Although it is already autumn and July, the heat that hits your face can still make people feel the passion of the blazing sun.
Fortunately, Baishui Pass in northern Sichuan is located in the lofty mountains, and the Bailong River meanders through it. You can still get a bit of coolness by sitting on the ground under the shade of lush trees.
There were a lot of cicadas on the tree, making a tireless noise.
The sound is sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes slow, sometimes urgent, rising and falling one after another.
I don’t know whether it’s singing a joyful song of thanksgiving for the heat that has not yet dissipated, or composing an autumn funeral song that has lasted for a few days.
On the bank of the water, there is a huge tomb, built on a hill. In front of the tomb are several stone tablets, densely engraved with names.
This was established by Zheng Pu.
In the mound, rest the soldiers who died in the battle of Jinggu Road last year.
Since ancient times, famous generals with great military exploits are left with piles of bones behind them.
Every promotion and promotion, every military achievement praised by others, are all paid for by the corpses of soldiers in the fields.
As a human being, Zheng Pu tried his best to collect the corpses and bury them, so that they could leave some traces in the world.
This time, being sent to Baishui Pass by the Prime Minister, he couldn't help but come to the tomb.
Dressed in white like snow, he sat on a stone, with his eyes closed and a bamboo flute on his lips. A melodious and resentful song "It seems like an old friend is coming" poured out, echoing the whispers of the trees passing by in the breeze.
Zhuge Qiao, who was standing in the distance, listened quietly and stared at the huge tomb, his eyes a little blurred.
After Prime Minister Zhuge Liang led the troops to garrison Hanzhong County, he took up his official position and became the post-supervisor of the army. He was the chief officer in charge of the transportation of grain, fodder and baggage in Shu. He spent several months trudging up and down the plank roads in the mountains.
Extremely difficult.
Even his face and body look a bit skinny.
Fortunately, Prime Minister Xi Cao Pu Yuan finally used iron ropes for grain transportation.
In order to maintain the smooth flow of grain transportation through the ropeway, the generals guarding the four passes in northern Shu set up ropeway soldiers and transferred them to guard the transportation of grain, allowing them to shirk their responsibilities and do other things in Hanzhong.
Now we are coming to Baishui Pass. Zheng Pu asked the Prime Minister to send him there.
He wanted to use his identity to make Di Wang Fu Zhang feel that the Han Dynasty valued recruiting and surrendering.
After all, the prime minister who holds the power of the Han Dynasty sent his son to discuss the details. Why does Fu Zhang have any doubts about the lack of sincerity of the Han Dynasty?
However, the day before departure, Zhuge Qiao was privately warned by the Prime Minister.
"Although Zijin is a few years younger than you, he is more scheming. When Bosong leaves, don't comment on what he did or said. Think too much about it, which may be of benefit."
Directly regard Zhuge Qiao as a decoration, focusing on participation.
In this regard, Zhuge Qiao, who had always had a gentle temperament and a gentleman's demeanor, was not dissatisfied.
He was already quite familiar with Zheng Pu, so he knew their talents and abilities.
However, it is inevitable that you will be curious about what Zheng Pu did and said, and savor it carefully in your heart.
For example, I just met Fu Jian, the eldest son of King Fu Zhang of Di.
Fu Jian kept talking about various advantages and disadvantages and claiming credit for showing his loyalty to the Han Dynasty and that after his tribe attached to the Han Dynasty, he could defend the border for the Han Dynasty, etc., but in exchange for Zheng Pu's words, "Young chief, please go back."
Father, come and discuss it."
Immediately, Fu Jian's face showed a look of perseverance.
He waited for nearly ten days, only to receive a word questioning his low status and inability to take charge?
Even if he really couldn't make the decision, Zheng Pu should show some sincerity and let him go back to ask his father for instructions, right?
However, Zheng Pu's next words stopped him from complaining, and he hurried out of the gate and returned home.
