The moonlight shines on the entire Yumen Pass, as if it has been stained with a layer of hoarfrost. The city is still brightly lit and bustling with people.
The Yumen Pass at this time was not the Yumen Pass built in the Han Dynasty, but was abandoned in the Later Han Dynasty, and was never used again after it was cut off.
Today's Yumen Pass was built during the Sui Dynasty, and it was offset by dozens of miles from the Yumen Pass in the Han Dynasty.
The terrain is dangerous, surrounded by mountains and rivers. Due to the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty in recent years, the entire Yumen Pass has been expanded repeatedly and is now a large-scale small town.
There are now beacon towers built on the surrounding mountain tops, as well as at various intersections ahead, including the river. Coupled with the dangerous terrain, it is easy to defend but difficult to attack. The entire Yumen Pass is like the gate to the Western Regions and the Central Plains. , and also became the only import and export.
Most of the people in Yumen Pass are business travelers from various countries, and together with the troops stationed here all year round, they make up nearly two-thirds of the entire population of Yumen Pass.
After the 20,000 people led by Li Hong entered the small town, it did not attract the attention of the merchants staying here. After all, as a military fortress, and because the merchants were traveling outside all year round, the army had already seen a lot, so it did not attract the attention of the merchants. People felt uncomfortable because of the 20,000 people.
Li Hong was wearing a white fur coat. He put his hand in front of his mouth and breathed in the heat. He said, "I always thought Yumen Pass was very small. I didn't expect it to be so big now."
The general of the Yumen Pass guard accompanying him on the city wall has already received orders from the Ministry of War. His Royal Highness will arrive at Yumen Pass in the near future, and any requirements must be met.
I originally thought that His Highness the Crown Prince would make some unreasonable demands after arriving, but unexpectedly, His Highness the Crown Prince was very easy-going and did not make any more requests except that he had dinner under the waiter of his palace maid. .
"How many people are stationed here now?" Li Hong asked, looking at the white moonlight, which exuded this cold brilliance.
"As reported to the Protector, there are now ten thousand soldiers stationed here." General Wei replied respectfully.
"Where are the merchants who come and go in the city every day? Although you are only guarding one level now, your responsibilities are no different from that of a guardian. At most, the area under your jurisdiction is smaller, but no one can guard a place more beautiful than the place you guard. Isn't it important?" Li Hong walked slowly on the tower, looking outside and inside the city.
"Winter is coming now. According to past practice, the huge number of merchants should basically be reduced. They will rush back to their homes before Yuan Day. They will wait for about ten and a half days. After a month, there were fewer people entering the customs and more people leaving the customs. "Yuan Shuji saw that His Highness the Prince was so easy-going, and he also relaxed.
"The beacon tower is always occupied at twelve hours?" Under the hazy night, the beacon tower may be looming.
"Yes, the Great Protector. There are twenty people guarding each beacon tower. There will be fewer people during the day."
"Take me to see your camp." Li Hong tightened his fur. He had no choice but to do it. The weather here is really cold. Even if he hasn't walked out of Yumen Pass and entered the desert, it's already enough to freeze him at night. Stiff.
"Yes, the Protector." Yuan Shuji was about thirty years old. He was not very strong or very tall, but he had a killing temperament that he had honed on the battlefield for many years, which made people look at him sideways. Look at each other.
Under the leadership of Yuan Shuji, Li Hong and his party followed to the side of the city gate located at Yumen Pass facing the Western Region. Although there were lights here, it did not seem crowded.
The fence door slowly opened after Yuan Shuji showed his token. The soldier held a wind lantern in one hand and a horizontal knife in the other, looking at Li Hong and others with vigilant eyes.
"Yes, I can see that although you are not under the command of the Anxi Protectorate, your vigilance has not been lost because they are stationed in the four towns of Anxi." Li Hong looked at the few soldiers at the door and said lightly.
"Thank you for your compliments, Protector-General." Yuan Shuji seemed to have never smiled before.
Following Yuan Shuji, he walked to rows of stone houses. The soldiers inside were bored at this time, and some officers had already gone crazy in the city.
I randomly found a soldier's room, which was a room that could accommodate fifty people. According to the military system of the Tang Dynasty: ten men per fire, fifty men per team, and three hundred men per regiment.
Therefore, there are forty or fifty houses like this here, plus the barracks in other places in Yumenguan City, it seems that it is no problem to accommodate ten thousand people.
Seeing a soldier immediately beckoning the others to stand up with him after Yuan Shuji came in, Yuan Shuji nodded to them. The team walked up to Yuan Shuji and said, "General, do you have something important?"
"Nothing, just come here and take a look." Yuan Shuji finally smiled.
When he was about to introduce Li Hong to Duizheng, Li Hong stretched out his hand to stop him.
Li Hong slowly took two steps forward and walked to the front of the team. He looked up and down first and then said, "Aren't you going to take off your armor?"
Team was rolling his eyes and frowning at him.
