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Text Chapter 65 All the way to the west

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    The army left the border of Chang'an and headed west. There were 400,000 people, a huge number. In addition, they brought a large amount of baggage, food and grass, and because they were transporting tens of thousands of thunderbolts, gunpowder, heavy artillery and other firearms with the army, they were afraid of appearing in the bumps.  Under abnormal circumstances, the traveling speed is very slow, only a few dozen miles per day.

    " Du Rui is best at long-distance raids. When he first conquered Gaochang, he crossed thousands of miles of sand moraine in four or five days, and he was a fast man.

    But now, even Du Rui has to adapt to this kind of marching speed. Compared with the past, the current marching speed can be described as a turtle speed. It is too slow, not to mention that communication with each other relies entirely on people. If the front  It is difficult to respond in time to sudden military situations. Even if the marching army is attacked by the enemy, it will be difficult for the troops stretching nearly a hundred miles to respond quickly.

    Thinking of this, Du Rui eagerly hoped that Du Chengxue could develop the train he described as soon as possible. Now that steam engines are available, in time, when train tracks spread all over the Tang Dynasty, connecting every road and every state, to that  At any time, no matter where an accident occurs, Datang can respond as quickly as possible, including marching.

    ¡°Just imagine what it would be like if the Tang army passed through the railway network and suddenly appeared in front of them at the same time as the enemy just made a move.

    But it's not possible now, and Du Rui also knows that this kind of thing can't be rushed. Du Chengxue's steam engine took decades to develop. Although trains are much simpler than steam engines, for the people of the Tang Dynasty at this time,  That said, it's still a bit beyond imagination.

    Du Rui was not satisfied with the marching speed. It was the same during the march, and it would probably be the same when the war was underway. Although one or a few troops could occasionally use the cavalry's fast maneuverability to rush forward, it would take hundreds of thousands of people to reach the speed.  At this speed, it is unrealistic to travel more than a hundred miles or more in a day, at least the food and grass will definitely not be able to keep up.

    Without the supplementary supply of food and grass supplies, how can we ensure the combat effectiveness of the army?

    The amount of food and supplies needed by more than 400,000 horses is an astronomical figure. For this campaign, the imperial court recruited far more civilians than combatants, several times more. They carried them on their hands and shoulders and pushed them forward in small cars, hoping that they could keep up with the cavalry.  Speed ??can only be dreamed about at night.  Although he is dissatisfied, there is nothing he can do about it. If the cavalry had been so slow in the past, Du Rui would have been angry. However, the current situation is special. Du Rui is determined to fight a completely new war.  , carried a large number of firearms, so the rapid advance he imagined could only be carried out at specific times and under specific circumstances, and only with a small number of people.

    " Du Rui also thinks about how to fight this battle every day. It is ridiculous to say that the God of War of the Tang Dynasty has commanded so many troops for the first time, 400,000 people, which is fully one-fifth of the strength of the Tang Dynasty.

    Although there are advantages to having more troops, there are also disadvantages. He knows very well that once a war is underway, on the battlefield, most of the time it will be one troop attacking in one direction, or several groups of troops besieging a target. To achieve the same goal as in the past,  It is simply a fantasy for soldiers and horses from several directions to cooperate with each other. It is impossible for any party's military information to be transmitted to other friendly commanders in time.  Under such circumstances, it is even more necessary to test the personal abilities of the leading generals.

    The leadership of the leader is outstanding, and it is possible to achieve the victory of war when encountering the correct response with the enemy.  On the contrary, it may lead to a disastrous defeat. The disastrous defeat of the troops along the way will also affect the friendly forces, and even the entire army will suffer defeat.

    When Su Dingfang suffered a disastrous defeat in the Battle of Talos, it was because of the sudden rebellion of the alien servants in the rear. Su Dingfang, who was fighting the cannibals in the front, did not get the news at all. When the rear collapsed due to lack of rescue, Su Dingfang thought again.  It's too late to save him.

    Although there are shortcomings, Du Rui is not too worried. The Tang Army has grown up in constant wars. After each battle, the Tang Army will find many problems and then improve them, trying to avoid them in the next war.  Du Rui believed that after this battle, he would also find many areas that needed improvement in the Tang army, and then naturally he would rectify the problems found.  People do not grow up in a day, and the military does not become invincible from the beginning. They also need a process of growth.

    When Du Rui followed Li Jing on his first expedition, he suggested that Li Jing form a quick-response team with two horses and one horse to replace the other, so as to prepare for war emergencies and provide timely support.

    The army marched all the way west. During the march, Du Rui often brought the generals together to discuss some key issues in the upcoming war, how to analyze the enemy's situation, how to make decisions, and how to dispatch various ministries.  , what is the attack mission of each department, and what is the target of the assault??Position, how to start the battle, which one to use to attack first, etc.

