The third emperor of the Sui Dynasty

Chapter 745 Soldiers enter Lintao, Yang Tong encounters difficulties
Lintao County is located in the west edge of the Longxi Basin, east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and belongs to the area of ​​loess hills and gullies. The terrain slopes from southeast to northwest. Taoshui, the largest tributary of the upper reaches of the Yellow River, passes through the territory. Lintao got its name because of this river.

When Qin Shihuang established the system of prefectures and counties, Lintao County belonged to the ancient Longxi County. At that time, Longxi County included the vast areas of central Gansu, southern Ningxia, and eastern Qinghai. Due to the large area of ​​​​Longxi, it is also because it is westward to Qinghai and southward. The strategic ancient road hub of the state; so it was gradually divided and divided, so today's Lintao County is only a very small part of the ancient Longxi County.

It is worth mentioning that Li Chong, the ancestor of the Li family, was the first prefect of Longxi County. Li Zhongxiang, the fourth grandson of Chongxiang, was the general of the early Han Dynasty. "Flying General" Li Guang, in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Li Guang's No. 16 grandson Li Hao established his capital in Xiliang, and was known as King Wuzhao of Xiliang in history.During the reign of Taihe in the later Wei Dynasty, when the famous family of the whole world was established, the Li family in Longxi was the crowning one.And Li Yuan is the seventh generation grandson of Li Hao.So strictly speaking, the ancestral home of the "Longxi Li family" is not the current Longxi County, but Lintao County.

The Xiqing Mountain in the territory belongs to the junction of the three prefectures of Yong, Liang and Yi. It is the watershed between the first song of the Yellow River and the Lishui, Taoshui, and Baishui. The Lishui, Taoshui, and Baishui originate from the north and east of Xiqing Mountain , the main road going south and west is built along the river.

Here is not a barren mountain with thousands of ravines. There are many rivers and canals in the territory, dense forests, and large tracts of fertile cultivated land. It is the richest area in the Hehuang area. County, where not only the land is fertile, but also the climate is quite mild, which is conducive to the growth of crops. The wheat in Raohe County can only be harvested once a year, but in Lintao, it can be harvested three times in two years. In addition, the water source is abundant and irrigation is convenient. In 30, the county had a population of more than [-].

Although affected by Xue Ju's rebellion, Lintao's population dropped sharply, but after Yang Tong recovered Guanzhong, he saw that Guanzhong was overcrowded, so he evacuated 20% of Guanzhong's population to surrounding areas, bringing Lintao's population back to about [-]. Near Lishui, Taoshui, and Baishui, the annual tax contribution to the Sui Dynasty is more than that of Raohe and Xiping combined.

However, after Tubo went north and Li Shimin occupied Dangchang in the south, Lintao County became the frontier of the war again. Fortunately, the people in the territory had confidence in the Sui army and looked down on the Tang army who had been defeated repeatedly, so there was no panic and chaos in the territory. , what should I do as usual.

After Li Shimin, who stood in the south of Lintao, arrived in Dangchang, he paid close attention to training, and also used the money and grain collected from various counties to recruit soldiers. However, his army's equipment is backward and its combat power is extremely weak. In addition, the four counties he occupies, Dangchang, Tongchang, Wudu, and Pingwu, except for relatively rich agriculture, have no other resources. Relatively scarce, in order to obtain strategic resources, on the one hand, he dispatched craftsmen to search for copper and iron mines, on the other hand, he actively prepared for war, and began to move around again. However, his goal this time was not the Great Sui Dynasty, but shrank to the north of the western grassland (Zoige Grassland Bailanqiang in the north).

His intention is very obvious. It is nothing more than to imitate Yang Tong and carry out the foreign policy of supporting wars and training troops with wars. If Bailan Qiang is completely wiped out, he will not only get war horses, but also become one with Tubo and Tuyuhun. It formed a huge threat to the southwest of the Sui Dynasty, thereby reducing the pressure on the east of the Tang Dynasty.

But at this moment, unfavorable news came from the direction of Hanchuan. First, Xue Wanche returned to defend Lintao and took over the Tenth Army; , and Yu Chigong led the [-] main force to station in Shunzheng, the soldiers were directed at Wudu County, and two armies were stationed in Hechi Xiucheng County and Hanchuan Dingjun Mountain.

What's more terrible is that Pei Xingyan and Niu Jinda led the first army of [-] troops into Heyuan. As long as they pass the pass of Jishi Mountain and Xiqing Mountain, they will suddenly see the Ruoergai Prairie. If you go south, you can attack Tuyuhun, and if you go east, you can attack the endless Tongchang County.

