Chapter two hundred and ninety-ninth the essence of the homeland of Nirang City
The postmaster rubbed his mouth and said with a mournful face: "We haven't seen a high-level soldier in the army even once in three years. The people who usually patrol our post are subordinates of the Protectorate. We naturally have to be fawning and respectful."
Zhang Yuanli's face was filled with uncertainty, and he slapped his knees hard: "We'll investigate when we get back! This matter is the fault of my soldiers, and I, Zhang Yuanli, am fully responsible for it."
"Ha," Li Siye said with a dry laugh: "These are all trivial details, don't forget the main business. We just want to find out how much extra income a post station can bring, and we will first bring the troubled couple back to Kucha City.
"
The two picked out two horses in the post station, put the couple on the horses, took the reins of the horses and left the post station, followed the Chi River through Tuojie Pass, and then crossed the Baima River back to Qiuci City.
After Li Siye entered the city, he handed over to Zhang Yuanli the accounting and seizure of the Chihe postmaster's property and the female spies. This was originally an internal matter within the Bingcao, and he, an outsider, was too lazy to get involved, leaving Zhang Yuanli with the headache.
He briefly tidied up the city and went to the Duhu Mansion to meet Fumeng Lingcha and told him that the twenty-three post stations on the middle road could be built without spending any money. As for the method to be used to build them, he was still trying to hide them.
However, the thirty-two post stations on the southern route to Khotan were located in relatively barren and arid areas and needed to be inspected. He also requested from Governor Fumeng that he would delay for thirteen days and visit the inns on the southern route in person.
How can Fumeng Lingcha express that he can only treat a dead horse as a live horse doctor? Jiedushi Tian Renwan has already requisitioned the money in the treasury for preparatory preparations for the expedition to Xiaobolu. Li Siye can build a post station with nothing.
Naturally, everyone is happy, and even if it cannot be completed, they can only wait until next year.
Li Siye prepared dry food and fresh water, and returned to Qiuci City to take Mo Dao, crossbow and Heng Dao with him in case of any accidents during the journey. He also called Yan Xiaosi and Teng Mu as his followers and prepared to go to Silk Road
On-the-spot observation on the South Road, that is, the Khotan Road.
Chihe Station only represents the income level on the middle route of the Silk Road. The station on the edge of the desert on the southern route is more barren than the middle route. There is only one military town in Khotan and two or three more on this line.
Small town, two guards.
The Taklimakan Desert, of course, is not called that at this time. In written terms, the desert is called Moraine, and Taklimakan is Tulun Moraine. He must make a big circle from Qiuci to Diazhuang City, pass through Sede City, and then pass through Shule Town.
Duzhou, Bianchengzhou, Qinanzhou, and arrived at the town of Khotan. But his final destination was not Khotan, but the city of Niyang in the desert.
Niyang City is dozens of miles deep into the desert and is an important transit station on the South Road. It was the capital of Jingjue Kingdom in the Han Dynasty and was called Jingjue City. It is said that Jingjue City was prosperous and prosperous during the Han Dynasty, with merchants gathering, but now
It's just an oasis in the desert.
The exquisite old city is still there. When Li Siye rode his horse into the city cave, he looked up and saw the smooth chiseled stones on the beams of the city cave, which can also illustrate the prosperity of the city in the past. However, the city seemed very shabby, and the people stationed here
A team of Tang troops occupied several large stone pavilions in the city, and the rest of the houses were made of stone slabs and white mud.
There are many plants planted outside the city, and there is a swamp-like lake half surrounding the city. It is said that the water level of this lake is declining every year. In order to save the fate of this oasis that is about to disappear, every household in Nirang City has a baby or a happy event.
Every year, a tree is planted outside the city. When a child is born, it is called a tree, and when a child is married, it is called an acacia tree. Such a tree will be cared for like a child, watered in spring and summer, kept warm in autumn and winter, and gradually grows into a tree.
The green crown protects the water and soil.
