20demayo Page 341
Page 341
Luo Chen's army swiftly marched south from Chang'an, exiting the Ziwu Valley and reaching the Han River. Lü Bu had already captured Chenggu, a fortified town on the Han River. The enemy was now fiercely defending Hanzhong and Dingjun Mountain. With Luo Chen and Lü Bu joining forces, and Lü Bu's army expanding along the way, Luo Chen's strength increased to over 100,000. Xiahou Yuan, defending Dingjun Mountain, commanded nearly 40,000 troops, while the army within Hanzhong City numbered nearly 50,000. The two sides were roughly equal in strength; however, Zhang Lu's army lacked capable generals and morale, and Hanzhong City nearly fell several times, only to be breached by Xiahou Yuan's coordinated attacks.
Luo Chen rode his horse to survey the terrain. Dingjun Mountain was where Xiahou Yuan met his untimely death, though Huang Zhong, who killed him, seemed to be working as a lackey in some county in Jingzhou. Dingjun Mountain was the highest point in the area, easy to defend and difficult to attack, so it certainly wouldn't be easy to conquer.
Luo Chen returned to the main tent and summoned everyone.
“My lord, I am incompetent and unable to complete the task you have entrusted to me,” Lü Bu said with shame.
Luo Chen waved his hand: "It's not your problem. The main problem is that you have too few troops. You attacked with fewer troops and were unstoppable. You forced the enemy (Qian's Zhao) into a corner, which is already very good. Now Dingjun Mountain and Hanzhong are mutually dependent and support each other. If one attacks the other, the other will inevitably rush out to attack you, which will naturally make things difficult."
"So what do we do now?" Ma Chao asked.
"Nothing more than splitting up our forces." Luo Chen chuckled. "It's not complicated. Since the enemy is supporting each other, we can only deal with them by splitting up our forces. And we can't afford to favor one over the other."
"General Lü, do you find Xiahou Yuan extremely annoying?" Luo Chen asked with a smile.
"That's right, Lu Bu clenched his fist."
"Alright, then you will send 50,000 troops down to Dingjun Mountain. Whether you attack or defend, all you need to do is hold him back and prevent him from supporting Hanzhong City even for a moment."
"Ma Chao! Your 50,000 troops will launch a general attack on Hanzhong tomorrow. You must capture the city!"
"Yes!" The two, feeling quite confident, immediately went to make preparations.
Chapter Thirteen: The City Falls
"I heard that Luo Chen's troops are advancing into Hanzhong?" Cao Cao met with the envoy sent by Xiahou Yuan in his mansion.
"Indeed, according to our intelligence personnel, the reinforcements from Luojun number 50,000, and together with Lü Bu's forces, the total strength has reached 100,000. In this way, their strength has exceeded the garrison in Hanzhong that can still resist." The envoy was worried. "General Xiahou requests reinforcements, otherwise Hanzhong will be in danger."
Guo Jia, standing nearby, sighed: "General Xiahou's view is certainly correct. The entire Luo army has arrived in Hanzhong, with numerous fierce generals and high morale. They only need to divide their forces to easily capture Hanzhong. General Xiahou is outnumbered and outmatched, making it difficult for him to hold the city. However, given the current situation..."
Cao Cao irritably threw down the book in his hand and stood up: "Now Yuan Shao's army is advancing like a whirlwind, I can't even hold Xuchang, how can I care about Hanzhong! We can't stop Luo Chen from expanding his power! I have no troops to send, and I'm even short of manpower..."
"Then how should I reply to General Xiahou?" the messenger asked.
"Tell Xiahou Yuan to hold out as much as possible. If he can't hold out, lead his troops back immediately. The safety of himself and my Cao army soldiers is paramount. He needs to strike the right balance, especially ensuring his own safe return... Last time Cao Ren died in battle, which was a loss for my right-hand man..."
090
"Yes." The messenger took the order, stepped out, and rode away.
The final assault by Luo Chen has begun.
Ma Chao's army unleashed a fierce barrage of arrows from below the city walls, inflicting heavy losses on the defenders who scattered and fled. Luo Jun then erected siege ladders and began scaling the walls. The soldiers inside Hanzhong, cowardly and limited in their resistance, found the city in grave danger.
"Quick! Release white smoke to signal for help! Please ask General Xiahou for assistance!" Zhang Lu said in a panic.
