Chapter 56 Section Four

In the bleak autumn season, a convoy of business vehicles rumbled into the Anyang Fortress at the northeast end of Hanoi County. Anyang was originally a city of Wei State, called Xinzhong.Bai Qi captured Hanoi County, and Qin State renamed the fortress Anyang.This Anyang is on the south bank of the Huan River, and more than a hundred miles north of the Huan River is Handan. It has always been the trading hub of Wei, Zhao, Qin and Han, and naturally it is also a coveted pass for military strategists.After entering Anyang, this business group set up their base camp and started a horse trading business.During the Warring States period, the horses in the Fenshui area of ​​​​Hedong were very famous, and they were called "Zhao horses" by the world.Although Zhao Ma was not as tall and majestic as the Yinshan Huma, he was of moderate size, galloping and durable, and was favored by all countries in the Central Plains.The Three Kingdoms of Wu, Yue and Chu in the south of the Yangtze River, who did not have war horses, had to buy a large number of Zhao horses as a matter of urgency.This group of merchant travelers Chuyu Chuyi is obviously a horse merchant from Chu State.Ten days later, the business traveler divided into three routes and entered the country of Zhao: Hedong on the northwest road, Handan on the northeast road, and went straight to Jiuyuan in the cloud all the way north.Entering Zhao's land, the three-way business travelers scattered like clouds, seeping into every corner of Zhao's country.Not long after, there was an endless stream of horses entering Anyang from Zhao.The strange thing is that when the horse merchants entered Anyang, they never lived in the Chu State Commercial House, but always lived in a small inn near the official posthouse.Every night, these horse merchants must go to the post house, and the lights of the post house are often bright all night long.After staying for three or two days, the horse merchants went north again, and once they came back, it was the same.All of a sudden, this business brigade was stationed in Anyang for two springs and autumns.

Two years later, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, King Qin Zhao held a secret court meeting in Zhangtai with Prime Minister Wei Xie and a group of important ministers. There was only one topic: listen to the general Bai Qitong explain the details of Zhao State, and agree on a strategy for Zhao Chang.The secret meeting went on for three full days, and at the end King Zhao of Qin sighed with emotion: "If it wasn't for Zhao Yong's whim, Great Qin State would be really sad!" Finally, the veil of Zhao State's power for more than 20 years was lifted. The strength of Zhao State has to start with Zhao Yong's ascension to the throne.

This Zhao Yong was the King Zhao Wuling whose reputation shook the world later.When Zhao Yong came to the throne, it was the thirteenth year of King Hui of Qin, which was the year when Qin became king.Zhao Yong's brave strategy was known to all countries, but because of this, his accession to the throne has attracted the attention of the world, and all countries are watching Zhao State anxiously.However, year after year passed, but Zhao Yong did not move at all. Until the nineteenth year, Zhao Guo was still in a deep sleep.At that time, King Yan Zhao's reform of appointing Le Yi to strengthen Yan had already begun, and King Qin Zhao had returned from Yan State to Qin to take the throne, and Qi State had become an invincible super-powerful warring state.At this time, the doubts about Qin Guozhu and Shaoguo seem to have dimmed, Chu Guohuai Wang has no strength to stretch, Wei Guo is sluggish, South Korea can protect itself, but there are great changes in the three kingdoms of Yu, Yan, Qi and Zhao.However, Zhao Yong has not made a sound for nineteen years, who can take Zhao Guozai to heart?To say that in the early days of the Spring and Autumn Period Chu Zhuang Wang fell, he did not make a sound for only ten years, and then he became a blockbuster.Zhao Yong is really brave, why didn't he sing for nineteen years?It would be inconceivable for anyone to regard a monarch of the Warring States Period who has been unknown for nineteen years as a profound and far-sighted strategy.There are endless wars and disputes, and you can't take a step into the Central Plains for nineteen years. Do you expect the world to look at you?As a result, the various countries have gradually had a public opinion: Zhao Yong is mediocre, and it turns out that people in the world are blind.The public discussion was pervasive, and everyone talked about it, and the eyes of the Warring States Period were all focused on Qi and Yan, and they turned their backs on Zhao Guo.

