At noon on the same day, Shanshan Wang Guang held a grand banquet with the Manchu Dynasty civil and military ministers to celebrate the major victory of Ban Chao and his party, and issued an announcement to show the whole country.

As soon as the announcement was announced, it spread ten, ten and hundred, and the name of Ban Chao and the news of the envoy of the Northern Xiongnu were soon known to everyone. Shanshan has a total of 1,570 households and 14,100 people, and in their minds, Ban Chao has become a world-famous hero who shocks the whole country. Ban Chao's deeds are widely sung, and many legends are just like myths, which is magical.

In his dealings with the envoys of the Han Dynasty and the Northern Xiongnu, Wang Guang of Shanshan had already felt that Ban Chao treated people equally, paid attention to courtesy, honesty and friendliness, and compared with the condescending, barbaric, rude, and domineering envoys of the Northern Xiongnu, it was completely different and worthy of respect. After the envoys of the Northern Xiongnu and their men and horses were completely annihilated, King Shanshan respected Ban Chao even more, rearranged the diet and daily life of Ban Chao and his party, and took care of him more carefully and thoughtfully than before.

Spring in the Western Regions is fleeting. As soon as the winter of "Ten Thousand Trees and Pear Blossoms" passes, the spring flowers bloom, people can't keep them, and after a few days, the flowers are hurriedly gone, and the color of the grass and trees is very green soon, and the day also becomes hot, and summer is coming.

At the request of Shanshan Wang Guang, Ban Chao led Yao Guang, Tian Xi, Gan Ying, Wang Qiang, and the newly recruited Li Tong's master and servant, accompanied by officials such as Qihu Hou, Shanshan Duwei, Commander of the Fighting Division, Commander of the Fighting Vehicle, and Chief Translator, to go deep into the barracks in various places to conduct military training for 2,912 officers and soldiers throughout Shanshan in turn.

Accompanied by these officials, Ban Chao also inspected all the border areas of Shanshan and gained an in-depth understanding of the situation in the neighboring countries. Ban Chao helped Shanshan to carry out military training, and won the deep gratitude of Shanshan Wang Guang, which strengthened the friendly relations between the two countries, and the harvest was gratifying. In the process of accompanying Ban Chao to inspect the border, Li Tong took this opportunity to grasp a large number of situations in the countries around Shanshan, drew the latest map, and returned with a full load, and the harvest was also not small. During this period of careful investigation, he laid a good foundation for his future foothold in the Western Regions. At the same time, because he was proficient in writing and ink, Ban Chao asked Li Tong to assist him in perfecting his preparation of materials for the Western Regions:

Shule country, Wang ruled Shule City, and went to Chang'an for 9,350 miles. There were 21,000 households, 78,647 mouths, and 32,000 victorious soldiers. The Marquis of Shule, the Marquis of Hu, the Marquis of the Auxiliary State, the Captain, the left and right generals, the left and right cavalry kings, and the left and right translators. It is 560 miles south to Shache. There are city columns, and the west is also Dayue's, Dawan, and Kangju Road.

In Khotan, Wang ruled Xicheng (now in Hotan, Xinjiang) and went to Chang'an for 9,670 miles. There were 3,300 households, 19,300 mouths, and 2,400 victorious soldiers. There is one auxiliary marquis, one general on the left and right, one on the left and right horsemen, one for the east and west city chiefs, and one for the interpreter. It is connected to Wuqiang in the south and Gumo in the north. In the west of Khotan, the water flows westward, and the West Sea (now the Aral Sea or the Caspian Sea or the Persian Gulf); To the east, the water flows eastward, injecting Yanze (now Lop Nur, Xinjiang). Lots of jade.

……

This is only part of the notes that Ban Chao took. The notes collected by Ban Chao through investigation and research not only have great practical value for him to carry out military and diplomatic activities, but also provide detailed and accurate information for his brother Ban Gu to write the "Biography of the Western Regions" in the "Book of Han". In the future, whenever he flipped through these notes, he would think of this kid Li Tong who was killed halfway.

In the process of sorting out the notes, Li Tong helped a lot and worked hard, and it was precisely because of his super intelligence work ability that Ban Chao's notes had a more detailed record. In his opinion, the notes are also permeated with Li Tong's "hard work"! How can he not like such a talented person who is both civil and military?

