Winding and undulating mountains, endless rivers, sometimes open and sometimes narrow river valleys, flanked by high and uplifted loess plateaus, Qin Shi Huang's royal car has been driving along the Great Wall for the past half a month, and only after inspecting it in his shoes did he understand: "Oh, it turns out that my northwest territory is like this." ”

Empty and barbaric, but full of vitality, standing on the Great Wall and looking into the distance, the emperor realized that there was such a vast land in the west, waiting for him to conquer......

The Great Wall of Qin, which stretches northeast from Lintao, has to avoid its edge when it arrives at the towering Jitou Mountain (Liupan Mountain), and takes a detour from afar, passing through the southern foot of the mountain to reach the key point of the western section of the Great Wall: Wushi Sai.

After coming here, the terrain suddenly opens up, in the middle of summer, in the pasture where the grassland warbler flies, there is also a new palace: Huizhong Palace.

This is a fusion of Qin, Rong style of the unique palace, completely modeled after the Ganquan Mountain Linguang Palace, the utensils placed in it are delicate and precious, in addition to the Central Plains ritual vessels, there are also exotic style of gold cups and silver cups, in addition to the main building, the rest of the houses are Hu Rong's felt tent, enough for the emperor 2,000 attachés to settle in.

"Wu Shilu is really attentive."

The emperor verbally praised the patron of this palace, but Wu Shi hurriedly said that he did not dare, he had taken off his usual military clothes, changed into a well-dressed court dress, and held a jade gui, like a courtier and a prince.

"Your Majesty is really fortunate to be able to come to the northland and come to the remote county of Wushi!"

Wushi County is the most westernmost county of Beidi County, when the east-west traffic is rushing, the southeast passes through the Jing River Valley, passes through the "Huizhong Road" through the Guanzhong, the west by the Boluo Valley over the Jitou Mountain, goes straight to the northwest Hurong land, is the largest pass of the Qin Dynasty's foreign trade.

Although Wushi is a Rong person, he has seized the unique geographical advantage of Wushi County, raising cattle and horses, and using cattle and horses to trade silk silk in the customs and turn to Rong. At that time, Qin swept away the Six Kingdoms and needed a large number of cattle, horses and livestock, so he asked the pawn and the Shaofu to recruit the Wu clan into the control of the government, and became the official and merchant protected by the imperial court, specializing in the transit trade between Qin and Hu Rong, which has been ten years now. While accumulating a lot of wealth, Wu Shilu also exchanged countless cattle and horses for Qin.

Wu Shilu can also be a person, knowing that although Qin Shi Huang is tolerant of big businessmen, the essence of Qin law is still heavy on agriculture and suppressing business. Since the fall of the Six Kingdoms, he began to take the initiative to pay money to widen the middle way and build the middle palace for Qin Shi Huang, just to show his loyalty.

While complimenting the emperor, Wu Shi asked people to present the rare and exotic objects obtained from trade with the Yue clan, the Rong king, the Qiang people, and even the Xiongnu in the beginning of spring to Qin Shi Huang.

The beautiful jade of Khotan, the famous horse of Hexi, the white wolf and white deer of Qiangrong, and the juétí of the Xiongnu, Qin Shi Huang only saw it hastily and asked him what he was most concerned about.

"Qing Wei led the caravan out of the fortress, walking the Qiangrong states, north to the Hetao, west to the west of the Hexi, if you are the most familiar with the Xiongnu, Yue's terrain, you are the only one, in the west of the strategy, what advice?"

Since Wu Shilu has the treatment of "more than a feudal monarch", he can make a pilgrimage to the emperor with his courtiers, and naturally he also has the qualifications to discuss politics, not to mention, he is still the most familiar with the situation outside the Saiwai.

He was well-informed, and had heard about the proposal made by the right chief Heifu in the Qi Nian Palace last month.

Compared with the usual, this spring, there was a new commodity called "brown sugar" in the goods of the Wushi caravan, which was different from honey and starch, which were difficult to carry and preserve, and brown sugar was horseshoe-shaped, dry and easy to preserve. Two thousand catties of brown sugar, after trekking through mountains and rivers to the Hexi Yueshi, who likes sweets, was greatly loved by the king of the Yueshi and the Marquis of Wubu, and was purchased at a high price, and many cattle and horses were exchanged for Wu's widow.

Because of the brown sugar, Wu Shilu has a good impression of Heifu.

But after thinking carefully about Heifu's proposal of "westward expansion", Wu Shilu felt that if this suggestion was implemented, it would be digging up his own roots!

