Chapter 5, Inspection of the Military Camp

Xiao Ruxun lightly cleared her throat and began to speak a few eloquent words

Are all the weapons available? Is there any shortage of swords, guns, spears, bows, crossbows, and arrows?

"You three have each taken the blame for one another, so I shall also take the blame for you. This matter is entirely due to my own ambition and recklessness. I did not wish to see Tu Wenxiu leave alive. I do not blame you; you have already achieved the greatest merit by preparing the troops and stabilizing their morale. Although the bandit army has retreated for now, they will surely return, and the enemy forces may be even greater when they do. We must be well-prepared; only by working together can we overcome this challenge"

The troops are available and can engage in battle, so Xiao Ruxun is confident in her ability to defend the city

At this thought, Xiao Ruxun drew her sword and thrust it into one of the bags of grain, piercing a small hole. She took a handful of millet, examined it closely, and smelled it. Xiao Ruxun was quite familiar with these crops, as after the apocalypse, all production materials had to be cultivated by oneself. After the apocalypse, Xiao Ruxun was no longer the university student who had been unaccustomed to physical labor and unable to distinguish between different grains.

The armaments are fully prepared, and the arsenal is in good condition, with 10,000 bows and crossbows, and 170,000 arrows. These have been accumulated by the general over many years and are now perfectly suited for use.

How many soldiers capable of combat does our army have today

General, there are 2,516 combatants available.

Xiao Ruxun nodded slightly and, accompanied by her personal guards, slowly entered the camp. As she walked, she turned her head and saw the soldiers who were animatedly chatting with their families. She paused for a moment and then said to one of her personal guards: "You go and inform the entire city, notifying all citizens that the bandit army will soon return to invade. In the near future, the restrictions in the city will be strengthened. During peacetime, one may only leave home from the third watch of the day until the third watch of the evening. Anyone found wandering in the city after this time will be treated as a spy, and there will be no leniency. During wartime, it is imperative to keep doors tightly shut and not to go out. Anyone who does so will also be treated as a spy! Furthermore, from today until the end of the war, visits by military families are strictly prohibited."

Xiao Ruxun rode forward, and the guards stationed at a distance spotted her approaching in red attire and black armor. Three to five of them, armed, came forward to greet her. Upon recognizing Xiao Ruxun, they immediately knelt on one knee and saluted, saying: "I pay my respects to the General!"

The three individuals approached with excited expressions, and Xiao Ruxun smiled. As they came a few steps closer, they all knelt on one knee and clasped their fists in salute, saying: "I, a humble officer, pay my respects to the general!"

The young officer on the right also spoke, saying: "One cannot blame General Chen any further; it is the fault of my subordinates for failing to lead the troops to break through the enemy lines in a timely manner, which resulted in the general fighting alone. This is my subordinates' fault!"

Then the tall general spoke: "If there is anyone to blame, it should be my subordinate, not Deputy General Zhao. If my subordinate had done a better job of protecting the general, the general would not have..."

just ... ...

Xiao Ruxun then felt at ease to head to the military camp. He was thoroughly familiar with these wartime regulations, which were not only useful but also extremely necessary. In order to stabilize the morale of the troops, maintain combat effectiveness, and protect the populace from harm, these regulations must be implemented without fail. Otherwise, how could Xiao Ruxun lead more than 80,000 people to survive in a world where the law had become ineffective?

Fortunately, Xiao Ruxun indeed comes from a well-educated family and understands the importance of grain. She has always maintained strict control over grain supplies, designating ten out of one hundred old soldiers from the Xiao family’s former loyalists to manage the military granary for emergencies. According to the records, at this moment, the granary has enough grain to supply the military and civilians of the entire city for four months

Due to the large number of rebels, and with only 3,000 troops at hand, the more than 2,000 civilian laborers hastily recruited possess combat capabilities that are less than negligible. After the previous battle in which Xiao Ruxun repelled Tu Wenxiu, all military strongholds outside the city have been abandoned. Aside from the moat and the caltrops, there are no remaining Ming forces outside the city. In a radius of several hundred miles, no organized Ming army can be found. Other than holding out for reinforcements, there is no alternative course of action.

The subordinate shall obey the command

Having said that, he was about to kneel down to plead for forgiveness, and the other two were also going to kneel down to plead for forgiveness. Xiao Ruxun quickly supported the burly man and gently said: "No!"

At a glance from a distance, Xiao Ruxun could tell that her former subordinate was quite strict in military discipline. From afar, the military camp exuded an atmosphere of solemnity, with flags fluttering in the wind. Outside the camp, one could see guards and patrolling soldiers, accompanied by the sounds of bugles and soldiers shouting, suggesting that training was also taking place. On the left side of the camp, in an open area, some civilians were seen conversing with soldiers dressed in deep red uniforms, likely family members come to offer their support. This alone made Xiao Ruxun very satisfied—such a crucial military area, how could it allow civilians to enter?

Before long, three figures resembling armored generals approached in unison. The person on the left was tall, towering over the other two by a head. The one in the middle was a rugged-looking man with a scruffy beard, while the one on the right was a fair-skinned young man. Xiao Ruxun realized that these must be the three thousand commanders in the army. One of them, Zhao Hu, was her deputy, while the other two were Chen Xie and Wang Hui, her right and left arms in the military. However, at that moment, Xiao Ruxun could not distinguish who was who among the three.