Three months later, as soon as Ban Chao led his group back to Jiuquan, he and Guo Sui made a detailed report to Dou Gu. Dou Gu was overjoyed and said: "Three months ago, when Ben Shuai received your good news, he really sweated. Ben Shuai reported to the emperor at that time and asked for credit for you. The Holy Lords were very happy and made two more important decisions. ”

"Marquis Dou, what new decision did the emperor make?" Ban Chao asked.

"Hehe, one is to take back Geng Bing's biography, and Ben Hou will continue to lead the original two-way army to advance westward; The second is to send envoys to the countries of the Western Regions again. Dou Gu replied with a smile, "I want you to wait for Shanshan and his party, it has been very hard, and I want the emperor to send another person, so I will transfer you back." But not long ago, I just received an urgent edict from the emperor and did not agree to replace him, and this task fell to your Excellency again. ”

After speaking, he took out an edict and handed it to Ban Chao, Ban Chao took the edict and looked at it, only to see the royal pen on it and said: The official is like Ban Chao, why not send it and choose more? Today, he is the military commander of Chao, and he has made great achievements. After reading it, Ban Chao's heart suddenly fluctuated, without it, because some time ago he and Li Tong, who insisted on returning to the team, talked about this topic when they were resting in Yiwulu.

During that time, Li Tong made a prediction about the future arrangements of the imperial court in the Western Regions, and he said in an affirmative tone: the Northern Xiongnu will pay more attention to the competition with the Han Dynasty in the Western Regions, due to geographical reasons, the Northern Xiongnu are easier to control the Western Regions than the Han Empire, so he believes that the imperial court should strengthen the tuntian of Yiwulu, increase the military presence of the Han army in the Western Regions, and put forward the concept of a construction corps, in the Yiwulu to build a self-sufficient military base, and at the same time in the form of horse lance cavalry, A rapid reaction force was formed, which became the military basis for the Han Empire to administer the Western Regions.

This proposal opened Ban Chao's eyes and was also quite moved, and he specially submitted a secret letter to the emperor for this purpose, and attached a report written by Li Tong on the analysis of the situation in the Western Regions and an analysis of the necessity and feasibility of establishing a construction corps. On the night of parting, Li Tong accurately predicted that the imperial court would still hand over this important matter to himself to realize, and this time the envoy was the opportunity for Ban Chao to make contributions and become a marquis. Sure enough, now that he has just returned to Jiuquan, he has received the emperor's holy decree, and Li Tong's accurate analysis, ingenious imagination and well-organized and meticulous judgment ability have shocked Ban Chao at this time.

While he was thinking wildly, Dou Gu said again: "Zhongsheng (Ban Chaozi), this mission to the Western Regions is different from the last time I went to Shanshan, to completely open up the relationship with the countries of the Western Regions, the task is quite arduous, it will take a long time, and the difficulty will be much greater. Before you go to Shanshan, Benhou said that the omen was good, but it was just a morale-boosting joke. The key to how well the task is completed and how well it is done lies in decision-making. This time, you have moved around a lot of countries, and you want to connect the north and south of the Western Regions at the same time, and this commander thinks that you have to add more people to your mission, how much do you think is good? Well, by the way, Ben Shuai has ordered Geng Gong Sima's troops in Yiwulu to accept your transfer at any time and cooperate with your work. Before that, you have to go to Luoyang first, and the emperor will summon you. ”

"It's still the original team last time, thirty-six people are enough!" Ban Chao replied.

"You, you have identified the 'Six Six Shun'! If the task is needed, let's add some people! Dou Gu kindly persuaded.

"There are many people and many things, and if something happens, it will be cumbersome." Ban Chao insisted.

"Commander Dou is thinking about us wholeheartedly, so let's increase the number of people!" Engaged in Guo Sui also opened his mouth to persuade Ban Chao to say.

Ban Chao was silent.

Dou Gu saw Ban Chao's stubbornness, and also said toughly: "At least, Ben Shuai has to add some guards to you to ensure the safety of your life, Brother Ling and I are friends who are irreversible, if something really happens, Ben Shuai will have no shame to see Brother Ling." ”

"Marshal, how many people do you plan to add to me?" Ban Chao asked rhetorically.

