Chapter 487: Mao Dun's mission to the Western Regions?
The Western Region is the treasure house of China. It has long served as a bridge for cultural exchanges between the East and the West. It is rich in products and has an important position in the entire Central Asia. Throughout the dynasties, the Central Plains dynasties have to deal with threats from the northern grasslands, and the Central Plains dynasties
Whether it can resist the northern grasslands mainly depends on the fact that if the Western Region is controlled by the grassland forces, then the grassland forces can bypass the Great Wall and directly attack the Central Plains from the direction of the Western Regions.
On the contrary, if the Western Regions were in the hands of the Central Plains Dynasty, the Central Plains Dynasty could also use the Western Regions to contain the grassland forces. The Han Dynasty controlled the Western Regions, allied with the anti-Xiongnu forces here, and defeated the Xiongnu, the overlord of the grasslands. During Wang Mang's period, the Western Regions were disconnected.
This led to the resurgence of grassland forces. Fortunately, even though the Eastern Han Dynasty opened up connections and once again defeated the historically tyrannical Central Plains dynasty of grassland forces, they first controlled the Western Regions and then dealt with the grassland regime.
Of course, there are also grassland regimes that directly established a unified regime, such as the Yuan Dynasty. Even so, the Yuan Dynasty first controlled the Western Regions, and then slowly moved south, gradually controlling the Central Plains region. There was also the Qing Dynasty established by the fishing and hunting civilization, but the Qing Dynasty did not control the Western Regions first.
However, he did find a way to control the Western Regions, and even had a dispute between coastal defense and fortress defense, and repelled external forces with evil intentions. Whether in the past or today, the Western Regions have become a piece of fat in the eyes of external forces.
, has not changed.
From the time when the Russians attempted to annex the Western Regions and were defeated by Kangxi, to the later cotton incident, enemies outside the country were ready to take action.
The tyrannical dynasties of the Central Plains all established connections with the Western Regions, such as the Western Region Protectorate of the Han Dynasty, Anxi and Beiting Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty, Besogbali Shangshu Province of the Yuan Dynasty, General Yili of the Qing Dynasty, etc. This can all be seen.
The importance of the Western Regions, and the Western Han Dynasty, which established contact with the Western Regions for the first time, was undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary, because they brought back many things from the Western Regions, including seeds, including smelting techniques different from those of the Han Dynasty, including jade and jewelry
(from Daxia), cultural exchange is a very beneficial thing.
Today's Zhao Kuo has this idea. Opening up the Western Regions not only has military significance, but also has greater benefits. Qin can get a lot of things. To put it simply, cotton. The cotton in the Western Regions is very powerful. Although now
Cotton cultivation in the Western Regions has not yet fully taken shape, but this is the area where cotton was first used in China. Cotton was introduced from Daxia and first arrived in the Western Regions.
The Western Region itself is also suitable for growing cotton. It has sufficient sunlight, abundant water resources in some areas, a mild climate, and a large temperature difference between day and night. That is not a bad thing. The Western Region is very suitable for growing melons and fruits. The cash crop cotton is the best choice to resist the cold. Zhao Kuo believes that nowadays
It is the best time to go on a mission to the Western Regions. If you want to go to the Western Regions, there are two ways. The first is through the Hexi Corridor, and the second is to take a detour from the Qiang people.
What was the biggest difficulty encountered by the Han Dynasty when they sent envoys to the Western Regions? It was the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu during the Han Dynasty were not what they are today. When Maodun grew up, he led the Xiongnu to fight against the surrounding nomadic forces who could not hold their heads up.
The Western Regions could not escape either. He sent officials to collect taxes from the Western Regions. As long as they dared to resist, Maodun would destroy that country. At the same time, the Xiongnu defeated their old rivals and controlled the Hexi Corridor.
The envoys of the Han Dynasty were captured by the Xiongnu and imprisoned for more than ten years as soon as they arrived in the Hexi Corridor. In fact, this was also related to Mao Dun. Although Mao Dun was tyrannical, he was able to employ people and still respected talented people.
Under the influence of Xiongnu, when conquering other tribal countries, the Xiongnu liked to turn those capable people into their own. Therefore, the Xiongnu no longer blindly killed these talents, but hoped that they would come to help themselves.
It is a pity that the envoys of the Han Dynasty were hard-core and unwilling to surrender. They would rather herd sheep than become officials of the Xiongnu.
From these aspects, Mao Dun was really a hero of his generation. He was indeed powerful as he was able to push Emperor Gaozu to the point of almost despair. However, the current Huns are different, because they were defeated twice by Li Mu in a row.
