Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 377: Troops Arrive at Qinzhou
"Since the beginning of summer, the three armies have forcibly conscripted many civilians. The common people had no choice but to flee to the mountains, where they were slaughtered by the soldiers..."

In mid-May, as the summer harvest gradually approaches, people in the north can finally concentrate on harvesting wheat.

At the same time, the officials in the temple who had been patient for a long time began to report to the Xianning Palace one after another about everything that happened in Fengxiang Prefecture.

The 90,000-strong army had been stationed in Shuofang, Fengxiang and other places for a long time, and local production had been severely damaged. The officials wanted to know from the emperor when the three armies would set out and when the war would begin.

In response to this, Li Yi, who kept flipping through these memorials, had a calm expression and an active mind.

"Is there any movement from Wang Shi's side?"

Li Yi asked, and Tian Yun bowed calmly and said, "According to a report just delivered this morning, 83,000 troops from Fengxiang Town have already set out for Longzhou, and are expected to arrive in Shanggui, Qinzhou on May 25th."

"In the memorial, Wang Shaobao requested 120,000 civilians. Currently, 50,000 civilians have been recruited from Fengxiang, 20,000 are expected to be recruited from Longzhou, and Qinzhou can recruit a maximum of 20,000."

"There is still a shortage of 30,000 civilians. Wang Shaobao hopes to recruit 30,000 civilians from Gyeonggi Province and transport food and grass from Gyeonggi Province to Qinzhou."

It is naturally impossible for every town to have 83,000 officers and soldiers to have cavalry, infantry and cavalry.

In fact, the 83,000-strong army had only 20,000 mule and horse carts, barely enough to provide each group of soldiers with three mule and horse carts.

This sounds like a lot, but if we count the number of mule and horse carts, one mule and horse cart pulls weapons and armor, and the other two mule and horse carts pull tents, soy sauce, salt, firewood, tea and food.

The amount of firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea that two horse-drawn carts could pull was enough to feed a group of people for two months at most, but the Tang army had only 500,000 shi of grain stored in Qinzhou on the front line.

Five hundred thousand dan of grain would be enough to feed the army and the civilians for five months at most. Moreover, as the army advanced into Weizhou and the front line lengthened, the number of horse-drawn carriages and civilians needed would also increase.

Among the 120,000 civilian laborers, only 80,000 were with the army, and the remaining nearly 40,000 were driving horse-drawn carriages to transport food and fodder.

Forty thousand civilian laborers could barely guarantee a supply line of 200 miles, which just met the distance for the government army to transport grain from Chengji County, Qinzhou to the front line in Weizhou.

"One hundred and twenty thousand civilians..."

Li Yi hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "What are the preparations of Sanchuan and Shuofang?"

Tian Yun took his time to find a few memorials from the list, and said while Li Yi was opening them:
"Wang Duo, the governor of Shannan West Road, has led his troops to garrison in Fengzhou and Xingzhou, with 10,000 troops stationed in each state."

"In addition, Xichuan Jiedushi Gao Pian led an army of 20,000 at Guankou Pass to await the imperial court's order as before."

"Dongchuan Jiedushi Li Fu divided his troops to garrison Songling Pass with 5,000 soldiers and garrison Jiangyou Pass with 10,000 soldiers, ready to send troops to recapture Jiangyou at any time."

"Shuofang Town Jiedushi Zhou Bao has led 7,000 soldiers and 7,000 elite cavalry from Shatuo and Pingxia to Huizhou. They can attack Liangzhou and Lanzhou at any time."

"The five places have 20,000 elite cavalry, 30,000 light cavalry, 90,000 vanguards, 70% archers, 30% crossbows, 22,000 garrisons, and 240,000 civilians."

Tian Yun described the situation on the front line in detail. The army had a total of 152,000 officers and soldiers, 240,000 civilian laborers, and nearly 400,000 soldiers and civilians were mobilized.

The last time the imperial court organized an official army of this scale was when it defeated Zhu Ci.

While Tian Yun was thinking, Li Yi gradually came back to his senses and finally ordered: "The affairs of the people will be passed on to the ministers to handle. For now, everything should focus on the army to attack Long."

"In addition, another decree is issued to exempt Xichuan, Dongchuan, and Shannan West Road from departure."

