(Thanks to Dameng, Xiaopang, Ran Min Tuhu)

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Passing through the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, there is an endless grassland in front of you, and countless lakes of all sizes are scattered among them, like sapphires inlaid on the blue carpet. The source of the "jewel" is a thousand-mile-long, wide, and clear river (present-day Talas River).

Thirty miles on the south bank of the Dulai River, on a solid sand moraine, stands a city with a special shape. It is said to be special because it is completely different from the oriental square buildings of the Western Regions city-states, but is circular.

The outermost layer is a defensive wooden building, the middle floor is the outer castle, which is the main defensive wall made of rammed earth, and the inner city is actually a castle made of huge stones. This kind of double-layered civil and wooden city walls, as well as megalithic castles, look more like the Western, that is, Romanesque architecture of this era.

This is Zhizhi City, a country within a country.

Zhizhi may be the first Shan Yu to live in a civil engineering building, which can be regarded as keeping pace with the times. I have to say that no matter whether it is choosing a place or building a city or a fort, Zhizhi is still quite discerning.

And Zhizhi's vision doesn't stop there.

It is located in the hinterland of Kangju, on the north and south banks of the water, and the terrain is mostly undulating plains, and its north is the prairie. There are many lakes and grasses, rich in products, and it is a good place for animal husbandry, fishing and hunting. The south is a desolate desert, the southwest is a stretch of mountains thousands of meters above sea level, and the southeastern edge is surrounded by more than a dozen snow-capped peaks ranging from hundreds to thousands of meters above sea level. The special geographical location determines that this is the only way to pass through the northern Silk Road.

How important is the location of Zhizhi City? In later generations, it had a name that complicated the feelings of the Chinese people: Talas.

Yes, this is the watershed that made the Tang army hated in later generations, the Tang Empire broke its wings, and the dispute between the Central Plains civilization and the Arab civilization - Talas!

It was precisely because of his control of this lifeline of the Silk Road that Zhizhi was able to recover his vitality in just a few years and deter the powerful powers of the Western Regions such as the Dayue Clan, Kangju, Wusun, and Dawan. Similarly, because of the struggle for control of the Silk Road, Zhizhi and Kangju, who were so good as to wear the same pants, finally had an irreparable rift.

Combining because of interests and splitting because of interests, this is the best explanation of the relationship between Zhizhi and Kangju.

However, Zhizhi is not exactly a simple and rude guy, after all, after being Shan Yu for so many years, he knows a little bit about political skills, and he understands a truth: no country is monolithic, and the same is true of Kangju.

At this moment, in this double-storey castle the size of a basketball court in later generations, the Northern Xiongnu Zhizhi was feasting on Hutu Wusi.

Zhi Zhi is already fifty-three, and his body is fat, but his beard and hair are still black, and his face is oily, and he looks energetic. He had a very majestic face, and his facial features were relatively upright, but the beard that was too thick to cover most of his face, and several scars on his face, both deep and shallow, completely ruined all this. His left ear wears a decorative gold earring common to the Xiongnu aristocracy, but Zhizhi's gold earrings are different, his earrings are made of rare ugin. Moreover, it is engraved with his single Yu number, which is a unique identity symbol.

Although the interior of the castle is empty, the windows for defense are too small, and even if the sun is shining outside, the light inside is still dim, and it is lit by oil lamps. However, for the guests, he doesn't care about this, he cares about the food on the short table, and the beautiful woman in his arms.

It was hot, but the guests still wore thick fur hats, dark brown linen clothes, and gray hair. On the cheeks that are as thin as orange peel, there are strange tattoo patterns, and a pair of gray-brown eyes with deep sunken eye sockets, and the whole person exudes a yin side of the breath. When his long, thin fingers like bird's claws kneaded and deformed the woman's plumpness, even though the woman changed color in pain, she did not dare to say anything, but forced a smile. Because this thin old man who wantonly destroyed her could send her to heaven or hell with just one word.

