A month later, Liu Zai came to the Anxi Protectorate.
This historical portrait of Lingyan Pavilion, praised by the emperor as "the upright ruler of the dynasty", now paid homage to Zhou Jun and said, "I have been entrusted by the Protector, so I have come to plead guilty."
Zhou Jun helped him up, shook his head and said, "Don't blame yourself. The current situation in Shazhou is all the result of your hard work. No one can do better than you."
Liu Zai sighed: "It's a pity that several years of hard work were ruined... Doctor Cui and other dignitaries in Guanzhong got involved in the trade routes and exploited the people. The originally good situation has now disappeared."
Zhou Jun motioned to Liu Zai and said as he walked.
Liu Zai: "Before I left Dunhuang, the newly appointed governor issued an official document, not only revoking the business license of the locals in Shazhou, but also forcing the locals to sell their shops to foreign officials at low prices before a certain date. I asked for the reason.
, saying that the locals of Shazhou once colluded with the Tubo people, and that people with ulterior motives should not be allowed to have a foothold in Shazhou."
Zhou Jun: “How did the locals do it?”
Liu Zai: "Several big families in Shazhou jointly signed a blood letter and planned to go to Chang'an to file a complaint. After Doctor Cui learned about this matter, he sent his guards to intercept and kill him on the way. He also charged the tribesmen who participated in the matter with committing crimes of rebellion and killed them. Almost all of them were killed.
No one left alive."
Zhou Jun stopped and said angrily: "It's just nonsense! This move is even more unreasonable than Wang's evil deeds back then!"
Liu Zai: "Shazhou today is no different from when Wang Ji was in charge, and this is not the most troublesome thing..."
Zhou Jun frowned: "What is the most troublesome thing?"
Liu Zai: "There seems to be some unusual movement in Tubo in recent days... several armies under our wing are being mobilized frequently."
Zhou Jun was stunned: "Have you found out the specific situation in Tubo?"
Liu Zai: "In Tubo, there has been a strict investigation recently, so I don't know the details."
Zhou Jun said while thinking: "The Daqi trade route is rich, and the tax treasury in Dunhuang City stores goods equivalent to one-sixth of the Tang Dynasty's tax tribute. The Tubo people must be jealous, and they have to guard against this matter.
."
Liu Zai nodded: "I told Dr. Cui the same way. He laughed at my unfounded worries and said that by mobilizing soldiers and expanding the Doulu Army, Dunhuang City would be safe."
Zhou Jun had a vague premonition when he heard this.
Liu Zai looked helpless and said to Zhou Jun: "I have done everything I can, but I don't know what will happen to Shazhou next."
Zhou Jun comforted him and said, "You can stay in Qiuci during this period of time. I will go to the imperial court to deal with the matter in Shazhou."
Liu Zai: “That’s all it can do.”
After meeting Liu Zai in the morning, Zhou Jun had just returned to the mansion when he heard a palace guard coming to report that a big cannibal had arrived and was waiting in the side hall.
Zhou Jun's heart tightened, and he quickly walked into the side hall and saw the visitor - Mu Sheikh.
Seeing Mu Sheikh bowing and saluting, Zhou Jun waved his hand impatiently and asked impatiently: "How's the painting of the moon?"
Mu Sheikh smiled and replied: "The princess is very good."
Zhou Jun: "Please tell me carefully."
Mu Sheikh: "The princess set up a stronghold in the Yuezhi's old capital, and with the help of the Hidden Gate, she trained the old Umayyad tribe into death warriors. While inquiring about information, she contacted loyal people in the former kingdom.
The soldiers intend to accumulate strength and take back Khorasan."
Zhou Jun: "Didn't the Abbasids notice?"
Mushaykh: "The Abbasids have recently been concentrating their forces to fight Mansour's uncle, the traitor. In fact, the Abbasids have gained the upper hand, and the troops led by Abu Muslim have
Having achieved several great victories, he has even begun to prepare for another war..."
Zhou Jun: "Another war? What you want to say is that once Abu Muslim wins that war, he will turn his guns and focus on Talas again?"
