Three Kingdoms: The Reverse Son of the Guan Family, Dragon Blessing Jingxiang

Chapter 603: Fighting is about combat power, but also about supplies——

In the middle of Shu, the residence of military advisor General Zhuge Liang is not very conspicuous. The six-foot-wide door is always missed by passers-by.

The courtyard in the mansion is not large, with a total of ten rooms in two rows on the east and west sides. Huang Yueying improved eight of them into special workshops, where she tried to make one invention after another provided by Guan Lin.

Zhuge Liang worked in the main hall and study room as soon as he entered.

Because of the special and sensitive time, there are now three secretaries in the General's Mansion and outside Zhuge Liang's office who are on duty day and night, delivering battle reports from the front line, issues governing the state, trends in Shu, and a series of complicated matters.

Usually, the young people headed by Yang Yi would sort through them in the main hall first, select the more important ones, and send them to the study.

At this moment, in the study, Zhuge Liang was reading the urgent report spread out on the long desk. As the urgent report went deeper, his brows slightly furrowed.

It was early spring, and there was still a chill to the bones in the middle of the night, but Zhuge Liang was completely unaware of it. Under the dim oil lamp, his expression fluctuated along with the handwriting on the emergency report. After struggling to read the last word, he realized that the oil lamp was about to expire. extinguished.

Stand up, replace the wick that is about to burn out, sit down... and reread.

The Northern Expedition to Hanzhong has begun, and more than half a month has passed since the main army set out for the expedition. For more than half a month, letters have been sent back from the front line every day... and the wooden slips in front of Zhuge Liang are as heavy as a thousand pieces of stone to him. .

The emergency report recorded in detail the entire process of "crossing Micang Mountain" in the first battle of Hanzhong.

Xia Houyuan came with 8,000 elite men, but Huang Zhong only brought 3,000 men;

Xia Houyuan wanted to recharge his batteries and then cross the Han River and climb Micang Mountain, hoping to fight Huang Zhong to the death at the peak;

But Huang Zhong, traveling lightly and simply, with lightning speed, crossed the mountain top at an impossible marching speed. Only 800 of his 3,000 soldiers were left behind, so he lurked in the Han River and attacked halfway across the Han River...killing Xia Houyuan on the spot. Shensu Battalion's seven thousand elites even captured his son Xiahou Ba.

It can be said that they have successfully opened up the main battlefield in Micang Mountain, allowing Liu Bei and Fazheng to lead their army to advance to Dingjun Mountain smoothly!

People talk about their strengths and avoid their weaknesses...

Xia Houyuan could do five hundred in three days and one thousand in six days, which was extremely fast...

But in this battle, Huang Zhong was faster than the gods. He used his own way to attack his body... the fight was really domineering!

"Old General Huang is so powerful..." Yang Yi on the side couldn't help but sigh after seeing Zhuge Liang reading: "Also... Yun Qi's approach of risking the Micang Mountain mentioned in "Yunbie Biography" now seems to be... correct Yes, it’s accurate! He...he calculated it correctly again!"

Following Yang Yi's emotion, Zhuge Liang also nodded, and then mused: "I have never questioned Yun Qi's decision, and I have never questioned General Huang's decision. This battle was fought beautifully, but..."

After talking about it, Zhuge Liang hesitated slightly.

Because, according to the messengers who came back from the front line, this battle was beautiful. Liu Bei and Fazheng led the army to cross Micang Mountain and advance to Dingjun Mountain. All of this was for the best, but Zhuge Liang noticed something.

That is... the consumption of food——

That's right, the 200,000-strong army was rushing outside, crossing the mountains and extending the supply line of food routes.

As a result...both the quantity of food and the transportation of food will face huge problems.

The battle line... is too long!

If it only takes one month to complete, that's fine, but if the battle stalemates at Dingjun Mountain and the confrontation lasts for more than three months, then food and transportation will become the biggest problems.

Yang Yi didn't know what Zhuge Liang was thinking or worrying about. She just saw his solemn expression and asked, "Our army has won a great victory. How come the military advisor has such a bitter expression?"

"My biggest worry has never been that the army cannot cross Micang Mountain. It is precisely after the army crosses Micang Mountain..."

Zhuge Liang sighed, and handed Yang Yi another urgent letter about the grain storage in the granary.

As Yang Yi unfolded, Zhuge Liang continued, "It has only been a month since we sent out troops, and almost all the grain and grass in Chengdu's treasury have been transported to the front line! It is only February now, and there is still a long way to go before the autumn harvest. If this battle cannot be carried out quickly, The battle will be over soon, I was thinking...where will we raise food from then? How will we transport it?"

