Ji Han Da Sima

Chapter 258: The Tiger Army

"Husband, it's time to wake up!"

Listening to the rooster's crow, Da Qiao, who was sleeping outside, pushed the sleeping Huo Jun and said.

"Ok!"

Da Qiao saw Huo Jun respond softly, and then reached out to hold his sister in his arms and caress her.Da Qiao was quite helpless. Huo Jun seemed to be more obsessed with his sister than himself.Fortunately, Huo Jun doesn't have any particular preference and always tries to have a bowl of water.

Huo Jun lingered on the bed for a long time and played with the two girls. Then he slowly got up and dressed under the service of the two girls and the maid.

As Jiangling stabilized, Huo Jun's wives and concubines also followed and settled in Jiangling.Since his wife and concubines came to the city, Huo Jun, who had not known the taste of meat for a long time, also indulged a little bit, working on military affairs during the day and working on the bed at night.

After all, there are few ascetics in this world, and many people in the world have greed, so there are differences in their priorities.However, after all the fun, how could Huo Jun stay in love with the gentle land for a long time? He should put Qi's military and political affairs first.

In the twelve counties of Nanjun, there were Pang Tong and Sima Zhiju as county directors. With the gradual arrival of local county magistrates and minor officials, the generals led troops outside to attack the rebels and bandits, and Nanjun gradually became peaceful.Next, Nanjun needs time to heal and recuperate.

Huo Jun did not need to worry about the political affairs of Nanjun. Huo Jun took time out to focus on the army.

Starting from going down to Jiangdong, the number of soldiers under Huo Jun's tent continued to expand.At that time, Liu Qi was in charge of Jiangzuo, and Huo Jun commanded the navy with ten thousand infantrymen.

However, with the outbreak of the Battle of Chrysostom, a large number of prisoners were collected.Huo Jun moved to Zhennan County to guard Jingchu, so the number of soldiers further expanded.

Now Liu Qi gave Huo Jun [-] troops to guard Nanjun.As for the previous Poyang County, due to its reduced importance and Liu Bei in Jiangdong, Liu Qi only gave three thousand soldiers.

The previous soldiers accounted for nearly half of the 6000 soldiers.They also took in more than [-] prisoners from Jianghan, and the remaining [-] people were recruited as soldiers from good families on the spot.

Not all of the 2 people gathered in Jiangling, but were stationed separately.For example, Xu Sheng led 5000 troops to garrison Gong'an New City, Huo Yuan's 2000 troops garrisoned Dangyang, and Gao Xiang's 5000 troops garrisoned Huarong.The remaining [-] people were stationed in Linju, Fenshan and other barbarian counties near mountainous areas.

There are only 5000 people stationed around Jiangling City.These five thousand soldiers were organized into the central army by Huo Jun.The Chinese Army is subordinate to Huo Jun, and under his command are three generals: Ding Feng, Yu Shao, and Gao Xin, who are the generals of various departments of the Chinese Army.

Huo Jun called the central army the "Zhihu Army". Only elites were not allowed to join the army. All armor, weapons, and bows and crossbows were given priority to this army.Two outstanding young generals, Ding Feng and Yu Shao, each commanded 2000 infantry; Gao Xin, a brave cavalry general from Bohai, commanded thousands of cavalry.

As for why Huo Jun named the army Zhonghui Army, it is because the two things "Zhuhui Army" have special meanings in Chu culture.

The tiger is a brown bear, and the anaconda is a viper.The two animals, the scorpion and the scorpion, are of great significance in the culture of the Chu people.For example, the bear is the totem of the old Chu State, representing bravery; the snake is the god of the underworld in Chu culture, representing death.The Book of Songs says: "The bear is the bear, the snake is the viper."

Today, under Huo Jun's tent, the main army is called "Beifu Army" and the middle army is called "Zhuhu Army".

After riding out from Jiangling County Mansion, it didn't take long to arrive at the Zhuhui military camp in the north of the city.

On the morning at the turn of summer and autumn, Sergeant Zhihui had already begun training along the road to the military camp.Carrying heavy armor, holding spears and crossbows, and carrying fifty arrows, covering a distance of 150 miles each day, is what this army requires.Anyone who fails to meet the standard in three months will be sent to the Zhuhai Army, and the benefits of becoming a Zhuhai Army will be cancelled.

"Can the sergeants in the army make any progress?" Huo Jun, wearing Zhongjia, asked.