Xiahou Yuan's feelings were extremely complicated. He had led 50,000 Cao troops into Hanzhong, intending to control the city and join forces with the main Cao army that had crossed Tongguan to encircle Guanzhong and capture Luo Chen alive. However, he had been reduced to defending a single mountain peak, and today, Hanzhong truly seemed on the verge of falling…
But he still drew his sword and mounted his horse, with 40,000 Cao army infantry and cavalry behind him also preparing. "Move out!" Xiahou Yuan gave the order and charged down the mountain first, preparing to attack the siege force from the side as usual, causing casualties and forcing them to stop their siege.
Lu Bu, wielding his halberd, blocked his path.
"Xiahou Yuan! I wanted to fight you to the death, but you kept hiding. Now that I'm attacking the city, you're poking my ass. You're absolutely despicable! (bafa) Let's see what you do now! You want to go and rescue Hanzhong City? No way!"
"Damn it!" Xiahou Yuan cursed under his breath. Without saying another word, he swung his sword and slashed, but Lü Bu blocked it with his halberd.
"Oh, it's quite heavy! I thought you were weak because you didn't dare to fight," Lu Bu mocked.
Xiahou Yuan was about to strike when Lü Bu's expression changed. He brandished his halberd and thrust, which Xiahou Yuan barely managed to dodge. Lü Bu struck again, and Xiahou Yuan blocked with the hilt of his sword. With a clang, Xiahou Yuan's hand went numb from the impact. "How formidable!" Xiahou Yuan thought to himself. The two exchanged blows, sword and halberd, for thirty rounds. Xiahou Yuan's swordsmanship became increasingly chaotic, and unable to withstand the onslaught, he turned his horse and fled. Lü Bu swung his halberd, and his troops charged forward. Unexpectedly, rocks rolled down the mountain all at once, severely damaging the troops and preventing them from advancing up the mountain.
Lu Bu cursed and surrounded all the entrances, patrolling back and forth at the foot of the mountain, determined not to let Xiahou Yuan come to Hanzhong City to provide support.
At this moment, Hanzhong City was in chaos, and the city walls were on the verge of collapse. Hundreds of Luojun soldiers leaped onto the walls and began their attack. The Hanzhong soldiers scattered and fled, and soon the city gates were opened from behind by Luojun soldiers. The main force of the Luojun army rushed into the city.
Luo Chen ordered a large banner to be raised, which read: "Those who surrender will not be killed." The soldiers of Hanzhong surrendered one after another.
Zhang Lu was now at a loss and, holding the seal of the Prefect of Hanzhong, was about to go out and surrender. His general, Yang Ren, stopped him: "My lord! Surrendering to Judu is not as good as going to Xiahou Yuan's side! This way, your safety will be guaranteed, and you'll still have a chance to recover Hanzhong! Surrendering to Judu will mean the end!"
Zhang Lu hesitated repeatedly, but Yang Ren, seeing that he did not answer, forcibly helped him onto his horse, ordered hundreds of his personal guards to protect him, and then charged out in front of him.
From his vantage point, Luo Chen saw Yang Ren protecting Zhang Lu as they charged out, seemingly heading towards Dingjun Mountain. Just as Luo Chen was about to give orders, Ma Chao had already rushed forward.
"Zhang Lu, surrender immediately!" Ma Chao shouted.
"You barbarian from Xiliang! How dare you run wild in my Hanzhong!" Yang Ren cursed, brandishing his sword. Ma Chao brandished his spear, and in two rounds, he stabbed Yang Ren off his horse. Zhang Lu, terrified, hastily dismounted, knelt down, and clutched the seal of the prefect, pleading, "General, spare my life! I surrender!"
The city of Hanzhong fell. More than 10,000 soldiers were killed or wounded within the city, and the rest surrendered.
Xiahou Yuan was in a panic. He led his troops to charge down several times, but was blocked by Lü Bu each time.
"General Xiahou, we should break through and leave!" said the messenger who had returned from Cao Cao's side. "Our lord has repeatedly emphasized that your safety is of utmost importance. You cannot sit idly by and wait to die. If the Luo army is free to act, you will be in danger!"
Xiahou Yuan sighed. "Break through!"
