After a long journey, Xia Xun was almost at Dunhuang.
From a geographical point of view, Jiayuguan is indeed very dangerous. It is adjacent to Jiayu Mountain in the north, with dangerous rocks and strange rocks, making it difficult to climb; it is adjacent to Toolai River in the south. Due to tens of thousands of years of river erosion, the valley is dozens of feet deep and one or two miles wide.
The water flow at the bottom of the valley is rapid, and both sides are cut with knives and axes. Only birds can cross it. Further south, there is the ice-covered Qilian Mountains. From the foot of Jiayu Mountain to the Toolai Valley, it is only about ten miles, and it is the narrowest point at the western end of the corridor.
As long as we control this place, we can attack when we advance, and we can defend when we retreat. Not only will Jiuquan be stable, but the entire central and western regions of the corridor will be safe. This is the key to the western part of the Hexi Corridor. If we guard this pass, the interior of the pass will be basically protected.
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The Ming court's strategy to deal with Tamerlane this time was to use Jiayuguan as the first forward fortress. However, placing the strategic focus here meant that its control over external territories was sharply weakened. From Jiayuguan to Hami, it took 1,200
On the long defense line here, there are only seven military defenses including Chijin, Handong, Shazhou, and Hami. Each guard has only 5,600 people. They implement the unified rule of military and civil affairs and are collectively called the Seven Guards outside the Pass. These Seven Guards outside the Pass
, all with surrendered Mongolians as commanders, and most of their soldiers were Mongolians.
Among the seven guards, the Hami Guard is the most important. It is located in a prominent position on the western front and is a sentinel stationed in the interior. If there is any trouble in the Western Region, Hami will definitely know it. The other two important guards are the Handong Guard and the Shazhou Guard.
, both located in Dunhuang, served as a bridge between the border court and the interior of the Ming Dynasty. At the same time, they were directly responsible for the supply of soldiers, horses, food and fodder for the Western Regions' defense line. It was a military logistics base. Without Dunhuang, the Ming Dynasty's western defense line would not be able to exist.
Historically, due to the poor management of Hami, Dunhuang and other places, the Seven Guards outside the Pass were fighting for power and internal fighting. The Turpan Kingdom established by the Uighur nobles at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains continued to invade eastward, and the world's maritime industry also gradually developed at this time.
As the time passed, the channel for trade exchanges and envoys between the East and the West gradually moved from land to ocean. The speed of the giant ships that shuttled between the oceans and the number of people and cargo they carried were far faster than camels a hundred and a thousand times.
, land transportation and border defense in the Western Regions have gradually lost their original significance.
Therefore, in the eleventh year of Zhengde, Dunhuang was occupied by Turpan. In the third year of Jiajing, the Ming Dynasty closed the Jiayuguan Pass, moved the people from Guanxi to the pass, and abandoned the two prefectures of Guasha. Dunhuang remained empty for the next two hundred years and became the "Fengbo Tower"
A desert land where the sky is thousands of miles away and the moon shines on the quicksand.
Xia Xun insisted on patrolling the west for three purposes. The first was of course for the urgent task. On this trip to propagate the Western Regions, if he could win one more, it would be one more. If the Ming Dynasty could win one, Timur's side would be one less. If he fights for one, what he would get is
With double the help, this account was achieved.
The second is to take the opportunity to learn about the Western Regions. The more dangerous the situation is, the more clearly one can understand the aspirations of the people and understand the strength of the forces of all parties. If the strategy is appropriate, even unfavorable things can produce favorable results.
, The most difficult thing about destroying old things and establishing new ones is that the old and new are mixed together, and it is difficult to discard them and to establish them again. War is a cruel method, but it is the best way to destroy and establish new ones. If you make good use of it, you can use war to destroy all the jars and jars, and then use the Ming Dynasty to build the new ones.
To take the lead, establish a new force here. [Baidu Jinyi Night Post Bar Huangmen Neipin provides the first text]
Third, Xia Xun had always had doubts about whether Tamerlane could reach the Western Regions safely. Tamerlane was a strong opponent, so he did not dare to use his so-called "prophetic ability" to make any further remarks to the emperor.
Language, in order to despise the defense of the Western Regions, otherwise if there is negligence in defense, and Tamerlane actually comes, he will be the culprit of countless people outside the pass who have been tortured by the war. Once Tamerlane's holy war succeeds, he will be the culprit
The sinner of the nation.
However, it stands to reason that even if there is an extra person in the Central Plains who does not belong to this era, it is completely impossible to affect Tamerlane's life, old age, illness and death. If this is the case, Tamerlane should still die of a sudden illness. He tried his best
Heading west, the last stop was in Hami, hoping to be at the forefront and grasp Timur's movements as soon as possible.
