PS: I recommend a novel "Idlers in the Southern Jin Dynasty", which is a very good alternative history. If you are interested, you can take a look. The old author's vest is of guaranteed quality. Chapter two at night

...

In the fourth year of Zhaohou (485 BC), it was the morning of the first day of the second lunar month in mid-spring.

The dawn is getting brighter, the rising sun is gushing out, the bright golden light dyes the sky red, and the colorful clouds are rolling and splendid like brocade. The spring breeze is warm and strong, blowing from the east, and it is mighty, dispelling the thick fog that shrouded the sky above the Yellow Pond.

This is a good day to set off. Today, Hou Zhao will bring a large group back to Yecheng, but first of all, he has to see off a group of more than 100 people.

Being able to be sent to the Shili Pavilion by the uncle of the world, this is an honor that ordinary people dare not ask for, Liu Xia is more sincere and frightened, but Zhao Wuxi stopped his bowing and continued to tell him the unfinished things.

"Actually, you don't have to give up the near and seek the far, and go to the Hezong clan to find the starting point of Mu Tianzi's westward journey."

With the collapse of the dynasty eight years ago, Zhao's territory expanded greatly to the north, and his vision was much broader, so Zhao Wuxi knew that the once prosperous Hezong's country had long since disintegrated into a group of Hetao, half-farming and half-farming. Shepherd's Xiaobang, the largest tribe is called the Kongtong clan, and the war between them is uncertain, but the county cavalry has been transferred to the south to participate in the war against Qin, Wu, and Qi in the past few years. Prairie energy.

Although Zhao Wuxi promised Liuxia Yuexi to explore, but he demarcated a new route for him.

In the pavilion, he pointed to a map of Shangjun and its surrounding areas and said: "You took more than a hundred tigers to Xinjiang first, and then to Jingyang County, Fengyi County. At the turn of spring and summer, the leveling officer in charge of northwest trade, Yi Dunhui will send a caravan from Jingyang to Yiqu for trade, and then to visit Wuzhi, which is two hundred miles west of Yiqu. …”

"only!"

Liuxia Yue promised, he knew that Yiqu and Wuzhi belonged to Xirong and were inextricably linked with the earlier Quanrong.

Among them, Yiqu is located in the upper reaches of the Jingshui River. It is the leading and powerful tribe of Xirong, with a population of more than 100,000 and more than 10,000 soldiers. It can even threaten Weinan of the Qin state. Lord Yiqu also sent messengers to ask Zhao State to send troops to destroy Qin, but Zhao Wuxi rejected him as "the descendants do not seek the Xia, and the barbarians do not disturb the Chinese".

The Wuzhi is a tribe located at the foot of Liupan Mountain (Longshan). This ethnic group is not only herdsmen, but also merchants. Later, when Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, the Wushi Bao of the Wushi tribe was a big businessman who was good at raising livestock and trading with the Xia Dynasty and became rich. Now, after the decline of the Hezong clan, and the trade volume of the northern section of the Jade Road, that is, the grassland section, has decreased, the southern line has prospered. Among them, the Wuzhi tribe was the middleman on the jade road in the south. The people of Qin usually obtained the jade from the Western Regions directly from them, and then sold it to the Central Plains Zhuxia.

"But how the Wuzhi people obtained the jade is unknown."

Zhao Wuxi frowned and looked at the area west of Longshan with regret. The map did not include that area at all. For Zhao, it was a blank space, only that the tribes of the Qunrong and Xiqiang were densely populated, and they were closely related to the Qin people. Miscellaneous.

Thinking about the general scope of the map, Liu Xiayue boldly guessed: "Two thousand and five hundred miles southwest of the Hezong clan, there is the Xixia clan, which is said to be a state established by the descendants of the Xia people who migrated westward, and also engaged in the transport of jade. Obtaining jade from the Xixia clan..."

"Xixia clan, look at the name, could it be the Xiahe and Linxia areas of the Yellow River in the future?"

Fortunately, Zhao Wuxi was luckier than Liuxia, at least he knew the overall map. Anyway, it was right to cross Longshan from Wuzhi and head west. As long as you reach the nine bends of the Yellow River, you can cross the river and enter the Hexi Corridor. There will always be tribal city-states along the way, and it will not be a no-man’s land.

So he set a goal for Liu Xiayue to find a way to the west this time: "You are still young, you don't have to insist on going to Tianshan once, and find the mother country of the King of the West. This time, you will find the legendary Yu's country first."

