In the twenty-seventh year of the First Emperor's reign, after a series of measures, the domestic anti-Qin forces were severely hit. The private economy also became active due to the unified system, currency, and weights and measures. Taxation was greatly increased and the national treasury was filled.
However, at this time, the threat of the Huns in the north became prominent.
Twenty years ago, the leader of the Xiongnu, Touman Chanyu, unified all the Xiongnu tribes after several consecutive years of offensives and called himself the Great Chanyu. He took advantage of the fact that the Qin army was busy destroying various vassal states and sent most of its troops to the east. Longxi and the north were weak in defense, so he led his troops across the Yellow River and occupied a large area of fertile territory south of Deshui. After that, the Xiongnu occupied territory was only 400 miles away from Xianyang, and the Xiongnu cavalry could reach Xianyang City in one day. It posed a great threat to Da Qin.
After Qin unified the world, Touman Shanyu continued to send troops to harass Qin's borders in an attempt to further expand its territory.
After Meng Tian destroyed Qi, the First Emperor sent him to the north and ordered him to wait for an opportunity to attack the Xiongnu and regain the land of Henan.
After Meng Tian came to the North, he inspected Longxi and Daijun. He found that the Great Walls in various places were in disrepair and dilapidated, and could not play a role in defending against the Huns. He had to send a large number of troops to guard them.
After arranging everything, Meng Tian personally led an army of 100,000 people out of Yulin from Taiyuan to attack the Xiongnu. At this time, the number of Xiongnu in Henan was not large, and Meng Tian's army fought successively. However, just when Meng Tian was about to encircle and annihilate the Xiongnu army, Tan Ma came to report that the army had run out of food. Meng Tian was furious and said, "Why is the Hui army running out of food? Didn't we urge the food transportation before?"
Tan Ma said: "The transport convoy encountered heavy rain on the way, and the mountain road was rugged and difficult to navigate. The carriages and horses were stuck in the mud and could not extricate themselves. It happened that a flash flood broke out at this time, and most of the food was lost!"
Meng Tian sighed and had no choice but to order the withdrawal of troops.
When the First Emperor learned the details, he was furious and ordered the execution of Liu He, the deputy general responsible for escorting the grain and grass.
Liu Heping usually treated his soldiers kindly, but when they heard that he was going to be executed, they all came to Meng Tian to plead for mercy. Liu He also cried and cried: "General Meng, the failure of escorting grain and grass this time is because the road is difficult! If the weather is good, we can arrive on time, but if it rains heavily, it will be delayed!"
Meng Tian also sympathized with his situation, but the national law could not tolerate it, so he could only say angrily: "Of course I know that General Liu is a loyal man. This is not because I want to execute the general. It is because the law is strict, and His Majesty personally issued the imperial edict. Alas! "
Liu He said: "General Meng, if the road from Xianyang to Beidi can be built in the future, I, Liu He, will die with no regrets. I just hope that my tragedy will not happen again!"
Meng Tian said: "General Liu, please don't worry, I will definitely write to the Holy One!"
Three days later, Liu He was beheaded. The soldiers who had followed him were extremely sad and paid tribute to him. Meng Tian felt sorry for him and ordered his body to be collected and buried.
Meng Tian wrote a letter, hoping that the First Emperor would build a Dachi Road from Xianyang to Beidi, so as to ensure the supply of food and grass. However, there was no reply for a long time.
A year later, Meng Tian once again led an army of 200,000 to attack, hoping to annihilate the main force of the Xiongnu in one fell swoop. This time, Prince Maodun of the Xiongnu led his army to a long-distance attack, cutting off the Qin army's food routes, and the deputy general who was transporting food and grass died in the battle, causing the Qin army's logistics to suffer. Supply difficulties again occurred, and Meng Tian was forced to withdraw his troops.
For a period of time, the garrisoned Qin army could only adopt defensive methods. Once the Huns invaded, they would retreat into the barriers. The Huns cavalry were not good at attacking cities. They would retreat after looting every time.
Both attacks were defeated due to lack of food and grass, so Meng Tian decided to personally lead people to explore the food routes.
