weaving

Chapter 427 Huya Village

On the fifth day of the first month of November, the army set off and continued to march southward in the direction of Shunde Mansion. After all, it was an internal march, and no bandits were detected in the surrounding area.

Wei Zhice, Chen Zhong, Lin Fangping, Liu Jinhai and others all gathered beside Zhang Cheng. The central army kept a distance of about three miles from the forward and rear troops. There were nearly 6000 soldiers, including more than 300 horses, mules, and camels. There are more than [-] vehicles, bringing smoke and dust along the way.

Calculated based on the food intake of people in this era of Ming Dynasty, the average young adult eats about one liter of solar eclipse, while the horse eats three liters of solar eclipse.

In this way, more than 160 sergeants need about 250 shi of food a day, war horses and mules need about [-] shi, and the combined amount of people and horses consumes about [-] shi of food and grass a day, and [-] shi of food and grass in a month.

The two divisions of Wei Zhice's supply chain have a total of [-] heavy carts, and one load can transport up to [-] shi of grain and grass, which can feed the army for nearly ten days.

In addition, both the cavalry battalion and the infantry battalion each have dozens of carts, loaded with military tents, antlers, barbed wire and other supplies for camping, and will also carry three-day rations for the troops of the headquarters for emergency use.

Even so, coupled with the dry rations carried by the sergeants, the rations of the army can only last for [-] days, not to mention that the food consumption of horses and camels is only estimated at the minimum value, and there are various hidden consumptions. The number of days that the food and grass with the army can support is even less.

Therefore, Zhang Cheng's principle is to first take out the written documents of the Ministry of War and ask the states and counties along the route to supply food and grass for a few days.

Fortunately, in the 11th year of Chongzhen, Zhang Cheng led the army to fight in Gyeonggi all the time, leaving his battle footprints in many places, from Baoding Mansion to Zhending Mansion, and then to Shunde Mansion.

For example, in Dingzhou and other places in Zhending Prefecture, Zhang Cheng once saved the lives of local gentry and people. When the army passed by, they were warmly welcomed by the local people. I dare not say that the supply of food and grass for two or three days is no problem.

Right now, they have just finished replenishing in Zhending Mansion, and all the heavy vehicles are fully loaded, passing Yuanshi and Zanhuang all the way south, and seeing Lincheng in front of them, which is the boundary of Shunde Mansion.

In Neiqiu County, refugees have been seen fleeing northward scatteredly. They looked at the rolling army here, and they all avoided it far away, not daring to approach, their eyes full of timidity.

Seeing this situation, and thinking about the current drought in Zhongzhou, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but worry about how to replenish the army's food and grass after entering Zhongzhou, and whether it can be guaranteed...
"Liu Jinhai, I asked you to wait in Shunde Mansion to find land and store grain in Zhongzhou, how are you doing?" Zhang Chengce said slowly on the horse.

Liu Jinhai hurriedly replied: "Reporting to Commander, since February this year, in addition to training those cubs in Langwopo, the general has come to Zhongzhou to inspect the foundation of the exhibition, spy on bandits everywhere, and vigorously buy food and grass. Hoarding for military use.

According to the Commander-in-Chief's instructions, currently only two to three thousand shi of grain and grass are stored in each of the six counties in Wu'an and Anyang in Zhangde Prefecture, Qi County and Ji County in Weihui Prefecture, and Fengqiu and Chenliu in Kaifeng Prefecture. , add up to almost enough for the army for two or three months. "

"but……"

Liu Jinhai added: "Right now, there is a drought everywhere in Ming Dynasty, especially in Zhongzhou. There is no place to buy a bucket of rice for thousands of dollars, or even tens of thousands of dollars. Many grain stores in rich families are closed. The purchase of grain and grass is really getting worse. It's getting harder.

In the last few months, Huguang, Su, Song, and Chang were flooded again, with a bucket of rice worth seven to eight hundred yuan, neighborhood strikes, and villages closed. Although it took a lot of energy and effort, we could still buy some food and grass. However, this cost is several times more, and there are too many grains stored in the counties, which is not safe. "

Zhang Cheng shook his head and said lightly: "Money is not a problem. When an army goes to battle, food and grass are the heaviest. As long as food and grass can be bought, it doesn't matter if you spend more money."

Even though he said so, he sighed again in his heart, thinking that in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, one tael of silver could buy two stones of rice, but in the land of Zhongzhou now, it is possible to buy ten or twenty taels of silver. Less than one stone of grain, how can the common people live on.

After hearing Zhang Cheng's just words, everyone around him whispered, if not for the commander in chief's premeditated plan, the battle in Henan this time would have been more catastrophic.

When Zhang Guodong saw Zhang Cheng rode his horse and turned his head to look east, he knew that there was a giant deer more than 100 miles to the east. In the 11th year of Chongzhen, they all fought bloody battles against the Tartars there. Thinking about it now, it seems like yesterday.

Many people died there that year, including Zhang Cheng's uncle Zhang Yan, Lu Xiangsheng, Liang Song, Hu Dake and many others.

Zhang Cheng suddenly asked: "Liu Jinhai, did you visit everyone in Julu during the first lunar month?"

"Reporting to Commander-in-Chief, after seeing Commander-in-Chief that day, the General got up and rushed over to Julu, and burned paper money and offered sacrifices to General Zhang, Duchen Lu, and the brothers.

Today, many temples have been built by the Haoshui River, and the incense is very strong every year. The people around Julu are grateful for the rescue power of Lu Duchen, and pray for Lu Duchen's spirit to bless their homes and safety. The officials also make a special trip to worship every year. "

"That's good!" Zhang Cheng mused.

Seeing Zhang Cheng stationed in the horse and watching, Zhang Guodong asked softly: "Marshal, can you divert to Julu and his party?"

Zhang Cheng shook his head, sighed lightly and said, "Forget it, let's go when I'm waiting for the victorious class teacher."

…………

On the tenth day of November, the army set up camp in Xingtai County, Shunde Prefecture.

Under the escort of Lin Fangping and others, Zhang Cheng followed Liu Jinhai to Crouching Tiger Mountain, [-] miles west of Xingtai County, where there is also a cottage named Huya Village.

The cottage here has also been occupied and operated by a group of old bandits for more than ten years. When Liu Jinhai came to this place, he immediately fell in love with the advantages of the location of this cottage.

This village is a basin surrounded by three mountains. Because there are mountain springs from top to bottom, it can also benefit from irrigation. Before that, the bandits managed it with all their heart. The hungry people who came here became slaves in the village and were responsible for farming the village. the fields within.

Because the land in the village is vast and there are many fields, it is basically able to barely maintain it and does not rely solely on plundering for a living. However, the original owner of the village was also a tyrannical person, which aroused resentment from the surrounding counties.

After Liu Jinhai fell in love with this place, he also spent a lot of time. With Zhou Heihu's full assistance, he also relied on a strategy of surprise attack and beheading. He first attacked and killed the owner of the village, Fan Tianhu, before taking down this cottage. Three elite knights.

After Zhang Cheng inspected it, he was most satisfied with Huya Village. There are now more than [-] soldiers practicing here, and there are more than [-] people from Dingkou, who are usually responsible for farming the fields in the village.

And after Liu Jinhai occupied this place, he also made some arrangements in Xingtai County, and now some wasteland outside the cottage has been reclaimed. According to his calculation, Huya Village can support at least a thousand soldiers, and Dingkou three thousand is not a problem.

(End of this chapter)