The power of the Xiongnu has reached its lowest point in history, and that hero is still playing football with Xiu, and the Hexi Corridor is still in the hands of the Yuezhi people. Yes, it is the arrogant and incompetent Yuezhi people.
In the king's hands.
However, it is very good that he is like this. Would you rather be a neighbor with Mao Dun or a person like King Yuezhi?
Moreover, the Yuezhi people have no ill intentions towards the Qin State. This is different from the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu and the Han Dynasty are deadlocked. Therefore, the Xiongnu controls the Hexi Corridor and does not allow the Han Dynasty envoys to go to the Western Regions. Originally, when Zhang Qian came to the Hexi Corridor in the historical line,
At that time, he was captured by the Huns and brought directly to Maodun's son Chechen Chanyu. Chechen asked him with a smile: "You want to go to the Western Regions through the territory of the Huns? Then I want to send an envoy through the Han Dynasty
Do you think it’s okay to transfer the territory to South Vietnam?”
Zhang Qian didn't seem to answer this question.
Now the forces that control the Hexi Corridor have no grudges against the Qin State, and the forces in the Western Regions are not controlled by the Xiongnu. This is definitely the best time to send an envoy to the Western Regions. Zhao Kuo has been thinking about this issue these days.
He even called Mao over and asked about the situation in the Western Regions. He felt that, as a child who grew up outside the Great Wall, he should know something about the Western Regions. Even if he had never been there, he should have heard of it?
After thinking seriously for a long time, he said: "I have never been to the Western Regions, and I don't know the situation there. However, I know the Yuezhi you mentioned. Their customs are similar to those of the Huns. In terms of strength,
, is definitely no match for Qin, their king is very fatuous and cruel, and can’t even ride a horse.” He risked telling Zhao Kuo everything he knew.
"I have several elders who went to the Western Regions to do business. There were many small countries there, and they were not very powerful. They had many new and strange things." He recalled the story of the wise kings going to the Western Regions to plunder, and he did not panic.
He said hurriedly. Sure enough, Mao, who was born outside the Great Wall, knew more about the Western Region and the surrounding situation than Zhao Kuo. After talking for a long time, Mao asked: "Do you want to attack the Western Region?"
Zhao Kuo was stunned, shook his head, and said: "I'm not sending an army, I'm sending an envoy. I just want to open a road so that the two places can be connected." He was a little surprised, but there was never anything like this among the Xiongnu.
The habit of sending envoys is to either plunder or capture. He smiled and said: "Father, you can let me go as an envoy to the Western Regions. I will definitely be able to open up the connection between the two places."
"Hahaha, you are still so young." Zhao Kuo rubbed his head and said, "Let's wait until you grow up."
He nodded seriously and said, "When I grow up, I will definitely fulfill your instructions."
Zhao Kuo asked him to go back to study and sent the little guy away. Zhao Kuo began to think about how to open up the connection with the Western Regions. The first thing to deal with was the Yuezhi people. He had to send a qualified envoy to persuade them.
When the Yuezhi people who controlled the Hexi Corridor chose to get out of the way and spoke to the messenger, Zhao Kuo couldn't help but think of a person, Gan Luo.
When Gan Luo was sent as an envoy to the State of Qi, he did not even make any merit due to the subsequent victory. The State of Qi perished. This made Gan Luo very depressed. After the fall of the State of Qi, he did not find any opportunity to make any contributions.
, now he has grown up and has his own family. Zhao Kuo decided to call this young outstanding diplomat who was sent to Zhao State to see if he could serve as the Qin State's leader in the Hexi Corridor and even the Western Regions.
diplomat.
Mao also told Xiu what Zhao Kuo had asked him about, but Xiu didn't really care. His ideal was to become a general like his father, and he was not interested in going on missions. But Mao said seriously: "If I can
When you use words to solve problems, who needs swords? I think the most powerful general is the one who can end the war without spending a single soldier."
Xiu didn't agree with this statement, but they didn't have much time to talk about this issue. They needed to complete their homework.
While Zhao Kuo was busy with his mission, Zhao Kang had already arrived at his destination. He himself did not expect that Tu Sui would die here. Zhao Kang had formulated several major strategies on weekdays.
The two generals acted according to their own ideas and did not ask too much of them. This was out of trust in them. However, Tu Sui was still a little too anxious. Perhaps the casualty rate of the Northern Army soldiers made him irritable.
