Operating near the Tru tribe was a cavalry battalion of Ma Quanyou, with more than 500 cavalrymen.
In fact, when they thought they could attack at night with the help of internal and external forces, the outcome was already doomed.
They had been targeted by intelligence long ago, and their night attack ended up in an ambush.
However, on the prairie, cavalry did have a unique advantage. Under the sudden attack, most of the cavalry fled, leaving behind dozens of corpses and a dozen seriously injured soldiers, and more than a hundred soldiers who lost their horses were captured.
…
Inside the felt tent, Lu Ming was reading the prisoner's confession.
We were lucky enough to capture a company commander who was very well-informed.
It was almost the same as what was judged based on various intelligence reports. The cavalry brigade that Ma Quanyou brought to the prairie to fight guerrilla warfare was a cavalry brigade.
It has six cavalry battalions under its command, with a total strength of more than 3,000 cavalry
The cavalry battalions are now scattered everywhere. The brigade headquarters leads two cavalry battalions, but the captured company commander does not know the specific scope of their activities.
However, after this battle, it seems that the main activity range of this cavalry brigade will be farther away from Chishui City.
At least a hundred kilometers will become a restricted area unless there is clear intelligence to raid one's weak points.
The door curtain was lifted and clerk Chen Kui walked in.
"Sir, we have almost appeased them. I think the tribesmen who escaped will come back in a few days to inquire about the news, and they will be persuaded to come back by their relatives one after another." Chen Kui sighed again: "But they cannot accept the division of property and cattle and sheep for the time being, and they dare not ask for it."
Lu Ming nodded: "The battlefield has been cleaned up, right? So, at dawn tomorrow, you go back to Chishui, and leave a cavalry squad from the security team to follow me."
Chen Kui was stunned: "Ah?"
Lu Ming said: "The general manager has also arrived in Chishui City. She is in charge of all the affairs of the central grassland. But the problem now is that these settlements don't know how to govern themselves, and we can't send cadres to each settlement to take charge of the overall situation, because the armed forces are not enough to protect the cadres sent in large numbers, and they will become the target of attack by the remnants of Ma Quanyou. So, I will stay here for a few days to help the Tru tribe establish a new order. I will inform the general manager. If there is any danger, we have more than ten people with war horses, so it will not be difficult to avoid it."
"Yes, I understand." Chen Kui nodded. As a small clerk, he naturally did not have too many ideas. The Deputy Minister's lofty status and safety were not within the scope of his duties. Whether he was worried or not, he had no say.
…
In the early morning, the large army returned with captives, including the nobles and Katabs from the Tru tribe who had participated in the rebellion.
The cavalry squad that stayed in the Tru tribe to guard Lu Ming was led by Ma Dahe.
More than half of the main settlement of the Tru tribe on the south slope was suddenly empty.
Originally there were over a hundred households with a population of over a thousand, and now there are still over thirty "Katab" warrior families left. None of them directly participated in the rebellion the day before yesterday, and afterwards they all actively expressed their willingness to give up the ownership of the cattle and sheep that belonged to them and were raised by the slaves.
In the large felt tent where the Matru family held meetings, Lu Ming summoned the heads of more than 30 Katab warrior families.
In fact, originally speaking, the situation of the Katabi family was not as good as imagined. For example, the number of descendants who could inherit the title of Katabi was limited. There were two places in each generation of a family, and six places in the top family. The rest of the children would become slaves.
Clearly, thousands of years ago, the ruling classes of the steppes knew how to control the number of people they supported.
When called upon to fight, each Katab family will send out two people, basically one each from the Mesozoic era and the young and strong.
In a major war, it is not impossible that all six Katab warriors could be called up.
The head of the Katab family is the oldest one.
More than thirty people gathered in the felt tent, most of them were old men in their forties or fifties. Nowadays on the grassland, people over 45 years old can be considered old.
Looking at them, Lu Ming felt somewhat helpless. It seemed that any reform would ultimately require the participation of the elites of this ethnic group. This was the law of history and there was nothing that could be done about it.
Flipping through the papers on the table, Lu Ming said, "I've read your property declaration. Except for the pastures and cattle and sheep, which were confiscated, the rest of your private property, such as gold, silver, coins, and furniture, in short, everything in your tent, is still yours. So, it doesn't matter whether you concealed anything or not."
Many Katabs immediately breathed a sigh of relief. It was obvious that it was impossible not to conceal the truth.
"The cattle and sheep will be divided equally among each herdsman family according to the number of people, including your more than 30 families."
Lu Ming's words made them feel relieved.
"And it's like this. From now on, the Truzhong settlement will be designated as Beiping Town. The administrative division will be the grassland area where you migrate during the rainy and dry seasons. This is the first town in our Chishui Prairie, so I will temporarily serve as the mayor. I hope that this innovative model can take root in the prairie."
Some people could understand Lu Ming's words, while some could not, but they were all listening carefully.
Lu Ming added, "It just so happens that we are organizing a 30-man militia self-defense team. Each household will provide one young and strong man. Although they are not professional soldiers, they will affect production after all. Therefore, they will receive a two-yuan subsidy during the months of duty. This money will come from the prince's treasury."
Hearing this, they all showed joy on their faces. In the end, they became the ones who received the emperor's salary.
Moreover, this imperial grain cannot be compared with the grain and salary of the former leader Matlu or even the Khan.
Lu Ming continued, "From the weapons that Matruh surrendered and those seized the day before yesterday, I selected more than 30 carbines, all of which are very useful and have no malfunctions. Together with some ammunition, I will distribute them to the town's security team later." Seeing the surprise on their faces, Lu Ming smiled, "The rebellion in our department has been quelled. The prince is open-minded and treats you all as his subjects. If anyone betrays the trust of the prince and me, he will definitely be the one to regret it in the end."
Everyone was startled and nodded silently.
"You also need to explain clearly to the villagers the distribution of cattle and sheep, as well as the tithe that will be paid from now on. Of course, I will also visit every household." After a pause, Lu Ming said, "There is also a militia self-defense force of 30 people. New members will be replaced on duty every month, and we strive to ensure that all families can have a rotation every year. But in the initial stage, in the first few months, you need to contribute more and train the young people in this town who have never touched standard weapons to shoot guns!"
Some people's expressions became complicated, because it turned out that being a grassland warrior was no longer exclusive to their family.
Lu Ming looked at them and said, "In fact, if war disappears in the Northern Territory for a few years or decades, what is the meaning of the so-called Katab, or military households? By then, no matter who is the lord of the grassland, they will find ways to erase your existence. And if wars break out frequently, you have roughly seen what the war is like the day before yesterday. Do you really think that being a military household is a good job? Go back and think about the future path you want to take. If you still want to continue to follow Ma Quanyou, I can even give you money to send you to Baihai. I just hope you don't play bother. It's not that you let me down, but that you let yourself down. I'm sorry for your descendants and missed the opportunity to enter a new era!"
It was so quiet inside the felt tent that you could hear a pin drop.
Lu Ming then smiled: "Okay, let's go! I believe everyone will make a wise choice!"