Cao Cao's army surged down the eastern path, bypassing Hanzhong City and heading directly east along the Han River. The small number of scattered troops along this route could not withstand them and hurriedly reported to Lü Bu, who immediately led his main force to attack.
Cao Cao's army consisted of approximately ten thousand cavalry, with the rest being infantry. The infantry were slow and were quickly overtaken by Lü Bu. "Those who surrender will not be killed!" Lü Bu shouted, and without pausing, led his ten thousand cavalry in hot pursuit.
The Cao army that had fallen was completely surrounded by the fallen troops, and the fallen troops from Hanzhong City also arrived. Ma Dai commanded the fallen troops to divide and surround the Cao army. Half of the Cao army surrendered, while the rest fought tenaciously until they died in battle.
Xiahou Yuan's cavalry charged forward at breakneck speed, but Lü Bu clung to them like glue, impossible to shake off. Xiahou Yuan was forced to turn back and fight several times before continuing his eastward march towards Shangyong. Cao Cao's soldiers, exhausted, wounded, ambushed by stragglers along the way, or with their horses shot or wounded, fell behind.
Cao Cao's army marched day and night, and soon reached Shangyong. Xiahou Yuan led his troops north into the mountains, fleeing towards Wuguan Pass. Once they reached Wuguan, it would be Cao Cao's territory. At this point, Lü Bu had finally been shaken off, and Xiahou Yuan had only two thousand cavalrymen left, most of them wounded and exhausted. Xiahou Yuan ordered a rest. The soldiers cooked their meals in the mountains.
"I have failed my lord," Xiahou Yuan said. "When we entered Hanzhong, we had 50,000 elite troops, but when we left, we had only 2,000 wounded soldiers. What a sorry state we are in!"
"General, there's no need to blame yourself. As long as you get out safely, the lord will be very happy," the messenger said.
"Are you sure you can get back?" Yan Qing laughed heartily from the hilltop.
Cao's soldiers were shocked and tried to mount their horses, but it was too late. Arrows rained down from all sides, and most of Cao's army was killed or wounded.
Xiahou Yuan drew his sword, leaped onto his horse, and fled along a side path.
Chapter Fourteen: One of the Four Divisions of the World
Meanwhile, Xiahou Yuan fled, followed only by two or three riders. Xiahou Yuan spurred his horse, about to gallop away, but unexpectedly fell off. It turned out that there was a tripwire below, and two desert soldiers pounced on him and tied him up tightly.
Xiahou Yuan was brought to Hanzhong to meet Luo Chen. "Yellow Turban barbarians! Holding the Emperor hostage! Traitors!" Xiahou Yuan cursed. The generals on both sides were shocked; this Xiahou Yuan was truly…tough. "Drag him away and behead him," Ma Chao said, "I doubt he'll surrender."
Luo Chen smiled and shook his head, poured himself a glass of wine, and his subordinates noticed that he had taken out a small bottle and dripped a drop of dark red liquid into it. "Please offer him a drink."
Xiahou Yuan was quite suspicious: "General Luo, although you are a traitor, you are also a ruthless hero. Why not just kill me? Why poison me? I, Xiahou Yuan, am a true warrior on the battlefield; I don't like this kind of death." Luo Chen chuckled, not answering, and directly poured the wine into Xiahou Yuan's mouth. Then he untied him. Xiahou Yuan seemed confused, stunned for a moment, then suddenly knelt down: "My lord!"
The generals on both sides were greatly alarmed.
Luo Chen smiled slightly: "In this campaign against Hanzhong, Cao Cao's army surrendered 20,000 soldiers, and their quality was quite good. Zhang Lu's surrendered soldiers numbered 40,000, but their morale was low and their training level was relatively low. These 60,000 troops are under your command. There will be no combat missions for the next two months. You must train them into brave and capable soldiers!" "Yes!" Xiahou Yuan readily agreed.
Luo Chen glanced at the two dumbfounded generals on either side and said, "Disperse, everyone." After saying that, he returned to his residence without looking back.
Luo Chen's rapid rise attracted the attention of various warlords. Perhaps Zhuge Liang would revise his Longzhong Plan to divide the world into four parts, since Luo Chen had already seized control of the vast territories of the Three Qin and Hanzhong. Of course, this was only under the condition that Luo Chen maintained the status quo. If Luo Chen were to march south and conquer Liu Zhang, then Zhuge Liang could only pessimistically tell Liu Bei, "You have no chance."
