Chapter 52

When there was still no movement from the other side, Nan Xun gave the order to push the equipment forward and start attacking the city.

"Understood!"

The messenger stood up, pushed open the curtain of the tent, and walked towards the patrol team. Soon, a command was given, and the soldiers who were ready began to form a formation and set off.

Nan Xun also wiped his weapon and adjusted his heavy armor to make sure that the armor plates could cover and protect his vital parts. After all, there were a lot of arrows on the battlefield, and it was easy for those who were charging in the front to be hit by them. If there was no protection, the rust on the arrows could easily take their lives.

Although there are doctors accompanying them now, it is still better to avoid injuries. In addition to wound infections, many people have died from the pain.

The other soldiers were mostly wearing lightweight armor inlaid with metal plates. This wasn't entirely due to cost; wielding weapons during combat was already a significant test of physical fitness, and wearing armor weighing dozens of kilograms would actually reduce combat effectiveness.

Although many people's muscles and bones have become stronger after training in the past few years, Yao Wenjun has also gradually strengthened training in this area. Now the standard armor on the soldiers also has a certain weight, at least the arrows will not cause too much damage to the wearers.

Several deputy generals who were born with supernatural powers also chose armor according to their own conditions, and were now standing in front of Nanxun's tent waiting.

"Set off."

"Yes, General."

Nan Xun was in charge of the central army, while the other deputy generals decided what to do next according to the instructions in the drill and the flag signals and drum sounds.

The number of arrows shot from the city wall and the number of debris thrown at it was much less than expected. The modified siege equipment was easily placed on the city wall. While the fully armed soldiers attacked the city wall, there were people at the city gate pushing siege wood to hit it, breaking through the defense almost at the same time.

After receiving two different battle reports, Wen Yi saw the helplessness in Nan Xun's words. She couldn't help but laugh, which made Song Jin beside her lean over, as if he wanted to see what was so interesting.

Nanxun couldn't be blamed. Only after entering the city did he realize his previous assumptions were somewhat correct. Few soldiers remained, the important figures had long since departed, and the treasury was empty. If they had adhered to the strategy of fighting to support the war, they would have run out of money and food to continue advancing, leaving ample time for preparations for the cities ahead.

This might be the strategy of the pro-war faction of Xi State. Although some of the old and weak soldiers left behind were determined not to speak, there were always some who accidentally let out a word. Nan Xun and others inferred from sporadic words that although there were conflicts between the two parties in Xi State, the general had a strong control over the northern cities, and the guarding soldiers would also obey his orders.

But it obviously had no effect on Nan Xun and others. He had brought enough supplies before setting off, and he acted steadily, so he was able to advance smoothly towards the current capital of Xi State.

At this point, both sides had the advantage, and food and grass were being consumed rapidly. Fortunately, not all cities were evacuated in advance, and the fortifications were cleared, so there was some replenishment.

This winter was indeed colder. Wen Yi and the remaining soldiers fought off several waves of looters heading south. These looters mostly targeted caravans carrying grain, and it looked like life was tough in the north.

However, this was not a reason for the group to rob. Their companions had made meritorious deeds outside, and the people guarding Pingyi had been holding their anger, and they all used this incident to vent their anger.

In these not-so-intense fights, her riding skills have made great progress. At least when that group of people comes again, Wen Yi will be able to raise a bow and shoot arrows in the team. Of course, her accuracy cannot be compared with that of Yao Wenjun and others.

The arrival of these small forces wasn't even considered looting; it was more like they were delivering gifts. This winter, Wen Yi and his men planned to take advantage of the lower water flow to renovate the river channel flowing through Pingyi and reinforce the banks on both sides. These captives would provide manpower for the upcoming project, and of course, some food would be provided, but there would be no other benefits; after all, they were captives.

The captured horses were raised.

Pingyi already had quite a few horses, but the total number was still insufficient. Although horseshoes had been developed to reduce wear and tear, greatly extending the service life of horses, it still took a long time for a foal to grow. Moreover, there were plans to form a more mobile team, which also required horses.

Cavalry requires a long time to train. Nowadays in Pingyi, only messengers or scouts have a full set of equipment, and the rest are mostly mounted on the vehicle frames.

Stirrups and saddles were also produced after breakthroughs in smelting technology, and are now also used on other livestock.

According to the laws of development, there should have been an evolution from single-sided to double-sided stirrups. The former was mainly used to assist in mounting, while the latter provided assistance to cavalry, freeing up both hands and increasing tactical versatility. However, after research and modification, the workshop directly adopted the double-sided stirrup.

Saddles were mainly divided into two categories: heavy warhorse saddles that provided protection, and light saddles that were convenient for long-distance galloping. Because Pingyi and other places did not deploy heavy cavalry, saddles with lower saddle bridges were sufficient.

Wen Yi did not give up the research on heavy cavalry equipment. Many dynasties in later generations were able to sweep across the continent by relying on the advantages of cavalry. Ordinary swords and guns could hardly cut through the iron armor covering the cavalry and horses.

There are ways to counter these heavy cavalry. Wearing heavy armor will tire a human, and carrying both the cavalry and their armor is a significant drain on the horse, making them unsuitable for prolonged engagements. Alternatively, heavily armored infantry formations can be used to slow the cavalry down, reducing their impact.

