"Xia people use slaves everywhere..." After leaving Yanqi, Elbrus looked at the "rabbit hole"-like shacks on the roadside, a little surprised.
It's really the same as the rabbit hole! Maybe a little bigger, but there's no real difference.
The entrance of the cave is very narrow, allowing only one person to enter and exit. The outside is dirty, and it is covered with branches and leaves. I don't know whether it is to block the wind and sand or to block the sun.
The inside of the cave is dark, and some daily necessities can be vaguely seen. A layer of reeds and thatch is spread at the bottom, which not only prevents moisture, but also seems to be used as a bed for people to lie down and sleep.
Not far from the rabbit hole, groups of "slaves" were laughing and joking, sharpening their knives, and preparing carriages. Look at the golden wheat in the field, it is ready to be harvested.
"After harvesting the wheat, there is still time to plant a crop of grains." Tam leaned over and whispered.
Elbrus didn't seem to hear it, and was still in a state of seeing a ghost: The slaves of Xia Kingdom are too - a little happy!
With their living conditions, there are not many places like this in Persia.
Seeing that Elbrus didn't speak, Tam didn't take it seriously. He saw another fact from this: the scale of the Xia people's settlement in the border area may be larger than everyone imagined.
He read through the archives from two hundred years ago and learned that the Tang people mainly obtained sufficient food through military colonization in places such as Kalasa, Solimi, and Bielsebali, and then supported their campaigns in various places.
The Xia people seemed to have inherited this method, but they were more professional - slaves farmed and soldiers fought.
This may consume more, but it undoubtedly ensures the combat effectiveness of the border corps. This can be seen from several battles in the past few years: there are many veterans with war experience, and the new recruits are not wasted in military settlements.
Instead, they trained, marched, and fought normally under the leadership of veterans. After two years of fighting, they gradually matured.
It's just that these slaves are really too obedient. Looking at the wheat fields, they don't look like they are just fooling around. Some fields have already started to be harvested. They are careful and even pick up the ears of wheat left on the ground. If there are any
When birds come to eat, they are chased away on the spot, as if they have seen an enemy.
This scene felt strange to Tam: they seemed to be protecting their own property, not the slave owners.
"Did you see anything?" In the midst of his reverie, Elbrus suddenly walked up to him and asked in a low voice.
It's okay if you don't whisper, because there are Xia officials and soldiers accompanying and protecting them.
"Their logistics is slowly improving, and it may have lasted for more than a year." Tam pointed to the fields and said: "These fields can obviously not be cultivated in one year, at least two years, or even
Three years.”
"You mean, it is becoming easier and easier for the Xia people to raise food? Can they launch wars more frequently?" Elbrus asked.
"I think -" Tam thought for a while and said: "Xia's grain production in the border areas must have increased significantly. But most of this increased grain, as well as the cattle and sheep they plundered across the border, have been added
The population has been depleted. Haven't you seen the new soldiers, craftsmen, scholars, serfs, etc. on the road?"
Elbrus was silent for a moment.
Indeed, they did encounter a considerable number of immigrants as they headed north from Karasha. It was said that most of them were family members of Xia Border Legion soldiers and craftsmen from the east. These people must have consumed food.
"So, do you think the Xia Kingdom might want to stop their aggression?"
"On the contrary." Tam said: "The temporary retreat is to advance better. I think that if the Xia people in Karasha and other places stabilize their rule and accumulate sufficient logistics supplies, they will launch a far superior
The consequences of the large-scale military action you and I imagine may be unbearable."
"Do you suggest I change my negotiating strategy?" Elbrus asked.
"Dear Dihkan, you are the biggest and you have the final say." Tam did not answer directly.
Elbrus turned around angrily, mumbling something as if he was cursing.
******
The little episode passed quickly.
After taking a short rest, everyone continued on the road and moved very quickly, arriving in Gaochang on June 20th.
As one of the two highest-ranking families in Gaochang, the Lian family is hosting a banquet for officials, generals, relatives and friends.
As a Persian envoy, they benefited from the favor of the general Li Congke who escorted them, and were given seats where they could eat and drink.
The table is arranged under a grape trellis.
In Gaochang in late June, the sun is very hot, so the banquet was held in the evening, and there was a slight breeze on the grape trellis, so it didn't feel too uncomfortable.
Tam took a Sogdian interpreter with him, walked around for a while, and came back soon.
"I heard that a man named Lian Tongxian of the Lian family was admitted to Jinshi and was awarded an official position. The Lian family was very happy and decided to bring out bread (naan bread), fine wine (wine), meat (mutton), fruits (Nai, Li, etc.)
Apricot) to entertain guests." Tam said.
Elbrus thought about it carefully before he understood the meaning of the word "Jinshi".
From the limited information he received, this seems to be a method of official selection that existed during the Tang Empire. Officials in administration, finance, justice, history, etc. were admitted through examinations, but it should be only one of the channels for official recruitment.
One, because their nobles can also be officials.
"Doesn't that sound like good news?" he asked.
"Very bad news." Tam nodded solemnly: "This means that Aslan Khan's old tribe recognized the rule of the conqueror. They will no longer resist and integrate into the empire.
And as one of them, contribute to this huge empire. In short, the Xia people no longer need to deal with endless rebellions. They can free up more energy and even get assistance from local forces such as the Lian family.
Do more of what they want to do.”
"Why can Lian Tongxian pass the Jinshi examination?" Elbrus asked: "They should not be very good at this. Just like I can't understand many things in Baghdad, Gaochang people can understand the culture of Luoyang and Chang'an very well.
?"