However, precisely in this twentieth year, Zhao Yong actually caused the world to explode! Haha, Zhao Yongzhi is so poor that he wants to bathe in a monkey and wear the clothes of a barbarian.Do you want to learn from the barbarian light soldiers to ride and shoot?Forget it if you are willing to be a descendant of a barbarian, it is really a disgrace to China!There was a lot of ridicule, jokes, laughing and cursing, and the monarchs and ministers of various countries didn't even bother to spend serious comments. Who wants to follow the example of the Warring States period and send special envoys to investigate?Thus, a great change that stunned the Warring States of the world later happened quietly under the circumstances that no one cared about.

In fact, Zhao Yong started his unusual pursuit of the country from the moment he came to the throne. The state of Zhao left by Zhao Suhou is a dangerous state with internal and external troubles.Let me talk about this foreign trouble first.Looking at the Warring States Period as a whole, it can be said that there is no big country without foreign troubles.However, based on the uniqueness of geographical existence, there are huge differences in the severity of foreign aggression.For example, in the state of Qin, after King Qin Hui, the troubles of the Rong and Hu in the north and west were greatly reduced.After Qin Zhaowang captured Hanoi County of Wei State and South County of Chu State, and vigorously counterattacked the Huns and Hu tribes in Beidi and Shangjun, Qin State's foreign aggression was almost completely eliminated, and all foreign wars were based on the great struggle for the world.After Chu State in the south swallowed Wu and Yue, the only external troubles were Qiang Qin in the northwest and Qi State in the northeast.The state of Qi by the sea is separated from the big countries in the Central Plains by small states such as the state of Song, the state of Lu, the state of Xue, and the state of Wei in the west.Wei Han, the confidant of the Central Plains, only has the three major kingdoms of Qin, Chu, and Qi to form foreign troubles, but there is no trouble in the north.Even in Yan State, after King Yan Zhao pacified Liaodong, all the troubles of Donghu were transferred to the head of Zhao State, and the foreign troubles of Yan State were only the two old enemies of Qi and Zhao.

Only the State of Zhao is unique. It not only has the warring states of the Central Plains, but also the foreign troubles that have been eliminated or greatly reduced by other countries in the Central Plains. It can be said that there are multiple foreign troubles!Specifically, at this time, Zhao Guo had the Sanhu (Dong Hu, Lin Hu, and Lou Fan) in the north, Zhongshan and Qiang Qin in the west, the old enemy Yan State in the northeast, the aggressive and powerful Qi State in the east, and more than a hundred people with the same roots in the south. The two countries of Wei and Han in the past year were really powerful enemies surrounded by crises.Among all the foreign aggressions, the Hu aggression in the North is the most threatening to the Zhao State. In the chess language of the world, it is "the Hu that is in a hurry".The reason for this is that after the Qin State became stronger, all the "non-official" tribes in the western Rongdi and the nomadic Huns in the north and Shangjun, as well as Lin Huloufan, had been expelled from the country. And the desert in the northeast, occupying a vast area including Jiuyuan and Yunzhong, directly pressing on the top of Zhao Guoyanmen Fortress.At the same time, after losing their roots in Liaodong, the Donghu tribe also migrated to the northwest grassland and desert, and fell under the Zhao Guozhengbei.However, what is more urgent are the two old enemies of the Hu clan in Zhao State-Lin Hu and Lou Fan.Linhu, also known as Danlin, is a powerful tribe that has been nomadic for a long time in the mountainous grasslands in the north of Yanmenguan.Lou Fan is a powerful tribe that has been nomadic for a long time in Shangjun of Qin State and the southern mountains of Yanmen. After losing the foundation of Shangjun of Qin State, the whole family moved northward to Yanmen, the place of Zhao State.The reason why it is a serious problem is that the Lin Hu towers have one thing in common, that is, they are good at riding and shooting like a hurricane, and they often attack castles by surprise to plunder wealth, people, cattle, sheep and horses, but they are extremely difficult to capture. No matter how hard you bite, you won't be able to inflict heavy damage, let alone gather and annihilate them.The fundamental reason why Zhao Guoqi has always stationed 100,000 troops in the north, and has never been able to use these 100,000 troops to fight for hegemony in the Central Plains, is that the danger of being strong can never be lessened.The great reason why Zhao Guoqi's people are poor and rich is the frequent lightning plunder of the Sanhu tribe.As far as the general situation is concerned, the border troubles of Zhao State at this time are actually the border troubles of the entire China.In other words, the nomadic tribes in the northwest, who have threatened the entire China since the Spring and Autumn Period, have gathered on the head of Zhao Guo at this time.

