The sky is high and the clouds are clear, the air is cool and the wind is soft, and the warm sunshine warms people's hearts.
The melodious warblers' songs and the murmuring swallows' language stirred up ripples in people's hearts.
The snow that had long since melted turned into a trickle that meandered down the mountains, wading through the wilderness and joining the river. Countless unknown wildflowers bloomed, and the yellow sand and greenery equally divided the Hexi Corridor.
Yang Fu, who was guarded by a group of forbidden troops, stopped at the Poyin Fortress in Wuwei County, Hexi Province, and looked at the rolling Quwu Mountains to the east, feeling extremely sad in his heart.
Baoyin Ferry, known as the North Gate of Longyou, is also the east entrance of the Hexi Corridor. [Note 1]
The Quwu Mountains are the mountains that isolate Longyou from the Hetao Plain, and are a natural barrier against the already powerful Xianbei invasion of Wuwei County and Longyou.
However, the purpose of Yang Fu's being ordered to come here was to "migrate" Xianbei in.
Of course!
The State of Wei finally decided on a response to the capture of Longyou.
But it is completely different from Yang Fu's suggestion.
His original intention was to take advantage of the strategies of the general Cao Zhen and the strategies of the servant Liu Ye.
For example, by garrisoning the Qinling Valley Road and Weixing County in Guanzhong, they threatened Hanzhong County, forcing Ni Shu to garrison heavy troops in Hanzhong. As a result, the defense of Longyou was empty and unable to invade Liangzhou.
Then, silk brocades, pottery, paper, tea and other items that were in high demand during the Silk Road trade were given to the Qiang and Hu tribes in Hexi to travel the Western Regions on their own, so that they could be tied to the chariots of the Wei Dynasty, allowing them to voluntarily carry out the trade in order to preserve the huge benefits of the Silk Road.
Recruit tribesmen to join the Wei army in conquest or to resist Shu.
However, after another discussion between Emperor Cao Rui and other important ministers, the situation completely changed.
First, the benefits of the Silk Road were not fully given up.
In order to appease the powerful families in Guandong, Emperor Cao Rui divided the interests of the Silk Road in half between the Qiang and Hu and Guandong.
Not to mention that in this way, the effect of winning over the Qiang and Hu tribes will be greatly reduced, and they will not be able to fight for the Wei Dynasty wholeheartedly.
The journey from Wushui (Qingshui River) in Anding County to Wuwei County will inevitably arouse the covetousness of various Qiang and Hu tribes and lead to the rise of horse thieves. At that time, half of the energy will be allocated to garrisoning troops in Anding County just to maintain the safety of the caravan.
The second is the consideration of garrisoning troops in Guanzhong.
Emperor Cao Rui and other important ministers felt that the three auxiliaries in Guanzhong were now desolate.
Most of the Li Shu people migrated from Hanzhong County, Wudu County and Ba County. Fearing that they would die and flee to Nishu, they moved all the households close to the Qinling Mountains to the north.
Furthermore, the territory of Wei's Anding County and Beidi County today is no longer comparable to that of Emperor Ling's time.
For example, the north of Gaoping (Guyuan County) of Anding County and the north of Zhidu (Qingcheng County) of Beidi County were all reduced to horse herding lands for the Qiang and Hu tribes.
Among them, those who thrived in the Wushui (today's Qingshui River) basin of Anding County were a branch of the Xiutu (Tuge) tribe of the Xiongnu, and they often harassed and plundered the border areas.
Later, he was defeated by Xia Houyuan, and the Xiaoguan Road in Wei State was stabilized.
But after the Xiongnu tribe collapsed, they did not perish.
Instead, they were entrenched in the north of Beidi County and Anding County, and united with the Qiang tribe to harass the invaders even more, becoming one of the factors causing instability in Guanzhong of Wei State.
Now Cao Rui decided to follow the strategy of Wei Wu Cao Cao to move Wuwan and annex the Xiongnu, and lure Xianbei into Anding County and Youfufeng. The intention was not only to garrison the fields together with the Wei army, but also to become a barrier against the Shu army.
There are also considerations to resist the Xiongnu tribe.
The Tuoba tribe of Xianbei is the northern Xianbei.
The tradition of their tribe is the "young son inheritance system".
That is to say, if a tribal leader has many sons, except for the youngest son who will remain in the tribe to inherit the position of leader, the other sons of the chief will be given to the tribe and can develop new territories on their own. [Note 2]
The current leader of the Tuoba Tribe, Tuoba Liwei, was originally the second son of the former leader Tuoba Jiefen.