"Because the Emperor of Xia gave the newly conquered area a Jinshi quota." Tam said helplessly: "Generally speaking, this quota will only be competed between the two most famous local families. This time, the Lian family won.
Their family got a valuable official position, so the whole family celebrated."
Elbrus fell silent.
There was cheerful music not far away, and the beautiful girl also danced. Everyone kept up with the beat and cheered loudly.
Elbrus and Tam looked at each other.
"Now do you suggest I change my negotiating strategy?" Elbrus asked.
"If possible..." Tam said with difficulty, "I suggest lowering the tone."
As two people who grew up in an aristocratic political environment, they are very aware of the power of local aristocrats.
It is no exaggeration to say that they are the cornerstone of stabilizing the local situation. Because their network of relationships is so complex and vast, their families often have private armed forces, and their reserves of food, equipment and military personnel cannot be underestimated, and they can even more incite rebellion.
The local ignorant serfs fought for them.
Since the nobles of Gaochang have accepted the Xia Empire's way of doing things, it means that they no longer intend to resist. This is not good news for Persia. The enemy's rear has become more stable, so stable that it makes people feel desperate.
"What to do with Samani?" Elbrus asked again.
"You are the plenipotentiary envoy, and this is your domain." Tam said respectfully.
Elbrus was a little angry again.
However, his attention was quickly diverted, because the Manichaean Mujamizhida appeared on the scene and chatted and laughed with the officials of Xizhou.
But that's not the most important thing. What's important is that there seem to be two guests behind him: Nestorian priests.
Elbrus's eyelids twitched.
Since last year, a lot of "vicious" news has spread in Samarkand, Shashi, Talas and other places: There are a large number of Turks who believe in Nestorianism, threatening to restore the Nestorian Cathedral in Talas - this
This church is currently converted into the Temple of the Creator.
Nestorianism, Buddhism, and Manichaeism all seemed to have close ties with Xia officials.
The local nobles in Gaochang also fawned over them very much.
It’s only been five years!
It had only been five years since Gaochang fell, and the situation was completely stable. What else could he say?
******
Going east from Gaochang, the road is not very easy.
Heat and drought plague every traveler.
There was never enough water to drink, the sun was making people drowsy, and from time to time a gust of wind and sand blew up, almost filling one's mouth and nose.
At the end of June, they arrived in Illinois.
Here, Tam keenly discovered that there were many more dwellings, and immediately reported them to Elbrus.
In fact, there is no need for him to report, because those houses are very new. The fields and newly dug wells next to the houses are also full of new traces. It is obvious that this is a newly established settlement, a new farming area.
The Xia people have been working hard to improve the supply capacity of their transportation lines.
Many temporary camps have been set up outside Yizhou City, and they are now full of men, women and children.
Their faces were covered with travel dust, their clothes were dirty and shabby.
Women were crying, men were lamenting, but only the children were the happiest, playing happily in the sand, by the woods, and by the grass.
This time, there was no need for Tam to remind Elbrus that he had already figured it out: there must be a large number of complete families here because women and children appeared. What on earth were they doing heading west with their only belongings?
,it goes without saying.
There were also many men who seemed to be craftsmen. A few of them divided a camel and tied tools and luggage on the camel's back. In their spare time, they also helped others repair tools and never had a moment of leisure.
"In the past year, I heard that many Tocharoran businessmen went to Karasha to buy goods and shipped them back to various tribes for sale." Tam suddenly said: "The governors and generals of South Amu Darya Province complained again and again, because those stupid people
The Tocharians no longer exchange silver for anything with them."
"You mean, the Xia people want to use this method to win over the Tocharians and make them betray Bukhara?" Elbrus asked.
"The possibility is not small." Tam said: "The handicraft industry in Karasha is not particularly developed yet. But the Xia people have a complete set of plans with very clear goals. They have overcome many difficulties and are resolutely implementing their plans.
Not to mention that they can succeed, this kind of execution ability alone is a bit creepy. Xu De Shoihan's will has been well implemented. He is really a great king, the lord of the stars...
…”
"Only the Creator is omnipotent." Elbrus said seriously.
"You're right." Tam agreed.
"How many craftsmen did you see along the way?"
"There are always hundreds of people."
"What are their capabilities?"
"Judging from the captured Xia armor and weapons, they are no worse than those of Persia."
"What suggestions do you have now?" asked Elbrus.
Tam finally stopped escaping. He looked around and whispered: "It's time to end the war."
"I don't have this power." Elbrus shook his head and said, "Only the Grand Vizier can make this decision."
"Your mission itself represents the attitude of the Grand Vizier." Tam said.
"It's also difficult for Grand Vizier. He not only has to deal with enemies from outside..."
"Keep an eye on Samani first, don't let him find an opportunity to escape." Tam said vaguely: "You are the plenipotentiary envoy. You know much more than me. You make the decision."
Elbrus suddenly laughed and said, "You are smarter than I thought."
Tam sighed. His mind was no longer on negotiations. He wanted to understand and observe this country more deeply.
On June 29, the mission left Illinois and headed east.
They speeded up and it took only a month to cross Shazhou and Suzhou and arrive at Ganzhou.
In mid-August, we visited Liangzhou.
In early September, we entered the core area of Xia Kingdom: Lingzhou.
In the wilderness after the autumn harvest, thousands of horses are galloping and war flags are like clouds.
In the wide and winding river, the sails are dotted and the flow is endless.
Even in the distant mountains, there are countless mountain people, carrying bows and knives, going down the mountain to practice.
It is really a bandit country with a strong military tradition.
Elbrus, Tam and others did not stay here longer, and crossed the entire Hetao grassland towards Suizhou.
