Chapter 221: Grain and Grass

In the blink of an eye, July has passed, and an even hotter August has arrived.

After the implementation of the measures of the whole army's large-scale competition, these soldiers took great pains to compete for the first regiment in Shuozhou, and often continued to train on the school ground after the drill. Although the generals were happy to consciously increase their training, the increase in the consumption of food and grass due to the increase in training also troubled the officials in charge of logistics.

In the month of July, 1,000 soldiers of the reconnaissance battalion headed to Yunzhou in the north under the leadership of Li Yang, and they would be ordered under Li Shiji's account. The remaining 1,500 soldiers remained in Shuozhou, obeying Li Jing's direct leadership.

It was also in this month that the second batch of supplies from Chang'an arrived in Shuozhou. When the supplies of 5,000 artillery shells and nearly 10,000 grenades arrived in Shuozhou, they were looted by the artillery and non-commissioned officers of the reconnaissance battalion. And those government soldiers didn't know what they were when they looked at these round iron bumps, so no one asked for them, and they cheapened the reconnaissance battalion and artillery.

There was also a large amount of bacon jerky in the second batch of supplies, which was smeared with salt and air-dried, and there was nothing in the mouth except for the salty taste and the taste of muscle fibers, but this jerky was still coaxed by the soldiers.

In order to maintain discipline, Li Jing had to reprimand the staff of several soldiers who were the most coaxing and robbing.

On this day, Zhang Yunwen was explaining the basic tactics of artillery to Zhang Chao and others in the artillery camp, when suddenly a person came to report that the general had asked someone to summon Zhang Yunwen over.

Zhang Yunwen had no choice but to leave Zhang Chao and the others, and slowly came to Li Jing's big tent in Shuozhou City.

As soon as he entered the hall, Zhang Yunwen saw two people in green clothes standing beside Li Jing. These two people, Zhang Yunwen, recognized that they were the secretary of the 30,000 army, who was specifically responsible for the logistics of the 30,000 army.

"Yunwen is here!" Li Jing saw Zhang Yunwen and greeted him warmly.

Zhang Yunwen first saluted Li Jing, and then hugged his fists to the two reporters. The two hurriedly returned the salute.

"Come on, sit down first, and listen to what Master Cao has to say!" Under Li Jing's greeting, Zhang Yunwen sat opposite the secretary of the room, Lord Cao, and looked at him.

Master Cao cleared his throat and told the story.

After Lord Cao finished speaking, Zhang Yunwen realized that there was a problem with the military rations.

According to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, when the government soldiers went out to fight, military rations, horizontal knives, bows and arrows and other weapons needed to be prepared by the government soldiers, while weapons such as armor, steel crossbows, and Mo knives were issued by the imperial court. However, in this battle, it has been more than a month of stalemate, and the food brought by the soldiers has long been eaten, and now they are eating all the military food supplied by the imperial court. In addition to the government soldiers, there are also reconnaissance battalions and artillery recruits in the 30,000-strong army, who are purely professional soldiers, and everything from food to use is paid by the imperial court. In other words, from the end of July, Kimurokura Cao was faced with a supply of 30,000 people. If Li Jing made a quick decision and defeated the Turks within a month and captured the tooth tent, then he would only have to bear the logistics of recruiting troops, but he would have entered a stalemate, and if he dragged on like this, he would have to bear the logistics of the entire army.

And this kind of logistics consumption is too fast, just in early August, the 100,000 stone grain and grass in Shuozhou City will be consumed, and the remaining is not enough to support ten days, and the third batch of materials from Chang'an will take another month, and the grain and grass from Taiyuan will take seven days to arrive.

And Li Jing's purpose in finding Zhang Yunwen was to let Zhang Yunwen go to Taiyuan, and try to persuade the Wang family to transport another batch of grain and grass after this batch of grain was shipped out.

