The reason why Liangzhou controls the Western Regions is because there are more than 10,000 armored cavalry in Liangzhou.
The horses ridden by these cavalrymen are all tall horses with blood horse bloodlines from the Western Regions.
Back then, Beigong Chun, the governor of Liangzhou, defeated the Huns soldiers in Luoyang, relying on these "Liangzhou horses".
Therefore, the Liangzhou Zhang family naturally regarded these horses as important military cavalry and would not give them to Liu Yu easily.
This is also where Zhang Jun is in trouble. He is only the nephew of Zhang Shi, the governor of Liangzhou. If Zhang Mao, Zhang Shi's younger brother, was here, he might be able to make a decision on the spot.
And he doesn't have this qualification.
"It's not easy to have a good horse and a BMW after all. I don't have any extra in Liangzhou."
Zhang Jun had to shirk first.
"There's no rush in this matter. If you can get it, then it's naturally the best. If you can't get it, that's okay."
Liu Yu also guessed what Zhang Jun was thinking.
Anyway, he was just testing it out. After taking care of Tuoba Xianbei, he could continue to open up the road to the North Road grassland to the west.
This road is much smoother than the one through the Gobi desert. Although it is a bit far, there are pastures to stop along the way. It is definitely much better than the road in Liangzhou.
Moreover, Liu Yu had another way to induce Zhang from Liangzhou to agree to his request.
Liu Yu and Zhang Jun asked about other information about the Western Regions. However, due to people's vague concept of geography at this time, even Zhang Jun, a general who had been stationed in the Western Regions, had no idea about the customs and customs west of Anxi and Wusun. Too understanding.
As for the excellent products, I don’t even know.
"Those merchants from Kang State said that thousands of miles west from Kang State, there is not only the desert next door, but also the vast sea. Ordinary caravans cannot pass through at all, and the mountains and rivers going south are too steep for ordinary people to walk. It’s all a narrow escape.”
Zhang Jun began to describe to Liu Yu endlessly what he had seen in the far west of the Western Region.
These so-called insights are not his first-hand information, but what he heard from the barbarians such as Kang Guo and Shi Guo.
When Liu Yu heard this, he couldn't help but sneered.
"These barbarians are all liars!"
Hearing Liu Yu's words, Zhang Jun was stunned for a moment, and then said.
"Why did your Majesty say this? Although those Hu merchants are very profit-oriented, they must be right. Otherwise, I have been in the Western Regions Changshi Mansion for so many years, and I have rarely seen anyone coming from the Anxi Kingdom further west."
Liu Yu shook his head and said.
"Zhang Jun, haven't you ever thought about what those merchants from Kang State do?"
"The people of Kang state value profits over love. When they are young, they go out to do business. They will only return to their hometown when they are old. Naturally, they should all be businessmen."
Zhang Jun really couldn't imagine what those green-eyed and curly-haired Kang people could do besides being businessmen.
Liu Yu naturally had different opinions on Zhang Jun's words.
"These Kang people are indeed businessmen, but they are not ordinary businessmen."
"Then what kind of businessmen are they?"
"These Kang people are all treacherous middlemen."
"Middleman?" This was the first time Zhang Jun heard of this new word, but after thinking about it for a moment, he felt that this word was so appropriate.
Aren't those merchants from Kang State just the middlemen who trafficked from the Central Plains to the Far West?
"Yes, they are middlemen. I know that although Kang State also has a lot of products, they have few people and weak weapons. They cannot support a strong country. Naturally, they can't do anything else besides doing business with peace of mind."
"What your Majesty said makes sense." Zhang Jun couldn't help but be a little surprised at Liu Yu's knowledge.
You know, the Kang State in the Western Regions can be thousands of miles away. Liu Yu, a Han who grew up in the Central Plains, could actually tell these customs and customs of the Kang State, which really surprised Zhang Jun.
"What they do is nothing more than selling things. If one day we Central Plains people directly traffic goods to farther places without going through their hands, then these Kang people will starve to death." Liu Yu said.
