The ancient city of Dunhuang has been lonely for a long time.
The ancient city has been around for more than a thousand years. Most people in the Central Plains will say that the ancient city of Dunhuang was built in the Han Dynasty, because from that time on, the Central Plains Dynasty had complete control over the Hexi Corridor and began to manage the Western Regions.
Dunhuang was named Guazhou because it was rich in melons. It also became the choke point for the Han Dynasty to enter the Western Regions. Since then, troops have been stationed here. Naturally, the city was built by the Han people.
But in fact, the ancient city has existed for a long time, and tribes have been stationed here during the Xia and Shang Dynasties. There are records that the Yuezhi, Wusun, and Qiang tribes all established their kingdoms here.
After the Silk Road was opened up, this place gradually became the territory of the Central Plains Dynasty. As long as the Central Plains Dynasty became stronger, it would not ignore this matter.
This is an enclave outside Yumen Pass, and it is also the only way to the Western Regions.
In the former Sui Dynasty, Dunhuang County was established here, and the county government was located in the ancient city of Dunhuang.
The environment of the ancient city is also unique in the Hexi Corridor. It is located on the banks of the Dang River and in the hinterland of the Dunhuang Oasis. It can graze livestock and be self-sufficient.
By the pre-Sui period, this area had become the traditional sphere of influence of the Central Plains dynasty. However, during the period of the demise of the Sui Dynasty, the three counties of Dunhuang, Yiwu, and Shanshan were abandoned, and the soldiers fled, so it was no longer the land of the Central Plains.
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It was already early June when Cheng Zhijie and others arrived in Dunhuang. This was still the result of hurrying slowly. When they saw a large oasis appearing in front of them, many people in the team cried with joy, as they finally reached the place.
This group of people no longer looked like any human beings. Whether they were people, horses, or camels, they were all covered with a thick layer of dust. The people were all as tanned by the sun as the Kunlun slaves, and they were all blown out of the plateau red by the wind and sand.
If they return to the Central Plains at this time, they will probably be treated as aliens.
It is so far away from the Central Plains. It is no wonder that those caravans can make huge profits after just one trip, because they are undoubtedly risking their lives, and the only valuable things on the ground in the Hexi Corridor are wine, porcelain, spices, etc.
Wait, human life is nothing compared to this.
Cheng Zhijie and others are naturally not here to do business, nor do they want to take a trip to the Western Regions. This is actually only the middle section of the Silk Road. It will probably take another year and a half to reach the end.
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The current owners of the ancient city of Dunhuang are Turks. The remnants of Shekui Khan fled here and stopped their horses. Like polite gentlemen, they wanted to get their master's permission to live east of Zhangye. Well, they also know about Dunhuang.
This place is too close to the Western Region, so it's still not safe.
So they sent people to Chang'an to ask for the Central Plains Emperor's permission. Unfortunately, they got a relatively bad reply.
What they didn't expect was that they would receive a return visit so soon.
The descendants of Shekui Khan have now followed the old path of Chuluo Khan and were driven out by their tribesmen. They are as embarrassed as rabbits being chased. They take a breath here for a while and then want to continue on the road to find a safe cave.
hide.
The ancient city of Dunhuang is not a good place. Oasis are scattered across the Hexi Corridor, dotting the Hexi area like stripes to prevent it from turning into an earthy color.
Dunhuang is the largest oasis west of Yumenguan and is also an important transportation thoroughfare, so it is naturally coveted by various tribes.
Decades ago, Datou Khan led his army here and set up a Yehu station. After the East and West Turks split, this was the territory of the West Turks. Until the Sui Dynasty, when he regained his breath, he kicked out the West Turks.
When they arrived here, the Western Turks did not dare to say a word, and they took advantage of the situation and offered their knees, begging the Sui Dynasty to help them deal with their compatriots in the east.
During the Daye period, Chuluo Khan became more powerful and no longer wanted to be driven by the Great Sui Dynasty, so Shekui Khan saw the opportunity and defeated Chuluo Khan in one fell swoop under the instruction of the Great Sui Dynasty.
In the seventh year of the Great Era, Chuluo Khan fled eastward to the Sui Dynasty. By the way, he personally experienced the horror of the war in the late Sui Dynasty, and finally died of illness in Luoyang City.
During the reign of Shekui Khan, the strength of the Western Turks has developed significantly. Countries in the Western Regions have surrendered one after another, and the Tiele tribes are also moving closer to the Western Turks. Of course, the basis for this development lies in the Sui Dynasty and the Great Sui Dynasty.
The decline of the Turkic royal court.
Within a few years, Shekui Khan rose to prominence. He killed some leaders of the Tiele tribe and wanted to completely annex Tiele. Not only that, he also raised troops to reunify the Turkic Khanate.
Shekui Khan obviously followed the old path of Shibi Khan. After a disastrous defeat, the Western Turks began to renew themselves. Shekui Khan died of illness in the tent of the king of Sanmi Mountain, and his younger brother Tong Yehu Khan succeeded him.
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According to the custom of the Turks, Tongyehu Khan began to purge Shekui Khan's cronies, so Shekui Khan's confidants fled one after another, some were killed, and some fled to Tiele tribes to seek refuge.
