I studied in modern times

Chapter 596: The War in the Northwest (1)

Xige City is a typical Tubo city.

Most buildings in the city have rammed earth wall foundations, and their roofs are generally flat-top structures.

The parapet wall is made of wattle grass, so its appearance is usually red or ocher.

Because those who can live in the city are basically nobles.

So these buildings are very large.

Moreover, there is usually a shrine housing a Buddha image.

These Buddhist temples have obvious characteristics of the Tubo Empire.

That is, they will enshrine Buddha statues and Buddhist niches in a cave-like space.

Some will enshrine Buddha statues and niches in the walls.

At this moment, in the center of Xige City, in the most magnificent building.

Xibawen, the owner of Xige City, was reading scriptures in the Buddhist hall.

"Master..." A stout man came to the temple, bowed his hands and saluted: "Zanni is here."

Xibawen clasped his hands together and bowed devoutly towards the Buddha statue he enshrined.

Then he turned around and told the visitor: "Let Zanni come see me."

"promise."

Not long after, a middle-aged nobleman wearing a sheepskin coat with a large triangle collar came to Xibawen.

He bowed his hands respectfully and said, "Mubozanni, pay homage to His Highness the Great Buddha."

Since Lin Bubi, the last bloodline of Zusiluo and the legal heir of Dong Xiang, was assassinated by Ali Gu's men.

Zanpu in Qingtang City no longer has Zanpu’s bloodline.

In this way, Xiba Wen has become the only person among the Qing and Tang tribes who still has Zanpu blood. Naturally, he can naturally inherit the title of Buddha's son.

At least, Xibawen thinks he has this qualification.

The tribes in Xige City also felt that he had this qualification.

"Zanni is here." Xibawen said namaste: "Get up and talk."

"Yes." Mubozani stood up and looked at his master.

He supports and supports Xibawen.

Because this Buddhist disciple not only opened the way for everyone to go to Xihe for pilgrimage.

It also opened the way for everyone to trade with the Han Dynasty.

It also brought countless preferential treatment to everyone.

The most important thing is - he really doesn't care about anything!
In the past, it was handed over to his uncle Langegezhan. After Langegezhan was killed, he simply entrusted it all to the management of the tribe leaders.

Even in Xige City, he appointed Mubo and other four leaders to take over and negotiate with each other.

Only Brother Xi Yaxing was directly controlled by him.

Generally speaking, as long as you don't disturb him while reciting sutras, everything can be discussed easily.

This is the master that everyone likes.

"What happened?" Xibawen asked.

"Master, several caravans sent by various ministries to the plateau did not come back on time." Mubozani reported.

Xibawen frowned and asked with a serious expression: "Have you sent anyone to look for it?"

Since the founding of the country in the Qing and Tang dynasties, Tubo has been a regime that attaches great importance to trade and the protection of merchants.

In order to ensure the safety of trade routes, when he was in power, he often led troops to patrol the roads.

In order to ensure that the Han Dynasty agreed and accepted Tibet, it also conducted trade with Tibet in the Qing and Tang Dynasties.

Zunsiluo sent people to Bianjing again and again to express their loyalty.

He even expressed his willingness to lead troops to flank the party.

But none of them had any effect. It wasn't until he really led his troops to defeat Li Yuanhao at Zongge River that he finally handed in the certificate of surrender. He was conferred by the uncle of the Han family as the governor of the Baoshun Army, and became the king of Wuwei, officially re-opening the alliance the Silk Road.

In the following decades, despite the Xining Kaibian.

However, Qingtang City has always maintained friendship with the Han Dynasty and has not completely broken off. Of course, this is also related to Dong Xiang's mentality: although Xining's expansion to the border is an expansion of the Han Dynasty, for Dong Xiang, it is not easy to fight. They are all enemies that pose a great threat to him.

For example, the person now called Zhao Sizhong was originally named Mu Zheng, and he was Dong Xiang’s nephew. His father was Xiang Xiang, the eldest son of Xisiluo!

The person who is now called Zhao Chunzhong was originally named Ba Zhanjiao, and he was also the son of Ba Zhanzhen.

The deceased Zhao Shaozhong, whose original name was Blind Wu Chi, was also the son of Blind Felt.

And the father of these people, Xian Xiang, had already joined forces to compete with Xun Siluo when he was still there!

