Chapter 1392: Bestowing a Marquis Title (Part 2)

Chapter 1392 -340: Bestowing a Marquis Title (Part 2)

No difference.

“Your main force can be stationed at East Mountain Fort. As for you, stay by my side, accompany me to see the siege battles in other divisions, and you can serve as an advisor.”

“Yes, Prince.”

Lord Zheng knew in his heart that a new round of teaching was about to begin.

“Dispatch one of your capable deputies to the rear to maintain the supply routes and organize the laborers.”

If one does not understand the craft, they might think this means asking Lord Zheng to draw a portion of his forces to ensure logistics, and generally, only less useful troops are given such assignments.

But who is Lord Zheng?

He immediately caught the underlying implication.

Earlier, Prince Jingnan had personally mentioned to replenish the troops, and then suggested sending a force to escort the laborers, isn’t this letting him choose auxiliary soldiers before the entire army attacking Chu?

Hundreds of thousands of troops, so many generals, all lining up behind, picking up what he leaves behind.

And in this ambiguity, who restricts how many soldiers you can choose?

Do you just stop once you’ve filled your ranks?

But…..

Although Lord Zheng had defined the organization of each of his units, in reality, no one above had ever told him the exact number of troops he had.

Theoretically, there’s a line, which is the amount of food and military supplies the court gives you each year. No matter how many you want to maintain, you have to consider your own food reserves, right?

But Lord Zheng’s Snow Sea Pass wasn’t as poor as outsiders imagined, and Ying Capital City’s Prince Jingnan always kept the gates open for military needs. There’s also Ji Chengjue providing support from the court, and the wild people from the snowfield contributing manpower and resources at times…

So, it was Lord Zheng who always adhered to the elite soldier route, never thinking of a mass draft, because the suitable soldiers within a region at any given time are just so many. Drafting too many peasants into a ragtag group raises questions of actual effectiveness, not to mention Lord Zheng and the commanders’ aesthetic standards being hard to satisfy.

But on a national war basis, transferred from the rear to the front, the farmers do not count, the likes of auxiliary soldiers, they absolutely cannot be substandard; they are mostly prime from the Yan and Jin regions.

Some, even before departure, unlike the ancient county people, already have customs akin to militia organization order, or even, villages and towns with a generations-long martial heritage that often contribute soldiers. Once these are recruited and handed over to Liang Cheng for slight honing, they immediately become combat-ready. With veterans and the blind man’s ideological political education deepening, their combat capacity and loyalty improve within half a year.

After all,

excluding Prince Jingnan,

Lord Zheng could be called one of the brightest stars in today’s Yan military, and with this achievement, the “one of” can be removed.

Lord Pingye, this banner, inherently has immense attraction for those ambitious and capable auxiliary soldiers!

It’s like choosing a university in modern times; most applicants and their parents do not have the capacity to analyze which department is strong, nor know the professors’ research outputs, but they care if they’ve heard the name of the university, exclaiming how impressive it is!

If a general under Lord Zheng’s command marched with a banner recruiting troops under the name of Lord Pingye,

to be honest,

how many laborers recruited from Yan and Jin do the frontline generals know by face or name? But the title of Lord Pingye is universally recognized and known.

Even those disinterested in military matters have surely heard the story of Lord Pingye marrying a princess.

This is prestige, this is reputation, this is fame!

To exaggerate a bit,

after winning two tough battles, with great merit, having Shi Yuantang’s head as a trophy, intercepting laborers for oneself, and even taking the best share, which leading general would dare to complain?

Even if dissatisfied, they wouldn’t dare voice it openly, as military contributions are undeniable, begrudging acceptance is all that’s left.

Unless Prince Jingnan personally orders reprimand, but… these implications were made by Prince Jingnan himself.

With this manipulation,

not only is he filling his ranks, he dares even to double the soldiers under Snow Sea Pass!

Originally over two thousand Snow Sea cavalry before the war, Lord Zheng dares expand to forty thousand!

If Town South Pass is captured, and if territories expand again, then fifty thousand!

Fifty thousand troops, with truly fifty thousand cavalry, he can stand in the open, manifestly powerful in name and reality.

Lord Zheng’s heart was fiercely beating.

Old Tian hinted that he should strengthen his forces, not just replenish them but seize the opportunity to expand.

Gong Wang and Gongsun Zhi’s divisions are just appetizers; the subsequent courses, you are to savor yourself.

“The craftsmen and skilled laborers in your unit, lend them to other generals temporarily. After all, in siege equipment, you are the best.

They can return them to you after use.”

“Of course, it’s all Yan soldiers, our brothers, no need to talk about returning them, it would harm the camaraderie.”