However, after seeing the prosperous military appearance and excellent armor of this man and horse outside the city on the East City Tower, Minister Zuo began to rejoice that he had not caught up and took the initiative to go out of the city to meet; otherwise, with these men and horses who have just settled down, I am afraid that they will be in the field. It is simply impossible to resist these newly-victorious foreign troops; after all, they are the returnees who have been with each other for many generations and are quite familiar with each other.
Especially when he saw with his own eyes another army with various colored Dharani sutras and flags and flags of the heavens, who also wrote the "Guardian Guardian" and "Propagating Dharma Restoration"; he only felt extremely confused and incomprehensible. He knows all these words, but they make people confused when they add them up. But at least he understands one thing. If he forces the soldiers and horses in the city to attack, it may be the end of the battle without fighting and even reversing.
But at least he still has confidence in holding the royal capital Xicheng; because as one of the four towns in Anxi and the largest city-state, this royal city with a radius of tens of miles and a wall height of four and a half feet has not encountered military fire for decades. Even if King Khotan, with the support of his subjects, expelled and defeated the resident Tubo prison envoy more than 50 years ago, he did it from the inside in one fell swoop.
He can only hold on, and then wait until the Jiu surnamed Wuhu, Yangmo, and Ge Lulu in the north of the desert (Taklimakan), receive the condition of sending his envoys and send troops to respond; as for the moment when it was strong, it suppressed all parties. The Anxi Uighur, I am afraid that at this moment, because of the heavy losses of Pang Teqin in the Eastern Expedition, even the Khan Lord himself has fallen into the Central Plains, and has also fallen into the internal strife of no master.
In this way, this foreign army, which has come from afar, cannot attack for a long time and is difficult to sustain, and there is still a threat from outside, so it can only lead the troops and retreat. In this way, he can at least regain a relatively dilapidated Khotan territory, and slowly re-operate and regenerate strength. It's just that when he was doing such a grand vision, he saw a royal guardian who was sent to the city gates by the trilogy of his family and his family, but he rushed in panic and shouted:
"Daxiang, it's not good, Simon is broken..."
Then, Minister Zuo couldn't help looking at the location where smoke and dust rose faintly, where the shouts of killing around the king's city were already audible. Then he was angrily and personally led the team across the east-west long street, trying to rush into the king's city, thinking that he would stick to it, but then ran into another group of his own children who had come to report:
"Zong Chief, the big thing is not good, the south corner gate was opened to welcome the younger brother..."
At this moment, I only felt that the Minister Zuo, who had been beaten out of thin air, had beaten all his revenge and ambitions to pieces, had only gritted his teeth and ordered all the people to turn around, and ran towards the south gate where he arranged for his cronies and son-in-law to guard; From here, he wanted to escape from this already dissatisfied imperial city and return to his family's generation-run territory, located in the ancient town of Pushancheng in the northwest (now Pishan County, Xinjiang).
However, at the moment when he was surrounded by his loyal ministers, generals and tribes, rushed into the south gate of the royal capital guarded by his confidant and son-in-law, and rushed out of the city. The large barbed iron fence and fence that suddenly dropped from the city gate intercepted and enclosed the brigade behind him in the half-curved small urn city;
In an instant, many unstoppable knights slammed into these obstacles, arousing sky-shaking noises, screaming, and screaming, and they were also messed up and wounded into a ball. The left minister and a small part of the knights who had rushed out of the city looked at the ambushes emerging from the rivers and fields in the four fields with a face of earthy color and despair. .
With the restoration of the capital of Khotan and the abdication of King Baoshu, who had been in office for only one day, he took a carriage to Chang'an to "approve" the new dynasty; perhaps he would never have a chance to return to his homeland in his lifetime. The fourth prince, Wei Chi Ramo, who had fled for help, was not unexpected and logical. After repeated requests from the remaining ministers, officials, ministers, and people in the capital, the old lady wore the rat king golden crown; A new generation of King Rama.
Then, the newly-launched King Rama quickly changed into the traditional royal uniform of Khotan, and put on the crown uniforms of the princes bestowed by the emperor of Tang Dynasty in the east, standing respectfully in front of the Qifeng Tower. He publicly accepted the canonization and posthumous ceremonies from the Chang'an New Dynasty, and thus became the eleventh governor of the Visha Governor’s Mansion, and invited the New Dynasty garrison to set up the town to protect the border and protect the trade route.
