The Dahua Empire, Fengjiang, was in ruins. In a barricade converted from a basement that had been preserved, a Dahua officer threw some maps on his desk.
The maps in his hand came from the Tang Empire and were much more accurate than their own city maps. Although many marked areas have now become ruins, the maps of the Tang Empire are still more valuable for reference.
The maps produced by the Dahua Empire themselves were so inaccurate that sometimes they were even unusable.
To the north of this barricade is the Fengjiang Railway that runs from east to west and passes through Fengjiang City. It is now an area where troops from both sides dare not move easily.
As a result, some civilians in Fengjiang who had not moved away began to start businesses around this railway. Some sold some food and supplies, and some simply provided some random services here for the armies on both sides.
Since the Dahua troops re-entered Fengjiang, or spent money to buy back their occupied areas, the intensity of the exchanges between the troops on both sides has plummeted. Today you shoot two shots, tomorrow I will shoot one. It has been very
There are fewer large-scale combat operations.
After a month of peace and nourishment, the local residents have exploded with vitality. Many children gather around the railway line to dig up bullet casings and sell them for money, and some children sell newspapers from the Tang Empire here.
s things.
They went to the bridge and some simple docks built along the river in the afternoon to "buy goods", and then came to sell along the railway early the next morning. Under normal circumstances, there were only people from the Dahua Empire who were relatively short of supplies.
Come and buy.
The Tang Empire would not care about such transactions across the river. Anyway, the people on their side were just driving small boats to transport newspapers, canned instant noodles and other things to the other side of the river. They would be back soon.
So the border guards patrolling the coast didn't bother to stop them.
Those who came across the river to pick up goods would also go back to sell them. They would not stay for a long time, so no one would ask.
As the war continued, the Tang Empire's management of the border areas also relaxed, because the number of Dahua people trying to cross the border also began to decrease.
Most of the people have evacuated southward, and those who are related have already crossed the border. The rest are Fengjiang people who are unwilling to leave or can't leave. It is impossible for them to "smuggle" to the Tang Empire.
Since the surrender, Zhao Chen and his senior generals have strictly ordered their troops to trade with the Fengjiang defenders. Smuggling was forced from the open to the underground, and private market transactions became prosperous.
The soldiers' spontaneous and individual actions are unlikely to be stopped by the superiors. On the contrary, everyone continues to perform various previous operations under similar banners.
It is obviously unsafe to go to other places. You will not be attacked only along the railway. This railway is like the Peace Hotel in Fengjiang City. Everyone agrees that certain rules must be followed here.
"Look at the newspaper! Yesterday's newspaper! The Lines Empire test-fired a Scud missile! Extra! Extra! The border between the Lines Empire and the Sussus Empire is tense! The Lines Empire tested a Scud missile!" In this underground barricade,
You can even hear newsboys hawking goods next to the train tracks in the distance.
At nearly ten o'clock in the morning, the area near the railway tracks looked like a market. There were people selling newspapers from the Tang Dynasty, and there were also children shining shoes. Many people even set up stalls here with vegetables or bread, and from time to time you could find cans and the like.
of high-end goods.
The Tang Empire's support to Fengjiang has continued. Although the number of weapons and ammunition supported is small and relatively restrained, the Tang Empire has always been very generous in terms of civilian supplies and food.
The common people can receive all kinds of food every day. If they save a little, they can go to the railway tracks to make a little fortune.
The market was very lively. Soldiers from Fengjiang carried guns and ate some street food here. Soldiers from the Dahua Empire also bought some ingredients and bread here.
The old lady sitting in the sun would help the soldiers repair their damaged uniforms for a fee. The old man next to her had a variety of weapons and ammunition placed in front of her.
Yes, you can really buy weapons and ammunition here: the most common one is the Cyric Type 1 bolt-action rifle, as well as Thompson submachine guns and various pistols and gun accessories.
The weapons that can be sold here are all second-hand, which these civilians found in the ruins of the battlefield: some rifles even have dried blood stains on the barrels.
Many soldiers on the Dahua side are potential users of these rifles and parts: if you lose your weapon on the battlefield, you can buy one here and take it back for delivery. The Dahua Empire stipulates that soldiers who lose their weapons will be severely punished.
