Chapter 347 People in the Tang Dynasty didn’t know how to shoe horses
Groups of Tang troops broke out of camp and marched to the Western Regions. Countless Tang warriors, with the dream of making great achievements, went to the distant desert and spread the great power of the Tang Dynasty to that desolate and distant country. Little did they know that they were inadvertently creating The most classic long-distance running battle in Chinese history...
Without an impassioned expedition ceremony, His Majesty Li Er could not even deliver a passionate swearing-in speech...
The people of Chang'an City are already familiar with the scenes of war. In the Zhenguan Year, the dispatch of tens of thousands of troops was nothing new to the people of Guanzhong.
What's more, the target of this conquest is too weak and vulnerable. Everyone believes that as soon as the army arrives, the small Gaochang Kingdom will be wiped out!
The march was not very fast. It was already a month after they left Qizhou, passed through Longzhou and entered Liangzhou.
Although he had already expected the marching speed in this era, Fang Jun couldn't help but feel depressed. At this speed, wouldn't it take a year to reach Gaochang Kingdom?
I’m so depressed!
The arrogant soldiers of the Shenji Battalion have already developed extraordinary endurance and physical fitness due to the continuous marching with heavy loads for several months. The intensity of the march at this time is far inferior to that of the usual training. They stop and go, travel around the mountains and rivers. Generally speaking, the fat on the soldiers has not fallen off!
Fang Jun was speechless. He wanted to catch up to the commander in front and asked General Hou: "What do you call a rapid march? Is this so fast?"
When I entered Guazhou, another month passed...
What about the "five hundred in three days and one thousand in six days" promised?
You, Hou Junji, are so arrogant that you are not as fast as Xia Houyuan?
Fang Jun helplessly estimated that it would take two years to finish this battle...
Not only that, just outside Guazhou City, the army actually set up camp and organized on the spot!
In the camp of Shenji Camp, Fang Jun was so hot that he untied the cloth belt that tied his armor, took a ladle of cold water and poured it down, then took out an ice cube from the copper can and threw it into his mouth, squeaking. Chew it into pieces, which relieves the heat.
The army of Shenji Battalion brought the raw materials of black powder with them, and it was not difficult to make ice with some saltpeter.
Liu Rengui, Duan Zan, Chang Sun Chong, Hu Youfang, the warden who came with the army, Ge Zhongxing, the army doctor, and Qin Huaidao, the captain of the baggage camp, were all sitting in the military tent, chewing ice cubes and feeling comfortable. .
They are all responsible for the rear of the palace. They like to hang out at Shenji Camp every day. Not only do they usually eat and drink better than other troops, but they always have some novel gadgets. Just like how you can actually take out ice cubes in this scorching heat, do you dare to think?
I don’t know how to save it...
Others just paid it back. As Changsun Chong was the commander of the Shenji Battalion, all kinds of materials were recorded in detail in his accounts, but he didn't know where the ice came from? Every time he saw Fang Jun's soldiers tinkering in the kitchen for a while, he would take out the ice cubes. This reminded Changsun Chong of several shops selling ice cubes that had recently emerged in Chang'an City. Could it be that Fang Jun was also related to this? ?
Otherwise, how could he know how to make ice?
This guy really has some magic skills. How was this ice made?
Changsun Chong was worried that Fang Jun's methods were really unpredictable, and the plan in his heart grew like spring grass, unstoppable...
"What do you think is going on with our General Hou? With this marching speed, will it still take years and months to reach Gaochang?" Fang Jun couldn't help complaining. The weather is now unbearably hot. The further we go west, the less water and the lower the temperature. The higher. But this is still good, but it will be tragic if it lasts until winter!
Suddenly a spring breeze comes overnight, and thousands of pear trees bloom... That is not a beautiful sight. Marching in the Western Regions in the cold winter, wouldn't everyone freeze to death?
Hu Youfang, the military supervisor, said: "The Marquis is not a member of the army, so he doesn't know anything. From then on, the road to the west is difficult to travel. It is mostly gravel and gravel. Not only is it difficult for people to walk, but even the horses will be injured if they are not careful. It is difficult to move even an inch, and if we march forcefully, the horses' hooves will be severely worn, and most of them will be damaged before they go to the battlefield. Therefore, the horses in front should be put on wood at the moment. "
Fang Jun was confused: "What is that?"
Duan Zan and Liu Rengui looked at each other and covered their faces with their hands...
Although the dignified Admiral of the Shenji Battalion does not have cavalry under his command, he must have heard of this common weapon in the army, right?