After Dong Feang came to the throne, he went even further. He refused to abandon Qing Tang and even raised troops to fight against him!
If it weren't for the other son of Zushiluo at that time, Mo Xiangjiao would have died.

Back then, Qingtang was even more lively.

Therefore, it was also because of this background that the Song Army was able to expand Xining's borders so smoothly.

In addition, there is also a reason why it is a national policy to ensure smooth trade routes at all costs.

Xiba Wenzi also knew this.

Therefore, when he heard that there was a problem with the caravan, he became nervous.

Xige City is inseparable from commerce.

Without commerce, Xige City would be a dead city!
"Many teams of cavalry have been sent to search, but none of the cavalry sent came back to report." Mubozani reported, stroking his chest.

Xi Bawen suddenly became nervous: "Where did they disappear?"

"Near Longyang Gorge!" Mubo Zani replied.

Xibawen's expression suddenly became extremely serious.

Longyang Gorge?
Has Qingyi Jie Guizhang come down from the plateau?
Qingyi Jiegui Zhang's power was once extremely huge.

The territory it owns extends directly from Xige City to the plateau snow-capped mountains.

Not only that, he also owns many ranches in Taozhou, Minzhou and other places.

This was approved by the uncle of the Han family - Qingyi Jiegizhang, who was named the governor of Kuozhou by the uncle of the previous generation of Han family, and was allowed to graze in Taozhou, Minzhou, Kuozhou and other places.

This matter was changed only last year.

Qingyi formed a ghost chapter and attacked and killed Lange Zhan, forcing him to flee Xibawen.

After escaping, Xibawen fled into the mountains.

Then he sent people to the Han area to ask for help. Zhongyi, the prefect of Hezhou, the uncle of the Han family, led his troops to support him under the orders of Gao and Xiang, two close generals of the country. He set up an ambush in Longyang Gorge, defeated Qingyi Jiegui Zhang, and brought his power to the Han Dynasty. Expelled from Xige City and Kuozhou.

Then, after October last year, Yu Longke (Bao Shun) of Xizhou and Mu Zheng (Zhao Sizhong) of Qinzhou began to send people into Taozhou and Minzhou to recruit and surrender various tribes.

Under the background of severe drought, tribes of all sizes, who had long been hungry until their eyes glowed green, joined one after another.

The Qingyi Jie Guizhang forces in Taozhou and Minzhou were severely damaged and had to withdraw from the local area - there was no way! When Yu Longke and Mu Zheng recruited the local Tubo and Qiang tribes to surrender, they directly asked monks to bring barley, soybeans, and wheat there.

Come, there's something to eat! As well as chanting sutras, you can go on a pilgrimage to Mount Mobang! You can even get the qualification to enshrine Buddha’s tooth relic!
The various tribes who had long been starved and fainted, and had never seen such a formation, turned over and joined forces one after another.

During this process, Qingyi Jie Guizhang sent envoys to Xizhou and Qingtang many times, and even sent people to Bianjing to complain.

But to no avail.

The envoys who went to Xizhou and Bianjing never came back. Don't ask, if you ask, they accidentally fell off their horses and died!
As for the letter he wrote, the official at Xihe Road simply threw it aside without even reading it.

Not to mention, sent to the Jinzou Academy in Bianjing.

Therefore, Xibawen had long been mentally prepared for Qingyi's ghost seal to come down the mountain to attack Xige City - if he stayed in the mountain any longer, he would starve to death sooner or later!

Why not go to Taozhou or Minzhou?

Because Mu Zheng and Yu Longke are there!

Especially Mu Zheng!
This is the real bloodline of Jisiluo!
Moreover, she is the legitimate direct descendant of the daughter of Zun Siluo and Li Lizun.

Qingyi Jie Guizhang's subordinates might not listen to him.

But they did not have the guts and courage to collide with the direct bloodline of Zanpu and Fozi.

That's going to hell!

What's more, Minzhou and Taozhou are backed by Xizhou.

At any time and anywhere, you can get the support of the elite Western Army from the Han family uncle.

It's not like Xige City, which is isolated and hanging outside.

The nearest Song Army garrison is Fugong City, two hundred miles away.

However, the Song army only stationed a symbolic force (one hundred people) in the local area.

