Chapter 38: Grasping the Gun Barrel

In the early years of the Great Yan Dynasty, the military adopted the Garrison System (Weisuo). In the later years, due to the low status of military households—who had essentially become slaves to military officers—the system led to mass desertions and the decay of state-run farms, ultimately causing the collapse of the Garrison System.

Today, the Volunteer Recruitment System has become the main military structure of the Great Yan Dynasty, such as the Guan Family Army in the North, the Yu Family Army along the coast, and the Song Family Army in the South. Beyond these, there are also various standing armies in the Jiangnan region and frontier armies garrisoned along the Nine Borders.

After carefully studying the organizational structure of the Great Yan military, An Xin concluded that its organizational capacity was weak and its command efficiency low. For the three hundred archers he was forming, he drew reference from the military organization system in the "New Treatise on Military Efficiency" by the historical Qi Jiguang: twelve men to a squad, four squads to a platoon, two platoons to a company, and four companies to a battalion.

First, this serves operational needs. When facing small groups of enemies like bandits, the "squad" and "platoon" units can handle combat requirements; when large-scale operations are needed, they can be quickly assembled into "battalions" and "companies" to form a collective force.

Second, it improves command efficiency. Compared to the long and cumbersome chain of command in the Garrison System—which includes flag chiefs, total flag chiefs, centurions, chiliarchs, and garrisons—this system reduces command levels and alleviates the current shortage of grassroots officers in the archer battalion.

Third, it is suitable for military formations. The archer battalion's current training focuses on the "Mandarin Duck Formation" and the "Three Talents Formation," both of which were adapted from the "New Treatise on Military Efficiency" into his own "Essentials of Drill."

However, this military structure is not immutable. It is a system where technology dictates the organization. Once the equipment of firearms increases, he will adapt to local conditions and use a mixed formation. For example, a firearms battalion could be organized into "three squads per platoon, three platoons per company, and three companies per battalion," which would better suit "three-rank volley fire."

Through such mutual coordination and rigorous training, he hopes to forge a more formidable combat capability, better aligning with the phased development needs of the archer battalion.

Under the scorching gazes of the soldiers, An Xin, dressed in his official robes, stepped onto the reviewing platform. He scanned the archers from left to right, from front to back, carefully observing their spirit and demeanor.

Not bad.

There was no slickness in their eyes, nor the numbness typical of forced laborers. He knew this was the result of "watering" them with silver.

"Lads, you are glorious," An Xin said loudly.

Possessing great lung capacity, he used abdominal resonance to ensure his voice rang out clearly across the wide parade ground.

"You have gathered here to suppress bandits, to protect your families, to protect the folks of Wuren County, and to ensure the peace of Wuren County..."

Because most of the archers came from places like Mengji Township and Zhaodian Township, which had suffered at the hands of bandits, An Xin’s words resonated deeply. Many flushed red; some trembled with rage, perhaps recalling the past atrocities of the bandits. An Xin observed a young, tall, yet thin boy in the front row who could not help but sob.

"The hearts of the people can be used," An Xin thought to himself.

As long as this group was guided and trained well, they would become a force loyal to him. Holding such a force in his hands meant his power in Wuren County would be strengthened, his foundation secured, and he would no longer feel so constrained in his actions.

"To serve as a soldier for a meal is only natural. I am the magistrate of Wuren County, and from today on, I am also your leader. I provide you with pay and food; in return, you shall kill bandits and protect our homes for me and for the people of Wuren County!"

Come, distribute the pay!

Knowing that too much is as bad as too little, An Xin let the bailiffs open the boxes placed beside the platform after his brief speech. As they opened, a dazzling silver light shone, reflecting brightly in the eyes of the archers. They had not expected that, having just received three taels of settlement silver, they would receive another two taels on the very first day of training.

Although the military discipline was strict, they could actually eat their fill, and even eat meat. Not only that, they were actually receiving silver! If they could serve for half a year, the total, including the settlement silver, would be enough to buy five acres of land!

Their gazes turned fanatical. Moreover, that the County Magistrate considered himself their leader made them feel immensely honored.

