In "History of the Han Empire: Biography of the Western Regions", the historian explained an incident that happened in the autumn of this year: "...... There are guests from the west, and it is convenient to communicate with each other. The Son of Heaven went to the court to discuss, and the prime minister and the doctors thought that they were not of my race, and their hearts would be different, otherwise. The Son of Heaven was displeased, and inquired about Shangshutai, and the attendant made a generous statement, saying that the benefits of the Western Regions could not be refuted. So he made a decision and sent an envoy to ...... the festival. ”

Writers of history, the Spring and Autumn Period, the best use of additions and deletions, often hide some historical facts that have been announced to the public in these brief records. Later generations are looking for chapters and sentences, and they are likely to be confused. But for the witnesses at that time, they knew the contest and weight engraved behind it very deeply.

At the beginning, when Emperor Liu Che saw the recital of Changle Hou Yuanzhao and asked to play it alone, he was a little surprised in his heart. At such times, it is rare. So, with a feeling of anticipation, he summoned Yuan Zhao in the Xuanshu Pavilion to hear what good news he had brought to him.

The time was frozen in an autumn afternoon, and a dialogue between monarchs and ministers that was enough to glorify the annals of history was opened by the young marquis who hurried back to Chang'an in this world.

The person in charge of writing and recording next to him was a hairy young man who was just eighteen years old. Taishi Ling Sima Tan is a little old, and he can't do it for a few years. Now we are beginning to train a successor to the historical record. And the person he chooses is his son, and the son takes the father's business, which is also a professional practice. What's more, this son of his is talented and does not shy away from relatives, he is enough to do a good job as a historian.

The young man named Sima Qian was the first time he entered the Xuanshu Pavilion, and it was also the first time he had close contact with the emperor. But the biggest expectation in his heart is not these.

Kneeling quietly in a corner, on the case in front of him, the pen, ink and bamboo slips had already been placed. He was calm and calm, his demeanor was calm, and the corner of his eye followed the figure who came in from outside the door, and the waves in his heart could not be seen from his face.

There are some magical things that Sima Qian once heard his father, who was Tai Shi Ling, secretly tell him in private. Observe the stars, study the celestial images, record the strange, and explore the relationship between heaven and man...... These were originally a kind of responsibilities of Taishi. So it's no surprise that they know more than anyone else.

For this little marquis who appeared like a meteor, Sima Tan said something meaningful to his son. Let him collect and sort out what Yuan Zhao has done and said, and if possible, pay close attention to his growth, and maybe discover many mysteries in the world.

Sima Qian was a smart man, and he knew that his father's words must mean something and could not be broken. So, in his spare time, he carefully learned about all of Yuan Zhao's past.

After reading those detailed information, the impact in his heart was huge. Sima Qian knew in the brief books of the Taishi Command Office that in ancient times, there were saints who were born to know them, teach all the people, and learn all kinds of survival skills; Later, there were saints who came out to make words and spread them, and teach etiquette, so that the people of the world could learn the basic conditions for being human.

In the world, there should be a saint in the world! This is a phrase that is not seen in the scriptures but is secretly circulated. No one knows who it came from or where it came from, anyway, everyone believes that at a certain time, there will be a great sage, and the world will be safe!

So this Changle Hou, who is five or six years younger than himself, will this be the person who came into being like this? Sima Qian gently lifted the pen, dipped it in thick ink, word by word, and began to record today's experience on the bamboo slips.

Yuan Zhao's recital is very detailed, first talking about the current situation, situation and division of forces of the Huns on the grassland. It is emphasized that the supplies on which the Hun cavalry relied for their conquest, the production of weapons and equipment, and the source of horses all came from their rear base camp, that is, the continuous pastures and smelting bases at the eastern foot of Yinshan Mountain.

And that place is not only rich in water and grass, and the climate is suitable, but most importantly, from there to the west are the countries of the Western Regions. Nearly half of the 36 countries in the Western Regions succumbed to the will of the Xiongnu, a powerful neighbor, and provided it with blood transfusions and various sources of materials. This is how the Huns conquered with iron hooves and scimitars.

