Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 240 Hungry

At a remote ferry crossing on the east bank of Juye Marsh, countless small boats, like ants, transport supplies from large boats on the river to the shore.

On the riverbank, countless wooden crates and haystacks were piled up, filled with accents from Xichuan, Guangzhou, Shouzhou, and various other places whose names I couldn't pronounce.

They continuously carried supplies down from the small boats, then piled them up on a slightly flat riverbank. Meanwhile, clerks from the Ministry of Revenue were checking the seals on the boxes and beginning to record information.

Outside the storage area, Liu Xin took off his helmet, saluted the magistrate not far away, and then led more than two hundred elite cavalrymen out.

They will be responsible for scouting the situation of the rebel army within a ten-mile radius and for setting up a cordon to buy time for the temporary camp to react.

Zhao Huai'an saw it, nodded, and watched Liu Xin and the others leave before turning his attention back to this place.

This time, the Baoyi Army set off from Yuncheng and crossed to this wild ferry, gathering a total of six and a half cavalry and infantry units, including 1,800 heavy infantry, 800 elite cavalry, 40 armored cavalry under their command, as well as 2,000 auxiliary soldiers and 3,000 men accompanying the army.

As for the others, Liu Zhijun led half of the Flying Tiger Cavalry and disappeared, while Jin Dao and Wu Dang both went to Rencheng with the Xuanwu Army.

The Xuanwu Army wholeheartedly supported this; this kind of life, where they could simply watch from afar without having to risk their lives, was the most suitable for them.

At this moment, the six and a half soldiers of the Baoyi Army were busy going back and forth on the water. Whether they were officers, soldiers, or laborers, they all rolled up their sleeves and carried large bags.

Under the organization of their respective teams, the transport work, though still chaotic, continued without stopping or getting stuck, and kept moving forward.

With so many supplies, even with the entire army working together, the work still took from noon until the afternoon.

It wasn't until more than three hours later that the people and supplies on the ship were almost all transported, and by then the sun was already beginning to set.

Meanwhile, the camp's cooks began preparing tonight's meal.
Because today's work involves heavy physical labor, the Logistics Department has specially prepared to add cured meat and some aquatic products from the lake tonight. With a little preparation, it will be a good meal.

Meanwhile, after transporting supplies and personnel, the porters did not stop, but continued to set up camp outside the ferry using the wooden rafts brought from the large ship.

This time, the purpose of setting up camp was no longer temporary, but to build a strong fortress.

This is also what Zhao Huai'an learned from Gao Pian: no matter how smoothly the battle goes, you must always leave yourself a way out.

Back when he was still in Xichuan, after Gao Pian recovered Yazhou, he built a pontoon bridge directly on the Yangtze River in Yazhou. At that time, Zhao Huai'an was the one who supervised the construction.
At that time, Gao Pian made such a plan, presenting the military experience of considering defeat before victory in such a vivid way.

From then on, Zhao Huai'an never forgot it.

Now, Zhao Huai'an is following Gao Pian's old trick.

After several months of fighting against the Grass Army, Zhao Huai'an began to understand his opponent, the Grass Army. After discovering their many strengths, he also naturally saw their weaknesses.

The Grass Army currently has a significant weakness: it lacks a navy. This is not because there are no skilled boatmen in its ranks, but because its sustenance must extend into more extensive land cities in order to maintain the Grass Army's size.

This resulted in the fact that even if the rebel army captured a fleet of a certain size, it would often use it for crossing rivers rather than for long-term use.

Because once the main force penetrates deep into the inland, the rebel army left on the shore will be in great danger, so all the rebel soldiers and their families act in unison.

Zhao Huai'an took advantage of this weakness of the herdsmen and built a water fortress in this wild ferry crossing as his retreat.

If he suffers a setback in the Yanzhou area, he can return to the water fortress and then retreat from Juye Marsh back to Yuncheng.

This is about considering defeat before victory, and always having more cards in your hand.

While the men were setting up camp at Zashui Village, Zhao Huai'an was sitting on a donkey cart, slowly driving around the perimeter of the camp, with a group of Yishe disciples and adopted sons standing beside him.

Standing before the great lake, Zhao Huai'an suddenly realized that he seemed to have never really appreciated the scenery before him.

The setting sun, now low in the sky, cast its last rays upon the water, and a cool lake breeze caressed his face, a truly soothing sight.

Small islands can be seen from time to time on the lake, scattered like chess pieces, creating a harmonious and beautiful scene.

At this moment, the setting sun hid half an inch behind a cloud, and the warm sunlight shone out from behind the cloud, finally shining on the lake surface, making the lake display different colors.

In some places, the water is a warmer yellow, while in others it is brighter. When the lake breeze gently blows across the surface, the shimmering waves seem to be swimming with fish and dragons.

