Cao Rui looked at Wen Qin and chuckled, "I agree with your guess."
At first, when I had the Western Pavilion handle these armor pieces, I hadn't thought this thoroughly. Upon arranging them, I found so many issues, it seems that we'll have to make adjustments as we go along.
"Wen Qin, can you dismount yourself?"
Wen Qin said with a bit of embarrassment: "The armor is too heavy, I need someone to help me get off the horse. The reason I didn't get off the horse to show my respects just now is that."
"The Minister and the Secretariat have agreed that one armored rider requires three horses and one auxiliary soldier."
"During ordinary marches, a knight takes one horse, an auxiliary takes one horse, and another horse carries the armor and personnel. Whether they mount or dismount, they need auxiliary soldiers to assist."
Cao Rui nodded: "It seems that the training and march of the armor-clad horsemen are more complicated. But complexity has its reasons, otherwise there is no need to set up so many armor-clad horsemen."
Wen Qin sighed, "In my opinion, these armor-clad horsemen are truly useful! The elite cavalry of the central army before this is completely uncomparable to the armored cavalry!"
"The armored cavalry is excellent for charging into battle. When the horse's speed increases, the people and horses can ignore arrows with their heavy armor, making it very difficult for ordinary wild battle formations to resist."
Cao Rui calmly said, "Can they be used to breach the enemy's formation?"
"Yes, that's what we mean by breaching the enemy's formation," Wen Qin said. "In the past, the frontal charge of cavalry resulted in significant casualties. But with armor-clad horsemen, the number of casualties can be greatly reduced."
Cao Rui nodded, "Find two people to come over and help you dismount. Explain things well to the emperor."
"Acknowledged," Wen Qin replied, and then called for two auxiliary soldiers on horseback to assist him in dismounting and taking off his armor.
Cao Rui also dismounted and combed through the mane of the horse on Wen Qin's horse. After examining it carefully, he asked, "What do these armors usually refer to?"
After Wen Qin took off his armor, he moved closer to introduce: "The visor on the horse's face is called 'face curtain', and the one on its neck is called 'chicken neck'."
"The ones on the back are called 'front breastplate', 'body armor', 'rear attachment', and 'attaching pad'."
Cao Rui listened to Wen Qin's introduction, suddenly getting interested and smiled at Wen Qin and asked, "Wen Qin, Your Highness and I have similar heights. Can I wear your armor?"
Wen Qin was somewhat surprised but answered truthfully, "Yes, it can be worn. But Your Highness's figure is slender, while mine is larger in size. If Your Highness wears my armor, it will be a bit loose."
"Shall I summon an armor that fits a figure similar to Your Highness's?"
Cao Rui asked, "How do you summon them?"
Wen Qin laughed and said, "I know all eight hundred horsemen, and I can certainly find one for Your Highness."
Cao Rui smiled but said nothing.
Wen Qin walked two steps and addressed the auxiliary soldiers: "Summon Feng Chao from the fourth column of the second rank."
As the auxiliary soldiers were about to leave, Wen Qin pulled them back and turned them around: "Watch Feng Chao take off his weapon before he comes over."
Cao Rui and Man Chong watched Wen Qin dispatch the soldiers silently, without speaking.
However, not long after, a knight named Feng Chao came over to carry out the orders. When Cao Rui looked at him for a moment, he found that his figure was very similar to his own.
Feng Chao was just about to dismount when Cao Rui reached out and stopped him.
"I ask you, is your name Feng Chao?"
Feng Chao is just an ordinary knight.
Before the recruitment, he had seen the highest-ranking official as a county officer. After arriving at the central army in Luoyang, he had only met General Wen from his own family.
Now that the emperor is personally asking, Feng Chao is so nervous that he can barely speak.
Wen Qin quickly stepped in to diffuse the situation: "Your Majesty, this person is named Feng Chao, he is 22 years old, and he is from Henan. He was recruits in November last year..."
Cao Rui raised his hand to interrupt Wen Qin: "I haven't asked you, I'm asking him."
"Feng Chao, just answer truthfully."
Feng Chao answered one after another. Wen Qin gave Feng Chao a stern look and whispered, "Answer as instructed."
Wen Qin's eyes narrowed, and Feng Chao was too nervous to speak.
As the administrative division closest to Luoyang, the Sili region is known for producing many knights, who are commonly referred to as the Three Rivers knights.
The Three Rivers refers to the three large counties surrounding Luoyang: Henan, Huanhe, and Hedong.
In the past during the Han Dynasty, whenever a major battle was about to take place, the central government would organize northern and southern troops as the backbone and recruit Three Rivers knights to fight.
Cao Rui paid no attention to that: "It's been three months since the establishment of the armored cavalry. What training projects have you all been working on?"
When it comes to training, Feng Chao answered fluently: "As instructed, my subordinates have trained in six projects since May, including carrying heavy loads, getting on and off the horse, formation, speeding up and slowing down."
Cao Rui didn't care about Feng Chao's strange title and looked at Wen Qin: "You haven't trained to kill them yet after more than three months?"
Wen Qin smacked his lips and bowed to explain, "Your Majesty, the armored cavalry is so heavy that the exercises are quite different from those of ordinary light cavalry, and they are also more troublesome."
"As I understand it, I think these are the aspects that need to be trained. Carrying heavy loads, getting on and off the horse, and these are preparations for battle. They must be standard and fast, and cannot be achieved without hard training."