Along the way, Meng Tian found that the road from Xianyang to Beidi was steep and rugged, and the food transportation period could take one month or two months. Most of the food transported would be consumed on the road! Moreover, the place the road passes through is located in a remote place and is extremely vulnerable to attack. When attacked, due to the narrow road, the top guard of the food protection army cannot respond, and it is extremely easy to be divided and annihilated.
Meng Tian thought to himself that if the problem of food routes was not solved, it would be difficult to win the war against the Huns. So Meng Tian once again wrote to the First Emperor, analyzing the importance of grain roads, and praised that if the existing grain roads were used to transport grain and grass, to ensure the needs of 300,000 troops for the expedition, at least 600,000 people would be needed to transport grain and grass, and another 200,000 people would be needed to transport grain and grass. Only by escorting thousands of troops along the way can everything be foolproof!
The First Emperor was deeply moved after reading the memorial. So I decided to patrol the north personally to investigate. But the emperor's patrol was of great importance, and he was undecided.
The First Emperor first thought of Zhao Gao, the commander of the Zhongche Mansion, so he summoned Zhao Gao and asked: "Now that the world is in good hands and the treasury is full, I want to travel around the world to see what the Qin Dynasty is like under my governance! What do you think?"
Zhao Gao was shocked, but he immediately realized that this was a good opportunity for him to show off. As the official of the CRRC, he was in charge of the carriages and horses needed for the emperor to travel. The emperor would not even think of himself if he did not travel. So he strongly encouraged the First Emperor to patrol.
Zhao Gaodao: "I heard that it is impossible to govern the country well in the palace. Emperor Shun went fishing everywhere, and the people admired his virtue; Dayu ran among the rivers to get the throne. Patrolling everywhere was not because they were willing to be humble. , but because when traveling, you can better understand the local customs, topography and products, which is indispensable for governing the country! It is indeed a blessing for the Qin Dynasty that Your Majesty has such an idea!"
The First Emperor was very happy after hearing what Zhao Gao said. He summoned the prime ministers Wang Wan and Wei Zhuang and asked, "I want to leave Xianyang and travel around to understand the people's conditions in various places. What do the prime ministers think?"
When Wang Wan heard this, he broke out in a cold sweat. He knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please think twice. Your Majesty is now the most powerful person in the world. It is not appropriate to leave the palace easily!"
The First Emperor said: "None of the ancient sages lived in one palace all their lives. They always traveled around and visited the people! Only in this way can we understand the situation better and govern the country better! Isn't this what you Confucians always advocate?" Normally Wang Wan always regarded himself as a defender of Confucianism, but now the First Emperor used his spear to attack his shield.
Wang Wan argued: "In normal times, it is certainly feasible, but now that the four directions have settled down, the bandits have not completely subsided. If Your Majesty goes out on patrol, what should you do if bandits disturb the Holy Master?"
"That's why I personally want to appease everyone and deter the bandits!"
Wei Zhuang had always disapproved of Wang Wan's advocacy of Confucian methods of governing the country. He was more inclined to govern the country by Legalism. He always believed that the ancient sages proposed by Confucianism were not worthy of imitation. At this time, the First Emperor had made up his mind and would not change it easily. Said: "Prime Minister Wang is very worried. Your Majesty's safety comes first when traveling. Now that the six countries have just settled down and have not yet completely surrendered, there may be bandits. However, it is unwise and courageous to stop eating because of choking. I thought your Majesty could first travel to Qin. I will tour my hometown, and I will tour the east again in the future.”
The First Emperor was very happy to see that the Prime Minister supported his tour and said: "This tour is originally to inspect the border troubles and to interview the people's conditions along the way. I have decided to tour Longxi and the North. This is not the hometown of the Six Kingdoms, so there should be nothing wrong with it."
The First Emperor paused for a moment and then said: "Recently, I have often seen reports about the Huns entering the customs and harassing them. I feel uneasy. This matter is urgent. I have decided to set off in one month. You go and prepare!"
Wei Zhuang said: "I obey the decree!"
Seeing that he could not change it, Wang Wan could only agree: "I accept the decree!"