His disciples and adopted sons stood by the donkey cart, and even the four burly donkeys stood still, gazing at the beautiful sunset with Zhao Huai'an.

When Zhao Huai'an saw that the setting sun had hidden behind the clouds, he said to his disciples:
"Don't blink, the sun will soon be setting."

As he spoke, Zhao Huai'an opened his eyes wide and stared intently at the horizon of the lake in the distance.

Suddenly, I don't know which blink of an eye, when I looked again, the sun had completely sunk into the lake, but the last rays of light remained on the sky and the lake surface, their colors even softer.

At this moment, Zhao Huai'an sighed:

"really not bad!"

Then Zhao Huai'an looked at the officers and soldiers of the Baoyi Army in the camp ahead and saw that they were also looking at the sunset, which touched him.

This was a sunset that should have been a common sight on countless ordinary days, but for many of them it was the last afterglow they would ever see.

Upon seeing Guo Congyun leading Liu Xin and the others galloping towards them, Zhao Huai'an said to Sun Tai and Zhao Hu beside him:

“Go back and tell Old Mo that a silly fish jumped onto our deck today, right? I think it weighed about ten pounds. We’re going to eat it tonight. Remember to add some tofu, scallions, and soup.”

The two nodded and headed straight back to the camp.

Zhao Huai'an smacked his lips contentedly, about to exclaim, "Fish head stewed with tofu, even the gods wouldn't trade it for this!"

Suddenly, the four stupid donkeys pulling the cart brayed in unison, and then, right in front of Zhao Huai'an, they defecated, causing Zhao Huai'an to curse loudly:
"You four stupid donkeys, one day I'll boil you into donkey-hide gelatin."

Then Zhao Huai'an jumped off the donkey cart, avoided the stench of excrement, and led Guo Congyun and the others to Fengshangtou to listen to his report.

……

Liu Xin, his forehead dripping with sweat, took the water bag handed to him by Guo Congyun and took a large gulp. Then he said to Zhao Huai'an:

"My lord, we have almost completed the reconnaissance of the surrounding ten miles."

Zhao Huai'an listened, and then Liu Xin reported all the intelligence gathered by the scouts.

Three hours ago, Liu Xin led more than two hundred cavalrymen along the east bank of the Huan River to set up a net and scout for traces of the nearby bandits.

The show of force didn't resemble a clandestine reconnaissance at all; it was clearly a ploy to alert the enemy and announce the arrival of their Righteous Army to the bandits.

So Liu Xin led his elite cavalry on a hunt in the wild, forming a line about seven or eight miles long from north to south, with about ten riders, and began to comb the vast plain on the north bank of the Huan River.

The reason for this was that Zhao Huai'an knew that hiding it was impossible to conceal it.

If the leaders of the peasant army had any common sense, they would not have relaxed their investigation of this area.

Sure enough, after Liu Xin and his men had traveled only about two miles, they came across a troop of grass-fed soldiers in the wilderness. Among them were two warhorses with their saddles and reins off, leisurely grazing on the grass.

This place is near the Huan River and is considered a good irrigated area, so it should have been fertile farmland. However, after two years of chaotic warfare and killing in the Central Plains, it has been completely abandoned and turned into grassland, becoming a habitat for wild rabbits and foxes.

……

This local militia was mainly composed of local people and was placed here not because they were particularly clever or skilled in battle and could defend against any Tang army that might appear in the area.

Their greatest value here is themselves.

Once the Tang army breaks through from this direction, the Cao soldiers stationed here will be the first to suffer, and their chances of survival will be slim. However, their deaths can serve as a warning to the Cao soldiers in the rear.

Yes, the local militia commanders here are even unwilling to send out scouts, but instead use the lives of the militia on the outskirts as a warning.

Clearly, in their eyes, the former is far more valuable than they are.

What's even more interesting is that these peasant soldiers who were placed here haven't felt there's anything wrong with it.

Because the vast majority of the peasant army was placed in this way.

The number of bandits exceeded 100,000, and even more were attached to the periphery. It was unrealistic for so many people to be concentrated in one area, as it exceeded the carrying capacity and supply capacity of the land.

From the earliest times to the present, humans have always lived together in groups, driven by both survival and emotional needs.

However, gathering comes at a cost; the maximum natural population size in a region is roughly between 250 and 400 people.

Furthermore, the settlement needs to be maintained through blood ties; otherwise, the upper limit would be even lower. Once this limit is exceeded, the settlement will need to split off and expand to other places.

This is because the output of a piece of land is limited, and the radius of human activity is also limited.

By the time civilization reached the Tang Dynasty, although it was already far superior to that of primitive people, it still could not break free from this predicament.

For example, Chang'an, the largest city in the country, had a population of three to four hundred thousand, the vast majority of whom were members of the pleasure class who did not engage in production.

