Chapter 5, The Return of the Cavalry Command

This gun is quite heavy

Looking at the remaining half bowl of noodles and soup, Zhang Chao truly could not eat any more

This spear of mine is not an ordinary weapon, but an iron spear. The spear measures 1.4 meters in length, the shaft is 1.3 meters long, and the shaft has a diameter of 3.7 inches, made from hardwood. The spearhead is flat and rhomboid in shape, measuring 7 inches in length, with a red tassel tied at the bottom of the spear, and the tail of the shaft has an iron butt, measuring 3 inches in length

The military government that Zhang Chao and his companions went to is very close to Zhangjiagou

"Lamb fat," the old man said as he added a small piece to the pot

Zhang Chao felt full after eating less than one third

Lai Gonglu possesses astonishing strength, wielding a steel spear that weighs forty-five pounds. Having fought with this iron spear for many years, he has few rivals. When it comes to Lai Huer, the old man is still full of admiration.

Is this really made of hardwood? Why is it so heavy?

The current administrative divisions of the Tang Dynasty are based on the system of provinces and counties. When the Li Tang established the dynasty, they replaced the county system of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty with the province-county system. The province and county system forms the foundation of Tang's administration, and below the county level, there are also townships and neighborhoods.

Zhang Chao looked at the gun in his hand; the barrel was clearly made of iron

Old Dad is truly a legendary man, having quelled the Jiangnan Rebellion during the Sui Dynasty, conducted three campaigns against Goguryeo for the Great Sui, and associated with renowned generals and heroes such as Liu Hu'er, Yu Wenhua, Li Mi, and Wang Shichong

The old man led the way, while Zhang Chao followed behind, carrying an iron spear over one zhang long and weighing fifteen jin.

When a person is hungry, even the most ordinary food can become a delicacy.

Having finished the meal, it is still early in the day

The old man seemed to have anticipated this, laughing heartily as he watched Zhang Chao's flustered expression.

A cavalry command with 800 personnel, the cavalry command is led by the Cavalry General. However, the cavalry command is subordinate to the Sixteen Guard Offices of the Tang Dynasty, and the authority for its deployment and conscription lies with the Emperor. Without the military orders and tiger talismans from the Emperor and the Ministry of War, the transfer of more than ten troops from the cavalry command's defense area would be considered rebellion

The old man carried a basin to the door, then squatted down and ate heartily. Zhang Chao imitated him and also squatted at the door to eat. The entrance was bright and open; people from Guanzhong loved to squat, even preferring to eat while squatting. Sometimes, even when there were stools available, they would rather squat on the stool than sit. Even in later generations, one can still find many people from Guanzhong in rural areas who maintain this habit

We are going to the military office to collect the supplies and funds

This is rather subpar

This approach ensures low management costs for the Wei government and a rapid mobilization capability

This gun weighs 15 jin, which is indeed much heavier than an ordinary wooden pole gun. However, if it were made of iron, it could weigh not just 15 jin, but possibly 40 or 50 jin, making it unmanageable for an average person. My gun is made of a hardwood pole wrapped with iron wire, which enhances the toughness of the gun handle, making it much sturdier than a typical bamboo or wooden handle, while still maintaining the handle's elasticity

The Jiangdu mutiny resulted in the death of Lai Huer, who was loyal to Yang Guang. His father nearly lost his life as well, with one of his left eyes being blinded during that incident. Fortunately, he survived and was coerced by Yu Wenhua to head north, but he was demoted to a mere foot soldier.

However, Zhang Chao picked up a chopstick full and brought it to his mouth, only to find that it was not as unappetizing as he had imagined; on the contrary, it tasted quite good.

The military camp is located at the end of the street, resembling a simple rural primary school.

The bowl before me, as large as a small basin, is filled with an incredibly simple dish, which is a thin soup. Apart from water, it contains only a bit of coarse salt and a touch of mutton fat

Old Zhang still thought that Zhang Chao did not know who Qin Shubao was, and he smiled as he explained to him

Qin Qiong assigned his father to his command, hoping to have him serve as a subordinate officer. However, his father declined the offer. At that time, his father had lost sight in one eye, bore injuries on his body, and was in a low mood, unable to wield even a iron spear. Thus, he served as an ordinary personal guard under Qin Qiong's command

The old man ate so much noodles by himself and felt quite satisfied.