"I will issue the "Regulations for the Attack on Liu Jilong" on the first day of June. At that time, Gao Pian, Li Fu, Wang Duo, Zhou Bao, Wang Shi and other six armies will advance together to attack Long."

"In the next few days, all troops should be on high alert to prevent Liu Jilong from making a surprise attack once he discovers the situation."

"I obey your command." Tian Yun responded respectfully and then left Xianning Palace.

Two hours later, the gates of Chang'an city opened wide, and countless horses galloped out like arrows, heading in different directions.

At the same time, a large team was entering Longshan from Longzhou and heading towards Qinzhou along the winding mountain road.

The team had more than 100,000 people, and was mighty and powerful. The team stretched for more than 30 miles, like a giant dragon winding among the mountains.

In the team, officers and soldiers wore breastplates and held long spears, which were occasionally used as walking sticks to support them as they moved forward. From time to time, laughter and noises of playing could be heard, making them seem relaxed and casual.

Their armor and food were loaded on horse-drawn carriages, followed by several laborers who were responsible for paving roads, building bridges and transporting supplies.

At the end of the team, there was a group of several thousand merchants accompanying the army.

Their caravan contained not only goods, but also many women.

Most of the women were dressed in cloth and had ordinary looks, while those who were slightly better looking sat in carriages, wearing gorgeous clothes made of silk.

In addition, there are some slender and handsome men in the team, and their presence adds a bit of unique color to the team.

Although the army was moving forward, its speed was not fast. They could only travel seven or eight miles every hour.

As the time was approaching noon, a whistle was sounded in the team. The officers and soldiers heard the whistle and stopped immediately.

They sat or stood, continued to talk and laugh, and found a shady place to rest.

At the rear of the team, the camp of the merchants accompanying the army seemed even more lively.

They surrounded the carriages in a circle, and the merchants gathered in groups of three or five. A coarse cloth was spread in the middle, on which were placed several pots of wine and some dry food.

After everyone sat down one after another, they began to discuss the upcoming war in low voices.

"The imperial court has invested a huge amount of money this time. With hundreds of thousands of troops approaching, the few troops in Longyou may not be able to hold out for a few days."

"That's right. Although Longyou is strategically located, the imperial court is determined to take it. All we have to do is follow the imperial army and wait for them to capture the city. The tea, grain, cloth, and livestock in the city will all be our 'commodities'!"

"It's not that easy..."

In response to the optimism of the two merchants, one of the merchants, who was slightly thin, continued: "When the government troops attack a city, they always plunder it first."

"We merchants are doing business with the army, but if the government troops are greedy, they will not care whether you are a merchant or a civilian."

"Brother Wang, you are worrying too much!" A merchant sitting next to him waved his hand and said with some confidence: "We are merchants accompanying the army. We have goods in our hands. The government troops still have to rely on us for supplies."

"Besides, as long as we are careful and don't get into conflict with the government troops, we will be fine."

"That being said..." The businessman surnamed Wang sighed and frowned.

"These soldiers who have experienced bloody battles have bad tempers."

"When we trade with them, we must be extra careful not to anger them."

"I heard that when the government troops were suppressing the bandits in the Central Plains, some merchants bargained with the government troops, and the result was..."

He didn't say it all, but everyone knew what it meant and they all gasped.

Although the army relies on the businessmen who accompany the army, their livelihood is also dependent on their heads hanging on their waists, so they still have to be extremely low-key in order to survive for a long time.

"We should keep a low profile and not cause trouble."

"But if the government army can take Longyou as soon as possible this time, we might be able to obtain a lot of foreign slaves from Longyou and make a lot of money by selling them to the Central Plains."

The words of the merchant surnamed Wang excited the merchants who had calmed down, and the merchant surnamed Wang continued:

"Longyou is a place where Han and non-Han people live together. Han slaves are worthless, but non-Han slaves are scarce."

"Especially those Tibetans, who are strong and healthy. If they are transported to the Central Plains and sold to wealthy families, they can earn a lot of money."

"That's a good idea," several businessmen nodded, but then frowned and became worried:

"But we have to be careful about capturing slaves."

"That's right. If we intervene when the government troops are looting, we might get into trouble."

