Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 262 On the Chu Army

Because of Fan Zeng's "resurrection from death", Xiang Zhuang's mood today can be described as very good, just now being disturbed by Po Jun, Xiang Zhuang's mood is getting better and better, and now he is about to go to Yingzhen's bedroom to catch up on sleep However, Bai Lixian came in nonchalantly, clutching two test papers and waving a feather fan. As a military adviser, Bai Lixian didn't have to report when he entered the palace for an audience.

"Is the second military department exam over?" Xiang Zhuang said and turned his head to look at the sky outside the window. Isn't it evening?
Holding a lupine, Bailixian cupped the test papers towards Xiang Zhuang, handed one of the test papers to Xiang Zhuang, and said, "Your Majesty, please read this answer paper first."

Xiang Zhuang took the answer sheet, only to see Xu Jiang's name written on the title of the sheet.

"Xu Jiang?" Xiang Zhuang remembered, and asked Baili Xiandao, "Is that the Xu Jiang who came from Lujiang and played against Bi Shu at Qingfeng Chess House last night but lost in the game? "

Bai Lixian smiled and said: "It is this person, Your Majesty might as well take a look at his answer sheet."

Xiang Zhuang opened the answer sheet, the first question was the dictation question of the tenth chapter of "Wei Liaozi 42", Xu Jiang's answer was not bad, although there were a few mistakes, it was generally not bad. Jiang Tong has read "Wei Liao Zi" no less than a hundred times, otherwise it would be impossible to write to this extent silently.

Then there are the answers to two actual combat examples. Although the tactics proposed by Xu Jiang are slightly conservative, they can be regarded as quite satisfactory, at least generally can be classified as cautious. The last question "On the Chu Army", Xu Jiang also did not raise any questions. What a new point of view, just a general discussion of the possibility of training elite soldiers and improving equipment.

After reading the answer sheet, Xiang Zhuang nodded, and said: "Well, he is quite a talented person. If he can practice in the army for a few years, this Xu Jiang will definitely improve in terms of vision and ability. How about this, isn't he a student from Lujiang, let him go back to Lujiang after he finishes all eight subjects, and join the army under the high school tent."

Bai Lixian shook his feather fan, gave Xiang Zhuang a thumbs up, and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

There are several generals under Xiang Zhuang's command. Although Pang Yu is young, he has both wisdom and courage, and he is calm and has the style of a general. The bravest of the three, but also the most likely to lead to a disastrous defeat due to recklessness, it would undoubtedly be great if he joined the army with a cautious personality and reminded him from time to time in front of the account.

"Your Majesty, please read this answer sheet again." After Xiang Zhuang put down Xu Jiang's answer sheet, Bai Lixian handed over another copy.

Xiang Zhuang took the answer sheet again and unfolded it, but on the head of the question was written the two characters "Bi Shu" neatly in regular script. Speaking of which, among the tens of thousands of students who came to Wuzhong to take the exam, most of them did not know regular script before. However, after only a few days of exposure to regular script in Wuzhong, these students quickly accepted the neat and easy-to-write regular script.

The first question is Wei Liaozi’s dictation of the tenth chapter. I can see that the handwriting is neat and tidy, and the pen is straight to the back of the paper. What is especially rare is that there is no error in the whole article. If it is done, you must have a deep enough understanding of Wei Liaozi's Art of War to be able to write silently to this level.

Xiang Zhuang smiled slightly and said, "Ziliang, is Bi Shu's attitude today very correct?"

Bai Lixian shook his feather fan and said, "Your Majesty, it seems that the reason why Bi Shu didn't seriously answer the legalist exam yesterday is because of what he said and did in Qingfeng Chess House, including the It was intentional to destroy Da Chu twice in a row, he just wanted to see if you have a mind, tolerance, and generosity, Your Majesty."

"It's not that simple." Xiang Zhuang waved his hand and said, "If Chu State doesn't have enough manpower and national strength, no matter how open-minded, magnanimous, and magnanimous I am, I'm afraid Bi Shu won't take it to heart. It is even more impossible to stay and assist the widow, after all, it was the game with Yafu yesterday that touched him."

Bai Lixian deeply believes that the so-called ruler chooses ministers, and ministers also choose emperors. The reason why Bai Lixian and many old Qin clans chose to follow Xiang Zhuang in adversity is because Xiang Zhuang believed in the system of farming and warfare, and respected the Qin law. And Bi Shu studied under Guiguzi, and all he has learned is the way of kings and overlords. If Xiang Zhuang can't become an emperor, Bi Shu will certainly not stay.

Then there are answers to actual combat examples. The title of one of the questions is this: How to hold back [-] Han troops with [-] Chu troops in the mountains, forests and narrow valleys?

Previously, Xu Jiang's answer was to choose the most dangerous place to build a stronghold. Although this method is safe and cautious, it seems a bit too conservative. Once the stronghold is really established, the five thousand Chu troops will fall into the predicament of being passively beaten In addition, the Han army may also send surprise soldiers to surround the Chu army, and that will be a big trouble.

But Bi Shu's answer is much bolder and more in line with Xiang Zhuang's preferences.

