Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 95
In the custody room of Baiting Fort, Xin Yunjing and several other senior generals from the Baiting Army gathered around Fang Chongyong for a meeting.

The core topic of everyone's discussion is only two words: making money!

"The Baiting army's income is to collect some horses and sheep from the herdsmen as taxes when the cattle and horses are fattening up in autumn?"

After listening to Xin Yunjing's report, Fang Chongyong asked back in disbelief.

For an army, this little money is like throwing it into the water and listening to it.This is even more so if we look at it from the perspective of "tax in kind".

"Who says it's not the case? With this little money, I often can't collect it. I just give my sons an extra meal as a token of appreciation and it's all gone."

Xin Yunjing sighed, the Baiting army was really in a bad situation, only the animal husbandry and fishing industry were worth mentioning in the surrounding area, and they charged the herdsmen some money for grazing, and compensated with livestock.

But in Hexi, cattle, sheep and horses could not be sold at a good price, and these livestock could not be driven thousands of miles to Chang'an for sale, so this became a vicious circle.

The more you want to make money, the more money you can't get through formal channels, so you can only rob merchants on the Silk Road.

The Baiting Army's station is still some distance away from the Silk Road's post roads, so the merchants have no direct interest entanglements for them.

On the contrary, the Chishui Army, which relied on Liangzhou city tax and merchant taxes, was disgusted with the destruction of trade routes.

After listening to the narration by Xin Yunjing and others, Fang Chongyong also had a deeper understanding of the situation in Hexi.After all, it's still a lack of money to make trouble!
Hexi originally did not have so many garrison troops. It gradually increased its troops with the expansion of the Tang Empire.

The increase in soldiers will lead to a series of logistical pressures, and these problems cannot be solved by relying on the local farming in Hexi.

Are the Qiu Ba of Bai Ting Army bad people?
To some extent, they are bandits in Tang Army uniforms.This incident of the monk's cassock in Tianzhu is a complete revelation."Extremely rare" cases.

However, even so, except for the leader who was dealt with, the others were only transferred to the Great Fighting Army to serve as the frontline "death squads". This is the rule of the Datang River West Army.

The main reason why the leader was dealt with was that he lost the fish charm, which made his superiors and Jiedushi think that he was "not doing his job well" instead of leading troops to rob and kill.

Fang Chongyong believes that there are also many ruthless characters who kill people and steal goods in this Baiting army, but they have not been discovered.

On the other hand, the problem of the Baiting army is also a common problem of the frontier army of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions.It was because of various reasons (including transportation difficulties) that the imperial court did not provide enough support to the local frontier troops.

In particular, the rigid demand is insufficient, so these troops can only be allowed to "find their own way."

The most prominent issue is horses, including their acquisition and maintenance.

In the Hexi Corridor, in addition to defending the local area, the need for horses is relatively small, and other combat missions are difficult without horses!

As for the account books of the Ministry of War, the number of horses required by each army in Hexi is customized.

For example, the Chishui Army, which has the highest proportion of war horses, has 13000 horses. This is the number in the account books of the Ministry of War, and the imperial court must provide the rations needed for these war horses.

So how to deal with the horses that are not in the account books of the Ministry of War and are especially needed by the border town?

There are [-] soldiers in the Chishui Army. Is it true that only these [-] cavalry are dispatched for every strategic maneuver?Sometimes one person and two horses are needed for a long-distance raid, so how do you get these horses?

The elders at the center of the imperial court didn't want to think about these specific issues, so they threw them to the local Jiedu envoys.Jiedushi himself can't change horses, so he can only let the armies figure out their own ways.Therefore, from the Anxi Protectorate's Mansion to the Hexi Corridor, the frontier troops in the western part of the Tang Dynasty used their own clever tactics to raise "private horses" to deal with the treacherous battle situation on the border.

From this point of view, Fang Chongyong felt that Bai Tingjun was not the one who was wrong, at least not all of them.

The culprit is actually the Ministry of War, the court, and Li Longji.

But there is no way to explain this truth.

"Fishing can also make some money, but it's just a drop in the bucket. Most of the catch is consumed by the Baiting army as daily military rations."

A ten general said very distressed.

"Ugh!"

Everyone sighed together.

"Fang Junshi, is there any way to make money?"

Xin Yunjing asked in a deep voice.

Fang Chongyong, the "mascot", cannot be offended anyway, so just keep him in Baitingbao.But this person actually said that he could help Bai Tingjun make money, so he couldn't be treated as an ordinary mascot.

"Take me to have a look, it's near here."

Fang Chongyong said indifferently.He still doesn't know what's in his mind right now, so he has to do some research nearby.