Having said this, Zhuge Liang took out another urgent letter and handed it to Yang Yi, "These two letters are urgent letters from Jinniu Road and Chen Changdao. As expected, our army was feigning an attack, so... these two places were in a stalemate with the enemy. However, this means that the grain road cannot pass through the Jinniu Road. It must also climb over the Micang Mountain and be transported from the Micang Road... Raising grain is not easy, and transporting grain is even more difficult... If there is really no food, Then... now the lord leads his army to cross Micang Mountain. When the time comes... it will be extremely difficult to cross back again! Food... is a major hidden danger for us! Wei Gong, don't forget, if you follow what is described in "Yunbie Zhuan" , this battle in Hanzhong will last two full years!"

this…

Zhuge Liang's words made Yang Yi swallow a mouthful of saliva subconsciously. He was still overjoyed, but suddenly he became nervous.

Undoubtedly, Zhuge Liang saw further.

It seems that the army is going out to compete for combat power, but in fact, it is for supplies!

The attacking party is often constrained by supplies. As long as the supply problem is not solved, the enemy can always use the tactic of fortifying the wall and clearing the field!

If I don't fight... I just defend, consume, and delay!

You must know that Zhang Lu and the Five Dou Rice Cult surrendered to Cao Cao, leaving Cao Cao with enough military rations for ten years on the Western Front. On the issue of food and grass, there is no doubt that... the Shu army is at an absolute disadvantage, and the Wei army has the upper hand. !

"call…"

Following Zhuge Liang's words, Yang Yi sighed heavily, and his expression suddenly became serious. "So that's it..."

Zhuge Liang then asked: "I previously ordered you to purchase grain on a large scale through the Commerce Department, transport grain from Jingzhou, and purchase a batch of grain from those black market merchants even at high prices. How far has it progressed now? ?”

this…

Zhuge Liang's words made Yang Yi hesitate for a moment. He showed a bit of embarrassment, and then replied truthfully: "It's not going well. During the war, food was already skyrocketing... Even with the regulation of the Commerce Department, the temperature in various places in Sichuan can be controlled temporarily. Large counties and counties can purchase grain on a large scale, and no merchants will sell it at this time. As for transferring grain from Jingzhou, this is more difficult... Jingzhou has also been in constant battle in the past two years, and the grain stored in the treasury needs to be supplied by the second general's Northern Expedition. Even if we can transfer some, it will be a drop in the bucket. As for the black market..."

At this point, Yang Yi sighed, "The black market is even more difficult. Before... there were merchants in Shuzhong and Hanzhong trading with each other secretly. Shuzhong's well salt, Shu brocade, and Shu ginger were extremely popular in the Central Plains, and Shuzhong also We need medicinal materials, furs, spices and handmade products from the Central Plains... Both sides often tacitly agree to this kind of merchant trade. But now that the war has begun, all trade channels have been closed... If it weren't for huge profits, which merchant would dare to take risks? This way Sending food! So... through the black market, I'm afraid..."

Zhuge Liang's three plans for raising food, Yang Yi proved with three vivid facts that these... all failed.

It is precisely because of this that Yang Yi's tone suddenly became lower and his expression darkened.

It's terrifying to think about this kind of thing, and the impact is too great, so I don't dare to think about it in depth.

Rather…

Yang Yi mentioned the sentence "If it weren't for huge profits, which businessman would dare to take risks"... taking risks?

Zhuge Liang suddenly thought of something. It was... a conversation between him and Liu Chan more than half a month ago.

Zhuge Liang remembers that when he was in Zitong, he heard that Liu Chan got into trouble again.

This time, the Shu brocade sold to other places in the Commerce Department was cut off.

After returning to Chengdu, Zhuge Liang learned more details. It turned out that...for three months, all the Shu brocades that were supposed to be sold to the Central Plains were cut off by Liu Chan for "inexplicable" reasons, so that...the originally prosperous North-South Mutual Market, Shu Brocade has been out of service for three whole months!

Zhuge Liang immediately sent Liu Chan to ask for clarification.

For a moment, all the memories of the conversation between the two that day appeared before his eyes.

"Adou? Why do you want to cut off the export of Shu brocade? Do you know? Every year...Sichuan earns such a huge amount of grain, grass and cloth through the export of Shu brocade?"