Bi Shu believes that there is no pass in the world that cannot be broken through. The Han army has an absolute advantage in strength. If the Chu army sticks to it, it will never be able to defend it. The army should hold down the Han army with endless and mysterious attacks, making it difficult for them to move an inch.

When it comes to details, Bi Shu also formulated a set of strict tactics, including ambush, fire attack, rockfall, and night attack. Zhuang and Wei Liao's conceived "Fighting Fire Gathering Soldiers" has the same effect.

Seeing Xiang Zhuang's strange expression, Bai Lixian smiled and said, "Your Majesty, when I first saw this answer sheet, I really doubted whether Bi Shu also participated in the Battle of the Dabie Mountains back then? Or, this Bi Shu is simply As for the disciple of old military advisor Wei Liao, his answer is surprisingly similar to your tactical thinking, Your Majesty."

Xiang Zhuang nodded solemnly and said: "I can't tell, this Bi Shu is really predictable."

Xiang Zhuang originally thought that even though Bi Shu studied under Guiguzi, he was just a fledgling young man after all, he had never led a soldier or fought in a battle, if he really wanted to go to the battlefield, he would at least need to be brave if he didn't show timidity in battle. Time grows slowly, right?But now it seems that this guy may really be a military genius!

In history, there seems to be no lack of such characters. Huo Qubing was only eighteen years old and was able to lead his army thousands of miles deep into Mobei, defeating the Huns. There is also Lu Xun, the Sun Wu of the Three Kingdoms, a white-clothed scholar who defeated Guan Yu who has experienced many battles , these two seemed to be fledgling boys before they turned out to be born, right?

Finally, "On the Chu Army", a big topic specially set up by Bai Lixian in order to select great talents.

When he first saw this military test paper, Xiang Zhuang didn't think that any of the students who took the test could give a satisfactory answer to this big question, but now, Bi Shu really handed in an answer for Xiang Xiang. Zhuang's impressive answer sheet, Bi Shu's opening argument is to abolish Shiqing Shilu, reward military merits, abolish more soldiers and soldiers, and promote military settlements.

Among them, "abolishing Shiqing Shilu and rewarding military merits" is actually the content of the farming and warfare system, and there is nothing new in it, but the second half of the sentence "abolishing more soldiers and soldiers and promoting military garrison" moved Xiang Zhuang greatly. The book is really worthy of being the contemporary heir of Guiguzi, and his vision and insight are really extraordinary.

The so-called Gengzu is actually all the people are soldiers. The state stipulates that all males who have reached the age of [-] must take turns to serve. Pawns were mandatory, strong or weak, willing or unwilling, you had to enlist.

Bi Shu mentioned in "On the Chu Army" that due to the mandatory replacement of soldiers, the composition of the army's soldiers is uneven, and the unevenness of the soldiers seriously restricts the training intensity of the army. If the training intensity does not increase, the combat effectiveness cannot be improved. , so the abolition of more soldiers and soldiers is urgent.

For this point, Xiang Zhuang can be said to be deeply touched.

When Ye Mayuan was ordered in danger, the five thousand Chu troops were also good and bad. However, through the most direct and intense way of long-distance marching, Xiangzhuang brutally eliminated all the old, weak, sick and disabled, thus improving the overall quality of the Chu army. It also guaranteed the overall combat power of the Chu army, which led to the subsequent brilliant victories.

Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to abolish pawns and servants, and there is no delay!

In fact, if it weren’t for the urgency to implement the household laws, the new land tax law, and the discipline of agriculture, industry and commerce, and after the abolition of the pawn and soldier systems, a series of military system reforms and decree preparations would be required. It is very likely that Xiang Zhuang has already issued an edict to fully implement the military system reform in Chu State.

Xiang Zhuang was even more secretly startled by Bi Shu's proposal of "promoting military settlements".

The military settlement mentioned by Bi Shu is not a military settlement in the pure sense. A simple military settlement is actually a collection of pawns and conscripts. The military settlement system mentioned is almost the embryonic form of the Fubing system implemented in the later Sui and Tang Dynasties.

First of all, not all strong men are eligible to participate in the army.

Bi Shu believes that special institutions should be set up in each county to be responsible for the selection of strong men. Only strong men with no diseases are eligible to be selected. Once selected, strong men and their families will be moved to military settlements. Resettlement, become the country's reserve military households, reserve military households can be allocated a fixed amount of land, and can also be exempted from land taxes.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that you can sit back and relax after becoming a reserve military household. Once a strong man in the household becomes disabled or killed in battle, the reserve military household must be sent back to the original place for resettlement. Lumi, if you don't have military exploits, you have nothing. Although this is cruel, it is also necessary.

Military households enjoy the benefits of tax exemption, so they must bear the corresponding risks.

In addition, except for the busy farming season, the reserve military households need to maintain strict training at ordinary times. The armor and weapons needed for combat are also funded by the military households themselves, and they are responsible for repairing them. Without prime soldiers, the Chu army would be invincible without a fight!

"Great talent!" Xiang Zhuang closed the answer sheet and sighed, "Bi Shu is a great talent!"

After saying this, Xiang Zhuang's eyes suddenly revealed a cold murderous intent, and he said solemnly: "Zi Liang, if this person can't be used by me, Da Chu, he must choose an opportunity to kill him!"

(End of this chapter)