The base area is a basin. There are only three roads that can accommodate thousands of people and hundreds of vehicles. One more road can be opened after the river freezes in the severe winter.
The main road that Geng Zhanghua and others took was repaired once this year, and there were not too many potholes. After entering the core area of the base through Nanshan Pass, the road condition was even better.
On the fifth day, the vast team arrived at the base area.
At this time, it was already the slack season, and more than half of the surplus labor force was building the city with four single walls.
From the outside, you can't tell that this city is actually a semi-finished product, only the stone walls are visible.
My aunt is the most likely to make a fuss and speak exaggeratedly. She started screaming when she was two miles away from the city.
"Ling'er, come out and take a look. It's such a big stone city! It's bigger and more towering than most of the prefectures and cities in the pass! Huang Yi is really amazing!"
"Wow! This city is so beautiful! Sister Yueru, come and see! My brother-in-law is really amazing."
The two sisters get along well with each other and talk about everything. Yue Ling has no intention of marrying Huang Yi. She has not yet begun to conceive. It is her biological mother's wishful thinking.
Yueling knew Yueru's thoughts, so she directly called Huang Yi brother-in-law.
The sound of brother-in-law made Geng Yueru feel ashamed and blushed with embarrassment.
The aunt was so angry that she raised her hand and hit her, scolding: "What are you shouting for? Madam made the decision for you earlier and betrothed you to Huang Yi. Huang Yi should be Yueru's brother-in-law."
"I don't care. My sister likes Huang Yi. I won't argue with her."
Geng Yueru was ashamed and annoyed, and said: "Don't talk nonsense, I haven't even written out the eight characters yet!"
"You are not married, and he is not married, so his horoscope already has two characters!"
The aunt was so angry that she cursed: "You are a ungrateful person. You are so angry with me. Hey, that's not right. We are about to enter the city. Why didn't Huang Yi come to greet us?"
Wang Baishan, who had been accompanying everyone, quickly apologized and said with a smile: "Madam, please calm down. My master was busy with the autumn harvest and sent his troops to attack the Haraqin tribes who were in trouble. Now they are no longer in the base."
Wang Baishan clearly heard the conversation between several people just now. He knew what a high-ranking official Governor Xuanda was, and of course he hoped that Huang Yi could become the Geng family's son-in-law.
My aunt was shocked and said, "Ah! He actually led troops to fight?"
"The Karaqin Tatars followed the Jiannu into the pass and did all kinds of bad things. My Lord is going to collect blood debts and rescue the plundered Han people."
"There are so many Tatars, he won't be in danger, right?"
"My lord is brave and resourceful. He always makes every move. He will definitely come back victorious."
Geng Qi was happy and said loudly: "No wonder I didn't see Master Huang. It turns out he went to fight the Tatars, hahaha."
Geng Zhangguang felt much happier and immediately became worried about Huang Yi and said: "The Thirty-Six Kalaqin Family probably has ten or twenty thousand troops. Huang Yi should not act without authorization. It is too rash."
Geng Zhanghua, who personally fought in the Haraqin territory, not only studied the records about the Mongolian tribes during this period, but also sent Ye Bushou to collect intelligence.
He had some knowledge of the Thirty-Six Kalaqin Family, and he said: "It doesn't matter, the Kalaqin Territory is huge, and it is impossible to gather 10,000 or 20,000 troops in a short time. I think Huang Yi is going to raid the nearest small tribe here, no?" It’s considered a rash move.”
Wang Baishan said: "My lord, please relax. My lord has sent back three good news. The war has gone smoothly and the results have been brilliant. Seven Haraqin tribes have been plowed and dug out, beheading four to five hundred people, captured thousands, and rescued a thousand Han people." many!"
The aunt immediately screamed: "Oh! Huang Yi has made great achievements again, I'm afraid he will be promoted again."
Geng Zhanghua said: "Geng Da, Geng Qi, when we enter the city later, you will immediately lead your troops to meet Mr. Huang. If you need to join the battle, follow Mr. Huang's command!"
Both of them agreed loudly: "Yes!"
While talking, they came to the south gate, and everyone was amazed by the completed city gate tower.
The aunt simply got out of the carriage and took Yueru and Yueling to see the stone city wall up close. She loved it so much that she was full of exclamations.
"Such a solid city can rival Nanjing. Is it true that construction only started this spring?"
Wang Baishan replied: "We started preparing materials and leveling the land last winter. It is expected to take three years to complete."
"Three years to complete? No, isn't it already done?"
"No! This is just the outer wall. The inner wall needs to be built and filled with rammed earth, gravel, slag, and coal gangue. The height is not enough, and it needs to be increased by at least eight feet."
Geng Zhanghua said with a smile: "With Huang Yi defending such a city, even if Jiannu comes with thousands of troops, he will definitely return defeated!"
Wang Baishan said confidently: "It's not enough to return in vain, they will definitely lose their troops and generals!"
Geng Zhangguang was a little excited at this time. Building this city was of great significance. Governor Xuanda could definitely report it to the imperial court to expand the territory by 200 miles!
All civil servants and military generals who opened up territories for the country will surely go down in history!
He had already thought about it, and immediately had a long talk with his father after returning, suggesting that his father spare no effort to assist Huang Yi and report to the court when the city was built and had defensive capabilities.
After entering the city, everyone was even more surprised. There were no mud-walled thatched houses in the city. They were all stone-tiled houses, and there were many two-story buildings.
The eyes of the people coming and going are lively, and the construction site under construction is in full swing.
The city's North and South Streets already have the prototype of a commercial street. There are seven or eight Li's shops and self-operated shops in the base area, as well as two taverns.
The food issue is of great importance, and the base area will not tolerate hoarding by merchants, so the policy of unified purchase and marketing of food will be implemented.
From now on, people in the base areas can go to self-operated grain stores to buy grain within the quota with their household registration books, grain stamps, copper coins or broken silver.
The only product in the base area that is not sold but has to be purchased continuously is grain.
Because when we have food, we can feed the population, and when we have a population, we can have soldiers.
The grain storage in the base area is enough to feed 30,000 people for a year. Huang Yi is still grabbing, buying, and hoarding as much grain as possible to prepare for next year's spring famine to absorb more people.
Huang Yi had just embarked on his way home when he received the letter sent by Wang Baishan.
Knowing that Geng Zhanghua was here again, together with Geng Zhangguang who had just won the exam, Huang Yi handed over the team to Zhi, Yong, Shuang, Quan, Peng, Zhang Dong, etc., and ordered thirty-six cavalry to pull up seventy-two horses. Spare horses gallop to the base.
Changing horses and wearing stars and moons along the way, less than two days later, Huang Yi, who was tired of travel, appeared in the Nanchengmen building where the Geng family temporarily lived.
Everyone was overjoyed to see Huang Yi return safely.
They are all old friends, and there are many topics to talk about. Zuo Fanglian, Ye Huiling, and Xiaojiu personally organized and arranged the banquet. Although the dishes were simple, the atmosphere was quite lively.
In the hearts of Geng Zhangguang and Geng Zhanghua, Huang Yi is one of their own, so their wives, two sisters, Yueru and Yueling, and their aunt were all present at the table.
