The territory of the Great Sui Dynasty spans thousands of miles from south to north, and from east to west. The entire territory of the Sui Dynasty looked like an upside-down duck pear, with the north being larger and the south being smaller. The north-south length is much larger than the east-west length. Even from Yong County in the west, which is the narrowest in the east-west direction of the empire, to Jiangdu County in the east, it is more than ten thousand miles, which shows the vastness of the territory of the Sui Dynasty.
Yongzhou County was snatched from the destruction of the Shang Kingdom in the Sui Dynasty fifteen years ago, accounting for two-thirds of the size of the Shang Kingdom. Yong County was also the largest county in the Sui Dynasty, and Yongzhou City was the capital of the Shang Kingdom. After the demise of the Shang Kingdom, the escaped prince Murong Shame established the Nanyan Kingdom in Dali City, proclaimed his tribute to the Sui Dynasty, and called himself the Son Emperor. Perhaps it was because the land of Nanyan was too tired, and it was too small to arouse the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty. His majesty's desire to eat, so Nanyan can linger on.
The Great Sui Dynasty established the country with martial arts. In order to show that they did not abandon their ancestors' martial arts and fighting spirit, the emperors of all dynasties would launch at least one foreign offensive. It is precisely because of this that the military personnel of the Great Sui Dynasty still occupy a very important position in the court for more than a hundred years. status. Many countries advocated martial arts at the beginning of their founding. But after a few years, ten years, or decades, the power of generals will gradually be weakened, and the military is more important than military. But the Great Sui Dynasty was different. Since the Emperor Taizu of the Great Sui Dynasty started to fight for the Central Plains, each of the emperors of the Great Sui Dynasty took it as their own duty to expand the territory. If anyone doesn't lay down a territory, even he looks down on himself.
It is precisely because of this that some countries around the Sui Dynasty suffered unspeakably. Liang Guo, Zhou Guo, Wei Guo, Zhao Guo, Southern Qi, Northern Qi, Eastern Wei, these countries successively became the capitals of the great Sui emperors to boast about. The territory of these countries has also become a county in the Sui Dynasty.
When it came to the last emperor, because there was nothing to fight, he had to use force against the Shang country, which had always maintained a good relationship with the Sui Dynasty. It’s not that the last emperor of the Sui Dynasty was too vicious, it’s the fault of the previous emperor for beating the last Dongchu in the Central Plains who dared to challenge the Sui to only one-fifth of the size, if it wasn’t because the last land of Dongchu was a peninsula, If the navy of Eastern Chu was far stronger than the army, the peninsula would have been captured by the Sui Dynasty.
So when it came to Yang Yi, the emperor of the Sui Dynasty, he was also very distressed. In the eleven years since he took the throne, he would look at the huge map every day in the luxurious and spacious imperial study, trying to find an opponent who dared to convince Tai Sui. For eleven years, apart from the Mongolian Yuan Empire on the prairie, he really couldn't find any other place.
But to use force against the Mongolian Yuan Empire requires more than courage. The emperors of the Sui Dynasty were not lacking in courage, but all the emperors chose to live in peace with the Mongol and Yuan Empire.
It's not that I don't want to fight, it's not that I don't dare to fight, but I can't fight.
The prairie stretches for tens of thousands of miles, which is much larger than the territory of the Sui Dynasty. Even if the Great Sui was rich and powerful, even if the Great Sui had the confidence to defeat the cavalry of the Mongolian Yuan Empire with infantry, he would definitely not be able to support such a huge war. Just the consumption of the army going out of the fortress is enough to drag the empire to death.
Without an army of more than 500,000, there is no need to consider launching troops against Mongolia. With half a million horses and an expedition of tens of thousands of miles, how much consumption is it
This is not a question of daring or not, but it is simply impossible to fight down.
Unless the Sui Dynasty had enough cavalry to compete with the Mongolian Yuan.
The cavalry will always be a pain in the heart of the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty.
However, in the spring of the eleventh year of Tianyou in the Sui Dynasty, it seemed that there was a cure for the pain in the heart of the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty. At the end of March, a group of troops sent by You Xiaowei, a garrison in the northwest frontier, arrived at the imperial capital Chang'an. There were not many people, only a dozen or so. It took two months to get to Chang'an with light clothes and two riders each.
