Li Shengtian and his son were having a heart-to-heart talk, but Zhang Zhao actually didn't sleep either.
There are certain things that Li Shengtian cannot explain clearly to Li Congde, otherwise Li Congde might have other ideas.
But Zhang Zhao could see that this was also Li Shengtian's conspiracy.
His uncle, the emperor, was not good at fighting, but good at politics, and he had a long-term vision. With the help of Cao Yuanxin, he had already seen through the pros and cons.
It can be said that from beginning to end, Li Shengtian had no intention of occupying Anxi.
Because he knew that this was meaningless. If Zhang Zhao could not seize control of the Central Plains, he would not be able to rule Anxi at all. Then he would not need to say whether he occupied Anxi or not. Zhang Zhao would definitely not come to compete with him.
And if Zhang Zhao enters the Central Plains, he will not be able to occupy Anxi.
Because from the perspective of this era, not to mention the powerful Han and Tang Dynasties, even the Northern Dynasty Wei State, the Di tribe and the former Qin Dynasty, once Teng took action, they would all recover the Western Regions.
If Zhang Zhao were to dominate the world, with Zhang Zhao's ability, how could he not leave the Western Region alone?
As Li Shengtian said, those who wanted to use the cities of Anxi to compete with the Celestial Dynasty had long since died and could no longer die.
Without regaining the Western Regions, how could the Emperor of the Central Plains say that he had unified the world and had complete control of the country?
Therefore, instead of waiting until then and turning relatives into enemies, it is better to hand it over now.
Moreover, this handover was in name only. Once Zhang Zhao left, Li Shengtian was basically watching over the Western Regions for Zhang Zhao.
Although Li Ruoyu, Chen Huiyao, and even Li Shengtian's son-in-law Cao Yanlu left behind by Zhang Zhao would not listen to him in everything.
But after all, Li Shengtian has great righteousness. In these ten years, isn't it normal to arrange for the descendants of the Li family to be small city lords in various places and encircle more manors and fields?
When Zhang Zhao's eyes return to Anxi, if the power in the hands of the Li family's descendants is reduced and they are recalled to the Central Plains, then it will definitely require high-ranking officials, generous salaries, honorary titles, and preferential treatment in the countryside, right?
Isn’t this more comfortable than being a little king in Anxi?
If it is not cut down, the descendants of the Li family will be used as the basis, and they will be established to the west.
Then the descendants of the Li family are not allowed to secure three or five small vassal states. Isn't this much better than defending Khotan and confronting the Central Plains?
Moreover, if the Li family is so loyal to the dynasty, who can treat them as foreign barbarians? They can also be married to the Zhang family for generations and live together with the country.
If your descendants live up to their expectations, they can be kings of vassal states outside. If they don't live up to their expectations, they can retreat to the Central Plains to serve as nobles and enjoy all the wealth and honor in the world.
Thinking about it this way, Zhang Zhao had already thought about such a life.
At the same time, thinking of this, Zhang Zhao also began to feel at ease with the supplies and soldiers deployed to the Khotan Jin Kingdom.
Li Shengtian was just free riding on him, making an investment that had a high probability of making huge profits.
....
Thirteen days later, the temple located in the former Jiedushi Yamen of the Fourth Town of Anxi was built.
The main hall is divided into two halls, the east and the west. There are no gods or Buddhas enshrined in them. They are all dedicated to the famous heroes who opened up the Anbei Courtyard.
The East Hall is the main hall, dedicated to the heroes of the Tang Army in Anxi and Beiting, led by the Jiedushi of the Four Towns of Anxi and the mighty Prince Guo Xin, and the Jiedushi of Yibeiting and Li Yuanzhong, the Prince of Ningsai.
There were sixty-seven of them, and all those above the rank of captain whose names and deeds could be found were enshrined.
In addition, there are thousands of tablets of gods and masters being made. These are soldiers of the Tang Army of various ethnic groups in Anbeiting, whose names can be found.
They all enshrine statues of gods, and they definitely can’t fit them in, so they can only make tablets for the gods.
The west hall is the worship hall, which enshrines the heroes who have shed blood in Qiuci for thousands of years.
Moreover, when the two halls invited people to enshrine the statues of gods, Zhang Zhao also treated them differently.
