop mobilization document in front of the two men, his tone earnest: "The journey is long and arduous, and there are many troubles in the northern frontier. Take care."
Yan Gang originally had 800 border troops under his command, all of whom were elite soldiers who had fought alongside him in the frontier, but they suffered considerable losses in this battle.
Later, he was replaced by Xianbei loyalists, expanding his cavalry to more than 3,000, but when he was transferred, it was obviously impossible for him to take them all with him.
The fact that Hou Chong and Liu Bei were willing to give him 800 means that they considered him one of their own.
With these eight hundred fearless cavalrymen, he had enough to establish himself in Liaodong.
Yan Gang accepted the document with both hands, his tiger-like eyes slightly red, and kowtowed heavily: "This humble general thanks the Prefect and the Marquis for their great kindness!"
Though Liaodong is far away, my heart is always with Liaoxi!
"If my lord ever commands me to come to your aid, a single letter will suffice, and I will lead my Liaodong cavalry to your aid day and night, even at the cost of my life!"
"May you rise steadily in rank, ascend to a high position soon, pacify the northern frontier, and restore the Han Dynasty!"
Liu Bei looked reluctant to part with him and said with emotion, "Brother Gongji, you've been so kind!"
He then added, "Brother Gongjian, the Prefect and I have already made arrangements for Shanggu. You can go there without worry!"
Zou Dan also kowtowed, his voice booming like a bell: "This humble general awaits your good news, My Lordship!"
Liu Bei stood up, personally helped the two generals up, and patted them on the shoulders, his unspoken words conveying a thousand unspoken thoughts.
That afternoon, outside Yangle City, a farewell ceremony was held at the long pavilion.
Liu Bei, along with Cheng Pu, Han Dang, Tian Yu, Xu Rong, and other civil and military officials, personally escorted Yan Gang and Zou Dan out of the city.
Eight hundred elite soldiers lined up on the road, their warhorses neighing, their armor gleaming in the sun.
The two mounted their horses, bowed to Liu Bei from afar, then turned their horses around, whipped them, and rode away, raising clouds of dust, never looking back.
After seeing off the two generals, Liu Bei returned to the Commandant's Office and immediately began to reorganize the entire army.
Of the five thousand iron cavalry, eight hundred were sent to Liaodong, while six hundred White Horse Cavalry followed Gongsun Zan to Youbeiping.
After deducting losses and troop reductions along the way, he still had 3,600 elite cavalrymen remaining under his command.
They were all elite warriors who had survived the three battles of Queji, Mijia, and Tanshihuai, and were of one heart and mind with the Hu people. Their fighting strength should be the best in the border counties of Youzhou.
In the main hall, Liu Bei, holding the military tally, publicly divided his troops, issuing clear and strict orders.
"Cheng Pu led 650 cavalrymen to Linyu County to take up his post and was incorporated into the county's directly subordinate combat troops."
Han Dang led 650 cavalrymen to garrison Lingzhi County, where he rectified the local situation and guarded the Lingzhi Iron Mine.
Tian Yu led 650 cavalrymen to guard Yangle County and pacify the displaced people;
Xu Rong, leading 650 cavalry, served as the Commandant of Yangle County, in charge of the defense of Yangle City, protecting the prefectural government, and training the local militia of various forts.
The four generals accepted the order in unison, stepped forward to receive the talisman, and all wore joyful expressions.
Of the three thousand six hundred cavalry, two thousand six hundred were led by four generals, and the remaining one thousand elite iron cavalry were personally commanded by Liu Bei as the troops of Liaoxi Commandery.
They were stationed at the main camp outside the Commandant's Office, serving as the main mobile force of the prefecture, rushing to aid all directions and suppressing both internal and external threats.
With the division of forces decided, Liu Bei, with a sharp gaze, formulated a three-year plan to strengthen the army in Liaoxi. His words carried immense weight and resounded throughout the hall.
"This Commandant has established regulations with a three-year timeframe, not seeking quick results, but rather aiming to solidify the foundation."
"The troops under the jurisdiction of Cheng Pu, Han Dang, Tian Yu, and Xu Rong must be expanded from 650 cavalry to 2,000 elite cavalry within three years."
"I, the Commandant, will personally lead the Prefectural Army and expand it to three thousand iron cavalry within three years!"
"The key to recruiting soldiers is to prioritize the conscription of Han refugees and respectable men from stable fortresses and villages. Quality over quantity is paramount; military discipline is the foundation, and combat effectiveness is fundamental!"
Upon hearing this, all the generals were startled.
The army has nearly tripled in size in three years. They are not afraid of heavy tasks, but they are afraid of not having opportunities.
When you're an official in a border region, who would complain about having too few soldiers?