Zhi Zhi folded his hands on his poop belly, leaned against the slave who served as a cushion, looked at the scene in front of him with satisfaction, and his rough voice echoed over the castle: "This kind of hospitality, the national teacher is quite satisfied, right?" ”

The old man grinned his teeth, and his mutilated yellow teeth were particularly disgusting. But the woman, at her signal, had to endure the nausea, drink a glass first, and then lean her mouth over to drink for the old man......

A shrill laugh like a night owl came from the old man's mouth: "Shan Yu is really enjoyable, and the gods are nothing more than that." ”

Zhi Zhi said respectfully: "The divine master serves the gods, protects thousands of living beings in the grassland, and Hu Tu Wusi is willing to give everything to serve the divine master." ”

The old man squinted his eyes and brushed his beard, and a strange smile came out of his throat, obviously satisfied.

In the entire Kangju, there are not many people who can treat Zhizhi like this, except for the Kangju King Rensai, there is only the Kangju High Priest Wutuo.

In Kangju, or in the whole of the Western Regions and Central Asia, the priest was a sacred and inoffensive figure of great importance, alongside the king. From a large country to a small tribe, they all have their own full-time wizards. It is inconceivable that there is no sorcerer, just as there is no king.

The sorcerer and high priest of Kangju, Wu Tuo, has a huge influence in the Kangju government and the opposition. Every time he divined, every prediction he made, would have a huge impact on the subjects of Kangju. The throne of king was coveted, but no one dared to offend the priests.

Zhi Zhi is not afraid of turning his face with Ren Sai, but he will never go against Wutuo, and even in order to win over this person, he does not hesitate to give up his favorite concubine.

Zhizhi's Kangju strategy was to control Khotan, the strongest of the five kings, and win over the high priest who even wanted to give three points to King Kangju. In this way, under the constraints of these two, King Kangju really has no choice but to do it. Even if her daughter is killed, she can only pinch her nose and admit it.

Every once in a while, Zhizhi would invite Wutuo and Khotan to come to gather for a banquet and drink, maintaining this good relationship, which also ensured the interests of his family in Kangju.

While the two were enjoying themselves, the heavy wooden door was slammed open, and a sturdy young man rushed in.

Zhi Zhi looked at him horizontally, and said angrily: "Bold! It's so rude, don't you see the national teacher here? ”

The young man stopped, pressed anxiously, and took off his hat to salute: "Ju Yuli has seen the national teacher." ”

This young man in his thirties, with a bearded face, is the eldest son of Zhizhi, the left general (originally the right general, but now promoted) is in the favor. And this person is also the second target of Chen Tang's expedition, the death of the Han envoy Gu Ji, this person has an inseparable relationship.

Wu Tuo pursed his lips, picked up a glass of wine and laughed, "It's okay, young man." I think we would have ...... when we were young."

Ju Yuli roared urgently: "Han army! The Han army is coming! ”

Burst! Wutuo squirted out a mouthful of wine, drenching the coquettish beauty in front of him into a soup chicken.

Zhi Zhidang knocked over the silver cup, and his thick beard was dripping with wine.

The castle was quiet for a full five seconds before a roar rang out: "What? What nonsense are you talking about? The Han army was thousands of miles away, how could it be possible to come here? Have you seen a mirage? ”

Ju Yu Lishou's tone was harsh: "The child personally rode to see it, and it was sixty miles away, and it was indeed the Han army, as well as the banners of the countries of the Western Regions. ”

"No, no...... They are coming, they should have come ten years ago, why haven't they ...... until now" Zhi Zhi muttered to himself, suddenly jumping up like a cat with his tail stepped on, "Quick, take me to see ......"

Half an hour later, Zhizhi, Wutuo, Ju Yu Lishou and a group of Hun cavalry appeared on the top of the Baizhang Peak fifty miles away. From here, you can see the scene within a radius of dozens of miles.

The scene in front of him made everyone below Zhizhi gasp in unison. (To be continued.) )