A caravan of more than a thousand people came to the outside of Jiaohe City in Haizhou after a long journey. Each of them wrapped their faces and heads with towels, leaving only a pair of bright eyes exposed. The sky was full of yellow sand on the plateau, and the ultraviolet rays were even more poisonous.
, people who are not used to it simply can’t stand it.
The team stopped when they approached the gate of Jiaohe City. Qin Huaidao took a few steps forward and looked at the city in front of him curiously. When he looked at it from a distance before, he saw the river coming leisurely. When it reached the city, it split into two, merged and passed by each other.
After meeting at one point and continuing forward, the whole city is like a leaf in the river.
Now standing in front of the city, I find that the city is built on a huge raised platform in the river. The rivers on both sides are like moats. There are no city walls. The buildings are dug downwards from the surface of the towering platform. In the middle is a road that runs through the city.
From the main road, you can see temples, government offices, houses, and city gates all made of earthen walls. The streets are long, narrow and deep, like winding trenches, and the whole city is like a fortress with layers of defenses.
"interesting!"
Qin Huaidao sighed with emotion, later generations also visited here, but all they saw were ruins, like ruins. This era was different. Two years ago, Hou Junji led his troops to destroy the Gaochang Kingdom, which was the Turpan generation in later generations, and designated the Gaochang Kingdom as the Western Empire.
Prefecture, the Anxi Protectorate was established in Jiaohe City to the west of Xizhou. Now Jiaohe City is full of vitality, with markets, government offices, Buddhist temples, pagodas, streets and alleys, as well as workshops, residences, military training grounds, and hidden trenches.
.
"Uncle, why don't you go in?" Luo Ying stepped forward and asked.
"No need." Qin Huaidao shook his head. The reason why he came here was just to inquire about the news. Although the imperial court granted him the title of king, Qin Huaidao did not want to get too close to the imperial court.
"Okay, let's wait. The Anxi Protectorate's scouts already know that we are coming, so they will definitely report it. Someone will come, but I don't know if we can get any useful information here. No one knows about it this way."
Luo Ying responded casually and was not optimistic. He looked at the city in front of him curiously and added: "It's all made of earth. Fortunately, it's surrounded by rivers. The Turkic cavalry can't rush over. Otherwise, a large number of cavalry will fall in one concentrated charge. This city will fall."
The city is built along the river, which is not bad."
Just as he was talking, a team rushed out of the city. The leader was about forty years old, with a Chinese character in his face. His skin was tanned, but his momentum was extraordinary. He stepped forward and cupped his hands and said: "But in front of the king of Qin County? In the Anxi Protector's Mansion.
Commander-in-Chief, Commander-in-Chief of the Xizhou Road March, Guo Xiaoke."
Qin Huaidao had heard of this man but was not familiar with him, so he stepped forward and returned the greeting: "It's me. I came here this time just to inquire about something. I also asked Governor Guo to make it convenient for me."
Guo Xiaoke didn't know Qin Huaidao, but he had also heard many rumors. He knew that he was very young. He didn't expect that he was so young. He didn't dare to entrust him. He quickly dismounted and solemnly saluted: "Your Majesty, Guo Xiaoke, is here to see the prince. I received the eight official reports from the court a few days ago."
Baili issued an urgent imperial edict, ordering the subordinates to obey the command of the county king unconditionally, but there should be no ambiguity in the orders."
When Qin Huaidao heard that there was an order from the imperial court, he was a little surprised. He couldn't guess what Li Er wanted to do. He had already made up his mind not to have anything to do with the imperial court and would not change easily. He said calmly: "Thank you, Governor Guo. I must have
Governor Guo already knows our intention?"
"It was mentioned in the imperial edict, but the subordinates had no clue. After receiving the imperial edict, they sent people to look around, but there were no clues. They asked the prince to atone for his sins," Guo Xiaoke said quickly.
"Has anyone discovered us?" Luo Ying couldn't help but ask.
"Never!"
What else did Luo Ying want to ask? Qin Huaidao glared back, then looked at Guo Xiaoke and continued: "Does Governor Guo have a topographic map of Xizhou?"
"I have a share, but it's very rough. It's better to enter the city first so that the lower officials can fulfill their duties as landlords."
Qin Huaidao originally didn't want to go in and keep a distance from the court, but the map was too important. After thinking about it, he nodded and said: "Okay, let's go in and have a rest and replenish some food and water." He looked at Luo Ying.
Luo Ying nodded knowingly and ran to give the order.
The team drove the carriage slowly into the city. The carriage was full of weapons and food. Luo Tong was wearing casual clothes and mixed in with the team. He pulled his face scarf higher. It was not like he was recognized by Guo Xiaoke. The two were old acquaintances. He whispered to Li Yixie next to him.
