Qinling County in Qinzhou is surrounded by mountains. It is the intersection of the Longshan Mountains and the Qinling Mountains. The north bank of the Weishui River from west to east is the strategic passage from Qinzhou to Qizhou and Yongzhou. In order to guard this strategic passage, Emperor Xiaoming of the Northern Wei Dynasty established Nanyou County in the east, hence the name Nanyou Road. Later, he established Qinling County in Qinzhou at the western entrance of Nanyou Road.
The existence of this road allows passers-by to successfully avoid the extremely difficult Wei River Gorge and Ganhe Gorge. After repairs in the Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Northern Zhou, and Sui dynasties, it has become very smooth and convenient. It is the best way to enter Liangzhou from Guanzhong The southern passage can play a huge role whether it is mobilizing troops in the Western Regions or Tuguhun, and its strategic value is no less than that of the Northern Silk Road.
However, the mountains on both sides of the Wei River in this section of Nanyou Road are steep. If a long-term plank road is built, the human and financial costs are too high. Therefore, this section of the road was moved more than a hundred miles north, starting from Nanyou County in Qizhou. To the west, pass through the Longshan grassland with a depression in the middle, and finally reach Qinling County in Qinzhou.
The Longshan grassland in June has entered the midsummer season, and the grassland has also reached its most beautiful and beautiful moment with abundant pasture; the breeze blows gently, and groups of cattle, sheep, and horses are galloping everywhere on the endless grassland, and strips of ice, snow, and melted water are forming. The river stretches deep into the grassland like a jade belt.
That morning, more than thirty miles away from Qinling County, there was a mighty army coming from the Longshan Grassland from Qizhou in the east. There was also a convoy that stretched for more than ten miles.
They were Yang Ji and his party heading to Taozhou.
Since the situation in Liangzhou was not tense, Yang Ji not only brought 10,000 elite soldiers and 500 personal soldiers, but also brought 200,000 shi of grain and countless military supplies. Some of the supplies went by water, and some went by land with the army. There were more than 3,000 horse-drawn carriages and mules used to transport supplies; there were also more than 3,000 soldiers who were willing to settle in the Hehuang area, and they also took their families with them, forming a massive army. team.
More than 10,000 elite soldiers are all riding high-headed horses, wearing black bright armor, carrying horizontal swords on their waists, holding war spears in their hands, and carrying war bows and bucklers on their backs. They look majestic and fierce.
Yang Ji also resumed his military attire. A black riding bow was hung on the saddle bridge. This was a riding bow made of 100-year-old oak wood and rhinoceros horn. The bow body was wrapped with dark gold metal threads, and the whole body was bright and eye-catching. , the arc is smooth, and it feels very comfortable both visually and in the hand. Because there is a faint sound of thunder when shooting, it is named Wind and Thunder Bow.
This is the wind and thunder bow made by Yang Jian for Yang Shuang during the Kaihuang period. It took three or four years. Because it was a powerful five-stone bow, Yang Ji could not use it freely before, so he kept it loose. It should be kept in the palace's arsenal to prevent damage to the bow body and loss of strength.
The purpose of collecting loose strings is the same as that of musical instruments. When you need to use it, you can train the bow again; and the so-called bow training is to adjust the tightness of the bow strings and draw and release the empty strings, so that the bow that has been loose for too long can readjust the tension and avoid sudden loosening. Sudden tightening will damage the arch body. This wind and snow bow was about five feet long when it was unstrung. Now that it is strung, the bow body has been shortened to more than three feet, which is the most standard length of a riding bow. Although Yang Ji's strength has not yet reached the peak of a man's strength, he can still draw it about twenty times in one go. Although he does not have the strength to fire the bow all the time, it is enough to snipe enemy generals from a distance.
In addition to the wind and thunder bow, Yang Ji's armor-piercing black-gold spear was also inherited from his father. As for the spear-headed unicorn sword, it was a tailor-made weapon.
The combination of famous guns, famous bows, swords, BMWs, and Mingguang armor also restored Yang Ji's mood and temperament from a lazy prince to a qualified Sui soldier.