The people learned the lesson from Wuwan Tadun's demise and believed that the property they obtained from frequent plundering of the borders of the Central Plains Dynasty was not enough to make up for the losses, so they formulated a policy of trading war horses with Wei to maintain peace.
It also made the Wei State have a good impression of the Tuoba tribe.
Therefore, the Wei State planned to attract Xianbei, the eldest son of Tuoba Jiefen, who had already migrated to the west of the Hetao Plain. [Note 3]
As for why the surname changed to Bald Hair, it is said that he and Tuoba Li had a slight disagreement and attacked each other, so the surname with the same sound was derived.
After Yang Fu heard this, he offended Yan Zhijian.
They have repeatedly argued that the Qianghu and Xianbei are like animals. If they are strong, they will be violent, but if they are weak, they will be introverted, and there is no possibility of being submissive and enlightened.
By migrating to Anding and Youfufeng, they will inevitably become a gangrene of the Wei Dynasty.
Sincerity is not advisable!
Even if it is really necessary to relocate the Hu people, the Qiang Hu tribe in Liangzhou should also be relocated.
Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Huo Qubing to open up the four counties in Hexi, the migration of the Qiang and Hu tribes in the northwest has not stopped, and the method of "large mixed settlements and small settlements" has been adopted to cut off the possibility of them joining together to rebel.
Moreover, Liangzhou was incorporated into the Central Plains Dynasty for hundreds of years, and the Qiang and Hu tribes were more or less assimilated into Han rituals.
For example, during the Qiang rebellion during the reign of Emperor Ling, Fu Xie, the prefect of Hanyang, was trapped in Ji County, with few soldiers and no food supplies, and he was left alone.
When the city was about to be destroyed, thousands of rebel horsemen from the north dismounted and kowtowed outside the city.
He did not ask Fu Xie to open the city and surrender, but he asked him not to die in battle, and said he was willing to escort him all the way back to his hometown.
After Fu Xie died, Chang Shi Gaixun succeeded him as the prefect of Hanyang.
He led his army to rescue the trapped Qiang guard Xia Yu. When he passed through Hupan, he was defeated by the rebel Qiang and Hu. He suffered three wounds and only a hundred soldiers were left at his side.
At that time, there was a saying about planting Qiang and Yunnan, and I said about it, using soldiers to protect and build up the honor, saying: "To build up the sages of history, whoever you kill will be a failure to heaven."
He also gave Gaixun his own mount and let him go home.
Gai Xun defended his ministers and was not criticized by the rebels, so he scolded them and told them to kill him quickly.
In desperation, Dianwu tied up Gai Xun and put him in the car, escorting him all the way back to Hebei County.
The deeds of Fu Gai and his two men are enough to prove that the behavior of the Qiang and Hu tribes already had a hint of the faith concept of Han family etiquette.
However, Xianbei is different.
As the grassland overlords who emerged after the Xiongnu, they had never accepted the influence of Han etiquette.
There is no such thing as the Qiang and the Hu who fear the wise men of the Han family.
In other words, rather than freeing their enemies, they might be more willing to imitate the Huns and make their enemies’ skulls into drinking vessels!
This is also the reason why Yang Fu categorically opposed Liu Ye's plan.
Zhuge Liang, the prime minister who rebelled against Shu, was as popular as Fu Xie and Gai Xun! He was even more popular!
In addition, the Han Dynasty with the Liu surname has accumulated power for four hundred years. If the Wei State abandons Liangzhou, the Prime Minister of Shu, Zhuge Liang, may be able to surrender the Qiang and Hu tribes without a single blow!
However, Cao Rui has made up his mind and cannot change it.
Other important ministers also thought that since General Cao Zhen was personally stationed in Chang'an with tens of thousands of troops under his command, and Xianbei's Bald Tribe only numbered tens of thousands, there would be no worries about being introduced into the fortress, and they did not dare to make any changes.
Therefore, Cao Rui also sent him to lure the bald orphan into the fortress on the grounds that he had moved the people of Wudu County and had the authority to drive horses beyond Longyou.
Moreover, he was worshiped as the governor of Fufeng, served as a servant, and participated in the military affairs of General Cao Zhen.
Let him lead the bald Xianbei to fight against the Shu army.
Yang Fu felt indignant about this, but he could not disobey his orders.