Twenty or so cavalrymen from You Xiaowei escorted three Beiliao people into the imperial capital.
These three people from the Northern Liao Dynasty were the war horse dealers detained by Li Xiaozong in Fan Gu. The leader among them was a young and strong man with physical characteristics unique to the cold regions of Northern Liao. Tall and strong, regardless of men and women, the skin is very white. This is a bit contrary to common sense, the Northern Liao is extremely cold, and the Hundred Thousand Mountains are even more impoverished. It stands to reason that the skin of the people living here should turn red from the cold, at least it will look rough.
But in fact, the skin of Beiliao people is very good.
Especially the Beiliao women, who are as white as crystal clear snowmen.
The leading man from Beiliao is called Wanyan Liyao, he looks to be in his twenties, his hair is the unique hairstyle of Beiliao people, his forehead is shaved smooth, but there is a big black braid behind his head . The costumes he wears are also very different from those of the people in the Central Plains, including mandarin jackets, waistcoats, and velvet robes.
This was Wanyan Liyao's first time entering the Central Plains. On the way, he had imagined countless times what Chang'an City, the imperial capital of the Sui Dynasty, would look like. He tried his best to imagine Chang'an City big enough, but when he saw Chang'an City from a distance, he couldn't help opening his mouth in surprise.
Majestic, magnificent!
It's like an endless mountain of 100,000 mountains.
When Chang'an City appeared in sight, Wanyan Liyao did not see the end of Chang'an City. As if this majestic city was formed naturally, it stands majestically between the heaven and the earth. When he rode his horse to the vicinity of Chang'an City, his mouth was already aching from opening.
Looking up, the city wall is as high as a sharp sword pierced into the clouds. Looking left and right, the city wall is endless.
The right Xiaowei cavalry led him to Dinggan Gate, one of the thirteen gates in the West City of Chang'an. It is also the most inconspicuous of the thirteen city gates, but even so, the huge city gate can still allow eight carriages to pass side by side with ease. The copper nails on the huge scarlet city gate looked bigger than a human head.
Wanyan Liyao's Adam's apple twitched, and he swallowed hard: "I can't think of it... I really can't think of it. I have tried my best to imagine the majesty of Chang'an City, but I still only imagined one percent of this city. This is not a city, it is clearly a mountain!"
You Xiaowei's team just curled their lips in disdain, went through the formalities with the soldiers guarding the city gate and went straight into the city gate.
…
…
Originally, a few barbarians from Beiliao, the poorest and coldest place in the world, would not receive any high-standard courtesy. Even for the special envoy sent by Khan Wanyanyong of the Northern Liao Dynasty last time, the person in charge of meeting him was only a sixth-rank Yuanwailang from the Ministry of Rites of the Sui Dynasty.
But it was obviously different this time. When Wanyan Liyao was shocked to the point of numbness by the images he saw one after another, the officer leading the way said something, and he regained his senses a little.
The post station should have been built outside Chang'an City. But it was precisely because the Great Sui Dynasty was too big, and Chang'an City was also too big. If the envoys from various countries and the feudal officials who returned to Beijing to report on their duties lived outside the city, it would take too much time for the emperor to summon them back and forth. So the post station was built on Dongping Fourth Street, which is only about ten miles away from Taiji Palace.
When Wanyan Liyao arrived at the gate of the post station, he was still sighing, a post station is more majestic than Khan's palace in Beiliao. His eyes are not enough at all, looking here and there, the novelty is like a baby opening his eyes to see the world for the first time.
"Are you Wanyanli Yao?"
Just when he was deeply moved, a cold and disdainful voice sounded behind him. Wanyan Liyao turned around quickly, and saw a person wearing a green crown robe. According to the official etiquette system of the Sui Dynasty, this green crown robe can be recognized at a glance as a junior official below the seventh rank.