In the past, Zhang Chao was also a food enthusiast, with a great love for various cuisines, both from the north and south, as well as a wide array of snacks. Whenever there was an opportunity, he would certainly give them a try

This iron spear was bestowed upon me by the Duke of Rong during those years

In Hedong, the campaign against Liu Wuzhou, and in the Central Plains, the campaigns against Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande, in the blink of an eye, three years of warfare had passed

The Tang Dynasty originated in Hedong but was fundamentally based in Guanzhong. The Tang Imperial Guard Army, which relied on the militia system as its military foundation, was primarily concentrated in the Guanzhong region

"Why not use sesame oil, tea oil, or vegetable oil?" Zhang Chao asked. It was only in later generations that plant oils became widely popular.

"On the way, it was said."

The Bailu Cheqi Mansion is located in Bailu Village, which is part of Bailu Township. This is the administrative center of the township and also hosts a military garrison, making it a central hub for the surrounding area, along with a simple marketplace.

The not-so-large Guanzhong Plain is dotted with hundreds of military offices

Sesame oil is quite precious, only the wealthy and noble families can afford it

People from Guanzhong enjoy eating wheat-based foods, and they often refer to these foods as "bing". Varieties include soup bing, steamed bing, and cut bing. Although the old man is already in his fifties, his appetite is astonishing, and that basin of noodles Zhang Chao estimates can hold at least five jin.

The old man picked up a bag and slung it over his shoulder, then took the iron spear from the corner of the wall

Fifteen pounds still left Zhang Chao quite astonished. As far as he knew, a typical white wax rod gun weighed around five pounds. However, this iron-wrapped spear weighed fifteen pounds. Although it was not as heavy as those iron spears weighing forty or fifty pounds, it was still not something an ordinary person could wield; it required someone with extraordinary strength.

One hundred households constitute a neighborhood, and five neighborhoods make a township

I am full, I cannot eat anymore

Without stirring in the pot, the old man added a bit of salt to the pot, and then added a bit of something else

Subsequently, Yang Guang was killed in a military coup while touring Jiangdu

Due to his astonishing strength and proficiency with the iron spear, Lai Huer selected tall and robust soldiers from the army to serve as his personal guard, and then equipped them all with iron spears weighing fifteen pounds each

After Zhang Chao finished speaking, his father directly took his large bowl and began to slurp the noodles with his chopsticks. Watching his father eat noodles is sometimes truly a delight; in just a short while, he managed to shove half a bowl of noodles into his mouth, then lifted the large bowl to drink the soup in big gulps. In no time, the noodles along with the soup were completely gone.

If you are looking for General Qin, he will surely take care of you

Usually, this Baidu Charioteer Office, which consists of 800 personnel, sends five batches of 160 people each to the capital for guard duty every year. The remaining 640 personnel in the guard office are then divided into four groups for training and garrisoning at the Charioteer Office, with each group also consisting of 160 people

We can only use a fifteen-pound iron spear, but there are two individuals who can wield a thirty-six-pound fine iron spear under the public account. One is Lai Gong's sixth son, Lai Liulang, and the other is Qin Shubao from Shandong

"Old man, this gun must have an extraordinary origin, right? Please tell me about it," Zhang Chao asked eagerly, catching that gaze.

On the Ba Mountain White Deer Plain, several mansions are situated. This plateau on Ba Mountain is located to the south of the Tang Dynasty capital, Chang'an, and its elevated geographical advantage renders this area of great military significance. To the east, it connects to Tongguan, and to the south, it leads to Lantian Pass, which opens to Wuguan.

Early in the morning, there was no sound of drills to be heard. In front of the camp gate, two filthy men were squatting there, rolling up their sleeves to bask in the morning sun, with their wooden long spears leaning crookedly against their bodies

Father explained in detail, and Zhang Chao finally understood that although vegetable oil had existed since the Han Dynasty, and during the Southern and Northern Dynasties there were oils such as sesame oil, perilla oil, and safflower oil, the technology for extracting vegetable oils was not yet very mature. As a result, oils like sesame oil were extremely expensive and unaffordable for ordinary families. Generally, common households still consumed animal fats from cattle, sheep, and pigs.

