The sun in Dunhuang is comfortable on the morning in late August. It is spread out on the endless military camps and Gobi outside the city.

Desert and Gobi are two types of terrain. The desert is a long stretch of yellow sand. The Gobi is desolate, and the soil is black, brown, etc., containing different minerals.

Dunhuang is bordered by desert to the west and the Gobi to the north. An army of 40,000 troops stationed outside the city surrounded the city of Dunhuang.

Shen Qian rode on a horse, and he took eight generals, and the horses entered the barracks at a uniform pace. He wears a white samurai costume with ape arms and a leopard waist, and his heroic posture is imposing.

Along the way, wearing fences, ditches, rejecting horses, and camps. He visited the guerrilla Yang Ji tent in the Shenwei camp in Beijing. At this time, nearly ten Beijing camp generals had gathered in the camp tent.

Shen Qian walked into the tent. All the generals greeted one after another.

"Yu Qiao is here."

"Second Master Shen is here."

"Brother Shen..."

The scene was lively. Shen Qian also responded decently one by one, calling him uncle and brother. The son of the family is very skilled in the scene.

The Qingguo Mansion has been honored for generations and belongs to the old Wuxun group. And Niu Jizong's subordinates, a large part of the senior generals are the old martial arts group. At the same time, Shen Qian's eldest brother died in battle in the Western Regions a few years ago. There are comrades in the army.

In the spring, Niu Jizong was defeated and withdrew 30,000 troops. Among them, 20,000 in Beijing. The establishment of the Beijing battalion is 8,000 people per battalion. There is one general and two guerrillas. Qi Chi went to the front line in Guazhou and took 4,000 Beijing battalions with him. Two battalions were left in Dunhuang for training and recuperation.

The guerrilla Yang Ji stayed in Dunhuang.

50,000 people were left in Dunhuang, except for 20,000 under Deputy General Miao, plus these 2 battalions of the Beijing battalion, and the rest were auxiliaries.

In the tent, the guerrillas, the thousand presidents, and the deputy thousand generals sat down at will. Shen Qian accompanied him at the end of the seat. He was ordered by Jia Huan to make contact with the generals.

After chatting for a while, Yang Ji looked around at the generals and asked tentatively, "What do you think of Jia Huan?" "Yesterday's reception banquet, they all participated. The response was huge. Jia Huan's attitude to the outside world: very tough. This is in line with the needs of these old troops in Beijing: revenge, shame, and atonement! Moreover, Jia Huan was also born in the core family of the old Wuxun group: Jia Fu.

However, Yang Ji and others still have doubts about him. Seeking refuge and being refuted, or cooperating with both parties, are inherently complicated.

Jia Huan's age is not an issue. The key is, first, whether Jia Huan's attitude will change. Second, Jia Huan's status is not high in the entire Western Regions. Purely in terms of civil officials, excluding the governor, Jia Huan's official position ranks fifth. But in wartime, the power of the generals is great. The quartermaster is very important, how can he compare to the general who holds the power of the army?

Judging from the line of the Four Kings and Eight Princes, they should cooperate with Jia Huan. So, they took refuge in the Governor of Qi behind Jia Huan, how much weight did Jia Huan have in front of the Governor of Qi?

An old Qian general said: "Lord Yang, let's wait and see." Several thousands of presidents echoed their words.

Yang Ji nodded, he was also inclined to this opinion in his heart, and looked at Shen Qian, "Yu Qiao, look..."

Shen Qian pursed his lips lightly, restrained the regret in his heart, and said with a smile: "I will definitely convey the meaning of your uncles to Ziyu." In the final analysis, Jia Huan's "face" among the generals in the Western Regions is too vague! The personal image has just begun, and it is slowly being established.

…

…

On August 22, it was raining lightly, and a small rain and mist rose between the sky and the earth. Dunhuang receives very little precipitation throughout the year. Rainy days are rare.

In the courtyard to the east of the second hall of the Governor's Palace, Cheng You arranged three side-by-side rooms for Jia Huan to use as offices.

As Jia Huan's assistant, Pang Ze managed his 25 officials, pen posts, and account rooms. They were together in the next room. Jia Huan has formed a team and has always liked to do it in the general direction. His requirements are fine.

