Chapter 660: Preparing for Battle

"General." Chang Wei stepped out of the door and was met head-on by a squad of soldiers.

The moment they saw Chang Wei, the soldiers were all stunned.

After a moment of hesitation, they recognized that this was their commander, Chang Wei, and they all performed a military salute in unison.

Chang Wei revealed a smile and returned the salute.

Once Chang Wei had walked far away, the soldiers immediately gathered together and began to discuss excitedly.

"This new-style military uniform is truly too beautiful."

"Isn't it? If I were to wear this uniform back home, it would make people die of envy."

"Envy is secondary; I'm afraid the matchmakers would wear down the threshold fighting to find us wives."

"Hahaha..." The more the soldiers talked, the more excited they became, and they couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"It's just that I don't know when it will be our turn?" A soldier patted the Scale Armor on his body.

When they first entered the military camp, they had treasured this uniform for a very long time.

But now, compared to the new-style military uniform, they suddenly felt that the uniform they were wearing was too tacky and not nearly as dashing as the new-style one.

At this moment, a squad of soldiers wearing the new-style military uniform walked toward them.

These soldiers wore peaked caps and dark green trench coat-style uniforms; each one stood tall with their heads held high, looking extremely spirited.

When the other soldiers saw them, they all stopped to watch this squad, their eyes filled with undisguised envy.

"I heard that the soldiers who received the new-style military uniforms will be the first batch to cross the river."

"So what? As long as I can wear this uniform, I would be willing even if I died right now." A soldier shook his head and sighed.

While the soldiers were discussing the new-style military uniform, Chang Wei arrived at the Pingyuan City Camp.

Along the way, the soldiers and officers who saw him saluted him one after another, while their gazes swept over his uniform.

At this moment, Lv Chang, Qin Shan, and Guan Tong had all changed into the new-style military uniforms, and their shoulders were embroidered with the Three-Star Rank.

The three of them sized up each other's uniforms, their chests puffed out higher than the next, wanting to outdo one another.

Lv Chang felt a mischievous urge and reached out to touch Qin Shan's uniform.

Qin Shan immediately jumped away in disgust and warned, "Lv Chang, if you get my clothes dirty, I will definitely make your backside bloom."

"That depends on whether you have the ability!" Lv Chang laughed loudly and lunged forward.

But his hand did not grab Qin Shan; instead, it suddenly turned and wrapped around Guan Tong's shoulder.

Guan Tong nearly jumped up as if his tail had been stepped on and cursed, "Lv Chang, you brat, that's not honorable."

Having said that, he reached back with a strike, intending to beat up Lv Chang.

After making a scene for a while, they suddenly saw Chang Wei walking toward them, so they immediately composed themselves and walked over side by side.

"Not bad, each of you looks much more spirited." Chang Wei looked the three over and nodded slightly.

Wearing the new-style military uniform, everyone seemed to have much more vigor.

Qin Shan immediately began to butter up Chang Wei,

"The General is the one who is truly spirited; once the enemy sees these Five-Star Rank, they will be scared to death."

Chang Wei was in a good mood today, and he joked, "Enough, all the flattery in the world wouldn't be enough for you to spout."

Then, he looked toward the soldiers continuously coming out of the barracks.

A portion of these soldiers had changed into the new-style military uniforms.

They were the elites in the armies of Lv Chang and the other two.

Good things go to the elites first; this was an unwritten rule in the army.

Immediately, he took a Pocket Watch out of the front pocket of his uniform and glanced at it; there was still a quarter of an hour until the assembly time.

He had gotten up so early partly to check on the progress of the uniform change, and also to check the soldiers' morning assembly time.

Because this symbolized the discipline of the army.

Seeing this, Lv Chang and the other two also took out their Pocket Watches from their pockets and glanced at them.

Compared to Yellow Gunpowder and Hand Grenades, Yanzhou commercial goods like Pocket Watches were nothing worth keeping secret.

A month ago, a batch of Pocket Watches had been transported from Yanzhou to Pingyuan City.

All officers at the rank of Commandant and above had received a Pocket Watch.

With Pocket Watches that could record time accurately, they had established a strict daily schedule.

It was stipulated that at the hour of Mao, soldiers must assemble at the Drill Ground to leave the city for a five-kilometer training run.

The hands of the clock turned slowly.

Chang Wei stood by the edge of the Drill Ground waiting, while Lv Chang and the other two were somewhat nervous.

Although Chang Wei was usually kind to them, if there were any problems with discipline, they would inevitably be in for a severe scolding.

Time slipped away bit by bit, and the soldiers finished assembling in front of their respective barracks and ran toward the Drill Ground one after another.

A quarter of an hour passed, and all the soldiers appeared on the Drill Ground.

Among them, the soldiers wearing the new-style military uniforms stood in the middle of the Drill Ground.

Feeling satisfied with the speed of the soldiers' assembly, Chang Wei nodded.

The sound of the bugle rang out, and the soldiers left the Drill Ground one after another to go out of the city for training.

At this time, Chang Wei said, "According to the plan, the navy's twelve Warships will pass through the Canal tonight and arrive at the Pingyuan Ferry; also coming are thirty Troop Transport Ships, which can transport fifteen thousand people at once."

"During the river crossing, these Warships will bombard the Fortress on the opposite bank while covering your crossing; you must be ready at all times," Chang Wei said.

He decided to concentrate his forces on one point to directly break through the Fortress opposite Pingyuan City.

After occupying the Fortress, he would then have the follow-up soldiers land, and proceed to continue south to capture cities and seize territory.

Lv Chang and the other two looked at each other with serious expressions.

Tonight, they were going to fire the first shot of the southward campaign.