The two major border counties in the northwest of the Qin Empire were Yanmen and Jiuyuan.
Since the beginning of June, Ercheng County has been in a state of war readiness, with more people on patrol and the number of people on duty changing from three groups to six.
Autumn is the season when the Hu people go south to plunder.
The last time two counties were lost was in the fall.
In Jiuyuan County.
The third son of the Qin Dynasty, General Ying, was dressed in regular clothes and standing on the military parade platform, able to see the situation in the martial arts field below.
Next to him is Meng Tian, the Lord of Jiuyuan with his hands behind his back.
"drink!"
"ha!"
Off the field, the Qin army was well-armored, and their swords and thrusts were impressive.
The changes are complex but not chaotic, and everyone can accurately find their location.
The evil spirit rises and murderous intent overflows.
Waving his arms and staring, the cold light was awe-inspiring.
This army of tigers and wolves seems not to be training, but to face the real enemy, hoping to choose the enemy and devour it.
They were the most elite troops in the Great Qin Empire. They drove away the Xiongnu for more than 700 miles, so that the Xiongnu did not dare to look back.
"I want to go back to Shangjun."
Ying Jianglu lowered his head and looked at the audience with an expressionless face.
"Third Young Master, please do as you please."
Meng Tian also looked at the audience, without turning his head to look at Ying Jianglu, he nodded and said calmly.
"I want to take my Taotie army with me."
The Taotie Army was a group of 47,000 cavalrymen, raised by General Ying Lu himself.
"Even if that doesn't work, it's autumn at this time, and it's easiest for barbarians to go south to attack. Third Young Master might as well wait."
Meng Tian shook his head and refused, but he hadn't finished shaking his head yet.
Ying Jianglu turned his head and glared, interrupting in a deep voice.
"It's your business, the Lord of Jiuyuan, to knock on the door of the barbarians. What does it have to do with me?"
Why do you need my private army to protect your border?
Meng Tian looked unhappy.
"The third young master is your Majesty's third son. Your Majesty is your king and your father. Da Qin is both your country and your home. The barbarians invaded, insulted your king and father, and bullied your country. How come it has nothing to do with you?"
Ying Jianglu had a sneer on his face, looking at Meng Tian like a clown.
"Stop pretending, you just want to consume the Taotie Army, retain the Meng Family Army, and give my eldest brother, the Crown Prince, some strength. Stop talking high-sounding words. Although your ancestral home is Qi, you were born in Qin and grew up in Qin. Half Qin people are more comfortable."
Meng Tian's pretended displeasure suddenly disappeared.
"What Third Young Master taught you, Na Tian made it clear.
"Third Young Master can leave on his own, Tian is extremely happy, but you can't take the Taotie Army with you.
"Third Young Master, please rest assured about something.
"After the Third Young Master leaves, Tian will treat the Taotie Army equally and will no longer only fight with the Taotie Army.
"Tian will report the memorial at the meeting, and the enthusiasm of the people in the northwest to join the army will be unprecedentedly high, with an additional 50,000 soldiers and horses."
In this way, these 47,000 soldiers and horses were transformed from the private army of General Ying into a registered regular army of the Qin Empire.
"As long as I'm here, you can dream!"
Ying Jianglu's face was as dark as water, and he stared at Meng Tian with murderous intent in his eyes, not trying to hide it at all.
Meng Tian didn't care, what could a little kid do no matter how sharp his eyes were? Just a cub without claws and teeth. If looks could kill, he would have died in the eyes of the Huns.
"If Third Young Master doesn't leave, this matter will just be prolonged, but the result will be the same. In winter, the snow is as heavy as goose feathers, and the transportation of grain and grass from various cities and counties is temporarily suspended. If the Taotie Army wants to survive, it must eat Jiuyuan County grain and grass. Eat military rations. , I will join the army."
"How dare you! My uncle brought the food and grass from Jiuyuan County! My uncle has long promised to provide for the Taotie Army's daily needs!"
How childish... Meng Tian shook his head inwardly, unwilling to say more, turned around and walked off the parade platform.
Li You, a private soldier, glanced at the young master with some worry and followed the general down the stage.
"Far worse than a prince."
Meng Tian murmured to himself, without deliberately lowering his voice. He deliberately let the Third Young Master hear clearly and made the Third Young Master look greener.
