RPAGF Chapter 91 Forming an online army? I don't know how!
Chapter 91 Forming an online army? I don't know how!
The heart-to-heart talk between the emperor and his minister ended with Li Yan's complete defeat.
Although Liu Shan strongly protected him, his political goal of being promoted and establishing his own government within two years was shattered, and he would have to wait indefinitely afterward.
"There's something I almost forgot."
Just as Li Yan was about to leave, Liu Shan suddenly said, "In this election for the command of the 'Wudang Flying Army,' Li Feng, the son of Protector Li, achieved remarkable results, but unfortunately he missed out on first place."
Li Yan looked worried.
He only realized something was wrong after learning that Wang Ping had obtained military power over the "Wudang Flying Army".
From beginning to end, Liu Shan never intended to hand over such important military power to any faction, but rather to keep it firmly in his own hands.
Faced with this young emperor who was slowly taking back power, Li Yan began to feel afraid.
"Li Feng is still inexperienced and lacks prestige, so he cannot subdue those barbarians in the south. In my opinion, General Wang Ping is very suitable."
Now he can only follow Liu Shan's lead; he has neither the courage nor the strength to argue his case.
"You can't say that. Li Feng is still your son, isn't he?" Liu Shan said with a smile. "Li Feng graduated from the Imperial Academy and is one of my favorite students. I want to arrange for him to be Wang Ping's deputy and train the soldiers."
This was the most exciting news Li Yan had heard today.
As an elite force that the imperial court values and cultivates, the "Wudang Flying Army" offers a path to rapid advancement in one's career if one can secure an official position within it.
"On behalf of my worthless son, I thank Your Majesty."
Liu Shan said solemnly, "I value his abilities, not his family background. If he performs well, he can be sent to Jiangzhou in the future to relieve some of the pressure on Protector-General Li."
Liu Shan's arrangement put Li Yan's mind at ease once again.
This means that he has retained his military power over Yong'an and Jiangzhou.
Moreover, if Li Feng could go to Jiangzhou, it would greatly stabilize his base in eastern Yizhou.
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty," Li Yan said again, bowing deeply with tears of gratitude.
"I felt very comfortable during this conversation between the emperor and his ministers, and I believe that the two of you will play a positive role in future government affairs."
After delivering their concluding remarks, Zhuge Liang and Li Yan knew it was time for them to leave, so they rose to take their leave.
After the two left the palace, just as they were about to board their respective carriages to return to their residences, Li Yan suddenly stopped and faced Zhuge Liang.
"Prime Minister Zhuge, I owe my fate today to your words on my behalf before His Majesty; otherwise, I would have been held accountable."
Li Yan spoke sincerely, without the hostile tone he once had.
"I am merely stating the facts; it is all due to His Majesty's magnanimity," Zhuge Liang reminded him.
Now that Liu Shan has assumed personal rule, the two regents who entrusted the young emperor with the care of him are no longer in name only and must recognize their proper place.
Li Yan immediately nodded and said, "Yes, yes. Your Majesty's kindness will surely earn us the loyalty of our entire Li Yan clan."
Zhuge Liang said, "After the late emperor passed away, Yizhou finally stabilized from the turmoil. Now, His Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition, and is working hard to govern the country. As important officials of the court, it is our duty to share His Majesty's burdens."
Li Yan nodded and said, "Kongming, you are right. At present, the people's livelihood is in ruins and the army is of mixed quality. As subjects, we should shoulder the heavy responsibility."
After looking around, Zhuge Liang said in a low voice, "Zhengfang, the late emperor ordered you to oversee the army at Yong'an, and now His Majesty has appointed you to oversee Jiangzhou. Do you know why?"
Li Yan said, "Naturally, it's to resist Eastern Wu."
Zhuge Liang laughed and said, "It seems you only know one side of the story."
Li Yan's eyes widened, revealing an expectant look.
"Since losing Jingzhou, our Han Dynasty has had no way to go east. Although we are currently allied with Eastern Wu and there is no immediate danger, we must not only strengthen our defenses, but also find a way to launch an attack."
Should we fire it out?
Li Yan's eyes lit up instantly upon hearing this.
It is the kind of fighting spirit that only a seasoned veteran can exude.
"Kongming, do you mean that His Majesty ordered me to oversee the army in Jiangzhou so that one day we can retake Jingzhou and sweep across Jiangnan?"
Zhuge Liang gestured for silence, then pulled Li Yan aside and said, "It's inconvenient here, please come with me."
The two boarded their respective carriages and headed to the Prime Minister's residence.
