The sky is still so blue, but the grass has gradually deepened from green mixed with withered yellow to almost ink...,
After two months, Qu Yan and his caravan once again crossed the Huangshui River Valley and came to this place that had gradually become familiar.
Two months is not a long time, but it is not a short time. At least it is enough to bring about huge changes in this land.
Well, it seems that using the word "huge" is a bit inappropriate. After all, in terms of the environment, nothing has changed. The changes in the sea are just a little more popular in the originally relatively peaceful place.
But it is precisely this liveliness that has never been seen here before. In the eyes of Qu Yan and others, or to most people who are familiar with this place, it can be regarded as a "huge" change.
In comparison, grass and trees turning green, birds migrating, everything reviving, etc., are just routine changes. For everyone, they have long been accustomed to it, or only when these changes no longer occur, people will
You will be truly surprised.
"However, the most surprising thing is that I don't know if this thing can be called a 'city'."
Looking at the circle of wooden fences and suggested antlers and trenches in front of me, it is more like a standard Han-style military camp than a building like a city. It even exudes a chilling smell from the inside out.
……architecture.
"Yes, it is indeed the product of the coordinated cooperation of all the forces gathered under the lord's command. In this way, we have a lot less worries. Some plans that were originally unachievable have now become much simpler and easier."
"But in this way, I feel that the pie that we little shrimps can get... is not much."
"That's not necessarily true. My lord is bigger and has much bigger portions. This is natural. After all, not only because my lord can eat more, but also because this city will have to bear the most anger of the Qiang people. That's it.
Such a 'behemoth', unless those Qiang people intend to anger all the Han people who have taken root here, they can only acquiesce in our existence, instead of using their absolute advantage to not only cause trouble for us as before. Thinking about it makes us sad.
I’m so popular that I’m shaking.”
"That's right, after hearing what you said, I'm also looking forward to what kind of reaction those stupid guys will have."
"Probably, it should be interesting."
Qu Yan and Lori didn't waste much time in expressing their feelings. In fact, they were obviously more curious about what the inside of this "city" that they had not seen before was like than expressing their feelings there.
"So in addition to its symbolic meaning, it probably can at most provide a place to rest."
"It is also a good trading place. At least we can get a lot of maps of places we have never been to before. If we are willing to use the points earned from selling previously drawn maps, we can also get more detailed semi-military information.
map."
"You wouldn't choose to spend your precious points on something like that."
"Probably, I always feel that after the excitement, the sense of adventure will be much less."
"No need to worry, I heard that the Xihai area is very large. Although it is quite lively here now, when people gradually disperse around the Xihai area, on average there will be one or two hundred pioneers in each piece of land. It will be good.
"
In fact, you can imagine the appearance of the city from its appearance. Even those who have had certain illusions before entering will feel a sense of "disillusionment collapse", except for a huge military tent in the center. Probably
It is where the managers of this city live and work. It is a series of tents on the east and west sides that have gathered completely spontaneously.
To protect these tents, in addition to the fence and trench outside, there is also an earthen rampart about six or seven feet high made of soil dug out of the trench. Together with the turrets at the four corners, it is the entire defense of the city.
facility.
Not to mention compared with those large cities with high fortifications and deep walls in the Central Plains, nor with the large forts that have been built over the years on the border of Bingzhou. Even though they have been abandoned for many years, they were only recently opened and there used to be a "triangle".
City" is called
Hu's Longqi City also has a rammed earth city wall that is about 270 feet long and wide (Han system) and about eight feet high (Han system). It is equipped with various defense facilities. It can be said to be quite serious.
A great city, no matter how you look at it, it is much better than a "military camp".
But if you ignore this city, which is located at the break of the Riyue Mountain Range, you will definitely suffer a big loss.
Because this walled city named "Xihai City" happens to be at the pass of Riyue Mountain, it is the easiest way to reach Longqi City and Jincheng County from the grassland around the West Sea.
Although the Big and Little Yu Valley is also a valley with rich water and grass due to its abundant water resources, to reach Jincheng County, you still have to climb mountains or follow the rather dangerous Yellow River Valley.
In other words, with this walled city, not only could the choke points be guarded, but the caravans of all races could also be given necessary protection.
Of course, like other border trading places, this place also created its own unique order amidst all kinds of chaos, and then benefited from this unique order, thus supporting the continuous development and growth of this place.
In fact, Qu Yan and Luo Rui can clearly feel that the richness of various commodities here is not inferior to Longqi City. Not only can you see the caravans from various places under the rule of the Bingzhou Army, but you can also occasionally see
to businessmen from Yizhou and even Jingzhou.
