Chapter 743-Four Marshals
Translator: ryangohsf
Editor: Nora
This round of military organization involved three War Fighting Legions and a total of 200 odd thousand troops, a huge expenditure for the territory.
Based on calculations, if one considered the pension money as well, it would result in a one-time cost of 1.5 million.
The more terrifying part was the daily military expenses.
When the three legions were fully formed, Shanhai City would have 13 legions and just the salary alone would reach 500 thousand gold.
Along with the five squadrons of the Nanyang Navy, considering the monthly grain usage, equipment, war compensation money, and more, Shanhai City’s monthly costs would be over a million.
Around 60% of Shanhai City’s financial profits would be passed to the military. Deducting all the other expenses, although each month Shanhai City earned over a million in tax, it had truly limited profits.
Even to say that some of the large projects needed loans from the Four Seas Bank to be completed.
The cost for this military expansion was paid right out of Ouyang Shuo’s pocket. If not, the Financial Bureau would have to borrow from the Four Seas Bank again.
With that, Ouyang Shuo’s personal wealth had shrunk to 6.5 million. If he deducted the 500 thousand in expenses he promised to the No.7 Research Institute, then he would be left with just six million.
During the 4th year global auction, Ouyang Shuo needed at least 5 million. Hence, the amount of funds he could currently take out was not much.
This was also something only Shanhai City, with the help of a prosperous commerce, shipbuilding, military industry, garment industry, steel industry, and others supporting them could handle.
If it was any other territory, it would have been crushed by such large military expenses.
Hence, it was not hard to understand why Ouyang Shuo was pushing for voyage trading so badly. Without the profits from the voyage squadron, Shanhai City would not be able to maintain such a large scale army.
To truly expand like that, the construction all around the territory would have to be stopped.
For Shanhai City to be able to lead the territory industrialization, build basic facilities, perfect education and medical facilities, it could be considered a huge miracle.
So if a territory just focused on conquering the outside and did not bother about internal affairs, building a solid base, and promoting various industrial developments it would be dragged down by the army.
It would be exhausting all the resources to build up the military.
As the military organization plan was settled, the various legions also started to move.
This was without mentioning the City Protection Legion that left after the battle. They would rush to Zhenhai City and board the warships back to Shanhai City.
During the Battle of Lingnan, Ouyang Shuo did not keep a reserve force in his hand, so it was a really risky choice. If an emergency had happened in the west or the north border, he would not have been able to send help in time.
The City Protection Legion housed outside Shanhai City would be a reserve army that could use the teleportation formation to go anywhere to assist the frontlines.
When they established the country, to protect the capital city, they could not move the City Protection Legion. Unless it was an emergency, they would be permanently housed outside the city.
Similarly, it would not be easy for the Guards Legion to go out often.
If not, and a large capital city lacked a strong army defending it, it would be easy to cause unrest. The people would feel uneasy and hidden powers would rise.
If they were not careful, an empire might fall.
In history, every dynasty was like that. Even when they were nearing death, the emperors would not easily move out the city protection army or guards out of the capital.
The reason was just that.
Apart from the City Protection Legion, the 1st legion of the Guards Corps as well as the 2nd legion of the Dragon Legion Corps would rest up before leaving. They would use the mountain path, going past Zhaoqing Prefecture, Wuzhou Prefecture, Xunzhou Prefecture, and Zhen An Prefecture all the way back to the Yunnan Battlefield.
The entire journey would take close to a month.
A con of long distance deployment of troops was that half the time was wasted on the road.
As a consequence, they needed to set up war zones.
In the future, normal battles would be taken charge of by that warzone and there would rarely be cross warzone movement of troops.
As for the Guards Corps 2nd legion that was still forming and the 4th legion of the Dragon Legion, they would follow the same path back to Yunnan Battlefield.
The time to organize them would be around a month.
Hence, by the time the legions were officially formed up, the Three Kingdom generals who were appointed would have basically finished their learning in the Army Military Academy and could meet up with their forces right on time.
The four legions of the Dragon Legion Corps and the two of the Guards Legion Corps, for a total of 420 thousand troops; this would be all they had to conquer the enemy.
The 3rd legion of the Leopard Legion Corps would move towards the Withered Flower Stronghold.
In the end, the various legions left and the defenses of Lingnan were left to the Tiger Legion Corps. the Lingnan War Zone that was formed was now truly that.
Based on the idea of Tiger Legion Corps Marshal Sun Bin, the war zone command center would be set in Shaozhou. The 1st and 2nd legions would be housed in Shaozhou.
