Moma Liangshan

Chapter 254 Deputy General, Reorganization of the New

Lin Chong was very satisfied and said, "Exactly!" Yang Yong continued, "This humble general believes that we should also allocate more than ten men as scouts, directly under your command!" Lin Chong thought this was excellent and made up his mind, saying, "It's settled then. Let's work on a plan tonight, and make a comprehensive adjustment of the deployment tomorrow!" Yang Yong hadn't expected Lin Chong to be so impatient and said, "General, have you foreseen something? Why are you in such a hurry?" Lin Chong gazed at the distant sky, as if trying to see through the future battle, and slowly said, "The enemy's reaction is too slow!" Yong frowned first, then suddenly realized something and said, "The enemy is well-trained and well-supplied, yet they're hesitant to move. It's highly likely they're preparing for a major battle!" Lin Chong nodded and said, "We've heard of and experienced the Jurchens' strength firsthand, but those supply convoys aren't the main force of the Jin army. If we encounter the main Jin force with equal numbers, let alone victory, how can we possibly escape unscathed?" The series of victories instilled a sense of pride in everyone, a pride that dispelled their initial confusion and timidity, and nurtured a uniquely soldierly honor and conviction.

Lin Chong's question caught Yang Yong off guard. After a long pause, he finally spoke, "This humble general has no good strategy at the moment, but in warfare, it's simply a matter of meeting force with force and water with earth. As long as we are united and determined to fight to the death, we can surely turn misfortune into good fortune and avert disaster." Unbeknownst to him, his damp clothes had dried in the wind. Lin Chong rose, donned his armor, and said, "The mighty Han dynasty faced the Xiongnu, and the glorious Tang dynasty faced the Turks. Han soldiers have once marched thousands of miles, penetrating deep into the enemy's heartland. We, armored and armed, have come to this vast grassland to make our name known beyond the borders and to restore our military might. In the battle against the enemy's main force…" This is our greatest and final test. If we can win this battle, the Hungry Wolf Cavalry will be transformed! Yang Yong understood immediately, saying, "If we're facing the enemy's main force, we'll go from hunters to prey, and our previous ambush tactics will no longer be suitable!" Yang Yong quickly got into character, which pleased Lin Chong greatly. He said, "You will be in full charge of troop adjustments and battle deployment for now. During this period, you can consult anyone's opinion; there's no need to keep it secret. But you must give me the preliminary plan three days later!" Yang Yong was both surprised and delighted, replying, "Yes, sir!"

Lin Chong's decision to reassign Yang Yong stemmed not only from his ability to recognize and utilize talent, but also from Wang Hao's impending military expansion. Compared to the Tang Dynasty, the Song Dynasty had a larger population, higher tax revenue, and a smaller territory. Yet, in every foreign war, let alone territorial expansion, even defending existing territory proved insufficient. Why? The army's morale was low, lacking the fighting spirit and courage to engage in battle. Having served in the military for many years, Lin Chong knew the Imperial Guard's deep-seated problems were irreparable. While Wang Hao's practice of raising a private army raised suspicions, it resonated with Lin Chong. Wang Hao had also given clear instructions to spare no effort in cultivating promising talents.

Wang Hao, using a dream as a pretext, described to Lin Chong the leadership structure of a regimental-level combat unit in later generations, including the roles of "regimental commander," "political commissar," and "staff officer." Lin Chong, drawing on his years of military experience and the existing imperial guard system, proposed establishing "Commander-in-Chief," "Commander-in-Chief," and "Military Advisor" within "army-level" units. In the Northern Song Dynasty's imperial guard, one hundred men formed a "du," five du formed a "ying," and ten ying formed an "jun." Given the painful lessons of previous dynasties where "military supervisors led to national ruin," Lin Chong believed that whether it was a Commander-in-Chief, Commander-in-Chief, or Military Advisor, all positions must possess qualified military skills to resolutely prevent the situation where an incompetent general could cause the death of the entire army. As for Yang Yong's appointment, whether as Commander-in-Chief or Military Advisor, Lin Chong had not yet decided.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and Yang Yong dared not delay for a moment, immediately taking action. Lin Chong's five subordinates were of the same rank and had an equal number of soldiers under their command. In terms of cavalry combat alone, Morigen and Jida came from the grasslands, were people of nomadic origin, and had been trading between the Mongolian Plateau and Liaodong for many years, making them exceptionally capable and experienced. Xiong Pi, a Han Chinese from Liaodong, also made his living by fishing and hunting, and was naturally brave; with a little training, he could certainly become a fierce general. However, Yang Yong was quite certain that these three would only obey orders, and the only one who could truly influence this troop adjustment was Zhao Tuo. This was not for any other reason than that Zhao Tuo came from the Jiaozhou military camp, and was a Jiaodong officer of equal rank and background as himself.

Yang Yong paid his respects to Zhao Tuo and went straight to the point, saying, "General, you are preparing to reorganize the Hungry Wolf Cavalry. What is your opinion, Brother Zhao?" Zhao Tuo was taken aback at first, then replied, "What opinion could I possibly have? I will naturally follow your orders, General!" Yang Yong continued, "What if you appointed me to be in charge of this matter?" Zhao Tuo pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "It seems I must congratulate you on your promotion, Brother Yang!" Yang Yong no longer kept him in suspense and said, "The five cavalry units will be reorganized into four, and I will become your deputy, no longer leading troops independently!" He then added, "The ranks in the army are all determined by the young master; you and I will remain..." "They're equals!" Zhao Tuo, much more carefree than Yang Yong, laughed heartily and said, "Frankly speaking, compared to leading an army independently, Brother Yang is indeed more suitable as a general's deputy!" Yang Yong lacked decisiveness, but his composure was excellent. He said, "Brother Zhao, do you agree?" Zhao Tuo nodded and said, "Yes." Yang Yong sighed softly and said, "Regarding the consolidation of troops, I still want to consult Brother Zhao's opinion!" Zhao Tuo's smile faded, and he said, "You, me, Xiong Pi, Morigen, and Jida all lead an army independently, but our styles are quite different. I wonder if Brother Yang has considered the reasons for this?"

Yang Yong nodded and said, "You and I served together in the Jiaozhou military camp, forming your initial ranks. Morigen and Jida were servants given to you by the princess of Shu when you were in Liaodong. As for Xiong Pi, his home was destroyed in the chaos of war, forcing him to join your ranks. Different backgrounds naturally lead to different styles!" Zhao Tuo also nodded and said, "But you once said something very thought-provoking: 'The homogenization of soldier training and army building.' Do you remember it?" Yang Yong pondered for a long time before speaking. "I vaguely remember!" Yang Yong's reaction disappointed Zhao Tuo, who said, "The general's training principles are mostly based on the young master's ideas. As his deputy, you should memorize the young master's sayings!" Yang Yong unconsciously repeated, "The young master's sayings?" Zhao Tuo nodded and said, "You come from a family of scholars and farmers, and have been well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics since childhood. This is your advantage over us, but it also makes you more likely to overlook some important things." Yang Yong seemed to understand and said, "I don't know the young master well enough?"