Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 335: Sorting into different categories, looking at what to eat

"Is this Yiwu City?"

Under the setting sun, a small city appeared in front of the team. Chongyong pointed in the direction of the city with his riding whip and asked.

This city is an outer city within an inner city, and outside the outer city is a low city, a nested shape that is very common in this era. The outermost low city is more than a thousand meters wide by visual inspection.

After many days of marching, the Anxi Expeditionary Force led by Fang Chongyong has arrived at the center of Yizhou, Yiwu City, where the state governs, and at the entrance of the Zhongtian Mountain Corridor.

This is the dividing point between two major roads, which separates an "Eastern Tianshan Corridor" and a "Middle Tianshan Corridor".

The East Tianshan Corridor includes part of Yizhou and all of Tingzhou, corresponding to Hami and Urumqi in Fang Chongyong's previous life.

Yes, Yiwu City in the Tang Dynasty was the urban area of ​​Hami City, but Yiwu County in Fang Chongyong's previous life was a new settlement formed far northeast of the Yiwu City site in the Tang Dynasty due to the subsequent diversion of rivers.

Walking along the northwest corridor from Yiwu City, you can reach Tingzhou. Of course, there was no need for Fang Chongyong to take this road, because they were going to the Anxi Protectorate to camp and needed to take the Zhongtian Mountain Corridor.

The end of the Zhongtian Mountain corridor is Xizhou, which corresponds to Turpan in Fang Chongyong's previous life.

The Anxi Expeditionary Force came from the south and passed many small oases along the way. They were basically water sources formed by the emergence of underground rivers. There were no rivers exposed outside the surface! Having said that, there are quite a few shallow ravines carved out by small streams and creeks on the ground, which are very similar to the river courses during the hydrological changes. Unfortunately, now there is only a long stretch of yellow sand.

It can even be said that "the eight immortals cross the sea and show their magical powers", and everything is practical.

Since the Han Dynasty opened up the Western Regions, the unique "ditch" technology in the Guanzhong area has been developed here according to local conditions, forming the artificially dug underground river system "Karez", forming a pattern of "water not being exposed" in the city.

"Fang Jieshuai, you don't know that although the Protector's Mansion in Anxi and Beiting is similar to the Jiedu Mansion, it is still slightly different.

The northwest of Xizhou is connected to Tingzhou, and the road to the southwest of Xizhou leads to Qiuci (Kuqa City) where the Anxi Protectorate is located.

Fang Chongyong looked calm, as if nothing had happened. After the army set up a simple camp, he entered the commander's tent to check the letters sent by the messenger.

Of course, Yizhou is backed by Zheluoman Mountain (another name for Zhongtian Mountain, any mountain in the Western Region is called "Tianshan", they are all part of the Tianshan Mountains), so there must be no shortage of water sources. The snow water on the mountain melts and flows from the heights through Yiwu City, nourishing the people here.

The origin of the soldiers and horses in Anbeiting is complicated. This is an objective phenomenon. There is no need to investigate the reasons for its formation now. It is clearly before our eyes.

Who are our friends and who are our enemies? This question is the beginning of dealing with all matters. It is impossible not to understand it clearly.

As long as the length of the river is slightly longer, it will directly dry up as it flows over. There is no living space for small rivers here.

It was a magnificent and oppressive feeling.

He Changqi asked with disdain.

These two are more like the economic envoys of the Five Prefectures in Lingnan.

Only the Tianshan Army in Xizhou was dominated by Han people.

Looking at a red sun hanging on a fortress abandoned by the predecessors, the abrupt hills, the yellow sand on the ground, and the strange rocks blown by the wind. As the sky gradually dimmed, the color changed from yellow to black. It became lifeless, like a scene in hell.

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly and said, not commenting on He Changqi's statement, but just keeping it in mind.

"No need. Send the order and the whole army will set up camp."

Compared with the vast Western Region, human power is too small. Such bold words as "sweeping across the Western Regions" seem to have become a joke after dinner in such a scene.

"I have sent Duan Xiushi to contact Yiwu City. You should take people to patrol the night first."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said, then turned over and dismounted.

