On the Dalong Capital side, under the operation of Young Master Liu, they united four powerful ministers and added more than one million taels of silver to the national treasury.
Among them, the net profit exceeded about 60%.
In addition to the treasures donated by missions from various countries, if converted into silver and copper coins, it would be enough for the court to maintain various minor expenses for half a year.
For Young Master Liu, it was such a good life not to hear the voices of Lao Jiang and the officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs complaining about his poverty.
After the diplomatic missions from various countries left Beijing and returned to their countries, the affairs of the imperial court were handed over to the cabinet and the Palace of Ten Kings.
Young Master Liu returned to the fortune-telling stall next to Penglai Restaurant and spent his days leisurely.
During the days when Young Master Liu was thinking about the money of the Japanese mission, the Western Expeditionary Army, after resting in Gumo, united with the soldiers of the Anxi Protectorate as scheduled, and the coalition forces of the countries in the Western Regions once again embarked on a crusade against Dashi. The two countries of Tianzhu
The journey of the barbarians in the country.
The third day of July in the third year of Taiping.
A mighty force of 800,000 allied troops left the borders of Dayuan and Dayuezhi and marched straight into the territory of the former Parthian Kingdom, now the Black-Clothed Dashi Kingdom.
The maps presented by the countries in the Western Region were assisted by the maps drawn by the Dalong Court themselves, and mainly led by Lu Fengshuang, the survivor of the Lu family business, and the caravan guards of the Dawan Kingdom.
The army of the Western Expedition rushed to the plain eighty miles away from the border city of Gistan and settled down.
Standing dozens of steps away from the Chinese army's tent, Zhang Kuang was wiping the sweat from his forehead while staring at the sunset on the horizon with a somewhat solemn expression.
"Damn it, the sun is almost setting. Why is it still so hot in Dashi Country? It's much hotter than our big dragon."
Nangong Ye and a group of generals on the side also nodded with depressed expressions, with a hint of solemnity mixed in their depressed expressions.
Nangong Ye took off the water bag from his waist and took a sip: "Zhang Shuai, according to Mr. Lu's story and the information obtained from the Dawan Kingdom's caravan, the weather in the Dashi Kingdom and Tianzhu Kingdom has reached
It's still neither hot nor cold in winter.
July and August are the time when autumn tigers show their teeth and claws. Even if the temperature rises in our homeland of Dalong, let alone the two countries where winter is neither hot nor cold.
I'm afraid it will be difficult for the soldiers to adapt to such a temperature all of a sudden.
If we continue to march and the army is directed towards the city of Gistan in the Great Food Country, the brothers may be incompatible with the climate due to weather conditions, causing problems!
At that time, let alone siege the city, the brothers may even be afraid of war.
If this is the case, it will be troublesome."
Zhang Kuang's expression became even more solemn. He squinted his eyes slightly and pondered for a while, then turned to look at Nangong Ye.
"What does Nangong Shuai mean?"
"I suggest that we rest and recuperate for at least one month here, train our troops and horses, and allow our brothers to adapt to the conditions of the two countries as soon as possible, and then divide our troops to march.
By then, when the brothers have adapted, you will lead the army directly to the city of Gistan, a city in black clothing, and for your brother, you will go to the border city of Tianzhu, Zala City, to attack Tianzhu.
This is my brother’s suggestion, what do you think?”
Zhang Kuang frowned and was silent for a while: "Nangong Shuai, I understand what you mean, but have you ever thought that if our 800,000-strong army plus the horses rest for one more day, we will have to waste hundreds of thousands of stones of food and grass.
Although His Majesty and the Ministry of Revenue told us that we don’t need to worry about the problem of subsequent food and grass, and there are continuous supplies of food and grass from the countries in the Western Regions.
However, it is always inappropriate to waste food and grass in this way.
You must know that although our national treasury has been enriched several times due to the storage of weapons and the release of horses to Nanshan in the past two years, it is still not inexhaustible.
If you act like this, I will always feel a little uncomfortable in my heart."
"Zhang Shuai, brother, I understand what you mean, but if the brothers are allowed to march directly at the risk of being acclimatized, the risks involved are much greater than wasting a month of food and grass in vain.
As commanders, we must first put the lives of our soldiers as our top priority. I think that if His Majesty were to lead the expedition in person, he would definitely make this choice.