In order to feed these people, the grain surplus in Guanzhong alone was not enough. It was necessary to rely on the Grand Canal to transport grain from other parts of the country to Chang'an in order to maintain the prosperity of Chang'an.

That's why everyone longs to go to Chang'an, even if it's just to be a dog there.

Because other places are a world of dreary production, where people face the loess soil with their backs to the sky, and work themselves to the bone as long as they don't die.

Chang'an, and Bianzhou, which prospered because of Chang'an, was another world altogether.

It was a world of carefree consumption, where delicacies from all over the world converged, and beauties from all corners of the land vied for attention. It was a world where day and night were indistinct; it was the only paradise one could experience.

Of course, the premise is that you belong here, you are the one having fun, not the one being played.

And what about the grassroots army?

He certainly didn't have the same level of organization as the imperial court, so naturally he couldn't keep the troops in one place for long periods of time.

This is not just a matter of obtaining surplus food, but a series of issues including transportation and personnel management.

Even if the rebel army obtains a large amount of food, then what?
The troops near your food depot are certainly well-fed, but you can't ignore the other areas, can you? The problem is, how do you transport the food from here to another place?

Transportation? That would require specialized transshipment agencies and teams, and such management capabilities are beyond Caojun's current capacity.

Even in the same place, let alone in a different location, distributing food is extremely difficult.

Therefore, the bandits had no choice but to disperse their troops and send them to other places to eat, while keeping the core of the old bandits together in one place, each led by their own commander.

The way the herdsmen operated was almost no different from that of the nomadic peoples beyond the Great Wall; both were compromises forced upon them by the inability to gather a large population.

The difference is that the Hu people had cattle and horses to migrate with, while these bandits themselves were cattle and horses, drifting with the tide along with the core traitor.

So when this band of peasants was settled here, it was considered a perfectly normal thing.

Similarly, they were unaware of the danger involved.

The differences between people are not many at the individual physiological level, but the differences in imagination can create a chasm.

Despite being composed entirely of locals from Yanzhou, this band of soldiers still couldn't imagine what kind of world lay across the Great Wilderness, nor did they know who lived there.

These people are all farmers, and the vast majority of farmers live within a radius of twenty li (approximately 10 kilometers) for their entire lives. Within this radius, they have acquaintances, relatives, friends, and everything they need for food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. This twenty-li radius is their world.

Therefore, when these peasant soldiers were moved here, they were completely unaware that their fate was actually that of a beacon tower.

On the contrary, they were overjoyed when they arrived in this land.

These were originally the farmers' bandits, and the moment they saw this meadow and stuck their hands into the soil, they knew how fertile this land was.

At the heart of this small, unofficial team are small families from several neighboring villages who, after experiencing the brutal exodus last year, are desperately eager to settle down.

Near this grassland by the riverbank, not far away, lies an abandoned manor. Its owner must have been very wealthy, as the entire fortified village was built to last for centuries.

Unfortunately, before a century had passed, this family was forced to leave their homeland and abandon it.

So when these bandits were settled in this area, they immediately fell in love with it.

Throughout February and early March, this army of several hundred men cleared meadows, created furrows, and cleaned up the ruins of the manor. Just yesterday, they took out another batch of precious grain seeds and planted them.

They knew this harvest wouldn't be very good, because a lot of weeds nearby were competing with the crops for nutrients in the soil, but it was a new beginning.

Here, they will have a new home and begin a new life.

Then, on this day, Liu Xin appeared outside their camp with about ten riders.

Upon seeing this band of peasants, Liu Xin narrowed his eyes. The enemy's numbers were clearly visible on this open ground. After thinking for a moment, he picked up a horn and began to blow it.

About half a mile to his left and right, two Flying Tiger cavalry units heard the horn and quickly moved closer.

Meanwhile, the herdsmen in their camp on the meadow also heard the bugle call.

Most people were clueless until a few who had participated in several battles led by the old bandit Cao Zhou realized that the enemy was attacking.

So he hurriedly shouted, ordering all the men in the village and neighborhood to take up arms and prepare to protect the camp, their families, and the fields.

But when they reached the fence and saw dozens of knights in iron and leather armor in the distance, their lances pointing skyward, and their warhorses neighing and galloping, all their courage turned to ashes.

These men are the elite of the Tang army!

……

Meanwhile, in the distance, Liu Xin was also observing the camp, feeling slightly conflicted.

In his view, this scout's makeshift army was incredibly rudimentary and utterly unprofessional.

The camp's wooden palisade was crooked and dilapidated, the ranks were completely disorganized, and these people didn't even have many flags, just holding up crude spears and hiding behind the palisade.

