Guo Ning has tried his best to make himself look more mature. He has a short beard on his chin. His daily exposure to food and shelter has also made his face dark and his skin looks rough. However, Feng Shuang treats everyone equally. Compared with ordinary aging, he still looks too old.
Young.
Especially during this patrol, many senior generals would ask Mrs. Lu how she was doing and when Marshal Lin'er was born. According to the customs of the Central Plains and the North, the age at which men and women get married is older than that of the Southern Song Dynasty, but not by much.
He looks about eighteen or twenty years old, so after many people asked him, they would immediately react: Our Marshal Guo is actually so young.
Fortunately, with his status here, no one would dare to treat him as a young man, whether he is used to it or not.
Guo Ning looked around the surroundings and found a familiar officer in the crowd.
"Ge Qingshu, come out!"
Ge Qingshu came out of the queue with a smile and gave a military salute to Guo Ning.
"When I came from Guichuan, I heard my old enemy say that you and Hu Luzi decided on the settlement arrangement in Jinshan City together? Can you two Shandong people understand our solar terms in northern Xinjiang? What if I make a mistake?
Zhao Xuan can forgive you, but I won’t!"
"Marshal, don't worry! I'm better at farming than fighting! I can do it!"
"Take me to see and talk about it. I'm very familiar with Jinshan. If you don't talk well, I'll drag you out and beat you!"
Ge Qingshu was not polite and urged his horse to lead the way.
Because there was not enough manpower, there were very few new acres of land around Jinshan. But back then, the Jin Kingdom used Jinshan as its last stronghold to protect Juyongguan, and they had made great efforts to operate it. Two years later, you can still see the acres of land back then.
traces, shallow furrows among the weeds.
"Marshal, don't worry, these are good lands, and the soil is moist and soft. We have tried to open more than 500 acres. Marshal, look, it's right there. The ground has been very warm these days, so it's just right for plowing.
Hide the energy of Yang He into the earth."
Guo Ning was born in a military family for generations, and he ate imperial grains, so he was not very familiar with farming. But he knew the principle of early plowing in autumn and late plowing in spring. Hearing what Ge Qingshu said with confidence, he asked:
"What about the other land? This land is close to Baiyan Spring. The other land has not been touched in two years. I'm afraid they are all hardened?"
"That's not the case. The city has been built here for hundreds of years. The land has been plowed and cultivated again and again. It won't break down in two or three years. There aren't many lumps in the soil. Even if it does, a few war horses can be used to trample it.
It can be crushed easily."
Ge Qingshu rode his horse over and stepped on it a few times, and then said: "We plan to seize 150,000 acres of land near Jinshan after autumn. We will plant beans and millet first. Then we will seize the people before the cold weather.
When enough is used, the original aqueduct will be re-opened and a waterwheel built. Then, the roads from Jinshan to Juyongguan, to Guichuan, and to Longmen will also have to be re-paved."
"Speaking of roads, it seems that the one to Juyongguan is the most important. The north is a place for military use, and cavalry can come and go. It doesn't matter if there are roads or not." Guo Ning said casually.
When Ge Qingshu wanted to speak, Zhao Xuan had already rushed over and said, "That's not the case. Marshal, the road to Longmen is also extremely important."
"Why is this?"
Guo Ning was familiar with all the states behind Monan Mountain. After asking in one sentence, he immediately patted his forehead: "Iron mine! There is indeed a mine in that place. It seems that it has been passed down from the Liao Dynasty to the present, and it has been around for many years!"
Zhao Xuan looked happy and nodded repeatedly.
"Marshal Gao Ming. If we make good use of the several iron mines over Longmen, the supply of weapons and armor for the soldiers in the military states behind the mountains will be much more abundant. In addition, of course, the people recovered from the grassland are still there.
It is necessary to monitor, but small items such as hoes, guillotines, sickles, hooks and sickles, and large items such as plows must be in full supply. Therefore, the gantry is very important, and the road must be widened and consolidated as soon as possible."
"Yan Ning also reported the matter you mentioned. However, are there still people in the mine now? They have all fled long ago, right? I remember that the Zhongdu Ordnance Department and the mine supervisor both said that it is difficult to dispatch blacksmiths and mining masters.
What are you..."
"Ahem, Yan Ning and I have some old friends in Shandong. It won't be difficult to mobilize some craftsmen and masters through the Yidu Privy Council to support us."
