"Erhu, I just heard the news that the heads from the ambush are counted. When you recorded your battle merits, you got seven heads, didn't you?"
That night, in Qi Jiguang's camp, the soldiers were chatting in twos and threes.
After dinner, the soldiers who weren't patrolling could relax. This was a rare moment of leisure. Beside a bonfire, a soldier smiled and said to a young man beside him.
The young man wasn't very old. He looked to be in his twenties and had a simple and honest look.
"It's seven!" Wang Erhu smiled honestly.
That person's face was full of envy. He clicked his tongue in wonder and said, "That's great. After this battle, you can go home and marry a wife. Our monthly salary is only two taels of silver. Your 280 taels of silver is equivalent to 140 months' salary, more than ten years' salary!
With this money, you can definitely go back and marry a beautiful wife. "
On the other side of the bonfire, a half-lying soldier sat up and said with a smile, "Zhao Si, you've improved quite a bit!
You actually know that 280 taels of silver is more than ten years' salary. You should go and take the county examination! "
Zhao Si glared at him and said unhappily, "I told you long ago, my family used to run a restaurant."
"It's long gone!"
That person waved his hand and said with a smile, "I've long heard that you're the son of a rich family, a declining rich family.
However, you have a chance this time. Chop off more heads in a few days. "
"Forty taels of silver per head. If you chop off a hundred, you'll be rich."
Zhao Si pursed his lips. "A hundred? I'm afraid I won't be able to get it."
There were many places in the camp where this matter was being discussed. Many people were thinking about chopping off a few more heads and going back to claim their merits.
Forty taels of silver was a lot of money!
A stone of rice was only a few dozen copper coins. One tael of silver was at least eight hundred copper coins. It was unimaginable how much rice they could buy.
Ma Lu and Qin Chang were patrolling the camp. Hearing the soldiers' words, the two of them sighed.
"This is called military morale being used!" Ma Lu said with a sigh.
Qin Chang also said with a smile, "Yes, military morale can be used, but it has to be affordable!
Forty taels of silver per head, Qi Shaobao really dared to say such a thing.
For that ambush, ten thousand heads and four hundred thousand taels of silver were given to Qi Shaobao. "
After hearing Qin Chang's words, Ma Lu could only smile bitterly. This was Qi Shaobao.
In the past, it was said that Qi Shaobao was good at fighting and that the Qi Family Army was so valiant. Forty taels for a head, most likely all his subordinates had gone crazy.
In the Northwest Army, not to mention 40 taels of silver for a head, they can't even afford to pay the soldiers' salaries.
The treatment of the garrison troops was even worse. Not to mention their equipment, many of them had to starve.
Whether it was in terms of equipment or condition, his personal army couldn't compare.
The stipend given by the imperial court was too little. Relying on the output from the military households was simply not enough to feed such a large army.
But they still had to fight. What could they do?
They could only focus their limited resources on a small number of people.
This was also the reason why only the personal soldiers of the generals under the military household system could fight. It was because the others did not have the equipment, training, or even food to eat, so how could they fight?
If they were to encounter ambitious generals who were willing to spend money on their personal guards, they would at least have some fighting strength.
However, those Commanders of the Thousand Households and Hundred Households were all idiots who indulged in debauchery all day long.
All the money of the military households was taken away by them to enjoy themselves. Those military households were almost reduced to slaves.
This was drinking the blood of the soldiers. After being in the Northwest for so many years, how could Qin Chang and Ma Lu not know this?
Now that they looked at the capital's barracks that were paid on time every month, forty taels of silver for a head in battle, how could they not be jealous?
In fact, Zhu Yijun was very clear about this situation. This was also the drawback of the Daming military household system.
Once the imperial court was not strong enough, unable to pay, and unable to restrain the local authorities, these personal soldiers would become the private forces of the generals.
With the desertion of the generals, the military households could not survive. This was also one of the key reasons why the Shanxi and Shaanxi peasant revolts were able to become big.
Many of the military households who could not survive carried their swords and revolted. In any case, they could not survive anymore.
However, the situation was the situation and the solution was the solution. Zhu Yijun did not have the strength and could not solve it.
Did the previous emperors not know the drawback of the military household system?
Of course not. After the war against the Japanese, who did not know that the recruitment system was better?
The Guards were rotten and could not withstand a battle, but they could not be abolished. Why?
Wasn't it because there were so many military households and so many hereditary officers that had no place to arrange them? Directly turning them into recruits. That's fine, then you can pay them!
With Daming's financial income, they could only laugh.
Using recruits to fight and using the Guards as support was a method that had no other choice. After all, the imperial court could not afford to keep so many recruits.
Ma Lu could only smile and nod at Qin Chang's words. Everyone knew that Qi Shaobao was deeply trusted by the emperor.
In the past, the Qi Family Army did not default on their pay, and they had the best equipment. They could even afford to play with such luxurious things as cannon cavalry.
No matter what Qi Jiguang did, he could do it. This was his ability.
In this era, a general's face was not called face. Being able to make money was the most important thing!