However, these are of no use on the current battlefield. Except for the group of insignificant guys in the north, most cities or forces still rely mainly on soldiers fighting with the assistance of equipment. Instead, those formations are more effective.

Wen Yi had seen Yao Wenjun practice formations before, and it didn't look complicated. However, nowadays, the two armies mostly fought on plains, and even with various towers or climbing equipment, the range of vision was limited.

This is where the ability of the general or commander is tested. They can infer the enemy's actions based on the sporadic changes they see in the enemy army, and then impose restrictions or encirclement.

The difference in numbers is not a decisive factor. Flexible scheduling can achieve the goal of defeating more with fewer people, but after the number exceeds twice, these are of no use. Unless a sudden disaster occurs, such as falling fire from the sky, the outcome will not change.

These celestial phenomena have been given many non-existent meanings, and many people always link them with various major events to shift responsibilities, which is considered to be one of the conspiracies in the power struggle.

There were also people in Pingyi who regularly observed astronomical phenomena. Wen Yi was initially skeptical, but over time, he realized that most of what these people did was predict the weather, which was usually quite accurate. Most of the time, they just stared at and recorded the changes in the stars, which was actually a very boring task.

Out of curiosity, Wen Yi once followed them to the highest point in the city to see the clear and deep sky.

Perhaps because the pollution is not so serious, the starry sky at this time is very clear, even giving the illusion that you can touch the twinkling lights with your hand. Looking at the night sky for a long time will make you feel it is so deep and scary. It is no wonder that many people always associate these trajectories with fate.

Of course, there are many practical applications. In addition to judging the direction based on the stars or inferring the weather based on the clouds, people who are good at observation can also judge the lunar phase cycle through the stars, so as to find out what the current solar term is and what needs to be done. It is equivalent to a simplified version of the calendar.

The simplest example is Antares in the Eastern Palace, or commonly known as "Big Mars", which is one of the signs of seasonal changes. When it gradually sinks to the west, it indicates that the weather is turning cooler, the so-called "July Fire".

Of course, there are some that make no sense, such as the connection between the Twelve Stars of Accumulated Soldiers and the dispatch of heavy troops in war.

Because there are so many changes, it is difficult for people who have not undergone systematic study or long-term observation to judge these through observations on a certain day. Therefore, a calendar is summarized for people to use, and it needs to be revised in real time based on observations.

Like talents in other fields, in addition to long-term study, they also need the guidance and help of predecessors.

Therefore, in addition to building the canal, Wen Yi and his team also relaxed the admission standards for the academy. Anyone who passed the assessment presided over by He Xuan and met the minimum requirements could apply for admission to the academy, and as before, they would be provided with food and lodging subsidies. However, the academy building was not located next to the parade ground, but further west.

Getting here every morning takes a while, but generally speaking, having a place to live isn't a huge obstacle. The prices for houses in Pingyi's inner city aren't easily affordable these days, and of course, Wen Yi and the others won't sell them off easily.

If you want to go to different places for training, there is an additional assessment. In addition to the verification of knowledge, you also need to explain the purpose of choosing a certain place. After selection, you will be assigned to different places.

Many popular places, such as Xinyi, have fierce competition. The situation there is good because the prosperity requires a lot of manpower, and there are things you can do when you go there.

But because it was considered a good career path, as long as one passed the assessment, they could eventually go there, even to remote areas. After the city leaders' terms were completed, they would be rotated and assigned to other places, and if they were lucky, they could even reach prosperous areas.

The academy does not care about the background of the people it recruits, but it is undeniable that most of the people who can read and write nowadays still have some status, either their families have fallen on hard times, or like Song Jin, they have their own ideas and are not bound by any constraints.

Even if many of them have made a decision, they will still be influenced by the environment or pressure from people and do things that are not conducive to Pingyi. This can only be gradually screened out over time. There is no better way.

Wen Yi once asked Song Jin if there was any way to solve this problem. She thought for a while, and her tone was hesitant:

"Perhaps there is still hope," Song Jin said. "Wenjun probably told you that I never care about those things, but it's undeniable that many people still believe that gaining recognition is the ultimate goal."

They long for recognition from their family or relatives, even if it is just a sugar coating made by a group of people who see value and try to exploit them, but after suffering for a long time, they still can't help but lick it.

Many people base their existence on social connections, which is not wrong. After all, she can't expect everyone to have similar ideals as herself. If that satisfies her, then there's nothing wrong with that. However, they are not the right people for Pingyi.

Just like the one who was replaced by Song Jin's sister.

Even now, Wen Yi still felt that this person's ability to handle general affairs was top-notch, even better than the heads of other places. It was a pity that fate had played tricks on him. However, he was now content to be a deputy. The pressure of this position was not great. Even if he received a letter, he had enough reason to refuse it. In a sense, he got what he wanted.

During this period, the former leader has been helping with the coordination of Nanxun, but it's always a bit regrettable.

"Yeah..." Wen Yi sighed, "Let it be. The world is so big, there are always enough like-minded people."

It is difficult to change an already formed idea, but it is much easier to find the people who need it.