In the twenty-eighth year of Qin Shihuang, it was the month of winter.
Xianyang City, which had been tiring for nearly a year in various large-scale construction projects, suddenly became lively. Countless Qin people were excitedly talking about the same thing, and they were all telling the same name.
Great Qin General, Zhao Tuo!
This young general led the Qin army on an expedition beyond the Great Wall, killed the Hu chiefs, expanded the territory, and brought great glory to the Qin State.
And today is the day when the general will make a triumphant return with the soldiers of the Northern Expedition.
Outside Xianyang City, there are huge crowds of people.
Qin people from nearby villages and residents of Xianyang City all came early in the morning and waited here.
Among the crowd were famous nobles from Xianyang, powerful businessmen from nearby villages, and even many Guizhou people from poor families and thin clothes.
They stamped their feet, rubbed their hands that were red from the cold, and looked forward to the return of the heroes of Qin.
"I heard that the land that the general conquered this time is as big as several imperial concubines, and several counties could be established there!"
"What's the use of being big? I heard that most of those places are Gobi and deserts. They are so desolate that even birds don't poop there. There are only a few areas of fertile land. In my opinion, the most important thing about the general's expedition is to defeat the enemy. Those barbaric Hu people were captured, the Yuezhi Xihou was captured, and the Xiongnu Chanyu was killed. This completely solved the border troubles of our Qin State, so that in the future we don’t have to worry about those barbarians crossing the Great Wall to harass the border. This is the general. The greatest achievement!”
"No matter what, the general has made great achievements and will definitely be granted the title of marquis!"
"Marquis!"
The people of Qin talked among themselves and expressed the joy and joy in their hearts with the words in their mouths.
Under these expectant gazes, from the west, a black-armored army that had been baptized by the wind and frost outside the Great Wall was marching towards Xianyang City in an orderly manner, following the newly built galloping road with drum-like steps. Come.
Zhao Tuo sat on a snow-white horse, looking at the majestic city in the distance and the densely packed heads, he couldn't help but feel emotional in his heart, and whispered to himself.
"Xianyang, I'm back!"
Although Zhao Tuo's heart was still on the horse, it had drifted to Xianyang City and the person he missed.
Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect.
There is a soul from later generations living in Zhao Tuo's body. He should have been incompatible with this era, but after so many years of life, he has successfully blended in.
And here he made his home.
He has a wife, a son, and a father-in-law who is known as the Eternal Emperor.
And this is the country that he conquered with his own hands through military campaigns throughout his life.
The emotional fetters have already deeply tied Zhao Tuo to this country. Once he travels far away, he will naturally miss him.
emperor.
Princess.
And my son.
Zhao Tuo's eyes were bright and he wished he could get up his horse and whip his whip, and immediately ran into the city to see the person he wanted to see.
Beside him, one of the heroes of the Northern Expedition, Sugasha, the noble daughter of the Yuezhi who was specially summoned to Xianyang by the emperor, was looking at the extremely majestic and glorious city in front of her with curiosity and awe.
"The number of Qin people is really large."
Sujatha was first surprised by the crowded figure of Qin people in the distance, thousands and thousands of people, densely packed.
She knew that these people were only a small part of the entire Xianyang city, and Xianyang was a city under the thirty-sixth county of Qin. Based on this, Qin's population must be so terrifying.
Immediately afterwards, Sugatha's beautiful eyes were attracted by the towering palaces that could not be seen to the end outside Xianyang City, to the north and south of the Wei River.
"Is this...the emperor's palace?"
If the number of Qin people only surprised Sujatha, then the series of splendid and tall palaces on both sides of the Wei River shocked her extremely.
The Yuezhi people are nomadic, but like the Huns, they also built cities.
Zhaowu City, which the Yuezhi people are proud of, is about the same size as Yiqu City in Beidi County. Compared with the majestic Xianyang, it is just a small rural village, not on the same level at all.
As for the palace, it cannot be compared.
Zhao Tuo, who was full of longing, was awakened by Sujatha's praise, and he looked into the distance with an expressionless face.
Because the Qin army came from the northwest and the terrain was slightly higher, they could just see the palace group within sight.
On the north bank of the Wei River is the huge Xianyang Palace City.