"I heard that Young Master Qi has three thousand personal guards, and they are all cannon cavalry!"
Qin Chang looked at Ma Lu and said in a low voice, "I heard that they were brought over from Ji Liao. I heard that their combat power is not bad. We can probably see them this time."
"Cannon cavalry!"
Ma Lu sighed, "I've also heard of Qi Shaobao's cannon cavalry, but I've never seen them before!"
The two of them sighed and slowly walked away.
The next day, when the sky had just brightened, a scout rode into the tent. Soon, the news was sent to Qi Jiguang's tent.
"Grand Marshal, Hwang Tae-gil's army is heading towards us!"
The scout knelt on one knee and said loudly, "They have mobilized a total of over seventy thousand men. They will probably meet our army at sunset."
Hearing the scout's words, Qi Jiguang immediately laughed, "Good, good!"
"Good!" Glancing at Ma Lu and Qin Chang, Qi Jiguang smiled and said, "I was right, right?
Hwang Tae-gil will definitely come. "
Since Hwang Tae-gil was here, Qi Jiguang decided not to leave. He immediately ordered his men to continue setting up camp.
However, they did not just stay there and do nothing. They began to prepare for battle, set up cannons, familiarize themselves with the terrain, and prepare for the battle with Hwang Tae-gil.
"Do you think we can go around and attack Hwang Tae-gil at Guihua City?"
Qi Jiguang pointed at Guihua City on the map and said to Ma Lu and Qin Chang.
"Grand Marshal, I think it's unwise to split up our forces at this time!"
Hearing Qi Jiguang's words, Ma Lu quickly said, "Hwang Tae-gil has gone all out. If we split up, we will not have enough strength."
"If we can eliminate Hwang Tae-gil in this battle, then Guihua City will be a piece of cake!"
"If we lose because we split up, then taking down Guihua City will be meaningless."
Qi Jiguang glanced at Ma Lu and said with a smile, "Chief Ma's words make sense. Let's do as Chief Ma says. We will fight with Hwang Tae-gil here. Now, let's study how to arrange our troops."
At sunset, the scouts came to report again. Hwang Tae-gil had already set up camp 30 miles away.
The scouts from both sides had already fought a few rounds, but there were casualties on both sides.
"Pass the order to the three armies. Prepare breakfast tomorrow at five in the morning and move out at seven in the morning. I want to give Hwang Tae-gil a ruthless blow."
The next morning, the entire camp was shrouded in fighting spirit. After breakfast, the army officially set out towards Hwang Tae-gil's camp.
The cavalry was on the two sides, and in the middle were the infantry. In the middle of the infantry were the artillery.
In Hwang Tae-gil's camp.
"Great Khan, the Ming Army has pulled out their camp and is coming towards us!"
After listening to his subordinate's report, Hwang Tae-gil stood up and pulled out the scimitar on his waist. He said loudly, "In today's battle, let's wipe out all the Ming dogs. After this battle, we will kill our way to Daming City."
"Daming's money, Daming's slaves, and Daming's women are all ours. For these, warriors, let's fight!"
Hwang Tae-gil's side also quickly spread out their formation. The 70,000 soldiers directly pounced towards the Ming Army.
Both sides were full of confidence. This time, they naturally had to fight head-on.
"Hatton!"
Hwang Tae-gil sat on the horse and glanced at his subordinate beside him. He said, "Later, when we face the Ming Army, you will lead 20,000 men and charge. You must disrupt the Ming Army's formation. I will lead people to support you."
"Once the Ming Army's cavalry attacks, this khan will lead people to outflank them from both sides and eat them in one fell swoop."
When the two armies slowly met, the scouts on both sides had already fought a few rounds.
The flanks of the army had to be protected well. No one wanted their flanks to be ambushed by the enemy. If they were ambushed, it would be troublesome.
"Warriors, follow me and kill!"
Hatton waved the scimitar in his hand and knocked on the horse's belly. The horse started to trot.
As the beating on the horse's abdomen became more and more intense, the warhorse's speed also became faster and faster. Soon, it showed signs of charging.
The charge of 20,000 cavalrymen was truly like the roar of mountains and the roar of a tsunami. It was an extremely visual impact.
Qi Jiguang rode on his horse and looked at the incoming cavalry. He said, "Messenger Liu,
He and Wu Weiying attacked from both sides.
Push the cannons forward and prepare the shells. Archers and musketeers, get ready. "
Just as they started charging, the sound of cannons could be heard. The cannons fired solid shells, smashing into the cavalry formation.
In order to maintain the momentum of the charge, the cavalry had to be in a dense charging formation. If they were smashed, there would be many casualties.
After all, the horses were too fast. In the process of charging, one couldn't dodge even if one wanted to.
300 cannons shot far and had great power. This time, Hatton was at a disadvantage.
However, the horses were too fast. After two rounds of cannons, the Wala cavalry started to draw their bows and arrows. They shot a round of projectiles at the Ming Army.
The Ming Army naturally didn't want to be outdone. They followed up with a round of projectiles.
The small cannons that were firing the shells also fired at this time. Instantly, countless flames shot out.