Song Wentong stood up and took a pastry made of this year's newly bloomed osmanthus to eat. "Brother Guangming said that King Qin is now asking the Supervision Department, especially the CIA and the Military Intelligence Bureau, to send excellent people to Chang'an, Luoyang and all towns in the world to install them. I heard that this time the plan is extremely huge, and the entire Supervision Office is operating in full force, and even the General Staff Yuan, the Governor's Office of the Five Armed Forces, and the Military Department are fully cooperating. He also said that this is a rare opportunity. ”

"Oh, at this time, he suddenly made such a big plan, could it be that King Qin is preparing to go south? Are you going to march into Luoyang, the eastern capital, or Taiyuan, the northern capital?"

"No, some of the news I've heard is the opposite. I heard that the joint meeting between the King of Qin and the Provincial Cabinet and the meeting of the Political Hall were being held during this time, and it seems that I heard that the situation of our Qin Domain is not optimistic, and the years of war have almost wiped out the family's foundation. Li Qilang, the head of the household, has even submitted his resignation at the meeting of the political affairs hall, planning to stop picking and choosing, saying that the king of Qin asked him to take care of the house, but now that the Qin clan is under his management, he has waited until the grain for the autumn harvest is not enough, and he also said that now the arsenal is empty, and the armor, weapons, gunpowder, and arrows are all used up. ”

"Is it really that serious?" The Song Wang clan didn't know about those situations, she just felt that the Qin Domain was as strong as ever, especially Yanjing City, which had changed too much in the past few years. Although the original Youzhou City is also very large, it is too different from today. The original Youzhou City is only a small part of the current Yanjing City. Youzhou Yacheng has become the expanded royal city, and Youzhou City has become the inner city of Yanjing today. Yanjing City also built a huge city wall outside the original city, enclosing a huge outer city, and it was in the north of the original Yacheng. A splendid palace was newly built.

Yanjing City has doubled several times compared to the original Youzhou City. And the population has also increased by an infinite number. I heard that the total population of Yanjing City has reached one million now, second only to Dengzhou City. And if only the registered population of Yanjing City is counted, it has also reached 800,000 people.

Every day, the streets are full of people, people of all colors and colors from all over the world, as well as all kinds of commodities gathered here, indescribable prosperity and stability. She really couldn't imagine that Qin Fan had already been affected by continuous wars. There was such a big problem.

"You say this but it feels a little bit, the price of grain has risen now, since King Qin entered Youzhou, the price of grain has been very stable, this is the first time that the price has risen, and the limit of food stamps has also increased, our food stamps this month are less than 20 catties, and each person has decreased by 10 catties."

Song Wentong nodded thoughtfully, although he was a native of New Yanjing, he had already heard about some of the situations in the Qin Domain. Zhilu Dao was in the Qin Domain, and grain was an official supply. The price is the most stable when it is limited by population. It can be said that grain is the foundation of the prosperity of the Qin Domain today. Now there is a situation where food prices have risen, food stamp quotas, and food supplies per person have decreased, which really shows that Qin Fan's foundation is almost beaten now.

It's all those Hu people, and now hundreds of thousands of troops and five legions are still fighting outside the pass, and it may even have to be a long-term confrontation and battle, which will take a year or two. Under such circumstances, it is a bottomless pit, and a large amount of grain, grass, horses, livestock, ordnance, etc. are constantly being transported to the outside of the customs. And because of the long distance, too much of this grain and grass has been consumed on the road. In addition to these, because of the continuous wars, in the past two years, the Qin clan continued to recruit unity soldiers and township soldiers to the battlefield again and again, and even recruited people to transport grain and grass.

These young laborers have been away from home for many years, which has also caused great damage to local production. It will not be obvious for a while, but when the Qin army launches wars one after another, or even double-front battles at the same time, or even three-line operations, the inventory that the Qin army has worked hard to accumulate over the years is constantly decreasing.

In addition, the Qin army's continuous military victories, continuous expansion of territory, and increase of population are naturally excellent on the surface. The speed of expansion was too fast, and the population could not be digested, which eventually led to the accelerated consumption of food and materials of the Qin army.

After the end of this Daibei War, the Qin Domain's family background finally bottomed out.

Under such circumstances, it is necessary to maintain the bottomless giant hole outside the Northern Pass, and the Qin Domain is indeed unable to continue to expand. For the Qin army, continuing to expand, too fast expansion speed will make the Qin Domain, which cannot be digested, hold to death.

