Chapter 353: Chongshan Town Governor and General
The two sides confronted each other across the city, and there was no movement for several days.

This is the time when the Tenglongwei Engineering Team showed their prowess. The Tenglongwei Engineering Team was a group of engineers specially trained by Yang Zhengshan. They were not only good at building roads, bridges and houses, but also good at manufacturing various equipment.

They can make everything from small kitchen knives and scissors to various chariots and relatively complex crossbows.

Of course, there are still differences between them and the craftsmen in the armor workshop of the Weisi Yamen. The craftsmen in the armor workshop are better at making weapons and armor, and their craftsmanship and technology are more advanced and sophisticated.

The skills and craftsmanship of the engineers in the engineering team were relatively crude. After all, manufacturing siege equipment was an urgent task that had to be completed in the shortest possible time and did not require meticulous craftsmanship.

Therefore, the engineers were very fast in making siege engines. In just five days, all the siege engines were erected in the army camp.

There were more than twenty two-meter-high ramps and ladders, a dozen carts and battering rams covered with wooden boards, thirty crossbows, and the engineering team even built eight catapults.

Looking at these siege weapons, Yang Zhengshan's mouth curled up slightly.

In recent years, Yang Zhengshan has also been studying siege warfare, and how to quickly manufacture more siege equipment is his main research direction.

You must know that Tenglongwei's engineering team is not a logistics force. They do not need to escort food and fodder, but they need to escort materials for siege.

Siege engines are very large and difficult to transport over long distances, so they can usually only be manufactured using nearby materials.

So Yang Zhengshan came up with a lazy way, which is to standardize parts.

For example, the large crossbow, why can it only be placed on the city wall or warships? It is because it is inconvenient to transport and is not suitable for marching with the army.

However, Yang Zhengshan asked the engineers to prepare various parts in advance, so that when they arrived at the battlefield, they only had to assemble the parts.

Another example is the catapult. The main structure is too large to be transported, but some small accessories can be transported. Therefore, when using local materials, only the main structure needs to be manufactured, and other accessories can be used directly, which can save a lot of time.

If an accessory breaks during use, it can be directly replaced because the standards of the parts are the same.

Therefore, Tenglongwei's engineering team has the ability to quickly manufacture siege equipment.

In fact, this method is not difficult, and it has been thought of by some people in Dayong. But why so few people use it? The reason is very simple: the conditions do not allow it.

Take the garrisons for example. They were short of craftsmen who could forge weapons and armor, let alone those who could manufacture equipment. If they needed to launch a siege, they would only have a few or dozens of craftsmen responsible for manufacturing technology and techniques, and then use civilian laborers to help with the manufacturing.

The laborers are fine at doing rough work, but when asked to make siege equipment, they can only help out.

Similarly, there may be more craftsmen in the battalion, but the number is extremely limited. Few people would maintain two thousand engineers like Yang Zhengshan.

It cannot be said to be very few, but it should be none.

"At this rate, we can attempt to attack the city in two days!"

Yang Zhengshan said to Xie Yuan beside him.

Xie Yuan nodded. "The morale of the soldiers is very high. You can even say that they can't wait!"

"Haha~"

Yang Zhengshan laughed heartily.

The soldiers of Tenglongwei are not afraid of fighting, and each of them is very warlike.

War will result in death, and most people are afraid of war.

But for those soldiers who practice martial arts and train all day long, they would rather charge into battle.

The soldiers of Tenglong Guard have been training for four years, especially those of the Fifth Army Battalion. They have spent most of their time in training and have never had any real combat experience.

Training every day but not having a chance to show your skills is like watching a game all day long but never discussing it with others.

If you don't frequently argue with others about which team is stronger or which player is the best, then wouldn't it be a waste of time to watch all those games?

Just as Yang Zhengshan and Xie Yuan were checking the siege equipment, a small flag officer ran over and reported: "General, there is a cavalry team approaching the camp from the south, about a hundred cavalry!"

"South!" Yang Zhengshan was slightly surprised, "From Tenglongwei!"

"Is he one of ours?"

"It has not been confirmed yet, we have not had any contact with them!" the flag officer replied.

They are scouts, but their current mission is mainly to surround Qinghua Qinghua City, with only two small flags placed in the rear.

"Let's go over and have a look!"

Yang Zhengshan was very curious about who was coming. If it was one of their own people, there wouldn't be more than a hundred riders coming. A dozen at most would be enough.

As for the enemy, they will definitely not come with only a hundred cavalrymen. What can a hundred cavalrymen do?
When he arrived at the camp gate behind the main camp, Yang Zhengshan soon saw a cavalry team galloping towards him.

When the cavalry came closer, Yang Zhengshan discovered that there was an acquaintance among them.

Pang Tang, the governor of Liaoyuan!
He had met Pang Tang before. Pang Tang had met him when he led his troops into Liao'an City during the Liaodong Salt Transport Bureau corruption case. Later, he had a meeting with Pang Tang again in Liao'an City. Mainly because Pang Tang was afraid that he would cause trouble in Liao'an City, so he went to Zheng Xiao's mansion to drink a pot of tea with him.

Later, Pang Tang discovered that the soldiers of Tenglong Guard were disciplined and well-behaved in Liao'an City, so he no longer cared about Yang Zhengshan.