In Chang'an, third-rank officials are not considered big figures. Such a petty official would not be looked down upon by the people of Chang'an City. But Wanyan Liyao couldn't help but take this person seriously, because he came this time with a huge mission on his shoulders. He was familiar with all the books about the Sui Dynasty, so he could tell that this person was just a low-level person. But he still showed enough humility and showed the most sincere smile.
"Cao Min is the father of all the people in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of Northern Liao. The great and kind Wu De Khan sent to see Tian Khan, the envoy of His Majesty the Sui Emperor Wan Yan Li Yao. May I ask who is this lord?"
Such long-winded words can only be said by people from the Northern Liao Dynasty.
The man said a little impatiently: "I am the counselor of the Ministry of Rites of the Sui Dynasty, and I am ordered to wait here. Don't go into the post station, our Lord Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites is waiting for you, come with me."
"Master of the Ministry of Rites wants to see me in person?"
Wanyan Liyao obviously couldn't believe her ears.
The counselor who recorded the pen was too lazy to say anything, turned around and got into a carriage. Wanyan Liyao didn't dare to delay, and also climbed up.
…
…
Huai Qiugong, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites of the Great Sui Dynasty, was the elder of the three dynasties and was already seventy-two years old. In fact, since Emperor Tianyou Yang Yi ascended the throne, he has seldom asked about the affairs of the Ministry of Rites. On weekdays, the servant of the Ministry of Rites, Pei Yao, who presided over the affairs of the Ministry of Rites, but this respected old man arrived at the Yamen of the Ministry of Rites early this morning. Except for Pei Yao who had received the news in advance, none of the officials in the Ministry of Rites found it novel. You must know that this old man who dared to point at His Majesty the Emperor and say that he does not understand the etiquette system has not been to the yamen of the Ministry of Rites for four months and twenty-nine days.
Because the Great Sui Dynasty was too big, there was still wind and snow in the northwestern frontier in March, and the willows on the streets of the imperial capital had already spit out new green, but perhaps because he was worried that the Minister of Rites was too old, the stove was still lit in the wing room.
The servant of the Ministry of Rites, Pei Yu, sat down respectfully and lowered his hands, talking with the elder.
"It's reasonable, you manage this yamen in an orderly manner, it's not bad... I'll make another book tomorrow and withdraw, which can be regarded as truly handing over the etiquette department to you."
"The lower officials are terrified."
Pei Yin quickly said: "Your Majesty is still so strong, and His Majesty is so honorable, how can you quit the court lightly? The Ministry of Rites can't do without you."
"This flattery is not nice at all."
Huai Qiugong smiled and said: "I have already added an old word in front of the adults, and you still say that I am not old? After serving three generations of emperors, I should have retired a long time ago. It's just that the older people are, the more greedy they are for power. , I feel ashamed when I think about it. As for you saying that the Ministry of Rites cannot do without me, that's purely a lie... I haven't been here for two months, right? I don't even know how many new people have been added. "
Pei Taboo smiled embarrassingly: "You haven't been here for nearly five months."
"ah?"
Huai Qiugong was stunned for a moment, then smiled hehe: "Walking dogs, fighting birds, feeding fish, planting grass, raising flowers and trees, these days go by so quickly... By the way, I only care about gossip, but I forgot the important things that His Majesty told me." gone."
The old man stroked his snow-white beard and said: "You will meet those people from Beiliao in a while, and you will receive them according to the standards of envoys from... great powers."
"This... isn't it just arranged for an interview with Yuanwailang before? What's different this time?"
"Of course it's different."
Huai Qiugong smiled, and the wrinkles on his face squeezed into a flower: "If the Northwest is not peaceful... At this time, the people from Beiliao came to the door by themselves. Doesn't that satisfy His Majesty's mind? Haha... If the wind wins the wind It’s refreshing to think about it if it rains like rain.”
Pei Yu opened his mouth wide in surprise, and asked incredulously, "Your Majesty wants... to launch troops against Meng Yuan?"
"Otherwise, who are you going to attack? Your Majesty is all about comparing himself with Emperor Taizu."
The old man smiled like an old fox, exuding a sense of complacency and a rare cuteness: "But I only told you about this, what kind of gossip is going on in the court... You know, old man, I am greedy for power and shy, so I will definitely betray you." you."