    For all these questions, Du Rui will carefully ask the generals for their opinions and ask them to answer the reasons for their consideration. Then he will also tell the generals his own thoughts, analyze and discuss the pros and cons of each plan, and some problems that will arise during combat.  How to deal with unexpected situations, this kind of narrative has benefited all generals a lot.

    Du Rui's democratic style gradually made the generals relax. Even his five sons often told Du Rui all their thoughts and asked Du Rui to correct them. Du Rui was naturally very pleased, especially for Du Rui.  Du Xuezheng was surprised by his unique insights in many aspects. While praising Du Xuezheng for his thorough consideration, he also corrected Du Xuezheng's inexperience or immature arrangements in some aspects, which benefited Du Xuezheng a lot.

    Du Xuezheng was also very moved by Du Rui's words and deeds.  He was also eager to personally command a victory in a battle to prove that he was not just Zhao Kuo who could only talk on paper. Du Rui also expected Du Xuezheng to perform particularly well in this battle.

    Now Du Rui no longer needs meritorious service to prove anything for himself. Instead, he expects his sons and other generals to gain military exploits.

    This is his last expedition. He hopes to use this war to cultivate enough outstanding generals for Datang, especially his sons. Du Rui urgently hopes that they can grow up as soon as possible.

    In later generations of the Song Dynasty, there were generals from the Yang family and troops from the Yue family. Du Rui also hoped that his son could inherit his mantle and become the leading city of the country in the future.

    After setting off from Chang'an, the army arrived at Yumen Pass after more than a month's march.

    As a famous border town, Yumenguan is very important. The city walls are very tall, and because it is the only way from the mainland to the Western Regions, it is very prosperous. Although the city size cannot be compared with the hinterland of the Tang Dynasty, it is larger than the average state capital.  Much bigger.

    Because of its important strategic position, Yumen Pass is very large. When there is a war in the northwest, Yumen Pass often serves as a storage and transfer station for soldiers and strategic materials. This is also the case this time. All the materials transported in advance are accumulated at Yumen Pass, and then the officials of Yumen Pass are responsible for the general.  The necessary supplies were sent to Gaochang and Yanqi, and then moved to Qiuci and broken leaves.

    In the past, Yumenguan was an important border town of the Tang Dynasty, but now that the Western Region has been swallowed up by the Tang Dynasty, the strategic position here has inevitably declined a lot. However, if there is a war in the west, this place will still attract the attention of the world.

    Before the army arrived, the officials at Yumen Pass were already very busy. In addition to being responsible for the care and transfer of supplies, they were also responsible for welcoming and settling the army passing by Yumen Pass. After the war, they were also responsible for receiving prisoners, trophies, and supplies.  They also need to be responsible for their care and transfer, and more personnel will be required to do these things well.

    Now that the war is about to begin, the officials in the Yumenguan area are already extremely busy.  When the army arrived at Yumen Pass, the guard of Yumen Pass led a group of officials out of the city to greet them. Du Rui clearly saw that the faces of those officials were full of exhaustion and their eyes were bloodshot. They had been busy for several months, and now the army  It's here, it can be said that it's the most critical moment, and there are even busier things waiting for them.

    The same goes for the soldiers of the Tang Army who traveled more than a thousand miles. They were all exhausted and in urgent need of rest. The welcoming ceremony was very brief. Du Rui, who acted vigorously and resolutely, did not like cumbersome ceremonies the most, let alone when the war was ongoing.  After some simple pleasantries, Du Rui and others, surrounded by a large group of officials, entered the Yumen Pass city. The army would take a short rest at Yumen Pass before marching into the Western Region.

    The Western Region, in a narrow sense, refers to the west of Yumen Pass, the east of Congling, the east and south of Balkhash Lake and the vast area of ??Xinjiang.

    "Book of Han? Preface to the Biography of the Western Regions" records: "The Western Regions began to be connected during the period of Xiaowu. There were originally thirty-six kingdoms, and later they were divided into more than fifty countries. They were all to the west of the Xiongnu and south of Wusun. There are big mountains in the north and south. There is a river in the center.  , more than six thousand miles from east to west, and more than one thousand miles from north to south. It borders the Han Dynasty in the east, Yumen and Yangguan in the east, and Congling in the west."

    Before Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, there were many small countries in the Western Regions, and some small countries north of the Tianshan Mountains were controlled and enslaved by the Xiongnu.  In the second year of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, the Protectorate of the Western Regions was established here. Wulei City was the political, economic, cultural and military center for the Han Dynasty to manage the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions. At that time, the Protectorate of the Western Regions was personally appointed by the emperor.  The succession of the year never ceases.

