Chapter 1198 The Beginning of the Battle of Qishan
It was already approaching dusk, and a ray of setting sun slowly disappeared below the horizon, leaving only a few red clouds still lingering in the vast dusk.
"General," Li Ru suddenly said, standing next to Fei Qian and looking at the setting sun together, "Although there are many rebellions in Xiliang, they have no reputation for rebellion. Why?"
Fei Qian thought for a moment and said, "Rebellion against officials rather than against the king?"
Li Ru nodded and said, "That's exactly it."
The Xiliang rebellion has a long history.
Since the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Xiliang has not been very peaceful. After all, there will be an outbreak every ten years. However, Xiliang is so noisy. Is it like dealing with the Yellow Turban thieves who easily slaughtered tens of thousands of people to build a capital?
They didn't kill all the Xiliang nobles with a single stroke, which is quite interesting.
Who is willing to rebel at every turn?
The kind of people who clamor all day long to change the day, to plead for the people, to create the world, most of the time are either fools or hammers. I am afraid that they will be arrested and imprisoned by the thief before they can even shout a few slogans.
Or beheaded directly.
The Han Dynasty has gone through three to four hundred years, and these three words of the Han Dynasty have become deeply ingrained. This is not only the concept of one person, but also the concept in the hearts of most people in Xiliang.
It is a fact that most people in Xiliang are unwilling to rebel, but it is also true that the people of Xiliang did make trouble for a while with Bian Zhang Beigong, Han Sui, Ma Teng and others. But in name, these Han people in Xiliang
Regardless of the Qiang people, they have indeed never explicitly expressed their opposition to the Han Dynasty. It is completely different from the Zhang Jiao brothers' "Cangtian is dead and Huangtian is standing". When Xiliang was at its worst, they were just
It is just a matter of "killing the treacherous ministers and purging the corrupt officials".
Xiliang is poor and barren, both in terms of livestock and farming. Coupled with the troubles caused by military conflicts and constant wars, the officials acted perversely and imposed excessive taxes, which ultimately resulted in the decline of people's livelihood in Xiliang, the people's poverty and lack of wealth, and the sorrow and grief everywhere.
So in the end a rebellion broke out.
The imperial court sent troops several times to suppress it, but even among the troops that came to suppress it, most of them were originally from Xiliang. They knew the real cause of the Xiliang rebellion in their hearts. Therefore, in many cases, they mainly defeated and recruited surrender.
There were not many beheaded people. Throughout the decades of the Xiliang Rebellion, there were only one or two beheadings of tens of thousands, and the rest were mostly thousands or even hundreds.
Li Ru let out a long sigh and said: "...the people are tired, but they can be well-off. Benefit this country, use Sui Sui all around. Don't be cunning and unscrupulous, be cautious and unscrupulous. Use style to curb the aggression of the invaders, be honest and not afraid of the bright. Be gentle.
He can be far and near to determine my king..."
Fei Qian remained silent, speechless.
Daya Feiqian is also aware of this song, and of course he understands what Li Ru means. In fact, these principles have been explained very clearly as early as the pre-Qin period, but most rulers always habitually act when facing interests.
turned a blind eye.
Once you serve as an official, you will plunder one side. Anyway, once you have obtained the political achievements, you can just pat your butt and leave. Who cares about the floods behind? This is the situation in Xiliang. From the horse breeding land in the pre-Qin Dynasty, it eventually turned into a source of trouble, dragging down the people.
The Han Dynasty collapsed.
"...Therefore, if the general wants to pacify Xiliang," Li Ru turned to look at Fei Qian and said, "the combination of water and fire is the most important. If the government is lenient, the people will be slow, and if it is slow, it will be violent; if it is fierce, the people will be disabled, and if it is weak, it will be weak.
Give them with generosity. Tolerance should be used to support the fierce, and the fierce should be supported by generosity. Government should be based on harmony..."
Fei Qian shook his head and said with a smile: "This is easier said than done..."
Everything has two sides. The ancients have recognized this very early, and have always paid attention to and advocated seeking a special balance between these two opposite aspects.
That is moderation.
However, many people in later generations believe that moderation is old-fashioned and outdated. Therefore, they oppose moderation and pursue perfection. Anyway, it is just a word. You can enjoy it as you please. Isn't it just a little extreme or a little extreme? What's wrong with it?
sure.
But don’t forget that taking it to the extreme will cause strong reactions.
This is the case in Xiliang. When recruiting people to surrender, they blindly use wide, and then they start to harvest when they see the crops in the field growing well. Once harvested, they don't keep their hands, and then they cut the leeks to pieces, and then the next one comes with a sickle.
Those who came over suddenly discovered that these leeks were demonized...
However, it’s not the time to talk about governance yet, right?
This Xiliang doesn't even have a single horoscope.