Facing Zhuge Liang's inquiry, Liu Chan just gently spread his hands, "Well... my master Guan Lin taught me this. He said... Shu brocade is a hard currency in the Central Plains, and the price is higher than the price sold in Shu. Times? And once the Shu brocade exported from Central Shu is cut off, the Shu brocade in the Central Plains will definitely skyrocket..."

Liu Chan's words directly confused Zhuge Liang. Yes, blocking the export of Shu brocade can indeed double the price of Shu brocade, but...it was the merchants in the Central Plains who made this money, and it was the hoarders in the Central Plains who made this money. They Shu There is no such thing!

In addition, now that the war is about to break out, it is the time when money and food are needed everywhere. If the export of Shu brocade is stopped for three months, perhaps for the 200,000 troops, that is half a month or even a month's food!

Thinking of this, Zhuge Liang couldn't help but shake his head, unable to hide his disappointment. He sighed: "Now that your father is away on an expedition, what he lacks most is food, not this luxurious Shu brocade!"

But Liu Chan went on to say, "Master Zhuge only knows one thing but not the other. According to my master Guan Lin, everyone has a price, and everything is profitable. As long as there is a 10% profit on something, , it will be used everywhere; with 20% profit, it will become active; with 50% profit, it will lead to active risk-taking; with double profit, it will make people disregard all laws; if there are 3 Doubling the profit will make people not afraid of committing crimes, and even risk hanging their heads..."

What is this and what?

At that time, Zhuge Liang couldn't understand it. He only felt that Liu Chan's behavior was not a fool's errand, but it was an indisputable fact that it delayed the war opportunity and delayed the supply and supply of food.

But looking back today...

That's a whole new story.

Especially the words "taking risks" proposed by Yang Yi...

Seeing Zhuge Liang thinking, Yang Yi asked, "What is the military advisor thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about something..."

"What words?"

Following Yang Yi's question, Zhuge Liang replied calmly: "As long as a thing has 10% profit, it will be used everywhere; if there is 20% profit, it will become active; if there is 50% profit, it will be used everywhere. It will lead to active risk-taking; if there is double the profit, it will make people disregard all laws; if there are three times the profit, it will make people not afraid of committing crimes, and they will even risk hanging their heads!”

"Ah..." Yang Yi was startled, but he seemed to understand something from these words, "The military adviser said... if there is a way to make those black market merchants 50%, or even double or triple the profit, they Will you take risks...find a way to raise rations for our army and transport them there?"

Yang Yi's words made Zhuge Liang nodded slowly.

"I think…"

After he chanted the two words, he paused for a moment, then slowly opened his eyes, and said lightly: "I think...that's what he meant, right?"

he…

Yang Yi looked like a Zhang Er monk who was confused. But then again, this is him! Which one is it again?

It is separated by a wall from the study room of the Military Advisor General's Mansion.

In a building that was converted from a wing into a workshop, Huang Yueying also saw the emergency report, but her focus was completely different from Zhuge Liang's. She held the bamboo slips in her excited hands and stared at it with her eyes.

"Crossing Micang Mountain, using gunpowder whips and arrows to defeat the enemy halfway across... Is this... is this a great success for black powder?"

With this sentence, Huang Yueying's smile widened even more...

It seemed like she was congratulating herself!

Her efforts over the past few months have yielded results, but of course, this result...is far from what was expected!

Gunpowder whips and arrows, this is just the simplest use of black gunpowder. According to the map sent by Guan Lin, incendiary bombs, gunpowder whips and arrows... and then the fire blunderbuss, artillery... the more powerful red cannon, which is the shock weapon. The Sky Thunder Cannon is Tao Tribulus (grenade) and the Weiyuan General Cannon...

Fortunately, these drawings... Huang Yueying has them all!

Unfortunately, these... I'm afraid it's enough for Huang Yueying to worry about...

However, Huang Yueying is always full of energy to be able to share her husband's worries, to make a contribution to the three prosperous men, and to explore all the unknowns that do not exist in this era.

"Well…"

Suddenly, Huang Yueying felt a nausea in her throat and a slight discomfort in her stomach.

This was something she had never felt before.

"What's going on?" Huang Yueying patted her chest with her hand, and the discomfort... was slightly relieved.

Huh, let out a soft breath, Huang Yueying said lightly...

"Perhaps I'm too tired these days? It seems...the ancients were sincere, and haste makes waste..."

Indeed, she was very tired during this time...

But this tiredness is not only in the workshop, but also in the boudoir under the occasional red candle!

