Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

On the banks of the Liao River.

The army of 100,000 men set up camps along the riverbank for ten miles.

It's unclear whether Li Chengqian didn't consult the almanac before his expedition, or whether Heaven was deliberately making things difficult for him.

Upon arriving in Liaodong, a blizzard suddenly began to fall.

Most of the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty came from Guanzhong and Jiangnan, and they had never seen such terrible weather in Liaodong.

The military camp was filled with the sounds of coughing and sneezing.

Inside a tent.

Changsun Chong wrapped himself in a quilt and curled up into a ball.

My nose is constantly running with uncontrollable snot.

"What kind of weather is this? I haven't even sneezed once in Chang'an."

As a result, I was completely frozen when I arrived at this awful place.

Cheng Chumo squatted beside the brazier, idly poking at the embers with a twig.

But that pitiful amount of charcoal embers couldn't generate much heat at all.

"Young Master Changsun, please stop complaining."

Cheng Chumo rubbed his slightly red hands and said,

"My dad said that soldiers always suffer in war. But I'm also a little puzzled as to why the cold in Liaodong is so different from that in Guanzhong. The cold wind seems to penetrate right through you, making your bones ache."

Fang Yi'ai said from the side:

"I heard that the Goguryeo people run around in the snow without clothes. Are they crazy?"

Du He rolled her eyes:

"You're the one who's sick. That's just them courting. Haven't you ever seen what a dog looks like when it's in heat?"

The problem now is that none of us have a decent winter coat. If we keep freezing like this, forget about fighting; we might not even be able to get out of bed tomorrow morning.

Qin Huaidao nodded repeatedly from the side.

These privileged kids who used to swagger around Chang'an were now filled with regret.

Knowing how cold it is in Liaodong, you should wear your fur coat when you go out.

Central command tent.

"Your Highness, the situation is not good."

After Li Jing lifted the curtain and came in, he frowned and said.

Li Chengqian sat in a chair, holding a pair of iron tongs, rummaging through the brazier for something.

Upon hearing Li Jing's words, Li Chengqian asked without even raising his head:

"What's wrong, Uncle Li? Have the Goguryeo people attacked?"

Li Jing said with a worried expression:

"It's even more serious than when the Goguryeo people attacked. Thirty percent of our soldiers are from the south."

They simply couldn't withstand the harsh cold of Liaodong.

In just a few days, thousands of people in the camp have developed frostbite on their hands and feet, and they can barely hold a knife.

If no more winter clothing is distributed to keep warm, these non-combat casualties will become increasingly severe.

"By then, let alone crossing the river to start a war, we ourselves will be half-collapsed."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the curtain was lifted again.

Wei Zheng stormed in, fuming.

"Your Highness! This battle cannot be fought."

Li Chengqian put down the iron pliers, looked at Wei Zheng, and asked:

"Uncle Wei, who upset you again?"

"Who else could it be? Those corrupt officials in Chang'an who are causing all sorts of trouble."

Wei Zheng said through gritted teeth,

"Before the army set off, the Ministry of Revenue clearly promised to send 100,000 sets of winter clothing to the front line."

But now? Not a single hair has been seen.

I swear on my life that this was absolutely the work of Changsun Wuji and Cui Mingan's gang.

They failed to swindle His Highness from food supplies, and now they're trying to strangle us with winter clothing.

These powerful clans dared to treat the 100,000 soldiers of the Tang Dynasty as a joke in order to eliminate dissidents.

"Your humble servant will now write a memorial impeaching these treacherous officials."

Li Jing remained silent, but his clenched fists revealed his inner anger.

The head coach's biggest fear is that there will be logistical problems.

Originally, it was thought that Li Chengqian had managed to get these spoiled brats under his control, thus eliminating the logistical problems.

As it turned out, these powerful families really did make a terrible mistake.

Just as Li Chengqian was about to advise Wei Zheng, a roar suddenly came from outside.

"You sons of bitches from Goguryeo! If you've got the guts, come across the river and fight me for three hundred rounds!"

Li Chengqian raised an eyebrow and asked:

"What is Uncle Cheng doing?"

Li Jing gave a wry smile:

"Your Highness will know once you go out and take a look."

Li Chengqian stood up, put on a cloak, and led Wei Zheng and Li Jing out of the central military tent.

When Li Chengqian reached the riverbank, he saw that a thin layer of ice had formed on the river.

On the opposite bank was the camp of a Goguryeo scout squad.

At this time, dozens of bonfires were lit in the Goguryeo camp.

A dozen or so Goguryeo soldiers were actually wiggling naked in front of Cheng Yaojin.