"Then what your Majesty means is that these Kangguo people are aware of the places further away. They say that they are full of dangers, and they do it on purpose?" Zhang Jun couldn't help but frowned.
When he was in the Changshi Mansion of the Western Regions, he took very good care of these respectful Kang merchants. It is not an exaggeration to describe him as friendly and caring for the people. In addition to asking for some gold, silver, jewelry, horses, spices, etc. from Kang merchants every time, he In addition to a few items such as orchids, boys, sugar, honey, animal skins, swords, saddles and saddles, there is no one who is not showing off his noble hands.
The conscience of these barbarian traders is so bad that they dare to deceive themselves.
"Of course it is intentional. What those barbarian traders in the Western Regions fear most is that the goods from the Central Plains will be directly trafficked to further places. In that case, their lies will no longer be able to scare us."
Liu Yu remembered that Gan Ying, the envoy sent by the Han Dynasty, arrived at the Persian Gulf or the Caspian Sea under the guidance of these Hu merchants from the Western Regions.
Facing the turbulent sea, the envoys of the Han Dynasty showed no fear that they would cross the sea to the west and go to further countries to promote the mighty virtues and teachings of the Emperor of Han Dynasty.
However, the accompanying Hu people deliberately frightened the Han Dynasty envoys, saying that the sea in front of them was tens of thousands of miles wide, and it would take several years for the fastest ship to reach it.
Not only that, those barbarians from the Western Regions also said that the sea in front of them was dangerous and rough. If a passing ship encountered a headwind, it would not only miss the shore, but might also be killed in the sea.
Faced with such a dangerous situation, the envoys of the Han Dynasty had to give up the idea of crossing the sea and continuing to explore westward.
It was this missed opportunity that basically brought the Han Dynasty's exploration to a halt.
"Then what is the place further west?" Zhang Jun couldn't help but feel a little longing for it.
He had been in the Changshi Mansion in the Western Regions for several years and was very aware of the power of the Hu people in the Western Regions.
The largest military strength of those barbarian countries is only more than 10,000, and ordinary small countries often only have a few thousand soldiers and horses.
As for the Parthia and other countries farther west, they only have about 100,000 troops.
Moreover, the Han Dynasty envoys' records stated that the military quality of these countries in the Western Regions was "weak".
Not to mention trying to compare with the armies of the Central Plains Dynasty, even the Huns soldiers who had "one Han as five barbarians" were tyrannical in the Western Regions.
"Further west, there should be places full of river valleys and oases. If you go further west, it should be Sasanian Persia."
When Liu Yu said this, he refused to go on.
"Sasanian Persia?" Zhang Jun had a vague impression of this title.
"Your Majesty, can you tell me something more?"
Zhang Jun's tone was humble, even flattering.
When Liu saw the situation, he felt very appreciative in his heart.
The Zhang Jun in front of him must have lived in the Western Regions for a long time, and his curiosity about the unknown and distant places was extremely strong.
Especially when Liu Yu told him that his previous perceptions were wrong, Zhang Jun felt a strong desire for knowledge.
However, Liu Yu's words were limited to this.
"I actually know everything about going west." Liu Yu looked at Zhang Jun with a smile, deliberately irritating him.
"Your Majesty, how did you know this?" Zhang Jun had an expression of admiration on his face.
However, Liu Yu refused to be fooled easily.
"Back then, Emperor Wu sent Zhang Qian as an envoy to the Western Regions, but he brought back a treasure. Mr. Zhang, do you know what it is?"
Liu foresaw Zhang Jun's curiosity, and was naturally very proud.
Today, he must capture Zhang Jun, or at least let Zhang Jun go back and force Zhang Shi, the governor of Liangzhou, to provide him with excellent sweat-blooded foals.
"Your Majesty, I suddenly remembered that I still have two horses from Wusun in the Western Regions in my manor in Jincheng. Although they are not the best, they are both dragon-shaped and good horses. I think they should match your majesty's heroic appearance. "
Zhang Jun immediately said very politely.
