Han Hai Tang Ergui

Chapter 96
Shule, this is one of the four Anxi towns in the Tang Dynasty, and it is also one of the most prosperous, populous, and rich treasures in Anxi.

It's just that during the two hundred years after the Anshi Rebellion in the Anxi Four Towns of the Tang Dynasty, Khotan was captured by Tubo, and then became the Kingdom of Khotan on its own, while Suiye actually fell during the Wu Zhou period.

Kucha Town and Shule Town were finally captured by Tubo 100 years ago. Now Kucha belongs to Gaochang Uighurs, and Shule Town is in the hands of Kara Khanate.

The approximate location of Shule City is Kashgar in later generations. In fact, this era is the critical moment when the name Shule began to change to Kashgar.

This generation of Kara Khanate Great Khan Saktu Bugla Khan is a famous king in the history of Kara Khanate.

It was also in his hands that the Kara Khanate began to gradually enlighten the heavens, and the policy of preaching with swords and swords implemented by the successor King Khan brought serious disasters to all ethnic groups in Anxi!

Zhang Zhao rode on a tall yellow horse, followed by dozens of well-equipped guards and cavalry. His current identity is a great nobleman from Yizhou, a servant of Di Luoda of Gaochang Uyghur Khanate Brothers and servants are obedient.

This identity has been carefully designed. Pu Gucheng was born in the Gaochang Uighur royal family, the founder of the Khanate, and the descendant of Zhang Yichao's once powerful general Pugu Jun, but he is the branch of the concubine's birth, and Pugu is gracious. It is Pugu Jun's direct bloodline.

Moreover, two generations of Pugu Fengen's ancestors were married to Li Tang's clan, and even Pugu Feng'en's mother came from the Shazhou Li family of Li Tang's clan. Central Plains people.

This Gaochang Uighur royal family had just converted from Manichaeism to Buddhism. When Wu Da'er was ordered by Zhang Zhao to go to Yizhou to find Di Luoda's servant Gu Gu promised to redeem his money, he happened to be going to Dunhuang to study Buddhist scriptures. Zhang Zhao chooses to pretend to be him boldly.

There are two other important reasons, that is, as a former Manichaeite and a current Buddhist, Pugu Fengen would definitely not be willing to go to Shule, so the dignitaries in Shule City have basically never seen this person.

Secondly, Pugu Fengen acted in a low-key manner, and because of his involvement with the Guiyi Army, he was in a relatively marginalized position in Gaochang Uighurs.

This perfectly prevented the merchants from the east or the envoys of the Kara Khanate from seeing him, and in the end he looked similar to the Central Plains people, which made up for Zhang Zhao's appearance characteristics.

The atmosphere in Shule City was quite tense at this time, because the large-scale recruitment of the Khotan Kingdom in the south could not be hidden from people. Not only the recruitment, but also the manufacture of various equipment, and the hoarding of grain and grass had already spread to Shule City.

In this era, it is basically impossible for a country to launch a surprise attack on another country among major countries.

Because unless it is the kind of village battle that sends hundreds of soldiers and recruits one or two thousand farmers and herdsmen, every battle requires a lot of preparation before the battle.

For example, Li Shengtian has been preparing for Khotan’s war against Shule since the first month of 932 when Zhang Zhao showed him that he could blast the city wall of Shule.

But as of the current March, the whole preparation is still in progress.

The feudal lords from all over the country brought their private soldiers to the King City of Khotan to conduct joint training with the national standing army.

A third of the projected 300,000 arrows had not yet been made.

The 700,000-strong army needs to prepare [-] shi of food, which is enough to last for more than three months, and not all of them have been mobilized yet.

As for the building of the remaining armor and siege equipment, as well as the recruitment of grain transporters, they are still in progress.

Such a large-scale mobilization, I am afraid that even the blind can see it, and the fool will know who it will be aimed at.

Khotan and Gaochang Uyghurs are religious allies. In history, after Khotan's subjugation, it was the Gaochang Uyghurs who prevented Anxi from continuing to green, so it is impossible for Khotan to attack Gaochang Uyghurs.

As for Zhongyun Kingdom, 3000 people would be enough, less than [-], and it would definitely be a loss-making business. Li Shengtian would not be so stupid as to attack Zhongyun Kingdom, so Khotan would only target the Kara Khanate up.

However, although Shule City was tense at this time, it was not facing a formidable enemy, but fell into a deformed prosperity.

Because everyone knows that Khotan has mobilized so many supplies and military horses that it is impossible to attack it soon. Coupled with the impact of preparations for spring plowing, it will take at least two or three months for the war to break out.

