Chapter 252: Military Merit And Nobility System, Reorganizing Prisoners Of War
Hexi is free of warfare.
Since the end of the Shanle battle, the Hexi Corridor has fallen into an eerie calm.
Northern Frontier Army is stationed along the Yanzhi Mountain line, holding position without advancing.
The Western Xia Army is putting on a show of dead-defending Liangzhou City, and the Hexi Corridor has returned to brief peace.
Meanwhile, Li Xiao is taking advantage of the truce period to reorganize those captured Western Xia prisoners of war.
In the previous wars, the Northern Frontier captured a total of over 300,000 Western Xia troops and civilians, most of whom came from Ganzhou and Suzhou.
Li Xiao ordered that women and children remain in their native places, guarded by a small number of Northern Frontier soldiers, to serve as hostages.
The men, however, were brought to the battlefield.
After a simple culling of the elderly, young, wounded, and disabled, a total of over 50,000 soldiers were obtained.
“I’m Huang Daquan, originally a garrison soldier of Heishui City, but now I’m a Northern Frontier soldier.”
At this moment, on a Gobi Desert outside Ganzhou City, Huang Daquan is doing ideological work on the fifty Ganzhou Army prisoners of war in front of him.
He is tall and burly, with a strong physique, in his twenties, in his prime.
After being captured in the Heishui City battle, he became a Kuli Army war slave, but in the subsequent wars, he bravely killed the enemy and claimed a total of over a dozen heads.
He was valued by Fourth Garrison Chiliarch Wang Cunxiao, exempted from slave status, became a Northern Frontier garrison soldier, and not long ago even became a formal squad leader.
He even received a medium Warrior Medal personally awarded by Fourth Garrison Deputy Commander Luo Meng.
But now, Huang Daquan is about to be promoted again, though not as a formal officer on the Great Protector’s Mansion rolls, but temporarily serving as the captain of these fifty Ganzhou prisoners of war.
“Before, I was doing long-term labor for those official masters, working hard farming the land for a year, couldn’t even get a full meal, and the kids cried from hunger all day.”
“Fought a battle against the Naiman People, finally earned some military merit, but those dog officials cheated me out of it, sent me off with just a few hundred copper coins.”
“The kids still went hungry, and the wife still had to live the hard life with me.”
……
The fifty Ganzhou Army prisoners of war formed a circle, listening to Huang Daquan tell his own story.
Huang Daquan is not a professional political worker, and his eloquence is average.
But these things he personally experienced often resonate with the prisoners of war.
Everyone feels as if it happened to them, after all, the Western Xia Army Command system is already corrupt, and these common people’s lives are not easy.
The land belongs to landlords, Army Command generals, prefectural governments, and even Imperial Court high officials.
They are just tenant farmers; besides high taxes and land rent, they also need to serve regular military service every year.
If it were just that, they could endure it, but those dog officials even cheat them out of the military merit earned with their lives.
So, Huang Daquan’s words resonate with many soldiers.
They are not filled with righteous indignation—after all, these commoners have been oppressed into habit—but everyone’s expression is inevitably tense, drawn into Huang Daquan’s words.
“But after the Northern Frontier Army arrived, everything changed.”
“In Heluo Chuan, I killed six Sali Bazi, and the Chiliarch immediately exempted my slave status and made me a garrison soldier.”
“In the Northern Frontier, as soon as you become a garrison soldier, you are immediately granted twenty mu of military land, which can be passed to descendants, and no one can take it away.”
“Moreover, one head can be exchanged for two strings of copper coins, paid out directly after the battle, never delayed.”
“From Heluo Chuan onward, I, Huang Daquan, killed a total of thirteen people, and the Great Protector gave me twenty-six strings of copper coins.”
As he spoke, Huang Daquan pulled out some silver and copper coins from his pocket—solidly twenty-six taels.
This immediately caused an uproar among the surrounding prisoners of war, their eyes burning as they stared at the silver in Huang Daquan’s hand, envy plain on their faces.
They desperately wanted to snatch it, but they didn’t dare.
Huang Daquan is a captain appointed by the Northern Frontier; laying hands on him would be rebellion, and within a quarter-hour, Northern Frontier cavalry would charge over and slaughter them all.
What’s more, Huang Daquan’s own combat strength is terrifyingly strong.
He is a fierce man who can single-handedly kill thirteen enemy soldiers.
“I know you want this silver, but you have to fight for it yourselves.” Huang Daquan put the silver away again.
He continued: “The Northern Frontier Army never deducts military merit—one is one, two is two.”
“Whoever dares to deduct military merit or embezzle military supplies, the Great Protector will absolutely not spare him—beheading is the light punishment.”
