The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 586 Cang Cizhi Governs the Western Regions

Dunhuang's prosperity was not monolithic. Just as Qin Shou had predicted, while the "Tuntian Decree" won the hearts of the Qiang and Han commoners, it deeply affected the interests of local powerful families and some aristocratic clans. They appeared obedient on the surface, but secretly opposed Cang Ci's new policies, and even colluded with their old friends in the Chang'an court to spread rumors that "Cang Ci was buying off the Qiang in the Western Regions and intended to establish his own independent regime."

Cang Ci deeply understood that the root of order and chaos lay in land and livelihood. He was incorruptible and, in accordance with the "Tuntian Decree," forcefully cleared away the land seized or illegally occupied by powerful families, distributing it to Qiang and Han refugees and the families of soldiers stationed there for cultivation. Within the Protectorate General's office, memorials impeaching him piled up on his desk, but he silently locked these warning letters from Chang'an away, continuing to tirelessly travel day and night to various Tuntian sites, promoting advanced agricultural techniques from the Central Plains and overseeing the construction of larger-scale water conservancy facilities.

However, beneath the surface of the tranquility of the Western Regions, undercurrents were always surging. Although the Western Qiang king Shaodang was dead, his remaining forces were not completely eliminated. They secretly colluded with the sand bandits who were unwilling to accept defeat, as well as the angered powerful clans, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.

The opportunity came quickly.

The following spring, Kebineng once again led a large army to attack the northern frontier with great force. The imperial court urgently dispatched elite troops from Longyou and Anxi to Bingzhou. The main force of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry was also among those mobilized. When the news reached the Western Regions, the lurking demons and monsters immediately began to stir.

Inside Dunhuang city, the heads of several prominent families held a secret meeting.

"The time has come! Once the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry are gone, let's see what Cang Ci can rely on."

"He has offended too many people! There are also those among the Qiang people who are dissatisfied with his harsh laws, which is a good opportunity to take advantage of them!"

Inside Dunhuang city, the heads of several prominent families held a secret meeting.

"The time has come! Once the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry are gone, let's see what Cang Ci can rely on."

"He has offended too many people! There are also those among the Qiang people who are dissatisfied with his harsh laws, which is a good opportunity to take advantage of them!"

"Contact the former Qiang tribesmen, offer them great rewards, and let them start an uprising outside. We will respond from within. At that time, we may be able to control Dunhuang, drive out Cangci, and report to the court that the Qiang people have rebelled again!"

The rebellion suddenly erupted on a dark and stormy night. Thousands of remnants of the Shaodang tribe and bandits launched a fierce attack on the outer walls of Dunhuang, while the powerful families and their retainers within the city also rose up, storming the Protectorate General's office and granaries. In an instant, flames of war raged everywhere, and shouts of battle shook the heavens.

Cang Ci remained calm in the face of danger. He quickly assembled the few hundred soldiers remaining in the city, all the able-bodied veterans, and the Qiang and Han civilians who firmly supported the land reclamation policy, and held key positions. He knew that the rebel army was a motley crew, and although its momentum was fierce, it could not last long. The key was to stabilize the situation and wait for reinforcements—although he did not know when the reinforcements would arrive.

"Hold on! Our crops have just begun to sprout, and our irrigation canals have just begun to flow. We cannot let them destroy them!" Cang Ci's voice was hoarse but firm. He even personally took up a knife and climbed the city wall to fight.

The battle was exceptionally fierce. The rebels, working together from within and without, managed to breach the inner city. A fire broke out in the Protectorate government office, nearly destroying the agricultural books and illustrated books that Cang Ci had painstakingly compiled over many years; fortunately, the veteran soldiers risked their lives to salvage them.

At the most critical moment, dust billowed on the distant horizon, and a cavalry force descended like divine warriors, charging into the rebel rear! Banners fluttered, and it was none other than the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, who should have already headed east! Although there were only a thousand riders, their elite strength was unparalleled, and they instantly shattered the rebel formation.

