The number of steel bars, in fact, is very small, and it is mainly used to build forts. First, the steel of the white-clothed army is already very tight, and it is basically impossible to meet the needs in other aspects except for military use. Second, those craftsmen basically did not know how to use steel bars to build various buildings in later generations. They were all accustomed to stone construction. Arches or something, it's not difficult. At that time, the stone arch bridge, as long as it was not cut corners, was of good quality, and could be used for hundreds of years. For example, Zhaozhou Bridge or something.

The design of Zhenyuanguan has only one city gate. Behind the city gates, there is also the so-called urn city. The urn city is actually a space with walls on all sides. What is the role of the urn city? Even if the enemy breaks through the city gate with a battering ram or something, it still can't directly enter the city. Instead, they will be behind the main gates, under fire from weapons from all directions. If you are caught off guard, in a very short period of time, you may be killed.

In the era when there were no firearms, the enemies who entered the urn city were mainly subjected to the fire of arrows. After the introduction of muskets, arrowheads were gradually replaced by muskets. For the white-clothed army, the better weapon to use in the urn city is actually an explosive bag. Dozens of explosives were dropped, bombed indiscriminately, and many enemies were reduced to powder.

However, with the gradual popularization of firearms, the main role of the urn city is gradually being lost. If the attacker uses a weapon such as a cannon, it will shatter the outer city wall and the urn city. In the face of powerful cannons, the Urn City is also vulnerable. At that time, Xiangyang City also had a complete design of the urn city, but it did not last long under the bombardment of the Mongols' return artillery. It can be seen that the equipment and facilities are secondary. People are the most important thing.

In ancient times, it was quite difficult to build a pass fortress. Fortunately, the emergence of pulley sets has greatly enhanced the work efficiency. At that time, the biggest difficulty in construction was how to carry large pieces of stone, or strips of stone, to a high place. In general, it is to build scaffolding, or to pile up inclined platforms, which is half the effort. With the pulleys, all of this is easy.

The most optimistic estimate is that by March, Zhenyuanguan will be able to form a basic prototype. In half a year, it can be basically completed. In other words, if the Tartar cavalry continued to move south from here half a year later, they would no longer encounter a temporary barracks for the white-clothed army, but a strong pass. For the nomadic cavalry, who lacked the ability to attack fortifications, a strong pass was simply their nightmare.

However, Xu Xingxia estimated that after the completion of the fortifications at Zhenyuan Pass, there would probably be no Tartar cavalry going south from Zhenyuan Pass. Unless they're brain-dead and want to find abuse from here. If they still want to enter Ningxia Town, the only option is to take a detour. Or, enter from the south of Ningxia Town, and take the roads such as Jinguan and Wanhudui. Or, enter from Helan Mountain, and take the roads such as Da Bangkou, Suweikou, and Chimukou. And no matter which road you take, it is obviously not as convenient and fast as Zhenyuan Pass. In other words, in the future, if the Tatar cavalry wanted to attack Ningxia Town, the difficulty would be greatly increased.

In fact, without the threat of Zhenyuanguan, the area around the Black Mountain camp is already very safe. The places of Da Bangkou, Suweikou and Chimukou are all canyons in the middle of Helan Mountain, which are easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the white-clothed army can completely block them as long as they send part of their troops. For example, in Suweikou and the like, as long as a small team of white-clothed troops, a hundred or dozens of people, can completely block thousands of Tartar cavalry from the outside.

From a strategic point of view, the next six months will be very critical for the White Army. As long as the fortifications of Zhenyuan Pass are successfully completed, the main force of the white-clothed army will be able to free up their hands and use them in other directions, or even plan an active attack on the Tartar tribe. In half a year, the white-coated army will change from strategic passivity to strategic initiative. This is a fundamental change in surname.

Xu Xingxia, who traveled through the arrival of later generations, has a much deeper understanding of history than others. The experience summed up by later historians can be easily applied to practice. Countless historical facts have proved that in troubled times, if you want to divide one side, or settle the world, you must have a place to settle down. In the words of later generations, it means having a strong base. If not, it will end badly.