"It's not that I have the intention to despise the young chief, or that I doubt that your nobles are coming to join me. It's just the cruelty of the Wei Dynasty. I don't want to see your nobles become the king of Di in the future, like Agui, the king of Hechi, Dou Mao, and be expelled from the clan.
And slaughter.”
It also made Zhuge Qiao secretly ponder, if he were Zheng Pu, how he would fulfill his rhetoric of "extermination of the clan".
Well, the usual trick used by lobbyists is to exaggerate the truth first, as if you are sharing the worries, and then let others admit what they are trying to do, so that they can achieve what they want.
Zhuge Qiao knew this very well.
I am just looking forward to it and want to see if what I think and what Zheng Pu does are consistent.
Two days later, Jinggu Road outside Baishui Pass.
Di Wang Fu Zhang, who had a protruding forehead and pointed jaw, and was no more than seven feet tall, came at the invitation. When he saw Zheng Pu, his eyes couldn't help but flash with surprise.
He could not believe that the Han general who planned to ambush him was so young.
No coincidence.
Zheng Pu was also surprised that someone with such a short appearance could be supported as a chief among the Di people who respected the strong.
Perhaps, this person has special talents.
After secretly talking to each other, Zheng Pu, with a gurgling smile, introduced Zhuge Qiao to him and said a few polite words such as "King Di is deeply aware of the righteousness and abandons darkness for the light. The great Han misses him as much as he is thirsty."
When both parties were seated, he took the lead and said, "Chief, I am a great Han man who believes in my reputation and always treat people with sincerity. I don't want to deceive the leader. Therefore, I would like to ask the leader to think about it. Compared with the garrison at the Yinping Bridge, I am a great Han man. Is Baishui Pass better?"
Easier to guard?"
Well?
Hearing this, Fu Zhang's eyes narrowed slightly.
Seeing Zheng Pu's frank face, he fell into deep thought.
Because of Zheng Pu's words, he implicitly informed him that he had no intention of occupying the Yinping Bridge.
In other words, it also wiped out his bargaining chip with the big man.
If the Han Dynasty does not want to engage in a fierce battle with Cao Wei now and occupy the bridgehead to garrison, it will be harmful rather than beneficial to the Han Dynasty.
Although the garrison at the bridgehead was dangerous, it had to bear the attack of Cao Wei from three directions: Yinping Road, Wudu Road, and Qiang Road. Compared with the enemy who only faced Baishui Pass on Jinggu Road, it was too difficult to hold on.
"The meaning of Governor Zheng's words is to claim that the Han Dynasty has no intention of accepting our troops to join the evil?"
After being silent for a while, Fu Zhang raised his eyebrows and asked rhetorically.
Moreover, before Zheng Pu could reply, he sneered, "Oh, I don't think so, the big man has been staying in Bashu for so long that he no longer has the ambition to make progress!"
"Alas~~~"
Shaking his head slightly, Zheng Pu did not express any emotion. Instead, he let out a long sigh of regret, and then asked, "I am sincere, so why does the leader need to use words to provoke me? Could it be that the leader has never thought that if I, a big man, guarded the bridgehead, I would
, for the leader, does it cause more harm than good?"
This time, Fu Zhang calmed down after hearing the words and fell into silence again.
He was called a "wise man" by the Di people. An Neng didn't know the pros and cons of coming to rely on the Han?
If Cao Wei learns that the garrison at the bridge has changed hands, he will definitely send a large number of troops to fight!
Although he received the support of grain and supplies from the Han Dynasty, he also had to bear the price of dependence, allowing his people to fight bloody battles on the front line against Cao Wei's troops.
This resulted in heavy casualties, leading to the decline of the tribe.
However, knowing this, he still came to ask for surrender, but he did not dare to stay in Yinping any longer.
In the last battle at Jinggu Road, he was defeated in an ambush, which made many tribes in Yinping complain.
