Chapter 134 If you want to develop well in the Western Regions, you can only plant grass

Wars are economic, and fighting is strength. Steel resources are absolute strategic materials in this era. And the horizontal sword made of high manganese steel is even more powerful than magical weapons.

For all ethnic groups in the Western Regions, each high-manganese steel horizontal knife is a treasure that is hard to find and has a price but no market. However, they soon knew that this so-called magical weapon was just a Tang army-style equipment.

Once they have any unrealistic ideas in their heads, they must consider it. Chen used the so-called magical weapons and temporarily gave these Hu tribes a strong warning to the Western Regions. The sword that cuts iron like mud is a standard equipment in the Tang Dynasty. If you want to rebel, you should first consider whether your head is hard.

Of course, this is actually just a solution to the symptoms rather than the root cause.

To make a blacksmith, you need to be strong yourself. To solve the problems of the Western Regions at the most fundamental level, you actually need to vigorously develop the Western Regions. Without a base with abundant materials, it is difficult to ensure that the Western Expedition will be smooth sailing. Once the Tang Dynasty is defeated once, these created situations in the Western Regions will be quickly broken.

Afraid of power but not virtue is a national characteristic of the Western Regions. The more merciful you are to them, the more tolerant you are to them, and you will only raise a bunch of ungrateful wolves.

Even the war between the powerful Han and the Huns relied on their strong economic strength to defeat and split the Huns bit by bit. When the Huns saw that they could not support them, they surrendered to the Han Dynasty. Liu Yuan, the son of Liu Bao of the Southern Huns, was one of the first Hu tribes to rebel and establish a country in the history of the Western Jin Dynasty.

In history, the Tang Dynasty was smarter than the Han Dynasty. It vigorously developed the frontiers, provided some materials by the frontiers, and transferred some of them to the mainland, which was enough to support tens of thousands of troops to expedition. Therefore, the Tang Dynasty became the most powerful and most accomplished dynasty in Chinese history. However, the Tang Dynasty still could not completely solve this big problem. When its national strength declined, even though there were still more than 100,000 elite troops on the border, it still could not prevent the Western Regions from being flooded by the torrent of nomadic peoples.

If there is no food to eat, no matter how powerful the army can be fought, it will be given in vain. Because there is no food to eat, the Qin army did not save the destruction of the Qin Dynasty. Similarly, the Han and Tang armies also caused the country and the family to be destroyed because they had no food to eat.

Chen Ying has no idea of ​​returning to Chang'an and being disturbed by the turbulence. In fact, he has no intention of destroying the Western Turks as soon as possible. On the contrary, Chen Ying relied on the Western Regions as the basis to suppress the Western Turks in the west and subdued the Tubo in the south.

You should know that there are three roads in Xueyuan, one of the Yongchang Road formed in the Han Dynasty, which is the road from Yongchang Road to Myanmar to Tibet through Tengchong. This road has long been abandoned due to its twists and steepness and is rarely seen in classics. Secondly, the ancient road of Tang and Tibet was formed in the Tang Dynasty, and the so-called Princess Wencheng's road to Tibet is used. This principle is the most detailed, and in fact, it is also the road when Tubo invaded the Tang Dynasty through this road.

As an expert in later generations, he gave Princess Wencheng a very high evaluation of the entry into Tibet, but in Chen Ying's opinion, this was a real shame. In the end, he also crossed the Kunlun Pass all the way south from Yecheng and arrived at Lusie City.

As long as the Western Regions are well managed and have sufficient material base, they can not only threaten the Western Turks, but also go south from Yecheng to threaten the snowy field in northern Tibet, and even follow the Kunlun Valley to leap the Kunlun Mountains, along the Heishui River (Naqu River) Valley, and arrive all the way to Lhasa.

Chen Ying smiled and said, "At the end of today, the Protector will reward each of them with a precious sword. The Protector will reward them with a shield and some cloth. After the summer enters the summer, we will take the young and strong people of all races to fight against the Western Turks in the Iri River Valley!"

If Chen Ying wanted to stay in the Western Regions and not go back, he had to fight constantly, otherwise Li Yuan would definitely transfer him back. At this time, if he returned to Chang'an, Chen Ying would definitely be dragged into the water. After all, Li Jiancheng was good to him. He knew that Li Shimin had prepared a net of heaven and earth for Li Jiancheng. Li Jiancheng didn't even listen to Wei Zheng's words, and he might not be willing to listen to his advice. If he didn't do it well, it would cause Li Jiancheng's dissatisfaction.

Getting out of the matter is Chen Ying's established consideration.

Chen Ying pointed to the map and said, "This year we have achieved good results in reclaiming wasteland in Jinman City. Next year, we must expand the scope of land reclamation and land reclamation. We will use Luntai, Quli, Yanqi, Kucha (now Kuche), Cheshiqian (now west of Turpan), Loulan (now around Lop Nur), Yixun (now Milan Town, Tiemenguan City), Gumo (now Aksu), Chigu (now Aksu), Chigu (now southeast of Yisek Lake), Yingshachuan (now Shihezi), Yeqiang (now Aral), Bachu (now Tumushuk), Baishi (Kokdala), Heishui City (now Huyanghe City), and set up the military field Zhechong Duwei."

Speaking of this, Chen Ying turned to Duan Zhigan and said, "Old Duan, you have drawn out fourteen Zhechong Prefectures from the new army in Hebei, moved forward to the above-mentioned cities to build a land reclamation area."

Hearing this, Duan Zhigan felt a little uncomfortable.

He is an ambitious person. The key is that Chen Ying made him a general in the military farming army, which made Duan Zhigan feel quite uncomfortable.