If these groups of troops attack the Tang Dynasty at the same time, it means that Li Shimin will fight with more than 20 elite Sui troops. This will make Li Shimin fall into an old routine that cannot be guarded against. As a result, the troops were deployed one by one, and there were only [-] Red Armored Army left that could be flexibly mobilized. Even so, the troops in other places were still very weak. This discovery made Li Shimin feel so depressed that he almost vomited blood. , can only seize strong men to expand the army.

The nervous Li Shimin didn't know Yang Tong's layout at all. In fact, it was mainly aimed at Tubo and Tuyuhun, and he still took a defensive position against Li Tang, but he didn't know. Even if he knew, he didn't dare to be careless. The army can fully launch a full-scale fight.

Attacking Tubo and Tuyuhun was Yang Tong's established strategy. If Murong Xiaojun hadn't killed his brother to seize the throne and united Tubo and the Sui Dynasty as enemies, then Wang Fubao should have entered Tuyuhun and escorted Murong Fuyun.

It was precisely because of the influence of Tuyuhun that Wang Fubao took a defensive position on the border. Not only that, but also a major change in his offensive strategy. Yang Tong not only asked Wang Fubao to set up a fortress on the border and attack Tuyuhun and Tubo southward at any time, but also let the First Army Entering Heyuan County and adapting to the plateau climate, as soon as the adaptation period is over, launch an offensive against Tuyuhun from the east.

In this upcoming battle, Hechuan County, Lintao County, which is close to the front line, has become an important logistics center for the Sui Army. Fortunately, this is the garrison of the Tenth Army, otherwise, there is really no place to put it.In today's military warehouses, weapons, armor, arrows, food, winter clothes, fodder and other materials are piled up like mountains.

This afternoon, the sun was scorching hot, and the air seemed to be frozen into a transparent fluid.

The mighty Xuanjia army was like a torrent of steel, galloping along the official road to the Hechuan County military camp.The scaled waves refracted by the white water shone on the armor and shone brightly, making the entire army look like heavenly soldiers.

The hot armor was worn on the body, like a furnace, making everyone sweat profusely, and then they were suffocated. After drinking water, the sweat would flow out again and be evaporated.This is a subject set up by Yang Tong to let the soldiers adapt to the climate characteristics of the large temperature difference between morning and evening on the plateau. He himself and female soldiers such as Wei Fengwu, Shui Tianji, Yin Mingyue, and Yang Qinfang also put on armor. Du Ruhui and Liu Rengui who went out with the army were no exception.

Yang Tong did this with another intention, which was to hope that Wei Fengwu would retreat in the face of difficulties. Normally speaking, this kind of intensity would be enough for the elite soldiers of the Eleventh Legion to die.

However, although Yang Yu, the eldest wife, is a woman, and although it is the first time to step up the march, she rushed here from Daxing without snoring. Like Qinfang and the others, they were always able to keep up with Yang Tong's pace, which almost made the surrounding soldiers stare out of their eyes.

A group of panting and exhausted soldiers, every time they looked at the backs of the Great Sui Emperor and his wife, their faces were filled with admiration!
Every time they rest, the soldiers will discuss quietly:

"The Queen is really amazing."

"Isn't it? The Holy Majesty, it's fine. I didn't expect the Queen to be so powerful. After running for so long, I just persevered."

"Yeah, we know better than anyone else how terrifying this expedited march is. Ordinary elite soldiers can't bear it at all. The queen has persisted until now...it's amazing..."

"Who would believe such a queen?"

"People in the royal family, I really can't judge them with common sense."

Remarks like the last one have also become the consensus of everyone. By now, everyone has become numb.

In fact, Wei Fengwu doesn't have any superpowers, she has actually practiced a set of extremely brilliant channeling techniques.

Daoyin has been around since ancient times. It is not a secret in the military. The difference is that it is good or bad. It is somewhat similar to the legendary inner strength, but it is not as amazing as inner strength. It can neither hurt people from a distance nor make people light Such as swallows and flying over the walls, but it can make people maintain the functions of the human body.

However, for Wei Fengwu, no matter how powerful the Daoyin technique is, it is only an aid. What really makes her persevere is actually her persistent self-training and her own perseverance.

. . . . . . . . .

Ten miles away from the barracks, Xue Wanche and Wusu, who are local snakes, led the generals to welcome them. They walked slowly along the white water.

It was also the first time for Yang Tong to visit these places. Looking at the fertile fields by the river, he found that the land here is very fertile, which gave him a lot of ideas.

Seemingly seeing that Yang Tong was surprised, Xue Wanche, who had stayed here for several years, said with a smile: "My lord, Lintao County itself is a major grain-producing area. All of them were abandoned as pastures for cattle, sheep and horses. Up to now, there are still many Qiang people in this area.”

"There are Qiang people here?" Yang Tong was a little surprised, because there was no trace of Qiang people along the way.

