After the start of spring in the sixth year of Yanning, the Privy Council's recruitment plan for soldiers was already in full swing.
On the vast grasslands, the formation of cavalry divisions has accelerated. The goal of forty cavalry divisions is still a long way off.
However, nowadays, cavalry divisions from various military regions have begun to assemble in the vicinity of Yunyan City.
This gathering naturally has an important task for them to carry out.
In the Wuying Hall of the capital city.
The Privy Council's highest military conference is currently being held.
"Gentlemen,"
Looking at the assembled generals, Li Xin said, "As the saying goes, war is the fastest way for new recruits to grow. If there is no war, the army will become complacent and demoralized, which cannot continue. Especially our troops in the north of the Great Gan Kingdom, which have not fought for some time. After such a long period of stability, it is time for us to get moving again! It is time to start expanding our territory!"
Upon hearing Li Xin's words, the assembled generals were somewhat surprised, exchanged glances, and were subtly excited.
In the past, they would have refused to oppose these years of continuous warfare, as it was too costly and exhausting for the people.
However, nowadays, large-scale military campaigns have not been too costly or wasteful of resources.
Every year, the military expenditure allocated to the Privy Council by the Imperial Cabinet is a fixed amount from a fixed source. The Privy Council does not embezzle or misappropriate other expenditures of the Imperial Cabinet.
The prisoners of war and the spoils of war were another important source of military funding for the Privy Council.
Therefore, the Privy Council was quite willing to engage in military campaigns.
Now that His Majesty has spoken of continuing to expand the territory, I am naturally very pleased.
For a time, the generals were all speculating about which faction His Majesty would target.
"Does Your Majesty intend to march west?"
Zhao Bingzhang, director of the General Political Department, frowned slightly, stroked his beard, and asked.
"Westward?"
In an instant, all the generals turned their attention to Li Xin, eager to know whether Zhao Bingzhang's guess was correct.
"Yes!"
Li Xin nodded and said, "That's exactly what we're going to do—head west!"
"For the past few years, and even for the past decades or centuries, the grasslands have been the greatest threat to our Great Gan Kingdom. Although we have successively pacified the grasslands and the Western Regions during this period, the nomadic forces on the grasslands are still very powerful. To the west of the grasslands, there are also forces such as the Golden Horde and the Black Horde, which have also taken in some of the defeated soldiers from the grassland bandits and the Samanid Khanate. If we allow them to continue to grow stronger, they will surely become another threat to our Great Gan Kingdom in the long run!"
"We are currently expanding our cavalry divisions, and combat is the best way for newly recruited cavalry divisions to grow! Now that we are equipped with Yan Ning standard equipment, let's take on the Golden Horde and the Black Horde, and let our Da Gan Army cavalry division grow rapidly in the baptism of blood and fire, becoming a powerful cavalry force that can roam the grasslands!"
Li Xin chose to advance westward because the forces on the grasslands were relatively weak at the moment. This made them a good training ground for the new recruits of the Da Gan Army's cavalry division.
Moreover, the vast permafrost forests north of the grasslands contain extremely rich resources beneath the soil.
Li Xin was very clear about this.
Especially now that the steam engine technology in the Great Gan Kingdom has become very advanced and is getting better and better, Li Xin naturally wants to make plans for the next generation of power equipment as early as possible.
Therefore, the oil and gas resources hidden beneath the vast permafrost in the northern grasslands should be stockpiled as early as possible!
The vast northern regions are sparsely populated.
Even the existence of the Golden Horde and the Black Horde was not worth mentioning.
However, the vast northern region is too large to manage, so it's better to acquire it sooner and begin planning. This way, once the new power equipment is online, it can be put into production sooner.
In addition, another crucial reason for Li Xin's westward advance was that telegraph lines had already been laid to various parts of the Western Regions. Furthermore, railway lines were under construction, including branch lines to the grasslands, which greatly facilitated the transport of logistical supplies.
The army marched westward, eventually stationing troops in the Western Regions.
In this way, the development of the Western Regions can be supported as soon as possible. The Western Regions Garrison Army can also grow stronger quickly as a result.
"Your Majesty is wise!"
Zhao Bingzhang and the others immediately understood what Li Xin was thinking and quickly agreed.
Immediately, Li Xin, Zhao Bingzhang, Zhang Jingzhi, and others began to discuss the deployment of the westward-bound army.
Since the purpose was to train cavalry units, the focus was naturally on cavalry units.
Currently, there are fifteen cavalry divisions in the various military regions of the Great Gan Kingdom. Li Xin decided to select four cavalry divisions from the Northern Military Region, along with the ten newly formed cavalry divisions, to serve as the vanguard.
Fourteen cavalry divisions, totaling 140,000 to 150,000 men!
The army assembled on the grasslands and chose a day to march west to conquer the Golden Horde and the Black Horde!
The next morning, the morning court session began.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
The officials quickly bowed.
"My beloved subjects, rise!"
Li Xin beckoned to the assembled civil and military officials in the hall and, without hesitation, announced: "Since the defeat of the steppe bandits and the Samanid Khanate, the Golden Horde and the Black Horde in the far west of the Western Regions have been harboring enemy invaders, harassing our borders, and defying the rule of the emperor. Their crimes are heinous! I have decided to launch a military campaign immediately to quell the border troubles!"
Upon hearing Li Xin's words, Grand Secretary Yu Maocai, Vice Grand Secretary Liu Jingxuan, and others widened their eyes.
They glanced at each other but didn't say anything more.
After all, the matter of the army's expedition is no longer of much concern to the cabinet.
Matters such as raising military funds, procuring provisions, and logistics supplies do not need to be handled by the cabinet.
Perhaps the only thing that would require their assistance is that after the war is over and the new territory is occupied, the cabinet would need to transfer grassroots administrative personnel to take over the territory.
Therefore, although Yu Maocai, Liu Jingxuan and others were somewhat shocked, they didn't think much of it.
"My esteemed ministers,"
Looking at the assembled officials, Li Xin continued, "I have instructed the Privy Council to make preparations for war. My dear ministers, you must remain steadfast in your duties!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The civil and military officials quickly responded.
Such early morning court sessions had nothing else to do but announce the decision to advance westward as a military operation.
After the morning court session ended, the Privy Council began to get busy.
However, on the grasslands, the fourteen cavalry divisions were already prepared. The day before, as the Privy Council made its decision, these fourteen cavalry divisions, numbering over ten thousand men, had already set off westward along the grasslands, embarking on their journey!
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