Niu Xianke is still so humble, at least it seems so. He was a minister of the Ministry of Industry and had few servants at home. He did not dare to use the things Li Longji had given him, so they were all sealed up.
There is an eye-catching seal on the door of the warehouse at home. After reaching this level of officialdom, it can only be said that it would be more comfortable to return to Hexi and become a local official.
Fang Chongyong led Wang Zhongsi to visit Niu Xianke's house. They couldn't believe that this was a house with six ministers.
The furnishings are simple and there are only a few servants.
According to the "hidden rules" of the Tang Dynasty's officialdom, a house with six ministers must start with at least fifty slaves and can reach a maximum of four hundred.
Within this number, people will be accepted by public opinion and no one will ridicule or criticize them.
If there is less, historians will describe him as "poor and humble", which will arouse ridicule; of course, if he has extremely high literary talent and is famous in Chang'an, he can be ignored.
For example, people like He Zhizhang, who had few servants in his family and held a high position, would be considered to be like the "Seven Sages in the Bamboo Grove".
And if there are too many slaves, the world will criticize them for being greedy and extravagant. For example, during the Tianbao period, Li Linfu had a dog-legged king. History books say that he had no servants in his family and his mansion looked like a palace.
Obviously, Niu Xianke's shabby reputation is not a good reputation among the powerful circles of Chang'an.
"It's a humble house, please take a seat."
Niu Xianke invited Fang Chongyong and his party to sit down in the study, and poured each of them a cup of "Dongyinzi" - a soup made from ginger and some herbs, which can ward off the cold, but is also quite "simple".
Fang Chongyong took a sip. It was very choking, and the taste was indeed not good. He tried his best to hold it back and not spit it out.
"For the Tang Brocade, I still have to thank Mr. Fang Xiaolang. Although the Hexi soldiers did not receive these rewards in the end, the reputation of Tang Brocade has been made famous. In the future, the white silk from Liangzhou will be transferred to Chang'an and will be woven into Tang Brocade. Sold back to the Western Regions, it can benefit the people of Liangzhou."
Niu Xianke solemnly saluted Fang Chongyong.
Although he arrived in Chang'an, his heart was still in Hexi. After entering the center, Niu Xianke was unable to use his abilities at all, and the culture of being idle and not doing anything practical in the six departments also made him very uncomfortable.
The Hexi Corridor, which is near the water and has first-come-first-serve facilities, is the area that has benefited the most from the spread of imitation Sogdian Brocade. Although Fang Chongyong had his own selfish motives, what he did was a good thing that benefited the country and the people, especially for the people of Hexi.
Niu Xianke knows these rights and wrongs well. Otherwise, as a minister of the Ministry of Industry, not all cats and dogs can come to visit him.
"General Wang wants to make contributions to Hexi, right?"
Niu Xianke looked at Wang Zhongsi with a smile and asked. The purpose of the other party's visit was actually obvious. It's not like Niu Xianke didn't know Wang Zhongsi. The two had been in contact with each other in Hexi in their early years, although they were not close friends.
"Indeed."
Wang Zhongsi nodded very reservedly.
Yes, he did stay in Hexi for several years, but compared to Niu Xianke, he can be called "ignorant" about Hexi affairs.
Since he was "ignorant", he had to go to "professionals" for advice, so Wang Zhongsi strongly agreed with Fang Chongyong's idea. Prepare more now, so that you won't suffer from boredom when you arrive in Liangzhou.
"The Hexi incident is only about Tubo, the rest are not worth mentioning."
Niu Xianke sighed.
Wang Zhongsi's expression changed slightly. His father, Wang Haibin, died at the hands of the Tubo people. Since he started fighting in the army, the enemies he has fought against have also been Tibetans.
When Wang Zhongsi was young, he lived in Hexi for three years and was known for his courage in fighting. But when it comes to research on the Tubo people, it is still quite one-sided and the understanding is not deep.
"How does the Tubo army compare with the Tang army?"