The 3rd legion led by Fan Lihua would be housed in Chaozhou. The uncertain factor that was Xunlong Dianxue made Ouyang Shuo feel that there was a need to house a War Fighting Legion at the Minnan Province border.
As for what Xunlong Dianxue would think when he found out, it was not within Ouyang Shuo’s consideration. Regarding the defensive measures that he had to take, Ouyang Shuo would take it and would not let his heart go soft.
The various prefectures in Lingnan Province all had their own Garrison Divisions so no War Fighting Legions were needed.
The main defensive region for the Tiger Legion Corps was the north. As for the Xiangnan City-State neighbor, the Leopard Legion Corps would be in charge of that.
Along with the Dragon Legion shifting away, the Leopard Legion was in charge of the defenses of the entire Chuannan Province. In truth, they only needed to defend the north. The east of Chuannan Province was Lingnan Province, west was Yunnan Province, so there was no need to worry.
The south side’s Zhili Prefecture had the City Protection Legion and Guards Legion Corps defending so there was no need to worry about that either.
At the same time, the Chuannan War Zone was set up as expected.
To the Leopard Legion Corps, the most important mission now was to take back Guilin Prefecture. At that time, the legion did not need to be cooped up in the Withered Flower Stronghold and could move into Guilin.
Guilin Prefecture’s vast border was connected to both Chuanbei and Xiangnan Prefecture. Hence, even if they only needed to defend one side, it was not going to be easy for the Leopard Legion.
As for how to take down Guilin Prefecture, the Military Affairs Bureau had already done due diligence. Based on the time, Han Xin had probably started work.
Along with the Battle of Lingnan ending, the Dragon Legion Corp led by Baiqi would move their command center to Consonance City.
At the same time, the Yunnan War Zone would be set up. The command center and the Dragon Legion Corp headquarters would be one in the same.
Baiqi was appointed as the Yunnan Warzone Commander, short form was Yunnan Commander. Similarly, Sun Bin was called the Lingnan Commander, and Han Xin the Chuannan Commander. Each of them was in charge of one warzone, leading one legion corp and in charge of all the Garrison Divisions in their war zones.
At the same time, Huo Qubing was appointed as the marshal of the Guards Legion Corps.
Using this time, Ouyang Shuo fixed the term of the commander of the legion corps as Marshal, and they would be the highest position in the army.
The four marshals were only second to Ouyang Shuo, the true four giants.
At a more appropriate time in the future, Ouyang Shuo planned to build a comparable Military Affairs Bureau, a better military matters organization, something similar to the Central Military Commission and the Office of Military Affairs.
This organization would cross the line between army and navy, cross the war zones, and become the highest-level military organization in Shanhai City; they would be in charge of deciding the highest level decisions.
Without a doubt, the marshals would be a fixed member in this organization.
************
After the military meeting ended, Ouyang Shuo truly started to get busy.
As a Lord, he was the highest presence in Shanhai City, so there were some matters that Ouyang Shuo had to do. For example, he needed to meet the fallen generals and accept their loyalty.
The fallen generals did not refer to just Feng Yi, who was just appointed as legion general, there were also five others who were chosen as Major Generals.
Apart from that, Ouyang Shuo visited all the generals that Huo Qubing and the others recommended to evaluate and question them.
Ouyang Shuo at least had to meet them to let them recognize this Monarch and have an impression of him.
Apart from that, he had to review all the surrendered troops, go to every prisoner camp to send his regards and solve their problems, raise their morale, and more.
If not, how could he complete the military organization and make them fully loyal to him?
Objectively speaking, the various generals did not think about making the troops under them into their own personal army, but if Ouyang Shuo did not remind them of his presence, problems would slowly arise.
After three years of commanding troops, Ouyang Shuo firmly believed in that idea.
Apart from the control of the army, Ouyang Shuo needed to go through the three prefectures, going to each territory and at the very least every main city.
Only then could he calm down the hearts of the people and the local powers.
Although the wilderness was not as complicated as real life, Ouyang Shuo needed to be right at the front if Shanhai City wanted get the three prefectures under their rule in a short time.
The appearance of the Monarch had huge meaning and significance.
Ouyang Shuo’s presence was not something any governor or official could replace.
All things considered, Ouyang Shuo would at least spend a month in Lingnan Province. This month would be his busiest month, he needed to meet people, attend feasts, and more.
At the same time, it gave the territory some breathing room.
