In late April, it was early summer. In the blazing sun, the messengers set out from Qiuzi and galloped towards Luntai, Gumo and other places. On the official road, smoke and dust are billowing out. Wheat, corn, cotton, melons and fruits are growing well in the fields, and farmers are busy.

Corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, these high-yield food crops have already been introduced to China at this time. In the brilliant masterpiece "Compendium of Materia Medica" written during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen has a clear record of corn. (1578)

Luntai is about 200 miles away from Qiuzi. From the towering Tianshan Mountains, the rivers that converge down meander around Luntai County. The evening sunset was on the surface of the small river, and then fell on the soldiers on the battlements of the city wall of the county seat.

At this time, Yi Junjie, a junior officer in the army, was busy drinking, drinking in a wine shop not far from the city gate, and bragging with his friends.

He is a child who has passed the county examination. Served as a civil servant in the army. Although there are problems at both ends of the east and west ends of the turtle. Even, when the overall situation in the Western Regions seemed a little urgent and depressing, Luntai was still calm here.

Yi Junjie's friends were Mr. Kang and others, whom he met in the wounded barracks when he was injured. Kang put the total lottery this month's turn to be on duty at the head of the city. He had just changed the guard and was drinking with his five brothers and Yi Junjie.

The main thing is to listen to Yi Junjie talk about various news in the army, the inside story. In total, there were a hundred men when the quota was full. It is about the same as the current company-level cadres. However, it is not easy to know the news of the upper echelons of the military.

The liquor store is not large, with seven or eight tables. In the evening, it was full. The noodles at this sake shop are very delicious. Smooth and firm, it is very enjoyable to eat with mutton.

Yi Junjie was dressed in a gray robe, with a purple head, pulling a strip on a tomato scrambled egg chop, and bragged to Kang and others, "A few days ago, the news in the army was that because Cheng Gongda was killed in Shule Town, Qi Dashuai appointed my friend Jia Ziyu as the envoy of Shule. ”

A young soldier asked curiously, "What does this Shule envoy do?" "Soldiers in the army, literate are in the minority. Those who understand the military system are even more minority.

Yi Junjie boasted: "Of course, it is to avenge Cheng Gongda." Many people in the army disagreed. How can you take revenge without soldiers and horses? Hu'er isn't a bid-seller, right? However, Ziyu and he went to Shule, he must be able to seek justice and raise my Great Zhou Guowei! ”

He was full of confidence in Jia Huan.

Kang Jiang couldn't help it, this Yi Junjie is well-informed, he just likes to brag. sneered: "Lao Yi, don't talk nonsense." Senator Jia, isn't he three-headed and six-armed? His articles and poems are well written. But how to get revenge? Pretending to be forced to play Hu Ren dead? ”

There was a burst of happy laughter on the wine table!

The cowhide was exposed. Yi Junjie was very thick-skinned, smiled, and retorted: "Don't believe it! Waiting for the day of Ziyu's triumph..."

Before he could finish his sentence, one of his colleagues in the army led a messenger in, "Brother Yi, Qiuzi is in a hurry." ”

Yi Junjie hurriedly got up, clarified his identity with the messenger, and took the letter. Looking at Jia Huan's name on the cover, his heart jumped violently! Unwrap it apart: The letter was written by Jia Huan, inviting him to go to Shule and build a meritorious work together! There is also an appointment with the governor's seal.

Yi Junjie raised his head and smiled, and bowed his hand to Kang and the others, "Everyone, there is an urgent matter below, take your leave!" ”

Yi Junjie has a very scribe style, not a mediocre official.

Watching him walk out of the wine shop briskly, Kang Jiang couldn't help but shout: "Lao Yi, where are you going?" ”

"Shule!"

Kang was stunned, and a strange feeling suddenly rose in his heart. Shule, Jia Huan, revenge..., can you really do this?

…

This scene in Luntai County also happened in several places in the Qiuzi area.

At the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, Liu Yichen, who was stationed in Dashicheng, held a letter in his hand, looking at the rolling mountains and the blue sky, and his heart fluctuated!

