If you choose to declare war against Qi in winter, you will actually start a large-scale war, and it will probably be the spring of the next year. This is a big pit dug by the Ming Dynasty for Qi, but the people of Qi knew it was a trap, but they had to jump down. The mute ate yellow lotus and couldn't say what they had to do.

Compared with the complete transportation system of the Ming Dynasty, the railway network that was almost spread across the country could transport massive amounts of materials from all over the country to the front line at a very small cost. However, the Qi people were still at the initial stage and could only rely on collecting a large number of civilians to complete this huge task.

If they want to supply an army of 100,000 people to engage in a protracted war, the people of Qi had to collect at least several times the civilians who were there to transport food and other materials. This time, the Ming Dynasty and Qi had started several wars. According to the estimate of the Ming Dynasty Political Affairs Hall, Qi wanted to ensure the most basic supply on the front line, and the number of civilians who were recruited would not be less than one million.

In winter, they have to start the work.

Thinking about the heavy snow and biting cold weather, the unclothed men pushing small carts, driving ox carts, horse carts, and donkey carts in the thick snow, they know that this is a disaster.

When Ming Dynasty was dealing with Qi, its first job was to destroy Qi's economy. Various open and dark means were operated together. After several years, it finally came into effect. A large number of farmers' natural economy went bankrupt, and countless small and medium-sized merchants were squeezed by Ming Dynasty's goods so that they had little room for survival. It was very difficult to support the needs of this war. Not to mention the needs of the army, the consumption of millions of civilians alone when transporting these materials was an incredible number.

Once this war begins, it will probably not stop in a short time. The large number of civilians will be conscripted, which will continue to affect the spring plowing next year. The next step is to let the autumn harvest fall into the empty space. Regardless of the situation on the battlefield, the economy of Qi will inevitably further cause a heavy blow.

On the other hand, the Ming Dynasty did not have these worries. The steam train could take away goods that could only be transported by thousands of civilians at one time. More importantly, it could arrive at the destination in a very short time and consume no consumption. If there was really anything, it would be the coal consumed by this steam train.

In this full-scale war of alignment, the Ming Dynasty had little concern for the people except for mobilizing 200,000 retired soldiers to return to the battle sequence.

After a wave of military support, the people have started to do whatever they should do. Those who should do business will do business. Those who should prepare for spring plowing next year will prepare for spring plowing next year. Those who should run for sea trade will not have much impact on everyone's life. The only thing that comes out is topics of conversation. While everyone is idle, they will discuss a few words about this war that will inevitably lead to a new pattern in the mainland.

Only Taoyuan County can feel the strong atmosphere of war.

More and more troops flocked to this border county, and military camps were erected in the wild. The newly built station in Taoyuan County has experienced the most severe test since the beginning of winter. Even at night, trains drove into the platform, transporting countless supplies and soldiers here, and then diverted from the station to various military camps and warehouses.

Benitez sat on a hard-striped chair, leaning against the window and watching the rapid passing scenery outside. He set out from Yangang and went ashore to Baoqing. He had almost no stop. He boarded the train on Baoqing Port and rushed to the battlefield.

They stayed in the Ming Dynasty for the sake of fighting. This was one of the agreements signed by Mattus and the Ming Dynasty. They would use their military achievements to exchange for Mattus's endless support.

Since taking office at Baoqing Port, Benitez's self-esteem and confidence have been completely defeated. At this time, he was just wondering what kind of pork they were fooled by and actually crossed the ocean to challenge such a powerful empire. The Tiger Dynasty that dominated the Western Continent was like a weak baby in front of the Ming Empire, and was vulnerable at all. Both were not above the same level.

Above the battleship, an officer who was stationed in his army as a translator gave him a map of the Eastern Continent. On this map, the current sphere of influence between the Ming and Qi was clearly marked.

From Changyang County, where Baoqing Port is located, to Taoyuan County, the forefront of the war, it was a journey of thousands of kilometers. He originally thought that this would be an arduous march. During the Tiger Dynasty, he had experienced such long-distance marching and fighting. Compared with the difficulties of fighting, he encountered much more difficulties and hardships during the marching.

