Chapter 823 Something big is happening. Something big is going to happen.
People will face countless difficulties in their lives. Sometimes you will feel that you cannot get through this hurdle, and your life will be dark at this point, and disaster will befall you in the next moment.
but!
Soon you will find that, even in the face of difficulties, as long as you grit your teeth and persevere, a turning point is just around the corner.
Many people will choose to grit their teeth and persevere.
But more people chose to retreat or lie down.
Those who persevere will never regret it.
Those who retreat or lie down will always regret it in their later life, saying that things would have been better if they had persisted a little longer.
There is another type of people who choose to give up on themselves.
Since there is no way to go, I won't go on. I will ruin my own way and, by the way, ruin the ways of others as well.
Chen Yao is the last type of person.
"…Minister, didn't you say that the army only has one day's supply of food? If this batch of food is not delivered to the army tomorrow, we're afraid that the army will run out of food!"
Guo Huai, the official who was escorting the grain and grass, was woken up in the middle of the night. Chen Yao, who was exhausted from the journey, immediately asked him to return with the convoy at dawn.
In the dim light, Chen Yao said in a deep voice: "There is still some food in the army, enough to reach the capital. This war has cost a lot of money and food. As the end of the year approaches, we still have countless lawsuits with the court and the local governments over money and food. Every bit saved is a bit saved."
Guo Huai laughed and said, "The Minister is becoming more stingy."
"There are billions of people in the world. Anyone who sat in his position would be overwhelmed." Chen Yao said, "We will return tomorrow morning."
"Don't worry, Minister." Guo Huai rubbed his eyes. "We have to eat and feed the horses along the way. If we return one day earlier, we will save two meals on the way."
Unlike the later generations, when food and fodder were transported by train, ship or car, the consumption was gasoline and mechanical wear and tear. The biggest trouble in transporting food and fodder at this time was the distance.
A cart can only carry a limited amount of food. The horses pulling the cart need to eat grass every day, and the accompanying laborers need to eat two meals a day... The journey is often thousands of miles, and it takes a long time. The food and grass eaten by people and horses on the road is even more than that delivered to the destination.
Therefore, the longer the distance and the longer the time, the more money and food will be consumed.
A war that lasts one or two years can bring a wealthy country to ruin.
Guo Huai returned to his room, lay down, closed his eyes, and thought of the Western Han Dynasty.
Emperor Wu of Han was a man of great talent and strategy, and launched a counterattack against the Xiongnu. This war lasted for many years and exhausted all the wealth accumulated by Emperors Wen and Jing.
A relatively wealthy country was reduced to a state of near poverty.
And this is the root of the problem.
Too much money and food was wasted!
Guo Huai came from an imperial examination background, so he naturally knew about this.
So he did not suspect anything and after getting up the next day, he explained the matter to his subordinates, and the laborers cheered.
These people were recruited and received no compensation other than food and lodging.
Chen Yao followed behind, and in the afternoon, when he saw several riders galloping ahead, he asked, "Who is it?"
The staff's eyes sparkled with surprise. "Minister, it seems to be... Jiang Qingzhi!"
"Not good!" Chen Yao was startled, then sneered, "Even if we order the convoy to turn back now, it's too late."
This is a heavy vehicle, it moves slowly, and the distance it travels each day is limited.
After going back for most of the day, they turned back...the whole army was starved to death.
Chen Yao smiled very proudly, "Take a detour back!"
The two of them followed behind and took advantage of the opportunity when Jiang Qingzhi intercepted the convoy in front to quietly take a small road back to Beijing.
"How did Jiang Qingzhi know about this?" Chen Yao wondered as he rode his horse.
The aide's eyes flickered, "I think the news leaked out!"
"Could it be that I was discovered by Jiang Qingzhi's men when I was leaving the city?" Chen Yao pondered.
I guess this can be considered as making amends for my crime... The staff were delighted.
"You..." Chen Yao noticed the look in his eyes, "What are you happy about?"
"Jiang Qingzhi will definitely be in trouble this time. I feel happy just thinking about it."
"Why is your face red?"
"The wind blows."
"The army is mutinying. This is the wind. The bigger the better. Hahahaha!"
The laughter faded away, Jiang Qingzhi stopped the convoy, and Guo Huai stepped forward to negotiate, "This is the department's order to return."
"Who?" Jiang Qingzhi asked.
He traveled all night and his face looked a little pale.
"Minister Chen." Guo Huai is Chen Yao's confidant. His attitude towards Jiang Qingzhi and the Mohist School can be imagined. There is hostility in his indifference.
"Chen Yao?" Jiang Qingzhi took a deep breath, "Where are the others?"
"In the back." Guo Huai turned around, "Go and invite Minister Chen."
Jiang Qingzhi narrowed his eyes. Not long after, the man came back and said, "Minister Chen is missing."
Guo Huai: "..."
"Turn around!" Sun Bu Tong shouted.
Mo Zhan shook his head. "It's too late."
Guo Huai was stunned. "What do you mean it's too late?"
Mo Zhan said coldly: "Chen Yao is suspected of corruption in the Ministry of Revenue, and his true colors have been exposed. He ordered the convoy to turn back, hoping that the army would mutiny due to lack of food. And you..."
"Let's go!" Jiang Qingzhi didn't have time to talk to Guo Huai, so he rode away.
Guo Huai stood there blankly, thinking of Chen Yao last night.
It was dark at night and he was sleepy. Besides, Chen Yao was his backer, so he didn't notice anything unusual.
