Was it really expensive to treat a wounded soldier who was wounded by a sword?
Not necessarily, definitely not. It was just that most of the time, the commander didn't have the heart to do so.
"Therefore, as a commander and a general, you should pay more attention to your soldiers. Don't let them die in battle so easily. The higher the proportion of veterans who have killed and seen blood on the battlefield, the stronger the fighting power of the army will be, and the more confident they will be in facing the enemy. The Southern Army is the same."
Xiao Ruxun said slowly.
Xu Guangqi thought about it in private and asked carefully, "Then, is the casualty rate of the Zhennan Army under the governor high?"
Xiao Ruxun pursed his lips.
"Since the establishment of the Zhennan Army by His Majesty's edict in September of the 22nd year of Wanli, until yesterday, 1,367 people have died in battle."
"1,300 … Governor, you really remember it well."
Xu Guangqi clicked his tongue and said —
It had been almost four years, and the Zhennan Army only had 1,367 people killed in battle.
Daming's reputation as the best general in training troops was well deserved.
Xiao Ruxun looked around the casualty barracks and said with some sadness, "Actually, how much is a handful of herbs worth? How much is a bandage worth? Although there were not many military doctors, most of the soldiers who suffered from sword wounds only needed to remove the blood stains, apply herbs and bandages, and recuperate for a few days to recover. Then, they would be full of vigor again.
Why would military doctors need to do this? In every battle, a few hundred auxiliary soldiers would be selected to learn these skills from the military doctors, and they would definitely be able to save more than 70% of the injured soldiers. These injured soldiers had all seen blood on the battlefield before, so they were much more experienced compared to the newly recruited soldiers. They did not need to be trained or trained, and they dared to fight and kill the moment they got the chance.
But the army didn't do this. They saw that the wounded soldiers were a burden, so they threw them away and watched helplessly as the wounded soldiers with one or two wounds died. They weren't willing to get a handful of herbs to treat their wounds. When they died, they recruited new soldiers. But how could the experience of the veterans be compared to the new soldiers?
In the Tumu Castle incident, the elite soldiers gathered during the reign of Yongle and Xuande were all lost, but how many of them actually died in battle? How many of them died of illness because their wounds were not treated in time?
If those soldiers could be saved, the elite soldiers left behind by Taizong would not have been completely lost, and the power of the Ming Dynasty Army would not have fallen to such a state! The officials embezzle the soldiers' pay, the officers mistreat the soldiers, and the soldiers are enslaved like pigs and dogs. The people also despise the soldiers! "
Xiao Ruxun sighed heavily.
"Good iron doesn't need to be hammered, and good men don't become soldiers! Zixian, do you know how sad and angry I was when I heard this? How could killing the enemy and serving the country be inferior to getting a place in the imperial examination? Why is it that only those who pass the imperial examinations are good men, and those who join the army to kill the enemy and serve the country are not good men? "
"This …"
Xu Guangqi didn't know what to say.
"Joining the army to kill the enemy and serve the country is also a good man! A good man should be a soldier! Without these good men who were regarded as pigs and dogs, how could the Great Harmony exist? How could Shanxi exist? How could I Daming the Nine Borders exist?
On one hand, we rely on them, and on the other, we bully and humiliate them. They don't have enough to eat, and they don't have warm clothes to wear. They are so cold that they can't even hold their weapons. When they are about to lose their lives, they are all chased away to die. When they lose a battle, they are still punished. How can the Daming Army be strong and powerful? "
Xiao Ruxun's eyes turned red as he spoke, "If I can't do the most basic things, how can I have the face to make them work for me? How can I have the face to make them fight for me and leave my name in history? How can I bear to do that? "
Xu Guangqi's eyes were filled with shock. His mouth opened, but he couldn't say a word.
To be honest, just now, Xu Guangqi was indeed distressed about the money and medicine. He felt that treating the wounded soldiers on such a large scale was a waste of military supplies. But after hearing Xiao Ruxun's words, he suddenly felt embarrassed.
Weren't these soldiers injured while fighting against the enemies of the country? Why can't they be treated?
Am I really nobler than them?
At least here, Xu Guangqi started to have doubts. A document that can't fight, can't fight, and can only walk around the camp …
Why did he come to rely on Xiao Ruxun?
Did Xiao Ruxun really need to use him?
What have I done to deserve his trust and respect?
Xu Guangqi suddenly realized that he had become the most useless person in the camp. He was a High Scholar, and yet he was the most useless person in the camp.
This … was too ironic.
After that, Xiao Ruxun came to the camp of prisoners of war. There were more than a thousand Northern Barbarians who had just been captured. Li Rumei was in charge of the camp. When she saw that Xiao Ruxun had arrived, she quickly welcomed him.
"Governor!"
"Mm!"
Xiao Ruxun nodded his head and asked, "Are these prisoners obedient?"
Li Rumei frowned and said, "They have been living outside the Great Wall for a long time, and have a wild temperament. They haven't been beaten into submission yet, and are hard to look after. We have to tie them up with ropes. Just now, there were a few who wanted to beat us up. I gave them a good beating, and they are more obedient now."
Xiao Ruxun thought for a while.
"In the army, I remember that there are a few new soldiers in the Taiyuan Army who have never been on the battlefield?"
Li Rumei nodded her head.
"Yes, they have never been on the battlefield. Previously, when you ordered the soldiers to go out to fight the Northern Barbarians, some of them even wet their pants and fell to the ground, unable to get up. Damn it, I don't know how the Taiyuan Army Commander managed his soldiers, but there are actually newbies who have never seen blood!"
"That's not surprising, I'm well aware of the situation at the border town. Besides, there hasn't been any war in the last three years. Most of the time, the soldiers have been farming and this is their first time on the battlefield. Alright, I'll choose them. Pick a thousand new recruits who have never seen blood or killed before and have them kill these Northern Invaders!"
Xu Guangqi's body trembled violently.
Li Rumei blinked her eyes.
"Didn't the Governor say that they are strong laborers, and that they should be kept for work?"
"Work my ass! Do you think the Northern Barbarians are going to work after they have run away? Hurry up and make the arrangements! Don't let these barbarians waste our food! It'll be a pity if we don't let those new soldiers have a taste of such good meat! "
Xiao Ruxun's eyes widened, and Li Rumei immediately nodded her head. "Yes, sir!"
Not long after, a thousand selected new soldiers of the Taiyuan Army arrived at the prison camp uneasily. Waiting for them was Xiao Ruxun and a thousand shiny machetes.
"Each of you, one machete. Kill all the Northern Barbarians in the camp."
Xiao Ruxun slowly ordered.
The new soldiers looked at each other.
Li Rumei was annoyed, and she shouted at the top of her lungs, "You don't understand, do you? Pick up your machetes! Go inside and kill the Northern Barbarians! Each of you must bring out at least one head! You will be rewarded if you bring out more than two heads! But if you don't bring out even one, I will cut off your heads! "
Li Rumei waved her hand, and the hundred or so Liaodong soldiers around her immediately roared in unison, raising the bloodthirsty machetes in their hands. The strong murderous aura made these new soldiers, who had never had a taste of meat, shudder with fear. Several of them directly fell to the ground, their eyes filled with fear.
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