Late Ming sea owl

Chapter 207 Cavalry
"Commander Yu, the last general was ordered to go on an expedition this time. He defeated the bandit army in Dongshan Bay, Gongqian Bay, and Tongshan City. Although he failed to capture the bandit Qu Zheng Zhilong, he drove the bandits out of Fujian and killed the bandit general Zhong. Bin, Zeng Wulao, beheaded one thousand three hundred and forty-sixth level, and came here to give orders to the commander."

Three days later, in the custody room of the Xiamen City General Military Office, Lin Hai shouted to Yu Zigao to return his orders, which attracted the attention of the Fujian generals.

"Very good! Lin Qianhu won the first battle. Although he did not achieve full success, it was enough to enhance the prestige of our army. I will definitely ask the court for credit." Yu Zigao said and added, "It's a pity that Thief Zheng slipped away too much." Hurry up, otherwise this traitor will be killed when our army arrives."

"The last general was able to win by luck, firstly because of the might of the commander-in-chief, and secondly because of the bravery of Yang Lu, Yang Ce and other generals under Xu's general headquarters. In this battle, the first-level leader was won, and the last general did not dare to take credit. It all depended on the commander-in-chief and Xu. The general will be dealt with without any hesitation."

Lin Hai conveniently gave away all his heads. This thing could be used for promotion, but it was of no use to him now. It would be of some use if he could receive a reward, but a pirate's head is not worth much, and things are tight now, so the head reward will probably not be paid out, so it is better to just do it as a favor.

These words immediately caused a commotion among everyone in the signing room. Everyone looked at Lin Hai gratefully. After all, most of the people here were Yu Zigao's confidants. The marshal himself was already beyond promotion. This was not a benefit. fell on their heads.

Especially the Yang brothers were moved to tears. To be fair, they were braver in this battle, but their role was not great. Unexpectedly, Lin Hai also specially emphasized their military exploits.

After coming out of the General Military Administration, the Yang brothers thanked Lin Hai profusely. Xu Xinsu also praised: "What my nephew said just now is wonderful. With me here, Marshal Yu will definitely not treat my nephew badly."

Lin Hai laughed when he heard this and said: "My nephew really doesn't want the promotion. Uncle Lan in Zhejiang is already working on my promotion. However, the Sixth Elder and the Seventh Elder have always been the committee members. This time, the Sixth Elder must be promoted no matter what. The practical teaching has been implemented.”

Xu Xinsu nodded and said: "Of course my nephew doesn't need to talk about this, it's all on me."

Ma Zheng is like shipbuilding timber. The most important thing is to solve the problem first. After all, the shoulder height of Gu Erye's war horses is only between eleven and thirteen hands. They were ridiculed by the Shinra generals as Swedish donkeys. The result was not good. Still killed all sides in the Thirty Years' War.

After hearing this, Lin Hai felt relieved. Although the Fujian officers and soldiers were of no help, with Yu Zigao's ability and caution, coupled with the city defense strategy he had learned before, he believed that it was almost impossible for Zheng Zhilong to break through the Zhongzuo Institute. .

"You mean Jinjiang horse is stronger than Guangma?" Lin Hai couldn't believe it. After all, Guangma was used as a war horse on a large scale in the Song Dynasty. If Jinjiang horse is stronger than Guangma, why is it unknown in history? Nameless?

After returning to the military camp, Wu Guoyi came to him immediately and excitedly held up a few pages of paper and said: "Chief Commander, this is my subordinate's statement on establishing a night-time army. Please take a look at it."

Historically, Zheng Zhilong broke through Xiamen City at the end of the seventh year of Tianqi and killed Xu Xinsu. Lin Hai didn't know if Yu Zigao was in the city at that time. Now it seems that history has changed.

"My subordinates request to stay in Fujian to recruit troops and horses." Wu Guoyi continued, "My subordinates also learned a few days ago that there are also local horse breeds in Fujian. Although they are not as strong as the northern horses, they can still be used. More importantly, What's more, this horse grows on the coast of Quanzhou, so it is expected to be able to adapt to the climate of Dongfan. "

Wu Guoyi heard Lin Hai's doubts and said: "That's true. This horse has low reproductive capacity and is rare in number, so it is not as famous as Guangma. Except for locals in Fujian, few people know about it."

