Chapter 15 Chapter Eleven Zhang Qian's Mission

In the morning, when the scorching sun rises, Emperor Wu sees him off outside the city gate, and a great envoy is about to set off. From then on, the "natural moat" between the Central Plains and the Western Regions has become open... In the main hall of Weiyang Palace, when the morning was about to leave, the servant came to report: "My lord, Tang Yihou brought a man from the Western Regions to present a BMW." "People from the Western Regions? I'm just looking for a person from the Western Regions to inquire about the situation and let him in." After a while, Marquis Tangyi came in with a man from the Western Regions wearing clothes, and a man of about fifty years old led a brown-red horse. When he comes back from China, he presents you with a BMW."

"Aiqing is flat, and takes people from the Western Regions." The man from the Western Regions bowed his waist, put his right hand on his heart, bowed his head and said respectfully, "Father Gan from the Western Regions presents a BMW to the King, please accept it." Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty walked down the steps of Danchi and saw that the BMW was covered in brown and red, with shiny fur and a high-pitched roar. It was more than one foot high and two feet long. He liked it very much. : "The horses in the Western Regions are really BMWs." Emperor Wu asked again: "What are the characteristics of this horse?"

Father Gan reported: "This horse is called a sweat-blood horse, a famous product of the Western Regions. It can travel thousands of miles in a day, and it sweats like blood every day." After hearing this, Emperor Wu sighed and said, "What a wonderful horse." The people from the Western Regions bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Western Regions not only produce BMWs, beauties, but also camels, jade stones, and stone honey, as well as charming desert scenery, as well as all kinds of exotic flowers and plants, and treasures." agate." Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty returned to the throne and she listened with interest.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sighed: "The Western Regions are really desirable, but it is a pity that they are blocked by the Huns and cannot communicate." The people of the Western Regions also said: "There are many countries in the Western Regions and outside the Western Regions. They regard the silk of the great Han as their treasures, but it is a pity that there are too few of them." Emperor Wu nodded and said, "I must communicate with the Central Plains and the Western Regions." In the imperial study room, the emperor, the prime minister and several ministers were discussing the issue of communicating with the Western Regions.

Emperor Wu said: "I have long wanted to communicate with the Western Regions, but I was blocked by the Huns. The Huns have always been our border troubles. If the Huns are not eliminated, I will not be able to rest in peace." Tang Yi Hou reported: "Your Majesty, it is not difficult to get rid of the Huns. I heard that in the Western Regions, there is a country called Da Yuezhi who has a blood feud with the Huns. Their king was once killed by the Huns, and the killed The king's head was used as a urine pot, and the Da Yue clan will never forget this shame and humiliation. So we just need to join forces with the Da Yue clan to attack the Xiongnu, and we will get rid of the trouble."

Emperor Wu of the Han nodded and said: "This is a good way to use the barbarians to control the barbarians. Get rid of the great harm of the Huns. On the one hand, it can ensure the peace of the border areas, and on the other hand, it can communicate with the Western Regions." Tang Yihou said again: "My lord, Father Gan said that if the lord wants to send someone to Da Yueshi, he is willing to be a guide." "it is good." The Prime Minister Gongsun Hong also said: "The emperor is wise, and the Da Yue clan joined forces to attack the Xiongnu. This is indeed a good way to eliminate the border troubles and make the country peaceful. It's just that the Da Yue clan is thousands of miles away. Who can handle this important task?"

Emperor Wu said: "I am going to issue an edict to the world to recruit warriors to communicate with the Western Regions." "The emperor is wise." The ministers said in unison. An edict was posted on the gate of Chang'an City to recruit and go to the Western Regions, and many people crowded to see it. A man with a handsome appearance and a strong physique came over. After seeing it, he went to the imperial official to apply. This man was named Zhang Qian. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty summoned him.Emperor Wu was very happy to see that Zhang Qian was tall and handsome.

After Zhang Qian knelt down, Emperor Wu asked him: "Your name is Zhang Qian, thirty years old?" "Yes. My name is Zhang Qian. I'm not yet thirty years old this year." "You volunteered to go to the Western Regions? Do you know how important this trip is?" "Yes, Your Majesty, I volunteered to go to the Western Regions. I understand that one is to unite the Da Yuezhi to attack the Xiongnu to eradicate border troubles, and the other is to communicate with the countries in the Western Regions." "I named you a man. As the envoy of the great man, when you meet the King of the Dayue Clan, you must convey my will to him."

