Outside Shazhou City, there are white clouds and blue sky.
Thousands of miles of yellow sand serve as the school ground, and wisps of white clouds serve as the flags. Elite cavalry with 10,000 riders each were selected from the best of the Liangzhou Tubo Army, Suzhou Dragon King Army, and Guasha Guiyi Army, plus five from Ai Yihai's headquarters.
The expeditionary army composed of a brigade of Qianxiao cavalry has been integrated and prepared for war for three days, and the troops are now coiled and bowed, waiting for orders to leave the fortress.
The horse sings, the wind rustles, and the red sun shines on the banner!
A flaming red banner with the character "Yang" fluttered high, the autumn wind blew by, and there was a sound of hunting. The soldiers who stood in awe immediately looked eastward. Under a red sun, Yang Hao personally came to bid farewell to them.
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Accompanying Yang Hao were local officials from Guasha and Shazhou, gentry and celebrities, and elderly people from the countryside. In addition to the envoy team preparing to accompany the army to Gaochang State, there were also dozens of cars behind them, loaded with oxen and wine, to reward the army.
purpose.
"Woo~~Woo~~~"
As soon as the Yang-character banner appeared, the soldiers in the military formation were clanging, flags were flying, and tens of thousands of fine cavalry moved like a forest, approaching the yellow sand platform ten feet high.
In this dispatch of troops, Yang Hao mobilized the gentry, celebrities and village elders in Guasha to protect the family and defend Sha, resist Khotan and aid Yu. He also used three days to do enough propaganda to convey the importance of rescuing Khotan.
It is directly linked to the rise and fall of the Hexi Corridor and the survival of the Guasha elders.
Every common people and every soldier now knows that the chaos in Khotan has blocked the east and west. Not only will they not be able to reproduce the prosperity of the ancient roads in the Western Regions, but they will also be blocked from trade due to blocked roads, and will gradually become as poor and backward as Gaochang.
Every common people and every soldier now knows that the Karakhanites are extremely evil. Once they occupy Khotan, they will continue to march eastward and threaten the safety of Dunhuang. The Buddhist temples and pagodas in Dunhuang will be destroyed, and all the
Monks and devout believers will be beheaded and burned, the entire Hexi will be plunged into endless war, and all people will become slaves of others.
Don't worry about how many exaggerations there are. The propaganda is very effective. The hatred of the same enemy has permeated the entire Guasha. What was originally a distant war has suddenly become a major event that affects their life and death. Guasha
Mr. Sha and the villagers naturally spared no effort to support him. Their attitude directly affected this expeditionary force. Every soldier felt how important his mission was from the common people's every move, word and deed.
With a bow and sharp spear, he was not just going to fight in a foreign land in the Western Regions, he was directly protecting his fathers and fellow villagers, and his morale was unprecedentedly high.
Today, Yang Hao brought eight aristocratic families, local officials, gentry celebrities, and respected village elders to solemnly review the expeditionary force, which brought this sense of honor, pride, and indestructible strong fighting spirit to the extreme.
Yang Hao slowly climbed onto the general stage, and the people who followed him stood in awe below the stage, facing the expeditionary army.
Looking down from the stage, facing the general stage are Ai Yihai's five thousand cavalrymen. Under the fluttering flying leopard flag, there are uniforms of the same color and style of armor, sharp swords and guns of the same standard, and the military appearance is majestic.
The horses are majestic and burly Xiliang horses, with armor draped over their shoulders and fiery red cloaks. They are like a burning cloud with the autumn wind. When the autumn wind lifts the cloaks, you can see the scimitars under their ribs and the spears on the butts of their guns.
, round shields hung on their sides, they all carried first-grade bows on their shoulders, and two pots full of wolf-fang arrows.
The left, right and rear formations are the three military formations of Liangzhou, Suzhou and Guasha. Their armaments and weapons are not uniform, with swords, guns, swords and halberds, sticks and whips, and maces. In the same team, the weapons are long and short, heavy and heavy.
The weapons can be described as diverse, and the bows and arrows used are also different, but the majestic, fierce and tiger-like momentum they display is not weaker than Ai Yihai's central army.
These same teams, when they were against Yang Hao, they were passive and inactive, and their morale was low. But after falling into Yang Hao's hands, with a little manipulation, their spirits completely changed. Seeing Yang Hao
In the eyes of those behind him, they couldn't help but respect Yang Hao.
