Chapter 0007: Military Life
Was it truly the case that ancient armies were meant to be like this, or were these local militia recruited by my father merely a rabble?
Shen Jiahao, a powerful figure and a member of a wealthy family, has leveraged his father's prior experience in raising troops for rebellion. Consequently, within less than ten days from the initial thought of mobilizing an army, he has already gathered a sufficient force of over ten thousand soldiers, with two months' worth of supplies. The weapons originally scattered across various estates have all been relocated to Longxi and distributed accordingly. The first echelon of combat troops has been fully organized, comprising more than six thousand men, divided into three armies. Additionally, the second echelon of auxiliary troops also numbers around six thousand, ready to supplement the main force in sequence. The weapons originally scattered across various estates have all been relocated to Longxi and distributed accordingly. The first echelon of combat troops has been fully organized, comprising more than six thousand men, divided into three armies. Additionally, the second echelon of auxiliary troops also numbers around six thousand, ready to supplement the main force in sequence.
In the midst of great disappointment, Shen Zhezi found himself pondering such a question, yet his father walked ahead with a solemn demeanor, leaving no one to clarify his doubts. However, the subsequent scene provided him with a vivid lesson.
He could not help but look back again; the bodies on the ground had already been dragged away, and soldiers were pouring water to wash away the blood. Two soldiers were still being whipped, and the severed heads hanging from the beam continued to drip blood, a stark sight. However, apart from this, there was not much chaos; it was as if those who had just been killed were not a few people, but merely a few chickens. It was precisely this calmness that made Shen Zhezi feel even more shocked.
Behind this army of ten thousand, the number of laborers and tenants mobilized exceeds twenty thousand! Of course, among them are many elderly, weak, and women, who possess no combat capability, but they are sufficient to ensure that the logistics of the army are worry-free
In history, during the transition between the Two Jin Dynasties and before and after the southern migration, the region of Wu experienced frequent turmoil, with local powerful families and gentry appearing in every instance. From the perspective of a later outsider, Shen Zhezi should harbor deep resentment towards these local tyrants and bandits; had it not been for their dominance in the countryside and their armed self-importance, the court might have been able to consolidate the manpower and resources of Jiangnan to launch a northern expedition.
Hiss ... ...
Shen Zhezi did not know how many times this scene had played out in the military camp, but he had truly sensed the presence of something called "military might" permeating the camp. Because of its existence, everyone in the camp was no longer an independent individual; the sense of personal existence was suppressed to the point of near nonexistence, and one became a small component of a vast killing machine, unable to act on their own accord
Everything in the army is kept simple. The crowd sat in a circle, and upon seeing Shen Zhezi in the tent, although they felt a bit surprised, they did not react too strongly, merely thinking that Shen Chong was uneasy about leaving his son elsewhere and chose to protect him personally
The so-called ferocity is not the dominance of certain victory in battle or the tragic grandeur of a sea of corpses and rivers of blood, but rather the indifference to human life and the suppression of human nature
The ox cart rumbled along, and after returning to the old residence and being settled, Shen Zhezi still could not recover from the immense shock he had previously experienced. However, amidst the shock, a subtle excitement began to grow within him. In this chaotic era, the elegance of poetry and literature has come to an end; only the valiant spirit meets the times! If previously Shen Zhezi's desire to establish a northern expeditionary force was merely a fanciful dream, witnessing the soldiers of Wu, who follow military orders as steadfastly as mountains, made him feel that his dream now had a solid foundation.
During the Qin Dynasty, when Liu Bang and Xiang Yu saw the chariot of the First Emperor, one sighed, "A true man should be like this," while the other boldly declared, "He can be overthrown and replaced!" Although Shen Zhezi did not dare to compare himself to Liu and Xiang, he felt a surge of impulse within, wanting to shout to the Sima family royal house: "You are incapable, I will take over!"
Before the words had left his mouth, Shen Zhezi saw several soldiers who had been captured being pressed against the stone slab, their braids bound with hemp rope. Then, with a swift motion of the knife, blood gushed forth like a fountain, spraying several feet away, as the heads were severed and gruesomely hung by the hemp ropes from the crossbeam. Two others were stripped of their clothing and pressed into the pool of blood, being whipped on their shoulders and backs with bamboo strips.
With this understanding, as he observed the makeshift camp resembling a shabby construction site, Shen Zhezi felt a deeper sense of reflection. He noticed that although the barracks were arranged in a chaotic manner, they were interconnected by narrow paths, and the dirt roads were compacted and level, with not even a slightly larger stone in sight. The mounds of earth beside the barracks were nearly uniform in size, resembling a measure of a斗. As for the fortifications where no human figures could be seen bustling about, they seemed to possess a life of their own, akin to ferocious beasts lurking beneath the haystacks, patiently waiting for their prey to take the bait, ready to spring forth at any moment and devour their chosen victim
This is what is referred to as the prohibition of orders, and mercy does not command troops
Shen Zhezi was brought into the camp under the pretext of being appointed as a military advisor by his father. Upon entering the central military tent, Shen Chong summoned his aides to discuss matters. Shen Zhezi sat in the corner and observed his father's trusted confidants entering one after another.
How many households were there in the entire Eastern Jin? Looking solely at the forces mobilized by the Shen family for rebellion, these are all the powers hidden among the gentry in the countryside, which the court is fundamentally unable to grasp or utilize. If this is the case in one region, it can be extended to the entire Jiangnan, where the strength of the Shen family is already comparable to that of a small separatist regime. No wonder the imperial authority of the Eastern Jin was weak; in the face of such a situation, it would be a miracle for the court to have any power at all
Shen Chong first inquired about military affairs, asking about the allocation of logistics such as food supplies and equipment. Shen Zhezi listened attentively; these mundane matters may seem insignificant, but they are the foundation that supports an army and represent the experience he lacks the most. With the opportunity to learn from his father, he naturally needed to be fully engaged.