Outside the palace city, there are a series of palaces of the Six Kingdoms in Beishan with different shapes. The palaces and houses are connected with each other and the Zhou Pavilion is very luxurious and magnificent.
As for the south bank of the Wei River, in addition to the Zhangtai Palace and Bushou Palace that have been built before.
Zhao Tuo saw another tall palace standing there. Although he didn't get close to it, just looking at the size of its area, he knew that it was another extremely luxurious palace. There was a long corridor outside the palace that led directly to Lishan Mountain.
To build such a huge palace, I don’t know how much manpower and material resources it would take.
Zhao Tuo felt very distressed when he saw it, and couldn't help but cursed: "Prodigal!"
However, compared to Zhao Tuo's resentment, Sugatha, who came here for the first time, looked at the magnificent palaces in the distance with a shocked expression, as if she was admiring a miracle.
In the team, the Xiongnu and Yuezhi nobles who came to Xianyang with the army this time also saw the towering city and palaces in the distance, and they all shouted and screamed in shock, just like a group of country bumpkins entering the city.
Sujiasha looked at Zhao Tuo and praised: "General, today I know how powerful and powerful the Qin Dynasty is. Such magnificent palaces and cities are a wonder in the world!"
What a spectacle!
Hearing this, Zhao Tuo's mouth twitched slightly.
The First Emperor conscripted a large number of Guizhou chiefs and prisoners to build a complex of palaces. Apart from satisfying his personal preferences, I am afraid that the only benefit was this.
Increase cultural bonuses.
It shocked the hearts of the common people and foreign barbarians.
"What a wonder..."
He sighed after Sugatha, thinking that the First Emperor had created many wonders in history.
Great Wall.
Terracotta Warriors and Horses.
The road is straight.
The Twelve Golden Men...oh, this one is gone.
None of these wonders consume a lot of manpower and material resources.
Zhao Tuo shook his head, stepped forward on horseback, and led the army straight to Xianyang.
The distress and dissatisfaction he felt after seeing the palace complex had dissipated when he arrived at the outskirts of Xianyang.
Because the Qin people waiting here were too enthusiastic, the joyful scene was enough to eliminate all the negative energy in his heart.
The cheers shook the earth.
The sound of "General" echoed over the entire Xianyang City.
Countless people cheered, and some knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Zhao Tuo and Qin Jun to express their respect.
"General! The general is back!"
Among the crowd, a bearded man shouted loudest.
He stared at the young general on the white horse in the distance with bright eyes, and he was actually a little wet.
"The fifth time!"
"The first time was when General Wang made his triumphant return from conquering Yan, and he stood on General Li Xin's chariot. At that time, he was still a handsome young man. The second time was when he returned safely with thousands of soldiers after fighting a last-ditch battle. The third time was He followed General Wang back from the Chu annihilation, and stood on the old general's chariot. The fourth time was after the annihilation of Dai and Qi, he personally escorted the three kings into Qin."
"This time, it's the fifth time!"
"No, there is still Princess Shang."
"General, I have watched you grow with my own eyes, woo woo..."
Amidst countless cheers, Zhao Tuo's mood became happy. He raised his chest and raised his head, enjoying the glory that belonged to him.
This time it was because they were conquering the grasslands and using cavalry to defeat the enemy. In addition, Zhao Tuo has developed the three treasures of cavalry and intends to eliminate chariots in the military in the future and tilt resources towards cavalry.
Therefore, Zhao Tuo gave up riding a chariot and chose to ride a horse in his triumph this time. This was also sending a signal.
However, the white horse with high saddle, coupled with the brave and handsome young general on the horse, coupled with thousands of heroic soldiers following behind, made the whole scene extremely powerful and majestic.
Sujiasha, who was following Zhao Tuo on horseback, also attracted the attention of many Qin people. Her unique Yueshi attire and her face were different from those of the Qin people, but equally eye-catching.
It's just that Sujiasha didn't pay attention to what the Qin people were talking about. Her eyes were looking at the back of the general in front of her, a little confused.
She called out to those Qin people in her heart.
"General."
The eyes were equally blurred, and outside Xianyang City, along with the right prime minister Wei Xiang and the left prime minister Wang Wan, they went out of the city to greet Tingwei Li Si.
He stood in the queue of many ministers and looked at the young general riding towards him, the beard on his chin trembling slightly.
Li Si thought of his son, Lieutenant Li You of Shu County, who was fighting in the southwest.