"Okay, send a few capable soldiers to accompany Fang Junshi to wander around, no matter what Fang Junshi wants to do, he will be satisfied. Even if it is robbing houses and women, Fang Junshi must be satisfied and return."

Xin Yunjing whispered to one of the ten generals beside him, but Fang Chongyong heard all these words.

It's nothing more than robbing houses, but what the hell is it to rob people's daughters!Even if he wants to snatch a woman, he can't do anything if he gets it back!
Fang Chongyong sighed helplessly, and said to Xin Yunjing: "They are all my own people, I will not cheat you. This is really for business, don't let those strange people follow. Just choose a few soldiers who are familiar with the local people and follow me. "

Xin Yunjing and the others looked at each other, thinking that Fang Chongyong wanted to be "cool" in Hexi.

"Go and make arrangements. Soldiers who are familiar with the local people's conditions must serve Fang Jun."

Xin Yunjing gave instructions to his subordinates.He was also very curious about what kind of tricks this "Fang Ya Nei" could play.

……

Along the coast of Baiting Sea, there are lush pastures.Before setting off, Xin Yunjing deliberately took Fang Chongyong to the racecourse to pick a horse he could ride.

When a group of people came to the racecourse, they saw a row of simple houses, only surrounded on three sides, and many small "compartments" were separated by wooden fences.There are several horses resting in each room, either sitting or lying down.

On the open grassland in the distance, there are still many horses grazing and playing, a leisurely scene.

The people who manage the racecourse are not the Baiting Army, they are only the "security guards" of the Baiting Sea Racecourse.In the Tang Dynasty, the person who managed the racecourse was the Mujian, and the national racecourse was also divided into three classes: upper, middle and lower.The first-class ones raise more than 5000 horses at the same time, the middle-class ones have more than 3000 horses, and the ones below 3000 are all inferior.

Baitinghai Ranch is obviously a high-quality horse farm.

As soon as the pastor saw Xin Yunjing coming, he immediately asked with a smile on his face: "Although it is the closest place, Ambassador Xin rarely comes to my place. Do you want to pick a mount for yourself?"

Because the Baiting army often plundered commercial roads and let Turkic merchants sell their stolen goods, they were still very rich. They bought a lot of horses in the Baitinghai Ranch and kept a cavalry team of 300 to [-] people. The two sides were old acquaintances.

"Inspector Li Mu, it's not my army envoy who came to choose a horse, but a pony suitable for the deputy army envoy to ride."

Xin Yunjing pointed to Fang Chongyong and said.

Child?Deputy military envoy?This is such a big joke!
The shepherd supervisor was stunned. He had never seen such a powerful deputy military envoy in his entire life!

Li Mujian kept his words in his heart, and then took Fang Chongyong and the others to the stables and asked them to choose horses.

"Just this one."

Fang Chongyong pointed to a maroon pony that was a little shorter than him.

"A very docile horse."

Xin Yunjing said to himself thoughtfully.

If you choose a war horse, you can't be so casual.As a war horse, you can't be too meek, otherwise this kind of horse will be cowardly at critical moments!
But Fang Chongyong seems unlikely to be on the battlefield for the next few years!The service life of a horse is also very limited. Even when the horse dies of old age, Fang Chongyong is unlikely to go to the battlefield. If this is the case, why bother?
In this way, it is more suitable for Ma'er's character to choose a milder one.

"Ten strings."

Xin Yunjing offered a fixed price.

Unexpectedly, Li Mu overheard this, and laughed loudly: "What is Xin Junshi talking about, it's just a pony, it's just a gift from me, hahahahahahaha!"

When a half-grown child becomes a military envoy, either his ability or his background is against the sky, he must have the same, or even have both.Why not give a pony as a favor, maybe it will be useful in the future?
"Then thank Supervisor Li Mu for his kindness."

Xin Yunjing just said casually, how could it be possible to really give money.

Li Mujian personally took action and gave the horse a "horse mark", shoed the horse, and fitted the colt with a small saddle, allowing Fang Chongyong to try riding the colt.

Sure enough, the horse's temperament is very docile. Fang Chongyong sat on it, and Xin Yunjing led the horse. After a walk on the pasture, Fang Chongyong was able to ride a horse independently, but he hadn't mastered the knack of running yet.

Being helped off the horse by Xin Yunjing, Fang Zhongyong said a little excitedly: "It seems that riding a horse is not too difficult."

"That's natural, but if you run long distances, you will still be very tired."

Xin Yunjing held back a smile and said.

When this "yamen" gets used to riding a horse between the cities in Hexi, he will definitely know the disadvantages of riding a horse.

