Chapter 420: Will a real man give up on himself after suffering some setbacks?
The two major border counties in the northwest of the Qin Empire - Yanmen and Jiuyuan.
Since the beginning of June, Ercheng County has been in a state of combat readiness. The number of patrols has increased, and the number of rotating personnel has increased from three groups to six.
Autumn is the season when the Hu people go south to plunder.
The last time two counties were lost was in the autumn.
In Jiuyuan County.
Ying Jianglu, the third prince of the Qin Dynasty, was dressed in casual clothes and standing on the reviewing stand. He could take in the entire situation on the training ground below.
Next to him was Meng Tian, Lord of Jiuyuan, with his hands behind his back.
"drink!"
"ha!"
Off the field, the Qin army's armor shone brightly, and their sword and spear swings were all remarkable.
The formation changes are complex but not chaotic, and everyone can find their own position accurately.
The evil spirit is rising and the murderous intent is overflowing.
He waved his arms and glared, with a cold and stern look in his eyes.
This fierce army seemed not to be in training, but facing a real enemy, ready to devour it.
They were the most elite troops of the Qin Empire, and they drove the Huns away for more than 700 miles, making them dare not look back.
"I want to go back to Shangjun."
Ying Jianglu lowered his head and looked at the audience with an expressionless face.
"Third Master, please do as you please."
Meng Tian also looked at the audience, without turning his head to look at Ying Jianglu, he nodded and said calmly.
"I want to take my Taotie army with me."
The Taotie Army was the name of a group of 47,000 cavalrymen, and was given by General Ying himself.
"Even if it's not possible, it's autumn now, and the Hu people are most likely to attack from the south. Third Master, why not wait a little longer?"
Meng Tian shook his head to refuse, but he hadn't finished shaking his head.
Ying Jianglu turned around and glared at him, interrupting in a deep voice.
"The barbarians knocking on the gate is your business as Lord Jiuyuan. What does this have to do with me?"
Why do you need my private army to guard the border for you, Meng Tian?
Meng Tian looked unhappy.
"You are the third son of His Majesty. His Majesty is your king and your father. The Great Qin is both your country and your family. How can it have nothing to do with you when the Hu people invade, insult your king and father, and bully your country?"
Ying Jianglu had a sneer and looked at Meng Tian as if he was looking at a clown.
"Stop pretending. You just want to consume the Taotie Army, preserve the Meng Family Army, and retain strength for my brother, the Crown Prince. Stop the high-sounding words. Although your ancestral home is in Qi, you were born and raised in Qin, so you are also half a Qin person. Be more straightforward."
The pretended displeasure on Meng Tian's face suddenly disappeared.
“What the Third Young Master taught was that Na Tian said it clearly.
"You can leave on your own, Third Young Master. I'm happy to do that, but you can't take the Taotie Army with you.
“There is one thing that please rest assured, Third Young Master.
“After the Third Young Master leaves, Tian will treat the Taotie Army equally and will no longer only ask the Taotie Army to go into battle.
"Tian will submit a memorial by then. The enthusiasm of the people in the northwest to join the army is unprecedentedly high, and an additional 50,000 soldiers and horses will be added."
In this way, these 47,000 soldiers were transformed from Ying Jianglu's private army into registered regular army of the Qin Empire.
"You're dreaming while I'm here!"
Ying Jianglu's face was as gloomy as water, and he stared at Meng Tian with murderous intent in his eyes, without concealing it at all.
Meng Tian didn't care. He was just a kid, so what if his eyes were sharp? He was just a tiger cub without claws or teeth. If eyes could kill, he would have died in the eyes of the Huns long ago.
"If the Third Young Master doesn't leave, this matter will only be prolonged, and the result will be the same. In winter, the snow is as heavy as goose feathers, and the transportation of food and grass to various cities and counties is temporarily suspended. If the Taotie Army wants to survive, they must eat the food and grass of Jiuyuan County. To eat military rations, they must join the army."
"How dare you! The food and grass for Jiuyuan County were transported by my uncle! My uncle has long promised to provide the Taotie Army with daily necessities!"
How childish... Meng Tian shook his head inwardly, unwilling to say anything more, and turned around and walked down the reviewing stand.
The personal soldier Li You glanced at the young master with a little worry, then followed the commander off the stage.
