Three Kingdoms

Chapter 2536 Some people eat meat and some drink soup.

While the disputes in Jiangdong gradually subsided, the battles in the north were quietly rising.

 Youzhou.

Suppresses pylorus.

Zhenyoumen was originally called Zhenbeimen, but after Cao Chun was stationed in Youzhou, he changed the Zhenbeimen in Yuyang to Zhenyoumen.

Of course, if Cao Chun knew that there was another bacterium called Helicobacter pylori, he probably would not change the name. It's a pity that Cao Chun doesn't know, so he thinks this name is very good.

Cao Chun originally wanted to change it directly to Zhenximen, but he was too focused on it. It is like the landscape of traditional Chinese painting. If the painting is full, it will feel crowded, so leaving a little is just right.

Zhenbeimen, well, Zhenpyomen is actually on the west side.

 That's right, the north gate opens to the west, just like the four heavenly kings must be five people, there is nothing wrong with it.

Inward from the city gate is the main street of Yuyang. Not far inward is the aqueduct. There is a stone bridge over the aqueduct. Crowds of people are surging on both sides of the stone bridge. On both sides of the bridge are spontaneous markets, where various vendors are selling. Commercial goods are sold here.

Although Yuyang is mostly composed of soldiers, there are also some common people in the surrounding area.

These people are like weeds, they seem to be able to survive whether in the Gobi or in the crevices of rocks.

 With the people and life, it seems that the war is far away from here.

A scholar dressed as a scholar and a servant slowly walked onto the stone bridge. He seemed to pause on the stone bridge for a while. I don't know whether he was lamenting the surging water or lamenting the short life. Anyway, he seemed to be chanting. After saying a few words, he slowly got off the bridge.

After crossing the bridge, he turned into an alley, and immediately got into a shop under the cover of servants. The shopkeeper raised his head slightly, and when he saw it was a scholar, he tilted his head.

The literati understood, and quickly passed through the aisles and corridors of the store, arrived at the backyard of the store, exited the corner door, looked around, then took a few steps forward, pushed open a small door that was ajar, and entered. In another small courtyard.

　　　There are 3,300 cavalrymen and about 150 large and small snowmobiles in the Yuyang Outer Camp. They left the camp yesterday and went north. ” After the scholar saw the people in the courtyard, he immediately whispered.

　　　Three thousand three? Heading north? "The person in the courtyard looked like a middle-aged businessman. He frowned when he heard this, "This quantity... is not too much, not too little, not too little, not too little. What are you doing? 』

 The scribe shook his head.

　　　『How do you think the morale of those soldiers is? ” the merchant asked again.

　　　It should be okay. "The scholar said, "But you know, I don't quite understand this..."

The merchant nodded, "It's okay, just tell me what you know." 』

"Before, it was really not that good. You know, after the battle was defeated, the army's salary and food supplies were not available for a while... I heard that there were many deserters, I don't know whether it was true or not... But later, Jizhou's money and food supplies came. It’s a lot better... It’s just that most of these newly added soldiers are refugees and rangers from the surrounding areas... Although they have been trained, they are just like that, okay..."

 The literati talked about it, and the merchants remembered it.

 This is the benefit of being a scholar. Even if you are wandering around and looking around, you can still say that you are here to enjoy the scenery and experience. It is to enjoy flowers in spring, leaves in summer, moon in autumn and snow in winter. Anyway, there are good reasons. It is a reason why later generations like to seek public knowledge after these events.

The merchant frowned and said, "So, those 3,300 who moved are elite soldiers?" 』

“That’s it, at least it’s better than the soldiers in other cities. "The scholar said, "It's just that those horses are a little bit bad..."

　　　　Are there any other soldiers mobilized? asked the merchant.

　　　That's not very clear... It's just that I saw on the stone bridge just now that there seemed to be fewer ships. Did they go out of the city? 』

The merchant frowned and said, "When you say that, it seems true...Okay, I'll go inquire about this..."

 The merchant nodded, then took out a money bag from his sleeve and stuffed it into the scribe's hand.

The scribe shook the money bag, laughed twice, and then stuffed it into his sleeve without saying anything. He turned around and walked back along the original road.