    According to the "Book of Han" records: There were eighteen people who served as governors in the Western Han Dynasty. Among them, the famous ones whose official biographies can be verified include Zheng Ji, Zheng Xuan, Gan Yanshou, Duan Huizong, Lian Bao, Han Li, Guo Shun and Sun Jian.  , Li Chong, Dan Qin and other ten people.

    At that time, the Luntai Kingdom was a city-walled country, and the Duhufu was directly under its jurisdiction. King Luntai was personally summoned by the emperor many times to attend court.  In the Han Dynasty, additional administrative, military, and institutions were set up such as garrison school captains and garrison ministers to control the upper-class people of local ethnic minorities.The official titles include king, marquis, general, prime minister, doctor, captain, etc., and they are all under the jurisdiction of the Western Region Protectorate.

    The Western Regions belonged to the Han Dynasty from the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Liu Che. The thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions are: Nuqiang, Loulan, Qiemo, Xiaowan, Jingjue, Ronglu, Mumi, Qule, Khotan, Pishan, Wucuo,  Xiye, Zihe, Puli, Yinai, Wulei, Nandou, Dawan, Taohuai, Xiuxun, Qiandu, Yarkand, Shule, Weitou, Gumo, Wensu, Qiuci, Yuli,  Weixu, Yanqi, Gushi, Moshan, Jie, Huhu, Quli, and Wulei.  Among the thirty-six countries, some are nomadic tribes and the other are city-states.

    The most important figure in China's communication with the Western Regions was Zhang Qian during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. He was known as the first person in China to move toward the world because of his pioneering of the "Silk Road".

    When the Western Han Dynasty was founded, the north faced the threat of a powerful nomadic people.  This nation was first seen in classics with names such as "â´å÷", "Ìþáñ", "Ù²áñ", "åšÆî", and "Gongnu", etc., and was later collectively referred to as the "Xiongnu".

    After the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the Xiongnu entered the threshold of class society, and each branch formed a small slave state, and its king was called "Chanyu".

    During the Chu-Han War, Maodun Chanyu took the opportunity to expand his power, conquered surrounding tribes one after another, destroyed Donghu and Poyue clan, controlled vast areas in northeastern, northern and western China, and established a unified slave-ownership regime and a powerful military machine.  .

    The Xiongnu slave-owning nobles often led powerful cavalry to invade the territory of the Han Dynasty and harass and plunder the residents of the Central Plains.  In the winter of the seventh year of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, Maodun Shanyu led his cavalry to besiege Jinyang.

    Liu Bang personally led an army of 320,000 to fight in an attempt to defeat the main force of the Xiongnu in one fell swoop.  As a result, Liu Bang was besieged by Maodun in Baideng and was not allowed to eat for seven days. He had to use Chen Ping's "strange plan" to secretly send someone to bribe Mrs. Yan of Maodun before he could break the siege.

    From then on, Liu Bang no longer dared to send troops to the north. Later, Emperor Hui, Empress Lu, and Emperor Wenjing, considering the lack of material and financial resources, had no choice but to adopt policies of fraternity, gifts, and passive defense towards the Huns.  However, the Xiongnu nobles continued to invade the border.  During the era of Emperor Wen, the Huns' cavalry even penetrated deep into Ganquan and advanced into Chang'an, seriously threatening the security of the Western Han Dynasty.

    Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, was a great man with great talent and great strategy in Chinese history.  When he came to the throne in the first year of Jianyuan, he was only sixteen years old.  At this time, the Han Dynasty had been established for more than sixty years. After several generations of emperors in the early Han Dynasty, they pursued the policy of light corvee and low taxes and "rest with the people", especially the "Government of Wen and Jing", which further strengthened political unification and centralization.  , the social economy has been restored and developed, and it has entered an era of prosperity, and its national strength is quite abundant.

    According to historical records, as for the government, "the capital and the huts are all full, but the treasury is full of wealth", and even "the money of the capital is accumulated by hundreds and thousands, which is rotten and cannot be corrected; the millet of Taicang is full of dew."  If it accumulates outside, it is inedible."

    Among the people, it is "unless there is a flood or drought, the people have enough for their families", so that "there are horses in the streets and alleys of the common people, and there are groups of horses in the streets. Those who ride on horses are not allowed to gather with each other, and those who guard the palace eat beam meat."  .¡±

    Relying on this abundant material and financial resources, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty promptly put on the agenda the historical task of fighting back the Xiongnu intrusion and fundamentally eliminating the threat from the north.  It is precisely this kind of historical condition that enables a generation of talented people to carry out their grand plans and make achievements.

