After two days of marching, Guo Ziyi led 500 sergeants and 1,000 horses from Liangzhou into Ganzhou and settled in Shandan County.
Fang Chongyong and his party were also traveling with the team and were safe.
The terrain of Shandan County is surrounded by mountains on three sides. Qilian Mountain stands in the south, Yanzhi Mountain dominates in the east, and Longshou Mountain is a barrier in the north. It has undulating hills and crisscrossing ravines. It belongs to a terrain of "surrounded by three mountains and central plain".
To the south is the Shandan Horse Farm, the largest in the Hexi region, where countless livestock graze. The Xiongnu folk song goes: "The loss of my Qilian Mountains has deprived my animals of their ability to feed." It refers to the fact that the Xiongnu lost their Shandan Horse Farm because they were defeated by the Han army.
It was also because of the large and small horse farms throughout the Hexi Corridor that the Central Plains Dynasty could continue to obtain high-quality horses to train cavalry and maintain military advantages on the border.
It was a bitterly cold autumn night in Shandan County, and Fang Chongyong and his party were warming themselves by the fire in the military tent. Anaye was checking her medicine box.
On this trip, I almost emptied out the ready-made medicinal materials at home and packed several large boxes.
Fang Laique was still dozing feebly, while Fang Chongyong was listening to Fang Dafu's explanation of the scenery of the Western Regions.
Fang Dafu actually served in the Anxi Protectorate back then and even fought against the Tubo people!
"Mr. Lang can talk to Guo Shouzhuo and go to Shandan County tomorrow, and then ask the army to help harvest the grass."
Fang Dafu said with a smile.
Fang Chongyong was stunned for a moment, then nodded slightly without saying anything.
Seemingly sensing his doubts, Fang Dafu added:
"Following the locals and sending troops to help harvest crops is a common practice in the Western Regions. Since Lang Jun is already the governor of Ganzhou, it is reasonable for Guo Shou to capture his soldiers to harvest forage.
It will be winter soon, so people don't need to worry about food rations, but livestock need pasture to feed them. Now is the time to harvest it. Even if Lang Jun doesn't move now, he will definitely issue a similar decree when he goes to Zhangye City.
Rather than being in a hurry then, it is better to get things done now. "
Sure enough, ginger is still spicy!
"That's very good."
Fang Zhongyong was sincerely convinced. Fang Dafu's move could be said to be a good thing, he also reaped the benefits and showed his sense of presence.
There is always a big gap between theory and reality. Policies are all changed after arriving in a place and doing as the Romans do. Regardless of whether the border troops on the Hexi Corridor are government soldiers or recruited soldiers, whether they are government soldiers or Long March athletes. In order to survive, they cannot turn a blind eye to the surrounding affairs.
It is a written rule that local frontier troops participate in agricultural work during the spring plowing and autumn harvest seasons, and will not be abolished as long as there is no war. The military rations in the field itself are military supplies, and this is what they should do.
The affairs in charge of the governors of the Hexi states are not directly military affairs, but they are inseparable from military affairs. These words of experience cannot be known except by those who have been in the local area for many years.
"It's just that if you fail to arrive in time, you will be punished by the court..."
Fang Chongyong asked with some embarrassment.
"Isn't it a good thing to be rewarded for being late? In this way, Lang Jun will be an official in Ganzhou, and his life will be much easier, right?"
Fang Dafu said meaningfully.
Fang Chongyong understood instantly.
The institution that assesses Ganzhou governors is the Hexi Jiedu Prefecture. Only matters that cannot be determined by Hexi Jiedu Mansion will be reported to Chang'an. This is also since the mid-Kaiyuan period, when the Chang'an Center devolved a certain degree of local governance power to the Jiedushi level.
When Zheng Shuqing was in Kuizhou, because Kuizhou was not under the jurisdiction of any Jiedushi, the governor was directly responsible to the Chang'an Center and was directly under the jurisdiction of the Center.
As for the Hexi Jiedu Mansion in Liangzhou, everyone knew Fang Chongyong's identity, and the relationship between them was established.
Fang Chongyong was late because he was passing through Shandan County to help local villagers harvest forage... This is not a big deal, right?
Anyway, I will definitely not punish him.
Although this is just a small matter, what will the officials in Ganzhou think when they hear about it?
At least no one will jump out and slap you in the face without thinking, right?
"It's better to write a letter to Ganzhou first to be prepared."
Fang Chongyong pondered for a moment and said.
"Mr. Lang is really talented and intelligent."
Fang Dafu praised, his words seemed to have deep meaning.
Fang Chongyong often lacks common sense in doing things, but every time he can "get it right" and make up for any subsequent mistakes. His ability to do things is far superior to that of his peers, and is not even below the level of capable bureaucrats.
At this moment, Guo Ziyi walked into the military tent. His face was blue from the cold. It was obvious that patrolling outside the camp was not an easy job.
When Fang Dafu saw this posture, he hugged Fang Laique and left the military tent, looking for somewhere else to keep warm. On the contrary, Anaye either left or stayed. After being stunned for a long time, she finally knelt down next to Fang Chongyong like a little daughter-in-law, lowering her head and saying nothing.
