My older brother is Gao Huan.

Chapter 379 Heading north!

After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

The soldiers began to assemble at the agreed location one after another, following the instructions from above, as Gao Yu prepared to march north.

A great battle was about to begin, but the flames of war did not reach Shandong.

This did not affect the people's preparations for planting at all.

The able-bodied sons of the soldiers were also preparing to go to the schools set up in various villages to study and learn to read.

The craftsmen also began to work overtime, not only to forge weapons but also to make farm tools for the farmers. The war at the front was important, but the farming at the rear could not be neglected.

Surrounded by his guards, Gao Yu rode on horseback along the country lanes.

"The ice and snow are melting very quickly."

Gao Yu sighed.

The Little Ice Age, which began in the Eastern Han Dynasty, reached its lowest point when Liu Yu established the Song Dynasty. Since then, temperatures have been rising steadily, reaching their peak during the Sui and Tang Dynasties.

The Tang Dynasty was so prosperous that all nations paid tribute to it.

Besides the efforts of Li Er, the strongest carbon-based being in the 7th century AD, and a group of outstanding individuals, the most significant factor was the exceptionally favorable 'timing' of the time.

The overall rise in temperature meant greater favorable conditions for agricultural production, which boosted the national strength of the Tang Dynasty.

Snowfall occurs later in winter and snow melts earlier in spring. Sufficient rainfall prevents droughts and naturally reduces the likelihood of locust plagues, since prolonged drought inevitably leads to locusts.

In addition, the northern grasslands will also become more peaceful.

Why did nomadic tribes from the grasslands relentlessly wage war against the Central Plains in the south since the Eastern Han Dynasty?

It was because of the Little Ice Age that the temperature dropped, causing a large amount of permafrost to appear in the northern grasslands. Without pasture, they could not survive, so they had no choice but to keep expanding their living space to the south.
Gao Yu has the most experience in this regard.

When I first transmigrated here, Huai Shuo was a place where there was heavy snow almost every year, and life was very difficult.

But what about now?

The Rouran and Turkic peoples have made great strides in recent years because the temperature has become more and more suitable, allowing them to develop steadily even on the grasslands.

The Turks replaced the Rouran as the new hegemon, and they even made Li Er suffer a brief setback. Isn't that a sign of a strong national power?

The root cause of the Turkic people's strength lay in the overall rise in temperature.

Gao Yu's route was not directly north, but westward. He was going to Qinghe County in Xiangzhou to pay homage to the new emperor.

In fact, the army's northward route was not a straight line.

In military campaigns, logistics is of paramount importance.

After all, even the most powerful army will lose its will to fight if its supply lines are cut off and it goes hungry.

Given the transportation conditions of ancient times.

Logistics and transportation are a major challenge.

Of the 200 jin of grain transported from the starting point to the front line, at most 20-30 jin would reach the soldiers on the front line. The rest would be lost or damaged along the way. After all, the logistics soldiers also consumed grain and fodder during the transport process. The biggest cost of transporting grain was actually the consumption of the logistics soldiers on the way.

The most convenient mode of transport is water transport.

Ships do not consume food, and they can carry more grain than horse-drawn carriages, donkey carts, or other similar vehicles.

Lower losses and larger delivery capacity.

Why was the "Commentary on the Waterways Classic" that Yang Changchu gave to Gao Yu so precious back when they parted in Luoyang?
Because Li Daoyuan spent decades compiling data on the mountains, rivers, and streams of the entire northern region.

When Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, entered Xianyang, why did Xiao He immediately try to take control of the Prime Minister's and Imperial Censor's offices?
This is because it contains archives such as household registrations, topography, and laws collected by the entire Qin state over several decades.

With this crucial information in hand, Liu Bang's subsequent battles were essentially like having a cheat code. He didn't need to visit many places; he could understand the local mountains, terrain, household registration, and population simply by checking the information he had.

The Commentary on the Waterways Classic is also such a powerful tool.

I've unlocked the full map for Gao Yu!
He didn't need to have been to Yan, You, and Ying provinces to know which rivers within those provinces he could use to reduce and alleviate his grain transport costs and logistical pressure.

Currently, without the Grand Canal built by Emperor Guangshen of the Great Ye Dynasty, Gao Yu cannot rely entirely on water transport to advance northward. However, the good news is that news has come from Liu Taozhi's side.

Hou Yuan received Erzhu Rong's military order and summoned troops from the three prefectures to assemble in Hejian County, Yingzhou.

If Gao Yu's northward expedition only needs to defeat Hou Yuan's army in three prefectures, Yan and You will surrender without resistance. There is no need to actually lead the army deep into those areas.

In a way, Erzhu Rong helped him by reducing his grain transportation costs.

of course……

It can't be said that Erzhu Rong helped him.

After all, Erzhu Rong's plan was to attack from both sides, quickly break through Hebei, and then control the land, trapping Gao Yu in Shandong from multiple directions and forcing Gao Yu to submit to him.

That's the current situation.

It was Erzhu Rong who broke through Gao Huan's defenses and led his troops north to relieve Hou Yuan's crisis.

Whether it was Gao Yu defeating Hou Yuan first, or Gao Yu going south to help Gao Huan fight against Erzhu Rong in Hebei, it was all a race against time.

As soon as they entered Xiangzhou territory.

Gao Yu received the news; Gao Huan sent someone to deliver military intelligence.

Erzhu Rong's army has already left Jianzhou, and it is clear that he intends to station troops in Dunqiu.

Since Dunqiu is located on the north bank of the Yellow River, Erzhu Rong could use the Yellow River for water transport to alleviate logistical pressure along the way.

As early as the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao "blocked the Qi River and diverted it into the Baigou Canal" here, using the old course of the Yellow River to dredge a waterway leading north to Ye City. The Baigou Canal he dug was a major section of the Yongji Canal (the Grand Canal of the Sui and Tang Dynasties) during the Sui Dynasty.

The reason Gao Yu had Gao Huan retreat Yuan Xiu to Qinghe County instead of leaving him in Ye City was based on this consideration.

It would be too easy for Erzhu Rong to reach the walls of Ye City.

Moreover, it was an attack from two sides.

Bingzhou was still in Erzhu Rong's hands, and he could have sent troops eastward from Fukou just like he had done when he attacked Ge Rong.

Now that Erzhu Rong has officially mobilized his troops, Hou Yuan of Hejian County in Yingzhou will also cooperate.

"Go and relay my military orders, instructing Mulan, Peng Le, and Yang Kan to speed up their march and head to Wuyi and Bohai County respectively. I will immediately go and meet them after I have met with the new emperor."

"Here!"

Gao Yu also quickened his pace.

Outside Qinghe County.

"Moheduo doesn't even regard me as the new ruler, yet you still persuade me to go out of the city to welcome him?"

Yuan Xiu looked at Wang Sizheng with a displeased expression.

He originally thought that he could at least have some power in his hands, just like Yuan Ziyou.

who knows……

He suffered a setback with Gao Yu simply because he wanted to ascend the throne legitimately.

He reluctantly gave Gao Yu a bunch of benefits.

"Your Majesty! The best course of action now is for you to endure what ordinary people cannot. Only by being able to bend and stretch can one be a true man!"

"This is the crucial moment in our decisive battle against that traitor Erzhu Rong. How can you afford to provoke General Tian Ce over a little humiliation?"

Yuan Xiu was quite helpless.

He was just venting his anger verbally.

"I understand... You should also prepare to come with me to welcome General Tian Ce."

(End of this chapter)