In fact, Yang Ji still misses his old life as a playboy. In the past, he didn't have to take responsibility even if he broke the limbs of powerful children. Whenever this kind of incident happened, not only did he not have to pay for it, but even the parents of powerful children had to give gifts and apologize in a humble manner. . But now, his level has been promoted to the point where he is on par with the powerful, and the dandies who are flooding the capital no longer play with him. During the days when he was waiting for the Ministry of War to deliver supplies, Yang Ji took Xue Ju and Yu Chigong to the Pingkangfang red light district every day, hoping to have fun beating up a few dandies. He never expected that those dandies were like mice meeting cats. He seems to be more like a saint than a moral saint, and they are all rushing to treat him to the best food and drink the best wine; they are rushing to treat him to the most beautiful music, and to watch the most beautiful girl dance the most graceful and hottest dances. .
Everyone is so polite, so well-behaved and sensible, no one else would be embarrassed to hurt others.
The beautiful dandy life is gone forever.
"Master! There seems to be a high mountain over there." The person who asked Yang Ji was Wei Zheng. He was riding a tall horse, and the cheap sword on his waist had been replaced by a horizontal sword. This was a gift from Yang Ji. , made of patterned steel (Utz steel).
Nichuluo Khan originally gave the patterned steel technology as a gift to Yang Ji. According to the records in the book, the skilled craftsmen of the palace successfully developed the patterned steel. The blade of the horizontal knife forged from patterned steel was dark black and the blade surface was dark. There are thin bright stripes, and the blade is cold and extremely sharp. It is an essential artifact for murder and arson.
Yang Ji followed Wei Zheng's direction and could clearly see the dark mountains, so he said: "That is the highest peak of Nanlong Mountain. When we walk directly in front of it, the south road begins to go down gently. When we reach the flatland, we will find Qinzhou." Longzhong Plain! Are you okay?"
"What problem can I have?" Wei Zheng chuckled and said, "Compared with the land of Jizhou where the gentry is king, I prefer Liangzhou where there is education but no discrimination. When I stabilize, I will write a letter home and let my children learn from it. My hometown moved to Liangzhou to settle down."
"Where are you, Jingzhi? What's your decision?" Yang Ji looked at Ling Jing next to him and asked with a smile.
Ling Jing replied: "Xuancheng and I have known each other for many years, and we both know both parents. When the time comes, let's have the two families come together so that we can have someone to look after us on the way."
"That's fine!" Yang Ji nodded: "In my opinion, there's no need to wait to settle in. You two can write a letter now and leave your address. I'll have someone send it back to Daxing, and the royal caravan will take it there. Your family will be received at Prince Daxing’s Mansion, rest and come back to Ganzhou. This will also ensure that your family will have a worry-free trip, what do you think?”
Wei Zheng and Ling Jing were overjoyed when they heard this, and quickly raised their hands and said, "Thank you, sir."
"Sir, I also plan to bring my little boy to settle in Liangzhou." Yuchi Gongye said next to him.
Yang Ji smiled and said, "Your family has a big business, is that okay?"
Yu Chigong said: "I will just ask them to sell off their family property."
Yang Ji thought for a while and said to the three of them: "I don't know how long I can be the general manager of Liangzhou. If you rashly move your family to Ganzhou and you will have to move again in the future, why not settle in Daxing City first? We’ll see what happens in the future. Of course, my mansion in Ganzhou occupies a very large area, and it can be fully accommodated if your children come to reunite.”
"Young Master is still thoughtful, while the humble minister and others are hasty." Wei Zheng nodded with deep approval. He knew that the children of Xue Ju and Song Zhengben were also in Daxing City. The children were not only protected by the palace, but their children were also educated in the palace's private schools. The learning conditions were no worse than those in private schools of aristocratic families. If he can also settle in Daxing City through Yang Ji's relationship, then he will be a person from the capital. It will not only help future generations expand their horizons and become talents, but it will also be convenient for visiting relatives in the future or for relatives to come to Ganzhou for reunion.
Didn't Yang Ji, the leader of Liangzhou, also run in both directions like this?
"Then it's settled. You go to Car No. 2 and write a letter immediately, and then hand it over to Zhang Chuchen. She will arrange 'manpower' to send it back to Daxing." At this time, Yang Ji also drove two luxury carriages. Not for enjoyment, but as a mobile office with a lot of official documents and books piled inside. As for the so-called "manpower", it is naturally Xin Ying under the control of Liu Rumei, Zhang Chuchen, and Murong Xianyue.