    Not long after Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty came to the throne, he learned from the Huns who had surrendered that there once lived a nomadic nation called Dayuezhi in Dunhuang and Qilian. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, the Yuezhi became more powerful and occupied the land of neighboring Wusun.  The Huns clashed.

    In the early Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu Maodun Chanyu was defeated many times, and the country's power declined day by day.  At the time of Shanyu, he was completely conquered by the Xiongnu.  The old Shanyu killed King Yuezhi and cut off his head to make a wine vessel.

    After the national calamity, the Yuezhi people were forced to move westward.  In today's Ili area in northwest Xinjiang, the original "Cypriots" were driven away and the country was re-established.  But they did not forget their homeland and were always ready to take revenge on the Huns. They also wanted someone to help them and fight against the Huns together.

    Based on this situation, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty decided to unite with the Dayue clan to jointly attack the Xiongnu.  So he ordered to select talents and send them as envoys to the Western Regions.

    The southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains are blocked by the Tianshan Mountains to the north and Kunlun to the south. The climate is extremely dry. Only a few water and grasslands are suitable for planting and there is a lack of pasture. In the early Han Dynasty, the Thirty-Six Kingdoms were formed. Most of them made a living by agriculture, raising livestock, and had city walls and cottages.  , so they are called "City Outer Countries".

    From the perspective of its geographical distribution, it goes south from Yumen and Yangguan in Gansu, along the northern foot of Kunlun Mountain to the west, passes through Qiewei, Khotan, and ends in Yarkand, which is the southern kingdom.  After leaving Yumen and Yangguan, it goes north, from Gushi along the southern foot of Tianshan Mountain to the west, passing through Yanqi, Luntai, Qiuci, to Shule, which is the country of the North Road.

    Between the north and south roads lies the endless Tarim Desert.  These countries include Di, Qiang, Turks, Xiongnu, Cypriots and other ethnic groups, with a total population of about 300,000.

    The countries on the southern route of Tianshan Mountain have also been conquered by the Xiongnu.??, and established a "Tong Servant Captain" who was permanently stationed in Yanqi and traveled to various countries to collect grain, sheep and horses.  The countries on the southern route have actually become an important supply line for the Huns' invading forces, and all ethnic groups are suffering from oppression and exploitation by the Huns' nobles.

    To the west of Congling, there were Dawan, Wusun, Dayuezhi, Kangju and Daxia kingdoms at that time.  Because it is far away from the Xiongnu, it has not directly become a vassal state of the Xiongnu.

    Judging from the overall situation, uniting with the Dayue clan, communicating with the Western Regions, breaking the Xiongnu control situation in the east and west of Congling, and establishing the prestige and influence of the Han Dynasty is indeed a way to isolate and weaken the Xiongnu, cooperate with military operations, and finally completely defeat the Xiongnu.  A major strategic step.

    When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty issued the edict, the ambitious young Zhang Qian stepped forward to apply for the army, resolutely shouldered the important responsibilities of the country and the nation, and bravely embarked on the journey.

    Zhang Qian was ordered to lead more than a hundred people and set off from Longxi.  Tang Yifu, a slave of the Tang Yi family who had surrendered to the "Hu people", volunteered to act as Zhang Qian's guide and translator.

    They traveled westward and entered the Hexi Corridor. This area has been completely controlled by the Huns since the Yuezhi people moved westward.  Just as Zhang Qian and his party were rushing through the Hexi Corridor, they unfortunately encountered the Huns' cavalry and were all captured.

    The kings on the right side of the Xiongnu immediately escorted Zhang Qian and others to the royal court of the Xiongnu, where they met with Shanyu, the military minister at that time. After learning that Zhang Qian wanted to send an envoy to the Yueshi, the military minister Shanyu said to Zhang Qian: "The Yueshi are in the north of my country.  How can we go there? If I want to cross the border, will Han be willing to listen to me?"

    This means that from the standpoint of the Huns, Han envoys will not be allowed to pass through the Huns' areas to envoy the Yuezhi.  Just like the Han Dynasty would not let the Xiongnu envoys pass through the Han area and go to the Yue Kingdom in the south, Zhang Qian and his party were detained and placed under house arrest.

    In order to soften and win over Zhang Qian and give up his intention to go to Yuezhi, the Xiongnu Chanyu used all kinds of coercion and inducement, and even married Zhang Qian to a Xiongnu woman and gave birth to a child.  But none of them achieved their purpose.  He "does not disgrace the emperor's orders" and "does not lose integrity in Han Dynasty".  That is to say, he has never forgotten the sacred mission entrusted to him by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and has not wavered in his will and determination to serve as the ambassador to the Han Dynasty.  Zhang Qian and others stayed in the Huns for ten years.

