Early next morning.
Cai Yan's face was rosy and his voice was much more delicate.
After Zhang Xiu finished practicing the gun, he walked in sweating all over his body. When he saw Cai Yan finished dressing, he came over with a towel and handed it to him: "Dad, have you always kept the habit of practicing gun in the morning sun?"
Although she didn't know what "Daddy" meant, Zhang Xiu asked her to call it, so she naturally called it out without any resistance, without any sense of awkwardness.
Zhang Xiu chuckled mischievously and said: "In troubled times, your body is your capital, so you naturally have to spend some time exercising. As the saying goes: You will regret less when you use the book. Only by practicing diligently can you turn danger into safety in critical moments." "
Cai Yan nodded undeniably and wiped the sweat from his body.
After wiping, the maid came in with porridge.
Two people eat porridge.
Zhang Xiu devoured the porridge, wiped his mouth and said, "Yan'er, pack your things today, and tomorrow the army will set off, preparing to go south to attack Huchuquan. After this battle, the Hetao will be our territory."
"Um!"
Cai Yan nodded obediently.
Come to the front yard.
Yan Xiang, Xu Shu, Ma Chao, Wei Yan, and Jiumozhi stood in the room waiting early.
"Hmm... Jiumozhi, where is the horse farm in Houtao Plain?" Zhang Xiu looked at Jiumozhi and asked.
Jiumozhi had already anticipated the purpose of Zhang Xiu's visit, so he smiled bitterly and said, "Marquis Xuan, the plains of Hetao are thousands of miles away, and under the Yin Mountains is where the horse farm is."
Xu Shu said with a smile: "Horses are the foundation of armor and soldiers, and are of great use to the country. Peace is based on the order of respect and inferiority, and changes are used to relieve difficulties near and far. With the Hetao Racecourse, our army no longer has to worry about horses."
Yan Xiang smiled and nodded.
Jiumozhi grimaced, fearing that his horse farm would have to change its surname from now on.
Zhang Xiu said with a smile: "Horses like the cold. Only Zhangye in Xiliang, Guanzhong in Yongzhou, and the Hetao in the north are suitable for raising horses. If we get the Hetao and then Xiliang, I will have the best horses in the world."
Everyone nodded.
"Where's Lebat?" Zhang Xiu turned around and didn't see Lebat.
Since he was captured, Zhang Xiu treated him very politely and did not strictly monitor him, but he did not let him go completely, and ordered Ma Chao to send troops to monitor him.
Ma Chao said: "After Lebat was captured by me, he hung his head. After returning to Shuofang City, he stayed in the house and could not come out."
"Call him here." Zhang Xiu said, "Today we will go to Ma Chao and ask Ma Xiu to stay at Shuofang City."
Matthew was overjoyed, clasped his fists and shouted loudly: "I will obey your orders!"
This is the first time he has been formally appointed since he entered Zhang Xiu's tent. Although he is only staying in Shuofang City, it is still a good start.
Ma Chao patted his shoulder and smiled in approval.
…
After leaving Shuofang City, Zhang Xiu led three thousand troops towards the foot of Yin Mountain.
Along the way, you can see the felt tents built by the Huns on the grass from time to time. The felt tents are the main housing for the Huns outside the city. Because the growth of plants is relatively limited, they have to move every once in a while and cannot stay in one place. location, so felt tents became the best choice.
Zhang Xiu pointed to the felt tent and said, "Jiumozhi, the Huns at the foot of Yinshan Mountain live in felt tents outside the city. How many of them can move at any time?"
"Seventy percent."
"I'm afraid their beef, mutton and skins must be traded in the city, right?"
"Yes," Jiumozhi said, "Only if there is a huge market in the city, they can sell."
Zhang Xiu nodded: "After this war is over, I will vigorously develop trade between the two sides, enhance the interdependence of the two peoples, and reduce the risk of war."
Jiumozhi nodded very expectantly.
Unknowingly, his sense of expectation became heavier and heavier under Zhang Xiu's persuasion.
Not long after, they came to the horse farm at the foot of Yin Mountain.
The racecourse is simply surrounded by wooden fences. Countless horses can be seen everywhere in the racecourse. Beautiful and strong horses of various colors, some neigh, some run, and some lower their heads to eat grass.
Seeing the racecourse, Zhang Xiu showed an excited smile on his face.
The racecourse was one of his main purposes in capturing the Hetao.
"Xuanhou, this is the largest horse farm in Houtao Land. There are more than 60,000 horses in the farm, but 30,000 of them have gone south." Lebat is also a horse lover, and he is excited when he sees the horses. He stood up and spoke freely.
Jiumozhi grinned.
Zhang Xiu didn't care. He covered his eyes with his hands and looked into the racecourse.
At this time, a young man came galloping on a horse.
"Lord Lebat!" The young man's eyes swept across the crowd, and finally landed on Lebat's face. He raised his arms and waved with a smile.
Lebat shouted: "Uruguay, call your father out to greet us."
"Oh well."
Uruguay glanced at the majestic man occupying position C, skillfully turned the horse's head and headed into the racecourse.
Zhang Xiu clamped his horse and entered the racecourse.
A smell originating from the horse, mixed with grass and horse manure, mixed into a smell that couldn't be said to be smelly, but definitely not unpleasant, and the sound of horses honking could be heard.
"What a horse farm!"
Zhang Xiu exclaimed in admiration, such a racecourse, plus the land of Qiantao and Xitao, was enough for him to take the Central Plains by storm.
Not long after, a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing clothes with Xiongnu characteristics and a beard on his face, came in a hurry on horseback.
The man first glanced at Zhang Xiu, then at Jiumozhi and Lebat next to him, not knowing how to speak.
The news that Zhang Xiu occupied Shuofang City has spread throughout the grassland.
Facing Zhang Xiu and seeing the menacing and majestic thousands of cavalry outside the racecourse, the man looked at Jiumozhi in embarrassment.
Seeing the man coming, Jiumozhi introduced with a smile: "Master Hou, this is Tuo She, the owner of this racecourse. Tuo She has been in the racecourse for a long time and is very good at taking care of horses. Lebat's favorite horse Xuanju is from Tuo She." Amnesty’s horse farm.”
Zhang Xiu has already seen Lebat's war horse Xuanju and fell in love with it.
same.
Ma Chao and Wei Yan also fell in love with the war horse. They mentioned the war horse in Zhang Xiu's ears intentionally or unintentionally. They both wanted the horse. However, during the battle of Yunzhong City, Ma Chao spoke too early. He regretted agreeing to take charge of Wei Yan's affairs.
Zhang Xiu turned over and dismounted, and everyone immediately followed suit.
Tuo She slid off the horse and looked at Zhang Xiu with some constraint. He was wearing dirty clothes, his face and hands were dirty, covered with broken grass, horse hair and even horse dung.
Zhang Xiu looked at Tuo She and burst into laughter. He didn't mind coming closer at all and said with a smile: "Thousand-mile horses are common, but Bole is not. If Tuo She can find a mysterious horse, he must be a person who knows horses. Such a person can do it." How can people not be valued?"
Then he pulled Tuo She and said intimately: "Master Tuo She, can you take me to see the horses?"
Seeing that Zhang Xiu was approachable and had a generous smile, Tuo She immediately smiled and said: "There happens to be a war horse in the field. It is born from the same mare as Xuanju. Lord Marquis, please take a look."
"oh?"
Zhang Xiu became interested, "Let's go take a look!"
Ma Chao and Wei Yan immediately became excited.
Lebat had known about this horse for a long time, but he had not seen it for a long time, so he followed it excitedly.
