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Chapter 850: Extra Inspection (VII)
October, the 13th year of Zhaoping.

The border army camp is ten miles away.

General Fan, the Marquis of Jingbian, was wearing a silver armor, and behind him were a group of border army generals. Among them, several were personal guards who had accompanied Liu Hengchang to the border army. Liu Hengchang returned to the capital after training in the border army for a year, and these personal guards stayed behind and served as low-level generals in the border army.

General Fan was the most knowledgeable and sensible, and he promoted and valued these generals. Today, the emperor came to inspect the border troops, and General Fan led a group of generals to welcome them ten miles away.

The familiar red dragon flag fluttered in the wind as the earth trembled.

Her Majesty the Empress of Daliang, her heroic figure riding a steed came into the eyes of all the generals.

General Fan was so excited that he quickly stepped forward. He was wearing armor and could not kneel down to perform the full ceremony, so he bowed deeply and said, "I respectfully welcome the emperor."

Dozens of military officers shouted in unison: "We respectfully welcome His Majesty. Long live the emperor."

After a long and dusty journey, we finally arrived at the border.

Jiang Shaohua did not show any sign of fatigue, his eyes were bright, and he smiled energetically: "General Fan, please stand up, and all the generals, please stand up."

"The border troops are here in this bitter cold place, they have to resist foreign enemies, patrol the border, and protect the safety of the people. The task is heavy and it is the hardest of all the troops. I have been on the throne for thirteen years, and I have always been thinking about the border troops. Today, I am finally here. I am very happy to see you all."

These heartwarming words made the eyes of the generals red.

Who doesn’t know that border troops have the hardest time?
The several garrisons in the capital had the most abundant military funds and the best equipment. They were well fed and well clothed. They only went out to fight when necessary, and most of the time they trained in the barracks. The garrisons in various places were similar.

Only the frontier troops stationed at the border of Daliang had to face the grassland cavalry as ferocious as jackals, tigers and leopards. They might be on horseback patrol today and be killed tomorrow.

To die on the battlefield is the most common outcome for soldiers of the border troops.

Just look at the generals in front of you. There are only a few who are over 40 years old, and most of them are young generals who have been promoted and appointed in recent years. Because the experienced and older generals either died in the national war a few years ago or were seriously injured and could no longer fight, so they had to retire from the military camp sadly.

, General Fan, has been in the border army for more than ten years. At the beginning, he was excited about holding military power, but as time went by, he had lost his passion and drive after training, patrolling and fighting day after day.

Her Majesty left the capital two years ago and went on a tour of inspection in Daliang. Every time she arrived in a state, the first place she went to was the garrison camp. There were many military officers who were punished and dismissed, and General Fan's nephew was the first unlucky one. In the past two years, General Fan has become the emperor's personal guard and accompanied him. Today, he is in the personal guard of Her Majesty the Empress.

General Fan glanced around and noticed his nephew, whose face was filled with surprise.

General Fan remained calm and ignored her. He bowed and said to Her Majesty the Empress, "I have already prepared the military tents. Your Majesty and your guards are welcome to enter the barracks and rest."

Jiang Shaohua smiled and said, "Thank you, Marquis Jingbian."

General Fan personally led the way and welcomed Her Majesty the Empress into the border army camp.

The border troops have been expanding their strength in recent years, from 80,000 to nearly 120,000. The military camps are also constantly expanding.

General Fan received accurate information two months ago that the Empress would come to the border army, and immediately ordered the army's craftsmen to build a new barracks. 120,000 border soldiers were transferred in turns to move wood and stones. The new barracks were built in more than a month. The barracks were clean inside and out.

Outside the main military tent, there were actually some potted plants and flowers, with lush green leaves and gorgeous flowers, adding a bit of freshness to the solemn military camp.

Jiang Shaohua laughed: "Marquis Jingbian is very careful and specially arranged a military tent for me."

General Fan would never admit that he was a flatterer. He was just extremely loyal to Her Majesty the Empress.

In addition to General Fan, there were seven or eight generals of the second or third rank who were qualified to enter the military tent and speak. Generals of the fourth rank and below could only stand outside the military tent.

Even this is enough to make the generals proud.

Who says that the border soldier’s father doesn’t love him and his mother doesn’t care about him?

Their empress never forgot the border troops. They traveled thousands of miles to the border army camp, and heard that they would stay in the border army for several months before leaving!
In the heart of Her Majesty the Empress, the border army is the most important army in Daliang.

In the military tent, Jiang Shaohua asked, "Has the Rouran tribe been restless again in the past two years?"

General Fan nodded and said, "Back then, Duke Weiyuan brought the letter from the country and sent the Rouran Khan to the grassland, which enhanced the prestige of Daliang. In less than two years, the Rouran Khan died of illness. Marquis Shiluo inherited the Khanship."

"In the past two years, the Rouran tribe has gradually recovered, and the young cavalry have grown up again. The new Khan's ambitions have also gradually become apparent, and he often sends cavalry to harass the border."

"However, our border troops are not pushovers. Whenever we encounter a small group of cavalry, we will fight desperately. In the past year, there were no major battles, but we fought more than ten small battles. Both sides suffered losses."

This is already quite remarkable for the border troops.

A few years ago, the border troops basically defended the city and had no courage to fight the Rouran cavalry on horseback. In recent years, the court has made every effort to supply the border troops, and the border troops have become strong and powerful, and have become a real elite force.

The training of the frontier troops was also the most brutal. There was no need for any martial arts exercises, they just went into battle. Those who died in battle were given generous pensions by the imperial court, and those who survived were the veterans of the frontier troops.

Jiang Shaohua was silent for a moment, then sighed, "The casualties of the border troops remain high, and so many good men are buried here. Whenever I think of this, my heart becomes heavy with grief."

General Fan replied solemnly, "It is our duty to serve the Liang Dynasty and get paid as a soldier. Many of the new soldiers in recent years were recruited from Guiliang City. Their wives and children died at the hands of the Rouran barbarians, and they hate the Rouran barbarians to the core. Whenever they go to the battlefield, they are the most courageous and the most willing to fight."

When talking about Guiliang City, Jiang Shaohua's eyes flashed with a smile: "Are Jingbian Hou and Cai Jun Shou familiar with each other?"

Can you not be familiar with it?
Guiliang City is Pengcheng of Yuelai, which is only about a hundred miles away from the border army camp and can be reached in one day by fast horses.

It can also be said that the Border Army Camp is the greatest support for Guiliang City. Once the Border Army is defeated, the people of Guiliang City will be bullied and slaughtered like pigs and sheep.

While pacifying the people's livelihood, the governor of Cai County actively encouraged young and strong men to join the army. First, this would solve the problem of food and clothing for many young and strong men. Second, the people who survived the cruel slave life on the grasslands were originally the most physically strong. After these young and strong men joined the border army, they quickly became the main force of the border army.

General Fan smiled and said, "There are very few civil servants whom I admire in my life, and Magistrate Cai is one of them."