It's nothing more than a foreign aggression alone, and it's just a matter of gathering the government and the public to fight back with all their strength.However, Zhao Guo after Zhao Suhou was divided and ruled by aristocratic clans, and there were many hills, but it was extremely difficult to gather national power.What's more unique is that the Zhao clan was a well-known leading clan in the Spring and Autumn Period of the Jin Dynasty. It was almost a generation of famous generals and elite soldiers. The changes in Zhao's court situation permeated a strong national style - the power structure was determined by the strength of the military forces of all parties, the frequency of coup d'etat and killings was still the first among all countries, and the weaker the monarch was, the danger of overthrowing!After the two generations of Zhao Chenghou and Zhao Suhou, although there was a slight improvement, several major military coups still occurred. The most tragic one was the coup initiated by Zhao Yong himself to wipe out his uncle Fengyang Jun and return the power to his father Zhao Suhou.Once the coup d'etat starts, killing is hard to stop.More than 3,000 people from his uncle Fengyangjun's family were killed that time, and the trauma left by the court is still there.Before it could be straightened out, his father, Zhao Suhou, passed away. The rift in the country's government was covered by dark clouds. How could Zhao Yong not worry?Then, why dare to move lightly?

This is the harsh situation that the young Zhao Yong has to face. On the night of the second day after he ascended the throne, Zhao Yong drove a black car with curtains on all sides to the back door of General Feiyi's mansion alone.Fei Yi is a capable official of Zhao Suhou. He is over fifty years old, but his official position is only a general of Handan with the rank of five senior officials.When Zhao Yong was the prince, he used Fei Yi's military strength in the frontier as the foundation, and launched the coup against Fengyang Lord.It stands to reason that Fei Yi's meritorious service should be greatly promoted, but Zhao Suhou has never been promoted to this powerful veteran. Fei Yi has no resentment at all, and is still loyal to the monarch and does not belong to any family.Fei Yi was not surprised at the secret visit of the new emperor Zhao Yong at Kui Ye, and just smiled lightly, leading Zhao Yong into the secret room of the study.

"The country is in danger, please general teach me." Zhao Yong bowed deeply. "Your Majesty is above, dare to speak up." Fei Yi helped Zhao Yong to sit in front of the case, but he still stood, "Aunt Fei Yi speaks nonsense, and Aunt Jun Hou listens to her. Zhao has three difficulties: the court is uneasy, and the Central Plains Tiger Watches , Hu's affliction suppresses the top. The minister uses three strategies to deal with it: be flexible and secure the interior, show weakness in the Central Plains, and forcefully eliminate the affliction. If we do this, if the overall situation is stable, we will try to show our ambitions. Whether it is feasible or not is up to you to decide." Although planning As before, there was a faint indifference of an outsider.

Zhao Yong's eyes sparkled brightly: "The general is the sword of the country, can he check and balance the court for Zhao Yong?" "But in his position, he must seek his own government." Fei Yi looked solemn. Zhao Yong laughed loudly: "The sharp weapon of the country should hang high above the temple!" The next day at the court meeting, Zhao Yong immediately became His Royal Highness and issued four orders: First, the general Fei Yi was appointed as the noble and the Qing, and he was promoted to the Zuo Siguo and the general of Zhuguo to pick up and clean up the state affairs. Recommend and appoint; second, Zhou Shao, the Prime Minister of Zhongfu, promoted Prince Fu to assist Prince Zhao Zhang in studying state affairs; third, Zhao Yu, Zhao Yan, and Zhao Wen were masters of extensive knowledge, discussing state affairs; Veterans above the age of 10 are all given the title of "National Elder", and they are comforted by the government every month, and they can speak at any time to supervise the state affairs.

