Chapter 35: The Road to Elite Soldiers

Conversion, on the school ground, Conversion Army is conducting training, and everyone is devoted to it, sweating profusely, and the training is very hard.

"Mo Dao, chop!"

A command without any emotion was issued, and the raised sword was slashed down hard, like a wall of knife hitting it, with a heart-pounding momentum.

As the order was issued, the Modao's hands kept lifting the Modao high and slashing it hard. The Modao used it very hard and slashed for a while. Everyone felt sweat on their foreheads, but no one complained or tired. They still gritted their teeth and trained.

"Frugal, domineering, invincible!" Wang Shao, accompanied by Wu Ji, looked at the Mo Dao hand who was training, and kept nodding, and praised him: "I have long heard that the Mo Dao in the previous dynasty is amazing, with amazing lethality. Wherever he goes, no matter whether he is a man or a horse, he will definitely die. It is said that Li Siye used the Mo Dao, and his people and horses were shattered!"

Mo Dao's reputation was created, and it was piled up with corpses and seas of blood. Although it has not appeared on the battlefield for hundreds of years, its reputation remains. For the Song people, anyone who cares about military affairs knows Mo Dao's reputation.

Li Siye was Gao Xianzhi's deputy general and participated in the famous Battle of Talas. According to historical records, this person is good at using Modao. He uses Modao, and his people and horses are broken, which shows his power.

"Modao is good, but there are too many restrictions. If there is no war horse, it cannot be used on the battlefield." Wang Shao changed his mind and sighed: "When the previous dynasty was at its peak, there were many war horses, and the government had no less than 700,000 horses. After the Anshi Rebellion, the previous dynasty declined and the war horses decreased sharply. Not only did Modao not appear on the battlefield, but even the cavalry of the previous dynasty, known for its rapid action, did not appear on the battlefield, which made people sigh!"

He raised his eyebrows and paused for a moment, and asked a very realistic question: "Brother Wu, you put Mo Dao back into the battlefield, which is very powerful. But have you ever thought about it? This method is difficult to vigorously implement. It is okay to form a part. If it is to be vigorously promoted, there will be no such many horses in the Song Dynasty. Without horses, there will be no Mo Dao and no cavalry."

This is definitely the biggest problem of the Song Dynasty. In the era of cold weapons, horses had a high status and important role. They were known as "the big animal of a country", which affected the rise and fall of a country and a dynasty.

"When it comes to horses, I have some ideas." Wu Ji pondered: "As far as I know, the Song Dynasty had few horses, but it is far from the shortest to the level mentioned by the court. The horses in the Song Dynasty were sold because of poor management and poor horses, and the good horses in the pastures were sold. The twelve pastures on Hebei Road only provide 2,400 war horses a year. Is this possible?"

"It's impossible, but it's possible!" Wang Shao shook his head and said, "There is a problem in this matter, and there's a big problem. However, this matter is not our control. The court values ​​culture over military affairs, so how can we be our turn to speak? We have to find Jie Fu and the official family. Poor, the horse politics in the Han and Tang dynasties were a good rule. They had shepherded countless war horses, but in this dynasty, it became a harsh rule. The people were unwilling to raise horses. They could only buy it with money. The Western Xia and Liao Kingdom were attracted by this point and asked for a price everywhere. The Song Dynasty was miserable and had to implement the strategy of using infantry to control cavalry and use infantry to deal with cavalry."

There was endless distress in his words, and he couldn't help but shake his head. He was right. He knew there was something wrong with this kind of thing, but he couldn't control it. Those who could control it were also restrained by many parties and could not let go. Wang Anshi implemented the new law and kept it firm because Sima Guang and others opposed it, which was extremely difficult.

"If the problem in the court is not solved, the problem of horses cannot be solved. It is impossible to vigorously promote Modao and form a large number of cavalry." Wu Ji nodded, agreed, changed his tone and said, "However, there may not be no way to imagine."

"Oh, what kind of solution?" Wang Shao asked curiously.

"You said, can you succeed by gathering the horses of the Song Dynasty and building an elite army? Like the Converted Army." Wu Ji looked at Wang Shao and asked.

"If you can concentrate, you will definitely do it. In any case, elite troops like 30,000 to 50,000 Converted Army can be built." Wang Shaoshen agreed and then shook his head: "This matter is too important, and it must be approved by the official. Otherwise, everything will be empty talk."

The Song Dynasty implemented the strategy of using foot to control cavalry for decades, which was deeply rooted. It was very good to concentrate war horses and promote elite soldiers, but it was not realistic.

"My idea is to take the path of elite soldiers, rather than to compete with good or bad!" Wu Ji took a breath and said in a sarcastic tone: "The court has implemented the strategy of using infantry to control cavalry for decades. In the end, can infantry control cavalry? No! Poor, ministers in the court would rather spend more money than take the path of elite soldiers. They said that the cost of a cavalry is as high as five infantry. Instead of forming cavalry, it is ridiculous to form a large number of infantry."

