Chapter 858: Convergence

(Lately the power keeps going out, seriously affecting my writing.)

The war machine of the Protectorate roared to life without pause, and vast quantities of supplies began to converge.

Moreover, after the mobilization order was issued, not only did the A-class, B-class, and C-class troops from every settlement and fort assemble, but the various newly attached battalions, Loyalist battalions, and civilian escort agencies also gathered. Even the Mongols from Monan, Mobei, Qinghai, and the Hetao region, as well as the officers and soldiers from Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Yulin, and other places, all received conscription orders issued in the name of the Protectorate or the Grand General Who Subdues the Caitiffs. An endless stream of soldiers and horses converged upon Xuanfu Garrison.

And because of the distances involved, the conscription orders had been issued to them five or even ten days earlier.

At Fansanbao, firecrackers crackled incessantly. Amid the smoke of gunpowder, large banners stood, bearing slogans like "May the gallant warriors return in triumph soon" and "Where we stand, no foe prevails; the Border-Pacifying Army shall conquer." Drums and gongs thundered as the fort's residents gathered in dense crowds, beating drums and gongs, waving small flags, lining up before the fort gate to send off their departing sons.

The able-bodied men of Fansanbao had enlisted relatively early; now, at the very least, they were all B-class troops, every man owning a horse. Among them, A-class troops and officers of all ranks were especially numerous. They had long grown accustomed to going on campaign, so there was not much fuss.

Half a month before the mobilization order, except for those on duty, the entire army had been given a long leave to return home and spend time with their families. Now, the order to march had finally been issued.

Amid the impassioned speeches of the fort officers, the soldiers and officers bid farewell to their families one by one. Then, amid a sea of fluttering little sun-and-moon banners, they all mounted their horses and, depending on their battalion and branch of service, set off for their various assembly points.

"Pannan, the household will depend on you now."

Ju Yiwu spoke softly to his wife, gently stroking their daughter Nian'er, whom she held in her arms.

After the Song-Jin campaign, Ju Yiwu had finally married Sun Pannan from the fort, and the two had a daughter, Ju Chiyao, whose pet name was Nian'er.

Nian'er was now just over two years old and still spoke haltingly. Clutching a little sun-and-moon banner in her hand, she waved it ceaselessly in her mother's arms: "Papa victory, Papa ten thousand victories..."

Looking at his daughter's bright, dark eyes, Ju Yiwu felt his heart melt. Ordinarily a cold man, often expressionless and stern of mien, he was known as "Cold-Faced Ju." But before his wife and daughter, he could not help but often reveal a gentle smile.

Sun Pannan's tears welled in her eyes, but she held them back, nodding firmly: "Husband, set your mind at ease. I will certainly take good care of Nian'er."

Though her heart was full of sorrow and reluctance, she knew she must not add to her husband's troubles, especially not burden his mind in any way.

The years since marrying her husband had been the happiest and most joyful of her life. Before others, she remained timid and full of self-consciousness; only in her husband's presence could she fully relax.

And no matter the month or season, she always wore the thick scarf her husband had bought her, as if all her emotional attachment was wrapped within it.

After speaking with Sun Pannan a while longer and playing with his daughter, he saw that Chen Sheng had also finished bidding farewell to his family. He gave his wife one last smile, then looked toward Chen Sheng. The two men, of one mind, nodded to each other, then both mounted their horses. Amid the cheers and shouts of the fort's residents, they rode swiftly toward their destination: Shachengbao and other places near Xinghe Garrison.

For this campaign, the General Staff had conscripted roughly one hundred fifty thousand fort and settlement men from the various cities and forts, organizing them into about forty battalions. Veterans from the A- and B-class troops served as Company Commanders, Squad Commanders, and squad leaders. The previous year, Ju Yiwu and Chen Sheng's mercenary unit had returned from Shaanxi just in time to be incorporated into the reorganization of the conscript battalions.