"I obey my command!" Wei Zheng bowed respectfully to Ling Jing and Yuchi, then rode towards the No. 2 carriage with the red flag.
Yang Ji rode his horse towards the front of the team and found Xue Ju and Li Daliang arguing about something. When they saw Yang Ji approaching, they both bowed and saluted: "See you, sir!"
"What are you fighting about this time? The Battle of Guandu or the Battle of Chibi?" Yang Ji asked with a smile. These two men have read military books and are familiar with all kinds of classic battles. They each have their own opinions when learning the art of war. As long as they have free time, they will get together to hold debates.
"Young Master guessed wrong this time." Li Daliang said with a smile: "The question we discussed was 'who is the greatest enemy of the Sui Dynasty'."
"This is a good thing!" Yang Ji asked with a smile: "Who do you think is the biggest threat?"
Li Daliang was one year younger than Yang Ji and was far less stable than Xue Ju. He was still young and energetic. He said first: "Brother Xue thinks that Goguryeo poses the greatest threat to the Sui Dynasty, but I think it is the Eastern Turks."
Yang Ji liked the debates held by his subordinates from time to time. This atmosphere not only allowed everyone to grow, but also provided Yang Ji with many arguments for formulating systems. Of course, the most important thing is that after listening to a group of IQ people debating for a long time, Yang Ji himself became a little smarter. So whenever everyone didn't have a good topic, he took the initiative to find some topics for them to debate, and asked the pros and cons to write down their opinions on the debate afterwards. This was regarded as the "strategy" of Xiu Cai Ke, and everyone had something to gain, and everyone enjoyed it. Have fun doing it.
He smiled and asked: "From what aspects did you draw the conclusion? What are the arguments and reasons?"
The two of them looked at each other, speechless. In fact, they just chatted and ended up chatting without making any detailed preparations in advance.
Xue Ju was stunned for a long time, and then said awkwardly: "I am extremely unhappy because of the battle between the Sui Dynasty and Goguryeo in the 18th year of the founding of the Emperor. That battle was the only disastrous defeat since the founding of the Sui Dynasty. In addition, One reason is that I’ve heard that the Goguryeo people are fickle.”
"Let me tell you about Goguryeo in general!" Yang Ji said: "First of all, Goguryeo is very different from nomadic peoples such as Turks and Tuyuhun. They have a stable agricultural foundation, and their nomadic living conditions are easily affected by natural and man-made disasters. As for Goguryeo, which has stable agriculture, its politics and economy are relatively stable. In addition, their system is infinitely close to that of the Sui Dynasty. Their political power is very stable and their army has sufficient combat effectiveness. It is naturally a threat that cannot be ignored for the Sui Dynasty. Secondly, The Central Plains has been in civil war for a long time since the Han Dynasty, and there was no unified and powerful regime to put pressure on Goguryeo, which just provided them with the opportunity to encroach on Liaodong. From the Northern Wei Dynasty to the present, they have never stopped territorial expansion and are invading. When it comes to the Central Plains, we are very determined.”
"Third, Goguryeo's status in Liaodong is just like our Sui Dynasty's status in the world. Gaoyuan's status in Liaodong is like the 'sage khan' of the saints. The Khitan, Xi tribe, and Sumo Mohe responded many times His call and multiple attacks on the Sui Dynasty are the best proof. If they attack together in the future, it will be enough to shake the security of the northern part of the Sui Dynasty. Therefore, the attack on Goguryeo was by no means a simple war, but the success was beneficial to the contemporary era. The great achievements in Qianqiu are one of the major strategies to maintain the unification of the Sui Dynasty, territorial integrity, and long-term peace and stability in the Northeast."
Seeing that Xue Ju and Li Daliang were listening intently, Yang Ji continued: "It's just that Goguryeo has unique advantages in time and geography. They have built a large number of military fortresses in places that are easy to defend and difficult to attack. These military fortresses have one man guarding the gate and ten thousand men guarding them." If there is a danger of opening, only a very small number of troops can stop our army. However, our army has traveled far and fought in remote places, and is at the disadvantage of weak successors and cannot consume them. In addition, Goguryeo has a deep sense of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism. Whenever it encounters When facing foreign enemies, we can work together to resist foreign enemies. Therefore, in that war, the time, location, people and people were all on Goguryeo's side."
