Straight man of steel

Chapter 399
Zhang Yuan did not expect that the captain of the subordinate country of Kucha City would directly lead him to his bedroom.

But thinking about how difficult it would be for such a rough Northwest man to have a study, it became clear in my heart.

"Usually no one will approach here, Tai Xueling can talk about what His Majesty has to say."

Zhang Yuan nodded and took out Liu Che's imperial edict from his pocket.

The content of the edict is very simple, which is to ask the vassal captains of Kucha City to fully cooperate with Zhang Yuan's work.

And within half a year, Zhang Yuan has the right to mobilize a total of 1 guards from Fushi City and Qiuci City in Shangjun.

To be honest, this power is a bit too big, and Zhang Yuan would never dare to use the power to deploy troops unless it is absolutely necessary.

Obviously, this is another temptation. No matter what His Majesty does, the courtiers under him will have to walk on thin ice. Think about whether there is a second intention, and sometimes whether there is a third intention or even a deeper meaning. inside.

"I don't know what Tai Xueling is going to do on this trip?"

After reading it, the captain of the subordinate country folded the edict and returned it to Zhang Yuan.

"Assassinate Chu Da!"

Zhang Yuan was sure he couldn't tell the truth, so he gave the reason he had planned at the beginning.

The expression on the face of the capital captain of the subordinate country changed several times one after another. He couldn't believe that Liu Che would dispatch so many people for one Chu Da, and there was even a Taixue Ling among them.

"Okay, I will fully cooperate with the Tai Xueling in the end."

"Well, I haven't asked your name yet."

"The last general is called Zhuang Bufan."

"Yeah, Captain Zhuang, I'll find you if I need something.

Now we only need to provide our group of people with a secluded residence and provide simple meals every day. "

"It will be clear in the end."

Zhang Yuan didn't want to have too many interactions with the local guards, and except for some people, most of them would leave the city soon.

To the northwest of Kucha City is a desert, and in the middle of the desert is an oasis.

There is actually a city on the oasis, named Gaowang City, which was built during the Qin Dynasty.

The students will be divided into [-] teams at the beginning, accompanied by hunters, officials, lecturers, and some veterans, and they will set off from different places to Gaowang City.

This first stage of the trial is considered the easiest, because there is no risk of encountering the Huns, even the Qiang people are rare in this place.

After repairing in Kucha City for three days, the lecturers and officials of Taixue led their respective teams and set off from the four gates of Kucha City.

In fact, Zhuang Bufan has been monitoring Zhang Yuan and the others, but Zhang Yuan and the others are discussing maps day and night and how to avoid the Huns and Qiang people, which makes Zhuang Bufan really believe in Zhang Yuan They really wanted to assassinate Chu Da.

Zhang Yuan didn't leave Kucha City. Since he told Zhuang Bufan that he wanted to assassinate Chu Da with his status, he must sit in the base camp and not be able to move out easily.

Zhang Yuan, who is free, talks to some people from the Western Regions who live in Qiucha City every day.

To be honest, Zhang Yuan has a great interest in the Western Regions and even Europe in this era.

The comparison between different cultures can often produce something fresh.

There are also various legends of the Western Regions, Zhang Yuan is also very curious.

Is the mysterious corpse-flavored konjac in the Jingjue country? There is also the Loulan country that was buried by the wind and sand. The current Loulan country is not called Loulan, but a country called Shanshan.

In addition, Zhang Yuan also wanted to collect some things he needed from these people.

The seeds of plants, these seeds are the most attractive to Zhang Yuan.

Fortunately, the Huns and Qiangs would not take away the seeds when they ransacked them. Zhang Yuan collected a lot of seeds through these Western Regions people.

It's just that the current name is too different from the name Zhang Yuan knew, and many people from the Western Regions can't explain it clearly.

Such a large amount of wealth can only be cultivated and cultivated slowly until Zhang Yuan returns to Chang'an in the future.

Time flies very fast in Kucha City.

In the first phase of the trial, all twenty teams completed within one month and returned to Qiucha City.

Being able to not lose their way in the desert is already a good proof of their ability.

Next, the second mission that Zhang Yuan assigned to them was more adventurous.

Ascertain the Huns and Qiang tribes in Henan.

The [-] teams have their own activities, and the time limit has been increased to two months.

At that time, the number of Qiang tribes and Xiongnu tribes found will be used to judge who is better.