The Han Dynasty and these countries are not far apart, but it is a pity that in the past few years, in addition to the exchanges between merchants, the court and the official did not establish good contact, and they did not understand each other, which can not but be said to be a pity.

Now, since the Han and Hungarian countries have started the war with a clear sword, there will inevitably be a big war between them sooner or later. This is an inevitable fate for the two powerful old enemies, and it is also a big gamble that will determine the fate of the two countries.

Therefore, it is urgent to use the strategy of combining vertical and horizontal to win the countries of the Western Regions into the camp of the Han Dynasty, cut off the arms of the Huns, and cut off its sources of material supply.

I didn't know where to start, but now there is a great opportunity in front of me, but it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Yu Dan, the exiled prince of the Xiongnu, came to Chang'an for help, and was willing to assist the Han Dynasty in contacting the countries of the Western Regions to jointly deal with the evil Shan Yu. Before the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu each accumulated their strength and prepared for a bigger battle, it was so timely to get such help!

Therefore, Yuan Zhao asked His Majesty the Emperor to summon the ministers to come up with a safe plan, and immediately send a capable person to go out of the Jade Gate with the festival to the west, and tell the Son of Heaven what he wanted, so that the countries of the Western Regions could understand the sincerity of the Han Dynasty, and open up a channel to and fro, so as to get their greatest help.

The autumn sun is warm, the breeze is floating, the Xuanshu Pavilion is wide and bright, and the pen in the hands of the young historian is rustling. Liu Che carefully read the piece and pondered for a moment.

This open-minded emperor already understood the weight of this piece by the halfway point of reading. Open the jade gate and lead to the Western Regions, which means that the west gate of the Han Empire will be completely opened!

In the more than 70 years of history of the founding of the Han Dynasty, no one dared to have such a big mind and courage. Even the great Han Wen Emperor never thought about it. Because the internal troubles have not been settled, and the domestic contradictions are turbulent, too much energy has been involved, and I can't even think about these things.

So, does Liu Che have so much courage now? His court reform has just begun, and the hidden dangers in the country are still not eliminated, if he is a little more conservative, I'm afraid he won't dare to start this now, right? But...... Yuan Zhao waited quietly for his response, because he knew that the decision that the emperor in front of him was going to make would definitely be the one he wanted.

When the record came to an end, Sima Qian stopped his pen and adjusted his sitting posture slightly, after kneeling for a long time, his upper body would be a little stiff, and the words he wrote were a little dull. He is a serious and strict person, and he does not allow the slightest flaw in his writing.

"Yuanqing, I have heard people say in the past that the countries of the Western Regions are located in remote areas, and most of them are uncivilized barbarian lands. Will these small countries really give the Xiongnu a strong boost? Are all the rumors I heard untrue? ”

After half a ring, the people behind the imperial case began to ask, and what he wanted to know was what benefits the Huns had gained from the Western Regions.

Yuan Zhao nodded and made an affirmative gesture: "Your Majesty, the imperial court has never sent a real envoy to the Western Regions, and the rumors you have heard in the Western Regions are just false rumors. As far as Wei Chen knows, starting from Chang'an, after leaving Yumen Pass in the west, passing through the wasteland desert, and traveling thousands of miles away, he will reach a magical land. That is what we call the Western Regions in the Central Plains. ”

The Son of Heaven sat down and listened quietly. A few Shangshu attendants were waiting not far away, and they were also sitting upright, lest they make a little noise and interrupt the narrator's train of thought. Sima Qian's pen did not stop, not a word was missed, and when he looked up with admiration, the slanting sun was passing through the long window, sprinkled between the young man's eyebrows, as if plated with a faint golden light.

"Of course, what we call the Western Regions is only a narrow term. In fact, in the Western Regions, there is a wider world, and it is a completely new world, which we have not yet been able to reach. Hehe, Your Majesty, we will only talk about the Western Regions closest to us today. There are majestic mountains, low-lying basins, severe cold and heat, glaciers and volcanoes, all converging here. There is a local proverb that says, 'A mountain has four seasons, and ten miles of different days' is the most vivid saying. The products there are abundant, whether it is the mountains, rivers, grass and trees, or the customs and customs, they are completely different from the land of the Central Plains. I think that we in the Han Dynasty, through the exchanges of those Hu merchants, should also have some understanding of these basic situations. ”

Yuan Zhao paused slightly when he said this. Looking at the people who listened to him and were full of amazement, he smiled faintly and continued.