The miscellaneous Hu soldiers in Yizhou may not cause trouble, but can those tribal leaders really surrender the commander? "

"Coming back to Fangjieshuai, the front is indeed Yiwu City. This is an area controlled by the Tang Army. It is very safe. Should we enter Yiwu City?"

But having said that, if there really is such a stupid person, Fang Chongyong would like to ask him how he relied on to survive to this day without being beaten to death.

The Yiwu army in Yizhou is a mixed bunch.

"Does anyone dare to disobey orders?"

Fang Zhongyong held his hand on the Swift Wind Phantom Knife, and his whole person seemed to have a solemn expression, like a sculpture.

Fang Chongyong was stunned. He had never thought that anyone would dare to be a thorn in the side at this juncture.

Hehe, although the soldiers and horses of these tribes also obey orders, their leaders may not be able to command them like the generals in the middle of the army.

Not government soldiers, not Long March athletes, not even field soldiers.

All the previous steps can be "retracted", and whatever is missing can be made up for. The worst case scenario is that we will go all the way back to the Hexi Corridor. However, once you leave Qiuci and continue to the west, there is basically no way back. The army is out on the war, so everything goes as it comes, and wish you good luck.

The Han navy in Tingzhou is also Huihe.

But think about it, Fang Chongyong remembered that a geographical magazine had introduced that the annual evaporation in Hami area is 3,000 milliliters, and the rainfall is only 50 milliliters. The gap can be described as crazy.

He Changqi came over cautiously and asked, "Commander Jie, are you worried that the people in the Beiting Protectorate will not obey orders?"

When a fight actually breaks out, not only the Tang army stationed in the area will be dispatched, but also the soldiers and horses of the local tribes will be mobilized depending on the situation.

A trip to the Western Regions may not be as simple as imagined.

Wu Chengen, who served as the pioneer guide, asked as he took two steps forward on his horse.

In the military system of the Tang Dynasty, the general name is Fubing or Recruitment, and a certain form is dominant at a certain period of time. But in fact, when it comes to specific places and details, the sources of Tang soldiers are very complicated.

Even if the entire army of the Beiting Protectorate rebelled, the soldiers and horses of the Anxi Expeditionary Force would be enough to destroy them. One or two thorns would not matter.

What he said was not unreasonable. Just as there were many Tuyuhun people in the Doulu Army of Shazhou and the Moli Army of Guazhou, there were also a large number of Hu people in the Yiwu Army and Han Haijun. And what's different from Shazhou and other places is that many of them come from tribes near the city and are so-called "tribal soldiers."

He sighed secretly.

To put it simply, the Anxi Expeditionary Force needs to repair in Yizhou, then continue to Xizhou from the Zhongtianshan Corridor, continue to supply supplies there, and then set off from the southwest road of Xizhou to Qiuci. Finally, we set up camp in Qiuci and wait for the opportunity!

Who is the Protector of Beiting Protectorate now?
He was a person who surprised Fang Chongyong. His name was Li Chen! Yes, he is the current prince. Of course, this is just a remote leader. In fact, the Beiting Protectorate does not have a top leader. It is the deputy governor who manages the military affairs of the three states.

In order to control the Western Regions, the imperial court was very concerned about the separation of military and political affairs in the two towns of the Western Regions, namely Anxi and Beiting. The military and political affairs of the two towns were handled in parallel, and even the civil affairs offices were not the military garrison!
So, who is the current Protector of Anxi Protectorate?

There was also a person who surprised Fang Chongyong: Right Prime Minister Li Linfu!

It is also a distant leader. Like Beiting, the actual military affairs of the Anxi Protectorate are also managed by the deputy governor.

Fang Chongyong understood very well that Brother Ji did not want anyone to get in the way, so he deliberately did not appoint a new Protector and did not give him, the Western Region Economic and Strategic Ambassador, a chance to shirk his responsibilities. In short, the game of expanding territory this time was not played well. Fang Chongyong could not even find a chance to take the blame, nor could he find anyone to take over.

But correspondingly, although he could not command every one of Anbeiting's soldiers and horses in battle, he could mobilize them at will and strategically dominate them.