"Of course there are. There are at least a dozen branches of Qiang people here, mainly Dangxiang Qiang, Bailan Qiang, and Xishan Qiang. Later, it declined, and was subdued by the Murong Xianbei, and finally established the Tuyuhun Khanate. Now the Fuguo, Domi, Subi and other tribes occupied by Tubo are actually Qiang people." Xue Wanche said with a smile: "Anyway, the Hehuang Khanate The Qiang people in the area are widely distributed, even in Hexi and Longyou. Our area is mainly Bailan Qiang, which is also the largest tribe besides Dangxiang Qiang, with a population of at least 10,000+."

"But I didn't meet one along the way. Where are they all living now?"

"They live in the southwest of Lintao, that is, in the area of ​​Xiqing Mountain and the prairie. The Holy Majesty did not see them. First, their living habits are different from ours. Second, this is the garrison and training place of the Tenth Army. During confrontation exercises, they are afraid of being accidentally injured, so they generally avoid this place. However, they will also take special products to the county town to sell in exchange for grain, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, cloth and so on."

"So, they have a good relationship with me, Da Sui?"

"It was good at first, but then it changed." Xue Wanche continued to introduce: "As early as the Wei and Zhou dynasties, the imperial court at that time had no time to take care of the Qiang people in order to unify the great cause, so they ransacked the border from time to time. We unified the world in the Sui Dynasty After that, thousands of Qiang households accepted the probation of the imperial court and started farming. In the fifth year of Kaihuang, Tuoba Ningcong and other chiefs each led their own people and were granted the post of general. In the 16th year of Kaihuang Some Qiang tribes attacked Huining County. After being defeated by the imperial army, they all surrendered and sent their children to the court to apologize. At times, some generals demanded too much from the Qiang people, and after the war ended, they exploited too much. Some generals even used the heads of friendly Qiang tribes as military exploits. As a result, the relationship became stalemate. Although they will not provoke The army and the common people, however, also hold an attitude of hostility and suspicion towards the imperial court."

"Do you think they will go south to support Li Shimin?" Yang Tong asked the most critical question.

"It's hard to talk about this last general." Xue Wanche was silent for a while, and smiled wryly: "However, the Qiang people living under the rule of the Sui Dynasty have not fought against the Central Plains army so far, and they are very peaceful. They abide by the rules of our court and should not dare to provoke them. Our army. However, if the Holy One wants to convince the Qiang people, it may not be possible in a year or two."

"..." Yang Tong was speechless. In the final analysis, it was because Yang Guang didn't restrain the army and left the mess everywhere for him to clean up.

After a long time, I sighed with regret: "The Qiang people live in the deep mountains and old forests, and they fight against poisonous insects and beasts all the time. Of these 10,000+ people, I am afraid that there are not many old, weak, sick and disabled. Excluding women, children and children, there are at least [-] to [-] people who are walking like flying and vigorous. A young man who is good at shooting and hunting is bound to be an unpredictable variable."

"The last general thinks so too. If our army reaches the edge of their power, we might be so frightened that we surrender to Li Shimin." Xue Wanche thought for a while, and then added honestly: "The previous generals were too much. Cheng is the last general, and the last general can't believe in Tai Sui anymore."

Everyone: "..."

"Trouble, trouble..." Yang Tong was extremely depressed.

"It's really troublesome." Xue Wanche said worriedly: "Because they work with poisonous insects, they have also learned extremely clever skills in using poison."

"Is their poison terrible?" Yang Tong only felt his scalp go numb.

"It's quite terrifying. As long as the skin is pierced, a light arrow can kill a tiger within a hundred steps." Xue Wanche said with a sad face: "This thing is too scary. We have no cure at all. It's best to kill it." We need to subdue them first. If they go to Li Shimin's side and then use poisonous arrows against our army, we will be in big trouble."

Yang Tong was silent for a while, and then ordered Yin Mingyue, who was in charge of information transmission, "Mingyue, immediately send the situation to Luoyang, and ask Sun Simiao to bring the first batch of doctors who are highly skilled in medicine and proficient in poison techniques."

Yin Mingyue asked: "Your Majesty wants to break the Qiang people's poison?"

Yang Tong nodded and said, "This kind of poison technique poses too great a threat to our army, and there is no room for carelessness. Let Sun Simiao and the others come here, and we will be prepared."

"I'll go down and make arrangements." Yin Mingyue respectfully complied.

Yang Tong said to Xue Wanche again: "Try to get some poisonous arrows. It would be even better if you can get the formula of poison art and antidote. In addition, I will send envoys to the various tribes of the Qiang people. I want to meet their tribal leaders and show that the imperial court Sincerity, even if they send representatives to talk."

"Here."

(End of this chapter)