Wang Shao disagrees with this statement, shook his head and said, "Brother Wu, although the effect of using infantry to control cavalry is not very good, it is not useless. The cost of building a hundred thousand cavalry can create 500,000 infantry. If there are 500,000 infantry, it is still considerable."

"Haha!" Wu Ji looked at Wang Shao and suddenly burst into laughter: "Shumi Wang, if you say something that makes you angry, this statement is ridiculous, really ridiculous. You can listen to me first. Let's settle the accounts and you will understand."

"Oh, you say." Wang Shao wanted to retort, but after hearing this, he had to let Wu Ji finish his words.

Wu Ji turned his fingers and began to settle the accounts: "The cost of a cavalry is the cost of five infantrymen. This account is well calculated and very accurate. However, the harvest is not included. Wang Shumi, when you fight on the battlefield, is it a greater threat to the enemy by 500,000 infantry, or is it greater threat to the enemy by 100,000 cavalry?"

"Of course it's cavalry!" Wang Shao was a great expert, and he hit the nail on the head: "If a hundred thousand cavalry charges, the sky will collapse and the earth will be invincible. If there is more excellent equipment, it will be even more powerful. The Song Dynasty is not short of excellent equipment. If there is really a cavalry of 100,000 people, how dare the Liao Kingdom run rampant? It's too expensive. One hundred thousand cavalry costs more than 500,000 infantry."

After all, I still couldn't bear to let go of my children. Wu Ji continued: "The Song Dynasty did not defeat the Liao Kingdom, but even if I win, what can I get? I won nothing! The reason is that there is a lack of cavalry, I cannot pursue it in time, I cannot expand the results of the battle, and I cannot get a large amount of seizure. Last year, Bodhisattva Yelu came to attack Zhuxin, defeated, and ran away on a horse. My eyes almost fell off. Hate, He hated, he gave birth to two legs and could not pursue. Since I had cavalry, the situation has been different. I can wipe out the 8,000 Liao Army with 2,500 Liao Army, and their things will be ours. Can the harvest be the same? If it weren't for the Conversion Army to be dispatched, you Wang Shumi would do it. Even if you sent 20,000 elite infantry to do it, Liao Gou said he would still escape."

"That's true!" Wang Shao didn't want to admit it, but he had to admit it.

"The ministers in the court only saw the expenses, but did not see the harvest." Wu Ji kept shook his head and continued: "The same expenses have created infantry and cavalry on the battlefield, and the harvest of cavalry is much different. The harvest of cavalry is much larger than that of infantry. Only in this way can we become stronger and stronger in the battle."

"A famous saying!" Wang Shao agreed with this very much and said, "Once you defeat the enemy and use cavalry to pursue you, you will definitely gain a good harvest. Infantry only has two legs, and no matter what, you can't catch up with four legs."

"This is just one aspect of gain." Wu Ji pointed his finger and analyzed: "The cost of building a hundred thousand cavalry is the cost of forming 500,000 infantry. In other words, for the same money, cavalry only requires 100,000 people, while infantry requires 500,000. There is only 400,000 people missing. Four hundred thousand people are not a small number. Wang Shumi, you said, if these 400,000 people are used to do other things, such as work and reclaiming wasteland, how much production will be produced?"

"This..." Wang Shao asked, stunned for a moment, and then said, "Brother Wu, your statement is quite fresh. The ministers in the court have never thought about it, nor have I thought about it. There are 400,000 more people to do other things, and they have gained a lot."

Wang Shao frowned and said, "The previous dynasty had only 500,000 troops. However, the previous dynasty had more than one million troops. However, the previous dynasty was stronger than the current dynasty, with great martial arts and a wider territory than the Song Dynasty. If we really wanted to say this, if the Song Dynasty built a 500,000 and 600,000 troops, the cost would be similar, and we could save 700,000 to 800,000 people. These 700,000 and 800,000, plus family members, are millions. Oh my God, I don't know, I'll be shocked when I calculate it!"

After the calculation, Wang Shao was scared, his eyes widened, his mouth widened, and his face was in disbelief.

The Song Dynasty had many troops, with 1.23 million, but its combat power was extremely weak. If reforms were really needed, it would be enough to reduce the troops of 700,000 to 800,000 troops. Moreover, when the Song Dynasty recruited soldiers, it would have to raise its family members. In other words, the 700,000 troops, according to the plan of a family of five, would have 3.5 million.

Three million and a huge number, excluding the elderly and weak, there are no less than two million people who can work. How much will it bring? Just think about it and you can think about it.

"Shumi Wang, do you still insist on using steps to control the cavalry?" Wu Ji saw Wang Shao's surprise and asked.

"Shame! Shame!" Wang Shao laughed at himself and said, "If I hadn't had a deep conversation with my brothers, I wouldn't have thought so. None of the ministers in the court thought so. It's a pity! Let me think about this matter carefully, and then, the two brothers report to the official family together and request the official family's holy judgment."

Wu Ji had this meaning when he persuaded Wang Shao. Although Song Shenzong trusted him very much, he was far from reaching the level that could allow Song Shenzong to change his strategy for decades. If Wang Shao was brought up, he could try it. Although it might not be successful, at least he could try it.
Chapter completed!