Outside Liangzhou, in the desolate area to the northwest, there is a centuries-old pass with a long wall that winds like a snake. Because the precious jade from the Western Regions was introduced to the Central Plains from here, it is also called Yumen Pass.
Earlier, when the Great Age was strong, there were tens of thousands of soldiers guarding this old pass. But over the past hundred years, with the closure of the mutual market, not only the defenders have withdrawn over time, but also the once majestic checkpoints have become deserted. Only a few military households intermarried with Qiang women. After a few generations, the Hus became Qiang people and continued to live in Yumen Pass. But that doesn't mean guarding the gate, it's just very pure. There is no place to go anymore, so I rely on my home.
The mottled city wall has been peeled away by the years, and even the inner bricks are exposed. Under the dusk light, it only looks more dilapidated.
The warriors of Shangguo who used to wear halberds and armor have become Hu Hua's horse-drawing disciples. Living in Yumenguan, squeezing mare's milk, I can no longer say that "the country that rules the people must not be violated" is heroic.
Under the fierce wind and sand, a cavalry team of thousands of people carefully bypassed Yumen Pass and continued to penetrate deeper. It wasn't until dusk that we found a place with piles of thorny grass and set up camp.
"General, have a bowl of hot kumiss."
"Chao Song, arrange for someone to stay on duty overnight."
The young man clasped his fists, put down the kumiss, and turned to leave.
Beside the bonfire, Chao Yi raised his head silently, looking at the yellow sand and the long night in the distance, closing his eyes, and fell into deep thought for a while. Along the way, he was almost non-stop. Not only did he have to deceive the Liang people who were following him, he also had to take a roundabout way to get here.
After an unknown amount of time, he slowly opened his eyes after hearing the sound of rapid horse hooves.
There were about a thousand riders coming, all wearing uniformly colored felt helmets and animal armors. The leader of the group had a ruby as big as a fingernail embedded in his felt helmet.
They didn't dare to get close. It wasn't until messages were sent to each other that the leading Qiang leader came cautiously on horseback.
"Yu, King Yu has met General Chao!"
"King Yu is polite." Chao Yi exhaled, stood up, and walked forward.
"After receiving the secret letter from the King of Shu, I rushed here immediately. I didn't expect it to be a step too late. Please don't blame me for keeping General Chao waiting for a long time."
"It's easy to say, I'll be invited by the king."
With the yellow sand and long night, there will naturally be no feast to catch the wind. When Yu Dangwang had just asked someone to lay out a felt blanket, he found that Chao Yi across from him was actually sitting on the ground. He laughed sadly and sat on the sand too.
"King Yu Dang, it's time for my king to tell you about this plan, right?"
"The King of Shu asked me to discuss specific matters with General Chao. In addition, the food and grass promised by the King of Shu... seems to have not been delivered yet."
Chao Yi raised his head and smiled, "You came here to ask for help before. To be honest, if I go back now, your tribe will be rescued within a month at most, and the whole tribe will be exterminated."
King Yu Dang turned pale when he heard this.
"There will naturally be food and grass, but my king said that there must be at least one battle to prove the value of the Yudang tribe."
"What does General Chao want me to do?"
"Have you brought the things I asked you to bring?"
"I brought it. However, there are only three thousand pairs, and they are all incomplete."
"That's enough. In addition, my lord's letter should have mentioned that I am here to help, and you will provide the necessary food and grass."
King Yu Dang's face was aching, and it took him a long time to speak.
"General Chao, there are tens of thousands of soldiers and horses in the Fuxun tribe. But I think there are less than 10,000 soldiers in the General's side."
"Wrong, I only brought 3,000 people. After all, you only gave 3,000 pieces of Fuxun tribe's broken armor."
"Three thousand people..."
Chao Yi sighed. How could he not know that King Yu Dang, who was treated like a lost dog, wished that Shuzhou would send out a large army to help him dominate the Yumen Pass area.
But how is this possible... My lord's temper has always been distasteful to these foreign races. If it weren't for layout, I don't think he would even use the chess piece of King Yu.
"Chao Song, order three thousand people to put on the armor of the Fuxun tribe."
Many of these armors still have blood stains. Chao Yi estimated that it should be the result of King Yu Dang, who finally exhumed the corpse.
"General Chao, how can three thousand people defeat the Fuxun tribe?"
"Don't worry, my king has made a plan. When the time comes, we will have reinforcements."
"Reinforcements? Could it be that there is an army of Shuzhou behind?" King Yudang looked ecstatic.
Chao Yi smiled and said nothing.
In this life-and-death conspiracy vortex, he is just a small pawn. All you can do is listen to your military advisor and your lord.
"King Yu Dang, you are a little anxious. Don't be impatient. You can wait here later. I'll go call for reinforcements and will be back soon." Chao Yi put on his animal armor and spoke steadily.
"General Chao doesn't know something. The Liangzhou people and I are inseparable. If it weren't for their use, the Fuxun tribe would never have come to the Yumenguan area."
Yu Dangwang's words made Chao Yi a little silent. He knew very well about Yu Dangwang's grievances.
"King Yu Dang, my king has said that if we succeed this time, it is very likely that the Fuxun tribe will withdraw from the Yuguan area."
"Seriously? Then General Chao, what should I do?"
"It's very simple. Spread the news about the alliance between the Fuxun tribe and Shuzhou near Liangzhou."
King Yudang looked stunned. He said it was cooperation before, but now he said he was forming an alliance with the Fuxun tribe.
"False is my lord's strategy to defeat the enemy."
King Yudang wiped the sweat from his face and said, "Since it is the plan of the King of Shu, it cannot be better...but there is no way Liangzhou will believe it."
If Liangzhou were to attack Shu, this other group of Western Qiang people would definitely be the main force. Chao Yi understood that this countermeasure would be the key to winning the decisive battle in the future.
"Nothing, you are only the first step. I pretend to be the Fu Xun tribe, which is the second step. As for the third step, my lord should complete it."
King Yu Dang obviously didn't understand. Seeing that Chao Yi was about to take people away, and thinking of the interests of his own tribe, he hurriedly shouted.
"General Chao, if we can really break the cold, can I, the rest of the tribe, enter the Central Plains?"
Riding on the horse, Chao Yi's voice suddenly turned cold.
"My Lord has said that the Western Qiang and Beidi, as well as the barbarian bandits outside Yanmen Beiguan, are not allowed to enter the Central Plains! If you don't listen, he can only lead a large army to kill them and exterminate their clans and tribes!"
King Yu Dang sighed and his face turned gray.
"King Yu Dang, my lord has one more thing to say. After taking over the land of Liangzhou, an official road will be paved to the Western Regions. At that time, King Yu Dang can build a stronghold at the transit point. Perhaps, Yu Dang Maybe the tribe can become a small country in the future."
"Of course, the premise is that you, Yu, will be the king and cooperate well."
"B-White Stone God!" King Yudang was so surprised that he was speechless. As an old man on the Gobi border, he didn't understand the meaning.
"I also ask King Yu Dang not to miss the mark. If we can't conquer Liangzhou, Yu Dangguo's dream will be impossible."
Chao Yi laughed and galloped forward with the three thousand people behind Yi Jia.
King Yudang rubbed his old face in a daze, and his expression suddenly became serious, "Send the order and send eight hundred sentry scouts to spread the news about the alliance between the Fuxun tribe and Shuzhou in the Liangdi area!"