"I agree with you about the war horses." Lin Hai took over the statement and said, "Let's talk about the establishment, troop sources, and equipment first."

"That's not a big problem. We don't need many war horses at the moment. If we want to expand the cavalry force in the future, we will definitely need a place to raise horses in the north." Lin Hai said and added, "Bring the articles over here. Please briefly talk about your thoughts first."

"Oh? Is there such a thing?" Lin Hai was slightly moved when he heard this. The key to cavalry is the horse. The biggest problem in Dongfan is that the hot and humid environment is not conducive to raising horses. This gives him a headache. It is also the reason why he has not agreed to form a cavalry. One of the reasons for the troops.

Lin Hai laughed when he heard this and said: "Guoyi is so impatient. Didn't I tell you to wait until you return to Tamsui? I also asked the Finance Department to cooperate with you in making a budget."

"Yes, Chief!" Wu Guoyi then handed over the instructions he had written, "First of all, the war horses. The general just said that Jinjiang horses can be used first to avoid a large number of casualties in the East Fan..."

"It's a good idea to attack from Dongfan on land." Xu Xinsu twitched his beard and muttered, "In that case, let's do as my nephew said. If the Zheng thief comes to attack Fujian again, please come as soon as possible. Will suppress."

The so-called Guangma is actually not just a Guangxi horse, but a variety of southwestern horses including Yunnan horses. It is absolutely no problem to be used as a light cavalry horse.

Xu Xinsu nodded and said, "Don't worry, my dear nephew. After Zheng Zheng retreated, Lord Zhu Du has issued strict orders to let Marshal Yu remain in charge at Zhongzuo until the day when Zheng Zheng is crowned the leader."

In fact, the average shoulder height of Jinjiang horses is 125cm, which is slightly worse than Mongolian horses, but a little stronger than Swedish war horses of this era, but Lin Hai doesn't know about this.

Xu Xinsu heard this and said, "My nephew is worried about getting involved with the wax people?"

Lin Hai added: "Now that Marshal Yu is here, can my nephew's more than two hundred soldiers withdraw to Tamsui?"

"It's absolutely true!" Wu Guoyi was also very excited, "Most of these horses are produced in Jinjiang County, Quanzhou Prefecture. Fujian officers and soldiers are all called Jinjiang horses. I asked several Fujian military attachés and they said that although this horse is not as good as the northern horse, it is It’s slightly better than Guangma Lai.”

"Easy to say, easy to say..." Lin Hai was silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, "If Marshal Yu wants to return to Funing Prefecture, please ask Third Uncle Xu to try to let him stay in the Zhongzuo Station. My nephew is afraid that the Zheng thief will suddenly come to kill him. Rescue failed."

"No, no, my nephew has a very good relationship with the Qianlu people. After a while, he will send the priests mentioned before to the Zhongzuo Institute." Lin Hai shook his head and said, "I plan to conquer more locals. Rencunshe, one day go directly to Zheng Thief's lair in Jingang by land, so that he won't have to hide in the bay all the time and teach others nothing to do. "

"The commander-in-chief previously said that there will be about 200 troops left overnight. My subordinates believe that with the current strength of the Army Department, it is almost enough." Wu Guoyi continued, "These 200 troops can be divided into two sentries and one outpost. , a riding sentry..."

"Wait a minute, you mean you still have infantry even if you don't close the army at night?" Lin Hai was a little surprised when he heard this. The sentinels had always been light cavalry, and Wu Guoyi had some cavalry complex. He didn't expect that he would propose such an army building plan. .

"That's right, five cavalry in the north form a pond, and ten cavalry and ten steps in the south form a pond. This is a general rule in the army. Just because the south has mountains and rivers, and many forks in the road, it must be twenty people per pond. Among them, there must be There are infantry.”

Wu Guoyi then added: "Besides, it will take at least one or two years for the cavalry sentry to be able to go to the battlefield. If there is a first-step sentry, it can also solve the urgent needs of the Army Department first."

