The news that Du Wei set out to "reward" the Northwest Army this time, due to his deliberate actions, really spread like wildfire. People who don't know whether the situation is true or not really think that the Northwest Army has made a great contribution this time.
Although the soldiers of the Tulip family had some complaints in their hearts, after all, Du Wei was becoming increasingly powerful and powerful, and was highly respected in everyone's hearts, so they all tolerated it.
Du Wei spent two days preparing a generous gift. The big banner made by the Alpha faction craftsmen was even more magnificent. Du Wei had someone set up a long flagpole, which was full of
It was seven or eight meters high, mounted on a carriage, and was pulled by four strong horses.
He didn't need much to accompany him, so he took a guard of 200 people and headed for the Northwest Army.
Some of his subordinates wondered whether such a guard of two hundred people was too small. But Du Wei smiled and said: "Anyway, I am going to someone else's home. There are hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses in their home, so even if I brought two thousand
Are people really enough? If the other party really wants to kill me, it will be the same even if I take 20,000 people with me."
On the way to Nulin Province in the east, Du Wei had people hang the banner on the flagpole no matter day or night, and he walked through villages, towns and cities, all in a swaggering manner.
Especially after entering Nulin Province, Du Wei deliberately slowed down his progress. He thought in his heart that if he walked all the way with such swagger, the Northwest Army must have received the news. He was just waiting to see the other side.
What a reaction.
This journey passed through Nulin Province. Although Governor Bohan did not show up, he ordered the local garrison wherever Du Wei went to send cavalry to protect him along the way.
After the Battle of Gilliat City, Duwei's staff Philip had arrived in Gilliat City and brought a letter. It was written by Governor Bohan. However, Duwei was not in the capital at the time and did not receive it.
With this letter, Governor Bohan first ordered the troops to be sent into Duwei's territory.
There is nothing else in this letter. Bohan is a smart man, and he knows that Du Wei is also a smart man. When smart people talk to smart people, there is no need to be too convoluted. The content of the letter is just one sentence:
"National affairs are the most important thing!"
Bohan believed that even if he didn't explain much, Du Wei would understand his intentions in sending troops to cross the border after seeing this sentence.
When Du Wei saw this letter that day, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Sir, if you go further past the small town in front, you will reach the sphere of influence of the Northwest Army." Philip sat next to Du Wei, looked out of the car window, and smiled: "Speaking of which, I really
I feel helpless for Governor Bohan. Although he is a dignified governor, he only controls half of the territory of Nulin Province. He is always under the power of the Northwest Army, and his life is indeed difficult."
"Oh?" Du Wei smiled.
Philip pointed out the window and sighed: "Your Excellency, look outside... To be honest, the more I study the topography of the northwest, the more I feel envious of Governor Bohan! Geographically speaking, Nulin Province
It is definitely much better than our Dessa. At least it does not have to directly face the threat of the grassland people. With us at the front, their lives are much easier. From the perspective of the land, Nulin Province is far better than the barren
The province of Desa is much better. The population is almost double that of the province of Desa. Of course, with the financial resources of the Duke, you will not worry about the land, money and food. No matter how little the income from the territory is,
You’re not worried about money and food either. But...our biggest limitation right now is the issue of military strength!"
As Philip spoke, he looked at Du Wei's expression and saw that Du Wei was not dissatisfied with what he said, so he continued with peace of mind: "Sir, we have a full force of troops now, but only 20,000 people. I know.
You may be a little dissatisfied with General Longbottom's strategy of elite troops... But think about it. Our territory only has a small population. Even if conscription is opened, how many can be recruited? Even if every household contributes its young men... Mo
It is absolutely impossible to say this, even if it can be done... In fact, there are not many people! According to the calculations of my brothers and I, based on the population base of Desa Province, we can summon up to 50,000 troops
The left and right seem to have reached the limit! Our total population is only over 800,000. Excluding women, the elderly and children, the number of young and middle-aged men is only 300,000. Of the 300,000 young and middle-aged men, we can achieve one out of five. Already
It’s a very heavy ratio! If it gets any heavier, I’m afraid it will cause panic among the people below. If we really want all the people to be soldiers, unless it comes to a critical moment when families and people are destroyed, otherwise that is absolutely impossible.”
Du Wei nodded. How could he not know this fact?
With the population base of one's own territory, how easy is it to create a Northwest Army with a strength of 200,000?
"More importantly, we are facing the biggest problem." Philip smiled bitterly: "Even if we want to recruit troops, we can't recruit the Northwest Army. Sir, have you forgotten that wartime doctrine?"
The Northwest Army is located in the two northwest provinces. Although it has an army of 200,000, people are always going to get old, sick and die. The soldiers in the iron-clad camps will eventually grow old and recruits will join the army.
The source of troops for the Northwest Army also comes from the Northwest itself!
According to the regulations, once every two years, the Northwest Army can recruit troops in the provinces of Desa and Nulin to replenish the army's manpower. The most troublesome thing is... the empire has ordered that local governments and lords are not allowed to compete with the Northwest Army.
Soldier resources! If a family has young men, then if the recruitment orders for the local garrison and the Northwest Army are issued at the same time, priority will be given to recruiting the Northwest Army!
As a result, the population was originally sparse, and even the resources of troops had to be competed with the Northwest Army. It was not an easy task to forcefully expand the army.
"That's why I envy Governor Bohan." Philip said with a smile: "Although Nulin Province is under the radar of the Northwest Army, the biggest advantage is that the population of Nulin Province is twice as large as ours! Possible potential
The military population is naturally much larger than ours! If we were in Nulin Province, then according to my estimation, it would be enough to raise an army of 100,000. Even if the Northwest Army competes with us for military resources, fortunately Nulin has a large population base.