Although Yang Hao pays attention to military discipline and law in his military training, the generals at all levels trained from the Luzhou Martial Arts Hall are originally from civilians. They are more indifferent to the upper and lower classes and pay more attention to the integration of officers and soldiers. First-class generals and officers have the ability to protect the family and the people.
The same ambition, coupled with the military pay that would never be owed or deducted, made this team quickly transform and change its appearance in the hands of Yang Hao.
Although the crowd standing behind Yang Hao are all laborers, they may not all be of the same mind as Yang Hao. For example, the Suo family, which was originally the second largest family in Shazhou, has now lost power. Although their huge family is destined to
The Suo family still has considerable influence in Guasha, but their family members have retired from important military and political positions in Guasha. For example, the Linghu family, which ranks last among the nine aristocratic families, has now become a Shazhou villa.
Jia, if the Suo family cannot produce a few outstanding figures in the future and cannot find several important positions in the military and political circles of Guasha, then it is inevitable that after three or five generations, the Suo family will be the last among the nine great families in Shazhou.
, even collapsed, completely declined, and did not squeeze out of the ranks of aristocratic families.
There is more than one family like this, and they may not be willing to surrender and use loyalty and actions to maintain the family's status. If Yang Hao withdraws his main force to Xiazhou, and news of Yang Hao's war with the powerful Central Plains regime comes, they will
It is very likely that they will join forces to launch a coup and overthrow Yang Hao's rule over Guasha.
But now, they have to work together with Yang Hao.
Yang Hao returned to Xiazhou, and the elite troops from Guasha Liangsu Province went on an expedition to Khotan. What kind of trouble could they stir up at this time? Even if they still had the strength to spare, they did not dare to act rashly. Many generals in the expeditionary army were
The nephew of a powerful family in various states. If there is any disturbance in Hexi, this isolated army will be in danger of being wiped out. Behind the generals are standing people from well-established families, and behind the soldiers are standing people.
People, even if these people are just for their own families, they will never allow the chaos in Hexi to block their children's way home.
Yang Hao was dressed in military uniform today, with a helmet and armor on his head, looking very powerful.
He stood solemnly on the general stage, looking at the officers and soldiers of the three armies who were slowly approaching the stage. He suddenly raised his hand, and the three armies immediately came to an abrupt stop. They stationed their horses in front and stood solemnly. They were as slow as a forest and as motionless as a mountain.
Ai Yihai and the other generals of the three armies rode out of the formation and galloped towards the stage.
Yang Hao slowly withdrew his gaze and said loudly: "Soldiers of the three armies, when Yang came from Xiazhou, he wrote a "Message to the Elders of Hexi" and declared to the world that he vowed to unify Hexi, regain his homeland, and return a peaceful world to the elders of Hexi.
.Yang did it!”
He walked up and down the stage, looking at each army with majesty: "Now, there is only one Ganzhou struggling to support it. It is nothing to worry about. When I led my troops back to the division, I defeated Ganzhou with just a snap of my fingers."
This is a matter of command. Now, I am going to issue a "Message to the Countries of the Western Regions" to all the countries and tribes in the Western Regions, and declare to the world!"
The three armies were solemn and the war flags were hunting. Even the eight major families behind Yang Hao and the Guasha gentry felt the murderous intent in Yang Hao's words. Yes, Yang Hao's rise was an alternative. He miraculously rose in Hexi.
, miraculously defeated Li Guangrui, the king of Hexi. Before that, he had been low-key and low-key, just focusing on developing his own military and political affairs. For the first time, he confidently declared his strength and sovereignty to the entire Hexi, which was to send troops to march westward.
When he unified Hexi.
"Those who follow me will prosper, those who go against me will perish." The impassioned oath still rings in my ears. He did it. He miraculously unified Hexi. He used the shortest time to realize his first declaration. This is Yang Hao's second
Announce to the world, what will he say this time?
At that time, when the general spoke to the entire army, no matter how loud his voice was and he shouted at the top of his lungs, it was impossible to reach the entire army. The army had well-trained messengers who could convey the general's speech as quickly as possible, so
When generals speak, they often stop one sentence at a time, which can naturally strengthen the tone and enhance the understanding and digestion of the soldiers, and it is also for the convenience of communication.