Some tribal chiefs gave strong advice to King Di, claiming that he was too talented to hold on to the important task of guarding the bridgehead.
There were also some chiefs who slandered him because they deliberately defeated him. In order to put everyone in the tribe near Baishui Pass in danger, they had no choice but to succumb to his power.
Although, Di Wang Qiangduan did not believe these slanderous words.
Moreover, they sent someone to appease him, telling him not to pay attention to him and just continue to work happily.
However, he felt uneasy.
When he moved to Yinping back then, out of caution, he bribed a close person from Qiang Duan with large sums of money and asked him to secretly pass on the news.
Therefore, he also knew that Guo Huai, the governor of Yongzhou in the Cao Wei Dynasty, once rumored that Qian Duan was strong and asked whether the bridge garrison could defend the evil?
In other words, Guo Huai was not at ease with him guarding the bridge.
This is fatal.
Qiang Duan divided the fields and pastures and allowed him to stay in Yinping, hoping that he would become a line of defense against the Han army.
But now, Guo Huai questions the defense of the Qiaotou garrison and relies on the strong end of Cao Wei's breath to survive. How long can he still be trusted by the chiefs of the tribes who continue to slander him?
Once the seed of suspicion grows in the human heart, once it takes root and sprouts, not even God can stop it from growing into a towering tree.
Not to mention, people who grew up in the barren soil of the northwest never believe in friendship.
No Di king can resist the temptation of profit.
Fu Zhang felt that his people, cattle, sheep, and horses would one day be coveted by Cao Wei and Qiang Duan, and then they would join forces to annex them!
No matter what happens, he may be forced to go to Dianshi Road to defend against the Baima Qiang and Shenlang Qiang invaders.
When garrisoning the bridge, Bashu would not send troops to harass them for several years.
But if he went to Dian's Road, he would have to fight with Baima Qiang and Shenlang Qiang every autumn and winter. He didn't want the lives of his people to be slowly wasted!
Perhaps, this kind of thinking is a bit unreasonable.
However, even if there was only a slight possibility, Fu Zhang would not dare to risk his life and property.
However, Wudu County is now under Cao Wei's control. If he abandons the garrison at the bridge and leads his people back, it will give Cao Wei and Qiang Duan an excuse!
For example, they accused him of having an affair with Bashu.
Afterwards, he called on the other Di tribes in Wudu to enjoy the gluttonous feast among his tribes.
After thinking about it, he came up with the decision to come and rely on the big man.
Because he relied on the big man, he still had a chance of survival.
And being besieged by many tribes and Cao Wei, his body must be gone!
"I am old and dim, and I am so arrogant just now. Please don't be surprised by Governor Zheng."
Fu Zhang, who had been silent for a long time, bowed to Zheng Pu according to the etiquette of the Han family, "Of course, I led my people to come to join the Han Dynasty, and it is also sincere. I also ask the governor to watch carefully and represent me to Prime Minister Chen Yu."
"The Prime Minister has never doubted the leader's heart."
Pointing to Zhuge Qiao beside him, Zheng Pu smiled sternly, "By the way, the prime minister sent me here not because he didn't like the leader. It was because he didn't dare to live up to the leader's determination to lead his troops back to justice, so he wanted to serve as the leader.
And think about how to avoid the attack of the rebel Wei army."
"Zhang, thank you Prime Minister for your kindness!"
Standing up suddenly, Fu Zhang held his hand to the right to show that he was far away from the prime minister. Then he sat down again and asked softly, "How can I save my people from being massacred by Cao Wei? Please teach me how to save my people from being slaughtered by Cao Wei."
After Fu Zhangfu finished speaking, Zheng Pu breathed a sigh of relief.
After pretending to be compassionate for a long time, he was finally able to show his true feelings.
"I dare not claim to be educated."
Quickly handing over his hand, Zheng Pu spoke humbly and said solemnly, "Chief, I came to Baishui to discuss the matter. I have two things in my mind. Let the leader choose."