At this time, someone jumped out to find trouble... It's unlikely, right?

While Fang Chongyong was secretly thinking about it, he saw a young officer in the attire of a Tang Army general, who looked to be in his twenties, following the masked Duan Xiushi into the commander's tent. Fang Chongyong put down the letter in his hand, looked at the young officer, and asked softly: "Who are you?"

"The last general, Ma Lin, paid homage to Ambassador Fang. It was the deputy governor of Fumeng Lingcha who asked him to come. He has already prepared a banquet in the city to welcome the ambassador.

Please invite the ambassador and his generals to come to the city to attend the banquet. "

Ma Lin said calmly.

"Are you from the Yiwu Army?"

Fang Chongyong asked thoughtfully, with no trace of what he was thinking on his face. "No, the last general is from the Tianshan Army, from Xizhou, and is just serving under the deputy captain's tent."

Ma Lin replied with an embarrassed look.

In fact, this is not surprising, because the Yiwu Army is a small establishment, with a full strength of only 3,000 people. Most of them are miscellaneous soldiers and their combat effectiveness is not strong. The Tianshan Army of the Beiting Protectorate is dominated by mounted infantry, while the Han Navy is dominated by cavalry. These two forces are the main forces.

Well, it's impossible to live without horses in the Western Regions, so whether it's cavalry or infantry, they all ride on horses when marching.

Even sometimes mounted infantry is also cavalry. It only depends on tactical needs. In actual combat, it is not so detailed.

"Hey, when we first met, I shouldn't have said these depressing things to you.

It's just that when the ambassador was marching, he burned his feet on the sand, and it was really inconvenient to walk.

You said that this ambassador was being carried to Yiwu City, which was an insult to politeness;
It would be rude and arrogant to ride into town without dismounting;
If you don't go to Yiwu City, you will look down on the officers and soldiers of Beiting; if you go, the ambassador will worry that his injury will worsen and delay the saint's important mission in the Western Regions.

This is really embarrassing for this ambassador.

How about this? You go back and ask the deputy governor if he can come to the ambassador's camp to discuss where is the best place to hold the reception banquet and what should be done specifically.

Speaking of which, all the generals of the Anxi Expeditionary Force will also participate. The more people there will be, the more fun it will be.

We will all be working together in the near future. We are all contributing to the country and doing things for the saints. We must consider these things carefully.

Of course, this ambassador not only speaks the truth, but is also someone who is easy to discuss.

You can just say it when you go back. This ambassador will never do anything like Pi Liyangqiu, nor am I deliberately making things difficult for you.

What do you think about this matter? "

Fang Chongyong asked with a smile, his attitude was very cordial and approachable.

Ma Lin was dumbfounded when she heard this.

What else can be done? Do I still need to ask? Of course I have to go back and report!

How could Ma Lin, a general, decide such a major matter?
Ma Lin quickly clasped her fists and saluted: "General, I will go back and report right now! Ambassador Fang, please wait a moment!"

After saying that, he left in a hurry.

After Ma Lin left the commander's tent, Duan Xiushi stepped forward, and the other party Zhongyong said in a dark voice:

"Jiuzhi met this man on the way, chatted with him for a few words and then turned back together. Fumeng Lingcha wanted to invite Commander Ji into Yiwu City, and it seemed that he wanted to test Commander Commander's abilities. This has not happened yet. Figure out your position.

When the husband Meng Lingcha comes, Fang Jieshuai must give him a blow! "

Fumeng Lingcha is a Qiang person who has lived in Guanzhong for a long time. Like many border generals in the Western Regions, they are all from Guanzhong.

However, it is worth mentioning that he is a member of the Fumeng family, with a surname of Ma. The family still maintains the "surname" system from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. According to the custom of the Tang Dynasty, it is okay to call him Ma Lingcha. This person was a frontier general who was active in Anbeiting in the middle of Kaiyuan Dynasty and gradually started to work.

Of course, he is either a "local" or an out-and-out Guanzhong person. People with similar backgrounds are very common among generals in Anbeiting.