Hearing this order, Zhang Yunwen couldn't help but be silent for a while, and after a while, he said: "Don't worry, the general will definitely bring enough grain and grass for the army!" ”

Li Jing nodded with satisfaction and patted Zhang Yunwen's shoulder: "Since that's the case, then everything will be left to Yunwen!" ”

Zhang Yunwen nodded heavily and returned to the camp, but he was very unhappy. He doesn't like to do this kind of errand of negotiating with people and intrigue, but prefers exciting tasks such as running thousands of miles and sneaking in. However, the notion that a soldier is obedience to orders has been ingrained in his bones, so even if he doesn't like it, he will do it.

With six heavily armed soldiers, Zhang Yunwen left Shuozhou City that day and galloped in the direction of Taiyuan.

At this time, Taiyuan City, like Shuozhou, entered wartime control. Chai Shao stationed 10,000 troops in Taiyuan as a flank and rear response to support Li Jing in Shuozhou.

The first thing Zhang Yunwen did when he entered Taiyuan City was to visit Chai Shao, the titular uncle. Today's Taiyuan can be said to be under Chai Shao's control, and of course there are some things to talk to Chai Shao.

Chai Shao is the husband of Princess Pingyang and Li Shimin's brother-in-law, and he Zhang Yunwen married Li Shimin's daughter, of course, he has to call Chai Shao an uncle.

Chai Shao's big tent is also set up in a luxurious courtyard in Taiyuan City. Standing outside, you can see the pavilions and pavilions inside, and the carved railings of the water pavilion. When I entered the courtyard, I saw soldiers wearing shining armor standing in various positions in the courtyard with spears in their hands, almost defending in all directions. And the fierce aura exuded by these soldiers is not as good as the personal soldiers around Zhang Yunwen, but they are also veterans of a hundred battles.

"Little nephew Zhang Yunwen has seen my uncle!" Zhang Yunwen saluted the middle-aged man sitting in the hall.

"Hahaha, what kind of wind is blowing today, it actually blew Yunwen here! Hey, what's the politeness between us! Come, sit down and talk, sit down and talk! Chai Shao, who was wearing a brocade robe and a jade pendant hanging from his waist, got up and greeted Zhang Yunwen warmly as soon as he saw him.

Zhang Yunwen and Chai Shao have met several times in Chang'an, mainly at royal banquets. But to say how familiar the two are, it is impossible to say.

After the two sat down, Zhang Yunwen said his intentions straight to the point, Chai Shao listened to it, and smiled slightly: "Wang Qu of the Wang family has sent all the people to buy grain all over the world. Coupled with the grain of the Wang family in Taiyuan, it is enough to supply 100,000 troops for a year. So Yunwen, when you see Wang Qiong's old horseman, remember to ask for more, don't be polite! ”

When Zhang Yunwen heard this, he couldn't help but smile slightly, and said to Chai Shao: "Obey my uncle's orders!" ”

After not staying at Chai Shao's place for long, Zhang Yunwen got up to say goodbye and walked in the direction of Wang's house.

When Zhang Yunwen came to the door of the north room of the Wang family, there were already servants standing there respectfully, and when he saw Zhang Yunwen coming, the old servant greeted him, nodded and said: "General Zhang, my master knows that you are coming, so I specially ordered the little one to wait here, and the master is waiting in the flower hall!" ”

When Zhang Yunwen heard this, he stepped into the Wang family immediately. Six pro-soldiers followed.

Under the leadership of the old servant to the flower hall, Wang Qiong and Wang Jin from the west room came out to greet him: "Hehe, General Zhang is here!" Little Lao'er has been waiting for you for a long time! ”

The Wang family's power in Taiyuan is huge, and I am afraid that the moment Zhang Yunwen entered Taiyuan, he would have been noticed by the Wang family.

After greeting for a while, entering the flower hall and sitting down, Wang Qiong suddenly saw Zheng Fanglian behind Zhang Yunwen, first stunned, and then showed a strange smile. It was only for a moment that it was gone.

Zhang Yunwen also put forward a request for another shipment of grain and grass straight to the point.

