"Well, Aziz, how is the Western Region Chief Mansion of Jin State running now?"

"If you go back to the Grand Sima, it shouldn't be a good thing. They are now huddling near the former Loulan City and have reclaimed about 1,000 acres of land. There are only about 300 or 400 people in the entire Changshi Mansion."

When the Western Han Dynasty was strong, the Chang'an government set up a Protectorate in the Western Regions. Xinmang usurped the Han Dynasty and the domestic chaos led to the withdrawal of the Han government from the Western Regions. Later, the Eastern Han Dynasty was established, and Ban Chao turned the world around, causing the Han family to establish a Protectorate in the Western Regions again. However, the national strength of the Eastern Han Dynasty was too far inferior to that of the Western Han Dynasty, so the Protectorate in the Eastern Han Dynasty was abolished again shortly after its establishment.

In 123 AD, Ban Chao's grandson Ban Yong once again set out on the Western Regions. At this time, the Eastern Han government had fallen into a difficult situation where relatives and eunuchs took turns to fight, and the aristocratic families continued to grow. Therefore, the Eastern Han Dynasty no longer set up a Protectorate, but established the Chief Secret Office. In terms of administrative level, the Protectorate was at the provincial level and the Chief Secret Office was at the county level. In short, the Eastern Han Dynasty no longer tried to control dozens of countries in the Western Regions, but tried to retain a Han stronghold in the Western Regions, and that's all.

Even so, the Chief of the Western Regions Mansion also experienced the repetition of three connections and three trivialities from 123 AD to the short sixty-six years of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in 189. It was not until Cao Cao completely defeated Ma Chao that he sent people to open the Western Regions again.

However, at that time, Cao Wei's main energy was to deal with the challenges of the Han and Wu countries in the southern region. Therefore, for the Western Regions, the policy of the late Eastern Han Dynasty was maintained: to set up the Changshi Mansion, and there would be a Han stronghold or outpost in the Western Regions. When our Han people became stronger, this stronghold would be the foundation for restoring the entire Western Regions.

And where is this outpost? After leaving Yumen Pass, it takes less than 800 miles northwest to the old land of Loulan on the northeast edge of ancient Lop Nur.

The so-called Loulan is the previous name of Shanshan Kingdom. As mentioned above, the water sources around the Tarim Basin have changed in stability. In the past, Loulan Nur had abundant water sources, so the ancient Loulan Kingdom flourished. Later, Loulan Kingdom gradually shrank, and the overall Loulan Kingdom moved southwest as a whole, settled again in the new oasis, and the country's name was also changed to Shanshan. However, the Han warriors who did not receive strong support from the central government had to pick up the abandoned Loulan ancient city, and put it as the center, and hang the sign of the Western Regions Changshi Mansion to declare the existence of the Han people to the entire Western Regions.

How helpless this is, how tragic this is.

In later archaeological excavations, a large number of wooden slips from the Wei and Jin Dynasties were unearthed in the ancient city of Loulan. Almost all of the above contents were about how to cultivate, how to harvest, and how to effectively utilize water sources... It can be seen that the Changshi Mansion of the Western Regions of that era actually existed. However, its main function was no longer the ruling institution of the Han family in the Western Regions. It was a frontier stronghold and a settlement base for the Han people.

"Well, three or four hundred people. Haha, then, I can imagine that if there are any disputes between the countries in the Western Regions, they should not go to the Chief's Mansion to ask for justice, right?"

"Uh... Grand Sima Ming saw Wanli."

At this time, the Western Regions were a great time for the countries like Shanshan and Khotan. The Northern Huns had already gone northeast and they would restore their vitality on the black soil of Ukraine. In more than a hundred years, their leader Attila would lead them to whip the entire Europe as a whip of God. The Yuezhi people, who were also very powerful in the past, also established the Kushan Empire in the Indus River Basin in the south. The Sassanthemum Persia in the west was busy fighting against the Eastern Roman Empire, and the Han people in the east were also in civil war. No one in the Western Regions that were sandwiched in the middle actually made trouble for them. So there were no tigers in the mountains and monkeys as overlords. Like Shanshan and Khotan, countries with a population of less than 100,000 and as big as boogers, dared to dominate.

"If you are not as strong as others, you will certainly not be able to receive corresponding respect. So, is there anyone in the Western Regions who dares to ask the Chief of the Western Regions to pay taxes to them?"

"This is not the case. Although the Changshi Mansion is very weak, it is the representative of the Han family after all. Besides..." Aziz looked up at Guan Yi, feeling that Guan Yi was not the kind of hot temper that could explode at a glance, and continued to say: "The small place where hundreds of people planted has extremely limited production. There is no need to bring a reputation for provoking the Han people for such a little thing."

"Hey, it seems that the one behind is the real reason." Guan Yi sighed helplessly, and he felt a little sad: "I didn't expect that my great man was left in the Western Regions, and there was only one sign left."

After calming down his mood, Guan Yi continued to ask: "The west of the Western Regions is Sasanida? How is that country now?"