Based on their meritorious service and seniority, both were promoted to Company Commander and assigned to a C-class battalion. Their superior officer was their former old squad leader, Li Zhengjing, who had already been promoted to Battalion Commander.

Riding side by side, they both turned back to look without prior agreement, and saw their families still waving desperately.

The drums and music still rang out with fervor, and the firecrackers still crackled on without pause.

Monan Dongzhen, Guang'en Settlement Fort.

This fort was a typical baojia-system settlement fort, containing fourteen jia of households, making it the most basic bao-level unit, subordinate to Shachengbao. Shachengbao was a township-level unit, comprising fifteen bao in total, and was in turn subordinate to Xinghe County. Xinghe City was a county-level unit, considered a large county, comprising nineteen townships in total.

Settlement forts like Guang'en Fort numbered in the thousands beyond the frontier. Though the fort had over one hundred forty able-bodied men, they belonged to the C-class reserve troops, normally divided into three squads for duty and drill. However, they rarely had the chance to see battle, and the fort's residents were mostly occupied with settlement affairs.

But recently, their fate had changed. In late November of the previous year, the Protectorate issued an order to begin drafting settlement men into battalion troops. They were organized into individual battalions, first training at the township level, then assembling at the county level, and some even conducting joint training with several battalions.

Shachengbao Township had fifteen bao, with each bao drafting roughly one squad of forty to fifty men, assembling a total of seven hundred fifty settlement men—roughly the strength of a regiment.

Some of the more outstanding among them could serve as Squad Leaders or squad leaders, but officers at the Company Commander level and above were all veterans selected from the A- and B-class troops. Even in some squads, one or two squad leader positions were filled by these selected veterans.

In truth, to guarantee the combat effectiveness of the C-class troops, it would be best to have veterans from the A- and B-class troops serve as officers starting from the squad leader level, but that was easier said than done.

If that were the case, a squad would have five squad leaders and one Squad Commander—six officers in total. Add the Company Commander, and one company would have twenty-five officers.

Then a regiment would have one hundred officers, plus the Regiment Commander, making one hundred one. A battalion, plus the Battalion Commander, would have four hundred five.

For forty battalions, at least sixteen thousand veterans would be needed as officers. If that were truly done, drawing away so many veterans would severely damage the combat effectiveness of the A- and B-class troops. After all, this was not a time of peace where one could slowly wait for recovery.

Therefore, for the forty C-class battalions, veterans generally only filled positions from Squad Commander upward. Thus, one company, including the Company Commander, had about five veterans serving as officers. One regiment, including the Regiment Commander, had twenty-one veterans as officers. One battalion, including the Battalion Commander, had eighty-five veterans as officers.

Across the forty battalions, roughly three thousand four hundred veterans were selected. Because in some squads, one or two squad leader positions were also filled by veterans, after the C-class troops were organized, a total of about five thousand veterans were drawn from the A- and B-class troops to serve as officers.

This ratio of personnel ensured the combat effectiveness of the C-class troops without significantly harming that of the A- and B-class troops.

As for the vacancies in the A- and B-class troops, officers were promoted from subordinates. For soldiers, the A-class troops selected outstanding soldiers from the B-class troops, and the B-class troops selected outstanding soldiers from the C-class troops.

However, the General Staff's intention was that after the Jingcheng campaign, the B-class troops in each army could be upgraded to A-class troops, the C-class troops upgraded to B-class troops, and the settlement reservists of each fort and settlement would remain C-class troops.

Today, Guang'en Settlement Fort was as bustling as a market. The fort's residents beat drums and gongs, warmly sending off the fort's sons about to go on campaign. The forty-some selected settlement men wore large red flowers on their chests, their young faces all flushed red.

To be chosen for the battalion troops was their honor, and even more so, proof and expression of their ability.

Every time they returned from the township, their talk of the various aspects of collective training inevitably aroused the envy and jealousy of those young men who had not been selected.

