Late Tang

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The time has entered December [-]th, and there is heavy snowfall in the east of the river, the snow is two feet deep, and the sky and the earth become a vast expanse of whiteness.

As soon as the main battalion in the town arrived at [-] o'clock, they blew the wake-up horn on time, and then the coaches of each battalion blew their whistles.There is only a quarter of an hour between getting up and gathering, and when the time is up, the drums will start beating.

Those who fail to arrive after the sound of the three-way drum will be severely punished.After being counted according to the roster, each battalion started morning exercises. First, they ran for ten kilometers with weights, and then returned to the camp for a phalanx drill, followed by training with various weapons.Then it was almost time for breakfast, and dinner was served.

The 5000 troops of the eight towns and three divisions were stationed in front of Tianmen Pass, and the camp stretched for twenty miles.Although Li Jing's town hall has only [-] people here, there are another [-] soldiers and horses, which are also directly subordinate to Li Jing.For these soldiers and horses, Li Jing did not let them go, but had the same strict requirements, and they were all managed in accordance with the mode of suppressing the police.

In the morning, you have to strictly abide by it.

As soon as the wake-up call sounded, Li Jing got up immediately on time. After dressing and washing, he also took a war horse and rushed to the school grounds for a review.At the beginning, some of Gao Wenshun's Yunzhou soldiers were unwilling to act as scheduled. Li Jing first asked Du Yuhou to announce the military regulations to them. The first time it was only a verbal warning and a written record.When it was the third time, Li Jing directly escorted those people to the counting platform, drew his sword and beheaded the heads of the eleven Yunzhou soldiers.And spread the word to the whole battalion, all the troops were shocked for a while, and they dared not ignore Li Jing's military regulations anymore.

Although the generals of these men and horses have all been granted the title of governor of each state, they are still in the imperial edict army, and they are still Li Jing's subordinates.

With Li Jing's town police officer as an example, Zheng Congxun and Yu Jian also asked Li Jing for a copy of the town police officer's exercise training regulations to follow.From then on, every morning when the town commander's wake-up whistle was thought about, the rest of the armies would start to sound the wake-up whistle together, and then they would call out for drills.Yu Jin and Zheng Congxun even took over the whole content of Li Jing's morning exercises, running with weights, military drills, and then individual martial arts exercises.

When Li Jing arrived on the stage at the school grounds, the first drum sound was just remembered, and the snow on the school grounds had already been cleaned by the soldiers on duty.When the second drum sounded, almost all the soldiers and horses in the town had arrived.

The 5000 soldiers and horses were divided into several divisions, and the [-] people on the township side were divided, and the other divisions were also divided according to the soldiers and horses of each general.On the school grounds of the town, not a single one of the [-] soldiers was missing, and all of them were present.On the vast snow field, the soldiers of the town had all changed into brand new winter clothes as early as a month ago.Although cotton had already spread to Hexi and Guanzhong areas from the Western Regions at this time, like in the Central Plains, cotton is still only an ornamental plant.Although Li Jing has started planting cotton in Liaodong, it is still in the initial stage, and the harvest and use of cotton are still far away.

To avoid the cold, the common people only wore jackets. Ordinary people with no money stuffed some hay in their clothes, those with money got some bird feathers and duck feathers, and the rich and noble wore all kinds of furs.Li Jing paid a lot of money for the winter clothes of the soldiers in the town.Everyone has three sets of winter military uniforms. Each set includes underwear, shirts, jackets, and gowns. Gloves, fur hat.It can be said that it is armed to the teeth. Similarly, these three sets of equipment are also expensive.But Li Jing was not stingy, not only did everyone have one, but one person prepared three sets.

In such a heavy snow day, everyone in the township also distributed a set of blankets sewn with fur.No matter how cold it is, the soldiers below are not afraid.And because of the supply of canned meat and vegetables, although this winter was spent in the wilderness, no one suffered from frostbite or frostbite.

However, the other armies did not have such good treatment. The army towns sent troops outside, and the logistics and supply transportation was inherently inconvenient.Everyone is counting on Zheng Congxuan to provide supplies for everyone, but although Hedong is said to be rich, there has been a mutiny over the years, you kill me, I will kill you, finally, under the leadership of Zheng Congxuan, the situation is better, but so many soldiers and horses are stationed here , is a bottomless pit that cannot be filled.Not only do people eat horse chews, but they also have to pay, and every now and then they have to be rewarded.

Zheng Congxuan's hair is mostly gray now. Fortunately, after the arrival of Li Jing's governor, more than 2 people did not ask him to supply food and grass, which helped him reduce a lot of burdens.

But up to now, when recruiting soldiers and horses from various armies, many of them don't have enough winter clothes. The soldiers can't even go out of the camp gate in such weather.