Yang Hao paused for a moment before speaking loudly: "Khotan has always regarded itself as a vassal of China. It treats people with loyalty and treats them with sincerity. China has always been a country with good neighbors and friendly relations when dealing with other countries. However,
It is also our duty to help those in danger and those far away. Bodhisattvas are merciful, and there are also asuras. Now Kara Khan has raised his troops brazenly and wreaked havoc for thousands of miles. The envoy of the Kingdom of Khotan asked me to beg my commander. I am the military commander of Longyou, Hexi.
How can I ignore it? I am a small person in the Western Region, and I want to defy the power of heaven. If I step back one foot, how can he advance one foot..."
In the Populus euphratica pavilion, Talib, who had been sitting leisurely, suddenly stood up: "Has he decided to send troops?"
One of his servants bowed and said: "I just heard from the guards outside the hall that Taiwei Yang has ordered his troops on the battlefield and is about to go on an expedition."
Talib's eyebrows furrowed. After killing the three envoys of Khotan, he expected that Yang Hao would guess that the murderer was him sooner or later. He also expected that Yang Hao's authority would be violated in this way.
It will definitely make him angry, but for Yang Hao, there is no need to protect Khotan, but he is Yang Hao's important partner. As for the rebellion in Khotan, which will hinder the east-west transportation and affect the rise and fall of Hexi, this should be the most important thing for Yang Hao.
It’s a big problem for other Hu businessmen, but not for him.
He thought he had a hold on Yang Hao's destiny, and Yang Hao would give in sooner or later. When Yang Hao became more and more dependent on trade in the Western Regions, and the key to trade in the Western Regions was completely in the hands of his family, he could
They exerted greater influence on Yang Hao, converting the overlord of the Western Regions to his faith without any blood, and became the most powerful partner and spokesperson of the Caliphate in the East. They did exactly this with Kara Khan, and they were very successful.
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After the assassination was successful, he waited patiently for Yang Hao to come to him. No matter how angry Yang Hao was, he was confident that he could calm Yang Hao's thunderous anger with exciting conditions, thereby further strengthening his control over him. However,
Unexpectedly, Yang Hao actually went to Hu Yang Guan without meeting him at all. Talib could not figure out Yang Hao's intentions, so he had to hold his breath and see who could hold it back first.
He never expected that after the death of three envoys from Khotan, Yang Hao would be ready in just a few days and send troops for an expedition without hesitation. For a while, Talib could not guess Yang Hao's plan at all.
He couldn't help but feel confused. He walked quickly around the room for a long time, suddenly stopped and said urgently: "Prepare your horse, change your clothes, I'm going to see Yang Hao!"
On the general stage, Yang Hao's voice was sonorous and powerful: "Kara Khan's invasion of our vassal is a challenge to our authority in China. Since I am here, I have the responsibility to enforce China and the obligation to assist the vassal states. I am now telling all the countries in the Western Regions
, don’t think that Yumen
To the west of this is the land where China will not surrender. In the face of the current great crisis, where great righteousness lies, great love has been done, great kindness has been done, and great virtue has been directed, there is no room for turning back. Yang Hao will lead his righteous soldiers to carry out heavenly punishment and trap Chen.
If you defeat the enemy, you will definitely defeat Xiaoxiao, which is a warning to the world!"
The dog's eyes were full of adoring little stars, and he reached out to touch his chest. Zhuyun looked at her, and when he saw her taking out a notebook, he couldn't help but said in a funny voice: "Xiao Yi, when did you get into such a problem? What did he say?
It’s not an imperial edict, but I’d better write it down.”
Gou'er smiled happily and said: "I just like to remember what my uncle said. He used to say few words, so I remember them, but now I can't. Wow..., what did you just say? There are so many words, I can't remember...
…”
Zhuyun rolled her eyes and handed over a neatly folded piece of paper: "Here."
The dog said blankly: "What is this?"
Zhu Yun said angrily: "There are notices posted all over the street, and it says..."
After Yang Hao finished speaking, he loudly said: "Commanders, on this expedition, I hope that the officers and men of the three armies will fight bravely to be the first, make great contributions, and show a prestige. Don't let me live up to the expectations of this commander, and don't let down the expectations of the elders in Hexi!"
Ai Yihai and other generals on horseback all raised their hands and shouted loudly, and the soldiers all around responded in unison, and the sound shook the sky.
Yang Hao waved his hand and shouted: "Let's go!"
