Ji Han Liu Zhang

The south wind rose at night, and the wheat ridges turned yellow.

Under the blowing of the south wind, the wheat fields on both sides of the Wei River were coated with a layer of golden color. The wheat was ripe and it was time to harvest. This indicated that the time had come for Liu Zhang's army to march westward to Longyou. If this battle in Longyou went smoothly, the former Qin land would be united again.

Liu Zhang rode a tall horse, and moved slowly forward on the road, surrounded by his personal guards. His eyes were not fixed, but looked from time to time at the farmland on both sides of the road. The people were harvesting with their backs to the sky, facing the loess, tirelessly switching between bending and standing up, with only the joy of the harvest on their faces.

In the past few years, there have been constant wars in Guanzhong, and the people have no peace. They have turned into refugees and scattered everywhere. Large tracts of fertile land have gradually become barren, and the ditches for water diversion could not be dredged and became blocked. Under such circumstances, the harvest in Guanzhong in the past few years has been very poor.

Now that Guanzhong has been initially settled and there is no longer any disturbance from the war, the people can plant their crops in peace without worrying about sudden war. In addition, at the end of last year, many water diversion canals in Guanzhong were dredged and repaired, and there was a heavy snow last year, so this year's summer harvest is indeed a sign of a bumper harvest.

"The prosperity in Guanzhong this year is really thanks to your Excellency. If it weren't for your Excellency's gathering in Guanzhong to defeat Li and Guo, how could we have the peace in Guanzhong and the good harvest for the people today?" said Fa Zheng, the military advisory lieutenant general, with a smile on his face.

Fa Zheng, who was born in Fufeng County, suffered from the Li-Guo invasion in the first year of Xingping and had to flee to Shu to avoid the war. He thought he would never be able to return to his hometown, but he met a wise ruler. One or two years later, he returned to Guanzhong in the first year of Jian'an. The war in Guanzhong was quelled by Liu Zhang, and the people of Guanzhong lived in peace. This fate made Fa Zheng feel that he had a wise ruler and was blessed by heaven. So when he saw the harvest, he said something flattering to Liu Zhang.

"Xiaozhi, why do you say such flattering words? Do you not want to be a famous official and want to be a treacherous official instead?" Liu Zhang looked back and said to Fa Zheng with a faint smile.

Fa Zheng smiled and narrowed his eyes. He said bluntly: "Mingsir, what I said is not meant to be flattering. I am just telling the truth. Besides, I am not the only one who thinks so. The scholars and common people in Guanzhong all have the same idea. If it were not for Mingsir, how could Guanzhong be peaceful?"

"This is not the result of my own efforts. It is the work of all of you, both civil and military officials. If you attribute the credit for pacifying Guanzhong and defeating Li and Guo to me alone, it would be a bit like greed and shamelessness." Liu Zhang said with a loud laugh.

"Your Excellency is the leader and we are just your wings. The person who has made the greatest contribution to the pacification of Guanzhong is you." Peng Ying interjected, attributing all the great credit to Liu Zhang.

Liu Zhang shook his head and said, "It is because you and I, as king and subject, have worked together to achieve the peace in Guanzhong today. All contributions, regardless of size, should be attributed to this achievement."

The group walked slowly forward, and soon they arrived at the north gate of Chencang City. Today, Liu Zhang led the group to inspect the wheat harvest in Guanzhong. After an inspection, he felt at ease. Relying on the output of the fields in Guanzhong, he could send troops to Longyou in advance.

Of course, Guanzhong was just being settled, and there was not much land to be recultivated, so the output was not abundant enough. The subsequent wars would still have to rely on the transportation of grain from Shu. However, considering the distance, the grain from Shu should be able to be transported to Longyou in time to fill the gap in the food and fodder needed by the army.