"As for Your Majesty, do you want to know what kind of help the Huns have received from the Western Regions...... Wechen can definitely say that the help they get is very important! It is important enough to support the Hun cavalry to launch attacks on our Han Dynasty again and again, and it will not be powerless to follow. Because of its unique climate, the Western Regions are rich in various crops and plants, which are continuously transported eastward to the foot of Yin Mountain, which can increase the supply reserves of the Xiongnu. The war horses abundant in the Western Regions are tall and strong, traveling thousands of miles a day, and are even better than those raised by the Huns themselves, which makes the Hun cavalry always gallop on the best horses. And the steel smelting technique from the Western Regions made the scimitars in the hands of the Hun cavalry extremely sharp...... It is precisely because of this kind of convenience provided by the countries of the Western Regions that the Xiongnu, a nation that does not produce and only roams on horseback, have such a powerful force, which poses a huge threat to our Han Dynasty. Therefore, if you find a way to make these countries in the Western Regions no longer obey the will of the Huns, even if they do not help each other, it is equivalent to cutting off their arms. At that time, the strength of the Huns will be greatly weakened, and we will fight with them again, and the chances of victory will be in hand! ”

"Good! Yuan Qing's analysis is really thorough! The art of war has a cloud: 'Know yourself and know your opponent, and you will not be defeated in a hundred battles.' I had never heard of this before, and it turned out that the Huns were so powerful, and there were so many factors. Cut off the wings of the Huns! With this alone, the aid of the Western Regions, the Great Han is bound to win! ”

There was excitement in the emperor's eyes, at this moment, he had already made up his mind, no matter how difficult the internal affairs he was about to implement, and no matter how dangerous the domestic contradictions were, he, as the emperor of the Han Dynasty, had the determination and ability to open the western gate of the empire and open up this westward road that was beneficial to the Han Dynasty.

Yuan Zhao had already seen his thoughts, and in order to consolidate his determination, he regarded this matter as an important national policy. He said something else.

"Your Majesty! In fact, Weichen didn't finish what he said just now. Befriending the countries of the Western Regions and cutting off the Xiongnu arms is only one aspect that is beneficial to the Han Dynasty. Compared with the huge benefits brought to us in terms of culture and economy after opening up this channel, this one is a little insignificant. Hehe! ”

Opening the country and leading to the Western Regions can greatly restrain the power of the Huns, is this not enough? Is there an even greater benefit? Everyone, including Liu Che, pricked up their ears and stared at Yuan Zhao tightly, listening to what he was talking below. Sima Qian was even more calm, and twisted his fingers over the barrel of the pen, for fear of missing a sentence.

Yuan Zhao did not sell Guanzi, and there were some things that he had to take advantage of to explain in detail, so that the emperor could truly understand in his heart what opening this passage meant for the future of the Han Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, the world is so big, not only in Kyushu! And the abundance of species is not unique to the Central Plains. In the countries of the Western Regions, there are many rare crops, fruits and vegetable plants, such as grapes, pomegranates, alfalfa, flax, beans, courgettes, shallots and other things, all of which have never been seen in the Central Plains. If planting can be introduced, it will be a huge benefit for the people of the world. There are many kinds of animals that grow in the Western Regions, and the big Wanliang horse, known as the sweat and blood horse, is the real horse, the majestic crown of the horses, and the most unobtainable thing. There are also camels that travel long distances in the desert wasteland, which can identify the road and predict the climate, which is a necessary foot strength for business travelers, and enjoys the reputation of "the ship of the desert". In addition, buffalo, lions, rhinoceros, peacocks, elephants, etc. are all rare birds and animals in the world. In addition, their culture is also very different from that of the Central Plains, which can be used for us to learn from and innovate, so that our Han Dynasty will be more prosperous ......! ”

He talked endlessly about the knowledge in his memory, and the people who were listening had forgotten the passage of time, and the sun was gradually darkening, and no one noticed. Listening to Yuan Zhao's exotic talk, Emperor Liu Che was pleasantly surprised in his heart, and he had a sense of mystery and deep yearning for this distant western scenery.