This is more difficult, and it must be close contact with the Qiang people and the Huns.

In order to protect their safety, Zhang Yuan also equipped them with horses.

Now is not a period of concentrated friction, and the Huns will not come to loot near the territory of the Han Dynasty.

Those small Qiang tribes and Xiongnu tribes are the same as the lowest level of the Han people, and poverty is their label.

Moreover, all the young people in the Huns tribe were conscripted to serve as cavalry, and the rest of many tribes were old, young, women and children.

This is why Zhang Yuan is so relieved.

Zhang Yuan's side is very busy, and so is Wei Qing's side.

The war is about to begin, and the movement of troops and food has never stopped.

A lot of military rations will be sent to the front line in advance, so that when the army leaves Chang'an City, they can only take the rations on the road.

During this period of time, a lot of military rations were sent to Kucha City.

The main military rations were sent to Yanmen County and Shang County.

Zhuang Bufan felt more and more that the purpose of Zhang Yuan's coming to Kucha City was not so simple, but the long-term literacy made Zhuang Bufan keep silent about this matter.

He doesn't ask what he shouldn't know, and someone will tell him when he should know.

The final list of generals to go on the expedition was finalized, and Wei Qing sent someone to copy a copy to Zhang Yuan.

Wei Qing, Zhang Yuan, Gongsun He, Gongsun Ao, Li Guang, Li Xi, Zhu Fuyan, Su Jian, Zhang Cigong and others set off together.

Among them, Wei Qing, Zhang Yuan, Su Jian, and Zhang Cigong marched west from Yanmen County, leading [-] cavalry.

Gongsun He, Gongsun Ao, Li Guang, Li Xi, and Zhu Fuyan went north from Shangjun, leading 30 infantry and [-] slave troops and civilian husbands.

After the two armies joined forces, the command power belonged to Wei Qing.

There is no post of chief historian in each army, and after Zhang Yuan submits the list to the imperial court, Liu Che will decide it himself.

With rare trust, Liu Che almost completely agreed with Zhang Yuan's plan.

Earlier, the agreement was only verbal, but now it is directly on the surface.

After all, this news cannot be concealed. Zhang Yuan had just received Liu Che's edict from Chang'an, and Zhuang Bufan went to Zhang Yuan's room and waited in person.

Zhang Yuan will not shame Zhuang Bufan if he has to stay in Qiuci City for another winter.

"Lieutenant Zhuang is looking for something from me?"

Zhang Yuan welcomed Zhuang Bufan into the house, and closed the door without any hassle.

"Tai Xueling, there is something I want to ask for at the end of the day."

"Zhuang Duwei said bluntly, if I can do it, I will do my best."

Get used to the scene and talk, and become like Zhang Yuan.

But in this society, Zhang Yuan can't do most of the things that others can ask for.

"The last general has been here since the time of Emperor Xiaojing. In the early days, Qiuci City was just the northern captain. Later, when the emperor received these foreigners from the Western Regions, he transferred me from the northern captain to here.

The former Captain's Mansion has also been abolished. Even the Huns are unwilling to loot here. "

The Great Wall in Shangjun is different from other counties.

Except for some passes, the Great Wall here has no interruptions.

Extending from Xihe County to Beidi County, Shang County is in the middle.

The Huns would only attack Shangjun when they wanted to make some unexpected moves.

But something like this apparently hasn't happened for a long time.

The general of Bianjun and the captain outside the Great Wall must definitely want to make a career.

There is no harassment by foreigners, at least some Han people have to show their ability to govern.

But Zhuang Bufan was so unlucky, there were not many foreigners who surrendered to the Han in the north, and the Huns and Qiangs had been going back and forth all the time, and those were not counted.

The only thing that is stable is all in Zhuang Bufan's side, and it is not a political achievement in Liu Che's eyes to manage the foreign people well.

You said that it would be fine if some prince or princess from the Kucha Kingdom came here in trouble, but how could Liu Che care about a group of merchants with their families.

Now Zhuang Bufan is in such an embarrassing situation.

"Say what you have.

You can save the sensational words to tell His Majesty when you return to Chang'an. "

Zhang Yuan accidentally pricked Zhuang Bufan's heart again, this big man wanted to cry.

He just couldn't go back to Chang'an, otherwise he wouldn't be able to ask Zhang Yuan to come to him.

"The general wants to ask the Tai Xueling to give the general a chance to go out."

"You know something, don't you?"

