I am Da Song

Chapter 281 Longyou Protectorate

About six catties of meat, ten catties of meat, is the unique romance of every man.

After receiving Zhao Huande's greeting, Liu Kai immediately took a large chopstick and put the mutton into the steaming bottom of the pot. After rinsing it for a while, he dipped it in the bright red seasoning and ate it into his mouth.

After taking this delicious food, Liu Kai immediately felt a wave of heat spread to his whole body along with the delicious food, and every pore of his body stretched out, giving him a strong sense of happiness.

Swallowing the fresh and tender mutton, Liu Qi said: "I think the biggest difference between this mutton and plateau mutton is that plateau mutton is more refreshing, fat but not greasy. I used to guard Longyou with my father, and I still remember that grassland cattle and sheep grew in the On the saline-alkali grassland. Even if the mutton is boiled in water, it is tender and delicious, fat but not greasy."

Zhao Huan put a few shrimps, a portion of crab meat, and a few slices of green vegetables into the hot pot, and said to Liu Kai, "Don't stop chopsticks, keep eating. The wind blows and the grass looks low, and the plateau is a good place now." what."

Liu Kai quickly filled the hot pot with ingredients, beef, mutton, and fish accompanied by bamboo shoots, tofu, and vegetables, which were very rich.

The famous general of the empire ate happily, and a fine layer of sweat appeared on his head.

Zhao Huan raised his glass and said, "This is a cup of respect to your lord Liu Shaobao, who opened up Hehuang for our dynasty and guarded Longyou."

Liu Kai immediately put down his chopsticks, raised his wine glass, and respectfully replied to Zhao Huan: "It is something my father is proud of all his life to be able to expand the frontier and guard the land for the Holy Dynasty."

After drinking, Zhao Huan said: "My father is the last Protector of Longyou in my dynasty. Qing has lived in Longyou for many years, and he is the official of my dynasty who knows the things of Longyou best. How do you think about Longyou? "

Liu Kai had already guessed that the official family transferred him from the front line of Yanyun to the capital all the way, and it was impossible to call him into the palace just for a simple meal. Now that the Song army is gathering famous generals, although he has made great achievements, he is really not a superman wait.I can't afford to host a separate banquet for officials.Therefore, the officials must have business discussions.

Now that he got to the point, he straightened his attitude and replied: "Officials, Longyou has been an important place for military strategists since ancient times. From the time when Tuyuhun was destroyed in the Sui Dynasty, and when the Tang Dynasty fought against Tubo, this place has been the battleground of the Central Plains."

"The former Tang Dynasty lost this important town for hundreds of years, but our dynasty restored it, which is really a great feat of our dynasty's martial arts. Its significance is not weaker than regaining Yanyun."

They are all strategically important places that the Central Plains has lost for hundreds of years, and their significance is indeed equivalent.

It's just that Yanyun is guarding the northeast gate, and Longyou is guarding the southwest gate.

Liu Kai said: "Since the restoration of the Longyou Protectorate's Mansion, the frontier has been close to the Western Regions and the last city. The Longyou Protectorate's Mansion is only a short distance away from the Heihan Kingdom. It reaches the East China Sea in the east and wades in the quicksand in the west. It’s not a lie.”

"Furthermore, the Longyou Protectorate's Mansion is not located under the plateau, but on top of it. Its north-south area is not even weaker than that of Xixia, and its east and west have completely covered the entire territory of Xixia. The Han Kingdom looks forward to each other."

"That's why Xixia desperately begged for peace. Under this situation, our dynasty has completed the encirclement of Xixia, and the army can attack Xixia again, and can march from the east, south, and west. Xixia will die and die, and it is at stake!"

Zhao Huan immediately had a clearer understanding of Longyou. If Xixia occupied Gansu and the Liangzhou Corridor, then the Longyou Dufu Mansion would be the entire land of Qinghai, the northeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the southern border of the Western Regions.