"Guo Shouchuo has something wrong, but there's no harm in talking about it."
Fang Chongyong pointed at Anaye and said in a deep voice.
Guo Ziyi nodded calmly and said: "Fang Shijun, in the Qilian Mountains south of Ganzhou, there is a mountain road that only herdsmen can take when they have no choice. Even livestock cannot travel."
He picked up a branch and drew a sketch on the ground.
"Under normal circumstances, this road is inaccessible, and it is almost impossible for anyone to walk on it. If a large army is marching, it needs to rely on manpower to carry the baggage. If it encounters strong winds and snow, it is estimated that countless people will die!
Therefore, the court did not take this road seriously. "
Guo Ziyi was very cautious in what he said, because everything was his guess. When there were no signs, he would be held responsible if he talked nonsense and disturbed the morale of the army!
"Guo Shouchuo is saying that the Tubo people might have taken this unusual route and not come on horseback to attack Ganzhou City?"
Fang Chongyong asked in disbelief.
Unlike what Guo Ziyi thought, Fang Chongyong not only knew this road, but was also quite famous in his previous life!
A quarter of the troops died on one trip due to bad weather! He didn't quite remember what the specific deed was, but he just felt that it was extremely shocking at the time.
It's not difficult to understand this.
Severe cold, strong winds, lack of water, and no supplies. Crossing the Qilian Mountains without relying on livestock is unlikely to be a wonderful experience. To describe it as a narrow escape from death is very appropriate.
When crossing mountains, it is easy to suffer hypothermia and get lost due to heavy winds and heavy snow, and then the troops will suffer a large number of casualties without receiving timely treatment! Using this road as a marching route is risking your life!
"What Fang Shijun said is true. The Tibetan dignitaries do not regard their soldiers as human beings. Even if half of the soldiers die, as long as they can achieve military merit, it is not a big deal."
Guo Ziyi sighed and said that he had a very intuitive experience of the madness of the Tibetan people in fighting.
In a serfdom country where it was common for people to die from various reasons in their thirties, dying happily on the battlefield was not an unacceptable thing.
Even if you survive on the plateau without going to the battlefield, you will die from hard work in the low oxygen environment of the plateau.
"So, what are Guo Shouchuo's plans?"
Fang Chongyong asked calmly.
Guo Ziyi came to have a secret talk at this moment. It was obvious that he was not just making things up, but was asking for something from others. Nowadays, everyone is in the officialdom, and the official positions are not comparable.
There is no one who belongs to whom, and who has to kneel to whom.
“Although the Jiankang Army is an organization of Ganzhou, its establishment is mainly to prevent the Tibetans from attacking the Hexi Corridor from the Western Region after they conquer Guazhou, and to support the defenders of Yumen Pass at any time.
It was not prepared to defend the south of Ganzhou. In fact, perhaps in Guo's lifetime, one of the troops will not be foolish enough to take that road. "
Guo Ziyi said with a bitter smile.
This is where the trouble lies.
The establishment of imperial military towns was a routine response to the situation. The opposite of the normal situation is the special situation.
Tubo sent troops to cross the Qilian Mountains to make a surprise attack on Ganzhou, which was a job with extremely low probability and great risk.
Without evidence, how could Guo Ziyi report this situation to her superiors?
You can't just make a report with words like "I think", "I think" and "I'm worried", right?
The exit of this road is very close to Zhangye City, the capital of Ganzhou, even closer than the station of the Jiankang Army to Zhangye City! If such a day comes, it will be Zhangye's 500 elite defenders, plus 6,000 united troops, to defend against the enemy.
On the surface, it seems that the risk is not great, because the Chishui Army does not seem to be far from Liangzhou to support Ganzhou!
However, since the Tubo people sent troops for a sneak attack, they must have a comprehensive plan. At that time, the main force of the Hexi Army was probably already confronting the main force of the Tubo people at Qinghai Lake, preparing for a decisive battle!
When the time comes, the hinterland of Ganzhou will be attacked, the Shandan Racecourse will be robbed... This series of fire incidents in the rear will greatly affect the logistical supplies of the Tang Army on the front line.
It’s hard to say who will win this war!
Wang Zhongsi ordered Guo Ziyi to train troops near Zhangye in Ganzhou, not without the intention of guarding against a sneak attack by the Tibetans. It's just that he can't allocate more resources, everything depends on Guo Ziyi's own efforts. This might not be an opportunity for Wang Zhongsi to give Guo Ziyi a meritorious service in order to reward this "fellow fellow".
The armies in Hexi were led by the Chishui Army. When the Hexi Jiedushi is not in charge, the military orders of the Chishui military envoy can replace the military orders of the Hexi Jiedushi. Wang Zhongsi had good intentions, and Fang Chongyong felt the same at this moment.
"This road is indeed risky, but...how can I help you?"
Fang Chongyong asked with a sigh.
"We only need Fang Shijun to strictly implement the autumn prevention order. This move will definitely offend local officials and people in Ganzhou. In the end, it may be in vain and be laughed at for being as timid as a mouse... Alas!"
