Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 563 Vision
In September, taking advantage of the turmoil in Ba and Shu, Liu Bei left Guan Yu to garrison Gong'an and personally led his troops westward. Due to the change of power in Ba and Shu, they advanced with unstoppable momentum, capturing Yiling, surrendering Zigui, breaking through Wuxian, and besieging Yufu.

Jiangzhou Governor Guo Huai led his troops to the rescue, clashing with the Jingchu navy at Jiangguan. Being new to commanding the navy, he was defeated by the vanguard Wu Ju. Amidst the defeat, the surrendered general Gan Ning was ordered to cover the rear, repelling the Jingchu navy's pursuit. For his merit, Guo Huai promoted him to the rank of Lieutenant General.

With the reinforcements defeated, Xu Gao, the garrison commander of Yufu, seeing no reinforcements to relieve the siege, had no choice but to surrender to Liu Bei.

Yu Fu was seized by Liu Bei, leaving Yizhou wide open. Guo Huai retreated to Linjiang and summoned the barbarian tribes of Sanba. Man Chong gathered troops and provisions, preparing for war and ready to aid Guo Huai from the east at any time.

Just as Liu Bei was about to launch another campaign against Linjiang, Guan Yu's letter arrived urgently, saying that Li Song had gathered Wen Pin, Huang Zhong, Huang Zu, Wang Wei and other generals from Jingzhou, and assembled tens of thousands of naval troops, intending to cross the river and attack Changsha.

Seeing that Li Song intended to cross the river, Liu Bei abandoned his plan to continue the westward expedition and established the three counties of Yufu, Wuxian, and Zigui as Xiping Commandery, appointing Wu Ju as the governor of Xiping Commandery.

Liu Bei withdrew his troops and returned home. Li Song, knowing that Ba and Shu were safe, confronted them for a month. Seeing the large ships and warships of the Jingchu navy across the river, he realized there was no hope of crossing and requested Zhang Yu to withdraw his troops.

The war in Jingchu came to an end, and because Cao Cao had withdrawn his troops, Zhang Liao, knowing it was not the time for a major battle, chose to withdraw his troops from Huainan. Cao Cao, seeing that the waters were shallow in winter and his army could not advance north, had no choice but to retreat. However, on the return journey, he summoned Xiahou Dun and severely criticized him for his unauthorized departure from the city, which led to the defeat.

In the winter of the third year of the Shenwu reign, with the fall of Bashu to the Tang army, the wars in Jing and Yang came to an end.

Inside the drill ground of Chang'an Palace.

Zhang Yu, wrapped in a cloak, sat under the corner tower, watching the Buzkashi (goat-grabbing) competition taking place on the training ground with those around him.

Buzkashi (goat grabbing) is a competition developed by nomadic peoples to hone their horsemanship, archery, and teamwork skills. The competition format is similar to modern basketball, where two teams compete for a goat on the field. By throwing, grabbing, and blocking, they can place the goat in the appropriate position to score a point and win.

In Buzkashi (goat-grabbing) competitions, exceptional riding skills are among the most fundamental abilities. Since the goat is quite heavy, without strong arm strength, it's impossible to throw or toss it, let alone grab its legs. The greatest test of riding skill lies in the act of seizing the goat, where the rider's hands are mostly off the reins.

Because of its high difficulty, very few people can master the game. The Han people watch with great interest, but the vast majority cannot participate. However, considering that the game hones horsemanship, Zhang Yu, for various reasons, chose to promote the game in the imperial court in recent years.

"Not bad!"

Seeing that the Red Cavalry had scored, Zhang Yu clapped his hands slightly and said to his men with a smile, "When the generals return to the capital, perhaps we can have the best riders play a game of snatching sheep together."

"There are many skilled cavalry officers in the country, so the team competitions at that time must have been exceptionally exciting!" Zhong Yao said with a smile.

"hehe!"

Zhang Yu laughed and said, "If the sport of Buzkashi (goat-grabbing) becomes widespread, the people of the country will surely compete to play it. When everyone is good at riding, why worry about the decline of martial virtue!"

As the founding emperor, Zhang Yu had to consider the political implications of many of his actions. Previously, he encouraged hunting to maintain the fighting capacity of the imperial guards; now, he promoted the game of Buzkashi (goat grabbing) to encourage the people to value riding and archery, thus maintaining the tradition of horsemanship.

During the Age of Exploration, for example, in order to train and develop its navy, the British Parliament specifically ordered the amendment of Lent (Wednesday), a day traditionally forbidden from eating meat, to allow the consumption of fish. Furthermore, to cultivate deep-sea capabilities, the British encouraged its citizens to fish for cod, herring, and other fish in the North Sea.