    Later, Zhang Qian found an opportunity and led his subordinates to escape from the Huns.  They marched westward for dozens of days, an extremely arduous march.  On the Great Gobi Desert, there are flying sand and rocks, and rolling heat waves; the green ridges are as high as roof ridges, covered with ice and snow, and the biting cold wind.  There are few people along the way and water sources are scarce.  In addition, they fled in a hurry and lacked material preparations.  Zhang Qian and his entourage ate and slept in the open, preparing for hardships.  When the dry food was exhausted, Tang Yi's father, who was good at shooting, shot animals to satisfy his hunger.  Many of the followers died of hunger and thirst on the way, or were buried in yellow sand or ice caves, giving their lives.

    Finally, Zhang Qian and his party asked Wen Ni to cross Congling and arrive in Dayuan. They explained to the King of Dayuan their mission to the Yuezhi and their encounters along the way. They hoped that Dayuan would send someone to send them off, and expressed that if they could return to the Han Dynasty in the future,  I must tell the Emperor of Han Dynasty, give him a lot of property, and reward him heavily.

    The King of Dayuan had long heard about the prosperity of the Han Dynasty in the East and wanted to have envoys with the Han Dynasty. However, due to the obstruction of the Huns, he was unable to do so.  The unexpected arrival of the Han envoy made him very happy.  Zhang Qian's words made him even more tempted.  So he wholeheartedly agreed to Zhang Qian's request, and after giving him warm hospitality, he sent a guide and translator, who was introduced by Dawan, and then passed through Kangju to Daxia.

    Bactria was in the present-day Amu Darya River Basin.  Only then did Zhang Qian find Da Yueshi.  Over the past ten years, the "traveling country" of Dayuezhi has undergone great changes: first, it was attacked by Wusun on the banks of the Ili River, and then moved westward again.

    Wusun is also a "Xingguo". He once was nomadic in Dunhuang and was attacked by the Da Yueshi.  Later, the Xiongnu supported Wusun to attack Dayuezhi. Dayuezhi was forced to move to the Amu Darya River, but Wusun stayed on the Ili River.

    Since Dayuezhi arrived at the Amu Darya River, they not only surrendered to Daxia with force, but also gradually changed from nomadic life to agricultural settlement due to the fertile land here. They had no intention of returning eastward and becoming enemies with the Huns.

    Zhang Qian stayed in Dayuezhi for more than a year, but could not get any results, so he had to return home. On the way back, he was detained by the Xiongnu for more than a year.  Later, the Huns were in civil strife, and Zhang Qian took the opportunity to escape and return to Chang'an.

    Zhang Qian took more than 100 people with him when he was sent as an envoy. After 13 years, only he and Tang Yifu were left.  Although this mission did not achieve its original purpose, it gained a more detailed understanding of the geography, products, customs and habits of the Western Regions, and provided valuable information for the Han Dynasty to open up transportation routes to Central Asia.

    After Zhang Qian came back, he reported the situation in the Western Regions to Emperor Wu.  This is the original source of information in "Hanshu: Biography of the Western Regions".  Later, because Zhang Qian accompanied Wei Qing on the expedition and performed meritorious service, "knowing the water and grass, there is no shortage of troops", he was named "Bo Wanghou" by Emperor Wu.

    In the fourth year of Yuanshou, Zhang Qian was sent as an envoy to the Western Regions for the second time.  At this time, the Han Dynasty had already controlled the Hexi Corridor and was actively conducting the largest campaign against the Huns during the reign of Emperor Wu.

    In recent years, many Emperors of Han Dynasty haveHe asked Zhang Qian about the situation in Daxia and other places. Zhang Qian focused on the specific situation of Wusun's conflict with the Huns after arriving at the Ili River. He suggested that Wusun be recruited to return to Dunhuang and join the Han in resisting the Huns.

    This is the famous strategy of "cutting off the right arm of the Xiongnu". At the same time, Zhang Qian also emphasized that friendly exchanges with all ethnic groups in the Western Regions should be strengthened. These opinions were adopted by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

    Zhang Qian led a delegation of 300 people, each with two horses and ten thousand cattle and sheep, and gold and silk goods worth "tens of millions". When they arrived at Wusun, they persuaded the King of Wusun to return eastward, but without success.  He also sent deputy envoys Chijie to Dayuan, Kangju, Yuezhi, Daxia and other countries.

    When Zhang Qian came back in the second year of Yuanding, Wusun sent dozens of envoys to accompany Zhang Qian to Chang'an.  After that, envoys sent by the Han Dynasty also visited Anxi, Shendu, Yancai, Tiaozhi, and Lixuan. The Chinese envoys were also given a grand welcome by 20,000 people specially organized by Anxi.  Envoys from Parthian and other countries also continued to visit and trade in Chang'an. From then on, communication between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions was established.