Zhao Kang can understand this sentiment very well. It is not easy for the Qin State to train these soldiers. It is particularly distressing for them to die because of disease and climate. This is particularly distressing. Even if one of the soldiers of the Northern Army dies,
Zhao Kang felt pain in his heart. Unfortunately, war is like this, and Tu Sui's rash advance caused greater casualties. More than 5,000 Northern Army soldiers died in the enemy's ambush.
The Northern Army has never suffered such heavy casualties since its establishment.
Zhao Kang also saw the corpse of Tu Sui and the corpses of the Northern Army soldiers. Zhao Kang seemed to have something burning in his heart, but he gritted his teeth but did not burst out the anger in his heart. He remembered his father's words and became
A general cannot formulate combat strategies out of anger. More than 5,000 Northern Army soldiers died, but there are still more than 90,000 people waiting for his orders. He cannot let more people die.
And Tu Sui's lieutenant, Ren Xiao, was standing next to Zhao Kang at this moment, speaking seriously about the battle situation during these days.
"Oh? This kind of combat method is somewhat familiar. When my father fought against Wu Anjun, General Lian Po used such a strategy to involve Wu Anjun." Zhao Kang quickly recalled this incident, and then,
He began to think about countermeasures again. He walked back and forth for a moment, then suddenly stopped and asked: "Did the attacks you encountered in the past few days happen at the same time?"
"It's like this. The Baiyue tribe must have a new commander."
"Well", Zhao Kang nodded, not knowing what he thought of. He looked at a young man in the distance and waved. The young man ran to him. Zhao Kang looked at him and asked: "You
Is this the captain Zhao Tuo who wrote to me?" The young man nodded, looking a little restrained. Zhao Kang asked again: "A native of Zhao?" Zhao Tuo nodded hurriedly and said, "I am Zhao Zhao.
"Dihengshan is the real person"
"Oh, people from Hengshan." Zhao Kang nodded. The two of them can be considered fellow villagers. Zhao Tuo added: "My eldest father Minghui once served as the censor of Zhao and was a good friend of Marquis Wu Cheng." Zhao Tuo said.
Kang smiled and said, "Then our two families still have friendship!" Zhao Kang had never heard of this person, but if that person had served as a censor in Zhao State, he might be the same as his father.
They are really friends.
Zhao Kuo chatted with him for a while and suddenly asked: "If you were asked to fight, what method would you use?"
Zhao Tuo was stunned immediately. It was obvious that he was not the experienced King of South Vietnam in the future. Facing Zhao Kang's sudden inquiry, he could not say anything. He just froze in place. Zhao Kang said: "
I need a captain who can lead the soldiers into the deep mountains and forests to catch those who killed General Tu Sui. Are you willing?" Zhao Tuo nodded hurriedly and said: "Wei!"
Ren Xiao was stunned, and said hurriedly: "Ma Fujun, let me do it, Tuo is still young."
Zhao Kang shook his head. What he was interested in was this man's youth. He was strong, healthy, and cautious. People like him were the most suitable to complete his orders. He took Zhao Tuo to his camp and then said
According to his own arrangement, since the enemy wants to fight guerrilla warfare with him through the mountains, he can only deal with the enemy in this way. Zhao Kang has previously trained a mountain army. Most of these people are soldiers from Bashu and Chu.
.
They can adapt to fighting in the mountains. There are about 8,000 people trained by the three generals. These people are completely sufficient. The biggest problem is their familiarity with the local area. Zhao Kang decided to let a few Yue people serve as guides and join the Qin Dynasty.
It’s not that there are no Yue people in the country, but the scale is too small. These people serve as guides and can solve this problem. In addition, there are strongholds everywhere that can provide various supplies at any time.
"Your mission is not to capture them, but to involve them so that they can no longer attack. I will set up strongholds in various places as soon as possible. They will be your supply points. At the same time, I will send people to guard the various arteries in the mountains. In addition,
"General Wang Ben is coming soon." Zhao Kang wanted to encircle these people in the mountains and forests of Western Vietnam, involve them through his own mountain army, and then use strong logistics to build large and small strongholds to continuously oppress the enemy's living space.
Finally, they were eliminated in this deep mountain.
After Zhao Kang set up the combat plan, the Northern Army soldiers quickly mobilized and began to take action. Zhao Tuo was the first to lead those mountain combat troops into the mountains, while the rest of the Northern Army under Zhao Kuo began to attack various places.
Set up strongholds, occupy key roads, and begin to besiege the Yue army in the mountains. At the same time, Wang Ben came from the north. Similarly, he was guarding various key roads. At the same time, civilians from the rear began to come here in a steady stream.