"Don't worry!" The businessman surnamed Wang smiled upon hearing this, with a hint of cunning in his tone:

"We don't need to do it ourselves. We just need to wait outside the city until the government troops have finished looting. Then we can use some money to exchange slaves with the soldiers."

"Throughout the history of the world, the trade of horses has always been like this. The government troops know better than us what can make money."

It was obviously the first time for several merchants to do business with the army, and the merchant named Wang was their leader.

After the merchant surnamed Wang spoke to appease them, the other merchants all looked forward to the outbreak of war. However, many people were still a little worried about capturing the foreigners as slaves. Just as they were about to ask about it, they suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves in the distance.

When they looked up, they saw more than ten horses galloping towards them. The soldiers on the horses were wearing armor and looked very aggressive.

The merchants who were resting here quickly stood up and walked quickly forward to greet the government troops on horseback.

Hundreds of merchants gathered, while servants stayed behind to guard the goods.

Facing these hundreds of merchants, the galloping government troops stopped their horses, looked around at everyone, and asked, "Is there anyone selling cooked meat?"

"Cooked meat?" Upon hearing this, many businessmen looked disappointed and left the place on their own.

After they left, only a dozen merchants stayed. One of them, a short and fat merchant with a smiling face, squeezed to the front and bowed, saying:

"My name is Zhao, and I have the most cooked meat. What do you want, Junye?"

The captain on horseback looked at him for a few seconds before saying, "I want more than you can eat."

"Please tell me, Junye. We will join together." Merchant Zhao responded with a smile. The captain also said:

"You must provide no less than 200 pieces of cooked meat tonight. If anyone uses unskilled meat, you will be held accountable!"

Facing the captain's threat, Merchant Zhao was not afraid. Instead, he nodded and bowed, smiling and saying, "Don't worry, Junye, the quantity is definitely enough and the quality is excellent, but..."

He paused, and spoke in a cautious tone. The captain knew what he was thinking, and snorted coldly, "We need a lot of money from you. Each cooked meat is 200 coins. If the goods are of the best quality, each one is 500 coins."

"Yes, yes, yes..." Upon hearing the price, Merchant Zhao agreed with a smile, and other merchants selling cooked meat also smiled along.

Seeing that they were prepared, the captain turned his horse around and left with his elite cavalry.

Soon after they left, the sound of a horn was faintly heard in the distance.

The government troops in front began to move forward, and this group of merchants could only pack up their things quickly and continue to move forward with the army.

Time passed slowly during the march, until the arrival of Shenshi (15 o'clock), the army, which was still on the march, began to slowly slow down.

The three armies had already entered the territory of Qinzhou, and Wang Shi chose to stop and camp on an open plain.

When the whistle sounded, the officers and soldiers, who were originally a little tired, were either sitting or standing, and gradually regained their spirits.

In contrast, the civilian laborers, under the command of a small number of colonels and captains, began to set up camp for the army.

Seeing this, the merchants following the army in the rear also chose a place to set up camp and were busy setting up tents and placing goods.

But before they could settle down, the dozen or so elite cavalrymen from before rushed back cursing.

There was some anger on their faces, and they kept cursing Wang Shi:

"That guy Wang Shi is really nosy!"

"What the hell, they actually ordered that no women should stay overnight in the camp, and no one else should enter the camp! Isn't this ruining our fun?"

"Bastard, can he manage the camp or the outside world?"

While cursing, they went straight to the merchant camp, glanced around, and then shouted loudly:

"Those guys who ran the cooked meat business before, come out and speak!"

Merchant Zhao and more than a dozen cooked meat merchants were resting in the tent. When they heard the shouting, they hurriedly ran out of the tent.

Seeing that they were familiar government troops, Merchant Zhao hurriedly stepped forward, bowed, and said with a smile: "So you are the soldiers. May I ask what you want?"

The leader was still the captain. He looked at Zhao Shangren with a bit of impatience in his tone: "Wang Shi just ordered that no women should stay overnight in the camp. Several generals behind me will come over at night. You have to prepare some larger and more luxurious tents. Do you understand?"

"Understood, understood!" Merchant Zhao nodded and bowed, smiling apologetically, "I will arrange it right away, and I guarantee that the generals will be satisfied."