    In the second year of Yuanding, Zhang Qian returned to the Han Dynasty and worshiped him as the Great Order. He died the next year.  After his death, the relationship between Han Dynasty and the Western Regions further developed.

    Although the Han Dynasty¡¯s accession to the Western Regions was originally for military purposes, after the opening of the Western Regions, its influence far exceeded the military scope.  From Dunhuang, out of Yumen Pass, into Xinjiang, and from Xinjiang to Central Asia, a transverse east-west passage is once again unimpeded.

    This passage is known as the "Silk Road" in later generations.  The "Silk Road" connected the Western Han Dynasty with many countries in Central Asia and promoted political, economic, military, and cultural exchanges between them.

    Since all Chinese dynasties called the border ethnic minorities "Yi", Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions promoted the first cultural integration between Han and Yi.

    More than ten kinds of plants from the Western Regions, including walnuts, grapes, pomegranates, broad beans, alfalfa, etc., were gradually cultivated in the Central Plains.  Qiuci music and musical instruments such as Huqin have enriched the cultural life of the Han people.  When the Han army was stationed in Shanshan, Cheshi and other places, they used the technique of drilling underground wells, which was commonly known as "karez" and was gradually promoted in the local area.

    In addition, Dawan¡¯s sweat-blooded horse was very famous in the Han Dynasty. It was called "Tianma", and "envoys looked at each other to seek for it."  At that time, no silk was produced from the west of Dawan to Parthia, and they did not know how to cast iron. Later, Han envoys and skirmishers passed on these techniques.  The westward expansion of China's silk and iron smelting techniques has greatly contributed to the development of human civilization.

    In the sixth year of Yuanfeng, King Wusun asked the Han Dynasty for marriage with a thousand good horses as a betrothal gift. Emperor Wu married Princess Xijun of Jiangdu to King Wusun.  After Xijun's death, the Han Dynasty married Princess Jieyou, the granddaughter of King Wu of Chu, to King Wusun.

    In the third year of Shenjue's reign, the Xiongnu was divided internally. Xianxian Shan, the king of Richu, led his people to surrender to the Han Dynasty, and the Xiongnu's control over the Western Regions collapsed.  Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty appointed Wei Sima Zhengji as the Protector of the Western Regions and stationed in Wulei City. This was the beginning of the Han Dynasty's official establishment of administrative institutions in the vast area east of Congling and south of today's Balkhash Lake.

    The Xiongnu slave owners were extremely cruel in their exploitation and oppression of the people of all ethnic groups in the Western Regions.  The feudal system of the Western Han Dynasty was much more advanced than the Xiongnu slave system.  Therefore, the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang hope to get rid of the oppression of the Xiongnu nobles and accept the rule of the Western Han Dynasty.  The government of the Western Han Dynasty set up permanent officials there, sent soldiers to work in the fields, and set up school captains to protect the fields, which made the exchanges between the Han people and other ethnic groups in the Western Regions closer.

    By the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Wang Mang usurped the throne, the Central Plains was in turmoil, and the Xiongnu took the opportunity to rule the Western Regions. The various ethnic groups could not bear the heavy taxation and abuse, so they requested Emperor Wu of the Eastern Han Dynasty three times, and the kings of the eighteen kingdoms took a sincere oath to send their sons to Luoyang to study as hostages.  Requesting that the territory belong to the Central Plains, Liu Xiu reluctantly moved the Western Region Protectorate to Qiuci Gancheng when his foothold was not yet stable.

    In the original history of the Tang Dynasty, when the Tang army was annihilating the Uighur and Turkic forces, it extended its tentacles to the Western Regions. Except for Gaochang, which was eliminated for refusing to obey the rule, all countries in the Western Regions submitted to the Tang government.

    Soon the rule of the Western Regions was handed over to the Anxi Protectorate and the Beiting Protectorate, and a complete administrative system was established in the Western Regions. The Western Regions were placed under Longyou Road, and the four towns of Anxi were established as the main cities in the Western Regions. During the Kaiyuan Period of Xuanzong  , once established the Qixi Jiedu Envoy to govern the two major governorates of Anxi and Beiting. Since then, the Xinjiang region has become a part of the Tang Dynasty.  However, after the Anshi Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty was no longer able to control the Western Regions, and semi-revolutionary regimes appeared again in the Western Regions.

    Since then, there has been endless chaos in the Western Regions until Temujin established the Mongol Khanate and was revered as "Genghis Khan".  Soon, Genghis Khan led his army into Xinjiang, enfeoffed the areas he conquered to his second son Chahatai, and established the Chahatai Khanate, one of the four major khanates.