"That's very good... However, you still have to send a letter to the Ordnance Department and Mine Supervisor in Zhongdu. They should send people to take care of it. Let them send people. Naturally, you can use the output of ore and iron tools, but they should take care of it.
Jin Qing has already issued a decree on the organization, and even the attribution of subsequent taxes, so just follow it."
As the territory becomes larger, the powers of the generals stationed in various places also become larger, especially after the navy's military household and shadow household system is implemented. The generals stationed on the front line also have the instinct to seize power for various reasons.
In the case of Zhao Xuan, he was a chief official temporarily transferred from Shandong. If he wanted to establish himself locally, he naturally had to show some results to others, so he wanted to use mining, metallurgy and ironware production as a starting point.
Guo Ning is an old soldier himself, so he sees this very clearly.
Fortunately, the soldiers were not trying to deceive others. They just wanted to create a fait accompli and used a few words from Guo Ning as a cover. Guo Ning was not used to it and made it clear with just a few words.
At this moment, all the subordinates bowed.
"As commanded."
Zhao Xuan stood up and said: "The situation is still a bit tense right now. Marshal, if you look at it in a year and a half, we will not only be able to manage Fengsheng Prefecture and Hongzhou, but also push our troops to Xuande Prefecture and push forward
Go to Changzhou!"
"Okay, then I'll wait to show you my merits!"
Guo Ning laughed.
Changzhou is Guo Ning's hometown. Zhao Xuan can say this, which makes him very happy. In any case, it is a good thing that officers have such thoughts and actions.
Due to the turmoil on the grassland, the number of people who will flee southward will continue to increase for a while. This will be a huge test for the already fragile material supply system of the Ding Navy. Before Guo Ning went on patrol, he moved Chu Cai to
Zhongdu was once again in dire straits.
However, as the Dinghai Navy gradually operates in the states behind the mountains, the pressure on food and supplies and the military pressure on Zhongdu will gradually ease. The soldiers on the Jinshan side have the confidence and confidence to build things from scratch on the grassland.
It is not inferior at all to the Guichuan River in the west and the line from Yongxing to Hongzhou. This is a good thing.
In a year and a half, or a little longer, the economic output and military capabilities of the states behind the Monan Mountains will definitely be greatly improved. At that time, this treasure land will not only serve as a shield for defense, but will be able to use offense instead of defense.
, and turned into our own base to threaten the plateau. If this can be done, all the generals present will naturally have made great contributions.
Thinking of this, Guo Ning felt a little excited. He pointed at Zhang Shao, who arrived last: "It seems that if you want to go to Jinlianchuan in Huanzhou to take office early, you have to urge Zhao Xuan more."
Zhang Shao clenched his fist and said, "I stare at him every day!"
Everyone laughed at that moment.
The more senior officers present had only followed Guo Ning for two or three years. Like all warriors, they once thought that the life of a warrior was just fighting, massacre and destruction. But with the expansion of Ding Haijun's power, these soldiers who started from the army
Warriors are growing up. They begin to learn to draw on white paper and rebuild their homes on the ruins. And they will gradually realize that the joy that construction brings to people greatly outweighs destruction.
Guo Ninghui had his own purpose in coming here, but the patrol ended when he reached Jinshan Mountain. There was no need to go to Longmen. Zhao Xuan led him into the city to rest for a while.
On this trip, Guo Ning left Zhongdu and headed west first to check out the operations of Jing'an people in Zhuozhou and Yizhou. Then he passed through Qingbaikou, passed Shuigu, Huangu, Chaotian Village, and arrived at Yanche Village in Fanshan. Then he
He went all the way eastward, not only to inspect the operations of various military towns north of Juyongguan, but also to stare at the scene of several Mongolian tribes fleeing south.
The appearance of these tribes running around was naturally embarrassing, but Guo Ning knew very well that even if various tribes were fighting on the grassland, with the powerful power of Genghis Khan, if they really wanted to stop several thousand families from fleeing, they would definitely be able to do it. These people can
Arriving at the control area of Dinghaijun in full force proved that Genghis Khan had no intention of intervening and no sign of mobilizing troops south of Yehuling.
When Zhao Xuan and Shi Tianni went to the grassland last time, they left a few reliable cronies to continue lurking. Just ten days ago, someone came from the grassland with news that Genghis Khan had gathered at least 60,000 to 70,000 herdsmen and three men.
Ten troops with more than 1,000 households went all the way west.