One month later, the guards and carriages and honor guards were all ready for the patrol. The eldest son Fusu, the general Meng Tian, the internal historian Mengyi, the imperial censor Feng Jie, and Zhao Gao, the order of the CRRC, were accompanying them. A total of sixty-six carriages and guards were dispatched. Ten thousand people. Before leaving, the First Emperor ordered Wang Wan that when there was an important matter in the country that required execution, the memorial should be sent to the execution hall by fast horse, and the First Emperor would personally approve it.
The First Emperor ordered the parade to start, and the vehicle drove toward the north gate of Xianyang in a mighty manner.
At the front of the team were a thousand light cavalry who were clearing the way. The soldiers were all riding tall horses, in high spirits and with bright armor. The Guizhou leaders all gave way when they saw it. They were followed closely by a thousand flag-bearers, dressed in red and holding weapons. Black flags, with a large "Qin" character embroidered on each flag, the hunting banners, extraordinary momentum; followed by two thousand heavy infantry, the guards all holding long swords, wearing heavy armor, queued up neatly; the First Emperor was in the middle, all The car is driven by a gold-rooted car, the whole car is inlaid with gold, and six white horses drive it, which only shines in the sun! Following closely are the five-color Ancha and the five-color Licha, both driven by four horses. After the Emperor's chariot, he was escorted by two thousand heavy infantry and two thousand cavalry. The parade ceremonial guard was several miles away, and it was so majestic!
When the Guizhou leaders saw the emperor's motorcade from a distance, they all praised it. They knelt down on both sides of the street and kowtowed, saying, "Long live our emperor!" The First Emperor was very proud.
At this time, Zhao Gao stood on horseback beside the Emperor's chariot and said to the Emperor: "Now that the whole world is surrendered and the head of Guizhou is happy, it is really due to your Majesty! If you don't parade, you can't show your Majesty's kindness! I, Zhao Gao, wish your Majesty a safe journey!"
The First Emperor was even more happy after hearing this and said: "My dear, what you said makes sense! Only by declaring morality to the world can we be able to frighten the world, and only then can the Qin Dynasty enjoy long-term peace and stability!"
The First Emperor's car drove out of Xianyang and cruised northwest. At the beginning, pedestrians were bustling on the road, with heads crouching on both sides of the road; after a few days, the flow of people gradually dwindled, and it was often necessary to walk dozens of miles before seeing villages and towns; when we arrived in Longxi, the population became even sparser, and many fields were uncultivated. There was no human habitation all day long, and it was a desolate and desolate scene.
The road became more and more difficult to walk, and the Emperor's driving was erratic. Zhao Gao had to add more bedding in the driving to reduce the fatigue and pain of the bumps. After a few days, the road became more difficult to walk. Many times, because the road was too winding and narrow, cars could not pass, so the First Emperor had to get off the car and walk for several miles.
The governor of Longxi County had already come to greet the Holy Emperor. The First Emperor asked, "Why is Longxi County so depressed?"
The county guard said: "Longxi County is an important defense town against the Xiongnu. However, the Great Wall here was damaged and the Qin army could not protect such a long border. The Xiongnu army often invaded and harassed the people. After being plundered, the people could not survive here and moved elsewhere. As a result, Longxi and the north were sparsely populated and the economy was depressed. Many people in Guizhou could not cultivate their fields with peace of mind and wandered around."
The First Emperor had also received reports before that after the Xiongnu occupied Henan, small groups of cavalry often invaded the north. However, at that time, he was too busy dealing with the six eastern countries and had no time to take care of it. Secondly, he believed that the border troubles of the Xiongnu existed for a long time and were not caused by the elbows and armpits. trouble. Therefore, I didn't pay much attention to it. Now I realize how harmful the Huns are when I see them!
The First Emperor asked again: "Since this place is an important military town, transportation is extremely important! Why is the road so rough and difficult to travel?"
The county guard said: "Longxi County is located in the northwest of Xianyang. It has little rain all year round and few trees. It is full of exposed loess soil and high mountains. If it rains heavily, the land will be washed away and the roads will be easily destroyed. The county has also experienced many times It was repaired, but after repairing it, it was damaged again. As time went by, it became slack.
The First Emperor sneered: "What a slacker! It is important to fight quickly, and deploying troops and transporting food require good transportation. Damage to roads is likely to lead to defeat! Can you shoulder this responsibility?"