Mu Sheikh nodded and said: "Taros is close to the provincial capital of Khorasan, and there are rivers, mountains and canyons, which serve as strategic points. Whether it is Anxi or Dashi, as long as it occupies the land in that area, its cavalry will
It can enter the other side's hinterland unimpeded. This is a threat that Governor Abu of Khorasan cannot ignore. Therefore, he has been preparing to start another war near Talas."
Zhou Jun: "If I remember correctly, Mansur, the Abbasid caliph, opposed war with the Tang Dynasty."
Mu Sheikh: "Mansur is indeed unwilling to become an enemy of the Tang army, but Abu Muslim, who has achieved countless victories, has a prestige and reputation that has already surpassed Mansur in the territory of Dashi... No matter the army,
Or the tribe, they are more willing to support a hero who can lead the country to victory than a puppet who can only sit in the palace and lament."
Zhou Jun touched his chin and fell into deep thought.
Mu Sheikh: "The Governor of Zhou, Abu Muslim, is eyeing Talas. This is a challenge for the Anxi Protectorate, but it is also an opportunity."
Zhou Jun: "How do you say this?"
Mu Sheikh: "According to the information obtained by the scouts, in order to prepare for this war, Abu Muslim has forcibly conducted several conscriptions in Khorasan Province. Every household, even those who are underage, has
The boys have all been forcibly recruited into the army. Within the province, the anger towards the governor is constantly building up, but there is still a lack of an opportunity to vent."
Zhou Jun: "You mean... once Governor Abu is defeated, there will probably be a riot in Khorasan Province?"
Mu Sheikh nodded and said: "Those stupid people believed in the sweet words of the Abbasids in the past. Now they have finally paid the price. Resistance will be the only choice... Please imagine that Governor Abu first suffered a defeat.
, and then there were riots in the provinces under his jurisdiction. If there are these reasons, then someone can start to take action against him."
Zhou Jun: "Do it? You mean Caliph Mansour? He will take advantage of the loss of Governor Abu's prestige to deprive him of his power?"
This chapter is not over yet, please click the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Musheikh: "It's not just power... As long as it is done properly and with a little misunderstanding, Mansour will even try to deprive Abu
The Governor’s Life.”
Zhou Jun was thoughtful, then remembered something and asked: "By the way, Umayyad's old troops took Du Huan to Balad Fortress to rescue Tang prisoners. How is it now?"
Mu Sheikh: "All the Tang prisoners have been rescued, but there were some troubles along the way."
Zhou Jun: "Trouble? Please tell me carefully from beginning to end."
Mu Sheikh: "Yes... Before the operation started, poison was thrown into the reservoir of Balad Fortress. While the defenders were poisoned, there were ingenious experts in the hidden door who used zip lines to set up a rope on the top of the fortress.
An escape route was created. Du Huan followed the Papars, entered the fortress via the zipline, and then descended into the dungeon. He found a school captain among the prisoners of the Tang army. The latter helped organize the escape, allowing nearly a thousand people to escape.
The Tang prisoner escaped from prison successfully."
Zhou Jun: "You just said that there was some trouble?"
Mu Sheikh: "After escaping from prison, Du Huan took the Tang prisoners and fled south to the port of Alem with the help of Umayyad soldiers. After taking a boat to sea, they originally wanted to go to Xun via the Gulf of Aden.
The Kingdom of Japan (Tianzhu) was attacked by Abbasid warships on the way. After losing two ships, they had no choice but to abandon their original route and flee in other directions."
Zhou Jun: "Where did you escape to? Didn't you contact me again after that?"
Mu Sheikh shook his head: "No more news."
When Zhou Jun heard this, he closed his eyes and held his forehead with his right hand.
Now it is already the ninth month of Tianbao's fourteenth year. First came Anlushan, then the Tubo people, then the cannibals, and finally Du Huan and the prisoners of the Tang army whose life and death were unknown.
This day goes by...it's really a wave of ups and downs.
This chapter has been completed!