Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 399 We are all civilized people

Chang'an Forbidden Garden.

During the height of summer, the climate is extremely hot.

In noble families, if their mansions had ponds, they would take out expensive iced drinks made with ice from the pavilions beside the ponds to cool off in the heat. In ordinary families, most people would carry a palm-leaf fan and hide in the shade of the trees next to their houses, taking advantage of the cool breeze to escape the sweltering heat.

The old city of Chang'an was transformed into a small town, Beiyi, due to the destruction caused by war.

Most of the city was designated as part of the Forbidden Garden.

The Forbidden Garden covered a vast area, bordered by the Wei River to the north, the Chan River to the east, the old city of Chang'an to the west, and the new city of Chang'an to the south.

Among them were Yongping Granary, various administrative offices, and military camps.

Without human habitation, the forbidden garden was lush with vegetation and dense forests. Even in summer, the temperature was much lower than outside the forbidden garden.

After arriving at the Forbidden Garden with dozens of cavalrymen, Li Shuang went directly to the crossbow workshop.

The bow and crossbow workshop was not a small, low-lying workshop for making bows and crossbows, but a large courtyard with three floors, covering an area of ​​one hectare.

The barracks next door are garrisoned with 500 soldiers, responsible for defense.

It houses hundreds of top craftsmen skilled in making military equipment and thousands of professionals proficient in mathematics.

Li Shuang came here to inspect the latest results.

Crossbow!

The crossbow was the most classic piece of engineering machinery before the invention of firearms.

The crossbow's advantage is its high power, but its biggest disadvantage is its slow rate of fire.

Whether it's a crossbow pulled by the arm, waist, or foot, or a large crossbow that requires several, a dozen, or even livestock to pull, it all takes time to load.

Compared to a bow that can be drawn and fired instantly, a crossbow is really inconvenient.

Repeating crossbows are different.

Repeating crossbows have existed since ancient times. Later, the Han Dynasty chancellor Zhuge Liang improved upon them, creating a handheld crossbow capable of firing ten arrows in succession.

The repeating crossbow solved the problem of slow rate of fire, but at the cost of reduced range.

The kill range of the ten-repeating crossbow is only twenty paces.

Such a distance is naturally unsuitable for fighting the enemy on flat ground. At a distance of twenty paces, not many enemies have been killed, but if the enemy cavalry were to charge, our crossbowmen would likely suffer heavy losses.

The use of repeating crossbows must be in sturdy defensive structures or special terrain.

For example, mountains and dense forests.

The more complex the terrain, the more vulnerable the enemy, and the more effective the repeating crossbow.

Before Li Shuang, officials from the crossbow workshop brought out and were demonstrating their latest products.

As the mechanism turned, the ten iron crossbow bolts in the crossbow magazine were instantly emptied. Not far away, the target was covered with a dense array of iron crossbow bolts.

Thanks to the promotion of blast furnaces and the innovation of smelting technology, steel production in Guanzhong and even Hedong has increased significantly.

Correspondingly, the cost of making repeating crossbow bolts was also greatly reduced.

After firing his crossbow, the official in the blue robe removed the magazine from the repeating crossbow, replaced it with a new one, and fired again.

This move caught Li Shuang's eye.

"Your Majesty, the production of repeating crossbows has been standardized and can be used in the army."

Li Shuang nodded after listening and asked:
"Is there any progress on the Divine Arm Bow?"

The official in blue robes truthfully replied:

"Your Majesty, we are working hard on the production of the crossbow, but we have not yet figured out the materials and manufacturing methods for the crossbow body. Please forgive us!"

Li Shuang waved his hand and said:

"It's alright, take your time!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"

Li Shuang held the repeating crossbow in his hand, weighing it slightly in his hand.

The repeating crossbow is a special weapon, and naturally it has special uses.

Even if the crossbowmen could inflict significant damage on the enemy at a distance of twenty paces, they would soon find themselves in close combat.

Therefore, crossbowmen equipped with repeating crossbows must be skilled in combat and fearless in the face of death.

An army composed of such weapons and such soldiers could not possibly become a standard army.

However, if an elite crossbow unit is organized, it will be surprisingly effective in special battlefield environments and against special enemies.

For example, mountainous terrain like that of Sichuan and Chongqing.

Bashu and Guanzhong are connected. During the pre-Qin period, the passage between the two places was not as difficult as it is now.

In the Battle of Changping between Qin and Zhao, Qin exhausted Zhao's last breath with grain supplies transported from Bashu.

An earthquake in Wudu during the Han Dynasty caused the Han River to change its course.

From then on, the flow of waterways connecting Guanzhong and Bashu weakened, making canal transport difficult.

The massive transport of grain from Sichuan and Chongqing into Guanzhong resulted in astonishing losses.

The losses were so great that the efficiency of transporting goods from Sichuan to Guanzhong was not as good as transporting them directly from the Yangtze River to Jiangdong, and then from Henan to Luoyang and Chang'an.