Father also served a large bowl, and just as it happened, the pot of noodles was finished.

In the event of war, the court summons troops, and each province must dispatch soldiers according to orders. Generals are appointed by the court to command the troops, and once the war is over, they return to the court, and the soldiers return to their provinces. This is also a system of separation between soldiers and generals. The generals of the Imperial Guard only manage the routine affairs of the Imperial Guard and are not allowed to mobilize or command troops. The soldiers from each province are summoned to battle, and the provincial soldiers recruited from various regions must also be reorganized.

"Dad, I am here to help you carry the gun." Zhang Chao used to enjoy these knives, guns, swords, and halberds, but in reality, he had no opportunity to come into contact with them and could only indulge in them through games. Upon seeing this long gun in his father's hands, he wanted to have a good look at it.

Looking at these two individuals, Zhang Chao couldn't help but murmur to himself, could this be the imperial guards of the Tang Dynasty, which would unify the Central Plains and dominate the world for the next hundred years without rivals

Dafu has 1,200 people, Zhongfu has 1,000 people, and Xiafu has 800 people

During the Jiangdu mutiny, my father had already become an infantry lieutenant. According to the Sui system, ten men formed a squad, fifty men formed a team, one hundred men formed a battalion, and two hundred men formed a regiment. Each squad had a squad leader, each team had a team commander, each battalion had a battalion chief, and each regiment had a lieutenant. Above that were the generals such as the Eagle Strike General and the Eagle Soar General

I usually do not eat much, but I am really full now

Later, Qin Qiong returned to his hometown due to his mother's death, and Lai Huer even sent him gifts to express condolences. After that, Qin Qiong joined the ranks of the renowned general Zhang Xutuo during the late Sui dynasty, where he achieved numerous military accomplishments. From then on, there was little contact between his father and Qin Qiong. The next time they met was after the coup in Jiangdu, when Yu Wenhua killed the emperor and Lai Huer was murdered. Qin Qiong later followed Yu Wenhua back north, and after being defeated by Li Mi of Wagang, he finally met again with Qin Qiong, who had by then become the cavalry general under Li Mi's command. At that time, however, his father had instead become a young man.

The residence of the old man is located in Bailu Township, five li away from Zhangjiagou.

It is surprising that despite his tall and slender appearance, the old man is able to wield such a sturdy iron spear as a weapon

The iron gun belonging to the old man looks very imposing

As Zhang Chao took hold of the iron spear, he almost lost his grip, having originally intended to perform a couple of flashy maneuvers with it immediately

The old man, who had already laid down his armor, had no choice but to once again shoulder his iron spear and respond to the call, rejoining the military ranks. The old man did not mention the name of Qin Qiong, and due to his many years of military experience, the one-eyed old man ultimately became the squad leader

Mutton fat is naturally the fat from sheep. Compared to lard, mutton fat has a higher fat content and also carries a distinct mutton odor. The taste is not pleasant, and excessive consumption can lead to obesity. As a result, it is rarely consumed in later generations, typically only added to a very limited number of foods such as oil tea.

It is often said that those who engage in physical labor have a large appetite, and soldiers also tend to eat a lot. My father was an old soldier, both a farmer and a soldier. He usually consumed a lot of coarse grains and did not have many vegetables to eat, with limited side dishes. Additionally, the people in Guanzhong are accustomed to having only two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, which naturally leads to a larger portion size at each meal.

Later on, many former members of the Wagang army, including Qin Qiong, abandoned Wang Shichong and joined the Li Tang. My father also followed them. Upon reaching the Li Tang, my father initially intended to lay down his arms and return to farming, not wanting to engage in battles any longer

Eat at the entrance

Zhang Chao was truly astonished; he never expected that the world-renowned door god, Qin Shubao, had once been a subordinate of his father as a lowly soldier

The region of Guanzhong is divided into twelve circuits, with each circuit establishing military commands, and each military command setting up administrative offices.