"Great Grand Sima, I will answer this question." Then the person who stood up was a tall man with fair skin, deep eyes and deep nose augmentation, and green eyes: "Your servant Dai Yi was originally from Elam. It was just because his family had a noble man named Sasania, and he had to live in Shule for a long time."

Seeing Guan Yi making a continued gesture, Dai Yi quickly continued to say: "Sassanthesanthesanthesanthesanthesanthes. Although the territory it controls is not as powerful as the Han, it is far larger than the entire Western Regions. The king is known as the king of all kings and is in charge of the holy fire. The country's nationality is no less than five million and its soldiers are no less than two hundred thousand. In the war with Rome eight years ago, Sassanthesanthes captured the Roman emperor and made him a slave..."

Well, the Sassanian Persia in this era is still in an ascendant period. Their fight with the Roman Empire will last for a long time. It is nothing if a Roman emperor was captured. Behind it, there is an outstanding emperor who died in the battlefield.

In short, this country can only be friendly with it for the time being and cannot provoke it.

"So, what about Kushan?"

"Great Grand Sima, your servant Kurshan is familiar with the situation there." Kurshan, who had just robbed the right to speak, finally had a chance to show his performance. "The Kushan Empire had a territory of more than 5 million, and could mobilize more than 200,000 soldiers. Its soldiers were light cavalry and elephant soldiers. However, there were many ethnic groups in the country, and the only ones who were good at fighting were the top Yuezhi people. The Darrobidite people at the bottom were humble and obedient. In recent years, the war between the Kushan and the neighboring Sassanida of the northwest has basically failed. In the southeast, the rise of Gupta posed a challenge to it. Although it can suppress Gupta for the time being, based on your servant's experience of traveling around the north and the north, the demise of Kushan has been irreversible."

Oh, the place in India is really good, and the indigenous people there are really easy to be conquered. But the cultural environment there is too exaggerated. No matter which conqueror enters, it will soon be softened into a pool of mud.

However, if Gupta wants to truly replace Kushan, it will take at least one hundred years of water to grind according to the development of the historical plane.

"Well, Kurshan, have you ever seen Buddhism there?"

"Of course I have met the noble Grand Sima, are you interested in Buddhism?"

"Haha, Kurshan, are you a Buddhist?"

"Hehe, of course not. Your servant believes in golden gold coins, and pursues great achievements in this life. He is not interested in Buddhism that does good deeds in this life and enjoys happiness in the next life. Grand Sima, do you need me to bring you the monks in Gupta?"

“No need.”

After carefully listening to the introductions of many merchants, Guan Yi roughly gained a clear understanding of the situation in the Western Regions and the west of the Western Regions.

Although the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in later generations was the first province among the five northwest provinces to achieve self-sufficiency in food, its agricultural production was very promising even in this era. However, the mainland of Han people now have a serious population shortage and a large amount of land is not effectively cultivated. Therefore, effectively controlling the Western Regions and migrating a large number of people there to farm is purely a brainless behavior in this era.

In this era, for Guanyi, it was a simple transportation line. The Han Dynasty needed to maintain a certain military presence in this place and ensure that the trade routes here were smooth.

As for the cost of garrisoning on this land, of course, it is necessary to combine military garrisons and suck blood from the countries in the Western Regions to ensure that the garrisoning troops are self-sufficiency.

The trade route in the Western Regions has remained unobstructed, so many good horse breeds, wheat breeds, rapeseed seeds... and a large number of gold coins will be continuously imported into the Han Dynasty. While effectively improving the national strength of the Han Dynasty, it can also improve the livelihood of the Han Dynasty in advance.

Of course, what Guan Yi values ​​more is to open up new fields for the Han people of this era in their thoughts and introduce the cultural essence of ancient Greece and Rome into China as soon as possible. This enables the local philosophy on this land to absorb new nutrients and create a new look. This guides the country to a higher peak in the future.

Of course, once the door to cultural exchange is opened, there must be time travelers who want to come in (Western classical philosophy, classical law). There are also things that time travelers are not very interested or resist. For example, Buddhism on the Indian Peninsula (in fact, it has become popular in the Han area of ​​this era), Sassanid Zoroastrianism (Zoroastrianism), Rome Christianity... Fortunately, there is no Star Moon religion in this era.

However, our great China has its own national conditions. We have the blessings of Duke Zhou and the pre-Qin philosophers, and the word "ritual" has been deeply rooted in the bone marrow of the Chinese nation. Only by worshiping ancestors and family identity will always be the mainstream of China's value.

So, what am I worried about here? History has long proved that any religion entering China must make corresponding changes in order to survive in this country. Even if those world-renowned business giants entering China, wouldn’t they also sell porridge and fried dough sticks?

"Everyone, I have made up my mind. The Han army will enter the Western Regions at the latest no later than the next year. At that time, the trade routes in the Western Regions will be completely opened. And you can be said to be one step ahead of your peers. I hope that you will do what you have assigned to me. As long as I am satisfied, you will definitely satisfy you!"
Chapter completed!