sjar Chapter 453: Prepare for battle and be ready for war at any moment!
Chapter 453: Prepare for battle and be ready for war at any moment!
Realizing the seriousness of the problem, all the civil officials except Chen Gui were horrified.
How should we fight this battle when the disparity in military strength is so huge?
At present, Goryeo is not stable and still needs to be stationed. The major production and construction corps are building cities and also need to maintain public order.
The ministers were not sure how many troops the Fengtian Army could mobilize.
But everyone knew the approximate strength of the troops. If we excluded the barbarian soldiers, the Fengtian Army actually composed of Qing people was probably no more than 100,000.
If the Khitans were to suffer such a catastrophe, all their people would be mobilized as soldiers. At that time, the Feng Kingdom would not only face hundreds of thousands of barbarian coalition forces, but also millions of brave herdsmen who grew up on horseback!
"Your Highness, how do you plan to defend yourself against the enemy?" Tao Qian stroked his beard and asked calmly, "Do you want to ask His Majesty for help?"
Li Che remained silent, his mind working rapidly.
He is not a careless person. At such a life-threatening moment, he would ask for help if necessary. There is nothing to be ashamed of, and there is no need to hesitate.
Therefore, asking Emperor Qing for help and having the Yan army or Xue Zhen send troops to help was indeed part of his plan.
But they can only serve as reinforcements and backup forces, and the real tough battles still have to be fought by the Fengtian Army itself.
At this moment, a civil official walked out of the queue and bowed seriously.
"Your Highness, I have something to say." Although this man was thin, he was full of energy and his voice was like a bell.
Li Che looked down and saw that it was Zhang Fan, the Imperial Doctor.
"What do you have to say?"
"I beg you to go as an envoy!" Zhang Fan said calmly, "Since the Khitan can send envoys to win over the various ethnic groups, I, Fengguo, can do the same."
"I am willing to go on a diplomatic mission on behalf of Your Highness to persuade the various Mohe tribes to join our camp. I hope Your Highness will agree!"
Li Che's face was solemn. "This is a different time. Last year, when Mr. Zhang was sent as an envoy to Goryeo, the enemy was weak and we were strong. You were still able to use the might of your army to remain invincible."
"And now, the enemy is strong and we are weak. If you were to send envoys to the various tribes... the Mohe people are uneducated and don't follow the king's way. I'm afraid your lives are in danger!"
Hearing the words "life in danger", Zhang Fan was not afraid at all, but his eyes became brighter.
"This is the duty of an envoy. How dare I think of living a life of luxury?" Zhang Fan bowed again, "In exchange for my life, I can win the surrender of 100,000 Mohe troops. It's worth it!"
Li Che was slightly startled, and everyone was in awe.
It is said that envoys are not afraid of death, but those envoys who are not afraid of death also have a great chance of winning because they have powerful support behind them.
Even though the chances of winning are slim now, Zhang Fan is still determined to go on the mission. He is so brave and fearless, he is truly a loyal and brave man!
"Your Highness!" Zhang Fan looked up at Li Che and bowed deeply again. "Your Highness, please consider the overall situation and send an envoy!"
Li Che sighed, forced away the reluctance in his heart, and said, "Okay."
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Zhang Fan showed a happy expression, without any fear on his face.
Zhang Fan's fearless attitude greatly boosted the morale of the civil and military officials, and everyone gradually broke free from their fear.
Chen Gui was the first to step forward: "The Gunpowder Department is working tirelessly to ensure sufficient gunpowder is available for the army before the Khitans march south!"
Huan Haoran, the head of the Ministry of Revenue, followed closely behind him. "Your Highness, don't worry about food and wages. The grain reserves in the Ministry of Revenue will last for a while. I will gather the men today and send a caravan through the pass tomorrow to collect food and fodder."
Wang Chongjian, the director of the Ministry of Works, also stepped forward and said, "Forty thousand craftsmen and civilians registered with the Ministry of Works can all go with the army."
He Conglong said, "The Chaoyang Army has 30,000 new soldiers who have completed their training. They are willing to follow Your Highness to fight the enemy and fight bloody battles!"
With Zhang Fan taking the lead, the initial fear gradually dissipated, and the court officials suddenly felt ashamed of their cowardice.
If you want to erase shame, you must fight it with anger.
In an instant, the atmosphere in the court changed from intense fear to extreme excitement.
A number of court officials came out one after another, their desire for battle became stronger and stronger, and heroic words were heard everywhere.
Li Lin, who was watching from the side, saw this scene and his mind went blank.
Who are these people?
There are hundreds of thousands, or even millions of barbarians. It is no exaggeration to say that it is a catastrophic disaster!
It would be fine if you weren't afraid, but why are you getting more and more excited the more you talk?
Li Che had a smile on his face, and he felt that his thoughts were clear and there was no more hesitation in his heart.
Without further hesitation, he cleared his throat and began issuing orders rapidly: "Hua Chang'an!"
"The minister is here."
"I leave the matter of the beast plague to you. First, strictly prevent the Feng Kingdom's livestock from contracting the plague. Second, be prepared for the plague to spread to humans."
"I will do my utmost to prevent the plague from entering Fengguo!"
Li Che nodded slightly and looked at the next person: "Zhuge Zhe!"
"The minister is here."
"Logistics is now your responsibility. Reassure the people and prevent them from panicking. Raise food and military supplies, gather laborers and craftsmen, and prepare for war."
"I will do my utmost to fulfill your highness' trust!"
"Wang Xi!"
Wang Xi, the head of the Ministry of Rites, stepped forward and said, "I am here."
"I have two tasks for you. First, write a letter to the imperial capital to explain the situation to His Majesty and request reinforcements. Second, the Ministry of Rites will arrange for the deputy envoy, ceremonial guards, and other personnel required for Zhang Fan's mission."
"I understand."
"Jia Miao!"
"The minister is here."
......
Li Che had a clear mind and arranged each task step by step.
The war is imminent, and all six ministries have things to do, but the Feng State court must continue to operate normally.
Only by keeping everyone busy can everyone stop having random thoughts and becoming afraid of fighting.
After giving instructions to all departments in the court, Li Che finally turned his attention to the military generals.
The generals were already rubbing their hands in preparation, their eyes gleaming, just waiting for the order from His Highness.
Li Che smiled slightly and looked at He Conglong in front of him:
"He Conglong!"
"The general is here!"
"Propagate my king's order. All Ninggu, Chaoyang, Protectorate, Armored Cavalry, Shenji, and Dongfeng Brigade...are to cancel all leave effective immediately. All officers and soldiers must return to camp."
"Order all barbarian generals to return to their respective units. The Chaoyang New Army will be assigned to each army from today!"
"All political commissars of the Military Supervision Department must do a good job in ideological work and eliminate any fear of fighting among the troops!"
"Now, be prepared for battle, prepare your horses and troops, and follow me north to capture that old dog Yelu Dahe alive!"
boom--
The generals beat their chests with their hands and roared: "We are willing to die for Your Highness! We are willing to die for Your Highness!"
Li Che's face showed a cold expression, and a hint of coldness appeared at the corner of his mouth. He looked at the civil and military officials and said sternly:
"Everyone, please follow my orders. This battle is a matter of life and death for our Feng country! That old dog Yelu wants to chew on me, Li Che, like a bone? He doesn't even consider whether his teeth are strong enough!"
"I will personally lead this battle. Once I capture Yelu Dahe's head, I will come and congratulate you all!"