Hot! It's really hot!

Fang Chongyong took 300 silver spears and cavalry of the filial piety army, rushed from Yizhou to Xizhou non-stop, and after a short rest in the state capital Gaochang City, he went to Yanqi Town along the "Silver Mountain Road".

Fang Chongyong found that he seemed to overestimate his tolerance for bad weather. Constantly inhaling the scorching air, he felt that his body was about to be roasted, and he didn't want to drink water all the time, but he couldn't drink water frequently.

Not only that, but he had to wrap himself tightly so that his sweat would not evaporate too much and cause dehydration.

If it weren't for the rush to travel, there would be no need to toss so much at all!

If you don't go to Xizhou, you don't know how terrifying the extreme desert climate is! Compared with the weather in Xizhou, which can heat people to death, the desert over there in Dunhuang is a little cute.

After all, the prototype of the Flaming Mountain in "Journey to the West" is Xizhou, the kind that can fry eggs on the ground! It's no wonder it's not hot!

Sure enough, it's still sloppy!

Fang Chongyong scolded Gao Xianzhi who frequently did things half to death in his heart! If it weren't for his penchant for doing things, would he have to travel day and night in the desert?

However, before Fang Chongyong and his party arrived at the Tianshan Yinshan Road, they were already sleepy and unable to move forward. They had to rest and replenish their water in a place called the town of Partridge.

The town of Partridge sits on a hill where several small rivers and ditches converge, and there is a Tang army fort. The surrounding terrain is very complex, with hills and a few plains and terraces.

Fang Chongyong had already learned in advance that according to the establishment of the Anxi army, the fort should have forty-eight soldiers. The town's general is responsible for managing the nine beacon towers in the surrounding area, five fixed posts, and a wheat field.

In addition, it is necessary to find ways to maintain the daily supply of the fort and the repair and maintenance of the house.

The scope of its management, the number of complicated affairs, and the small number of soldiers made Fang Chongyong jaw-dropping and unbelievable.

When Datang is not a person, it really doesn't treat people as people. Women are used for men, and men are used for livestock.

There are only a dozen families in the town, and they all live around the fort without a wall. And this fort, which is located on a hill and quite far from the water source below the hill, is about the same length and width, about thirty meters by eye, and is two stories high.

There is an earthen wall more than a meter high outside the fort, and in addition to the fort, there are six or seven houses built of stones, which seem to be used to store grain and raise horses.

There are also beacon towers and four arrow towers on the fort, which can be called a super small castle, although the sparrows are small, they are all in all directions.

The three hundred silver spear Xiaojie soldiers led their horses up the hill, looking at the Tang Army fort standing next to the key road, they were a little surprised and speechless! This hill is seven or eight hundred meters high, and although it is next to a water source and the terrain is not steep, it is a hassle to go up and down the mountain to carry water.

Farmland has also been opened up on the hill to grow barley, and there is no water source around it, so it is necessary to rely on manpower to carry water from the bottom of the mountain to the upper mountain for irrigation.

How do the people on this hill live on a daily basis?

The Qiu Bamen of the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army looked at each other and couldn't understand.

The Qiu Ba who are stubborn and stubborn and fight on the battlefield are just in a dangerous state of survival, and it is just precarious to start a war.

But they can always drink wine in a big bowl and eat meat in large pieces, or high-ranking officials and generous people, or horse leather shrouded and returned.

And the scene in front of him is the real bitter cold place, and it is the normal state of the border army in the Western Regions.

The establishment was originally only forty-eight people, and many of them went out on patrol. As soon as the town general on duty saw that a large group of people were going up the mountain, he immediately ordered the gate of the courtyard to be closed and sent people to the beacon tower to be ready to light a fire at any time.

After doing this, the town general shouted to the silver-speared filial piety army outside the earthen wall under the fort: "Which part of the Tang army are you, do you have fish charms and military orders?" Why did you come to Owl Town? ”

"Lao Tzu is the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army under the direct jurisdiction of the sage, and this one is the ambassador of the Western Regions Economic Strategy, why don't you take out the good wine and food to the army!"

