National color raw owl

Chu Huan said with a smile: "I heard that General Gan is a great talent, and seeing him today, he really deserves his reputation."

Marquis Gan waved his hands and said with a smile: "Lord Chu, you have won the prize. But the prestige of Master Chu, I have heard about it for a long time. When I was sent to Xiliang to strengthen our country's prestige, Gan has long wanted to see it."

Chu Huan smiled slightly, and Marquis Gan had already cut to the chase and asked, "Master Chu, the border is a bitterly cold place. Your lord must have something important to tell you when you come here?"

"I dare not take orders." Chu Huan smiled and said, "I just heard that the life of the soldiers in the Northwest is hard, so I squeezed something out from between my teeth, and came to express my condolences, and discuss some trivial matters with General Gan."

"Things?" Marquis Gan said with a smile: "Your Majesty Chu is too polite, I wonder what Master Chu brought here?"

Chu Huan said: "It should be something you can use. The general should have heard that Xiguan is now producing table salt. It is made from local raw materials in the northwest. I heard that there is a shortage here, so I pulled a few carts over here."

Marquis Gan was taken aback, then got up and bowed deeply, "Thank you, Governor, for your help in a timely manner, Marquis Gan, on behalf of all the soldiers in the Northwest, thank you, Governor."

It is well known that the frontier army is short of salt.

Before Chu Huan used cold stones to create new salt, the Northwest was a land short of salt. The salt transported from the inland was still of extremely poor quality after passing through several checkpoints in the inland.

Even if refined salt is transported to the Northwest, the first batch will be taken by those high-ranking officials and gentry. The salt eaten by ordinary people is already very inferior, and the salt transported to the border is even worse, and the quantity is not much. The army distributes salt according to the head , Every soldier has his own salt bag. Usually, the meals in the army do not add salt. If you need salt, you must take it from your own salt bag.

The salt for the soldiers is the lowest configuration, with a slightly stronger taste, and the salt rationed for a year can't even last for three to five months, so they can only survive with extreme frugality.

The difficulty of salt for the frontier army has always been a problem. Even when Feng Hanxiao was there, the Northwest Army had very little salt rations, not to mention that after the Marquis of Gan took office, the court could not even guarantee the army food, let alone salt.

Now there is a serious salt shortage in the Northwest Army. Many people cannot eat salt once a month, so there are not a few people who get sick. Ganhou Wan didn't expect Chu Huan to bring salt, and his brows were filled with joy color.

However, Chu Huan had already taken out a small salt bag from his bosom, put it on the table, pushed it to Marquis Gan, and said, "This is the table salt that was sent this time, and the quality is the same as this one. Therefore, the governor carefully selected and shipped eight carts of new salt, which should be able to solve the general's urgent needs."

Gan Hou hastily took the salt bag, opened the pocket, dipped some in his hand with his fingers, took it out and looked at it, under the light, the color was unusual, he stuck out his tongue and licked it, closed his eyes for a moment, The smile on his face grew stronger, he put his entire finger into his mouth, sucked all the salt dipped in his finger, clicked his tongue, and gave a thumbs up, "Master Chu, I have heard about the opening of a saltworks in Xiguan for a long time. , I heard that this was developed by Master Chu himself, turning the useless cold stone in the northwest into a treasure. I also heard that the salt in the three northwest and Xiguan is the most in short supply. I have always wanted to see it How can this stone be turned into table salt? When I saw it today, it really deserves its reputation. Master Chu, let me tell you a word of conscience, the brothers in the Northwest Army probably have never eaten refined table salt like yours...!" He took out a bag from his waist and handed it to Chu Huan, "Look, this is the salt we eat."

When Chu Huan saw Marquis Gan take out the salt bag, he was immediately in awe.

Don't look at it as a small move, and Chu Huan can see the reason behind it at a glance.

Marquis Gan is the commander-in-chief of the Northwest Army. The money and food of the Northwest Army are naturally distributed by Marquis Gan. Of course, Marquis Gan also handles the salt in the army. Logically speaking, as the commander-in-chief of an army, although the army is short of salt, but But he will never be troubled by the lack of salt.

But Marquis Gan took out the salt bag, which means that the majestic Northwest Army commander, like ordinary soldiers, shared weal and woe in terms of material distribution.

Chu Huan also understands that Marquis Gan has a reputation in the Northwest Army and can convince the soldiers. Even in such an extremely difficult environment, he still maintains stability without any mutiny. Share weal and woe with the soldiers, otherwise, even if you fight again, if you don't know how to sympathize with the soldiers, the soldiers will not be of one mind with him.

Chu Huan opened Ganhou's salt bag and took a look. It was very different from the refined salt he had brought. The table salt in the bag was of different sizes, like stones. He took a piece and licked it. With a sour taste.

Chu Huan wrapped the bag carefully, pushed it back, and sighed, "It's hard to be a general."

"Being able to have a mouthful of salt is already a big deal for the soldiers of the Northwest Army." Ganhou said solemnly: "Master Chu knows that these soldiers are almost all from poor families. Those literati and bureaucrats said loudly It's not bad that soldiers should serve the country loyally, but when they are hungry, who would want to serve the country loyally? It's just for food. Nowadays, the Northwest Army is very difficult and lacks everything. Under such circumstances, they can still hold on Here, the general is also very moved in his heart."

