Chapter 256 The Enemy Is Missing

Chapter 256 The Enemy Is Missing

Chapter 256 The Enemy Is Missing

Dali Prefecture is located at the foot of Dian Cang Mountain, on the shore of Erhai Lake, on the Erhai Plain on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.
The climate here is comfortable, with distinct dry and wet seasons, no scorching heat in the summer and no severe cold in the winter. It is an important commercial center in Yunnan Province.

Now it has become the western barrier of Kunming Prefecture, making it an important military town.

Because of its important geographical location, it connects the north and the south, and the east and the west.

Dali Prefecture began to be rebuilt after the Ming Dynasty conquered Yunnan in the 16th year of Hongwu.
The overall scale and layout follow the style of the Hongwu period, with the city being square in shape.
There are city walls all around, with a gate in the east, west, south and north, a tower on each gate, and corner towers at the four corners.

In terms of the city layout, Dali City adopts a chessboard-like street layout, with streets running horizontally and vertically, crisscrossing each other.

There are many main streets running from south to north in the city, and many streets and alleys running from west to east, with a total of nine streets and eighteen alleys.

At this moment, at the end of Wenchang Street,

The deep inner chamber of the Dali Prefecture Yamen was tightly wrapped in an invisible oppressive atmosphere.

Although the sunlight tried to penetrate the cracks in the carved wooden windows,

But it seemed to be blocked by the heavy atmosphere, casting only mottled and faint light and shadow.

The light in the room is dim.

The prefect, Geng Junchang, was dressed in a dignified official uniform, with his back straight and his hands behind his back.

Pacing back and forth on the bluestone floor, each step seemed extremely heavy.

He frowned at this moment.
His eyes revealed annoyance and worry, and he let out a heavy sigh from time to time.

The bronze incense burner is placed in a corner of the room.
The smoke from the stove rose up and slowly drifted to the roof beams.

Then it slowly dissipated into nothingness, interweaving with the solemn atmosphere in the room.

Governor Feng Cheng sat quietly on the upper official chair, and even in casual clothes he could not conceal his authority.

He folded his hands on his knees, his eyes following Geng Junchang's steps, with a look of helplessness on his face:

"Master Geng, please don't leave. My eyes are blurry."

Governor Feng Cheng was over 40 years old and had been through hardships with Geng Junchang in the southwest for many years.

The two of them had a very good relationship, so they didn't have to worry about what they said.

Geng Junchang paused. He was also in his forties.
His long beard has turned a little gray.
He reached out and pulled it hard, his face showing annoyance.

"Master Feng, the enemy is right under your nose, how can you still sit still?
The military report just arrived this morning said that at least a thousand stragglers have come up from the Golden Tooth Guards.

They were roaming around Yunlongzhou and Yongping.

Now people have disappeared again, and people at the border are in a panic.
The guards in the two places don't know whether they should send out troops, so you should make a decision."

Governor Feng Cheng was still as calm as before.
But there was also a trace of sadness between his brows, and he spoke lightly:
"Don't worry, Lord Geng. I'm trying to find a solution.

Look at how you look now, you are in such a hurry. If your subordinates see you, they will also be panicked."

After hearing this, the prefect Geng Junchang became even more excited. He rushed to Feng Cheng and suddenly widened his eyes:

"Master Feng, the Luchuan soldiers under Si Lunfa are using every possible means.

More than a thousand people came over, and I don't know how many casualties the soldiers and civilians would suffer.

You know that there are only so many young and strong men in the outer villages. How can they resist?
By then, the Luchuan soldiers would use threats and inducements,
If we let them join in the chaos, it would be troublesome.

Will he be punished or not? Sir Feng, you don't have to worry about it, but I am the one who is worried."

Geng Junchang spoke very fast, spit flying everywhere.

After saying this, he waved his sleeves and continued walking around the house, sighing from time to time.

Seeing Feng Cheng still sitting there, Geng Junchang rushed over again and continued:
"Master Feng, the fire has already reached your eyebrows, why are you still not in a hurry?
Please go to the frontline quickly. Our Dali Prefecture is peaceful and prosperous now, and we don’t need you to stay here yet.”

Feng Cheng's face darkened:
"Master Geng, I just came back from Chuxiong Mansion and haven't rested for two days yet, and you want to drive me away."

Seeing that he was so anxious, Feng Cheng stopped keeping him in suspense and simply said:
"Master Geng, please take a seat first. It's not that I won't go to the front line, but I'm waiting for someone.
The troops from Beijing have already arrived in Yunnan, and one of them was specially sent by the Governor's Office to handle such matters.
It is said that he also served as a scout during the Northern Expedition, and his military achievements were enough to equal those of tens of thousands of men."