Looking at Duan Zhigan's wry smile, Chen Ying smiled and said, "General Duan, are you afraid that you will not be able to complete the mission?"

Duan Zhigan said: "It's not that the task cannot be completed. If the Protector gives the order, the last general will ensure that the task is completed. However, if the last general chooses, the last general will be willing to lead the army to fight in front of the formation!"

Chen Ying nodded, no force.

As the saying goes, the forced melon is not sweet. Since Duan Zhigan is not happy, Chen Ying really doesn't want to force him.

As the number one general under the Eastern Palace, Chen Ying was destined to be unable to stay in the Western Regions for a long time. Even if he used the method of raising the enemy to respect himself, he would not avoid returning to Chang'an. At most five years, the Chang'an Xuanwu Gate Incident will definitely take place. No matter who comes to power, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, they will not allow Chen Ying to lead the army, but hope that he will return to Chang'an to preside over the overall situation.

In this case, those who stay will become the second great captain of the Western Regions who succeeded Chen Ying.

This is a second-rank official position, and there will be a chance to be a prime minister in the future. According to the tradition of the officialdom, it is impossible to airborne a new Grand Protector in such a special place as the Western Regions. He must be promoted from the Western Regions Protectorate. Chen Ying's attitude is very important. Although the court may not fully implement Chen Ying's opinions, Duan Zhigan would definitely have a great opportunity at that time.

However, Duan Zhigan's 100 reluctant look made Chen Ying a little angry. He said: "Since you don't want to, then lead the Yue cavalry right army, and the ten new army of Hebei, the army of Zhechong Prefecture, a total of 30,000 troops. After the spring plowing, he heads west in early May, sweeps the Western Turkic troops along the way, and take down the Galuoling Valley of the Pamirs before the first snowfall in winter!"

Duan Zhigan said excitedly: "I will ensure that the task is completed!"

Chen Ying looked at Guo Xiaoke and said, "I'll leave the farming matter to you!"

After all, Guo Xiaoke is a newcomer under Chen Ying's command. He said without hesitation: "I will guarantee to complete the task!"

Chen Ying pointed to the area near the edge of the desert and said, "It is close to the desert, with little precipitation and rain, and there are no rivers to irrigate around it. It is actually not easy to buy fields, but you can plant grass here!"

Guo Xiaoke said in surprise: "Plant grass?"

"Not bad!" Chen Ying said.

When Guo Xiaoke heard this, he felt that his brain was a little too short. He asked in surprise: "Does this grass still need to be planted?"

The Western Regions are very large, and without the destruction of later generations, the grasslands are very large. The millions of herders have been reduced, and there is still no pressure. It can be said that the most mountains in the Western Regions are the second most are grass.

Chen Ying said solemnly: "Of course, it is extremely difficult to irrigate these lands. The only water source is brought from Tianshan Mountain a hundred miles away. After meeting the needs of residents and livestock, there is very little left. This little water cannot irrigate the farmland. Therefore, I asked them to plant Wolf-tail Valley in these fields. This grass can be fed to cattle and sheep, and the fruits produced can also be eaten. Although it can only be harvested for fifty or sixty kilograms per mu, it is better to be drought-resistant and pest-resistant, and the harvest is stable. Planting more than ten or twenty acres can also allow the family to have a full meal."

Wolf-tail Valley has a nickname called "Agitated Bird". The grains it produces cannot peck at all and have to be scraped off one by one with a sickle. The grains it produces are rich in starch and can be eaten after removing the skin and cooking. The taste may not be very good, but the nutrition is still guaranteed. The most important thing is that it is easy to feed, similar to wild grass, so it doesn't have to worry about planting it. Therefore, it is an ideal crop. It was planted in large quantities in Yan'an during the Anti-Japanese War.

Not only can it be eaten by people, but the key is that this kind of seed has another specialty. As long as it is not collected, even if it is exposed to the sun in the sand for three to five years, as long as it has a little water, it can be raised.

The most important thing is that Wolf Tail Valley can not only feed pigs, cows, sheep, horses, but also feed chickens, ducks and other poultry.

In fact, this is not Chen Ying's real purpose. In later generations, the desertification of the Celestial Empire was very serious, and the arable land was reduced year by year. Even Jiangxi in later generations had desertification.

However, the desertification in the Western Regions was not too serious at this time. Nearly two-thirds of them were deserts in later generations, and at this time, less than one-third of them were deserts. There were even large areas of primeval forests.

Chen Ying thought that once the Wolf-tail Valley spreads in the Western Regions and forms a natural Wolf-tail Valley grassland, even if you don't eat it, this kind of plant with tenacious vitality will frantically seek the right to survive from the desert.

Guo Xiaoke's characteristic is his strong learning ability. Especially after being promoted by Chen Ying, he regarded himself as Chen Ying's disciple. In his opinion, Duan Zhigan is ignorant of practice. He will not make Chen Ying embarrassed. Anyway, someone has to do this.

After becoming the general of the Western Regions' land reclamation, Guo Xiaoke ignored the severe cold and immediately mobilized fourteen Zhechong commanders of his department to hold a meeting to study the garrisons of each department. Then, taking advantage of the heavy snow, he mobilized a large number of snow sleds to prepare for the farm tools, seeds, iron plows, etc., and then began to embark on the journey.

Just as he was sending the military farm to set off, Zhou Qing reported to Chen Ying with the war report: "The Great Protector, Liu Tongjun from Beiwei Army sent an urgent report!"

Chen Ying glanced at the battle report quickly and smiled on his face.
Chapter completed!