"Well," Dou Gu thought for a moment and said, "Let's add fifty personal guard cavalry to you first, although the number is not large, but in an emergency, at least you have the power to protect yourself." Too much of it will cause panic and vigilance among the small countries in the Western Regions, and it will not be conducive to your work in the Western Regions......"

"The marshal is too worried, and the lower officials think that it is the best choice to continue to maintain the original team!" Ban Chao interrupted Dou Gu's words and analyzed, "Dashuai, I don't think we should increase the number of people, the main purpose of my mission to the Western Regions is to re-establish diplomatic relations with various countries, and prevent them from continuing to fall to the Xiongnu." If I bring too many men and horses, it will be inconvenient, first of all, the logistical supply difficulties along the way, the regular army has been out for too long, and the veteran soldiers of the division must be tired and unable to ensure combat effectiveness for a long time. Secondly, this point of people and horses follow me, and when I encounter a small country in the Western Regions, the monarch of the other party will definitely not dare to meet with this official. After all, the matter of Fu Jiezi's killing of the monarch of Loulan in the previous dynasty has been spread in various countries in the Western Regions, and he has gone to the real big country in the Western Regions. Therefore, I have made up my mind, so let's maintain the current scale. ”

Dou Gu also knew that what he said was the truth, so he had to nod helplessly and agree. On the way back to the post house from the Shuai's Mansion, Tian Shu hesitated for a while, but still asked, "Ban Sima, why don't you ask the big man for two people?" As long as you ask, the handsome will definitely agree. ”

Ban Chao stroked his beard and said with a smile: "You mean Li Tong and Mo Bode, it's inappropriate, it's inappropriate." ”

"Why? Don't you really appreciate these two? Especially that Li Tong. Tian asked in surprise.

"Indeed, I admire this son," Ban Chao nodded, "but it doesn't mean that you have to keep him around, it will affect his future." Mo Bode doesn't care, he is just a Hun descendant, but Li Tong is different, this son is far-sighted, active in thinking, and more suitable for the military. After Wei Huo, Dahan lacked a commander with a real strategic vision. During those days, he wrote notes for me, and I was often pleasantly surprised by many insights. I dare to conclude that this son is an unborn general, and it is a pity that such a person stays by his side to act as a guard. What he needs more now is a world where a person can give full play to his strengths, and staying in Tuntian in the Western Regions may be a chore for others, but for Li Tong, it is a stage where he can fully display his potential, and what he needs more now is practice. ”

Tian Xi listened and was silent for a long time.

……

There are two flowers, one on each branch.

A few months ago, Li Tong returned to Yiwulu with the mission, and his identity had changed dramatically. Due to Ban Chao's merit report document on Li Tong as the first meritorious, plus the beheading of the thirty-fifth level, the most important military merit in the Han Dynasty, and at the same time there was Ban Chao's recommendation to the emperor, Li Tong, who returned to the Geng Gong Department, was soon appointed as the military candidate stationed in Yiwu Lu to protect Tuntian. In this way, in just one year, Li Tong's identity has changed from a criminal prisoner to a middle-level officer of the Han Dynasty, and the speed of his promotion is astonishing.

According to the Eastern Han Dynasty military system, there are five people and one army, there is a captain, ten people are a tithe, there is a chief, fifty people are a team, there is a captain, one hundred people are a tun, there is a tun chief, two hundred people are a song, there are military marquis, one thousand people, and there is Sima or the school captain is the main Sima as the deputy. According to the military system of the imperial court, Li Tong could recruit a force of 200 people from the exiled prisoners in Tuntian to manage a Tuntian district with a population of more than 1,000 people. This year, he had just turned seventeen.

Although the Han army defeated the king of Nanhuyan at Yiwulu and reextended its power to the Western Regions. However, under the leadership of the Southern Huyan King and the Zuoluli King, the Northern Xiongnu still had a population of more than one million, and in the entire East and Central Asia, it was still the largest military entity except for the Han Dynasty, and it still played a decisive role in a certain region.

For example, there are currently thirty-six small countries in the Western Regions, and none of them dare to say "no" in front of the Huns. As long as the Huns arrived at the door of their homes, whether they were willing or not, they would open the city gates, greet them as VIPs, and take the initiative to give them generous gifts, just to prevent the whole country from being destroyed under the iron hooves of the Huns. Compared with the barbarism and rudeness of the Huns, the Han Dynasty, which was deeply immersed in Confucian culture, would be much more elegant. Similarly, the Han dynasty demanded that the smaller nations submit to them, but not in a way that hurt their dignity (e.g., by intimidation and threats, by sword).