Some of them fled eastward and stopped in the Dunhuang area.
Interestingly, the remnants of Shekui Khan and some of Shekui Khan's enemies, that is, the rebel generals who were defeated by Shekui Khan, joined together at this time...
Therefore, when Cheng Zhijie and others came to Dunhuang, the Turks here were actually two-headed snakes.
Some of them were led by the Western Turk rebel general Que Du She. They fled east to Shanshan when Shekui Khan took over the Western Turk throne, and then moved eastward to the Turk rebel tribe in Dunhuang.
The new arrivals were the remnants of Shekui Khan, headed by Ashina Modu, the son of Shekui Khan, and his two nephews, Ashina Nishu and Ashina Tong'er.
These people gathered together to keep warm. Because they were fleeing one after another, the number of people was not large. The total number of people was only six or seven thousand. There were many old people, women and children among them. They were looking around the Dunhuang area timidly, trying to find someone.
Find a better backer to seek refuge with.
The envoys were sent to Chang'an for this reason. Their life was almost unbearable.
What has to be said is that the person they sought refuge with was not the Central Plains Dynasty, and these Western Turkic fugitives were inextricably linked to the Tiele tribes.
The Tiele tribes were also divided because the Turks were divided into east and west. Over the years, they have gradually formed a tribal alliance in the Mobei region. Although they are still constrained by the east and west Turks, they have also given birth to their own khans.
, that is the Yinan Khan who was born in the Xue Yantuo tribe.
This was obviously the result of the changes that had occurred in both the Eastern and Western Turks. Their behavior was regarded as rebellion by the Eastern and Western Turks, so they were often attacked by the Turks and their lives were not easy.
The Tiele tribes have a relatively long history, which can almost be traced back to the Qin and Han Dynasties. They have many names, such as Gaoche, Dingling, Chile, etc.
When the Turks unified Mobei and extended to Central Asia, they became the most important ally in helping the Turks defeat Rouran, and their tribes began to be widely distributed in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Mobei, and even Liaodong.
The Tiele tribe now under the control of the Turkic royal court includes Xueyantuo, Pugu, Weihe, Bayagu, Fuluo, etc. Most of their main tribes are located in the area along the Tula River.
Under the rule of the Western Turks were Qibi, Geluolu, Huihe, Hegu, Wuhu, etc. Most of them were nomadic along the foothills of the Tianshan Mountains.
In the pre-Sui Dynasty, the Central Plains Dynasty named them after the nine surnames of Tiele. Today, the most powerful among the Tiele tribes are the Xue Yantuo, Pugu, Uihe, and Qibi tribes.
They are undoubtedly one of the sources of strength for the Turks, and they are also the focus of attention for the Turks.
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When Cheng Zhijie and Hou Junji led their people into the Dunhuang Oasis, several Turkic leaders were gathering together and whispering in the ancient city of Dunhuang.
Ashina Tong'o has a typical appearance of a Turkic aristocrat, tall and strong, with piercing light blue eyes. He does have the purest blood of the Turkic royal family, because he is the great-grandson of Datou Khan.
Western Turks have always had a reputation for bravery, and what complements his bravery is his brutality.
At this time, while drinking the smelly milk wine, he said to the other three people in a loud voice, "Yi Nan is like a rabbit with its head buried in the grass, but its tail is still exposed. He will not allow us to go."
He went to the banks of the Tula River and shared pasture with them, and the Khan also led us to attack him, will he forget the hatred he just poured out with his blood?"
Quedu looked at the three descendants of Ashina, took a sip of milk wine and nodded in agreement: "Yes, and it's too far away from us."
Not only is it far, they are in Dunhuang now. If they want to walk to the Tula River, let alone whether they will survive or not, they will probably get lost on the way.
In fact, they all understood that going to the Yinan Khan was actually no different from going to the Turkic royal court. If they didn't want to go through the desert and Gobi, they would have to go through the Sui Dynasty, where thousands of people would be there.
It's gone.
Ashinatong's brother Ashina Nishu opened his mouth. This Turkic nobleman was a bit miserable. He was as thin as a bamboo pole and had a sick look on his face. Compared with his younger brother, he looked like a stepmother.
The same.
His voice is also very weak, because he fell ill during his exile and is still not recovering well.
"I think we should wait a little. The envoy has been sent out for a year. We must hear a response, right?"
Ashina Tong'o immediately expressed his dissent, "There are fewer and fewer of our people. Some of the people who escaped will soon spread the news of where we are staying, and the hyenas will smell it and chase us."
Ashina Nishu shook his head, "There are rebellions everywhere. Tong Yehu will not care about those of us who have escaped. In fact, for us now, we need to be loyal to others no matter where we go. Except for this we
We have nothing, so why are we in a hurry?”
Their uncle Ashina Modu said listlessly: "The Sui people are in civil strife. They changed the Khan, and the country's name seems to have been changed to Tang... It's such a weird name... Why not move to Zhangye first, and then take a look
Can I get...the canonization of the Khan of the Tang Dynasty?"
This chapter has been completed!