"The scale of Tubo's mobilization of troops was very large, not only in the Western Regions and Longyou, but also in the various Qiang Ji Mi states under our jurisdiction in Jiannan Road. In the second year of Qianfeng (667), they sent troops to attack Jianfeng. The Qiang people in the southern region have gained a lot. Mei Niang, you also know that three-thirds of the military gift from Longyou comes from Hebei, the third part comes from the Jianghuai River, and the remaining third comes from Sichuan. If Tubo is allowed to swallow up all the Qiang in the region, Jiannan Road will not be able to sleep peacefully. Where will the Shu silk supply the Longyou armies? The Shu army has always been too weak to fight, and a good general must be sent to go, so Wang Wenzuo was chosen!"
"Then we plan to appoint him as the governor of Songzhou, to rule over the Jidian states in the south of Jiannan! This place controls the Minling Mountains, controls the source of the river, is adjacent to Helong on the left, and reaches Kangzang on the right. If you retreat, you can shield Tianfu, if you advance, you can advance towards Qingkang, and cut off the thieves. arm!"
"I didn't expect that the Holy Master's plan was so big!" Wu sighed. The Jiannan Road mentioned by Li Zhi was the former Yizhou. It was named because it was located south of Jianmen Pass. The area under its jurisdiction probably included today's Sichuan Province. Most of it covers the area east of the Lancang River and Ailao Mountain in Yunnan Province, the northern end of Guizhou Province, and Wenxian County in Gansu Province. Its seat is located in today's Chengdu.
In the early Tang Dynasty, Nanzhao had not yet become independent. Today, a large number of Qianghu tribes live in large areas of northeastern Yunnan, southeastern Guizhou, northern Sichuan, and southern Gansu. The local mountains are densely forested and the terrain is dangerous. In order to control these Qianghu tribes and resist the rising Tubo Empire, During the offensive, the Tang Dynasty conferred official positions on many leaders of the Qiang and Hu tribes and established several Jisi prefectures.
Songzhou is one of them, and its location is probably located in today's Songpan County, Aba Qiang and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan (Jiuzhaigou is the local area). This place is located at an important node of the famous Tea Horse Road in later generations, starting from Songzhou and passing northeast Wuzhou (Wudu, Gansu), Chengzhou (Xihe, Gansu), Fengzhou (Fengxian, Shaanxi), and then you can reach Chang'an. Through the Songpan Ancient Road and the Minjiang River Valley, you can directly reach today's Dujiangyan, and from Dujiangyan you can transfer If you take the Yak Road to Tibet, you can take the Wuchi Road, Lingguan Road and other roads to the south to enter the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and even connect to Southeast Asia and India. The rise of Tubo forced the Tang Dynasty to set up the Songzhou Dudufu in Songzhou to govern the local tribes and resist the aggressive Tubo army.
Compared with the main battlefields in Qinghai, Longyou, and Anxi during the Tang-Tubo War, which often invested hundreds of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of troops, the southwest front centered on Songzhou was much less eye-catching. But this does not mean that this place is not important. For the Tang Empire with its capital in Chang'an, the east and west rivers of Jiannan Road were the emperor's western mansion. Every year, hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Longyou, Anxi and Beiting were rewarded with Shu brocade. They all come from the mulberry gardens and weavers of the Chengdu Plain, not to mention that through the trade of tea, salt and other special products, the empire can obtain huge commercial taxes, as well as a large number of cattle, war horses, gold and silver, and medicinal materials.
More importantly, these Qianghu tribes living scattered in the mountains and forest highlands are brave, good at fighting, hardworking, and with a little training, they are very good soldiers. If they are annexed by Tubo, they will become new fuel for their external expansion wars. . Therefore, although the battle here is only mentioned in the history books, or even not mentioned at all, it is actually related to the fate of the two empires.
"Your Majesty!" A chamberlain came in from the outside, knelt down and saluted, and said: "Shi Wang Wenzuo, the marching commander of the Anton Protectorate, is asking for an audience outside the palace!"
"Say Cao Cao, Cao Cao will be here!" Li Zhi said with a smile: "Let him come in!"
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"Today the saint was in the side hall of Yiluan Hall. When he learned that Wang Changshi had arrived, he went to see him. He has never seen such a favored servant in all these years! It must be three to five years before Changshi can enter the cabinet. I have paid my respects to the Prime Minister, and please take good care of me!" Judging from the courtesy of the chamberlain who was leading the way, he was of high status, but he was half-sideways, guiding Wang Wenzuo from the front while saying flattering words in a feminine voice. Wang Wenzuo's words made Wang Wenzuo feel uncomfortable all over, and he forced a smile and said: "Everything the eunuch said is for the sake of the emperor. How dare you hope for such a thing!"
"Wang Zhang Shimo must be humble. I have heard of your reputation in the palace. How can you be an ordinary person!" The chamberlain chattered endlessly, but Wang Wenzuo's attention was attracted by the buildings on both sides. Compared with The Daming Palace and Taiji Palace in Chang'an and the palace city in Luoyang are not so grand and majestic, but they are much more exquisite and gorgeous. The twists and turns of the corridors, the well-proportioned mountains, rocks, waterside pavilions, and flower and tree gardens all reflect the unique ingenuity of the designers. From time to time, I saw a corner of the monastery under the shade of a tree, with light shining through the low-hanging window curtains and the sound of tinkling music coming from it, like a fairyland.
