Family Rise: Beginning with Grandfather.

Chapter 670 War Machine
Chongshan Town South Road Dingliaowei.

The Lieutenant General of the Southern Dingliao Guard was Cui Chengwu. He was the successor chosen by Qin He, but he was also a close confidant of Yang Chengye.

Cui Chengwu was Qin He's son-in-law. When Qin He was still serving as the Lieutenant General of the Southern Dingliao Guard, he sent Cui Chengwu to Yang Chengye's account to obey his orders.

Yang Chengye stayed in Chongshan Town for more than 20 years, and Cui Chengwu stayed with Yang Chengye for more than 10 years. It was not until Qin He was old and frail and resigned and returned home that Cui Chengwu was appointed as the Lieutenant General of Dingliao Guard by Yang Chengye.

From the lieutenant generals to the high-level military officers in each camp, everyone in Chongshan Town seems to be a group of people with connections. Each of them has a close relationship with the Yang family, or has an extraordinary identity and background.

This may seem unfair, but it is actually a very fair result.

The warrior inheritance is originally the sect inheritance and the family inheritance, and in the military, the family inheritance is even higher than the sect inheritance.

It is not impossible for civilian warriors to rise, but compared to those warriors with family inheritance, it is too difficult for ordinary people to make a name for themselves by practicing martial arts.

Warriors compete for resources. Without some foundation, it is impossible to stand out.

Let’s not talk about others, let’s just talk about the Yang family. If Yang Zhengshan didn’t have the spiritual spring space, the Yang family would never have been able to rise. Even if Yang Zhengshan was a time traveler, he couldn’t do it.

Similarly, it is difficult for a low-level warrior to achieve great success. For example, Yang Zhengxiang is a warrior, but he is only a warrior at the lowest level all his life.

Is Yang Zhengxiang's talent very low?
Not necessarily.

Is Yang Mingwu very talented?
Not necessarily.

What they lack are resources and opportunities.

Unfortunately for Yang Zhengxiang, he was already old when Yang Zhengshan traveled through time, so he never became a post-natal warrior in his life.

Yang Mingwu was very lucky. He was still young at that time, and Yang Zhengshan gave him a lot of spiritual spring water, so he had more possibilities.

In fact, all of these are inseparable from the word resources.

The same applies to other people.

The Dingliao Guard of Chongshan Town South Road was passed from Ji He to Qin He, and then from Qin He to Cui Chengwu.

Qin He is Ji He's confidant and can be considered Ji He's apprentice, and Cui Chengwu is Qin He's son-in-law.

This is a kind of inheritance based on close relationships, representing not only the inheritance of official positions, but also the inheritance of resources.

Of course, in addition to resource inheritance, there is also personal choice.

At that time, Ji He helped Yang Zhengshan control the Southern Dingliao Guard. Yang Zhengshan supported Qin He to take over as the Lieutenant General of the Dingliao Guard because Ji He was seriously injured.

Similarly, Qin He asked Cui Chengwu to follow Yang Chengye, and Yang Chengye let Cui Chengwu take over.

If Cui Chengwu had not followed Yang Chengye, Yang Chengye would most likely not have chosen him as his successor.

Because this would likely cause Yang Chengye to lose control of the Dingliao Guard in the south.

Resources are important, and personal choices are also important.

After receiving the order, Cui Chengwu also began to summon his officials to discuss the matter, but he first sent someone to Songzhou Wei to ask Luo Feiyu for instructions.

This time, he would act together with Luo Feiyu. Although he and Luo Feiyu were both lieutenant generals, he would definitely take Luo Feiyu as the priority.

There is no way. Luo Feiyu not only has a long history, but he is also a congenital warrior.

After discussing the expedition with the officials of various yamen, Cui Chengwu immediately rode out of the city and entered the camp of the reinforcements.

The army of Chongshan Town has not been expanded in recent years and has always maintained its previous scale, that is, each battalion of the town's standard battalion has 6,000 soldiers, and each battalion of the reinforcement battalion has 7,500 soldiers.

In addition, each lieutenant general had four to eight garrison battalions under his command, each with a thousand soldiers.

In addition to these battalion soldiers, the garrison soldiers in Chongshan Town have not been abandoned and still maintain one month of training every year. The garrison soldiers are definitely not as good as the battalion soldiers, but they also have a certain combat effectiveness.

Even if Chongshan Town withdraws all the soldiers from the camp, the garrison soldiers can take over the camp soldiers at any time to complete the garrison mission.

The southern Dingliao guard reinforcement camp had 7,500 soldiers, including 3,000 cavalry and 4,500 infantry, but no heavy infantry or armored heavy cavalry.