Why did Chen Sheng, Wu Guang, Zhang Jiao, Huang Chao, Li Zicheng, Hong Xiuquan and others in history fail? A big reason is that they didn't do a good job of their own place of life. The territory they occupy may be very large, and the population they control may be very large, but there are not many people who can really use it. Resources must be transformed into combat effectiveness. If the resources cannot be utilized, then what is the use of controlling more resources?

Based on this understanding, Xu Xingxia has taken very strict control measures for his one-third of an acre. He further strengthened the control of the guard. The Ming Dynasty's guard system was originally very controllable. The army, if the control ability is not strong, how can it go to the battlefield? How to fight? The commander of the guard controls 1,000 households, 1,000 deputy households, 1,000 households control 100 households and the general flag, 100 households and the general flag control the small flag, and the small flag controls the military households.

On the basis of the original health system, Xu Xingxia increased the number of 100 households and small flags. Originally, one thousand households only governed ten hundred households, but Xu Xingxia increased it to more than fifty. Similarly, the number of small flags under the jurisdiction of each hundred households has also increased from the original ten to more than fifty. At the same time, the number of military households under the jurisdiction of each small banner has also increased to more than 50. Originally, there were only more than 1,000 military households and a population of about seven or eight thousand. However, in Zhenshuo Fort Thousand Households, it is completely perverted and an alternative existence.

After the second batch of Han slaves were released, there were 60,000 or 70,000 military households under Xu Xingxia's jurisdiction. Such a huge number naturally brings about a large increase in managers at all levels. It is simply impossible to set up a new management structure. With so many slaves freed back, it was already a mess. A new management structure, if put on, will inevitably lead to chaos. Xu Xingxia decisively adopted the original structure of the health center, but increased the number of management permissions at each level.

In the past, thousands of households used the decimal system, but in Xu Xingxia's hands, it became the decimal system. After the number of 100 households and small flags increased, a committee was set up at each level, and each 100 households or small flag was a member of the committee. However, as a member of the Standing Committee, there are only seven people. Most of the things at the same level are basically decided by the seven members of the Standing Committee. If it is a matter of particular importance, a meeting of the whole committee is convened to study it together.

The main purpose of this is to reduce the pressure on the upper management. After all, it is impossible for a hundred households to manage fifty small flags. In general, each small flag is still handled internally. In order to prevent big mistakes and serious consequences, Xu Xingxia will never allow someone below to make a decision with a slap on his head. They must consult with other members of the Standing Committee, or even all of them, and make a collective decision.

The benefits of collective resolution are clear. The military households, small flags and the like below Xu Xingxia are basically uneducated, they don't know a single big character, and they don't know if it's a "one" character when they fall down, let alone see anything in the world. It's really hard to rely on them to make decisions alone. It is estimated that they themselves feel a lot of pressure. The chances of making a mistake are too great to be compensated for by a collective resolution.

As the saying goes, three stinkers beat Zhuge Liang. There are at least seven members of the standing committees at all levels, that is, at least seven people to discuss together. When considering the problem, seven people is definitely much more comprehensive than one person, and the analysis of the pros and cons in the middle will be much more detailed. The decisions they made may not be the best, but they certainly aren't the worst. For Xu Xingxia, as long as the people below make not the worst resolution, it is enough.

The current white-clothed army, as long as it develops steadily and does not make big mistakes, will definitely become stronger and stronger in combat effectiveness over time. In just one year, the white-clothed army has the ability to defeat the initiative of the two Tartar tribes, and such a speed of development is absolutely incomparable to all other forces. Xu Xingxia has enough confidence, and if time comes, the white-clothed army will definitely be able to surpass the Mongolian iron cavalry of that year and sweep the world.

Of course, blind optimism is unacceptable, and while developing in a boring manner, we must always pay attention to the various changes in the surrounding forces. The art of war is cloudy, and only by knowing oneself and knowing oneself can one win a hundred battles. Although Xu Xingxia has not read professional military books and has not received systematic military education, he still understands basic military knowledge. Therefore, Xu Xingxia has always attached great importance to intelligence work. The Jinyiwei grassland intelligence network led by Wang Qinian has basically become his private intelligence network, which can be used at any time as long as he needs it.