Fang Chongyong asked curiously.
"Songtsan Gampo sent Ludongzan to the Tang Dynasty to bring to Emperor Taizong a precious goose-shaped gold wine vessel. It was made of goose gold. It was seven feet high and could contain three dendrobiums of wine."
Niu Xianke said quietly, without directly answering Fang Chongyong's question.
Songtsan Gampo was the leader of Tibet a hundred years ago, and the wine vessel he was given broke Fang Chongyong’s illusions. He had always thought that the Tang Dynasty craftsmen brought by Princess Wencheng had fattened the Tibetan people and enabled them to master advanced smelting techniques.
But listening to what Niu Xianke said, it doesn't seem to be the case.
"The Tubo spears are thinner and longer than those of the Han Dynasties. The bows and arrows are weak but the armor is strong. Everyone uses a sword. They do not fight and walk with their swords carried. With Wuduo as their assistant, they can advance and retreat freely.
The Tibetan armaments were not only weak. "
Niu Xianke explained to Fang Chongyong.
"What is Udo?"
Fang Chongyong discovered an unfamiliar vocabulary.
"Udo is also called Odo.
It is made of Tubo yak hair, twisted into thick wool, and then braided into braids.
There is a three-inch loop on the top of the braid. When using it, put the loop on the middle finger, and braid a palm-sized oval black ladder in the middle, which is used to put stones and soil. The end is made of wool as a whip tip.
This thing can be used not only for military purposes, but also as a weapon for herdsmen to drive cattle and sheep.
If you want to drive cattle and sheep, hold both ends of the ladder with your hands, put stones or clods in the ladder, swing it with a whip, and then let go of one end, and the stones will fly dozens of feet or even one or two hundred feet away. , causing the head animal to change direction.
Herdsmen use Wu Duo's ability to be very powerful. Some people can hit the target at a distance of more than a hundred feet, so Wu Duo is not only used to drive livestock, but also to drive away wild animals.
As for the masters in the Tibetan army, they could shoot at the eyes of birds within a few dozen feet, and their bullets were flawless. "
Niu Xianke took the trouble to explain to Fang Chongyong, without any airs of a senior official.
Wuduo was one of the weapons that the Tang army despised and hated the most when they fought against Tibet. Stone bullets are kinetic weapons, which hurt the body even if they are protected by armor. If the Tang soldiers' limbs were hit by stones thrown by Wu Duo, they would often suffer fractures and lose their combat effectiveness.
It can be seen from this that the battle between the Tang army and the Tubo army was actually very dangerous. It is far from the "one Han is worth five barbarians" as often said in ancient books. What's even more frightening is that Wuduo materials are easy to obtain, and the stones thrown out by centrifugal force are extremely powerful, and can be used by men, women, old and young.
Wang Zhongsi also said with emotion:
"It's just Wu Duo, and all the Tubo nobles are wearing armor. This kind of chain armor covers the whole body, and only the eyes are exposed. No matter whether they are attacking a city or charging, they are all invincible, and they are not afraid of bows and crossbows.
Tubo's military preparations had their own system, and they were not imitated by our Tang Dynasty regulations. They were all self-controlled and should not be underestimated. "
This horse riding is invincible!
Fang Chongyong originally thought that the Tibetans should be similar to nomadic peoples such as the Turks and the Huns, but he did not expect that it was not the case at all.
The Tibetan armaments were so sharp!
"Although Tubo's technology was influenced by our Tang Dynasty, it mainly came from Persia and Dashi to the west of the Western Regions."
Thinking of the Tibetan people's strength, Niu Xianke couldn't help but sigh.
At this time, the Tubo Empire had a population of approximately 10 million, and the Tang Dynasty had a population of approximately 60 million. Looking at population alone, Datang has an absolute advantage.
However, whether it is the Western Regions, Longyou, or Jiannan, the population carrying capacity of these places bordering Tubo is limited. There were 60 million people in the Tang Dynasty, and it was not like they were all facing Tibet!