It's better to say Yizhou, what kind of noses do those businessmen in Jingzhou have, and they can actually come all the way here!
Sure enough, it's because the smell of money is so charming.
I don't know what Zhang Niujiao, who is known as the "Emperor Hiding Behind Zhang Yan" in the world, who controls Longqi City, would feel, but he probably won't feel much. After all, compared to the need for money, then
A middle-aged man who calls himself the "Old Man of the Mountains" may care more about spreading Zhang Jiao's orthodoxy.
However, after this period of time, it was confirmed that the Taiping Taoist temple dedicated to Zhang Niujiao in Longqi City was indeed approved by Li Shushi, because if there was only such a lonely Taoist temple, it might still be Zhang Niujiao's personal behavior, but if this newly built
There is actually a small Taiping Taoist temple in Xihai City, which may not be large in scale, but the characters enshrined in it are exactly the same. That is really mind-blowing. Not to mention that this Taoist temple is directly under the Li family's caravan initiative.
built.
Those guys only took orders from Li Shushi and the magical lolita beside Li Shushi. Even because Li Shushi would not interfere in this matter at all, it seemed that it was not an exaggeration to regard those businessmen as Su Xiaololi's personal soldiers.
Of course, there are rumors that as the wedding day approaches, a certain Zhen Xiaololi, who is also regarded as the mistress of the Li family, seems to have begun to get involved in this matter. Will this cause any fierce struggle... Anyway, with Qu Yan
They have nothing to do with each other.
Although they didn’t plan to deal with any goods here, Qu Yan and Lori still decided to stay here for two to three days after discussing it. Of course, it wasn’t because the two of them planned to have an intimate moment here on a whim, no.
, a willful trip, but because the two of them planned to use this time to collect various information here.
Although they have done enough homework here in the past period, it can be seen from the appearance of this walled city that the changes in the past two months are really huge. Even the originally confident Qu Yan and
Lori couldn't help but feel anxious, fearing that something big might have happened during this period that she might not be aware of.
After all, the great Senbei Master Sun once said, "More is more likely to win, less is less, and nothing is more important." This is to tell us that there is no harm in being more prepared, as long as we lose confidence in being prepared, of course
If the odds of winning are really slim, you can also consider protecting yourself wisely, but this can probably be ignored by these adventurers.
However, looking at how this group of people left Xihai City with confidence two days later, they must have gotten mostly good news.
After exiting the west gate of Xihai City, a group of people will continue heading northwest.
It started to rain lightly again in the sky.
Unlike modern Qinghai Lake, which is all desert, you can still see quite vast grasslands along the West Sea. Although the quality of the grasslands here may not be comparable to grasslands like Hulunbuir and Xilin Gol, but for
It is already a very fertile place for the Qiang people. Even a native of Jincheng like Qu Yan has to admit that the climate here may not be suitable for large-scale farming. But it is definitely better for raising livestock than in the valley.
The vertical and horizontal golden city.
"I will build a big pasture here, and then raise 3,000 horses, 10,000 cattle and 10,000 sheep in my pasture. Even if there is no such thing as a title in the future, my descendants will be the same.
Able to live a prosperous and healthy life.”
"My requirements are not high. One-tenth of the size of your ranch is enough. After all, my family has a small business. One person has enough to eat and the whole family is not hungry. Even if I have a wife and children in the future, I want to become a big family."
It’s not easy either.”
Well, you can definitely believe that Lowry is not looking forward to the future, he is just complaining about his performance.
After all, it is not an easy task for Qu Yan to realize his dream.
The biggest obstacle on the road ahead - at least as it seems now, is the Qiang tribal leaders who have become extremely frightened and irritable because of the large-scale intrusion of the Han people, and they are eager to skin and cramp the Han people to satisfy their hatred.
Among them, the one who showed the most intense expression was Pi Mao and Pi Jian, the leaders of the eastern region of Xihai, who were also direct blood descendants of Beihe. The other party was Yuan Guihe, the self-proclaimed king of the Qiang people in the northern Xihai.
His son Cheriji.
Of course, even the two tribal leaders who were most sensitive to the "commercial and cultural invasion" of the Han people actually behaved in completely opposite ways.
"Those Han people are really evil. If they are allowed to continue to roam the land of our ancestors, sooner or later we, the people, will be driven into the mountains again and live a precarious life again, even for future generations.