He Changqi scolded at the head of the city.

"Don't be rude!"

Fang Chongyong reprimanded He Changqi in a low voice, and shouted to the head of the city: "A certain is Fang Chongyong, the ambassador of the Western Regions Economic Strategy appointed by the imperial court, passing by the fort of Eagle Town, asking you for a little water to drink. ”

Drinking water can actually be solved at the bottom of the mountain, and you don't have to go up the mountain to find faults. Fang Chongyong came here just to see what kind of life the Tang army on the border of the Western Regions lived on weekdays.

The Tang army under the Beiting Metropolitan Protectorate is very concentrated, and the living conditions are also very good, and it is not much worse than the Tang army in the Hexi Corridor. But from this fort, it is the soldiers and horses of the Anxi Protectorate, and it is the outpost of Yanqi Town.

Take a casual look, and you will know that the living conditions on the Anxi side are much worse than those in Beiting.

Soon, the courtyard door on the earthen wall opened, and a middle-aged officer of the Anxi Army with a thin figure stepped forward, knelt down on one knee very humbly, and the other party bravely clasped his fists and saluted:

"The town of Crane Town will seal Changqing, meet Ambassador Fang! Eat and drink, and finally go to prepare, and invite Ambassador Fang and all the comrades of the Silver Spear Filial Piety Festival to enter the fort to rest. ”

Feng Changqing?

How could he be so miserable!

Fang Chongyong suppressed the doubts in his heart, hurriedly helped him up, and said with emotion: "You have fallen to this point!" ”

Well?

Feng Changqing, who was thin and small, had red and black skin, and looked quite inconspicuous, looked at the young Jiedu envoy in front of him with some doubts, and couldn't understand what the other party was trying to do.

He's never seen each other before, right?

For a while, the atmosphere was a little inexplicably awkward.

Fang Chongyong came back to his senses, coughed lightly to cover up his gaffe, helped Feng Changqing up, patted the dust on his body and asked, "I heard that Gao Xianzhi and Gao Deputy Duhu have an adjutant beside him, who is proficient in strategy and planning, and his name is Feng Changqing, are you just the same name as him?" ”

"Ambassador Hui, that's here.

A certain before...... offended the son of the senior deputy nurse, Zheng Dequan, the tenth general of the Anxi Army, and was assigned here to serve as a town general. ”

Feng Changqing said with a gloomy expression. Zheng Dequan was very famous in the Anxi Army, and he didn't like him, so he casually found an excuse, made a small report to Gao Xianzhi, and kicked Feng Changqing out of Qiuzi City.

"Let the deputy general take your place, and in the future, you will be at the side of this ambassador and serve as a staff officer."

Fang Chongyong patted Feng Changqing's shoulder and said eagerly.

Huh?

Behind Fang Chongyong, Wang Yuan, He Changqi, Guan Chongsi and others were all stunned, and even Yan Dynasty, who was accustomed to seeing Fang Chongyong's eclectic actions, couldn't understand what this "Hexi Qilin" had in mind.

"This ......"

Feng Changqing was a little hesitant.

He joined the army very late, only entered the Anxi army at the age of thirty, and Gao Xianzhi didn't want him at all, it was he who cried and shouted and begged for the other party to accept him, so that he could come to Gao Xianzhi's side as a personal soldier.

As a result, because he offended Gao Xianzhi's confidant Zheng Dequan, he was sent here. Now that Fang Chongyong has asked him to break away from the Anxi Army, although it is just a matter of one sentence for Gao Xianzhi, what will others think of him?

"The Silver Spear Filial Piety Army is a saint's army, and you can choose the right person among the border troops in the Western Regions at will, and you don't have to think much about sealing the town. What kind of official position you have by Gao Xianzhi's side, it is still the same when you come to this ambassador. ”

Fang Chongyong took out the golden fish talisman of the silver spear filial piety festival from his waist, and shook it in front of Feng Changqing, with a confident and high-spirited face.