The city gate was wide open, and Liu Zhang and his entourage walked leisurely into the city. After entering the city, the people on patrol first washed themselves with freshly drawn well water, wiping off the dust and fatigue on their faces. Then Liu Zhang immediately gathered people to discuss the news from Tianshui County.

"A message came from Tianshui saying that after the several Qiang and Hu tribes that Han Sui had sent to harass Tianshui County were defeated, Han Sui no longer sent Qiang and Hu tribes to harass Tianshui. Instead, he increased his efforts to lure out the Qiang and Hu tribes that were still on the sidelines, and spread rumors that your Excellency wanted to exterminate the Qiang race and kill all the Qiang and Hu tribes in Liangzhou." The clerk Meng Jie read out, his tone a little worried, worried about Han Sui's vicious plan.

"Many Qiang and Hu tribes were worried because of the rumors. They were afraid that once Han Sui fell, you would turn your sword against them. They all led their troops to Longxi County to help... According to the report from General Wu's scouts, more than 50,000 Qiang and Hu have gathered in Longxi County."

After the clerk Meng Jie finished reading, Peng Ying stroked his beard. He thought for a moment and said, "Although the Qiang and Hu people who have gathered in Didao City in Longxi County are not all elite soldiers, there must be women and children from the Qiang and Hu tribes among them, but they should not be underestimated. After all, many ants can kill an elephant, and the Qiang people are good at fighting and are not afraid of death. We must be on guard."

Following the analysis of the warriors and non-warriors among the 50,000 Qiang and Hu, Peng Ying said, "Mr. Ming, should we issue a document to Longyou and have it posted everywhere to inform the Qiang and Hu that we have no intention of killing them all, and to show leniency and dispel the Qiang and Hu's fear of us?"

Before Liu Zhang could respond, Zheng Du, an attendant, retorted: "Since the reign of Emperor Guangwu, the Qiang and Hu have never been at peace. They have never been submissive. They either make small disturbances or stir up big turmoil. These Qiang and Hu who went to Longyou County to help Han Sui seem to be worried about the rumors and afraid that you will kill them all. In fact, this is their usual behavior. They just want to rebel."

"I think so." Zheng Du thought for a moment and then said, "It would be better to let more Qiang and Hu gather in Didao, so as to catch all the Qiang and Hu tribes who like chaos and rejoice in trouble, clear the territory of Longyou, and create a peaceful era in Longyou."

"No." Zheng Du stood up and said, "If you send a letter to Longyou to tell the Qiang and Hu that we have no intention of killing them all, they will clamor to leave Longxi County and return home. By then, the Qiang and Hu will be scattered in all directions and cannot gather together. We will have to wipe them out one by one, which will cause the army to travel back and forth. It is better to wipe them out in one fell swoop today and kill all the Qiang and Hu."

"The Qiang and Hu tribes have never been willing to submit." Liu Zhang thought to himself. Zheng Du said so much, but it was just one sentence. He believed that the Qiang and Hu tribes were not people who could live in peace. If they were not eliminated today, they would definitely rebel tomorrow.

Based on Liu Zhang's understanding of history, what Zheng Du said was indeed correct. There were Qiang rebellions during the Eastern Han Dynasty, during the Three Kingdoms period, and during the Jin Dynasty. If the Qiang and Hu were not completely eliminated, the war in Liangzhou would not stop.

Just like the Dzungars, they were gradually defeated in the confrontation with the Qing Empire and had no choice but to surrender to Emperor Qianlong, the stamp-stamping maniac of the time. However, the Dzungars surrendered and rebelled again and again, and as long as they were not eradicated, the Dzungars' rebelliousness would not stop.

In the final chapter, the general's patience was exhausted. He did not intend to believe in the wisdom of future generations, but followed the idea of ​​"the previous generation planted trees for the future generations to enjoy the shade" and leveled the wheels. He changed Junggar from a racial name to a place name, permanently removing it from the racial classification. There were no more Junggar people in the world, and only the Junggar Basin was left, sobbing softly at the cruelty of history.