After the four edicts, the ministers were full of tastes and didn't know what to do.The establishment of ministers of affairs and Fei Yi's appointment made the ministers of the aristocratic family feel uneasy.Not to mention that Fei Yi was originally a strong-willed king, who dared to attack and destroy Feng Yangjun, a powerful minister with a heavy army, after only being a general of the Zhu Kingdom. Jue plus Qing, there are two more levels (hou, jun) on the top of the head, and you will reach the extreme of human and minister!It's all right to add Jue, after all, Fei Yi is also a famous official, Zhao Suhou didn't use it more, it was originally reserved for Zhao Yong, who of the ministers can't see the mystery?However, such a new minister of "Guo Guo" must also be in charge of the military and political affairs of Handan with 30,000 elite infantry.Although the ministers of the family according to their strengths may not all have ulterior motives, but it is uncomfortable for the boss to take strict precautions against the new king.So what?Isn't it right to purge the government?Zhao Guo has many internal strife, and everyone is clamoring to unite the government and the opposition to eliminate border troubles. At this time, the establishment of ministers to picket internal affairs, what reason can be used to oppose it?In addition, the crown prince Fu has always been led by important officials of the family, plus a well-educated person.Now, Zhou Shao, the Prime Minister of Zhongfu, who is in charge of the royal family's classics, has been promoted to be the sole leader.Although Zhou Shao is not as thorny as Fei Yi, he is also an old stubborn man who only recognizes the law and death.The ministers had heard before that that Zhao Yong visited Zhou Shao to test him out, and the stubborn old man pouted his goatee and said, "There are six ways of setting up the Fu, if the king keeps it, the old man will do it."Zhao Yong asked the six why?The old stubborn man said, "Knowing worries and not being impetuous can lead to change, being lenient and benevolent can lead to propriety, majesty is not enough to be easy to be in office, and profit is not enough to change one's mind, being respectful to teaching and not indulgent, being harmonious with ministers and not lying, These six are Fu Zhidao.If the king does not keep it, it will be shameful for the minister, so why dare to do it?Unexpectedly, Zhao Yong agreed frankly, and really let this old stubborn man become the prince Fu.The ministers all understand that the "six ways" are clearly the old stubborn man's asking price, especially the three or four ways-the majesty is not enough to be easy to position, and the interest is not enough to change his mind!It is clear that Zhao Yong is warned that he only recognizes the duties and regulations of Prince Fu, and does not recognize the authority of the monarch.Who would feel at ease when such a stubborn old man is the teacher of the future monarch?So what?Hiring a teacher for the prince has always been a half-private and half-public matter, and Zhou Shao is also famous, can you object? If the first two edicts made the family ministers unhappy, the latter two are quite popular. The Bowen division is also newly established. Zhao Yu, Zhao Yan, and Zhao Wen are all veterans who have retired in their sixties and seventies. Being able to discuss state affairs is naturally better than living behind closed doors.And the twelve elders over the age of 80 have also become "elders of the country", and they can also speak out and supervise the state affairs, which can be described as a great honor.There is a big family behind every old man, and there is more than one person who is comfortable?What's more, almost all the ministers of the family are above middle age, and everyone is old. Who doesn't secretly rejoice seeing that the Bowen master and the old man are old?In the powerful and powerful state of Zhao, veterans have always been neglected, but they cannot gallop on the battlefield, and they lose their titles and positions in the country. Even if there are descendants to inherit, the veterans themselves are miserable.Now there is a bright color shining in the twilight period. Isn't it a joy to be awarded a high title and enjoy the evening in peace?After the court was stabilized, Zhao Yongzheng wanted to look northward, but the special envoy of the King of Wei drove to Handan and tried his best to invite Zhao Yong to join the "President of the Five Kingdoms" ceremony.This "Five Kingdoms Prime Minister" is a diplomatic ceremony in which King Hui of Wei is the main alliance, inviting Han, Song, Zhao, Yan, and