Guo Ziyi looked helpless and didn't know what to say.
It has been a long time since the Tang Dynasty issued an autumn defense order. The local people in Hexi are actually quite resistant to this. They feel that this is a unnecessary move and prevents the garrison troops who should change defenses from doing so. It is strange that there is no resentment.
Not only that, we must also strengthen the walls and clear the country, organize military training for united troops, increase patrols, and increase treasury expenditures. That's right, both the united troops and the border troops who are stranded and unable to go home must be paid! These are all paid out of the local treasury in Hexi.
Moreover, the labor tools used in farming, such as straight shaft plows, plowing oxen, stone mills, etc., were all provided by the government. The frontier troops could not be rotated, and those who were plowing the fields at home were temporarily recruited as Long March athletes. Therefore, there would be no one to cultivate the fields managed by the government, and only women, old and young, could go into battle.
This will have a huge negative impact on the economic operation of border towns.
All of this has little to do with Guo Ziyi, but has a direct and significant interest connection with Fang Chongyong, the new governor of Ganzhou.
To put it simply, as the "bicycle governor", he is responsible for supervising the work done in the border town!
Guo Ziyi explained these to Fang Chongyong in a concise and concise manner, which made Fang Yanei, who came from Chang'an, feel bad!
Fang Chongyong's idea is to live in Ganzhou and travel, and be a happy hands-off shopkeeper. Anyway, he still has Ganzhou Sima and Ganzhou Governor Shi under his command, so he can just assign the tasks to those two people.
Anyway, there is no war in Ganzhou, so just don’t worry. He heard that the scenery near Zhangye is very beautiful. He had traveled here in his previous life and it felt really good.
Ganzhou is known as the "Fortress on the South of the Yangtze River". It is a place where water systems gather. It has good air, no sand, no shortage of water, rich products and a small population!
Fang Chongyong thought very clearly. Ouyang Kun, the envoy of the Jiankang Army, also served as the governor of Ganzhou. On weekdays, everyone was in the Jiankang Army barracks. The station was at the junction of Suzhou and Ganzhou, more than 200 miles away from Zhangye City.
Even if he is a mascot, he can't be worse than Ouyang Qin who barely cares about anything, right?
No matter how bad it is, can it still be bad enough to add a negative buff to Ganzhou?
Although Ji Ge's appointment is ridiculous, it is not outrageous. Because this kind of state and county has the jurisdiction of Jiedu Envoy, Yingtian Envoy, and Duzhi Envoy, the power and responsibility of the governor is much smaller than that of ordinary states and counties.
Didn't the 24-year-old governor of Yanei have nothing to do with him after being the governor of Ganzhou for four years?
Fang Chongyong thought so before, but now when he heard Guo Ziyi say it, his mood instantly fell to the bottom.
When the Tubo people come, he will be frightened and experience the disaster of war. If he is not careful, he will become the prisoner of the Tubo people.
If the Tubo people don't come, if he enforces the autumn prevention order forcefully, he will be scolded by local officials and people to the point where he dare not go out, confirming his "young and ignorant" character.
In short, whether the Tibetans come or not, this trip will be a chore!
"What do Fang Shijun think?"
Guo Ziyi asked cautiously. He knew very well that Fang Chongyong, who had a strong background, could say no to this matter.
No one can ask a half-year-old child to take on such a responsibility, even if the child is really incredibly smart.
"I understand, I will do my best to handle this matter."
Fang Chongyong nodded and said.
"In that case, I would like to thank Fang Shijun."
Guo Ziyi crossed his hands and saluted, looking very respectful.
"Can Military Envoy Guo make arrangements tomorrow to have the military men and women harvest forage in Shandan County to prepare for military supplies?"
Fang Chongyong did not forget Fang Dafu's instructions and made his own demands on Guo Ziyi.
"This is what it should be. Even if Fang Shijun doesn't say anything, Zhang Ye Shouchuo will still cooperate with this matter. With Shijun so diligent in government affairs, Guo is a little worried."
Guo Ziyi thanked her and left, and Fang Chongyong saw Anaye looking at him intently, with a strange look in her eyes.
"What are you thinking about?"
Fang Chongyong sighed, lay down on the straw mat, and rested his head on Anaye's legs as a habit.
"Be it military envoy or military envoy, they all talk and laugh with you. Lang Jun became the governor when he was only ten years old. I don't even know how to describe him."
Anaye said with a grimace, worried about her future.
This branch is a bit high, I wonder if I can climb it! She felt that the gap between herself and Fang Chongyong was getting bigger and bigger, and it was so big that it was scary!
"Come on, give me a smile."
Fang Chongyong stretched out his index finger like a mischief and pressed it on Anaye's straight nose.
"Ganzhou...is it dangerous?"
Anaye gently put Fang Chongyong's hand down and asked with some uncertainty.
"Who says it's not...in short, it's just a huge, deep pit."
Fang Chongyong closed his eyes tiredly, murmured to himself, and soon fell asleep.
(End of chapter)