Of course, this is based on the premise that the canal transport is unimpeded and that the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are under our control.

Now, Jingxiang and Jiangdong are both under the control of the Southern Liang.

Therefore, the correct use of the Bashu region is not to transport grain out, but to use it as a strategic rear area for people to go there.

Over the past two hundred years, the Qiang, Di, and Liao peoples have successively caused chaos. In particular, during the Cheng Han period, Li Shou introduced the Liao people into Bashu on a large scale, which led to a comprehensive decline in the economy and culture of the Bashu region.

"The Han people live on the plains, while the Liao people occupy the mountains," and this situation has continued to this day.

These Liao people, especially the Sheng Liao, lived entirely in caves.

The Southern Liang dynasty didn't pay much attention to Bashu (Sichuan and Chongqing). Firstly, the war with the Northern Wei was difficult, and they couldn't spare the resources. Secondly, the situation in Bashu was too complicated, and they didn't have the time to deal with it.

However, the potential of Sichuan and Chongqing as the "Land of Abundance" remains.

The construction of Dujiangyan transformed the Chengdu Plain, which was prone to flooding during the pre-Qin period, into a land of abundance that is protected from both drought and flood.

If the Dujiangyan Irrigation System is expanded further, the Fujiang Plain to the north of Chengdu and the Minjiang Plain to the south could also be included in the irrigation area.

The Sichuan-Chongqing region is rich in natural resources.

The area is rich in resources such as silkworms, tea, citrus fruits, salt, sugarcane, timber, and minerals.

With enough population and food, the silk weaving, brewing, tea making, papermaking, and even sugar production industries in Sichuan and Chongqing can be vigorously developed.

With these as a foundation, Chengdu can certainly become a metropolis in Southwest China with a population of one million.

However, the internal resistance to relocating people to Sichuan was secondary; the military risks involved were undoubtedly enormous.

Training a team of crossbowmen proficient in mountain warfare would certainly be useful.

Li Shuang spent the morning in the crossbow workshop, and in the afternoon he went to the palace in the Forbidden Garden where he could escape the summer heat.

Chang Le Palace!
This palace, located on the west bank of the Chan River, was originally just a manor, but over the years it has been gradually expanded into a large palace.

In the summer, it became a popular summer retreat near Chang'an.

As soon as Li Shuang arrived at Chang Le Palace, he received news from Luoyang.

Hou Jing had already persuaded Hu Sichun and Hebasheng to gather troops and prepare to launch an attack on the Southern Liang.

Among all the military units in the country, those in Guanzhong were the most elite.

This was not only due to the quality of the soldiers, but also to the equipment of the Fubing (府兵) and their close ties with Chang'an. In addition, the Fubing in Longyou, Lingxia, and Hedong were also considered superior troops. As for Taiyuan and Shangdang, their Fubing were just beginning to develop combat capabilities, but had not yet experienced major battles.

The military garrisons in the Central Plains were newly established and had not yet developed into combat forces.

The soldiers were both soldiers and farmers. Although they were exempted from taxes and corvée labor, they still needed to accumulate wealth.

Putting aside other things, the standard equipment for the garrison soldiers, such as armor, longbows, swords, and shields, had to be purchased by the soldiers themselves. As for other miscellaneous items, such as uniforms, canteens, and arrows, these also amounted to a considerable expense.

Longbows, swords, and shields are relatively easy to obtain. Longbows are inexpensive, with readily available materials and quick production time. Skilled craftsmen can complete one in a few days, and it's not difficult for soldiers to buy one for training. As for shields and swords, they are more expensive, but still affordable.

The most expensive item is armor. On the battlefield, a suit of armor is almost equivalent to another life.

Limited by factors such as craftsmen, materials, and war, armor in the Central Plains is now much more expensive than in Guanzhong.

It is not feasible to rely on Guanzhong to transfer surplus armor to support various parts of the Central Plains in the short term.

The production of armor in the Guanzhong region first needed to meet the needs of Longyou, Lingxia, Hedong and other places, and the amount that could be allocated to the various military prefectures in the Central Plains was limited.

Those that could be distributed were concentrated in the hands of generals such as Gao Ang, Wei Xiaokuan, and Murong Shaozong.

The iron smelting center in Xiangguo, Hebei, still produces very little military supplies, and the iron produced in Taiyuan is also supplied to Luoyang and Hengshuo.

In a short period of time, the only soldiers with sufficient combat power and equipment were these northern troops.

They were distributed in Luoyang, Yuzhou and other places, and their composition was very complicated. Some of them were even Xianbei prisoners of war who were defeated at that time and were rescued by others.

Li Shuang accepted the document sent from Luoyang. Although Hou Jing had successfully won over the Northern Army, the cost was not small.

Hou Mochen Chong and Huli Guang, who were following Li Shuang, noticed Li Shuang's speechless expression and couldn't help but ask:

"Your Majesty, how is it?"

Li Shuang handed the documents to the two men.

Huli Guang frowned upon seeing this.

