There are many problems with mercenaries, but even so, loyalty, combat effectiveness, and military discipline maintenance, and the fact that they have a great influence on the Republican Army's northern defense line itself, in such a situation, the Republican Army still uses such a mercenary. There are many reasons for this.

The IRA developed firearms, artillery, engineers, and a variety of other arms, but lacked cavalry units. The cavalry was desperately short of many fully manned troops, which affected the Republican army's reconnaissance and pursuit tactics.

As the front continues to move north. The vast front is getting bigger and bigger. The lack of cavalry will become extremely passive, which is very disadvantageous for the Republican Army, and when the cavalry problem cannot be solved in a short time, the Republican Army can only adopt this compromise mercenary cavalry method to solve it. It's a poison. But the IRA needs this poison at the moment.

In the civil sector, other measures of the Republican Army also had a positive impact on the Xiongnu and Wuhuan people in the north.

They have always been on the passive side of trade. This is extremely disadvantageous for them. How to reverse, they are quickly looking for this way.

With the passage of the Republican Army, the newspapers reached many places.

The Huns and Wuhuan also noticed that many tribal leaders were actively studying, or organizing their children to learn the Central Plains language and writing, because newspapers could carry a lot of information. They can read that stuff and know a lot. Although a newspaper can be exchanged for a sheep on the other side. Even an expired newspaper costs more than a sheepskin. But they still need to collect more of these newspapers.

"These newspapers say something." A bearded merchant lit a newspaper on the table and said that it cost five sheepskins to get it. This thing, for the Huns and Wuhuan people, is better to wipe their butts.

The other guards shook their heads in confusion. They didn't know what it was about, and it was already hard for them to understand what five sheepskins could bring.

"Okay." When the bearded merchant saw the blank looks of the guards, he knew that they would not be interested in what he wanted to say, and they did not understand what it was all about.

The newspapers said that there were other things in the northern steppes, such as copper, gold, coal, and all sorts of other minerals. And these minerals can be exchanged for money. The tribes of the steppe, what they lacked, was more money, without which they simply could not do these things.

The Republican Army opened up trade with the North, a large number of new goods, better armor, stirrups, horseshoes, iron weapons, arrowheads. Even all the iron tools they need are available. Life on the prairie has indeed changed a lot, but the problem is that more things make their money unsustainable. Cattle and sheep have long been unable to support them to do more to solve such things.

Under such circumstances, the tribes of the steppe must find new sources of wealth. Otherwise, sooner or later their horses will have to be traded, which is absolutely unfavorable for them, and this disadvantage will cause them even greater disaster. That's where they are right now.

Ordinary cattle and sheep can no longer support such big ambitions. The production of cattle and sheep requires a natural cycle, and in the absence of technical support, the tribes on the grassland are simply unable to do this. The grasslands need money, and all kinds of money are generated quickly. This money will be used to meet their various needs to the greatest extent.

And now, those Hu merchants from the steppe. They found it. The newspapers gave them more information, and they could look for all sorts of favorable evidence from this information to show that more of their things would be more favorable.

Mineral. The newspapers of the IRA provided some information, the IRA needed minerals, copper ore, iron ore, gold ore, these can be disguised, in their north, there are so many possible minerals, they just need to find out all these things, and then dig them up, sell them to the Republican Army, or, let the Republican Army directly develop them, they can make more money, and the war will continue, for them. This is definitely a favorable thing.

Yes, the Republican Army needs minerals, and minerals can be dug up. This requires a natural cycle and does not require growth. That's the most important thing to do in the grasslands. Mineral. This is the only way out for the grasslands at present.

In the face of the depletion of financial resources. Coupled with the constant attrition of the war, this is the only way for them to survive, to grow stronger, and to survive among more tribes.

Now, the IRA's purpose has been achieved. Trade easily did what the Republican army had never done, mobilizing the other side's resource advantages for resource development and utilization.

Li Jiazhuang, War Department.

"Cao Cao's ministry already knows that we have a new flintlock firearm. And they have already taken action and expressed their willingness to purchase such a batch of firearms. Jia Xu handed over the telegram from the intelligence department to Shang Wu.