Become the object of Han people's slavery. When that time comes, neither I nor you, as my successor, will have the face to meet our ancestors, especially the great Bei He who can play tricks on the Han officials.
Holy Ancestor."
Although he spoke desolate words, as the leader of the tribe, the content in the cup that Pi Mao drank was as clear as a mirror. It was not as turbid as the wine brewed from various materials on the grassland, and there was no trace of it.
It has a bit of sour taste, but it constantly exudes a rich aroma. As soon as those who are good at wine smell such an aroma, they can't help but salivate in their mouths and find it difficult to extricate themselves.
Of course, as the leader of the tribe, Pi Mao still had a certain degree of restraint. In fact, even though he had obtained a large amount of wine pulp from the Han people through trade and gifts. But every time he drank it, he would taste it slowly and savor it in small sips.
The wine liquid flows from the mouth into the stomach pouch, and the spicy taste that continuously burns the esophagus along the way is also filled with a soft feeling. It is completely different from the boldness of the big bowls when he drinks the wine produced by his family.
When drinking the wine produced by the Han people, this man who has commanded his headquarters and surrounding tribes for decades is like a martial artist imitating the children of those aristocratic families. Even if there is some naivety like a toddler in Handan, his expression is full of tranquility.
of melancholy.
Completely opposite to him is his young son Pijian.
"Then there is nothing to be afraid of. There are only a few thousand people. As long as we climb up and raise our arms, tens of thousands of Qiang warriors will follow our footsteps. By then, those Han people will not be wiped out in an instant. It's just that
Before that, we still have to get enough benefits from the Han people
.Well, the things of the Han people are really good...whether it is this wine, or those accessories, or the various spices that can be used to cook delicious food. It is really a rich capital, which is enviable and coveted. If
If I can become the emperor of the Han people, then all these wealth will belong to me."
While sipping the whole bowl of spicy wine, he talked nonsense with his tongue that was already a little bit unscrupulous. Ever since the Han people once again set foot on this land in large numbers, his son has been
Often fall into this
In this state, especially the fragrant but violent liquor, a warrior on the grassland turned into a weird man who would often make himself look like a drunkard, going crazy with inexplicable alcohol, or simply spitting out filth in his mouth.
Dirty things are dumped in a corner.
Although the things of the Han people are exquisite and coveted, behind this beauty is actually a fatal trap.
At least the son of his generation of genius seems to have fallen into a trap carefully prepared by the Han people.
The most terrifying thing about the Han people is never their weapons, guns, and swords, but their all-pervasive methods!
Thinking of some words that were only passed down among each tribal leader, passed down by the great ancestor Bei He, the wise man who claimed to be able to manipulate the Han Dynasty into his palms, he opened up his slightly cloudy eyes.
What was revealed was a fierce light.
However, Pi Mao felt that he was still very rational, because he was not like his son who would occupy Han people's land in a whimsical way. That huge empire was not something that these small Qiang tribes could shake, although he heard that the Han people's empire
has collapsed, and fierce internal fighting broke out among the Han people. Even his "neighbors" once occupied a large area of Han people's land and transported all the output of that land back to their hometown, causing those tribes to
The strength increased rapidly.
Pi Mao was actually not unmoved, but in the end he resisted his inner impulse.
So he was lucky enough to see what happened next - how the Han people treated the Qiang people who betrayed them, and those Qiang tribes who wanted to take advantage of the Han people's land eventually suffered huge losses, and they plundered back
Goods cannot make up for the huge loss of population.
, or that the plundered goods have become the biggest reminder for those Qiang tribes whose strength has been damaged - it is said that the Qiang people are greedy, but the greed of the Han people is even more terrifying than that of the Qiang people, because they have stronger
Strength to match their seemingly endless greed.
Simply speaking, the ancestral land of the Qiang people, which is separated from the Han people by the Sun and Moon Mountains, was not affected by the Han people's revenge. Even after accepting some of the Qiang tribes who fled here from the east, their strength has increased.
With various improvements, the materials from the Han people increased their confidence in fighting against the invasion of the Han people.
In fact, the original situation was very good. The Qiang people could continue to stay in the Qiang people's land, and the Han people could continue to stay in their own country. Then, after the Qiang people had used up the supplies they obtained from the Han people, they would send troops from the frontier fortress.
The Han people robbed another one
After all, the "good things" in their eyes are just a drop in the ocean for that huge empire, and they who have not invaded the Han territory will not really become the targets of the Han people's concentrated firepower. The sacrifices are only a few border residents.
That's all.
How good is this.
But the greedy Han people are ultimately a bunch of hungry wolves who cannot get enough to eat.