As soon as Li Jing came back from his horse walk, Zhang Hong had already come to the door.

Zhang Hong wore a mink fur robe, a bearskin cloak, a pair of thick tiger leather boots, a pair of big leather gloves around his neck, and a bearskin cape on his head. hat.The whole person was bloated in a big circle, looking like a big bear that came out to look for food.

As soon as he saw Li Jing, Zhang Hong couldn't help but sigh: "Why is this place so cold in Hedong? It's not so cold in Dengzhou."

Dengzhou is on the coast, so naturally it will not be so cold, but here is close to the outside of the Great Wall, and the wind from the Great Wall keeps blowing here, so it is naturally cold.

"Zheng Xianggong came to me today, meaning that the soldiers and horses of the towns are here now, and the preparations for winter clothes are not complete. He wants us to help solve it." Zhang Hong frowned.

Li Jing asked the guards to raise the iron coal pellet stove. The coal was dug in Hedong, and the iron coal stove was built directly in Hedong with the workshops of those captured Hu people.Although burning briquettes does not smell good, it is much cheaper and more cost-effective than burning charcoal.

Li Jing rubbed his hands together and breathed a sigh of relief: "Teacher Yu Gong also found me yesterday, hoping that we can help his Zhenwu Army solve the problem of winter clothing. In addition, the 9000 troops under our command now , are waiting for our help to solve it.”

Zhang Hong frowned and jumped, "It's all up to us. We're not gods, so we can't make it. In addition to our 5000 troops, there are still [-] soldiers and horses here. Is it possible that we all have to count on it?" We can't."

"Who said that among these troops, our Zhendong Army has meat to eat every day and brand new winter clothes." Li Jing also sighed.Since the confluence of the towns, Zheng Congxuan didn't seem to have any intention of attacking. Chang'an came to urge him to attack several times, but Zheng Congxuan kept refusing to send troops because he said that the money, food and materials were not available.Li Jing also talked to Zheng Congxuan several times, but Zheng Congxuan believed that the best way to deal with Li Keyong's people in the current situation was to besiege rather than attack.

Their days are hard, and those of the Shatuo people are even harder.After this winter, the population of Shatuo will decrease by more than [-]%.

Although Li Jing also agrees with this plan, Li Jing is unwilling to stay here with them all the time.Li Jing even thought about it. Anyway, the rewards that were carried out have already come down. The next battle seems to be nothing. In fact, the last battle is the most difficult one. Should he lead his troops back to Dengzhou directly?

As soon as Li Jing warmed his cold hands, Zheng Congxuan sent someone to summon Li Jing to the Chinese army camp to discuss matters.

When I rushed to Daying, I saw that all the generals of the towns were there.As soon as Zheng Congxuan saw Li Jing, he came over with a very friendly smile and took his hand to the upper seat.

"This is the position of Mr. Zheng. I, Li Jing, have such virtues and capabilities. How can I occupy it. I must never let it happen."

"You are the only one who can take this seat now. General Ji Yu must do everyone a favor this time." Zheng Congxun smiled helplessly.

Li Jing insisted on refusing: "If you have anything to say, you can just say it directly."

Seeing Li Jing's insistence, Zheng Congzhen let it go, went back by himself, sighed, and said slowly: "It's not about the food and the winter clothes of the soldiers. In this weather, the city is blocked by heavy snow, and the roads are even more blocked. The winter clothes of the soldiers can’t be solved, even our food and grass are about to run out.” Zheng Congzhen knew that Li Jing collected and hoarded a lot of food when he raided the four states of Weizhou.But it is not easy to snatch food from Li Jing's mouth.Although Li Jing is a deputy envoy, he has a strong army and horses in his hands, so there is nothing good for him as an envoy.

Li Jing was in a bit of a dilemma. He had expected the difficulties in transporting grain from Dengzhou to Jinzhong, so he blackmailed and robbed a batch of grain in Youzhou, and plundered and hoarded a batch in Daibei.Li Jing is not willing to ask him to take out these grains.As for winter clothes, that's even more impossible.

Seeing Li Jing's refusal to speak, Zheng Congxuan frowned in embarrassment.In the end, he looked at Yu Yu as if asking for help, and Yu Yu said, "It's really difficult to fight each other. If you can help Ji Yu, please help."

After finishing speaking, Yu Jian said again: "Of course, I don't want your food and clothes for nothing. You can set the price according to the goods, and the army can directly pay for it."

Hearing this, Li Jing's eyes lit up: "Can everyone pay for it?"

Zheng Congxuan smiled awkwardly: "Of course everyone doesn't have much money now, but everyone can pool it together first, and if there is any shortage, you can issue an IOU first. After we wipe out the rebels in Shuozhou, all the seized money can be converted to You make up."