Sending off the campaigning soldiers was the foremost event in normally peaceful Guang'en Fort. Days ago, the fort's three chief officers had begun preparations. Not only did they hold a grand farewell ceremony, but they ultimately decided that the Defense Commander would personally lead the escort, delivering these new battalion soldiers to the township.

At this moment, the new battalion soldiers were each bidding farewell to their families.

"Elder Brother, the household will depend on you now."

Zheng Tianmin looked at his elder brother Zheng Tianliang and spoke with solemn gravity.

"Second Brother, don't worry. I will take care of everything at home. I will certainly look after Father, and Yaya and the others."

Zheng Tianliang looked at his younger brother and replied with equal gravity: "Just set your mind at ease killing the bandits, and serve the Grand General well."

Old Man Zheng Xingxiang stood silently to the side, holding his granddaughter Yaya by the hand. There were old tears in his eyes, but he still chuckled: "Second Brother need not worry about the household affairs. Even if the fields lack hands, there are mutual-aid societies and plowing teams. As the higher-ups in the Ministry say, without the country, where is the home? Just go and fight well. This old bag of bones can still hold up."

Now, Zheng Xingxiang's family had become Han-registered, all having their own land, and their life was growing more prosperous by the day. The old man was a grateful person; he felt that all of this had been brought by the Grand General. To fight and risk his life for him was worth it! He was willing.

Moreover, because of his rich farming experience, Old Man Zheng Xingxiang had even been selected to work in the Civil Affairs Ministry. His horizons had broadened considerably, and his speech and bearing were different.

Zheng Tianmin nodded firmly, his heart completely at ease. Finally, he looked at his precious daughter, Yaya.

He saw her clutching a little sun-and-moon banner in her hand. Seeing Zheng Tianmin's gaze upon her, she waved it vigorously and said, "Papa, have a safe journey. Papa, don't worry about Mama. Yaya will take good care of her."

Zheng Tianmin bent down and smiled: "Yaya is so good. How about Papa brings you back a military merit?"

Yaya said obediently: "Military merit is very good, but it's best if Papa is safe and sound."

Zheng Tianmin stroked his daughter's cheek and smiled: "Papa goes to war precisely so that all of you can be safe and sound."

He looked around the fort. Everywhere were boundless wheat fields, soon to yield a great harvest. To the east of the fort lay vast expanses of vegetable plots, the lush green vegetables a delight to the eye. To the west of the fort were one livestock pen after another.

This place was his home.

Everything here, everything he saw before him, was a reason for him to defend it.

Firecrackers crackled, and drums and gongs thundered. Amid the send-off by the fort's residents, Zheng Tianmin and the others, led by the Defense Commander, headed toward Shachengbao. From afar, he turned back to look and saw his daughter among a cluster of children, still desperately waving her hand and flag.

Guang'en Fort was not far from Shacheng Fort. Generally, the training of village garrison soldiers in the countryside was concentrated here. The drill instructor here was called Li Song. His right arm had been severed; it was said it had been blown off by a Tartar cannonball during the great battle at Songshan and Jinzhou. He always wore a stern expression, was very methodical, and his training requirements were extremely strict. Zheng Tianmin and the others were all very afraid of him.

The soldiers grumbled privately that they had suffered eight lifetimes of bad luck to run into such a "King Yan of Li."

They never imagined that misfortunes would come one after another. Before King Yan of Li had left, along came "Cold-Face Ju."

They heard this man was named Ju Yiwu. He wore a stiff face all day, with a manner as cold as frost, and could go half a day without a single word. Thus, people called him Cold-Face Ju.

Zheng Tianmin and the others speculated whether Company Commander Ju had some sorrow in his heart, or whether someone owed him a thousand silver dollars and hadn't repaid him. Otherwise, why would he keep a stiff face all day?

What made Cold-Face Ju frightening was not his severity, but that pair of sharp and icy eyes. Even if you did something wrong, he would not scold you; he would only stare at you expressionlessly, staring until your hair stood on end, and in the end you would obediently admit your mistake and be done with it.

