After the Ganzhou encirclement and annihilation battle ended, the 36th and 38th Infantry Divisions also began to clean up and sweep the battlefield.
The 11th Cavalry Division dispersed to the surrounding areas to scout the situation and take precautions.
The 37th Infantry Division, having suffered heavy casualties, began to rest and reorganize on the spot.
For the soldiers who died on the battlefield, a propitious burial site was found outside Ganzhou City.
At the same time, the 37th Infantry Division also selected some qualified militia members from the militia forces near Ganzhou City to supplement its ranks.
After the successful annihilation battle at Ganzhou, the entire Samanid Khanate's eastward-advancing cavalry force had lost two-thirds of its strength.
Such enormous casualties also severely damaged the entire Samanid Khanate.
However, the arrival of a long winter prevented the main force from taking advantage of the victory to pursue their advantage westward.
Heavy snow fell heavily outside Ganzhou City and throughout the Hexi Corridor.
The entire land became a vast, white world.
By the end of the third year of Yanning, a large number of reserve soldiers had gathered in the entire Longyou and Hexi regions.
The newly formed 39th Infantry Division, 40th Infantry Division, 12th Cavalry Division, and 13th Cavalry Division had arrived in Ganzhou City one after another by the end of the third year of Yanning.
After a brief stop in Ganzhou, they continued their journey towards Suzhou and Guazhou with a portion of the grain and supplies.
Meanwhile, as the New Year approached, the telegraph lines along the Wuyuan, Lingzhou, Qingzhou, Longyoucheng, Liangzhou, and Ganzhou line had been successfully laid.
Looking at the telegraph personnel sent by the Beijing Telegraph Bureau, Zhao Bingzhang nodded slightly.
While in the capital, Zhao Bingzhang had already witnessed the speed and convenience of the telegraph. Now that telegraph lines had been laid to Ganzhou, any news or disturbance here could be immediately relayed to the capital.
After the debugging personnel finished testing the circuit, Zhao Bingzhang also instructed the telegraph operator to send a telegram to the Privy Council in the capital.
"Everything in Ganzhou is ready; we await the western expedition in the spring. Your Majesty, please wait patiently for good news!"
Tick-tock...
Amidst a series of electronic music sounds, messages were also sent to the capital via telegraph lines.
A reply came from the capital just half an hour later.
"The telegram has been received. Proceed with the plan. Soldiers, you have worked hard. With the New Year approaching, I extend my New Year's greetings to the soldiers on the front lines. Let's make dumplings to celebrate the New Year!"
Upon seeing the contents of the telegram, Zhao Bingzhang nodded slightly.
The distance between Ganzhou and the capital is several thousand miles.
Despite the great distance, the message was delivered in just half an hour, and a reply was received. This clearly demonstrates the speed and convenience of the telegraph!
At that time, any developments regarding the western expedition will be able to be quickly relayed to the capital.
Immediately, Zhao Bingzhang instructed the telegraph office staff to continue laying telegraph lines. Even with the New Year approaching, the work did not stop.
After all, telegraph lines are very important.
Urgent military situation!
The sooner we can deploy it to the front lines in Suzhou, Guazhou, and Shazhou, the sooner we can coordinate the overall situation!
While the telegraph lines were being laid at a rapid pace, logistical supplies transported from Heluo, Hedong, Guanzhong and other places had already arrived in Ganzhou City.
The city of Ganzhou now has enough food and supplies to feed 200,000 people for three months.
Moreover, enough food and supplies to feed 200,000 people for two months were stored in Longyou City.
Despite having stockpiled so much food and supplies, various regions are still continuously transporting supplies to the Northwest.
After all, the westward expedition after the New Year and the beginning of spring was not just about 100,000 troops going west; it also included militia forces from various places going to take over the Western Regions, as well as the Northwest Reclamation Army preparing to carry out reclamation in the Western Regions!
While preparations were underway for various tasks, the fourth Spring Festival of Yanning arrived!
That year, the Spring Festival in Beijing was exceptionally lively.
The festive atmosphere was also very strong.
Even in the Northwest, where preparations were underway for a major battle, the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year was still very strong in Ganzhou City.
Large red lanterns hang on the city wall.
Although the population of Ganzhou City was small, it was unusually lively because of the presence of a large army.
With the arrival of the New Year, the cooks in each department also made dumplings.
Eat dumplings for the New Year!
All the soldiers were celebrating the arrival of the New Year.
Inside the frontline command post in Ganzhou City, Zhao Bingzhang and a middle-aged man sat facing each other. Several dishes were placed in front of them, along with a large bowl of steaming dumplings.
"Commander Han, it's been a long time!"
Zhao Bingzhang smiled and asked, "Has the journey been smooth?"
Commander Han is none other than Han Dong, the commander of the Northwest Reclamation Army who has just arrived in Ganzhou City!
After receiving the order before the New Year, Han Dong selected ordinary reclamation personnel from the Northwest Reclamation Army after the autumn harvest and sent them to Ganzhou City.
The Northwest Reclamation Army, with their families in tow and carrying large amounts of supplies and provisions, did not move very fast.
After a hurried journey, we finally arrived in Ganzhou City on the first day of the new year.
Hearing Zhao Bingzhang's words, Han Dong shook his head and said, "The march has been quite smooth. Along the way, the Northwest Reclamation Army has also left some troops to cultivate some wasteland with cultivation value. Currently, 130,000 people have arrived in Ganzhou City. At present, the Northwest Reclamation Army is still recruiting reclamation personnel. It is expected that after the spring of next year, another group of about 60,000 reclamation personnel will arrive in the Northwest."
Hearing Han Dong's words, Zhao Bingzhang nodded slightly.
The reclamation troops were also one layer in the three-tiered military system of the Great Gan State.
Although he was a reserve soldier, he was especially important because he was tasked with land reclamation!
Especially in remote, sparsely populated areas with fertile land and significant military value, land reclamation should be initiated as early as possible.
Only by thoroughly establishing the direct rule of the Great Khanate can the stability of the border regions be guaranteed.
Therefore, the Privy Council paid special attention to the development of the reclamation army.
Provincial governments were also actively recruiting settlers.
Looking at Han Dong in front of him, Zhao Bingzhang took out a telegram and said, "Commander Han, a telegram was sent from the Privy Council in Beijing a few days ago, proposing to reform the Northwest Reclamation Army."
"Director Zhao, what did His Majesty say?"
Han Dong asked.
"Commander Han,"
Zhao Bingzhang continued, “Given the vastness of the Western Regions, its abundance of fertile land, and its extremely high military value, His Majesty and the Privy Council have decided to separate the relocated Northwest Reclamation Army and establish the Western Regions Reclamation Army. The Western Regions Reclamation Army will be based on the reclamation personnel under Commander Han, and you will remain in command. Once the Western Regions are completely pacified, the reclamation personnel recruited from various regions will be given priority to join the Western Regions Reclamation Army.”
"good!"
Han Dong nodded and said, "This humble general will certainly live up to his mission and do a good job in developing the Western Regions!"
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