At this moment, he suddenly thought of something wrong. "Even if we want to turn the convoy back, there is no need for the minister to go out. We only need to send a clerk with the documents. The minister came overnight... This is, this is..."
Assistant Ministers are not common, there are only two in the Ministry of Revenue. If you are lucky, you may become a Shangshu.
Such an important official actually came in person just to save one day's loss for the convoy, and even traveled overnight. This is fucking wrong!
These days are different from later times, when there were flat roads, street lights, traffic signals... and car lights.
To be honest, the official roads these days have many small potholes, not to mention the big ones. Besides, a horse's eyes are not headlights, and the moonlight is not a street light. If you are not careful, the horse may stumble and someone may fall to death.
Chen Yao actually risked his life to come here in person just for this one day's loss.
"This is...not right!"
"He is dragging me down with him before he dies."
Guo Huai turned around suddenly, knelt down slowly, pounded his hands on the ground, and howled: "Chen Yao, you bastard, you will not die well!"
The accompanying sergeants gathered together and talked in low voices.
“It’s actually fake.”
"If the army runs out of food, we will also be responsible."
Everyone was a little uneasy. The captain who led the team said calmly: "Instead of worrying about this, it is better to worry about the army at the moment."
"Captain, are we guilty?"
"Bullshit!" The captain sneered, "Just keep an eye on Guo Huai and don't let him get away. When the higher-ups ask about this, just say we were just following orders. The Ministry of Revenue is in charge of this matter, and the Minister of Revenue is here in person. Do we still dare to question it?"
In the context of using civil officials to control military officials, if any military official dares to question, he will be in trouble!
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's no small matter if the army runs out of food." An old soldier narrowed his eyes. "When I was in Jiubian, there was a heavy snow that blocked the road and the army ran out of food. When the brothers heard the news, they got into chaos."
"What happened next?" The captain had not experienced as much as the old soldier and was a little curious.
The old soldier stood up straight and said, "Fortunately, the commander was decisive at the time. He rushed into the government office with his men, drew his knife and handed it to the prefect, saying, either kill me, or wait for the soldiers to mutiny and kill us all. The prefect panicked and personally went out to find local wealthy people to raise a batch of food and grass, and only then did we get through the difficult time."
"Then a large army will do too," someone said optimistically, but when he saw the serious expressions on the captains and old soldiers' faces, he felt a pang in his heart.
"That's 60,000 troops. Do you know how much food they eat every day?" The old soldier sneered, "The local wealthy families' food reserves are not enough. It's just a drop in the bucket."
The captain turned around and looked to the north, muttering, "Something big has happened! Something big is going to happen!"
"Turn around, turn around!" Guo Huai roared, "Go back immediately. The sooner the better."
……
The cold wind blew, and the big flags fluttered fiercely.
Yan Song's face turned pale. "Where is the Ministry of Revenue's convoy?"
"It hasn't come yet." Du He's expression was equally grim. "Prime Minister, this is the only meal the army has. I don't know where the next meal will come from."
At this moment, they were camping in the wild, with smoke rising from the army. Several civil servants looked at this scene and couldn't help feeling deeply moved, and began to compose poems.
But he didn't see the expression on Prime Minister Yan's face.
"Go and ask." Yan Song ordered.
Du He said, "I have already sent someone to go."
"Maybe he was delayed on the road!" Zhao Wenhua was very optimistic.
"The military can only deliver food and grass early. If you are late by half a day, you will be sentenced to death!" Du He said sinisterly, "How can the officers and generals who escort food and grass not know this?"
"Then..." Zhao Wenhua's heart trembled. "Could there be an accident?"
"This is the capital, we are about to reach the capital, how could there be any accidents?" Shen Jun said, "There are soldiers accompanying us, even if there are thieves, they dare not attack."
Everyone was puzzled. Yan Song thought for a moment and said, "If someone..."
He glanced at Zhao Wenhua, who nodded, "The new policy has caused public opinion to boil over. If things go wrong, those people will trip us up."
"Once the army runs out of food..." Yan Song looked at Du He, but Du He was a latecomer. Before following Jiang Qingzhi, his only military experience was observing the training of the Beijing Guards.
Du He scratched his head. Yan Song also thought of this and asked someone to call Qin Yuan and An Jing.
"Out of food?" An Jing was startled. Yan Song said calmly, "It's just a saying. Maybe it will come at night."
Qin Yuan said: "If the army runs out of food, they only need to skip one meal, and the soldiers will complain and even dare to rebel."
It would take three days to get to the capital. Yan Song asked, "What if it takes one or two days?"
Qin Yuan and An Jing looked at each other and both heard some clues.
Qin Yuan's face was solemn. "There are many talkative people among the 60,000 soldiers, and there are people of all kinds of temperaments. If they don't eat for a day, as long as someone stirs up trouble, they will..."
"What are you afraid of?" Zhao Wenhua sneered, "Do they dare to rebel?"
An Jing suppressed her disdain and said, "Does the Tongzhengshi know about the camp whistle?"
Zhao Wenhua nodded, "It's everywhere in history books."
"If you don't eat for a day, you might get angry."
In an instant, Zhao Wenhua's face turned pale, and he thought of the various records about camp whistles in history books.
——The generals were unable to stop and were killed by the chaotic soldiers!
——The rebels then broke through the capital...
"Maybe it will arrive later." Zhao Wenhua forced a smile.
The sound of horse hooves came closer and closer, and the people Du He sent to investigate came back.
"My Lord, there is no trace of the convoy."
The visitor found that everyone from Yan Song to Du He had a pale face.
"Something happened, something big happened!"
(End of this chapter)