"Don't worry, King Qin is so wise, he must have seen the problem early, as long as he adjusts the direction in time, our giant ship will always be the safest and sturdiest. However, it is likely that we will not be able to expand aggressively for the next few years, and it will take a long time to digest and absorb. That's why we need to send a large number of people to the towns, and from now on, maybe we'll have to fight with the towns for a long time instead of fighting. ”

"It's good that this way, I can finally stop for a few years. Fighting wars every year, month after month, such days are really annoying. When I sleep at night, I am always unsure, and I am always worried that one day the Qin army will be defeated, and Youzhou City will be broken again, and this good day will come to an end. "The Song Wang clan doesn't understand too many big truths, but they are so satisfied with the stable and well-fed life under the rule of King Qin that there is always a sense of unreality.

The courtyard door slammed, followed by fast and steady footsteps, undoubtedly, this is Chen Lun, the son of Song Wentong's boss Chen Bing, who came. He walked into the porch, holding a ball in one hand, and greeted them very familiarly, "Hey! Brother Zhengchen, sister-in-law. ”

He was wearing a gray sports cotton shirt and pants, because he had just finished kicking Keju, his tanned thin face was radiant, his hair was tied with a brocade ribbon and looked a little unkempt, and he had a tea cigarette in his thin mouth, looking completely the kind of child who was not bound by the family and had received the new education of the Qin Domain. Song Wentong still wondered how Chen Bing, a child who was only twenty years old, had received such a traditional old-style education before, and after studying in the Dengzhou Academy of the Qin Domain for a few years, there would be such a big change.

In particular, I heard Chen Bing say that Alun was originally a little weak, but he studied in Dengzhou for several years, and just joined the marine division in Tianjin this year, and spent most of his time at sea and training on warships. Eating the food of the army. How can it grow longer and stronger. The original slender figure has gradually become tall and burly. Song Wentong was a little envious of Chen Lun's tanned skin, because it said a lot of things.

The blue sky and the sea, the naval battleship, Keju.

He greeted him with a smile, "I heard your father say you're going to Ryukyu?" ”

"Yes, Brother Zhengchen. The naval division has recently received a new mission, and a fleet will go to Ryukyu, the island of Oshima, opposite Fujian, and the General Staff plans to send two marines of the naval division to accompany the fleet. It's a nice opportunity. I signed up, but my father hasn't agreed yet, so Brother Zhengchen has to help me persuade my father. It's not fair that he himself wants to go to Chang'an, but he won't let me go to Ryukyu. "Song Wentong and Chen Bing's brothers are commensurate, but Chen Lun calls Song Wentong, who is only five years older than him, this generation is a little messy, but everyone doesn't care, each according to their own name.

Song Wentong smiled hesitantly, a young man like Chen Lun. After a few years of new-style education in Dengzhou, it is the age of enthusiasm. It's normal to want to go further afield. However, he was not familiar with this Ryukyu, and he had only heard that it was a large island across the Fujian Sea in the southeast. It is said that the island is very large, almost larger than the Shandong Peninsula or the Liaodong Peninsula. But it's a wild and miasma land, with only a few uncivilized natives. During the Sui Dynasty, Yang Guang sent troops to the Ryukyus by floating to the sea, and even captured many natives to Chang'an.

In recent years, with the prosperity of the Qin Domain's commerce, many families from Dengzhou Liaodong have gone to Ryukyu Island to cultivate sugarcane orchards, plant sugarcane, and then build a sugar factory there to refine frosting sugar and rock sugar, and then directly transport it to Guangzhou, where it is sent to the mainland or overseas, which is very profitable.

"What is the fleet going to the Ryukyus for? Growing sugar cane? Song Wang poured Chen Lun a cup of chilled bayberry soup and asked.

