Du Zhongxiao stood in front of the window, looking at the mountains outside. The top of the mountain is white, and it is not known how much snow has fallen there. It doesn't snow in Shule, it's just windy every day, and it often carries sand and dust, which makes people feel bad.

The envoys of the two Khan kings had already been sent away, and their attitudes made Du Zhongxiao uninterested. Aslan Khan meant that the Song army had invaded his land and asked him to return the Irik and return the captured soldiers, and the matter would not be pursued. Shule was the capital of the Black Khan, and its position was important, so that the Song Dynasty army could withdraw and return to the end of the barbarians, maintaining the situation with Gaochang when it was initially destroyed in Khotan. Bogra Khan, on the contrary, had the Song army detain Ilik and at the same time not release the prisoners. In return, after Bogra Khan ascended to the throne, he could pay tribute and become a vassal of the Song Dynasty.

Du Zhongxiao didn't have any reply to Aslan Khan, and since he didn't want to talk about it, he simply didn't talk about it. Bogra Khan's request was just in line with what Du Zhongxiao thought, and he was treated well and sent back politely. Whether he can be the king of Khan depends on his own ability.

After sending off the Black Khan envoy, Du Zhongxiao suddenly felt bored. From May and June, the troops were sent to the Western Regions, and now it is November, and it has been more than half a year. In the first battle, the main force of the Black Khan was destroyed, and there was no battle here. Aslan Khan said no matter how fierce he said, in fact, he can't raise an army now, he can't pose a threat, and he can be left alone. The current Western Regions suddenly seemed unusually quiet.

After standing for a while, Du Zhongxiao put on his official uniform and went to the front official hall. Fu Bi, Zhang Sheng, Zhang Qi and others were all there, and when they saw Du Zhongxiao coming in, they hurriedly got up and saluted. After the ceremony, they took their seats.

Du Zhongxiao said: "The envoy of Black Khan has left, and everyone knows the attitude. We are new to Shule, and we are not familiar with many things, so we should not worry too much about the affairs of black sweat. You can arrange manpower to inquire about the news of Black Khan. But I made it clear that I was only inquiring about the news, and I was not allowed to interfere in the affairs of the Black Khan. ”

The crowd said yes.

Zhang Sheng said: "Jieshuai, although the black sweat is big, it is divided into several khan kings, and they do not belong to each other. Now the king of Aslan has defeated the proclamor for a while, but he is afraid that he will no longer be able to control domestic affairs. I heard that Bogra Khan wanted to meet him several times, but he was afraid that this time he would really fight. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Don't look at what others do, but look at what we can do." The army reached Shule, and now there are about 30,000 people, and this is our limit. Strength is like this, do what is within your own strength. Black Khan, no matter what happens, leave it alone now. Since Aslan Khan refused to be a vassal, Irik prepared to be escorted back to the court. Tens of thousands of prisoners of war in Illinois were all divided under the road building box to help him. Originally, the railway here in the Western Regions should be built from Yizhou to Gaochang, and then from Gaochang to Shule. Since there are so many more people, then the north and the south will start work together. After repairing to Gaochang, in addition to the road to Shule, at the same time through Baishui City, all the way to Yangji Bali. The area north of the Tianshan Mountains is vast, but because it was not a trade route before the Tang Dynasty, the population was sparse. After the railway is opened, you can focus on immigrating there. ”

Several people said yes together. Fu Bi said: "What does the marshal mean, after occupying Shule, he will protect the territory and the people, and don't care about foreign affairs for the time being?" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Yes, it's too far here. Originally, the occupation of Hequ Road was a vacant land, and the camp for immigrants was to be repaired. There is not much population there, and it will occupy the Western Regions, and there will be more open space. Now there are three things. The first thing is to run the local area and repair the railway, as long as the transportation is convenient, there will naturally be Han people to come and reclaim the fields. The second thing is to open trade routes. The most important thing in the construction of the railway is to use the railway to do business. There is business to do, the imperial court can receive taxes, west of Shule, is a continuous mountain, between the mountains since ancient times there are trade routes. Find some merchants as soon as possible and reopen these trade routes. The attitude of the two Khan kings of the Black Khan is very clear, Aslan Khan cannot be trusted, and Bogra Khan can at least cooperate now. However, bordering Shule was the land of Aslan Khan, and the trade route was not easy to open. In addition to Aslan Khan, to the southwest, is the Peach Blossom Stone Khan of Western Black Khan. You can send someone to him first and see what his attitude is. And the third thing is the state of Khotan. ”

