Yuanzhi entered the Song army camp, and when he arrived outside the Shuai tent, he saw two people waiting there. Seeing that he was coming, a general stepped forward and bowed his hand: "Zhao Zi, the commander of the Dingyuan army in the lower Song Dynasty, has seen the master." This one is Zhang Sheng, the deputy envoy of the Hequ Road, who was ordered to come here. ”

Zhang Sheng stepped forward, saluted, and said, "Master, please sit in the tent." ”

After entering the handsome tent, Zhao Zi ordered tea to be served, and then said, "Master please make tea." - I came to my tent this time, I don't know what's going on? ”

Yuanzhi clasped his hands together: "Don't hide it from the general, I came to the army on the order of the King of Beiting Khan." Since the Song army entered Gaochang, there have been fierce battles, and so far, many cities have been captured by your army. Yesterday's battle was even more miserable, no one in your army was injured, but Gaochang lost nearly 1,000 men. King Beiting Khan sent contemptible people to ask, what is the purpose of the Song army, to attack Gaochang? ”

Zhao Zi arched his hand: "Master, those of us who are soldiers have always acted on orders. Why should I ask the marshal? ”

Yuanzhi had no choice, and asked again: "I don't know where the festival commander is?" Can you let me see it? ”

Zhao Zidao: "The master is a monk in the capital of Gaochang State, and his status is extraordinary, how can he be compared with others?" If you want to see the festival marshal, I will send some people to take you to Liuzhong in a while, it is not a difficult task. ”

Yuanzhi listened to the strange words: "It turns out that Du Jieshuai is in the willows?" I thought it was in Illinois. ”

Zhao Zi smiled: "The master said that he was joking. In such a big battle around Gaochang City, how could the marshal not come to supervise the battle in person. Let's drink tea, I'll arrange people and accompany the master to Liuzhong for a while. Liuzhong Road is near, walk faster on the road, and you can arrive at night. ”

Enji clasped his hands together: "Amitabha, thank you General." ”

After saying that, he sent a soldier who came with him, and immediately entered the city, and reported to the servant Gu Huai'en. Since the siege of the Song army, more than ten days have passed, and Gaochang has sent several envoys, so that Du Zhongxiao can finally be seen. I knew that sending a monk would work, and I should have sent Yuanzhi a long time ago.

Gaochang is a Buddhist country, and the local residents originally believed in Manichaeism from Persia, but gradually changed to Buddhism. Under Uighur rule, each major city had a monastic ruler who ruled over the monasteries of the monks. Although the ruler of Gaochang was called the King of Beiting Khan, as the center of gravity was slowly placed on Gaochang, the monks of Gaochang began to become the highest-ranking monks in the country. Just like Yuanzhi, not only in charge of Buddhist affairs, but also in political affairs.

Fugu Huaien sent envoys many times to no avail, but this time he was ingenious and sent Yuanzhi, but he didn't expect to hit it crookedly. Du Zhongxiao wanted to rebuild Khotan in the Western Regions and spread Buddhism, so he sent Yuanzhi to see himself a long time ago. For Du Zhongxiao, Yuanzhi's status is much more important than that of Fugu Huaien. After occupying Gaochang and opening up trade routes, the next step was to face the Black Khan and rebuild the Khotanese Buddha Kingdom, when the status of monks was very important.

A few people drank tea, and Zhao Zi and Zhang Sheng deliberately avoided the war and just gossiped. Enji had no choice but to agree.

The sun rose, Zhao Zi and Zhang Sheng bid farewell to Yuanzhi, sent someone to protect him, and went to Liuzhong dozens of miles away.

Before Yuanzhi left, Zhao Zi sent a fast horse to deliver a letter to Du Zhongxiao, who was in the willows. This was ordered by Du Zhongxiao, and judging from the battles of Zhang Qi to attack the rest of the cities, the Uighurs' combat power was not strong, and Gaochang was already meat in his mouth. Du Zhongxiao instructed Zhao Zi that no matter who Fugu Huaien sent, he said that they were acting on orders and sent people back to the city. Only the monks and the merchants brought to themselves. Of course, whether or not to let him go back after talking to Liu Zhong is another matter.

