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Chapter 303: 179: Setting Out to Pacify the Miao_3

However, this would mean that the number of civilian workers available to assist in the transportation of food and fodder would be insufficient.

To withstand the 30,000 Miao people, at least 20,000 militia must be prepared within the prefecture. Therefore, a maximum of 10,000 people from the local area could be used as civilian workers.

I’m afraid that these people won’t be enough to support the army’s logistics.” Sun Siwen also couldn’t help but feel troubled as he said this.

After continuous expansion, the population of Luyang Prefecture had exceeded 200,000, especially with the recruitment of some refugees at the end of last year.

However, even with such numbers, it was still difficult to cope with both defending against foreign enemies and dispatching civilian workers to accompany the army on expeditions.

Lu Yuan understood Sun Siwen’s dilemma and said: “No need to worry about this. I’m campaigning on behalf of the court, and support should come from other prefectures in the region.

Don’t forget, I am the Pingxi General, overseeing military affairs against the Miao people in the region.

I can send a letter to Hengyang Prefecture, asking them to recruit civilian workers to help transport military food.

Hengyang Prefecture is located at the rear and has not suffered much from the war, except for the Seven Star Sect rebellion. Their population remains relatively intact.

The prefecture can easily mobilize 50,000 civilian workers, which should be enough to transport food for the entire army.

Moreover, there is no need to transport military food from Luyang. Hengyang is a grain -producing area, and we can requisition supplies directly from there, making the process more convenient.”

Hengyang Prefecture is one of several major grain-producing prefectures within Dongting.

Since the Seven Star Sect rebellion moved north to Hengyang, the regional government placed pressure on Lu Yuan to suppress the rebels swiftly, aiming to protect Hengyang Prefecture, a vital grain-producing area.

Having an abundant grain yield allowed a larger population to be supported.

At its peak, Hengyang Prefecture had 100,000 households and 500,000 residents. Though it has suffered losses due to wars, it still has a population of 400,000.

Mobilizing 50,000 civilian workers would not be difficult; supplying food for Lu Yuan’s 50,000-strong army would be even easier.

After all, Hengyang Prefecture’s grain reserves were initially intended to support the 100,000-strong Army of Pacifying Shu. Now that the Army of Pacifying Shu is gone, the surplus grain will be used by Lu Yuan.

Sun Siwen had previously held office in Hengyang Prefecture, so he was well-aware of the situation there.

Seeing Lu Yuan’s plan, he nodded, “If that’s the case, there should be no problem.”

With 20,000 militia stationed in Luyang Prefecture, as long as they do not engage in field battles, the Miao soldiers will be unable to threaten them.

Zhou Qing was able to hold off over a hundred thousand Miao people with just

40,000 soldiers at shao yang yrerecture for rms very reason.

Though they held military superiority in both numbers and elite fighters, the Miao people still failed to capture Shaoyang Prefecture. Their combat capabilities had their limits.

Therefore, Lu Yuan was not worried.

Even a civilian like Sun Siwen was not worried.

What made the Miao people frightening was never their combat capabilities, but their massive numbers — which could reach hundreds of thousands – and the numerous highly skilled fighters within the Five Poisons Sect. This is what made the court and people like Lu Yuan feel so headache-inducing.

The decision to go to war was ultimately made.

As a result, things began to get busy in the barracks.

Previously, soldiers on leave returned to the camp after being summoned by their officers.

Upon learning that the army was about to go on an expedition, soldiers in the camp began to intensify their training.

This was particularly true for the new recruits who would benefit from learning an additional combat skill, formation, or signal command, each increasing their chances of survival on the battlefield.

Wasn’t there an old saying?

“To sharpen one’s sword before the battle is better than nothing.”

At this moment, the new recruits were like the sharpened swords.

Not only in the barracks, but also in the local area of Luyang Prefecture, the ordinary people who had just emerged from the festive atmosphere were quickly mobilized by various levels of local officials and county military officers.

At this time, the benefits of the militia system in the prefectures and counties were revealed.

With one command from the top, the entire prefecture’s manpower could be mobilized instantly, rallying a sufficient number of troops.

Putting aside whether these people could fight, their sheer presence provided powerful deterrence.

Not to mention that during the slack farming season, these militiamen would also receive some military training.

Although the efficacy of this training is debatable, using them to defend the city shouldn’t pose any major issues.

So, by the end of the first month and the beginning of the second month, Luyang Prefecture found itself enmeshed in a large-scale mobilization.

More than just Luyang Prefecture, the mobilization also rapidly expanded in Hengyang Prefecture after receiving Lu Yuan’s letter, collecting food and rallying civilian workers to prepare for the military expedition.

This massive mobilization inevitably aroused the vigilance of all parties within Dongting.

The Zhou people were less concerned, as they remained far from Luyang Prefecture and did not feel significantly threatened.

However, the Miao people immediately became alert.

The Miao populations in Yangshan, Jiuyi, and Lingling Prefectures, all bordering Luyang Prefecture, entered a new round of mobilization.

Large numbers of Miao people were recruited to reinforce the border of Yangshan Prefecture. What was originally 30,000 Miao troops increased to 50,000, guarding against Lu Yuan’s invasion from the south.

At Shaoyang Prefecture, the 20,000 Miao soldiers who had previously been attacking Wugang County also retreated because they sensed danger, consolidating their defenses within the city.

Dark clouds of war gathered over the southern part of Dongting, with signs of impending conflict at every turn.

In the midst of this tense and oppressive atmosphere, on the 11th day of the second month of Hongdao Year Six, the court’s one million taels of army silver, Yan Wangqiu and others from the Nanhai Sect arrived in Luyang Prefecture, closely planned and coordinated.

Upon seeing this, Lu Yuan had nothing more to say.

The preassembled 50,000-strong army immediately set off, with 10,000 civilian workers from Luyang Prefecture joining them.

Upon reaching Hengyang Prefecture, 60,000 civilian workers from that area joined the cause, expanding the entire army to 120,000 strong.

Lu Yuan declared himself commander of 200,000 troops, intent on defeating the Miao thieves.

He led the massive army towards Shaoyang Prefecture.

For a moment, the entire Dongting area could not help but be overwhelmed by Lu Yuan’s momentum..