Chapter 198: Questioning Hanyang...
However, they never imagined that their opponents had already taken action when the first letter reporting the arrival of these people was sent to Yuzhong.
Qiao Yan held the letter in his hand, his fingertips slightly clenched.
In order to ensure that the message could be delivered as quickly as possible without having to cross the Wushaoling Mountain and cause any time delay, after confiscating the property of the Yan family in Wuwei and handing it over, she moved from Wuwei County to inspect the military settlements in Jincheng County and temporarily lived in Yuzhong, west of Kuiyuan Gorge.
News coming from the direction of Sanguan in Wudu County can be sent directly here via the official road between Hanyang and Longxi going north.
It only takes two days at most.
This is a distance that is enough for her to adapt.
Yuzhong is an extension of the river valley basin where Jincheng is located.
It was August at the time. The wind was blowing the wheat fields in this military settlement. Although it was not as wide as that in Jincheng due to the terrain restrictions of being sandwiched between two mountains, it still conveyed a scene of a good harvest from the window.
There is also a scent of wheat fields in the air.
In a year of disaster, this fragrance inevitably makes people feel that hope is approaching.
However, before the official harvest, this expected war will be launched in front.
And just as Qiao Yan had planned before, this was her best opportunity to hold the four families of Hanyang accountable!
She crumpled the letter in her hand into a ball and slammed the table.
Jiang Jiong, who had just been called here, had been assisting Cheng Yu in handling government affairs in Jincheng County since the end of last year. He had no idea what was going on and was locked up by Qiao Yan.
“Your Excellency…”
"Take him to Jincheng Prison and keep a close eye on him!"
Qiao Yan waved his hand, indicating that he didn't want to say more to him.
Jiang Jiong was indeed a talented person, but he was from one of the four surnames of Hanyang after all.
When Qiao Yan needed to take advantage of Liangzhou's special environment and the best opportunity of the invasion of the Western Liang Army to reorganize the powerful people in Liangzhou, Jiang Jiong could only remain a prisoner for the time being.
Jiang Jiong was extremely shocked, and even had some vague guesses in his mind when he was taken away.
Qiao Yan would not detain him without reason.
If he hadn't made any mistakes, there was only one possibility for this action:
What did Jiang do to make her unhappy?
Compared with her previous handling of the Yan family in Wuwei, today's situation seemed to be much more serious.
But he couldn't get an accurate answer from Qiao Yan for the time being, and he had no way of knowing that there were three other companies that were also targeted by Qiao Yan.
"Send a message to the siege troops and the various units in Yuzhong and Jincheng," Qiao Yan glanced at the sky outside the window and gave an order, "Before dusk, the cavalry will line up and station in Dingxi."
When she put on her armor, the sound of troop deployment in the entire Yuzhong area had already created a vibrating sound.
Under the order she had established over more than a year, no one would question her order.
This is her order.
They just need to execute!
Even though the army being integrated at this moment was not only the Bingzhou Army she brought here, but also the recruited generals of Ma Teng and Han Sui, as well as the Qiang troops she recruited, it still maintained this efficiency.
As the Qiang people who learned Chinese took on the role of information transmission nodes between the Han and Qiang people, the two groups of Qiang people, those who stayed behind and those who went to fight, quickly returned to where they should go.
It was during this queuing process that Jiang Tang saw Yao Chang again.
The last time she saw her, she was a refugee from the Qiang tribe who was just about to come to the Huangzhong Valley, and Yao Chang was in charge of transporting the brine from the Xigong Salt Pond to the Huangzhong area.
The situation today is very different.
She assisted the Qiang soldiers in gathering together, speaking Chinese.
Although he did not have to assist in the war, he seemed to have completely integrated into Qiao Yan's troops.
Yao Chang was at the front of the Qiang army, looking like a heroic commander.
Perhaps she noticed Jiang Tang's gaze, she looked in that direction with urging and encouragement in her eyes.
But this is not a look you give to a person.
Over the years, many Qiang tribes fought together in Liangzhou due to resistance and power struggles, and also cooperated due to the inherited relationship between their tribes and the proximity of their regions.
The weak relationship in this alliance has led to a situation where each of them is fighting on their own which cannot be ignored.
They can also initiate annexations between the strong and the weak at any time for the sake of interests, retaining their most barbaric characteristics.
But now, with the joint efforts to farm and build homes over the past year, and with the closer relationship achieved through language and culture, the current expedition has a more complete sense of unity between the top and the bottom.