    After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, the Western Regions were still under the rule of the Chagatai Khanate.  In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the Chagatai Khanate evolved into the Yarkand Khanate. It was not until the early Qing Dynasty that it was destroyed by the Mongolian Mongolia that evolved from the Oara.

    The Mongolian Mongols became an important force in Xinjiang, and the Zhungeer tribe engaged in long-term military conflicts with the Qing army during the Kangxi, Yongzong and Qianlong dynasties.??It was completely pacified under the Qianlong Dynasty, and the Central Dynasty re-established its rule in Xinjiang.  The Qianlong Dynasty put down the large and small Hezhuo rebellions one after another, and welcomed back the Mongolian Turghut tribe from the desert who returned eastward. From then on, until the end of the Qing Dynasty, it maintained stable rule over Xinjiang.  However, with the decline of the strength of the Qing Dynasty and the rise of Western powers, it eventually lost 500,000 square kilometers of territory east and south of Lake Balkhash. At one time, the entire territory fell to the Kingdom of Kokand in Central Asia. Fortunately, Zuo Zongtang led the Hunan Army  Recovered Xinjiang and established Xinjiang Province in 1884.

    But these are all things for later. Today, the Western Region is completely under the control of the Tang Dynasty and has become the Anxi Road of the Tang Empire. Those small countries in the past have long since fallen under the repeated blows of the Tang Dynasty.  Fly and annihilate.

    After the army set up camp at Yumen Pass, Du Rui immediately sent an order for all senior generals to gather in his headquarters to hold an emergency military meeting before the war.  Du Rui's big tent was full of people, and all generals above the rank of Zhonglang who accompanied the army were present.

    More than a hundred people gathered in Du Rui's tent, but no sound came out. No one dared to talk privately. Everyone knew that Du Rui was very strict in running the army and was selfless. If anyone violated military discipline and fell into his hands, they would be punished.  He will never be complacent and will definitely be punished, even his parents and children are no exception. No one wants to be the chicken that scares the monkey. No one dares to be late, and no one dares to discuss anything in private.

    Du Rui was very satisfied when he saw his generals and officials standing quietly. After hearing from his personal guards that all the people summoned had arrived, he also turned around from the huge map hanging at the head of the account.  Facing the generals under his tent, he said solemnly: "Everyone, the army has arrived at Yumen Pass. After two days of rest, it will enter Anxi Road. I think the cannibals should know the movements of our army. Next, our army will  I would also like to hear your opinions on how to arrange it!"

    After the army leaves Yumen Pass, the entire Anxi Road will become Du Rui's rear area. At that time, Du Rui will fully take over the civil and military affairs of the Anxi Road Brother Prefecture. All state officials must obey his dispatch arrangements and accept his dispatch.  .  Before his order is issued, all generals and officials have the right and obligation to express their opinions, and Du Rui will brainstorm ideas before making a decision.  As the commander-in-chief of the army, although he already had a plan on how to conduct the battle, before the war started, he had to listen to the generals' ideas and adopt some very useful suggestions to make up for the shortcomings of his initial plan.

    This is also the style that Du Rui has always led. A leader should draw on the strengths of others and act arbitrarily, which will inevitably lead to mistakes.

    Now Du Rui holds in his hands the lives and deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, and the lifeblood of the Tang Dynasty. Even though he has conquered east and west, fought south and north, destroyed countless countries and won every battle in the past thirty years, he still cannot  Dare to be careless.

    Du Rui reported most of the military information he received to the summoned generals. After describing the general situation of both the enemy and ourselves, Du Rui looked at the upright general under the tent and said with the same words as before  The voice said: "Everyone, I have told you the military intelligence of both the enemy and ours. Next, I want to hear your thoughts on how our army should fight this battle in the best way!"

    Although the Tang Dynasty was strong, the Dashi was not weak either. This is the truest portrayal of the current situation between the enemy and us. After experiencing the disastrous defeat in Central Asia, the Dashi was unable to move eastward, so it tried its best to manage the west. After Muawiya died of illness,  Yazid I succeeded to the throne, and he was also a powerful monarch.

    On the one hand, we have to guard against the Tang Dynasty, but on the other hand, we are waging war on multiple fronts, attacking the Byzantine Kingdom and the Islamic Kingdom at the same time, and constantly fighting against the barbarians in Eastern Europe.

    To say that Dashi is a weakling, no one will believe that Du Rui was able to defeat Dashi in the Western Regions and Central Asia. On the one hand, it was because of Du Rui's command, and the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty were brave and good at fighting. On the other hand, it was also because of fate and opportunity.

