I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 410: Xishan Training Ground
It was a fine day. Zhu Yijun, accompanied by Zhenyuan Marquis Gu Huan, Lingbi Marquis Tang Shilong, Minister of War Cao Bangfu and Liu Tao, and Vice Minister of War Xu Wei, arrived at the Xishan Parade Ground by carriage.

At this time, Xishan became a large military camp, where half of the Beijing camp was stationed, as well as the Xishan Military Academy and the Ordnance Research Institute of Taipu Temple.

There is also a large parade ground here, on the bank of the Lugou River, which can accommodate three to four thousand soldiers for training.

Zhu Yijun was sitting in a four-wheeled carriage, and opposite him sat Gu Huan, Tang Shilong, Cao Bangfu, Liu Tao and Xu Wei in two rows. The carriage was very spacious and the six of them could sit inside without feeling crowded at all.

"Lord Cao, have the military ranks been decided?"

Zhu Yijun asked.

Cao Bangfu replied, “In reply to your Highness, after discussing with Minister Liu and Minister Xu, we have already decided on the military ranks.

The General of Cavalry and the General are of the same rank as the first grade; the General Guarding the Country and the General are of the same rank as the second grade; the Front, Back, Left, and Right Generals who Support the Country and the Generals of the same rank as the third grade; the General of the Lieutenant-General who Serves the Country and the General of the Lieutenant-General are of the same rank as the fourth grade.

Above are the ranks of generals, which are divided into eight ranks. Below are the ranks of lieutenants, which are divided into ten ranks.

The Light Cavalry Commander is a Commander of the same rank as the fifth rank; the Zhaowu Lieutenant is a Lieutenant of the same rank as the sixth rank; the Xuanwu Colonel is a Colonel of the same rank as the seventh rank; the Zhongwu Deputy Commander is a Deputy Commander of the same rank as the eighth rank; the Fenwu Assistant Commander is a Assistant Commander of the same rank as the ninth rank.

Zhu Yijun nodded, "Mr. Li and Mr. Zhang presided over the reform of the civil service system, and the official ranks were set at 18 ranks, starting from the first-rank Ronglu Guanglu Dafu, divided into Zide Zhengfeng, Zhengyi Dazhong, Zhongshun Chaoqing, Fengyi Fengzhi Zhengcong eight-rank Dafu, and below divided into Chengde Chengwu, Chengshi Congshi, Digong Xiuzhi, Dengshi Jiangshi Zhengcong eight-rank Lang.

This is how we divide official ranks, determine qualifications, clarify salaries, and then determine allowances based on official positions. It seems that you are also using the same method to determine military ranks.”

"Yes, Your Highness. The military ranks are determined, the salaries are clear, and then the allowances are determined according to the military positions. Wenchang has conveyed Your Highness's will, saying that the military ranks should be clearly defined, and then marked on the military armor with words or symbols. Once the war is chaotic and the officers and soldiers are scattered, they can be quickly assembled and organized according to the military ranks.

This method is very good. We all think that it is difficult for a person without natural talent to come up with this wonderful method. "

Zhu Yijun waved his hands and said with a smile: "Mr. Cao is flattering me again.

Mr. Li and Mr. Zhang later requested the establishment of three dukes and three juniors to be used as additional officials for civil officials. They knew that there were six levels of honorary titles for military officials: Shangzhuguo, Zhuguo, Shanghujun, Hujun, Qingche Shuzhang, and Shuzhang. They wanted to align with you. "

Gu Huan said proudly: "Your Highness reaffirmed the rule of the second ancestor, that no one can be granted a title without military merit. In order to reward the meritorious soldiers, Your Highness not only expanded the titles of sons and barons, which are hereditary and one with the country, but also set up six levels of honorary titles, which are glorious for life and benefit descendants.

Your Highness, the soldiers are greatly encouraged! "

Zhu Yijun said: "It is the duty of the soldiers to obey military orders and serve the country. It is my duty to make the best use of talents and to reward and punish clearly. In your supervisory office, have you decided on the rewards for the Liaodong war?"

"In reply to your Highness, it has been decided. Tan Lun will be named Marquis of Dongning, Qi Jiguang will be named Marquis of Fengning, Li Chengliang will be named Earl of Guangning, Zhou Guotai will be named Earl of Kaiyuan, Wei Xuezeng will be named Prince of Panhe, Wei Jianping will be named Man of Qingyang, Gao Ce will be named Man of Huining, and 27 people will be granted honorary titles such as Shangzhuguo, and the rest will be rewarded in varying amounts.
Please seal the petition. It has been reported to the Imperial Household Department this morning."

"Very good. I will take a closer look at it after I return. Besides, the rewards for Nanhai will be decided after Mr. Hu returns to Beijing to report on his work."

"As you command."

Zhu Yijun added: "Now that the military ranks have been determined, I am worried that some people will be confused. Previously, some officials in the court, including the six censors, said that they could not understand the new military system. For example, when they asked what the difference was between the Yulin and the 26th Army of the Control Crane Army and the generals, deputy generals, and lieutenant generals of the Liaodong, Liaoxi, and Datong towns, they were confused."

Everyone laughed, and Liu Tao stroked his beard and said, "These pedantic people are unwilling to study carefully the "Regulations on the Military System and Military Positions of the Ming Dynasty" issued by the Rong government. In fact, it is very simple.

The Yulin and Konghe 26th Armies were military organizations, but they were just nominal military titles. The Ming Dynasty had more than 300,000 elite troops, and the Zhenwei Army was all organized under the name of these 26th Armies, which were divided into regiments numbered according to the heavenly stems and earthly branches such as Jiazi, Bingzi, and Yichou.