"That's the Xiantai Pavilion over there, which was built in the previous dynasty. Legend has it that Emperor Yang of the previous dynasty played the piano there with Mrs. Xuanhua!"
The chamberlain also noticed that Wang Wenzuo was not too interested in his flattery, so he changed his tone and took on the role of tour guide. People like him who are out of punishment are best at seeing the wind and faces. Since Wang Wenzuo is favored, he will do whatever it takes to please him. Once the wind changes, he will change his appearance. Naturally, there is no need to mention it. , this is the way to survive in the palace.
As the saying goes, don’t hit someone with a smiling face. Although Wang Wenzuo also knew who the other person was, he couldn’t completely turn a blind eye to the fact that the other person was always trying to please him. When he arrived at the destination, he was already chatting and laughing with the waiter, looking like he had known each other for many years. .
"Wang Changshi, please wait here for a moment, wait for the servants to come in and make a message!" The chamberlain bowed to the ground to Wang Wenzuo, and then went into the hall to announce. After coming here for a while, he came out: "Wang Changshi, please, your majesties." Everyone is waiting inside!"
"Thank you!" Wang Wenzuo bowed his hands to the chamberlain, then entered the hall, knelt down and saluted Li Zhi and Empress Wu after the first case: "I am here to see the saint, Your Majesty the Queen!"
"Aiqing, stand up and speak!" Li Zhi raised his hand: "Has the journey been hard?"
"It's okay!" Wang Wenzuo said in a deep voice: "I will set off from Qingzhou and arrive in Luoyang in twelve days. Fortunately, I didn't encounter any setbacks on the way, so it went smoothly!"
"I remember that you went to Qingzhou this time to propose marriage. Is there any delay in summoning you to Luoyang this time?" Li Zhi said with a smile.
"It doesn't matter. When the envoy arrives, the Cui family has already agreed to Wei Chen's marriage proposal, and the marriage has been decided!"
"Hahaha!" The queen on the side laughed: "Wang Changshi, Your Majesty just said that if your marriage is delayed, he will choose a good-looking daughter from the clan, adopt him as an adopted daughter, and then marry you! I didn't expect that you have already It’s settled!”
"It's not easy to marry the daughter of your Li family!" Wang Wenzuo secretly slandered, but said in his mouth: "The Holy Spirit cares about his subjects, and it is hard to repay the humble minister's death!"
"You have made great achievements in Baekje, Goguryeo, and Japan. Originally, the Protector of Andong Protectorate should be yours, but the qualifications are still a little short of, so Gao Kan was given the official position and you were asked to be his Deputy!" Li Zhi said with a smile: "Originally, I thought that in two years, when you were older, I would transfer Gao Kan and make you the chief official of the Anton Protectorate, but now the situation has changed. , the Tubo army is rising, I am going to let you go to Jiannan, become the governor of Songzhou Dudu Mansion, and control the military affairs in Jiannan!"
"Songzhou Governor's Mansion, controls the military affairs in Jiannan?" Wang Wenzuo was stunned for a moment. Although he had been in the army for many years, the Tang Dynasty was too big after all. At that time, there was no Internet like Baidu in later generations. All knowledge was in books. inside. Jiannan Road and Liaodong are thousands of miles apart, and he really doesn't know where Songzhou is.
Wang Wenzuo's reaction did not surprise Li Zhi. He smiled, briefly introduced the situation in Songzhou, and finally said: "I have issued an edict to appoint Youweiwei General Xue Rengui as the commander of the Luosuo (Lhasa) Road March. In charge, General Ashina Daozhen, a member of the right guard, and General Guo Daifeng of the left guard, serve as deputy, leading the Longyou soldiers to attack Tubo. Wang Aiqing, you are the governor of Songzhou and the governor of the Songzhou Dudu Mansion, controlling the military affairs in Jiannan, and recruiting Kelan, How about partying with the Qiang to contain Tubo?"
"There is always something in life, and you really can't escape it! But fortunately, you are leading the army alone and will not be held back by your pig teammates!" Wang Wenzuo secretly cursed. He knew very well that what he was most afraid of in this kind of expedition was The actions of the various armies were inconsistent. Li Zhi's plan seemed very awesome. The problem was that there was no wireless telegraphy at the time, and there was no detailed map. The hundreds of thousands of troops relied on guides to divide their forces and advance together in such complex terrain. With cooperation, the probability of losing is much greater than the probability of success.
"General Xue is a senior in the army. He is ten times as good as me. I have only mediocre talents. How dare I talk nonsense about military matters? It's just that the matter of sending troops is of great importance. I know nothing about Songzhou. I need to get familiar with it over time before I can be competent."
"No need to worry, my dear, Longyou will at least send troops. After next spring, you have enough time to prepare!" Li Zhi said with a smile.