Geng Junchang paused, with a strange look on his face:
"The Beijing troops are coming? How come I didn't know?"

"This is top secret, and only circulated among the governors. You are an official of the governor's office, how do you know it?"

Feng Cheng added some ridicule to his words.
Although the two have a good relationship, civil and military affairs cannot coexist, and some confidential matters cannot be revealed casually.

Geng Junchang stood there in a daze, his expression changing back and forth.
"Will it be okay if the troops sent to the north are placed in our southwest?
No matter how much the soldiers of Huguang Military Command boasted, they still suffered heavy losses every time they attacked.

Lord Feng, I advise you not to pin your hopes on an army, but to rely on ourselves and think of other ways. "

As if talking about military affairs, Governor Feng Cheng's face was solemn. He nodded:

"Don't worry. I have already sent a letter to the Duke of Ying to ask him to transfer 2,000 soldiers from Guizhou to Dali to help us guard the border in case of any accidents."

As soon as these words were spoken, Geng Junchang stood still, his eyes suddenly lit up, Duke of Ying?

In the 15th year of Hongwu, Fu Youde, Duke of Ying, was appointed General of the Southern Expedition and conquered Yunnan.

Over the years, he has been traveling back and forth to suppress rebellions in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, etc.
His subordinates' strength in fighting in the mountains and forests is even more fierce than that of the soldiers of Yunnan Regional Command.

With these two thousand soldiers, at least Dali would be safe, and Geng Junchang felt a little more at ease.

"Master Feng, it's not enough. Most of the Silunfa forces are still gathering.
Once we have assembled, we will certainly launch a massive attack, and two thousand men are just a drop in the bucket."

Governor Feng Cheng's face darkened and he rolled his eyes:
"Sir Geng, are all the soldiers in the Chengdu Division just eating for free?

With two thousand elite soldiers on the side, it is enough to mobilize more than ten thousand troops and defend the west side of Dali."

Seeing that he wanted to say something else, Feng Cheng quickly raised his hand:

"Master Geng, don't worry.

Lu Yunyi, the scout of the front army, has been spotted by my sister.

The letter from home arrived yesterday, and my brother-in-law was very satisfied with it. This person must be no ordinary person.

Since the Governor's Office has praised them to such an extent, they can't be that bad. "

"Mr. Mu took a fancy to me?" Geng Junchang suddenly stopped in his tracks, his face looked strange, and he muttered:
"Why is there another ancestor here?"

"what?"

Feng Cheng had a puzzled look on his face. Before he could hear clearly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door.
Feng Cheng's personal guard came to report:
"Sir, the vanguard scouts have already arrived at the South City Gate and are now entering the camp."

"It's here? So soon?"

Feng Cheng looked surprised, slowly stood up, looked at Geng Junchang on the side, and smiled:
"Let's go and see it together. We can tell whether it is a mule or a horse at a glance."

The military camp of Dali City is located in the southwest corner, occupying a large area.
When Feng Cheng arrived, the vanguard scouts had already entered the camp and were setting up camp at a rapid pace.

As they walked along, Feng Cheng's brows were sometimes furrowed and sometimes relaxed, his expression was a little solemn and a little surprised.
Because he had never seen some of the things in the front scout unit.

Only after a careful look can we find out the truth.
For example, the cart in front of you is somewhat different from the previous carts, wheelbarrows, and horse-drawn carriages.

The cart in front of me is short and made of iron.
Different from the previous one wheel or two wheels,

The cart in front of me has four wheels and stands firmly on the ground. It should also be made of iron. At this moment, it makes a creaking sound when walking on the road.

The platform carrying the items may be only five inches from the ground, which is not that big.
There was a metal handrail on one side of the platform, making it easy for the soldiers to push forward.

What shocked him even more was that he saw with his own eyes a soldier taking down a tablet.
The handrails and wheels were installed in front of him, and it took only a cup of tea.
Then they loaded the military supplies, which could only be moved by several people, onto the car and left quickly.
Geng Junchang standing by was even more shocked. He was not an official in Dali Prefecture, and he wore out several pairs of official boots every year.
A few days ago, he was walking around the carriage houses in the city.

Almost all horse-drawn carriages were requisitioned to transport military supplies.

He saw with his own eyes the common people carrying the military supplies with their own bodies.
I work so hard but I can't speed up.
The cart in front of me is a good item.

Geng Junchang's eyes were flickering back and forth, and he planned to order someone to give it a try when he returned.

The further they walked into the army, the more surprised they became.