Although, as his son Pijian said, he is just a guard for thousands of merchants and caravans, which is nothing compared to the Xihai Qiang tribal alliance that can fight with anyone and can pull out tens of thousands of troops.
, even if it cannot be said that it can be achieved overnight, it is impossible to waste more time or pay a high price to win.
What really made Pi Mao feel uneasy was the possible back-handed actions taken by the Han people.
In fact, similar worries had already arisen when Longqi City was rebuilt, but Zhang Niujiao's caravan did not seem to infringe on the fundamental interests of the Qiang people, and the Taiping Road they spread seemed
It also does not touch the fundamental interests of the Qiang tribe. Even if more shamans and witch doctors can be cultivated for the Qiang tribe, it will obviously greatly strengthen the strength of each tribe.
As for the tribes that want to control the Qiang people through the shamans and witch doctors cultivated by the Han people?
This point was not within the scope of thinking of Pi Mao and other Qiang tribe leaders from the very beginning, because there is a natural gap between the nomadic Qiang people and the Han people. Even if they really accepted the education of the Han people and switched to Han occupations, their roots would not be the same.
Still in the tribe.
Of course, Pi Mao was still very cautious, so he always restricted the size of the Jincheng caravan that came to the West Sea. He even used force, inducement, and other means to obtain the power to protect part of those caravans. This not only further reduced the
This increased the size of the caravan. At the same time, it also allowed the Qiang people to learn about the insidious conspiracy of the Han people earlier.
Unfortunately, Pi Mao did not remain stable for long, and the Han people followed suit.
There were a large number of caravans and a large number of guards, and these merchants from all over the Han Dynasty were obviously not within the scope of his "cooperation" with those Jincheng caravans. Even if he forced Zhang Niujiao, Zhang Niujiao told those Han people that they must accept him.
conditions, otherwise he retained the possibility of taking more drastic measures, but Zhang Niujiao's answer of "I can't control them" made Pi Mao angry and helpless at the same time.
He could only watch as the caravans began to spread all over the West Sea. He watched the caravans build simple cities and even used money to lure the smaller Qiang tribes to become their vassals.
But did he really dare to deal with those merchants from the Han Dynasty?
Maybe he could do that. But he was really not sure whether the Han people would prepare an invading army behind the merchants, even though it could be seen from his news channels in Jincheng and Longxi counties that there seemed to be no news in the Han people's territory.
There was news about the gathering of the army, but another news also made Pi Mao dare not act rashly.
That is, the troops used by the Han Dynasty to quell the rebellions in Wuwei, Anding and other places did not return after the war, but seemed to be permanently stationed at the junction of Jincheng and Wuwei County, and this also meant that as long as he took drastic actions
, it will not take long for it to evolve into a full-scale conflict between the tribal alliance he leads and the Han people.
In addition to being worried about the strong strength of the Han people, Pi Mao was also aware of the habitual attitude of the Han people towards the Qiang rebellion - spending a lot of money to buy the heads of the rebel Qiang tribe leaders, which meant that the Han people would rather forgive those who rebelled.
The tribes must also drive out the tribal leaders who started the rebellion.
If the tribe was in dire straits, this method might be able to save the tribe, but the Xihai Qiang tribe led by Pi Mao and his son Pi Jian obviously did not encounter such a situation where they needed to use their lives to continue.
In fact, Pi Mao had not contacted Yuan Gui, the leader of the Qiang tribe in the north who was even more powerful than him, and expressed his concerns to him. However, although the old fox also expressed the same concerns to him, it was obvious that
Not willing to take it lightly
It's easy to be dragged into the trap by him. Maybe that guy has some small calculation, planning to wait until he and the Han people are in a fight with each other, and then another fisherman will benefit, so as to annex the entire Qiang tribe in the West Sea in one fell swoop, and become the real king of the Qiang people.
"Don't be impatient for now. Now these Han people are hugging each other and forming a group. Even if we can deal with them, it will arouse the anger of the Han people. This is not the best choice for us. I don't believe them.
They will always gather together. As long as they spread out, we will have the opportunity to eat them bit by bit, bit by bit, and let them slowly go to death without knowing it. Let those Han people know how serious it is to invade our ancestral land.
Stupid thing!"
It's a pity that Pi Mao's words were not accepted by his son Pi Jian, because Pi Jian was already as usual, humming something that he didn't know what it meant, and passed out drunk.
I don’t know which corner is inside the tent.
As a father, having such a son is really distressing. (To be continued...)