It is said that this city was a pass built by Meng Huo during the Three Kingdoms period, and is now the territory of the Yi tribe.
It is said to be a city, but in fact there is only one stone gate, which is not high. There is a beacon tower built on the hill next to it, which has been abandoned for many years. After passing the stone gate, there is another large plateau meadow to the south, with green grass under the towering snow-capped mountains.
, forming a unique landscape.
On this day, a Yi boy was herding sheep. When he climbed up and looked into the distance, he saw ten people coming on horseback from the north.
"Little baby." A big man from the Yi tribe, wearing clothes made of bird feathers, stepped forward and asked in Yi language: "Let your leader come to welcome the Tubo princess."
The kid tending the sheep turned his head and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
The big Yi man took out a piece of highland barley bread from his arms and threw it over, then said: "Didn't you hear? Call your leader."
The child picked up the highland barley bread, patted it and stuffed it into his arms, and drove the sheep through the gate of Menghuo City, leading the way. He turned back from time to time and looked curiously at the petite woman in the team.
She seems to be very curious about this Tubo princess.
It turned out that he was herding sheep for the leader of the Yi tribe. He returned to the felt tent in the meadow and reported to the leader Abdu: "Another Tubo princess has arrived."
"Again?"
Abdu was very confused and rushed outside the tent in person. When he saw the dozen or so people surrounding a young girl, he became more suspicious and immediately ordered his troops to be mobilized to surround the group.
"What is this doing?"
"I think you are a fake Tibetan princess." Abdul said, "Because the real princess passed here two days ago."
Nalan Zhen rushed forward and said: "I am the princess, the eldest daughter of Tubo Zampu."
She followed the boat on the Dadu River and was washed to the tidal flat downstream. She met the Yi people in Xiaobao and gathered some defeated troops. After going through untold hardships, she finally arrived here.
Abu said: "The princess does not only have these few guards. The one I saw two days ago has the magnificence of Zamp's eldest daughter. Those guard cavalry are all tough..."
Nalanzhen suddenly interrupted: "Where did they go?"
Abdul said: "Of course I am escorting the princess to Nanzhao for marriage."
"That's Tang Jun pretending to be."
Nalanzhen's long-standing suspicion was finally confirmed at this time. The Tang army was really so bold. She raised her voice and said: "They are going south along the Lingguan Road to surprise Nanzhao."
Abdu was stunned and wanted to say something. He opened his mouth but had nothing to say. He just looked at her with a look like "I don't believe it anyway."
Nalanzhen then took out a scroll, unfolded it, and said, "This is Zanpu's edict, which can prove my identity."
Without waiting for Abdul's reaction, she issued various orders one after another.
"The Tang army is pretending to be Tubo people and heading south. I must get to Daliang Mountain before them and arrange horses and guides for me..."
~~
The Anning River was called Sun Water in the Han Dynasty and is now called Yangtze River Water. It flows into the Jinsha River from north to south.
This river valley is probably the direction of the Lingguan Road section of the Southern Silk Road.
Tang Jun was walking in the valley. Looking up, he could see the snow-capped mountains on both sides. It should be extremely cold. But it was already September, and the valley was still extremely hot and humid.
After crossing the Dadu River, more and more soldiers became sick.
Only now did Xue Bai realize the horror of miasma.
To put it bluntly, miasma is a kind of gas. In this primitive mountain forest, the weather is hot, and dead animals and plants rot quickly, breeding germs and gases, which are contained in the air and water flow. Moreover, the environment is humid, and the warm climate allows harmful gases to
It rises and condenses, forming a mist-like existence.
The Anning River Valley was actually pretty good here, far less hot than after crossing the Jinsha River. However, the soldiers suffered from typhoid fever, heat stroke, poisoning, sores, and malaria during this alternation of cold and heat, and the attrition was extremely serious.
When Xue Bai was in Chang'an, he made a lot of preparations. The army carried a large amount of medicinal materials. Since the march, he had strictly ordered the soldiers to only drink boiled water, and everyone's face was covered with fine gauze as a mask.
But he had to admit that he originally underestimated the miasma. He had been to Yunnan in his previous life and did not feel the climate was uncomfortable. This was actually because after the land reform, a large amount of mountainous land was reclaimed, destroying the environment where the miasma was formed.
As for today, miasma is still an existence that makes people talk about it with dismay.
That day, while resting, Xue Bai opened his luggage, which contained several highland barley naans he had brought from Menghuo City.
However, in just two or three days, the naan had developed green mold. When the breeze blew, the mold swayed slightly, showing its strong vitality.
Xue Bai's scalp went numb when he saw it, and he quickly threw it aside.
There was a soldier behind him to pick it up.
"Don't pick it up, you can't eat it."
"So hungry."
Xue Bai stepped on the naan, shook his head and said, "You can't eat moldy food even if you're hungry. I'll ask Commander-in-Chief to slaughter some more sheep today."