Zhongshan to become kings together under the auspices of Wei and recognize each other as "kingdoms".The State of Wei had already become king, and this move was entirely an ingenious move by the old Wei Hui Wang who wanted to take care of the overall situation of the world and revive the reputation of the State of Wei. "Zhao is a weak state, there is no truth to it, and I dare not use its name." Zhao Yong was extremely respectful to the special envoy, and the reply was only one sentence.Wei Guo's special envoy was very surprised, and reported back to Daliang, saying that Zhao Yong had issued an edict to the government and the public: the people of the country called him "Jun", which is a step back from "Hou", which is unbelievable!However, King Wei Hui laughed loudly: "It's so rare to see that it's so strange! Zhao Guo is weak, and Zhao Yong knows how weak he is, so why is it incredible?" Afterwards, the three states, Gong, Hou, etc., were willing to call themselves "lords", and they faintly felt that Zhao Guo was really going to die.Otherwise, how could Zhao Guo, who has always been aggressive and flamboyant, be willing to destroy his prestige in the mighty Warring States Period?When the wind came, Zhao Yong smiled contemptuously and went to the country to inspect. This trip has been two years, Zhao Yong has traveled to every corner of Zhao country, after all, he knows the situation of Zhao country's mountains and rivers and the hardships of the people.In the third year, Zhao Yong returned to Handan, and immediately discussed with Fei Yi and other important ministers the reform in Zhao State. After planning for half a year, the reform in Zhao State finally started.Zhao Yong gave roughly sixteen characters to the law, "Do not touch the fiefdom, purge the government of officials, abolish the peasants, and implement the new land system."That is to say, without fundamentally disturbing the family fiefdom system, vigorously clean up the state affairs, abolish slavery, promote the free land trading system that has become the main trend of the Warring States Period, and inspire the people of the country to work hard and fight.Because the fiefdom was not disturbed, the reform was unanimously supported by the ministers of the family, and the common people and slaves, peasants, officials and slaves cheered even more. Under the unity of the government and the public, the reform of Zhao State was not a wave of prosperity, and it hardly aroused much support from other countries. Attention, the change of the new law was smoothly completed in seven or eight years.Judging from the general trend of the Warring States Period, Zhao's reforms surpassed those of the other five countries in strength and breadth, except that they could not be compared with Qin's Shang Yang's reforms.At this time, reforms have already become a great trend in the world. The five great powers of Wei, Chu, Han, Qin, and Qi have all reformed successively. Except for the three countries of Wei, Chu, and Han, there is no second reform. The new laws and regulations lead the world.When Zhao Yong came to the throne, the oldest Yan State in the north also started the reform of King Yan Zhao and Le Yi.In this way, Zhao Guo became one of the last reforms in the Warring States Period.It is also because of this that Zhao Yong has a very clear view of the reforms of various countries. How to carry out the reforms in a stable situation without causing major turmoil in the government and the public?It has become the top priority of Zhao Yong's repeated thinking.Reforms in other countries must be carried out under the overall situation of eliminating or greatly weakening foreign aggressions. The fundamental reason is that reforms will inevitably bring turmoil. If foreign enemies and internal turmoil occur at the same time, the country will be destroyed!Only in this way, the law cannot be reformed until the foreign aggression is eliminated, and it has almost become an iron rule recognized by the world.If we abide by this iron rule, Zhao Guo will fall into a weird circle that can never be reformed!Zhao Guojin is not strong, and border troubles are the most in the world. In fact, if the law does not change, it will not be able to stabilize the border, but iron will not be able to reform the law unless the foreign troubles are eliminated.Isn't it a vicious circle that can only circle in place forever? During the two-year tour, Zhao Yong had already thought through this major event, and decided to get out of this vicious circle with a shock-free reform that would not touch the fiefdom, and then make a thorough reform.It