Apparently you can get away with it if you come here and buy a gun.
Moreover, the Dahua Empire's logistics supplies are very poor. Many Dahua soldiers' weapons are broken and lack parts for repair. You can buy the parts you want here, so that you can ensure that your weapons are in good condition and can be used at critical moments.
Always protect your own life.
There are also some Dahua soldiers who will buy some extra bullets here because the number of bullets they are issued is insufficient and they may run out at critical moments.
Everyone is bargaining in the market, because the weather is getting colder and colder, sweaters and cotton-padded clothes are hard currency in short supply. The down jackets of the Dahua Empire are world-famous, and they are even more popular among soldiers when placed here.
Especially the inner bladder that can be worn under military uniforms, it is simply priceless, and anyone who can get such a thing can really be said to have great skills and eyes.
Most soldiers can only buy some cheap clothes, and there are a lot of them in the Fengjiang ruins. The self-reliant troops look for, pick up, and rob in the ruins. The more civilized way is to collect them in the ruins.
Buy in town.
Because of the Battle of Fengjiang, many civilians and local wealthy people had already fled, either to the Tang Empire or to Shanping or other cities.
The weather was not that cold when these people left, so they probably discarded their old clothes - of course the poor would take them all with them, but some rich people may not be willing to take so much luggage.
The desperate local civilians who stayed behind couldn't care less about the bombardment. They would enter the buildings destroyed by the shells, look for all useful things, and then take them away.
This kind of thing has continued to develop until today, and it has become a point where people are blatantly prying open doors and pressing locks, going to unoccupied houses to snatch things, and rummaging through "goods" to sell.
Some civilians will even live in such a house, enjoy the former middle-class life, and use all the items inside as a matter of course.
"What's wrong? Captain?" Seeing his immediate boss so depressed, the staff officer came over and handed him a cup of hot tea.
This barricade was built on a semi-buried basement, surrounded by a circle of relatively tall half-windows, forming natural shooting holes close to the ground. Ruins and sandbags were piled on top, making it extremely sturdy.
It was chosen as the headquarters of their regiment because it was hidden, relatively close to the railway line, and some distance from the front line.
Compared to eating and sleeping outside, the living environment here is pretty good. At least in the increasingly cold weather, they can be sheltered from the wind and rain, and they can even burn a stove to make some hot water or cook some food.
After all, this is the regiment headquarters, so the conditions must be better, not to mention that they are relatively close to the "market". If you really can't stand it, you can go to the market to purchase some things and come back.
"It was given by the division headquarters." The regiment leader pointed to the map on the table and an order under the map, and answered his staff's question.
The staff officer walked over, looked at the exquisite map above, and then saw the document below, and showed a helpless smile: In the afternoon, their regiment will send out two companies of soldiers to maintain security along the railway.
because……
Because the Tang Empire has another train to pass by. This train is actually the materials exported by the Tang Empire to the Great China Empire. It is also a variety of luxuries that are waiting for the imperial capital. They are all the things of the nobles, so it must be
To ensure the absolute safety of trains.
"It's really a wonderful song and dance to bring peace." The staff officer put down the document and said with a smile to his regimental leader: "Compared to those troops in the south, this mission is actually quite good."
"I feel embarrassed. As a soldier, do you look after a railway for the enemy?" The regiment leader poured warm tea into his stomach and exhaled.
"It's better to be embarrassed than to lose your life." The staff officer poured another cup of hot tea for his regimental leader: "At least we still have tea leaves. If it's not next to the railway, where would you drink these?"
The regiment leader held the tea cup and stopped talking, because he knew that he was indeed being hypocritical. If calculated according to the intensity of the fighting before the armistice, his regiment could only fight on the front line for three to five days.
The additional recruits will soon be exhausted, and then they will be withdrawn and placed in the rear to rest, waiting to go to the front line to die.
Now it's better, they don't have to go to the front line to risk their lives, everyone is just doing their jobs, so the losses will naturally be smaller, and of course fewer people will die. Everything seems so logical.
It has to be said that the current situation is the best situation that is in the interests of all parties, but no one knows whether this is really a good thing for a country.
"You're right, I'm a little stubborn." The group leader still sighed and reflected on himself.