"The last general obeys!"

Feng Changqing knew that there was no way to change the matter, so he hurriedly got up and clasped his fists and saluted. I don't know if this is a blessing or a curse.

"This ambassador's military uniform, put it on first, and take off the tattered military uniform of the Anxi Army on your body."

After speaking, Fang Chongyong was about to take off the black military uniform he was wearing, Yan Chao hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, and persuaded in a low voice: "Fang Jieshuai, you don't have to change your clothes, the last general will take off the military uniform and give it to General Feng to wear, no hindrance, no hindrance." ”

After speaking, he gave He Changqi a look.

"Yes, yes, Fang Jieshuai, you change your clothes for General Feng to wear, who of us dares to talk to General Feng, it's not good for General Feng."

If General Yan's military uniform doesn't fit, it's okay to take off the general! ”

He Changqi also opened his mouth to persuade.

"What you said is not unreasonable, General Yan, then replace yours."

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly and said.

"By the way, who will be the town that Zhang Sancheng is guarding?"

Fang Chongyong suddenly remembered this stubble, squinted his eyes and asked. He guessed that since Feng Changqing was in the Anxi army, he should know some inside information.

Hearing this, Feng Changqing's complexion changed several times, and then he lowered his voice and said, "Zhang Sancheng's guard and capture envoy is Zheng Dequan. ”

A guard is between 700 and 2,000 people, depending on the deployment of troops. Gao Xianzhi arranged this point on the periphery of Kaguizi Town, which is indeed very clever, and it is not considered "cronyism".

The ten generals themselves manage thousands of people in the army, and when he arranges it like this, others have nothing to say.

"What about Yanqi Town?"

Fang Chongyong asked again.

"The town of Yanqi Town will be Li Siye, and there are also 3,000 Mo sword troops under his command stationed here."

Feng Changqing replied honestly.

"After so many years, Lao Li has not been promoted."

Fang Chongyong muttered to himself thoughtfully.

In recent years, in fact, the high-level of the Tang Border Army has also been a radish and a pit in the Western Regions.

Because the places under their control have basically not changed, it is very difficult for the top leaders of the border army to be promoted if they are not transferred out. When he was in Shazhou, Fang Chongyong knew that Li Siye was the military envoy of the Modao Army, and he is still in this position.

Of course, Li Siye is now transferred from outside Qiuzi City to Yanqi Town, and his nominal position has not changed, but his actual authority has still been improved. Yanqi Town has abundant water and grass, both farming, and a big lake next to it to eat aquatic products, which is really much more comfortable than staying in Qiuzi City.

Fang Chongyong remembers that in his previous life, Bosten Lake in Yanqi Town was one of the largest organic fish production bases in China, with abundant fish resources. Being a town general in this place is really moist!

The distribution of interests in the four towns of Anxi is indeed very interesting!

Fang Chongyong nodded quietly, let Feng Changqing hand over military affairs, let the following generals be responsible for replenishing drinking water, and rested in Eagle Town for the night. Early the next morning, the whole army was set out, with Feng Changqing as the guide of the front army, leading the three hundred silver spears and filial piety army through the first moraine of the "Silver Mountain Road": the stone moraine.

Three hundred people walked for a day, gradually rising terrain, on both sides are strange stones with holes, either yellow sand or stones, the stones on both sides of the road are like knife cutting, straight and straight, and the Mohe Yan moraine that he walked on is almost carved out of the same mold.

Along the way, in addition to drought, Fang Chongyong felt difficulties that were difficult to overcome geographically.

The so-called "moraine" is a kind of terrain with rolling mountains and irregular roads. Many of the stones in the "mountain" have been blown out of the holes by the wind, and there is no grass around them.

It is a terrain between the Gobi and the desert that is not easy to climb, but can be traversed. In the Western Regions, the "moraine" is often a geographical isolation zone that separates two regions but is not completely blocked.

Expanding territory means finding ways to overcome these obstacles.

