At this time, the drill ground was essentially a temporary military camp.
It was only the second day, and the number of volunteers had already reached nineteen thousand. Young men had rushed in from the surrounding mountains, sometimes arriving in groups of twenty to thirty. You Jijing, unwilling to leave Liu Zhangkuan in charge of things he didn't trust, personally oversaw everything from start to finish. He had thousands of makeshift shelters built next to the drill ground, requisitioned grain and fodder, and assembled laborers to handle logistics. At the same time, he distributed all the available weapons from storage. Fortunately, this place had always been a strategic battleground, and weapons were plentiful enough to equip thirty to forty thousand men with a sword or saber each.
You Jijing gathered all the volunteers and led Zhu Mo and Mu Chaobi to inspect them. The three men stood on the reviewing stand.
You Jijing spoke loudly:
“Listen up, everyone!”
“This is the current Duke of Qian! Duke Mu! And also the commander-in-chief of this southern campaign!”
A ripple of excitement went through the volunteers. Most of them had never seen such a high-ranking official and couldn't help but stare.
Mu Chaobi felt a surge of pride and waved his hand, saying loudly:
“Thank you all for your hard work! With the nation in peril, I, Mu, on behalf of the court, thank you for your enthusiastic enlistment! From this moment on, you are also official troops of the Great Ming!”
Another roar went up.
Everyone felt a sense of pride.
Mu Chaobi observed the simple and honest demeanor of these rural youths and thought to himself, "Zhu Mo certainly knows how to choose his soldiers; there are hardly any scoundrels among them…"
At the same time,
You Jijing called out again:
“As for this gentleman, you’ve likely guessed who he is! He is the current Grand Scholar Zhu Mo! He is also the strategist for our Great Ming’s southern campaign!”
A clamor of cheers erupted!
The entire field was filled with acclamation!
“Great Ming’s Strategist!”
“Great Ming’s Strategist!”
“Great Ming’s Strategist!”
The scene was unexpectedly powerful. Everyone, as far as the eye could see, was shouting, their voices hoarse with exertion, expressing their admiration for Zhu Mo.
Zhu Mo and You Jijing exchanged smiles, deeply feeling that the title of strategist was indeed irreplaceable in the hearts of the people here. Under this affection, such passion had erupted.
Zhu Mo smiled faintly and said, “Lord You, Your Grace, we have nearly enough soldiers. The next step is to appoint the officers… The army has been hastily assembled and has not yet undergone training, and the enemy possesses firearms. My suggestion is to appoint officers from the衛軍 (Wei Army) and my firearms unit, and select one person from the volunteers to lead each camp of three thousand men, making a total of ten camps. What do you think?”
Mu Chaobi’s expression was indifferent, but he listened attentively. He thought, "Your arrangement is fair. I will select ten Qianzong (commanders of a thousand men) from the old army. They are well-versed in military formations. Even if these men were recruited by you, Zhu Mo, they can also keep them in check…"
He immediately nodded and said,
“Excellent.”
You Jijing also nodded, saying, “Three parties, three individuals. This is the most appropriate arrangement! I approve!”
Zhu Mo observed Mu Chaobi’s expression for a moment and thought, "Your old soldiers are certainly skilled at control, but if I mention reform, most of these volunteers will still listen to me…"
He then looked at the excited faces of the crowd and felt that this trip had, after all, turned from danger to safety. As long as he stayed in this drill ground, Mu Chaobi would temporarily be unable to do anything to him…
He immediately waved to the assembled volunteers and declared loudly:
“Soldiers! Now Mang Yinglong personally leads a massive army to invade. The chieftains have already rebelled. The court is caught off guard. The responsibility now falls to you! Protecting one’s home and defending the country has always been inseparable. Defending the country is protecting the home. Once the enemy crosses the river, Yongchang Prefecture will be plunged into misery… You must accelerate your training, follow the Great Ming military songs as your guide, and within a few months, you will surely annihilate the enemy! Come, sing with me!”
Zhu Mo immediately began singing from "Where do the Great Ming official troops come from," leading everyone in song. With each line, the atmosphere grew more fervent. Mu Chaobi, who initially felt disgusted, was gradually drawn in by the momentum, his expression slowly softening, revealing a conflicted and awkward look. Finally, his lips moved, and he unexpectedly joined in the singing…
Zhu Mo was overjoyed, a thought flashing through his mind –
He can still be saved…
After all, he was a descendant of meritorious officials. He knew that the Emperor Taizu’s army back then was an army of the people. Today’s scene reminded him of the past. Perhaps if he reasoned with him, he might change his opinion?