Hearing that this was the way, Li Jing smiled.After thinking for a while, Li Jing finally agreed.In fact, he had to agree, otherwise, all the soldiers and horses of the seven towns would be offended. "I can promise that I can send a batch of food right away. There are canned food, corn and sorghum, etc., which can barely handle it. But winter clothing will take some time."

Each of Li Jing's [-] soldiers distributed three sets. If each of them took out two sets for emergency, the problem of winter clothes for the [-] allied forces could be barely resolved.

"Marshal, I still say the same thing. If this goes on, we will be the first to be unable to bear it. I thought that after the winter clothes arrived, we could brave the wind and rain to encircle and suppress Shuozhou. Otherwise, if we lasted for a while, I'm afraid we It won't last long. At the very least, if the battle can't end before the spring begins, our town will have to return to Shidengzhou. Several urgent reports have been sent from southern Liaoning, saying that Khitan has defeated the Goguryeo people in Jili Prefecture, and they have threatened We had to go back when we got to the town's territory."

Hearing Li Jing's almost threatening words, Zheng Congxuan was a little dissatisfied, but at last the words came to his lips, and he swallowed them back.The generals have already dispatched troops for half a year, and if it took too long, let alone Li Jing, other towns may also leave.As soon as they left, they went to Shiguanghedong and Zhenwu's soldiers and horses, and they couldn't deal with the Shatuo people at all.

"Okay, Li Zhenguo will deal with the food and winter clothes first, and then we will attack together to wipe out the Shatuo rebels!" Zheng Congxuan said, staring at Li Jing.

Li Jing knew that what he meant was that he had to solve the problem of food and winter clothes before he would send troops. Li Jing just smiled at this, "That's it!"

This battle has to be fought, and Li Jing doesn't want to drag it here forever. What he said about Liaodong Khitan and Goguryeo is also true.On the other hand, in the latest letter from his teacher Cui Yunyan that he just received, Cui Yunqing mentioned to him that Wang Jingwu has teamed up with the grass thief. Wang Jingwu occupies Qizhou, Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao occupy Jeju. Kang Chenghui led the army to attack the bandits several times, but all of them were to no avail.Now Song Wei can't sit still anymore, Cui Yunqing has proposed to Song Wei to transfer Li Jing's suppressor to quell the chaos.Cui Yunqing didn't know that Li Jing had been promoted to the governor of the town, and Dengzhou was also allocated from Ziqing town.

No matter what, no matter how hard Li Jing is now in Daibei, this piece of land will not be able to swallow it. Instead of this, it is better to return to Dengzhou and southern Liaoning as soon as possible while the goal is basically achieved now.As for Zheng Congyu's request, Li Jing didn't feel that he was completely at a disadvantage.The accounts owed by each army can be recovered as long as Li Keyong and his son are defeated.

After the meeting was adjourned, Li Jing immediately asked Zhang Hong to be responsible for mobilizing the grain and grass they hoarded to Taiyuan, and gathered the other two sets of winter clothes for the soldiers and distributed them to the soldiers and horses in other towns.

"The longer this battle drags on, the less cost-effective it will be for us. Now we are temporarily suffering a loss, and we can get it back later. My goal is to end this battle and return home before the beginning of spring."

After receiving Li Jing's instructions, Zhang Hong stopped talking about other things and began to mobilize the food and clothes with all his strength.

By the end of December, Zheng Congxuan had received the clothing and food transferred by Li Jing, and all the clothing and food problems of the coalition forces had been solved.

On the New Year's Eve, the whole army spent a lively year in the barracks, rewarded with wine and meat.

Early the next morning, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, Zheng Congxuan finally ordered the whole army to take advantage of this time of the new year to march towards Shuozhou.

This time, the soldiers and horses of the eight towns were divided into two groups under Li Jing's suggestion.The first route, led by Zheng Congxuan himself, consisted of [-] troops from the seven towns of Hedong Army, Zhenwu Army, Tiande Army, Xia Sui Army, Heyang Army, Zhongwu Army, and Yicheng Army from Xinzhou to attack the captives on the border of Shuolan. Juncheng, and then entered Shuozhou from Loufanguan to attack the new city.

On the other route, Li Jing led [-] cavalry from his headquarters, plus [-] cavalry from the three Fan armies, plus the [-] infantry from the Gao brothers and Fu brothers also entered Xinzhou, then entered Daizhou, and took Yanmen Pass.

In addition, another army of Li Jing went south from Yunzhou and directly attacked Huanghuagang on the border of Shuoyun and Yunzhou.

The [-] army of soldiers and horses of the three routes, the ultimate goal is the golden city of Shuozhou.The three armies will finally meet in Jincheng and annihilate Li Guochang and his son in one fell swoop. (To be continued.)