The ground was slippery and easy to fall on after the snowfall, so even the cooks dared not drive the cart to deliver food, and waited for the rain and snow to stop before taking action.
Zheng Quchi, however, disregarded everything and arrived at the rear camp at top speed. As soon as he reached the cordon, he saw a bustling scene inside.
She didn't ride a horse, fearing she might slip and have an accident on the road, so she ran. She ran all the way here without even having time to catch her breath before she was in a hurry to find someone.
She found it soon after, but Fu Rong hadn't slept all night, his face pale, and he was directing people to do things not far away.
"No, apply the grease first, then lay down the tarpaulin. Be careful and pour slowly..."
They burned the collected resin into a liquid state and slowly brushed it into the gaps between the wooden planks at the bottom of the black bear truck as the first layer of protection. Then they laid a layer of tarpaulin inside the truck for a second layer of waterproofing, and finally poured water inside.
Each truck is equipped with an oilcloth, which is actually cotton cloth brushed with a layer of boiled tung oil. After the boiled tung oil dries quickly, it can protect against wind and rain.
Nowadays, tarpaulins have become another form of insulating material, with the train carriages serving as containers to hold water.
"Fu Rong".
Zheng Quchi waved and called out to him.
Upon hearing Zheng Quchi's voice, Fu Rong immediately turned around to look for her. When he saw her standing behind him, drenched in sweat, he quickly went to greet her.
"Madam? You've arrived. Everything's almost ready."
Zheng Quchi patted him on the shoulder and said approvingly, "Well done, I saw it all. So, no problems, right?"
"No problem, come and take a look."
Fu Rong led her over to check, and saw that a black bear-shaped carriage was sealed off, and the inside was filled with water, which was also steaming, clearly hot water.
Does it leak?
"It's generally okay, but if we move it, some might spill out," Fu Rong said.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Quchi composed herself. She squatted down and crawled under the carriage to thoroughly inspect it. After doing so, she said, "It's fine. A little spillage is no big deal. The oilcloth nailed to the wooden board is like a sack. If the carriage is bumpy, at most some will leak out through the gaps in the doors or windows."
"Everything is going as the lady said. We'll be able to set off after adding one more layer of oil."
"What about the ladle?"
Fu Rong turned his head and raised his chin in a certain direction: "Look, it's over there. It's done. We've all been busy all night, and we've shaved about a hundred of them. The size is almost exactly as you instructed. If it's still not enough, we'll use rice scoops to make up the difference."
The rice scoops used in military camps are quite large, almost as big as a head, because a small scoop would not be able to stir the rice evenly when cooking in a large pot.
Zheng Quchi stepped forward and picked up a round ladle from the ground. It was bigger than her helmet. Although the craftsmanship was rough, just a piece of wood hollowed out, time was short and there was no need to care about aesthetics. As long as it was practical, it would be fine.
She wore a satisfied smile.
"Very good, although the quantity is not enough, it can still be used."
"Everything is almost ready, so shall we transport these to the front lines now?" Fu Rong asked, seeing Zheng Quchi squatting on the ground counting the number of ladles, "Madam, can you tell me the truth, what are we doing with all this?"
She was boiling water and scooping out ladles; if they weren't facing the enemy on the battlefield, he would have thought she wanted to take a bath.
Zheng Quchi didn't answer for a moment. After counting the number, she stood up and asked, "Fu Rong, did Wang Zebang and Brother Wei go to hold back the other two groups of Beiyuan Army?"
Fu Rong was taken aback by the question, and replied after a beat of hesitation, "...Yes."
"They haven't returned all night, so I'm afraid the situation isn't easy either. If we can't resolve this on our side, this battle might be in grave danger." She sighed, gazing into the distance.
Fu Rong asked, "What does Madam want to say?"
"I'm a little unsure right now..." She scratched her head and gave a wry smile. "Such an important matter, and I'm just going to do it based on some unofficial history and TV dramas I've read? What if it doesn't work out..."
What is a TV series?
Fu Rong didn't quite understand some of her word choices, but through her words, she finally understood what she was thinking.
After all, the general's wife was only a twenty-year-old girl. No matter how intelligent and capable she was, she would have moments of weakness and self-doubt, simply because she was also a person with a strong sense of responsibility and a very upright moral compass.
Not to mention her, these generals were extremely cautious in every decision they made and every strategy they devised, because a single wrong step could cost the lives of countless soldiers.
“Madam, if you don’t try, it will definitely not work, but if you do try, isn’t there still a chance that it will work?” he tried to comfort her.
She looked at him upon hearing this, and listened as he continued.
“Those of us who go to the battlefield have long been aware that life and death are in the hands of fate. If everyone is absolutely certain before doing something, then no one will be willing to be the first to lead the charge.”
Zheng Quchi hesitated for a moment, but when a person is forced to the edge of a cliff, if they don't want to compromise or die, they can only fight bravely alone.
"Yes, you're right. It's impossible if we don't try. I should believe in myself and believe in you all."
——
On the snow-covered plains where snowflakes danced in the air, soldiers from both sides gripped their weapons and charged toward each other through the snow. When the soldiers finally clashed, blood splattered on the cold snow.
Blood stained the earth red, creating a shocking scene against the backdrop of pure white.
The shouts of the soldiers and the clanging of weapons resounded throughout the battlefield, the drums beat like thunder, and the surging tide of people seemed to break free from the shackles of the ice and snow.
The crossbows in the rear of the Ye army were shut down due to the extreme cold, becoming duds, but the crossbow bolts were still usable. However, facing the impenetrable wall of "iron horses" in front of them, their attack strategy was clearly no longer effective, at least not with the initial overwhelming force and victory imminent.
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