Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 86
"A Duan, don't shoot, this is not Kuizhou!"

Fang Chongyong saw that Ah Duan was just putting on his bow and was about to shoot an arrow at a galloping horse bandit, so he quickly held it down and growled.

Numerous examples can prove that careful sailing can last forever.So there is a saying: The older the world, the less courageous it is.

Those who are sensitive to environmental changes tend to live longer.

It has to be said that Dugu Jun, who had experience working in a border town, was right.Fang Chongyong was surprised to find that those people didn't bother to talk to them at all, they just walked across the main road, and didn't even bother to send someone to their small camp to observe.

In the late spring season, there is still a chill in the night wind, and Fang Chongyong also has a chill in his heart.According to Dugujun, this area is under the absolute control of the Tang army and is not within the area where Tibet is preparing to attack.

Why do you say this, because Tubo is going to use a "outflank" strategy against Datang.Go down the Hexi Corridor step by step, and cut off the connection between Anxi Dufu Mansion and Beiting Duhu Mansion and Longyou.

Then, start from the two directions of Jiannan and Longyou, and the goal is Guanzhong.

Tubo focused on besieging the Tang forces in the Western Regions, and was not in a hurry to take them down.

No matter how they operate, they don't have to start here first.Not only is it far away from the supply line, but there are very few troops stationed on the front line and there are fewer targets for harassment.

If everything is really as Dugu Jun said, then the answer is already obvious.

In this place where the Tang Army had absolute control and there were not even many Hu tribes around, there was no place for Hu bandits to survive.

The barbarian bandits did not emerge out of thin air. Although their size varied, these people were generally from the surrounding barbarian tribes. They were skilled in riding, good at fighting on horseback, and came and went like the wind.

They obtained goods through plunder and then sold the stolen goods through tribal channels.

Why Sogdian barbarian merchants thrived in the Western Regions was because they not only sold goods through normal channels, but also took over stolen business, and barbarian bandits also needed them.

After thinking about these things, the answer is already clear: what just passed by was a Tang army without military uniforms!The purpose of the action is also unclear.

However, from the different styles of clothes under the light of their torches, it can be seen that this attack is definitely "doing private work".

These people kept the team neat and tidy, even when they were rushing, they didn't look messy. They simply had the words "Da Tang Frontier Army" engraved on their foreheads.

Where are these well-trained bandits? If there were, who would dare to walk the Silk Road?The Chishui Army should stop guarding against Tibet and go to suppress the bandits first.

"Brother Dugu, this is Tang Jun."

Fang Chongyong said with a serious face.

"Don't be too busy."

Dugu Jun raised his hand to stop Fang Chongyong from continuing, obviously he knew some inside information.At least, he has definitely seen similar incidents.

"Extinguish the fire!"

Dugu Jun gave instructions to the guard leader.

Soon, the surrounding area was plunged into darkness.

A group of people waited in fear. There seemed to be the sound of fighting in the distance, and the screams echoed in the valley, and it seemed that they were not far away from where they were.

About half an hour, or maybe an hour, anyway, everyone was waiting in agony, and no one bothered to think about how much time had passed.

The group of people began to return in an orderly manner, and the smell of blood began to permeate their bodies. Fang Chongyong frowned slightly, did not speak, and just watched the group of "horse bandits" leave coldly.

From the light of the torches, it could be seen that each man's horse carried some cloth that shone with gold compared to when he came.No need to think about it, the cloth worth grabbing on the Silk Road, besides silk, cannot have other varieties.

"A prosperous age is only for the country. For an individual, a prosperous age does not mean that there is no bad luck.

Man cannot compete with heaven! "

Dugu Jun sighed with emotion.

These words floated in the wind, and I don't know if they were heard by those "horse gangsters". Anyway, no one in the team paid attention to them.

The robbers Tang Jun pretended to be were also robbers.Robbers have their professional nature and are not murderers, nor do they take pleasure in killing people.

Their purpose is very clear, which is to rob and sell the stolen goods.

In the eyes of those bandits, Fang Chongyong and his party were insignificant bugs, not even worth sending someone to check.

After checking, these people must be killed, and more loopholes will be left. In the end, they have to take the risk of clearing these loopholes that are easy to be traced.In the process of clearing up old clues, it is possible to leave new clues, so that a small matter can be turned into a major event that will overwhelm the ship.

Instead of sending people to check, people like Fang Chongyong would not be able to see any clues from a distance, so avoiding extraneous problems is the safest way.

Fang Chongyong noticed that this group of "Horde bandits" were well-trained and did things cleanly, and it was certainly not the first time they had done this.Maybe these horse bandits pretended to be "recidivists" by Tang Jun.

Thinking that the style of the Tang Dynasty border troops in Hexi was so "rippling", it really made Wang Zhongsi sweat.

"Everything will be discussed at dawn, don't light a fire!"

Dugujun ordered in a low voice.

At this time, the bright moon hung high in the night sky, as bright as new. It was a pity that none of Fang Chongyong and the others were in the mood to appreciate this beautiful white moonlight.