Even though this completeness is only a sign, it does not affect Jiang Tang's judgment.
What she saw were not just Qiang people of her own ethnic group.
In this gathering in Yuzhong, the cavalry and infantry lined up quickly and in an orderly manner, moving to the sound of drums which served as the signal for the troops to march. Those who saw this scene felt as if their hearts, lungs and blood were vibrating.
It's not just the number of people.
Still elite!
At the front of the queue, a team of 300 famous Dayuan horses formed a striking landscape.
The three hundred elite cavalrymen selected by Lu Bu were excited about riding the fine horses at the moment, but they also knew that what they needed to do was not to shrink back in order to protect these hard-earned horses, but to let these horses from afar play their role on the battlefield.
As a result, the spirit and energy of the cavalrymen in the team marching forward were also mobilized to a state of high fighting spirit, showing more and more the demeanor of elite soldiers and brave generals.
The vanguard camp commanded by Xu Huang, the heavy armor camp commanded by Qu Yi, and the guards commanded by Dian Wei each had a unit like these Dayuan BMW cavalry. They were composed of the elite soldiers in the army and were equipped with armor and swords that represented the highest standards in Bingzhou.
The rest of them followed behind, and then they formed an aura that was powerful enough to break through obstacles.
That’s not all.
Xu Rong and Ma Teng, who had made two trips to the Silk Road first, followed Ma Chao and others in the expedition.
Qiao Yan obviously did not impose any restrictions on them just because Xu Rong was once a general under Dong Zhuo and Ma Teng had once rebelled in Liang Province.
In the current war preparation, they are still part of the fighting force rather than a reserve force.
Jiang Tang subconsciously touched his waist.
There was something else in the pouch she carried with her.
That was the candy wrapper that she left behind after she ate the ginger candy when Qiao Yan handed it to her.
After cleaning off the sugar stains, there still seems to be some fragrance of ginger candy left.
At that time, Qiao Yan seemed like a gentle leader to Jiang Tang, and he was very tolerant towards them.
But today she...
When these majestic teams finished lining up, everyone could see that Qiao Yan had climbed to a high point in Kuiyuan Gorge and was looking in the direction of the team.
Although it was impossible to see the expression on her face clearly, when she was wearing armor and holding a spear, there was no trace of any temperament that could be described as gentle and warm in her.
All that was left was the resolute intention to fight behind the hasty mobilization of troops!
The fighting spirit and sharp edge of her sword revealed in her every move left no doubt as to why this assembled team chose to obey her command.
Because she is the backbone of this team.
But the strange thing is that Jiang Tang didn't think it was anything strange that these two completely different characteristics appeared in one person.
This may be the new Chinese word she has learned recently: "Civilization can stabilize a country, and military power can establish a state."
Regardless of whether this can negate the country, at least in Liangzhou—
No team can resist such a force!
No one who saw what was happening could doubt that.
Unfortunately, the people who stayed behind in the military settlement of Jincheng County to be in charge of the subsequent autumn harvest, just like Jiang Tang who was watching the team march out through Kuiyuan Gorge at this moment, would not see the subsequent scenes.
This is not all that this army has gathered.
The soldiers who came from Wuwei County and stationed in the siege city in advance, led by Zhao Yun, joined them in Dingxi.
Even though he had put together such a lineup, Qiao Yan still left soldiers and generals garrisoned in Liangzhou and Bingzhou to prevent any internal unrest.
There was even a team in Liaodong that was assisting Liu Yu in taking back Youzhou from Gongsun Zan.
In such a situation, even the people under Qiao Yan's rule might not be able to understand the full picture, let alone her opponents.
Li Ying, Fan Chou, Hu Feng and others advanced towards Shanggui after resting in Chencang, and they knew nothing about this.
The powerful clans of the four surnames in Ji County, Hanyang, were also unaware of this.
Qiao Yan stood in front of the team that was ready to go, looking at the crowd of soldiers that gathered together, his eyes seemed to be cast into a ball of fire by the golden light of the sunset.
The setting sun soon sank behind some unknown mountain, leaving only the torches raised under the city of Dingxi, illuminating the place as if it were daytime and also illuminating the army that belonged to her.
She gave the order immediately.
The cavalry went first and headed straight for Ji County!
Dong Zhuo's generals did not dare to advance into Shanggui in this way.
Because they did not have enough cavalry to ensure that they could fight against the obstruction posed by the Liangzhou forces after they penetrated deep into Liangzhou.