When the merchant saw that the scribe had left, he turned around and left the small courtyard. After changing places, he sat down and wrote down the information...

  Drawed on a lacquer box.

 The paint box was left to dry outdoors for a while. The cold and dry weather in the north caused the paint attached to the surface of the paint box to dry quickly.

Not long after, the paint box was picked up and put into a large frame padded with hay and rags. Then they staggered onto the car, got out of the car again, and passed by a pair of old or elderly people. , either young, or white, or with chapped hands. I don’t know how long it took, how many days and nights the sun and stars rose and fell, and finally there was a hand stained with some ink, which looked a little slender and belted. There are some pinch pens in calloused hands.

 This is Simpi's hand.

Xinpi stared at the painting on the lacquer box and pondered.

 The painting is so ugly.

Three larger humanoid figures, with a child, seemed to be holding sticks or forks, fishing by the river...

Those who knew it understood that it was a painting of people, but those who didn’t knew it thought it was three monkeys.

 Or three matchsticks.

　　　『Yuyang…sent more than 3,000 troops…insufficient training…』

Xinpi pinched his beard and said, "Cao Jiazi, what do you want to do?" 』

 …(O_O)?…

In fact, starting from September, not only Yuyang, but also Cao's troops in various departments in Youzhou have begun to mobilize. Of course, the most important ones are still Yuyang and Yijing, both of which have dispatched cavalry. The largest number of them is Yuyang. , 3,300, followed by Yijing with 2,500, and other small counties with 800, and some with 3,500. Together, there are thousands or nearly 10,000 cavalry.

 Round up to one hundred million.

Cao Chun certainly did not go to fight Zhao Yun.

Although Cao Chun had been wandering around with this idea for who knows how long, he still didn't dare to implement it.

 That’s right, I don’t dare.

Because Cao Chun knew that there was still some gap between the cavalry under his command and the cavalry commanded by Zhao Yun. Maybe thirty people versus thirty people could be equal, but three hundred versus three hundred people If the team goes up to 3,000 to 10,000 people, the winning rate will basically be pitiful, just like the national football team of later generations. Even against Myanmar, they seem to be fighting for a draw instead of winning.

 The larger the battle, the greater the slight difference in the quality of the soldiers will be.

One-on-one, even if there is a difference in strength, you can change the situation of the battle through small means such as throwing sand or shouting flying saucers. But when the number of people increases, tens of thousands, the so-called small means are of little use. The competition is still about the basics, soldier training, weapons and equipment, plus the general's ability to control and dispatch the battlefield.

Although Cao Chun is unwilling to admit it, these are facts.

 So this time, Cao Chun’s target is the Hu people.

Although Cao Chun had enemies with the Wuhuan people, Xianbei people, and Dingling people before, he also cooperated with them, and even made an alliance through blood, but aren't alliances meant to be broken?

 Who is stupid enough to believe that an oath of eternal love can last a lifetime?

No way?

 Cao Chun went there for the horse.

 War horse.

Youzhou is a good place, suitable for raising horses, but the Cao family does not have many war horses. If you want to get war horses, you have to trade with Fei Qian on the one hand, and trade with the Hu people on the other hand.

 But transactions cost money. If you can buy it for zero yuan, who would want to spend money?

The Hu people, whether they are Wuhuan people, Xianbei people, or Dingling people, are now in decline in strength in the desert. This almost made Cao Chun's jaw drop...

At first, Cao Chun was still worried, thinking that this matter was not very reliable. After all, this was what Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty wanted to do. As a result, he devoted all his efforts to the Xiongnu. Although it was true that the Xiongnu was crippled, the Han himself was also scarred. , in the late Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had to issue a euphemistic edict to admit his mistake.

How long did the Hussars General last? How many soldiers were dispatched? Why was he so excited that he fell apart in the middle of the desert?

Naturally, Cao Chun carefully considered all of Zhao Yun's battle cases, which could and could not be collected, and finally Cao Chun came to a conclusion, which was that Zhao Yun's several winter battles had a major impact on the Hu people. Strike!

understood!