Chen Lun smiled, "Ryukyu is a big island, equivalent to several states. Nowadays, our maritime trade is very important to the Qin Domain, so it is very important to establish a stable and powerful naval base in the southeast sea. I heard from our captain that the Ryukyu Island is a large island, and it is located opposite Fujian, not far from Lingnan and Annam, and that the establishment of a naval base there can greatly improve the security of our maritime trade routes. Moreover, the Ryukyus are separated from the mainland by a strait, which is safer than the original Hushuzhou base. In the future, it will be possible to establish a foothold there, and even establish a transit point for maritime trade goods there. In addition, you can grow grain on the island, and I heard that rice can be grown there three times a year, and if you get it right, it can be a grain production base. ”

Chen Lun said with some excitement, in fact, he knew that there was more to the Tao than that. In fact, at this time, the Qin army sent sailors to the Ryukyus, although it had the intention of protecting the maritime trade routes and establishing a safe cargo transit station, but more importantly, the Qin army was strengthening its penetration and control over the southeast coastal areas. Now the Qin army sent a fleet and two marines to it, and when the station was established, it would be able to establish a self-sufficient huge sea base here, radiating the entire southeast coast and maintaining a deterrent power at any time. When the right time comes, when the Qin army moves south, this sea base can even threaten the southeast from the rear.

This is a long-term chess piece, although the Qin army is in the north of the mouth of the Yangtze River, there are also Yuzhou Island in Haizhou and Hu Tuozhou in the Yangtze River. However, Hu Tuzhou's place is too small, there are too many soldiers and horses stationed, the logistics supply is difficult, and there are fewer garrisons, and it is inevitable that the original Hu Tuzhou sneak attack will be repeated. Moreover, in the coastal towns further southeast, Li Jing's communication with them was not smooth. Now, after the long coastal strip of Hangzhou Bay, Fujian, Lingnan East, and Lingnan West has become Li Jing's allies, Li Jing needs to put a force to go to Ryukyu to play the role of liaison and guide the towns.

There was a knock on the door, and the old blind man Chen Bing and his wife got down from the carriage outside the door and came in behind several servants.

Song Wang stood up, brushed her hair with her white and tender hand, and gently dusted off her clothes, "Aaron, your parents are here." ”

Chen Lun got up and looked at Song Wentong with a sad face, "Brother Zhengchen, it's all up to you for a while." ”

"Brother Guangming's visit to the Humble House really makes the Humble House shine." Song Wentong got up and strode forward, stretching out two thick arms. Chen Bing smiled and strode over, stretching out his hands as well. He wore a well-fitting military uniform, a blue tunic with gold buttons, several battle medals pinned to it, and a badge indicating his newly promoted rank of lieutenant.

"Have you thought it through?"

"Brother Guangming invited, I am naturally respectful rather than obedient." Song Wentong smiled, and Chen Bing nodded, very happy. With such a capable subordinate as Song Wentong to follow him to Chang'an, he had a little more confidence in his heart this time.

"Father!" Chen Lun also came forward to greet his father.

Chen Bing glanced at his son, looked at his outfit, and glanced at him with some displeasure, "You're welcome, you came early as you went back to your own home." ”

"I talked to Brother Zhengchen, we are brothers."

"Zhengchen is your name? I am commensurate with his peers, you should call him uncle, no big or small, this is what you learned in Dengzhou Academy and the Marine Corps? On Ah Bing's thin face, the narrowed eyes suddenly opened, and his gaze was sharp, "Drink, I actually drank wine." He glanced at the table and saw that his son also had a glass of wine in front of his son's position just now, and couldn't help but say.

"Father, what kind of old ideas do you have. I'm twenty years old, and I'm already a senior soldier in the Marine Corps, so I'll be promoted to corporal soon. How can anyone who is a soldier not drink? In the Marine Corps, if you don't drink, you won't be laughed to death by all your comrades. ”

"Really? I remember that alcohol was not allowed in the academy. But what's it in your hand? Ah Bing really had a headache for this son, and thought that he would send him to the academy so that he could become a young elite in the future and become a civil official after taking the national examination. But who would have thought that after studying in the academy for a few years, he didn't discuss it with him at all after graduation, so he ran to sign up for the Marine Corps. Now, at the age of twenty, he still refuses to get married, but he wants to go to Ryukyu, and he has learned to drink.

"This is a tea cigarette, made of tea leaves and some Chinese medicinal materials, light the fire and smoke this smoke, similar to drinking tea, but it is much more convenient, no need to boil water to make tea, and it also has the effect of refreshing the mind. This is the new tea cigarette from Dengzhou Cigarette Factory, Mustang brand, a pack of 20 cigarettes, the price is 5 cents, which is not cheap. But now this tea cigarette is selling very well, especially in the army, it is the most popular, and you may not be able to buy it if you have money. I got this bag from our team leader, and my father and Brother Zhengchen will also come to compensate for it, so that after you draw it, you will never forget this taste. (To be continued......)