The towns of Liaodong, Liaoxi and Datong are divided into border defense zones. The general is the chief officer of the defense zone, the deputy general is the adjutant, and the lieutenant general is the commander-in-chief.

From then on, soldiers in the border defense area were transferred from the 26th Army in turn. If they were transferred to the Beijing Camp, they would be Beijing Camp soldiers. If they were transferred to Liaodong Town, they would be under the command of Liaodong Town. They could form Liaodong front, back, left, and right divisions, led by deputy generals and lieutenant generals.
You see, it is very simple and clear. Ordinary people cannot read or count, so they may not understand it. How can these scholars not understand it? They just don’t want to look carefully! "

Everyone laughed.

The group soon arrived at the Xishan parade ground, and the chief officer in charge of the exercise was Xue Yi, the lieutenant general of the Beijing Camp Governor's Office.

He and a group of military officers were waiting at the entrance of the parade ground.

"I will pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Get up!"

"I greet you all!"

"Xue Yi, His Highness is anxious to see the results of your training. Please take us to see it quickly." Gu Huan said jokingly.

"Yes!"

Xue Yi led Zhu Yijun and his party into the gate of the parade ground. Three thousand officers and soldiers were standing neatly in the open space in the distance. They were wearing new military uniforms, similar to the army uniforms that Zhu Yijun bestowed on the Hongwu Military Academy.

After some changes, officers had large lapels, double rows of brass buttons, belts, red shoulder straps and armbands, and red stripes on the cuffs. They wore hats and boots, and a round hat on their heads with a hard brim in front, a red circle in the middle, and a five-pointed star in the middle of the hat badge.

Soldiers and non-commissioned officers all have round collars, cloth buttons in rows, belts, red epaulettes and armbands, and the cuffs and corners are uncut.

He wore a round iron helmet and traction shoes. What was striking was the bayonet sheath on the left side of his belt and the ammunition box on the right side. He held the prince's smoothbore rifle, and the long bayonet flashed coldly.

The troops were arranged in a rectangular formation, and beside the formation stood six teenagers aged fifteen or sixteen, wearing similar clothes. Four of them carried waist drums across their shoulders, and two held flutes. Military flags fluttered above their heads.

Between the teams were six-pound cannons mounted on gun carriages. In front was a carriage pulled by four horses, where the gunners sat and the ammunition was stored, and in the back was a hook pulling the gun carriage.

"The army looks dignified and solemn, the fighting spirit is high, and the morale is high. Well, good!" Zhu Yijun praised.

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Highness. Please come this way."

Xue Yi led Zhu Yijun and his party to a high platform next to the parade ground. It was six meters high and could see very far. There was a row of wooden fences in front and tall sandbags piled behind the fences.

Everyone knows that bullets are flying around without any eyes.

"Commander Xue, are we going to actually fire the artillery during this exercise?" Xu Wei asked.

"To reply to Minister Xu! In this exercise, the infantry muskets used real ammunition, and the artillery only used powder instead of projectiles. This general and the officers checked it three times, and the Fengchensi checked it twice this morning."

Everyone nodded with satisfaction.

Zhu Yijun sat down on the chair and said to Xue Yi, "Commander Xue, let's start the exercise."

"Follow the order!"

After Xue Yi bowed, he stood out and waved the command flag. Several military students waiting in front of the stage pulled the reins, turned their horses around, and began to pass on the order.

"Everyone, get ready!"

The sound of a trumpet was heard.

The captain standing next to the team began to give orders, and the soldiers shouldered their muskets. The drums of each team sounded, the flutes played, and the soldiers stepped to the beat of the drums and began to march in rows.

The drum beats are used to maintain the rhythm of the formation, and the flute helps the soldiers relieve their tension.

An infantry regiment had twelve squads, or twelve formations, which formed two long lines, more than thirty meters apart.

The high platform on the parade ground faces north and south, and the officers and soldiers march in formation from east to west.

After walking a hundred meters, the artillery team set up their positions and started firing. One after another, deafening, clouds of gunpowder smoke kept coming out, but no bullets were fired.

According to the drill manual, when attacking, the artillery team fires single shells or shrapnel shells, which can fire far away and either carve a bloody path through the enemy's dense formation or blow up a large area.

When defending, we use shotgun, which shoots out in a direction that scares away ghosts and gods.

The artillery fired three rounds and the infantry came up.

"Stand still!" The team leaders gave orders to each team.

After three rapid drum beats, the soldiers stood still, with exactly three rows in each team.

The drums and flutes stopped.

"Load!"

The team is continuing to give orders.

Under normal circumstances, the soldiers would have already loaded the ammunition, but today was a drill, and in order to allow His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to see the entire process clearly, some procedures were slightly modified.

The soldiers took out a tube of paper from the leather box on the right side of their belts. It was fixed ammunition wrapped in oil paper.

The soldier first pulled open the flintlock hammer, bit a corner of the paper tube with his mouth, poured the gunpowder into the primer pool, and then pulled the flintlock hammer back to its original position to avoid accidental firing.

Then he poured most of the remaining gunpowder into the barrel, and finally stuffed the lead bullet and oil paper into the barrel. He then took out the cleaning rod, reached into the barrel and poked it hard.

Pull out the cleaning rod and put it back in place, hold the gun with both hands, and be ready at any time.

"aim!"

The first row of soldiers squatted down and aimed their guns. Three rows of muskets were raised horizontally, aiming at the rows of wooden targets in front of them, which were covered with leather armor, iron armor and cotton armor.

"Fire!"

The gunshots suddenly rang out, like hundreds of sharp arrows piercing the air.

(End of this chapter)