While the two were chatting, the soldiers in the camp had already set up tents and built temporary fortifications.
If we only intend to use it as a long-term camp, it will take a lot of time to build it up.
But that's a story for another time.
There's no rush now, we can build it slowly later.
According to Li Jue's estimate, it wouldn't be too late to complete it in six months.
After all, his purpose in having the army move out was singular: to prevent them from acquiring the habits of merchants.
The military doesn't do business, and those who do business don't belong to the military!
Zhi Shi Sili's methods were quite unconventional; after sending out his men, he managed to retrieve the tattered armor in less than half a month.
Although Zhi Shi Si Li kept his connections very secret, fearing that Li Jue, his eldest grandson, would betray him, Li Jue could still guess some clues.
After all, the department in the Ministry of War that was in charge of distributing weapons and armor only had a few people, so there was no need for exclusion; it was sufficient to assume that they had all accepted bribes.
But Li Jue was used to such things, or rather, he didn't concern himself with matters outside his official position.
Even if we were to intervene, we would wait until he became emperor!
Li Jue had already set up workshops in Xiazhou City. As soon as these tattered armors were brought back, the craftsmen in the armor workshops inspected them one by one, then patched them with the armor plates that had already been made, and then applied a layer of anti-rust grease to the armor. The tattered armor immediately became new armor.
In less than a month, all 20,000 troops in Xiazhou City were transformed into armored warriors!
Looking at the 20,000 armored soldiers under his command, Zhi Shisi was filled with boundless ambition.
"Eldest grandson, do you believe it or not, this humble general, with 20,000 men, can cut off the head of that so-called Khan of Xueyantuo and use it as a football for you and His Majesty!"
Li Jue smiled in agreement upon hearing this.
"General Zhishi Sili, we have enough armor now, but we still lack warhorses..."
"Warhorses..."
Upon hearing this, Zhishi Sili's eyes darted around. In fact, he had a solution, but he was afraid of arousing suspicion from His Majesty and the court, so he had not put his heart into getting horses for the army.
Now that the eldest grandson is in Xiazhou City, no matter what he does, it will not arouse His Majesty's suspicion.
He would be a complete fool if he didn't seize this opportunity to turn all his soldiers into cavalry.
"Eldest grandson, I know there are horses there, but I don't know if you dare to go and get them!"
"where?"
"The Uyghurs!"
"The Uyghurs have at least 100,000 warhorses, but their soldiers are utterly useless. Apart from liking to spin around on horseback, they are nothing else!"
"If you just scare the Uyghurs a little and give them some sweet treats, I guarantee they'll obediently bring you their warhorses!"
"I see..."
Upon hearing this, Li Jue thought for a moment and decided it was a good idea. He immediately ordered someone to take his letter to the Western Turkic Khan, and then asked the Western Turkic Khan to send troops to intimidate the Uyghurs. He would then lead his men to pretend to visit the Uyghurs and mediate the conflict between the two tribes.
When the Uyghur Khan saw that the Tang Dynasty was taking such good care of him, he actually sent his eldest grandson to mediate the dispute. Moved by this, he immediately promised to present the Tang Dynasty with 20,000 warhorses!
Although the Uyghur Khan's warhorses were presented to the Tang Dynasty and to Li Shimin, as the saying goes, "a general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders."
Xiazhou is currently in a war zone, and a battle could break out at any time, giving them ample reason to intercept the warhorses.
Thus, the 20,000 troops of Xiazhou City, after solving the problem of armor, successfully solved the problem of warhorses and became armored cavalry!
However, they were only armored cavalry in the literal sense, far from being the actual armored cavalry of the imperial court.
After all, the imperial cavalry even had armor on their warhorses!
Although it was a simplified version of the Iron Cavalry, it was enough for Li Jue.
Therefore, when he heard that Xueyantuo was attacking Shuozhou City, he led 20,000 men from Xiazhou City to cut off Xueyantuo's rear without saying a word.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade him, Zhi Shili could only send a messenger and follow Li Jue all the way to the end.
Chang'an.
Just as Li Shimin had prepared his army, intending to deliver a fatal blow to the Xueyantuo, he heard another piece of bad news.
"Your Majesty, General Zhishi Sili has sent an urgent report!"
"Bring it here!"
"promise!"
After reading Zhi Shisi's urgent report, Li Shimin was stunned; even the hand holding the letter trembled.
"How dare he!"
"How dare he be so audacious!"
Upon hearing this, Li Jing curiously craned his neck to look, only to be caught red-handed by Li Shimin.
"You want to see?"
"Your Majesty, is this about the eldest grandson?"
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin angrily threw the letter to Li Jing.
"Order the entire army to set off immediately and keep the Xueyantuo pinned down in Shuozhou City!"
"promise!"
With Li Shimin's order, the bugle call to break camp rang out melodiously.
Li Shimin, fully armed, rode a warhorse and galloped to inspect the army. Then, he took the lead and led three thousand personal guards at full speed towards Shuozhou.
After quickly reading the letter, Li Jing first praised Li Jue's ingenious plan, and then hurriedly mounted his warhorse and chased after him.
"Your Majesty, wait for me..."
Although Li Shimin's army marched at a rapid pace, almost without rest, he still received the devastating news of the fall of Shuozhou when he reached a point seventy li in the direction of Shuozhou.
"What?"
"Shuozhou is a high-lying city with deep moats; it could hold out for a year without any problem. How could it have fallen so suddenly?"
"Your Majesty, it was...it was the Sogdian Nine Clans...the Sogdian Nine Clans opened the city gates and let...let the Xueyantuo army in!"
"Where did the Nine Sogdian Clans come from in Shuozhou City?"
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