"Theoretically it should be possible." Zhao Liang thought for a while and walked to the map, only to find that there was no place further north on the map. He retracted his hand angrily and muttered: "Actually, it shouldn't be like this in the north..."
"How do you say it?" the queen asked curiously.
"I heard someone say that you can go all the way north along the water network to a place farther than Mobei and further north than Beihai. It is not as barren as the desert, but has large forests and rivers. Businessmen will go there. , purchasing furs from local hunting tribes and selling daily necessities. When Genghis Khan ordered Jochi to lead his army north to conquer the 'forest people', they were probably one of these people."
"At that time, you could go north from Dadu, enter Shangdu and Yingchang, and then continue north along the junction of the Jurchen and Mongolian tribes, and you could bypass the desert. Now this road is very chaotic, and it happens to be competed by various forces. It’s a place of fighting, so it’s basically useless.”
"But if you go north from Liaoyang, enter the Jurchen tribes, and then go northwest into the forest boundary, you can still reach the area around the Beihai, or even bypass the Beihai. The water network along this way is very developed, and you can go all the way to Qianqian Prefecture by traveling between rivers. Further west, you can enter the territory of the Golden Horde."
"This route was used by the Yuan Dynasty." Cao Jian added: "According to data, during the reign of Shizu and Chengzong, the Mongols in Mobei also rebelled all day long because the Khans Ogedai and Chagatai were in opposition to the Yuan Dynasty. , causing the Yuan Dynasty's westward passage to be interrupted from time to time. Therefore, the Yuan Dynasty envoys often detoured in the far north, trying to reach the Golden Horde. They should have taken this route."
"How many people can pass on this road?" Tuotuo Buhua directly asked the key points.
"It depends on which section." Zhao Liang hesitated for a moment, then looked at Guo Kang, and replied directly: "From Qianqian Prefecture to the west, this section is completely passable for large armies. Batu Khan walked through it before during his Western Expedition. One of the sections.”
"The local geography, to be honest, is a bit abnormal." He thought again and tried to speak more intuitively: "When I was a child, I always thought that the world was centered on the Central Plains, which was the richest, and the other surrounding areas became poorer the farther away they were. But later I found out that wasn’t the case.”
"For example, in the north, there is actually no wealthy center, but a 'barren center', which is the desert. This place has the worst environment, but the conditions around it are better than it, including Mobei."
"After leaving the desert, there is a grassland area, where some 'felt tent people' graze their cattle. Further north, there is an endless forest. And where the forest and grassland meet, I feel that the conditions in this area are the best. In some areas Farming can also be carried out in places like Qianqian Prefecture, which I think is a typical example.”
"Where is that place?" asked the Queen.
"Qianqian Prefecture is north of Tangnu Mountain, upstream of the Qian River - the river here is weird, not flowing eastward, but northward." Zhao Liang explained: "Although it is in the northwest of the desert, it is very rich. The local area The soil is so fertile that the natives can sow in the summer and harvest in the autumn without even cultivating it. There are also iron ore and salt mines that can provide raw materials."
The queen looked at Guo Kang, Cao Jian and others and asked them what they thought. Guo Kang nodded, agreeing with this statement.
The Qian River was later called the Yenisei River. These rivers did flow northward into the Arctic Ocean. What Zhao Liang said is indeed the truth.
"This place was the territory of the Xiliao and Jilijisi people, which was also the Jiajiasi of the Tang Dynasty." After receiving encouragement, Zhao Liang continued: "The locals claimed to be descendants of Li Ling, and said that they were from the Han Dynasty. Jiankun. Perhaps because of this relationship, this place is not very... Mongolian, but rather similar to our Han Dynasty."
"At that time, Genghis Khan gave this place to Tolei's wife, Solu Hetenibeji. The two often moved the Han people under their rule who were not accustomed to Mongolia's soil and water, and asked them to cultivate millet and wheat, which improved the local farming capabilities. level. There are also people running workshops there and manufacturing various supplies. Therefore, the place developed quickly, and there are even workshops for weapons and armor, and silk and satin can also be produced."
"The local area has also established Han officials for management all year round. Later, during the reign of Emperor Shizu, it was expanded to Yilan Prefecture, and Liu Haoli was appointed as the five-department official to take charge of various areas with similar conditions in the Qianhe and Anggula River areas. Liu Haoli compiled the tax system and built official offices. , warehouses and inns, many systems are still used by local people. In short, it is different from Mongolia."
"We all have information about the hometown of the Golden Horde." Cao Jian nodded: "Starting from Salai or Kazan, you can follow the route that Timur took north from the river. This road is definitely passable. He has verified it several times for the army. Instead of going to the river, we will turn east halfway to Qianqian Prefecture and establish a base there. It is theoretically feasible."
"This Qianqian Prefecture..." Borzhan turned over the notes in his hand and said: "The data says that during the Tang Dynasty, the local natives paid tribute to the imperial government and requested to set up Tang officials, so the imperial court set up Jiankun Prefecture here. The Governor's Mansion. Therefore, this place is already considered the boundary of Peach Blossom Stone."
"Suddenly it feels like it's not that far away anymore." He smiled.
"The grassland trade routes are indeed much closer than those through the Western Regions and Persia." Cao Jian agreed: "My father has considered this issue before and asked some scholars to calculate it. They believe that our world is a ball, not a flat surface. , so the road through Persia is indeed farther. The caravans passed there, mainly because the Persian area is generally more prosperous and trade can be carried out along the way. If you just want to get from us to the east as soon as possible, the northern route must be It’s the closest.”
"But I have to remind everyone that even getting to Qianqian Prefecture is only the first step." He changed the topic and said, "Regardless of whether the tribes along the way are obedient or not, how to get there after getting there is still a problem."
"Go directly south from Qianqian Prefecture to Guting Prefecture, then go eastward along the Ancient Silk Road and enter Hexi. This is the oldest road. The natives used to pay tribute this way. But now, there are Oara people activities here, and we don't We know their attitude. In addition, it’s hard to say whether Eastern Chagatai is still stable. The previous turmoil there has lasted for too long, making people unable to feel at ease.”
"And if you don't go south and continue eastward, from the north of Beihai, bypassing the border of the Zhanzhang people, you should be able to reach Liaoyang Province. But it's still the same question as before - how many people can this road pass? We have sufficient information and Experience?" he questioned.