What's even more ridiculous is that these peasant soldiers are digging trenches, but why are they digging them one by one, and so shallow?
Do these people really think these ravines can withstand our attack?

Originally, Liu Xin had finally waited for Liu Zhijun to be sent abroad, which was such a great opportunity for him to make his mark.

But after arriving at Yanzhou with Flying Tigers, is this the kind of trash we're going to fight? It's really frustrating.

He was still looking at it, but suddenly he felt something was wrong. Why was there a scarecrow standing on the ridge of the ditch?
This isn't farmland.
Wait a minute, are these people clearing land here? Are they a band of outlaws or farmers?
Just then, the opposing side suddenly lowered the straw army flag on the camp, and then three people walked out of the camp.

They shakily held up a white flag, then laid all their armor and clothing on the grass and knelt down.

Seeing this, Liu Xin said to his guards with great disappointment:

"What a bummer! Couldn't you have just held on a little longer? I haven't even put in any effort and you're already kneeling!"

Despite saying that, Liu Xin still swished the reins and led four mounted guards carrying the Baoyi flag as they galloped over.

Looking down from his vantage point, Liu Xin finally saw the three men clearly, and the same thought once again surfaced in his mind:
"These people should be farmers!"

The three men had large, calloused hands, but there wasn't a single spot on their hands that looked like they were destined to use hoes.

Having seen all this, Liu Xin snorted:

"Which unit are you from? How many people are in your camp? Why did you become a thief?"

The three men were stumped for a moment by the three questions in a row, but they eventually realized that the Tang army was accepting their surrender.

So the person in charge, though nervous, still managed to answer all three questions completely.

"Reporting to the general, we are the men of the 'Life-Catching Ghost Little Commander'. There are 306 men in the camp, old and young. We joined the bandits because we were hungry."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xin was about to say, "So you have to become a thief just because you're hungry?", but he suddenly stopped, because he remembered that he had also been hungry back in his hometown before he joined the army.

He was from Yanzhou, and his hometown was not far from here, in Zhongdu County just ahead. This was why Zhao Huai'an appointed Liu Xin as a scout, as he was familiar with the geography of this area.

In fact, Liu Xin knew all about this place where the grass was piled up. About seven or eight years ago, it belonged to a family surnamed Han. After he returned from serving in the army for five or six years, all that remained of this place was ruins.

Thinking of this, Liu Xin couldn't help but think of his hometown. Although his parents had died long ago and he had no direct relatives, he wouldn't have joined the army.

These locals all know that those who are not from the generation of soldiers are basically sent to guard the border after joining the army.

For regional military commands like the Yanzhou Navy, the Tianping Army, and the Zhongwu Army, the task of defending the borders and guarding the frontiers was very heavy, and there were quotas for them every year.

Although such tasks could earn three times the money, the truly good families within the domain would not go, such as the sons of the guards. They were the Brahmins of the domain, so why would they travel thousands of miles for such a small amount of money?

People are cheap when they leave their hometown; these people understand this very well.

Besides, they might be important figures in their own domain, but who would even know who they are outside? Are they supposed to sleep in the same tent as those country bumpkins? Wouldn't that be filthy? They'd be ridiculed by their colleagues when they got back.

Therefore, the quota for crossing the border each year fell to country folk like Liu Xin.

Because most of his relatives had passed away, Liu Xin didn't miss home much. It was only when he returned to his hometown of Shouzhou with the governor last year that he was moved.

Today, when he was still dozens of miles away from his hometown, Liu Xin suddenly felt a stirring in his heart.

Does my hometown, where I grew up, still exist? Does it still look the same as I remember it?
Have his fellow villagers become thieves like these people?

At that moment, upon hearing the phrase "If you're hungry, go join the thieves," Liu Xin suddenly felt a deep sense of empathy.

Yes, if his fellow villagers were hungry, they would probably turn to the thieves too.

Thinking of this, Liu Xin said to the kneeling soldiers below:
"Alright, I'll accept you. Pack your things and come with me in a bit."

The soldier raised his head and nodded repeatedly, but in the end he couldn't help but look at the field outside the camp and pleaded:

"General, could you please have someone watch over this place and prevent birds and beasts from eating our crops? These are our lifeblood; it would be such a waste to see them ruined like this."

Liu Xin looked at the field and gave an order to the guards beside him:
"I'll tell the brothers later not to trample the seedlings."

Then he said to the army soldier:
"Come on, I'll take you to see our lord. If you can help our lord win, then you won't have to travel anymore, and you'll be able to harvest the wheat from the land you cultivate yourself."

After saying that, Liu Xin then said to the man:
"By the way, I'm also from this area, living in Hejia Township, Zhongdu."

Then the three bandits nodded in unison, looking gratefully at their fellow villagers.

Indeed, when you're away from home, your hometown people are the closest to you.

(End of this chapter)