He was actually feeling a little uncomfortable, dizzy, stuffy, and a thin line of sweat broke out on his neck. He might have suffered from typhoid due to the alternation of cold and heat. What worried him even more was that if it was malaria, it would be very difficult.
Carry it over.
"Xue Lang is not feeling well?"
But it was Gao Shi who came over and asked. After all, he was a scholar and had a more delicate mind.
Xue Bai nodded and said, "You must be sick. I'll see a military doctor later."
"I took you there. There are many people who are sick now." Gao Shi raised his hand and talked with Xue Bai while walking, and said: "Further forward, in the Daliang Mountain area, there are more people and the climate will be better. Xue Lang can
Rest there until you recover."
The Daliang Mountain area is regarded as the junction of Tang Dynasty, Tubo and Nanzhao.
The people living here are all Yi people, and they belong to one of the six imperial edicts. When Nanzhao surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty established Jianchang Mansion here, and the government was in Xilu County. Now Geluofeng rebelled and conquered the large and small Yi
There are thirty-two prefectures, including Jianchang Prefecture and Xiluxian County.
To put it bluntly, it is still a place of restraint after all, with insufficient control.
"There is miasma in uninhabited places, and when you get to inhabited places, you are afraid of being alerted by Nanzhao." Xue Bai said, "Jianchang Mansion was lost. Xian Yu Zhongtong walked south on the five-foot road. If he wanted to cross most of Nanzhao, I don't know if there is anyone else.
How many soldiers have contracted the miasma?"
Gao Shi turned around and saw Xue Bai's face was pale and weak. He tried to encourage him, pointed to the barren valley in front of him that was not a road, and asked: "Xue Lang can think of taking the Lingguan Road to enter Nanzhao. Should he know that this is the case?"
The origin of the road?”
"It was built by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty."
"Yes, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty wanted to open up another road from Chengdu to Yunnan, but the courtiers advised him to give up. But Sima Xiangru strengthened the determination of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty with an article "It's difficult for the fathers of Shu", "There must be something extraordinary in the world."
"People, then something extraordinary happens; after something extraordinary, something extraordinary happens." Sima Xiangru then sent two thousand soldiers to build a road, which lasted twenty-three years, to connect Lingguan Road, bridge Sunshui, and Qiong.
Capital. From this, the goods from Shu could be exported to the southwestern countries along this road, establishing the territory of the Han Dynasty in Yunnan."
This is probably Gao Shi's emotion along the way, and poets are always prone to emotion.
The "Qiongdu" he mentioned was Jianchang Prefecture and Xilu County, which have now been lost again.
"Only when you are here can you feel the hardships of our ancestors who braved the wind and rain to open up new territories. Our great Tang Dynasty was passed down from generation to generation. Nowadays, Nanzhao rebels against the Tang Dynasty, and the barbarians are in chaos. The heavy burden of maintaining the unification of the territory has fallen.
In our generation.”
Xue Bai said: "Yes."
Although he was inspired by Gao Shi, he really had no energy. On the other hand, Gao Shi, although he was older, had a good physique and had no illness or disaster all the way.
That day, Xue Bai saw the military doctor, who said he had typhoid fever, not malaria. He couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time he was terrified.
During this march, they walked in the valley during the day and it was sweltering. At night, they stayed in the wetlands by the river, letting the wind blow, and it was difficult not to get cold. Half of the army's sergeants fell down, including the tall and strong Guan Chongsi.
exception.
After Xue Bai fell asleep, Gao Shi's impassioned speech was still ringing in his head, but what he heard in his ears was Guan Chongsi's painful humming. When he woke up, Xue Bai felt dizzy, his head was bloated, and his whole body ached.
"Lang Jun, you are sick." Diao Bing said, "Shall I carry you?"
"You don't have to carry it, it won't be a problem."
Diao Bing said anxiously: "We brothers are eating and drinking from Langjun, but we have not made any achievements. Langjun raises us, so we can't let us have nothing to do."
Xue Bai was amused and said, "If you want to make meritorious deeds, I will be in danger."
Diao Bing refused, and Diao Geng stepped forward to help Xue Bai, and carried him away without saying a word.
Xue Bai thought this would damage his image, but he was really sleepy and fell asleep quickly. He was indeed very ill and groggy.
After marching like this for several days, the Tang army arrived at Daliang Mountain and Xilu County.
Xilu County was named Qiongdu in ancient times. It was originally the Qiongdu Kingdom. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established the county after conquering the Qiongdu Kingdom. Soon, Qiongdu collapsed and turned into a swampy ocean, which is the Qionghai Sea. There is Lushan Mountain on the Qionghai Lake and to the west of the mountain.
Xilu County is now under the jurisdiction of Nanzhao.
Geluofeng built strong walls and cleared the country, and concentrated its troops on Taihe City. There were not many troops stationed in Xilu County. It was not difficult for Wang Zhongsi to conquer it, but he observed the terrain. The Anning Valley was to the west of Xilu County, and the county seat did not occupy the fortress.
