Chapter 1002: War Invitation
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Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Yu Youyao’s heart skipped a beat. “Uncle Yu, can you help me contact some reliable military families? Since ancient times, incense and medicine have come from the same source. I want to set up another medicinal team in the military doctor’s office to be in charge of making incense and external medicine that can be used on the battlefield.’
The spiritual dewdrop could be used on incense medicine or some medicine for external injuries.
Uncle Yu hurriedly said, “In the past, when the Old Princess Consort was around, I was in charge of gathering the military families. This matter isn’t difficult. I’ll contact a few veteran military families and get them to help contact others. It’ll definitely be appropriate.”
Most of the veterans who could survive in the army had earned military merit and held a decent military position. Their family background was also reliable, and they had some connections in the army. Naturally, the people they contacted were reliable.
Yu Youyao nodded slightly. “Thank you for your trouble.”
King Li of Zhou and the Princess Consort’s old belongings were preserved in the Jingyuan Harden. Among them was relevant information about the Princess Consort’s establishment of the medical center back then. Yu Xiyao studied it carefully.
Through the information, she understood what difficulties and drawbacks the medical center had encountered when it was first established.
She also understood how the Princess Consort gradually perfected the structure and management of the military doctor’s office, making it convenient, fast, and effective. Thus, she formed a collective and organized unit.
The soldiers called them field medics.
With the Princess Consort’s example, Yu Youyao avoided many detours. Soon, she set the general framework of the medical center. Uncle Yu sent over a list of military personnel.
“I’ve gathered 100 members of military families in the first batch. They’re above the age of 16 and under the age of 40. Their exact situation has been recorded in detail in the list.”
When the medical center was first established, it needed to nurture trusted aides and manage its operations. Therefore, the choice of the first batch of people was especially important.
Uncle Yu was experienced. The first batch of people were all family members of veterans, so they more or less had some outstanding points.
After confirming the candidates, Yu Youyao arranged for them to be trained.
A second-grade maidservant called Xiang Cao followed her. She was very talented in making incense and had been serving her in the incense room in her courtyard.
On the first day before they set off, Yin Huaixi asked her who she had brought to Jinzhou. He was worried that after they arrived in Jinzhou, she would have to do everything personally and tire her out. That was why he suggested that she bring a maidservant who was proficient in incense medicine.
She felt that it made sense, so she brought Xiang Cao.
A month later, while Yu Youyao was busy perfecting the medical center, news came from f.u.xin that the Northern Barbarians had gathered an army of 100,000 at the narrow Yu Pa.s.s.
King Yue Fei led the army to fight.
That night, Yin San led the army to escort Yu Youyao to the army.
“This is an important place in the military camp. No unrelated people are allowed to enter!” The soldiers guarding the camp raised their spears and looked wary.
“I’m Yin San, the secret guard of the Yue Fei King’s Residence. On His
Highness’s orders, I’m specially escorting Eldest Princess Shaoyi to the army. This is my ident.i.ty token.” Yin San untied the token tied to her waist and threw it over from afar.
The soldier guarding the camp caught the token and took a look. It was indeed the secret guard token of the Yue Fei’s Residence. He glanced at the carriage behind Yin San and quickly went to look for him.
After a while, Huang Wenxian, who had a breastplate equipped, rushed over and quickly asked the warrior to let him in.
The carriage stopped outside a tent.
“How’s the situation at narrow Yu Pa.s.s?” As soon as Yu Youyao entered the tent, she asked about the situation of the two armies facing each other.
Huang Wenxian’s expression was solemn. “As a result of the drought, the internal rights of the Northern Barbarians have been severely divided, and they’ve split into the main and main factions. Among them, the main faction, led by Harmon, advocates trade with the North in exchange for supplies. However, the main faction, led by Meng Duo, is fiercely opposed. They advocate taking advantage of the Great Zhou Dynasty’s internal and external troubles to break through the narrow Yu Pa.s.s, break through the defense line of Jinzhou, enter Shanhai Pa.s.s, and attack the enemy. Moreover, they’ve received the strong support of the various branches of the Northern Barbarians. Even Harmon, who’s from the main faction, has no choice but to partic.i.p.ate in the battle.”