Now, the idea of ​​Zheng Du, a little poisonous official under Liu Zhang, seems to be the same as that of General Zhang. They both intend to cut the weeds at their roots and prevent them from growing again in the spring breeze, so as to avoid a Qiang or Hu tribe jumping out from time to time in the future to rebel in Longyou and disturb the unrest in Longyou.

"Wenhe, what do you think of what everyone is saying?" Liu Zhang looked up at Jia Xu, wanting to hear what this ruthless scholar thought. Jia Xu stroked his short beard. He had not spoken just now, just listening to everyone's discussion. Now that Liu Zhang had called him, he had to say something. After a while, Jia Xu said, "Mr. My lord, Han Sui only controls the two counties of Longyou and Jincheng. These are places where his roots are deep and entrenched. The two counties have few households, a lack of people, and poor production. They are not rich places."

"The Qiang and Hu people gathered in Didao, and the daily food and grass they needed were very expensive. Even if Han Sui could supply them temporarily, he could not supply them forever. Now, with the help of rumors, Han Sui was able to gather a large number of Qiang and Hu people. It seemed that the situation was getting worse, but in fact, the Qiang and Hu people gathered more and more. I am afraid that Han Sui's army would not be able to supply them with food and grass. If things go wrong, they will run out of food and fall without attacking. This is it."

Jia Xu spoke eloquently: "Secondly, there are many types of Qiang and Hu. The largest tribe has thousands of people, while the smallest has hundreds of people. In addition, they are not subordinate to each other and have no hierarchy. It is difficult for these scattered people to be brought together in a short time, and it is difficult for them to unite to fight against you... Moreover, many Qiang and Hu tribes have deep blood feuds with each other. When they meet, they will fight each other. It is difficult to settle down without a winner."

"With these two things in mind, we should allow the Qiang and Hu to gather in Didao and let Han Sui lure them. We'll see how much food and fodder Han Sui can carry for the Qiang and Hu, and how capable he is in settling the gaps between the many Qiang and Hu tribes. All we can do is sit back and watch." Jia Xu gave his advice.

"In addition, as Zheng Congshi said, the Qiang and Hu have always been prone to rebellion, and they are scattered in many places, so it is not easy to subdue them one by one. Now that they have gathered in one place, we can destroy them in one fell swoop and eliminate all those Qiang and Hu who like to cause trouble and revolt. After this battle, Liangzhou should be able to have peace."

At the end of the speech, Jia Xu echoed Zheng Du's suggestion.

"He is a mature man who is good at planning for the country." Liu Zhang smiled and pointed at Jia Xu. At the same time, he made a decision: "Let Han Sui lure the Qiang and Hu tribes. If Han Sui spreads rumors that I want to kill all the Qiang and Hu tribes, then I will lend him a helping hand and let the spies in Longyou and Jincheng spread the rumor. The more Qiang and Hu tribes rush to Didao to help Han Sui, the better."

"Yes." Jia Xu, who was in charge of confidential matters under Liu Zhang, nodded in response. It was up to him to handle what Liu Zhang said.

After the matter with Han Sui was settled, Liu Zhang asked about the situation in Hexi: "Has there been any news from Yongzhou?"

When Emperor Liu Xie first ascended the throne, there were frequent rebellions in Liangzhou, and the counties in Hexi were far away from the provincial capital and difficult to govern. So the court decided to set up a new province in Hexi. Finally, on the first day of June in the first year of Xingping, that is, the day of Bingzi, the court divided the counties in Hexi into Yongzhou. Therefore, Yong and Liang coexisted, and Hexi was a separate province.

The clerk Meng Jie said, "A letter just arrived today. Cheng Yu, who was sent to Yongzhou, said that Handan Shang, the governor of Yongzhou, and Zhang Meng, the governor of Wuwei, are of similar age. They do not yield to each other in terms of power and often bully each other. Their ideas on being officials are also very different. There is no need to worry that Yongzhou will be attached to Han Sui, causing Han Sui's power to expand."