"I have been sending food and weapons to Shangjun for such a long time. Even if His Majesty deliberately hides it, the last general has been in charge of the army for many years. Doesn't he know what he is going to do?"

"Then it's useless for you to find me. I'm a civil servant and I can't mount a horse to fight."

"Tai Xue ordered you to be self-effacing, who doesn't know that the former general Ma Tulong City also has your credit.

What's more, His Majesty can really let you come to Qiucha City for such a long time for Chu Da.

Those people you brought are all here to draw maps in Henan, or I will say that drawing maps is useless at all.

When the wind blows up, the desert will be filled with sand and dust, making it impossible to distinguish the topography and direction.

The last general is not boasting, it is much better to send a general who is familiar with the frontier than any map at this time. "

With that said, Zhuang Bufan patted his chest.

As soon as Zhang Yuan heard what he said, he didn't want to say anything more. If the war was fought at the door of his house, generals like Li Guang and Zhuang Bufan would naturally not have any problems.

Can you try extending another thousand miles to the north?Can it really work without a map?
"I can't say what I'm here for, but I really can't give you what you want.

How about this, there is still a lot of time, you can send someone to present a memorial to His Majesty.

Maybe His Majesty will agree. "

"Tai Xue makes you forget one thing."

"whats the matter?"

"Your Majesty has asked you to take care of the defenders of Kucha City and Fushi City, so the old man will not make any other arrangements."

Only then did Zhang Yuan think of this.

Half a year's time expired, and by that time the war with the Huns had almost begun.

At that time, even if Zhuang Bufan has great ability, as long as the Huns do not come to Kucha City, he will not be able to send troops.

Zhang Yuan said how he asked him, it turned out that he is now Zhuang Bufan's immediate boss.

But even so, Zhang Yuan didn't want to let Zhuang Bufan play in the same battle unless Liu Che could nod in agreement.

Liu Che's edict has already been in the hands of Zhang Yuan, and Zhang Yuan is now a general under Wei Qing, a miscellaneous general.

Although he is much better than Su Jian, Zhang Cigong, and Zhu Fuyan, he is only a subordinate.

"Let me tell you the truth, I have been temporarily replaced by the Taixue Chengwu Qiu Shouwang as the Taixue Ling.

I don't want to hide it from you anymore, I can only obey the orders of former general Wei Qing now, as for how to arrange for you, even with His Majesty's edict, I can't go past the former general.

But if you want to go to war, I will write a document and submit it to the imperial censor, who will then submit it to your majesty.

If His Majesty allows it, the former general will not stop it. "

Zhang Yuan just gave Zhuang Bufan a hope, but in the end this hope will come to nothing.

No one has touched these captains in the border county for many years. Even though they have high ranks, they want to be nailed here like a wedge.

"Okay, at the end, I will thank the Tai Xueling first."

Zhuang Bufan was also very disappointed. He even thought that it would be great if the Huns could reach the city of Kucha and give him a chance to make meritorious service.

Slowly time passed quickly.

Twenty teams returned with eighteen teams.

Fortunately, the other two teams that did not return found the bones.

They were very lucky not to be captured by the Huns, and they also told the flowers in these greenhouses that the north is not a peaceful piece of green grassland, and what is buried under the northern grasslands are actually bones. The green grass above provides nutrients for growth in the coming spring.

Yan Yi and Wang Qing were relatively lucky not to be in those two teams.

It always feels good to be alive after a disaster.

The final result also made Zhang Yuan a little relieved.

Yan Yi and Wang Qing are number one in the group.

Zhang Yuan is biased, he must protect his apprentice at this time.

Luo Xiahong is also in this group, so there must be no problem for them to take the first place.

Basically, in addition to the territory of King Loufan and King Aries, they have explored all the territories.

There are seven Qiang and Hun tribes with more than one hundred people living in a small piece of Henan.

There are not many aliens living in Henan, because half of it is desert, and the main activity areas of the Huns are in the Hetao area.

There is no shortage of fodder all year round, and it is also the real location of King Loufan and King Aries.

After finishing the ranking list, Zhang Yuan immediately sent someone to send it directly to Chang'an.

In addition, Luoxia Hong's lecturers and officials who were already at Taixue also returned directly to Taixue.

Zhang Yuan didn't forget about Zhuang Bufan, but the list was for Liu Che, and Zhuang Bufan's request was sent to Doctor Yushi.

(End of this chapter)