The statues were invited into the east hall, mainly by descendants of Tang'er from Anxi and soldiers from the Jin and Liang states. A solemn and sad ceremony was held before the statues were invited in.
When it came time to invite the statue to the west hall, Zhang Zhao ordered more than 40,000 people from the entire Qiuci City to come over.
They were densely packed together with soldiers from the Liang and Jin countries, standing on both sides of the road from the north gate of Qiuci to the temple.
At least seven to eight thousand people gathered in the square in front of the temple.
Zhang Zhao stood on the left and Li Shengtian stood on the right. This was requested by Li Shengtian to highlight Zhang Zhao's status.
Uncle, the Son of Heaven, what is noble is not the word Emperor, but the word uncle.
"I'd like to invite the Duke Fu Gongzi, the Marquis of Yiyang of the Han Dynasty!" As Zhang Zhao shouted, hundreds of human flesh microphones arranged by him immediately spread the voice to all directions.
Fu Jiezi went to Dayuan as an envoy as Jun Ma Jian. On the way back, the King of Kucha treated them poorly. There were signs of a recurrence. Fu Jiezi asked the locals in Kucha and found out that the Huns' envoys had arrived.
So Fu Jiezi led the accompanying Han army to kill the Huns envoy that night, so that King Qiuci did not dare to do it again.
This was the first Han hero to make achievements in Qiuci, so Zhang Zhao ranked his statue first.
"Wind!" The statue of the god passed by, and the three armies struck with their swords. Gold and iron rang together, shouting loudly for the wind!
"Secondly, I would like to invite the former Han Dynasty chief Luohou Changzhuang Wu Gonghui!"
Chang Hui was a fierce man during the periods of Emperor Wu, Emperor Zhao, and Emperor Xuan of the Western Han Dynasty. He served as Su Wu's deputy envoy. He and Su Wu were detained by the Xiongnu for nineteen years. They drank snow and ate felt by the North Sea thirsty and unswervingly determined.
After returning home, Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty ordered Chang Hui to send envoys to Wusun in the name of protecting Princess Jieyou. He led Wusun's 50,000 troops to join the Han army in a five-pronged attack on the Xiongnu.
Afterwards, this battle was a complete victory. The Wusun army alone captured more than 39,000 Xiongnu Chanyu's uncles, uncles, sisters-in-law, sisters, daughters, princes of various tribes, nobles, etc.
More than 50,000 horses, cattle, donkeys, mules, and camels were seized, as well as more than 600,000 sheep, totaling more than 700,000 livestock.
When Chang Hui returned to China, it happened that the former King of Qiuci killed the Han Dynasty Tuntian Colonel and killed Lai Dan, the prince of Mi Kingdom, without being punished.
So with the support of the famous minister Huo Guang, Chang Hui issued an order to mobilize tens of thousands of troops to prepare for the attack.
The king of Qiuci was so frightened that he killed the culprit Guyi and apologized. After that, Qiuci became peaceful. King Qiuci also married the daughter of Princess Jieyou and King Wusun, and he became extremely surrendered to the Han Dynasty from then on.
"Three invitations to Ban Gongchao, the Marquis of Dingyuan of the Later Han Dynasty!"
The third person invited was Ban Chao and Ban Dingyuan. It goes without saying that most of Ban Dingyuan's achievements in conquering the Western Regions revolved around Qiuci. After all, Qiuci was the largest country in the Western Regions at that time.
"Fourth, please invite Emperor Yiwu of Daliang to come!"
Emperor Yiwu of Daliang was the founding emperor of Houliang and Taizu of Liang, Lu Guang.
Years ago, the former King of Qin Fu Jian sent Lu Guang to regain the Western Regions. The Battle of Qiuci was Lu Guang's famous battle. In one battle, dozens of countries in the Western Regions were subdued.
"Five invitations to the Northern Dynasty's Great Wei Dynasty, Duke Zhou, to return from ten thousand times!"
Wan Dugui was a general during the period of Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty. On the order of Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty, he captured Qiuci, surrendered to dozens of countries in the Western Regions, and brought the Western Regions into the scope of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
"Sixth invitation to the great dynasty, Duke Yuan of the Kingdom of Ashina!"
