The ancient yellow sand road, camel bells are lingering.

A caravan came outside the city that had been eroded for many years.

Suo Yan, the commander of Yangguan Town, led his troops to the west to inspect and ran into the field.

The caravan was a little panicked, and the servants and guards all pulled out their weapons. The soldiers of Shazhou became nervous, dismounted, took out their arches and long spears, and surrounded them from afar.

"Stop." Suo Yan comforted the soldiers, rode alone, and asked, "Who are you waiting for? Where are you coming?" No one in the caravan responded, and they all looked at a monk.

Suo Yan's heart moved. It seemed that this was not a serious caravan.

However, he was not very afraid. This was the territory of Shazhou. In addition to local soldiers and generals, there were also tens of thousands of silver spear soldiers sent by the imperial court to exchange defenses. The caravan with hundreds of people could not cause any big waves.

"I have seen the general." The monk stepped forward slowly and said slowly, "We are coming from Khotan to communicate with the great powers." "Khotan?" Suo Yan was a little surprised: "Is the Great Dike Road open?"

As a former military man of the Guiyi Army, Suo Yan still heard of the Kingdom of Tian.

As early as the civil strife in Tubo and Zhang Taibao was in trouble, he had contact. It was also at that time that the people of Khotan saw Tubo's weakness and blatantly raised an army and regained control of their own country.

But later the contact gradually decreased.

After the rise of the Gaochang Uighurs, the Guiyi army was too busy to take care of themselves, and had no intention of paying attention to anything in the Western Regions, nor did they actively send people to contact us. Later, the Guiyi army abolished the town, Gua and Sha prefectures were included in Hexi Road, and the imperial court adopted a defensive force in the west, with the focus on unifying the Central Plains. After a few decades, I know very little about the Western Regions.

As for the Daji Road, it was also the post road opened during the Zhenguan period of the former Tang Dynasty.

In the first year of Zhenguan (627), Emperor Taizong of Tang sent Zhang Bi, the army of Right Guard Cangcao, to the Western Regions for six years and traveled for 40,000 miles.

The number of thirty countries Zhang Bi sent to was far beyond what the Central Plains dynasty knew since the end of the Sui Dynasty, and many of them were visiting for the first time.

There is no doubt that this was a great mission comparable to Ban Chao. Zhang Bi traveled to thirty countries, covering the Tarim Basin and the Sogdian territory west of the Pamir Mountains.

In the fourth year of Zhenguan (630), the Eastern Turks were destroyed, and Shi Wannian of Yizhou led seven cities to surrender. The Tang court established Xiyizhou, which was a surviving state. By the sixth year of Zhenguan (632), Xiyizhou was promoted to Yizhou, which was the main state, which marked the Tang court's interest in the Western Regions.

It was also during this period that the Tang court accepted the request of the Yanqi king Longtuqi Branch to build a direct post road between Dunhuang, namely the Daji Road, to avoid Gaochang.

Yanqi obtained the privilege of monopolizing trade in the Central Plains and Western Regions, supported the Tang Dynasty and jointly attacked Gaochang. It was also in this year (632), with the opening of the Daji Road, that Khotan paid tribute to the Tang Dynasty for the first time.

This road across the desert played a crucial role in the early Western Regions policies of the Tang Dynasty.

But after all, it has been more than two hundred years. The city-state along the Dachi Road has become unrecognizable. Recently, Gaochang Uighurs have repeatedly harassed the south and cut off the roads. Even Hu Shangshe does not go here, which shows the actual situation.

"The Dazhi Road is intermittent, but it can be used to walk around." Huizhao replied. "Then why don't you send envoys to the court?" Su Yan asked.

Huizhao asked back, "Dare you ask which Emperor of Tang Dynasty is now?"

Suo Yan narrowed his eyes, suspecting that the monk asked knowingly. Is the news of Khotan so closed? The Tang Dynasty has been in danger for seven or eight years, but he actually asked this question, and his heart is punished.

However, he had no evidence, so he could only say tentatively: "Seven years ago, Emperor Tang knew that Tianlu had moved and the magical artifact was suitable, so he abdicated and Zen. Now it is the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month of the eighth year of Jianji of the Great Xia Dynasty. Is the master really not aware?"