Have you forgotten that ten years ago, His Majesty went on an expedition to the countries in the Western Regions, and because of some altitude sickness, the army had to rest on the spot for several months to adapt to the soil and water?
The military records recorded these events in detail."
Zhang Kuang stroked his beard that was slightly damp with sweat and sighed: "I read the records of the Western Expedition more than once back then, and of course I will never forget this incident.
Maybe Brother Nangong, you are right. Even if His Majesty were to conquer the country personally, he would probably make such a decision.
Although the two of us are commanders of the army, we have two deputy commanders, two warlords, and generals from various guards, battalions, and departments. Why don't we discuss this matter with them first?
Especially for Commander Zhang and the generals of the Western Regions, the timely supply of food and grass has a great relationship with the Western Regions."
Nangong Ye nodded with a slight smile, raised his finger and pointed at Zhang Kuang a few times.
"Heroes think alike, you old fox! In fact, you have already made the same plan as Brother Wei. You just want Brother Wei to make this happen, right?"
Zhang Kuang rubbed his nose and smiled bitterly: "Who made your brother my handsome eldest brother? Who will take care of your brothers if you don't take care of them?
We were all eating from the same pot back then, we were all brothers fighting for life and death, no one knew who the other was!
As you said, the lives of the soldiers are the top priority.
But you also know the identity of me and Zhang Mo as father and son. There are some things that it is really not convenient for me to come forward!
This first expeditionary war, which is related to the power of our great dragon nation, must not go wrong in our hands."
"You are right, death is a small thing, but national prestige is big.
The burden on you and my brother is too heavy!
Let’s go, let’s summon the generals first.”
About half an hour later, all the generals who were commanding their troops to set up camp gathered in the big tent that had been set up.
After half a day of discussion, Cheng Kai, Ning Chao and several generals who had followed Liu Dashao in the western expedition directly supported the suggestions of the two military marshals Zhang Kuang and Nangong Ye.
Cheng Kai walked to the map and pointed to the location of Tianzhu: "Shuai Zhang, Shuai Nangong, seniors, brothers.
Judging from the topography of the map, Tianzhu is located in the southeast direction of Gistan City.
Although I don’t know at the end of the day whether the climate here is the same as our Dalong, it gets hotter the further south you go.
But based on what the caravan from the Western Regions told Mr. Lu, it is estimated that it is probably like this.
Now we are stationed eighty miles away from the city of Gistan, while Zala City, a border town in Tianzhu, is at least five hundred miles away from here and is located further south.
As soon as we arrived here, the brothers were already sweating profusely from the heat, and the shirts under their armor could even squeeze out water. One can imagine what the consequences would be if they went further south.
At that time, the brothers in the other army will not only attack the city to fight against the thieves, but also how to prevent heat stroke will be a big problem.
If the barbarian army takes the opportunity to attack, the consequences will be disastrous.
The general believed that the immediate priority was not to march directly to fight against the thieves, but to allow the soldiers to adapt to the inhospitable climate and climate problems in the two countries as soon as possible, just like the brothers who had encountered the altitude sickness mentioned by His Majesty during the Western Expedition.
Your Majesty said it before setting off for the expedition.
You will be outside, and you will not accept your orders. All situations will be decided by yourself depending on the situation.
The general has served His Majesty for more than ten years and knows His Majesty's character well. These words are by no means empty words by His Majesty.
This is what I mean, seniors and brothers, please think again."
"Two commanders-in-chief, I will add General Agenda's wishes at the end.
While we are stationed here to rest and adapt to the soil and water here, once an unpredictable situation occurs, this place is completely advantageous for advancing, attacking, retreating and defending.
Moreover, we can also send scouts to conduct reconnaissance during this period to find out the deployment of the two countries' forces.
As the art of war goes, know yourself and your enemy and you will be victorious in any battle.
Although we did not directly conquer the barbarians, we did not take any action.
It is far more advantageous to first explore the situation in the barbarian cities and let the brothers adapt to the soil and water here than to directly march blindly and end the Western Expedition faster."
Nangong Ye, Zhang Kuang, Wanyan Chiezha, Hu Yanyu and others looked at each other for a while after listening to Ning Chao's words.
"Generals, do you have any objections?"
"We have no objections."
"Okay, order the officers and men of the three armies to set up camp on the spot.
Starting tomorrow, troops and horses will be trained within a radius of thirty miles for one month to adapt to the soil and water of this place."