The news came some time ago that Li You had won many battles in the southwest, burning mountains and setting fires along the way, making the southwest barbarians run away with their heads in their arms, and the Qin army's five-foot road had almost reached the vicinity of the Dian Kingdom.
Calculating the time, I'm afraid the latest news will arrive in the next few days.
Judging from his previous performance, it must have been Li You who defeated the Dian Kingdom and captured and killed the Dian King before returning.
At that time, maybe Li Si's son will be able to ride a white horse and walk in the cheers of thousands of people, showing his heroic posture.
It was also Li Si's dream for his son to be successful. He could avenge his past humiliation and reach the pinnacle of glory with his military exploits.
Thinking of this, Li Si's eyes became a little confused when he looked at the general.
It seemed that Li You's face was overlapping with that of the young general on horseback.
My son should be like this.
"We welcome the return of the general!"
The two prime ministers of Qin State, together with all the officials and ministers, saluted Zhao Tuo.
"You gentlemen are so polite."
Zhao Tuo and the ministers returned the courtesy and exchanged polite words of congratulations.
However, both prime ministers were fine. Zhao Tuo mainly felt that there was something abnormal in the gaze of the Tingwei, which made his whole body get goosebumps.
"Does Li Si have any special hobbies?"
Zhao Tuo muttered in his heart, reluctantly said hello to Li Si, and then under the guidance of hundreds of officials, he began to lead the army into Xianyang City to carry out the next step of the victory process.
As in the past, in Xianyang City, both sides of the road were lined with excited and cheering Qin people.
Heavily armed soldiers sang passionate songs of triumph to welcome the return of the general.
In Xianyang Palace, the solemn music of bells and drums was heard.
Zhao Tuo has already experienced it several times. Although he said that he could not be as smooth as Gu Jing, he still looked calm.
But Fan Kuai and Cao Shen, who were riding horses and holding halberds, and guarding him behind him, were already so excited that they couldn't control themselves.
From the common people in the capital of Guizhou to the officials and ministers in the court, and all the way to Xianyang, the capital of Qin, they were all welcoming their triumph!
It was a glory they had never imagined.
"I, Fan Kuai, am a dog-slaughterer with a humble status and not worth mentioning. It was the general who recruited me to the battlefield thousands of miles away and treated me with the courtesy of a soldier. Now he has given me an honor that surpasses all."
"With such kindness, I, Fan Kuai, will never let the General down in my life. My life, Fan Kuai, belongs to the General!"
Fan Kuai lowered his head and kept talking to vent his excitement.
The only thing he can repay Zhao Tuo with is his life.
Although Cao Shen next to him didn't say it as excitedly as Fan Kuai, his face was still red.
It is said that soldiers die for their confidants, and the general gave them too much.
It's just a life, and it should be handed over to the general forever.
In addition to Fan Kuai and Cao Shen, it was also the first time for Chen Ping to follow Zhao Tuo to participate in a triumphal ceremony of this level.
Even though he is usually deep-minded, he is young after all. Facing such a national-level triumphal ceremony, he can't help but feel excited in his heart, and he can only feel the blood boiling all over his body.
This is the glory that men should enjoy!
The man fights on the battlefield and enjoys the glory of victory.
It was tens of millions of times better than Chen Ping's nest in the small countryside of Yangwu County.
If this continues, his dream of "dominating the world" is not impossible to realize.
After getting excited, Chen Ping looked at Li Shiqi next to him and saw that the old man looked calm and calm.
Chen Ping couldn't help but ask: "Isn't Mr. Li excited about such a grand triumphal ceremony?"
Li Shiqi blinked and said casually: "I'm used to it. Following the general, this happens all the time."
Chen Ping's expression froze, and then he slapped his thigh, wanting to strangle himself to death, his heart filled with regret.
If he had known this, he should have hugged Zhao Tuo's thigh tightly and followed Zhao Tuo all the way when Zhao Tuo was still a five-hundred-year-old master. Now he has a calm face. I'm afraid he is the one who says this to show off. Chen Ping.
Compared with the excitement in the hearts of several counselors and generals.
Sugatha looked more closely at the entire Xianyang City.
The grand city layout, with criss-crossing streets and a central avenue that is nearly forty paces wide, can accommodate seven or eight carriages running parallel on it. The buildings on both sides are one after another, indicating the prosperity of this city.