"A strong general has no weak soldiers under his command. If it weren't for General Gan, the northwest border would not be so stable." Chu Huan said sincerely, "General Gan, you should use this batch of salt first. Xiguan is also very difficult right now, and the others are too difficult." I can't help much, but regarding the salt, I will do my best to help, and Xiguan Road will do my best to provide the salt for the Northwest Army in the future."

Marquis Gan was startled, then narrowed his eyes, and said with a smile: "Master Chu is so large, I don't know what to say. By the way, Master Chu said earlier that there are still some trivial matters to discuss with this general, not just trivial matters? "

"It's just something as big as sesame seeds and mung beans. I'm sitting here with General Gan today, so I just mentioned it by the way." Chu Huan smiled and said: "Of course the general knows that Xiguan Road has set up a trade field outside Yanmen Pass, and it is going to be used for riding salt horses." Trade, of course, this salt horse trade is an official trade, and it is also the most important use of the trade field. In addition, in order to facilitate other trade between the two countries, the governor is also planning to allow merchants from the northwest to enter the trade field. As far as possible within the range, freely trade with merchants from the west."

Ganhou said with a smile: "Master Chu, he will be a rough man. He only knows about marching and fighting, and he doesn't know anything about business. If you have any requirements, just say it. If you can do it, I will do my best."

"The trading ground is only a few dozen miles away from Yanmen Pass, so it's okay now. The governor is worried that people with ulterior motives will come to the trading ground in the future when the trade exchanges increase." Chu Huan sighed softly: "So the governor hopes Able to give the general protection to the trade field."

Marquis Gan said "Oh", thoughtfully.

"What's difficult for the general, but it's okay to say!"

Marquis Gan sighed: "In fact, when the trade field was opened, the general thought about protecting the trade field, but...Master Chu, you also know that the soldiers of the Northwest Army fought hand-to-hand with Xiliang people. Those who came down, many family members and relatives even died under the iron hooves of Xiliang people. Now the trading ground is opened, and it is said to trade with merchants in the west, but the passage to the west is blocked by Xiliang people, and those who can come to do business , and only Xiliang people." After a pause, he said softly: "Master Chu, doing business with Xiliang people, the brothers of the Northwest Army are already doing well if they don't go to smash the field, I want them to come forward to protect, this... hey, really It's very difficult...!" Seeing Chu Huan frowning, he hurriedly said, "But it's not impossible. In fact, if Mr. Chu doesn't come, I've been trying to solve this problem, but it's a pity that I'm so rough, it's hard to think It’s a good plan, Master Chu just came over, I don’t know if there is any good plan to make everyone go to protect him willingly?”

Chu Huan nodded repeatedly and said, "The governor can understand what General Gan said. If it were me, if my relatives were slaughtered by Xiliang people, I would not be willing to protect the trade with Xiliang people."

"Master Chu can understand, I will be grateful!"

"The governor can understand General Gan's difficulties." Chu Huan sighed: "But then again, there are no eternal enemies or eternal friends in this world. Although the people of Xiliang did a lot of evil in the northwest, they are now retreating and fighting with me. Daqin signed a contract, which turned hostility into friendship. After the war, we still have to live. Doing business with Xiliang people is not harmful to us. If the original intention of the trading market is to trade salt and horses, now our Daqin lacks horses. And Xiliang people are full of war horses, if we get good horses from them through trade, it will be beneficial to Da Qin."

"Master Chu's meaning, I will understand, and he is very supportive." Ganhou said: "However, few brothers in the Northwest Army have studied, and they all accept death. You should tell them these principles a hundred times. They don't understand either. They are secular people, in their eyes, they can do things that are beneficial, and they are unwilling to do things that are not beneficial... This, Master Chu understands what this general means?"

"I understand very well." Chu Huan said seriously: "So the governor thought of a sentence, under the reward, there must be a brave man!"

"What does Master Chu mean?"

"If you can offer a heavy reward, even a brave man can show up. I think it's no problem to be on patrol and responsible for safety." Chu Huan smiled and said: "General Gan, if you give some tangible benefits to the brothers in the Northwest Army, let them know that they have a good relationship with Xiliang." Human trade is not only beneficial to the officials and people in the Northwest, but also directly beneficial to them themselves, do you think they are willing to go out and protect them?"

Ganhou squinted his eyes and smiled: "The general said, these guys, if there are benefits, everything can be discussed. By the way, Master Chu has come up with some clever tricks when he said so?"

"General Gan, the governor will not go around in circles anymore." Chu Huan said happily: "If you have money to take, would you like to go out to protect it?"

When Marquis Gan heard this, he didn't go around in circles, and said bluntly: "Happy, Lord Chu, I will be a martial artist. If I don't go around in circles, I have money to take. Even if they don't want to go, I will force them to go with a knife. It depends on how much money I can get." Take it, if there is less money, it will be troublesome to get things done!" Although he remained calm, there was a slight look of excitement between his brows.