The leaders of Wendao Academy, after appointing them to the army for a year, finally gathered them.

What does this mean?

Jia Huan will set up his own team and team. Out of town party. Everyone's career and destiny will usher in an opportunity to take off! Now, the first problem they face is to recover Shule.

He remembered the ninth year of Yongzhi!

Just a classmate is young, in his prime, bookish, and scolds Fang Xuan. Stir up the text, and the dung was ten thousand households back then!

Now, the opportunity to become the Marquis of Ten Thousand Households is in front of them!

…

The order to transfer staff and manpower was sent out by Jia Huan. This was the convenience and permission he received in front of the Governor of Qi.

He went to Shule to seek justice for Cheng Gongda. That's the purpose. And in fact, he has taken matters into his own. Since he wants to form his own team, of course, he gives priority to finding his classmates and acquaintances.

Jia Huan did not wait for Qin Hongtu, Yi Junjie, Liu Yichen and other classmates to meet in Qiuzi. On April 23, Jia Huan took Pang Ze, Zhang Sishui, Huang Guan and 50 generals to hire people to carry supplies and set off from the west of the city.

On the official road, the bustling caravans, speaking in various accents, led the vicuña horses, and moved forward slowly. The morning sun, in the sound of camel bells, shattered.

"The Silk Road is open!"

On the plain west of the city, Hu Chi, who came to see Jia Huan off, sighed softly, sighed with emotion, looked at the caravan, and did not speak for a long time.

The Silk Road, the middle route, from Dunhuang, Hami, Yanqi, Qiuzi to Shule. From Shule over the Green Mountains, to Ningyuanguo, Samarkand, to the capital of Khorasan Mulu, the destination is Damascus.

There is also a branch line that crosses the Bodaling from Gumo, goes west to Broken Leaves, and joins the northern route, ending at Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

Jia Huan pursed his lips gently. He wondered, now that the valley of the two rivers is a Persian Empire, is Byzantium still there? The map of the world is still shrouded in a hazy veil. He could not judge with his knowledge of world history.

Hu Chimu sent a caravan into the city, turned his gaze back, and sighed: "Ziyu, you were in front of the marshal a few days ago, and your colleagues didn't like you on both sides. So, no one is coming to see you off! ”

There is no need to explain that Governor Qi did not come.

The Governor of Qi went out to Yanqi City to inspect. The war in Beiting is stalemate, and the people of Gaochang and Yanqi are already ready to be mobilized. Even if the agricultural time is delayed, it will not hesitate.

Jia Huan chuckled and didn't speak.

He knew: the wall-riding faction was always unpleasant. The staff who supported revenge thought that he was going to Shule to go through the motions, pretending, and had no intention of avenging Cheng You. Zeng Jigao, who opposed the dispatch of troops, thought that he could not succeed and demolished his platform.

Hu Chi said: "Ziyu, the grain and grass of Shen Qian's 1,000 cavalry have only been allocated for ten days. Next, it's up to you to raise it yourself. "Jia Huan went to Shule, and he was responsible for the logistics of the army. Jia Huan's situation is difficult. A thousand-mile expedition, only ten days of food and grass.

Jia Huan nodded.

Hu Chi's expression became more serious, and he said in a deep voice: "Ziyu, I have obtained the consent of the marshal and allocated ten artillery pieces to you." In addition, I will give you three hundred firearms.

Although I am a businessman, I also know faithfulness and propriety. Cheng Gongda died innocently in Shule. I hope that when you go to Shule this time, you must take off the head of the Persian Moses and pay tribute to the spirit of Gongda in heaven! ”

Jia Huan glanced at Hu Chi in surprise, he didn't expect Hu Chi to have such a loving side. This was originally what he was going to do, nodded solemnly, and promised: "Brother Hu, don't worry!" ”

In Dunhuang, he got along very well with Cheng You.

In Shule, Cheng Yu died.

He hears the bad news and is not angry. Yes, there was no anger in his heart. His friend died at gunpoint of the enemy. In this pale red blood, the survivors experience the sadness of thick ink! Dedicate your grief to the spirits of the deceased.

He was silent!

He's not angry, he just wants to explode!