Luo Chen currently commands a considerable number of military generals, but few are capable of guarding a single region. Hearing that the ethnic minorities of Xiliang are stirring, Ma Teng may send them back to Xiliang to garrison the area. Who will then guard Tongguan Pass? Luo Chen is quite troubled. This is secondary; the most important issue is that Luo Chen now controls one-quarter of the empire, encompassing multiple ethnic groups and complex situations in various regions. How will he address economic development? The areas under Luo Chen's control are all waiting for him to conduct a period of recuperation and consolidation. But Luo Chen is merely a college graduate… and now he's to serve as the joint provincial party secretary for multiple western provinces. Although Luo Chen possesses modern knowledge and is relatively familiar with history, there are two problems: First, what is highly advanced in modern times may not work in ancient times. Take Wang Mang, for example; this man practically aimed to usher in a communist society ahead of time. Luo Chen almost suspects he's another time traveler. His ideas were so ahead of their time, yet he was still defeated by a peasant uprising. Another example is organizing soldiers into divisions and brigades, and assigning them to large military regions. That wouldn't work; the weapons, transportation, and military control capabilities are all different. Ancient armies lacked the control capabilities of modern mechanized armies, resulting in a sparse organizational structure. The most reasonable approach remained to utilize various ancient organizational systems, such as the Tang Dynasty's Fubing system, the Song Dynasty's Jiangbing system, and the Ming Dynasty's Weisuo system—what best suited the circumstances was paramount. Secondly, even if Luo Chen was familiar with these sound ancient systems and theories, his practical application and control were lacking; his execution ability was far inferior to that of people in his own time. He needed assistance.
Luo Chen's first thought was the system. He immediately activated the system in his mind, and his control surged to 25 orders of magnitude. Luo Chen was overjoyed. No wonder, his actual control was now vastly different from before, reaching a level he never dared to dream of. What was he waiting for? His most urgent task was to find a steward-type prime minister, a figure of premiership level. Luo Chen's first thought was Xiao He. He checked Xiao He's level—a staggering 20! At this rate, even conquering the entire country would only get him five or six Xiao Hes. Quite expensive! But then, after searching, he suddenly thought of Zhang Juzheng. That's right! Zhang Juzheng was a powerful minister with a bad reputation; he shouldn't be too expensive. More importantly, the development of the commodity economy in the Ming Dynasty far surpassed that of the Han Dynasty. The problems Zhang Juzheng faced were far more intractable than the socio-economic problems of the Han Dynasty. Zhang Juzheng's ability to handle them demonstrated his exceptional capabilities. Luo Chen immediately searched for Zhang Juzheng. The system popped up: Level 15. Good! "That's him. This deal is pretty good." A flash of light, and Zhang Juzheng, dressed in the robes of a Ming Dynasty civil official, appeared before them.
· 0 flowers requested · ····
"Your Majesty," Zhang Juzheng knelt down and whispered.
"Uh," Luo Chen smiled awkwardly, "Zhang Juzheng, I'm not the emperor. You can call me Lord from now on, that's better. Also, just kowtow to me when you see me from now on, don't kneel, it feels weird."
"Yes, my lord," Zhang Juzheng replied, rising to his feet.
Who would have thought that such a powerful minister, who could command the wind and rain, would be so humble? The Ming Dynasty's distinction between emperor and subject, with its excessive emphasis on the emperor's power, was truly not a good thing.
"Also, isn't your exquisite Ming Dynasty official robe a bit too fashionable for the Three Kingdoms..." Luo Chen scratched his head. "Never mind, you'll get used to it. Don't worry about these details... I'm setting off back to Chang'an tomorrow. You'll come with me to meet the Emperor, and I'll entrust you with an important task then."
... ....... .......
"Thank you, my lord." Zhang Juzheng's expression was calm. *This guy, if it weren't for the system giving him to me, I really wouldn't dare trust him. He's clearly an unfathomable master.* Luo Chen muttered to himself.
