Li Jinglong found that the Xining Wei was even more shabby than the other guards, and even the city walls were under repair, and at night he could see wolves swaying outside the city through the holes in the room.

The northwest wind blew in through the hole, "woo-woo", as if someone was howling, and if you listen closely, it seems to be just the sound of the wind.

Even if he was accompanied by guards, he didn't dare to go out to pee.

Li Jinglong scolded his mother in his heart, he didn't dare to stay for a long time, and after only resting for one night, he endured the pain all over his body and chased Zhu Bai.

Li Jinglong chased to Gansu Wei.

The commander of the Gansu Wei did not dare to say that Zhu Bai had gone to Suzhou to leave Jiayuguan and returned, but only said: "Your Highness is gone, I heard that I will go to Xi'an on the way back." Your Excellency, you might as well go directly to Xi'an and wait for Your Highness. ”

Li Jinglong collapsed.

It stands to reason that if they weren't supposed to run into Zhu Bai on the road?

How can I not see a trace at all?

Will Zhu Bai be invisible, or will he deliberately avoid him?

Gansu Wei kindly reminded them: "From Xining to Xi'an, it is not the same way to follow Hezhou to Xining." ”

Li Jinglong's guards were also exhausted: "Master Li, are you still chasing?" ”

Li Jinglong: "Try your best." I just can't run. ”

-----

At this time, Zhu Bai was on the way from Xining to Xi'an.

Xining and Xi'an, the difference in name is only one word, when the name is taken, they both hope that "the western front is peaceful", but the straight-line distance between the two places is more than 1,600 miles.

Even if it is only from Xining to Lanzhou, it is more than 400 miles. The road is full of canyons, and there are rocks all over the place, and you can't run fast at all.

On the first day, Zhu Bai and the others walked more than 200 miles.

At night, you can only stay in the guardhouse.

This is fine, but the commander of the guard post reminded Zhu Bai that if he wants to think of Lanzhou, he has to cross the Yellow River.

Standing by the river, Zhu Bai realized a serious problem: dozens of them could find a few boats to cross. But if you want the army to break through, you have to build bridges.

The Yellow River was not only a natural barrier for the Ming Dynasty to resist the Mongols' eastward advance, but also an obstacle to the northwest expansion of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, Lao Zhu's guards in Xining and north of the Yellow River used local Tusi as his commander.

The guards that crossed the Yellow River were mainly Han Chinese.

The reason why the bridge was not built before was because the Yellow River was originally a defensive moat, and the bridge was built to facilitate the enemy in the northwest to fight directly from the bridge.

Now that the northwest is no longer a threat, it's time to build bridges.

It is best to install and remove this bridge quickly.

In case of an emergency, you can also adapt to the situation.

That's the pontoon.

Use a boat as a bridge. Iron stakes were laid on the shore, and then two chains attached to the iron stakes were used to cross the two banks, hooking the boats to each other and between the boats and the chains, and laying wooden planks on them.

You can pass cattle and wagons.

Unlike the Yangtze River, the Yellow River has neither loggers nor merchant ships going up and down, so there is no fear of pontoon bridges hindering navigation.

The pontoon bridge has an advantage, in the dry season and rainy season, the bridge can float up and down with the river water, not afraid of being washed away.

Although the river surface is wide where they crossed, the river water is relatively gentle upstream and downstream, so boatmen choose to ferry here to do business.

It is also the best place to repair pontoon bridges.

If there is a pontoon bridge, silk trading can also be done in Lanzhou.

If an enemy comes to attack, the pontoon bridge will be burned directly with a fire.