Shang Wu nodded after reading it. This is not a surprise at all. Because the Republican Army has been scattered one after another, some of these weapons and equipment have been distributed. Because it is a single soldier weapon and equipment, the number is large, and it is impossible to keep it secret, and Shangwu has already made such preparations.

"That's a good thing, at the very least, they're able to take some of the orders. But the quantity, too little. "The only thing that Shangwu is not satisfied with is here, and it seems to be a pity.

"Yes, there is still a lack of a greater opportunity for war to promote our weapons, and at the same time create greater chaos and bring us greater benefits." Jia Xu said. Jia Xu also knows very well that the arms companies that can bring greater profits to the Republican Army are arms, because many companies have direct or indirect relations with arms.

But to do something like this, it takes a lot of chaos to have a chance. They were waiting, waiting patiently, but this kind of waiting was the hardest thing to endure, and it was an extremely troublesome thing for them.

"I think Luoyang is quiet. Quiet, I'm a little unaccustomed. Shang Wu said. Recently, Luoyang has received too little information. Shang Wu was very dissatisfied. But in reality, the IRA did a lot of preparations. For example, to collect information on the road to Luoyang, the General Staff is drawing up a more detailed map.

The situation of the defenders on the passage, as well as all sorts of obstacles, etc. These are some pieces of information, but most of the things have not changed, and what Shangwu needs is a change in strategy, because only in this way can the Republican Army have a greater chance of development.

"Probably a move in advance. But there are other things that we need to be aware of, and the slow action of the state side is mainly due to morale and the difficulty of supplying supplies. After all, as you know, the state army has to take a detour far, far away, avoiding us in order to reach Luoyang. However, for some reason, Dong Zhuo's march was also much slower, you know, they had already left Hangu Pass and arrived in Luoyang, and there was not much distance left. Jia Xu said.

"It may be a problem of military discipline or supply, Dong Zhuojun's logistics supply currently needs to be done by ourselves. Military discipline may also cause them some trouble. Shang Wu explained.

The Republican Army knew that Dong Zhuo's army was advancing by robbery along the way, and they might have encountered some trouble, which was enough to bring them a big obstacle.

"After Firefox withdrew from the intelligence, it caused us a lot of trouble. We have no idea what is going on in the court, which is extremely disadvantageous, and if we don't let it out, probably we won't have such trouble. Jia Xu said.

Jia Xu was very dissatisfied with Firefox's withdrawal. Because it was the only main source of intelligence in the IRA's court, it was mainly very reliable. Although the IRA also infiltrated certain positions in the palace, the information they provided was too limited. For example, most of the information they got was useless, the nickname of Emperor Han Ling. Meals in the court, and who was sick. Or the prince's share. The IRA doesn't need that, they need more intelligence, valuable intelligence, which can only infer some indirect intelligence, but definitely nothing of value.

"Wait. Maybe there will be some turnaround, but we just need to be patient for now. Shang Wu said. Jia Xu nodded, they could only do this.

At this time, Firefox had already arrived at her first stop by carriage. Handan.

"Oh my God, is this Handan? The Handan in history? It's impossible, it looks like a small city. Firefox looked in amazement at the shops, street lamps, and newspaper boys that kept appearing on the side of the street. They shouted loudly. Waving the newspaper in their hands, there are many people doing all kinds of small business. It looks like old Shanghai. Firefox felt like he had arrived in another world. And this Eastern Han Dynasty era is completely not in the same orbital world.

"Sure enough, that person is here, I really don't know what this guy is doing, and he is developing so fast. It looks like a different style entirely. Firefox sat in the carriage and said, the carriage is different, it is a four-wheeled carriage, it is more comfortable, but on the previous road, it is a kind of torture.

The development here is completely different. It is bustling everywhere, and it is not on the same track as ancient Luoyang. If you really get here, you will have such a feeling that you have suddenly gone from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the old Shanghai at the end of the Qing Dynasty. It's an amazing feeling.