Duke Rongguo came to protect his son, a native of Jiangdu, a renowned general of the Sui Dynasty, and a descendant of the famous general Liu Xie of the Eastern Han Dynasty

The old man gazed at the iron spear, his eyes reflecting a hint of complexity

Zhang Chao listened and felt that this Cavalry Command was somewhat similar to the armed departments of later generations. The Cavalry General was essentially an armed minister, overseeing the militia. When it came to actual combat, it was not their responsibility; they were merely in charge of daily management and training. The garrison troops of the Tang Dynasty were essentially militia, weren't they

At that time, the world was not yet settled, and the chaos of war had not subsided. The Li Tang dynasty only held the regions of Guanzhong and Hedong. Soon, the place where Li Tang rose to power, Hedong, was seized by Liu Wuzhou. The entire Li Tang court placed immense importance on this matter. Emperor Li Yuan issued an order to mobilize veterans and young men from all over Guanzhong, making every effort to reclaim Hedong

Eat a bit more, the next meal won't be until the evening. The old man put down his bowl, which was already empty of both noodles and soup. Looking at the more than half bowl left by Zhang Chao, he said

The Cavalry stationed in Bailu Township, Ningmin County, is fully staffed with 800 soldiers. The soldiers are primarily selected young men from the surrounding areas, with some veterans like the old man being assigned here, and they are provided with land and housing in the vicinity.

Uncle Bao is benevolent and righteous, but I, this old man who refuses to die, do not wish to trouble him

The one-hundred-meter-long street is flanked by residential houses. Today is not a market day, so the dirt road appears quite desolate. Only three to five shops have their doors open, yet they are deserted in front.

Shandong's Qin Shubao is a renowned general of today. In the previous dynasty, he followed Lai Gong and served under Zhang Xutuo and Pei Renji in Shandong. He later joined Wagang, then allied with Wang Shichong, and ultimately abandoned Wang Shichong to support the Tang Dynasty. The year before last, he accompanied the Prince of Qin in the campaign against Liu Wuzhou, and last year and this year, he again followed the Prince of Qin in campaigns against Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande. He is currently honored with the title of Zhuang Guo and conferred the title of Duke of Yiguo, serving as the Right General of the Qin Wangfu.

Is that lard

As a renowned general of the Sui Dynasty, Lai Huer's weapon was a spear, a genuine iron spear

Qin Shubao? Zhang Chao may not be familiar with Lai Liulang, but how could he not know the great name of Qin Shubao

The entire Bashang, which is known in later generations as Bailuyuan, consists of two plateaus, and is now part of Ningmin County. Ningmin County is further divided into more than ten townships, with Zhangjiagou belonging to Zhangjiali in Bailu Township

Are you really full? Or is it that you can't eat any more dishes?

He served under Hu Er at that time, following him for many years and fighting in various regions.

When it comes to Qin Shubao, Zhang Laodie feels a sense of nostalgia. Back in the day, when Qin Shubao joined under the command of Lai Huer, he had already become the captain of Lai Huer's elite Iron Spear Team. Interestingly, Qin Shubao had once been a low-ranking soldier under his command, but due to Qin Shubao's intelligence and exceptional martial skills, he quickly distinguished himself and earned the recognition of Lai Gong.

Within Ningmin County on the Ba River, there is almost one military government for each township

When he arrived at Wagang and saw Qin Qiong again, Qin Qiong had already become the General of the Cavalry under Li Mi, while his former superior, the old man Qin Qiong, was now a one-eyed cook covered in wounds

Having spent a lifetime in military service, he once held the rank of infantry lieutenant, yet now he is merely an ordinary squad leader in the garrison of the Tang Dynasty. Looking at this tall and slender man, it is hard to imagine that his life has been so tumultuous

Lai Huer is a rather legendary general. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his aunt. After reaching adulthood, he single-handedly infiltrated the wedding banquet of his enemies, publicly avenging himself by killing his foe before departing. He later crossed the river to join the Sui army, where he achieved numerous military accomplishments. Subsequently, he conducted several campaigns in Liaodong and served as the commander of naval forces, at one point even attacking the capital of Goguryeo.