The Yu clan is also the Da Yue clan of the later Qin and Han dynasties. At this time, the Huns were still an inconspicuous small tribe, so the Yue clan also happily ran livestock in the Hexi Corridor and did a resale trade on the Jade Road. However, when they get there, Liu Xiayue is really out of the Huaxia region, because the Yuezhi people are not only different in culture from the Central Plains, but even different in race: they, like the Sai people in the Western Regions, speak a dialect of the East Iranian language family. The Indo-European people with high nose and deep eyes, whether they are "Loulan Beauty" or "Xiaohe Princess", these mummified corpses have this characteristic...

This ethnic structure in the Western Regions was not changed a little until more than a thousand years later, when the Uighurs of the Mongolian race entered the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains. After several generations of indigenous mixed blood, it became a mixed-race Turan race with the characteristics of high nose and deep eyes in the Beziklik Grottoes: Gaochang Uighurs, which are later Uighurs...

These are the things to say later. In short, waiting for Liu Xiayue ahead is an unknown foreign land, a group of unknown ethnic groups, unknown city-states and civilizations one after another.

This is another great journey after Emperor Mu's westward journey.

Zhao Wuxi asked people to prepare wine, drank it all to see off Liu Xiayue, and finally gave him the scepter.

Liu Xiayue took it solemnly, with a solemn face.

This scepter is mainly made of bamboo, the handle is eight feet long, and the end is bundled with triple knots made of yak tails, blowing with the spring breeze...

"Liu Xiayue, do you know the meaning of this scepter?" Zhao Wuxi asked.

"I know, the festival represents the status of the lord, and all the envoys who hold the festival represent the emperor's visit in person, and seeing the festival is like seeing the king!"

"More than that." Zhao Wuxi patted Liu Xiayue, urging him to set off, and said at the same time: "It has been a long journey, it has been a long journey, and the quicksand of the extreme region is made of cheese. Don't forget, this scepter represents the Behind you, there is a powerful mother country! Go, the widow is waiting for the news of your smooth return! Remember your identity firmly, where your scepter is everywhere, it is China!"

...

Liu Xiayue walked away slowly with a scepter in hand, but there was one thing Zhao Wuxi didn't tell him clearly: the reason why merchants and explorers were dispatched so frequently to visit the surrounding areas of Qin was not only because of trade, but also because of Qin.

In recent years, Qin State has suddenly changed the law. Zhao Wuxi has already warned Qin Bo at Huangchizhi, but he must be careful about Qin State's strategy. He must know himself and know his enemy well. The exploration of regional conditions has become extremely important, so Liu Xiayue’s westward travel has a little more political role, and at the same time, he has also deliberately bypassed the Qin State. Cut Hu.

Just as Liu Xiayue set out on the journey, Qin Bopan also returned to Yongdu in a turbulent manner. The first thing he did when he entered the Dazheng Palace was to have the great concubine summoned quickly.

When Zipu heard that the monarch had arrived at Yongdu in the middle of the night, he eagerly summoned him, and he couldn't help but shudder, thinking, could it be that Zhao State threatened Qin State again at the Huangchi meeting, causing the monarch to change the national policy?

Unexpectedly, when he hurriedly put on his clothes and rushed to the Dazheng Palace, he found Qin Bopan kneeling in the ancestral temple of Qin Mugong.

After Qin Bo wiped away his tears, he saw Zipu's first words, and he gritted his teeth and said: "At the meeting of Huangchi, Zhao Wuxi made the few people play for fun. The widow has been humiliated so badly, I really can't swallow this breath, dare to help the widow to reform the law and change the system, and restore Duke Mu's career as soon as possible, so that Zhao State will not dare to look down on Qin State!"

...

With the strong support of Qin Bopan, Qin State followed Zhao State's reform and moved towards the deep water area, while Chu State, thousands of miles away in the south, the aftermath of the Huangchi Meeting also spread to Yingdu.

The Han River flows to the southeast, and Yingdu, which was reborn from the catastrophe, is located on the bank of Jianghan. At this time, a grand sacrifice is being held: the priest.

Da Siming and Shao Siming are the gods worshipped by the people of Chu. Da Siming is majestic, mysterious and awe-inspiring in death, while Shao Siming is kind, kind, and beloved.

At the same time, the divine power of the two ministers has also been extended to control the rise and fall of the Chu State's Sheji and the survival of the state.