"I obey the order." Tang Yihou said: "Father Gan will be your guide. He just came from the Western Regions and knows the situation there." "Thank you, my lord." "Okay, go down and prepare. It is more suitable to leave in autumn, because the climate in the desert is hot." "Shangshang Shengming, I will take my leave." In the autumn morning, the sky is high and the clouds are light, and the morning breeze is cool.A large group of people stood under the temporary high platform outside Chang'an City. Zhang Qian, Father Gan and more than a hundred people are ready to go.

"The emperor is here." Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty stepped onto the high platform amidst the music. "Zhang Qian." Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty called out taking the talisman. "My minister is here." Zhang Qian climbed the steps to the stage. "I bestow this Han Festival on you, and I hope you will find ways to accomplish your mission. You must treat all countries in the Western Regions with righteousness, and you must not live in a big country." Zhang Qian took a seven-foot-long bamboo pole with three yak tails hanging on it, and said: "My minister obeys the order and will never disgrace the mission." Then he knelt down and kowtowed to Emperor Wu.

Emperor Wu handed the seal book to Zhang Qian again and said, "Have a good journey." Zhang Sai took over the seal again. Zhang Qian became China's first envoy to the Western Regions. He walked down the steps and stood proudly in front of Father Gan and his entourage of more than a hundred people, just waiting for the auspicious time to arrive.After hearing the "Departure" command, the drums sounded, and Zhang Qian knelt down to Emperor Wu again and led the team to set off. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and all his ministers waved to them. Zhang Qian set off with silk, silk, tea, bronze mirrors, porcelain, peaches, pears, apricots and other seeds. After leaving Chang'an, Zhang Qian and his party hurried west all the way.One day, when we came to the Yellow River, Zhang Qian stood on the bank of the river and saw the torrential river rolling down. The guide Gan Fu pointed to Hexi and said, "My lord, Hexi is controlled by the Huns. Crossing the river can only be done at night." After hearing this, Zhang Qian said, "Then make a raft and cross the river at night." So everyone cut down trees to make rafts, crossed the river secretly at night, and then went west along the Hexi Corridor. They traveled day and night and finally entered the desert.At night, Zhang Qian rode on a horse and looked at the vast desert under the starlight and asked Father Gan, "Father Gan, when will Hexi be finished? How long is this desert?" "My lord, it's still early. This desert is thousands of miles away." Zhang Qian said: "Don't be afraid of thousands of miles, just don't forget to look for water sources." Father Gan said, "I understand." "Don't be humble. Although you are a barbarian, you are now the guide of the Han envoy." "Yes, I understand." Zhang Qian said again: "The water everyone brought is almost finished, so hurry up and find a water source." "To find the water source, you have to go north, but there are many Huns there." "But there is no water, everyone can't go, so we have to take risks." So Father Gan rode forward and took everyone to the north to find the source of drinking water. Ah, under the moonlight, I saw a small piece of water and grass. Everyone jumped on it and hurriedly drank water with both hands. The dry smoldering throat was finally moistened by the water. When everyone was drinking water desperately, suddenly a group of cavalry surrounded them and surrounded them. Seeing that they were surrounded by a group of Hun cavalry, Zhang Qian saluted the leader, "Sir, we are passing businessmen and are going to the Western Regions to do some business. Please let us go." "Business people? I think you look like spies." "We are not spies, we are all businessmen." The leader's slender eyes stared, and he said loudly: "No matter who you are, you have to come with me and meet our chief." So Zhang Qian and more than a hundred followers were all taken to the patrol station of the Huns.The Xiongnu who patrolled the garrison saw that they were not like ordinary people, so they were escorted to the tent of Xiongnu Shanyu. The Xiongnu leader of the patrol team handed over the seal book and the Han Festival found on Zhang Qian to Shan Yu. After reading it, Shan Yu asked, "Are you the envoy sent by the Han Dynasty to the Dayuezhi Kingdom?" "yes." "Your Han Kingdom is thousands of miles away from the Da Yuezhi, so what is there to communicate with? Besides, you go to the Da Yuezhi through my territory, just like I want to cross your territory to Nanyue. Will your King of Han agree? So I I can't let you go, so please stay!" "Your Majesty, please let us go, we have not hindered you." "No. Take them down." "yes." So Zhang Qian and his party were enclosed in several tents, and the surrounding area was guarded by the Huns. Zhang Qian sat still holding the Han Festival every day. No matter how the people sent by Shanyu persuaded him to surrender, he would not waver.I only thought about how to escape, but the Huns were under strict guard, so Zhang Qian and the others had no choice.