The original Jinyiwei Grassland Intelligence Network, because it did not receive the attention of the higher-ups, allocated funds every year, that was quite small, and every dark pile was actually tight. Intelligence work is inherently a money-burning thing, and without money, where does valuable intelligence come from? After Xu Xingxia intervened in Jinyiwei, the first time was to put a large amount of silver on the grassland intelligence network. In just a few months, tens of thousands of taels of silver were smashed.

The Jinyi Wei dark piles that have been effectively replenished are all active. With sufficient funding, it is much easier for them to obtain information. To put it mildly, in terms of playing tricks and playing tricks, those rough people on the grassland are really not the opponents of Han secret agents at all. A lot of the time, they sell themselves and help others count the money! Through the efforts of Jinyiwei Hidden Pile, various situations related to the prairie have been sent to Xu Xingxia's hands.

On this day, Wang Qinian came to the Black Mountain Camp and routinely reported to Xu Xingxia the movements of the grassland. This kind of debriefing is basically once every three days. If necessary, you can report it at any time. Wang Qinian said that the only condition that the Hellergin tribe did not fulfill was that Tesna was not sent over. Helekin's explanation was that Desna was no longer under the control of the Hellergin tribe, and that she had gone to Lindan Khan of the Tumut tribe.

"Lin Dan Khan?" Xu Xingxia frowned quietly. He really didn't like Tesna getting entangled with Lin Dan Khan. Because, when Tesna went to Lin Dan Khan, there must be nothing good. She was inciting Lin Dan Khan to aid the Khairergin tribe. With her flowery appearance, all kinds of charms, and shamanic background, Lin Dan Khan will definitely be fascinated. He originally coveted the three prairie beauties such as Tessna, Uyunna, and Namu Zhong, but now that the beauties have arrived, why don't you work hard to please them?

Objectively speaking, in the south of the desert at that time, Lin Dan Khan was definitely a figure. He is the bloodline of the pure Golden Family, and in terms of innate bloodline advantage, he is a cut above the others. Although Genghis Khan has been dead for many years, his majesty still affects everyone in the steppe. As his orthodox descendant, Lin Dan Khan has had lofty ideals since he was a child, hoping to reunify the steppes, gather the strength of all the steppe tribes, sweep all directions, and enter the Central Plains. Even if you can't surpass Genghis Khan, you can at least stand shoulder to shoulder with Genghis Khan.

After inheriting the throne of the Tumut tribe, Lin Dan Khan frequently made a tough voice to the surrounding tribes. Under his coercion, the surrounding tribes all surrendered. The Tumut tribe became the most powerful tribe of the Mongols. In fact, if it weren't for the defeat of Lin Dan Khan, the Houjin Tartars of Liaodong would not have risen at all. It is absolutely impossible for the ambitious Lin Dan Khan and the equally ambitious Houjin Tartar to wear the same pair of pants.

Sadly, Lin Dan Khan now seems to be making the wrong choice. If he really sent troops to the aid of the Kylekin tribe and tried to control the Bayannur steppe, then, undoubtedly, in the near future, the white-clothed army would have a strong conflict with him. If he still can't see the situation clearly and continues to struggle with the white-clothed army, it will inevitably lead to the rise of the Houjin Tartars in Liaodong. I don't know, is this changing the course of history again?

The white-clothed army and Lin Dan Khan fought, and the fisherman who benefited must be the Houjin Tartar. It's really a rather depressing thing. Originally, Xu Xingxia's plan was to rely on Lin Dan Khan to suppress the Horqin tribe, cut off their connection with the Houjin Tatars, and curb the rise of the Houjin Tatars. Now it seems that it is very likely that because of Lin Dan Khan's greed and lust, there will be a completely opposite change, and the Houjin Tartar will be cheaper in vain. Once the Mongolian Horqin Department and the Houjin Tatars are in cahoots, Lin Dan Khan will probably have more than enough strength to contain the other party.

(To be continued)