It's already approaching winter. The winter wheat that the displaced people have already sown after the reclamation this year, and the county government has specially sent several officials in charge of agriculture to give some guidance to the displaced people in cultivating winter wheat. Before the onset of winter, the officials of each village also organized manpower to dig many wells in the fields of the distant river. Then the respective fields are watered thoroughly in the hope of a good harvest in the spring and summer of the coming year.

Before the arrival of winter, it is also a time when nomads are worried about wintering - their livestock can cause them a big problem every winter. Not only do the animals grow fat in the winter when the vegetation is yellow, but the source of their food becomes a big problem – in many cases, they even compete with the tribesmen: in order to maintain the size of the herd for the coming year, the tribesmen will have to bear the pain of giving out a portion of their rations to feed them.

This is also the time when livestock prices are at the bottom. Except for horses that are in demand at all times. Whether it is cattle or sheep, the current price cannot catch up with the seventy percent of the past. Li Yanzhi's head was active, and he naturally knew that this was the time to make a fortune through trade with nomads. It is also possible to develop its own small-scale livestock farming in the county through these trades. Sheep can not only be used for meat, but wool can also be used for production and circulation.

As for cattle, meat was definitely forbidden in the laws of the time. However, the more widespread the ploughing cattle, the more efficient agricultural production will obviously be. Not to mention horses as for them. Replenish the county soldiers, sell them to earn money, and even exchange them for strategic materials such as salt and iron. Li Yanzhi is even more acutely aware of the huge benefits that maintaining this kind of trade with the bald tribe or many other ethnic minorities will bring to the county.

As for cross-border trade, Li Yanzhi has not thought about it. However, if this is carried out, the people and things to be involved will be too complicated. Moreover, to the west of Liangzhou, the way to the ancient Silk Road was blocked by Zhao Zhen, the governor of the Western Regions. In the eighth year of Jianxing, Chang'an fell, and the entire northern land almost fell into the hands of Hu Xuan. Zhang Mao faked Liangzhou, which caused Zhao Zhen, the governor of the Western Regions, to be unconvinced. Zhao Zhen led his own department and established himself in Yiwu, Gaochang, Shanshan and other places. It can be said that since then, the Western Regions have been out of the control of the Liangzhou regime.

While it is true that cross-border trade can bring more lucrative trade, it is clear that the conditions for trade through the Silk Roads are not in place at the moment. And the place where Zhao Zhen is based is even more precautionary for Liangzhou. Even if a small caravan wants to enter the realm of the Western Regions Changshi Mansion, it is not an easy task. Therefore, at least for the time being, Liangzhou does not have the conditions for cross-border trade.

After hearing that the prices of livestock in various tribes in the Huangshui Valley had fallen below 70% of the original price, Li Yanzhi began to raise grain, some salt, and other materials that were in short supply for the nomadic tribes, and prepared to organize another transaction. This time, taking advantage of the cheap price of livestock, he planned to exchange it for another batch of livestock, and then sell it one after another. At the same time, a herd of a certain size was left behind, and this small-scale animal husbandry began to be developed in the county.

The complex and diversified development of industries is also a powerful means to revitalize the economy. If it can develop like this for a few years, Lingju County will almost be comparable to the wealthy counties under the rule of Xiping and Jinxing counties in the Huangshui Basin. At that time, it will be a sure thing to have abundant materials and goods and arm a strong county army.

This time, because the amount of goods involved was even greater than the previous time, Li Yanzhi had to personally lead the team, and dispatched four hundred soldiers to escort more than 200 truckloads of grain, salt and other materials towards Linqiang County. Liu Jiwu, Cui Yang, and Qin Dayong accompanied them. Li Yanzhi used them to assist, and it was precisely because he wanted them to familiarize themselves with the series of processes and precautions for bartering with nomadic tribes. If such trade were to be carried out in the future, they would be able to play almost entirely in their place.

More than 400 soldiers, escorting more than 200 grain trucks full of loads, drove out of the county. The wheels ran over the dusty dirt road, and the soldiers' footsteps trampled firmly on the uneven official road. Everyone was silent, wrapping their armor and moving on.

This Lingju County soldier has also experienced the tempering of the war before, and they have grown a lot compared to before. Although Li Yanzhi had already ordered the tailors in the workshop to prepare thick clothes for the soldiers for the winter. However, due to the limited manpower and insufficient production capacity, even though it is now close to winter, the soldiers still have not been able to receive all the winter clothes.