The reason why he was able to get rich to 10,000 gold and be a thousand times was because he was good at dancing between Qin and Hu Rong, doing resale trade, and making profits, and the Shaofu and pawns did not strictly control him.

But now, once the policy of westward expansion is implemented, many immigrants from the mainland will first pour into the Northland and the Wu clan to compete with the Wu clan for profit. Secondly, Qin Ruo sent troops to attack Hu and Rong, eliminated the Qiang, Xiongnu, and Yueshi outside the Saiwai, and took the rich pastures such as Hetao in Hexi as his own, and the government directly raised cattle and horses in that year.

In that case, what use is he as a transit merchant? I'm afraid that within a generation, the family will decline.

Therefore, when the emperor ordered his ministers to discuss this policy, Wu Shi Lu Cai clearly expressed his opposition.

But things were beyond his expectations, in line with the idea of "comparing two evils, the lesser is the lesser", the old Qin clan in Guanzhong, who did not want their children to go to the southern land of water, almost all supported Xituo.

What's even worse is that the emperor actually had a strange dream in Longshan, which was interpreted by Chen Bao Wuzhi, thinking that this was a sign of Xituo, and he strengthened his determination to make it a national policy and vigorously implement it in the next few years.

Therefore, the emperor asked questions at this time, and he was no longer asking Wu Shilu's opinion, but wanted to see what role he could play in this westward expansion policy......

Wu Shilu did not dare to speak out against it, so he could only talk about the many difficulties in conquering the land of raccoon dogs.

First of all, military conquest is not easy.

After thinking about it, Wu Shi said in fluent Xia Yan: "Dare to speak to Your Majesty, the Qiang people and Rong people outside the Saiwai are weak and small, so there is no need to worry, but the Xiongnu and Yueshi are all great countries of the grassland, with a population of hundreds of thousands and 100,000 people controlling the strings......"

"The people of the Xiongnu and Yueshi can ride sheep, shoot birds and mice with bows, and shoot foxes and rabbits when they are older, and use them as food. Adult men are capable of wielding strong bows, and all of them wear leather armor and ride war horses. Its customs, when there is no war, are nomadic at will, shooting birds and animals for a living; When the situation is urgent, everyone practices offensive skills in order to invade and plunder, which is the nature of their generation. Their long weapons include bows and arrows, and their short weapons include swords and collars. ”

At this time, a voice sounded behind him: "More than 20 years ago, Zhao General Li Mu also rode 1,300 cars, and chose to ride 13,000 horses, 50,000 people with 100 gold, 100,000 people (彀 (gòu), and 100,000 people who broke the border of the Huns?" ”

When he turned around, he came from Jingyang County to meet Qin Shi Huang's great shangzao (lěi......

Although he was nearly sixty years old, Qiang was a warmonger, and after a year of rest after the destruction of the Six Kingdoms, he was uncomfortable. The proposal of Xituo is also in favor of raising both hands: Heifu is not the only one who wants to be a marquis, and the old man also wants to go further and earn a marquis in the guannei!

After he made a gesture to Qin Shi Huang, he looked at Wu Shi and said: "Yes, Li Mu not only defeated the Xiongnu, but also exterminated the ragged, broke the Donghu, descended the forest Hu, and the Xiongnu ran alone." After more than ten years old, he did not dare to approach Zhao Biancheng. ”

Although Li Mu was the opponent of Wang Jian and Qiang, Qiangqi still respected him.

"Li Mu with the soldiers of Zhao Yiguo, he has the ability to defeat the Huns, and now His Majesty has the power of the world, and there are soldiers who swept the six countries with their lives, why can't you seize Hexi and Hetao?"

Although they were both Qiang Rong chiefs in the north, the Wu and Qiang clans were not harmonious, and their tribes were enemies when Qin did not rule here.

Wu Shilu knew that Qin Shi Huang deliberately maintained the balance of power between the two great chiefs in the north, and would never sit idly by and watch either overwhelm the other, so he had his own confidence, and the status of "more than the feudal monarch" was no less than that of the great master, so he said:

"Otherwise, Li Mu had his back to the border and lured the Huns to attack, so he counterattacked. But now His Majesty wants to take the initiative, which is not the same as the situation at that time. The Xiongnu and Yueshi are all grasslands and wilderness, which is conducive to the cavalry battle, and the infantry encounters them, and they should not be ...... out of ten."