The mountains in the Longyou area of ​​Hexi lack shelter. The mountains are covered with low shrubs, and strong winds sound like ghosts howling.Fang Chongyong and his group of more than a dozen people stayed up all night in the simple camp, just like mice avoiding natural enemies, and the cold wind blew all night long.

When the sun rose the next day, they really felt that they had walked outside the gate of hell.

Finally, there are no branches outside the festival!It's good to be alive, and I don't know which ancestral grave of my family has smoked for a while.

The romance of the Hexi Corridor "the desert is solitary, the long river is full of sunset" is not unworthy of appreciation, but there is a necessary prerequisite, that is, the dog's head on one's neck is still there.

Looking at the morning sun slowly rising from the horizon, Dugu Jun stood up and said solemnly: "We're going on our way now, without delay. It's not yet guaranteed that these bandits will not turn back."

"No!"

Fang Chongyong raised his hand and flatly refused.

"Wait here for me. Ah Duan will go to the east with me. I want to know which road the merchants were slaughtered."

Fang Chongyong's attitude was very firm, which made Dugujun a little confused.

Your father is a Jiedushi, your father-in-law will soon be a Jiedushi, do you need to risk your life like this?

Even the nine-lived monster cat can't resist that damn curiosity!

"Uh...brother, the victims do deserve sympathy, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with us."

Dugu Jun said with an unnatural expression.

He had already guessed what Fang Zhongyong wanted to do.But it's a good thing for young people to have passion, and it shouldn't be reckless.

Speaking for the dead and upholding justice for the dead, this is the most stupid and ignorant thing in the world!
Those who uphold justice for the dead are still seeking the interests of the living!This principle has been played to pieces!

Were those Tang soldiers yesterday night bandits?

Yes, but that's just one of their identities.

They also have another identity, that is, border town soldiers who defend their home and country!
When fighting Tibet, they were on the front line!If you think you can do it, you can go first after the Tibetans attack!

There are so many incidents of looting Hu merchants every year, many of which are not recorded in the Liangzhou government, and they are basically headless cases.

Is it interesting for you to take the lead on something that the Liangzhou government and the Hexi Jiedu envoy don't care about?
That's not the way to be a young hero, is it?
"We pretended not to see them when they were robbing Sogdian merchants.

When they snatched the falcon traders, we pretended not to see them.

We still pretended not to see them when they were robbing the Turkic merchants.

There is no impenetrable wall in the world. When the Tubo people fight us one day, you will find that no one is on our side.

The reason why rules can become rules is that the word fairness is the most important! "

Fang Chongyong looked at Dugu Jun solemnly and said.

Seeing that the other party was still in a daze, he continued to emphasize:
“Guards who protect trade routes should not become robbers who block roads and kill people.

We are the initiators of the Silk Road, which has benefited all countries in the Western Regions because of the Silk Road.So when the Tubo people came, almost all countries in the Western Regions were willing to cooperate with us in boycotting Tubo.The decree of the saint can be echoed in the Western Regions.

Because Tubo could not give them the silk they needed, they could only side with the Tang Dynasty.

But if the frontier army of the Tang Dynasty participated in the looting, wouldn't it be no different from the Tubo people?At that time, can Datang's governance in the Western Regions be maintained?

Will the people of the Western Regions still take the saint's call seriously? "

After hearing these words, Dugujun couldn't help but stand in awe!

Convinced by the other party, he crossed his hands and bowed bravely, saying: "You are worthy of being the son of Fang Jieshuai, who is famous all over the world. These words can be said to be deafening. My brother's words made me suddenly enlightened. I will go with you now. If we arrive in Liang Zhoucheng can also be a witness."

"Well, let's go together then."

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly and said, he was completely different from the young man who was too scared to move last night.

His reasons for insisting on investigating the matter were certainly not that high-sounding.

For the Qiu Ba people in the border town, if everything is linked to money, then there is not much way to go before they conspire to rebel. Maybe they only need an opportunity to become the domineering Ya Bing Ya of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. Will.

Do you expect the Tang border troops who dared to rob passing merchants to fight against the Tibetans?

Fang Chongyong didn't believe it.

He is in Hexi, if he doesn't pay attention to this matter, he will plant a huge hidden danger around him!
After Dugu Jun left five guards to guard the carriage, horses and other valuables, he led the others to search for the dried blood on the ground and along the river.

The water along the Hexi Corridor is almost all "weak water", that is, rivers that can only provide water for human production and life, but cannot be used as shipping channels.Soon, they found dozens of corpses in a meander of a "weak water".

These people were not merchants, but unmistakable monks.All of them were bald, and they didn't even leave the "three clothes" on their bodies. They were all stripped away, and they looked naked.

It looks terrible in the sun.

"It's the monks from India."

Fang Chongyong sighed and said, they met this group of people before when they were on the road, and chatted casually for a while.