It's so embarrassing...
Ge Zhongxing, the doctor who accompanied the army, laughed and said teasingly: "Master Hou has always studied the embroidered shoes of girls, but he doesn't know whether these horseshoes are wooden?"
Ge Zhongxing is over fifty years old, but he has an easy-going temperament and has no inhibitions about his words.
He could make fun of Fang Jun like this, but Hu Youfang couldn't. Fang Jun still had the title of Military Warden, and that was his immediate superior. How dare he talk nonsense?
He held back his laughter and explained: "Horses' hooves are soft and are most afraid of gravel roads. Once they are severely worn, the horse will be useless. Therefore, it must wear wood to protect the horse's hooves. Wood has four holes, and the horse's hoof also has four holes. It's just that it's expensive, difficult to make, and easy to wear, so it won't be used lightly unless there are tough times."
Qin Huaidao came from a family of military generals and was familiar with things in the army. He said: "The speed along the way is to protect the horses' hooves, so the cavalry did not speed up. After passing Guazhou, we entered the Western Regions, not far from Gaochang Kingdom. , dress the horses in wood, and rush straight to the city without giving Gao Changguo a chance to breathe!"
Fang Jun is embarrassed...
After doing this for a long time, Hou Junji was moving so slowly to protect his horses, and finally the enemy was caught off guard by a lightning attack!
But this woodiness...
Fang Jun suddenly realized, mother!
People in the Tang Dynasty didn't know how to nail horseshoes?
You can't actually do such a simple thing, and you still want to create something dull. It sounds like you have a very high level. Isn't it complete nonsense!
He was a little unsure and asked Hu Youfang: "Have you ever heard of horseshoe?"
Hu Youfang shook his head blankly: "What is that?"
Fang Jun looked at everyone present and they all looked puzzled. He was overjoyed and slapped his thigh vigorously: "Get rich!"
The technology of using horseshoes to reduce the wear and tear of livestock hoofs has brought a lot of convenience to people's production and life. From plowing in the fields to long-distance transportation, the hoofs of livestock are nailed with horseshoes, which minimizes the damage to horseshoes from the ground, water accumulation, etc. of harm. Horses are extremely valuable assets in this era, and the wear and tear of horse hoofs is the biggest cause of horse damage!
From the mid-Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, it was difficult for the Central Plains Dynasty to directly control the northwest region. Although there was a huge amount of trade with surrounding ethnic groups in exchange for tea and silk for horses, the technology of shoeing horses never followed the "Huma" "It spread throughout the Central Plains region.
Therefore, horseshoe technology has always been considered a novel and foreign thing.
Tracing back to the material of the horseshoe, broadly speaking, materials such as kudzu and vine were used to wrap the hoof soles. "The feet of strong horses are bound with iron" and "hooves are braided with kudzu". This shows that in addition to forging horseshoes with iron, there are also this extremely simple horseshoes.
At present, most of the wooden horses in the Tang army are these extremely simple horseshoes.
Dedicating horseshoe technology to His Majesty Li Er is a truly great achievement!
Suddenly there was a noise outside the account.
As soon as Fang Jun frowned, Duan Zan stood up immediately, except for checking.
Changsun Chong sighed secretly, you Duan Zan are also the man who will inherit the title of Duke in the future. How can you be so devoted to Fang Jun?
As the Prince Consort and the heir of the eldest grandson family, he has no sense of presence in this Shenji Camp...
Soon, Duan Zan turned back, his face a little gloomy, and said to Ge Zhongxing, the doctor who was accompanying the army: "A group of scouts were besieged by horse bandits and suffered heavy casualties. Please return to the military medical camp to treat the injured."
Ge Zhongxing stood up solemnly with a playful smile on his face, and raised his hands to everyone: "I'll take my leave now!"
Fang Jun stood up and said: "Anyway, I have nothing to do, so I'll go and have a look with my brother!"
Ge Zhongxing nodded silently and left in a hurry, followed closely by Fang Jun. Liu Rengui and Duan Zan looked at each other and followed behind. The rest of the people didn't have that thought. It had nothing to do with them anyway. How could they chew ice cubes to cool off in this hot day?
Changsun Chong stood still, but his expression was a little nervous.
When did the horse bandits dare to besiege the army scouts? Isn’t this nonsense?
Could it be that...that group of people has already arrived?
But when we get there, we get there. Why attack the scouts? Isn't this just to arouse the enemy?
Changsun Chong's face turned blue and he gritted his teeth in secret hatred!
A bunch of idiots...(End of Chapter)