Therefore, everyone is taking advantage of this free period to buy and sell various materials, and the merchants on the northern Silk Road are also rushing through. They don't know when this battlefield will go on, and they are all hurrying to the last little time. earn a fortune.

Zhang Zhao thought about it again and again, but still did not choose to venture into Shule City. Who would have known that the current Shule governor, Bogra Saktuhan's confidant, Ittihad Nasr bin Mansour would Don't overreact.

After all, this guy is a fanatical follower of Tianfang Cult, and Saktu Khan converted to Tianfang Cult under the guidance of his father, Prince Saman Nasr bin Mansour.

The place where Zhang Zhao is now is a small market called Jialu Pavilion. Just hearing the name, one can tell that it was made by Han people.

Less than ten miles to the south of this place is the famous Jiashi City, and about a hundred miles away is Shule. There are not many troops of the Kara Khanate nearby, and there are a large number of Buddhists. It is a very good safe zone.

Standing beside Zhang Zhao, Wu Yuan'er was reciting words written on a piece of jute paper over and over again. This was the task Zhang Zhao had given him.

He is now the envoy of Pugu Feng'en, the royal family of Gaochang. The purpose of his trip is Shule City. The mission is to represent Pugu Feng'en. Dozens of monks from Dayun Temple.

Shule Dayun Temple is the most important temple in the prosperous period of Shule Buddhism. It has collected relics such as the "Buddha Bathing Bed" and "Buddha Bowl" used by Sakyamuni. Zhimeng, Kumarajiva, etc. have all worshiped in Dayun Temple.

Later generations of Kashgar can even see the ruins of the Dayun Temple, which is the area known as the ruins of the Moer Pagoda.

In this era, it can be regarded as a place of faith for Buddhists in Shule City. Three years ago, Dayun Temple was completely destroyed under the order of Ittihad, and all monks who were unwilling to convert were thrown into prison.

And it was this incident that completely angered Li Shengtian. Due to the identity of the Samanid royal family in Ittihad, Li Shengtian sent envoys to the Samanid dynasty in history to threaten revenge.

This is recorded in the "Treasures" written by Kadi Abul Hussein Ahmed ibn Zubair, an Arab writer in the eleventh century AD.

Zhang Zhao adjusted Wu Yuan'er's collar with his own hands, and Wu Yuan'er looked at Zhang Zhao nervously.

This man had always followed his elder brother Wu Da'er in the fight, but now he not only had to be an envoy, but also had to do such a dangerous thing, so he was inevitably a little nervous.

"Brother Yuan'er, you must remember what XX said. Since the Karakhans already know that Khotan is going to launch a war against them, they will definitely not dare to provoke the Gaochang Uyghur Khanate anymore, because it is likely to attract a pincer attack from both sides. .

So you can be a little bit arrogant, as long as you memorize the information on this piece of paper, you will not be exposed, and there will be no danger if you are not exposed. "

Wu Yuan'er took a deep breath, then nodded heavily.

"Erlang-jun, don't worry, I'm going to follow Erlang-jun to make meritorious deeds, this little thing, I can definitely do it!"

"That's good! Remember, whether Ittihad agrees or not, you must try to meet the monks of the Dayun Temple who are imprisoned in Shule Inner City Prison. It is best to bring out a few of them!" Zhang Zhao scratched the ground twice before continuing.

"This prison is in the inner city of Shule, and there are many important facilities nearby. You must memorize the surroundings. When you come back, draw a picture for someone to see. It's up to you whether our brothers can avoid injuries or deaths!"

Of course Zhang Zhao is not going to save the monks of Dayun Temple, and he will not let them go if he wants to save them, so this is just an excuse, Zhang Zhao just wants a more detailed map of the inner city of Shule.

After ordering Wu Yuan'er, Zhang Zhao pulled Ma Yaozi over again, and this time Ma Yaozi was going to be a deputy envoy.

"Kiaozi, you are smart, you have to pay special attention to the defense system of the city wall, and you can also let it out, just say that Gao Changda, the servant of Gu Fengen, brought three thousand coins and was waiting outside Jiashi City to buy the monks of Dayun Temple !"

"Mr. Zhongwei, do you want someone to rob the monks from Dayun Temple?" Ma Yaozi looked at Zhang Zhao suspiciously, and then burst into joy.

"Is Lang Jun trying to attract the greedy people in Shule City?"

"That's right! The management of Shule City is not strict. There are many so-called god warriors from other places who are fanatical followers of Tianfang Cult. When they hear this news, some people will definitely come over.

Then, let's further explore Shule's 'tongue'! Zhang Zhao smiled sinisterly.

(End of this chapter)