Zhu Bai suddenly asked Zhang Yu: "Lord Zhang, you said that if you want to use boats to fill the river side by side here, how many boats will you need?" ”

Zhang Yu thought that Zhu Bai remembered that day when they stopped the Japanese in the middle of the night on the river, and turned his head to look: "There are more than 20 of them, depending on how big the boat is." ”

The boatman laughed: "This little young master." If you want to fix the boat on the river and build a pontoon bridge, you don't know how thick the iron chain and the iron rods fixed on both sides of the bank must be. ”

Zhu Bai grinned: "Then you have to be as rough as you want." ”

Zhang Yu and the others realized that Zhu Bai wanted to repair the pontoon bridge, and exchanged thoughtful looks: They have only done this once, what are they doing to repair the pontoon bridge? The kid's brain was spinning so fast that he couldn't understand what he was thinking.

After crossing the Yellow River, we will arrive at Lanzhou.

If the bridge is relocated outside the city of Lanzhou, the cost will be high, because the water is more turbulent and the river is wider. Second, the threat to the guards of Lanzhou is too great.

Zhu Bai stood outside Lanzhou City, pointed to the brand-new city wall and asked Zhang Yu: "Why is the city wall here so new?" Master Zhang told the king about it. ”

His history is so poor that he is completely unaware of the battles and allusions that the various cities have passed.

Zhang Yu said: "In the second year of Hongwu, Wang Baobao besieged Lanzhou, and the Ying Yangwei commander of Longxi sent Yu Guang to the rescue and was ambushed. Lanzhou guard Zhang Wen insisted, and Wang Baobao killed Yu Guang in front of the Lanzhou city gate. In March of the third year of Hongwu, Lord Xu Daxu led a large army to reinforce and defeated Wang Baolanzhou. In April, the emperor set up a guard in Lanzhou, which was under the jurisdiction of the Shaanxi Metropolitan Division. This new city wall was built on the wall of the original Song Dynasty by the commander of Lanzhou Wei and the king of Tongzhi at that time. Now Wang Zhu has been promoted to commander. ”

In fact, he beautified Xu Da a little. At that time, Wang Baobao made Xu Da suffer a lot, and he also ambushed Yu Guang, which shows that he is a good fighter and a good strategist.

Xu Da fought for several months, and it was only by enforcing military law to several officers who were ineffective in fighting that his morale was boosted.

Therefore, Lao Zhu Cai has always wanted to recruit Wang Baobao.

Zhu Bai said: "Lanzhou was an important town on the Silk Road in the Tang Dynasty. It's a pity that he was tossed and defeated by the Yuan Dynasty. ”

The Yuan Dynasty had no economic acumen, except for smashing and looting, one could not engage in culture, and the other could not engage in economy.

Moreover, Lanzhou was an inland city for the Yuan Dynasty, not a border pass, and the imperial court would not repair the wall at all.

Lao Zhu now adopted a policy of abandonment to the west of Jiayuguan, and Lanzhou became an important border town of the Ming Dynasty, so he put the matter of building a city wall and increasing the population on the agenda.

Wang Zhu went out of the city to meet Zhu Bai.

Zhu Bai was surprised that Wang Zhu was so short and slender, about the same height as him, with a sparse beard and a mediocre appearance.

To be reasonable, Wang Zhu should be a fierce general, otherwise he would not have been arranged by Lao Zhu at such an important juncture.

Sure enough, people are not to be seen.

Wang Zhu's banquet for Zhu Bai was relatively simple.

Dried buns, wolfberry leaf soup, dried fish made from small fish caught in the Yellow River.

Wang Zhu was cramped and frightened, and said in a snort: "Your Highness forgives your sins." It's ......."

Zhu Bai grinned: "It's already good." Gong Changwei only has thin bud rice porridge. ”

After all, Lanzhou is still on the edge of the Yellow River, and the climate is much better than that of Hezhouwei, so it can grow at least one season of wheat.

After eating, Zhu Bai asked Wang Zhu: "In addition to wolfberry, cattle, sheep and wheat, what other specialties does Lanzhou have?" It is best to be easy to transport, so that the king can help the commander to transport it out and bring you rich. ”

Wang Zhu thought for a while and said, "There is also a lonely ancient velvet." ”

Zhu Bai muttered: "Lonely ancient ......"

What is it? Similar to flannel, or wool?