The throne changed hands overnight.
Liu Ben thought that the people of Yixun City were going to be in chaos for a while, but the fact surprised him.
After the people in the city got the news, they only discussed it for two or three days, and then they just did whatever they had to do.
Well.
Liu Cheng quickly figured out that the level difference between the king and ordinary people was still too big.
As long as the lives of ordinary people did not have much impact, they actually didn't care who sat on the throne, because sitting on the throne People have never cared about their life or death.
Liu Cheng didn't plan to stay here for too long.
He couldn't spend several years in the Western Regions and had to rush back to Chang'an before winter this year.
Therefore, Liu Cheng decided to break camp and leave Yixun City in three days to go to Qiezhi, the old name of the Han Dynasty, which was Qiemo.
However, before leaving, he had to beat the new king of Shanshan State, Ancheng, and his ministers.
Qizhi was originally one of the ten countries on the South Silk Road, but it was annexed by the increasingly powerful Shanshan Kingdom more than 20 years ago.
Liu Cheng sat on the throne in the main hall of Yixun City Palace.
The new king An Cheng stood on his left hand side.
Below him were more than a dozen civil and military ministers from Shanshan Kingdom.
There were many soldiers inside and outside the hall, and they were heavily guarded.
Liu Cheng looked at the new king and ministers of Shanshan Kingdom and said: "In two days, the Japanese general will lead his troops to the west.
At that time, my general will take away the 3,000 people stationed in the city and leave a thousand people to defend the capital.
Waiting for my general He will lead his troops on a tour of various countries in the Western Regions, and will release them before returning to Dunhuang.
On this trip to the west, these three thousand garrison troops will be led by General Ji Lan and set off with me.
They must prepare a month's worth of food and grass before departure. , General Ji Lan, do you understand?"
The Shanshan Kingdom military general who was named stood up and saluted: "Report to the general, I understand, I must be prepared before setting off."
Liu Cheng glanced at everyone's reactions, and could see that the new king An Cheng had some worries on his face.
He was worried that the departure of the army would make his situation very difficult, while the other ministers looked relaxed, as if he would lead the way.
They felt relieved when the soldiers left.
Liu Cheng knocked on the imperial case and made three thump-dong-dong sounds.
The sound was clear and crisp, which made him cheer up involuntarily.
He said: "I heard that in the past few years, King Banren was not only disrespectful to me, but also made things difficult for me."
The local officials and troops were greatly expanded and sent troops to attack the surrounding kingdoms and tribes.
The Han Dynasty was very dissatisfied and unhappy with the food."
"For the Han Dynasty, maintaining long-term stability in the Western Regions can keep the Silk Road open and bring prosperous trade to the Han Dynasty and other countries in the Western Regions.
Any attempt to undermine the stability of the Western Regions is a provocation to the authority of the Han Dynasty.
Your country, Shanshan, sends troops Why do you want to attack the surrounding kingdoms and tribes?
Do you want to expand the territory?
Do you think that by expanding the territory, you can feed more people, have a stronger army, become the king and hegemon among the countries in the Western Regions, and compete with our Han Dynasty?"
"There can be no chaos in the Western Regions, and the countries cannot stir up disputes at will.
This is the premise that whoever makes trouble first will be the one who causes trouble for me, the Han Dynasty.
Do you understand?"
A minister stood up and saluted and said: "General, we all understand what you said, but you have also seen the situation in our country.
The existing land is no longer enough to feed more people.
There is no other way but to expand outward.
Is it possible?
I want to watch the people starve to death.”
Liu Cheng snorted coldly: "Humph, there is no other way.
Who said it?
You said don't always stare at other people's bowls.
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You want to eat your own bowl clean.
Besides, I have seen it these days, general." , there is no land in Shanshan from time to time.
A lot of land can still be cultivated, but it has become a desert because there is no water source for irrigation.
Why don't you organize the people to clean up the silt from the river bottom, raise the dams, and lower the river bed during the slack time in winter?
Why don't you organize the people to dig canals to divert water for irrigation?
"How much money have you earned down here?
Why don't you use the money to buy food and daily necessities from neighboring countries?"
These ministers all know that they actually have money, and so do the people, but they have the habit of hiding money and do not want to spend it.
"In short, if the Shanshan Kingdom sends troops to attack the surrounding kingdoms and tribes again, we, the Han Dynasty, will kill you to show our prestige to the countries in the Western Regions."
After beating them hard, Liu Cheng let them go.
The new king, An Cheng, was so angry that he didn't dare to say anything.
He only promised that he would not take the initiative to cause trouble again.
Two days later, the Western Patrol Army broke camp and set off.
This time there were 3,000 Shanshan soldiers.
However, they provided their own food and supplies.
Liu Cheng did not need to worry about logistics for the time being.
However, they still needed to be managed uniformly, so some extra care was inevitable.
According to calculations at this time, it was seven to eight hundred miles from Yixun City to Qiezhi.
According to later calculations, it was more than five hundred miles.
Liu Cheng's army marched southwest along the Qiemo River until it reached Qiezhi City.
There are hundreds of miles of quicksand to the northwest of Qizhi City, and hot desert winds often hit business travelers on the South Silk Road.
Following the reminders of the guides, Liu Cheng asked Liu Ye to distribute a mask to each soldier.
Except when eating and drinking, they must wear masks under normal circumstances to prevent fine sand from blowing into the mouth and nose.
After three days of marching, the army arrived at Qizhi City.
After setting up camp in Qizhi City, Liu Cheng met with the local official postmaster.
The postmaster was equivalent to the city lord, but his name was different.
This was an official position that existed before the Qizhi Kingdom was destroyed.