“Moreover, if you kill one enemy, you are no longer slaves and can become Northern Frontier freemen, able to lease land from the Great Protector’s Mansion, needing only to pay 20% rent and 20% land tax to the Great Protector’s Mansion each year, with the rest all yours.”
“If you can kill more than three enemies like me, you can directly become Northern Frontier military households and get twenty mu of farmland.”
“The more enemies you kill in the future, the more farmland and silver rewards you get.”
“Besides these twenty-odd taels of silver, the Great Protector also rewarded me with two women.”
“In short, in the Northern Frontier, as long as you dare to fight and charge, you can have as many women, silver, and land as you want.”
Hearing Huang Daquan’s words, these soldiers were even more moved, each face showing unconcealed longing.
The vast majority of them are landless farmers who can only rent and cultivate farmland from landlords and officials.
The annual land rent is at least 40%, usually 50%, and if they encounter those black-hearted worms, 60-70% is possible.
Besides land rent, they also have to pay the government poll tax.
All in all, ordinary commoners work hard for a year and end up with little grain, often teetering on the edge of starvation.
In the Northern Frontier, whether it’s military households’ private land or the Great Protector’s Mansion public land, only 20% tax in grain is required.
However, the Northern Frontier has abolished the poll tax and changed it to land tax.
Military households with private land only need to pay land tax, while those renting public land also need to pay 20% rent.
But compared to under Western Xia rule, the commoners’ treatment is much better.
They can keep 60% of the grain in the end.
As long as they work diligently, it’s enough to keep the family from starving.
If they dare to fight and charge on the battlefield, with spoils and merit rewards, they can absolutely live like landlords.
Thinking of that scene, these prisoners of war could not hide their excitement, discussing among themselves and fantasizing about the future.
Such scenes are playing out in more prisoner of war camps outside Ganzhou City.
Li Xiao has completely broken up the original organizations of these soldiers, reorganizing them into teams of ten.
From the initially captured Heishui Army and Hdun Army, he selected soldiers with good performance and ideological alignment toward the Northern Frontier Army to serve as squad leaders and deputy squad leaders for the prisoners of war.
Northern Frontier soldiers are appointed as captains, centurions, chiliarchs, and other mid-to-high-level officers.
In this way, a Kuli New Army formed with Northern Frontier officers and soldiers as the officer backbone and Western Xia prisoner soldiers as the foundation will officially take shape.
A total of over 50,000, all pure infantry, divided into six myriad household commands.
Each myriad household command has eight or nine thousand men, using weapons originally from the Western Xia Army.
“After this war, a new class will emerge in our Northern Frontier.” In the Golden Tent, looking at the reports submitted by the various Kuli Army units, Li Xiao murmured softly.
Commoners!
Because among these over 50,000 prisoners of war, only the elites can become military households; most soldiers probably do not qualify.
So, Li Xiao gave them an opportunity: to become commoners.
Besides military land, farmland in the Northern Frontier is not allowed to be privately owned.
For commoners to survive, besides earning merit to become military households and receiving military land, they can only rent and cultivate the Great Protector’s Mansion public land.
The purpose is to prevent excessive land annexation, keeping most land in the hands of the Great Protector’s Mansion.
In this way, the Northern Frontier social classes will initially form a three-tier structure.
Garrison soldiers, commoners, and slaves.
But classes are not fixed; they are interconnected up and down.
Slaves need to kill one enemy to become commoners; commoners need to kill three enemies to become garrison soldiers.
And garrison soldiers seeking higher achievement also need to earn military merit.
Driven by interests, Northern Frontier People will live for military merit their whole lives, which will become the inexhaustible power for the Northern Frontier war chariot to expand territory outward.
Essentially, it is still a merit nobility system.
In the following days, Li Xiao ordered the various unit generals to train the Kuli Army; though not requiring them to be highly elite, they at least need to be able to fight when the wind is favorable.
According to news from scouts in Liangzhou City, Western Xia reinforcements have arrived again.
Previously it was cavalry led by Waiming Shian; now the infantry has also passed through Tiger Wolf Gorge.
Liangzhou’s total troops have reached nearly 80,000.
On the Northern Frontier side, the four garrison armies have assembled, except for the small forces left to guard Heishui, Hdun, and other towns.
Li Xiao has only under 30,000 iron cavalry available in hand.
In addition, there are under 5,000 Gaochang Kingdom auxiliary troops, but compared to the Western Xia Army, they are far inferior in troop numbers.
Therefore, the Kuli Army needs to be supplemented as cannon fodder.
This day, a scout suddenly reported: “Great Protector, the Xia Army in Liangzhou City is moving.”
“Large detachments of cavalry set out this morning, advancing toward the Yanzhi Mountain direction.”
Hearing this, Li Xiao’s expression immediately tightened as he looked at the sand table in front of him, using the scout’s intelligence to determine the Western Xia Army’s marching route.