It turned out that before Qin Shou returned east, although he transferred away the main force of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, he secretly left an elite detachment stationed inside Yumen Pass and gave the captain in charge of the detachment a secret order: if there is any change in the Western Regions, do not obey the orders of anyone else, and only take the safety of the Protectorate and the smooth flow of the Silk Road as the priority, and act according to circumstances! Even Cang Ci did not know about this move.

The sudden appearance of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry completely turned the tide of the battle. Caught off guard, the rebels collapsed instantly. The local strongmen who stubbornly resisted within the city were also swiftly suppressed.

In the aftermath, a thorough inventory revealed that the powerful clans involved in the rebellion had been eradicated, and all their land and assets were confiscated and incorporated into the military farms. The remaining forces of the Shaodang tribe were completely wiped out in this battle. Cang Ci stood on the scorched city wall, gazing at the fields outside the city that had regained their tranquility, but felt little joy, only heaviness. He understood that the emperor's timely intervention had temporarily severed the tangled mess, but the soil that had bred unrest—the vast gap between rich and poor, cultural barriers, and the struggle for power—remained.

He wrote a letter to Qin Shou, reporting in detail on the suppression of the rebellion, without seeking credit for himself, but instead once again earnestly pleading with the court:

"...The peace in the Western Regions depends not only on military might, but also on equalizing wealth, promoting education, and facilitating trade. I earnestly request Your Majesty to continue sending Confucian scholars, physicians, and artisans to the West to establish an official school in Dunhuang, where Qiang and Han children can study together, learn the words of sages, and know etiquette and manners. Only in this way can we establish a foundation for lasting peace and stability."

Chang'an, inside the Taiji Palace.

After reading Cang Ci's report and the earnest letter, Qin Shou handed them to Xun You beside him.

"Minister Xun, what do you think? Cang Ci wants me to implement the kingly way of education in the Western Regions."

Xun You read it carefully and pondered, "Your Majesty, what Protector Cang said is indeed a far-sighted plan. However, the work of education is not something that can be accomplished overnight. It requires a great deal of money, grain, and manpower, and the results are slow. I'm afraid there will be a lot of criticism in the court."

Qin Shou snorted coldly: "Criticism? They only see the gold, silver and silk before their eyes, but they cannot see the merit of education, which is worth more than 100,000 soldiers! Why do the Qiang and Hu people repeatedly surrender and rebel? Because they do not know etiquette, do not follow the king's teachings, only know strength and weakness, and do not know gratitude and righteousness! Cang Ci's actions are to eliminate the trouble at its root."

He stood up, walked to the huge map, his gaze sharp as a knife, as if he could pierce through the paper and see that vast and restless land.

"Granted! Not only should we send Confucian scholars and artisans, but we should also select capable officials to assist Cang Ci in improving the household registration management of the prefectures and counties. Tell Cang Ci that I have given him five years. I want to see the sound of reading fill the official schools of Dunhuang, and to see the scholars from the Western Regions flocking to study here! If the funds are insufficient, they will be allocated from my imperial treasury!"

He paused for a moment, his tone becoming serious:

"But I also told him that my Tiger and Leopard Cavalry would keep a close watch. The way of the king must be followed, but the way of the tyrant cannot be abandoned either. In the Western Regions, benevolence and righteousness and swordsmanship are both indispensable."

The imperial edict was quickly sent out of Chang'an, carrying the emperor's determination and expectations, heading towards distant Dunhuang.

Upon receiving the imperial edict, Cang Ci bowed deeply. He understood that the emperor had given him an unprecedented opportunity, but also a tremendous responsibility.

In the years that followed, Dunhuang and the entire Western Regions entered a period of rapid development. The scale of military settlements continued to expand, the water conservancy network became increasingly sophisticated, and species and technologies from the Central Plains took deep root.

With the establishment of official schools, the sons of Qiang tribal leaders studied Han culture alongside Han children. At the same time, Cang Ci also focused on collecting and organizing the languages ​​and cultures of the Qiang and other ethnic groups in the Western Regions to promote mutual understanding. The Silk Road became more prosperous than ever before, and commercial taxes became an important source of revenue for the imperial court.

On the surface, the Western Regions seemed to have finally ushered in a lasting peace and were gradually being incorporated into the body of the Tang Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)