After the assembly,
Mu Chaobi summoned ten Qianzong, and Zhu Mo also selected ten of his personal guards. The two parties jointly selected twenty individuals, ten of whom would serve as Yingzong (camp commanders) and the other ten as their deputies.
Meanwhile,
At the East Gate, young men from the surrounding villages continued to arrive to join the army, one after another.
…
The following day at noon,
The military dispatches from the front finally arrived.
On the main hall of the Prefectural Office, the atmosphere was solemn.
Mu Chaobi said:
“Everyone, Generals An and Wang from the front have reported that this is indeed Mang Yinglong’s main force, with a significant number of musketeers, at least three to four thousand. The vanguard from Mubang and Lujiang has already engaged with us. Mang Yinglong is expected to reach the front lines tonight… The situation is critical, everyone, please voice your opinions.”
Liu Zhangkuan quickly stated, “Distinguished sirs, allow me to interject. The grain and fodder requisitioned from the various prefectures are arriving sequentially. A rough calculation indicates that it should be sufficient to support eighty thousand men for two to three months.”
Mm-hmm.
Everyone felt a slight sense of reassurance. Two to three months. While their side was tense, the enemy was equally so. Invading a foreign country has always meant doubled difficulties in logistics and supply, which was also a weakness of the enemy.
You Jijing said:
“Regarding military affairs, the Duke and the Strategist will make the decisions. I, the Prefect, would also like to add that the situation in Yongchang Prefecture has changed significantly these past two days. The previously feared unrest and rebellion among the military and the populace should now be impossible. Furthermore, my subordinate and I will personally manage the rear, ensuring that the overall situation at home remains secure.”
Mu Chaobi nodded and continued:
“What does the Strategist think?”
He asked this because he was considering: "While Zhu Mo is certainly adept at governance, he may not be adept at warfare. In the campaign against pirates in Jiangnan, there were Qi Yuanjing and Yu Dayou, making it difficult to suffer defeat. Now, let’s see if he is truly capable…"
Zhu Mo said calmly:
“My suggestion is to hold the defense first…”
Hold?
Everyone looked at him.
“Why? To await the enemy in a state of readiness is a sound strategy. Mang Yinglong has traveled thousands of miles, and the areas he has traversed are places the Burmese army has not reached in a thousand years. From Mubang onwards, there are high mountains and swift rivers. Although there are a few cities, the villagers mostly reside in the wilderness, making resupply exceptionally difficult. I am concerned about our logistical capabilities, but Mang Yinglong faces even greater difficulties! Therefore, my intention is to first consolidate our defenses and then seek opportunities to counterattack.”
He looked at everyone, but still sensed doubts, and continued:
“How do we consolidate our defenses? Gentlemen, Shunning and Lujiang are areas that are easy to defend and difficult to attack. This time, the defense will focus on repelling firearms! Everyone, in this era, firearms are formidable… I have engaged with Franci arquebuses and Franci cannons before. My personal guards have also seen much combat. However, the Wei Army in Yun and Gui may not be familiar with firearms… Therefore, my intention is to divide the three hundred firearms troops into two teams, each assisting in the defense of Shunning and Lujiang. In the direction of Shunning, the volunteers will be stationed in Changning. In the direction of Lujiang, the volunteers will serve as reserves in Pu Piao. Let us defend for a month first.”
Hmph.
Mu Chaobi snorted lightly, thinking that Zhu Mo was likely employing trickery again.
He immediately said:
“I disagree! The morale is high at the moment, and we should take the initiative! When Mang Yinglong hastily enters our territory and has not yet established a foothold, I will invite him to battle, relying on the treacherous terrain and forests to gain the advantage of geography. This is what Sun Tzu called ‘fandi’ (fighting on advantageous ground). Without this advantage, even our defense will have no chance of victory!”
Mm-hmm.
Everyone knew that he had inherited his noble title for twenty years and had fought in countless battles. Upon hearing his words, it was indeed insightful, and everyone felt sincere admiration.