"Do these northerners want to end up like the Northern Army soldiers of yesteryear?!"

These northern generals not only wanted the land and taxes of Yu Province, but also all the spoils of war, including the war booty and the land they had captured.

Xuzhou, Qingzhou, and Yanzhou had already been occupied by meritorious officials such as Gao Ang and Wei Xiaokuan. These northern generals knew that there was little room for them to fight for, so they wanted more benefits and more land to expand.

Li Shuang smiled and said:
"Fortunately, these people are thinking about conquering land, and they didn't shamelessly ask me for land."

Upon hearing this, Hulü Guang tentatively asked:
"Does Your Majesty intend to agree to their request?"

“A true man conquers cities and seizes territories, risking his life for it. How could I be so petty? Tell Hou Jing that whatever he takes shall be used by him.”

Just then, an urgent report came from outside Chang Le Palace.

The chief official of the Xingtai Prefecture who remained in Chang'an delivered a letter from the state.

A letter from the Southern Liang Dynasty!
Li Shuang was also somewhat surprised. Logically speaking, since the imperial court in Luoyang was still in existence, the Southern Liang should have sent the official letter directly to Luoyang. Why was it sent to Chang'an instead?

When Li Shuang opened it, he found that the letter was not a diplomatic document, but rather Xiao Yan's private letter.

Nothing else was written above; instead, it explained Xiao Yan's understanding of Buddhism over the years.

There was a hint of compassion for all living beings.

Xiao Yan wanted to discuss his experiences and exchange opinions with Li Shuang.

"Xiao Yan wants to exchange ideas with me?"
-
Jiankang.

The war is about to begin.

Emperor Xiao Yan was busy with military and political affairs every day while he was in the capital.

The creation of an army must be personally overseen by its founder. Otherwise, the army will fall into the hands of others.

Especially the Southern Liang Imperial Guards, such an elite army!
Xiao Yan knew perfectly well how Liu Yu usurped the throne from the Jin Dynasty and how Xiao Daocheng usurped the throne from the Song Dynasty.

He himself was a firsthand witness to the fall of the Southern Qi dynasty.

An army will not only obey those who provide it with money and provisions, but also those who lead it to victory.

However, he was getting old and could not personally go to the battlefield, so his control over the army was inevitably not as good as that of the frontline commanders. This was one of the reasons why Xiao Yan let members of the imperial clan lead the army.

Xiao Yan recruited brave men, expanded the Imperial Guard, and trained troops, determined to reclaim Bashu.

Regardless of the current situation in the Bashu region, it holds a very important strategic position for the Southern Liang, which is located downstream, even more so than Xuzhou.

Even without Pengcheng, the Jianghuai defense line would still be intact; without Bashu, Southern Liang might have become the next Eastern Wu.

The current two-way division of power will no longer exist.

Just as the great battle was about to begin, Xiao Yan sent a private letter to Guanzhong.

He was certainly not so naive as to think that the current great battle could be resolved with a few letters and some Buddhist insights.

Xiao Yan wanted to find out what kind of person Li Shuang was through their correspondence!

Jiankang already knew about Li Shuang's intelligence.

This was a feudal lord who rose to power from humble beginnings in the mountains and fields.

Throughout history, especially since the Wei and Jin dynasties when powerful clans rose to prominence, such people have been extremely rare.

The key point is that Li Shuang is still very young.

This is a Qin king who is not yet thirty!

In contrast, Xiao Yan was old.

To wage a major national war requires an energy expenditure that is incomparable to that of ordinary times.

More importantly, the conflict with the North cannot be resolved by a single war in a single place or at a single time.

Either one side is destroyed, or both sides stop fighting altogether.

Xiao Yan wanted to know who this opponent was.

Xiao Yan had been waiting for a reply from Guanzhong!
Upon receiving the reply from Guanzhong, Zhu Yi, a favorite minister of Emperor Xiao Yan, immediately delivered it to the palace, presenting it to Xiao Yan with a fawning smile.

"Your Majesty, a reply has arrived from Guanzhong!"

Looking at the reply from Guanzhong placed on the imperial desk, Xiao Yan was very serious.

After letting out a sigh of relief and calming his mind, Xiao Yan slowly opened the package.

However, after seeing it, Xiao Yan's expression turned very bad.

Zhu Yi was puzzled, but knew that Xiao Yan was angry at this moment.

"Your Majesty, what did Li Shuang say?"

"No wonder he came from a bandit background, so rude and uncouth!"

Xiao Yan stood up, ignoring Zhu Yi, and left, entering a side hall.

Faintly, Zhu Yi also heard a sound coming from behind.

"xxx!"

Xiao Yan had cultivated himself for many years and was extremely well-mannered; Zhu Yi had rarely seen him lose his composure to such an extent.

Zhu Yi mustered his courage and walked up to the imperial desk, where he saw Li Shuang's brief reply on the unfolded paper.

It's so brief, just one sentence.

Your Majesty is a good monk!

……

(End of this chapter)