Chapter 55
All these things took quite a while. By the time Yao Wenjun put down the documents in his hand, it had darkened outside and the lights in the room had been lit by the steward.
"Would the General like to have some food?"
The steward standing aside saw Yao Wenjun stand up and asked in a low voice.
"Don't worry, I'll just go and get something to eat." His tone asked the chef to cook again. It would be better to go directly to the place where food is provided. It happened to be time for the soldiers to eat.
The manager agreed and walked out with his head down. Even if he wanted to just eat something casually, he would go over and take a look in advance.
The staple food today is still porridge, but with the arrival of supplies from other cities, the side dishes are much richer than in the past few days, and you can even vaguely see some oil.
However, most of these were boiled meats that had been dried or cured. Since there was less feed available in winter, most people would dispose of most of it by the end of autumn. Of course, even in autumn, fresh meat would not be shipped in. It would only be used as military rations after being dried to reduce weight and increase shelf life.
The steward had already served the food and placed it on the table in the back. Yao Wenjun sat down and left. He naturally had to eat, and as usual, she would rest for a while after eating, then do her daily evening exercise and finally wash up. The steward didn't need to accompany her on these occasions.
In the past, bowls and chopsticks were considered important items, and soldiers would put them in their bags and store them carefully. But now they are mostly stored together according to the unit. Even if they are damaged, they don’t care much, but they still have to be washed and returned by themselves.
Yao Wenjun washed the dishes after eating and placed them in the back cabinet. This was where the generals kept their belongings. There was no need to worry about poisoning here, as they were carefully cleaned before each use. Such drugs were often accompanied by a foul odor and were expensive, making it difficult for someone unfamiliar with the area to determine which ones would be used, let alone precisely selecting the one she would use.
There were many soldiers chatting outside, and when they saw Yao Wenjun coming out, they all greeted him.
"General."
"Well, how are you feeling today?"
She looked at a soldier with his arm in a sling and asked.
"It's all fine. The doctor said it's not serious. You just have to be careful not to use any strength for a while. They can only take it off after they've checked it out." The soldier scratched his head with his free hand, a little embarrassed. "I didn't think it was a big deal, but the general sent someone to tell us about it before."
Yao Wenjun nodded, "Of course the doctor is right." Many of the illnesses that lead to extreme physical weakness in old age are caused by neglecting minor injuries and ailments. Several of her lieutenants, now in their prime, were experiencing minor health issues, and Yao Wenjun had them all taken to recuperation.
Many of them were reluctant, but they couldn't persuade Yao Wenjun to go.
Apart from anything else, after using various scary-looking methods of pressing or piercing, the areas that had been painful before the rain had gotten much better, which in turn persuaded those companions who still refused to go.
In addition, if there are enough doctors or apprentices with them, the soldiers' survival rate will be higher as their superiors will follow their example.
After all, injuries will also affect combat.
After chatting with several soldiers about recent events, Yao Wenjun felt that the food had been slightly digested, so he stood up and walked back.
There are not enough training grounds for soldiers in this city. These days, everyone is taken to different places by their superiors for daily training. Yao Wenjun also puts the daily training place in the place where he lives now. The yard is big enough for them to stretch their muscles.
The stone originally placed in the center had been moved away long ago, and when she came over, someone was already practicing here against a makeshift target.
Yao Wenjun naturally did not disturb him. He walked to the side, picked up the spear, and started practicing at another target.
Acting requires daily practice, and martial arts even more so. Maintaining your skills requires constant training. The weight of a weapon is also crucial; a properly equipped weapon can elevate your combat prowess.
Soldiers would also choose weapons based on their height, weight, and strength. Shield soldiers were also generally required to have enough fat to withstand impacts, which was a natural skill in a time when oily foods were scarce. Many generals fell into this category, as their internal organs were less impacted during combat, allowing them to survive and gain military merit.
Of course, Yao Wenjun himself is a different type. Not only does he need genes, but he also needs sufficient nutritional supply, but this is almost impossible for ordinary soldiers.
It was as if Wen Yi paid close attention to the soldiers' diet and added some fruits and vegetables, but due to the long-term lack of vitamins, although their eyesight had improved, half of them still had no movement or judgment at night.
The people that Yao Wenjun had led into the city in the middle of the night were naturally carefully selected. At least they could see clearly at night, and the moonlight was still bright. If it happened to be a cloudy day, they would have to give up the action.
Not long after, the makeshift target in front of them had completely fallen apart. Yao Wenjun called over a few lieutenants who were practicing nearby. After a few exchanges of moves, they finally felt a lot better.
After washing off the stickiness on his body, Yao Wenjun returned to the house and changed into another set of soft armor for sleeping.
There were soldiers on duty outside the door. She closed her eyes, a map appeared in her mind, and she silently planned which direction to go next.
*
"So you're going out again?"
Song Jin looked at Wen Yi who started to organize the things on the table again, and asked with his head tilted.
Not long after he returned, a letter came from Nanxun in the morning. After thinking for a while, Wen Yi began to pack all the daily necessities into the box.
