Finally, at the end of August of the eighth year of Taikang, near September, Li Xin and others, who had been slowly going north, finally arrived near Jizhou City.

Jizhou City, is the closest city from Jimen Pass, this city is not big, because it is a border city, there are not many people willing to settle here, the people of the whole city together, only 50,000 people.

But this city has a full 100,000 Zhenbei troops, and it is precisely because of the existence of the Zhenbei army that Jizhou City, which was built by the pass, is not so deserted.

Jizhou City further north, is the world's famous Jimen Pass, the Northern Zhou Yuwen family, is also guarding this pass, as the Northern Zhou Dynasty through the door, Ye Sheng broke the Northern Zhou Dynasty, also chased to the Jimen Pass, the Northern Zhou Dynasty drove back to the north of Jimen Pass.

The northern defense line of the entire Great Jin Dynasty is composed of Jimen Pass and Yunzhou City.

Of course, it is impossible for the entire 100,000 Zhenbei army to be stationed in Jizhou City, in fact, the defense line around Jimen Pass is dozens of miles long, and the city wall of Guancheng is connected into a line to resist the invasion of the nomads in the north.

However, it is impossible to build the fortress for too long, after all, the cost is too high, so there is still a long period of defense line that is not very easy to walk, there is no city wall, only beacons, and they rely on wolf smoke communication with each other, and once there is an enemy situation, other places will immediately rush to support.

At the beginning, Li Xin led his troops to the north, and fought a battle with the people of the Yuwen tribe in Xiao Chenji, and Xiao Chenji Fengsui was one of the more classic northern Xinjiang defense lines.

Generally, a beacon controls a defensive line of about five miles.

Part of the strength of the Zhenbei Army was used on these beacons, but most of the troops remained in Jizhou City, after all, the vicinity of Jimen Pass is a rare flat land in this area, and once Jimen Pass is broken, there is basically no danger to defend in the north of Dajin.

Looking at Jizhou City in the distance, Ye Mao, who was sitting on a jujube red horse, put down the clairvoyant mirror in his hand, his expression was a little excited, he turned back to Ye Mao and bowed his head and said: "General, Jizhou City is still twenty miles at most, let's walk a little more today, and we can get there in the evening." ”

When the weather is fine, his eyesight is like and disgusting, and the naked eye can see the city dozens of miles away, not to mention that Ye Mao has a telescope made by Li Xin in his hand, so he can see Jizhou City from a distance.

Because of the proximity to Jizhou City, Li Xin did not lie on the grain cart at this time, he sat on his ink horse, and also closed one eye and glanced at Jizhou City with a clairvoyant mirror, and then said: "Find a place to camp, let's enter the city early tomorrow morning." ”

Although Ye Mao was a little puzzled, he only frowned slightly, then lowered his head and went down to make arrangements.

It is also important to camp in the army, especially large-scale marches, and you must choose a good place, near the water to prevent the enemy from attacking, far cliffs to prevent the enemy from throwing stones, and try to keep all sides unobstructed to prevent being surrounded by the enemy, etc., many subtleties must be done, otherwise the enemy will see your flaws, and you will suffer a big loss.

This even includes where the toilets are arranged, and it is necessary to be cautious, otherwise it is too close to the barracks, and the combat effectiveness will be seriously affected in the summer.

Regarding these things, when Li Xin led the troops to the west last time, he didn't know at all, Ye Mao, who had learned these things since childhood, was doing them, and now five years have passed, Li Xin has learned a lot from Old Man Ye, but because he took Ye Mao, these chores are still done by the little grandfather.

It takes about an hour or two to set up camp, it is already afternoon, and when the camp tent is set up, the sky has darkened, and the little grandfather has dealt with the affairs in the army, and then he came to Li Xin's handsome tent, he just walked in, and saw his uncle and the young man who came with him in the Jing'an Hou Mansion was busy working around a big pot in the handsome tent, the young man was adding firewood under the pot, and Li Xin, the general of Zhenbei, was holding a big shovel and was stir-frying something in the cauldron.