really went smoothly at the beginning, and a great change of the whole country was completed in seven or eight years!But for Zhao Yong, what is even more gratifying is that the eyes of all countries are attracted by the rise of Yan, and Zhao has quietly taken a big step in the shadow of his old enemy. In the second year after the country was established, Zhao Yong went straight north with a cavalry centurion.This time, Zhao Yong wants to seek the law of Jingbian, and work hard to completely eliminate the border troubles of the Sanhu Huns.At this time, Zhao's northern border was far from being stretched, and it was still compressed by the Sanhu and the Huns from west to east to the south of Jiuyuan, Yunzhong, Yanmen, Pingcheng, and Yuyanshui.Seriously speaking, even two or three hundred miles to the south of this line, Hu Ren's flying cavalry often break through and plunder.As for the vast plateau to the south of Jiuyuan Yunzhong, the Qin State built the Great Wall in the Hexi area, which runs parallel to the river and goes southward, so that the Hu people cannot intrude wantonly.In addition, Yanmen Pingcheng just separated Zhongshan Kingdom from the Taihang Mountains in the south, so the Huren flying cavalry could only wreak havoc on Zhao Guo and Yan Guo.But at this time, the Yan State had sent General Qin Kai to conquer Liaodong and pacify Donghu in one fell swoop. Yaqing Leyi took advantage of the trend and went northward, expelling the Hu tribes from Yuyang and Shanggu to the west of Yuyanshui in one fell swoop.In this way, the Hus and the Huns were all suppressed in the northern area of ​​Zhao State.Since the Zhao family was established as a vassal, Zhao Guo has always stationed heavy troops in the north. By Zhao Chenghou and Zhao Suhou's two generations, it has become a custom to station 100,000 cavalry for a long time.It should be said that although the 100,000 cavalry at that time were not enough to wipe out the Hu Huns, it was still more than enough to keep the northern part of Zhao State pacified.However, the situation changed drastically at this time. The 100,000 cavalry of Zhao State were stationed in Yanmen and Pingcheng. Weaknesses that cannot be caught. Zhao Yong's horse team went straight to Yanmen Fort after crossing the flood control. At this time in northern Xinjiang, it is the golden season when the water and grass are luxuriant and the cattle and sheep are fat in late summer and early autumn.Once the flood control is over, you can see the mountains under the blue sky, the clouds rising high, the mountains faint, and the flags flying.Looking from a distance, there are two mountains facing each other, like the gate of the sky. From time to time, there are geese flying past the gate and heading south, which makes people feel infinite emotion.It is such a vicissitudes and wonders that this steep and continuous mountain is called Yanmen Fortress.Among the two mountains of Yanmen, a pass city stands abruptly. This is the famous Yanmen Pass.The shogunate against Hu General Lou Huan was stationed in Yanmen Fortress.As soon as Zhao Yong entered the customs, he went straight to the general's shogunate. He didn't want the shogunate to be deserted and deserted. When he asked, the leading general Lou Huan was not in the station.Zhao Yong originally went north in secret, intending not to send an edict in advance but to really test the situation of the frontier army. When he heard that the main general Lou Huan was not there, he frowned slightly: "Lou Huan is not in the shogunate to prepare the army, but where has he gone?" "Report to the special envoy," a left-behind Sima strode out from the back hall of the shogunate, "The Hu people's autumn looting is approaching, and the general rushed to Daihai to survey the terrain!" Autumn looting?Zhao Yong suddenly realized that every autumn is the time when the Zhuhu tribes go south in a large scale. At that time, the harvest of the farmland in the Central Plains is over, and the cold winter in the grassland and desert is approaching.Lou Huan must have an unusual plan to rush to Daihai at this time.Zhao Yong thought for a while, and the horsewhip hit the boots with a "crack!", let's go, Dai Hai!Fifty miles to the north of Yanmen Pass, there is a rammed earth Great Wall winding hundreds of miles from east to west. This is the anti-Hu barrier built by Zhao Guo.When you get out of the Great Wall, you will see the vast and undulating mountainous grasslands. If you drive for more than a hundred miles, you will find a large lake in the north.But the strange thing is that with such a large lake and such a vast rolling grassland, there