It is a narrower and wider land than Xixia.Its strategic significance is beyond doubt.Otherwise, Da Song would not attack this direction with all his strength.

But Zhao Huan asked: "This territory is an important place for military strategists, and I know it. It's just that this place is considered rich?"

Liu Kai got up excitedly, and said decisively: "Officials, this place is no more backward and barren than it was in the previous Tang Dynasty. Today the world is not as cold as it was at the end of Han Dynasty, so the climate in Longyou is pleasant, and the large pastures are green, vast and fertile."

"Since Gu Siluo became the Khan of Tubo and moved his capital to Qingtang City, during his 33 years in power, the tribes in the Hehuang area multiplied and the livestock thrived. Both agriculture and animal husbandry have made great progress."

"Large cities like Qingtang and Miaochuan can store food for [-] soldiers for ten years. Moreover, the output of cattle, sheep, and horses is extremely high."

"My war horses in the Song Dynasty were almost all supplied by Hehuang Tubo. At the peak, Tubo would send nearly [-] horses to our court a year."

Zhao Huan nodded, Zhao Huan knew this.

The ancient tea-horse road, the target of the transaction is the plateau Tubo here.

At the peak, [-] war horses were sent to Da Song a year, and [-] to [-] horses were sold to Da Song every year in ordinary years. How could Da Song be short of horses under such circumstances?
This is also the most important reason why Zhao Huan wants to reorganize the situation in Longyou Capital Protectorate.

After mastering this horse breeding land, the output of war horses in Song Dynasty will immediately increase several levels.

From a few per year to tens of thousands per year.

In just ten years, Da Song will be able to surpass the 21 war horses he owned when the country was founded.

However, it is obviously a heavy burden to push the army to the plateau, and the logistical pressure alone has to be carefully considered.

It is best if the local area is rich and prosperous, and can directly undertake the logistics of the garrison.

Liu Kai is a famous general in the world, so he naturally understands the importance of logistics more profoundly. He introduced to Zhao Huan excitedly: "The local economy of the official family is very prosperous and developed. Not uncommon."

"Qingtang City is a treasure city that the local people yearn for. In the city, there are towering palaces and Buddhist palaces; golden and Buddha statues are resplendent. Qingtang treasures are not cheap. People even use cabinets to store pearls, emeralds, gold jade, and rhinoceros. Get up and be buried in the ground."

Zhao Huan was quite surprised, and asked: "How can you be so rich? The family has two or three hundred thousand guan, and it is also a very big family in Tokyo."

Liu Kai said: "This is due to the re-opening of the Chinese and Western commercial roads by Zhesiluo. The Hehuang area is exactly the place where the 'Ancient Tuyuhun Road' in the southern section of the Silk Road must pass."

"After Xixia occupied the Hexi Corridor, they wantonly destroyed the Silk Road, robbed tribute merchants, detained travelers, imposed exorbitant taxes on merchants, and attempted to cut off the ties between countries in the Western Regions and our dynasty."

"Gusila sent troops to guard this place, re-opened the "Ancient Tuyuhun Road" from the Western Regions to the Central Plains through Hehuang, and set up trading places in Qingtang, Miaochuan, Lingu and other cities, and sent troops to escort caravans from various countries to our country. towards the border."

"So the southern section of the Silk Road was re-opened. The tribute envoys and merchants from various countries in the Western Regions traveled thousands of miles, detoured through Hehuang, and headed straight for the capital of our country—Tokyo. Western wealth and goods entered China, and our culture continued to be imported into the West. In the process, Qingtang became an extremely bright plateau city, surrounded by barbarians and treasures, and according to "Qingtang Records", there are hundreds of merchants from various countries who settled in the east of the city."

"However, since the Jin people invaded the south, the Longyou Governor's Mansion has lost its order, and various ministries have become chaotic and separatist. This commercial route that was under the control of our dynasty has been cut off again."

Zhao Huan understood in his heart that such a rich land must be brought under Song's firm control again.

(End of this chapter)