coobybook Chapter 1100 The Northwest Dilemma
Chapter 1100 The Northwest Dilemma
Ma Jing kowtowed heavily, his forehead covered in dust: "Your Majesty! It's not that I don't want to train new soldiers, it's not that I don't want the old soldiers to enjoy their retirement!"
"It's really...it's really a case of 'even a skilled cook can't cook without rice'."
"The shortage of troops stationed on the border is getting bigger and bigger, while the defense line is getting longer and longer. I can only make these old soldiers who should have retired serve beyond their term of service, and keep them on the front line even if they are slightly injured."
"In this way, even the seriously injured and disabled cannot rest, and will eventually only be able to eke out a living here."
Li Che's heart trembled, and he turned to look at the veterans in front of him, remaining silent.
In truth, he bears a great deal of responsibility for this matter.
The Northwest Army was not his own direct subordinates, but rather the old troops of Emperor Qing.
After Li Che ascended the throne, he reorganized the army and reorganized the various garrisons, but he did not interfere in the northwest.
Apart from the fact that the rations and pay were kept as usual, there was never any mention of adjusting the generals, nor was there any large-scale placement of new recruits into the camp.
The reason for doing this was to prevent Ma Jing from misunderstanding that he was using Ma Jing and then discarding him, thus eliminating dissidents.
Unexpectedly, his political considerations made the situation of the Northwest Army even more difficult.
"Your Majesty understands that you are afraid of acting too hastily and causing unease."
Ma Jing prostrated himself deeply once more, his shoulders heaving: "But Your Majesty, the border cannot wait for anyone, the Tibetan swords and arrows cannot wait for anyone!"
"I am not afraid of death, but I see my men growing older year by year, and fewer and fewer able-bodied ones. Our defenses are like a dilapidated house with drafts coming from all sides... I really can't wait any longer, and I dare not wait any longer!"
"That's why I had to resort to this desperate measure, risking my life to invite Your Majesty here by private letter, so that Your Majesty could see for yourself the predicament facing the Northwest Army."
"Your Majesty, I have deceived and misled you, and led you to such a filthy place. I deserve to die!"
"The Northwest Army is facing a severe shortage of capable leaders and is on the verge of collapse. Your Majesty, I earnestly request that you reorganize and restructure the Northwest Army and select a new commander!"
After he finished speaking, the veterans' camp fell into a deathly silence.
Li Che stood still, motionless.
The shadow of his felt hat obscured the upper half of his face, making it impossible to see his expression.
Contrary to what Li Che had expected, Ma Jing's unspeakable secret was actually time.
Time inevitably ages the soldiers, and the historical legacy and the delicate relationship between the ruler and his subjects have led to the current disastrous consequences.
An army with an average age of over 35, and filled with a large number of wounded, sick, disabled and old soldiers.
Even with the richest combat experience and the strongest will, how long can one maintain combat effectiveness?
Faced with a formidable enemy from the plateau, can this white-haired army truly defend the western gateway to Daqing?
Silence lingered in the polluted air. After what seemed like an eternity, Li Che finally spoke:
"Ma Jing".
"Your subject is here." Ma Jing trembled.
"You are indeed guilty."
"To know something but fail to report it until the situation becomes critical and then to report it by overstepping one's authority is the first crime."
"His failure to govern the army has led to the decline of the military strength in the Northwest to this extent; this is his second crime."
Ma Jing lowered his body even further, almost curling up.
“However,” Li Che’s tone shifted, still cold but with a hint of complexity, “my sins are no less than yours.”
Ma Jing exclaimed excitedly, "Why does Your Majesty say that? What have you done wrong?"
Li Che sighed softly, "You dared to say those words before me, how could I not admit my sins?"
He took two steps forward and stood in front of Ma Jing: "You have shown me the festering sores of the Northwest Army. Very good. This is the most difficult step you have taken."
"Now tell me, besides soldiers, what else does the Northwest Army need?"
"How can we keep this house from letting in drafts, so that these old soldiers... won't die of old age in vain in this desolate place?"
“Your words are not enough to prove it,” Ma Jing’s voice was still hoarse. “Your Majesty, I implore you to move over and take a look at a few more places.”
Li Che gave him a deep look, said nothing more, and simply nodded.
The group silently left the suffocating room and disappeared back into the streets and alleys of Lanzhou.
Ma Jing led the group through the maze-like earthen walls and alleyways, and after about fifteen minutes, they arrived at an area in the northwest corner of the inner city.
Several rammed earth domed buildings stand here, their form completely different from that of residential houses.
It was surrounded by a low earthen wall, with a simple watchtower on top of the wall, and soldiers on guard at the entrance.
It was the location of the city's military granary.
The soldiers on duty saw Ma Jing and, although they were suspicious of Li Che and the other strangers, they quickly let him pass.
Ma Jing didn't explain further and simply pushed open the wooden door.
A waft of air mixed with the stale smell of grain wafted out. The warehouse was very dark, with only a few small ventilation holes high in the walls letting in a little starlight.
Ma Jing signaled his personal guards to light torches, and the flickering flames illuminated the scene inside the warehouse.
The warehouse was large, but very empty.
Near the entrance, there were neatly stacked sacks, far from enough to fill the warehouse space, occupying less than a quarter of the corner.
Much of the area was empty, with bare soil surface scattered with a few grains of grain and bits of grass.
Li Che stepped forward and casually picked out a few grains of grain from a tear in a burlap sack.
It's millet, also known as foxtail millet.
The grains are dull in color, small in size, and contain a lot of unremoved husks and sand.
He walked to another pile of sacks and asked, "Are these all millet?"
Ma Jing said in a low voice, "There is some wheat and a few beans."