Later, the corruption case of the Salt Transport Bureau was over, and officials from the Liaoyuan Provincial Administration Bureau, the Dusi Yamen, and the Censorate were almost all punished by the court. Pang Tang was also reprimanded by the emperor.

But these had nothing to do with Yang Zhengshan, as he had already returned to Tenglongwei. Seeing that it was Pang Tang, Yang Zhengshan hurried forward and asked in surprise, "Why is Mr. Pang here?"

After not seeing him for a few years, Pang Tang looked a little older, with white frost on his temples.

"General Yang, this is Doctor Cui from the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War!" Pang Tang did not answer Yang Zhengshan's question, but introduced the middle-aged man next to him.

"It turns out to be Lord Cui!" Yang Zhengshan clasped his fists and bowed.

"Your humble servant greets General Yang!" Doctor Cui said politely.

"General Yang, can we go into the camp and talk? To be honest, I'm a little thirsty!" Pang Tang said helplessly.

He was already quite old, and he was also a scholar. He was tired and thirsty after riding all the way on horseback.

"Of course, Master Pang, Master Cui, please!"

Yang Zhengshan welcomed the two men into the camp with a smile.

After passing through layers of tents, they soon arrived at Yang Zhengshan's tent.

Along the way, Pang Tang and Doctor Cui were observing the situation in the camp. Seeing that everything seemed in order, they couldn't help but nod secretly in their hearts.

When they entered the big tent, Yang Zhengshan's personal attendants had already prepared tea.

Pang Tang drank three bowls of tea before putting down the teacup in his hand.

"Alas, I am old and useless. I am already exhausted after just a day's journey!"

He said rather helplessly.

"If Master Pang is tired, you can take a rest first. There are several unused tents in the camp!" Yang Zhengshan said.

Pang Tang waved his hand and said, "Let's talk about business first. If it's too late, I'll go to rest!"

"Business?" Yang Zhengshan looked at Doctor Cui.

The Military Selection Office of the Ministry of War is responsible for examining the ranks, selection, promotion, and rewards of military officers.

There is a saying that when it comes to appointing officials, civil affairs belong to the Ministry of Personnel, while military affairs belong to the Ministry of War.

Simply put, the promotion and transfer of military officers are all under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War. However, on the other hand, although the responsibilities are divided in this way, the actual operations are different.

Generally speaking, the Weisi Yamen has the final say on personnel arrangements below the rank of a hundred households, and the Dusi Yamen has the final say on personnel arrangements below the rank of a thousand households. The Five Military Governor's Office has a great deal of advisory power over the Weisi Yamen's personnel arrangements.

Of course, all promotions and transfers of military officers must be registered with the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of War is actually in charge of the selection and appointment of high-ranking military officers.

For example, the Guard Commander-in-Chief, the Commander-in-Chief, the Assistant Commander, the Associate Commander, etc. can be recommended by the Five Military Governor's Office, but they must be approved by the Ministry of War before they can be appointed.

For example, the main official positions such as the general, lieutenant general, guerrilla general, etc. in the border towns were all appointed by the Ministry of War.

However, the appointment of important officials such as generals and lieutenant generals in border towns did not actually have the power to decide. It still needed to be decided by the cabinet and even approved by the emperor.

Yang Zhengshan was a little wary when the doctor from the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War came at this time.

That's right, be vigilant.

At this time, the court is ruled by the prince. If the prince dislikes him, he can dismiss him from his official position!
Although he thought this was unlikely, he was still a little worried.

Pang Tang looked at Doctor Cui, who took out a document from his bosom and handed it to Yang Zhengshan, saying, "General Yang, this is a transfer document issued by the Ministry of War, promoting General Yang to the position of Deputy Commander of the Central Military Commander's Office, and actually granting him the position of General of Chongshan Town!"

"In this emergency, I have to make do with my own discretion. I only brought the appointment document and the seal and flag of the commander-in-chief of Chongshan Town!"

As he spoke, he shouted to the attendant outside the tent, and the attendant immediately came to Yang Zhengshan holding two boxes.

Yang Zhengshan took the wooden box and opened it.

There were two silver official seals in the first wooden box. The deputy governor was of the second rank and had two silver official seals.

The second wooden box contained four blue flags and four round tokens, so-called flags, which can also be called royal flags, were usually held by the officers under the governor, provincial governor, and general. They represented the special power granted by the court.

Once local officials hold the flag, they can not only control the standard-bearing soldiers under their command, but also act as they please with respect to their official troops.

Generally speaking, governors, provincial governors and generals of border towns all have flags.

With a flag, Yang Zhengshan is the general of Chongshan Town. Without a flag, Yang Zhengshan is only the deputy governor of the Central Army Governor's Office.

"I will be the general of Chongshan Town!" Yang Zhengshan frowned as he looked at the official seal and flag.

"That's right, you are the general and I am the governor!" Pang Tang said.

This time the court was still very efficient. After the meeting ended, the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War prepared official seals and flags and sent people on horseback to deliver them to Liaodong at full speed. It took them only five days to arrive in Liaodong, which shows that they really rode all the way here in a hurry. After all, it would take nearly three days to deliver an urgent report of 800 miles from Liaodong to Kyoto.

However, it only took the officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War five days to arrive in Liaodong.

After receiving the appointment, Pang Tang did not hesitate at all and brought Doctor Cui to Tenglongwei. However, they found that Yang Zhengshan had already led his troops to the battle, so they came here again.

(End of this chapter)