Da Siming's ancestral hall is on the north side of the Han River, facing his sister Shao Siming in the south and the north. At the time of spring, the setting sun shines at night, and two high platforms decorated with flowers and herbs have been erected at the waterfront in front of the two temples. In the middle of the river is a tall ship with an altar. On the altar, three witches with feathers on their heads and wearing masks stand in the center.

The state of Chu, up to the nobles and county magistrates, down to the men and women, all surrounded the banks of the Han River, and densely packed the altars of Da Siming and Shao Siming.

When night fell, with the chime as the trumpet, the people on the north bank sang: "Everyone will always come to Kyushu, and He Shouyao is in Yu. Fly high and fly peacefully, and take advantage of the fresh air to control Yin and Yang."

People from the south bank sang: "Kong Gai is like a green tree, and when you climb the nine heavens, you can caress a comet. A long sword is like a young Ai, and Sun Duyi is a righteous people!"

As they sang, they respectfully offered sacrifices. The nobles used gold and jade three animals, and the cheap offered wild vegetables and rice, which was considered to be a sacrifice to the gods. They all worshipped the statues of the two ministers.

In the singing, the witches wearing lotus clothes, tie sash, wearing Languan, and Pei Luli, with colorful witch sacrifice patterns painted on their faces, also danced on the boat. They are praying that the gods will bless the earth, that the country of Chu will prosper and prosper, that the grains of Jianghan and Han will be prosperous, that the Yingdu orchid will be full of gardens, and that the palaces that have not lived for a long time will exorcise evil spirits. Yongfu. So far, the priesthood has reached its climax.

On a large boat that was crossing the Han River, Ye Gong Shen Zhuliang, who was wearing wide-sleeved dark clothes and a three-foot long sword, was also watching this scene intently.

Looking at Ying Du, who was back to life, he said excitedly, "The once illustrious Dachu has returned!"

Looking up at Yingdu, Yunmengtai, Zhanghuatai, Yuzhangtai, after Wu Jun invaded, all the palaces that have been dim for many years have been lit with candles, sparks are lit, like a comet falling into the world, it seems to indicate that The Nirvana of Chu State is reborn!

In the past two years, with Wang Sunsheng's offensive in the east, Chu State has completely recovered its lost ground and drove Wu State back to the seashore. !

Now that the East is safe, the capital of Chu State has moved back to Yingcheng from Yandi.

After the capital was moved, King Xiongzhang of Chu and his commander Yin Zixi, as usual, convened county magistrates from all over the country to have a banquet in the court to celebrate this great event.

However, for Ye Gong, this time entering Ying, there is one more important thing to discuss about the future of Chu State. That is, at the recent Huangchi meeting, Zhao State had already gone into battle with bare arms, openly promised to protect Chen and Cai, and extended his hand into the traditional sphere of influence of Chu State.

The state of Chu should respond to this move in this way, whether it is confrontation or appeasement, war or peace, and the national policy must be established in this court meeting.

However, it wasn't just Ye Gong who was recalled. After disembarking on the shore of Hanshui, he met a person, the person he least wanted to meet.

Wang Sunsheng, who was named "Bai Gong" due to his meritorious expedition to Wu, also brought a group of Dongguo soldiers into Ying to pay homage to the King of Chu. I don't know if it was a coincidence or intentional, and he was impartial. His boat and Ye Gong's boat came at the same time. Kishi~lightnovelpub.net~ The middle-aged and successful Bai Gongsheng is still standing as straight as a sword. The past two years of expeditions have brought a murderous and malicious look to his face. He raised his eyebrows, and when he saw the flag on the opposite side, he put it down. After being arrogant all the time, he took the initiative to say hello.

"Ye Gong?"

"Bai Gong..." Shen Zhuliang had no choice but to accept the move.

So, in history, Duke Ye and Duke Bai, two lifelong enemies, met for the first time...

PS: Xixia Clan, "The Biography of Emperor Mu", Volume 4: "From the west to the Xixia Clan, it is two thousand and five hundred li. From the Xixia to the Zhuyu Clan and Heshou, there are a thousand and five hundred miles."

This Xixia clan should be the Daxia County of Longxi County in the Qin and Han Dynasties, and also the Daxia that paid tribute to the Zhou Dynasty in the "Wang Huijie". the small state.

"Book of Yi Zhou, Shi Ji" also records the rise and fall of the Xixia clan: "In the past, the Xixia clan was not a soldier, the city was not repaired, the warrior had no place, and he was rewarded; , if the city is not guarded, the warriors do not need it, and the Western Xia will die."