No country, big or small, wants to submit to a certain court. But for the sake of the needs of real survival, we have to choose the lesser of two evils. If they had to choose a big brother between the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu, they would naturally choose the Han Dynasty. It is also for this reason that starting from Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, secret envoys from various countries in the Western Regions came to the Han Dynasty almost every year, asking the Han Dynasty to accept their submission, and constantly expressed the hope that the Eastern Han Dynasty would send a large army to guard the Western Regions.

Compared with the Xiongnu, the geographical disadvantage of the Han Dynasty made the Han army pay too much price every time they sent troops to the Western Regions, especially the financial burden, and it could not be sustained. Ban Chao also realized that the Han needed to maintain a military presence in the Western Regions, and the only way to do this was to take the road of Tuntian, and at the same time, he could also use war to cultivate an army that despised the Huns and was more suitable for its war.

Through a large number of data comparisons and rigorous analysis, Ban Chao's twists and turns are very convincing, and this twist and turn has been valued by the emperor. Because of this, this also strengthened the efforts of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty to strengthen his efforts in Yiwu Lutuntian.

On the fifth day of the third month of the seventeenth year of Yongping in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the emperor's holy decree arrived in the Western Regions, and Dunhuang officially became the seat of the capital of the Western Regions, and Chen Mu served as the new protector. Chen Mu immediately ordered the Han army to begin a large-scale entry into Tuntian in the Western Regions, in addition to Li Tongbu in Hami, the Han army Geng Gong Department was stationed in Shule City, and Guan Pet Department was stationed in Liuzhong City, both of which were assigned to the command of the Western Regions Metropolitan Protectorate. Therefore, the Han army formed a triangular support point based on Hami, Shule and Liuzhong, and began to build the sphere of influence of the Western Regions Protectorate.

What people are puzzled about now is that the general Li Tong under Geng Gong was stripped out and stayed behind in Yiwulu, and the troops under his jurisdiction were assigned to the command of Chen Mu and subordinate to the Western Regions Protectorate. This made Geng Gong extremely dissatisfied for a long time, but the holy decree had been issued, and he was helpless.

In this era, Hami is a new place name proposed by Li Tong, and the location chosen by Li Tongbu for reclamation is also very different from the location of Hami in later generations, but it coincides with the location of Huangtian Farm in a regiment under the jurisdiction of the 13th Division of the Xinjiang Construction Corps in later generations. In later generations, Huangtian Farm was located at the southern foot of the Karlik Mountains in the eastern section of the Tianshan Mountains, at the eastern end of the Hami Basin. The area under the jurisdiction of Huangtian Farm is rich in mineral resources, including gold, silver, copper, iron, molybdenum, granite, limestone and coal, and grapes, red dates and walnuts are well-known throughout the country. In the era when Li Tong lived in his life, the total control area of Huangtian Tuanchang was 1057.08 square kilometers, with an independent water system, Miaoergou River, an annual surface water of 45 million cubic meters, groundwater of 40 million cubic meters, and the existing cultivated land area of 37,500 mu and grassland of 570,000 mu.

The climate here is a typical continental climate, dry and rainless, with plenty of sunshine, hot summer, cold winter, large temperature difference between day and night, the average annual temperature is 9.8 °C, and the annual runoff of surface water is 039.33 million cubic meters. Because this is the place where Li Tong used to work and live in his life, he is familiar with all the available resources under this land.

In time, Li Tong is very confident that this place will be built into a rising pearl in the Western Regions. Before Geng Gongbu left Yiwulu, Li Tong used the prisoners and people who accompanied the army in the Western Expeditionary Army to build a small Hamiwu City here, which was used as an advance base for the Han army to control the Western Regions.

……

From ancient times to the present, the most shrewd businessmen are the most pioneering people in the world, and they are also the most snobbish people in the world, they are good at analyzing the situation in the world, seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, and they are also accustomed to relying on power to seek the greatest benefits from it. One such merchant was Rahman, a Jerusalem merchant who had a caravan of three hundred and twenty camels. He has always looked down on the poor country of Hami.