They just saw a cart that was completely opposite.
The handrails are particularly long, and the platform for carrying goods is not large, but it is extremely easy to use.
A large box that normally requires several people to carry can now be pulled around by a soldier just by gently shoveling it in.

They also saw the boiler mounted on a cart.
The cart was remodeled into two floors, with firewood burning on the bottom and a large pot on the top.

There are steamers piled up, with steamed buns or rice in them.

The slightly greasy fireman was pushing a cart around, yelling:
"Hurry up and take it, or it will be overcooked!"

Governor Feng Cheng walked in the military camp, the seriousness on his face had disappeared.
Instead, he looked around in wonder, wondering why this military camp had become so unfamiliar.

Geng Junchang blinked his eyes, feeling a little disappointed, and complained: "Master Feng, how many good things are hidden in Yingtian that have not been told to us?
If those two small carts were used to transport military supplies, it would save a lot of effort!
Lord Feng, you come from a distinguished family.
But you can’t become petty just because you are in Yunnan.
These good things in Yingtian will be wasted if they are put in their hands. We have been fighting wars for years and now we need them. You should ask the Governor's Office for them."

Feng Cheng was also a little confused at this moment:
"How could I know that Yingtian already had these guys?

Don't worry, I will send a letter to Ying Tian in a moment.
Have them send the blueprints and craftsmanship over 800 miles, and we'll build it overnight."

Geng Junchang frowned instantly and looked at Feng Cheng with some confusion.

Feng Cheng reacted and shook his head quickly:

"I was wrong. I should have asked them for it. Why would I go so far to seek help?"

Soon, the two arrived at the front army scout's tent.
At this moment, many people were coming in and out.
They ran in and out of the military tent, holding documents in their hands.

Before they came close, the personal guard Feng Yunfan stepped forward to stop the two. He had already noticed that the two were acting suspiciously.
"May I ask what your names are, my Lords?"

"I am the governor Feng Cheng. Take me to see your master."

Feng Cheng stood still with a serious expression, and his sneaky behavior just now disappeared.

Feng Yunfang's eyes narrowed, "The governor?"

He was startled and bowed quickly: "I greet Commander Feng, please follow me."

"lead the way."

Inside the military tent, Lu Yunyi was busy and exhausted.

Every time we set up camp, it was a time to replenish military supplies.
But because the vanguard scouts were lightly equipped and had a small number of followers, they always had to make choices.

So when Lu Yunyi looked at the ten documents in front of him, he felt that everything on them was useful.
"Black Hawk, how much more can we bring?"

Liu Heiying sat aside, tapping his abacus, and said without looking up:
"Seven of the fifteen documents in front of me are related to future wars and must be taken with me.

They are arrows and crossbows, food and water purifiers, medical supplies, signal flags and horns, armor and knives, horse feed and fodder,

Other essential items include tents and camp construction materials, cooking utensils and fuel, fortification materials, spare ropes and tools, etc.
However, the military supplies that the spare war horses can carry can only support five of them, and there are still ten types of military supplies that cannot be squeezed out.

If all of them were carried, the speed of most of the troops' progress would be slowed down by at least 20%.
So my suggestion is to put down the original books and maps, entertainment and psychological support materials, extra fuel and lighting equipment, large medical tents and makeshift treatment tables."

Liu Heiying's face was solemn, he spoke very quickly, his hands kept flipping through the booklet, his eyes moving back and forth over it.
Lu Yunyi pinched his brows and said in a deep voice:

"Take the makeshift treatment table and medical tent with you.

Give up some fodder and horses, and only take 20% of the signal flags and horns.
Armor and knives can also be dropped off in advance. If that doesn’t work, bring less. At worst, you can wear the enemy’s weapons.”

"it is good!"

Liu Heiying quickly agreed, flipping through the booklet with one hand and tapping on the abacus with the other.

The sound of snapping continued to ring out. After a few breaths, Liu Heiying said in a deep voice:

"enough."

Liu Heiying handed over the document in his hand.

The dozen people sitting opposite him immediately became busy, writing documents to allocate money to purchase supplies.
call.
Lu Yunyi let out a long sigh, threw the document in his hand aside, picked up the next one, and looked solemn.

"grown ups!"

At this moment, the voice of the personal guard Feng Yunfang rang out.
Lu Yunyi didn't look up, but glanced over.
In an instant, he saw two strangers standing at the entrance of the military tent, looking at him seriously.

Feng Yunfang said quickly, "Sir, Commander Feng is here."

As soon as these words were spoken, the people who were busy in the room quickly raised their heads and looked towards the entrance of the military tent.

