Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 945: Chapter 671: War Machine

Chongshan Town, South Route, Dingliao Guard.

The Assistant General of South Route Dingliao Guard is Cui Chengwu, who was chosen by Qin He as his successor, but he is also a close confidant of Yang Chengye.

Cui Chengwu is Qin He’s son-in-law. When Qin He was still serving as the Assistant General of South Route Dingliao Guard, he was delegated to Yang Chengye’s command.

Yang Chengye has been stationed in Chongshan Town for over twenty years, and Cui Chengwu has been by his side for more than ten years. It was only after Qin He aged and retired to return home that Cui Chengwu was appointed as the Assistant General of Dingliao Guard by Yang Chengye.

In Chongshan Town, from various Assistant Generals to mid-to-high-level Military Officers, they all seem to be a network of connections, each with ties to the Yang family or with distinguished identity and background.

This seems to be an unfair display, but in reality, it is a very fair outcome.

Martial Artist heritage is inherently a sect and family heritage, and in the military, family heritage is above sect heritage.

There are indeed cases where civilian Martial Artists rise up, but compared to those with family heritage, it’s extremely difficult for ordinary people to make a name for themselves through martial arts.

Martial Artists compete on resources. Without any foundation, it’s impossible to stand out.

Take the Yang family, for instance. If Yang Zhenshan didn’t have the Spiritual Spring Space, the Yang family wouldn’t have been able to rise, even if Yang Zhenshan is a transmigrator, he couldn’t have managed it.

Likewise, it’s difficult for a Martial Artist from a lower background to achieve significant success. Take Yang Zhengxiang, for instance, he is a Martial Artist, but all his life, he remained at the bottom.

Is Yang Zhengxiang’s talent very low?

Not necessarily.

Is Yang Mingwu’s talent very high?

That’s also not certain.

The difference between them lies in resources and opportunities.

Yang Zhengxiang was unlucky. By the time Yang Zhenshan transmigrated, he was already old, so in his lifetime, he never became a Postnatal Martial Artist.

Yang Mingwu was fortunate. He was still young then, and Yang Zhenshan provided him with plenty of Spiritual Spring Water, so he possessed more possibilities.

Ultimately, it all boils down to resources.

The same logic applies to others as well.

The Dingliao Guard of South Route in Chongshan Town passed from Ji He to Qin He, and then from Qin He to Cui Chengwu.

Qin He was a trusted aide of Ji He and could also be considered Ji He’s disciple, while Cui Chengwu is Qin He’s son-in-law.

This represents a legacy of close relations, signifying not just a transfer of office but of resources.

Of course, beyond resource inheritance, there are personal choices.

Back then, Ji He helped Yang Zhenshan manage the South Route Dingliao Guard, and considering his severe injury, Yang Zhenshan supported Qin He to succeed as the Assistant General of Dingliao Guard.

Similarly, Qin He had Cui Chengwu follow Yang Chengye, thus allowing Yang Chengye to eventually appoint Cui Chengwu.

If Cui Chengwu hadn’t followed Yang Chengye, it’s likely that Yang Chengye wouldn’t have chosen him as the successor.

For doing so might cause Yang Chengye to lose control over the South Route Dingliao Guard.

Resources are important, but personal choice is also crucial.

After receiving the command, Cui Chengwu began to assemble the officers for discussions but first sent someone to the Songzhou Guard to inquire if there were any instructions from Luo Feiyu.

This time, he had to act together with Luo Feiyu. Although both are Assistant Generals, he must defer to Luo Feiyu.

There was no choice; Luo Feiyu is not only senior in rank but also has cultivation as an Innate Martial Artist.

After discussing expedition matters with various subordinate officers, Cui Chengwu immediately rode out of the city and entered the camp of the Rescue Camp.

For years, Chongshan Town’s military hasn’t expanded, maintaining its former scale, that is, each Camp Soldier battalion consists of six thousand soldiers, and each Rescue Camp has seven thousand five hundred soldiers.

Additionally, each Assistant General commands four to eight garrison camps, each with one thousand Camp Soldiers.

Besides these Camp Soldiers, the garrison soldiers of Chongshan Town have not been neglected, maintaining an annual one-month training. While garrison soldiers certainly aren’t up to par with Camp Soldiers, they do possess some combat capability.

Even if Chongshan Town mobilizes all the Camp Soldiers, garrison soldiers can immediately replace them to fulfill defense duties.

The South Route Dingliao Guard Rescue Camp has seven thousand five hundred soldiers, including three thousand Cavalry and four thousand five hundred Infantry, but no heavy infantry or Iron Armor Heavy Cavalry.

It’s not that the Assistant General Mansion cannot afford heavy armor; it’s simply unnecessary.

The power of ironclads on the battlefield is unquestionable, but their cost-effectiveness is low and the logistics burden enormous once deployed.

Thus, at present, only the Camp has fully organized heavy infantry and heavy cavalry units.

“Give the order, gather the troops!”

Upon arriving at the Rescue Camp, Cui Chengwu immediately ordered the drum to be struck to gather the troops.

With the thunderous drumbeat, the spacious training ground soon filled with squads of armored and armed soldiers, their menacing presence occupying the entire sky and earth.

Standing on the high platform, Cui Chengwu gazed at the soldiers below but furrowed his brows.

It’s been twenty years!

Since Yang Zhenshan led Chongshan Town’s Camp Soldiers on a long-range raid on Yemi City, Chongshan Town hasn’t participated in any large-scale warfare.

Moreover, during the war twenty years ago, the South Route Dingliao Guard Rescue Camp didn’t participate either.

This means the soldiers under Cui Chengwu’s command haven’t engaged in warfare for over twenty years.

Twenty years is long enough for an entire generation of soldiers to change.

The seventy-five hundred soldiers before him have almost no experience in large-scale warfare.

They appear well-trained, appearing with a daunting aura, but Cui Chengwu knows very well that they lack a certain fierceness.

They are elite soldiers but not battle-hardened veterans.

But there’s no helping it. Without going into battle, without experiencing the trials of blood and fire, an army cannot become truly formidable.