In his old impression, there was nothing special to be found here, except for the abundance of savages and robbers. If it weren't for the fact that the valley leading to Hami was located on the main road of the Tianshan Mountains and stuck at the exit of the desert, he would not have stayed for a moment in the wild land of Hami. However, this Rahman's trip to Hami has completely subverted his previous impression of Hami.

His caravan was walking in the last eighteen miles of the Tianshan Mountains leading to the Hami Pass. Along the way, Rahman saw all the fortifications of the city that he had never seen before, and all kinds of defensive fortresses and beacons, which made him nervous and curious. Had it not been for the passage every time, Rahman would have almost thought that he had inadvertently broken into a terrifying military fortress, and that after exiting the pass, he had imagined that there might be vicious soldiers with knives waiting to blackmail him.

After turning the last bend of the mountain, a tall blue-gray city wall suddenly appeared on the plain in front of Rahman, and one wall of this city blocked the exit of the entire valley, making this building a large pass that was rarely seen in the entire Western Regions.

What made him smack his tongue was that the wall was so high that it even blocked the sun, and he needed to look up to see the Han military flag fluttering at the top of the city. The closer it was to the mountain pass, the iron thorn-covered gate stretched across the valley like a tiger's mouth, as if it was about to be devoured. However, there was one thing that reassured him a little, and that was that although the gate was not open at the moment, there was a small door that was now open, and it would be an exaggeration to say that he was a small door, because even this small door seemed to him to be enough for the tall camels under his command to walk in with their heads held high.

Rahman followed the gatekeeper into the city wall with great trepidation, and behind the wall there was a thick wall that was not too high, and between the two walls there was an open space the size of three or four acres, where there was nothing but sand and gravel. Two steep slopes leaned against the edge of the city wall, and Han soldiers on horseback continued to climb the city wall along the slopes.

"Oh my God! There is an urn city. ”

Rahman was speechless in astonishment. Looking at the entire Western Regions, even the largest Wusun Kingdom, which did not have defensive means, actually appeared in the sparsely populated place of the Western Regions. It is said that the advantage of this structure is that once the enemy storms the gate, the soldiers standing on the high walls around it can completely destroy the enemy who rushes into the city with only feather arrows or even stones without the enemy covering them.

However, after seeing such an urn city, Rahman's restless heart became calm. The manager of such a majestic city will not look at his own possessions, and only large-scale trade can bring endless benefits to such a city. As he expected, the city gate official in charge asked his subordinates to count the goods on his camel's back, and then took the tax at the rate of ten taxes and let him go very happily.

After passing the urn city, Rahman's mouth was so wide that he could no longer close his mouth, and the bustling market in front of him made him completely forget what day it was. A very cleanly dressed boy from the Western Regions politely stroked Rahman's chest and said, "Welcome! Guests from afar. Can I find you a good barn for your livestock? It's not expensive, you only need to pay five Roman silver coins! ”

Hearing this, Rahman's head exploded as if it had exploded, and his expression became a little dazed. He almost forgot that the last time he was greeted so politely by a peddler seemed to be twenty-five years ago, when he first arrived with his father in the far west of Rome, where he thought Rome was the most prosperous world in the world, and it was not until he first saw Chang'an that he was conquered by its majesty.

These days, Rahman is having a great time in Hami. The fatigue and dust of crossing the desert were all cleaned in this small city, and at this time he just wanted to sleep lazily. At this moment, in the inn next to the South Market of Hami City, a professional technician is diligently helping Rahman knead his body, his strength is very great, and he can accurately pinch the bones every time, although it hurts, but after the pain, Rahman feels that he is already in the clouds.

He waved his hand comfortably, and a beautiful lady from the Western Regions next to the bath immediately obediently put a chilled grape into his mouth, and a cool breath went down his throat to his stomach, making him hum comfortably. After the massage, Rahman soaked his fat body in the warm pool, revealing only a huge head, and he exhaled a cloudy breath, recalling his unusual experiences and experiences during these days, and suddenly had the idea of putting down roots here.

The merchant from Jerusalem muttered to himself: "Rahman, this is life!" In this life, you guy, you used to lose a lot. The Han Dynasty general who managed the production city was a genius, and there were so many products produced here. I'm sure it won't be long before this city of Hami will become a land of wealth. Oh, my God! I must find a way to get to know this great general. ”

(To be continued)