Master Huizhao was obviously very surprised and turned to several monks and said, "The destruction of Dharma has come true." The monks looked sad and said, "The monks all expressed their grief and proclaimed the Buddha's name."

The so-called "the destruction of the Dharma" is actually a story passed down by word of mouth in the Kingdom of Khotan. The general idea is that 1500 years after the Buddha's Nirvana (543 BC), people without righteous faith appeared everywhere. The King of Khotan did not believe in the Dharma, and the monks of Khotan did not observe the precepts and practiced the affairs of their family members. The monks of Khotan were forced to occupy the living supplies of their ministers and had no livelihood, so they went to Tubo, where the first Buddhist teachings were first bible.

At that time, the king of Tubo was a Bodhisattva who married the Han princess as his concubine. The Han princess invited all the monks to Tubo and offered them. Monks from Anxi, Shule, Tochara and other places were hurt by people without righteous faith. They heard that Tubo had developed Buddhas and went there. Then the demons caused trouble, and the princess died of smallpox, etc.

In short, it tells the story of the destruction of the Dharma. It has been passed down for many years and everyone believes it.

As for why it is related to the Tang Dynasty, we have to mention the "destruction of Dharma" during the reign of Emperor Wuzong of Tang. When the monks of Khotan heard that they all said that the Tang Dynasty would appear and the Tang Dynasty would perish.

This story, the gods and paths should have originated from the irreconcilable contradiction between the secular powers and monks in Western countries such as Khotan and the monks. It was made up to scare people, but I didn't expect it to be half right...

Suo Yan didn't know what the monks were doing, so he asked, "Now the Holy Emperor of the Great Xia is in power, and the country is in peace and harmony. Can the wizards go to Luoyang?"

At this point, the caravan stopped pretending. Master Huizhao sent someone to take out the jade belt and other things, and said, "Just going to the Central Plains to offer it to the emperor of the great country." Suo Yan glanced and asked, "Do you have a letter of nationality?"

"There is no letter of nationality." The two were silent.

Suo Yan sighed and said, "Follow me to Dunhuang for a while."

*******

Shao Siwu has been in Shazhou for some time and misses his wife and children very much.

However, there is nothing wrong with the old place of Guiyi Army. Although the influence of his wife's clan was weakened, it was not without it at all. He still provided him with a lot of help, so that he liked Sha and Gua Erzhou a little.

His current position is to recruit recruits and recruits in Shazhou. The target of "recruiting and recruiting" is Gaochang Uighurs, but to be honest, it is more about defense.

The Gaochang Uighurs were still very arrogant. They were stabbed by the Uighur royal court, but after several years of hard work were destroyed, they heard that after the Xia army retreated, they sent people to advance eastward, restored their control over the royal court, and vassals moved westward to the Tatar tribe.

The 30 Tatars' migration of the west never stopped. Especially after the collapse of the Khitan, the speed suddenly accelerated. According to the Jibei Line, tens of thousands of people moved west this year. In order to compete for the pasture, human brains almost made dog brains, and there were many behaviors of going south to attack the border.

The reason why the states in the north of Guanbei is actually the Lang clan of the Gengyuquanzhuang, the Hun clan of Duncheng and the Shu clan of Nuozhenshui tribes are relatively hard-working. These three tribes are nominally the Daxia dependent tribes, but in fact they act as border guards, saving a lot of money for the court. After more than 20 years of accumulation, the savings are really not a small amount. This may be an important reason why the saints marry the princess.

In the past year, Dangxiang in Hexi has also become a little restless. Shao Siwu and Han Xun have spent a lot of energy on this aspect, so that it is almost the end of the year. Shao Siwu is still checking the archives and studying the actual situation of the tribes in Hexi until Suo Yan comes in to report to him about the matter of the Khotan delegation.

"There is no letter of nationality..." He also hesitated a little when he heard this.

In fact, he tended to believe Suo Yan's judgment, and the Kingdom of Khotan should have known about the Central Plains Ding Reform. It has been eight years since the news spread slowly, it is impossible for him to have no news at all.