He said calmly: “This old fox Waiming Shian has finally been unable to hold back.”
“Pass the order: all unit commanders and myriad household commanders, come to the large tent.”
“The war is about to begin.”
At the same time, at the gates of Liangzhou City.
Li Anquan, clad in splendid armor, rode his war horse, leading a large cavalry force charging out of Liangzhou City.
Facing this vast Hexi land, his heart was naturally filled with boundless heroism.
He shouted loudly: “Pass the order to all units: if Northern Frontier barbarians are spotted, do not pursue lightly.”
“Understood.” The personal guards passed the order down, and thousands of cavalry thundered across the land.
Raising dust several zhang high, like a yellow giant dragon rolling and charging across the land.
Li Anquan was originally the son of the Prince of Yue, but failed to inherit the throne and was instead enfeoffed as Zhenyi Commandery Prince, harboring pent-up fire in his heart for a long time.
In this battle, he wants everyone to see his capabilities; he wants to reclaim the Prince of Yue position.
Most importantly, he needs military merit to seize military power.
His previous experiences have made him understand not to count on anyone’s pity or handouts.
What he truly needs to rely on is his own strength.
Holding military power is more important than any princely title.
“Hmph, royal brother, I, Li Anquan, will absolutely not fail your expectations. I will fight this battle well and let all under heaven know that I, Li Anquan, am the most outstanding descendant of the Wei Ming Clan.”
Amid the galloping war horses, a cold glint flashed in Li Anquan’s eyes.
At the same time, the infantry inside Liangzhou City also mobilized.
Leaving only 3,000 troops to guard Liangzhou City, tens of thousands of troops poured out in full force.
“Prefect Su Bi, Liangzhou City is entrusted to you.” Waiming Shian said solemnly to Su Binara.
“Privy Councillor, rest assured; this official will not give the Northern Frontier barbarians any opportunity.” Su Binara said in a solemn voice.
Though only 3,000 men, Liangzhou City’s walls are tall and sturdy; even facing a siege by tens of thousands, it can respond with ease.
Waiming Shian nodded lightly, looking up at the tall city walls, sighing helplessly in his heart.
Northern Frontier Iron Cavalry are unmatched in field battles; he truly does not want to launch an active offensive, but the Emperor has sent him twelve golden edicts.
Ordering him to definitely defeat the Northern Frontier barbarians and recover Hexi.
He has already reached the limit of tolerance for his previous turtle-like shrinking.
Helplessly, Waiming Shian can only lead the army on campaign to seek an opportunity to annihilate the Northern Frontier cavalry.
“Set out.”
Waiming Shian said in a deep voice, and the army set off in sequence.
The vanguard has already gone over ten li, but the rear has not yet left Liangzhou City.
Like a long dragon, majestic and endless.
Waiming Shian also dispatched two routes of cavalry to guard the flanks, forming a pincer with Li Anquan’s vanguard cavalry to protect the army’s advance.
During this process, Northern Frontier scouts have been observing from afar, constantly monitoring the Western Xia Army’s movements.
If chased by large enemy cavalry forces, they turn and leave; when safe, they return—like stubborn plaster, hard to shake off.
That night, the Western Xia army camped sixty li away.
Waiming Shian solemnly instructed: “The Northern Frontier Army excels at night raids; be sure to maintain vigilance.”
He has already studied Northern Frontier Army tactics; the Ganzhou Army was slowly worn to death by constant Northern Frontier harassment.
The Northern Frontier barbarians will surely try the same trick again.
That night, the Northern Frontier Army indeed came for a night raid, but did not charge into the camp—instead turning back outside the main camp.
Looking at the soldiers roused in the camp, Waiming Shian’s face darkened: “They’ve come.”
“The Northern Frontier barbarians’ usual tactic.”
It is to disrupt Western Xia soldiers’ rest through constant night raid harassment.
But if ignored, the harassment could turn into a real assault at any time.
Feint becomes real, real becomes feint, making it impossible to discern the pattern.
“Ignore them; leave one army’s soldiers on alert, everyone else return to rest.” Waiming Shian ordered in a deep voice.
He clearly knows they must not be thrown into disarray by the enemy.
Moreover, ambushes have been set in the camp; if the Northern Frontier Army truly night raids, even at the cost of some troops, they must be left behind.
The next morning, the army continued advancing.
Compared to the former Ganzhou Army, Waiming Shian has more cavalry in hand, all Western Xia elites, even including ace Iron Falcon cavalry.
Therefore, in deploying troops, Waiming Shian is even more composed.
He even dares to send out cavalry alone to probe against the Northern Frontier cavalry.
At the same time, on a high mountain ahead, Li Xiao held a telescope, gazing at the Western Xia Army formation.
