This group of merchants rested in the same inn as Zhao Ce and others last night.

Today, Zhao Ce and the others set off late, but their pace was faster than them. They also caught up with them and passed them at the same time.

But no luck.

There is a big battle ahead.

The Tatar spies almost penetrated into the Xuanfu territory yesterday.

Today, Zhu Houzhao sent more spies to explore further in both directions.

The people sent by the merchants to inquire about the road conditions ahead were all captured by the Ming army. They had to find out their identities and get Zhu Houzhao's permission before they could be released.

Therefore, after this group of people were discovered by spies, they had no choice but to retreat.

He could only stay where he was and wait for Zhu Houzhao and others to come over.

The place they arrived was not far from the transport team.

The time has come for the horse to run for a cup of tea.

Knowing that there had just been a battle ahead, many people were very scared.

He kept begging for mercy: "Master Jun, we are really the people of the Ming Dynasty."

"You have a large army fighting in the front, and you are detaining us merchants here, aren't you leaving us to die?"

"Please also ask the military master to show your noble hand and let us go back to Xuan Mansion."

What this group of people feared most was that these Ming troops would escort them to the front and temporarily act as a fighting force.

Those who risked their lives by taking risks on this trade route were basically risking their lives.

But now that I haven't earned any money, I still have to die as a living target.

Who would want that?

The guarding Ming Jun shouted impatiently: "Don't make any noise!"

"The two armies are now at war, so anyone who appears nearby is in danger of leaking the news."

"If I want to let you go, the general must agree."

All these merchants frowned.

Some even turned pale and took out pen and paper to leave suicide notes to their families.

When Zhu Houzhao and Zhao Ce first arrived here, they saw such a gloomy and bleak situation.

But the two of them didn't have time to worry too much.

After Zhao Ce dismounted, he asked directly: "What goods were transported?"

A soldier replied: "If you go back to the general, there are a lot of medicinal materials."

"There are also grains and salt, cloth and ordinary porcelain."

The things brought by this group of merchants are basically consumables necessary for frontier life, and they basically have no worries about sales.

Whether they are people from border cities or foreigners outside, they are all their customers.

But subject to conditions, they will definitely not transport too much.

Zhao Ce nodded and said: "Pull the medicinal materials and cloth away first, and let the accompanying military doctors select suitable medicinal materials and cook them for the seriously injured soldiers to drink."

"Bring the cloth to bandage the wound."

The soldier hesitated and said: "General, our team does not have a military doctor accompanying us."

Such precious talents as military doctors must be staying in the military camp.

How could it be possible to follow their team?

Zhao Ce said helplessly: "Then take him away first and wait for me to go back and prepare the prescription."

These soldiers were a little surprised.

This general fought so bravely just now, so it turns out that he also knows the art of Qi Huang?

Everyone said nothing, and a group of people took away the medicinal materials and cloth.

This group of merchants were forced to confiscate their goods, and they all looked on with sad faces.

But I didn’t dare to stop him from speaking out.

Zhao Ce asked again: "How much are the prices of these medicinal materials and cloth? We will supply them to you as appropriate."

He pointed to Zhu Houzhao next to him with his palm: "The general is here, just make an offer to him."

"But if you dare to falsely report the price, don't blame us for being ruthless!"

When they heard that they could get back their own costs, these businessmen couldn't believe it for a moment.

Zhu Houzhao was a little stunned when he was suddenly pointed at like this.

"I-should I pay for it?"

Does the imperial court still have to spend money on things that are requisitioned for war?

Zhao Ce smiled and said: "That's right, I'll just ask you, General, to arrange it."

Just when Zhu Houzhao was about to agree, Liu Jin on the side quickly reminded: "Master, you can ask them to go to the camp to get it."

"This is the expenditure of the army. You should not pay for it privately."

Only then did Zhu Houzhao come back to his senses and smiled innocently.

When giving orders on the battlefield, he has the courage to win a victory thousands of miles away.

However, Zhao Ce's praise just now made him feel in high spirits.

If Liu Jin hadn't reminded him, he would have just paid for it himself.

"Okay, then Liu Banpan will arrange for someone to take note of it."

As he said that, he saw Zhao Ce walking up to one of the cars.

This is a cart of porcelain, of average quality.

Inside the customs, it probably wouldn't fetch much.

But in the border areas, prices can go up a lot.

Zhao Ce looked at these porcelains and suddenly had an idea in his mind.

Zhu Houzhao also came over, and when he saw Zhao Ce's eyes, he immediately understood.

"How are you going to use these porcelain?"

Zhao Ce said: "It's only the afternoon now. General, do you think there will be other movements on the Tatar side?"

Zhu Houzhao said without thinking: "The little prince is a good soldier."

"Just now we overwhelmed them with momentum and asked them to temporarily retreat. It was only a temporary measure."

"Now that we are under martial law, his scouts can't get any information."

"I guess that before dusk, he will send another team to feint attack, and he will have a thorough understanding of our true combat power."

Zhao Ce nodded and said: "That makes sense."

"But after the battle just now, our people will probably never be able to display the same momentum again."

"So we have to think of other ways to prevent them from attacking again."

Zhu Houzhao pointed to these porcelains: "The method you mentioned is these porcelains?"

There is already a tacit understanding between the two.

Zhao Ce smiled slightly: "The general understands me."

"How about stuffing these porcelains with gunpowder, broken stones, broken pieces of porcelain, etc., and making them into thunderbolts?"

"Shocking Thunder..."

When Zhu Houzhao suddenly heard the name, he thought about it for a moment.

The thunderbolt was invented in the late Northern Song Dynasty.

The outer shell is made of pig iron and contains black powder and a fuse.

The fuze explodes after being ignited, using the broken iron fragments to kill and injure the enemy.

The famous general Yue Fei once used this item to resist gold.

But their Ming Dynasty really didn't use it much.

"Can porcelain be used too?"

Zhao Ce nodded: "Of course."

It was recorded in the sacred book "Tiangong Kaiwu" mentioned by Zhao Ce earlier.

In the late Ming Dynasty, a weapon appeared called Ten Thousand Enemies.
To be continued...