"What you said makes sense..." Lin Hai was thoughtful when he heard the words. He thought of the European chasseurs in later generations. Sure enough, it was useful to ask Wu Guoyi to give a statement to stimulate his thinking.

Just listen to Wu Guoyi continue to say: "As for the source of troops, I think the sentries can be recruited from hunters. Fujian is mountainous and hunters can be found everywhere. These people are used to walking in the wild. You only need to select some who are tall, strong and strong." Those who can shoot an arrow can become an army with a little training.”

"Continue." Lin Hai nodded frequently and opened Wu Guoyi's statement while gesturing for him to continue.

"Riding sentries is a little more troublesome. Youdao is poor in literature and rich in martial arts. Those who know how to ride and shoot among the people are either the children of generals, or they come from the families of gentry, country officials or wealthy merchants. They are definitely not willing to come to Dongfan to join the army." I thought I could only settle for the next best thing, either one who knew how to ride a horse or someone who knew how to shoot an arrow. I would give priority to those who knew how to ride a horse, such as postmen and grooms. "

Wu Guoyi said and added: "The cavalry must first be able to raise horses. If you can't raise horses well, there is nothing else to talk about. But just being able to raise horses and ride them is still far behind. It doesn't take a year or two to be able to ride on a horse." It is difficult to reach the sky with a bow. "Guoyi might as well open up his mind a little. Isn't there a faster way?" Lin Hai said with a smile.

"The chief is talking about a three-eyed gun? You have to take off the reins with both hands to fire it. It will take less than half a year to make it." Wu Guoyi saw that Lin Hai still smiled and said nothing, and then said, "Could it be that the chief is talking about Crossbow cavalry? If you use a short crossbow, you can control the horse with one hand and shoot with the other hand.

Lin Hai was immediately speechless. Your mother's crossbow cavalry all came out. These are antiques from many years ago. Isn't it a shame for a time traveler to do this in the late Ming Dynasty?

"Although cavalry training is strenuous, there is no rush at this time. The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and it may not be easy to recruit troops at this time. Guoyi should go back to Tamsui first." Lin Hai continued, "The infantry and artillery also need to be adapted. You finish this first."

"Yes, the chief!" Wu Guoyi replied quickly and solemnly. He had been so excited these days that he had forgotten about this matter. In fact, it was still the cavalry complex that was at play.

"Go and ask Mr. He Bai to come here. You come with him." Lin Hai put the note in his hand on the table. He felt a little tired.

It would be great if he could concentrate on training troops and fighting. Unfortunately, this is destined to be just a luxury wish for him. Many times, the leader of an army has to consider many things other than military matters.

After half a cup of tea, He Ying, dressed in military uniform, came with Wu Guoyi. Lin Hai got straight to the point and said: "Master He, you are fired. From today on, you are no longer a member of the Army Department of Huiyou Company."

"Chief, I would like to know the reason. I am not derelict in my duty by asking myself..." He Ying was a little confused when he heard the words. He stood blankly for a moment and then said as if he was dreaming. Until this moment, his mind was still blank.

Wu Guoyi on the side was also very surprised. He turned to Lin Hai and saw him replying calmly: "There is no reason, it's just that Lin doesn't want to use you anymore."

"Why?" He Ying seemed not to hear clearly, and suddenly stepped forward and shouted angrily. He had always been very calm, but this was the first time he lost his composure in front of Lin Hai.

"Do you really want to know why?" Lin Haiping retreated, leaving only Wu Guoyi present, staring at He Ying with eyes that seemed to penetrate people's hearts, "Because your uncle is the general soldier of Guangdong, and a noble son like you, Lin, can't afford it. I don’t dare to use it. That’s why Lin used you to guard the camp that day.”

When He Ying heard this, he was like a deflated rubber ball. The anger on his face disappeared in an instant, and a bitter smile that no one could understand appeared.

Since the formation of the Zhoushan Battalion, He Ying has been afraid that Lin Hai will look at him differently because of his identity. However, in the past year, there have been few times when he felt that he was being treated specially. Unexpectedly, today he heard Lin Hai say it himself. come out.