Ashina Sheer was the minister who played an outstanding role in the Tang Dynasty's recovery of the Western Regions, especially Qiuci. It was from him that the Tang Dynasty began to manage Anxi.
"Seven invitations to the great dynasty, Prince Xiaojie of Geng Kingdom."
Although Wang Xiaojie died in battle, he was still able to recover the four towns of Anxi after Wu Zetian madly abandoned them, and reset the Western Region Protectorate in Qiuci, which is a great contribution!
These are the seven deities worshiped by Zhang Zhao in the West Hall.
In fact, it is not accurate to say that they accompany the sacrifices. It should be said that the Anxi Army in the east hall has a sad meaning, and the seven in the west hall are the protagonists of the sacrifices.
Because even Wang Xiaojie, who is not famous in comparison, would be a peerless general in any dynasty.
Not to mention such gods as Fu Jiezi, Ban Dingyuan and Chang Hui.
Every time Zhang Zhao shouted, tens of thousands of soldiers banged their swords and roared loudly.
When the ceremony was almost over, everyone's emotions were aroused. Thousands of armored men roared in unison, which was not something ordinary people could bear.
At first, the demoted officials in Kucha could still stand, but later, they could not help but kneel down.
Seeing everyone kneeling down, Zhang Zhao raised the wine bowl in his hand above his head, and tens of thousands of soldiers pointed their weapons towards the sky.
"The banners of the Han family are all over the Yin Mountains, and they will not send back their horses."
If I wish to live long enough to serve my country, why should I be born in Yumen Pass?"
After Zhang Zhao roared, the soldiers roared in unison, "I wish I could serve my country with this life, so why should I be born in Yumen Pass?"
"Now the great revenge has been avenged, and the four towns have been recovered! All the heroic souls of Anbeiting from Guo Xingong on down, please rest in peace! Under the nine springs, bless the glory of the Han and Tang Dynasties, and keep it here forever!"
After speaking, Zhang Zhao poured the wine in his hand onto the land in front of the temple.
"Wind! Wind! Wind! Wind!" The mood became even more high-spirited, and tens of thousands of people knelt down inside and outside the city.
Zhang Zhao raised his hand again, and the shouts of the soldiers immediately stopped. Zhang Zhao knelt with his fingers on the leaders of the Qiuci chieftaincy clan at the front.
"You all should remember that this temple is where the heroes of the Han Dynasty are located. During the four seasons and eight festivals, sacrifices are made continuously. When people pass by, the sound is silenced, and when animals pass by, bells are taken.
On the first and fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, all officials bow their heads and bow solemnly, showing no lack of etiquette.
Tell all the tribes at home and abroad that if there is any damage to this temple, a hundred thousand heavenly troops will come from the east immediately, and they will all be reduced to powder under the thunder."
The Uighur leaders of various tribes in Qiuci quickly put their heads on the ground, and an old man replied with a trembling voice: "Uncle Zhongyuan, and our nephews, we will definitely not dare to disobey my uncle's wishes."
In fact, these people also understood that although Zhang Zhao sounded scary, he was actually very reserved with the Kucha people.
When they entered the city, they only took the property as usual and punished the recalcitrants. There was no robbery or rape, and no one was killed indiscriminately.
There will never be another army in the world that can do this after breaking the city.
Hearing what the elder said, Zhang Zhao handed him the wine bowl in his hand.
The elder took the wine bowl, raised it high, raised his head and asked Zhang Zhao: "Please allow the king of heaven to enshrine this bowl in Queli Temple outside the city to deter those with evil intentions."
"Yes! You can rest assured. As long as you stay safe and keep yourselves, if there are thieves, the heavenly soldiers will destroy them. If there are foreign enemies, the heavenly soldiers will attack them. If you don't have two minds, I can guarantee you peace for thousands of years!"
After Zhang Zhao finished speaking, the Uighurs, Bashmi, Tiele, Sogdians, Tocharians, etc. were all very happy.
After bowing down again, the handsome men and beauties celebrated with singing and dancing, and presented camel meat and fine wine to Zhang Zhao.
People's hearts in Qiuci settled down.
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
Dear book friends, do you have any tickets? I can’t get all the 1,000 tickets this month, so I’ll send you two!
This chapter has been completed!