Most of the Qin people standing on both sides of the city and shouting had rosy complexions, wore silk clothes and shoes, and were in very good mental and physical appearance, which reflected that the living conditions of these imperial capital residents were very good.
Far more than the prairie!
Just like Sujatha had always imagined.
In front of Da Qin, both the Yueshi and the Xiongnu were nothing more than savage tribes in a barbaric land.
Only here is the civilization of the entire world.
Sugatha's eyes moved to the general in front again.
She liked to watch this man riding a horse, even if it was just the back, she could never get enough of it.
Only this time, her eyes were a little confused.
She saw, not far ahead, a gorgeous carriage parked on the roadside, surrounded by armored soldiers guarding it, keeping the surrounding crowd far apart.
The curtain of the carriage was raised, and a woman in gorgeous clothes could be seen in the carriage looking at the white-horse general through the carriage door. In the woman's arms, she was holding a little boy.
The general's horse stopped. He sat on the horse with his head tilted slightly and looked at the woman and child in the carriage.
Sujatha couldn't see the general's face, but she could see the beautiful woman in the car smiling brightly.
Sugatha looked to the other side silently.
Fortunately, the triumphant team did not stop here and quickly passed the gorgeous carriage and continued forward.
When crossing the carriage, Sugatha couldn't help but look over.
The Northern Expedition army quickly walked through the wide streets of Xianyang City, and the victory ceremony came to an end.
Next, they sent the heads of the Xiongnu nobles and Touman Chanyu captured in this battle to the ancestral temple together with the heads of the two Guli kings as prisoners.
After the prisoner presentation ceremony, the First Emperor issued an order.
"The head of Chief Hu is hanging on the North Tower to promote Qin's power!"
The head hangs on the North Tower!
The dried heads of Touman Chanyu and his two Guli kings were hung in the north palace of the Qin Palace, so that everyone passing by could look up and "look up" at their ugly heads. face.
Such a scene made several Huns nobles who entered the court with the Northern Expedition army tremble with fear.
After seeing the prosperity of the imperial capital of Qin Dynasty, they also saw with their own eyes the head of their own plough-maker Gutu Shanyu being hung on the city gate. That feeling made these Huns deeply feel their own insignificance.
And understood a truth.
Going against Da Qin and hanging on the North Tower is the final outcome.
With the conclusion of the memorial ceremony and the sacrifice of prisoners, this triumphal ceremony will enter the most important and most anticipated stage.
Drink to the end, give up the title, and serve the honor.
Discuss merit and reward, hold a banquet to celebrate.
"General, I'm going to make you a marquis!"
This is what everyone is whispering in their hearts.
The Qin Palace opened its doors to the meritorious soldiers of the Northern Expedition.
General Zhao Tuo dismounted outside the palace gate and walked in with his head held high.
Behind him were Sujiasha, Wang Li, Guo Qing and other generals at the level of General Bi, as well as Li Shiqi, a counselor with the title of Right Concubine.
As for Chen Ping, Fan Kuai, Cao Shen, Xiao He and others, they fell at the end of the team.
Because their titles and positions were too low, they could not go to the palace to receive rewards later. They could only regretfully wait outside the palace with many colleagues, waiting for the envoys to come and announce the rewards.
But they are already very happy. This is the Great Qin Palace where the emperor lives, and it is the political center of the entire Qin State. Being able to step into this place is already the highest honor for ordinary people.
In the majestic Qin Palace, the music officials under the command of Feng Chang were playing an exciting and uplifting song.
"Hehe Mingming, the emperor ordered the Qin generals to mobilize the army and attack the northern state."
"Peng Peng comes out of the car, and the flag is in the middle. The illustrious Zhao Tuo, the Northern Hu Yu Xiang!"
…
Listen to the sound of bells and drums echoing in the Qin Palace.
The right prime minister who was responsible for the guidance, Wei Xiang, turned around and said with a smile to Zhao Tuo: "General, this poem was written by me personally when I heard the news of your victory in Yongcheng."
Everyone looked at Zhao Tuo with envy.
The emperor personally wrote a poem to a minister. This honor was simply astonishing and unprecedented!
Zhao Tuo paused as he stepped up the steps.
Yes.