The county guard was shocked and realized that he had made a mistake. He immediately knelt down and said, "It's not that I'm not trying my best. It's just that it's really difficult for one county to build this road! We in Longxi County have very few people, so repairing it is already very difficult!"
The First Emperor knew that what he saw now really understood the difficulty and necessity of building roads, and said: "This is not your sin, you get up!"
The county guard stood up in fear and stepped aside.
The First Emperor summoned General Meng Tian again and asked: "Now that the Xiongnu are in such serious trouble, what good advice can General have?"
Meng Tian had been fighting against the Xiongnu army for a long time, and he knew that the Xiongnu cavalry was flexible and fierce and difficult to deal with. He thought for a moment and said: "The Huns have been causing trouble in the north for a long time. The Huns cavalry comes and goes like the wind and is difficult to deal with. Nowadays, defense is still the main force in various places. The Huns cavalry is not good. After attacking the city and plundering it, they will retreat."
The First Emperor was displeased and said: "The Huns took advantage of our military campaign to occupy the Henan area. Now they are only a few hundred miles away from Xianyang. This is not only invading Longxi County, but also posing a threat to the city of Xianyang! Is there nothing we, the Qin Dynasty, can do about it?" Just the Xiongnu? I remember that Li Mu of Zhao State defeated the Xiongnu."
Meng Tian heard that the First Emperor was dissatisfied, so he deliberately brought up the past of Li Mu defeating the Huns, and quickly explained: "The Huns are not indestructible, but without strong logistical support, even if they are defeated, they cannot be completely wiped out. I have also said before Although we sent troops out to the north of the Great Wall and achieved victory, when we pursued the remnants of the Xiongnu army, our lone army went deep into the country and was often cut off from food routes. As supplies could not be guaranteed, we had to retreat."
"How many troops does the general think it will take to defeat the Huns?"
"Without 300,000 troops, we cannot defeat the enemy!" Meng Tian thought for a moment and then added: "Under normal circumstances, to ensure the logistics supply of 300,000 troops, at least 300,000 civilians are needed. Now the road from Xianyang to Longxi is It’s so rugged and difficult to navigate that it requires at least 600,000 people!”
The First Emperor pondered for a moment and said: "I have read your memorial, and when I saw it today, it is indeed true. Then we will spend five years building Chidao. The day Chidao is completed will be the day when the Xiongnu will be destroyed!"
So the First Emperor summoned Feng Jie, Li Si, Meng Yi, and Meng Tian who were accompanying him to hold a military meeting to discuss how to deal with the Huns and build Chidao.
The First Emperor said: "The Xiongnu have now become a nuisance to our Qin Dynasty, and we cannot sleep peacefully until we get rid of them! The road from Xianyang to Longxi is now difficult to travel, so I want to build the Chi Road first, and then send troops to the Xiongnu after the Chi Road is repaired!"
Feng Jie said: "The construction of Chidao cannot be completed overnight. What if the Xiongnu invades during this period?"
General Wang Li said: "Now the border between our Qin Dynasty and the Huns is thousands of miles long. It is impossible to station troops everywhere. The Huns are mainly cavalry, with strong mobility and fast movement. Only by defending with city walls can we effectively prevent the Huns from going south. !”
Meng Tian said: "It is indeed an effective way to defend against cavalry with walls. The three kingdoms of Qin, Zhao and Yan all built city walls to defend against the Xiongnu. Now we can connect the walls built by previous countries to form a line from Lintao in the west to Liaodong in the east. The Great Wall can effectively defend against the Huns!"
The First Emperor said: "What my dear friends said is true! I immediately ordered to send 100,000 migrant workers to build the Chi Road from Xianyang to Taiyuan, and at the same time, send 100,000 migrant workers to build the Great Wall! Meng Tian led 300,000 troops to garrison Taiyuan to guard against the Huns and supervise the construction of the Great Wall. Something about Hechidao!"
From then on, the First Emperor began to build Chidao across the country. All Chidao roads were fifty steps wide, with trees planted every three feet. The roads were rammed thick with metal cones on both sides. Even the emperor's six gold and silver chariots were on the Chidao. It can also be passed quickly.
