Qiuci City is the largest city in Anxi, but it is only equivalent to a middle county in the Tang Dynasty. It has only one main street running north to south, and a royal palace to the north. The rest are low, flat-roofed houses, stacked on top of each other, which is very spectacular.
, all kinds of alleys are spread all over the city like spider webs.
The Anxi Protectorate Palace of the Tang Army is located in the south of the city. It is also a large building. Together with the Tang Army's barracks and family residences, the Tang Army occupied 30% of Qiuci City. During the most prosperous Kaiyuan Year, tens of thousands of Tang Army occupied almost the entire Qiuci City.
Qiuci City affected the entire Anxi. Now that the influence of the Tang Dynasty has declined, the Tang army officers and soldiers are no longer the masters of Qiuci City. They support it hard and continue to serve the Tang Dynasty in Anxi with their blood and loyalty.
Guo Song was arranged to live in a large stone house with two rooms inside and outside. Although it was cleaned very well, the conditions were still very simple. There was a stone table and two stone benches in the outside room. The trees here are relatively precious.
The people are reluctant to cut trees. At the same time, it is close to the Tianshan Mountains, so it is very convenient to collect stones. They can build cities, repair houses, and even use stones to make furniture.
Therefore, even the bed in Guo Song's room was made of a large, flat and smooth stone. There was a fire pit surrounded by stones in the middle of the outhouse, a shelf in the corner, and a pile of dried cow dung, which was the main fuel in the Western Regions.
Guo Song walked around the room. He didn't have many things of his own. Apart from weapons and horses, he only had two sheepskins and a few water hyacinths.
At this time, a soldier at the door bowed and said: "In response to the long history, the commander-in-chief asked the villain to serve the long history."
Seeing that he was only fifteen or sixteen years old, Guo Song saw that he was very clever, so he smiled and said: "There is no need to wait on him, but you can be my guide."
"The little man was born here, and the surrounding situation is very familiar."
Guo Song sat on the stone bench and asked with a smile: "What's your name?"
"Reporting to Chang Shi, the villain is called Xie Tianshan."
Guo Song smiled and nodded, "This name is very grand!"
He asked again: "Are your fathers and grandfathers at home?"
Xie Tianshan said sadly: "My grandfather was killed in the Battle of Talos, and my father was also killed when I was five years old. My mother and I were the only ones in the family who depended on each other. I joined the army at the beginning of last year."
"You joined the army last year? How old are you this year?"
"The villain is fifteen years old this year."
Seeing that Guo Song didn't have any luggage, Xie Tianshan said, "I'll go get something for Chang'an! Let's see what Chang Shi needs."
Guo Song really needed something. He thought for a while and said with a smile: "I want a pot for making tea. I plan to make a fire pit myself. I don't need anything else."
"I see!"
Xie Tianshan turned around and ran away. After a while, he brought a wooden basin. In the wooden basin, there was a stoneware tea pot and a cup carved from stone. There was also a half-old blanket under his arm.
"These are all things left by the Anxi Army in the past. Although the things are a bit old, they are strong and durable."
"Thank you very much!"
"I'm going to get water for Chang Shi. There is a well outside."
Xie Tianshan picked up two water hyacinths and ran out. After a while, he brought back two jugs of water.
Guo Song took out a piece of tea cake and a piece of cheese from the leather bag, but found that there was only one cup.
"Find another cup and let's have a cup of tea together."
Xie Tianshan shook his head, "No, if Chang Shi has nothing else to do, I will go back first and someone will bring dinner to you later."
"You go back first!"
Guo Song saw that he looked a little sad, so he smiled and explained to him: "Because I am also from a poor background, and I have never needed anyone to take care of me. It has nothing to do with you."
"I understand, villain!"
Guo Song smiled again and said: "You can be my guide some other time."
"I can accompany you at any time in my humble position!"
Xie Tianshan bowed, turned around and left in a hurry.
Guo Song made a pot of milk tea and was about to pour it into the stone cup. He suddenly stopped and raised the stone cup to take a closer look. I went there and saw that it was actually a cup carved from fine sapphire.
........
In the official room, Guo Xin was asking Guo Chongqing about the situation in Chang'an, and also asked about the physical condition of his uncle Guo Ziyi. The topic turned to Guo Song. He read the letter written by his uncle Guo Ziyi to himself, in which Guo Ziyi told Guo Song.
He was quite appreciative and made Guo Xin very interested.
"Why is the new Chang Shi also named Guo? Is he related to the Guo family?"
Guo Chongqing smiled and said: "He is from the Guo family in Lingzhou, but he has a deep conflict with the family. The Guo family in Lingzhou has removed him from the family."
Of course Guo Xin knew that the Lingzhou Guo family was from the same clan as their Huazhou Guo family, but Guo Song was actually expelled from the family. This is a very serious matter!
