Fenghou

Chapter 198 Determination
Chen Qing arrived at Chengji County at night and returned to the barracks. Chen Qing immediately arranged for the soldiers to boil a large bucket of hot water, take a quick bath, wash off the bloody smell on their bodies, and put on clean clothes.

At this time, a soldier reported, "Reporting to control, Vice General Yang is asking to see you!"

"Let him in!"

After a while, Yang Yuanqing walked quickly into the big tent, carrying a small box in his hand.

He put the box on the table, "Commander, I'm here for business!"

Chen Qing was taken aback, "What's wrong?"

Yang Yuanqing opened the small box, and there was a human head inside, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Zhang Jian's head.

"This is... you killed him?" Chen Qing was very surprised.

Yang Yuanqing nodded, "I told him at the beginning that I don't care if he works for Jin Bing, but if he betrays again, I will kill him with my own hands. This time I sent two martial arts experts The scouts killed him in Fengxiang County."

"Did he follow Fu Xuan?" Chen Qing asked again.

Yang Yuanqing shook his head, "The scout told me that Fu Xuan didn't want to see him at all, and he didn't even see him. He has been living in the inn all the time."

Yang Yuanqing closed the box, "Although Tongzhi doesn't pursue the responsibility of being humble, Zhang Jian is guaranteed by me. If I don't give Tongzhi an explanation for this matter, I'm afraid I won't even be able to pass this test myself."

Chen Qing nodded, "Zhang Jian has made a lot of contributions after all. You send someone to send five hundred taels of silver to his wife and children, and then return his head and personal belongings to his family."

"Humble job will definitely arrange it!"

At this time, Chen Qing asked: "How is the recruiting situation?"

"According to the requirements of the control, two thousand people have been recruited, half of them are former Song soldiers, and the other half are recruits, and they are currently training!"

Chen Qing nodded and asked again: "I asked you to prepare the logistics supplies before I left, are you ready?"

"It's ready, and the humble job has recruited more than [-] carts, a total of [-] carts, ready to go at any time."

Yang Yuanqing's thoroughness really satisfied Chen Qing, and he said happily, "I will leave the training of the two thousand recruits to you. In the morning of the day after tomorrow, I will personally lead the five thousand troops to Anxi County."

Yang Yuanqing hesitated for a moment and said: "Control, there is a saying about a humble job that I don't know if I should say it or not?"

"you say!"

"I feel that the Xixia Army is not ready yet. They will attack Anxi County, at least until autumn!"

Chen Qing said lightly: "Who said I was going to defend, I was going to attack the Xixia Army in Deshun Prefecture."

"what!"

Yang Yuanqing was stunned for a moment, the control actually wanted to preemptively start a war.

"Control, is it too hasty to launch a war now?"

Chen Qing shook his head, "In two days, Zhu Shengfei's special envoy will arrive in Qinzhou. Although he has no right to dismiss me, he can use the investigation as an excuse to suspend me.

Of course, I can also ignore him, but the price is too high. After all, he is the Xuanfu envoy of Sichuan and Shaanxi. If a war breaks out, it will not be a battle for one city and one region, but will trigger a war in the entire Northwest, and the Song, Qi, and Xixia families will all be involved. As for when the war will end, it is beyond Zhu Shengfei's control. "

Yang Yuanqing nodded silently. He had seen a lot of Chen Qing's generosity, and he was not surprised at all by triggering a war to deal with Zhu Shengfei.

It's just that he felt Chen Qing's determination, if Zhu Shengfei wanted to use him for surgery, he would definitely fight back without hesitation.

Chen Qing's preparations for this expedition were really insufficient. The main problem was food. Their rations were only enough for the army to spend for three months, and there were still so many people who needed relief. There was not enough food at all.

Although they can still buy some sheep from the Qiang people, they need to prepare at least half a year's military rations for a war. The key is whether the Bashu ration purchase plan can be implemented smoothly.

Chen Qing also had no choice. The matter of food was very variable, and he could not control it. He could only gamble, either he could get food in Deshun Prefecture, or the food from Bashu could reach Qinzhou smoothly.

