The second half of the decree is: In order to increase the strength of the northern defense, let Cheng Yanjin put forward some useful suggestions according to the limit of 500,000 guan.

"This household is really stingy. And that Lao Du, after becoming the secretary of the Ministry of War, he is not his own brother, what can 150,000 guan do, how can he also have 1.5 million guan, all of which are replaced with flying cavalry armor, plus heavy armor, this is a heavy soldier. Cheng Yanjin complained as he sent someone to fetch his horse, apparently he was going to go to Huayuan immediately.

Liu Mu said with a smile on the side: "Brother Cheng, do you know how many coins are in the Hubu warehouse now?" ”

"It doesn't matter how much he has, Lao Cheng just needs to have enough ordnance."

"I'm starting to wonder if it was a bad decision for the Ministry of War to let you choose ordnance."

Cheng Yanjin laughed, pulled Liu Mu and prepared to set off for Huayuan immediately.

"Can you do it tomorrow?" Yanagi really didn't want to travel overnight.

Cheng Biting Jin would agree, and forcibly pulled the willow wood to get on the horse and go to Huayuan, and after the horse ran, Cheng Biting Jin said: "Huayuan is a forbidden place, there is the gold medal of the Emperor Taishang, and ordinary people can't get close at all." There are rumors in the military department that there are 200,000 elites in Huayuan. ”

"Is there such a rumor?" Yanagi didn't believe it.

"Yes!" Cheng Biting Jin said very seriously: "The initial rumor is that the north gate of Chang'an should be placed there, when the emperor did not have a Zen throne, he once said that he leaked his mouth, saying that even if a soldier was not sent, the Turks hit Huayuan 50,000 died 50,000, and 100,000 also died, that is not Huayuan's top 100,000 elites." ”

Only then did Liu Mu remember: "It seems that such a thing was said back then." ”

"Look, Lao Cheng didn't talk nonsense."

Liu Mu said again: "However, the original meaning of the original words is not this, I mean that Hua Yuan has 100,000 soldiers, not that Hua Yuan can kill 100,000 Turkic elites." ”

"Does it make a difference?" Cheng Yanjin was puzzled.

"There is a difference. Brother Cheng, let me ask you, have you seen my general's cannon. ”

"I've seen it, good thing, that thing is just as you said, put a thousand doors in a array, and there is not a single grass for five miles. This thing is powerful, but the saint is not at ease and does not allow any army to use it. I heard that the thing is too expensive at the moment, and it is a few dollars at once, and it costs a thousand gates, which is estimated to be enough for the military expenses of 20,000 horses and horses for more than half a year. ”

When Liu Mu heard Cheng bite Jin say this, he understood in his heart that Lao Cheng was really Li Shimin's confidant.

Liu Mu said: "The team of people who made the general's cannon, although there are only two ghost workers, less than twenty skilled workers. These people do you say they are the top 20 battalions? ”

Cheng Yanjin nodded very seriously: "If you want to say so, you can stand it." ”

Liu Mu remembered that there was a saying in later generations, a Qian Lao topped five divisions, in fact, these ghost workers in the Tang Dynasty can also top a battalion of people. At least one battalion.

The first battalion of Datang is about 3,000 people. There are about 30,000 people in the 1st and 10th battalions.

At present, the minimum number of guards is 25,000 and the maximum is 40,000.

From Sanyuan to Huayuan, this road was originally a hundred miles.

Cheng Yanjin's subordinates had even brought dry food and water, as well as pots and stoves for the march. The willow wood and the hugging qin are lightweight, and the willow guards each have only a small backpack, and then there is a small bamboo box on the saddle bridge behind the horse.

After leaving the Qingheyu training camp, he walked up to the avenue and said to Cheng Yanjin: "Eighty miles, I estimate that it will be very hard, and others don't take this seriously." ”

"Eighty miles, isn't it a hundred?"

"A hundred miles is an old road, and eighty miles is a new road. This road, for people outside the four northern counties, no one knows. Brother Cheng is the first one. ”

As he spoke, Yanagi rode his horse onto the avenue.

Cheng Yanjin followed behind, and was really surprised when he saw this way.

The road is fifteen zhang wide, and the road is about about one, and there are already many horse-drawn carriages driving fast on the road. The left and right sides are six zhang wide, with a short bush wide in the middle, and a forest more than one zhang wide on each side, and there is a drainage ditch between the forest and the road.

The road surface is full of very dense cinders and gravel.

Cheng Yanjin saw that the carriages on the road were all four-wheeled and two-horse load-bearing carriages, running fast and steady on the road.

"This road is not yet finished, there is no money and there is not enough cement at the moment, in the future there will be more coins, the cement production will be higher, and the road will be paved with a layer of cement, and this road will be like a smooth stone road, the speed of the carriage can be increased a little more, and the horse can be more labor-saving."

"Good way." Cheng Biting Jin has been fighting for many years on the march and knows what kind of road is conducive to a fast march.

"Such a road will be built all the way to Shuofang, of course, this is just a plan, this money cannot be paid by me, the household department can't come up with so much money, and the Ministry of Industry doesn't have enough manpower to build the road."

Cheng Yanjin nodded fiercely, it is best to repair such a road to all parts of Datang.

And such a road is more horsepower efficient and faster.

Cheng bites Jin and gallops wildly, and Liu Mu is hard to follow, it has been more than five years in Datang, but unfortunately this riding skill still can't be compared with the first-class generals. It can only be said that it is barely stronger than ordinary people.

Cheng Biting Jin ran thirty miles in one go, which made the horse slow down and rest.

At this time, there is an extra poor road on the side of the road.

"Wood, this is the way there." Cheng Yanjin shouted.

Liu Mu gasped beside Cheng Yanjin for a while, then pointed to the side of the road and said, "Didn't you look at the sign?" It's called a rest area, and no carriage is allowed to stop on the road, it will get in the way. It is also not allowed to destroy the woods around the trees, there will be a rest area every forty miles, and there will be shops here. ”

"Let's go, let's take a look." Cheng Yanjin pulled the willow horse and went to the rest area.

The rest area was large, with a carriage parking area, people who fed the horses, and people who repaired the carriages and washed the horses.

Then there is the dining area, which sells basic meals.

Guanzhong people like to eat noodles, there are many varieties of noodles here, and the business of the noodle restaurant is very good.

Cheng Yanjin laughed and jumped off the horse, threw the horse to the professional groom here, and then strode to the noodle restaurant and shouted for a bowl of hot noodle soup.

Liu Mu sat down next to Cheng Yanjin, and before Liu Mu could open his mouth to choose noodles, Cheng Yanjin shouted: "You stupid wood, you know that there is a noodle restaurant here, why didn't you say it when I brought dry food, brother." ”

"I also have dry food, and dry food is necessary for walking. It's just that my dry food doesn't have as much of a burden as you pack, and the dry food is enough to eat. ”

"Really?" Cheng Yanjin was a little skeptical.

Liu Mu nodded affirmatively: "It's absolutely true, I'll show you in Huayuan." ”

"Okay."

Liu Mu and his party did not arrive in Huayuan that night, and walked more than 20 miles, which is considered Huayuan, but has not yet reached the county seat. There is a natural inlet, and in the middle of a valley, the river converges into a large inlet.