It's just that the excitement hasn't passed yet, so I can't feel it.Why bother to let this Yameni down by talking too much?
The horse selection in the ranch was just a small episode. After leaving the ranch, Fang Chongyong went to patrol the grasslands along the Baiting Sea, while Xin Yunjing returned to Baiting Fort. He wanted to take people to patrol the Turkic territory on the north shore of Baiting Sea. One of military affairs.

Xin Yunjing also didn't have time to wander around with Fang Ya Nei all day long.

Walking around the Baiting seaside, Fang Chongyong suddenly pointed to a certain plant in a bush and said, "What is this?"

"do not know."

"I do not know."

The two Baiting sergeants who followed him shook their heads, completely ignoring him.

"I know this thing is called wolfberry!"

Fang Chongyong said angrily.

It's a discovery that there are wild goji berries growing here in Baitinghai, but...it's not very useful.

Because in Ganzhou next door to Liangzhou, wolfberry cultivation has reached a large scale, and medicine shops supplying it to Chang'an have been opened.Even if we open up medicinal fields here in Baitinghai and grow wolfberry to sell for money, the price won't be much, at least several orders of magnitude less than what Fang Chongyong imagined!

But this also proves one thing from the side: Baitinghai is not the only pasture that can be fed to horses!
Wild goji berries are just a small discovery!

"What kind of grass is this?"

Fang Chongyong pointed to something unusual in appearance, like a bamboo shoot, and asked.This thing is far away from the water source and grows in the sand. It doesn't look like something in the same world as the grass next to it.

"I don't know."

"I didn't notice it before."

The two naives once again gave an answer that did not surprise Fang Zhongyong at all.

Fang Chongyong sighed, he found that the "customs and customs" in his mind may not be the same thing as the "customs and customs" in Xin Yunjing's eyes.

"Uh, if you go out to fight and a brother is injured, where do you go to find a medical officer? Where do you go to find herbs?"

Fang Chongyong asked in confusion. He realized that maybe the way he used people was not quite right, so he wanted to try another method.

"Oh, Fang Jun said earlier. We have no way to deal with these, but as long as we go to Liangzhou City, there are many ways. Hu merchants in the Western Regions have medicines from the Western Regions, and my Great Tang Zhongtu also has medicines from Zhongtu. There is no shortage of medicines here in Hexi, nor is there a shortage of people who know how to use medicines.

Even our Baiting Army has specialized drug stores and medical officers to deal with difficult and complicated diseases in the army. "

It turns out that the local "customs and customs" are business relationships.

Fang Chongyong suddenly realized, and shouted to the two people around him: "Then let's go to Liangzhou City to handle business!"

……

"I have a pony that I never rode. Now I ride to market on a whim..."

One day later, outside Liangzhou City, Fang Chongyong was lying on a flatbed truck wailing, his forehead hot and feverish.He had no idea that riding a long distance for the first time would drive him to pieces!
One soldier was handing over the horses to the Hu merchants at the gate of Liangzhou City, and the other Baiting soldier was carrying a rented ox cart, dragging a horse that was red, swollen and festered on the inside of his legs because of the long distance on horseback. Fang Chongyong.

Anyway, they are all going to the hospital, and now it is considered a "worthy trip", just to treat the injury.Fang Chongyong took it very seriously, but complained that he was careless and didn't dodge it. He thought it was a heroic thing to ride a horse for hundreds of miles!
Alas, after this wave of injuries heals, and you slowly start riding a horse, your body will gradually get used to the bumps and friction.

Fang Chongyong had a difficult thought in his mind, and then fell into a coma.He was delirious with a high fever due to wound infection, and soon felt that he was helped to a wing room and lay on a soft bed.

Then his blood-stained trousers were taken off, and a pair of slender and slightly rough hands stroked the wound on the inner thigh, and the injured skin immediately felt an indescribable coolness and comfort.

Fang Chongyong tried his best to open his eyes, and happened to meet a pair of beautiful exotic eyes, who smiled sweetly, as if a spring breeze was blowing on his face.The girl suddenly made a silent gesture, and Fang Chongyong lay back exhausted, gradually falling into a coma.

"Anaye, are you ready? Come over here and load the medicine!"

An old voice came from outside the wing.

"Okay father, I'm coming right now."

The Hu girl from the Western Region named Anaye glanced thoughtfully at Fang Chongyong who was lying on the bed, smiled, and then opened the door and walked out.Her body has not grown at all, and the slender waist and plump hips that Hu Ji should have are not visible at all.

It's just that kind of temperament, like a hibiscus flower that has just emerged from the water, with a kind of dryness and purity that cannot be desecrated.

Anaye left the wing, and the brilliance in the room also left.

(End of this chapter)