Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 331: Han Envoys in the Western Regions

Zhang Qian stayed in Jiaonan for a while.
After replenishing enough carriages and bags, he sent deputy envoys to various small countries in the Western Regions to announce the arrival of the Han angels, which made them stunned.

I want to embark on that long journey again.

It's just a pity,
Winter is coming.

The heavy winter snow covered the road ahead of them.
The delegation was forced to stay in Jiaonan City and look at the distant horizon covered by heavy snow.

Wait till winter passes and spring comes,

A few months had passed since the third year of Jianyuan, when the ice and snow had completely melted,

Zhang Qian and his men were able to set off again.

The subsequent journey became quite difficult because of the change of communication partner.

Not every walled country in the Western Regions is as friendly as Jiaonan.

The reason why the ruler of Jiaonan treated him sincerely was to show his friendship.

First, it is because the gentlemen of the Chinese nation have always had the habit of recording history.
This will allow future generations to understand the power of the Central Plains dynasty and recall the good times of their ancestors after being isolated from the Central Plains for nearly a hundred years.

Secondly,

The blood ties and the wise teachings of the ancient sages also enable the people of Jiaonan to show their friendliness to distinguished guests.

But how could this be the case for other barbaric and small countries?
Among the barbarians, there are too many who only care about food and not about beatings.

It has been too long since the Central Plains had the power to influence the Western Regions.

Even if it is influenced by the ghosts and gods of the Central Plains,

This made the people in the Western Regions feel a sense of longing and respect for the Central Plains.
To some extent, it has helped the revival of Jiaonan.

But the human heart is always hard to guess.

Some greedy cravings, excessive desires,
It will not disappear completely from your heart just because you are afraid of ghosts and gods.

Jiaonan has been able to stand firm until now, maintaining the traditions of the Xia Dynasty and prospering this city that was built bit by bit by our ancestors.

He did not rely on asking people to chant scriptures or using ghosts, gods and religion to intimidate the enemies in the Western Regions who coveted him, saying things like "If you dare to offend me, I will send you to hell."

But with a sharp sword,
And when we took back Jiaonan,
The Jingguan built outside the city,
This forced the people from the Western Regions to come to Jiaonan for "pilgrimage" instead of doing some annoying thing like "this holy land is for the virtuous to live in" in Jiaonan.

So when they heard that a Han envoy had arrived from the east,
On the one hand, the rulers received them, asked about the situation of the Han envoys in the Central Plains, and expressed their respect for the Central Plains.

On the other hand, he couldn't help but covet the various supplies they carried.

Although most of the treasure,
It was lost while escaping from the Xiongnu.

But there are still some remnants on the delegation.

After receiving the supplement from Jiaonan,
It can even be called a wealth that can touch people's hearts.

Among the rulers of those small countries,

Not many people have a long-term vision and can recognize their own abilities and status.

They only know:
If you can make some money, it’s worth it.

If you have money, who wouldn’t want to take some more and put it in their own pocket?
What big guy?
What ghosts and gods?
So far away,
Can you really control yourself?
And the future is still uncertain.

Now killing people and robbing their wealth is enough to make you happy for a while!

Fortunately, Zhang Qian saw through their intentions.

When these barbarian lords were ready to make a move,
Zhang Qian pretended to invite the other party to come and see the treasures he brought with him.

Then!

He overturned the table, grabbed the king, and refined him in an instant.

When the soldiers guarding nearby saw this scene, they had no time to react. They just stood there in a daze and were then impressed by the other members of the delegation.

Those who could follow Zhang Qian all the way to the Western Regions,
Putting aside other things, my health is definitely very good.

There were hundreds of these people in Zhang Qian's delegation.

In the Western Regions, with a thousand soldiers, one could occupy an oasis and establish a country.

These one hundred warriors are capable of using their fists to violently destroy a country!

After all, the thousand soldiers maintained by the other side will not serve the king wholeheartedly.

How much food does the king eat in a month?
Why should we work so hard over trivial matters that have nothing to do with us?

What's more, these Han people originally planned to leave.

Their statements such as "Our great Han dynasty is extremely powerful, and you barbarians should kneel down and pay homage to us" are
To the onlookers, it was just bragging.

The Western Regions,

Merchants and trade flourished.

In the process of communication among traveling merchants, bragging about goods and driving up prices are very common behaviors.

Since there is no need to take boasting seriously,

Of course, there is no need to get angry about it.