The requirements of the Zhenhui Army are high. Not long after this group of troops were formed, many of the sergeants who were incorporated into this army were unable to meet this standard.

Ding Feng followed behind and replied: "General, there is plenty of rice, fish and meat, families are divided into fields and houses, children go to school, and the soldiers are united and want to serve the general. Although the training is hard now, none of the soldiers are willing to do it." He was expelled from the army."

The treatment of the soldiers was not generally good. Normally, the sergeants could only guarantee their land allocation and be exempted from family taxes.However, in addition to these most basic things, sergeants can eat fish and shrimp every two or three days in the army.

Huo Jun recruited scholars and established a military academy. Children from the families of sergeants could attend school for three months every year to study classics and learn knowledge.At the same time, Huo Jun also built a military hospital, which provided benefits to military households for medical treatment. In terms of daily life, there was also a subsidy for military households to purchase salt.

All in all, Huo Jun learned from the welfare benefits of later generations in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China.The eyes of these people who did not know what welfare was in the late Han Dynasty were made bright.If you fail the assessment, you will lose face, and you will lose face even more when you return home.

Huo Jun wanted to do these things in the early years.However, he did not have the capital at that time.Now he is in charge of Nanjun, and with Jingchu as his backing, complete resources, and sufficient taxes, he can afford to play like this.

Huo Jun told Ding Feng and Yu Shao: "You must pay attention to military discipline. Since I left the city from Jiangling and entered the military camp, there seem to be merchants and prostitutes around. The sergeants should keep themselves clean. If Jiang Governor discovers that there are people outside the camp, If you come and go, you will also be punished."

"No!" Generals Ding Feng and Yu Shao accepted the order in a deep voice.

The military camp is near Jiangling and there are many people there.Sergeant Zhihui was well treated and had five thousand people, so it was easy for merchants to gather around the military camp.

Historically, military discipline in the Song Dynasty was lax, and military camps directly became markets.If you ask merchants to fight, what kind of war can they fight?

Huo Jun came from a later generation and was very strict with the military discipline of sergeants.Once military discipline is relaxed, how can we defeat the enemy in battle?

After inspecting the infantry of the Hui army, Huo Jun went to inspect the cavalry trained by Gao Xin.Shiren, who had served under him before, returned to Liu Bei's office after the Battle of Chrysostom.

There is a shortage of horses in the south. Previously, Huo Jun only had 2 horses among his ten thousand troops.At this time, a lot was captured in the Battle of Chrysostom, and Huo Jun's army of [-] was equipped with [-] cavalry.Among the [-] cavalry, Huo Jun transferred a thousand cavalry into the Zanhui army, and [-] cavalry returned to the command of various ministries.Gao Xin came from Bohai and commanded the cavalry under Yuan's tent.He is quite skilled in the training of cavalry.In terms of cavalry training, Huo Jun was arranged by Gao Xin.

Gao Xin's method of training cavalry is almost imitated by Beiqi, that is, hunting around.He often led his cavalry on large-scale expeditions to hunt rabbits and foxes, and trained the cavalry's cavalry and shooting abilities in mobile warfare.

In Gao Xin's words, people can't move the target, but cavalry and archers can be strong!

In addition to hunting, in terms of cavalry melee combat, Gao Xin had his cavalry practice chopping around the camp, and there were often simulated battles.

Today the cavalry trained in close combat and practiced around the camp.

Huo Jun called Gao Xin to him and asked, "How are the old Cao's cavalry in the army?"

It is far more difficult for cavalry to expand rapidly than for infantry.Huo Jun's method of expanding his cavalry relied on captured Cao Jun's cavalry.Many cavalrymen of Cao's army were captured in the Battle of Chrysostom, including Han Chinese from the north and Wuhuan people.These surrendered cavalrymen were basically Xiangmomo, and they often served as cavalrymen in the army.

Gao Xin subconsciously looked at Cao's subordinates who were practicing, and said: "General Qi, in terms of skills, the subordinates are particularly sophisticated. Among the three disciplines of cavalry, archery, combat, and riding, Beiqi is generally the first. , Nanqi is the rear. Moreover, Nanqi is not good with spears and can only fight with the ring-headed sword."

There are two most difficult things for cavalry: one is to use a bow on horseback, and the other is to use a spear on horseback.

