Zhang Qi had a headache, and Hui also had a headache.
Managing all the supplies in the camp, no one knows better than him how much green storage needs to be consumed every day.
It has been almost two months since we entered the Daxingan Mountains. Out of the hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep, only a little over one hundred thousand are left.
During this period, the green reserves looted from various tribes have been completely consumed. The reason why they can still keep raising them is the result of the labor of all the herdsmen in the camp who plow the snowdrifts every day.
It is not deserted under the snow. Some plants can still survive even if they are covered by heavy snow.
During these days, it was the herdsmen who dug out cold-resistant plant branches and leaves from the snowdrifts that kept the cattle and sheep from starving to death.
It's just that after such a long time, all the people around who can be taken care of are gone. In addition, Zhang Qi brought back 4,000 war horses and some ordinary horses yesterday. Hui really can't bear the logistical pressure.
"And it's bottomed out. A 50-60 kilogram sheep needs three to four kilograms of fodder a day to barely feed it. If you want it to produce milk, you need to add more fodder. We now have a total of more than 63,000 sheep. Qi, you can figure it out yourself."
"Not to mention we have more than 20,000 cows. The consumption of fodder alone in one day is enough to bury our camp, and it can be trampled tightly."
Hui had a toothache expression on his face.
Zhang Qi also hissed and took several breaths.
He knew that raising cattle and sheep in winter was expensive, and he was mentally prepared, but when the data was actually presented in front of him, it was so shocking.
Calculating this for one hundred thousand cattle and sheep, the fodder consumed alone is four to five to five million kilograms per day.
If he could just bring this from the world of riding and cutting, the amount of dinars needed would be astronomical. The amount of 10,000 kilograms of materials brought out is one million dinars. The amount of 100,000 kilograms is tens of millions of dinars. you.
Yes, in the world of riding and cutting, it is indeed fast to make money through the business of making weapons and sugar, but Zhang Qi does not have such extravagant ideas to use dinars to raise cattle and sheep.
"Is there nothing you can do?"
Zhang Qi looked at Hui and asked expectantly.
Hui's answer disappointed him.
"There is nothing we can do. Everything edible around us has been pulled out and used as fodder. If we still keep so many, we will have to look further afield for winter pasture."
The two of them sighed in unison: "Oh."
It is impossible to go far away. The Daxingan Mountains are complicated and complicated, and it is winter again. If you accidentally get lost, you will have to wait for death.
Zhang Qi was reluctant to let these herdsmen die in vain. The population was precious to him. Otherwise, even if he took over the territory of the Donghu people, he would only be able to "look at the land and sigh" without enough manpower.
"Wait...Dong Hu..."
Zhang Qi seemed to have grabbed something and began to think deeply. After a while, a bright smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
"Haha, yes, I forgot about Dong Hu."
Zhang Qi laughed loudly, but Hui on the side didn't know why.
"What donghu?"
Zhang Qi glanced at Hui, relaxed a lot and continued his breast enlargement exercises.
While doing some exercise, he said to Hui: "It's a pity to kill these cattle and sheep, and we can't raise them temporarily, so I think our good neighbors will be happy to help us raise sheep."
"Wha...oh!"
Hui's eyes suddenly lit up and he let out a sudden realization. He guessed the meaning of Zhang Qi's words.
Zhang Qi looked at him with a funny face: "What, you thought of it too?"
Huimeng nodded his head a few times, with a smile on his face: "Let the Donghu people help us raise sheep, and then go and snatch them back!"
"Hahaha! Smart! But instead of snatching it back, keep it there!"
Zhang Qi laughed and immediately clenched his fists and said proudly.
"Give me the order!"
"exist!"
Zhang Qi waved his hand and Naqi, who was serving on the left and right, knelt down on one knee.
"Go to the military camp to see if the outposts who explored the direction of Donghu have returned. If they come back, let them come to see me. In addition, notify Hu Shui to prepare his troops and wait for orders."
"Got the order!"
He should have stood up and left. Zhang Qi stretched his body and yawned: "Hui, I may have to go out later. I'll leave the affairs in the camp to you and Lu Mu. There are eagles in the army. If If something unexpected happens, just leave without any nostalgia."
Although Zhang Qi was very relieved about the current situation. The Huns had just suffered a defeat and there would be no chance of a comeback in a short time. However, for the sake of safety, he still gave Hui a warning.
"Don't worry, I know what to do."
Hui looked relaxed. As long as the cattle and sheep matter could be solved, there was nothing else to worry about.
Zhang Qi nodded and returned to the yurt. Hui Ye bowed and left.
After a while, the sound of several horse hooves was heard, followed by the sound of reining in horses.
The six people filed in one after another. When they saw Zhang Qi, they knelt down on one knee and saluted.
"Your Majesty!"
"Get up. No need to be polite. I asked you to explore the route to Donghu. Did you gain anything?"
These few people were the earliest outposts, and they were sent out by him before the army was established. Originally, he planned to hand over this job to Ying, but considering that he wanted Ying to try to manage the army, he sent him to the servants. The army selected a few people with firm beliefs and sent them out.
"Reporting to your Majesty, you will indeed gain something."
One of the wandering sentries took out a piece of cloth from his pocket.
"Your Majesty, the routes to the Donghu area are all recorded above. Please make your decision."
Zhang Qi took it and opened it and took a look. It clearly recorded two routes to Donghu, and also described the trend of mountains, rivers, and pools.
Zhang Qi stared at the wandering sentinel, a little surprised.
"Do you want to know (yu2) the map?"
You Shao, who was stared at by Zhang Qi, shook his head, then pointed back and said: "Return to your Majesty, I am humble, but he is the one who knows the map."
Following the direction of the whistle, Zhang Qi looked over. A young whistle was kneeling there. His hair was a little yellow and messy, but it was tied with a straw rope.
"Get up and talk."
Zhang Qi looked at the young whistler and said solemnly.
The young whistler was a little nervous and almost fell down when he stood up, but no one present laughed at him, because no one dared to be rude before the king.
"Did you make this map?"
Zhang Qi looked at the young You Shao and asked curiously.
You Shao nodded and hesitated for a long time before he finally spoke: "Returning... to report to your Majesty is a humble act."
"Learned it?"
Zhang Qi asked again.
The young whistle nodded: "Yes...yes, Your Majesty...I am a cartographer who used to be a map master. Later, after I was kidnapped to the grassland, I studied with me for two years."
Zhang Qi was stunned, and then his face became solemn: "Do you have a name?"
"Ah... Grandpa calls me Chai'er"
Zhang Qi glanced at him, then took out a clean piece of cloth and wrote on it with charcoal for a while.
After stamping his seal, he handed it to him: "From today on, you will be called Liu Chai."
"Liu Chai obeys the order!"
Liu Chai, who had just been given a surname, was stunned for a moment. He didn't react until Youshao, who had just taken out the cloth, pushed him.
"Humble...humble!"
"For meritorious service on the map today, I will be rewarded with ten kilograms of meat, a piece of cloth, and promotion to 'Fake Military Marquis'!"
"Humble...humble...humble, accept the reward! Thank you for the reward!"
Nervous and excited, Liu Chai stumbled even more when speaking, but Zhang Qi didn't pay attention and continued.
"Take the silk order I gave you and pass it through the entire army. From now on, all outposts will be at your disposal, but!"
"As a fake military commander, you have the obligation to pass on the map skills you know. Do you have any objections?"
"I humbly accept my order!"
Liu Chai did not say anything about whether he had any objections, but solemnly nodded and accepted the order.