 This is the Winter Offensive!

Cao Chun began to calculate his small family fortune and small treasury, and then wondered if he could follow the gourd's example. He calculated the food and grass, then suppressed it for a few days, wrote a secret letter, and reported it to Cao Cao, and then he got two words, "Try it." Of course, the specific content of Cao Cao's letter is not that simple. Cao Cao also reiterated some areas that require special attention, such as the transportation of grain and grass, the warmth of soldiers, the guidance of routes, etc.

There is no other way, Cao Jun is too short of horses.

 ‘Have the food and grass been prepared? ” When it was time to set off, Cao Chun confirmed again.

　　　It's all ready. The first batch of provisions in the city, two thousand dan, has been transferred to the north... The cavalry brought ten days of rations, totaling 2,000 dan, and followed the army. In addition, there were 500 snowmobiles and 300 boats... It's just..."

Cao Chun frowned, "But what?" 』

　　　The river may be frozen over in a few days, and it may be difficult to sail the boat. 』

The temperature in the Han Dynasty was much higher than that in later generations. Just imagine that in the Sanfu area of ​​Guanzhong, ferns that grew in the tropical and subtropical regions in later generations are actually ferns.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…』Cao Chun thought for a while, 『No problem, just hurry up and ship the goods. When the ice freezes, we can turn around…』

Cao Chun's goal is to fight the slow and make a profit and leave. Anyway, his request is very simple, that is, war horses, war horses and war horses!

 A horse that can be ridden!

But Cao Chun never expected that the first problem he encountered was not food and grass, nor winter clothes, but firewood.

 That’s right, usually no one pays much attention inside, just burn it as soon as you bring it, it’s not much money for firewood!

The problem of military rations that Cao Chun was most worried about was nothing. After all, there was no war in Youzhou and Jizhou during this period. It means that Youzhou has its own output and Jizhou supports it. Although it is not a lot that can be wasted, it is The amount was enough for Cao Chun to struggle with, but Cao Chun really didn't expect that due to lack of firewood, he would be unable to eat food and grass!

 The land east of the Sanfu River in Guanzhong has begun to use a large amount of new fuel, coal. It is small in size and heavy in weight, and can carry a larger amount than ordinary wood.

Naturally, Cao Chun has heard of this matter, but forget it. After all, there is still a lot of vegetation in the Han Dynasty. For firewood and other things, you can walk for several miles and do it casually in the mountains and forests. There is no forestry and urban management to fine you. So Cao Chun naturally didn't take it too seriously.

 But as soon as we left Yuyang and entered the Gobi Desert, when trees and shrubs began to become sparse, especially in winter, the problem of firewood became magnified.

 Without firewood, not to mention cooking, even heating is a problem!

Finally I came across a small forest, but all of it was cut down for firewood, but it was still a drop in the bucket. Firstly, the sadness of using wet firewood to light a fire really made everyone cry. Secondly, such a small forest looks like a lot, but one share for nearly ten thousand people...

 Therefore, Cao Chun and his men, with their swords, spears, swords and halberds, dug three feet into the ground to find firewood before they could hit the barbarians!

 But he couldn’t find much, and it didn’t take long.

It’s not that Cao Chun didn’t bring firewood, he did.

 It’s a pity that it’s not enough.

 Then the second trouble Cao Chun encountered was that there were fewer Hu people.

 This is the biggest trouble…

Strictly speaking, this problem cannot be regarded as a trouble. After all, there are fewer Hu people, which means that the risk of threats to the Han people is reduced. This is a good thing for Youzhou, and even the Han counties and villages in northern Jizhou. But for Cao Chun, no.

With Zhao Yun's control and cleanup of the northern region of the desert, coupled with the operation of the vassal army, some Hu people near the Han Dynasty were either strangled or fled far away. Coupled with the division of the Ding Ling people, As a result, the number of Hu people near Youzhou decreased significantly.

Cao Chun didn't realize this at first. He thought that in the desert, the Hu people were like Zhuang He in the fields. Once they cut a crop, another crop would grow. He didn't expect that even if People can be planted in the ground, but it will take more than ten years to grow into adults...