What's the point of saying that? Jiuyuan is his fiefdom. If he says he doesn't want to give food, he doesn't have to give him food. Just like if he doesn't let the Taotie Army leave, the Taotie Army can't leave.
He didn't want to break up with Ying Jianglu, so he saved some face. In his opinion, if the Third Young Master was smarter, he should have returned to Xianyang long ago. Spending time with him here and saying a few harsh words is a waste of time and meaningless.
Meng Tian and Li You walked along the edge of the martial arts field.
The ground trembled and the Qin army shouted. Against this background, one general and one soldier marched out one after another.
Under the interference of such numerous noises, Meng Tian still found the somewhat chaotic footsteps of his own soldiers.
"Are you worried about your brother?"
Li Youyi was startled, and he opened his mouth to express his denial. He opened his mouth wide, paused for a moment, and then admitted it as soon as he said it.
"There is indeed some concern."
Due to Meng Tian's intentional actions, it was Li You who was always looking after Ying Jianglu on the battlefield.
With this kind of friendship between life and death, and because Li You is the son of the prime minister, he knows a lot.
No matter from his birth or conversation, he was infinitely better than ordinary soldiers. Not being despised by Ying Jianglu, but also being able to chat with Ying Jianglu.
The two are now as close as brothers.
"Then why don't you go take care of Yier quickly?"
Meng Tian's pace quickened, and he disappeared in two or three steps.
"only."
Li You responded to the air without any surprise, and turned back to the military parade platform.
He didn't take two steps before he bumped into his half-brother, who looked terribly ugly.
When Ying Jianglu saw Li You, he forced a smile, put his arms around his good brother's neck and left.
"If you're in a bad mood, have a drink with me!"
The houses made of sand and stones have no aesthetic appeal and are cold in winter and hot in summer.
Rough, rough, crude.
This is the northwest border county. Whether it is Yanmen or Jiuyuan, they are all the same.
The same is true for Ying Jianglu's mansion. Except that the house is built a little thicker and the gaps are filled with specially treated sand, the rest is no different from other public houses.
Tons tons tons~!
Ying Jianglu held a jar of wine and drank heavily.
Li You hurriedly grabbed the jar and said angrily:
"Does a real man give up on himself after suffering some setbacks?"
Ying Jianglu smiled dejectedly, and when he returned home, his energy and energy could no longer hold on.
"Then Brother Li, tell me, what can I do? If I don't drink, what else can I do? Take away the Taotie Army?"
Li You put down the wine jar and said without thinking:
"If you go there in spring and summer, it might still be possible. If the barbarians invade, you will have to go in autumn. General Meng will not let us go."
…………
"Go south! This is the time! My son! We can't continue fighting with the Yuezhi Kingdom!"
The Xiongnu Chanyu Touman took his eldest son and rode his horse slowly in the desert. He looked at the groups of horses and shouted in a deep voice.
"Father, why do we have to go south in autumn? Can't we usually plunder?"
The eldest son, Maodun, had a dark complexion, his muscles were slightly bulging at a young age, and he was full of vitality and vitality.
Touman held on to his riding whip and pointed at the cattle, horses and sheep in the desert, teaching the eldest son who had been confirmed as the next Chanyu.
One is that autumn is high and horses are fat. The horses that have been raised in the desert for more than half a year are fat and strong, and are in the best condition. In winter, you can only eat hay, which will cause you to lose weight.
Second, the nomads harvested their forage in autumn and settled in winter camps. They no longer needed heavy labor from strong labor forces, and a large number of strong men were free. The Central Plains region happens to be the harvest season, and a large number of laborers have to be invested in harvesting and other work in the Central Plains. There are more people than fewer people.
Third, autumn is the harvest season in the Central Plains, when products are most abundant and there are the most things to grab.
Fourth, the north is extremely intolerant to heat. Hu people and horses are accustomed to dry and cool weather, and the Central Plains in autumn is suitable for their activities.
Generally speaking, when the Hu people went south in autumn, they could effectively use their advantages in horsepower, manpower, and weather, and they could make a lot of money if they could grab things. When there are a large number of people and supplies are scarce, it is good to make money if you cannot grab things, and it is good to consume people.
But if they don't come out, the good condition of the horses and the abundance of labor will be wasted in the winter camp.
(End of chapter)
