Most of the Western Region is located in the Gobi desert, and Suiye City is located on a plateau. If it were not for human factors, natural disasters like floods would be almost impossible to occur.
Hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops watched helplessly as the flood roared down, destroying the entire Suiye City. Most of the four city walls collapsed. Eighty thousand Tuqi Shi cavalry either drowned in the water because they were unprepared, or were suddenly attacked. The flood rushed out of Suiye City more than ten miles away.
Nearly ten thousand Tuqi and Shi cavalry managed to escape from the flood in a hurry, but were immediately surrounded by three armies and wiped out on the spot.
By dusk and sunset, Tuqishi was officially declared destroyed. Unfortunately, Suiye City, one of the four towns in the Western Region, was reduced to ruins after this battle.
"However, it is also easy to rebuild Broken Leaf City.
The afterglow of the setting sun fell, and the air was filled with the faint smell of blood and water. The originally flat Gobi plateau was washed away by ferocious floods to create a deep ravine, which extended into the distance from the ruins of Suiye City.
Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun led 50,000 Shence troops to pursue the fleeing Tuqishi stragglers. At noon tomorrow, the chasing soldiers and horses will be able to return to camp, which means that Tuqishi, a powerful country in the Western Region, has completely withdrawn from the stage of history.
Zhang Xuan stood astride the horse, stared into the distance, and said calmly, "Prime Minister Guo, tell An Bei Ting that the sudden cavalry raided our territory, robbed and killed my merchants and people, offended the majesty of the heaven, and has been wiped out by me. From today on, the Western Regions There is no longer a Tuqishi tribe and a country, and more than 100,000 Tuqishi tribes migrated into Hexi as a whole, living at the foot of the Qilian Mountains and turned into a county, governed by Hexi Road."
"Yes. I obey the order." Guo Ziyi bowed and clasped his fists.
"There is one more thing. It is said that Chang Qing came to see me."
After Zhang Xuan finished speaking, he turned his horse's head and galloped towards the camp.
at dusk. Feng Changqing galloped over on his horse, with more than a hundred guards behind him.
Guo Ziyi personally greeted him at the gate of the camp. When he saw Feng Changqing coming, he couldn't help but clasped his fists and said with a smile, "Master Feng, it's been a long time. I haven't seen you for a long time, but Master Feng remains the same."
Guo Ziyi is currently not only the most powerful official under the emperor. He was in charge of military power but also in charge of government affairs. He was the Minister of War and one of the seven prime ministers. He was also the father-in-law of the emperor and a relative of the emperor. Feng Changqing did not dare to neglect, he immediately got off his horse, smiled loudly and said in reply, "Mr. Guo! Feng Changqing is rude! Mr. Guo, your majesty summoned Feng, but I don't know"
Feng Changqing actually felt a little uneasy.
The chaotic situation in Anxi is not his fault. Because when he came to Anxi, the situation was already very bad. The barbarians in the Western Regions are ready to take action. The big cannibals were watching with eager eyes, while the Tuqi Shiren plundered the North Courtyard of Anxi and became arrogant.
After Feng Changqing took office, he also did a lot of work. It's just that the time he came to Anxi is still too short, and many policies have not yet exerted their effects.
But for Feng Changqing, no merit means fault. At the very least, he did not truly fulfill the emperor's trust.
The emperor handed Anxi to him, naturally hoping that he could stabilize the situation in the Western Regions. Laying a solid foundation for the emperor's western expedition. Unfortunately, what he handed over to the emperor was not a favorable situation in the Western Region.
It¡¯s not that Feng Changqing is not strong, but the complexity of the situation in the Western Region is far beyond his expectation, and even beyond the expectation of Emperor Zhang Xuan.
Guo Ziyi smiled and said, "Master Feng, don't worry too much. His Majesty summoned you - in my opinion, it should be for the purpose of holding a worship meeting for the barbarians in the Western Regions."
Feng Changqing let out a sigh of relief. He nodded and said, "Feng has already made arrangements for this matter since he received His Majesty's order. At present, the kings of the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions have gathered in Qiuci City, waiting to pay homage to Your Majesty. It's just"
Feng Changqing was about to speak but stopped.
??According to the emperor's wishes, this time the great court meeting was held to summon the heads of the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions. It was not just a court meeting, but an order to order the countries in the Western Regions to lose their country names and turn them into states and counties under the jurisdiction of the imperial court. Some of the countries in the Western Regions have existed for hundreds or even thousands of years, and their thrones have been passed down for more than ten generations - the emperor undoubtedly wants to destroy their countries, how could they agree.
Although the emperor promised to allow them to retain their royal titles, losing their country's title and independent military and political power was tantamount to the destruction of the country and the genocide. Feng Changqing was well aware of the nature of the barbarians in the Western Regions, and was worried that the emperor's decree would cause chaos in the Western Regions.
Although the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions are all city-walled countries and are far from posing a threat to the Chinese imperial court, if wars and rebellions arise in the Western Regions, it will be extremely detrimental to the imperial court's rule in the Western Regions.
Of course Guo Ziyi knew the emperor¡¯s intentions.He also understood Feng Changqing's worries, but Guo Ziyi didn't pay much attention to small countries in the Western Regions.
Is Tubo powerful enough? Are Tuqishi and Geluolu strong enough? But in front of the Chinese army, they are all chickens and dogs, and they will be destroyed as soon as the emperor says.
Guo Ziyi knew the emperor¡¯s personality very well. Now that the emperor has made up his mind to truly turn the Western Regions into imperial territory and manage them uniformly, the fate of the barbarians in the Western Regions is doomed.
"Master Feng, Your Majesty is in the tent, please come in." Guo Ziyi waved her hand and led the way.