However, it is impossible to completely sway Liu Yu with such a small profit.
At most, Liu Yu could be allowed to show him a little sweetness.
"Back then, successive Han envoys brought back thousands of miles of maps of the Western Regions!" Liu Yu said mysteriously.
"Map? Or Wanli?" Zhang Jun was immediately shocked when he heard this.
In Zhang Jun's understanding, although there are many small countries dotted in the Western Region, they can only have a radius of two to three thousand miles, and most of them are deserts and Gobi.
However, now that I heard Liu Yu say that it was thousands of miles away, my outlook was shattered.
"Your Majesty, where is the map? Can someone see it?" Zhang Jun said greedily.
"Of course this is not possible. I finally recovered Chang'an and found these treasures in the old treasury. How could I show them to others so easily." Liu Yu deliberately made an angry expression.
When Zhang Jun saw this, he immediately felt embarrassed.
He also understood that he had been a little rude just now.
No, it would be a huge faux pas.
Liu Yu obviously wanted to use this in exchange, how could he give it to himself so easily.
"However, after all, the Zhang family of Anding County is also a Han Chinese. Guarding Liangzhou in the Western Region is also a meritorious service to the country and the people." Liu Yu said.
"Yes, yes, your Majesty is right. I, the Zhang family, do serve the country and the people." Zhang Jun immediately nodded in agreement.
As for which country and people it was for, Zhang Jun actually didn't care too much.
He only knew that if Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty really left behind the thousands-mile map of the Western Regions, it would be a huge wealth for him.
The reason why the 8,000 elite soldiers of the Western Region Changshi Mansion did not continue their expedition to the west was that after hundreds of years of war, they no longer had any idea of the location and reality of the countries in the Western Region.
If we had this map, none of the countries in the Western Region would be able to escape.
These oasis valleys will not change easily for hundreds of years. As long as they know their location, they are not left to their own devices.
"Well, you go back and discuss with Zhang Liangzhou and exchange a thousand good horses for this map." Liu Yu said in a pretentious manner.
"A thousand horses?!" Zhang Jun was immediately startled.
If they were ordinary horses, let alone a thousand, even two thousand or three thousand, they in Liangzhou could still get them.
However, what Liu Yu asked for was a 'good horse', so naturally he could not be dismissed easily.
"Yes, it's a thousand horses." Liu thought about it for a moment, and then continued.
"Besides, these thousand horses must be half male and half, and they are not allowed to be castrated!"
Liu Yu knew that there were already a small number of gelded horses at this time.
These gelded horses are very docile and very suitable for daily use and control.
"One thousand horses, I will report it to you after I really get back."
After Zhang Jun confirmed Liu Yu's request, he felt even more determined.
The map Liu Yu mentioned must be true!
Otherwise, if it was fake, how could he dare to ask for a thousand horses?
"Then if my envoy agrees, how will your Majesty deliver it?" Zhang Jun asked worriedly.
"Don't worry. When the time comes, I will send someone with the map and I will wait for you in Anding County. As long as you see the map, you can give me horses." Liu Yu said very generously.
"Okay, then go back to Liangzhou and report immediately!"
After Zhang Jun said this, he immediately resigned like Liu Xuan, and he needed to send someone to Liangzhou to report immediately.
A rebellion had just occurred in the small country in the northern part of the Western Region, and it was exactly when this thing was urgently needed.
Looking at Zhang Jun's leaving figure, Liu Yu couldn't help but feel proud.
If the Liangzhou Zhang family obtained the map distribution of the Western Regions, they would definitely harvest the small countries in the Western Regions with weak military and rich countries. Naturally, they would not be able to support Tuoba Xianbei and Qinzhou Sima Bao.
In that case, there will be no danger in Yongzhou Guanzhong.
However, the waiter Xunsui who had been silent next to him asked with a confused look on his face.
"Your Majesty, I remember that there are no maps left by Xiaowu in Chang'an's treasury album."
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