[One chapter was missed this afternoon. I just found out. I’m so sorry to everyone! 】
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Literary officials and teaching assistants are also being recruited in the government camp. The first batch of more than 300 scholars are taking exams. Guo Song met Meng Jiao at the gate of the main tent. Meng Jiao is no longer the poor scholar he used to be. He is now recognized by the imperial court.
He was a ninth-rank official, a doctor from Ganzhou, and also served as the academic administrator of Hexi Jiedu Prefecture.
He was wearing official uniform, had a fair complexion, and a half-foot-long beard, giving him the majesty of a local official.
When Meng Jiao saw Guo Song arriving, he quickly stepped forward and saluted, "See you, envoy!"
Guo Song smiled slightly and asked, "Has the exam started?"
"Replying to your Majesty, it has already begun. A total of 352 scholars have signed up for the first batch. The second batch of scholars will take the exam in the afternoon. It is estimated that there will be more than 400 people. Tomorrow, another batch of exams will be almost over."
Guo Song looked inside the tent and saw that it was full of scholars taking exams. Everyone was concentrating on writing silently, and the only sound they could hear was the rustling of pens.
Meng Jiao whispered: "There is only one big tent here, there are ten big tents in total for exams."
Guo Song inspected the examination rooms one by one before preparing to return to the city. As soon as he walked out of the refugee camp, he heard a burst of cheers from the people and saw the tall and burly young man running back. He was running all the way.
, and he actually carried five spears on his shoulders. Guo Song was really surprised. Only a quarter of an hour had passed! He actually ran back with five spears on his shoulders.
There were still many generals standing at the finish line. They specially selected soldiers with outstanding performance. At this time, Li Bing pulled the young man in front of Guo Song and said excitedly: "I found an outstanding soldier today."
Guo Song looked at the young man and saw that he was at least 1.85 meters tall, with a very strong body and a determined gaze. Guo Song asked, "Were you from the Longyou Army before?"
The young man knelt down on one knee and said: "Reporting to the envoy, Wang Wuning, who holds a humble position, was originally the commander of the Lintao Army. With the tolerance of the envoy, he resigned from his humble position and returned to his hometown to support his mother, wife and children."
"Why do you want to join the army again?"
"It was my mother who asked me to join the army to repay the Hexi Army for saving my life."
"What about your mother?"
"He still has a wife and a pair of young children at home. He joins the army and has money to support them."
Guo Song nodded and said to Li Bing: "You can continue to appoint him as brigade commander, and he will be rewarded for his merits!"
Although this young man performed well, he only had a good physique. As an excellent soldier, physical fitness alone is not enough. He also needs to be brave in combat and has a brain. This will depend on his future performance. It is too much to say now.
morning.
.........
Two days later, all 30,000 new soldiers were recruited, more than half of whom had served in the army. The Bingcao Division began to distribute armors and weapons. It turned out that many outstanding soldiers of the Hexi Army were promoted to captains or brigade commanders of the new army, and brigade commanders.
The commander-in-chief was also promoted to the rank of captain, the captain was promoted to the rank of general, and the general was promoted to the rank of general. The total strength of the Hexi Army reached 60,000 for the first time, and six old rank-and-file generals were also promoted to the rank of military commander.
Next, strict recruit training begins, which lasts for one month. The refugee regiment training is still going on. The regiment training is militia soldiers, half soldiers and half farmers. All men under the age of forty must participate. They not only have to undergo military training.
, but also to cultivate farmland, take soil to bake bricks, and build county towns and houses.
At this time, Guo Song finally received news about the Tibetan army.
The person who rushed back to deliver the information was a scout brigade commander who came from Dadou Bago and delivered detailed information about the Tibetan army in Longyou.
In the Chinese army's tent, Guo Song stood in front of a huge map of Longyou. Zhang Yuanzhi, who had just been promoted to scout captain, was telling Guo Song about Tubo's preparations for war.
"There seems to be no sign of Tibet attacking Hexi. The main reason is that an army of 20,000 people from Chang'an rushed to Qinzhou, and the general is Zhang Feng who stayed in Yuanzhou."
Guo Song still had some impression of this Zhang Feng. He was a garrison at Xiaoguan back then, and later led 10,000 Yuanzhou troops to join Zhu Si and was named General Zuowei. He was actually a man who could lead troops in war.
"Where is the main force of Tibet now?" Guo Song asked again.
"Now the main force of Tibet is in two places, one is in Shanzhou City, with about 10,000 troops, and the other is in Longxi County, Weizhou, with about 7,000 troops, facing off against the 20,000 Tang troops from Chang'an."
"Where is Shang Jiezan?" Guo Song asked.
"It seems that he was recalled to Tibet by Zanpu, and the two generals Lunshize and Zankesong led the two armies."
Guo Song pondered for a moment and asked: "So there are no Tibetan troops in Lanzhou?"