At that time, King Gaoyuan of Goguryeo led the allied forces of Goguryeo and Sumo Mohe to invade western Liaoning, but were retreated by Wei Chengchang, who was the general manager of Yingzhou at the time. Yang Jian then appointed Yang Liang and Wang Shiji as marching marshals, and Zhou Luohou as the naval commander, leading an army of 300,000 people to attack Goguryeo.
However, Zhou Luohou's navy encountered a big storm at sea, and most of the warships sank. The panicked remnants of the navy, who had survived the disaster, had just anchored to rest when they were attacked by the Goguryeo navy, which was waiting for work. The army led by Yang Liang, Wang Shiji and Gao Jiong also encountered heavy rains, which made their logistics unsustainable. The army, which was short of food, had not yet started the war, and a plague swept the entire army unexpectedly. In September, the Sui armies on land and water returned at a disadvantage, and nine out of ten of the 300,000 troops died.
The number of heavy casualties, which was infinitely close to the annihilation of the entire army, far exceeded the total of the games between the Sui Dynasty and the Turkic Khanate so far. It is no wonder that Xue Ju said it was a disastrous defeat.
Of course, in addition to encountering unfavorable terrain and unfavorable weather, the key to the Sui army's disastrous defeat was that they underestimated the enemy and were careless. From the invasion of Gaoyuan to the unfavorable return of the Sui Dynasty, it took less than a year. There are problems such as insufficient preparation before war, hasty dispatch of troops, underestimation of the enemy, and knowing oneself but not knowing the enemy.
At that time, it happened to be the critical moment for Bujia Khan and Dulan Khan to show off the grassland hegemony. The Sui Dynasty was engaged in a massive war for hegemony with the Turkic Khanate, so Yang Jian wanted to avoid the unfavorable situation of fighting on two fronts. , had no choice but to agree to Goguryeo's request for peace and put all its strength on the Turks' side.
Yang Ji asked Li Daliang: "What about you? Why do you think the Eastern Turks are the biggest threat to the Sui Dynasty?"
"Young master has said so, what else can I say?" Li Daliang said this, but he still analyzed: "My opinion mainly comes from the fact that the boundary line between the Sui Dynasty and the Eastern Turks is too long, and all the people of the Eastern Turks Riding, coming and going like the wind, we can deal with the Turkic army that has gathered together, but we cannot deal with their numerous small groups of wandering cavalry. The harassment day and night is like a plan to exhaust the army, leaving us unable to defend and attack. Attackable, it’s really abominable. But compared to Goguryeo, which can shrink into a turtle shell, the East/Turks are indeed easier to deal with.”
"You can't say that!" Yang Ji shook his head and said: "Nothing remains unchanged, and the enemy does not change. For example, the Turkic Khanate has been fighting with us during the Sui Dynasty, but today the Eastern Turks and Western Turks are fighting against each other. The Sui Dynasty also recognized this "minister" out of strategic needs and encouraged them to fight. However, after they became stronger, they still became a powerful enemy of the Sui Dynasty. Therefore, when looking at problems and powerful enemies, we must The situation must be judged based on factors such as the institutions, military strength, wealth, and population of the surrounding foreign races, and one cannot make one-sided generalizations."
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of powerful horn sounds suddenly came from the distance, and a group of cavalry was seen galloping past. Yang Ji recognized the five words "Qinzhou Governor Yuan" on the flag at a glance.
The army stopped a stone's throw away, and the first captain rode forward alone, bowed his hands and saluted, "May I ask where the King of Wei is?"
Yang Ji said: "I am!"
The school captain quickly dismounted and saluted, "This is to inform the King of Wei. I am the school captain Yuan Shangwu of Qinzhou. I have been ordered by the governor Yuan Shan to report that the governor Yuan has been waiting ten miles away for a long time and is now running this way."
