The appointment of a series of officials such as the Dunhuang County Governor, County Magistrate, County Lieutenant, and other officials has become Liu Cheng's top priority now.
After Wang Min, Kang Qin and others were beheaded, there is basically no one in the County Governor's Mansion who can take charge of the affairs.
Several county magistrate positions under his jurisdiction are already vacant and must be appointed as soon as possible.
After careful consideration, Liu Cheng decided to promote Li Yu, the magistrate of Guangzhi County, to the prefect of Dunhuang County, appoint Zhao Ang, an officer of the Western Patrol Army, as the county magistrate, select a school captain from the Western Patrol Army to take over the post of county captain, and other official positions.
The positions of county magistrate and county magistrate were also appointed one after another.
After several days of arrangements, the arrangements were finally completed.
During this period, good news also came from Ma Chao.
The Hun horse bandit Wu Zhi and his men who were entrenched in the Bailongdui area were all wiped out.
The bandit leader Wu Zhi was beheaded, and only a handful of horse bandits fled into the desert.
Life and death are unknown.
The Western Patrol Army could not stay in Dunhuang for a long time, and Liu Cheng's time was limited.
After sorting out the administration of Dunhuang County, he decided to purchase a batch of grain and grass and set off for the Western Regions.
On this day, Liu Cheng sent someone to find the new governor Li Yu and the county magistrate Zhao Ang and said: "The army will set off for the Western Regions in a few days, but there are still some shortages in food and grass.
I would like your governor's office to come out to the people."
When purchasing, just buy according to the market price.
This amount Expenses are borne by the military expenses of the Western Patrol.
You do not need to pay for it, and it will not be allocated to the people.
However, large-volume purchases are slightly lower than the market price.
We will not take advantage of the people, nor will they suffer losses.
Related procurement matters Liu Ye will discuss it with you."
Li Yu thought for a moment and held up his hands and said: "We searched the homes of Wang Min, Kang Qin and others and found about five hundred stones of grain and grass.
Although this batch of supplies must be included in the treasury, the imperial army is patrolling the west, and our Dunhuang County also needs to As a token of appreciation, the seized grain and grass can be given to the Western Patrol Army, and the remaining shortfall can be purchased from the private sector."
Liu Cheng did not refuse and agreed: "Okay, you can discuss the rest with Liu Ye.
One more thing, this western patrol is the first time for this general and the first time for everyone in the western patrol army. , although most of the army is from Liangzhou, it is extremely dangerous to cross the vast desert.
I hope you can recommend a few people who have been to various countries in the Western Regions.
Guide, the recommended person needs to have rich experience in desert survival, understand the customs of the countries in the Western Regions, and be familiar with the conditions of the countries in the Western Regions.
In addition, some people who are proficient in the languages of the countries in the Western Regions must not be allowed to pass by because they cannot speak Chinese. , and we can’t speak their words, wouldn’t the two sides be unable to communicate, so these two things are very important.”
Li Yu said: "Yes, I will go and make arrangements immediately to find guides and people who are proficient in the languages of various countries in the Western Regions as soon as possible."
After two days, all the missing food and grass were purchased, and a total of four guides and three people who were proficient in the languages of various countries in the Western Region were found.
Two of the four guides used to serve as couriers from Dunhuang County to Chang Shi's Mansion in the Western Regions.
Both of them are in their forties and are official personnel.
However, they have not been couriers for several years and still have experience in crossing the desert. ; The other two are often hired by business travelers to travel to various countries in the Western Regions, and their families are all in Dunhuang County, which is relatively reassuring.
Two of the three people who are proficient in the languages of various countries in the Western Regions are civil servants in the Taishou Mansion, a young man and a middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man has been to various countries in the Western Regions when he was young, and also stayed in the Changshi Mansion of the Western Regions for many years.
The other one He is a Shule businessman who has traveled around the Western Regions for many years.
He is not only proficient in the languages of various countries, but also familiar with their population, national power, military strength, culture and customs.
The army spent the fifteenth day of the first lunar month in Dunhuang City and had a good meal.
The next day, the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the army set off from Dunhuang City to Yumen Pass.
Shi set up the west bank of the river, and the army marched along the river bank to the southwest.
Near the river bank, the air is relatively humid.
The soldiers have recovered well after resting for such a long time.
By around midnight in the afternoon, the army had walked along the river bank to a fork in the road, and there was a fork in the road ahead.
When Liu Cheng saw him walking behind him, he asked Chen Qun: "We have walked almost seventy or eighty miles."
Chen Qun turned around and asked the clerk in charge of the drum cart in Jili: "How many times have the drums in Jili's drum cart been beaten?"
"I've been back to Shangguan eight times," the clerk replied.
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Liu Cheng said to Chen Qun: "Let the guides come over."
There was no need to send anyone to shout.
Four guides came from behind on horseback and saluted together: "Meet the general."
Liu Cheng pointed to the fork in the road ahead and asked: "There is a fork in the road ahead.
Which road should the army take?"
The official guide bowed his hands and replied: "Go back to the general, and walk straight ahead to Yangguan without turning.
When you reach the fork in the road, turn right and go to Yumenguan to go to the Western Regions.
You can go through both of these passes, but it is more convenient to go through Yangguan."
It is to go to Yixun City, the capital of Shanshan Kingdom.
If you take Yumenguan, you are usually going to Kuni City or Gaochang or Yanqi."