"Once the armored cavalry charges, the formation must not be disturbed, otherwise it will be like a pile of scattered sand, with no array to charge with the momentum."
"First, I want to get the formation right, then we can practice attacking the enemy," Wen Qin explained. "I am leading the armored cavalry for the first time too, and I am gradually exploring as I go."
"Yes, that's good." Cao Rui said: "The cost of armored cavalry is too high, and the Great Wei cannot afford to equip too many. I estimate that it will be enough for a few thousand."
"If it is crucial for the battle, it must be reliable and not fail in the midst of combat." Cao Rui patted Wen Qin's arm: "Train as you see fit, do not rush."
"Yes, I will follow your order," Wen Qin said, accepting the command.
Cao Rui pointed to Feng Chao and smiled, "Now, can the emperor try it on?"
Wen Qin finally realized and helped Feng Chao remove his armor, then, along with Man Chong, helped Cao Rui put on the armor.
Man Chong is used to commanding soldiers, and he is very skilled at putting on armor.
As the helmet was put on and the protective collar was tied, even though Cao Rui is very diligent in practicing martial arts, he also felt the burden was heavy, as if he was wearing a metal can.
The practice of swordsmanship focuses on body form and speed.
The practice of archery trains focus and concentration.
Wearing this armor requires physical strength and carrying weight, which is entirely different from Cao Rui's usual practice.
Man Chong approached with concern and asked, "How do you feel, Your Majesty?"
Cao Rui bit his teeth slightly, moved his arms a few times: "It's fine, help me onto the horse."
The armor is too heavy, so when getting on the horse, one needs someone to help them by holding the stirrups.
The horse's rear flanks twitched and its front hooves moved slightly.
A knight is closest to his horse.
When Feng Chao was about to go forward to calm the horse down, Cao Rui just lightly tapped the horse's stomach, and the horse immediately calmed down.
Feng Chao's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief.
Cao Rui reached out and touched the bow hanging on the left side of the saddle and felt the hilt of the sword and the quiver on the right.
The scabbard had no sword, and the quiver had no arrows.
Cao Rui's brow furrowed slightly, he turned his head and looked down at Wen Qin: "Get some arrows for the emperor, and also bring a lance."
Wen Qin knew that the emperor was curious, so he ran over personally, grabbed a bow from the ranks, and returned holding a lance.
Cao Rui reached out and took the lance, which felt somewhat heavy. After weighing it for a moment, he carried it to his side.
"How long is this lance?"
Wen Qin replied, "About 18 chi long."
Cao Rui was surprised, "Zhuangbao spear?"
Wen Qin nodded, "Yes, it is a Zhuangbao spear."
Cao Rui laughed, holding the lance with his right hand and the reins with his left. After a few shakes, the well-trained warhorse gradually increased its speed.
Riding on the horse, feeling the wind rushing by the edge of the helmet, Cao Rui suddenly understood the majesty of armored cavalry.
What's the difference between this and a tank?
Perhaps there is still a difference, that being the weight.
When Cao Rui ran the first circle around the training ground, he tried to slow down, but found that the speed of the armored cavalry was too slow, and it went straight past Man Chong and Wen Qin.
After riding out seven or eight zhang (1 zhang = 3.6 meters), he slowly stopped.
After returning, with the assistance of Man Chong and Wen Qin, Cao Rui dismounted from the horse and then took off the armor.
Cao Rui wiped away the sweat and said, "I now understand the capabilities of armored cavalry."
"Mr. Wen, when you train the armored cavalry well, you will have great merit!"
Wen Qin bowed in response.
"Let's go, General Man will accompany the emperor to visit the Cavalry guards again."
Man Chong bowed and agreed.
......
After seeing the armored cavalry in the Yulun Left Army, he went to see the combination of long spears, swords and shields, and archers in the Cavalry guards.
Wang Ling is still a capable commander. Since he transferred from the position of Qing State Governor to a general in the central army, the court has appointed Xue Ti as the Governor of Qing State.
In Cao Rui's opinion, Wang Ling is more suited to be a general.
Why is there a shortage of governors in the Greater Wei? What is really needed are generals who can lead troops.
As the sky gradually darkened, Cao Rui also returned to the palace.
As he entered the courtyard of the study room, Cao Rui noticed that Xin Pi, the duty official of the night, was still waiting at the door of the study room.
Cao Rui walked up and smiled, greeting Xin Pi: "Why are you waiting here? If I didn't come to the study room today, would you have been waiting here all night?"
Xin Pi bowed and replied: "Tomorrow is the first day of the tenth lunar month."
"According to the previous arrangement, Your Majesty is to attend the graduation summary of the third batch of students at the South Academy this morning."
"In the afternoon, Your Majesty will attend the graduation summary of the first batch of martial students at the East Academy."
After speaking, Xin Pi took out a scroll from his sleeve: "As requested by Your Majesty, I noted some matters of reminder, and these are related to the Academies of Literature and Martial Arts."
"I thought I would present them to Your Majesty today, perhaps they can be of some use when Your Majesty receives the students tomorrow."
Cao Rui took the document with one hand, but did not open it, instead holding it in his hand: "Xin Jing is careful and meticulous in his work, and I can trust him."
"Tomorrow three visiting scholars will accompany the emperor."
"Then you, Xin Jing, also help the emperor carefully look over them. See if there are any exceptionally outstanding talents among this year's Academy of Literature students."
"Perhaps, here in the palace, I can also add a couple of scribbling officials." (Chapter completed)