Wen Yi nodded and said, "After thinking about what happened in Nanxun, I think it's better to go over there."
Compared to Ji, Xi State was far more fragmented. After another winter disaster, the once-struggling strength of the nation collapsed once more. Nanxun naturally took over those "abandoned" cities. But they weren't the only ones surrounding Xi State; numerous other factions coveted the still-fertile lands.
Naturally, those places also wanted to take the opportunity to plunder some money and food. In a short period of time, they had a lot of cities in their hands. Coupled with those guys who were ready to make a move, the manpower on Nanxun's side seemed a little stretched.
The people who could take charge of the cities couldn't be found locally, after all, this was different from being on flat ground. Those cities were far away, and if the local tyrants couldn't be eradicated, chaos would sooner or later arise in those places.
Among them was the city where the family of the man who had been asked by his relatives to give up his position as the head of the government was located. This was one of the reasons why Wen Yi chose to go there. Another point was that even those with a few years of experience in handling affairs would still feel a little worried.
Yes, many of the people selected this time were from the Imperial Academy, having previously served as assistants to local officials and now considered themselves to have completed their studies. Each person had a corresponding recommendation, and after consulting with the individual, Wen Yi would bring those who had decided to seek new areas of development with him to avoid any unexpected situations.
Wen Yi sometimes always feels like a brick that can be moved wherever it is needed.
She shook her head, shaking off those strange thoughts, and then packed the things she needed to send into a box, along with some account books. Once Sang Yu finished calculating what he needed to bring, she could set off.
"Alright, go back and pack your bags. We'll keep an eye on this place, and nothing will go wrong."
Song Jin spoke and sent someone back to clean up.
Wen Yi stopped squatting in the office. After all, today's chores were already done, so leaving early wouldn't be a big deal. He could still go out and do some shopping while it was still light. Public items would naturally be purchased through Sang Yu's channels at cost, while personal needs could only be entrusted to people he knew.
She had a few lists mixed in with the letters, as well as the corresponding silver and money. Anyone could go. Now that she had time, she could make such a trip and buy some travel supplies.
"Pack this and this."
Yao Wenjun pointed to two strings of rattan shoe soles placed nearby, as well as the matching repair rattan strips.
Walking outdoors causes the most wear and tear on shoes. Although improvements have increased the speed of weaving and spinning, and improved the processing of leather, many people still buy shoes with soles woven from rattan, sewn on uppers and insoles filled with various warming items.
These shoes are quite flexible, but the soles need to be replaced every few days. Summer is better, as you can just wear straw sandals or rattan sandals. Right now, the weather isn't quite warm yet, so if you don't keep your feet warm, you could easily get hurt. Overall, it's still a bit of a hassle.
Although Wen Yi should mainly ride a horse or sit on a carriage, some preparations should also be made.
Although boots made of fur have been processed, they can easily become hard. After being tanned with oil, they become much softer, but they are easy to break, and there is an odor from not being cleaned up. They are also expensive, so they are naturally not worn during marches.
There are a wide variety of things on the stall, and there are quite a few people gathered around it.
Rattan boxes are still extremely popular, but they are considered large items, so people will continue to use them until they are completely worn out and cannot be repaired. Therefore, the wicker stalls here still mainly focus on small items such as shoes.
Of course, we also accept repair business. The price varies according to the defect and complexity, but it is still much cheaper than buying a new one.
The stall next to it sells some small bags made of scraps of cloth, but Wen Yi will not buy these here. The clothing workshop has already produced many sturdy and durable ones, so she can just buy them there.
After returning to the city with his bags, Song Jin and the others happened to go to the front hall for a meal. Wen Yi handed the food to the guards on duty, washed his hands, and had a meal.
Today's meal was stir-fried dried vegetables, processed and dried in the autumn, then soaked when ready to eat. They had a unique flavor, which Wen Yi really liked. However, the color wasn't great, so Song Jin preferred the more tender dish next to it.
Being able to eat fresh wild vegetables means it’s time to get busy with spring plowing.
The granary has already dug out the seeds that were preserved last year. After several rounds of screening, those that were eaten by insects or were not full were removed. The rest will be put for sale for people who own land to purchase.
Some medicinal herbs and stone powder are sprinkled on the surface of these seeds to prevent people from eating these specially selected high-quality seeds as food.
Of course, some people also kept seeds according to their own habits. Wen Yi and others did not force them to do so, but just provided another way. However, many people have found that the seeds screened by the government treasury seem to have a higher yield than those they kept, and many people bought them this year.
This is not a difference in variety. It is because these seeds are planted in the city, with sufficient fertilizers and water. Overall, they are better than those planted outside the city. After several rounds of screening, the long and full ears are retained, and those plants with favorable mutations are also carefully cared for. They are planted after they mature and will not be sold until the third year.
Most of these were done by Shan and others, including putting seeds in clay pots and burying them in the soil, observing the germination conditions to determine what to plant more based on the current climatic conditions.
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