"Reporting to the envoy, there are a thousand Tibetan troops stationed in Jincheng County, but there are three to five hundred troops stationed in each state."
Guo Song read Zhang Yun's letter again. Zhang Yun believed in the letter that the Tibetan army was insufficient in strength and there was no sign of attacking Hexi yet. Judging from their current movements, Zhang Yun was more inclined to Tibet's long-term occupation of Longyou.
.
"How is the wheat situation in Longyou now?"
"I have come all the way from Beizhong. There are large wheat fields all over Longyou. It is estimated that the wheat will be ripe in half a month."
Guo Song walked a few steps with his hands behind his back and said to Du Siye: "Go quickly and invite Pan Changshi!"
Du Siye left in a hurry, and Zhang Qianyi said with a smile: "It seems that your next target is not the Tibetan army, but the wheat fields."
Guo Song nodded and said: "Food is the most important thing for the people, how could I give up the wheat in Longyou to the Tubo people?"
Not long after, Pan Liao hurried over and bowed: "Your Majesty, are you looking for me?"
Guo Songxiao asked: "At what stage has the team training organization reached?"
"Eighty thousand young and strong men have been registered, and then they need to be compiled. It will take about ten days to complete them."
Guo Song immediately said: "The establishment is temporarily suspended. The training and new recruits of the 80,000 regiments will go to Lanzhou to grab wheat. You can go back and organize a group of women to make dry food and leave for Lanzhou early the day after tomorrow."
"Then we still need to prepare carts and camels."
“How many large cars are in stock?”
"There are six thousand carts and five thousand camels. We can choose a group of healthy mules to pull the carts."
"I'll ask Yu Xude to prepare the transport, and you go organize the women's and regiment training."
"Farewell to my humble post!"
Guo Song switched tasks, and the entire Hexi Jiedu government and army changed their goal of defending against Tibetan invasion to going to Longyou to grab wheat. Guo Song immediately made arrangements to stay behind.
Two days later, an 80,000-strong wheat-grabbing army drove 5,000 camels, 6,000 carts, and tens of thousands of donkeys and mules to Lanzhou. In the end, Guo Song did not take away all the training regiments.
The three prefectures in Hexi also require a large number of manpower to participate in wheat harvesting.
In addition to the 80,000 wheat-cutting army, Guo Song also personally led 15,000 Hexi troops as guards.
The wheat fields in Lanzhou are mainly distributed on both sides of the Yellow River in Jincheng County, as well as in the Hehuang Valley to the west. The Hehuang Valley and Shanzhou are connected together. Guo Song's heart is like a mirror. I am afraid that he and the 10,000 Tibetan troops in Shanzhou will have an inevitable competition for food.
war.
.........
Five days later, the wheat-grabbing army arrived at the north bank of the Yellow River in Jincheng County. There were also large wheat fields on the north bank of the Yellow River, covering hundreds of thousands of acres. The 80,000 wheat-grabbing army did not bother to rest and immediately went into the big battle of harvesting wheat.
There is a pass built on a hill on the north bank, called Jincheng Pass. The Yellow River pier is just under Jincheng Pass. The ancient Silk Road meanders from Hexi, passes through Jincheng Pass, and crosses the river to Jincheng County on the other side.
Guo Song stood on the pass and looked at the county wall in the distance. On the pier, thousands of Tang Army soldiers were preparing large rafts to cross the river.
The scouts' intelligence showed that there were also a thousand Tibetan soldiers at Jincheng Pass, but there was no sign of them on the south bank. Guo Song suspected that these thousand soldiers were also busy harvesting wheat.
Li Bing came galloping on horseback and said: "Your Majesty, the rafts for crossing the river are ready!"
Guo Song nodded, "First go over two thousand contradictory soldiers, occupy the south bank, and then cross over with the cavalry!"
"Follow the order!"
Li Bing rushed back to make arrangements to cross the river. Groups of conflict soldiers got on the rafts and began paddling toward the other side.
When the first group of contradictory soldiers landed on the south bank, no Tibetan army appeared, which made Guo Song sigh in relief. At this time, an eagle circled in the sky, folded its wings and fell, standing firmly on Guo Song's shoulder.
Guo Song stroked the eagle's back and said with a smile: "You didn't show up when I needed you. Now you feel guilty and you followed me?"
Some time ago, when Guo Song went to Dadou to pull out grains, Mengzi was not in Zhangye, and I don’t know where he went. He just returned to Zhangye City not long ago. Guo Song did not call him this time, but he behaved honestly.
Really is coming.
"Go! Go to the west to patrol the post. If a large army of troops appears, please notify me immediately."
Guo Song pointed at the Hehuang Valley to the west and drew a circle in the air. Mengzi understood his master's intention and immediately jumped into the air, circled twice in the air, and flew towards the Hehuang Valley to the west.