According to our understanding, Qizhi City originally had only six to seven thousand people and a garrison of 300.
After the Shanshan Kingdom destroyed the Qiemo Kingdom, some people moved here.
At this time, the population of Qizhi City had exceeded 10,000, which was more than that of Muni.
There are more cities in the city, and there are more than 2,000 troops stationed here.
They are the troops stationed here by the Shanshan Kingdom in preparation for attacking the Jingjue Kingdom in the west.
The new king of Shanshan sent someone to bring the order, but when Liu Cheng's army arrived, the order was passed to the garrison generals.
They were to hand over a thousand people to the accompanying general Ji Lan and set off with the western patrol army.
The generals of Shanshan Kingdom stationed in Qizhi City were quite well informed.
The Western Patrol Army had already received the news before they arrived here.
They knew that Shanshan Kingdom had changed.
The Han Dynasty was too powerful to disobey.
After receiving the order, they could only Give half of your troops to General Ji Lan.
In the morning of this day, Liu Cheng came to Chen Qun and told him: "The next stop of the army is going to Jingjue Kingdom, and the headquarters of the Western Region Chang Shifu is still in Khotan Kingdom in the southwest.
You should first send a team of envoys to Yutian Kingdom."
The Khotan Kingdom met Zhang Yan, the chief official, and told him the news of the arrival of the Western Patrol Army."
Liu Cheng paused here, thought for a while and then said: "We still don't know much about the current situation here.
We must find someone to ask.
You can handle this matter and find out clearly."
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"No, students will go right away" It only took Chen Qun one morning to find out clearly the situation of the ten countries along the Silk Road in the Western Regions.
He came back and reported to Liu Cheng: "My lord, I have found out clearly that the most powerful country on the South Silk Road now is the Shanshan Kingdom."
Along with Khotan, the Shanshan Kingdom has been using troops against the Jingjue Kingdom in the past year.
The Jingjue Kingdom is not strong and has suffered relatively heavy losses.
It only has more than 500 troops in Jingjue City."
"The country of Mumi was even worse.
It was almost destroyed by Khotan more than 20 years ago.
If it weren't for Zhang Yan and others, the country of Mumi would have been destroyed long ago.
At that time, there were only more than a thousand people left.
Although it has passed now More than 20 years ago, but the population is only over 3,000 people.”
"Khotan is the most powerful country, with a total population of more than 90,000 people and a standing army of about 8,000 people.
But if the king orders a recruitment, it can have 30,000 soldiers."
Liu Cheng gasped when he heard this, "There are only 80,000 or 90,000 people in total.
The King of Khotan can order to recruit 30,000 people.
Doesn't this mean that all the people are soldiers?"
"Yes."
Chen Qun nodded and continued: "There is another situation.
The current chief historian of the Western Regions is not Zhang Yan.
Although Zhang Yan is still in Khotan, he is no longer the chief historian.
The chief historian is Shi Fu, and he also came to the Western Regions.
More than 20 years ago, now this year When he was nearly fifty, it was the two of them who had been dealing with the countries in the Western Regions and prevented the Khotan Kingdom from annexing other countries.
Shi Fu and Zhang Yan only had 500 soldiers in their hands.
They were still veterans for many years.
Although they had rich battle experience. , but my strength is not enough.”
"Okay, I understand.
The army will leave for Jingjue Kingdom tomorrow.
You go down and make preparations."
"promise" Shortly after Chen Qun left, Wang Yue came to report.
What he said about the situation in the Western Regions was not much different from what Chen Qun had concluded after sending people to inquire, but Wang Yue's investigation was more detailed.
According to the investigation by the spies sent by Wang Yue, the country of Khotan is now powerful and aggressive, and it is eyeing the surrounding countries.
The troops stationed in the border areas often provoke the surrounding countries.
Shi Fu, Zhang Yan and others tried their best to deal with it, and they also pulled the imperial court.
With the threat of tiger skin, and by wooing Cheshi, Yanqi, Qiuci, Shule and other countries to embolden them, Khotan was reluctantly suppressed and did not dare to act rashly.
Liu Cheng thought for a while and said to Wang Yue: "I just asked Chen Qun to select a group of envoys to go to Khotan.
To be on the safe side, I want to send you to take some people to Khotan secretly and protect this group secretly along the way.
Envoy; if something unexpected happens to this group of envoys on the way, your group will secretly contact the Governor of the Western Regions and ask them to try their best to deal with the monarchs and ministers of Khotan.
The army will soon go to Khotan to meet them."
Wang Yue agreed: "I will obey my order."
Early the next morning, Liu Cheng led his army and set off westward to Jingjue Kingdom.
During the march, Liu Cheng listened to the guide's introduction to Jingjue Kingdom and learned that the king of Jingjue Kingdom had one captain, one general, one postmaster, etc., and its population was not large, with a total of only more than 5,000 people.
It was attacked by the Shanshan Kingdom in 1988 and suffered a lot of losses.
Jingjue City is located in a large swamp.
There is only one road into the city and only one road out of the city.
In the large swamp, the climate is hot and humid, making it difficult to walk and overgrown with reeds and grass.
The oasis where Jingjue City is located is in this large swamp.
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In the heart of Zeze, Jingjue City relied on this unique geographical environment to block Shanshan Kingdom's attacks again and again, causing them to return without success.
With the arrival of the Western Patrol Army, the Jingjue Kingdom has received news.
The king was very surprised.
Unexpectedly, the Central Plains Dynasty sent an imperial envoy with more than 10,000 troops to patrol the Western Regions.
He immediately led the captain, left and right generals, and post commanders.
And the people went out of the city to welcome him
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