"Are Handan Shang and Zhang Meng willing to surrender to you, my lord?" Fa Zheng asked. If Handan Shang and Zhang Meng were willing to surrender, Han Sui's retreat would be in jeopardy. At that time, he would be attacked from both the east and west in Tianshui County and Jincheng County, and it would be difficult for Han Sui to cope with it.

Zheng Du took over the sentence and expressed Fa Zheng's thoughts: "If Handan Shang and Zhang Meng are willing to surrender, we can let them lead the troops to harass Jincheng County and follow Han Sui. In this way, Han Sui will be easily defeated."

Meng Jie shook his head and replied, "Handan Shang is willing to surrender and has expressed this intention to Cheng Yu in private. Zhang Meng has no intention of surrendering, but he is watching the fight between you and Han Sui. The two have different ideas and dare not act rashly, fearing that the other side will take advantage of the opportunity to attack. Therefore, the plan to harass Han Sui is unlikely to be realized."

As Meng Jie's words came out, Fa Zheng and Zheng Du were a little disappointed. However, the disappointment on Fa Zheng's face disappeared after a moment. He said proudly: "Without the help of Handan Shang and Zhang Meng, Han Sui will also be defeated by us. If Han Sui is defeated, even if Zhang Meng has no intention of surrendering, he will have to surrender, otherwise his clan will be in danger."

Everyone looked delighted when they heard this. Liu Zhang's civil and military officials were eager for the upcoming battle of Liang Province. War meant killing and death, but it also meant military merit and promotion. It also meant titles, fame, and wealth that could be passed down from generation to generation. Many people did not say it out loud, but they longed for it in their hearts.

After the agreement, when the summer harvest was about to end, Liu Zhang made arrangements for the logistics base for the army's westward expedition. The chief clerk and Jingzhao Yin Xun You stayed in Chang'an and sat in Guanzhong to supervise the transportation of grain and supplies.

As for Shu, it was still under the command of the Chief Secretary Wang Shang, while Hanzhong, the throat connecting Shu and Guanzhong, was controlled by Huang Quan. At the same time, Huang Quan was also responsible for transporting grain and grass from Shu to the Longyou army.

After all the arrangements, Liu Zhang felt that there were no omissions, so after the summer harvest was over and the taxes were deposited into the treasury, Liu Zhang gathered 30,000 troops and began to mobilize troops to Longyou on the parade ground outside Chencang City.

At this moment, there was a pig, a cow, and a sheep under the reviewing stand in the parade ground. After the three tall and mighty soldiers swung their steel knives, the heads of the pig, cow, and sheep were chopped off, and blood gushed out from their heads. This was called flag sacrifice.

After the heads of pigs, cattle and sheep fell to the ground and their blood splashed out, the central army's flag seemed to be pulled by an unknown force, making a rustling sound. On the flag, a huge "Liu" character stretched out, attracting the attention of the soldiers in the parade ground.

"Ten thousand victories, ten thousand victories..." The soldiers felt the strong murderous intent before the battle. Their blood suddenly boiled. They raised the spears in their hands and shouted the killing sounds that reached the sky.

After a few shouts, Liu Zhang, who was on the reviewing platform, waved his hand to stop the soldiers from shouting "May you win!". The huge training ground suddenly became silent. He displayed the majesty and majesty that a Grand Marshal and a General of Chariots and Cavalry should have.

After the audience had been quiet for a few breaths, Liu Zhang finally spoke. Under normal circumstances, he should have said something about fighting the enemy for the country and upholding justice, and he should also have said something about commending and boosting morale.

But Liu Zhang did not say these words. He only said one sentence, and everyone in the parade ground only heard Liu Zhang's loud voice.

"The troops are dispatched to Longyou." (End of this chapter)