With the shopkeeper Fan in the county being raided, Li Yanzhi was left with a rather generous family property. In addition to distributing bereavement pensions, as the chief officer of the county soldiers, Li Yanzhi also gave the soldiers in the battalion a lot of sweetness. Cotton cloth and linen cloth and so on were given two horses each, and there was still a lot left. Rao is like this, the soldiers who have skillful mothers in the family can naturally rely on these cloths to buy a well-fitting winter coat for themselves. However, there are still many soldiers who are fighting in the cold wind of early winter.

Li Yanzhi, Cui Yang, and Qin Dayong rode horses, rode from the tail of the team to the head of the team, and looked at the soldiers who were slowly marching in front of them. Liu Jiwu stayed at the back of the team to contain those who had straggled. Every time he walked for about an hour, Li Yanzhi would order everyone to rest for a moment.

The march was not an easy task. Marching in winter actually tests the organizational skills of the generals even more. If the march is not properly arranged, it is likely that the poor natural conditions and arduous trek will cause dissatisfaction among the soldiers. If it develops severely, it can even turn into a mutiny. Li Yanzhi has been in the army for a long time, so naturally he will not let the embankment collapse in the anthill.

The three of them rode their horses and stood at the head of the team, watching a group of guards slowly move forward. In the blink of an eye, the first row has taken more than 100 steps. A young soldier who passed in front of Li Yanzhi was tightly wrapped in his coat, and his lips were already unhealthy blue and purple because of the cold. When the young soldier saw Li Yanzhi and the others on the side, he didn't dare to say much, but just led the horses pulling the cart and walked with difficulty. The slightly open mouth let out white mist in the cold air.

Seeing the back of the soldier's difficult trek, Li Yanzhi suddenly felt a trace of compassion in his heart. He turned over and dismounted, handing the reins to Cui Yang, who was riding on a horse. Then he stepped away and plunged into the ranks of the marching army, and in a few breaths he caught up with the young soldier.

The soldier leading the horse heard a burst of footsteps behind him, so he looked back tremblingly, but when he saw Li Yanzhi coming towards him, he was stunned for a while, so he stood in place, turned around, and looked at Li Yanzhi blankly, I don't know why he found him.

Li Yanzhi untied the leather armor he was wearing outside, then took off his coat neatly, threw it off, and put it on the young soldier's body. The soldier was also shocked when he suddenly encountered such a change, and hurriedly knelt on the ground and said incoherently: "Sima...... This is ...... But you can't. The weather is cold...... Still is...... Or is it Sima himself...... Put it on. ”

Li Yanzhi knew that under his original order, the deeds of several heads falling to the ground left a difficult impression in the hearts of these soldiers. However, if the army is strictly managed, it will easily provoke a backlash from the soldiers. Giving some care like this in your daily life can also help you integrate into these soldiers.

Buying people's hearts is really a profound science. Li Yanzhi asked himself in his heart, this is just the first glimpse of the way. For these soldiers under him, he also tried his best to show sincerity, reward them generously, and strictly enforce military discipline, plus when he was guarding the Jincheng camp on the north bank of the river, he fought several bloody battles on the camp wall, and killed the enemy without counting, which also added a lot of impression points to him among these soldiers.

Li Yanzhi hurriedly put on his leather armor, then patted the young soldier's shoulder, and said with a smile: "It's okay." Wear it. I can still bear this kind of weather. After saying that, he turned around and hurried away, and the young soldier who was wearing Li Yanzhi's coat watched him leave with a flattered face.

When camping at night, because a large amount of grain and salt was now being escorted, Li Yanzhi did not dare to hold it up, so he ordered all the trees to be cut down and set up camp. The weather was cold, and the axe-wielding soldiers did not complain. As they took turns cutting trees, they were already feeling the heat on their bodies. A camp large enough for hundreds of people was hastily erected, and the salt and grain goods they escorted were also placed in the camp.

Dozens of bonfires soon lit up in the camp. The soldiers gathered around the campfire to keep warm. The hundreds of generals who led the team didn't have to worry about Li Yanzhi, and soon discharged the sentry list on duty at night. He spent the night in this small camp.

The next morning, after having breakfast in a hurry, everyone continued on their journey. After three days of trekking, the team led by Li Yanzhi finally arrived outside Linqiang County.

