The envoy of the Mauryan Dynasty didn't know how much trouble his unintentional words had brought to the entire dynasty, otherwise I am afraid that he would even have the heart to commit suicide.

After all, in his impression, the Zhao State and the Peacock Dynasty were thousands of miles apart, and at most there was a little conflict of interest, and it was impossible for a war to fall into the country. Whether the Mauryan Empire wants to attack the Zhao State, or the Zhao State attacks the Mauryan Dynasty, it is an impossible thing.

Although due to the existence of the aura of heaven and earth, the legion's marching speed and combat effectiveness have been greatly improved, and to a certain extent, it can break through the limit of the imperial barrier, but the difficulty of transporting grain has not been greatly improved.

Tens of thousands of miles away, the wear and tear on the road is enough to drag down any empire.

Not to mention, the target of the attack is also an empire.

If there was a real chance, Ah Shande would not be so easy to speak, give up the army with Zhao, and establish friendly trade exchanges instead.

"Xunzi, don't laugh, my Zhao Kingdom can't even unify the Central Plains now, so how can I do it to the Peacock Dynasty." Zhao Kuo smiled bitterly and said, with the current size of the Peacock Dynasty, if the two countries really fight, maybe who will fight whom.

Even if the Zhao State can suppress it in a short time, it will definitely be defeated in a long time, and the war potential of the Peacock Dynasty is not comparable to the current Zhao State, not to mention that there are still five hind legs in the rear of the Zhao State.

Zhao wanted to compete with the Mauryan Empire, only after unifying the Central Plains.

"The ministers will do their best to help the king unify the Central Plains." Xunzi said solemnly, and then slowly knelt on the ground, "I also ask the king to give the minister certain rights, and the minister will help the king solve some internal problems."

He has always known Zhao Kuo's scruples, and he also knows that the biggest obstacle to Zhao's unification of the world does not come from the outside, but from the inside.

Zhao has a large number of officials from other countries, and this kind of affection for the mother country is not something that can be bought by interests, nor can it be reasonable, and when necessary, these people can even be martyred.

It is conceivable that in the future, as Zhao State starts to unify the world, these civil and military ministers who are united around Zhao Kuo are likely to go to the opposite side, even if they do not go to the opposite side, there will be a huge rift in the friendship between monarchs and ministers.

This problem is difficult to solve, and Xunzi doesn't know Zhao Kuo's true thoughts, and as a courtier, it is inconvenient to say anything.

But now Xunzi can't bear it anymore, it turns out that the unification of the world has been called for so long, it's just a joke.

The world is far more than the Central Plains, and in the past, it was thought that the remote and wild land was not only not barbaric, but extremely fertile, and even gave birth to a dynasty and a splendid culture no less than the Central Plains.

Since we want to be unified, we must unify all these countries, otherwise what qualifications do we have to call it great unification.

If Zhao spends most of its strength on useless infighting, after unifying the Central Plains, there will still be a fart force to attack a country like the Mauryan Empire.

From now on, everyone must set their goals on the outside, and they must give full play to their abilities, and no one will be allowed to be lazy, let alone infighting.

Everything must be done on the basis of state affairs.

He also wants to train and screen talents for Zhao Guo and ensure the supply of Zhao talents.

As for the invasion that is not in line with the Confucian benevolence and etiquette, Xunzi will tell him, what is education, what is the Peacock Dynasty has been an inseparable part of my China since ancient times!

"Xunzi just let it go." Zhao Kuo picked up Xunzi and said with a smile, "If you encounter any problems, Xunzi can discuss with Lin Qing."

Lin Xiangru sent to the northeast to investigate the personnel have returned, Zhao Kuo said without the slightest exaggeration, although there is all undeveloped wasteland, but the soil is extremely fertile, the materials are extremely rich, all kinds of birds and beasts can be seen everywhere, even if it can only be planted for one season, it is comparable to the entire Central Plains, there is definitely the value of development.

Then Lin Xiangru seemed to have a second spring, came to the court before dawn every day, and went back late at night after working overtime, full of energy, and even hummed a little song on the way back and forth.

When others asked him, Lin Xiangru just smiled and didn't speak.

Xiangguo personally took the lead in working overtime, and the other courtiers scolded in their hearts, but they had no choice but to follow along, which made Zhao's administrative efficiency a lot faster.

"Minister

Understood." Xunzi pondered for a moment and nodded.

In June, Yuan Hua returned with a fleet, this time crossing the Strait of Malacca and reaching the mouth of the Ganges River, completing the farthest voyage in the history of the Zhao state.

When he returned to China, Yuan Hua also brought a large amount of grain from Indochina by the way.