The commander entered the camp, but there was no scene of soldiers lined up to cheer and welcome him as Shen Zhezi had imagined. His father waved from horseback and called out, "Comrades, you have worked hard," to which the soldiers would respond in unison, "Serve the people," creating a powerful and resounding atmosphere. However, the only living beings Shen Zhezi could see were the occasional soldiers passing through the camp, while the vast majority of other areas remained eerily silent, as if no one were present.
Upon witnessing this scene, Shen Zhezi took a breath, his entire being frozen in shock, with only the sight of several headless corpses lying on the ground, blood gushing from their necks, filling his vision. As a modern individual, he had never encountered such a brutal sight. It was not until the ox cart had passed for a considerable time that he suddenly shivered, the foul air that had accumulated in his chest slowly expelled, leaving him feeling cold all over
These subordinates can generally be divided into two categories. The first category consists of members of the Shen family who have been promoted to generals within their troops, such as Shen Fang and Shen Mo, who are uncles of Shen Zhe, and the troop commander Lu Jie, each overseeing a military unit, representing the direct lineage of the family. The second category includes members from other families in Wu who are affiliated with the Shen family, such as Sima Guyang, who hails from the Gu family of Wu County, and the military officer Zhu Zhen, who comes from the Zhu family of Wu County, along with strategists Qiu Shan, Lu Zheng, and Yu Fen, all of whom are scions of prominent families from the Wu region
However, now that he is also involved in the situation, he has developed a different perspective on it. The Sima family and their relatives have been acting recklessly, turning the fertile land of Shenzhou into a chaotic mess. Now they want to come to Jiangnan to exert their influence and seek a comfortable existence, which is simply intolerable! Rather than entrusting one's own resources and manpower to the hands of these incompetent individuals and allowing them to ruin everything, it is better to hold them firmly in one's own hands in order to strive for greatness!
Shen Zhezi, upon hearing these circumstances, was even more astonished, gaining a more intuitive understanding of the resources at his family's disposal. According to the virtues of the ancients, the number of personnel mobilized by the Shen family during this period alone could confidently be declared to be an army of 50,000!
A small commotion suddenly erupted in a barrack ahead. Before long, a group of patrolling soldiers emerged from the barrack, with several young soldiers being escorted out with their arms twisted behind their backs, their faces pale and lips tightly pressed. Upon reaching a flagpole, one of the patrolling soldiers raised his staff and struck a small gong hanging beneath the flagpole, then shouted: "Gambling with the game of Chupu is prohibited in the camp; offenders will be executed, and accomplices will receive twenty lashes."
As for these patrolling soldiers, upon seeing the old man and his group, their reaction was not particularly enthusiastic. At most, they cleared the main road, lined up beside it to wait for them to pass, and then continued their patrol. In fact, no one stepped forward to pay their respects, which completely undermined the commander’s authority
Longxi is located to the east of Wukang County, which is now known as Zhongguan Town in the later Deqing County. To the left is Wukang Mountain, which was later named Tongguan Mountain during the Tang Dynasty. The term "Tongguan" refers to the official in charge of copper casting, and its origin can be traced back to the Han Dynasty when King Liu Bi of Wu mined copper here to mint coins, thus giving it this name
Currently, the Shen family of Wuxing is divided into two branches, East and West. Most of the residents in the Longxi ancestral home are members of the East branch, descended from Shen Zhezi. The elder took Shen Zhezi into the ancestral home, passed through the courtyard to pay respects in the ancestral hall, and then guided Shen Zhezi to pay respects to the elders of various branches before hastily leaving the ancestral home to attend to military affairs in the camp
However, to be honest, after entering the camp, Shen Zhezi actually felt quite disappointed. Looking around, the camp was filled with uneven trenches, and the barracks were arranged haphazardly according to the terrain. Next to the barracks, there were conspicuous mounds of earth, towering to about half a person's height, resembling a rudimentary construction site, completely unlike a grand military camp
The Longxi Old Residence is situated on a high ridge behind the military camp, resembling the enclosed buildings seen by later generations of Shen Zhezi, albeit on a larger scale. Tall walls rise up, forming a dragon enclosure, with watchtowers on both sides reaching several zhang in height, occupying a strategically advantageous position that overlooks the surrounding area. A deep canal, artificially excavated, winds around the walls; once the drawbridge is retracted, it becomes a military stronghold that is easy to defend and difficult to attack
War is a great calamity
The old residence of the Shen family is located here, covering an area of several dozen acres. Shen Zhezi sits on the ox cart, gazing proudly into the distance. Beyond the fields, there are layered encampments, with soldiers coming and going, their military demeanor imposing. This is indeed the stronghold where my father raised his troops to rebel.
Crossing the archway resembling the Yuanmen, Father Shen Chong dismounted and mounted his horse, entering the premises surrounded by a group of officials. Following closely behind was Shen Zhezi's ox cart. As they traversed this ancient military camp, it was inevitable that their hearts would be stirred. Since he had taken the Northern Expedition as his responsibility, he should be well-versed in military affairs; otherwise, he would merely be a person of grand ambitions but limited abilities, engaging in superficial discussions. The Shen family of Wuxing has long been known for its military lineage. Although later generations have been reluctant to take pride in this heritage, advocating for peace and scholarship, in the current context, with a seasoned rebel like Father Shen Chong leading by example, Shen Zhezi naturally could not allow this family tradition to fade away; he must strive to carry it forward and enhance its legacy.
Historically, the region of Wu has been known for its restless nature, with a reputation for a fierce and robust culture. In later generations, it became renowned for its literary and Confucian influences, a trend that likely began after the Jin dynasty.