are no permanent grazing tents by the lake. Even if there are Hu people grazing cattle and sheep, they are scattered far away beside the small rivers scattered around the large lake.Zhao Yong also trained in the frontier army for several years, he knew that Daihai is a salt lake, the saltiness of its water is actually higher than that of sea water.Only in this way, the Zhuhu tribe did not take root here, but only rode here in the season when the water and grass were luxuriant, driving cattle, sheep and horses, and then left rumbling away after half a day. "The general who came—" a rider flew out from behind the hill by the lake and shouted. The hundred cavalry team rushed to the front like lightning, and the guard general showed a huge bronze command arrow and replied loudly: "The king's special envoy has arrived! Who are you? Where is General Lou Huan?" Come with me!" The knight turned around and galloped away.After turning over one mountain top and another valley, one can see a faint red figure on the mountainside in front of him in the distance, but at the foot of the mountain, it is a very hidden valley: facing the big lake, backed by mountains, there is no other way in and out except for the valley entrance in the south .Sima of the Chinese army reined in his horse and cupped his hands at the foot of the mountain and said: "The cavalry is taking a rest in the valley sheltered from the wind, please envoy to climb the mountain later." The general of the cavalry said coldly: "General Lou Huan should go down the mountain." Waving his hands: "Don't talk too much, just two people will follow me up the mountain, and the cavalry will build a meal." The general of the cavalry whispered a few words to the centurion, and then threw down the reins and followed Zhao Yong with another knight. Go up the mountain behind you. When you reach the top of the mountain, you can see a dense forest stretching across the mountainside. When you walk into the dense forest, you will find a very hidden mountain depression. A big half-old brown cowhide tent is stuck under the abrupt cliff. A warrior with a long sword.It is clear at a glance that Lou Huan must be looking for work here.Zhao Yongzheng was about to step into the tent, but the Chinese army Sima beside him shouted loudly: "The special envoy of the monarch has arrived—!" After finishing his words, he heard a person rushing out of the tent, but suddenly stopped at the tent mouth. "Your Majesty?" The general at the tent mouth bowed deeply in a daze, "General Lou Huan of the Yanmen Gate, please refer to Your Majesty!" Zhao Yong laughed loudly: "General Lou Huan came without warning, but it was abrupt. " "Your Majesty patrolling the border, is there any reason to be abrupt? Your Majesty, please!" Lou Huan, with a dark face and gray temples, bowed his hands sideways and invited Zhao Yong into the big tent.As soon as Zhao Yong walked around the wooden screen at the entrance of the tent, he heard a loud voice: "See Your Majesty!" After looking at it, there were four generals and four military officials standing solemnly in the tent.Zhao Yong smiled and waved his hands: "There is no complete etiquette in the army, just sit down." Pointing and saying, "You are Zhao Zhuang, you are Han Xiang, you are Hu Jia, you are Li Yuan, right?" The four members Seeing that the monarch who had only been in the army for three years in the border area still remembered them, the general was extremely excited, and they all responded: "Thank you, Your Majesty!" At this moment, Lou Huan had ordered the Military Affairs Secretary to bring the wine bag and dried meat immediately.Zhao Yong took the wine bag and gulped down half the bag, but he laughed and said, "Why does it taste like a barbarian's mare's milk?" Zhao wine is too strong. If you don’t have food in your stomach, you can’t drink too much, and you can’t drink too much when you are full. The soldiers mixed mare’s milk with wine. It became horse milk and Zhao wine. If your lord wants Zhao wine, I will send the military affairs secretary back to Yanmenguan to get it." "No, no, no." Zhao Yong shook his hands and smacked his lips, and he couldn't help but suddenly clapped the case while meditating, "It makes it! Make it!" "Your Majesty, drink well." Lou Huan smiled relaxedly. But Zhao Yong said with a sigh of relief: "On the grassland, there is a lot of mare's milk, why not brew kumiss on the spot? It saves the transportation of Zhao's wine and increases the physical strength of the soldiers. Isn't it killing two birds with one stone? Traveling a long distance, but there are two or three A few pieces