He frowned, "What's going on?"
Guo Chongqing explained in detail what happened at the beginning of last year. Guo Xin was speechless. In order to seize Guo Song's property, he was removed from the family. The patriarch actually supported this behavior. The Lingshan Guo family actually declined to such an extent. Even in the end,
At least there is no distinction between right and wrong.
"Then what is my uncle's attitude?"
Guo Chongqing shook his head, "The old man has no attitude. He doesn't want to ask about the Lingzhou Guo family's affairs. However, the old man does not allow me to be the foreign aid of the Lingzhou Guo family anymore. In fact, we can see his dissatisfaction."
"Okay! Just pretend that I haven't asked about this. If he and I really become clansmen, others will say that the Anxi Army is the Guo Family Army."
...........
Early the next morning, Guo Song came to the official office of the Protectorate. Although he was appointed as the governor of the Protectorate, Emperor Li Yu also clearly told him that this was only a symbolic position and that the imperial court had lost contact with Anxi.
He also had no ability to re-run Anxi, and his entire long history lost one of the most important functions, which was to connect with the six ministries of the imperial court.
As for the government affairs of the Anxi Protectorate, there are almost none. They either take care of the daily life of the family members accompanying the army, or care about the harvest of thousands of acres of wheat fields.
As soon as Guo Song arrived at the gate of the military office on horseback, he happened to meet Guo Xin coming out of the military office.
"Chang Shi is here just in time, let's go out for a walk!"
Guo Song reined in his horse and asked with a smile: "The commander is leaving the city?"
"It's just a routine thing. I go out for a walk every day. I can take you to see it today."
The two men turned their horses and rushed out of the city with a dozen followers.
"Did Chang Shi sleep well last night?" Guo Xin asked with a smile.
"I slept well. I can adapt to wherever I go."
Guo Xin smiled bitterly and said: "We are looking forward to the imperial envoys, but we are also afraid of the imperial envoys. The conditions here are so poor that we don't even have a wooden bed or new bedding. If a civil servant who lives a luxurious life comes to serve as a long history, we really don't know.
What should we do? Guo Chongqing said that you are a person who can endure hardships, so we all breathed a sigh of relief."
Guo Song smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, Commander. When I was in Kongtong Mountain, I didn't eat flour for almost ten years. It was all kinds of plant roots. In fact, I think Anxi is pretty good. At least I can still eat batter."
Guo Xin laughed loudly, "Chang Shi is still the first person to praise Anxi for his good food."
The two of them left the city. The city was surrounded by wheat fields. Not far from the west was the Baima River and to the south was the Chi River. There was sufficient water for irrigation and sufficient sunshine. The wheat fields in Anxi had a high yield, with an output of more than 300 per acre.
A pound of wheat is two to three percent higher than that in the Central Plains.
"Where are the Tubo people?" Guo Song asked.
Guo Xin pointed her horse whip to the north, "The Tubo people are all in the north. There is the best pasture at the foot of Tianshan Mountain, which is occupied by the Tubo people. In fact, there are not many Tubo herdsmen, but if they occupy it, it belongs to them. If you want to take it back, it means
War."
Speaking of war, Guo Song pondered for a moment and said: "Four thousand Tuyuhun troops were killed in Putao City, and a thousand Tubo people were killed. It can be said that the entire army was destroyed. Does the commander think they will give up?"
Guo Xin shook his head, with a hint of worry in his eyes, "This is actually what I want to say to Chang Shi. In this battle of Qiemo's Five Cities, the other side suffered heavy casualties. No matter Tuyuhun or Tubo, they will not give up and will definitely come.
Retaliation, I estimate, will be in March, which is their traditional time to send troops, and we must be fully prepared."
Guo Song smiled and said: "Since the commander-in-chief agrees with my idea, I would like to make two suggestions."
"Please say!"
"The first suggestion is about the Tibetan herdsmen in the north. Since the Tibetan army is coming to kill them, we simply rob their cattle and sheep and use them as military rations."
Guo Xin nodded, "This plan has also been proposed by the general. I am not opposed to it in principle, but this matter must be discussed with the Kingdom of Kucha. If the King of Kucha firmly opposes it, then we must respect their opinions. This is our
The basis for cooperation between the two parties is very important."
Guo Song also knew that what Guo Xin said was reasonable, so he stopped arguing about the matter and continued: "My second suggestion is that when a war breaks out, it is best to have an army on the periphery to constantly harass and attack the opponent to reduce the risk of war.
With the pressure on the defending army, what do you think of this suggestion, Commander-in-Chief?"
Guo Xin smiled slightly and said: "If Chang Shi takes the initiative to ask for help, I will be very happy to accept it!"