Once seated, Li Yan eagerly asked, "Kongming, I've been thinking about this all the way here. You said His Majesty appointed me to oversee Yong'an and Jiangzhou in order to launch an attack, but the court doesn't have a navy. How are we going to fight?"
When Guan Yu was defeated and killed, he not only lost Jingzhou and the naval base in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, but also lost Shu Han's only elite navy.
Zhuge Liang smiled and said slowly, "Eastern Wu has the natural defenses of rivers and lakes. To defeat Sun Quan, we must have an elite navy."
Guan Yu previously guarded Jingzhou and oversaw its affairs, managing both military and civil matters. From shipbuilding, recruiting soldiers, training them, to commanding them, the entire naval ecosystem was under his control.
Now that he has been defeated and killed, the court cannot find another person capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility.
Li Yan now understood why Sun Quan had killed Guan Yu, who had surrendered.
Because he is so well-rounded.
He was not only good at training troops, but also at commanding large armies in battle. He was brave in battle and proficient in both land and naval warfare.
If we let them go back, it won't be long before we have another powerful navy threatening the Jingzhou region. This is tantamount to letting a tiger return to the mountains.
"But Kongming, you know I'm not good at naval warfare, let alone training a navy," Li Yan said, somewhat puzzled.
Zhuge Liang countered, "Would I?"
Then he let out a short sigh.
"The elite forces of Eastern Wu are all naval forces. If they want to retake Jingzhou and Xiangyang, they must rely on their navy."
"After the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Wei also built light boats and trained its navy in Qiao County. Now, it has deployed its main naval force in the Hefei area. The two sides are in a standoff but do not interfere with each other."
"Whether as the main force of attack or as a defensive deployment, the navy is a force that cannot be ignored. They will not ignore the importance of the navy just because you do not have it. Therefore, our great Han Dynasty must have it."
Li Yan still said incredulously, "Prime Minister, forgive my bluntness, but this... is too difficult."
Unlike infantry, building a navy is extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Leaving aside training soldiers, shipbuilding alone would be difficult to complete within two or three years given the current national strength.
Then comes the selection of soldiers, training, and drills. It takes three to five years to complete this whole process and become a fully-fledged division.
More importantly, naval forces must have experience in combat command.
Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao focused on training his navy, and his ships and soldiers were superior to those of Eastern Wu. However, once the battle began, Cao Cao was far inferior to Eastern Wu's navy.
After a long silence, Zhuge Liang said, "I know it will be difficult, but we must persevere no matter how difficult it is. Jiangzhou, as the capital of Ba Commandery, is located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. It is a military stronghold and has always been a key location for naval garrison and training. This is the last trump card that Heaven has left us."
Li Yan saw perseverance and resilience in his eyes.
If a civil official can behave this way, how can I, as a military general, be content with such a situation?
"Kongming, just tell me, what do you want me to do?"
Zhuge Liang was overjoyed upon hearing this and bowed with his hands clasped.
"Since the general has made this decision, I thank you in advance."
Li Yan said solemnly, "The late emperor ordered me to assist Your Majesty, and I will do my utmost."
Zhuge Liang said, "General, please let me explain. Building a navy is not something that can be done overnight. At present, the country's strength is insufficient, so this matter must be planned slowly."
"How should we proceed gradually?" Li Yan asked.
"The general should first establish military farms and train troops in Yong'an and Jiangzhou, build defensive fortifications, and recruit craftsmen to make preparations."
"Liang then established a naval training class at the Imperial Academy in Chengdu, responsible for recruiting soldiers and training them in Fucheng, cultivating a group of generals and officers skilled in naval warfare."
"When the time is right, we will begin building warships, and then send these officers to Jiangzhou to recruit soldiers and build a navy. Then the great cause can be accomplished."
Although Zhuge Liang's words were simple, Li Yan knew that he was cautious and serious and must have prepared a detailed plan for building a naval force, so he readily agreed.
"In that case, I can prepare once I return. However..."
Li Yan still had a question in his mind.
"Kongming, are there any people in the court who know how to train a navy?"
Apart from Guan Yu and Guan Ping, there were no dedicated naval commanders in the Shu Han court.
Zhuge Liang, however, remained confident and said, "Does Cao Wei have such people? They just take things one step at a time. I have already identified several people who are capable of undertaking this important task."
Li Yan hurriedly asked, "Who is it?"
Zhuge Liang knew them all like the back of his hand.
"General Wu Ban of the Rear".
"General Zhao Yun, who conquered the south."
"Prefect of Yidu, Liao Hua."
"Former Imperial Guard Chen Shi".
"These four men will be the pillars of the Han navy."