of sauced dried beef in a sack of horse milk wine, why worry about hunger and thirst? Better than this Zhao wine mixed with mare's milk, which is labor-intensive and not enough supply?" "Your Majesty, you are clearly aware!" Several generals responded first. "Your Majesty," Lou Huan thought with flickering eyes, "Kumufu is a barbarian's style. It is possible to join the army in a small amount. If it is commonly used, let alone how the country is, I am afraid that the countries in the Central Plains will ridicule the Zhao people. Barbarian." "Bird!" Zhao Yong laughed boldly, "Wait but tell me, is kumiss suitable for use?" "Together!" The four generals said in unison.The dark and stout Li Yuan said in a high voice: "The real kumiss is strong! The barbarians call it horse milk. It is sweet and sour and has a strong stamina! It strengthens the stomach, activates blood, nourishes and strengthens the body. After two or three bowls, you can eat it even if you don't eat it." He has two days and two nights! Who dares to say that it is not suitable for use?" Zhao Zhuang followed up and said: "Mare's milk wine is much easier to make than Zhongyuan wine. The sour taste is the horse's milk. If you add a few taels of Zhao wine and stir it, the horse's milk will produce a little wine, wine and spicy, which is even more exciting!" Han Xiang rubbed his hands and said excitedly: "It's really big to make horse's milk, even the army rations. I saved half of it!" "Yanmenguan, the old and the weak, women and children, have something to do! The wallet is not empty!" Hu Jia chased after him loudly, and everyone in the tent burst into laughter. "It's convenient to use and has a lot of benefits, so what's wrong with it? Bird!" Zhao Yong looked at Lou and smiled slowly. Lou Huan saw that Zhao Yong was still unruly in the army, and immediately he was moved and handed over his hands: "Your Majesty is so courageous, how can Lou Huan not move forward? Tomorrow, the minister will be assigned to make kumiss!" "That's it!" Zhao Yong slapped his palms together, "Recently, I often think: Hu people have no roots, but they can entangle me endlessly. Among them, there must be places that are despised by China, but they are actually strong! Don't mention it, this horse The milk is not as good as in the Central Plains, and it saves the need to bury the pot for cooking in an emergency. Wait, if there is no horse milk, can the barbarians gallop thousands of miles hungry without carrying luggage? Even if the food and grass go first, the flying cavalry has chased after three days and there is no relief, how can this vast grassland bite the barbarian?" "Your Majesty!" In an instant, Lou Huan and several generals suddenly had bright eyes .Although the monarch is young, he has clear insight into the general situation, but he clearly has a sharp eye. It is an ordinary thing that the military officers and soldiers think is just a matter of nature, but the monarch can say such a fundamental truth, which is really convincing. "Let's talk about this later." Zhao Yong waved his hand, "General Lou Huan, it seems that you are going to find something for the Hu people?" To plunder southward, the east and west sides of Daihai are the only way to pass. I have made a plan with the generals: I plan to ambush 80,000 cavalry in the valleys on both sides of Daihai, and severely injure the Hu people in one fell swoop." "This is going to be tough!" Zhao Zhuang added gritted his teeth. Zhao Yong nodded with a smile and said, "Okay! I'm lucky to have caught up. If this battle can be won, Zhao Guo can live for three to five years." The strategy was agreed, and the sun was already dusk, and the cavalry team of the emperor and his ministers was in the middle of the moon rising to Daihai. From time to time, he went out of the valley secretly, and when he arrived at the grassland, he let his horse gallop. It took less than an hour to enter the Great Wall of Zhao and return to Yanmen Pass.From the next day, Lou Huan began to mobilize soldiers and horses, and the soldiers and civilians of Yanmen Pass also started to make horse milk. Amidst the fresh and curious laughter and noise all over the city, the strong smell of horse milk diffused along the Great Wall.Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhao Yong led a team of hundreds of cavalry to go to Pingcheng in the northeast direction in the starry night.Entering the Yanshui River Valley, Zhao Yong's horse team rested in hiding for one night, and when they left the valley the next morning, they changed into casual knights in uniform, just like a real horse merchant cavalry team.