    At that time, Ibrasi Mohammed was eager to seize the Western Region and spread the battle line too wide. Only then did Du Rui seize the opportunity to defeat each one, consume Dashi's effective strength, and then use the advantage of being familiar with the terrain to penetrate a large area.  Marching, and finally surrounded on all sides, the main force of Dashi was annihilated.

    It can be said that if Ibrahim Mohammed had been more prudent and fought a war of attrition with the Tang Dynasty, even if the Tang Dynasty won in the end, he would not be able to advance westward.

    As soon as Du Rui finished speaking, Gao Xingxing, the vanguard at the front, said: "Commander! The general feels that our biggest problem now is not the cannibals, but the weather in the Western Regions, the vast deserts in the Western Regions, during which the climate is changeable. Now we are approaching  In winter, the weather in the Western Region is cold, which may cause inconvenience to the march, so it is better to rest again for the time being and wait until the weather warms up before marching!"

    "Commander, the general will have different opinions!" Du Xuezheng heard this and stood up to object.

    Originally, he was not qualified to participate in this kind of meeting, but in order to let his sons gain experience, Du Rui took advantage of the public service and took all five sons with him.

     "Speak!" Du Rui said expressionlessly.

    Seeing that everyone's eyes were focused on him, Du Xuezheng was not afraid of the stage, and said loudly: "Commander, the general feels that our army cannot rest for a long time, but should quickly move into the Western Region, cross the Congling Ridge as soon as possible, and find  Eat the main force and engage in a decisive battle!"

    Du Rui said: "Tell me the reason!"

    Du Xuezheng continued: "Commander! Although our army has marched thousands of miles since it set off from Chang'an, its morale is still high. If we rest for a long time, morale will definitely drop, and the combat effectiveness of the entire army will definitely decrease. Therefore, we must not rest for a long time."  Although the Tang Dynasty and Dashi are feuding, the people of both sides have never stopped communicating. There are many food merchants in the Anxi area, and our army's large-scale advance will inevitably be known by the people of Dashi. Once our army moves at Yumen Pass for a long time, the morale will inevitably be reduced.  The whereabouts of the Big Eater can be taken advantage of this time to calmly prepare for war, so our army must not follow the Big Eater's wishes, but should move forward quickly to advance the troops into the Big Eater!"

    Hearing this, Du Rui also nodded secretly. He had underestimated his son before.

    Feeling Du Rui's encouraging gaze, Du Xuezheng became more confident and continued to talk: "Nowadays, the king of Da Shi is resorting to militarism and fighting on multiple fronts. His men and horses are already exhausted, and his combat power has dropped a lot compared to usual times. This is why  Our army is looking for a good opportunity to annihilate the main force of the Eaters. Our army has sufficient supplies of materials, sufficient fodder for the war horses, and the food required by the entire army can be fully supplied. In comparison, our army has an advantage over the Eaters. If the sky  Warm spring grass has sprouted, and our army's war horses will have forage. The cannibals' war horses will also have forage. Their cattle and sheep will also have food, and they will grow fat and give birth to young. In this way, the material situation of the cannibals will be improved to a certain extent.  It¡¯s time for our army to rest and recuperate, and the Great Eaters will also rest and recuperate. Once they shrink their troops and fight a war of attrition with us in West Asia, our army will lose all its opportunities and it will be very disadvantageous!¡±

    After Du Xuezheng said this, he bowed to Du Rui, whose expression remained unchanged, and said: "Commander, our Datang and Dashi have been fighting continuously before, and the Dashi people have suffered a lot at the hands of our army, and they have not taken advantage of it.  So cheap, their morale has been greatly damaged, and they are also afraid of our army. This time they heard that the commander-in-chief will lead the army in the future, they will be even more fearful. Combining several factors, the morale of the Great Eaters is at its lowest now.  When the combat effectiveness is at its worst, but the morale of our army is high, the general feels that our army should take advantage of this great opportunity to attack the hinterland of West Asia from several directions."

    Du Xuezheng said, and once again said with arrogance: "Commander, the last general is willing to lead an army, be the vanguard of the army, and march straight to Baghdad!"

    Du Xuezheng spoke impassionedly, and Du Rui also deeply praised it, but he could not agree to Du Xuezheng's request. As the commander of the army, he could certainly meet Du Xuezheng's request, but as the army, he could not joke with the lives of the soldiers.  , to satisfy his son¡¯s hero complex.

    "The ambition is commendable! But you have no experience in leading troops in combat, so be it! I will transfer you to the front of General Gao. If you have great ambitions, you don't have to worry about not having a place to display them!"

    After some more discussion, Du Rui finally decided that the army would march in two days, with a sophisticated military strategy.
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