With a sense of sadness, I walked along the Shuiquansha River that winds through the valley of the Quwu Mountains, and walked step by step towards Bald Pigu's residence.
Shuiquansha River, as its name suggests, is a seasonal river in the sand.
When the ice and snow melt, and there is abundant rain in summer and autumn, the rivers merge into rivers; in spring and winter when there is little rain, the flow stops and turns into a sand channel.
Just like Yang Fu's mood at this time.
He felt that bringing Bald Xianbei into the fortress would initially make Wei's military strength in Guanzhong and Longyou suddenly prosperous, but in the future it would cut off the flow of Wei's national power!
Naturally, the Han Dynasty did not know about Wei's move to lure Xianbei.
Recently, Prime Minister Zhuge Liang only received reports from scouts, claiming that the Wei Dynasty had set up camps and sent troops to garrison at the valley roads leading to Hanzhong County in the Qinling Mountains and at Xunkou garrison in Wei Xing County.
There are also Qiang and Hu from various tribes in Liangzhou of Wei, and many of their tribesmen are sent to fight against Wei.
Therefore, regardless of the military strength or the selection of county guards, the prime minister also made corresponding arrangements.
For example, in the newly acquired Longyou land, the prime minister used the Wei River as the dividing line, with Tianshui County in the south and Hanyang County in the north.
They were led by Shi Xianglang, the Prime Minister's Office Chief, and Wei Yan, who was transferred to General Zuo.
Moreover, he personally wrote a letter to Wei Yan, saying encouragingly: "In the past, the late emperor guarded Hanzhong County with Wen Chang, and he resisted the Wei Dynasty and did not dare to invade. Now Hanyang County is newly established. No one can take the place except Wen Chang! I hope Wen Chang will work hard.
, spare no effort to build the city for my great Han!"
When the book arrived, Wei Yan read it and immediately became very passionate.
He also put aside all the depression in his heart after the Prime Minister flatly rejected the plan of "Ziwu Valley" he proposed earlier.
"The Prime Minister knows me as well as the late Emperor did!"
When he passed the Prime Minister's letter to his subordinates, he said it with a hearty laugh.
As for Longxi County, the Prime Minister handed over Gao Xiang to lead the army to garrison it.
The Wei governor who was forced to surrender by Guan Xing traveled to Chu. When he followed Guan Xing to Ji County, the prime minister personally came out to greet him, held his hand and said, "Your father and ancestors are all Han ministers! I hope you will continue."
Moreover, the imperial court conferred the title of Marquis, and because he was loved by the officials and people of Longxi, he continued to serve as the prefect of Longxi.
It's just that he only governs the government and does not control the army.
The prime minister sent envoys to appease Tang Fan, the leader of the Qiang people who occupied the land at the head of the Longxi River.
He claimed that he could continue to trade war horses, etc., so that he would not be hostile to the Han Dynasty.
Because Longyou was newly settled, the prime minister had no intention of making more enemies.
In Wudu County, because there were only a few troops stationed against the Wei Dynasty, and the Di tribes had always had a relationship between the head and the rat, Ma Dai and Yangwu General Deng Zhi joined forces to attack, and the enemy surrendered in the face of the wind.
The prime minister thought that Ma Dai's father and brother were respected by the Di people, so he asked him to be the prefect of Wudu and guard Dasan Pass.
Deng Zhi, on the other hand, continued to lead his army southward and attacked Qiangduan, the king of Di in Yinping, with Governor Guangwu.
When the army marched out, they claimed that they would only kill the chief evildoers and ignore the rest of the Di chiefs, and they would not seize land or their people.
Therefore, Qiang Duan, who lost the support of Wei Wei, ushered in rebellion and separation.
He was beheaded by his subordinates and sent to Liao Huajun to surrender and receive the reward.
After the prime minister received his report, he asked Liao Hua to become the prefect of Yinping and ordered Deng Zhi to lead the army back to Hanzhong County.
As for the Di people of various tribes in Yinping, according to the stories of the tribes in Funanzhong in the past, tribal chiefs were moved to Chengdu with the rank of noble nobles, and their tribesmen were organized into households or recruited as soldiers to go north to Longyou to farm.
Many generals have been promoted in their official positions.
For example, because Zhao Yun was the commander-in-chief of the partial division, he was the former general who succeeded Li Yan after he was transferred to the hussar general, and his responsibility was to guard Hanzhong.