…

…

"A double profit will make people disregard all laws; a triple profit will make people not afraid of committing crimes and even risk hanging their heads!"

On the outskirts of Chengdu, Zhuge Ke's voice could be heard far away in a mountain villa.

Zhuge Ke is talking with Liu Chan...

It seems that the two of them also talked about this. To be more precise, the two of them also talked about... the problem of food supply for Liu Bei's army.

Zhuge Ke was still talking about his analysis: "Master Yunqi said this... I can understand... After all, people die for wealth and birds die for food. There are countless such cases throughout the ages... But... it is still people who die for wealth and birds die for food. You just He said... double or triple the profit, but where is the wealth? Where is the food? What does this have to do with the food for Uncle Liu Huang's army in the Northern Expedition? Adou... Why are you starting to imitate Mr. Yunqi in your words? It's cloudy and foggy. , it’s hard to figure out.”

"Hahaha…"

Hearing Zhuge Ke's words, Liu Chan laughed loudly and mocked Zhuge Ke like a joke, "Young master Yuanxun, you are from Jingzhou, how come you don't know that place as well as the master as much as I do!"

"how to say?"

"You also said that the sale of Shu brocade has been blocked by me for three months. The price of Shu brocade in the Central Plains will inevitably double. Because of the special material and craftsmanship of Shu brocade, it cannot be imitated. In other words... at this time... who can do it? With Shu brocade in hand, those black market merchants will listen to whoever they say!"

Liu Chan talks freely...

Zhuge Ke thought about it, there is nothing wrong with this statement!

So here’s the question, Shujin has been blocked for three months now… Where are the wealthy people? They don’t have Shu brocade in their hands!

"Actually, I didn't block Shu Brocade..." Liu Chan smiled mysteriously.

"ah…"

In Zhuge Ke's astonishment, Liu Chan shook his head nervously, and then continued, "Don't you think about it, if the Shu brocade was really cut off for three months, my father and Master Zhuge would have discovered it a long time ago. How come we only know about it now..."

"What do you mean?"

"I transported all the Shu brocade from the Commerce Department that was supposed to be sold to black market merchants to Jingzhou, to Xiangyang City... By now, most of them should have been sent to Xuchang!"

this…

Zhuge Ke suddenly thought of something, and his pupils suddenly widened. All the doubts he had about Liu Chan turned into surprises that were as unbelievable as they were praised.

Liu Chan's voice continued, "Don't forget, my master's eldest brother Fu Shiren... is an old arms dealer. Over the years... he has done business with merchants in the north. Under the current situation, it is difficult to find a piece of Shu brocade. , the price has skyrocketed, all he needs to do is let it out a little bit, saying that he has Sichuan brocade there... Are you afraid that merchants who don't have black market will take the bait?"

this…

Sure enough, Zhuge Ke's guess was right. Guan Lin and Liu Chan were fishing and putting bait at this time!

Then...this matter is simple.

Zhuge Ke asked: "Even if these black market merchants are eager to need this batch of Shu brocade, then...are they really capable of delivering food to the front line?"

Facing Zhuge Ke's inquiry, Liu Chan showed his confidence as always.

"Three times the profit... I am no longer afraid of risking hanging. What's more... now this Shu brocade is thirty times, three hundred times the profit... Not to mention sending food to the enemy, I'm afraid it will make them take risks to assassinate Cao Cao. , with this huge profit, someone will definitely do it!"

people’s hearts…

What Liu Chan learned most from Guan Lin was not tenacity, reality and ideals, quality, but the human heart... it was about understanding people's hearts and taking advantage of them... Among them, greed and profit-seeking are the weakest links in human nature. Huge weakness!

"Hehe..." Thinking of this, Liu Chan smiled again, with a tigerish smile. He picked up a chicken drumstick in one hand and before chewing on the drumstick, he continued, "My master taught me before in Jiangxia. Back then... during the Ling Emperor period, because of Emperor Ling was fond of donkeys and rode donkey carts in the palace. As a result, donkeys became popular all over the Han Dynasty. The original price of a donkey worth a thousand dollars rose to more than two million dollars, which was higher than the price of a sweat-blooded BMW... Mr. Yuan Xun, tell me...this time due to the war, Shu brocade was out of stock three months in advance. Now...how much will the price rise in Luoyang City?"

this…

Zhuge Ke couldn't answer, but he was sure that the price would rise extremely crazy!

Or...Luoyang Jingui——

…

…