After resting for one day, before dawn on the third day, Chen Qing led [-] troops and set off, accompanied by [-] carts loaded with grain and military supplies. The grain and dried mutton on the cart could support the army for a month.

Jianmenguan is located in the north of Longqing Prefecture, and Zitong County, the prefecture of Longqing Prefecture, has become the most important commercial transit point in northern Shu.

Especially during the Song-Jin war in the past two years, the money, food and materials in Sichuan were continuously transported to Hanzhong, and Zitong County became the rear of the rear. A large amount of food and grass materials were collected here from all directions, and then they were shipped from here to the north.

The Zitong River, which connects to Fushui, has become the main channel for water transport of food and materials. Thousands of large warehouses have been built in the past two years by the docks outside the county.

However, as the war subsided, the busy Zitong County suddenly relaxed and became quiet, without the hustle and bustle of before.

This morning, a fleet full of food slowly approached the pier. If it was the busiest time, they would have to wait at least three days for their turn to dock. Just landed.

On the pier, Zhou Kuan had been waiting for a long time. He was now serving as the envoy of the Qinzhou Army to purchase food and supplies, and he belonged to the logistics battalion. Fifty soldiers followed him to Zitong County.

They rented a warehouse in a very short period of time, opened a business, hired a few accountants in the local area, and then established contact with several large grain merchants through the business.

Today is the first batch of grain merchants purchased by Zhou Kuan arrived. The grain was purchased from Langzhou, a total of [-] shi, and the price was [-] guan. Guanqian hired a camel team along the Shu Road to transport the grain to Qinzhou.

"Docked!" The boat boss shouted loudly.

Zhou Kuan turned to a supervisor and said, "Can you carry it now?"

"anytime!"

"Then start now and move the grain to the warehouse."

The steward waved his hand, and a hundred porters ran up. They were divided into two groups, one was to carry the grain ashore from the boat, and the other was to use a wheelbarrow to transport the grain from the pier to the warehouse.

A hundred porters were busy like ants. At this time, another steward hired locally stepped forward and said to Zhou Kuan: "Senior steward, Liu Zhangtuo is here!"

From Zitong County to the north, mules are usually used for transportation, but some clever businessmen have brought in camels that can carry heavy loads. These camels have a large capacity and are easier to take care of, so they are very popular among businessmen.

Zhou Kuan also signed a transportation agreement with a camel team consisting of a hundred camels, responsible for transporting food to Qinzhou for them. If it goes well, a long-term contract will be signed.

After a while, a middle-aged man with a strong figure came up. Everyone forgot his real name because he had a long scar on his face. Everyone called him Scar Liu.

Liu Scarzi has been walking on the Shu Road for nearly thirty years, and he is very familiar with every plant and tree on the Shu Road. The reason why Zhou Kuan sought him out was because he often led his team to Qinzhou three years before Jianyan.

"Boss, the food has arrived, we can set off tonight."

Zhou Kuan nodded, "It's no problem to transport a thousand shi of grain at once!"

Liu Bazi grinned, "Of course there is no problem, two hundred camels can be transported away."

"How long does it take to get to Chengji County?"

"At least half a month!"

Zhou Kuan calculated in his heart that it would take a month to go back and forth, and he should be able to purchase the second batch of grain within a month.

At this time, Zhou Kuan suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly said: "After leaving Beixianren Pass, go straight north to Chengji County, and don't take the long detour in Longzhou."

Zhou Kuan received a pigeon letter from Yang Yuanqing yesterday, specifically telling him that the grain transport team should not go around Longzhou.

Liu Scar frowned, "Going in a straight line has to pass through the territory of the Qiang people, and those Qiang people are not easy to deal with."

"Don't worry! Qinzhou Army's rations, they won't make things difficult, besides, with our sergeants following you, you don't have to worry about all the passes!"

"Okay! We'll pay when we get back."

Zhou Kuan nodded, "You take the receipt, and I will pay you according to the receipt."

(End of this chapter)