While twisting and turning, it also made mocking noises.

Cheng Yaojin stood on the riverbank, holding his Bagua Xuanhua axe, yelling angrily.

"I'm so angry! These bastards are asking for it."

He turned and roared at the guards behind him.

"Go and bring my warhorse. I'm going to cross the river today and chop those bastards to pieces."

Several guards held Cheng Yaojin back tightly.

"Your Excellency, please calm down. The ice is too thin; the warhorses simply cannot cross it."

"Get out of my way. I'll swim over there and kill them."

Seeing this, Li Jing hurriedly stepped forward and shouted:

"Cheng Zhijie! You better shut up. Daring to launch an attack without orders, do you want to be court-martialed?"

Cheng Yaojin looked up and saw Li Jing and Li Chengqian, and then he calmed down.

"Your Highness! Commander! Look at how arrogant those bastards are. I've never suffered such humiliation in my life."

Li Chengqian looked at the Goguryeo soldiers opposite him, and instead of being angry, he laughed.

"That's good, they have good resistance to the cold. I hope they'll still be this energetic in a few days."

After saying that, Li Chengqian turned around and walked back.

Return to the central command tent.

Li Chengqian picked up the iron tongs and poked around in the brazier a few times.

A taro that had been roasted until it was charred black was pulled out.

Li Chengqian didn't mind the heat and started eating it directly.

Li Jing was dumbfounded.

Wei Zheng was dumbfounded.

The Goguryeo people are being so provocative, and you, the crown prince, still have the leisure to eat here?

Wei Zheng instantly became furious, and his trolling mode was immediately activated.

"Your Highness! Our soldiers are suffering from cold, hunger, and humiliation outside, while you sit here enjoying yourself. Is this how a commander should act?"

Your Highness should step out of the tent, share the hardships with the soldiers, and reassure their morale, instead of eating here.

Li Chengqian looked at Wei Zheng, whose face was flushed with anger, and laughed:

"Uncle Wei, don't get so angry. Why don't you try some? It's quite fragrant."

Wei Zheng roared angrily:

"Your Highness! Your humble servant is discussing matters of great importance to you, both military and state."

Li Chengqian suppressed his smile and looked at Wei Zheng, saying:

"Alright, I know what you're all so anxious about. It's just that winter clothes haven't arrived yet, and you're worried people will freeze to death, right?"

Li Jing then spoke up from the side:

"Your Highness, this is no small matter. Without supplies to keep warm, we really can't fight this war. We must immediately find a way to requisition supplies from the surrounding prefectures and counties."

Li Chengqian waved his hand:

"There's no need to conscript from the local areas. Those old foxes in Chang'an want to see me make a fool of myself, thinking they can strangle me with a few tattered clothes. They're dreaming."

Li Chengqian stood up and continued:

"Since I dared to bring you to Liaodong, I will never let the soldiers of the Great Tang freeze to death."

Wei Zheng was stunned, and looked at Li Chengqian, asking:

"Your Highness was prepared?"

Li Chengqian did not answer, but instead called out towards the outside of the tent:

"Xiao Shunzi".

Xiao Shunzi immediately ran in.

"This servant is here."

"Go to the logistics battalion and move all the newly delivered wagons outside so that all the soldiers can assemble."

"Here you are."

Xiao Shunzi took the order and ran out.

Li Jing and Wei Zheng exchanged a glance, both seeing doubt in each other's eyes.

cart?

They knew that a large number of trucks, several hundred in total, had arrived at the logistics department yesterday.

They always assumed it was grain sent by the Ministry of Revenue.

Could it be that it contains winter clothes?

But that's impossible.

Even if hundreds of large trucks were filled with winter clothes.

That would only be enough for 20,000 to 30,000 people at most, which wouldn't solve the actual problem at all.

Filled with questions, Li Jing and Wei Zheng followed Li Chengqian out of the tent.

As the bugle sounded, the soldiers, shivering from the cold, quickly ran out.

Changsun Chong, Cheng Chumo, and a group of other second-generation rich kids stood at the front of the line.

Soon, the large cart was pushed here.

Everyone looked at the large trucks with curiosity.

Cheng Yaojin circled the cart twice and asked:

"Your Highness, what treasures are inside?"

Li Chengqian walked to the first large cart.

He didn't answer Cheng Yaojin's question, but instead grabbed the rope and ripped off the oilcloth.

After the tarpaulin slipped down, piles of white, unknown objects were revealed inside.

Li Jing walked up and grabbed a handful.

Then, looking at Li Chengqian with a bewildered expression, he asked:

"Your Highness! What is this?"