The Chinese army moved, flags were like clouds, and the sound of horns resounded across the desert.
The impassioned "Grand Formation Music" echoed over the vast desert: "Looking back, the Qin Fortress is as low as a horse, and gradually the Yellow River flows straight north. The power of heaven rolls directly over the Jade Gate Fortress, and the barbarians from thousands of miles away sing the songs of Han Dynasty..."
With the spear pointed forward, thousands of horses lined up, like a whirlwind, and countless brave soldiers roared westward...
At the King's Palace in Jinshan, Shazhou, Yang Hao was still wearing his military uniform, sitting on a handsome chair with a golden sword. When he saw Talib coming in, his eyes only touched him lightly, without any courtesy from the previous meeting.
Talib's face was very ugly. After he came in, he bowed his head and said nothing.
Yang Hao did not give up his seat. He picked up the cup and took a sip of tea. Then he glanced at him and said calmly: "The assassination of the Khotan envoy has not yet been investigated. All suspects are not allowed to leave. Mr. Talib is my commander."
My friend, I made an exception and allowed you to come and see me. I don’t know.
What's the matter with Mr. Talib? I will send my troops back to Xiazhou soon. If Mr. Talib just has any inconveniences in his life, you can directly raise it to Governor Zhang. We will take care of these aspects.
Satisfied.”
When Talib heard this, his face became even more ugly: "Why should the Taiwei ask questions knowingly? The Taiwei must already know the purpose of my visit, right?"
Yang Hao smiled coldly: "I only know that Mr. Talib is a merchant from the Western Regions who I highly value. A merchant should identify himself and do not want to interfere in my political affairs!"
Talib took a breath, and the anger on his face gradually subsided: "Haha, why is Taiwei so angry? Is it worth hurting your and my friendship for Khotan? Yes, I am a merchant, but with you merchants from the Central Plains, is it worth it?
The difference is that in our Dashi, the status of merchants is not low. And I have a royal status and have many connections in both the military and political circles of Dashi. I believe that I can be of much more help to the Taiwei than that person who doesn’t know what is called.
Khotan is much more important."
Yang Hao put down his tea cup and said in a deep voice: "It seems that Mr. Talib still doesn't understand my commander-in-chief's intentions. This is not a question of who is useful and who is useless, but my rights, which must not be violated. Mr. Talib and I
The cooperation is only about the monetary interests of both parties, nothing else."
Talib smiled and said: "Hehehe, there are no outsiders here, please open the skylight and speak frankly. The Taiwei is Gangjin Gongbao, the protector of Buddhism... However, according to me, the Taiwei is just
It's just taking advantage of the people's admiration for Buddhism in Hexi. If Taiwei is a devout Buddhist, I have never seen a Buddha statue in Taiwei's house. I have never seen Taiwei go to any temple to worship Buddha and offer incense.
Taiwei recited a scripture and wore a magical weapon. Taiwei, the power of Buddhism to restrain and appeal to the people is actually very limited. If Taiwei..."
Yang Hao raised his hand to stop him from speaking, smiled slightly, and said: "As expected, I think... I already understand what you are going to say and what your purpose is. Haha, you don't have to say it anymore."
Talib's eyes were sharp: "Does the Taiwei want to support the Bodhisattva and destroy my God?"
Yang Hao snorted coldly: "The glory of the sun and moon gods has not yet spread to my land west of Hexi. How can Mr. Talib start talking about this?"
Talib said in surprise: "So, what does Taiwei mean?"
Yang Hao slowly straightened up: "Since you are open and honest, then I will make my meaning clear to you. If Mr. Talib is willing to bring imams from your country to our Hexi Province to spread the teachings, Yang Hao wholeheartedly welcomes him."
When Talib heard this, he was overjoyed and said quickly: "Is this true?"
Yang Haodao: "I take my words seriously, of course. However, I have something to say first: During the Tang Dynasty, business travelers from your country came by sea and settled in Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Hongzhou, Yangzhou and other places in large numbers.
There were tens of thousands of people who built temples and preached the gospel, all belonging to the Tang Dynasty, which was not prohibited by the Tang Dynasty. When the Tang Dynasty invaded the Western Regions, the Kingdom of Great Food sent reinforcements all the way to help. Later, this group of troops arrived in Chang'an, and were granted permission by the Emperor of Tang Dynasty.
He married a Han woman and settled in Chang'an. He believed in a sect and followed his own will.