The more he looked, the graver his expression became.
Finally, he slowly lowered the telescope and said in a deep voice: “Waiming Shian is indeed a Western Xia famous general, an old fox who’s fought wars his whole life—completely empty-headed.”
Thin Monkey beside him asked puzzledly: “Great Protector, what’s wrong?”
“Did that old thing make a move?”
Li Xiao nodded lightly, pointing at the Western Xia Army formation: “Waiming Shian has no fancy tricks; he’s just coming straight at us openly.”
“Heh, 80,000 troops spread across the Hexi Corridor, almost completely sealing off the corridor north-south.”
“If we let him advance step by step like this, our army’s maneuver space will be gradually compressed, and we’ll slowly lose Ganzhou, lose Suzhou, lose the entire Hexi Corridor.”
The Hexi Corridor is an east-west passageway averaging only dozens of li wide.
Especially the oasis stretch between Ganzhou and Liangzhou, averaging only over ten li wide.
Waiming Shian divided the army into eight ‘groups’, lined up north-south, spaced apart but able to support each other.
Like eight massive fortresses forming an iron wall of bronze, step by step pressing toward Ganzhou City.
Under this formation, the Northern Frontier Army’s usable space is extremely limited, completely unable to exploit cavalry mobility.
“This old thing is relying on his superior numbers to pull this on us.” Thin Monkey said angrily.
This is a time-consuming and laborious tactic that can’t be executed with few troops, but who let Waiming Shian have a full 80,000 in hand?
Directly filling the Hexi Corridor, unless the Northern Frontier Army crosses from the southern Qilian Mountains or the northern Great Desert.
“Waiming Shian is very cautious and won’t give us a chance to sneak attack.” Li Xiao said in a deep voice.
“He’s forcing us into a decisive battle with him.”
Li Xiao still wanted to reuse the tactics against Mi Qin Tiele.
But with Waiming Shian’s approach, the Northern Frontier Iron Cavalry’s mobility is completely restricted; midway harassment assaults are no longer feasible.
A decisive battle is the only option.
“Let’s go.”
“Our battlefield with him is not here, but at Yanzhi Mountain.” Li Xiao said calmly.
Then, he led the Wuwei Army away.
After two more days of marching, the Western Xia army arrived at the foot of Yanzhi Mountain.
Waiming Shian gathered all the generals for discussion: “Gentlemen, between Yanzhi Mountain and Ganjun Mountain north-south, there are three routes.”
“However, the central route’s Shanle City has been captured by the Northern Frontier Army, and the Yanzhi Mountain Ancient Road is impassable.”
“Only the north and south routes lie before us.”
Waiming Shian pointed at the markings on the simple map and said.
“The south route is rugged with many mountain valleys and rivers, while the north route has much desert, making army marching difficult as well.”
As his words fell, Deputy Marshal Li Anquan said in a deep voice: “Marshal’s tactic is ‘iron wall of bronze’, advancing with overwhelming force.”
“We cannot give the Northern Frontier barbarians a chance to breathe.”
“But we must first pull out the nail at Shanle City.”
Shanle City naturally cannot be left, or it will threaten the Western Xia army’s rear.
But Shanle City is not easy to attack.
“Shanle City is located between Yanzhi Mountain and Ganjun Mountain, with rugged terrain; a rash assault would require tenfold casualties.”
Liangzhou City Garrison Commander Yeli Duowen said in a deep voice.
“If a frontal assault won’t work, then envelop from two sides.”
“Detour west via the south route of Yanzhi Mountain, and together with the frontal army, pull out this nail.” Li Anquan ordered.
His finger on the map passed over the military horse farm position, drawing a semicircle back to central-route Shanle City.
As for not taking the north route, it’s because Ganjun Mountain is very long; detouring Shanle City is very far—far enough to reach Ganzhou City directly along the desert.
After Li Anquan spoke, no one objected.
Waiming Shian also nodded slightly: “The Prince speaks reason; we’ll proceed with this plan.”
Li Anquan smiled.
If his plan succeeds, he will surely gain the goodwill and support of a large number of generals in the army.
His prestige in the army grows greater, bringing him a step closer to his ultimate goal.
At this time, Li Anquan shows no sign of his ambition.
Not to mention Waiming Shian—even Li Chunyou himself considers him a great loyal minister.
The next day, the Western Xia army divided its forces.
Li Anquan personally led 30,000 troops to attack the Yanzhi Mountain Ancient Road frontally.
This is a mountain valley only two li wide, narrowing to the width of one arrow shot at its narrowest.
Northern Frontier Army occupies advantageous terrain, blocking layer by layer.
Li Anquan’s army advances with great difficulty.
On the other side, the main force led by Waiming Shian is also not faring well.
Because they encountered an interception by the Northern Frontier Army main force.