This poem contains his name Zhao Tuo, describing his achievements in the Northern Expedition against the Hulu.
But I didn't expect that it was written by the First Emperor.
This is a poem written by the First Emperor to Zhao Tuo.
At this moment, when Zhao Tuo saw the newly built palaces outside Xianyang City, all the feelings of disgust and dissatisfaction he had felt when he saw them were gone.
His heart was already filled with warmth.
Emperor, wrote me a poem.
"His Majesty."
Zhao Tuo was moved in his heart and murmured, then raised his head and strode forward.
Amidst the exciting sound of bells and drums, Zhao Tuo led the soldiers outside the palace.
The call of the visitor came from the hall.
"The emperor's edict, the general and all the meritorious officials are here to see you."
Zhao Tuo immediately walked into the palace with everyone behind him. He held his head high and chest out, and walked straight to the center of the palace in front of the emperor's couch.
The First Emperor was sitting on his solemn imperial couch, wearing a heavenly crown and black clothes. He looked majestic and looked at him calmly.
Zhao Tuo took a deep breath and led everyone behind him to bow their heads.
After the ceremony, he stood up, spoke loudly, and formally returned to the emperor.
"My minister Zhao Tuo, following His Majesty's order, led the Northern Expedition and fought against the Hu people outside the Great Wall..."
"Thanks to your majesty's holy virtue and the officers and men's orders, our army will show its strength on the grassland, subdue the three tribes of the Yuezhi in Henan, kill the Xiongnu Chan in Yinshan, occupy the fortress of Gaoque, seize the land of Yangshan, and restore the former homeland of the Xia Dynasty. Better than your Majesty!"
Zhao Tuo's back was straight, his voice was clear and passionate, and he told the Qin army's victory this time.
On the emperor's couch, the First Emperor's eyes were filled with brilliance.
The First Emperor knew clearly what Zhao Tuo said. Now, he is not too interested in this glorious record.
After all, he had read the letter written by Zhao Tuo several times.
At this moment, the First Emperor was looking at Zhao Tuo.
It is the spirit of passion and fighting in him.
He likes young people who are aggressive, hardworking and capable.
"The greatest advantage of Zhao Tuo is that he has never let me down!"
In the heart of the First Emperor, his evaluation of Zhao Tuo was once again whispered.
At this time, Zhao Tuo completed his recovery and stood in the hall with his head bowed.
The First Emperor smiled slightly and said: "I heard that the people of Yi and Di are greedy and profit-loving. They are sent to the left and have a human face but a beast's heart. They have different uniforms and customs from China, and they are always greedy and despicable. The Huns took advantage of our The Xia Dynasty fought against each other, went south to occupy our Xia territory, and drove Hu horses outside the Great Wall. He had the intention of invading the border, which is really a serious trouble for our Qin Dynasty."
"Now the general Zhao Tuo has made great achievements in military affairs, made great achievements outside the fortress, destroyed the Hu Yi, and regained the homeland of the Xia Dynasty for our great Qin. This is a great achievement of the country, demonstrates our Qin's power, and shows our Qin's virtue. I should reward him heavily!"
The emperor's voice fell, and the well-prepared visitors came forward with the edict in their hands, spoke loudly, and formally read the edict.
"In the twenty-eighth year of the emperor's reign, it was the winter season. General Zhao Tuo made a weak attack on the Northern Hu, recovered the homeland of the Xia, and opened up the territory outside the Great Wall for our Qin Dynasty. This is an unparalleled feat. The emperor is very happy, and he rewards his meritorious deeds. "
At this point, except for the supreme Emperor Shi Huang, everyone in the palace held their breath, opened their eyes wide, and raised their ears.
Everyone can guess what the next reward will be, but they still can't wait to hear the speaker read it out.
I want to know the reward that is enough to carve a stone for meritorious service.
"Zhao Tuo, the great concubine, has made great achievements in destroying the Hu Yi and recovering the homeland of the Xia Dynasty with his sword. He is specially promoted to the title of Lunhou."
"Female Martial Arts Marquis!"
"Grant six thousand households in the city!"
In the comments of the previous chapter, the voices of the martial arts lord and the champion lord were so loud.
Moment of glory, spend more time writing this chapter, there will be no more tonight.
Thank you to book friend Toya for your reward and all book friends for your vote and support. Thank you!
