The ancient Litchi Trail originated during the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty.
In order to satisfy Yang Guifei's hobby of eating fresh lychees, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang built a post road to transport lychees.
The starting point is Fuling and reaches Chang'an via Ziwu Road.
The road is more than one thousand kilometers long.
In order to ensure that the fresh lychees could be delivered to Chang'an within seven days, people were changed every 20 miles, horses were changed every 60 miles, and they traveled day and night with hard whips and quick horses.
Because the original purpose of this post road was to transport litchi, dynasties after the Song Dynasty called it the Ancient Litchi Road.
By the Ming Dynasty, it became an important channel for merchants from Sichuan and Shaanxi to travel.
Schematic diagram of Qinshu Ancient Road
"Ahem..." After Zhang Xianzhong was surprised, a worried look appeared on his face: "Taking the Litchi Ancient Road to attack Hanzhong, and then taking the Jinniu Road to attack Chengdu is indeed a surprise method."
"But the Shu Road is difficult to defend and difficult to attack. In addition, the journey is long. If we fail to capture Hanzhong, the army may not have enough food and grass for the return journey."
"The most important thing is... He Zhen of Hanzhong has surrendered to Li Zicheng. I have no intention of fighting the Shun army."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Their target was the same as that of the Shun army, the Ming army.
It is not wise to engage in internal fighting now.
"Foster father," Liu Wenxiu stepped forward and said, "Where should we go next? Should we continue to attack Qin Liangyu, or return to Huguang?"
Zhang Xianzhong began to feel troubled.
At the moment, it’s not about where he wants to go, but where he can go!
If he returns to Huguang, he will be surrounded by enemies.
To the north is Li Zicheng, to the east and south are Yuan Jixian, and to the west is Qin Liangyu.
It’s hard to survive!
"How about this, after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, release Gao Shiming and have him tell Qin Liangyu that I intend to surrender to the Ming court and accept the imperial amnesty."
Without waiting for everyone to be surprised, Zhang Xianzhong smiled and said again: "It's just to delay time. I will never surrender to the Ming court."
"Write a letter to Dingguo immediately and ask him to borrow food and grass from Li Yan. It would be best if he could lend it, but it doesn't matter if he doesn't. On the morning of the fifth day of the first lunar month, Wenxiu is expected to lead his troops down the Yangtze River, make peace with Dingguo, and then go south to attack Changsha. The prince and Ai Nengke will cover the rear to prevent the Ming army from pursuing us."
"We can't stay in the north of Huguang anymore. We have to find a way to go to the south of Huguang!"
The generals took orders, drank the wine in their cups and then dispersed.
Early morning of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
The door of a courtyard in Fengdu County was opened from the outside.
The soldier who opened the door took a half step back and said respectfully, "Eunuch Gao, the King of the Great West wants to see you."
"See me? No way!" Gao Shiming lay on the bed motionless.
He had been imprisoned by Zhang Xianzhong for half a year.
Every time the wound on his buttock was about to heal, Zhang Xianzhong would see him.
Then he was beaten for no apparent reason.
Although Zhang Xianzhong later apologized to him and compensated him with silver, the injury on his buttocks made him unable to move.
I can only lie in bed and recuperate.
Repeat this process.
The soldier who opened the door saw that Gao Shiming did not move, so he immediately knelt on the ground and cried: "Eunuch Gao, please have mercy on me. If you don't, the King of Daxi will kill me."
"It was you who was beaten to death, not me, so why should I feel sorry for you?" Gao Shiming asked back.
"Because..." The soldier who opened the door saw that there was no one around and whispered, "Because I am a spy for the Imperial Guards!"
Gao Shiming sat up suddenly.
Then he was forced to stand up because he couldn't sit still due to the injury on his buttocks.
"Are you...really a Jinyiwei?" he asked in a low voice.
"good."
"I haven't been in contact with the outside world for half a year. What is the current situation?"
"We'll talk as we go."
"Okay!" Gao Shiming stood up, packed up briefly, and followed the man out.
"Qin Liangyu has been blocking Zhang Xianzhong in eastern Sichuan for more than half a year. Zhang Xianzhong is short of money and food and plans to accept the imperial court's amnesty."
Good thing!
Gao Shiming was cheered up.
He wanted to ask something else, but more and more Dashi Army soldiers appeared nearby.
The two of them could only lower their heads in silence and walk towards the lobby of the county government office.
After entering the hall, the soldier knelt down in front of Zhang Xianzhong and said, "Your Highness, I have tricked Gao Shiming into coming here."
cheat?
Gao Shiming cried out that he had been cheated!
But at this point, he couldn't say anything, so he could only bow to Zhang Xianzhong and said, "Zhang Xianzhong, I heard that you are willing to accept the imperial edict?"
Under the angry gazes of the others, Zhang Xianzhong smiled slightly and said, "Yes, I am willing to accept the imperial edict of the Ming court."
"What are the conditions?"
"Appoint me as a king of a different surname, and rule Huguang forever."
"Oh, goodbye!" Gao Shiming turned and left.
"Stop!" Liu Wenxiu drew his sword and stopped Gao Shiming.
"Why are you leaving?" Zhang Xianzhong was puzzled. "Didn't you want to call for amnesty?"
Gao Shiming was so angry that he laughed: "I did come here on behalf of the court to seek peace, but the conditions are not decided by you, but by the Ming court. The Ming court will not enthrone a king of a different surname, nor will it let you rule Huguang for generations."
Zhang Xianzhong laughed again and said, "Then why don't you talk about the court's conditions?"
"Okay." Seeing that Zhang Xianzhong was somewhat sincere, Gao Shiming turned around and said, "The court wants to transfer your troops to Jingzhou and take the opportunity to recapture Chengtianfu and Xiangyang."
"Impossible!" Zhang Xianzhong immediately refused: "I can accept the amnesty, but I will not accept reorganization and deployment."
In the following period, the two sides had in-depth exchanges on the conditions of Zhao'an in a "friendly" atmosphere and finally reached an agreement.
Zhang Xianzhong would not accept the official title from the imperial court, but would move his main force to Dangyang County to help the imperial court seize the opportunity to recapture Chengtian Prefecture.
The Ming court needed to pay the corresponding military salaries and food wages.
After the two sides reached an agreement, Gao Shiming breathed a sigh of relief.
Regardless of whether Zhang Xianzhong surrendered truly or falsely, he completed the task assigned by the emperor.
Next, he told Qin Liangyu the news and then returned to Beijing to report.
Thinking of this, he bowed to Zhang Xianzhong and said, "General Zhang, since the matter of the imperial edict has been discussed, I will go find Qin Liangyu immediately and tell her the news."
"Okay, come here, give Eunuch Gao fifty taels for travel expenses."
After some greetings, Gao Shiming left Fengdu County.
We found a civilian boat on the river bank and sailed upstream to Changshou.
In Changshou County, Qin Liangyu was training her troops in preparation for a counterattack.
A year ago, she was short of money and food, and had no soldiers or generals under her command.
A year later, she had a well-trained army and sufficient food!
All this is thanks to the five million taels of silver given by the King of Shu!
"Grandma, there's a man outside the city who calls himself Gao Shiming asking to see you. He says he's the imperial envoy sent by the court." Qin Liangyu's grandson, Ma Wannian, came in to report.
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