Entering the tent, Feng Changqing looked solemn, straightened his clothes, paid homage, and said with emotion, "I, Feng Changqing, pay homage to your majesty, long live my emperor!"
"Feng Changqing, please be free." Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and said straightforwardly without any nonsense, "I have called you here for two things. First, I have decided to divide the Western Region into two, one is Beiting, and the other is Beiting. For Anxi. Tuqishi's hometown and Geluolu's land were brought under the jurisdiction of Beiting Road, and Pu Gu Huai'en was appointed as the governor of Beiting Protectorate and the governor of Beiting Town. Anxi Town, in addition to the original four towns of Anxi Outside the land, you will also rule over the land of the nine surnames of Zhaowu above Dabolu, Tohuluo and Congling. I will appoint you as the Grand Governor of the Anxi Protectorate and the Governor of Anxi Town."
As soon as Zhang Xuan finished speaking, Feng Changqing kowtowed with tears in his eyes, "I would like to thank Your Majesty for your great kindness!"
"Get up. You are the founding father of our country. I have high expectations for you. I hope you will not disappoint me. You are in Anxi, Pugu Huai'en is in charge of Beiting, and Yang Lian is in charge of the old land of Tubo. The three of you are here to serve. Under my management, the stability and prosperity of the three towns in the next ten years will not be empty talk."
"Your Majesty's favor, I am so grateful that I can't repay it. I shall be loyal to Your Majesty even to the death!"
Zhang Xuan smiled softly, "I don't need you to die for your loyalty. As long as you fulfill your duties, I will be very satisfied. In the past, I told Pugu Huai'en to guard the border for the imperial court. Ten years later, the three of you will You can be granted the title of Duke, and your eldest son can be granted the title of Marquis!"
"I have clear rewards and punishments. If you neglect your duties, I will not forgive you lightly!"
Zhang Xuan's voice suddenly became cold and solemn. Feng Changqing felt a chill in his heart and kowtowed again.
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"Second, I asked you to gather the kings of the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions, meet at Qiuci, go to the country to protect the king, and accept them as the governor of the state and county. How did you do?"
Zhang Xuan waved his hand and stared at Feng Changqing.
"Your Majesty, I have summoned the heads of the thirty-six kingdoms in the Western Regions to Qiuci. However, I believe that if Your Majesty suddenly removes the names of the Hu kingdoms in the Western Regions, it may cause turmoil in the Western Regions Please think twice and act with caution!" Feng Changqing gritted his teeth and insisted on admonishing.
He was greatly favored by the emperor and held in great esteem, so he had to speak out for justice and be public-minded.
"Do you think there will be chaos in the Western Regions if I take over their kingdom?" Zhang Xuan smiled calmly and said, "You are wrong, Feng Changqing. I am certain that they will not dare to cause chaos. Of course, I am not afraid of them!"
"For the long-term peace and stability of the Western Region, I have already decided that long-term pain is worse than short-term pain, so let me cut it off with this knife. Whoever dares to cause chaos and dare to resist my destiny, Tubo and Tuqi Shiren are role models!"
"When I march into the Western Regions, I will first kill the Tuqi Shi people to give them a warning." Zhang Xuan smiled coldly, "Obide by my orders and transform the court into kings. I can keep their titles and hereditary succession. If you dare to resist, my army will show no mercy when it comes."
"Feng Changqing, this is my attitude. You go back to Kucha and tell the kings of the Western Regions. I will lead my army to Kucha in five days and accept the worship of the kings of the Western Regions. Go." Zhang Xuan waved his hand, and his voice was low but powerful. . Moreover, there was an aura of majesty that could not be rejected and aloofness contained in the voice.
On the issue of Anxi, Feng Changqing was a little surprised that the emperor was so domineering and strong.
But he did not dare to hesitate and immediately took the order and left.
After Feng Changqing left, Tian Kexin walked out of the back tent and said with a slight smile, "Your Majesty is so eager to remove the names of the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions and turn them into prefectures and counties. Could it be that he is planning to march west to Congling this year?" , fight against the giant cannibal?"
"Of course. This war cannot be dragged on any longer. Although our army is invincible and can capture everything, the action of hundreds of thousands of troops consumes countless money, food and equipment. If it is dragged on without limit, I am worried that it will collapse the national treasury. "
Zhang Xuan took a breath and said, "The small countries in the Western Regions are not enough to cause trouble. Tuqishi has been destroyed, Tubo has surrendered to Wanghua, the Geluolu people are subordinates, Huihe is my arm, and they are heavily surrounded. These thirty-six small countries in the Western Regions have long been It exists in name only. I am like this because I don¡¯t want to waste any more time.¡±
"I am going to Qiuci to accept the pilgrimage."It is scheduled to go back and forth within two months. I have decided to march to Congling in early August to regain the land of the Nine Surnames of Zhaowu. In October or November at the latest, there will be a battle with the cannibals! "
"If we win this battle, the Western Region will definitely be stable for decades. I will return to the Central Plains, and I will conquer the barbarians in the southwest again in the south, and destroy the barbarians in the Bohai Sea in the east."
"From this, our Chinese territory extends to Mobei in the north, Piao State and Jiaozhou in the south, Dahai Islands in the east, and three thousand miles west of Congling in the west. The great cause of the king's plan can be accomplished."
"In my lifetime, I will build a strong country and strong troops through war, and create an unrivaled foundation for the great nation of China for future generations. In this world, I am the only one in China!"
Zhang Xuan¡¯s voice was generous, and his words were full of strong self-confidence and infinite courage. Tian Kexin¡¯s pretty face flushed slightly. She stared at the emperor¡¯s Zhanran face, and an inexplicable emotion flowed in her heart.