Originally, these natives could feed themselves by casually sprinkling some seeds on the ground, but now with the advanced farming technology brought by Zhao State, the output has nearly doubled, and they exchange a large amount of grain and grass for Zhao State's sophisticated weapons and agricultural tools.

Of course, this excellent is only for the natives, in fact, it is the old weapon that Zhao State did not use when he retreated, and it was originally only rebuilt, but now it is all sold to these natives, earning a lot of food for Zhao State.

After entering the middle of summer, the drought in the Central Plains not only did not improve, but intensified, with Han and Wei as the center, spreading to all sides, even the Qi country was affected, the farmland cracked into pieces, the crops withered in a large area, and even the trees began to ***.

People knelt in the fields, looking desperately at the sky, praying in their hearts that it would rain, even a small rain, enough to save most of the crops, but the sky was nothing but the scorching sun.

The situation in the southern part of Zhao was better than that of Han Wei, although it was also dry, but there was a light rain in the middle, which was able to preserve part of the harvest and not lose the grain.

At the end of July, Zhao Kuo, with Yuan Hua as the chief envoy and Zhao Mu as the deputy envoy, led more than 50 large ships full of goods to the Mauryan Dynasty by sea.

This was the first maritime trade between the Zhao State and the Mauryan Dynasty, and it also marked a new process in the entire history of Chinese maritime trade.

……

In August, news came from Zhangye County: the Qiang people have descended the mountain!

Needless to say, the contradiction between Zhao and the Qiang people is needless to say, even if there is no previous contradiction, when the Zhao State occupies the Hexi Corridor, it is inevitable that there will be contradictions with the Qiang people.

However, the Qiang people are obviously not brainless, and they are dormant in the winter, spring and summer when their strength is relatively weak, and they choose to attack the Zhao State when the autumn is high and the horse is strong, and the combat effectiveness of the entire tribe is the highest.

"The Qiang people, as well as a small number of remnants of the Yue Clan, dare to violate the border of our Zhao Kingdom. The order was passed on, with Meng Fu as the main general, Meng Wu, Touman, Feng Wuxue, and Qingshe as deputy generals, and half of Zhao Feicai, Youyun Iron Cavalry, Shooting Battalion, Xuanjia Army, plus 30,000 cavalry, to meet the Qiang tribe, and allow local conscription." Zhao Kuo did not wait for the generals to ask for his life, and directly ordered the generals.

Even if the Qiang people don't make a move, he plans to wait until next year's spring to take the initiative to attack, but now he has saved some trouble.

"No." All the generals who were named by name, except for Meng Fu and Mengwu father and son who were not here, Tou Man, Feng Wuxue, and Qingshe all hugged their fists excitedly and saluted.

The rest of the generals saw that Zhao Kuo was obviously training the younger generation of Zhao State, so they no longer asked for their lives.

"Strategist...... Let it be too often." Zhao Kuo looked around, and finally focused on Lu Zhonglian, Zhao Guo is still very busy, and the younger generation of Wenchen are all serving as magistrates outside, only Lu Zhonglian is suitable to go with the army.

"Your Ministers obey." Lu Zhong said with his fists clenched.

……

Before Zhao received the news, the Qiang people began to assemble. By the time the Zhao army arrived in Zhangye County, the Qiang people were still gathering......

Not all Qiang people were willing to be enemies of Zhao, and most of them were unwilling to provoke the behemoth of Zhao, especially those Qiang tribes who did not send a large army to support Qin at the beginning, let alone fight with Zhao.

There are also some Qiang people who are friendly with Zhao State, and even completely defect to Zhao State, and they are even more reluctant to be enemies of Zhao State

The Qiang people are different from the Hu people on the grassland, the grassland terrain is flat, as far as the eye can see, and there are basically no obstacles to the communication of various tribes, which makes it easier for the Hu people to unify internally, whether it is the Xiongnu or the Eastern Hu, there are nominal leaders, no matter how they compete internally, when they encounter external enemies, they can basically be consistent with the outside world.

However, the terrain of the Qiang people's settlement is rugged and complex, full of towering mountains, and the rolling mountains divide the plateau into one area after another. It is more difficult to climb from one mountain to another than to cross hundreds of miles on the grassland.

As a result, there was little communication between the Qiang people, and they were more scattered than the Hu people, they didn't even have their own leaders, and everything was discussed by several large tribes.

Originally, a few tribes gave an order, and the other tribes basically followed.

But now the situation is different, the original strongest tribes, after supporting the Qin State last year, 50,000 young people were detained in the Zhao State, and they have not returned until now, which makes the strength and prestige of these tribes drop significantly, and other tribes with slightly weaker strength are beginning to move.

In addition, Zhao built roads, built cities, and reclaimed fields this year, saving many desperate Qiang tribes. They worked with the Zhao government, and the Zhao government paid them so that they could feed their families and not starve to death.