There are still 10 orders of magnitude more to go. Ideally, find a general to garrison them, someone who can command hundreds of thousands of troops in wartime. Luo Chen mentally reviewed these names, things like Meng Tian, Han Xin, Wei Qing, Li Jing, Yue Fei, Xu Da, and even figures from the Warring States period such as Bai Qi, Wang Jian, Li Mu, Lian Po, and Zhao She. Luo Chen searched for Han Xin, okay, I guessed it, level 20… As for Wei Qing, forget it, he might be even more expensive. Luo Chen searched for Xu Da, level 10, perfect. Great! Xu Da was a super general of the Ming Dynasty, helping Zhu Yuanzhang defeat various separatist forces in the south, and then leading hundreds of thousands of troops on a northern expedition. He was a commander at the army group and army corps level. He's just not mentioned much in novels, so he's not very famous, hence the low price… This deal is worth it!
A flash of light, and Xu Da appeared before them. Xu Da was gentle and refined, with a sincere expression; he seemed like a very reliable person. Luo Chen was overjoyed.
Luo Chen's hard-earned control, built up over several months, was instantly wiped out by two top-tier players. But Luo Chen was still quite pleased; it was like adding wings to a tiger!
Chapter Fifteen National Technology Agency
Luo Chen checked his internal cultivation level: 30. Then the system's hollow voice sounded again in his ear: "Internal cultivation level has reached 30. You can summon corresponding technical and management personnel." Luo Chen was quite puzzled. He checked the exchange section below his internal cultivation level and found new roles such as "Modern Factory Administrator" and "Modern Blacksmith," each with a rather high price. "I might need them later, but society isn't that advanced yet. It seems I don't need these people right now..." Luo Chen wondered.
To be honest, Luo Chen hadn't really studied "Gunpowder Manufacturing" much. He was busy with war and national affairs, and simply didn't have time to research gunpowder manufacturing. Besides, he was a liberal arts student and hated chemistry... So, he left it to these technicians... He searched and quickly found "Artillery Manufacturing Technicians." He immediately used 10 internal cultivation points to summon two artillery manufacturing technicians.
Two technicians dressed in Ming Dynasty attire knelt before Luo Chen: "My lord!"
"Can you make gunpowder?" Luo Chen asked eagerly.
The two technicians looked at each other, bewildered: "My lord, we can only use readily available gunpowder. Even if we were to make simple gunpowder, we don't seem to understand the principles behind it..."
Luo Chen was furious: "What the hell! Is this a counterfeit product?! How can anyone understand this book?" Luo Chen threw "Gunpowder Manufacturing" at them.
"This... could this be the legendary secret method of gunpowder making? The precise formula?" The two technicians were extremely excited.
"Alright, alright, what secret method... You guys quickly make a few copies, form a team of about 10 people, and start researching it immediately! I need to see explosive gunpowder within two months!" Luo Chen impatiently waved them away.
"Wait!" Luo Chen called out to them again. "This really should be a secret formula... This work is a top state secret; anyone who leaks it will be executed! You two wait, take a look at this book first, don't rush to start. Tomorrow, come back to Chang'an with me. I'll have Lin Chong lead an organization there, and you can organize your team under his leadership before officially starting the gunpowder research. That's safer..."
"Your lord is wise." The two craftsmen took their leave.
Luo Chen spent another five orders of magnitude to get a copy of "The Evolution of Cavalry," which is still worth reading. He'll also take this opportunity to think about how cavalry fights; the crucial moment for the North is approaching...
Luo Chen used the remaining 15 orders of magnitude to acquire a new skill: "Explosion." Of course, it wasn't a large-scale, wide-range explosion, but a small-scale one; a single point of his finger could kill a person a hundred meters away—the power was considerable. Luo Chen pointed and said, "Explosion!" A hole was instantly blasted into the corner of the wall.
Luo Chen left Xiahou Yuan with 60,000 troops stationed in Hanzhong, eyeing Yizhou with predatory intent, and promoted Xiahou Yuan to the rank of General of the Central Army. Luo Chen decided to introduce a system similar to military ranks to standardize the army. Of course, there was no absolute correlation between a general's position and rank; all generals were subject to Luo Chen's command, and their authority was temporary, preventing any single general from seizing power. The ranks, from highest to lowest, were: Colonel, Commandant, General of the Central Army, Supreme General, and Grand General. As for titles like Chariot Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Flying Cavalry, Eastern Expeditionary General, and Western Garrison General, these were informal titles that could be added before the official rank based on actual duties. For example, Xiahou Yuan could be called General of the Southern Garrison, but if Xiahou Yuan were transferred, he would naturally no longer be called the General of the Southern Garrison General.