Huang Guan took twenty horsemen every day and followed Jia Huan in shifts. Keeping him safe. They waited in the next room and rested.

Jia Huan's office room is in the center. The interior of the house is simply furnished. Desks, filing cabinets, and a set of jujube wood coffee tables are used to entertain guests.

Jia Huan held a teacup and stood in front of the wooden window looking at the rain in the courtyard.

Shen Qian had just left.

Since the reception banquet on the 19th, Jia Huan has led the trend with the sentence "every inch of mountains and rivers and every inch of gold", and the dazzling light seems to have turned flat. His day-to-day time shifted to a hectic logistical move.

The Guazhou front has already started fighting. The Governor of Qi had 44,000 Beijing battalions in his hands, plus 26,000 auxiliaries. Lined up according to the city, the situation is superior. The Great War began, and the logistical pressure was not small.

However, a corner of the entire Western Regions map has been unfolded! He finished transporting food, and in the position of quartermaster, he was able to stand on his feet. Further, it is to take over the public opinion propaganda of the entire Western Regions. This is the power that the Governor of Qi and his staff have recognized and given to him.

At this time, the busy situation will not be alleviated until Hu Chi arrives in Dunhuang. He was free to do something else. Ten days ago, King Hu Qian set off from Chang'an with his entourage. Will arrive on the 26th.

Jia Huan looked at the sparse trees in the courtyard. Ponder in your heart.

He's used to going from being mediocre to being in the limelight! is also accustomed to returning from the center of the stage to the blandness of the curtain down.

The tide rises and falls!

This is the bearing, pattern, and thoughts that a man should have after being tempered by countless fires.

Shen Qian just left. The information he fed back made Jia Huan feel a little frustrated. However, enlisting the support of the generals and colonels associated with the old martial arts group is not his urgent task at present. He was going to stay in the Western Regions for three years. There is still time.

The most urgent task at present should be to assist the Governor of Qi to completely seize the military power. To put it more bluntly: abolish the influence of adjutant general Miao Qi in the army.

This is not just a struggle for the right to speak, but also for military power. It's a battle of routes! How can you be gentle with Hu'er?

Kindness to the enemy is cruelty to the people. When Hu Er killed Han Min, did he ever miss the kindness that he had been spared?

Stop fighting with force! Kill to kill.

So, what should be the first step?

There was a sound of footsteps behind Jia Huan, and Pang Ze walked in in a green shirt. He is of medium build, with a large nose and short beard, and an ugly face. But talented. The "phoenix chick" who used to be nicknamed in the academy. He was almost 30 years old. Time flies!

"Ziyu, are you looking for me?"

Jia Huan smiled and beckoned Pang Ze to sit down, and said, "Shiyuan, you accompany me to Guo's house for a walk in the evening." ”

Pang Ze was slightly stunned, then raised his head and laughed, "Ziyu, do you want to..., haha!" Joyfully! The big husband should be like this. ”

He guessed Jia Huan's intentions.

…

…

The Guo family is a local clan in Dunhuang. Nation, Han. It has been bred in Dunhuang for nearly 100 years. The family population is nearly 1,000. It has a number of granges, and operates the tea and horse trade and grain trade on the Silk Road.

The Guo family's residence in Dunhuang is located in Guojia Village, three miles away from the city. Villages are located on hillsides, plains, and along rivers. Densely populated. Farmers are busy in the fields. In the light rain, it is full of poetry and picturesqueness, such as plugging up the south of the Yangtze River.

The mansion of Guo Lun, the patriarch of the Guo family, is located at the east end of Guojia Village. The courtyard of the high gate, the house is quiet and elegant. Picturesque.

But at this moment, in the afternoon, in the quiet main hall of Guo Mansion, the atmosphere was extremely depressing.

Fat Hu Shang Guli was sitting in the chair and said arrogantly: "Patriarch Guo sold grain and got a lot of silver dollars. Earn a lot of money. However, the cattle and sheep that we hoarded began to lose weight, and they were losing every day. Shouldn't this account be settled? ”