This is indeed a bit risky, but it is a helpless move, because it is unrealistic to expect his Qianlong to conquer the world. Although Qianlong has been developing for seven or eight years, it has become increasingly mature, but asking them to go deep into the Western Regions to carry out tasks would be the biggest
The biggest obstacles are issues of language and race.
The Silk Road is no better than other places. The power here is weak. Merchants without years of development cannot survive. A group of foreign Han people who do not understand the language of the Western Regions are conspicuous enough even if they pretend to be merchants. If you ask them to inquire about important military intelligence,
The difficulty can be imagined. To obtain information about the Western Regions, you still have to rely on local talents.
Whether the intelligence is accurate or not is related to the fate of the country, and whether it is timely or not is related to a lot of wealth. You must know that hundreds of thousands of troops are mobilized and stationed at the fortress, and the daily cost is an astonishing amount. The more accurate he can control his time.
, the burden on the country will be smaller.
Traveling westward outside the customs, his first stop: Dunhuang, finally arrived.
Handong Guard commander Suinan and his colleagues joined forces to attack, while Shazhou Guard commander Kunji and Maijia were already waiting outside Dunhuang City.
Handong Guard, the guard is located in Nanhu, responsible for the defense from Yangguan to Subei. The guard commander is Suinan, a general of the Yuan Army, and his brother is the commander of Tongzhi's joint attack. The Shazhou Guard commander is Kunji and Maijia.
These are also a pair of generals from the Yuan army, and they are two brothers. In fact, they are the leaders of two tribes, one is the Handong Mongolian tribe, and the other is the Shazhou Mongolian tribe.
The wealthy businessmen of Dunhuang also waited under the high colorful tents, including Mandu Latu, a wealthy businessman from Shazhou, also known as Ying Zhan, and Shenglong, a Tufan nobleman at the foot of Nyenchen Tanglha Mountain.
The car-driven honor guard of the Duke of Ming Dynasty was getting closer and closer. Suinan and Kunji quickly arranged their hats and hats and stepped forward to greet them. Ying Zhan, Sheng Long and other wealthy businessmen from the Western Regions also followed behind with smiles on their faces, breaking through
In their heads, they would not have thought that the upcoming Duke of the country would have anything to do with the woman they loved.
※The newest
A cavalry was marching in the vast white snow. Two rows of fierce warriors wearing sharp curved horses and holding sharp spears were closely guarding him. It was freezing cold and the wind was howling, but the men who were accompanying the cavalry
A big fat man kept taking off his hat to wipe his sweat because he was having difficulty walking.
He was Gaius, who was originally a eunuch in the court of the Eastern Roman Empire. When Timur's army swept across the Eurasian continent, he brought back a group of eunuchs, including him. Now he is Tamburlaine's personal attendant.
Today is already the fiftieth day they have been stationed by the Syr Darya River. During the fifty days, the soldiers suffered a lot, and some soldiers who did not protect themselves well were frostbitten. But in general, the army's combat effectiveness
It is still relatively intact. Although it is difficult to go out in winter, for them, it is far more comfortable than enduring the scorching summer in the Tarim Basin.
Tamerlane learned that there was a nearby tomb of a saint who went to the Western Regions to preach the Holy Religion. He went to pay homage today and had just returned. As soon as he returned to the camp, General Gesuyedin came to report excitedly:
"Khan, the Syr Darya River has completely frozen. Even if we drive countless cattle and sheep on it at the same time, there is no risk of breaking. We can continue to march!"
Timur was overjoyed and said happily: "I just came back from worshiping the saint and heard such good news. Haha, could it be that the spirit of the saint in heaven is protecting us?"
He took two steps on the soft Persian carpet and said happily: "Invite Bonati, the master of astrologers, and I will ask him to divine our future."
"As you command, my Khan!"
Gesuyedin respectfully agreed and withdrew.
Soon after, an old man with a pale and withered face, wearing a black robe, slowly walked into Timur's huge palace-like felt tent, stood in the middle of the carpet, and bowed respectfully to the great Khan.
The sleeves of the robe unfolded as he moved, and a circle of violet hexagram patterns appeared on the edge of the sleeves. Behind him were two disciples, holding precious crystal balls and other magical objects.
Tamerlane said enthusiastically: "Oh, Master Bonati, you have finally arrived. The Syr Darya River has frozen. I am going to cross the river immediately. I hope you can divine my next fortune. Suddenly I am very interested in this.
interest!"
