"Sir, the Yan region has recruited soldiers and the people have arranged them properly. Tomorrow, we will leave Jicheng (Beijing)."
In early April of the thirty-third year of Qin Shihuang, Fusu, who looked tired, listened to the report from veteran general Yang Duanhe, nodded and said: "Thank you, old general, we are finally halfway through this expedition..."
That's right, they had only walked half of the way. Fusu made a rough estimate and found that it was more than two thousand miles from Chang'an to Jicheng. It took him and five thousand Guanzhong soldiers two months to complete the journey, and they also joined in the process.
The soldiers of Zhao were barely able to eat even 5,000 meals. They lived in a house for 30 miles, which was already in line with the standards of the Qin army's march. Thanks to Fusu's hard-heartedness, he showed no mercy to the soldiers along the way and allowed them to rest frequently.
But the real test has just begun, because Yang Duanhe told Fusu that from Jicheng to the eastern boundary of the Qin Dynasty, Manfanhan City, located at the mouth of Peishui (Qingchuan River), is another two thousand miles!
Fusu's eyes moved from west to east on the map. Such a long journey made him worried.
There are two difficulties, one is time and the other is hunger.
These days, the Northeast is vast and sparsely populated. If Heifu were here, he would definitely describe it this way: "Everywhere is the Great Northern Wilderness!"
According to Fusu's knowledge, the army will no longer have smooth and wide roads to walk on. The roads will become narrower and more difficult to travel, and the surrounding people will become increasingly sparse. Sometimes they will even have to climb over mountains and ridges, and fight through thorns and thorns.
After several months of boring marching, the soldiers will become tired and their marching speed will be greatly reduced.
Yang Duanhe calculated an account for Fusu. It would take at least three months to walk from Jicheng to Manfanhan! By the time they arrived at the border of North Korea, it was already July. By then, they were far away from the "surrender before winter" required by Qin Shihuang.
"North Korea, destroy Lord Canghai", there are less than three months left...
Fusu clenched his fists and pursed his lips, not knowing what to think. Yang Duanhe was secretly thinking: "Looking at it this way, His Majesty's appointment as general is not an easy way to pave the way, but like a difficult problem set up to force him to do so."
Let the young master do it..."
Time is only one of the difficulties. What is even more troublesome is that the army's supplies will become extremely scarce.
On the march map, there are six counties in Yandi: Shanggu, Guangyang, Yuyang, Youbeiping, Liaoxi, and Liaodong, arranged from west to east.
Yang Duanhe pointed at the map and said: "Sir, the food for the army is basically supplied by the counties along the way. Guangyang County is rich, Dukang is the largest granary in Yandi, and Jicheng is the northern city, which can keep the three armies well fed. Then.
In the next half month, we will pass through Yuyang and Youbeiping. These two counties are important frontier towns, and there is no shortage of military rations. The guards of the two counties will arrange thousands of civilians to deliver food to pavilions and post offices along the way."
"But once you leave Jieshi City and arrive in western Liaoning..."
Yang Duanhe shook his head, his face solemn.
He had already inquired about the situation there. After entering Liaoxi County, the marching route was long, and there were no major cities along the way. The pitiful warehouses in the counties and villages were simply not enough for a large army to feed their horses. Therefore, thousands of civilians must join in.
The army followed from Jieshi, carrying people on horseback, camels and vehicles, carrying a month's worth of food, so that they could survive the Liaoxi Corridor and reach Yangle (Jinzhou), the capital of Liaoxi County.
"When we cross the Liao River and enter Liaodong County, the situation will get worse."
Liaodong these days is really a multi-ethnic gathering area, with Donghu, Yan people, Fuyu, and Dao Yi mixed together, and most of them are concentrated on the plains along the Liao River. There are not many counties in the rest of the area.
Fusu also looked at the household registration books of Liaodong, which showed that there were only about 20,000 households and about 100,000 people, which was only equivalent to a large county in the Central Plains, but they were scattered over thousands of miles. Although the people there cultivated fertile black crops.
However, the production tools are backward and the yield per mu is very small. If we want to collect grain on the spot, there will be no grain to collect.
Yang Duanhe told a story from the past: "After Qin destroyed Yan, the king of Yan fled to Liaodong. The Qin Dynasty failed to conquer it immediately because the distance was too long and the army could not keep up with supplies, so it was eaten by the enemy.
It couldn't be implemented, so it took several years before General Li Xin led his elite cavalry troops to attack in one fell swoop."
Therefore, according to Yang Duanhe's idea, after they had their last full meal in Xiangping City, the capital of Liaodong County, until they arrived at Manfanhan, they had to live frugally. For a full eight hundred miles, there were only four kilometers along the way.
It is a small city, and the rest is wilderness. The supply line is so long and the food reserves in Liaodong are so scarce that it is difficult to sustain.
Yang Duanhe predicted: "If what I predict is correct, the army will be cut off from supplies after crossing the Mazi River (Yalu River), becoming a lone army in a foreign land, and falling into a critical situation with no food to sustain..."