After getting the news, Du Zhongxiao said to Fu Bi: "King Gaochang thought that he was in a hurry, and he sent an envoy to no avail, so he sent a monk this time." Yuanzhi is the capital monk of Gaochang, and his status is noble, so we must not lose etiquette. ”

Fu Bi nodded: "Gaochang is a country of Buddha, and the status of monks is noble. Master Yuanzhi is here, and we should go out of the city to greet him. ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "That's not necessary, the Great Song Dynasty is not a Buddha country." Master Enji is here, and we will go out to pick him up. However, when Yuanzhi came here, he would inevitably ask us why we attacked Gaochang. Deputy Envoy, what did you say at that time? ”

Fu Bi said: "Just say it." Now we have occupied all the twenty-two cities around Gaochang, and only one Gaochang city remains. Judging from yesterday's battle, Gaochang City is not difficult to capture, so why hide it. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "I think so too. There was no Gaochang envoy in front, not because it was difficult to speak, but because they were afraid of letting the Gaochang envoy come out, they took advantage of the chaos to flee and colluded everywhere. Now only the lonely city of Gaochang remains, Baishui in the northwest has been captured, and Zhang Qi occupies the valley mouth in the south, even if there are reinforcements, they can't save Gaochang. The words are still clear, let the King of Beiting Khan fight or surrender, and make a decision as soon as possible. ”

Fu Bi nodded: "That's true." The matter has come to this point, the Gaochang war ended early, and the soldiers and horses of the imperial court who repaired the railway came to repair the railway from Yizhou to Gaochang as soon as possible. The two places are 700 miles apart, which is really not close, and the railway is not there, and the logistics are too difficult. ”

"Yes, the place in the Western Regions is too vast, and it is said that the two places are adjacent to each other, and they are often hundreds of miles away. There are no rivers, so we can't rely on boats, so we can only build more railways. Now there is no shortage of steel for the four major iron supervisors of the imperial court to repair the railway, but there is a lack of manpower. ”

From Yizhou to Liuzhong, Du Zhongxiao realized the meaning of the vast place in the Western Regions. The two places are adjacent, but the distance is six or seven hundred miles, if it is in the interior of the Central Plains, this distance is enough to go to the other way.

Due to the drought and lack of rainfall, most of the places that can be inhabited in the Western Regions are distributed along the foothills. Especially in the middle of the Tianshan Mountains, the two foothills are divided into the most cities. Because the area around Gaochang is a basin that can take advantage of the water flow of the Tianshan Mountains, it has a large population. Along the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains to the west, there are the famous places in history, such as Yanqi, Qiuci, Shule and so on. And Khotan, it is in Kungang, that is, at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, which was later said.

Unlike other places, Khotan is not on trade routes, but mainly on agricultural mulberry. There are many indigenous people in the place, there are also Han people, the agriculture is developed, and the jade is produced. It was originally one of the centers of Buddhism in the Western Regions, but was eventually annexed by the Black Khanate decades ago. After the Black Khanate annexed Khotan, it used Khotan as a base to compete with Gaochang for the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains. The rebuilding of Khotan is of positive significance for pacifying the indigenous people of the Western Regions and fighting against the Green Religion.

Once Gaochang was occupied, Du Zhongxiao had to send troops to exterminate Yanqi and compete with the Black Khan for the Khotanese region. Occupying the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, there is a firm capital to compete for the Western Regions. The Black Khan conquered Khotan for decades, and the Green Religion had not yet become a common religion, and there was still a chance to promote Buddhism.

It was nearly evening, and Enji and his entourage arrived outside Liuzhong City. Seeing that the city was dilapidated, but the city was very lively, Yuanzhi said: "It seems that it is not easy for the Song army to capture here. However, looking at the scene in the city, it is bustling and lively. ”

The general who escorted him said: "What the master said is that I heard that the city lord held on to the attack on Liuzhong, and finally died with the city." After the marshal arrived, he praised the city lord very much, and specially rebuilt the tomb for him and buried him thickly. ”

Enji nodded and did not speak. To give grace to the dead and win the hearts of the people, Du Zhongxiao obviously did it intentionally. The result of Liuzhongcheng's insistence is not that the city is ruined, so what can Gaochang City do? Yuanzhi didn't know, he only hoped that Du Zhongxiao wouldn't embarrass himself.