Therefore, in some areas, Tubo was in a proactive, or even absolutely proactive, strategic position due to its geographical advantages.
The initiator of the battle was often not Tang Dynasty but Tubo.
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is extremely cold in winter. Therefore, the Tubo people are also accustomed to launching wars in autumn, and they only think of spending the winter in warm areas.
Niu Xianke introduced the general situation of Tubo to Wang Zhongsi and Fang Chongyong. You and I completed the missing impression picture word by word.
"The most terrible thing is that Liangzhou City, the foundation of the Hexi Corridor, is within the attack range of Tubo. The Tibetan army in Xincheng, an important town on the Tibetan frontier, can start from there and pass through the Qilian Mountain Tunnel to directly attack Liangzhou City. It is just a stone's throw away. .
If Liangzhou City is lost, the Tang Dynasty will be cut off from the Western Regions, and the Anxi Protectorate and the Beiting Protectorate will also be cut off from the Central Plains. "
Wang Zhongsi told Fang Chongyong in a concise and concise manner what the key points of this battle were.
Liangzhou City was a place of higher importance to the Tang Dynasty than Youzhou City. If Liangzhou City is lost, the Tang Dynasty's strategy of managing the Western Regions will completely collapse. Tubo's minions are lurking not far from Liangzhou City. How can this not be a worrying matter?
Whenever the Tang Dynasty had any spare power, it would try its best to protect the city of Liangzhou.
Seeing that Fang Chongyong was so frightened that his face was tense, Wang Zhongsi laughed loudly, patted his shoulder and said: "Tubo is strong, and we are not weak either. Liangzhou City has the Chishui Army, the strongest army in the Tang Dynasty, and there are soldiers under it. Thirty-two thousand soldiers."
The overall strength of the military town is another matter. There are 32,000 people in one army, which is indeed unique in the Tang Dynasty. It is not an exaggeration to describe it as the "first powerful army".
You must know that the Mo Dou Army where Cui Qianyou stayed before actually only had a few thousand soldiers.
"Yes, the Chishui Army is so majestic that we have never seen it since the founding of the Tang Dynasty. Generally, the number of soldiers in military towns is only a few thousand, and even as few as a thousand. The Chishui Army was established in the second year of Wude, because of the Chiwu Town in Liangzhou. It got its name from Chishui, and it has a history of hundreds of years.
The number of soldiers under its jurisdiction is also the largest among the Tang army, and they are fully replenished every year.
The nearby Dadou Army, which guards Dadou Bagu, only has 7,500 soldiers, and is often short of personnel. Due to the weakening of the Turks, the Baiting Army in the northwest of Liangzhou City had fewer soldiers. "
Niu Xianke also explained.
Dadou Valley, also called "Dadou Valley" or "Dadou Valley", is located on the Biandukou Pass Road at the junction of Gansu and Qinghai provinces in the southeast of Minle County, Gansu Province in Fang Chongyong's previous life. Since ancient times, it has been a shortcut from Gansu’s Hexi Corridor to Qinghai’s Huangzhong.
When Tubo marches into the Hexi Corridor, it must first pass through the Dadou Valley. The Tang Dynasty set up a large fighting army here to defend against Tibet, and it was under the jurisdiction of Hexi Jiedu Prefecture.
To the northwest of Liangzhou lies the Baiting Sea (the lake area in the northern part of Minqin County, Wuwei, Gansu Province). The Tang Dynasty set up the Baiting Army to defend against the Turks, and it was also under the jurisdiction of Hexi Jiedu Prefecture.
The Chishui Army is the only strategic mobile force in the Hexi Corridor that does not have a specific garrison mission. Its mission is to attack and counterattack. Recuperating its strength on weekdays is the last link of the "mobile defense" strategy of Datang's frontier.
The Hexi Corridor's defense against Tibet was to set up military towns at key points, with one army or even one guard to guard them. The Chishui Army was responsible for defensive counterattacks when the war situation was stalemate.