Yang Ji looked into the distance, and sure enough he saw hundreds of cavalry rolling towards this side. He turned back and ordered: "The whole army is suspended!"
The team stopped slowly two miles ahead. More than a dozen soldiers surrounded a civilian official in his fifties and continued to move forward. This man's hair was gray, and the corners of his eyes were covered with fine wrinkles. His hooked nose, which looked like a gyrfalcon's beak, was impressive and gave people a very treacherous feeling.
This man was Yuan Shan, the governor of Qinzhou. He was a backbone member of the Yuan family and a contemporary of Yuan Zhou and Yuan Shou. He jumped off his horse and ran quickly towards Yang Ji. He saluted with great enthusiasm and excitement: "Wei King, I have been waiting for you for a long time in this humble position!"
To the people around him, this enthusiasm seemed as if he and Yang Ji had been friends for decades and were enjoying the joy of "meeting an old friend in a foreign land". However, Yang Ji actually only visited Yang Ji a few times during the Kaihuang reign. I met Yuan Shan several times at the Japanese and North Korean meetings, but didn't even say a word to him. In addition, the Yuan family was implicated in the He Ruobi assassination case and suffered heavy losses. Therefore, Yuan Shan's performance not only failed to move Yang Ji, but instead gave him a feeling of "being courteous for nothing, committing adultery or stealing".
"I'm passing through Qinzhou, so I have to ask the governor of Yuan Dynasty to take care of me." Yang Ji said hypocritically.
"That's necessary!" Yuan Shan patted his chest and said, "If there is a small grain of rice or a small amount of money, I, Yuan Shan, will pay it to King Wei. However, King Wei finally crossed the border once, and he had to live in Shanggui City for three days. Five days.”
Yang Ji cupped his hand and said in a high-sounding voice: "I also want to eat and drink for free for a few days, but unfortunately the official business is urgent and urgent. There will be many opportunities to trouble the Yuan governor in the future."
"King Wei is really a role model for our generation." Yuan Shan raised his finger in praise, pointed to the tent set up in the distance, and invited with a smile: "How about, let's go have a drink or two."
"It's better to obey orders than to be respectful." Yang Ji had no choice but to follow him to the big tent that had just been set up. Yuan Shan's soldiers were very well prepared. Not only did they set up the tent, it was also covered with carpets, and the small table in the middle was filled with food. Food and drinks.
"King Wei, please sit down!" Yuan Shan enthusiastically invited Yang Ji to sit down and filled him with a glass of wine: "Please!"
"please!"
The two drank three or two cups in a row, and Yuan Shan said solemnly: "King Wei brings so much food, money, and many soldiers and family members to drag him down, so be careful of horse bandits!"
"Horse thieves?" Yang Ji frowned and asked, "This place is only across Qizhou from the capital. Where did the horse thieves come from?"
Yuan Shan sighed and said with a wry smile: "Qinzhou is surrounded by towering mountains and dense jungles. Since the year before last, a group of thousands of horse thieves has appeared. They make a living by robbing businessmen, killing people and stealing goods, and do all kinds of evil. I have They were suppressed, but they quickly fled and hid in the mountains and forests, which was really a headache."
"Really?" Yang Ji asked in surprise, "Where did these horse thieves come from?"
"Actually, they are the Qiang people living in this area. When they put down their weapons, they become ordinary people. Let me investigate." Yuan Shan glanced at Yang Ji, hesitated for a while, and then added: "Because Liangzhou implemented the 'Fourth Class' policy, they did not dare to be enemies with King Wei, so they came here from Taozhou, Chengzhou, and Weizhou. The specific number of people now is actually up to Not coming."
Yang Ji nodded, stood up and cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Governor Yuan, for reminding me. It's still early today, so I won't stay any longer. We will meet again when we have the opportunity."
Yang Ji had just finished his words, but Yuan Shan couldn't force it anymore and stood up and said: "Forget it, I wish King Wei a safe journey. I will send an army to escort you to the Weizhou border. If you cross the border, there is nothing I can do."
"Thank you, Governor Yuan!" Yang Ji did not refuse.
. . . . . . . .
In less than half an hour, Yang Ji's team passed Qinling City, then bypassed Qinzhou Prefecture not far away and went to Gui City, and continued marching to the west.
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