Road, and the county seat is intact, if it is not for transporting grain and grass, we can also bypass Xilu County.
The Tang army did not enter the city and stayed on the banks of the Anning River. Xue Bai was allowed to take some of his men into Xilu County to defraud supplies in the name of a Tubo princess in order to pass smoothly.
"Xue Lang is seriously ill and can recuperate in Xilu County. After he recovers, he can go south to join me, or he can return directly to Yizhou." Wang Zhongsi explained that he was also a little uncomfortable, probably because he was not acclimatized.
Xue Bai did not refuse. He was worried that the typhoid fever would weaken his body and make it more difficult to survive in this miasmatic environment.
He changed his attire, combed his hair into a particularly high bun, gathered some men, and led Luo Zhui's family of three and a group of Tibetan prisoners who had been surrendered by him into the city.
It can be seen that Xilu County surrendered without a fight, the city gates are intact, and the people responsible for guarding Jianchang Mansion are Nanzhao chiefs Zhao Quan and Deng.
Zhao Quan and Deng had known for a long time that the Tubo princess was coming. Although Nanzhao did not want to become the vassal king of Tubo, he still had to take advantage of Tubo's power.
"I've seen the princess, but I'm not here to greet you. Please." Zhao Quan and Deng could speak Chinese, but not Tubo, so they brought an interpreter with them.
This interpreter was a Tang official who was captured by him and could speak Tubo, so at this time Zhao Quan and Deng were still speaking in Chinese.
Xue Bai understood it from the beginning, but still waited for the interpreter to speak before he showed a clear expression and signaled Luo Zhui to speak.
"The princess not only came to marry Nanzhao, but also brought troops and horses to support Nanzhao in resisting the Tang army. She asked the chief to enlarge the army and go south."
"This is natural." Zhao Quan and Deng agreed after listening to the interpreter's message.
In fact, the Tibetans relied heavily on each other and Ye Le had already deployed his troops in Langqiong. By then, Nanzhao would probably really need the Tubo army to attack the Tang army.
These are things that have been agreed upon long ago and will be finished soon.
Zhao Quan and Deng looked at Xue Bai again, feeling that the young man's handsome appearance did not make him look like a Tubo man.
"Who is this?"
Xue Bai's voice was hoarse and he said in Tubo: "Tell him who I am, cough cough cough..."
Luo Zhui said quickly: "Minister, please stop talking. This is Lun Ruozan, the Tubo Censor, the direct son of the Geer family."
"Disrespect, disrespect."
"The minister is sick and has to rest in Xilucheng for a while. Please arrange a place for the chief to stay. If you are sick or sick, you will stay outside the city to suffer from malnutrition. Please also send food. Those left in the camp are all suffering from malaria. We will
Just leave the food outside the camp."
"Don't worry, everything will be arranged."
When the Lingguan Road was built in the Western Han Dynasty, a large number of soldiers stayed in Qiongdu and became the ancestors of the local Han people. Later, the combination of the Yi and Han people made Xilu County a place with a deep Hanization in the Western Sichuan Plateau, and at least a lot of land was reclaimed.
In cultivated land, the miasma is much lighter than in ancient times.
Wang Zhongsi took a brief rest and continued to lead his troops on their way, while Xue Bai stayed in Xilu County to recuperate. In addition, there were more than 300 soldiers who were too ill to rush on their way and stayed in the camp outside the city, under the supervision of Guan Chongsi and Qu Huan.
Xue Bai slept for two days, and on the third day, he finally felt a little clearer.
He expected that Wang Zhongsi would be crossing the Xisha River and that it would take five days to rest and recuperate, so he prepared to set off the next day.
But on the same day, more than fifty riders also arrived in Xilu County.
~~
Na Lanzhen went all the way south and saw many unknown graves left by the Tang army on the road, as well as the corpses of sheep. Those sheep died of illness, and the Tang army did not dare to eat them, so they had to leave them by the river to rot and smell.
Finally, she chased her to Daliang Mountain and rushed to Xilucheng.
Soon, she met Zhao Quan and Deng, who was the first Tibetan official she saw after the defeat who had the ability to deliver intelligence to Taihe City in a timely manner.
"I'm afraid the chief will not believe me if I tell you, but the Tubo princess that the chief met a few days ago is fake, and I am the real Tibetan princess." Nalanzhen took out the edict of Tubo Zanpu and handed it to Zhao Quan and Deng.
Said: "That's a Tang army, heading south to attack Taihe City."
Zhao Quan and Deng were the chiefs of Nanzhao, and they took this matter far more seriously than the loose tribes in Tufan. They took the edict and read it carefully, with a look of surprise in their eyes.
"How could this be? I always knew that the Tibetan princess would come. How could I have known that it was a lie?"
"How was the chieftain deceived?"
"They don't look fake." Zhao Quan and Deng then told the whole thing from the beginning, "A young man led the princess and the guards into the city, and he seemed to be bossing around..."
The translator finally translated "Yi Zhi Qi Shi" into Tubo.