Some. It doesn't have much impact. What I'm worried about now is... Sir, last year happened not to be a year for conscription. The Northwest Army didn't give us any trouble in this regard, but this year it is the thought of conscription. In the fall, the Northwest Army will
We are going to start sending people to various places to recruit new soldiers. When the time comes... we will still have a headache."
"I understand what you are saying, but the population does not mean that the land can be increased by increasing it. It will take more than ten or twenty years for parents to leave their children and raise them to adults. If we follow conventional methods, there will be no
In two or three generations, the population base of Desa Province cannot increase. Even if we encourage childbirth... But if every family has difficulty in living and cannot even afford to raise children, who is willing to have more children?" Du Wei
Shaking his head: "Philip, I have been thinking about it recently. I always feel that we are facing a lot of difficulties. It is also difficult for the Northwest Army to suppress us everywhere..."
Philip smiled: "Sir, I think we might as well keep in touch with Governor Bohan... Although you and him were not happy before. But this time, the incident in Gilliat City, I think it is an opportunity. Bohan
Although Governor Han is a bit too monopolistic, fortunately he is also a man who is devoted to the country. At least in terms of dealing with the Northwest Army and the grassland people, he is the same as us. We do not lack money and food, but what we lack is
Army and population! At this point, Governor Bohan has enough population...but he can't raise an army."
After getting up, Bohan was not short of money and food. After all, a smart man who could even create things like "auction", although his ability to make money was not as good as Du Wei, a time traveler, he could still be regarded as a strange person in Roland Continent.
However, Governor Bohan is different from Du Wei. After all, he is just a local official, unlike Du Wei, who is a noble lord. Therefore, he faces more difficulties!
The most difficult point is that Governor Bohan cannot distribute money, food, and military pay to the garrison under Governor Bohan. According to the imperial wartime regulations, the weapons, food, and military pay of the local garrison in the northwest must be distributed uniformly by the Northwest Army!
In other words, if Governor Bohan wants to spend money to raise troops, he must send the money and food to the Northwest Army, and then let the Northwest Army distribute it! In this way, it is equivalent to putting a collar on others' necks!
Not to mention anything else, but looking at the garrison of the sinful city of Big Er City, they are so poor that they can hardly open the pot, and you can think of how the Northwest Army made a fuss about "unified distribution"! Bohandi
The problem is that although you obviously have money and food in your warehouse, you can't directly distribute it to your army. You can wait until it is sent to the northwest army camp and then divide it... Then you can get 20% of the money and food that can really be sent to your army.
Thirty percent is already considered a courtesy of the Northwest Army!
In this regard, because Du Wei is a noble lord, his army is regarded as the family's private army, but it is not within the scope of this decree. It is much freer than Governor Bohan!
"Both parties may wish to cooperate." Philip smiled and said: "You have the power to build an army at will, without being restricted by the money and food of the Northwest Army. And Governor Bohan has the population! It would be a good thing if the two of you are willing to cooperate."
Du Wei became interested: "Tell me about it!"
"For the fall recruitment this year, we can send people to reach an agreement with Governor Bohan. We can send people directly to the Nulin Province to recruit troops! Anyway, the imperial law also allows cross-border recruitment. As long as the local government agrees, the military commander in the imperial capital can
Just file a report with the Ministry. In this regard, with your connections in the imperial capital, the military will definitely not get in our way!"
"Can Bohan allow us to recruit troops on his territory?"
"That's the key." Philip smiled slyly... I have to say that even Du Wei couldn't help but feel that this originally innocent young man had probably been around him for too long, and he couldn't even laugh.
His appearance is quite charming...cunning and insidious!
"We can exchange with him." Philip explained: "Bohan also wants to recruit more soldiers! Unfortunately, he can't spend money to raise them. But we can! You can negotiate with him... For example, we recruit soldiers in his territory,
If the levied army is two battalions, it will be one for each family. If it is two divisions, it will still be one for each family! But..."
Du Wei was also a smart man and immediately understood what Phillip meant. Before he could finish speaking, he continued to smile and said: "It's just that in name, it's still the name of my Tulip family! The number still says the private army of the Tulip family. And
In fact, half of the troops he recruited belong to Bohan, right?"
"Yes." Philip said lightly: "If he, Bohan, is not at ease, the army belongs to him anyway. He appoints officers and leaders himself, and we just don't care. We can also build a large one on the border between us and Nulin Province.
The military camp, let the army be stationed there. Except for the name of our Tulip family's private army...everything else is up to him, Bo Han. What else does he have to worry about? He just can't do it now.
The expansion of the army is because it is the local government, and the expansion of the army must be restricted by the Northwest Army, but we are different!"
"What a great idea!" Du Wei did not hesitate to praise him: "Philip, you are becoming more and more like a staff member now."
Philip smiled: "Sir, this is a good idea, but it requires Bohan's nod. From what I can see as Governor Bohan, he might even put forward some conditions. This Governor Bohan is a wild goose.
I have the temper to pluck out my hair every time, haha.”
"Just let him pull it out." Du Wei smiled: "If he wants benefits or money, I will give him some. Anyway, in this incident, Bohan lost a thousand-man cavalry for me, and I also
I owe him a favor. Besides...money, I'm not short of money now."
Philip said: "Then... without further ado, sir, while we are in Nulin now, you can write a letter and I will go to the capital of Nulin in person."
Du Wei thought for a while and shook his head: "No! It's best not to leave any written letters for this kind of thing. If there is any problem in the future, it will always be a handle. When I come back from the Northwest Army, I will tell you in person