"This time, the commander-in-chief brought more than 10,000 people to the Western Region. Of course, the local military and political officials were not used to it, and they couldn't figure out whether they were friends or foes.

It's normal for them to test like this, and there's no need to make a fuss about it. "

Fang Chongyong waved his hand calmly and said.

Fumeng Lingcha seems to have "bad intentions", but it shows that he is not an old coin, and his Taoism is still very shallow.

"Come, take a seat, I will discuss with you the strategy of the Western Region."

Fang Chongyong asked Duan Xiushi to sit opposite him.

"Commander Jie, please speak."

Duan Xiushi sat down calmly, nodded slightly and said.

"Well, in this section, I want to ask you, what are we doing in the Western Region?"

Fang Chongyong asked casually.

This question seems simple, but in fact it involves the core issue of the expedition to the Western Regions: What is the significance of this war?

"Hui Fangjieshuai, the west of Xizhou, and even the headquarters of the Anxi Protectorate, are places that cannot be defended for a long time. Once the Tang Dynasty's national power weakens slightly, the limit is to be able to protect the three states of Beiting.

Our expedition this time is just to strengthen Datang's control in the Western Region and to defend the border. If we march blindly, it may be counterproductive. "

Duan Xiushi said with certainty.

The Western Region is thousands of miles away from Chang'an, and they are here to defend the border! In the eyes of ordinary people, and even in the eyes of most people in the Anxi Expeditionary Force, this is no less than a fantasy!

It's almost like preventing a burglar from entering a neighbor's bedroom.

However, Fang Chongyong nodded slightly and said:
"Indeed, you can see it clearly.

Originally, the imperial court implemented a three-stage defense system in the Western Regions, so it doesn't hurt to tell you about it.

The first section of the defense line is the Beiting Three Prefectures, where all households are organized and there are many Han people. The Tang army directly controls it, and every city has a garrison. Fighting here can be said to be like an arm's length.

The second line of defense is Qiuci Town, where the Anxi Protectorate is located, and Suiye Town can barely be included. Here, the Tang army only garrisoned the core city. In other places, the heads of small countries were granted the title of governor. During war, they were called upon to send troops and provide food.

As for the third section of the defense line, it is the twenty kingdoms west of Congling and the Persian Protectorate. There is no Tang army here. The Tang Dynasty only asked them not to turn to Tubo and the cannibals. Once someone rebelled, the Tang army would have to move thousands of miles forward. Any strong man who offends us will be killed no matter how far away he is!
What we have to do is strengthen the first paragraph, repair the second paragraph, and advance the third paragraph.

We didn’t come to the Western Regions to burn, kill, loot and enjoy ourselves. Although outsiders may not understand, we came here to defend the border. Cause and effect cannot be reversed, and goals and means cannot be opposite. I believe you understand this.

Therefore, as for the various forces in the three states of Beiting, as long as they are loyal to the Tang Dynasty, we can focus on the big ones and let go of the small ones. We don't need to focus on those red tapes and trivial matters.

We must let them feel the warmth of spring and let them know that we are here to benefit them.

This is true for other forces, let alone the military and political leaders of the Tang Army in Beiting.

Fu Meng has a keen understanding of his small belly and chicken intestines. In this section, the handsome man will not care about him. "

Fang Chongyong laughed and shook his head.

"Fang Jieshuai, you have thought so clearly, I don't even know how to persuade you even if you are in a humble position!"

Duan Xiushi couldn't help but flatter him.

"If you don't understand this nonsense, then this commander is really going to take you to hell."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand indifferently. Duan Xiushi's flattery was really blunt, so it's okay not to mention it.

"Shuai Fang, Fumeng Lingcha is here! He rode into the camp on a fast horse and was almost mistaken by the sentry for being a camp robber. Even his hair bun escaped along the way. Now he looks so embarrassed outside the military tent with his hair disheveled! "

He Changqi hurriedly rushed into the commander's tent to report. He couldn't help laughing while reporting.

"Why are you laughing? Be serious!"

Fang Chongyong glared at He Changqi and scolded him in a low voice.

(End of this chapter)