"I remember there are felt blankets and incense medicine sold in some temples in Dunhuang?" Shao Siwu asked. "Your Highness has a good memory, and he did. He bought it the year before." Suo Yan replied.

Shao Siwu was even more sure and said, "Is Yutian a little mean? Their king is so kind to the Tang Dynasty?"

"In the former Tang Dynasty, Yuchi Sheng, the ruler of the Kingdom of Khotan, brought famous horses and beautiful jades to the court. Xuanzong was married to his royal family's daughter." Suo Yan said, "After Yuchi Sheng returned to the country, he sent troops to cooperate with Gao Xianzhi repeatedly and promoted to Guangluqing. During the Anshi Rebellion, Yuchi Sheng ordered his younger brother Yuchi Yao to supervise the country, leading five thousand troops to the Central Plains, and then ended up in Chang'an. The Kingdom of Khotan has always regarded himself as the subordinate of Emperor Tang, and it is normal to have a tendency."

This is a standard and precise Tang Dynasty.

Shao Siwu sighed and said, "The saint showed great power in Liaodong. The Khitan, Xi people, Bohai, and Jurchens were all submissive. Why did the Kingdom of Khotan recognize the former Tang Dynasty?"

Suo Yan was speechless.

In fact, everyone knows the reason. You did not exert influence in the Western Regions. Although the saints have great martial arts and their reputations are everywhere, the martial artists in the Central Plains were defeated by the savages in Liaodong.

I know it's amazing, but the countries in the Western Regions don't know it.

Recalling the saint's promise to his mother, Shao Siwu's long-silent heart moved a little, maybe the opportunity was here - he really didn't know how to face his second brother, and he didn't want to, nor did he dare.

"Report first." Shao Siwu thought for a while and said.

This matter was not under Suo Yan's jurisdiction, so he quickly stepped down. Shao Siwu thought about it and invited Liu Mian.

"Mr. Liu, how can I handle this matter before I can make it right?" After briefly narrating the matter, Shao Siwu asked humbly.

Liu Mian is now Shao Siwu's personal aide and lives a very comfortable life. Not only did he remarry his wife, but his influence also grew, and he felt like he was yelling Fang Dao back then.

After thinking about it, he said, "Your Highness, after the saint pacified the Bohai Sea, the primary task is to conquer the two towns of Huainan and Hunan. Before this, they may not use troops in the Western Regions."

"Where is the last to pacify the south?" Shao Siwu asked. Liu Mian's thoughts were in a daze.

His impression of Shao Shude is very complicated.

The attack and destruction of Zhu Liang ruined his ambitions. But he was also very talented and invincible in the world. Judging from the current trend, if he lived for more than ten or twenty years, the origin of the Anshi Rebellion could be eliminated. This is a warrior who is not afraid of trouble at the root and has taken the right route. His vision is accurate and profound, and he rarely has enemies.

To be honest, if he had voted for Shao Shude at the beginning, he would probably laugh out loud in his dreams. Because what Shao Sheng did was so in line with his image as a hero in his mind.

As for the subtitles of playing with women and being lustful like life, hehe, he doesn't even bother with his wife's mess, so how could he care? This is not a matter.

Unfortunately, he was the aide of King Liang and had already reached the core high position, so no one dared to use it.

He didn't dare to expose his identity in front of the saint, challenge the saint's mind, and see if he dared to use a counselor of his own level. The rest of his life was like this. He hid his name and trained the younger generation, that's all.

"Your Highness, the saints even dealt with Bohai and Jurchens. What else are you worried about?" Liu Mian said: "He has a high opinion of himself and his inner ambitions are far beyond your imagination. He will definitely fight in the Western Regions. Just wait patiently, the saints may be more anxious than you."

Shao Siwu suddenly felt enlightened and bowed respectfully, "Mr. I was enlightened by what I said."

Liu Mian sideways and avoids it, and said, "It doesn't matter whether there is a letter of nationality. Just report the memorials as they are true and send them to the letter of the Central Committee. Don't act privately. The sages attach great importance to rules."

"Okay." Shao Siwu nodded and made a decision.

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Chapter completed!