After he finished speaking, Fu Zhang also looked solemn and held his hand in greeting, "I would like to hear the details."
"The first is that we, the Han Dynasty, are trying to quell the rebellion of the Nanzhong counties. At this time, we really can't fight against the Wei Dynasty, nor can we accept the bridge garrison guarded by the leader. Therefore, I ask the leader to temporarily condescend to
During the rebellion against Wei, I, the Han Dynasty, will privately provide weapons and other supplies so that the leader can build up strength."
After saying this, Zheng Pu paused and said with a chuckle, "However, Yizhou is exhausted today, and it is inconvenient to transport weapons and other supplies to Baishui Pass. I would like to ask the leader to transfer some war horses or cattle to my big man as appropriate."
"Well, this is inevitable."
Waving his hand, Fu Zhang nodded and said, "Don't worry, Governor Zheng, I am not a greedy person. If the big man is willing to grant me weapons and equipment, I will repay him with cattle, sheep, and horses."
After finishing speaking, he poked his head over again and urged, "I wonder what the second strategy Governor Zheng is thinking about?"
"The second is to ask the leader to move his family to Hanzhong County."
Um?
When Zheng Pu finished speaking, Fu Zhang suddenly stood up and became excited.
And he put his hand on the handle of the knife at his waist, roaring with anger and thunder, "I surrendered with sincerity, but Governor Zheng actually treated me like a three-year-old kid and played tricks on me!"
In an instant, the wanton and joyful saliva suddenly became dappled under the scorching sun.
It also made Zheng Pu feel sick.
He rolled up his sleeves with his backhand, wiped his face gently, and then said in a calm tone, "First of all, please don't get angry. After I finish speaking, it will not be too late to refuse. Moreover, the leader does not choose the other two, but can choose one of the ears."
Huh. Huh.
The floating red talisman stared at Zheng Pu silently with his eyes fixed on him, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
After a few breaths, he closed his eyes and took a long breath. After trying to suppress the anger in his chest, he sat down again and squeezed out a few words through his teeth, "I would like to listen to Governor Zheng's speech!"
"Heh~~~~"
Smiling softly, Zheng Pu's eyes sparkled and he talked eloquently.
"I asked you to tell me, has the leader heard anything about evil? The northwest has been in turmoil for decades."
"Whether it is the Qianghu tribe or the Di tribe, if you are in a situation, you cannot survive alone."
"Like King Di of Xingguo and King Di of Hechi, the tribe used to be more powerful than Chief Fu, but now their bones are exposed in the wild and allowed to be blown away by wind and rain. I know the chief's scruples in not wanting to move into Hanzhong, but if the chief doesn't move in
Taking refuge in Hanzhong, wandering between our Han Dynasty and the counter-Wei Dynasty, are you not afraid that one day you will follow in the footsteps of King Di and others who rejuvenated the country?"
"Furthermore, I am a big man who has always been benevolent and righteous, and I never engage in petty behavior."
At this point, Zheng Pusu responded with a loud voice, "Now that the leader is asked to move inland, there will be arrangements so that the leader will not lose his power and his descendants will enjoy wealth and honor for generations to come!"
Well?
After hearing this, Fu Jian's anger slowly dissipated.
Admittedly, he knew that living caught between the Han Dynasty and Cao Wei would lead to death and the destruction of his family if he was not careful.
But moving to Hanzhong is no different from a sheep entering a tiger's mouth, being taken by the Han Dynasty!
Both of these are like walking on thin ice.
Therefore, his eyes were full of suspicion. He looked at Zheng Pu quietly for a while, and then asked in a loud voice, "If I move my whole family to Hanzhong, how will the Han people treat me?"
When Zheng Pu heard this, his teeth brightened.
He did not hesitate and said bluntly, "The Prime Minister heard that the leader has two sons. When he sent me here, he told me to transfer to the leader."