Then, in front of the chief monks and heads of the Xishan Wangxingda Temple, he swears to heaven and earth and the Kunlun Mountain, and he will do his best to restore and promote the Buddhadharma of the Western Regions and even the land of Tianzhu. Don't hesitate to do this. Therefore, as the soup, cakes, wine and food were put on the street for free use, the sound of musical instruments and singing and dancing continued all night to the next day.
But this time, the reaction of the subjects of the royal capital and their support for the new king was much more real than the strong smiles under the threat of swords and guns before. This is because this country lord not only brought in foreign aid from the traditionally allied but mutually conflicting Guiyi army, but also brought in foreign aid to quell the civil strife, and he was able to have almost nothing to do with the local people or make no offenses; even if he followed the three princes. Hundreds of chaotic homes with adversaries also only killed the first evil and exiled their followers, and forgiven many coerced.
On the other hand, it was because with the arrival of the reinforcements, there were still a large number of eminent monks and great virtues from the East and a continuous fleet of merchants; therefore, in the following days, among the major monasteries inside and outside the royal city, The pujas of interpreting the scriptures and praying for blessings have been held one after another; and the various morning markets, small markets, and markets that have sprung up one after another have once again shown a prosperous scene inside and outside the capital city that has not been seen for many years.
After all, as the intersection of the Tianshan North and South Roads and the key and important town for Chinese and foreign business travelers on the Silk Road; Khotan itself is produced by the contiguous oasis of the southern end of the Taklimakan Desert and the impact of the river, which can feed and maintain the population. After all, there is a limit to the number; therefore, as the pillar industry of Khotan, in addition to traditional jade mining and sales, it is a service industry that provides fresh water supply and settlement for business travel between the east and the west. Up.
Therefore, after the restoration of the Tubo rule, the kings of the past dynasties spared no effort to restore the Helian-Xiyu Commercial Road since ancient times; however, due to many historical problems, they regretted that they were not satisfied and passed away; after all, After the collapse of Tubo, many forces, large and small, remained in the areas they ruled.
In the Uighur tribes that moved west from the grassland alone, there were Ganzhou, Xizhou, and Anxi, each of which had three surnames fighting each other; then, there were Dangxiang, Tuhun (Tuyuhun), Tubo, Subi, The survivors who migrated from the plateaus of Shanshan, Dadan, etc.; the local Tu people represented by the Longshi Zahu in Suzhou; and there is also the end of the Wen Dynasty, which is formed by the Tubo enslaved fugitives of various ethnic groups. It is divided into three major communities in the east, west and south. .
Therefore, whether it is going down the Hexi Corridor along the Kunlun Mountains-Qilian Mountains-Helan Mountains to the south, or walking around the Chaotian Khan Avenue on the grassland in the Beiting area, it is inevitable to be blackmailed and robbed by the endless separatist forces; but at least it is still possible. The object of the negotiations, as far as possible encounters with horse thieves and sand thiefs running like a cow, are countless people who have lost everything.
Therefore, based on this starting point, Khotan can become a solid and stable traditional ally of the Guiyi Army. Since Zhang Yichao has rebelled against Tubo, he has always supported the Guiyi Army to unite all the people in Hexi to become a stable force and a stable force. Where the political power is; in fact, this goal was almost achieved that year. Prince Khotan and a large number of businessmen from the Western Regions, who followed the envoy of the Guiyi Army, entered the pilgrimage and received a banquet from the emperor of the Tang Dynasty.
What a beautiful time that was, it was like the glory and grace of Datang that once again descended on these lonely loyal ministers in the northwest. However, the good times did not last long. Within a few years, the expansion of the Guiyi Army was forced to stop, because the imperial court, as Tang’s uncle’s kingdom, sent envoys to restrict the Guiyi Army from surrendering to the Ganzhou Uighurs to continue to annex and rule Xizhou. Uighur ministries. He was then canonized as a vassal on par with the Guiyi Army.
Then he cut off the land of Liangzhou and set up the Jiedu envoys to guard it. This cut off the Guiyi army’s desire to be promoted to the Hexi Jiedu envoys, and then Yi Chao Gong personally entered the court to make the court feel at ease. ; As a result, he spent the rest of his life and died in Chang'an, but left a series of later sorrows and civil strife on the issue of the succession of the Guiyi Army.