Facing Fei Qian's helpless smile, Li Ru laughed hoarsely from behind his leather robe and said: "It doesn't matter...as long as the general knows what he knows...the tribes of Xiliang are like chickens and dogs.
It is very easy to get it. If nothing goes wrong, Jiang Zhongyi should be planning to cause chaos among the Xiliang tribes at this time..."
"A plan to cause chaos?" Fei Qian turned his head to look at Li Ru with some surprise and said, "Is it possible that Wen You had already made plans?"
"General, don't blame me. I was born in Xiliang. How could I not leave some tricks behind?" Li Rugong said with his hands raised, "Before entering Hanzhong, I had already told Zhong Yi that once there was a change in Xiliang, he could act according to his plan..."
Without waiting for Fei Qian to continue asking, Li Ru pointed in the direction of Xiabian and continued: "What's more, this strategy of confusion... Haha, didn't the general actually use it for a purpose?"
Fei Qian chuckled, then waved his hand and said, "This is an accidental thought, not intentional."
Li Ru nodded and said: "It was an unintentional move, so it is impossible to guard against it. Seeing Han Wenyue leaving in a hurry, you can know that the general's strategy has worked... With just a hundred war horses, Han Wenyue's support can be cut off, which is a great deal..."
"Haha... In this way, it is indeed a good deal..." Fei Qian nodded and said, and then asked, "I wonder how Wenyou will arrange the chaos?"
Li Ru said: "Now that Han Wenyue wants to fight against the general, he must borrow the power of the tribes of Xiliang. However, the tribes of Xiliang usually have no subordinates, have complicated thoughts, and dirty things are common. Unless it is a matter of life and death, they will definitely
Inability to work together is one of them. In the early years of Han Wenyue, Han was no more than a small official in Jincheng. He relied on being able to get his current position by relying on both sides and borrowing power. However, the Xiliang tribes were not in any good, so gaps must arise.
This is the second and third..."
"The rebellion in Xiliang in the past was just to seek stability through chaos. Now that Xiliang has deviated from the court, there is no harsh government and corvee, and there are no cruel officials. Is there any reason to rebel again?" Li Ru said lightly, as if
It's like saying something very common and simple like one plus one equals two, "Therefore, if Han Wen makes an appointment to raise troops to press the general, he is asking for death..."
Fei Qian nodded, and then said: "...But what if the Han Wen agreement ends here? Well... I understand... In this case, there must be a battle in Qishan..."
"Exactly. However, general, it is easy to defeat the Korean army, but it is difficult to conquer Xiliang..." Li Rugong said with his hands raised, "After the defeat of Han Wenyue, the general should not rush into Xiliang. It is best to stick to Guanzhong..."
Fei Qian took a breath, nodded slowly, and said after a moment of silence: "Wen You, to be honest, Xiliang is difficult to determine. There are many factors involved, but there is no straight line from east to west, which makes it difficult for soldiers to transport food and supplies...
...Therefore, if you want to pacify Xiliang, you need to build a road first... There are many treasures in the Western Region, but it is ridiculous that some short-sighted people in the court regard them as useless... If there is a straight road, one will be convenient for garrisoning, and the other will be accessible.
Merchants, the three of them..."
"Straight Road? Western Region?"
Li Ru frowned and followed Fei Qian in looking to the west, pondering and thinking...
…………………………
Qishan, in the era of Brother Zhu, was naturally in our minds, but at this point in time, it doesn't get much attention. It's just a transit point, and it doesn't have much special significance for the time being.
During the period of the conflict between Wei and Shu, the most critical factor why Qishan Mountain was important was that it was bordered by Hanzhong to the south, Tianshui to the north, and Xiliang to the west. All waterways and dry roads converged here, effectively strangling the throat of Longshu.
, the key point to march into Guanzhong.
However, now, the entire Han Dynasty is still nominally one. In addition, Hanzhong is under the control of Zhang Lu and has no contact with Guanzhong or Xiliang for a long time, let alone any conflict. Therefore, Qishan
This place just has a slightly special meaning in Fei Qian's mind. As for other people, this place is not as important as Fansu Road or Yangping Pass.
Around Qishan, there are three roads that can continue northward, reach Longyou, and return to Guanzhong.
The first road is the Yangxi Valley Road.
From Qishan to the West Han River, turn to the southwest, about fifty or sixty miles away, is Lidian. Lidian is not a store, but a county town. And in the northwest of Lidian, there is a river, which is Yangxi.
It winds for about two hundred miles and leads to Tianshui. After arriving at Tianshui, you can go straight down the Weishui River and enter Youfufeng. You can also go west along the Weishui River and reach Longxi. This is the longest route, but it is relatively easier to walk.
The second road is called the wooden door road.
Starting from Qishan Mountain and heading north along the mountain, you can reach Lucheng. Lucheng is not big. There are three gates in the east, southwest and northwest. It is named because the land is rich in brine soil. There are many salt wells in this place, starting from the pre-Qin Dynasty.