Said: "You keep an eye on the front, I'll go to the back."
"Is there danger here?" Li Yixie asked in surprise.
"Not necessarily, you can make a big mistake by being careful." Luo Tong said perfunctorily and turned back.
Li Yixie noticed that Luo Tong was a little strange, but he didn't ask any more questions and secretly moved forward cautiously.
Jiaohe City was the last stop for the Tang Dynasty caravan to the west. Further west was the Turkic territory. No one dared to enter easily. Qin Huaidao looked around calmly, feeling like he had entered a maze or a fortress. No wonder it had survived countless years.
, it still existed until later generations. This seemingly simple city was actually easy to defend, difficult to attack, and extremely dangerous.
Many people watched curiously along the way. We had seen many caravans before, but this was the first time we saw a caravan of a thousand people. They pointed and pointed, and some even came up to sell various fruits, fresh, dried, etc.
Once there is enough, it looks tempting. Qin Huaidao knows the fruits of Turpan very well, so he told Luo Ying: "Buy some of everything, brothers, try something new, especially fragrant pears, which can relieve phlegm and cough, relieve heat and relieve summer heat.
Nourishing yin and nourishing people, it can also alleviate acclimatization.”
"Understood!" Luo Ying looked greedy and agreed.
When the group arrived at the gate of the government office, Qin Huaidao signaled the team to wait where they were. He wanted Luo Tong and Li Yixie to accompany them, but there was no sign of Luo Tong. Without thinking much, he motioned for Li Yixie to follow them. When they walked into the government office, they felt that the temperature was much cooler.
Guo Xiaoke did not dare to neglect, and asked people to serve tea and some fruits. He ran to the back and got a map and drew it on the cloth. It looked really crude. He said apologetically: "Prince, the topographic map is a little crude.
But the surrounding mountains and terrain are all in Xiaguan’s mind, so just ask if you have anything.”
Qin Huaidao glanced at it a few times, asked Guo Xiaoke for a large piece of paper, quickly sketched it with a brush dipped in ink, and quickly copied the topographic map, which made Guo Xiaoke's eyes light up.
"Governor Guo, since you said that the surrounding mountains and rivers are all in your mind, please tell me carefully, where are the rivers, where are the mountains, what are the rivers like, how high are the mountains, and what are their shapes and trends? Please make it clear and I will draw it. If there is anything wrong,
Immediately point out that the matter is of great importance and ask Governor Guo to give up."
"It should be." Guo Xiaoke quickly agreed and explained it carefully.
As expected of the Commander-in-Chief of Xizhou’s March and the Governor of the Dudu Mansion, he knew the surrounding terrain very well. He described them in detail one by one, including mountains, rivers, passes, canyons, grasslands, Gobis, deserts, etc., which gradually appeared on the map. Under Qin Huaidao’s questioning, where
Which tribes of Turks gathered there and how many people there were were told in detail.
After a full hour, a detailed map appeared on the paper. Unfortunately, it only had a radius of two hundred miles. Guo Xiaoke had never been beyond this distance, so it was unknown.
Something is better than nothing. Qin Huaidao breathed a sigh of relief and was about to put the map away when he saw Guo Xiaoke looking at him steadily, his eyes shining, he hesitated to speak, so he couldn't help but ask: "Does Governor Guo have something to say?"
"Prince of the County, I'm the official... I'm the official..." Guo Xiaoke stared at the map and hesitated to speak. As a soldier, he was very aware of the value of this map, but thinking of Qin Huaidao's identity, he did not dare to ask for it.
Qin Huaidao was also a soldier. He immediately understood what Guo Xiaoke was thinking. After thinking about it, it would be a good thing to give the opponent a map to improve the combat effectiveness of the Tang army. He smiled and said: "You want it?"
"Don't you dare?" Guo Xiaoke's eager expression betrayed what he was thinking.
"I can give you one, but you have to get something in exchange." Qin Huaidao said with a smile.
"real?"
Guo Xiaoke was overjoyed and his eyes shone. As for exchanging things, that was not a problem at all. Anyway, the imperial edict also required full support. He was afraid that Qin Huaidao would regret it, so he quickly said: "The prince may ask, but whatever I have in the Anxi Protectorate, I will take it all."
That is, this map is priceless, but I don’t know what the prince wants?”
"This trip is in a hurry, and the food and grass I brought are somewhat insufficient. If possible, prepare dry food for a thousand people for a week. Of course, the cost will be yours." Qin Huaidao said sternly, in the bitter cold land of Xizhou, food is limited, everyone can't eat enough, and no one
They can be easily sold. There are only a few available on the market, so we have to rely on the Governor's Office.