They were also unable to guarantee that their subsequent supplies would always be able to successfully avoid being intercepted by the Liangzhou defenders.
By then, they will not have enjoyed the benefits of a forced march, but will have to bear the consequences themselves.
But Qiao Yan can.
On this road where the Qiang forces have already been reorganized, there is absolutely no point that may hinder her, and it is no different from a smooth road.
The summer march in Liangzhou is far from being as harsh as the climate in the Central Plains.
What's more, at this moment, Qiao Yan himself is still in the team!
Among the cavalrymen who had marched ahead in Ji County, there were those who had followed her out of Baidaokou to attack the Xianbei royal court.
That happened more than three years ago, but the impression is still fresh in my mind today.
However, the horse she was riding, Zhu Tan, had only just reached its best age for service as a warhorse, and its demeanor while galloping was far superior to that of before.
Amid the rustling sound of horse hooves, her black cloak fluttered in the wind.
When people looked at the leader, they could not help but realize that she was even younger when she did those incredible things before.
Today, she can finally be considered an eighteen-year-old girl, in the prime of her life!
Guo Jia looked at her back as she led her troops away, and a smile appeared on his face as he slowly rode his horse.
It has only been four years since the first-merit system was established, but order has an amazing driving force.
At this point, she no longer needed to tell the soldiers under her command how much income they could bring back to them and their families for every enemy head they killed, just as she had done when she raided the border areas and killed the Xiutuguhu.
Because promises must be fulfilled, the perception of promotion through military merit has become solidified. As the army expands, it is also told to new recruits who did not originally belong to this team, and thus becomes part of the army's centripetal force.
So when she issued the attack order, these people formed an unstoppable wave with the belief of fighting for her and for themselves.
Of course, that’s true—
"Seeing so many elite soldiers and generals, I still feel like half of the heroes in the world are gathered here, right, Gongda?"
Guo Jia looked towards Xun You, and unexpectedly saw a bit of trance on the face of this man who usually did not show his emotions. It was truly a fresh experience.
Xun You retracted his gaze and asked, "Have you discussed the consequences of attacking Ji County first?"
The powerful people in Liangzhou can be called aristocratic families by the locals of Liangzhou, but they are not qualified to be called aristocratic families in the Central Plains.
Just as there is a distinction between aristocratic families and clan thieves in Jingzhou, the same is true for the people of Yingchuan when they look at the four surnames of Hanyang.
The behavior of the powerful people in Hanyang also carries a bit of the spirit of bandits.
Therefore, Xun You had no objection to Qiao Yan's intention to use the four surnames of Hanyang as a target to establish his authority.
At most, I feel that this action is still a little dangerous.
It is indeed a bit bold.
Guo Jia didn't think so. He replied, "If the money that the Han Dynasty invested in the chaos in Liang Province over the past century had been used for disaster relief, the effect would have been significant. However, this money has not been used in this border area that cannot be abandoned, and there is no sound. Why can't we change our response strategy?"
"General Duan's strategy of exterminating the Qiang people and the appeasement of the other two officials in Liangzhou Sanming have not brought about any fundamental improvement. Now that you have cultivated the people and connected the Qiang and Han people with currency and writing, we have seen hope. So what we should do now is to cut off the interference of other things."
"It seems that the Liangzhou tyrants who were entrusted with official positions have not achieved any of their goals of governing Liangzhou from Liangzhou. It is time for them to wake up."
Xun You couldn't refute Guo Jia's statement.
Guo Jia laughed again and said, "Besides, didn't you say that when you surrounded Guzang City?"
"If anyone puts his actions of collaborating with Dong Zhuo into practice, she will definitely behead him and set an example for others. Gongda doesn't want you to be a person who doesn't keep his word, right?"
Xun You really wanted to complain that breaking one’s promise should not be used in this context.
But at this point, this is indeed a decision that benefits the majority.
It is no longer important whether the four Hanyang families colluded with Dong Zhuo or neglected their duties, which allowed Dong Zhuo's troops to brazenly invade Liangzhou and arrive at Shanggui in a few days.
What’s important is…
Compared with the consumption of manpower and material resources, and compared with the outline of Liangzhou's future, the termites among them had better serve as a qualified warning signal!
Before dusk on the second day, when the gates of Ji County were not yet closed, the Hanyang tyrants in the city heard the earth-shaking sound of horse hooves heading straight in their direction.
At the same time, a feather arrow flew across the sky and hit the top of the city wall of Ji County!
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