Therefore, Zhang Yu hopes to cultivate a love of riding among the people through policy guidance. After all, compared to dynasties that established their capital in Luoyang, dynasties that established their capital in Chang'an, being close to Longyou, Hetao, and Bingzhou, had a certain degree of abundance of horses. With a livestock base, how to cultivate a love of riding is something Zhang Yu needs to carefully consider.

Taking advantage of a break in the conversation, Xun You said, "Just now, military intelligence arrived. Li Song reported that Liu Bei has returned to Gong'an with large ships and warships blocking the river, making it difficult for his troops to cross. Therefore, he requests a withdrawal!"

"How is Liu Bei's western expedition progressing?" Zhang Yu asked.

According to a report from Guo Huai, the governor of Jiangzhou, Liu Bei took advantage of the chaos in Bazhong to launch a western expedition. In order to relieve the siege of Yufu, he led his troops to its aid. The navy was no match for Liu Bei, but fortunately, thanks to Gan Ning's rearguard action, the troops were able to withdraw to Linjiang. The garrison commander of Yufu surrendered, and Liu Bei established Xiping Commandery, appointing Wu Ju as its governor.

Xun You truthfully stated, "Guo Huai submitted a memorial to plead guilty, and the memorial has just arrived in the capital."

Zhang Yu frowned slightly and said, "Liu Bei is decisive. Taking advantage of the chaos in Sanba, he first borrowed troops from Cao Cao and then sent troops westward. Yufu is the eastern pass of Yizhou. Now that this vital strategic point has been captured, it will be difficult for our army to advance eastward!"

Xun You said, "Yu Fu's importance is no less than that of Bai Shui. Now that Guo Huai has lost a strategic pass, I think it would be better to punish him slightly."

After considering for a long time, Zhang Yu said, "Punishment is unnecessary. Few of our officers and soldiers know anything about the waters, and many of the naval personnel are former surrendered soldiers. We are only now at ease, so Guo Huai's defeat is understandable. It would be better to issue an edict to reprimand him, so that Guo Huai can learn from his mistakes and become more courageous, quickly familiarize himself with the navy, and prepare for the future eastern expedition."

"promise!"

Guo Huai, as the son of the former patron Guo Yun, had followed Zhang Yu for over ten years, and the Guo family's contributions were significant; Zhang Yu had not forgotten their past loyalty. In this southern campaign against Ba and Shu, Guo Huai played a crucial role as the main force in the secret crossing of Yinping. Now, having just assumed office in Jiangzhou and taking command of the navy for the first time, his defeat and loss of Yufu were not entirely unforgivable. Moreover, Zhang Yu's family was large and powerful, and he had already conquered Ba and Shu, so his margin for error was very high.

Of course, Zhang Yu had high hopes for Guo Huai, a renowned general who would be remembered in history. Especially considering that Manchu, Zhang, Li, and Xu, as founding generals, would gradually retire from the political arena, Guo Huai, as a rising star, would succeed them. Therefore, it was wise to give him opportunities to grow.

Looking at the competition in the training ground, Zhang Yu continued, "Since Liu Bei has withdrawn his troops from Bashu, then let Li Song cease his troops. Now is not the time to cross the river and wage war. Order Hao Zhao, the governor of Jingzhou, to continue building ships and training the naval forces in the province in preparation for a future southern expedition."

"As ordered!"

"color!"

Seeing that the red team had scored another point, Zhang Yu said with satisfaction, "Today's winners will each be given two shi of grain, and the top prize winner will be given four shi of grain."

"promise!"

During the conversation, an attendant stepped forward, whispered something to Xun You, and handed him a memorial.

Zhang Yu glanced at it and asked, "What military intelligence has arrived this time?"

"Your Majesty, the new Governor of Yongzhou, Wei Ji, has reported military intelligence!"

"But the Qiang people have rebelled?" Zhang Yu asked.

"A thousand Qiang people in Huangzhong rebelled, but the rebellion has been quelled by Guo Xian, the prefect of Xiping. Wei Yongzhou personally went to Xiping to inspect the situation. Now, there is a memorial from Huangzhong, which I am submitting to Your Majesty." Xun You handed over the memorial and said.

Zhang Yu unfolded the cloth and saw that Wei Ji had written nearly a thousand words, describing the activities of the Qiang people since the Han Dynasty and the geography of the Hehuang Valley.

