Zhou Changjun left the palace with Wei Zheng's orders and support, and a satisfied face.

Wei Zheng's gaze shifted to Sun Chengzong again......

"Chief of Staff, although smuggling has a great impact on the Jiangnan Imperial Court, weapons will eventually affect the new army that they are expanding. However, this influence, in a short period of time, will not be exerted at all......"

"So, we will fight an economic war with the Nanjing court again, and at the same time cut their taxes. The army, and ...... can't be idle."

"With the current financial resources and income of the royal palace, there are still about five million taels of silver left every year...... In addition, our Tiger and Leopard Army is attacked by the enemy on its belly and back, and it may be attacked by two strong enemies at any time. Further encompassing the army has become an urgent need for our Tiger and Par Army......"

"Therefore, this king has decided to expand the Haw Par Army under the unified coordination of the General Staff......"

As long as you are a soldier, there is no one who does not want to have more and more soldiers under your command.

Therefore, as soon as Wei Zheng's decision was spoken, Sun Chengzong's eyes lit up. And asked Wei Zheng: "Lord Wang, excluding the local garrison troops, my Tiger and Leopard Army has a total of five field armies, one guard division, and a total strength of 110,000 troops...... I don't know how many people the prince plans to expand the Haw Par Army to in this expansion......"

Under Sun Chengzong's gaze, Wei Zheng replied without thinking: "Declare to the outside world that our Tiger and Leopard Army will include 190,000 troops within three months...... After the expansion is completed, the total strength of the Haw Par Army will reach 300,000 ......"

"So many ......" Sun Chengzong was stunned for a moment, and asked with an incredible expression.

Then, subconsciously reminded: "Lord Wang." You must not be impulsive...... I thought. With the existing financial resources and income of the royal palace. It can't feed the 300,000 tiger and leopard army at all...... Besides, we don't have that much equipment in our hands, and we are arming so many new troops at once......"

After seeing the worry and anxiety on Sun Chengzong's face completely, a heartfelt satisfied smile flashed directly on Wei Zheng's face. Then, he explained to Sun Chengzong: "What are you anxious about...... Do you hear what the king has just said...... The king has made it very clear, declaring to the outside world that there are 190,000 troops...... It's a declaration to the outside world, and it's not really about including so many people! ”

"How many meters. How big is a pot of rice...... This simple truth is still very clear to this king......."

"The reason why I want to release such a big word is only one purpose, that is, to scare the imperial court, and force the imperial court to have to bracket the army in order to keep Jiangnan when the financial revenue is getting worse and worse......"

For this answer, Sun Chengzong's eyes lit up and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Then. He continued to ask with a look of anticipation......

"That'...... Lord Wang, the true number of my Tiger and Par Army is ......"

"50,000 people...... What this king wants is an elite who can fight. It's not the old, the weak, the sick and the disabled...... So, 50,000 is enough......"

"However, this battle in Ganning Province not only allows us to re-understand the imperial court and the new army of the imperial court. It also makes us clearly aware of the various shortcomings of our Haw Par Army......"

"This king believes that among the five armies of the Haw Par Army, there are too few musketeers who can fight positional warfare...... Therefore, the king decided that the Haw Par Army would have five field armies, and each army would add an infantry division. After the completion of the encompassing army, the total strength of each field army of the Tiger and Leopard Army will reach a staggering 30,000 men......"

As soon as Wei Zheng's words were finished, Sun Chengzong's mind came up with the tragic picture he had seen in Qingchuan County.

At the beginning, if he had the strength of an infantry division in his hand, then he would not have handed over the task of capturing Qingchuan County, holding Qingchuan County, and blocking the retreat of the Ganning New Army......

Under such circumstances, the Tiger and Leopard Army defending Qingchuan County will not be wiped out, and the more than 10,000 remnants of the Ganning New Army who successfully escaped from the two provinces of Gansu and Ningbo will also be wiped out in Qingchuan County.

Therefore, Sun Chengzong, who had suffered this loss, nodded in agreement without thinking about it.

After finishing, he continued to speak, adding: "Lord Wang, I think that in addition to strengthening the infantry strength of each field army, it is also necessary to increase the artillery strength......"

"With the unsparing investment of the imperial court, the new army of the imperial court is equipped with a heavy artillery battalion for every 5,000 people, and a total of eighteen red-coated cannons. Together with other small-caliber Franc machine artillery, the artillery equipped with 5,000 men of the new army has far exceeded our ...... in terms of number and power" "Therefore, we must increase the number of artillery pieces in the field troops. Otherwise, if the same number of artillery shots of the army are hit, we will not only not be able to take advantage of anything, but will also suffer a great loss......"

For this mention, even if Sun Chengzong didn't say it, Wei Zheng also brought it up......

As a soldier from later generations, Wei Zheng knew better than anyone that artillery played a decisive role in battle on the battlefield where firearms were the mainstay.

Therefore, as soon as Sun Chengzong finished speaking, Wei Zheng agreed: "This official just said very clearly, what this official wants is an elite who can fight. Since increasing the number of artillery can increase the combat effectiveness of the troops, then the king will definitely agree......" "According to the strength of each division of our Tiger and Leopard Army, each field army will increase by one infantry division, and it will only be 26,000 men......"

"However, in the king's order to enlarge the army, the total strength of each army will reach a staggering 30,000 men, a full 4,000 more than 26,000 men...... "As for what these extra 4,000 men are for, this king can sue you now...... The extra 4,000 men were the ...... used by the king to strengthen the artillery and baggage troops"""After the expansion was completed, each musket company added a platoon of six light mortars, and the baggage squad was expanded into a baggage platoon, which served as bombardiers in wartime...... The musket battalion was equipped with a company of nine medium mortars, and the baggage platoon was expanded into a baggage company, which served as bombardiers in wartime...... The regiment was equipped with a battalion of 18 heavy mortars, and the baggage company became a baggage battalion, which also acted as a bombardier ...... in wartime" "In this way, the strength of each regiment would increase to two and a half thousand men......"

"As for the establishment above the regimental level, it will remain unchanged for the time being, except that all the heavy mortars of the artillery battalion will be replaced with cannons......"

"Generous ......" At this time, Sun Chengzong listened to Wei Zheng's introduction, and the first thought in his heart.

Subsequently, a trace of admiration for Wei Zheng appeared in Sun Chengzong's heart.

On the surface, the Haw Par Army is massively expanding its army...... However, in fact, the Haw Par Army took advantage of the fact that it was starting from the beginning and increasing the firepower of its troops as much as possible......

One true and one false, one bright and one dark, not only enhanced the combat effectiveness of the Haw Par Army, but also played the court hard...... It can be described as killing two birds with one stone...... (To be continued......)