A Turkic businessman named Luo Qi hurriedly left the Anle Chamber of Commerce Market. He just asked clearly that the Anle Chamber of Commerce had 10,000 shi of grain outside the city. If he wanted to buy it all, he would need at least 1,000 taels of silver.
How much cloth and silk are there? More than food, that is to say, the supplies hoarded outside Anle City are worth at least several thousand taels of silver.
Is a few thousand taels a lot of silver? It may not be much in the eyes of some people, but in the eyes of tribes such as the Turks and Khitan, it is definitely a piece of cake. One stone of grain equals one hundred catties, and ten thousand stones of grain equals one million catties, enough to feed a small tribe for a year.
If these materials were purchased with sheepskin or cowhide, it would take several tribes to collect sheepskin in exchange for so much food and cloth, and it would be time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Now the Anle Chamber of Commerce is selling it at a discount, which is more cost-effective than before, so the tribes on the border are rushing to buy it.
Is this Turkic businessman named Rocky going back to raise more money? No, his brother-in-law was the captain of the soldiers under Asmo, so the first thing he thought of was not a deal, but telling General Asmo that there was a piece of fat outside Anle City!
In the past, the Turks did not attack Anle because the Anle city was strong and the defenders were tough, so the gains outweighed the losses by plundering. Now that it's fine, they dare to move supplies outside the city? Doesn’t that tempt us to sin?
"Hey! Stop and report to the general that we have captured a scout."
Asmo pointed his whip in his hand and said, "Just kill them. Tell Anle City clearly that we are here to kill people. Let's see if they dare to go out of the city to fight."
"Let me go. I'm not a scout for the Tang people. I'm a Turkic businessman. I have important information to report to General Asmo..."
Rocky was lucky. He had just walked less than a hundred miles when he encountered the Turkic Asmo army. But unfortunately, he was caught as a scout.
"Oh? He speaks fluent Turkic. Let him go. How do you prove that you are a Turk?"
"My name is Rocky, and my cousin is General Asmo's personal guard captain Lojo!"
Lojo?
Where is Lojo?
Asmo called his subordinates, and the guard captain drove out and took a closer look, "Ah? Is it really Rocky's cousin? General, this is my cousin, not a scout."
"Since he is one of our own, let him go. Don't delay the army's schedule."
"Wait, are you General Asmo? I have an important report..."
After hearing what Luo Qi said, Asmo's eyes lit up: "How could this happen? God help me. I was worried about how to get a chance to make a fortune, but I didn't expect that the Tang Dynasty people dared to pile up supplies outside the city? This is looking down upon me. Are we Turkic cavalry? Guys, speed up and give the Tang people a surprise tomorrow morning! Then the food, property, and women will all be ours!"
This probably counts as mobilization before World War II, right?
The first time was when his tribe was gathering troops, but this time it was different. With the real information from the businessman Rocky, the Turkic cavalry instantly became red-eyed, as if the mountains of food and cloth were right in front of them. , I can’t wait to kill Anle City now.
Outside Anle City, someone found Cui Baiquan, the president of the Anle Chamber of Commerce, at the market stall.
"President, the rumor is that there may be a war, and the Turks will come to fight the autumn wind. Should we go to the city to take shelter?"
Cui Baiquan was startled, "Where did the news come from?"
Without waiting for the other party to answer, he immediately saw the crowds coming and going at the entrance of Anle City, and immediately said relaxedly: "Nonsense, I have been in Anle City for more than ten years and have seen countless autumn winds. Whenever the thieves attack, which time Aren't the people running everywhere? The gates of Anle City are closed tightly, and the strong walls are clear. Now look at it? If the Turks attack, Su Lie's scouts will report it in the morning."
The other party also glanced at the city gate, "I occasionally heard rumors in the city, I don't know whether they are true or not. There is some kind of trade fair going on in the city right now, and there are people everywhere, so there is a lot of gossip."
"Bah! What kind of trade fair? Xiao Rui saw us making money, and he got anxious. But it's useless. No matter how many tricks he has, he still has to rely on price to attract customers in the end." Cui Baiquan was very disdainful. He felt that Xiao Rui is still too young, what kind of business can he know?
The person next to him said worriedly: "President, if you are not afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of what might happen. What if the Turkic cavalry really comes?"
"Haha, no! Look at those people, they are all Turkic businessmen. If the Turks come, will they stay here to do business? And it is Xiao Rui who offended the Turks this time. We bought them at a higher price. The Turks There’s no reason to take action.”
Well, let’s hope it’s a rumor. The man comforted himself by saying that after taking a look at the crowds pouring into the city to attend the trade fair, he felt that the rumor was more likely. Even if it was true, it was so close to the city gate that he could hide in time.
In the city, Su Lie was asking his subordinates, "Can the arranged bait be delivered?"
The lieutenant general smiled: "General, no need. Halfway through the road, I found that the Turkic army of three thousand did not harass the people along the way this time. As if they had listened to Chang Shi's words, they went straight to Anle City, even if they drank horses halfway. Don’t waste time, it’s so strange.”
Su Lie nodded: "That's good, it saves trouble. But don't be careless. Send out scouts to bypass the Turks' cavalry. Be careful that the three thousand men on the other side are traps, and check whether there are reinforcements behind them. We have cut off their salt and iron, and the Turks People don’t just let it go.”
"Got the order!"
Soon after, Su Lie and Xiao Rui got into an argument in the county governor's mansion.
"No, Chang Shi is a civil servant and must not put himself in danger. I must lead this ambush of the Turkic cavalry!" Su Lie shouted with a red face.
"One thousand people versus three thousand people. Even if it's an ambush, the casualties will be huge. It's better for me to go."
"Absolutely not! I am the guard general, and I have the final say in military matters. Chang Shi is not familiar with the cavalry of the Tang Dynasty. If something goes wrong, the general will not be able to explain it."
"General Su, this is my first battle since I took office in Youzhou. Why, do you want to compete with me in martial arts?"
Su Lie lost his momentum and remembered the scene where he was beaten by Xiao Rui before. He smiled bitterly and said: "General, I admit that I am not your opponent, but the battlefield is not a personal competition. These thousand cavalry were trained by the general myself. I am the most familiar with it, so I can lead the team to its best advantage. Changshi, it is better for you to stay in the city and defend it. The people in the city are more important."
Common people?
Xiao Rui frowned when he heard that he was guarding the people, which seemed to make sense.
Su Lie saw Li Shengnan and Wei Yanran next to him and asked them for help, "Madam, please advise Chang Shi. Su Lie is in a low position. If any one of you suffers the slightest loss, Su Lie's head will not be saved." !”
Li Shengnan covered his mouth and smiled, then stepped forward and pushed Xiao Rui: "Stop teasing General Su. If you have any arrangements, just tell him directly. Why bother to scare him?"
ah? arrange? frighten? Su Lie looked at Xiao Rui with a strange expression. Why was he blushing and thick-necked when he argued with me just now? Was he just acting like me?
