The first time in history

Qian Mingduo was promoted again. This time, he was appointed by the emperor as the General of the Northern Expedition and the Minister of War. He was a second-rank official. In our previous understanding, titles like the General of the Northern Expedition, the General of the Western Expedition, and the General of Guanzhong were all minor general titles. This was indeed the case, but this time Qian Mingduo was awarded the title of the General of the Northern Expedition, which was not only a major general title, but also a major general title with the Minister of War.

Although Emperor Gaozong knew that many people in the court had opinions about Qian Mingduo, he acted on his own this time and did not adopt the suggestions of his ministers.

After the morning court session, Emperor Gaozong specifically asked Qian Mingduo to stay. After all the ministers left, Emperor Gaozong and Qian Mingduo came to the platform in front of the Qinzheng Hall.

"I have insisted on promoting you despite the opposition of all my ministers. Please don't let me down!"

"How could I be so worthy of the emperor's love?" Qian Mingduo bowed and said, "How dare I not do my best to accept the emperor's grace."

"I know your new army has been well trained and has been tested on the battlefield." Emperor Gaozong looked up at the cloudy sky, "However, compared with the Liao and Jin people, there are still some shortcomings. You have already told me this in your memorial a few days ago. Now I want to know if you have any countermeasures for this matter."

Qian Mingduo nodded and said, "Your Majesty, I have already thought of a countermeasure and developed several formations. It's just a little complicated, and I'm afraid I can't explain it clearly in a few words."

"Bring two chairs over here." Emperor Gaozong took Qian Mingduo's hand and said, "I have time. Please speak slowly and I will listen carefully."

Qian Mingduo lowered his head and thought for a while, then said slowly: "I have developed a set of formations, which are based on the Mandarin Duck Formation recorded in ancient military books and have made some improvements. Moreover, it is an improved version of the Mandarin Duck Formation for the Liao and Jin people, who mostly use cavalry as their combat formation."

"You can consider forming a team of twelve. Two soldiers are arranged in the front row, holding large shields. Such shields are strong and large in area, and are mainly used to resist the frontal charge of cavalry. Two spearmen are arranged behind the shield soldiers. Their spears are long enough to stab the approaching enemy cavalry under the cover of the shield."

"Two target borers were arranged at the back. Their weapons could be used to block the weapons of the cavalry. When the enemy cavalry charged into the formation, they could hook the horse's legs with their branches to make the horse lose balance. A wolf-whip was arranged on each side. The wolf-whip had thick branches and leaves, which could interfere with the cavalry's charge route and make it difficult for them to break through the formation in a straight line. Two archers and a musketeer (if there were simple firearms at the time) were arranged at the end of the team. They shot at the enemy cavalry from a distance, first suppressing the enemy cavalry with firepower and disrupting the rhythm of the enemy cavalry's charge."

Emperor Gaozong nodded from time to time, "Very good, you explained it in detail, and I listened very carefully."

"I also invented a formation called chariot formation, which uses chariots equipped with spikes and blades as protective devices, connecting the chariots to form a ring or square formation. Soldiers hide behind the chariots, and arrange spearmen and crossbowmen in the gaps between the chariots. When the enemy cavalry charges, the spikes on the chariots can cause damage to the horses, while the crossbowmen and spearmen can attack the approaching enemies in a relatively safe position."

"This will not only effectively kill the enemy, but also minimize our army's casualties." Gaozong nodded repeatedly in approval.