Especially the sweat and blood BMW that Yuan Zhao said in his mouth made him yearn for it even more. He has liked dogs, horses, and fancy clothes since he was a child, and listening to Yuan Zhao's story, the sentence he had seen when he flipped through the Book of Changes suddenly appeared in his mind: "Shenma should come from the northwest"!

Is this a coincidence? Or had God already foretold him? A sweaty BMW that travels thousands of miles every day! He imagined that kind of picture: whistling like a heavenly horse, like a divine dragon soaring, it crossed Kunlun, stepped all over the Western Regions, when the rooster crowed at dawn, it swept over the land of Yanzhao, did not wait for the sunset to sink in the west, and ran to the Wuyue sea to drink water, it galloped, like lightning and thunder ......!

"Pegasi like this, I must get it! Yuanqing, the day after tomorrow, I will discuss this matter in the court, and let the ministers come up with a safe way, which will definitely promote exchanges with the countries of the Western Regions and open up this westward road. ”

Seeing that the emperor's determination had been made, Yuan Zhao was also secretly happy in his heart. No one knows better than him the significance of opening the Western Regions. Because, this passage was called the "Silk Road" in later generations!

It was the opening of the Silk Road, which used the Western Regions as a springboard and bridgehead, that brought China and the world together for the first time. Human civilization has been transmitted to each other. China's fine porcelain, silk and ancient inventions were sent to the world, and Ze was born. Horses and crops from Central Asia, Buddhism, music, and medicine from India, architecture, musical instruments, gold and silver making, astronomy, and mathematics from West Asia began to be introduced to the Central Plains to promote development.

The great historical role of the "Silk Road" also lies in the two glorious eras of openness, creation, enterprising and broadness, which were created in the Han Dynasty and reached its heyday in the Tang Dynasty.

In history, Liu Che's original intention of sending envoys to the Western Regions was only to contact the Dayue Clan in the Western Regions with the idea of trying it out, in an attempt to jointly deal with the Xiongnu in order to alleviate the military pressure on the Han Dynasty, which was a last resort. As a result, the military goal was not achieved, and the envoy went through nine deaths and lived a lifetime, and when he came back many years later, he only found out the customs and customs of that passage, which was unintentionally inserted into the willows.

And today, through his own proposal, the emperor has realized the great benefits contained in it, and has taken the initiative to use the power of the country to open up this glorious avenue, and what will be the difference in the results achieved in advance? Yuan Zhao was a little inexplicably excited, and he was looking forward to it.

"Your Majesty, Weichen has one more question, if the important ministers in the court are different from what Your Majesty thinks, forming an obstacle, then what?"

Hearing Yuan Zhao's worry, a smug color suddenly flashed in the emperor's expression, as if the long-planned plan had succeeded, and he laughed.

"Hahaha! Yuanqing, do you know? I've sharpened a treasure knife that has been hidden in its sheath for a long time, and it's time to let it open! If this time it is really as you said, the prime minister and the ministers do not sympathize with the sacred heart and live up to the will, then the sword is unsheathed to make a clear chant, so start this time! ”

When Yuan Zhao followed his gaze, he saw that Yan Zhu, Zhongjun, Dongfang Shuo, Mei Gao and other five or six additional officials were sitting solemnly with solemn expressions, as if they were seriously thinking about the dialogue between the monarch and the minister just now, and they seemed to be thinking about the strategy that should be used when they were about to appear in the court.

A smile also appeared on Yuan Zhao's face, but there was a chill in his heart, and he already knew the emperor's intentions! The new team that Liu Che has worked hard to cultivate is finally about to be put into use. This was a showdown with the entire traditional bureaucratic system in the court, and the emperor who dared to think would henceforth use these young officials, who were similar to the "secretarial staff" of later generations, to form an "inner court" system. Take all the court rights, step by step into your own hands, one word, only me, the three princes and nine kings will be useless in the future!