It’s not that the shogunate can’t afford heavy armor, but that there is no need.

There is no need to say much about the power of tin cans on the battlefield, but the cost-effectiveness of this thing is too low, and once it is used on the battlefield, it will put great pressure on logistics.

Therefore, at present, only the Zhenbiao Battalion in Chongshan Town has organized heavy infantry and heavy cavalry.

"Send the order, gather troops!"

When he arrived at the reinforcement camp, Cui Chengwu immediately ordered the drums to be beaten to gather the troops.

The rumbling sound of war drums sounded, and soon teams of soldiers wearing armor and holding weapons appeared on the wide parade ground, and the fierce momentum filled the space between heaven and earth.

Cui Chengwu stood on the high platform, looking at the soldiers below, but frowned.

Twenty years!

Ever since Yang Zhengshan led the Chongshan Town’s standard battalion to attack Yemi City from afar, Chongshan Town has not participated in any large-scale wars.

In the war twenty years ago, the Southern Dingliao Guard Reinforcements Battalion did not participate.

In other words, the soldiers under Cui Chengwu have not participated in war for more than 20 years.

Twenty years is enough to replace all the officers and soldiers in the army.

The 7,500 soldiers in front of them were almost all new recruits who had never participated in a large-scale war.

They looked well-trained and intimidating, but Cui Chengwu knew very well that they lacked murderous aura.

They are elite soldiers, but not warriors who have fought in hundreds of battles.

But there is no way around it. Without going to the battlefield and going through the trials of blood and fire, an army cannot become truly elite.

Cui Chengwu looked at the several thousand commanders at the front of the army and shouted loudly: "Train the troops for a thousand days and use them for a moment!"

"The time has come when you need to fight hard. Are you afraid?"

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid!" The soldiers shouted with great momentum.

"Are you really not afraid? You will die in battle, you will be injured, your hands and feet will be chopped off, and your head will be cut off on the battlefield. Are you afraid?" Cui Chengwu asked loudly.

"Keep going until you die!"

"Keep going until you die!"

"Keep going until you die!"

The uniform roars were filled with boiling blood and indomitable courage.

Although they have never actually been to the battlefield, they are not afraid of going to the battlefield because they have always been preparing for it.

Chongshan Town has enjoyed peace for twenty years, but the training of soldiers and generals has always been the top priority.

No one knows how much sweat has been shed on this training ground, and no one knows how much sweat these soldiers have shed.

They are not elite yet, but they have the elite military spirit.

Keep moving forward and never give up.

This is definitely not just a slogan, but a belief engraved in their bones and blood.

This belief originated from Yang Zhengshan, and was passed down from father to son, from brother to brother, from generation to generation in the hearts of Chongshan Town soldiers. Cui Chengwu looked at the vigorous soldiers, his eyes flickering with a beating brilliance.

"Very good, pass the order, the whole army is ready for battle, ready to go at any time!"

……

As Yang Chengye passed down orders one after another, the war machine of Chongshan Town sounded a shrill horn.

The solemn atmosphere was like a spring breeze, blowing towards the military camps.

Countless soldiers began to organize their weapons and armor, countless soldiers and young and strong men began to gather, and government offices at all levels began to operate like a wound-up clock.

From Chongshan Pass to the headquarters of various lieutenant generals, to the offices of various states, counties, and garrisons, and then to countless garrisons and villages, nearly four million people in the entire Chongshan Town began to prepare for the coming war.

Shuiquan Fort in Anyuan Prefecture.

Lin Daniu is an ordinary soldier in Shuiquan Fort.

He is twenty-eight years old this year and has been in the army for ten years, so he is considered a veteran.

However, as an old soldier, he was a little weak and had never been to the battlefield. Apart from going to the state capital garrison camp for training for one month every year, he also conducted some exercises in the garrison.

Most of the time he is a farmer, tending to his family's fields.

Today, bursts of gong sounds suddenly rang out in Shuiquan Fort. Lin Daniu, who was watering the crops in the field, raised his head reflexively and looked towards the direction of the fort.

"Erniu, keep watering the fields. I'll go see what's going on!"

Lin Daniu didn't care about anything else. He just shouted to his second brother and rushed towards the garrison in a hurry.

Lin Erniu also looked up and saw that his elder brother had run far away. He didn't think much about it and continued to work hard.

Although the gongs in the garrison are not sounded often, they are sounded several times every year, usually to summon soldiers for training.

Lin Daniu ran quickly into the garrison and saw that his centurions and the general flag were already standing in front of the government office.