"If that's the case, it's fine!" Wang Wenzuo thought about it: "Your Majesty, I heard that the Shu army is weak and cannot fight for a long time. I have two thousand warriors in Baiji, Liaodong, who are all good at shooting. After a hundred battles, I begged Please allow your subordinates to go into Sichuan to kill the thieves!"
"That's very good! I also have this concern. I originally planned to let you recruit troops in Longyou, Chang'an. Since you have them in Liaodong, that's even better. I will ask the Ministry of War to sue your five hundred military officers, but Only after a certain degree did I get hired.”
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wang Wenzuo hurriedly thanked him after hearing this: "Your Majesty, the land in Liaodong is flat and vast, and the soldiers under his command are mostly knights, while the mountainous terrain south of Jiannan is good for infantry. Can you recruit another thousand Xuanrun crossbowmen and a thousand Danyang Tengpai soldiers? Thought it was a backup!”
"Ai Qing is very considerate!" Li Zhi said with a smile: "But since you are the Governor of Songzhou Governor's Mansion, then all the Qiang and Hu in the thirty-two Jisu Prefectures under your jurisdiction belong to you, among which Dangxiang, Kelan and Qiang They all fight bravely, and if they are recruited properly, wouldn't it be better than recruiting every soldier from Liaodong and Jiangnan?"
"Your Majesty is teaching you that the Qiang and the Hu are both tigers and wolves, and if they are not subdued by their power, they may be counterattacked. What's the difference between a humble minister going to Songzhou alone and entering the battle naked?"
"Your Majesty!" Empress Wu said with a smile: "Wang Changshi is devoted to the country and uses his own tribe to kill thieves. You still dislike him for not knowing how to care for the Qiang. Isn't it chilling the hearts of loyal ministers?"
"I don't dare! Those can't be said to be my subordinates. They are just connecting with each other with kindness and righteousness. I'm used to it!" Wang Wenzuo quickly apologized. Li Zhi waved his hand and said with a smile: "It's just a subordinate, so why not? You are always in the East. Yi, of course it is. What the queen said is that she will give you three thousand pieces of Shu Brocade as a reward for the soldiers!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wang Wenzuo hurriedly bowed down to thank Li Zhi. He was grateful for Li Zhi's generosity, but also a little wary. The emperor's mind was unpredictable, and he was both generous and mean at the same time. It makes people afraid to get close.
After the reward was announced, Li Zhi looked obviously tired, and Wang Wenzuo hurriedly bowed and said goodbye. Li Zhi said a few words of comfort before letting him leave.
"Awu, do you think Wang Wenzuo is qualified?" Li Zhi asked.
"What if he doesn't succeed? I don't think there is anyone else left! When he was in Baekje, he was surrounded by enemies on all sides, and he was able to fight his way out. Now in Jiannan, he is much stronger than when he was in Baekje!"
"That would be great!" Li Zhi exhaled a long breath: "In this way, I can hand over the troops of Longyou and Anxi to Xue Aiqing."
While Li Zhi and his wife were thinking about the upcoming war, Wang Wenzuo left the palace and headed for the posthouse surrounded by guards. At this time, he was still digesting the shocking news brought by Li Zhi.
"Lord, be careful!"
Cao Wenzong stretched out his right hand and grabbed Wang Wenzuo's reins. It turned out that Wang Wenzuo was thinking about something and forgot to look at the road. A child rushed into the road chasing a wooden ball in front of him, startling his mount. If Cao Wenzong hadn't had quick eyesight and quick hands to grab Wang Wenzuo's mount, the child would have died.
"Don't you have eyes? How dare you hit my general, Hu Jia." Wang Pu rushed out and shouted sternly.
"That's all, I was distracted. Don't scare the child!" Wang Wenzuo jumped off his horse and looked at the child lying on the ground. After confirming that he was fine except for being a little frightened, he said to Cao Wenzong: "Give the child a little If you have a family, give the money to your family; if you don’t have a family, send the money home!"
"Here!" Cao Wenzong responded, picked up the child from the ground, asked around first, and found out that the child's home was in the next building, so he got on his horse and headed there. After sending the child home, he asked for the way to the post house. After walking two streets, he found that there were fewer and fewer people on the road and it became more and more desolate.
"Isn't this Daxia Cao?"
A strange voice sounded. Cao Wenzong raised the reins vigilantly and shouted: "Who?"
"It's me. Sir Cao is so forgetful. He must not remember our brothers!"
While they were talking, two people walked out of the alley in front. Their rough faces looked decent, but there was an oily air between their brows, which made people feel indescribably disgusted just by looking at them.
"He Wu? Zhao Qi? Are they you two?" Cao Wenzong's face changed drastically after seeing the faces of the people coming, and his usually calm eyes also showed a fierce light.
"That's right, it's us brothers!" The taller of the two said with a smile: "Daxia Cao has become prosperous these years, but he still remembers us brothers. He really has a good memory!"
"I won't dare to forget the dignity of the two of you until I die one day!" Cao Wenzong's voice was cold, his right hand was already on the handle of the knife at his waist, and he was about to take action.
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