After a while, the former Minister Guishang who asked to see Zhao Jun was brought closer.
Looking at the old man with a gray beard, Zhao Jun asked: "I heard that you took the initiative to ask for an audience with me? And you are still a former minister of Guishang. Aren't you afraid that I will order someone to kill you now?"
The old man immediately revealed his identity and said:
"My lord, my name is Cigu, and Zengtian was the former chief administrative minister of Guishang.
Since you dare to come to see the prince, you are naturally prepared to be treated arbitrarily by the prince.
I just ask the prince to give me a chance to finish what I need to say. How about if the prince kills me again? "
Zhao Jun looked at the old man in front of him with interest. He was once the chief administrative minister of Guishang?
The official is not young yet...
Dangzhi nodded and said: "Okay, just tell me, and explain in advance that if I am not satisfied, I will kill you immediately."
Ci Gu nodded and bowed his hands: "I know!"
Then Ci Gu said: "More than twenty years ago, before the Da Yuezhi came to the Western Regions, this land used to be the land of our Daxia, and our Daxia was the descendants of the Western Regions who were left behind when the former Tang Dynasty collapsed. establish."
"Wait! Descendants of the former Tang Dynasty?"
Zhao Jun raised his hand to stop Ci Gu, sat up straight and asked.
Cigu nodded and explained as if he wasn't surprised at all by Zhao Jun's reaction:
"The former Tang Dynasty had a Western Region Protectorate in the Western Regions. When the former Tang Dynasty collapsed, the rise of the prairie barbarians directly cut off the connection between the Central Plains and the Western Regions. This also resulted in those of us who were in the former Western Region Protectorate being left behind. In the Western Region.
Then there was no support from the Central Plains. In order to live in the Western Regions, we gradually became a force on our own, and then established our country.
However, during this process, we and other descendants had differences, mainly between the administrative line and the military. The military advocated expansion, while the administrative line only wanted to protect itself.
In the end, the two factions did not interfere with each other, so they simply separated. They were both from the former Tang Dynasty, and neither the administrative or military factions were willing to fight within their own families.
In the end, the ancestors of the administrative line stayed here with the people who were unwilling to leave and established the Great Xia Kingdom, while the military went all the way north and established Shebitu in the northernmost part of the Western Region.
Since then, those of us who are descendants of the former Tang Dynasty have been divided into two lines, each of which has flourished and flourished, and the connection has gradually become less and less.
When the Yuezhi invaded more than 20 years ago, our country, Daxia, only resisted for less than two years before the whole territory fell. The Xia people also became slaves of the Yueshi. It is only in the past few years that things have gradually improved.
We thought that we had successfully integrated into the Kushan country, but in reality, people did not regard us as one of their own.
Once danger is encountered, it is us Xia people who will be sacrificed. Even the wartime recruitment order, which was clearly stated to be treated equally, was only implemented against the Xia people, but it did not affect those of the Dayue clan.
Not long ago, when they escaped, they used us as a piggy bank and smashed it into pieces! "
After listening to Cigu's words, Zhao Jun suddenly realized that he was the descendant who was left here because of the overthrow of the former Tang Dynasty.
This descendant group actually divided into two parts and built two countries respectively. He had also heard of this Shebitu. According to Ayimu, it was one of the three powerful countries in the Western Region.
It's just that I haven't heard any news about this country since I came to the Western Regions, and the coalition forces of the Western Regions have never seen their presence.
Seemingly seeing Zhao Jun's doubts, Cigu took the initiative to explain: "Your Majesty, King Yun, Shebi Tu is located in the northern border of the Western Region near the Mobei Desert, and is responsible for guarding against the Turks who come to hunt Caogu from time to time. So we rarely go out on the roads in the Western Regions. Maybe people don’t even bother to fight with us.
The Dayue clan also sent troops to Shebitu when they attacked other countries before, but it seemed that they did not get any benefits. In addition, Shebitu was far away, so the Dayue clan did not continue to provoke them. "
"It looks like this..."
Zhao Jun touched his chin and nodded to express understanding, then looked at Cigu and asked, "Then what do you want to do here today?"
"revenge!"
Cigu's eyes were lowered, revealing endless hatred in his eyes!
"Revenge? Just you?"
Zhao Jun shook his head and laughed. It wasn't that he looked down on them, but that the Xia people were simply not strong enough to fight against the Dayue clan.
"It's not that I'm attacking you. You were no match for the Dayue clan in your heyday. Now, although the Dayue clan has been driven north by us, they still have 200,000 cavalry in their hands. With your Xia people's current strength, if you want Revenge is nothing more than a dream."
Zhao Jun spoke his thoughts directly without any concealment, without leaving any dignity for the old man in front of him.
What is said is indeed true.
"I and all the Xia people also understand this."
Cigu was not embarrassed by this and nodded in recognition.
"If you still have this idea, do you come here today because you want me to lend you troops?
It's not that I'm heartless, it's just that even if you want to borrow troops, you can't get a return that satisfies me.
Don't think that you are a descendant of the former Tang Dynasty. Just because you have the same bloodline, you want me to help you selflessly. It is absolutely impossible for me to be responsible for the soldiers under my command. "
Zhao Jun directly expressed his attitude, but Cigu's expression did not change at all, but he still said calmly:
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I am not here to borrow troops today.
I will definitely not use my bloodline to blackmail the prince for help. "
"Then what are you doing here today?"
Zhao Jun was really curious. He didn't want to borrow troops, but he wanted to take revenge. What does this old man mean when he comes to find himself?
Cigu immediately took out a bronze object covered with copper embroidery from his arms, handed it to Zhao Jun and said:
"Your Majesty, this is half of the military talisman that our Protectorate of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty originally had. When we separated from Shebitu, they promised that if you hold this half of the military talisman, you can go to them to do something, and then you will spend all your money. Do your best.
The old man knew that the prince had the means to quickly send the news to the north, otherwise the prince would not be able to know the movements of the Dayeshi.
The old man only asked the prince to send this tiger talisman to the northern border and send it to Shebitu, so that they could stop the Dayue clan from escaping. Although Shebitu's strength was not the match for the Dayue clan, they could still be stopped after a period of time. of. "
He reached out and took the half of the soldier talisman. The fully embroidered bronze looked like half a tiger. This half was the upper body of the tiger. It should be the legendary tiger talisman. I didn't expect to see this thing. Today's Song Dynasty But they are all printed.
Looking at the half tiger talisman in his hand, Zhao Jun asked: "How can you be sure that Shebitu will recognize this half of the tiger talisman?"
Ci Gu suddenly raised his head, his eyes full of confidence and solemnly said: "The people of the Tang Dynasty value their promises, and a promise worth a thousand pieces of gold! Don't break it lightly!"
Zhao Jun was stunned when he heard this, and after a moment of silence he nodded silently: "I can send it over, but whether I can do it or not depends on whether She Bitu recognizes it or not."
Ci Gu finally showed a smile on his old face and said confidently:
"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I believe in the integrity of the descendants of the Tang Dynasty like me."
"Maybe……"
Youyou sighed, and Zhao Jun didn't know why he was sighing.
Promises have become bullshit in today's Song Dynasty, where profit comes first and betrayal is the mainstream.
Whether it is the times that have changed or whether people's hearts have changed, who can say clearly...
(End of chapter)
