Chen Ximing looked at Yizhou City behind him and sighed secretly. I don't know what the future holds for this departure, and it is unknown whether I can even return here. Thousands of miles away, there are more than 10,000 Song troops in Juyan County, and the railway is about to be built, and the situation facing the Western Regions has changed.

In the team behind him, most of the merchants were in high spirits and whispered discussions. Later, the trade route to the Central Plains was opened, and I heard that there was also a railway, so it would be convenient to come and go. As soon as the transportation is convenient, business will rise, and I don't know how convenient it is to do business at that time. Now the merchants of the Western Regions entered the Song Dynasty, passing south through the Huangtou Uighurs, and then entering the Qingtang Dynasty, transferring to Qinzhou, and then entering the Central Plains. If you can enter the Central Plains from Juyan, I don't know how close it is and how much more convenient it is.

Looking at the rising sun in the east, Chen Ximing said loudly: "Let's go!" 100 miles a day, half a month later to Juyan! ”

After speaking, with a brigade of more than 100 people, he headed east.

The important place in the east, Xingxing Gorge, was under the rule of Yizhou. Leaving there, he turned north, northeast along the foothills, and then entered the yellow sand. Along the trade route, go all the way to Juyan County, and then turn from Juyan to Shengzhou.

This trade route has been in existence for hundreds of years, and has recently flourished again after the party closed off the Hexi Corridor. Although it cannot be compared with the previous trade route into the Central Plains, there is only a group of merchants in a few days, and it has always existed after all.

After nearly half a year of winter, Zhao Zi felt that he was going to be scrapped. Ever since the snow melted, I've been going crazy and running around. It lasted for more than ten days, and the loneliness of winter was resolved, and it slowly became normal.

On this day, Zhao Zi was sitting in the tent, and the soldiers hurriedly came in to report: "General, the city lord of Yizhou has entered Beijing to pay tribute, and he will come to Juyan tomorrow!" ”

Zhao Zi got up, thought for a while, and said, "But tomorrow morning outside Juyan City?" ”

The soldier said, "Yes! The little one who heard the newspaper said that the city lord had calculated the distance and entered the city early tomorrow morning! ”

Zhao Zi nodded and asked the soldiers to go out. His own team is uneven, and because of convenience, he became a pioneer officer who entered the Western Regions. The city lord of Yizhou personally entered Beijing to pay tribute, and he had his own rules, and he entered the city early in the morning on the road. Stay in one place one day and leave the next.

Walking out of the handsome tent and looking at Juyancheng in front of him, Zhao Zi sighed: "It's a pity that the current Juyancheng is too broken." The city lord of Yizhou entered the Central Plains this time, and the first city he saw was a little unpleasant. ”

After speaking, he called the general on the side and asked him to take his own soldiers and soldiers to clean up the city, and it will look better tomorrow.

Early in the morning of the second day, Chen Ximing took the tributary team to the front of Juyan City, and saw that although the city in front of him was not tall, it had a kind of domineering spirit. nodded, and said to the people around him: "In the end, it is the territory of the kingdom, although this city is small, it has its own big country temperament!" ”

Peng Lian and the others nodded yes, and together with Chen Ximing, they beat their horses and came to Juyan City.

The Song army of more than 10,000 people, divided into several divisions, was distributed around Juyan City along the river. At this time, the door was closed, silent, and there was not even a figure in front of the door. Only Zhao Zi in front of the city took the generals of the headquarters to greet him there early.

When he got closer, Zhao Zi stepped forward, greeted Chen Ximing, and let him enter the city. Seeing Zhao Zi's respectful attitude, Chen Ximing was very satisfied.

Although Yizhou is an independent force, its actual population is small and its strength is not strong. Compared with Zhao Zi, its strength is not worth mentioning at all, but its geographical location is important. Zhao Zi's humble attitude made Chen Ximing's heart very satisfied.

When they arrived at the official hall in the city, everyone sat down separately, and Zhao Zi said: "The city lord has come from afar to work hard, and please stay in Juyan for a few more days to rest a few dust." ”

Chen Ximing said: "Thank you, General." It's just that I went to the capital, not less than 10,000 miles, and I didn't dare to stay when I was in a hurry that day and night. Rest for a day in the city of Juyan today, and start the journey again tomorrow. The utensils on the road were damaged when they came, and if they needed to be repaired and purchased, please complete them. ”

Zhao Zi said: "Some small things, don't worry about it. The city lord must leave tomorrow, and I will send someone to escort him along the road until he arrives in Shengzhou. ”

Chen Ximing arched his hand: "Thank you, General." I heard that I went to Shengzhou and had already opened the train? ”

Zhao Zi said: "The city lord misunderstood, the train is not so fast, and it has not yet reached Juyan County. If you have to go another seven or eight hundred miles to the east, there will be a train. From there, the lord of the castle can change trains to go to Setsushu. Everything is arranged, and the city lord does not need to bother. ”

"Thank you so much, General. In a remote place in Yizhou, there are no good things, a little courtesy, and the general is invited to smile. After Chen Ximing finished speaking, his subordinates took gifts and came up to salute. This is the usual etiquette, Zhao Zi accepted the incitement, and ordered his subordinates to return the salute.

After a few words of gossip, Zhao Zi said: "The city lord has worked the road, I have arranged a place to stay, and I can stay." Rest for a day today, wash away the dust on the road, and set up a feast in the yamen at night to catch the wind for the city lord! ”

Chen Ximing thanked him, returned the salute, and took his subordinates out of the official office to rest in the arranged place.

