Brocade clothing as the country

Chapter 739 The Great Army Moves Each Has Its Words
When the army goes out of the fortress, it is necessary to carry food and supplies. In this season, it is necessary to prepare fodder for horses, not to mention tents and other things. There are nearly [-] cavalry in the town, and an army of nearly [-], carrying an astonishing amount of military supplies.

When the soldiers of Ming Dynasty were in the border town, their salaries, food and grass would be withheld. After leaving the fortress, they were not in their own territory, and all supplies had to be delivered later. If there is not enough supply, the morale of the army must be down. If you can't eat enough, how can you have the strength to go to war? Most of the time, people are panicked.

However, the imperial envoy Wang Tong led the army, and some time ago, he also used thunderous means to cut off many bloody heads. Everyone was trembling and did not dare to do anything.

In addition, as early as two months ago, Sanjiang Commercial Bank and several large commercial firms began to purchase grain, fodder and equipment throughout Shanxi, and a large number of materials were also transported from Henan and North Zhili. The supplies within the time period can also be said to be abundant.

When the army goes out of the frontier, they carry their own grain and grass for a few days, and the rest of the grain and grass must be transported from the rear. The grain depot and grain road become the top priority. If the grain road is copied by someone, it is often a tragedy for the entire army to collapse. .

Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, it has fought endlessly with the Tartars on the grassland. The several major defeats were not lost in frontal battles, but because the logistics were cut off by the enemy, and then the morale of the army fluctuated.

It's not that the Tartar cavalry on the grasslands don't need food and fodder supplies. The grasslands are their territory. Every time the Ming army goes to war, the Tartars are considered to be fighting on the inside.

They are familiar with the terrain, and because they are dominated by cavalry and have a wide range of activities, the logistics base can be placed far away from the battlefield. If the Ming army did not have strong cavalry, it would be impossible for the Ming army to raid long distances to plunder the food storage of the Tartars. Moreover, the herdsmen live on the grasslands. The environment here is far harsher than that of the inland Ming Dynasty. The herdsman cavalry recruited from various tribes often carry their own supplies, and the food for food is carried on another horse. Combining all these reasons, the places where grain is stored and the roads for transporting grain are often the key points of the Ming army, not the key points of the Tartars.

The key to food supplies is not only known to the generals, but even the soldiers below and even the people in the border town of Datong know about it.

After hearing the news that the troops were going to be dispatched, the area within three to four hundred miles around Datong Right Guard was completely empty, and all the houses with men disappeared without a trace.

It wasn't until two days before the troops were dispatched that people came out of their hiding places one after another. The reason was simple. For such a large-scale troop going out, the number of civilian servants used must be astonishing. Naturally, these civilian servants Dingzhuang used to carry things would not They came here voluntarily, and they did all the hard work on the marching battlefield. They were left behind when they fled, and there was no reward for them. Who would want to do such drudgery.

The officers and soldiers naturally knew that the people were unwilling to take on such a hard job, so they arrested them wantonly every time, but this time the officers and soldiers did not move at all. It was two days before the troops were dispatched, and even if they wanted to search and arrest, it would be too late. The people are all at ease When I came back, I also had a doubt.

If you don’t have strong peasants, why don’t you set up your own camp and carry food and supplies by yourself? The imperial envoy is a man who decides for the people, but you can’t take things like fighting lightly at all. It’s so unconventional. Wouldn’t it be better to go to the grasslands to die!

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On the 11th day of the twelfth lunar month in the 29th year of Wanli, the army led by the imperial envoy Wang Tongqin set off at Datong Youwei and went to the grassland. It is said that there were two purposes for this trip, one was to eliminate horse thieves, and the other was to demonstrate against the Tartars, so that the Tartars’ activities would be restrained. .

There is nothing to do for the Chinese New Year, and the officers and soldiers did not arrest civilians this time. Many civilians and military households living in Datong Youwei came to watch the army set off. Such a large-scale dispatch has not been seen in Datong Town for decades. Look This is more or less a lively scene, so it's good to keep your eyes open.

Worshiping the sky, raising tents, raising flags, and so on. After the familiar ceremonies before the expedition, the army moved slowly, surrounded by many people. Of course, there are also spies who came to spy on him, and there is no way to guard against this.

Each has its own highlights, each has its own excitement, and everyone is talking non-stop. It seems that during the Lantern Festival, the dragon and lantern dance team passed by, and people on both sides watched the excitement.

"How many big cars do you need? I can't count them. There are so many big cars on the market."

"You're a layman. It's a sidecar from Jizhen. It's used to fight the enemy. Marshal Qi's regulations are amazing. But the soldiers and horses from Tianjin, this cart looks fresh, four horses, With four wheels, there is no hard shaft in front, it looks like a leather rope, which requires no strength."

"No, do the math. After all, it's four horses. Even if you don't need any strength, it can pull more than a cart with two horses and one horse. However, this cart probably costs a lot of money to build."

