Chapter 991: War
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Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Only this time.
Looking at her dress, he couldn’t help but recall that there was a hermit in the Eastern Han Dynasty called Liang Hong. After studying, he went home to farm and married Meng Guang, the daughter of the wealthy man in the county.
After their marriage, Meng Guang abandoned the Meng family’s luxurious lifestyle and lived in seclusion in the Baling Mountains with her husband.
Meng Guang used thorns as hairpins and wore rough clothes. There was mutual respect between her and Liang Hong. The story of “thornwood hairpins and hemp skirts” spread for a thousand generations.
He could almost imagine the loving life of a married couple filled with mutual respect through her simple and busy figure.
A desire suddenly surged in his heart.
He wanted to hold her in his arms and completely possess her.
He watched as she bent back. Her slender waist was as soft as a cattail, and her slender figure was incomparably graceful.
During her mourning period, she didn’t eat meat. Auntie Xu was worried that her body wouldn’t be able to take it. Thus, she asked her to eat more meals but to eat less at each meal. She had never stopped eating all kinds of expensive medicinal porridge and supplements. However, no matter how she ate, it was fine if she did not grow tall, but she did not even grow flesh. Her figure became thinner and thinner.
At this moment, he finally knew that everything she had eaten had nourished other places, and the meat had grown where it should.
It was inevitable that he would lose control.
However, in the end, he did not dare to cross the line and her in his arms as if he was torturing himself. He could not bear to let go of her just like that. He tortured himself and even bullied her.
Yin Huaixi roasted two dried buns and handed them to her with some vegetables and mushrooms. “Although dried buns made with great millet flour aren’t as exquisite as flour, they’re warm and nourishing to the spleen, strengthen the stomach, and stop vomiting and diarrhea. Occasionally, you can eat them to nourish your spleen and stomach.”
“No wonder great millet is cla.s.sified as military food.” Yu Youyao only ate fine food and had never eaten great millet flour.
Great millet and corn were abundant in the north, and great millet was one of the staple foods.
Most of the soldiers’ rations were grounded with corn and great millet to make dried buns. The dried buns were dry and hard. They were light and easy to carry. They were also filling
However, the North lacked supplies, and the dried buns that the soldiers ate were not completely made of great millet flour. They were mixed with bran. Great millet was ground into powder and added to the dried buns.
“Let me try it.” Yu Youyao took the steamed bun and took a bite. It was roasted until it was crispy and did not have any special taste. The texture was a little rough. She stretched her throat and chewed a few more times with a hint of sweetness. It was not delicious, but it was not bad either.
It was clearly not very delicious, but with the smooth and fragrant mushrooms, she took a small bite. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The juice of the mushrooms soaked the dry and crispy steamed bun. It tasted mellow, fresh, and fragrant, with endless aftertaste.
Yu Youyao’s eyes lit up. “It’s delicious. They’re like…” For a moment, she did not know how to describe it.
“It seems to be a natural match.” Yin Huaixi immediately guessed what she meant. “Meat buns are the perfect match. There are many ways to make them, and every one of them has its own flavor. When you’re past your mourning period, I’ll bring you to Xi’an to eat authentic meat buns.”
The mushrooms were smooth, tender, and fragrant, with the texture of meat. That was why the mushroom buns were especially fresh and fragrant. Yu Youyao looked forward to it and couldn’t help but smile. “It’s settled then.”
Yin Huaixi smiled, but he secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Yu Youyao liked delicious food, so he used food to distract her. It worked every time.
In short, there was nothing that a meal couldn’t resolve.
If there was, one would have two meals!
Yu Youyao thought of the situation in Quanzhou. “I heard that the Imperial
Court’s army already has more than 200,000 people. Is it possible…’
“That’s impossible.” Yin Huaixi knew what she meant. “The army will definitely lose.”
With 200,000 against 100,000, they would still definitely lose. The army that the Imperial Court had carefully nurtured and called the number one elite of the Great Zhou Dynasty was so weak in Yin Huaixi’s eyes.
Yin Huaixi explained, “How can a domesticated watchdog compare to a wild dog raised in the forest?!”
Yu Youyao couldn’t help but hold her breath.
Yin Huaixi got someone to bring over a map and spread it on the table. He pointed at Quanzhou. “Fujian is on the southeast coast. It’s a place with heavy trade and taxes. All the cities have deployed a lot of troops. There are at least 70 ,ooo people in the government offices, the sea defense bureau, and the defense of the city. They’re equipped with excellent weapons and equipment.”
“The King of Liang has captured Fujian. While the army rests in Quanzhou, they will definitely take back the Fujian army for their own use. The strength of the Liang army will increase greatly.”
An ordinary city had a garrison of about 50,000 to 10,000 people. Some military cities had more. Fujian was a special area.
This was also an important reason why the King of Liang insisted on taking down Quanzhou.
Then, Yin Huaixi pointed at Jiangxi. “The army will arrive in Henan in a few days. Their destination is the area of Xiangyang in Hubei. The next step for the King of Liang is Jiangxi. After taking down Jiangxi, the vanguard will be the first to enter the area of Xiangyang in Hubei. Both sides will start fighting in this area.”
Yu Youyao immediately understood. Xiangyang, which was in Hubei, was located at the intersection of the north and south of the Central Plains. Since ancient times, it had been a place that soldiers had to fight for.
For the Imperial Court, who lived in the north, if they controlled Xiangyang, they could enter Jingzhou and Wuhan. From there, they could control the Yangtze River defense line and lock the Liang army’s attack in the north, preventing the Liang army from advancing an inch.
Meanwhile, to the King of Liang, who had started his army from the south, after controlling Xiangyang, he could maintain his attack on the north and form a huge deterrent to the Imperial Court.
Xiangyang was also an important place for nurturing troops. It was surrounded by water on three sides and the Han River Plains. The land was fertile, and it was a self-sufficient place.
As long as the King of Liang took down Xiangyang, he would win half the battle.
The Imperial Court and the King of Liang both wanted to compete for
Xiangyang.
From the current situation, the army would soon be able to enter Henan from Rehe and Hubei from Henan. They had a huge advantage.
In contrast, the King of Liang could only take the path to Jiangxi and enter Hubei after taking down Jiangxi. He seemed to be a step behind, but the army led by the King of Liang was not to be underestimated.
Yu Youyao suddenly asked, “If the King of Liang takes down the capital, will you send troops to suppress him?”
“No.” Yin Huaixi’s voice was calm. “I won’t send troops before the other va.s.sal lords.”
Yu Youyao’s guess was confirmed.
There was going to be a war in the North.
The drought in the North had been going on for three years. Even the rich Shanxi and Shaanxi areas had been affected. Almost no food could be grown, and the commoners had fled their hometowns, let alone the Di people! In the past three years, the wars in the North had never stopped.
The Di people’s supplies were already at their limit.
Meanwhile, Yin Huaixi had endured the Di people’s hara.s.sment from time to time in the past three years. The Di people were like ticks on his body that would jump out from time to time to suck out a mouthful of blood. Although they wouldn’t hurt him badly, he was still very annoyed. He must have reached his limit.
This time, both sides were going to fight..