 So, there is trouble.

Cao Chun arrived at the place where the Xianbei Royal Court used to be, but now there is only an empty place. Maybe if you dig the ground, you can find some broken bones and broken weapons and armor that have not been corroded, but I want to If you are looking for barbarians and war horses, you will find none...

Cao Chun's eyes were fixed on the north, as if he was still hoping for some miracle to happen there. Well, maybe he just hoped that a herd of wild horses would appear, but unfortunately, there was nothing.

　　Call the scout camp commander! 』

By now, even fools have realized that something is wrong.

It’s not that Cao Chun didn’t send people to detect. He sent people three times, and they all said that they saw traces of barbarians in the old royal court, and now...

Either the barbarian got the news and ran away, or the scouts were lying to him!

　　　『The little one guarantees it with his life! 』

　　　　There were indeed barbarians when I came here before! 』

　　"At this place, the young one fought with them for a while, got first-class merit, and was registered..."

  The scouts all said that there was no problem. They did encounter barbarians.

Cao Chun carefully screened and then compared the words of these scouts before and after, and came to a conclusion.

 Cao's scouts did not lie to him.

Although these scouts all belong to the scout battalion, they are not in the same queue. Moreover, each of these scouts speaks categorically and in a very affirmative tone. The most important thing is that Cao Chun cannot find these scouts to speak for the Hu people. reason.

After all, when the scouts came to detect it, Cao Chunlai did not express any intention to attack here. It was just a routine detection, so what was the point of them telling lies? And the scout’s family are all in Yuyang.

Although some of Cao's soldiers still received some free pay, in this matter, Cao's soldiers had not yet reached the shamelessness of the martial Song Dynasty, or they had not yet "evolved" to that level.

The reason why this place became the royal court of the Xianbei people in those days is because there is a large mountain range stretching for nearly a hundred miles to the north, with undulating peaks and mountains. There are more than a thousand peaks and hills. The height is not very high, but it can just block the invasion from the north. The coming cold current prevented the cold wind from hitting the old royal court directly. At the same time, the mountains also provide some rivers, making the water and grass here rich.

 But no matter how good the place is, it is useless if it is unsafe.

It's like the Zhenbei Gate in Yuyang was changed to Zhenyoumen. What gate was it before? If the name is just changed and nothing else changes, nothing will be achieved.

 So, there are indeed barbarians here.

 It’s just that it’s gone now.

 Subsequent searches also proved this. Some traces were indeed found in some areas, indicating that Hu people had indeed lived in this area, but they had now escaped.

This shows that there are not many Hu people coming here. After all, there will always be some people coming to a place with such abundant water and grass. But the problem is that there are not many Hu people coming here.

 They are all small tribes.

 Dozens of people, hundreds of people held their heads to the sky.

Then when Cao Jun's scouts came, they naturally saw that there were Hu people. Even if the Hu people found Cao Jun's scouts, since they were only two or three people, Cao Jun's scouts would not take the initiative to fight, and the Hu people might not be willing to provoke the Han people, so Of course everything is fine.

But Cao Chun is arrogant and the beacon smoke is moving, then these barbarians, no matter how stupid they are, will know how to run away!

And why didn’t you run away when you were in the Xianbei royal court?

 That's because the number of people in the Xianbei Royal Court at that time was several times greater than that of Zhao Yun!

Moreover, if you organize a few people, then a dozen people, then a hundred people, a thousand people, or more than 10,000 people, every time you increase the numerical level, the matters involved are going up.

The small tribe cleaned up and ran away in half a day. However, during the heyday of the Xianbei Royal Court, the population of the direct tribes alone exceeded 10,000. Plus the surrounding subordinate tribes, it would take a day just to deliver orders, and even more Needless to say it will take extra time to pack up.

The key is that Xianbei was still arrogant back then and didn't take Zhao Yun seriously...

Now, these barbarians in Mobei have become frightened birds, and they will run away immediately at the slightest sign of trouble.

 The barbarians ran away and their horses were gone.

 Cao Chun, who came excitedly, now faced two choices. One was to withdraw.

 The other one is to chase...

 (End of this chapter)