After the military drill was completed, the infantry and cavalry returned to the barracks, and Huan Wen rewarded the generals and soldiers who participated in the exercise. Such martial arts performances are held on the first day of every month, every New Year's Day, regardless of cold and summer, sunny weather, wind, frost, rain and snow. Huan Wen will appear on the table on time.

After Huan Wen returned to the General's Mansion, Chen Caozhi asked the armored soldier Cao to lead him to visit the Xifu Ordnance Division, and Xie Xuan also accompanied Chen Cao.

The armored soldier Cao led Chen Peng and Xie Peng to the southwest corner of Zicheng, which is the Xifu Ordnance Division, with a large number of ordnance, and the long weapons include Zhen, Ge, spear, and halberd; Short weapons include knives and swords; Long-range weapons include crossbows and bows; Protective weapons include shackles, armor, and shields; In addition, there are a large number of pointed wooden donkeys, flying ladders, trains, spore carts, crash cars, toad cars, climbing cars, hook cars, shooting rods, walking furnaces, cloth curtains and other combat equipment. At the mouth of the Guyi River, there is also a dock for the navy to make warships

Chen Caozhi saw that most of the cavalry in Xifu were equipped with single stirrups, just for the convenience of getting on and off the horse, and the combat effectiveness of the cavalry was indispensable for double stirrups, so he asked the armored soldier Cao why he didn't equip all the horses with double stirrups, and replied that it was economical.

It seems that the Eastern Jin Dynasty heavy infantry and naval army, equipped with horses only for fast marching, does not attach much importance to the role of cavalry in the charge, and the Eastern Jin Dynasty horses are also few, which has a great impact on Huan Wen's third Northern Expedition, seven years later in the battle of Fangtou, Huan Wen has not been defeated when he retreats, the soldiers are still neat, Murong Chui did not let his subordinates immediately pursue, but left the infantry, with 8,000 cavalry across two hundred miles to follow Huan Wen's army, and released the wind, saying that poison was placed in the upper reaches of the water source. At that time, the plague was rampant, so Huan Wenning believed it, dug wells all the way to get water, and retreated to the south. When they arrived in Xiangyi, the soldiers of the Eastern Jin Dynasty were already like arrows, the 700-mile road was marching and digging wells, very tired, and the precautions were inevitably much slack compared to when the army retreated first, Murong De's 5,000 soldiers and horses had already been ambushed here to ambush the Huan Wen army, and Murong Chui's 8,000 elite cavalry galloped from behind, and attacked back and forth by surprise, winning more with less. In this battle, the Jin army lost 30,000 people, and the 20,000 troops sent by Fu Jian to aid the Yan State also took the opportunity to beat the water**, Huan Wen led a total of 50,000 troops to the north, and almost ended up alone.

Chen Caozhi also asked Cao, an engineer in charge of weapons manufacturing, to lead him and Xie Xuan to visit the weapons forging. I saw that the furnace was blazing, more than 100 blacksmiths sweated to forge weapons, and the blower equipment was a leather blower. Pulled by hydraulic power, the water is the water brought from Guxiao Creek, although it saves manpower, but the blast effect and repeated push-pull bellows are still incomparable, although Chen Caozhi does not know much about forging technology, but the higher the temperature of the smelter, the more carbon and other impurities in the iron can be removed, the quality of high-temperature quenched iron is obviously much tougher, the agricultural tools made by Chenjiawu forging and smelting shop are more durable than the farm tools of other families, Chenjiawu forging is only the kind of small repeated push-pull bellows, if Xifu uses a large repeated push-pull bellows to blow, The armament of Xifu will be greatly ahead of Fu Qin and Murong Yan, and the quality of weapons on the battlefield is an important factor in determining victory or defeat

Chen Caozhi visited the Ordnance Department and the Examination Division. When he returned to the apartment, he discussed with Xie Xuan, and the two co-wrote "Strong Military Policy", mainly asking Huan Wen to increase the mining of iron ore and alleviate the contradiction of iron tension; the second is to improve the blast equipment, so that the iron forging and smelting more sophisticated; The third is to build a heavy cavalry, that is, Xianbei Murong's "armor and cavalry equipment", change the horse halberd used by the cavalry to a horse lance, and lengthen the horse lance from eight zhang to two zhang three, which is convenient for stabbing, and is equipped with a long knife, and the cavalry knife and lance are combined; Fourth, pay attention to military merits, improve the status of generals and colonels, and other suggestions that are extremely strong.

What Chen Caozhi said to Xie Xuan was that he came to Deming to understand the repeated bellows, and the application to iron forging and smelting achieved remarkable results, as for Xianbei Murong's armored cavalry and heavy cavalry, Chen Caozhi put this matter on Jing Nu's head, saying that he learned it from Jing Nu

Xie Xuan exclaimed: "Zizhong pays attention to everything, what you see and hears and thinks, it's really rare, I used to see you all day long about the volatile Xuan, calligraphy and painting music, but I didn't expect Zizhong to be a practical talent, and the Huanjun Gong will definitely be reused for you." ”

Xie Xuan is now much closer to Chen Caozhi than before, Xie Xuan feels that Chen Caozhi is a good match for his sister Xie Daoyun, and looking at the sister's meaning, it is not Chen Caozhi who will not marry, for the sake of his sister's lifelong plan, Xie Xuan wants to make every effort to promote this marriage, Chen Caozhi is excellent and special in Xifu, can be reused by Huan Wen, and his status is improved, which is what Xie Xuan is happy to see. Because in this way, the marriage between the Chen Jun Xie family and the Qian Tang Chen family will be less pressurized.