If the Song Army on Xihe Road wants to rescue Xige City, it will take half a month at the fastest.

Therefore, Xibawen began to frantically enrich the defense of Xige City.

The city walls were thickened and heightened. He also set up a female wall on the city wall. If he didn't have enough time, he even wanted to imitate Lanzhou City and build a strong fortress outside Xige City, turning Xige City into a fortified city similar to Lanzhou.

In addition, he also introduced a large number of advanced city defense equipment from the Han Dynasty.

An old eight-niu crossbow bought for sale in Lanzhou City?

buy!
Even though the selling price was twice the cost of a brand new eight-niu crossbow, he closed his eyes and bought three of them and placed them on the city wall.

They also spent a lot of money to hire craftsmen from Xihe Road to install it.

The divine arm bow that Xizhou Tao replaced?

buy!
And one purchase is five hundred!

Buy Xihe’s old leather armor and old mail armor!

Especially the mail armor, he bought a hundred sets at a time to arm his guards.

In addition to these, he also imported more than a dozen trebuchets from Lanzhou.

Although these trebuchets have a relatively short range, they can only project stone projectiles ranging from a few kilograms to more than ten kilograms.

However, combined with the Eight Bull Crossbow and the Divine Arm Bow, it formed far, medium and close firepower to defend the city.

Xibawen, without thinking too much, directly ordered: "Come here!"

Immediately a loyal servant came out and knelt down.

"Go and open the arsenal, take out all the defensive equipment inside, and install them all!"

"In addition..." He looked at Mupo Zanni: "Zanni, notify other families to activate Qingzhuang and start alert."

"Send more scouts to investigate the Longyang Gorge area, and then send people to Kuozhou and Lanzhou to warn."

"No!" Mubozani immediately took the order and left.

At this time, Qingyi Jieguizhang's forward cavalry had appeared in the mountainous area more than thirty miles north of Xige City.

These capable cavalry easily suppressed the local tribes.

But this also exposed his whereabouts, and some local people fled to Xige City.

However, this was within Qingyi's expectation.

So, he simply moved his camp to a valley on the south bank of the Yellow River near Xige City that afternoon.

Then, he led people to the top of a mountain where Xige City could be seen.

From a high position, look at the outline of Xige City in the distance.

Qingyi Jie Guizhang knew that the key to this battle was not in Xige City.

The question lies in whether the Song army that came for reinforcements can be annihilated outside Xige City.

As long as the Song army who comes to help is eliminated, Xige City will be destroyed without attack.

Otherwise, he would have to face a long and arduous siege.

And that is something he cannot accept!
and so……

Qingyi Jie Guizhang knew in his heart that the outcome of this battle depended on whether Liang Yibu could launch a full-line attack on the Southern Barbarians on time and attract the main force of the Southern Barbarians as agreed.

Especially the main force in Lanzhou!

Only in this way could he have the opportunity to capture Xige City, take advantage of the victory to capture Kuozhou, and restore Minzhou and Taozhou.

Only in this way can Nanman be forced to the negotiating table.

Only in this way can Nanman face him and Zamp behind him.

Yes!

Qingyi had formed an alliance with Gui Zhang and Ali Gu, but he had never thought that he would really form an alliance with Dang Xiang and fight to the death with the Nanman.

Their minds are still very clear.

So they knew that although the Nanman were man-eating tigers, the Dangxiang people were hungry wolves with no bottom line.

Beat the Nanman away and offend the Nanman to death.

It doesn't do them any good.

Not to mention the fact that tigers are driven out through the front door and wolves are admitted through the back door.

Qingtang City would not be able to bear it just because the Silk Road was cut off.

"Early tomorrow morning, send someone to shout outside Brother Xi's city." Qing Yi Jie Guizhang ordered the people around him: "Tell Xi Bawen that I am not here to beat him."

"I came to restore Xige City on the orders of the great Zanpu."

"As long as Xibawen Kaicheng surrenders, gives up the title of Buddha, accepts and recognizes the status of the great Zanpu Aligu, and goes to Qingtang City to pay homage to Zanpu."

"Then he is still the master of Xige City and the leader of the various tribes."

"I would like to swear to Buddha and promise that I will never lie!"

The process still has to go.

What if we can really persuade him to surrender?

(End of this chapter)