Both sides had already traded once before, and each had a preliminary understanding of the terms of this trade. After Li Yanzhi arrived in Linqiang County, he ordered his headquarters to set up camp outside the county seat. So he went into the city again to meet Captain Madu. Ma Duwei sent a young general to the bald camp with Liu Jiwu and handed over the account books of the grain, rice, salt and other things he brought this time. Due to the communication between the envoys and the previous envoys, the bald department also quickly began to select livestock.

There had been a lesson from the past, and although the two sides were still a little jerky about the trade, after two days, the deal was quickly reached. Li Yanzhi looked at the large number of cattle, sheep and livestock obtained from this transaction, and his heart was already beginning to feel happy and worried.

This time he traded 150 horses, 150 cattle, and 300 sheep. The clansmen of the bald tribe were grateful to Li Yanzhi for coming to the transaction like rain in time this time. In the midst of such winters, cattle and sheep have begun to freeze to death due to lack of food and bad weather. The acquisition of so many livestock has undoubtedly greatly reduced the food pressure faced by the tribes.

These tribesmen brought a batch of frozen livestock, including three cows and more than 30 sheep. It was given to these county soldiers as a gift. Li Yanzhi sent Liu Jiwu with a team of soldiers to carry a cow and ten sheep to Ma Duwei in Linqiang County. Then he set camp on the road and prepared to return to the county.

The dead animals that were given as gifts naturally became food for the people on the way back. There is meat to eat, and for these soldiers, everyone is happy. On the way back, the morale was not as low as before. Li Yanzhi ordered the soldiers to divide the meat of a cow and ten sheep, and then took salt and salted it for later use.

After returning to the county, Li Yanzhi left another 50 horses for the army, and the 100 horses to be sold found a valley outside the county, and assigned several teams of soldiers to take turns to take care of them. Fifty cattle were also kept in the county, and the remaining 100 were kept in captivity, ready to be sold again at the beginning of spring next year.

As for the 300 sheep, Li Yanzhi decided to distribute them to those households with insufficient land to raise livestock. However, in autumn, when the wool can be sheared, the county government collects a portion of the wool from these households as a tax. The rest is purchased by the county government with money, goods or grain. The ownership of these sheep does not belong entirely to these households. While these sheep generate income for the households, the county government also has a condition: the households are not allowed to slaughter their own sheep without authorization.

If the sheep raised by the households dies, they must report to the county government, and the county government will send someone to check the cause of the sheep's death. If it is done deliberately, the household will be ordered to pay compensation. If they cannot afford compensation, the equivalent land shall be confiscated as compensation. Li Yanzhi didn't want these households to frown, so he slaughtered the sheep that could have been able to generate a steady stream of income and eat meat. People with a long-term vision can see the long-term benefits. And most short-sighted people can only see a small amount of immediate benefits.

The cattle and horses raised in captivity are still taken care of by some displaced households who have difficulties in winter. The county government pays these households enough food to support them for wintering. Liu Jiwu is responsible for daily inspections of these captive cattle and horses, counting daily counts and checking their physical condition. Li Yanzhi strictly ordered that if there is a sick animal, it must be isolated from ordinary animals first, and then ask the county veterinarian to go for diagnosis and treatment.

After settling the affairs of these livestock, Li Yanzhi went to the camp again and asked Zhou Xing to select a hundred foot soldiers with a riding foundation or good physical flexibility to prepare to serve as cavalry. In addition, more than 100 physically strong foot soldiers were selected and a separate team of 100 people was formed, which was personally led by Zhou Xing. Although Zhou Xing didn't know what Li Yanzhi meant by this move, he still complied with the order.

In the workshop, after more than a month of hard work, the first batch of twenty bladed long knives has been created. Li Yanzhi beckoned a soldier and moved these knives to the camp and put them in storage. The treasurer was called to record the storage of these weapons. Throughout the winter, nearly seventy bladed knives were created in the workshop. Under the management of the battalion treasurer, these powerful weapons were registered in the warehouse.

In addition to building a long knife, Li Yanzhi also gave Li Liang a new task, which was to study the method of making iron armor. The two best armors in this era are still slightly inferior in terms of protection compared to the iron armor that appeared later, Li Yanzhi pondered for a few days before drawing a drawing and handing it to Li Liang. Ordered him to try out a new type of iron armor according to the drawings.

In the winter of the eleventh year of Jianxing, Lingju County was very busy. There is no good news or bad news. The winter of the first year after the war with Liu Zhao passed so uneventfully.