The 100,000-strong army of Luochen marched day and night, arriving in Chang'an in no time. News from the northern battlefield was frequent; it was said that a Cao general, nine feet tall, with a red face and a long beard, had killed two of Yuan Shao's generals, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, and his fame had shaken the north. Now, both Yuan Shao and Cao Cao had their victories and defeats, resulting in a stalemate at Guandu.
After Luo Chen arrived in Chang'an, the imperial court convened a grand assembly of officials to celebrate his successes in the Battle of Tongguan and the Battle of Hanzhong. In reality, the assembly was largely ineffective; the officials were merely figureheads, and all military and political decisions rested with Luo Chen's Prime Minister's office… Some sycophants advised Luo Chen to declare himself King of Qin or King of Hanzhong, but Luo Chen merely sneered and ignored them…
Luo Chen held another meeting at the Prime Minister's residence, appointing Zhang Juzheng as Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Works. Originally, the position of Minister of Works was inherited from the Prime Minister; Dong Zhuo added the title of "Grand Tutor," and Luo Chen added the title of "Prime Minister." Both positions were above all other officials, so the Minister of Works became the Vice Prime Minister. As for the title of "Minister of War," it was an honorary title given to Yuan Shao by Luo Chen. The title of "Minister of Works" was normal, but it had no real power; actual power lay with the officials in charge of Luo Chen's Prime Minister's residence. Now, appointing Zhang Juzheng as Minister of Works clearly meant he was being put in charge of internal affairs for Luo Chen. The officials were quite disapproving of this strangely dressed, completely unfamiliar person, but since the emperor always approved Luo Chen's nominations immediately, none of the officials dared to raise any objections.
As expected, unrest broke out in Xiliang, but the war in the Central Plains in the north was raging, and Luo Chen was about to raise an army to join the war between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, so he had no energy to deal with them. Luo Chen summoned Ma Teng, appointing him as a general and ordering him to immediately lead the Tongguan garrison to Shicheng. He could choose to defend or attack, as long as the western border was temporarily stable, Luo Chen would deal with them later. Ma Teng immediately led about 50,000 troops from Tongguan (mostly from Xiliang) to Shicheng to garrison. As for Tongguan, Luo Chen appointed Xu Da as the supreme general, leading fierce generals such as Ma Chao and Ma Dai, and stationed 100,000 troops, ready to enter Cao Cao's territory at any time.
Luo Chen summoned Lin Chong.
Lin Chong first defended Tongguan to the death, and then led a small force to maintain order in Chang'an when Luo Chen was on his expedition to Hanzhong, proving himself very reliable. However, Lin Chong's abilities were ultimately limited. With the capital's garrison growing to over 50,000, plus the military police and others, the situation became quite complex, and Lin Chong couldn't handle it. Back then, he was merely a military instructor in the Imperial Guards, a low-ranking officer with a relatively low position…
"What are your orders, my lord?" Lin Chong knelt on one knee.
"General, please rise," Luo Chen said, pulling Lin Chong's hand. "General, you have repeatedly been entrusted with critical missions, all of which are extremely difficult and demanding. You have never refused and have served bravely. I, Luo Chen, am deeply grateful..."
"I would gladly give my life, even unto death," Lin Chong replied simply.
Luo Chen was quite moved: "General Lin, there is now another extremely important mission, a top-secret national plan, and I hope you can take on the leadership role."
"Oh?" Lin Chong asked, quite curious.
"The use of cannons was common in the Song Dynasty, does the general remember?" Luo Chen asked. Lin Chong seemed thoughtful, as if he could recall some scenes. "Now I am establishing the National Technology Bureau, and you will be in charge," Luo Chen said decisively. "The two technicians, come out," Luo Chen said to them. The two technicians who had been there earlier emerged from the small room behind him. "The first task of the National Technology Bureau is to develop explosive gunpowder, which will be handled by the two technicians. The general will manage the administration and be responsible for the top-secret nature of this task. Anyone at risk of technological leakage will be executed without mercy."
Lin Chong had a vague feeling that this task was extremely important...