Ye Mao took a closer look, only to see that the pot was fried brown fried rice.

Seeing Ye Mao coming, Li Xin beckoned to him, and said with a smile: "You came just in time, this thing has just been fried, grab a handful for you and taste it." ”

The little grandfather sat opposite Li Xin with some tears and laughter, and said with a wry smile: "Uncle Shi, if you show the people below you that you are not doing your job properly, it will affect your morale." ”

The Marquis of Jing'an said with a smile: "Don't worry, I let people guard the door, and outsiders can't come in." ”

"Besides, we don't rely on these forbidden armies to fight, the key is the Zhenbei Army in Jimen Pass, it's great that when I was in the Zhenbei Army, I was more serious."

Saying this, Li Xin took a handful of fried rice and put it in Ye Mao's hand.

"Grab a handful for you and bring it back, the people in this army are too particular about cooking, and I don't have the habit of eating it until now."

Meals in the army are generally boiled in a large pot with things that can be boiled, and some salt is thrown into them if the conditions are good, and if the conditions are bad, they are soaked in water with strips of cloth soaked in salt water, and it is naturally impossible to taste good.

As long as Li Xin led the troops to the battle, he always ate what the soldiers ate, so he suffered a lot in the past two months.

While saying this, Li Xin grabbed a handful of fried rice and stuffed it into his mouth, and nodded with satisfaction.

"Incense."

At this time, the little grandfather looked at the smiling Uncle Li in front of him and was stunned for a while.

All these years of contact, Li Xin is teaching him, taking him, unconsciously he has subconsciously regarded Li Xin as an elder, at this time when he saw Li Xin like this, he suddenly found that his uncle was a young man a few years younger than himself.

He was in the broad palm of his hand, took the fried rice handed over by Li Xin, raised his head and stuffed it into his mouth, and after chewing a few bites, he immediately spoke deliciously.

Because of the food in his mouth, the little grandfather's speech was a little slurred.

"A few years ago, I knew that Uncle Shi was good at food, but in the past few years, I thought that Uncle Shi was no longer good at this."

The Marquis of Jing'an stretched out his hand and grabbed a few handfuls of fried rice, put it into a small cloth bag, stuffed it into Ye Mao's arms, and said with a smile: "Take it back and eat it, don't let others see it, otherwise others will know that we eat Xiaozao." ”

Ye Mao nodded, looked up at Li Xin and asked, "Uncle Shi, in fact, we can enter Jizhou City today, and the generals and officers of the Northern Army who have entered the town will have to give us a good meal, why do you have to delay it for a day?" ”

Li Xin was stuffing fried rice into Zhao Fang's pocket at this time, and after listening to Ye Mao's words, he smiled slightly: "It's unlucky to enter the city at night, we have to enter the city early in the morning, so that it looks magnificent." ”

The little grandfather stuffed a handful of fried rice into his mouth again, and said vaguely: "Uncle Shi always treats me as a fool, definitely not for this reason." ”

After Li Xin finished his work, he sat back on his main seat and said with a smile: "A few days ago, I sent a letter to Yunzhou City, and now the reply from there should be back." ”

"I'll wait here for a day, and then enter the city when the reply from Yunzhou City arrives."

The Marquis of Jing'an's voice was calm.

"Besides, entering Jizhou City early may not be a good thing, if we enter the city one day earlier, the imperial court will force us to send troops earlier, and now I don't know what the situation of the Yuwen Zhubu is, and it can be delayed for a day."

As he spoke, Li Xin looked up at Ye Mao.

"Do you recognize the people in the Zhenbei Army who can speak?"

"I don't recognize it."

Ye Mao shook his head again and again: "It's the first time I've come to Jizhou City, how can I recognize it, but the last time I went west, there were several generals in the Zhenbei Army who followed my father to the west, and I knew it." ”

"As for the others, they just know a name and haven't met."