Zhang Qi said: "Since arriving in Shule, the commander does not allow his subordinates to send troops to Khotan, so he has always restrained his subordinates. Now that the envoys of the Black Khan have come, the meaning of the festival commander is to march into Khotan? ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "Yes, Khotan is a ripe melon, and it's time to pick it." In the past, you were not allowed to enter Khotan, because there were no roads leading to Black Khan, and we occupied Shule, and we actually sealed it off. Thousands of miles away, plus supplies, it is not so easy to march. Now that I have made it clear with Black Khan, there is no need to keep Khotan there. You can send 3,000 soldiers and horses, first go to the raven, and go all the way southeast, and go to Khotan. ”

Speaking of this, Du Zhongxiao frowned: "Crow's name is very awkward to say. If I'm not mistaken, it should be the Shache country in the Han Dynasty, or should it be changed back to Shache. This kind of castle is continuous, and you can order the soldiers to bring some silver taels and buy supplies on the way. ”

Zhang Qi forked his hand and promised.

Du Zhongxiao said: "I repeat, the army must not disturb the people on the road, and it is even more important not to forcibly take the people's materials, otherwise it will be punished by military law." If it is the season to requisition materials, it is necessary to borrow, and the IOU must be clearly written, and then repaid by the imperial court. Now, the imperial court has sufficient materials, and there is no need to requisition civilian goods. In the final analysis, if the imperial court wants to truly occupy the Western Regions, the most important thing is the people's heart. To win the hearts of the people, the future governance is a long-term effort, and the most important thing now, in the eyes of the natives of the Western Regions, is how your army is. ”

Zhang Qi said: "Don't worry, the last general will strictly control the troops and brigades, and will not disturb the people!" ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "According to reliable information, there are less than 1,000 people in Khotan. The terrain there is closed, and there is no need to arrange many people except for the high mountains and the vast desert around. Three thousand men and horses should be enough to capture Khotan. It's just that if you get to the end of this way, there are almost 2,000 miles, which is too far. Take your army and occupy Khotan first, and leave the last city behind for later. I will write to the imperial court if you can send Yu Chi Saburo over to rebuild the state of Khotan. If the railway is built to Shule, there is no way to go out in Khotan, and after the establishment of Khotan, there is no need to send a large number of people and horses. ”

Fu Bi said: "Jieshuai, now in Khotan, the population is sparse. After the establishment of the Khotanese state, what should the Han people do when they go to reclaim the wasteland? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "For the time being, when the Han people go there to reclaim the wasteland, they will all do it as a farm, and they are not allowed to cultivate it privately. Even though it was built in Khotan, it was also a place under the rule of the imperial court, and it was not considered a foreign country, and the camp and field affairs were managed by officials sent by the imperial court. In the final analysis, it was built in Khotan, which meant not to let the indigenous people become a factor influencing the rule of the imperial court. The natives were governed by the Khotanese state, and other than that, they were all under the rule of the imperial court. ”

Everyone understands what Du Zhongxiao means, this Khotanese country, like the Han and Tang dynasties, is a country under the rule of the imperial court, and it is a place that belongs to the same fetters, not a completely independent country. The reason for this is because it is too empty, and all the officials sent by the imperial court are here, and the imperial court really can't do it. In particular, Du Zhongxiao insisted on separating the military from the government and demanded the use of civilian officials in the governance of local areas, how could there be so many officials in the DPRK and China?

Of course, Du Zhongxiao was founded in Khotan, and there was another factor, that is, to rebuild the Buddha kingdom in the Western Regions. Khotan crossed the Kunlun Mountain, which is the origin of Buddhism, and its Buddhism has its own characteristics. Fifty or sixty years after the destruction of the country by the Black Khan, there are still many indigenous people who believe in Buddhism, and they can develop again.

If you want to stop the eastward spread of the Green Religion, Buddhism has its own methods, which is a good quarantine zone. There is a Buddhist state in Khotan in the Western Regions, which can re-promote Buddhism and have the support of the imperial court to prevent the expansion of the Green Religion. Just like in Southeast Asia, only these Buddhist countries are the best regimes to block the Green Religion. The absence of an independent regime was not enough to support the expansion of Buddhism, and it was not enough to resist the Green Religion.

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