……

In the early morning of this day, the birds on the Phoenix Mountain "chirped", and the birdsong came to Chen Caozhi's ears far away, as if there was a light rain falling between the flowers and green leaves, which made people feel very relieved, and felt that they could sleep a little more today, and it didn't hurt to get up, Chen Caozhi discussed with Xie Xuan last night that the "Strong Army Policy" was not finalized until the third watch, and the suggestions in the policy were not radical and feasible, and Chen Caozhi was ready to submit it to Huan Da Sima one by one Chen Caozhi had a habit of waking up not to open his eyes immediately, but to think about things for a while. Past and future events, at this time, he suddenly thought of the distant time and space that he couldn't go back to, he hadn't thought about it for a long time, and suddenly felt that he had completely integrated into this era, he was Jiang Zuowei Chen Caozhi, his joys and sorrows, his love and hatred, his family affection and love are all here, is this another kind of lost?

Suddenly, I heard a faint sound of breathing in the distance. I also smell the fragrance of calamus, mugwort and orchid. Chen Caozhi opened his eyes, and saw Xiaochan kneeling on the side of the bed, holding the edge of the bed with both hands and looking at him, seeing him wake up, his goose egg face was crimson, and said: "Xiao Langjun, today is the Dragon Boat Festival, the orchid soup has been prepared, waiting for Xiao Langjun to take a bath." ”

Chen Caozhi sat up, stretched his waist, and said, "It's really fast, it's the Dragon Boat Festival of another year, and Zongzhi and Run'er are now soaked in the orchid soup." ”

Xiaochan took the clogs and put them on for Chen Caozhi. said: "Yes, the days are so fast, it has been two and a half months since Azhu returned to Qian Tang, and he is almost about to return to Jiankang to recover, and it has been five days since Brother Zhen went to Jiankang, and the letter to the 6 little ladies has already been delivered." ”

Chen Caozhi said: "I let Lai Zhen not have to come back in a hurry, wait for Qian Tang to come back in Jiankang, and then come to Gu together, there will be news in about half a month." Xiaochan said "um", followed Chen Caozhi into the bathroom, walked quickly to the bathtub, tested the water temperature, and said happily: "It's okay, Xiaolangjun, please take a bath." Chen Caozhi undressed and stepped into the bathtub. When the body enters the water, the finely chopped calamus, mugwort leaves, and orchid flowers rise up, and the fragrance has the bitterness of the herb, which is the smell of mugwort, which can cleanse the body and remove the plague. Chen Caozhi thought so in his heart and said this in his mouth, Xiaochan was so happy that her eyes lit up, and she opened the curtain to bathe Chen Caozhi, and said a little proudly: "You know that Sister Xiaochan is good." also said that if you don't bring me to your aunt, Ran Sheng and Huang Xiaotong can remember this! ”

Chen Caozhi smiled: "Yes, yes, Sister Xiaochan, don't scratch my neck one by one"

After Chen Caozhi finished bathing, he changed into a delicate white silk shirt sewn by 6 Weirui, Xiaochan came over and wrapped a strand of five-colored silk around Chen Caozhi's arm, learning the words of the old master and mother: "Dragon Boat Festival, longevity, distant sword soldiers, ghost beasts, get rid of plagues, no diseases, bless Cao Zhixiao Langjun without illness and disaster, and live a long life." ”

Chen Cao's heart swelled with tenderness, looking at Xiaochan's red face, his eyes were watery. A few locks of black stained on the smooth forehead, the thin Ge Fangxin curved collar big sleeve shirt chest is also large, that is Xiaochan was wet by his head when she was crow, printed with traces of "hugging the belly" profane clothes, women's underwear, Han called hugging the abdomen, Tang called Hezi, Song was a bandeau chest, Yuan was a Hehuan placket, Ming was the main waist, and Qing was a belly pocket

The fine kudzu blouse is light and thin, and the style of the square heart curved collar is out of the upper edge of the "belly" profane clothes, and after being wet by the water, the breasts that are ripe like papaya are full of shadows under the profane clothes, and it can be seen at a glance that it is very elastic

Chen Caozhi looked away, looked at the five-colored silk on his arm, and said, "I'm not a child anymore, am I still wrapped around the Dragon Boat Festival?" ”

Xiaochan tied a small bag filled with realgar and spices to Chen Caozhi's belt, which she made after she arrived at her aunt, and chuckled: "Xiao Langjun is still a child before he marries. ”

Chen Caoyi smiled and said, "Sister Xiaochan helped me find the sachet that the 6 little lady gave me last time, but I haven't worn it, and I can wear it today." ”

6 The incense powder filled in the sachet is the petals of the magnolia pearl picked up in the flower mountain, and more than two months have passed, and the fragrance has not dispersed.

……

It is customary in Xifu that on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the naval army should be drilled, and Chen Caozhi, Xie Xuan and other military officials followed Huan Wen Hao to the mouth of the Guyi River. Before arriving at the mouth of the river, Xi Cong Jiankang sent a fast horse to report overnight, and the emperor Sima Pi collapsed in Xitang on the fourth day of the fifth month

Emperor Sima Pi's death was a matter of time. All the officials and generals are not different, they all pay attention to Huan Wen, thinking if this naval drill is going to be canceled?

Huan Wen said slowly: "The military is a major matter, and it cannot be wasted lightly, and we will mourn for the emperor after the military exercise." "Led the crowd on their way westward.

Chen Caozhi said: "Emperor Sima Pi seems to have been more than two years earlier than the official history, and Xi stayed in Jiankang and did not return, not only to urge Zhu Yingtai to enter the Western Mansion, but also to influence the candidate of the new monarch?" Will Sima Yu, the king of Huiji, ascend the throne eight years early? The course of history is changing, and the situation is unpredictable, but I am afraid that I will not be able to grasp it. ”