Liu Cheng thought for a while and said: "Instruct Zhang Xiu to lead a thousand cavalry to clear the way for the forward ten miles, and the army will turn to the right and go through Yumen Pass."
"Yes," the herald agreed, and immediately sent out a herald to convey the military order.
After receiving the order, Zhang Xiu ordered a thousand cavalry to cross the main army and quickly ran to the front.
He also brought two guides with him.
The Western Patrol Army arrived near Yumen Pass at noon the next day.
Looking from a distance, a winding Great Wall appears in the distance.
In front of it is a Guancheng, known as Xiaofangpancheng.
Pedestrians and business travelers pass through here.
There are beacons at every other section on the wall, one after another.
One, to the end of the horizon.
There is a large Fangpan City more than twenty miles north of the small Fangpan City, which is where the military supplies and grain are stored for the entire Yumen Pass defense system.
The entire Yumenguan defense system is ninety miles long from east to west and about one mile wide from north to south.
It covers multiple functions such as military command, lookout transmission, military supplies hoarding, and garrisoning troops.
Considering that the environment would be harsh and the difficulties would increase after leaving the customs, Liu Cheng ordered the army to rest for an afternoon at Yumen Pass and prepare dry food for five days at Yumen Pass.
Liu Cheng did not rest in the afternoon.
Accompanied by the new Yumen Pass guard Huang Ling, he visited and inspected most of the buildings in the entire Yumen Pass defense system.
Liu Cheng and others rode horses on the city wall.
He made a rough estimate and found that the base of the Great Wall was about three meters wide, the top was about one and a half meters wide, and the height was also about three meters.
Liu Cheng asked while looking at it: "How was this long city wall built?"
Huang Ling cupped his fists and replied: "Back to General, everything is made from local materials, made of Achnatherum splendens, loess, and gravel rammed layer by layer."
The walls of the Great Wall have been severely weathered, especially the battlement parapets.
Although there is less rainfall in the desert, the rain will still wash away the soil and gravel on the walls, so the walls will become thinner and thinner.
It is getting shorter and shorter, and in many areas the battlement parapets are gone.
Walking all the way to Dafangpan City, Liu Cheng observed it and estimated the area of this Fangpan City.
It was about more than 100 meters long and 17 or 18 meters wide.
There were neatly arranged holes in the wall because it was used to store military supplies.
As a place for food and grass, the holes in these walls should be ventilation holes.
If the enemy comes to attack, they can also be used as archery holes to shoot the enemy.
Standing on Dafangpan City, Huang Ling pointed to a river not far to the north and said: "General, please look, that is the downstream section of Jiduanshui.
It disappears into the salt marshes in the desert.
All the soldiers of Yumen Pass."
All the grain, grass and military equipment were transported from the county by ship.”
After Liu Cheng inspected some more beacons, he returned to Xiaofangpan City in Yumen Pass with the accompanying officials.
Early the next morning, the army set off.
After leaving Yumen Pass, the weather was completely different.
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In the endless Gobi Desert, the air gradually became dry.
At noon, the temperature rose quickly.
The soldiers felt a little hot.
Many people took off their helmets, and some even wanted to take them off. armor.
A guide rode forward and said to Liu Cheng: "General, tell the soldiers quickly, you cannot take off your helmets or armor, and try not to expose your body to the outside.
It is dry here, and the human body loses water easily.
If you expose your body to the outside, you will lose water."
Faster, you have to cover your mouth and nose with the cloth piece provided.
In addition, you need to Tell the soldiers not to drink too much water at one time.
This will easily lead to drinking all the water, resulting in insufficient drinking water.
Only when you are so thirsty can you take a small sip.
Try to save water as much as possible.
Water is life in the desert.
Without water, the soldiers will lose their combat effectiveness within a day."
After hearing this, Liu Cheng looked back and found that those who did not pay attention to these details were the direct cavalry he brought from Chang'an.
The Xiliang army had some experience in marching in the desert.
He ordered the messenger beside him: "I heard it.
No, immediately pass on the guide’s advice as a military order from the general.”
"Obey" the herald immediately sent heralds to convey the order after agreeing.
The military order was passed on, and the soldiers who took off their helmets and armor had to put them back on.
However, drinking water was beyond the control of the officers.
Some people drank water when they were a little thirsty, and a cowhide bag of water was not available.
When it gets dark, they all drink it up.
Everyone only has one bag.
If you drink from others after you finish drinking, then others will have nothing to drink, and others will naturally refuse.
Those who have no water to drink can only hold on.
When setting up camp in the evening, Liu Cheng heard a report that hundreds of people in the army had drank all their water, were very thirsty, and wanted to add another bag.
One bag of water needs to last for a day and night.
This is already the maximum amount.
After listening to Liu Ye's report, Liu Cheng ordered: "Don't give them any more water before tomorrow morning.
Let them remember it." " Liu Ye agreed: "I understand."
Now these people finally tasted the pain.
They had no water to drink all night.
When they woke up the next morning, their mouths were dry and their lips were cracked.
After supplementing their diet, these people finally learned to behave and stopped drinking heavily.
The army arrived at a place called Duhu Well on the afternoon of the next day.
There was a beacon next to the well.
It was named after a man who ordered the Duhu of the Western Regions to dig a well here many years ago.
After the well was dug, another beacon was placed next to it.
A beacon fortress was built on the earth bag, and a team of soldiers were stationed to guard the well and provide drinking water and food to business travelers, of course for a fee
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