"The army will perish if it has no baggage, it will perish if it does not have food, it will perish if it has no accumulation."
Fusu was helpless: "In such a predicament, it is not easy just to stabilize the three armies and prevent them from fleeing due to hunger, let alone conquest?"
He has read thousands of books and traveled thousands of miles, but the question his father gave him was really difficult.
If you don't want yourself and 20,000 soldiers and civilians to starve to death and collapse, you must find ways to solve the supply problem.
Yang Duanhe said: "The imperial court has an idea."
"Since we can't keep up with the land supply from Yan, we will supply from the sea and from the counties of Qi!"
Having said that, Yang Duanhe is still not optimistic about this plan, because supplying from the sea is unheard of in ancient times!
Fusu nodded: "It's said to be Qidi, but it's actually Jiaodong."
This sounds like a good idea, but in practice, the pressure falls entirely on Jiaodong’s shoulders...
As far as Fusu knows, last year there was a rebellion in the fields of Qi. Although it was quickly put down by Heifu, Linzi and Jibei were still severely damaged. Spring plowing and summer work were delayed, and many counties lost their crops. In addition, relief for the displaced people
With war refugees, the once overflowing granaries became empty.
Looking across the land, the only place in the warehouse that can supply tens of thousands of troops with food is Jiaodong County. This is why Qin Shi Huang appointed Hei Fu as the supervisor of the army.
Fusu looked to the southeast and said with a wry smile:
"In the past, in the northern part of the Great Wall, Fusu served as a supervisor for General Wei. He did not help much, but caused him a lot of trouble. Now the general's supervisor is easy to change, and my life, and the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers, all depend on the supervision of Commander Wei.
Hands on!"
…
In mid-April of the 33rd year of Qin Shihuang's 33rd year, the coastal Heixian County seemed to have become the center of the military and political affairs of Jiaodong County. Not only the navy commander was stationed here, but even the county governor Heifu also moved here to handle government affairs.
There is no way, unlike the past few times as a general, this time Heifu, as the supervisor of the army and the incarnation of the logistics captain, must be responsible for the supply of the army, and Zhifu Port in Xie County is undoubtedly the most suitable command center.
"Where has the eldest son's army marched?"
Senior official Heifu was a very busy man. He had just finished the cadre mobilization meeting on summer and autumn salt drying and gold mining, and then summoned Cao Shen and asked him about the contacts and movements of the Eastern Expedition army.
In the war to quell the Qi Di Rebellion, Cao Shen had the distinction of ascending to the throne first and killing Tian Heng. Not only did his title rise by two levels, but his position also changed from a small Zuo Shi to a "Bing Cao Tu", equivalent to the Minister of the Provincial People's Armed Forces.
Although he is nominally subordinate to the county captain, Heifu is now the supervisor of the army, so he also has to report military information to him.
Cao Shen was originally a small official in Pei County, but his reputation was not very good in the county. He rose to prominence after being spotted by Hei Fu. His clan was honored and he had the opportunity to lead troops in battles. He regarded Hei Fu as his leader, so he naturally tried his best and reported it.
:
He returned: "I received a reply last time, saying that the young master's army was resting in Jicheng. Now more than half a month has passed, and it has probably reached Jieshi and is about to enter Liaoxi County..."
"I'm afraid this young master will face real challenges next."
Heifu also knew something about the situation in eastern Liaoning and western Liaoning. He knew that there was not much food stored there and the supply line was long.
Cao Shen estimated that around the end of June, Fusu and his 20,000 to 30,000 men would cross the Yalu River. This also meant that the possibility of land supply from Liaodong was cut off, and grain could only be transported by sea from Jiaodong...
It can be said that the key to the success or failure of this battle is not the battle in front of the expeditionary force, but whether the supplies of food and fodder from Jiaodong can continue to keep up.
With this in mind, Heifu gave the order: "Let Cang Cao send Xiao He to see me!"
Professionals do professional things. Heifu feels that he is very lucky. Historically, because of his good transportation and logistics, Xiao He, who was ranked first among the heroes of the Han Dynasty, was under him.
In the past two years, Xiao He has proven his ability in the position of "County Jijiu" and has made Jiaodong's education career so impressive that no one can find fault with it. Heifu is not stingy either, and he rewards according to his merits.
Xiao He was promoted to an official position and became a warehouse manager. He was responsible for managing grain and coordinating the supply of baggage. This was his old profession in history. No matter how many times Liu Bang sent him ahead, Xiao He could continue to do so.
Heifu clearly understands his position in this war: to supervise the army and manage logistics. Things on the front line have nothing to do with him, and he cannot steal the limelight from Young Master Fusu. He only needs to help the expeditionary force when a crisis arises.
.
If Fusu is the C position, then Heifu is the support.
But what happened to Xiao He also told Heifu something, and this is also the role he plans to play in this war:
"Even if I have to give up the C position, I am a good supporter, and I can still win the MVP!"