A smile appeared on Bonati's old and shriveled face, and he said: "Your Majesty, those who walk in an unknown destiny are fearless. When you see everything in the future clearly, you may lose interest in moving forward!"
Timur laughed loudly: "No, no, no, dear Master Bonati, I have been fearless all my life, just like the sword at my waist. My warriors are as fearless as me, and they will not be afraid because the future is dark.
Or change with the light. Seeing my goal clearly will not change my path, I just... suddenly become really interested!"
Bonati smiled slightly, bowed and said: "Then..., as you wish, Your Majesty!"
He stepped forward and sat down in front of a table. A disciple immediately put the huge crystal ball in front of the table and uncovered the black velvet scarf on it.
He leaned against the crystal ball and muttered words in the air. The deep eyes on his pale face were full of vicissitudes of life, and he stared closely at the crystal ball in front of him, as if he wanted to pierce his eyes deeply.
It was quiet in the tent, everyone held their breath, even Emperor Timur was sitting there, waiting quietly, when the neigh of Uur's horse could be heard in the distance.
After a long time, Bonati removed his hands from the crystal ball, with a strange expression on his face, and glanced at Timur, but said nothing.
Timur couldn't help but ask: "What did you see?"
Bonati's old face was expressionless, and he only said in a low, dreamy voice: "Your Majesty, I have seen an unpredictable future!"
Timur's expression tightened, and he leaned forward and said: "When you see it, it should no longer be an unpredictable future. Can you tell me what you saw?"
Bonati blinked his eyes. He was staring at Timur, but his gaze seemed to have passed through Timur's body and was projected into a void space. He murmured in a blank tone: "
Water and fire are incompatible, but Mars and Mercury are surprisingly connected. The positions of Taurus, Gemini, and Pisces have all changed. The door to the palace of Pluto suddenly opened, and the messenger of Hades was carrying a huge scythe and coming from the void.
Come here...!"
Bonati muttered twice in his throat, his eyes suddenly widened, staring ahead without focus, and his tone suddenly became extremely frightened: "He's coming! He's coming!"
Tamerlane couldn't understand Bonati's words and couldn't help asking: "Dear Master Bonati, can you explain it to me more clearly?"
Bonatti still had the same expression, and in the tone of poetry reciting, he muttered: "Now is the eye-catching autumn of life and death. Amazing symptoms have appeared in the sky, the clouds are stained with bloody red, and the god of Hades is
The messenger bundled up his shirt, carried his huge scythe, and cast the shadow of death in the sky...
He shouldn't have appeared in this world, but he came with his servants, a he who shouldn't be him. Gemini drove his chariot for him, and Pisces served diligently behind him.
She is a woman who is not a woman, and right next to him is a daughter who is not a daughter. What a strange combination. They should not have appeared here, but due to the mistake of the God of Destiny, they mistakenly appeared in the right place.
A great king, he looks down upon the world and is invincible, but in front of the messenger of Hades, he willingly surrenders and kills him! Yes, he is the messenger of Hades, and only Hades can kill this man.
The greatest king invited him to be a guest in his divine palace when he should not have left! This is an irresistible fate, so his enemies on earth, who should fear him and hate him, help him; they should kill him
An enemy, but willing to be used by him..."
Timur still couldn't understand what he said, but he already felt that it seemed to be a prophecy that was unfavorable to him. His face was very ugly, and he couldn't help but call out: "Master Bonati? Master Bonati!"
Bonati listened without hearing, but his voice suddenly became high-pitched and sharp, and his body was trembling violently: "He's coming! He's coming! Go back to Samarkand, go back to Samarkand quickly, there is only that solid palace, that time
Only where the light of the glory of the gods is sprinkled can you get God's protection!"
Timur stood up suddenly. Bonati, the master of astrology, shook his body suddenly and suddenly woke up. The focus fell on Timur again.
Because of the fear caused by the unpredictable prophecy, the beautiful maids and numerous eunuchs in the tent were all prostrate on the ground, trembling in fear. Timur's face was livid and he said: "Master Bonati, could it be you who
What you saw is very detrimental to me?"
Bonati's old and thin face returned to its ancient, smooth look: "Dear Your Majesty, the road to the future is full of mist. If God wants to tell you something through me, then I have told everything I know truthfully.
I have already told you about it, and now I know no more than you do!”
Timur had a sullen face, dragged his residual leg, walked slowly two steps in the tent, stood still, with a trace of terrifying ferocity on his face: "He is here, then who is he? I am here.
, I am Timur! I am the king of the world! I am the messenger of Hades walking in the world, never afraid, never invincible! Come on! Come on! Let us show off!"