A salt official was set up here and wells were dug to extract salt. The area was long and narrow.
Ten miles north from Lucheng, there is a fork in the road, with a valley in the northwest direction. This river is called Chouni River, which leads to the second road, Mumen Road. The north direction leads to the third road, Tietangxia Road.
Go upstream along the Chooni River and go north for about twenty or thirty miles until you reach the Mumen Valley. After passing the Mumen Valley, it becomes a lot more open. You can go northwest from the Jihe River and reach Shanggui, and then turn to Tianshui or go eastward.
Guanzhong.
Except for Mumen Valley, this road is relatively open elsewhere. Of course, this openness is only for marching. If it is used as a battlefield, it is still a bit narrow and is not conducive to the cavalry's sudden advance.
The third road is called Tietang Gorge Road.
As mentioned earlier, the fork in the road ten miles north of Luncheng, less than thirty miles to the northeast, the mountains become steep again, and you need to turn east. Here, there are towering cliffs on both sides, winding valleys, and the West Han River rushing through the valleys.
, the momentum is astonishing, the cliffs on both sides are as black as iron, hence the name Tietang Gorge. Continue north from Tietang Gorge, cross the Yunwu Mountain, and then go north to the outside of Shanggui City. This road is the shortest, but the most difficult to walk.
There are mountains and ridges and the roads are narrow.
Han Sui immediately led his soldiers to garrison Qishan. The soldiers were busy cutting down trees and building camps.
"Despite Zhengxi's young age, his strategy is indeed outstanding. This plan is really good. If you are not careful, everything will be lost... But now that you have withdrawn from the debate, Zhengxi's strategy will be useless.
..." Han Sui put his hands on the table, stared at the map spread out on the table, and said with a rather complicated emotion, "This is Zhengxi... But if Zhengxi wants to enter Longxi, there is no way around it.
Open this place... Let's see what the response is to Zhengxi..."
Ever since he learned that there were quite a few war horses in the Di people's stronghold as Ma Chao said, Han Sui did not dare to continue chasing Fei Qian.
I was so frightened that I ran away all night.
One of the important reasons why Han Sui has achieved his current status in Xiliang over the years is that Han Sui is cautious by nature and avoids doing risky things as much as possible. Just like when he learned that Jincheng was in trouble before, he would rather believe that he had it.
Unbelievable, Han Sui led his troops back to Jincheng. This was even more true now. There was a serious doubt about the Di people on the side. How could Han Sui continue to chase south without any care? What if the Di people really sent troops and cut off his own retreat?
, isn’t it completely over?
Even if you don't continue to chase, stationing in Xiabian is extremely risky. Although Xiabian is also an important point on the road, on the one hand, you have to resist Fei Qian's troops, and on the other hand, you have to be careful about Xiabian. If you are not careful, you will be killed.
Attacking from both sides would be a big problem, so it would be better to retreat directly and stationed here in Qishan.
"My uncle has been on the battlefield for a long time, so how could he fall into Zhengxi's little thief's plan? But by retreating here, didn't we give Zhengxi and the Di people a chance to join forces?" Ma Chao stood on one side and looked at the map.
Said, "Why not pacify the Di people's stronghold first?"
Han Sui lowered his head and looked at the map without looking up. He sighed and said: "Well, after all, the Di people and Wang Clan have known each other for many years... Although I don't know the reason, I don't want to break off the friendship for many years..."
Although the words are very beautiful, the actual reason is that although the Di people are not large in number, they are good at fighting in the mountains, and most of the Di people's fortresses are built on the mountains. It is very troublesome to attack them, so I simply
Pretending not to know anything, they retreated overnight.
However, the fact that Zhengxi continued to advance without retreating confirmed Han Sui's suspicion. If there had not been some connection between Zhengxi and the Di people, how could Zhengxi have led the army so carelessly?
Unlike Ma Chao, who had a habit of not taking revenge overnight, Han Sui considered himself a gentleman, so it was not too late to settle Di Ren's debt after he defeated Zheng Xi.
Ma Chao glanced at Han Sui, then turned his attention to the map, and said: "The little thief who conquered the west has sent soldiers to Guanzhong. I'm counting on the time when reinforcements should arrive. I don't know..."
Just as he was mumbling something, something came to him. Halfway through Ma Chao's words, he heard a commotion outside the camp, and the soldiers reported that General Gong Ying had an urgent military intelligence report!
Han Sui suddenly raised his head: "Pass it in!"
The last ray of light at dusk swayed at the door of the big tent, as if making a final struggle with the night. When the stalemate was reaching a stalemate, a soldier staggered in and fell to the ground with a thud, breaking the balance of light and shadow...
Han Sui's eyes widened, looking at the blood on the soldier's face. The corners of his mouth twitched. The words he was about to ask seemed to be blocked by something, but his heart couldn't help but rush to
It sank, as if falling into an endless abyss, dark and lightless.