More than a hundred soldiers came hurriedly, lined up quickly, and waited for the captain's instructions.

When everyone was almost there, the captain stepped forward and shouted, "Brothers, the garrison office has issued an order for us to arrive at the garrison camp in the state capital before noon tomorrow!"

"This is a military order. Anyone who fails to arrive on time will be punished according to military law and executed!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the soldiers present suddenly became nervous.

The captain was silent for a moment, then continued, "This trip to the state capital is not for training, but to go on an expedition with the army! We are responsible for transporting food and weapons, and the expedition may take a long time!"

"Everyone, go back and prepare well, and say goodbye to your parents, wives, and children!"

Now everyone is feeling more nervous and uneasy, but of course there are also some who are excited and expectant, like Lin Daniu.

Go to war with the army?

He actually wants to go to the battlefield with the army!
Lin Daniu's eyes widened with surprise and excitement.

The captain spoke for a while longer, basically saying goodbye to his family, calming everyone down, saying that this time they were only responsible for escorting food and military equipment, and there shouldn't be any danger, etc.

After the captain said to disband, Lin Daniu didn't even bother to discuss with his brothers. He ran back to his home and went straight into his bedroom.

"Why are you running? What's the matter, Captain?" Old Man Lin asked as he watched his eldest son running back in a hurry.

Lin Daniu took out a long knife from under the cabinet and said, "Dad, I'm going to join the army!"

"Go with the army!" Father Lin paused, "Why are you going to the war suddenly? Where is the war going on? Where are you going?"

Clang!
Lin Daniu drew out his long sword, revealing the snow-white blade.

"I don't know yet. They just told us to go to the state capital tomorrow to transport food and military equipment!"

He stroked the blade and said.

Father Lin's eyes turned red, and his voice became trembling, "No need to go to the battlefield!"

"Dad~~"

Lin Daniu then noticed that Father Lin was acting strangely, and quickly comforted him, "Dad, don't worry, we are only responsible for transporting food and weapons, and we don't need to go to the battlefield!"

"But I guess the soldiers in the camp will have to go to the battlefield. Dad, my uncle is in the reinforcement camp and may need to go to the battlefield."

He thought of his uncle, who served as a team officer in the Songzhou Guards Battalion.

Father Lin could no longer suppress his worry and ran out of the door in a panic, "I'll go to your uncle's house to check!"

Lin Daniu glanced at his father and did not chase after him. He was still stroking the sharp blade.

This sword was passed down from his grandfather, and it is said that it was the sword given to him by Lord Yang.

That’s right, Lin Daniu’s grandfather had served as a soldier under Yang Zhengshan, and had also followed Yang Zhengshan to fight against the Hu tribe in the East China Sea.

Unfortunately, his grandfather did not come back and died on the battlefield in the north.

At that time, Old Man Lin was only in his teens, and his uncle was only eight years old.

In the Lin family, Lin Daniu's grandfather is a heroic figure. Although his grandfather died on the battlefield, the Lin family received a lot of pensions and preferential treatment.

Lin Daniu grew up listening to his grandfather's stories, or more accurately, growing up listening to Yang Zhengshan's stories.

Since he was a child, he had fantasized about following Lord Yang and fighting on the battlefield like his grandfather.

I also imagined that if I died on the battlefield, Lord Yang would wear sackcloth and carry my coffin.

That’s right, Yang Zhengshan really carried the coffin for his grandfather!
That year, a thousand soldiers from the Anyuan City garrison camp went to war, but only half of them returned.

Yang Zhengshan wore a linen robe and personally carried the coffin to bury the fallen soldiers.

The coffin he was carrying belonged to Lin Daniu's grandfather.

Lin Daniu's grandfather was just an ordinary soldier in the garrison camp at that time, but he killed hundreds of Hu cavalry on the battlefield and died in the final battle of Fuzhou City.

Old Man Lin has awe of the battlefield because his father died on it.

Lin Daniu was different. He had only heard about his grandfather's achievements on the battlefield, and had not felt the pain of losing his husband and father.

That night, the atmosphere in the Lin family was heavy.

Lin Daniu's parents, wife and children were all a little sad, which made Lin Daniu feel his family's fear of the battlefield and their worry about him.

But early the next morning, Lin Daniu still set out on his journey.

He looked at his parents, wife and children who were filled with worry, and resolutely followed the captain to the provincial capital.

There are countless soldiers like Lin Daniu in the entire Chongshan Town.

The soldiers and horses move forward before the food and grass are moved.

Before the soldiers left the camp, the soldiers from the garrisons in various places had already gathered and were ready to go.

(End of this chapter)