It's just that this group of people talked a lot about Buddhism, and their Chinese was not good, so they couldn't communicate well. Although they met occasionally later, the two sides had no intersection.

Fang Chongyong and the others just knew that in order to promote Buddhism, these people customized a large number of silk cassocks in Chang'an. Not only were they made of silk, but they were also mixed with gold threads. The golden cassocks looked very eye-catching along the way.

At that time, Fang Chongyong felt that they were acting too ostentatiously, and something would happen sooner or later, and he tried to persuade them a few times, but these monks didn't take it seriously.

Probably, they think this is also a kind of spiritual practice.

Unexpectedly, after only one night, this group of people were slaughtered by the bandits pretending to be Tang Jun.

"Let's go, there's nothing to see here. The Hexi incident is not an exception. If you can keep yourself safe, ask God to worship Buddha and thank God. You really can't manage too many trivial matters."

Dugu Jun said with emotion.

This group of Indian monks was miserable, but there was nothing they could do.The world is like this, the dust of the times, if pressed on a person, may be a disaster.If you really want to blame, then blame bad luck.

When Dugu Jun was in the Anxi Protectorate, he had seen worse.But so what, now who remembers those unlucky ones?They have long been turned into the dust of time, just like the sand in the Hexi Corridor.

However, Dugujun saw that Fang Chongyong seemed to be looking for something on the ground.

"what is this?"

Fang Chongyong suddenly picked up a fish-shaped flat object from the ground and asked Dugujun.

This thing is shining with golden light, dazzling people's eyes in the sun.

"Fish Talisman!"

Dugu Jun was shocked, and snatched this thing from Fang Chongyong's hand.

Those who don't know will definitely not feel it, but whoever knows this thing can calm down.

You must know that this fish charm is no small matter!This is irrefutable evidence that the Tang army participated in robbery and killing!

This fish talisman has a hole in its head and is in the shape of a fish as a whole. It seems to be only five or six centimeters in size, and its material should be made of copper.

It has a slightly raised fish shape on the front and a pattern of fish scales. The back is flat with the word "同" engraved on it.

Obviously, this is only half of it, there is another half. Fang Chongyong estimates that the word "合" should be written on the other half.

Contract contract, this modern vocabulary should come from here.

Under the raised word "Tong" is also written: Baiting Hainan Baiting Zuojun.The characters are crooked and ugly, obviously it was carved by Qiu Ba in the army.

It's true, yesterday's attack was carried out by the Baiting army deployed in Liangzhou. These people probably thought that the targets of this trip were all monks, so they were a little bit exaggerated.

The Baiting Army was stationed at Baitinghai, north of Chishui Town, where the Chishui Army was stationed, in order to provide early warning of the Turks moving south.Now that the Turks have declined and Tibet has risen, the importance of the Baiting Army has also begun to decline.

Fang Chongyong seemed to understand why the other party wanted to attack this group of Indian monks.

Baitinghai is actually a shallow lake and swamp. They could easily sell the stolen cassocks to the Turkic side through certain channels. They would not appear in the Hexi Corridor at all, and naturally they would not be traced.

At that time, the soldiers involved in this matter will share the money and everyone can live happily.

The newly arrived Wang Zhongsi is the Chishui military envoy, not the Baiting military envoy, and he has no control over them.

Cui Xiyi, the Jiedushi, is also a weak Jiedushi like Niu Xianke, and usually turns a blind eye to such things.

Of course, if the Baiting army attacked the former officials who came to Hexi from Datang, then Cui Xiyi would definitely investigate and kill as many as they had.This is also the main reason why those people didn't come to trouble Fang Chongyong last night.

The hemp pole beats the wolf, both sides are afraid!Last night, it was not only Fang Chongyong and the others who were shivering, but actually the soldiers involved in the matter in the Baiting Army were also worried about causing trouble.

"Let's go, the Baiting army will definitely not dare to act during the day, but they will definitely come tonight if they find that the fish charm is lost.

We are hurrying to Liangzhou City now, and we will definitely arrive before they leave.

When you arrive in Liangzhou, give the fish talisman to the Hexi Jiedu envoy.These fish charms are all regulated, or it doesn't matter if they have the same fish charm, let everyone who has the identity of this fish charm stand up and show the fish charm in their hands.Those who don't have it are the masterminds of this matter. "

Dugu Jun said eagerly.

"Go, hurry to Liangzhou City now!"

Fang Chongyong said in a deep voice, and he also understood that his group is not completely out of danger yet.The "hu bandits" of the Baiting army who were "careless" last night must be able to guess who has the lost fish charm.

They will definitely not be able to find them during the day, but after dispatching at night, people along the road will definitely kill one by one!Kill and search again!

A group of people hurriedly prepared the carriage, adjusted the horses and started on their way, even exerting all their strength to nurse!
However, will everything be settled smoothly in Liangzhou City?

Fang Chongyong had a question mark in his heart.

　Chapter 2 is here, there are three more chapters to come

　　
　
(End of this chapter)