The four-horse carts used by Huwei Army to transport grain, fodder and supplies attracted many people’s ideas. Sanjiang Commercial Bank, Yongsheng Commercial Bank, and Jinhe Commercial Bank have long used such carts in Shanxi, and Shanxi merchants have also seen the use of this cargo. The good thing is that imitations have already begun in a small area, but today is the first time that everyone has seen large-scale applications.

The actions of the large army seen in the past are nothing more than a large group of infantry marching forward, with generals and personal guards galloping on horseback to the left and right of the group, and behind them there are teams of supplies and supplies.

But today, when the army led by the imperial envoy went out of the fortress, apart from the cavalry in Ji Town, there were only infantry mixed with side-cars, and Tianjin Wei's Huwei army was in a similar situation, with carts and infantry drawn by four horses. The queue formed a large team, although it was also a banner and cavalry galloping, but looking at it from a distance, it didn't look like a large army moving, but rather a huge and huge caravan, a large caravan headed to the northern border.

Talking about the carts, the people who watched the excitement were just private households with a little vision. What they saw was different from the discussions of a few businessmen on the other side.

"Hey, there are so many four-wheeled carts, how much money do these carts cost, and how much money do these horses cost? Is the money in Datong Town all spent this time?"

"Old Zhang, you don't know, this is the Tianjin Guard's own carriage, and some Sanjiang Commercial Company's carriages are also following. The money spent in Datong Town is those who buy grain and fodder. Although it is a lot, you can still get it!"

"By the way, the old man of Sanjiang Commercial Bank held a banquet in Taiyuan Mansion that day, entertaining the shopkeepers and shopkeepers of various businesses, and said that there will be acquisitions in the future. This time the bid is [-]% higher than last time."

"That's [-]% of the price. If you count the foot money, you can make some money. However, their family bought it for the officials. The market price is already [-]% higher, and they don't make a lot of money. By the way, Lao Gu said at the banquet. , after this purchase, there is still a chance for everyone to make a fortune together, do you know what it is?"

"Could it be that he went to Tianjin Wei to make a fortune? In the past few years, his Sanjiang Commercial Bank has made money in Jinshan and Yinhai. Shanxi, Xuanfu, Beizhili, and Liaozhen, the north and the sea, are full of their business. If you are willing to let everyone go to Tianjin Wei to do it, it will be good if it is convenient."

"Damn it, it's also the bastards of Yongsheng, Jinhe and the two former bosses who hated Wang Tong, so that we couldn't go to Tianjin Wei to do business, and Sanjiang Commercial Company rushed in and robbed us a lot. This time it's good. If there is an opportunity, everyone should join in the grand event.”

Everyone's discussion is vague, but they all know it in their hearts. The people from Sanjiang Commercial Bank first talked about the acquisition, and then said that they will make a fortune with everyone. Don't talk about it, businessmen are after profit, these things are understandable.

Everyone has also seen the astonishing capacity represented by so many four-horse carts. A cart with two horses and two wheels transports much less goods than a cart with four horses and four wheels. How much less is needed, converted into money, this is the question of earning more and earning less. This time, the various prefectures in Shanxi went to Datong to deliver goods, all using two-horse and single-horse carts. If you want to use this four-horse cart, Not only can you pull more, but you can also save money, so you can earn more.

When I go back this time, I must build this big car. Why not use such a good thing? Doesn’t it mean that I don’t make enough money?

The common people see it this way, but the generals see it from another angle. Many generals in Datong Town are also watching from the sidelines, and there is a lot of discussion.

"Ji Town and the Imperial Army have brought food and grass for fifteen days in total. What can they do when they go out? Why don't they come back after taking such a big risk, but the cost of this trip is enough for Datong Town to spend half a year here. They toss What!?"

"Then Wang Tong is the emperor's number one trustworthy person. Who dares to care what he wants to do? You didn't see the governor and the supervising army and they didn't make a sound. General Luo Shen has a solid foundation. If he says he will withdraw, he will withdraw." Well, that Ma Dong is also a general after all, just like a grandson running back and forth all day long."

"Look, Ma Dong pretended to be a grandson, and gave Wang Tong all the family and soldiers he could use to lead, and he stayed here to sit in the town. Wang Tong and tens of thousands of people went to the grassland, and they didn't answer me. Delivering food, if there is a mistake, I don't know how many heads will be lost, if Ma Dong stays, it will save the burden!"

"Wang Tong is a half-grown child, and I don't know if he is reliable or not. I have also been to their drills. We Datong people rode horses to attack the imperial army. The imperial army's own infantry was too frightened to move there. What can I practice, it’s not just good acting, wait for the soldiers and horses of the Tartar brigade to show their heads, and wait to cross!!”

"Damn it, it's a pity to lose so many cannons, it's a pity to lose such a good armor."

(End of this chapter)