Although I don't know the person in front of me, I can tell from the big white fur that the person in front of me is that he is rich or noble. He is only fifteen or sixteen years old, but he must be the son of a high official.
But even so, the captain seemed not to hear Li Hong's words and just watched Li Hong walking around the room.
"Fifty people per room is not bad. At least it can add some warmth in winter." Li Hong didn't care that the team leader didn't reply to his words. After walking around in a circle, he walked in front of the team leader again and said calmly: "Take off your armor."
"Why? Before going to bed, there is an order in the barracks that no one is allowed to take off his armor." The captain spoke quickly before Yuan Shuji stopped him.
"Master Protector, these soldiers are used to being rude. Even the last general is a rude person, so please don't blame me." Yuan Shuji explained apologetically.
Li Hong didn't care, he just continued to glance at the captain, then turned around and took two steps, squatted down and touched the sleeping couch with one hand, and said lightly: "Then let him take off his armor first."
After finishing speaking, Li Hong didn't look back. He touched the mattress on the sleeping couch and pinched the thickness. Then he opened the mattress and touched the straw mat underneath. He didn't feel satisfied until he picked up the quilt and felt the thickness. Look back.
The team leader also took off his armor under Yuan Shuji's order. At this moment, he looked at Li Hong with a little awe in his eyes. Even his own general called him the Protector, which he couldn't afford to offend. .
Li Hong's face was always calm. He walked up to Du Zheng and stretched out his hand to touch Du Zheng's shoulder. Upon touching it, he found that the clothes on Du Zheng's body were only clothes sewn from two or three layers of thick cotton. , not provided free of charge by the Ministry of Household Affairs to the Ministry of War, shipped to the Western Regions, and distributed to soldiers on Yunzhong and Liaodong Road.
"Order everyone to take off their armor." Li Hong reached out and touched his pants again. They were still made of two or three layers of cotton.
Before cotton appeared in the Tang Dynasty, this was the common people's clothing to keep out the cold. Only wealthy people could use furs and other animal skins to stay warm in the winter.
Yuan Shuji glanced at Li Hong in confusion, but still obeyed the order and asked everyone to take off their armor.
"Hua Meng, Mang Zhong, come over and take a look." Li Hong scanned everyone in the room under the dim oil lamp.
After a while, Hua Meng and Mang Zhong shook their heads at him and said in unison: "They are all cotton clothes."
After hearing this, Li Hong sighed and stared at the team leader and asked, "Have you ever been given cotton-padded clothes? The imperial court gave you cotton-padded clothes for free. Do you know about this?"
Yuan Shuji suddenly realized that at first he had not understood what His Highness wanted to do by touching someone's bed and asking someone to take off their armor. Now he knew that His Highness wanted to see if the cotton clothes had been distributed.
The team was looking at Li Hong's somewhat cold eyes. The young man who had been easy-going just now had a strong and calm look on his face, and his sharp eyes seemed to see through his entire being.
Suddenly feeling guilty and embarrassed, Nonuo didn't dare to look at Li Hong's eyes anymore, and said, "If I get back to the general, the general and others have received the cotton clothes."
"How many sets?" Li Hong stared at the captain with cold eyes. He wanted to see if the captain would look at Yuan Shuji when he was answering his words. If there was a sneak peek, then there must be something fishy.
"Two sets." Captain Zheng replied in a low voice without daring to look anywhere else, just staring at his feet.
"Then why don't you wear it? Why do you only wear such thin clothes?" Li Hong continued to ask.
Duizheng's eyes flickered, and after glancing at Li Hong, he lowered his head again and whispered sheepishly: "General... General sent the cotton clothes home."
"Why?" Li Hong chased after him.
"Because...because...Mojiang's family has not worn such good clothes for the winter, so...so...Mojiang will..."
"How many years have you been a soldier? But you have been stationed at Yumen Pass?"
"Yes, I will serve as a soldier for five years."
"Then you should have at least ten sets of cotton clothes, all given to your family?" Li Hong asked in surprise.
"Yes." The captain's head was almost unable to be lifted up by Li Hong's questioning.
"Are they all the same as you?" Li Hong once again glanced at the soldiers who had not yet put on their armor and asked.
"Yes, they are all the same as the last general." Team Zheng answered honestly.
It has been ten years since cotton entered the Tang Dynasty. Has it not become popular yet? Or is there something else hidden
Li Hong waved his hand and motioned for them to put on their armor. Then, accompanied by Yuan Shuji, he visited several barracks. Basically all the soldiers sent home the cotton-padded clothes issued by the court, and no one was willing to wear them. .
Walking on the most lively street of Yumen Pass, this street runs east-west. Naturally, it faces the two city gates of Yumen Pass, the East Gate facing Guanzhong and the West Gate facing the Western Regions.
Although the entire street is not as lively and lively as the ordinary streets in Chang'an City, it is still brightly lit and bustling with people.
(End of chapter)