Pinglu City itself is a military fortress, with the primary duty of garrisoning troops. The civilian population within the city largely consists of military families, and their numbers are few. A large area of open land to the west of the city has been designated as a military camp, where normally one thousand troops are stationed. Currently, however, more than two thousand five hundred soldiers have been deployed. The number of battle-ready soldiers available to Xiao Ruxun is precisely this amount, as over five hundred were lost in the previous battle.

Entering the granary and observing the granaries piled high, about the height of two or three people, Xiao Ruxun nodded slightly. In an instant, however, she recalled the various deceitful tactics employed by grain officials throughout history to deceive their superiors and mislead their subordinates. Although the grain officials managing the military granary were her own trusted subordinates from the Xiao family, it was still difficult to guarantee that no one would be tempted by money, engaging in deceitful practices. If any issues were not discovered in a timely manner, it could lead to dire consequences. In military operations, the most crucial factor is military provisions. If there is a loss of military supplies, defeat is inevitable. Although the grain officials managing the military granary were her own trusted subordinates from the Xiao family, it was still difficult to guarantee that no one would be tempted by money, engaging in deceitful practices. If any issues were not discovered in a timely manner, it could lead to dire consequences. In military operations, the most crucial factor is military provisions. If there is a loss of military supplies, defeat is inevitable.

What about firearms? How many firearms are there? How much gunpowder is there? How much was consumed in the previous World War?

After this round of mutual accusations, Xiao Ruxun has clarified the identities of the three individuals. The burly man is his deputy general Zhao Hu, courtesy name Bo Wei; the tall officer is Chen Xie, courtesy name Yuan De; and the fair-skinned young officer is Wang Hui, courtesy name Zi Heng. All three have military achievements and have followed him for two years with commendable records.

In the previous life at the Survivor Base, the foremost rule set by Xiao Ruxun, the leader of the self-defense team, was that family visits were not allowed inside the military camp. The military camp was a place of confidentiality, and any intruder would be executed.

After encouraging the guards of the granary, Xiao Ruxun assessed her physical condition and then proceeded to the military camp in the west of the city

Immediately, two soldiers ran to the camp gate, one soldier ran into the camp while the other ran towards here, arriving in front of Xiao Ruxun, cupping his fists in salute and saying: "General, please!"

Afterward, Xiao Ruxun began to walk around the military camp with the three individuals, observing the layout of the camp while asking some key questions

Within the military camp, there are numerous barracks, predominantly made of wood. It seems that this is a permanent military installation, hence the wooden structures. Marching military camps are generally composed of tents, with only the fences being wooden. Soldiers can be seen patrolling in formation throughout the camp, and there is no fanfare or crowd behavior due to the appearance of Xiao Ruxun. This reflects the training quality of good soldiers, who understand their responsibilities. Xiao Ruxun is quite satisfied with the military quality of these troops.

Xiao Ruxun signaled for his bodyguard to help him dismount from the horse, using his hand to cover the wound to prevent it from splitting open. Once he stood firmly after dismounting, he said: "Get up! Take me inside"

General, prior to the battle, our army has ten Ye Gong divine cannons, ten second general cannons, fifty Flank guns, one thousand two hundred bird guns, and over six thousand pounds of gunpowder and lead. Additionally, there are uncounted three-eyed cannons, five thunder divine machines, and a swarm of others. In the previous battle, the general did not make full use of them, only deploying twenty Flank guns to assist in the fight, so there are still a large number of firearms available for use

Xiao Ruxun nodded. In this not-so-large Pinglu City, the armament of firearms is quite abundant. Subsequently, there is a certain degree of assurance regarding the battle situation. However, in the previous great battle, a large number of firearms were not utilized. What is the reason for this?

The personal guard knelt on one knee and shouted "Yes," then swiftly ran to the back, mounted a fast horse, and galloped away in a certain direction

In the previous battle at Potu, Zhao Hu led the charge and beheaded twenty-three enemy soldiers, displaying unmatched bravery. However, during the assault, he was momentarily stunned by the residual force of the enemy's firearms, preventing him from achieving even greater merit. Chen Xie beheaded seventeen, and Wang Hui beheaded sixteen; both are valiant generals, bold and willing to fight. Previously, Xiao Ruxun commanded his troops effectively, and the generals under his command were capable, which alleviated the significant concerns of the current General Xiao.

Walking to each grain storage one by one, either to the left, right, above, or below, occasionally thrusting a sword to pierce a small opening, observing the color of the corn and smelling for any signs of mold, after inspecting each grain storage, only then can the authenticity of the grain be confirmed. If they could still falsify it under such scrutiny, then Xiao Ruxun would have nothing to say.

The three of them replied in unison

Xiao Ruxun raised her most pressing question; in the upcoming city defense battle, the role of firearms is indispensable

Wang Hui hesitated to speak, and Xiao Ruxun was most afraid that this was merely a prelude, so she hurriedly asked, "What is it?"

"Please rise!" Xiao Ruxun raised her hand in a gesture of support, and the three stood up, their faces filled with excitement as they looked at Xiao Ruxun. The man in the center, with tears in his fierce eyes, said emotionally: "As long as the general is unharmed, I can rest easy. I am incompetent, having been knocked unconscious by the enemy's artillery fire, which forced the general to personally lead the troops into battle. I... I deserve death!"

Zhao Hu and Chen Xie looked at Wang Hui, as it seemed that the firearms were under Wang Hui's responsibility