After settling Chen Ximing and the others, Zhao Zi said to his subordinates: "Tell all the armies to suspend all their daily activities today and stay in the army." If anyone violates the military order and comes out to hang out and make trouble, he will be caught and punished severely! ”

Subordinates listen to orders.

Zhao Zi said again: "This is the city lord of Yizhou, who governs several cities and thousands of households, and is the gateway to the Western Regions. Command the armies not to be lazy, and to send them off well. When we enter the Western Regions this year, we will go under his rule. Be good to him now, and you will have a good life in the future. ”

There was nothing to say for a day, and at night Zhao Zi set up a banquet to pick up the wind and wash the dust for Chen Ximing and others. On this kind of occasion, all they said was a scene, and the two did not talk deeply. Zhao Zi is a general under Du Zhongxiao, and in order to deploy all the way, he has no power, just to maintain the scene. When Chen Ximing first entered the Song Dynasty, he knew nothing about everything, and he was vigilant in his heart and didn't talk much.

The two of them are like this, but they are the people under them, and they have no worries, *** feast.

Early in the morning of the second day, Zhao Zi sent Cui Dutian to lead 200 soldiers to escort Chen Ximing and others eastward. Halfway through, the train was already waiting there. Everyone got on the train, all the way to Hezhou, crossed the Yellow River, and re-boarded the train to Shengzhou.

Du Zhongxiao welcomed Chen Ximing and others into the Shuaifu and said to him: "Now in March, the weather here is green, but the Central Plains is already pink and willow green. The city lord is going to the capital, it is the best time to visit. ”

Chen Ximing didn't know Du Zhongxiao's character, so he arched his hand and said: "I grew up in the Western Regions since I was a child, and I often hear people say that the Central Plains is prosperous, but I don't see it. This time to pay tribute to the Central Plains, to enter the capital, is really a blessing from cultivation. ”

Du Zhongxiao smiled and said: "City Lord, no matter how prosperous the Central Plains is, it is nothing more than the four seasons of the year, hot in summer and cold in winter, there is nothing unusual. However, it is densely populated and has all kinds of resources, which is not comparable to other places. Since you have arrived in the Central Plains, you will stay for a few more days and see the customs there. ”

Gossiping, Du Zhongxiao asked about the hard work on the road, and said: "Shengzhou is no better than other places, the city lord stays here for two more days to see the scenery." When the court envoys arrived, they accompanied the city lord into Beijing. There are trains along the way, which is not as hard as the front, so you can relax and relax. ”

Chen Ximing said: "The train is really a divine thing! I set out from Illinois and walked for half a month before I arrived in Juyan City. After walking for another ten days, I arrived at the place where the train was repaired. I got on the bus there and it only took two days to arrive in Shengzhou. I thought it would take me a month to get here, but I didn't want to get there in just two days. In the future, when the train is repaired to Yizhou, won't it take half a month to enter the capital? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "It's not that fast. Now there are fewer cars running on the road, and when there are more cars, you have to wait back and forth, and the time will be long. But no matter what, one month is enough time to get from Yizhou to the capital. ”

Chen Ximing sighed continuously, and the straight way was incredible. In the past, there were no trains, and from Yizhou to the capital, it took as little as one year and as much as two or three years, and the road was wasted. The train passed, I didn't expect it to be so convenient. I heard Chen Xizhi talk about the benefits of the train, but I couldn't think of it, and I didn't really realize the benefits of this thing until I saw it with my own eyes.

Today's trains, because of the restrictions on scheduling and many influences, are far less fast than in later generations. Due to the existence of party items, the railway can only go to the Juyan area of the northern line, which also has an impact.

The biggest role of this railway is to divide the Mobei grassland to the north of the railway, drawing a big circle for the Central Plains. Maneuvering along the railroad was much faster than that of horses, and cheap, and large armies could be mobilized thousands of miles in a short time. After the completion of this railway, the west side penetrated deep into the Western Regions, and the north side was separated from the influence of nomads.

The route is too long, and it is impossible to maintain it like the inland railway, and there is no way to do it, so the requirements can only be lowered. As for being attacked and destroyed by aliens, there is no need to think too much, one is that the population is too small, and the other is that maintenance and construction are extremely cheap things.

After taking the train, Chen Ximing's mind changed a lot. This weapon is too powerful, and once it is repaired, the whole situation changes. In the past, the Western Regions were too far away, and the Central Plains could only be occupied in the prosperous era of the Han and Tang dynasties, and the price paid was huge. Once the railway was opened, the huge balance of strength between the two sides was revealed, and the Central Plains army was no longer affected by grain and grass.

The action of the Song Dynasty was very clear, that is, to build the railway to Juyan, and then from Juyan to the Western Regions. Before he sat down, Chen Ximing still had some doubts about this, and he didn't know that the railway had such a big effect. If you really sit down, you know that there is no way to change this matter.

If you can't change it, why bother yourself? The people of the Western Regions originally did not attach so much importance to their home and country, but to money.

asked Du Zhongxiao in detail about the construction plan of the Song Dynasty railway, and Chen Ximing sighed again and again. Said: "From Juyan to Shengzhou for a few days, if the railway is from Juyan to Yizhou, and the Central Plains enters the Western Regions, it will be much easier." ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "That's true. Railways are easy to use, but they are too difficult to build. Juyan to Yizhou, 1,500 or 600 miles, if the railway is to be built, it must rely on the support of the city lord. This matter is not a year's work, the city lord is good to enter Beijing, and it will be discussed later. ”