What Fang Chongyong didn't know was that after the An-Shi Rebellion in history, the Chishui Army was ordered to march eastward to Guanlong, and they were the first batch of ace troops to arrive. After the main force of the Tang army (newly recruited soldiers) was lost in the Battle of Tongguan, the Tang army had a military vacuum in Guanlong.
Before the western armies regrouped in Lingwu, for a whole year, one legion of the Chishui Army resisted the entire rebel army (8,000 Yiluohehao and 100,000 Hebei regular army rebels) until the final victory. Decisive battle at Ji Temple.
After all, they were the troops of the founding fathers of the Tang Dynasty, and their combat effectiveness was extremely powerful.
Now, the Chishui Army is an important defensive force responsible for blocking the Turks in the north and the Tibet in the south. The soldiers are all brave and good at fighting.
If you are not good at fighting, you will not be able to do it. The whole family is in the Hexi Corridor, and they are already stationed in the fields like government soldiers. If you do not fight to the death, you will lose everything and you will not even have a place to stand.
"Tubo implemented the strategy of supporting war with war, and the Tang Dynasty was not the only one it conquered. Its generals did not cherish their soldiers, and it was common to lose tens of thousands of people in a battle.
When fighting against Tibet, one should not just focus on killing and wounding. This is the most troublesome part. Tubo people generally live a short life, looking for death and rebirth, and only seek glory for a while. "
Wang Zhongsi sighed. In his previous military career, he had been used to separation between life and death. He was deeply impressed by the Tubo people's cruelty and decisiveness, which showed no fear of death and no regard for human life.
The lives of five Tubo people were exchanged for the life of one Tang person. Many Tubo nobles were willing to bet, but would the generals of the Tang Dynasty dare to bet?
No one dared to take up this issue, not even Wang Zhongsi.
In fact, due to the harsh living environment on the plateau, the life span of Tubo slaves from Zanpu to slaves was generally lower than that of the corresponding classes in the Tang Dynasty. The famous Songtsen Gampo only lived to be 34 years old. In the history of Tibet, there are too many Zampu who died at a young age and strong body.
This is true for the nobles, let alone the serfs at the bottom.
Living like summer flowers and dying like autumn leaves may be a true portrayal of the life of the Tubo people.
"Let's talk about the affairs in Hexi. The affairs of Tubo are what the court ministers should worry about."
Niu Xianke said with a gentle smile, the wrinkles on his old face were squeezed together.
"Master Niu is right."
Wang Zhongsi nodded slightly.
The enemy Tubo... in his opinion, could not be eliminated by the Tang Dynasty. The so-called border defense is often just about doing human things.
"Of the five states in Hexi, only Liangzhou and Ganzhou can be self-sufficient in food and grass. The other three states all need input from these two states. Therefore, the Hexi Corridor must not be cut off by Tubo.
If you want to go to Hexi, please be sure to stay in Liangzhou to prepare for emergencies. "
"The Doulu Army in Shazhou (Dunhuang), the Moli Army in Guazhou, the Yumen Army in Suzhou, and the Jiankang Army in Ganzhou are not the main force under the jurisdiction of Hexi Jiedu Prefecture, and the four armies combined are not as good as Chishui Army. If possible, try not to serve in these four armies, the risk is very high."
"Hexi is easy to attack and difficult to defend. If you are trapped in a place, you will not be able to defend it. The best strategy is to defend the enemy outside Hexi."
Niu Xianke talked about it one by one, and Fang Chongyong even took out his pen and wrote it down one by one.
In this way, it was not until the drums of the curfew sounded that he and Wang Zhongsi reluctantly left the house of the Minister of Industry.
On the way home, Wang Zhongsi was thoughtful and suddenly asked: "Do you have time tomorrow? Let's go out to Chang'an for fun and I will teach you some life-saving methods."
"Eh?"
Fang Chungyong was stunned, not expecting Wang Zhongsi to make such a move.