Lin Hai then said: "Is there anything else, Mr. He? If nothing happens, just pack your things and leave quickly. You can go back to your hometown in Suzhou or go to Guangdong. If you don't have money, just say something to Lin."

"Thank you for Lin Qianhu's trouble, He will leave now!" He Ying quickly regained her composure, but Lin Hai could still see his inner injustice from the subtle expressions.

Seeing He Ying turn and leave, Wu Guoyi finally couldn't help but said: "The main seat..."

"Guo Yi, no need to say more." Lin Hai interrupted him with a wave of his hand. "I have already made the decision on this matter, and there is no reason to change it. You will be in charge of the Second Bureau for the time being, and the rest will be discussed after the Army Department is reorganized."

He Ying strode away. Lin Hai looked at his back and sighed silently in his heart. In fact, He Ying was the best candidate for cavalry general in his mind, but it was a pity that he had to kick him out.

Among all the officers and soldiers of the Army Department, He Ying should be second only to Wu Guoyi in terms of horsemanship skills.

Wu Guoyi could shoot from left to right with a bow. Although He Ying did not have this ability, he was also good at riding and shooting. What was even more rare was that he could also wield a big gun with both hands on the back of a galloping horse. This was better than being able to charge with a gun. It's much harder, and even more rare for him at his age.

Of course, martial arts skills are not the most important thing. Unlike infantry generals who command from behind, cavalry generals generally need to personally charge in front of the formation and often need to decide the timing and direction of the attack alone. The overall quality required is much higher than that of infantry generals.

To put it simply, in addition to extremely high tactical literacy and battlefield sense, you also need to be rash when you should be rash, be calm when you should be calm, and love your soldiers like your own children while treating human lives as nothing.

From this point alone, He Ying's potential is stronger than Wu Guoyi, at least that's what Lin Hai thinks.

That afternoon, He Ying got drunk alone in a restaurant in Xiamen city. He drank from noon to dusk. He couldn't remember how much yellow soup he drank.

He Ying has dreamed of serving in an ideal army since he was a child - it doesn't necessarily have to be a meritorious service, he just simply likes this kind of life.

Whether it was the Zhoushan Battalion or the Army Department, he thought he had finally found the army of his dreams, but it was a pity that in the end it was all in vain.

"Master He? Why do you have time to get drunk here? Is everything okay in the military camp?" Suddenly a familiar voice came from behind He Ying. He turned around and saw that it was Xu Yilong.

He Yingjiu was stationed in Xiamen for a long time. Xu Yilong was quite knowledgeable and knew that he was He Rubin's nephew, so he took the initiative to get close to him from time to time.

However, He Ying always had a cold and aloof attitude that put people away thousands of miles away. Xu Yilong didn't feel dissatisfied and still worked tirelessly to stick a hot face to a cold butt.

"What military camp? He will go back to his hometown in Suzhou tomorrow." He Ying was already dizzy from drinking and burst into tears unconsciously.

Xu Yilong was greatly moved when he saw this. He had never seen He Ying like this before, and he quickly stepped forward to ask for the reason.

After finding out the whole story, Xu Yilong was even more shocked. He had never thought that He Ying valued this army so much, as if it were his own home. Otherwise, why would this cold noble prince shed tears uncharacteristically? Come.

Xu Yilong realized that this was a good opportunity to establish a relationship with He Yingla, and quickly said: "There must be something fishy about this matter. If Lin Qianhu refused to use you, why did he agree to Mr. He in the first place? If it is to save face, today Why did he suddenly become embarrassed when he kicked you out like this?

"Huh? What did you say?" He Ying raised her head and looked at Xu Yilong in a daze.

"I said there must be something fishy about this matter. If Mr. He doesn't mind it, why not stay with the Han family for now, and my brother will find out the reason for you sooner or later." Xu Yilong continued, "Lin Qianhu has always been the most favored by his father. When the time comes, If my father comes forward to make peace, Mr. He will definitely be able to return to Lin Qianhu's army."

(End of this chapter)