Harmony brings wealth!
Therefore,
When they saw the powerful military force of the Han envoys, swinging the heads of the kings in their hands like meteor hammers,

The soldiers retreated one after another, not wanting to suffer the same fate.

Zhang Qian and his men escaped unharmed.
The other side lost a leader.

But it doesn't matter.

The advantages of a small country with few people
The ruler can be easily replaced.

There will not be a situation where "one person's death causes the whole country to suffer."

After experiencing several such incidents,
Zhang Qian summed up some experiences of his mission to the Western Regions.

He wrote down these thoughts in his personal journal:
"The Western Regions are a small country, and its power is not worth mentioning."

"Any provocation should be suppressed with the sword, not with mercy."

"The barbarians have long feared power and not cherished virtue. If you show them courtesy, they will laugh and look down on you; if you show them might, they will kneel down in fear..."

"Why are you writing this?"

When Tang Yifu was drawing his bow and arrow and shooting a flying bird on the road to prepare it for dinner tonight, he noticed Zhang Qian, who was sitting cross-legged beside him, biting the pen and writing in deep thought.

then,

Tang Yifu, studious, asked questions.

Zhang Qian blew the ink off the record, put it in his arms, and said to him, "I am preparing for future generations."

Tang Yifu squatted down beside him and began to pluck the prey, saying:
"What's there to prepare for?"

"A diplomatic mission is just to come here, say something, and then leave. It is enough for the pioneers to pass on their experience to the younger generations with words. Isn't it a waste of energy to spend time writing these things?"

Zhang Qian stood up, with his hands behind his back under the brilliant sunset, and looked beyond the burning fire into the unclear distance.

"You do not understand."

"In the future, exchanges between the Central Plains and the Western Regions will definitely be frequent!"

Those who chase water plants,
Never know the desire of the gentlemen of the Xia Dynasty for land,
Nor will they understand the importance of inheritance in the blood of the Xia people.

People who live in the present,

I can't help but think:
Am I worthy of the glory and expectations of my ancestors for what I have accomplished?

Can the achievements I have made make future generations proud of me? Can they lay a better and more solid foundation for future generations to move to a higher level?
Therefore,
Since there are oases in the Western Regions where people can cultivate and settle,

Since the Western Regions is the only way for the Chinese to explore the outside world,

That place,
It deserves to be set foot by the gentlemen of all China and bathed in the grace of the Central Plains dynasty.

Just like the Huaiyi and Miao people back then,
Merge into the bodies of the Zhuxia people and become a part of them.

Hundreds of years ago, the Qin people
Still have a strong pioneering spirit,
Jiaonan was established in the Western Regions.

Revived the foundation of the Qin Dynasty outside the territory;
Hundreds of years ago,
There was also a group of sages who hated the chaos in the Central Plains and went outside the territory to establish a new Xia!
As the successor of the great man,

Why should we be complacent and only immerse ourselves in the prosperity of the Central Plains?
Zhu Xia descended into this world,
Born with the mission of educating the people and opening up the world!

They are destined to keep moving forward and exploring.

With the Central Kingdom as the core,

Expand Small Kyushu into Big Kyushu,

Truly achieve “All under heaven belongs to the king, and all within the four seas are the king’s subjects”!
The Han Dynasty was an unprecedented unified dynasty.

Its foundation is more solid than that of the Qin Dynasty.

Its rule was more popular than that of the Qin Dynasty.

in this way,

The Han people will definitely accomplish unprecedented great things!
Its monarch at this time held such a belief.
And through people like Zhang Qian and Dong Zhongshu,
Determined to fulfill this belief!

Zhang Qian accepted this with pride.

"Make a bet!"

Zhang Qian suddenly turned around and said to Tang Yifu, who had already prepared the prey and was roasting it over the fire, "Let's bet on whether my record can be passed down!"

"Okay!"

Tang Yifu agreed casually, "If you win the bet, I will be responsible for all the prey on the way to Xinxia!"

"Tsk!"

"You're actually betting on the future with the current situation. How disingenuous!"

"Well, I can't bet the barbecue in my hand with you!"

Tang Yifu turned his back warily and held the roasted bird in his hand farther away, fearing that Zhang Qian would suddenly run over and snatch his dinner.

The sky is huge, the earth is huge,

Eating is the most important thing!
During this period of time, Zhang Qian beat up and kicked several kings. When he had nothing to do, he would write down his experience of bullying the small countries in the Western Regions.

Tang Yifu had to doubt,
Zhang Qian was tempted to gamble because he was greedy for his barbecue!

Ah,
He won't be fooled!

(End of this chapter)