"In addition to the tents needed by these people, we also need to prepare enough small tents for the rest, and at least 200 cooked meats, do you understand?"

The captain did not forget to remind him, and Zhao Shangren nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, Junye, I know my limits and will definitely satisfy you, Junye."

Seeing how sensible he was, the captain and the elite riders nodded with satisfaction, then rode away.

After they left, Merchant Zhao turned to the other cooked meat merchants and said, "Everyone, go and prepare quickly. Clear out the best tents and choose the best goods. Don't anger the soldiers."

"Of course!" More than a dozen cooked meat merchants nodded and dispersed to make their own arrangements.

Two hours later, the government army's camp had been set up, and the soldiers of the three armies had eaten and drunk their fill and went into the military tents to rest.

Under such circumstances, the camp of the merchants accompanying the army was still brightly lit.

As time passed, when it was midnight, hundreds of government soldiers on horseback arrived at the merchants' camp.

Many people looked curiously and saw that many military commanders, generals, and military governors had arrived, and hundreds of elite cavalry surrounded the camp to ensure the safety of these generals.

Merchant Zhao had been waiting at the entrance of the camp for a long time. When he saw the generals coming, he hurried forward with a big smile on his face:
"Generals, the tents are ready and the goods are arranged. Please follow me."

Several generals nodded when they heard this, and said with a bit of majesty in their tone: "Lead the way."

Merchant Zhao quickly led the way and brought several generals to a luxurious tent.

The tent was covered with thick carpets, and the table was filled with food and wine. The so-called cargo was the men and women standing in it, waiting to be selected.

These people were dressed in gorgeous silk clothes and had pretty faces, but their hands were rather rough, and it was obvious that they all came from poor families.

Although he was born in a poor family, he had a good appearance, so he was sold at a high price by his family and became a "commodity" in the hands of the merchants accompanying the army.

The generals walked into the tent and glanced at the men and women. They did not question why there were still men there. They just called them "young male servants" because most of the men were slender and thin, and their looks were as pretty as those of the women.

Although the homosexual tendency is criticized, some generals who like to have sex with both men and women do not mind it.

They began to select the women and waiters they liked. The waiter among them was obviously receiving a customer for the first time and looked uneasy.

"It's their first time to receive guests. I hope the generals won't mind."

Merchant Zhao smiled and reminded the generals, but one of them laughed and said, "It's interesting to receive a guest for the first time. Did you wash it clean?"

"I washed it clean. Someone supervised it personally. I didn't eat for two days. I only drank some water and ate some fruits."

As Merchant Zhao spoke, the generals nodded quickly: "You are very considerate. Before the end of this war, we will leave all the business to you."

"Thank you, General, for your honor!" Merchant Zhao thanked him immediately, and then took the initiative to say, "I will not stay in here to delay you, General."

"Well, let's get down!"

Several generals waved their hands, and then the merchant Zhao retreated.

After he left the tent, he discovered that the generals and lieutenants who came with the generals were also selecting goods in other tents, and even obscene music could be heard from some of the tents.

Merchant Zhao said nothing, but just stood outside the tent waiting, with his ears perked up to listen to any sound.

Soon, the sound of generals, women, and prostitutes drinking and having fun in the luxurious tent began to be heard, mixed with insults against Wang Shi and some revelations of military intelligence.

Merchant Zhao stood outside the tent, listening to the information coming from inside, with a smug smile on his face.

Half an hour later, as the lewd music started to sound in the tent, Zhao the merchant had no intention of listening any further. He told his servants to keep a close eye on it and immediately returned to his tent.

Looking at his back, several merchants in the corner couldn't help but say, "These cooked meat merchants have a good business. If they are not taken care of by us, then they are taken care of by the military. After a war, I'm afraid they will make a lot of money."

"If you are envious, why not join us in the cooked meat business?"

The merchants nearby made fun of it, but they just laughed dryly and said, "That's all. We don't have that much money to support the cooked meat business."

As several merchants were talking to each other, the lascivious music from Merchant Zhao's side became louder and louder. They felt bored and returned to their tents one after another.

In the second half of the night, the tent of businessman Zhao was opened, and dozens of pigeons were released one after another, gradually disappearing into the night...

(End of this chapter)