In fact, this was not the emperor's original idea, but was borrowed from a certain country.
The army had merchants following them, and the captured items could be converted into money. The soldiers were happy, and the merchants also made money, which was the best of both worlds.
Of course, the specific matters still need to be discussed in detail before they can be implemented, but the emperor affirmed and approved of such an approach.
As for food and wages, they are equivalent to the basic salary of soldiers. Of course, they will not be invalidated or deducted due to the introduction of this new policy.
Xiong Tingbi finally understood that the emperor was not trying to save money on military pay, but to give the soldiers more money. In this case, the court seemed to have to invest more.
After a pause, Xiong Tingbi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I think we can try this out first in the southwest. There are rewards from the imperial court after victory in Liaodong and the northwest, so there's no need to rush into it. I'm worried that if we encourage them too much, border generals might provoke conflicts."
The emperor thought for a moment and nodded, "Lord Xiong, your consideration is thorough. I fully agree with you."
As he spoke, the emperor stood up and called Xiong Tingbi to a side hall, where he explained the latest deployment of the army in Yunnan and put up flags on the sand table.
Yunnan's military strength now was no less than when the She'an rebels were suppressed. Key areas like Kunming, Yongchang, and Chuxiong were heavily garrisoned, completely suppressing the Tusi.
The frontline base for the campaign against Burma was located in Tengchong, where there were already 5,000 Ming troops. By the time the operation officially began, this main attack force would number 15,000, with additional troops from various local chieftains, totaling over 30,000.
The other flank attack force was called the right wing, with 5,000 Ming troops and more than 10,000 local soldiers. They would enter Myanmar from Gengma and form a pincer attack with the main attack force.
The army has a strong military force, although the combat effectiveness of the local soldiers is slightly weaker; it is well-equipped, with more than 300 large and small artillery pieces.
If we are going to fight, we must do it with all our might, like a tiger attacking a rabbit, and not give Myanmar any chance.
"Myanmar is weak, and the Mang clan is no longer as formidable as they once were. Our army should have no problem winning," Xiong Tingbi explained to the emperor as he planted flags and set up markers. "The main attacking force's mission is to enter Burma through Tongtie Pass and strive to defeat the main force of the Burmese army."
After a pause, Xiong Tingbi continued, "The right-wing army will enter Burma from Gengma three days later than the main force. This will allow them to monitor the Laotian Xuanwei Envoy and also prevent the Burmese army from making mistakes in their initial assessment..."
The Laotian Xuanwei Mission, the Kingdom of Eight Hundred Wife... were once vassal states of the Ming Empire. Myanmar has not yet had time to implement the system of native tribes and is only temporarily dependent on Myanmar.
Therefore, the possibility of daring to take the initiative and fight the Ming army was very small. Moreover, the Ming army on the right wing was holding them back and posed no threat to the main attacking force.
But the emperor did not intend to let these wavering vassal states go.
Moreover, when the Yunnan chieftains sent troops to help in the war, shouldn’t they be given benefits? Whether it’s money or land, these fence-sitters must pay a price, or even be defeated.
The Burmese army may have had an advantage in numbers, but it was far behind in terms of weaponry and equipment. Moreover, due to a long period of inactivity, its combat effectiveness was even inferior to that of the Ming army.
"I heard there are many pagodas in Myanmar, and they are all covered with gold." Xiong Tingbi glanced at the emperor secretly and said, "The Burmese royal family is even richer. If we can capture Ava, the spoils will be even richer."
The emperor laughed, nodded repeatedly, and said, "If the investment is greater than the return, it would be a waste of military power and a waste of money and manpower. I will not do it."
After a pause, the emperor continued, "The Mang clan is immoral and indulges in extravagance. The Ming army is raising an army to suppress them and save the Burmese from danger."
Xiong Tingbi nodded vigorously and agreed repeatedly.
There must be a reason to start a war. The Celestial Empire's fight against the unjust and foolish king is indeed a very grand reason.
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