Therefore, Chi Wa Na, the predecessor of Yutian, was willing to be invited by the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, Zheng Tian, to lead the athletes to help solve the difficulties of China, and it was not because he was moved by many conditions including his promise to reopen trade routes. It's just as ironic that after the former lord was desperate and defeated, the business route to the south was reopened and ushered in the messengers of the new dynasty and more business travelers from all over the east.
Therefore, at this time, not many people want to do anything for the country lord who chose the wrong camp and embarked on the road of no return. Even the Buddhist sangha, which has been supported and supported by the royal family for generations, is the same. Because most of them were moved by the envoys from the new dynasty, described by the great aspirations of rejuvenating the many Buddhist kingdoms in the Western Regions and waiting for the opportunity to counterattack the Tianzhu ancestral land, and they couldn't be moved by themselves.
As Buddhists who practice self-discipline with a pure heart and few desires, they will naturally not believe in the promises and rhetoric of any messenger with white teeth or lotus flowers; but coupled with the great army that accompanies Haohao. After the endorsement and testimony, as well as the same large-scale Chinese-Eastern Sangha and caravans from the south and the north, it is difficult to say any doubts and conflicts.
Because these monks from Middle-Earth have formed a delicate relationship with them, which is undoubtedly competitive and cooperative; if they don’t want to be replaced by others, they can only participate in it and contribute to the restoration of the Buddha country. Strength; and the interest trends represented by businessmen and business groups represent their optimism about the prospects here and the future.
It is like the rain that meets the thirsty people in the desert, which naturally moves most people along the Silk Road. After all, since ancient times, as the oasis city-states on the traditional trade routes of East Asia and Northeast Asia, they have almost always relied on the large market and resource production area of China to sustain their rise and fall. It's like the simple reasoning of the Belt and Road in later generations.
As the saying goes, cutting off people's wealth is like killing one's parents. Once the corresponding interest chain and the foundation of people's livelihood are formed, the so-called empty democratic freedom and the constraints of backward religion will naturally dilute the impact. On the other hand, as the last Buddhist land in the Western Regions, Khotan has gathered too many believers from various countries who have fled in these years; this has also caused considerable social problems and pressure for survival.
After all, no matter how strong Khotan is, it is also a regime based on a river basin oasis. After all, its domestic ecological carrying capacity has its limits; and as a result of the Three Princes, this accumulated contradiction has always erupted. one. So when there is a chance to return to their homeland, these fugitives under the fence are also enthusiastic.
Therefore, only seven or eight days after the refurbishment of King Khotan’s city, a larger coalition set off again; the troops were divided into two groups, and the cavalry as a partial division began to follow the seasonal river oasis that crossed the desert (Taklimakan). Go north to Qiemo, the former place of Qiuci (country) town (near Qiemo County, Xinjiang); the other road is accompanied by a large number of monks and merchants, mostly people and horses, along the traditional business road to look west towards Ya'er ( The former place of Shache Kingdom) drive in.
And in a specially modified high-wheeled cart in the marching packhorse queue, Wang Poxian, who is now the largest tea merchant in the new dynasty, is also presenting his fellow Dou Mao, who was also the first one in the East City. The descendants of Dou Yi said:
"Don't feel embarrassed, this is comparable to Bo Wanghou (Zhang Qian)'s feat of hollowing out the Western Regions!"
"What's more, that group of Dingyuan in those days with 36 people rampaged the kingdoms, whoever chooses the king, kills if you want to kill, or fowls if you want to kill, now we have tens of thousands of troops to rely on, and a whole new dynasty as the backing. what!"
"Not to mention that not only does not have the strengths of the Xiongnu, the master of the new dynasty also values the merits of opening the border, and advocates that anyone who can do whatever he can can dominate outside the territory. As long as you and me achieve success on this road, I am afraid that there is no reward for being knighted. Huh?"
"Since ancient times, fame and fame have always been taken right away, but nowadays, people of my generation have the opportunity to use their ability to trade in goods and trade to be awarded the opportunity to enjoy the title, even the most ordinary lords and sires, that’s not the case. Fight for it!"
"In the final analysis, if you want to rejuvenate your ancestral business, you must not only have the means to make money and the opportunity to venture out, but you must also have the status and power to preserve your wealth and maintain the safety and security of your children and grandchildren for a long time. !!!" (End of this chapter)