"First, the leader will be granted the title of Marquis of Tingdu, and he will feed five hundred households. The official will worship General Guiyi, lead the prime minister's office to join the army, and the court will meet in Chengdu to confer high rank on the leader!"
"Second, the leader's youngest son is given the title of Marquis within the Pass, and feeds 200 households. The official worships the Tiger-Ben Zhonglang General, with a rank of two thousand shi, and leads the troops to stay in the imperial palace."
"Third, he is the eldest son of the leader. He is worshiped as Colonel Huwei. He can choose 800 cavalry from the clan as righteous followers and lead him as deputy general Zhao Yihong, the second son of the general who conquered the south. Well, as a rule of the Han Dynasty, he is the eldest heir.
, so the leader is not given the title of eldest son."
After hearing this, Fu Zhang's eyes widened in an instant, his face full of disbelief.
He turned his head and stared blankly. When Zhuge Qiao next to him smiled and nodded, he still didn't believe it and asked with a slightly trembling voice, "Did the Prime Minister really say that my eldest son, Ren Yi, will follow him to ward off evil?"
Well, no wonder he was surprised.
Because Yi Cong is an organization of the border army, and people are not so hastily promised.
The origin of Yi Cong was in the second year of Zhanghe (AD 88). Deng Xun, the captain of the Qiang Protectorate, adopted the Yuezhi in Huangzhong. Young and brave men from the Hu tribe in Lushui regarded him as Yi Cong, and later evolved into soldiers guarding border counties.
.
But these young and brave men must be registered in the household registration and become Han subjects.
For example, Deng Xun's Yi Cong in Huangzhong was first the Yuezhi Hu who surrendered to the Han Dynasty and was moved by the government to live in the Huangzhong area. He was a subject of the Han Dynasty, so he was called "Yi Cong Hu". Later, because of the Yuezhi Hu
After the Hu and Qiang people in Huangzhong merged, the name became "Huangzhong Yicong" or "Huangzhong Yicong Hu".
Moreover, according to the practice of the Han Dynasty, the generals at all levels of Yi Cong were all served by the sons of good families of the Han Dynasty.
There is absolutely no theory of granting Qiang and Hu. [Note 1]
Because they were worried that the Qiang and Hu would take over the leadership of the generals, they would rely on their power, become arrogant, and drive troops to annex surrounding tribes, making their own tribe a powerful force that could not be defeated.
Now, the Prime Minister is full of sincerity in allowing Fu Zhang's eldest son, Fu Jian, to be appointed as a righteous general.
At least, if Fu Jian becomes a general, fights for the Han Dynasty, accumulates meritorious service and keeps the family's honor and honor, Fu Zhang will be able to put down his fear of being devoured by the Han Dynasty.
Moreover, the value of one family and two princes is more reassuring than living in a state of constant anxiety.
If the power remains intact and all the descendants are honored, why should I seek evil?
"Chief, the Prime Minister did say this."
Zheng Pu nodded and smiled, "When the leader and his family move to Hanzhong, it is the time when the emperor's edict comes to Hanzhong!"
"The Prime Minister treats me so kindly. I am not a tree, so how can I dare to do anything wrong?"
After hearing this, Fu Zhang stood up and saluted, with an excited face, "I would like to ask Governor Zheng to tell the Prime Minister on my behalf that I am willing to move my family to Hanzhong County and swear to repay the kindness of the great Han with my death!"
"Hahaha~~~~"
Zheng Pu laughed, and quickly stood up to return the greeting, "The leader understands the righteousness, and the whole family has come to vote for me. It is my great fortune that I am a great man!"
——
[Note: Beigong Boyu, who led the rebellion in Huangzhong at the end of the Han Dynasty, was a Han. The Beigong family came from the surname Ji, and he got his surname because of his official position in Beigong. It is similar to Sima, Situ, etc.]