Zheng Pu's military position remained unchanged and he was transferred to the prime minister's office to join the army.
Moreover, he recorded his achievements in the Battle of Xicheng and the Battle of Xiaoguandao, and was conferred the title of Marquis of Guannei.
It only shows glory, but does not have food and towns.
His subordinates also faced adjustments.
The original remnants of Ma Su were handed over to the command of Huo Yi by the Prime Minister. They were officially promoted to be governors and returned to Hanzhong to garrison the Golden Guard. Wang Ping and Jufu, who had been temporarily transferred to Zheng Pu's army, led their troops to Gaoxiang and Chen Shi's army respectively.
Act as deputy.
In other words, Zheng Pu now only has more than 300 people led by Zhang Ni.
Therefore, he was sent back to the Hanzhong Army and reorganized the headquarters.
He took over the troops that had been left in Hanzhong when Shen Yi surrendered, and recruited troops from the Li people in Nanzheng County, as well as new troops waiting to be transferred from Bashu.
The number of soldiers was still three thousand.
It's just that the prime minister added Yang Ji, a special general under Ma Dai, to his command.
Of course!
He will soon have five hundred cavalry under his command.
Lai Yuan was selected from the Di tribe who surrendered in Wudu County.
Zheng Pu was a little surprised at this, but also a little aware.
Because Ma Dai is more suitable for leading the horse, it is not easy to enter Longyou now.
In the past, Ma Chao completely destroyed the Ma family's reputation in Longyou.
For example, when Ma Teng separatized Guanzhong, he protected the common people from Qiang and Hu plunders, waited for the talents to be promoted, saved the lives of the people, and made the three assistants safe. The officials and the people loved him. Later, because he was old, he left his soldiers with Ma Chao and moved to Guanzhong.
His family members all went to Yecheng and submitted to Wei Wu and Cao Cao.
Ma Chao rebelled against Han Sui, and Ma Teng and his family were all killed. Only Ma Dai managed to escape.
After the defeat, he retreated to Liangzhou, and with the support of Zhang Lu, he attacked Longyou and besieged Ji County for eight months. First, he promised Wei Kang, the governor of Liangzhou, to surrender. After winning Ji County, he secretly sent Zhang Lu's general Yang Ang to kill Wei Kang and Ji County.
Prefect of Tianshui.
Therefore, in Guanzhong and Yongliang areas, everyone said that Ma Chao was a disloyal person who betrayed his father and rebellious son.
For example, Jiang Xu's mother, before she was killed by Ma Chao, scolded her: "You are a rebellious son who betrays your father and a traitor who kills the king. How long will heaven and earth tolerate you? If you don't die early, you dare to look at others with their faces!"
This past is the reason why the Prime Minister did not let Ma Dai come to Longyou.
After all, when Yang Fu waved his arms and shouted, countless officials and officials from Longyou responded, and they worked together to expel Ma Chao from Liangzhou.
Perhaps, the time for Ma Dai to take charge of riding again will have to wait until the Prime Minister has completely appeased Long You and led his army to attack Liangzhou! Only the Qiang and Hu tribes in the four counties of Hexi admire the achievements of the Ma Jiajun in the past.
With this realization in mind, Zheng Pu returned to Hanzhong in a hurry.
Although he did not have the opportunity, he sought advice from Jiang Wei, who was familiar with Qiang affairs, about cavalry warfare and the scenery of Liangzhou.
Well, Jiang Wei is favored by the Prime Minister.
Not only did he follow the custom of treating surrendered generals favorably, but he went to Emperor Liu Chan and asked him to be granted the title of Marquis of Dangyangting. He was also made Cangcaobu, and added General Fengyi to command a part of the Tiger Infantry Army.
Naturally, Jiang Wei, who was suddenly appointed, was too busy to touch the ground.
It was not easy for Zheng Pu to disturb this situation.
He had no choice but to rush back and reorganize his troops as soon as possible, hoping to return to Longyou as soon as possible.
——
[Note 1: The ancient ferry of Shaoyin was located in Xiaohuangwan Village, Pingchuan District, Baiyin City today.]
[Note 2: Many grassland ethnic groups practice the system of inheritance of the youngest son, which is called "the youngest son guarding the stove". Typical examples are the Mongolian tribes. 】
[Note 3: The Xianbei Bald Hair Tribe, known as Hexi Xianbei in history, was introduced by Deng Ai into Longyou and Hexi to resist the Shu army.]