Li Che untied a bag of wheat, and the wheat grains were also of poor quality, with many shriveled ones and few plump ones, and they were also full of impurities.
The beans looked even older, probably older than me.
"What is the current stock? How long can it supply the entire army?"
Ma Jing bowed his head and replied, "Your Majesty, this is one of the main granaries in Lanzhou. It currently holds about 2,300 shi of millet, about 1,800 shi of wheat, and about 500 shi of beans and other grains."
"In addition, there are two other granaries in the city, with even smaller reserves. The Lanzhou garrison and soldiers in nearby camps and forts, along with their households, need rations for about 15,000 people daily."
"If the rations are fully distributed, the current grain reserves are insufficient for three months of needs, not even including the warhorse feed."
Li Che raised an eyebrow and asked, "Last year, the imperial court approved the grain and salary allowance for Longyou. The quota for grain alone was 60,000 shi of millet and wheat, and 10,000 shi of beans."
"This doesn't even include the share from the prefectures in Hexi. Even after accounting for losses, less than half of it reached the front lines?"
Ma Jing lowered his head even further, his voice hoarse: "Your Majesty, please understand, this is all I have received."
Li Che had already made up his mind, and his expression grew even colder.
He stopped looking at the pitiful grain reserves and turned to walk outside: "Let's go check on the armaments."
The armory was located not far from the granary and was more heavily guarded.
When the warehouse door opened, a strong smell of stale grease and decaying leather wafted out.
Inside the warehouse, long spears, swords, and crossbows were neatly arranged on the shelves, while leather armor and iron armor plates were piled on the ground.
The quantity seemed acceptable, and the shelves were clean, but when Li Che approached for a closer look, his brows immediately furrowed.
He casually picked up a standard-issue rifle.
The gun barrel was made of ash wood, but it had obviously been used for many years. The grip area was blackened and shiny from sweat, and the wood was somewhat loose.
The spearhead was gleaming, but there was a slight crease at the edge, and the design was outdated, not the improved model that the Ministry of Works was now producing.
The situation is similar with the horizontal sword; the scabbard is old, and the blade shows signs of polishing after being drawn.
Most of the leather armor had hardened and cracked, and had been repeatedly repaired with leather cords.
The lamellar armor, made of iron plates, had many worn edges. Although the rust had been wiped away, the wear on the braided ropes and plates was extremely severe.
On the crossbow mounts, the bowstrings generally lacked elasticity, and the sights and scimitars of the crossbow mechanism showed signs of wear.
There were quite a few arrows, but the shafts were of uneven thickness and the arrowheads were slightly different in style.
Li Che even saw some crossbows from the previous dynasty, which were older than himself.
"These are the equipment you use on a daily basis?" Li Che put down the sword in his hand.
"Yes," Ma Jing replied. "The best weapons in the army will be given priority to front-line sentry posts and scouts."
"Most of these in the warehouse are replacements, spares, and supplies distributed to soldiers guarding the city and those stationed for farming."
He paused, then added, "I received a batch of muskets and other weapons that the various armies are now equipped with three years ago, totaling two hundred muskets, one hundred sets of armor, and fifty crossbows, all of which have been distributed to the most elite Vanguard Battalion."
"Many parts are now damaged, and it is extremely difficult to replenish gunpowder, lead bullets, and spare parts."
Upon hearing this, Li Che fell even more silent.
He was the one who personally spearheaded the military reforms, and he was naturally most aware of the situation. The Northwest Army was not a core force, so it was placed at the back of the equipment replacement sequence.
But the meagerness of the equipment in the warehouse still exceeded his expectations.
This isn't just a matter of being late in the hierarchy; it's more like being forgotten.
"Let's go, up to the city wall." Li Che stopped looking at the swords and spears, turned around and left the armory.
The city walls of Lanzhou are tall and the horse paths are wide.
At night, soldiers on duty stood at regular intervals, leaning against the crenellations to avoid the wind.
Upon hearing footsteps, the sentries immediately looked over alertly.
Upon seeing that it was Ma Jing who had come, he relaxed slightly, but his gaze still swept over Li Che and the others warily.
Li Che deliberately slowed his pace and walked slowly along the city wall.
In the firelight and moonlight, the faces of these soldiers were clearly discernible.
Unlike the surviving soldiers I had seen before, these were still soldiers in service, but I still couldn't see any young faces.
Most of them look to be between thirty and forty years old, with many already having graying temples and deep wrinkles around their eyes.
Their military jackets were also worn out, and their armor was mostly leather or old iron armor.
Even so, they still stood upright, even though their backs had become pathologically hunched from standing for so long.
Li Che stopped in front of a battlement where two soldiers were resting. They looked older, probably around forty-five or forty-six.
One man was carefully munching on a piece of hard bread, while the other was wiping his sword with a little cheap liquor.
Upon seeing Ma Jing and Li Che, the two quickly stood up and bowed.
"No need for formalities," Li Che said gently. "How old are you this year? How long have you been stationed on the border?"
The two veterans were somewhat reserved. They glanced at Ma Jing, and only after the commander-in-chief nodded slightly did they clasp their hands and say in a deep voice, "Reporting to Your Excellency, I am Wang Gui, and I am forty-eight years old this year."
"I have been here since the year the late emperor pacified Longyou, which is twenty-seven years ago."
Another veteran, munching on a pancake, said, "I am Zhao Shuan, forty-six years old, and have been guarding the border for twenty-four years."
Twenty-seven years! Twenty-four years!
I spent almost all of the best years of my life on this city wall, amidst the wind and sand of the northwest.
Li Che nodded, asked no further questions, and gestured for them to continue resting.