"It's far worse than the prince."
Meng Tian talked to himself without deliberately lowering his voice, deliberately letting the Third Young Master hear it clearly and making his face turn even paler.
What's the point of saying that? Jiuyuan is his fiefdom, if he says he won't give them food, then he can't give them food. Just like if he doesn't let the Taotie army leave, then the Taotie army can't leave.
He didn't want to break up with Ying Jianglu, so he saved some face. In his opinion, if the Third Young Master was smarter, he should have returned to Xianyang long ago. It was a waste of time and meaningless to waste time here and say a few harsh words to him.
Meng Tian and Li You walked along the edge of the martial arts field.
The earth trembled, the Qin army shouted, and against this backdrop, the generals and soldiers marched out one after another.
Amidst all the noise, Meng Tian was still able to detect the somewhat messy footsteps of his personal soldiers.
"Worried about your brother?"
Li You was stunned and opened his mouth to deny it. He opened his mouth wide and paused for a moment, then admitted it as soon as he spoke.
“I am a little worried.”
As Meng Tian deliberately did, it was Li You who had always been looking after Ying Jianglu on the battlefield.
Because of this friendship between life and death, and because Li You was the son of the prime minister, he knew a lot of people.
No matter in terms of background or conversation, he was much better than ordinary soldiers. He was not looked down upon by Ying Jianglu, but could also chat with him.
The two are now as close as brothers.
"Why don't you go and take care of them?"
Meng Tian quickened his pace and disappeared after two or three steps.
"only."
Li You responded to the air, not at all surprised, and turned around and walked towards the reviewing stand.
He had only taken a few steps when he bumped into his half-brother, who had an extremely ugly face.
When Ying Jianglu saw Li You, he forced a smile, put his arm around his good brother's neck and walked away.
"If you're in a bad mood, drink two jars with me!"
The houses built with sand and stones have no aesthetic appeal and are cold in winter and hot in summer.
Rough, crude, and simple.
This is the northwestern border county. Whether it is Yanmen or Jiuyuan, it is the same.
The same was true of Ying Jianglu's mansion. Except that the house was built thicker and the gaps were filled with specially treated sand, it was no different from other people's houses.
Tons ton tons~!
Ying Jianglu held a jar of wine and drank it in big gulps.
Li You hurriedly snatched the jar and said angrily:
"Will a man give up on himself after suffering some setbacks?"
Ying Jianglu smiled dejectedly and returned home, his energy and spirit unable to sustain any longer.
"Then tell me, Brother Li, what can I do? If I don't drink, what else can I do? Take away the Taotie Army?"
Li You put down the wine jar and said without thinking:
"If you come in spring or summer, it might be possible, but if the Hu people want to invade, they must choose autumn. General Meng will not let you go."
…
"Go south! It's time! My son! We can't continue to fight with the Yuezhi!"
The Xiongnu Khan Touman, accompanied by his eldest son, rode slowly on horseback across the desert. He looked at the groups of war horses and shouted in a deep voice.
"Father, why do we have to go south in autumn? Can't we rob at other times?"
The eldest son, Maodun, had a dark complexion, and his muscles were slightly bulging at a young age, and he was full of energy and vigor.
Touman held a whip, pointed at the cattle, horses and sheep in the desert, and taught his eldest son, who had been determined to be the next Chanyu.
First, the horses are fat in autumn. Horses that have been raised in the desert for more than half a year are fat and strong, and in the best condition. In winter, they can only eat hay, which will cause them to lose weight.
Second, nomads harvested their pasture in autumn and settled in winter camps, which no longer required heavy labor, so many strong men were idle. However, it was harvest season in the Central Plains, which had to devote a large number of laborers to harvesting and other labor, using more people to defeat fewer people.
Third, autumn is the harvest season in the Central Plains, when products are at their most abundant and there are the most things to steal.
Fourth, the north is extremely intolerant of heat, and the Hu people and their horses are accustomed to dry and cool weather, and the Central Plains in autumn is just right for their activities.
In general, the Hu people can effectively use their advantages in horsepower, manpower and weather when they go south in autumn, and they can make a lot of money if they can grab things. When there are many people and supplies are scarce, they can also make money if they can't grab things, and it is good to consume population.
But if they don't come out, the good condition of the horses and the abundance of labor will be wasted in the winter camp.