Zhao also divided pastures for a few tribes so that they could graze there, and if they wanted to farm, they would give them fields.

These people have a natural affection for Zhao Guo, and they are waiting to continue to work for Zhao Guo next year.

If a war is waged against Zhao, it is very likely that Zhao will not accept them again in the future, or even expel them, so these tribes try their best to prevent this.

The Qiang people were already scattered, but now they are mixed with Zhao Guoyi, and the various tribes are even more ghostly, pulling each other's skins, and more than half a month has passed, and there is no unified decree.

Zhao Jundu had already rushed to Zhangye from Handan, and the Qiang people were still in ink.

Zhangye County is too guarded by the mansion, Meng Fu looked at his son a little speechlessly, as well as Touman, Feng Wuxue, and Qingshe, all the people sent by the imperial court are young generals, can't he become a nanny?

However, except for the youngest Feng Wuxue, who has not yet been born with talent, the other three generals already have talent, and they still have strength, which is more than enough to fight these Qiang people.

"These are the two brothers Bell and Yuhun who provided information to my Zhao Kingdom, and it is with their help that Ben General got the news in advance and reported it to the imperial court." Meng Fu pointed to the bell bell and the two Yuhun brothers, and said to everyone.

Bell Ling and Yuhun saluted to everyone with some embarrassment, it was the first time they had seen so many generals, although they looked very young, but the two of them did not dare to despise them at all.

"I am Zhao Guo Taichang, and on behalf of the imperial court, I thank you for your help." Lu Zhong walked up to the two, bowed, and said solemnly.

"Don't dare, don't dare, please get up." Bell Ling and Yuhun were flattered, but in front of them was the *** of the level of the Minister of Zhao State, and they actually saluted to them.

"I wonder if you two are willing to join my Zhao Kingdom?" Lu Zhonglian's eyes were firmly fixed on Bell Ling and Yuhun.

Bell Ling and Yu Hun hesitated, they had a good impression of Zhao Guo, and they had thought about joining Zhao Guo, but after asking Meng Fu, they still refused.

Although the Zhao State provided them with fertile pastures, and the entire tribe was still under their management, they only needed to pay taxes on time, and with the protection of the Zhao State, they would never encounter the suppression and plunder of other tribes in the future, no matter how you look at it, it would be advantageous.

But such treatment can only last for one generation.

The official position of Zhao State cannot be hereditary, even if it is a title, it will be inherited by a knighthood, and it is naturally impossible to make an exception for the Qiang people.

If you want to join Zhao Guo, you can, Zhao Guo can maintain your current glory, wealth and status, but only for you, as for your descendants, it depends on their performance.

Moreover, the number of places to join Zhao is limited, and only a small number of Zhao are recruited, as for the rest, it is better to become slaves honestly and build roads for Zhao State.

If it weren't for the purpose of dividing the Qiang people and reducing the difficulty of leveling the Qiang, Zhao Guo would not have won over even a small number.

Bell Ling and Yuhun were unwilling to let the tribe that had been passed down from generation to generation be thrown away in their own hands, so they chose to refuse.

For some reason, Bell Ling and Yu Hun faced Lu Zhonglian more than they faced Meng Biao, Lu Zhonglian's two sharp eyes seemed to see through the two, and Bell Ling and Yu Hun had a feeling in their hearts that if they chose the wrong one, they would be doomed.

"We...... I am willing to join Zhao Guo." After a long while, Yuhun gritted his teeth and said.

Bell looked at her brother in shock, but out of trust in her brother, Bell didn't say anything.

"After you

You will know that this choice is the right one." Lu Zhonglian smiled and patted Yuhun on the shoulder, "After this battle, there will be no trace of the Qiang people for hundreds of miles near the Zhao Kingdom."

When Bell Ling and Yuhun heard this, they suddenly trembled.

"General, without further ado, gather the officers and men of the army to discuss military affairs." Lu Zhonglian said.

"There is still something in the subordinate tribe, so I will retire first." Bell and Yu Hun said knowingly.

"What does the king command?" When only Lu Zhonglian and others were left in the mansion, Meng Fu asked.

"The king said that he had only one request, and that the state of Zhao would no longer be harassed by the Qiang people from now on." Lu Zhonglian said.

When Meng Fu heard this, he rubbed his head with a headache, he was still very sure of defeating the Qiang people, but it was a little difficult to do it once and for all.

The terrain of the Qiang people is too good, there are high mountains everywhere, not to mention the combat effectiveness of the Zhao army after going up, even if it can win, it is impossible to stay on the plateau for a long time, and it will inevitably be withdrawn.

When the Qiang people returned to the mountain, Zhao had no choice.