"The aboriginal commoners aren't weak. As long as they reach adulthood and train a little, they can attain the strength of a Great Xia Man Wheel expert and become a low-level officer in Great Xia.
They don't lack courage. This can be seen from the fact that a large number of commoners in Yusheng City and Liao City resisted and defended their cities in times of crisis.
What they lack is just weapons, training to coordinate with them, and someone to organize them. "
"Although war is the business of soldiers, at this moment, when the army can't protect them, they need to protect themselves.
Although there will be casualties, it's still better than the current situation.
"As long as a small number of elite soldiers are used as the backbone and the commoners are used as flesh and blood. For example, a team of ten people, one elite soldier and nine commoners, can form a fairly strong army in a short period of time. Furthermore, if we need to replenish the army, they can form a fighting force faster than recruits from the mountains. "
"This … is feasible," Hong Wu said after a long silence. Although he didn't like to push commoners onto the battlefield, he had to think of a way to reverse the situation.
Otherwise, if he allowed that army to wreak havoc in the hinterland of Dayao, even if they were driven away, it would take a long time for them to recover.
Not to mention the 200,000 reinforcements from Great Xia. As long as 100,000 reinforcements joined with the 70,000 soldiers outside Liao City, they would be able to stall the winged cavalry and the soldiers from the Protectorate of the Center in Liao City. If the 100,000 reinforcements also entered the hinterland of Dayao, there would be more than 180,000 reinforcements. Even if the 5,000 reinforcements from the Protectorate of the South arrived, it was very likely that they would be swallowed by them.
If that happened, the situation would be even more difficult.
"As long as this system is implemented, they can focus on their own lives in the future and gather together during the war. This way, we don't need to consume too much rations and can mobilize an army of tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands within a short period of time. "
"Great Elder, call Qin Chuan over to discuss this issue together," the empress ordered.
"There is another problem, which is the two armies that entered Dayao. Since they are replenishing their rations on the spot, we can completely fortify the walls and clear the fields. We can inform all the people in the strongholds to take away all the edible food and gather them in the cities, leaving them with nothing in the wilderness. If the cities are breached, evacuate the people in the cities and destroy all the rations that can't be brought away.
If they wanted to replenish their rations on the spot, then they would be left empty-handed. They could only retreat or rely on Great Xia to replenish their rations. If it's the former, we can cut off their path of retreat and swallow them whole. If it's the latter, we can cut off their rations, force them to retreat, and then block their way back, "Ren Baqian continued.
"We don't have enough soldiers." Li Qianqiu's words made it clear that they were powerless at the moment.
In the face of the aggressive Great Xia, Dayao fell into a passive position in a short period of time.
"If the 16 towns to the north of Lan City were to be implemented according to the method just now, we would be able to deploy at least 3,000 soldiers. Although more than half of the soldiers to the south of Lan City have been deployed, we should still be able to assemble 1,500 soldiers, right? Together with the 5,000 reinforcements from the Protectorate of the South, they would be able to make up a total of 9,500 soldiers. Furthermore, even though the Empress's winged cavalry seemed to be delayed in Liao City, they could be dispatched at any time. At that time, they would be able to take down one of the two armies.
We have a radio station so we can communicate with each other at any time, but they can't. "
At the mention of the radio station, everyone felt a little more relaxed. This was currently their greatest advantage over Great Xia.
"Furthermore, why don't we change our method of battle? We have fewer people than them, and our 8,000 soldiers have the combat power of their 80,000 soldiers. In terms of flexibility, we are also much better than them. Furthermore, many of them were born in the mountains and are good at archery.
We can circle around them and harass them with bows and arrows at all times. After a wave of attacks, we will retreat. Unless the enemy is cavalry, they won't be able to catch up to us. We can directly annihilate a small number of cavalry soldiers, "Ren Baqian continued.
"Even though our soldiers have stronger arm strength than the Great Xia soldiers, in terms of archery, we are inferior to Dayao. As a result, the shooting range of both sides is very close. When our soldiers are able to use bows and arrows to attack the enemy, they are also exposed to the enemy's arrows at the same time. In every battle, our losses are the greatest during this period.
On the contrary, when both sides engage in close combat with real swords and spears, the losses will be much smaller, "Hong Wu answered Ren Baqian's question.
"It's not that we don't have a solution. We just need to move quickly. The Great Xia army is bloated, and they are much less flexible than us. "Ren Baqian pondered for a while and thought about the army of Genghis Khan.
Even though the aboriginals relied on their two legs, their running speed wasn't very fast.
"But when we reach the vicinity of the Great Xia army, they have already discovered us." Hong Wu insisted on his own opinion on this matter.
Ren Baqian didn't refute him anymore. In this aspect, Hong Wu knew more than him. It was better for him to stay at the front line for a period of time before deciding.
Following which, everyone discussed the issue of strengthening the militia and clearing the fields for a long time.
Ren Baqian really wanted to name the militia the City Management Brigade. Just this name alone would provide a 30% increase in combat power. Unfortunately, the empress's veto power directly rejected this idea.
Although strengthening the defenses and clearing the fields was currently the right method, the people of Dayao felt a little heartache at the thought of destroying crops that hadn't even matured yet. After this battle, everyone in Dayao would probably have to tighten their bellies.
"Don't worry about the food. It will be fine as long as the sweet potatoes are ripe. Furthermore, Great Xia doesn't lack food, "Ren Baqian comforted everyone. As long as the current Great Xia army was crippled, the situation between the two sides would be reversed. Great Xia's land would be free to be used as they pleased.
After the agreement was made over the radio, the Ministry of War immediately started to work on the militia. Large quantities of weapons that were originally intended to be used to equip the new recruits were transferred to the various towns in the north of Lan City.
Shi Qing also ordered the various towns to gather the commoners in the nearby strongholds. Those that could be brought along would be brought along and those that couldn't be brought along would be destroyed.
The entire north of Dayao was in motion.
On the other hand, Ren Baqian continued his journey northeast. After traveling for a day, he rested for the night in a stronghold.
"Sir, how's the situation now?" Early in the morning, the chief looked at Ren Baqian and the rest who were preparing to eat and asked. The commoners didn't understand the current situation of the war, but they had heard that a city in the north had already been destroyed by the Great Xia army.
"The order will be issued soon. All the strongholds will gather the food and enter the nearest town. Those that can be brought along will be brought along and those that can't be brought along will be destroyed." Even if the chief didn't ask, he still had to say it. This place was already too close to the front line.
"How can we do that?" the chief was shocked. At present, the vegetables in the fields would be ripe in another half a month. At that time, a portion would be used for their own use and a portion would be sold in the city in exchange for meat. This would be enough to cover nearly half of their rations. As for the other half, it would be the water buffaloes and other livestock that were raised in the stronghold.
If they were to lose half of their rations, they would probably have a hard time in the future.
"The Great Xia army will be here soon. These rations will not be destroyed because they are prepared for them. Withdraw to the city, and the imperial court will make arrangements for them, "Ren Baqian said faintly.
At this moment, they suddenly heard a clamor coming from the entrance of the stronghold.
"Sir, it's the Great Xia army!" Shi Hu's face darkened after listening attentively.
Ren Baqian tilted his head. You guys run faster than Cao Cao?
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
