Zhao Yun gave a step down, while Zhang Fei was handing over his head on a platter. Now it’s October, right? It’s the tenth month according to the lunar calendar. Although there are two more ’November’ following, it practically screams that winter is just around the corner.
"So you’re agreeing to the demobilization, General Zhang, as long as the timing is right and it doesn’t affect our combat power or incite the envy of other Feudal Lords, is that correct?" Chen Xi analyzed and explained Zhang Fei’s phrase "batch by batch" demobilization and asked.
Zhang Fei was taken aback and after thinking it over, it seemed to be the idea he had in mind. So he foolishly nodded, "Yeah, that’s what I mean. What’s wrong, Zilong?" Zhang Fei looked at Zhao Yun as he covered his forehead and sat down, totally puzzled by Zhao Yun’s reaction.
"General Zhang, I must say... you really did it now..." Zhao Yun put on a bitter smile and firmly placed the blame on Zhang Fei’s head—it would be best if you carry this big black pot.
"What’s wrong, what’s going on?" Zhang Fei was still clueless looking at Zhao Yun.
"Advisor, please ensure that a basic defensive force is retained. Even as we go into winter hibernation, please leave enough troops to guard us, just in case," Zhao Yun’s words clearly indicated his concession—Let’s not argue anymore, you win, just let our brothers catch a break.
Zhang Fei was startled, but having been prompted by Zhao Yun, he quickly realized that winter was coming and wars were generally not fought. Everyone would be on their own territory, summarizing the situation of the year, and then hibernating for the winter.
Zhang Fei thought about what he had said earlier and in the context of time, it was plainly betrayal. At the time of discussing troop reduction, who would think about the current date? This wasn’t something a person would do!
"Hey, hey, hey, Zichuan, I misspoke just now. Don’t take it seriously," Zhang Fei began to backpedal without hesitation, switching from calling the advisor by his title to playing the sympathy card, "The Zhang Fei Brigade only has four thousand men, probably half of them won’t meet the requirements. If you dismiss them, I’ll have no troops left. The Zhang Fei Elite Infantry and Cavalry Brigade can usually take on ten at a time, it would be such a waste to disband them, so why don’t we dismiss the Tuntian Soldiers instead?"
All the Civil Officials covered their faces with their hands, embarrassed. Zhang Fei dared to suggest cutting the Tuntian Soldiers, his thick skin being the only explanation for daring to utter such words.
"Zichuan, have some pity on your third brother. My soldiers have been with me for several years, some of them even being Township Braves from Zhuo County for five to six years. At the time of recruitment, they were all men around twenty-five to twenty-six years old. If they all leave, how am I supposed to explain this to the locals?" Zhang Fei started to play the scoundrel, relying on his thick skin, with a bunch of military generals to back him up anyway.
Chen Xi’s eyelids twitched uncontrollably. Zhang Fei was shamelessly playing the scoundrel. The Township Braves recruited in the spring of 188 AD added up to five years at most, and it goes without saying that most of them had died in the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Even if they were all alive, they would only be about twenty years old. Besides, to put it bluntly, it would be doubtful that three hundred of the eight hundred Township Braves from Zhuo County would still be alive today.
Moreover, talking about explaining to the locals: what’s there to explain if they all left? The welfare system put in place by Lub Su was extraordinarily good for those soldiers who had reached the age of retirement. Even if they did not join the urban management and patrol departments, they would still have a comfortable retirement back in their hometowns!
"Third brother, you must understand my difficulties. Once enlisted in the military, there’s no definitive expiration. We have to consider the soldiers and give them some hope. If they have that, maybe more of them will survive," Zhang Fei did not play by the rules, using his scoundrel tactics, so Chen Xi played the emotional card in return. They all knew each other well. Just a bit of banter—who’s afraid of whom?
Zhang Fei was about to speak when Chen Xi cut him off, "Besides, I did not restrict your troop strength, I merely dismissed those who did not meet the requirements. You can recruit and train new soldiers. You dismissed three hundred veterans, feeling that the combat power decreased by three hundred and three, then recruit three hundred and three! As for how to come by the equipment for those thirty, that is not my concern." Chen Xi said to Zhang Fei with a grin.
Liu Bei was taken aback, then he recalled why Chen Xi set the legion organization between four thousand to five thousand, but only provided rations for four thousand.
Zhang Fei was startled, then turned his head to look at Liu Bei. Such a matter needed Liu Bei’s approval, right? There was suddenly an increase in troop strength by ten percent. With such a maneuver, if someone decided to carry out a major overhaul, shuffling in and out once, a legion could easily exceed its quota by five hundred regular troops!
As for rations and equipment, they could somehow be scraped together through meticulous efforts. The main thing was the organization! With this organizational framework, armies could be expanded. No matter how the equipment was obtained, whether it was captured or bought, as long as you have the organization, you could raise an army!
This was a chaotic era, and to put it bluntly, from top to bottom, all legions exceeded their organization numbers. Zhang Fei, crying and clamoring, had only four thousand men, but upon a thorough count of the army, it would be odd not to have four thousand five hundred. From Liu Bei who managed the finances to Lub Su, and then to Liu Ye who handled the statistics, everyone turned a blind eye, as long as the over-organization was not too severe, no one would say anything.
Furthermore, Liu Bei also remembered that Chen Xi’s baseline for the legions was six thousand, the standard was five thousand, but by the time Chen Xi distributed them, it turned out to be legions of four thousand. This served as a wake-up call for Liu Bei, indicating that as long as the legion did not exceed five thousand, he could turn a blind eye, but moving towards six thousand warranted attention, and exceeding that number, except in special circumstances, meant landing on a blacklist.
"Zichuan feels that the elderly and weak soldiers do not meet the standards and that legions composed of eight Tuntian Soldiers are a bit thin, so he plans to supplement a Tuntian Soldier’s force to each, on the condition that every legion must eliminate those soldiers who do not meet the criteria." After thinking it over, Liu Bei expanded the stingy ten percent troop strength that Chen Xi provided, filling up a Tuntian Soldier’s worth of infantry, and all the military generals were overjoyed.
In this era, the most direct reflection of a military general was how many soldiers you could lead. Another glory for a military general was roughly how many wars you have won and the impact of those wars.
With Liu Bei’s words, Zhang Fei felt reassured. He patted his chest, promising to kick all those fellows out when he got back and then fill up his troop strength. After a good winter’s training, by next year, his legion would again be elite, completely without the previously desolate demeanor.
Similarly, all the military generals expressed that they would definitely clear out all those soldiers who did not meet the regulations when the time came. The situation of civil officials and military generals getting along harmoniously was actually just the generals taking advantage of the situation.
After all, if military authority were to be really curtailed, it would be a wonder not to cause an uproar. They would certainly remember Chen Xi, and if given the opportunity to trouble him, they would never forget. As for the current situation, it was clear that everyone was happy, of course, because the military generals did not know that Chen Xi’s initial design for the legion was a fully staffed six thousand, which was later deliberately reduced by a third as bait to lure the generals.
After all, as long as they were military generals, just by spreading the word about expanding military power, unless it was a matter of principle, these people would certainly accept it. However, this time it seemed a bit too much was given, and so in the future it would be necessary to communicate with Liu Bei in advance before taking such actions. Although Liu Bei was able to understand, this resulted in the loss of one-fourth of the wiggle room. What if there were a time when the military needed to compromise?
What a waste, Chen Xi thought helplessly as he glanced at Liu Bei, entirely at a loss for words. (. Mobile users, please read at .)