An Xin’s visit had provided them with the noble cause of defending their homes, tangible pay, the honor of being the magistrate's battalion soldiers, and the aroma of meat drifting through the air—a luxury usually reserved for the New Year. With a title, money, honor, and provisions, these soldiers immediately felt a strong sense of belonging to this crude military camp.

"Each company and platoon commander, lead your squads forward to receive your pay in order!" Wei Shuye shouted. His voice was like a booming bell, easily carrying across the entire parade ground.

These new recruits had stood reasonably well just moments before, but as soon as they began to move, they instantly appeared scattered. They were far behind even the students of a school military drill!

An Xin remained throughout the entire payment process, watching the soldiers collect their silver. Once finished, following Wei Shuye’s command of "Time to eat," the archers cheered "The Magistrate is wise" and "Honorable Magistrate," swarming toward their meals under the guidance of the three company commanders.

"Since you arrived, Master, the spirit and demeanor of the soldiers have completely changed," Wei Shuye said, standing beside An Xin with admiration. Having fought in the frontier armies, his eyes were sharp. After just a few words from the Magistrate, he could clearly see the difference in the soldiers' faces and eyes. He had served for many years and had never seen anything like this. Even when the famous commanders of the Guan Family Army gave speeches, he had never witnessed such an effect.

"Training soldiers is not just about the form, but also about the spirit," An Xin looked at Wei Shuye and Hu Changshan. "An army that understands the purpose of fighting, that has the conviction of 'why we fight' and 'for whom we fight,' can truly exert its full strength and fight to the death without retreating when facing the enemy. This is a military soul that transcends regulations and systems."

Although he had not studied military classics in depth before, he had read the works of great leaders and the Art of War. Recently, without the distraction of electronic devices, he had often ruminated on them, and the more he thought, the more he understood their essence.

"Let's go eat as well. Changshan, get me a serving."

An Xin called Wei Shuye, Wan Zewen, and Hu Changshan to sit on a few benches under the eaves, sheltered from the sun.

Wei Shuye was still pondering what An Xin had said. He knew that "serving as a soldier for a meal" was an honest truth; as long as an army was fully staffed, well-paid, and rigorously trained, it would be a mighty force capable of conquering and winning battles. But this so-called "military soul" was worth his serious consideration.

"Shuye, although you were a retainer for Master Qin, you are now serving under me. While the archer battalion does not have formal ranks, the training of these three hundred men is vital to the development of Wuren County. I hope you can use your true skills to forge them into an elite force that can be called upon at any time, fight whenever they arrive, and win whenever they fight," An Xin urged.

"Master’s strategy is profound and every word is a gem. Being under your command is a great opportunity for me," Wei Shuye said, feeling immense admiration as he thought of the contents of the *Essentials of Drill*. "My plan is this: for the first seven days, I will follow the military manuals, focusing on basic drills such as standing posture, marching, and martial arts stances to cultivate their obedience and discipline. These days will also allow the military regulations to be subtly instilled into their minds, while also letting them build up their physical health. Afterward, we will begin physical conditioning, formation drills, combat training, and firearms training..."

An Xin listened carefully, occasionally asking detailed questions and providing suggestions, working with Wei Shuye to refine the training plan. With the intensity of this plan, the amount of food these three hundred men needed to eat daily was a massive figure. Added to the needs for craftsmen and materials, although An Xin had extorted a significant amount of silver from the local gentry and wealthy merchants under the guise of bandit suppression, his heart still ached to see the money on the books flowing away like water.

"While the soldiers are resting, find a few who are eloquent and whose families have been bullied by bandits to go up and speak," An Xin said to Hu Changshan after their meal.

"Yes," Hu Changshan replied and left to carry out the order.

"This is..." Wei Shuye was puzzled by An Xin’s arrangement.

"The Master is cultivating their shared hatred and unity of purpose," Wan Zewen said, having understood the intention.

Wei Shuye thought about it further, finally grasped the meaning, and could not help but clap his hands in praise: "Brilliant!"

...

As suggested by fellow readers, the military organization in this chapter has been revised from a purely modern structure to the military organization of the Qi Family Army. At the same time, the possibility of tactical reforms and the use of mixed formations in the future has been retained, along with the direction of improvement toward the "Three-Three System." Thank you all! (June 16, 2025)