No matter how aware the residents are of greening, Niyang City still cannot withstand the invasion of the desert and will eventually become an archaeological site thousands of years later. After the Tang Army set up a post station in it, they also actively carried out greening and forest protection. For those who dared to cut down trees and firewood,
He will definitely be allowed to plant trees until he dies of old age.
After entering the city, Li Siye did not conceal his whereabouts. He directly changed into his official robe and arrived at the Tang Army's garrison as a member of the Anxi Protectorate. The city envoy from Niyang City came out with a beard full of vicissitudes of life. The envoy was still carrying his infant baby behind him.
The child cried non-stop.
The city envoy knelt on the ground with his hands folded: "I am humble enough to see you, General Li!"
"Wow, wow, wow!" The baby held his pink fists on his back and cried at the top of his lungs.
Li Siye waved his hand and said, "Get up quickly."
He looked at the crying baby on Yu San's back, frowned and asked, "Is this baby hungry? Hurry up and take him down and feed him some food."
Yousan looked very frightened, and quickly crossed his hands and said: "This is a child of a lowly position. Just because his mother left early, I will take care of him."
A soldier held a wooden bowl in both hands and ran into the stone hall eagerly, shouting loudly: "Don't worry, baby, here comes the goat's milk..."
When the soldier saw the presence of a big shot, his voice became mute. Three handfuls of babies were taken off his back and handed to the soldier. The soldier carefully took the child and fed the crying baby in small mouthfuls from a wooden bowl.
After being fed with goat's milk, the child stopped crying immediately. Not long after the soldier put down the wooden bowl, the baby let out a powerful cry: "Wow! Wow!"
Yousan took the baby back and shook it for a long time, but it had no effect, and the baby's voice became louder.
"Come, let Third Uncle give me a hug."
A commander took the baby and rocked it in his arms, making a delicate humming sound. Then someone else took it from his hand. Still unable to coax him, he handed it over to someone else. The baby was passed around a dozen times among these soldiers, each one of them.
A rough guy from a border town turned into a gentle dad. Unfortunately, his skills in coaxing children were a bit trendy. Li Siye waved his hand and said, "Come here, give me the child."
The soldier holding the child glanced at him hesitantly and said with a smile: "General Li, I'm afraid the child will pee on you."
"It's okay, I'll comfort him."
The soldier turned to look at Captain Zheng Yousan, and after getting permission from his eyes, he handed the baby to Li Siye with both hands. Li Siye held the baby in his arms, held him up to sit up a little, and clasped his two little hands on his chest.
After a few gentle shakes, the child miraculously stopped crying. First he opened his big crystal eyes and looked around, then gently closed his eyelids.
The soldiers all showed silly smiles of surprise. They didn't expect that a general could even coax a child. Li Siye handed the sleeping baby to Yu San and explained to them: "Children cannot be held while lying down.
They sit in the womb with their hands clasped against their chests, which makes it easier for them to calm down and fall asleep."
Yusan suddenly realized something and thanked Li Siye repeatedly. At first, the Niyang City soldiers only respected him as a superior, but now they have developed a sense of intimacy with him. He likes children and can coax him well. How cold can someone be.
They took the sleeping child down to sleep, and Sancai took the initiative to ask: "Nirang City is located in a remote place. I wonder what business General Li has here."
"Who will be the postmaster of Nirang Post in the city?"
Yu San took the initiative to step forward and cross his arms and said: "My humble position is not only the city envoy of Nirang City, but also the commander of the garrison, and even more so the postmaster of Nirang Post."
"Can you take me to the inn to have a look?"
"General Li please."
The group of them headed to the Nirang Station in the north of the city. This station was equivalent to a large station on the Khotan Road. It also had nearly a dozen buildings and stables with a stock of 20 or 30 horses.
It is said that Nirangyi was rebuilt from the royal palace of the ancient city of Jingjue. This may sound unreliable, but in the past, Jingjue country had an area of less than a hundred miles, a population of less than 5,000, and a victorious army of less than 500. Its palace was only
There were several large stone houses, on which the Tang army built stables and several mud houses, which were large enough to accommodate a caravan of more than a hundred people to stay in the post.