This is what I mean. I follow the methods of the Tang Dynasty, be open to all things, be inclusive, believe in Christianity, and never be exclusive in one art. Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism will not be suppressed. If Catholics want to come to my territory to preach, I will welcome them.
Naturally, I will not refuse you. However, I will never allow you to dominate and destroy other faiths with bloody means. If your faith can really convince the people, the people will naturally be your believers. Everyone can show their abilities.
, in my place, don’t imagine that the story of Kala Khan will happen again.”
Talib's face looked ugly again.
Yang Haodao: "If Mr. Talib can agree, then you and I, and your country, will still be close friends. If Mr. Talib still insists on his opinion, then if I really want to be in my jurisdiction
If you forbid a religion, that's what you believe in. I hope Mr. Talib can make a wise choice. After you make a decision, you can come to see me at any time. Now, please come back."
After Yang Hao finished speaking, he turned around and left. Talib shouted urgently: "Captain, wait a moment."
Yang Hao stopped and said without looking back: "Why, did Mr. Talib make a decision so quickly?"
Talib asked angrily: "Now that all my people are trapped in Populus euphratica Hall, when will we be able to get out?"
Yang Hao chuckled and said: "Well... when my Western Expeditionary Army arrives at Yuechang City in Khotan, you will be rewarded. However, regardless of whether Mr. Talib agrees to my conditions or not,
Whether we are enemies or friends in the future, I need a few murderers. This... is the biggest concession I have made because of our past friendship!"
Talib was led by the guards and walked angrily outside the palace. When he reached the front yard, he met several people. Two Shazhou officials led several Roman warriors wearing bright red cloaks and were walking in.
, they wore helmets with horizontal red manes, silver-white plate armor, their calves and arms were exposed, their muscles were as knotted as dragons, and their bronze skin contained strong strength. Two of them, even Talib this time
Roman prisoners of war transported to Hexi.
Talib was startled and subconsciously moved aside. Those people seemed to have paid no attention to this Hu merchant. One of them said: "Lombas, are you really a descendant of Consul Crassus? Hahaha, then
Very good. After our Roman Empire made peace with the Kingdom of Parthia, we asked them for soldiers from our First Corps.
, we know that not all of you died in the battle, you are Roman citizens, we will not give up on you, but the Parthians do not know your whereabouts, this matter has become our eternal regret. This time, the captain asked us to come together
Going to Rome, if the descendants of Consul Crassus return to their hometown, they will surely cause a sensation in the whole of Rome..."
Several people talked and walked over happily.
Talib was startled, and his feet suddenly became heavy. Although he said that the Dashi Empire was extremely powerful in front of Yang Hao, and seemed to be invincible across the West, but that was just taking advantage of the poor information. In fact, Dashi Empire was invincible.
The Empire and the Roman Empire had been at war for hundreds of years. During that time a few decades ago, the Empire of Great Food indeed had the upper hand, advancing steadily and winning countless battles.
However, after the Roman Empire became the Eastern and Western Empire, there were differences in military, political, and cultural aspects. The Western Roman Empire was conservative and continued to use infantry as the main force of combat. It was repeatedly defeated by the cavalry of the Great Food Empire.
suffered a defeat, and the Eastern Roman Empire began to attach importance to the combat method with cavalry as the main force. For more than a hundred years, the Eastern Roman Empire fought on the Euphrates River.
The traveling Samosata annihilated the Cathar army and successively recovered Bari, Taranto and Calabria. He also captured Mesopotamia, Crete, Cyprus, Antioch, and Aleppo.
In places such as Edessa, Damascus, Beirut and Syria, the Byzantine Empire has begun to regain its advantage in the East. This is why they can't wait to develop religious countries in the East.
The Eastern Roman Empire went into decline again after they lost Anatolia, an important horse-producing area, and that was hundreds of years later. Talib naturally knew nothing about this. He only knew,
Now the Eastern Roman Empire is just like the sun rising in the east. When Yang Hao understands all this, he will understand that if he establishes diplomatic relations with the Roman Empire, the help he will receive is not weaker than that of the Great Food Empire, but for the Great Food Empire, he will lose
Yang Hao, who has great influence in the Western Regions, will suffer a major setback.
Talib's legs seemed to be filled with lead, getting heavier and heavier. He had never been willing to accept Yang Hao's suggestion, but now... his will had to waver...