Chapter Sixteen: Pre-War Preparations
It is said that Luo Chen appointed Lin Chong as the head of the National Technology Bureau, bestowing upon him the title of Lieutenant General and several thousand personal guards. They selected a location outside Chang'an to begin researching gunpowder. Dozens of workers, including royal blacksmiths, carpenters, and ceramicists, joined the research team. Of course, this was unprecedented, and the two leaders could only guide them through trial and error.
As for the defense of Chang'an and its surrounding areas, Luo Chen appointed Lü Bu as the commander of the Chang'an garrison, along with a general, commanding over 50,000 troops. Other generals included Ma Chao and Yan Qing as Lieutenant Generals, and Ma Dai and Pang De as Commandants.
Zhang Juzheng was in charge of restoring agriculture in the Guanzhong region. Vast tracts of land in Guanzhong had been abandoned due to war, people were displaced, and natural disasters had further drastically reduced the population. Many refugees gathered around Chang'an. After assuming the position of Minister of Works, Zhang Juzheng immediately issued a proclamation, allowing people to obtain land deeds free of charge from their local government offices. All able-bodied men aged 18-60 could receive 20 mu of permanent land and 80 mu of temporary land; the elderly and widows could also receive half the land. Land taxes were levied according to a certain percentage. The refugees around Chang'an were immediately relieved, and many abandoned fields were planted with crops.
Luo Chen had been engrossed in reading "The History of Cavalry Evolution" these past few days, and one chapter in particular caught his attention: the section on stirrups. In earlier dynasties, such as the Qin Dynasty, cavalry didn't have stirrups. During battle, they could barely stay close to their horses, resulting in very poor combat effectiveness. Nomadic peoples were better off; they grew up on horseback, developing excellent balance and able to easily engage in combat. However, agricultural societies were at a disadvantage. Without stirrups, the cavalry of the Central Plains struggled to compete with the cavalry of the northern nomadic tribes. By the late Eastern Han Dynasty, stirrups had appeared. For example, several of Luo Chen's generals rode horses equipped with stirrups. However, stirrups weren't widely used; moreover, many cavalrymen were equipped with single stirrups, one on each side, for mounting purposes only, not for balance during combat—what use were they! Luo Chen planned to equip all his cavalry with stirrups, which would significantly improve their combat effectiveness. He summoned Lin Chong.
"My lord... only a few days have passed, and I'm afraid we won't be able to produce results in gunpowder manufacturing anytime soon..." Lin Chong said with a hint of fear.
“No, no, General Lin, I didn’t call you here to talk about gunpowder,” Luo Chen said with a smile. “I need stirrups, tens of thousands of them. I need to set off within a week or two, and I need to get as many as possible to the troops. You know what stirrups are, right?”
"I know," Lin Chong nodded, "but time is short, and we don't have that many manpower..."
"In that case, I will immediately summon blacksmiths throughout Chang'an and the surrounding areas. Establish manufacturing points in every blacksmith shop, and make sure to mobilize everyone and work overtime. You will be in overall charge of this matter. I will order Lü Bu to lead tens of thousands of the capital's guards to assist you."
"Yes." This matter was obviously very difficult, but Lin Chong did not refuse without hesitation.
“By the way, these are the blueprints,” Luo Chen pointed to the blueprints in “The History of Cavalry Evolution”. “I will have the artist make multiple copies, and then they will be delivered to you.”
Luo Chen then summoned Yan Qing and ordered him to lead several thousand personal guards to post notices in Chang'an to recruit blacksmiths, offering generous rewards to all who participated. Additionally, he instructed Yan Qing to establish stirrup manufacturing centers in surrounding major cities, also recruiting blacksmiths, with Yan Qing in charge of making the necessary contacts.
Yan Qing was somewhat worried about Luo Chen's safety, after all, he and his personal guards had left. Luo Chen waved his hand: "I am now in Chang'an, surrounded by my army, what is there to fear? Besides, I have my own way of self-defense."
Because of this incident, Luo Chen urgently established the Steel Bureau, under the jurisdiction of the National Technology Bureau, while the original gunpowder manufacturers established the Gunpowder Bureau. Of course, the Steel Bureau was huge, while the Gunpowder Bureau had very few personnel and was extremely secretive, a top state secret. All members of the Gunpowder Bureau had drunk Luo Chen's blood to ensure their absolute loyalty.