The first time in history

In Jiankang City and the surrounding areas, the news of conscription spread again, this time on a larger scale. Qian Mingduo personally went to various places to post conscription notices and tell the people the significance of joining the army to defend the country. For a time, many applicants gathered. There were both passionate young people and many veterans who had experienced the battlefield.

In the new recruit camp, the number of people increased several times compared to before, which was very lively but also difficult to manage. Qian Mingduo brought the newly promoted deputy general Sun Yao to inspect the camp.

Looking at the dense crowd of new recruits, Sun Yao said with some concern: "Sir, these 50,000 new recruits are of mixed quality. It may not be easy to train them." Qian Mingduo's eyes were sharp: "No matter how difficult it is, we must train a strong army. Facing the fierce Liao and Jin armies, we have no way out."

As the training began, new problems emerged. Due to the large number of people, the training ground became crowded. The training progress of different batches of recruits varied greatly. Although the veterans had experience, some of them were used to the old way of fighting and found it difficult to adapt to the new training requirements; the young recruits had different physical and psychological endurance.

During a break in a training session, an old soldier named Chen Shan shouted to a group of new recruits: "You young men, do you know what war is? The battlefield is not a place for you to play around. Don't think you can go to the battlefield after training for a few days."

Liu Feng, a straightforward young man among the recruits, retorted: "Big brother, we are also working hard. We are not afraid of fighting." The two men started arguing, and people around them gathered around.

Qian Mingduo happened to pass by and said sternly: "Shut up! How can you quarrel in the army? Veterans should care for new soldiers and pass on their experience to them; new soldiers should respect veterans and learn from their strengths. We are a whole, and only by unity can we fight against foreign enemies."

In order to better train this huge new army, Qian Mingduo decided to reform the training method. He divided the 50,000 new recruits into different legions and carried out targeted training according to different combat missions and characteristics. For the new recruits who were good at riding and shooting, they focused on training their mobility and long-range attack capabilities; for those who were strong and suitable for close combat, they strengthened their fighting skills and teamwork.

During the training on the use of weapons, a soldier reported to Qian Mingduo: "Sir, the weapons are worn out too much, and there are too many types, making management difficult." Qian Mingduo thought for a moment and said: "Standardize the types of weapons and strengthen the quality inspection of weapons. We must make sure that every soldier knows his weapon well and can use it as flexibly as his arm."

At the same time, the problem of food and wages became serious again. The cost of food and clothing for 50,000 new soldiers was an astronomical figure. Qian Mingduo wrote to the court, requesting more material support.

On the other hand, we should coordinate with local officials to allocate resources reasonably without increasing the burden on the people. At a meeting on material allocation in the imperial court, an official from the Ministry of Revenue questioned: "Minister Qian, you need so many materials. If the training fails, won't it be a waste?"

Qian Mingduo spoke passionately: "Sir, the threat from Liao and Jin is imminent. If we don't train new troops, the border will not be protected and the losses will be even more severe. We are investing now for the sake of peace in the future."

As the training progressed, the new army gradually took shape. In a large-scale drill, 50,000 new soldiers lined up neatly, shouting and fighting, the cavalry swept through like a gust of wind, the infantry phalanx was as solid as a rock, and the arrows of the archers covered the sky.