For example, most of the rebellions of the Western Qiang during the Eastern Han Dynasty were led by the Shaodang Qiang, who occupied the Da and Xiao Yu Valleys (present-day Hehuang Valley). The valleys had fertile land, benefiting from fish and salt from the Western Sea, and their strategic location made it difficult for outsiders to advance westward. In addition, the Qiang people near the border were easily disturbed, so the Shaodang Qiang often dominated the Qiang tribes, constantly recruiting Qiang and Hu people by relying on the profits from salt and grain.

During the years of warfare with the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Shaodang Qiang gradually declined and fled to the Fa Qiang (northeastern Tibet). Therefore, in order to prevent the Qiang people from rising again, the Eastern Han Dynasty re-established the Xihai Commandery in Xihai and ordered soldiers to garrison thirty-four villages. Until the reign of Emperor An, due to the Yongchu Qiang rebellion, the Xihai Commandery had to be abolished, lasting only a little over ten years.

After the Eastern Han regime withdrew from Xihai Commandery, other Qiang people gradually filled the gaps, and conflicts frequently broke out due to competition for land and salt profits. Therefore, Wei Ji hoped that Zhang Yu could rebuild Xihai Commandery, control the Da Yu and Xiao Yu Valleys, and pacify the Hu and Qiang people in the old territory to prevent the re-emergence of powerful barbarians like the Shaodang Qiang.

Zhang Yu read it several times, then sighed to his close advisors, "Wei Ji's vision is far-sighted, far surpassing that of a mediocre official."

Although Zhang Yu did not know the specifics of how the Tuyuhun Kingdom came to be, he knew that it existed during the Northern and Southern Dynasties and continued until the early Tang Dynasty. Under the rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang, the Tang Dynasty annexed the Tuyuhun Kingdom and made it a vassal state. However, due to its short period of rule, it was quickly seized by the Tibetan Empire. With the former territory of the Tuyuhun Kingdom, the Tibetan Empire had the advantage of being able to look towards the Western Regions and Longyou, and thus several major wars broke out between it and the Tang Dynasty.

In the former territory of the Tuyuhun, the Hehuang Valley and Xihai Lake formed the foundation of their power. Wei Ji, with his foresight, knew that if the Tang army did not expand into the Da and Xiao Yu Valleys, new separatist forces could easily emerge. Zhang Yu's previous intention to have the prince guard the Hehuang Valley was precisely to control the Da and Xiao Yu Valleys.

Of course, Wei Ji not only identified the problem but also proposed corresponding solutions. He relocated the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Han, and Di people to the Eryu Valley, established the Western Sea Commandant, and later expanded the military farms, setting up settlements along the river. He also sent officials from the Northern Court to provide relief and compensation. When the princes came of age, the Western Commandant was dismissed, and the vassal kings were stationed in the Western Sea to prevent the Qiang bandits from coveting Longyou.

Zhang Yu handed Wei Kai's memorial to his close advisors for review, saying, "I wonder if any high-ranking officials are aware of the abolition and establishment of Xihai Commandery!"

"I know a thing or two!"

Du Ji rose from his stool, bowed, and said, "At the end of the Former Han Dynasty, Wang Mang was ambitious and eager for glory. He went to the Western Sea to pacify the province and bribed the Beihe Qiang with money. The Beihe Qiang led 12,000 people out of Xianshuihai (now Qinghai Lake), Yungu, Yanchi and other places and offered the land around the lake to Wang Mang."

"Wang Mang, having established the three sea commanderies of North, East, and South, named the area surrounding the lake as West Sea Commandery and relocated people to guard the border. Later, when Wang Mang usurped the throne, the country was in chaos, and West Sea Commandery was recaptured by the Qiang people. At that time, Emperor He quelled the Shaodang Qiang and re-established West Sea Commandery; during the reign of Emperor An, the Qiang rebelled, and West Sea Commandery was abolished."

“The memorial from Wei Yongzhou is well-intentioned, but the world is not yet at peace. Sending a large army to Yugu would only delay the conquest of the southeast. Moreover, the Han population is small, so how can we relocate people to populate the border?” Du Ji was worried that Zhang Yu would rashly use force and said, “Therefore, it would be better to wait until the world is at peace and the national treasury is full before rebuilding Xihai Commandery.”

Zhang Yu frowned slightly and said, "The Western Sea has salt resources and the river valley has fertile land, which is why the Qiang people are so powerful. Now the valley is in turmoil and various tribes are vying for supremacy. This is the time to make a name for ourselves."

As he spoke, Zhang Yu looked at Cao Yanrou of the Ministry of Revenue in the Northern Court and said, "Now that the Governor is far away in Jingchu, I trouble you to discuss this matter with the other officials in the court and see if it is possible to allow the people of the Northern Frontier to relocate."

"promise!"

P.S.: There will be another chapter tonight!
(End of this chapter)