There was a saying in the unit: Better to meet King Yan of Li than to run into Cold-Face Ju.

In any case, after the unit was formed, under Cold-Face Ju's drilling, every man had a layer of skin peeled off, and everyone complained incessantly of their suffering.

Of course, after the soldiers returned to the fort, they all avoided talking about these matters and spoke only of the good things, such as showing off to their companions their armor, their firearms, their rations, and so on.

Near noon, Zheng Tianmin and the others arrived at Shacheng Fort.

Shacheng Fort was a strategic point on the official road from Guihua City to Xuanfu Garrison. Along the official road, a post station was set up every twenty li.

When they arrived here, they saw the road already filled with a torrent of metal and banners. Dense waves of helmet-brims bobbed, layer upon layer of blades and shields, long spears, and flintlock arquebuses; the luster of metal glittered under the sunlight. They marched along the road, and no one knew how many tens of thousands stretched before and behind them.

After the mobilization order from the Protectorate was issued, the newly organized camp soldiers from the various forts and villages beyond the frontier assembled. This official road at Shacheng Fort was the main route from beyond the frontier to Xuanfu Garrison, so the flow of people heading this way was even greater. They carried great banners of every kind, a dancing expanse of crimson tide.

Those whose banners bore the pattern of the Black Tortoise, whose sun-and-moon banner finials had bronze or iron carvings of the Black Tortoise, and whose soldiers' inner linings had black edging — those were the emblems of the Black Tortoise Army.

Those whose banners bore the pattern of the Azure Dragon, whose sun-and-moon banner finials had bronze or iron carvings of the Azure Dragon, and whose soldiers' inner linings had azure edging — those were the emblems of the Azure Dragon Army.

Those whose banners bore the pattern of the White Tiger, whose sun-and-moon banner finials had bronze or iron carvings of the White Tiger, and whose soldiers' inner linings had white edging — those were the emblems of the White Tiger Army.

Those whose banners bore the pattern of the Vermilion Bird, whose sun-and-moon banner finials had bronze or iron carvings of the Vermilion Bird, and whose soldiers' inner linings had fiery red edging — those were the emblems of the Vermilion Bird Army.

However, even more numerous were those bearing the great sun-and-moon banner with gold edging, with banner finials carved with the ornament of sun, moon, and waves — this was the emblem of the Central Army.

They heard that the Staff Department, in addition to the original five armies, would also form fifteen more armies. However, except for some battalions that already had assignments, the rest had yet to be designated. For the time being, they were all under the control of the Central Army. Perhaps only after the battle for the capital would the new army types emerge.

Still, a general conclusion had been reached: in the future, the Jingbian Army would be divided into two types, Class-A Armies and Class-B Armies. Among them, a Class-A Army would have five battalions — vanguard, rear, left, right, and center — while a Class-B Army would have two or three battalions.

For instance, this battalion of soldiers under Zheng Tianmin was assigned to the command of General of the Leopard Strategy Gao Shiyin, and was subordinate to the Vermilion Bird Army.

Gazing at the torrent of armor and uniforms on the official road, Zheng Tianmin and the others all wore expressions of shock. Everything, all of it, gave them an indescribable sense of oppressive force and impact.

Many years later, Zheng Tianmin still clearly remembered this scene: the northern wind blowing in from beyond the frontier, hunting and swirling the banners; the road filled with uniformly sturdy and robust men, clad in uniformly fine stamped steel cuirasses, wearing uniformly fine eight-panel iron helmet-brims. The various colored carvings on the banner finials, the long spear points, the firearms on their backs, all glittered brilliantly under the sunlight. The red tassels on each man's helmet leaped like a field of flames.

Their unbroken column stretched on, its head invisible from its tail. Their military boots trod upon the earth, kicking up vast clouds of dust. They bore the heavens on their heads and trod the great earth underfoot. They ignited the flames within a man's heart, and once lit, those flames would never be extinguished.