Most of the cavalry battles in the South involved charging with spears. If they were dueling with cavalry, they would often have to draw their swords and fight in close combat because the spears were too long and were not conducive to combat.But this is just a technical issue. If you can fight with a gun on a horse, who would want to fight with a knife in close combat? After all, every inch is longer and every inch is stronger.

For example, in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, why the Liaodong cavalry was not as good as the Jurchen cavalry? It was not that the Jurchen cavalry was invincible, but that the Liaodong cavalry had degenerated.In close combat, the Liaodong cavalry did not know how to use guns in close combat, but could only fight with sabers.When lancers and saber cavalry fight, it is clear who wins and who loses.

"Is there a solution?" Huo Jun asked.

Gao Xin shook his head and said, "Only if you are familiar with it!"

After a pause, Gao Xin reported: "General, the soldiers of Cao's army were defeated and captured. Although they are willing to serve our army, because their hometown tribe is in the north, the morale of the army is not high. Xin thought it would be better to choose a girl for them to marry. With the intention of bringing peace to the soldiers, we can also settle in the Chu land."

"Choose a girl to marry?"

Huo Jun thought about it for a while and said, "This can be done. During the festival, let the surrendered soldiers and the wifeless men of the Zhenhu army gather to get married."

In times of war, there are often more women than men.Let the Nanjun government connect the bridge and let the sergeants and the widowed girls go on a blind date. Firstly, it can be a welfare for the army, and secondly, it can also appease the homesickness of the soldiers.

"Linjia is too worried about the cavalry!"

"promise!"

Gao Xin didn't say much. After answering Huo Jun's questions, he returned to the team to supervise the cavalry's drills.

Huo Jun quite approved of Gao Xin.In addition to being able to command cavalry and soldiers, he is also brave in battle.He is cautious and rarely rash.So Huo Jun thought twice and sent Shiren back to Liu Bei's tent, and promoted Gao Xin to serve as the cavalry commander of the Zhihui army.

When Huo Jun was inspecting the military camp, Jiang Ji came in a hurry and brought Liu Qi's inquiry.

Jiang Ji presented Liu Qi's letter and said: "General, Liu Zhang of Yizhou ordered Fa Zheng and Meng Da to send troops to Jing Yang as envoys. Each has two thousand troops and horses, and one hundred thousand stones of food and grass. They want to serve as our army's imperial guards. This letter is When I come, my envoy will ask the general, where should Mengda’s two thousand soldiers and horses be stationed?”

It has to be said that Fazheng and Mengda acted quickly. As soon as they received Liu Zhang's order, they led their troops to escort the grain, for fear that Liu Zhang would regret it.

Opening Liu Qi's letters and browsing them, Huo Jun asked: "I remember Liu Jingzhou's letter a few days ago, and Cao Cao sent troops to Shouchun, but is this the case?"

"Exactly!"

Jiang Ji nodded and said: "Liu Yangzhou is worried about the early peace of Jiangzuo, so he wrote to the envoy. The letter said that if Cao Cao becomes powerful and the troops of the four counties are difficult to stop, the envoy please dispatch the troops of Yuzhang, Luling and Poyang counties. Support and make you agree to Yangzhou's request."

Liu Bei had just returned to Jiangdong and was busy pacifying people's hearts. Before the army could be integrated, news came that Cao Cao was going south.

In a hurry, Liu Bei wrote to Liu Qi about this matter.Of course, Liu Bei was just in case, and he would not ask Liu Qi to send troops unless absolutely necessary.

After all, Liu Bei is not a subordinate of Liu Qi. If he asks Liu Qi for help too much, he will not only face difficulties, but also deny the equality of status between the two families.Allies are allies. Now that the two Lius have separated, how can they live together as before.

Huo Jun pondered for a while and said: "The letter and envoy said that Nanjun and Jiangxia are worry-free. One hundred thousand stones of grain and grass were left as luggage, and Mengda was asked to lead two thousand soldiers and horses from Yizhou to Jiangdong to assist Liu Yangzhou's imperial cao."

The smoke of the Battle of Chrysostom began to clear, and Huo Jun led his army to take charge. Cao Cao did not dare to invade for the time being, and it was useless to keep Meng Da's troops.It would be better to let Meng Da and Fazheng go south to Jiangdong, which would be regarded as Huo Jun changing his direction to help Liu Bei.

ps: Beiwei Army, Beiwei comes from the Xixia language, and its Chinese meaning is 'Snake Eagle Army'.

(End of this chapter)