"How far is it from the Silver Mountain Pavilion?"

Fang Chongyong pointed to the mountain road that was already heading to a low altitude and asked Feng Changqing. The Silver Mountain Pavilion is famous as one of the most important supply oases in the surrounding area.

Yinshan Pavilion is a post station established in the Zhenguan period, and it is also a small number of post stations in the Western Regions, Tuntian has seventy or eighty acres of appearance, and there is also a very small fort around it.

"We're about to enter the Silver Mountain Moraine, and we still have a day to go to the Silver Mountain Pavilion. Walk along this road and continue to walk, after the Yinshan Pavilion continue to the west, not far away is the Lu Guang Pavilion, and then to the west, you will arrive at the station of Zhang Sancheng's guard, and the city is built on a hill.

Over the hills is a large oasis plain in Yanqi Town, as well as Yanqi Lake. ”

Feng Changqing pointed to the undulating mountain road in front of him with a horsewhip and said. You can't rest at night on this way, and you need to rush non-stop.

"Got it!"

Fang Chongyong nodded slightly, and ordered He Changqi: "No one is allowed to stop if you continue to hurry, you go to the back of the team to supervise, and there are people who have fallen behind to help." ”

"Order!"

After He Changqi went down, Fang Chongyong couldn't help but touch the sweat on his forehead. He has paid a lot of attention to heat dissipation and ventilation, but ordinary people can't bear this hot weather.

"Marshal, do you want to set up camp?"

Duan Xiu Shice immediately stepped forward and asked.

In fact, it was not only Fang Chongyong who was uncomfortable, but the entire team was undergoing the test of high temperatures. Only Feng Changqing, who is accustomed to this climate, remains calm and looks indifferent.

"Morale can be boosted, pass the order, speed up the march, and never stop to rest!"

Fang Chongyong gritted his teeth and said emphatically.

Their team, in this way, withstood the baking under the scorching sun, and finally arrived at the Silver Mountain Pavilion all the way without stopping. After a day and a night of trekking, he finally arrived at the station where Zhang Sancheng was guarded.

This place is very cleverly stuck, just blocking the road from Yanqi Town to Xizhou.

To the west of Zhang Sancheng's capture, that is, under the hills, is a large area of farmland that has been reclaimed and irrigated by the snow water of the mountains and rivers to the north, and Yanqi Lake (Bosten Lake) to the south of the farmland.

Everyone who wants to go to Yanqi Town from Xizhou must pass through the gate of Zhang Sancheng to pass, otherwise they can only risk going over the mountain, not to mention the great risk, and they can't haul the baggage.

Outside Zhang Sancheng, a small market has already formed, Fang Chongyong and the others arrived just when the sun was about to set, those small traders were closing their stalls, a busy scene, many of these people were wearing clothes that were very different from the people of the Tang Dynasty.

The clothes of bright fabrics, all of which were in the style of lapels, plackets, and narrow sleeves, and many of them were decorated with wide brocade belts, and those strange goods that loomed in the face, which looked exotic.

This place is far more "open" than Shazhou, or to put it simply, this was originally the territory of a small country in the Western Regions, but it was destroyed by the troops sent by Taizong back then. Although the country has perished, the culture and customs have endured, and naturally they are not comparable to the Central Plains.

Of course, the Yanqi Kingdom at that time, and the current Yanqi Town, the place is the same place, and the customs are not exactly the customs of the past.

"The king is rare!"

Fang Chongyong shouted.

"The last general!"

Wang rarely stepped forward immediately, and the other party crossed his hands and saluted.

"Go to Zhang Sancheng to guard and arrest, and bring the main general who stopped you from passing to see this section commander.

If someone dares to disobey the military order, show the fish charm of the silver spear filial piety army!

If you still don't obey orders, kill them directly! This section is handsome to support you! ”

Fang Chongyong handed the fish talisman around his waist to Wang Rare and said.

"Order!"

Wang took the fish talisman and grinned, revealing a trace of undetectable hideousness.

(End of chapter)