Hearing this request, Wang Qiong was a little silent for a moment, and only after a moment did he say: "Little Lao'er doesn't understand war, but he knows that soldiers are fast. However, General Li Jing and General Li have been dragging on for more than a month, and now the troops have not moved, the battle has not been fought, and the consumption of military rations is increasing day by day. This month, my Wang family's 100,000 stone military food convoy is already on the way, and now the convoy has just left in front, General Zhang, you have come to ask the old man for new grain and grass, my Wang family is a little difficult to deal with! ”

Zhang Yunwen didn't speak, looking at Wang Qiong with blazing eyes. Finally, Wang Qiong was a little embarrassed, and coughed lightly: "General Zhang, why are you looking at the old man like this!" ”

Zhang Yunwen said: "Forgive the kid for being rude, the kid is at the age of the head of the family!" ”

Wang Qiong was stunned for a moment: "Look at the old man's age? ”

Zhang Yunwen nodded: "The kid sees that the head of the Zhang family has gray sideburns and wrinkles on his face, I'm afraid there are sixty or seventy!" At such an age, it should be called a long life! ”

Wang Qiong smiled a little proudly: "The old man had the guidance of Sun Simiao and Sun Daochang back then, and he knew a little about health preservation, and he has been doing it according to Sun Daochang's words all these years!" I feel that my body is very healthy, and when I walk, I don't need crutches! ”

Zhang Yunwen also smiled: "The patriarch has a good way of maintaining health, and the kid admires it." But doesn't the patriarch want to seek a thousand years of glory for future generations? ”

Wang Jin interjected at this time and said proudly: "My Wang family is glorious, why bother!" has its own ancestors Yin, affecting all generations! ”

As soon as these words came out, Wang Qiong's face couldn't help but sink.

Zhang Yunwen said with a smile: "That's true! The Wang family has been proud of the clan since the beginning of Wang Jian Wang Li of the Qin Dynasty, during which there have been ups and downs, but it is still one of the largest families in the world. But this era is changing, especially since the opening of the imperial examination in the former Sui Dynasty, the children of the big families cannot be directly officials, and now, His Majesty is even more advocating scientific examinations to weaken the scholar clan, who knows if this scholar clan will decline even more in the future? ”

Wang Jin was about to say something more, but when he saw Wang Qiong shaking his hand, he suddenly stopped. And Zheng Fanglian, who was standing behind Zhang Yunwen, stared at Zhang Yunwen without blinking, as if thinking about something.

Wang Qiong looked at Zhang Yunwen and suddenly smiled: "Since ancient times, heroes have been young boys!" General Zhang is so young, but he can see into the world and see things that no one can see. Seeing the subtle knowledge, the foresight, the little old man really admires, admires! said with a stunned face, "Today's world is the world of Datang!" The prosperous era has been completed, and my Wang family can only do their best to add a few firewood to this prosperous world! ”

Hearing Wang Qiong say these words, Zhang Yunwen immediately knew what Wang Qiong meant, and immediately bowed down and said, "Thank you, patriarch!" ”

Wang Qiong turned to Wang Jin and said, "Third brother, you order to go down and transport another 100,000 stones of grain and grass to Shuozhou tomorrow, and 100,000 stones to Yunzhou!" ”

Wang Jin was slightly stunned, then bowed down and said, "No! After saying that, he slowly walked out the door.

Zhang Yunwen saw Wang Qiong's white sideburns, and couldn't help but secretly admire the decisiveness and courage of this old patriarch. Although the decline of the clan is inevitable, it will definitely not appear in the Zhenguan Dynasty. The decline of the scholars in history was the result of generations of emperors vigorously developing the imperial examination and suppressing the scholars, and the result of the terror and destruction of the peasant war at the end of the Tang Dynasty. Since the Tang Dynasty, there are almost no clans of this scale with five surnames and seven clans.

And this Wang Qiong, just after listening to Zhang Yunwen's few words, he made the decision to vigorously support Li Tang, so as to send the 200,000 stone of grain and grass, which is not a small deal.

After talking about business, Wang Qiong tried her best to invite Zhang Yunwen to the banquet, Zhang Yunwen hesitated, and nodded in agreement.

The banquet was very dull, Wang Qiong and Wang Jin didn't say a word, and the others didn't dare to speak. Only Wang Yan dared to make a few vicious expressions at Zhang Yunwen under Wang Qiong's nose, and Zhang Yunwen laughed secretly in his heart.