Yu Youyao’s heart sank. “In that case, it’s very likely that the Northern
Barbarians have more than 100,000 troops, right?”
Everyone among the Northern Barbarians was a soldier. There were more than ten branches in the gra.s.sland. Usually, they fought alone, but at the critical moment, they could always join forces to resist the Great Zhou. It was very troublesome.
Huang Wenxian nodded with a solemn expression and continued, “Moreover, Meng Duo’s father, Meng Ying, was one of the main generals who died at the defense line in Jinzhou back then. He was killed by an arrow from the old king in the chaos.”
Meng Ying was a brave general of the Northern Barbarians. He had been active on the border battlefield for many years and was King Li of Zhou’s greatest opponent in his life.
Back then, the Northern Barbarians had invaded on a large scale and almost broke through the defense line of Jinzhou. At the critical moment, Yin Huaixi had taken down Harmon, who had gone to Jinzhou to support the Northern Barbarians, causing the Northern Barbarians’ reinforcements to not arrive and be counterattacked by the You army. It was in this battle that a few generals of the Northern Barbarians had died. King Li of Zhou had recovered the two most important fortress cities of Jinzhou and f.u.xin in one go.
Harmon and Yin Huaixi had fought a few times. Harmon was very afraid of him. However, because of the secret deal between the two sides, he acknowledged Yin Huaixi’s strength and character very much, so he advocated trade.
However, Meng Duo was still brooding over the death of his father, Meng Ying. He had the intention to take revenge, so he insisted on fighting.
The Di people were warlike to begin with. They were used to plundering at the border for many years. After tasting the sweetness, they naturally could trade calmly with the North.
The calamity in the North had further stimulated the Di people’s desire to plunder.
Huang Wenxian continued, “The entire world knows that the King of Liang has rebelled. The Imperial Court has sent troops to attack the Liang, and there’s not enough rations in the capital. It’s equivalent to cutting off the supplies and reinforcements of the North. Once the war starts, the North won’t get any supplies or reinforcements. The North has already taken in a large number of refugees. In the eyes of outsiders, the supplies in the North must have been consumed greatly… In short, in the eyes of the Di people, this is the best time for the Northern Barbarians to attack the Great Zhou.’
Thinking of the endless sweet potatoes sent into the granary, the Di people clearly had an inherent impression of the North’s lack of supplies.
Even though they had discovered that the North had promoted the planting of sweet potatoes, the Di people were not good at agriculture, so they might not understand the importance of sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes were a new crop, so probably no one would believe that its production could be so high that it was shocking. In addition, the North had almost two million new mouths. Anyone would think that the North lacked supplies.
Yu Youyao frowned. “The Di people’s ambition to enter the Central Plains has never stopped. The King of Liang’s rebellion is a good time for them to take advantage of the situation.”
The Northern Barbarians lacked supplies. As soon as the Di Army gathered at the narrow Yu Pa.s.s, they issued a challenge to the You army, preventing the possibility of the You army using delaying tactics to lengthen the battle line.
The Great Zhou was good at farming, and if the battle line was extended, it would be even more disadvantageous to the Northern Barbarians. The Di people were still fighting. They would break through Shanhai Pa.s.s and plunder the resources of the North to nourish themselves in battle. They would gallop through the Central Plains and end the battle quickly so that they could better preserve their strength.
The next day, the first batch of incense and external injury medicine made by the pharmacy was sent to the army. There were also a portion of soldiers who had been trained and understood the effects of all kinds of incense medicine. Those who could use them well would be a.s.signed to the frontline military doctor’s office to help treat the injuries..