Lu Yunyi reacted the fastest, with excitement on his face.
Then he flicked his hand lightly, and the documents and books on the table closed.

He quickly walked out from behind the desk and bowed:
"Your subordinate Lu Yunyi pays respect to Lord Feng."

Geng Junchang, who was standing next to Feng Cheng, also bowed quickly:
"Your humble servant Geng Junchang, the prefect of Dali, pays respect to Lord Lu."

Bending down, an expression of disbelief and shock quickly appeared on his face.

Too young, not only him, but everyone in the military tent is young, in their twenties.
It doesn't look like a military camp, but more like a school.

Feng Cheng, who was standing by, also noticed this, his face became serious, and he nodded slightly:
"You are Welcome."

Lu Yunyi straightened up, looking respectful:
"I just arrived today and haven't had time to visit Master Feng yet. Please forgive me."

Feng Cheng waved his hand, took in the entire layout of the military tent, and looked at Lu Yunyi with a smile:
"Why are you being so polite? When the war is over, you will call me uncle."

As soon as these words were spoken, many soldiers in the military tent who had their heads lowered looked up in shock, and then lowered their heads again, with the fire of gossip burning in their eyes.

Lu Yunyi felt a little embarrassed.

He had never told anyone about his relationship with the third daughter of the Mu family.

Now that it's been said out loud, I feel a little awkward.

"Lord Feng, the matter between me and Miss Mu has not yet been finalized. Lord Feng, I am sorry to trouble you."

As he spoke, Lu Yunyi gently waved his hand.
Many soldiers present walked out with their heads down as if they had been pardoned.
When Liu Heiying left, he gave him a look that told him to wish him good luck.

When the whole camp was quiet,

Feng Chengcai smiled and sat down at the main seat, looking Lu Yunyi up and down.
He is tall, handsome, with dark skin, bright eyes, and a bit tired.
Feng Cheng nodded unconsciously, and even he had to admit that Lu Yunyi in front of him looked very good.

He said in a deep voice: "I have read the documents from the Governor's Office. I heard that your unit has special training for mountain warfare?"

Lu Yunyi's face was solemn, his posture was stiff, and he immediately answered:

"Your Excellency, I have read many military reports on the battles in Yunnan while I was in the capital.

We have also carried out targeted training for the soldiers, and we have seen some results along the way."

Feng Cheng nodded slightly after hearing this:

"Whether it is effective or not will be proven on the battlefield.

But I feel that your troops are now all cavalry, it would be a pity if they went into the forest to fight on foot.
If you want to go somewhere good, you can tell me and I will transfer you there."

After these words came out, Lu Yunyi's face showed some astonishment.
Geng Junchang, who was standing by, suddenly became anxious and took a step forward, but Feng Cheng raised his hand to stop him.

"Master Geng, you'd better not interfere in military affairs."

Geng Junchang let out a sigh of relief and bowed:
"Your subordinate Meng Lang has been reckless."

After the voice fell, Lu Yunyi immediately said:
"Sir Feng, the purpose of this expedition to the southwest is to eliminate border troubles.

It is also a way to kill the enemy, and fighting on foot is also a meritorious service to the country.

Since the three prefectures are now threatened by border threats, my troops will do their utmost to deal with them."

Feng Cheng's eyes lit up, his slightly solemn expression relaxed, and he smiled:

"Well, he's a brave man.

This morning, the front line sent an urgent report that more than a thousand soldiers from Luchuan entered the border between Yunlongzhou and Yongping and disappeared.
If the front-line scouts are confident, I intend to send you to clear them out."

"I obey your command!" Lu Yunyi answered without any hesitation.

The front scouts had many horses, and the reason they were not disbanded was that they had made great contributions in the northern expedition.
Now that we have come to the southwest, if we do not perform well, someone might want to take these war horses when we return.

Lu Yunyi saw this very clearly.

If you want to maintain the army, you have to perform sufficiently difficult military duties to make yourself irreplaceable.

Feng Cheng was very satisfied with Lu Yunyi, and Geng Junchang also breathed a sigh of relief, looking at him with more admiration in his eyes.
Although he is young, he is very responsible.

The military tent was quiet for a moment. Feng Cheng seemed to have thought of something and asked:

"I saw two new types of carts in the camp earlier. Are they newly developed by Yingtian craftsmen?"

Lu Yunyi blinked his eyes, puzzled:
"Excuse me, sir, what kind of cart is this? There are six types of carts in the front scout camp."

After saying that, Lu Yunyi looked at the guard Feng Yunfang standing in front of the door:

"Yun Fang, go find all the carts in the camp and take one as well."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)