But what he never expected was that after getting off the boat and resting in the Baoqing military camp for two days, they were taken directly to a huge station. Now he knew that it was the station. At that time, he and his soldiers were all very similar to rural horsemen entering the city, and they had no idea what those things were.

Teams of soldiers entered the rectangular boxes and then ran eastward. The rumbling mechanical sound finally reminded Benitez of the Ming Dynasty's warships on the sea.

It turned out that these machines were not only used at sea, but also used them on land by the Ming people.

This train was loaded with a total of 1,000 fully armed soldiers. His 5,000 people only took five trips to reach them.

More importantly, his soldiers did not need to work hard to trek in the wind and snow, but would sit in the carriage and chat and laugh and arrive at their destination.

This is completely different from the marching in his image.

There were about seventy or eighty ordinary soldiers in a carriage. Although it was a bit crowded, it didn't matter in this winter. It was warmer when squeezed together. He sat in a special carriage. Among the huge carriage, only he and a dozen officers seemed empty. The carriage was equipped with all the facilities. What surprised him the most was that there was actually a toilet that could solve personal problems. Of course, he couldn't use it. Only after the demonstration and explanation of the translation did he understand this so-called toilet.

A stove is fixed in the middle of the carriage. A thin iron pipe pops out from the edge of the stove and drills out of the roof. The good charcoal is burning in the stove, and the hot air is emitted along the thin iron pipes, making the whole carriage warm as spring. The most wonderful thing is that there is a boiling water on the stove. No matter when, they always drink steaming water.

This is not like going to war, but like going out for a trip. In the Western Continent, even a general of his level would not be able to enjoy such treatment. No, not only him, but also the King Danxi, how could he enjoy these things? And I heard that in the Ming Dynasty, even ordinary people can enjoy them.

The carriages like the ones I have left are called VIP carriages in normal times. The so-called VIP, which means that you can sit as long as you pay enough money. After interrogating the price of the so-called VIP, Benitez was silent again. Even though he was a noble in the Western Continent, such luxury was only for an ordinary trip, and he felt it was not cost-effective.

The noble family also had no surplus food.

Thinking of King Dance who has become cold in the coffin, Benitez sighed a little, this is probably a mistake that will bring eternal regret.

When Mattus decided to let him stay, Benitez was quite resistant. Under such circumstances, everyone wanted to go home quickly. But now, he suddenly felt very lucky because he returned to the Western Continent and fought the same war.

When Danci died, the Western Continent would inevitably fall into civil strife. After returning this time, the raging war will ignite in the Western Continent. Since it is all war, it is better to fight here, because now Benitez understands that the Ming Dynasty is just a very strong thigh. Although the war has not officially begun, the march alone has already convinced him.

During the Battle of Yangang, the rumbling sound of artillery fire still made Benitez still feel scared, but in the future, these artillery fires will become the cover for their attack, which will feel different.

Perhaps, fighting will become extremely simple.

He looked at the map spread out and folded on the table again. As a soldier, he was quite sensitive to things like maps. The map in front of him was the most exquisitely made and drawn map he had ever seen. The dense lines and various patterns on it made him dizzy at first. After the translator taught him how to see the map of the Ming Dynasty, he couldn't help but sigh again.

Even if it is a village or a small river, there are detailed labels on the map.

Such a map was not drawn by hand, but printed. When the general translator told Benitez this fact, he could only sigh. For an officer, such a map was a treasure.

One thing Benitez is not clear about is that what he got was just a civil map publicly issued by the Ming Dynasty, and many things were not marked on it. The real military map was much more detailed than the one he had. The Ming Dynasty has always paid great attention to surveying and mapping, and an important responsibility of the scout was to delay the map. After the airship officially appeared, he took on the work of map surveying and mapping since the experimental period. Now the general map of the Ming Dynasty is the map that has been repeatedly confirmed and modified by the airship surveyors, and has basically achieved accuracy. It is no longer as large as the maps in the past.

The eyes turned from the map to the window, and the train was passing by the edge of a city. Although it was snowy in the cold winter, there were endless crowds of people on the roads outside the city.
Chapter completed!