Chapter 8: Celestial City

After crossing the Yellow River, there were very few cars at the post station here, and some of the old Xiongnu envoys only rode on horseback, and the young and strong marched on foot like soldiers. Two days later, they arrived in Yunzhong (now east of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia).

The fathers drove the Xiongnu away and recovered a place, so they built the Great Wall and built a pass to defend it, and stationed troops and immigrants to build a border fortress. There are also post stations connecting Chang'an, which are places to receive the lives and rests of past officials, the military, and intelligence transmission personnel.

After dinner that day, Su Wu arranged for everyone to rest, and while the sunset was not over, he and his deputy general Zhang Sheng took the city tower in the clouds that was close to the mountains and rivers. He looked around and said to them, "It's a good place to hide. It is also the place where General Wei Qing led the Han army to send troops twenty-seven years ago. ”

Su Wu introduced: "Back then, General Wei Qing suddenly sent troops from here, General Li Xi sent troops from Daijun, and the army guarding Yangguan in the west sent troops to the west, and surrounded and suppressed the Xiongnu Loufu King and the Aries King with lightning speed, and recovered the lost territory of Henan in one fell swoop. Shuofang County (now the area of Hangzhou in Ordos) was set up. ”

Zhang Sheng sighed with emotion: "General Wei Qing is really a hero!"

"With the encirclement and suppression of the Xiongnu by our fathers in the past, we have a stable life and a prosperous society today. We must live up to our mission this time!" Su Wu said seriously.

"Yes!

"Hey, Master Su, you look at Cloud City, why is it different from the city in our mainland, the city walls are twists and turns?"

Zhang Sheng also said: "When you come and take a look, you also think it's incredible?"

"Really, I will reveal the mystery to you before we leave tomorrow!" Su Wu said with a smile.

In order to guarantee the safety of the escort envoys along the way. Except for the three of them, the other members of the guard team are all drawn from the emperor's guard team, and they are talented people who can remember the story of literature and martial arts, and are capable of fighting and defending, both civil and military. After breakfast the next day, they lined up with nearly 100 escorted people to prepare for departure.

The regular meeting will be lined up and announced: "General Su, please speak!"

Su Wu was fully armed, stood in front of the queue with a scepter in his hand, and said: "Soldiers, brothers who are about to go home: everyone must be very curious why this place is called Yunzhong? Why is the style of the city different from other places? Actually, this Yunzhong City is a treasure land attracted by swans, and it is a pearl of our great Han!"

When everyone heard this, they looked at each other in surprise.

Su Wu continued: "More than 280 years ago, the monarch of Zhao State, Zhao Wuhou, in order to defend the national territory, led the army and the people to build the Great Wall in the Wuyuan River Meander. The east repaired to the West Mountain (now Yin Mountain) here, repaired a section of collapse, repaired a section of collapse, and had no choice but to choose a new road. ”

Lou Liyuan, a nearly 60-year-old Hu envoy, said: "There is a section of the West Mountain that is a quicksand land, and it is impossible to build a city at all. ”

Su Wu said: "This guy is right. So they chose a site all the way here, and under the scorching sun, the group sat tiredly on the empty ground to rest, and suddenly saw a group of swans in the air, hovering in the clouds for a long time. In the sunlight, the dazzling light casts on the empty field, resembling the outline of the city.

Su Wu saw that everyone was listening attentively, and he raised his voice: "So, Wuhou immediately ordered everyone to follow the outline, hand in hand, and quickly stand and draw a line to build the city. The walls of this cloud city are irregular multi-faceted walls, like constellations, and are also named Celestial City. ”

At this time, two men dressed as Huns hurried over. The older ones are in their forties, strong and neat, and the younger ones are about twenty years old, handsome and healthy. They put their right hand on their left chest and shoulder and saluted Su Wu: "General Su: Guide, Hu Tuli, Rangel, come and report!"

After Su Wu returned the courtesy, he said to everyone: "Now the guide is here." That is to say, after we pass through the clouds, there will be few post stations. The farther north you go, the more sparsely populated you are, except for the troops stationed along the way. The road is either desert or swamp, the road is not good, and you will even be attacked by the enemy. Those who go home, don't panic, don't run away, you won't eat or drink, you'll get lost!"

He ordered the troops he led: "The idea of the Han army: No matter what situation you encounter, you must do your duty and protect your friends! When you encounter an enemy on the road, you must obey orders and listen to commands! First of all, try to exercise restraint as much as possible, act at the opportunistic opportunity, and defeat the enemy to win! The guide leads the way and sets off!"

In fact, this guide was the person sent by the Xiongnu Shan Yu to meet them. One is Shan Yu's younger brother Yu Snoring Wang, and the young man is her daughter Yu Weilan. When she learned that her father was coming to Yunzhong to meet the Han envoy, she begged the emperor to come with her father.

Although her niece is riding a horse and archery, her martial arts are extraordinary. But as the daughter of the Xiongnu royal family, she has not participated in the march and battle, and this outing is an opportunity for training, so I agreed, of course, my niece has to dress up as a man, and their names and positions are also fake.

This group of nearly 200 people set off from the clouds, there was no post station on the Han Road, and the road was far away, mostly desert swamps, eating and drinking everything had to be taken care of, as well as gifts for each other and so on. There were no vehicles in the procession, and more than a dozen camels with horses and heavy supplies were added. Everywhere they went, they had to bury their own pots and cook and set up tents to rest.

They walked along the valley and river road north of the Yellow River (the northern loop of the Yellow River), in front of the Xishan Mountains, where the soil was rich and the wheat was just ripe, and the farmers were busy harvesting. Besides, the summer in the north is beautiful and cool. The wild flowers are fragrant among the green trees on the hillsides on both sides of the river valley, and there are villages along the way, which is convenient for food and accommodation, everyone is in a good mood, and they can walk faster.

Three days later, they entered the hinterland of the West Mountains, where the roads were rough, the pedestrians were okay, and the horses and camels were really difficult. Su Wu asked the guide, "Mr. Hu, why don't you take the east road?"

Hu Tuli replied: "If you go here, you can save ten days of travel." ”

Su Wu was not angry when he heard this. The east road is a post road, which is the post road leading to the Xiongnu and the Great Khan, and it is the road for the two sides to march and retreat when they are fighting. He told all the riders to come down and go on foot.

The team made their way to the top of the mountain, the wind howled, the snow fell, and in an instant the sky was dark, and everyone shivered with cold. One of the guests shouted, "I can't walk!"

Su Wu said sternly: "In this mountain road, the wind is fierce and snowy, you must not rest! Everyone must persist in order to survive!"

Then he divided the team into three parts, one part of Zhang Sheng took the broken back, one part was responsible for pulling the camels and horses in front, and some of them were mixed in with the guests to take care of them. Every dozen people, light a torch as a guide, and walk forward in the wind and snow.

The wind and snow have no intention of stopping. The wind is still roaring, the snow is still flying, and the people who hit can't open their eyes. However, everyone tried their best to open their eyes and look at the torches in front of them, one by one, sliding step by step, watching each other move forward.