North and South groceries

Luo Yong thought that as long as Tang Jun didn't attack Gaochang, everything would be fine, but he was still too naive.

In the frontier areas of this era, wars often start as soon as they are mentioned. Gaochang people voted to Tang and avoided the battle of Tang's destruction of Gaochang, but they could not escape the anger of Turkic people.

At the beginning of March, on the post road outside Changle County, the sound of horseshoes can be heard all day long, and the messengers ride fast horses to and from each post station.

Soon, Luo Yong got the news from Tang Jian, saying that the Turks used troops against Gaochang. On the one hand, King Qu Wentai of Gaochang defended the city, and on the other hand, he sent people across the vast Gobi to go to Yumenguan to ask for help from the Tang army.

The imperial court reacted quickly and ordered Qiao Shiwang, the general of the Tang army stationed at Yumen Pass, to dispatch [-] cavalry from the local area to assist Gaochang. On the other hand, Li Daozong's troops were already on the way at this time.

Chang'an City is quite far from the Hexi Corridor. When Luo Yong heard from his side that the main general leading the army had changed this time, Li Daozong's troops had already been on the road for a long time.

Don't underestimate these 3000 cavalry. In this era, there is a shortage of people everywhere. Like the Changle County under Luo Yong's management, the entire county only has [-] people.

Later, the Tang government established the Protectorate of the Western Regions in the Western Regions. When the Protectorate of the Western Regions was at its strongest, it had no more than [-] troops.

Right now is a peaceful and prosperous age, the national power of the Tang Dynasty is growing stronger and stronger, and the level of equipment in the army is much better than when the conditions were difficult before.

Before their troops set off, Luo Yong had the honor to go to the barracks with Tang Jian, and he couldn't understand anything else. The most impressive thing was the pair of rubber-soled leather boots on the feet of these soldiers of the Tang Dynasty.

In the past two years, the emperor had planted many eucommia trees, and a large part of the eucommia gum produced was spent on these troops.

Luo came here this time to give them a few things: cashmere socks, a compass, and alcohol.

The cashmere socks were produced in Luo Erniang's cashmere workshop, and a total of more than [-] pairs were transported by bullock cart. The compass and compass were made early in the morning. Now that the war is going on, if you don't use it now, when will you have to wait? .

The last alcohol is distilled repeatedly by Luo using the head of white wine, which can be used to disinfect wounds.

This team was about to leave camp soon, Qiao Shiwang didn't have time to talk to them, and Luo Yong and Tang Jian didn't stay for long, they left after delivering the things.

In mid-March, the Yumen Pass area has not yet entered the spring, and outside the pass is a large area of ​​barren beach next door, and the wind howls.

Although the soldiers had armored leather boots, it was inevitable that they would have to suffer some hardships if they had to ride horses across this wasteland in the current season. There was no pasture on the Gobi desert, and the supply of food and grass was also a big problem.

It is hoped that the joining of these people can ease the situation in Gaochang country. As long as the urgent situation can be solved, the army led by Li Daozong will arrive soon.

After the [-] troops left the pass, the pass quickly fell into silence. In Changle County, only the clatter of horseshoes outside the city could be heard every day, and the atmosphere in the city was a bit heavy.

I heard that in Jinchang City, Fu Bingcao and others have been busy non-stop recently to welcome the arrival of the army, mainly because of the problem of food and grass.

Marching in this era is not easy. Although the country has granaries all over the country, it takes a lot of manpower and material resources to carry a large amount of grain and grass on the march. Reasonable arrangements must be made to continuously replenish from various warehouses along the way.

The task of Fu Bingcao and others is to ensure that when this force comes to their local area in Guazhou, they will be able to get sufficient supplies along the route.

In addition to warehouses in various places, I heard that there are also appropriations from the court, but this is of no use.

If another person is an official in Changle County, I don't know what the situation will be at this time. Anyway, Luo Yong is a bit troublesome to Chen Jiao. I don't often assign work to him, especially now that there is Tang Jian in Changle County.

So it was like this, Luo Yong had a leisurely time here, but he also heard from the county magistrate and others that when the sergeants passed through towns and villages, the local elders would often prepare some grain and rice noodles for them.

In this day and age, marching is all on two legs, and it is very difficult. It is also good that the local people can send some food to them to improve their food.I heard that some troops do not accept them, but they are a minority after all, and they are generally accepted.

On the tenth day of April, Li Daozong led more than 1 gentry to Changle County. It was getting late at that time, so he ordered everyone to camp on a wasteland outside Changle County.

Luo Yong brought a group of elders, and sent them some rice, flour, and freshly slaughtered pigs and sheep. In addition to these food, Luo Yong personally gave them some alcohol compass. As for the cashmere socks, there are no more this time. It is also limited in ability.

Luo Yong and others originally wanted to hold a banquet for Li Daozong and other generals, but Li Daozong refused, saying that everything would be kept simple during the march. .

As for Tang Jian, he has gone to Dunhuang again in the past few days. Presumably, when Li Daozong's troops arrive in Dunhuang, the two of them should also meet.

Luo Yong came out of the army tent and saw many soldiers camping on the spot along the way.

I heard that in their army, ten people make one fire, which probably means that ten people eat and sleep together and act together. Later generations always say that a group of people is a group of people, and it probably came from here.

At this time, I saw these soldiers pitching tents, living a life of lighting fires, and sitting in groups of three or four sitting on the ground to chat and rest.

Near the city gate, Luo Yong saw a few young soldiers sitting around the fire and talking. There was an earthen pot on the fire, and the smell of meat wafted from the earthen pot. They should be cooking porridge.

Next to these young soldiers, there was a young man wrapped in clothes and lying down on the ground sleeping. When Luo Yong passed by them, he saw the man's face clearly by the light of the fire. It was covered with dust and grease, but There is still a bit of childishness in the facial features, I don't know if I am 20 years old.

In this era of war, soldiers, mounts and equipment, as well as food and grass are all fighting for.

Food and grass are the blood and sweat of the people, mounts and equipment need to spend a lot of manpower and material resources to build, and soldiers, that is, these fresh lives.

In the early morning of the next day, when the sky was still dark, the people in the city heard the sound of troops marching outside, and there were faint lights flickering on the post road. It should be that the soldiers were holding torches on their way.

Luo Yong was standing on the newly built city wall at this time, watching the long fire dragon meandering towards the Yumen Pass.

The sky was not yet clear, except for the fire, there was only darkness in the world, and the morning breeze in April was especially chilly.