Qiang Yan was a little disdainful: "The Xiongnu Yue clan has a ride, but Qin has no ride?" The rides of Longxi, Beidi, Shangjun, Yunzhong, Yanmen, and Shanggu are added together, and there are no less than tens of thousands! General Ben, as well as Li Xin, are both good at cavalry warfare! ”

Wu Shilu still shook his head and said: "China's ride is probably not as good as the ride of Hu Raccoon." The horses of Hetao and Hexi can go up and down the mountain, enter and exit the stream, gallop and gallop, and this China's horse is like this. The cavalry of the Xiongnu and the Yueshi leaned on the dangerous road, galloped and shot, and the Chinese cavalry was like that; The people of the Xiongnu and the Yueshi are tired of wind and rain, hungry and thirsty, and the people of China are like Fu. This Xiongnu and Yue's long skills, if they enter the Hu realm, it is tantamount to using their own shortcomings and attacking people's strengths, and Da Shangzao dares to say that he will definitely be able to win? ”

Although what he said was the truth, Qiang had a violent temper, and he dropped his words on the spot, asking Qin Shi Huang to let him lead the troops, and he would definitely be able to capture the Xiongnu Shan Yu and the king of the Yue clan.

Qin Shi Huang said: "The military affairs of the northern land are naturally indispensable to the old generals, but before the Xiongnu and Yueshi, it is better to wipe out the Quyan (qúyǎn) Rong north of Jitou Mountain for me." ”

Quyan is a tribe in Ningxia outside the northern land. Although Qin Shi Huang liked to make quick profits, in the final analysis, he was still a mature politician and knew that Xituo had to take it step by step. Within three years, the border will be bordered by the Xiongnu and Yueshi. And he already knew the strength of the Xiongnu and Yue's control of 100,000 strings, so he had the idea of first south and then north.

The Emperor looked at Wu Shilu again and told him to continue.

Relying on the fact that he was the person who knew the Xiongnu and the Yue clan best, Wu Shi Lu made persistent efforts and continued:

"The minister also said that the Hu people eat meat and drink cheese, clothes and fur, and do not have the return of the city and the field, such as birds and beasts in the wilderness, the beautiful grass and sweet water will stop, and the grass will move when the water is exhausted. In this way, the time comes and goes, and the life of this Hu person is also. ”

"And the people of China are not, they will build a city and a mu of land for their business, and when they go to Hetao and Hexi, what will they do?"

"Moreover, the minister has been to Hetao and Hexi, and the biggest feeling is...... Cold! ”

He raised his head and said: "The land of the raccoon dog, the place where the yin accumulates, the wood bark is three inches, and the ice is six feet thick, you must eat meat and drink cheese, and put on the thick fur of birds and beasts to keep out the cold." It's okay for Chinese people to go in spring and summer, but if they winter in the local area and can't adapt to the water and soil, I'm afraid they will die three or four ......times."

Therefore, the minister thought that it would be okay to consolidate the three counties, seize the land of Qiangrong, and open up the territory, but the use of troops against the Xiongnu and Yueshi needs to be discussed. It is not easy to destroy the two countries, and it is also difficult to garrison after seizing Hexi and Hetao. ”

After talking about the difficulties of using troops against the Xiongnu and Yueshi, Wushi also lost no time in putting forward his own suggestions:

"The minister thought that he could use the grain and straw that the Xiongnu lacked, and the silk and brown sugar that the Yueshi lacked to lure him, so that the minister sent a caravan deep into Hexi, wading through quicksand, and looking for the Kunlun Mountain, which was difficult to find. After finding the state of the Queen Mother of the West, the caravan has also mastered the traffic danger in Hexi, and it will not be too late to use troops at that time! ”

Since it can't be stopped, let yourself be useful in this westward expansion, this is the only way that Wu Shilu can think of......

So he prefers to use caravans to solve problems, and Qiang Qi directly rolls up his sleeves and wants to use force!

However, Qin Shi Huang did not make a decision immediately, and while Wu Shi Lu and Qiang were arguing, he kept reading the notes that had just been handed by the confessor.

The song is from outside the west of Longxi, a thick stack, and is jointly signed by Heifu and Li Xin......

When Wu Shi and Qiang were fighting for a dry mouth, Qin Shi Huang said: "What the two Qings said has its own reason, and there is no need to argue, because it is ......"

He held up the three pieces of music and said with a smile: "My black dog and white horse, while praying for me, I don't forget to worry about state affairs." These three letters have solved all the three things that Wu Shilu was worried about: cavalry, garrison, and cold protection! ”

Wu Shi Lu and Qiang looked at each other, and with the permission of Qin Shi Huang, they were able to read the three letters separately.

Among them, the two were able to watch "Tun Tian Shu" together, which was related to military secrets, and only Qiang Yan was allowed to watch "High Saddle Stirrup Shu".

And related to foreign trade and commerce, only for Wu Shi Lu to read the song, called "Hinged Wool for Clothing"!