Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 534 I heard of the Xiongnu ruler

The autumn wind is bleak, and the leaves are falling yellow.

Construction of the palace on Longshou Plain was in full swing, and the detached palaces and villas in Shanglin Temple were also bustling with activity. The autumn in Chang'an was noisy and full of vitality.

Li Shuang's courtyard was quite quiet.

His room was now filled with documents about the Western Regions.

The Silk Road could bring massive wealth to Chang'an, but only if the order in the Western Regions was stable.

In this way, foreign merchants could bring large amounts of wealth to Chang'an every year to purchase goods such as silk.

What is the most important thing in governing the Western Regions?
We need an army!

At this moment, Guanzhong was unable to send an army of 10,000 men to the Western Regions.

Logistics and manpower are secondary; the most crucial factor is the military system.

The advantage of the Fubing system was its low cost, but it also had disadvantages. It was not possible to lead the Fubing soldiers on long-term campaigns in distant places, and it was also difficult to keep the Fubing soldiers stationed on the conquered land. Even so, it was necessary to ensure that enough land was allocated to the Fubing soldiers through war so that they would be willing to stay and garrison the local area.

However, the battlefield environment in the Western Regions could not meet the combat needs of the garrison troops.

You can't get the soldiers from the Central Plains to travel thousands of miles to fight in the Western Regions. Not counting logistical costs, even if you win in the end, most of them won't be willing to stay and settle down in the land they've gained. By the time the soldiers return to their hometowns a few years later, their fields will be deserted, their houses will have been occupied, and their wives might have run off with someone else.

Such a plan is destined to fail.

To conquer the Western Regions, we need to recruit soldiers.

However, the cost of recruiting soldiers far exceeds that of the local militia. Not only do they have to pay their salaries, but they also have to provide equipment and conduct training.

Sending these armies of tens of thousands of men to the Western Regions one by one, and building supporting facilities along the way, all cost a lot of money.

Even if they keep winning and successfully conquer the kingdoms of the Western Regions, they might not break even, as maintaining the army in the Western Regions would be extremely costly. Moreover, if they lose, they will lose everything.

Such a thing will certainly not receive support.

Therefore, the only option was to adopt a compromise, which was to use barbarian troops.

The army sent to the Western Regions consisted mainly of well-equipped recruits, supplemented by a large number of barbarian soldiers. In this way, the cost of the army could be minimized.

However, this would lead to issues of cooperation and trust between Han recruits and non-Han cavalry.

"Your Majesty!"

Two military officers arrived in the courtyard.

Yang Kan and Li Bi!
These two pillars of state, who had guarded Longyou and Lingwu for many years, gained even more authority and prestige after returning to Chang'an.

Li Shuang told the two of them her thoughts.

The two men reacted differently upon hearing this.

Yang Kan hesitated for a moment, while Li Bi had no objection.

"City-adjacent system?"

Li Shuang nodded and said:

"Distribute the current Hu tribes to the grasslands surrounding various military towns, allowing them to support themselves, but they must undergo training and pay a small amount of tax. In times of war, they must be conscripted and prepare warhorses and armor."

After listening to Li Shuang's explanation, the two quickly understood that this was the Hu people's version of the Fubing system.

The difference is that the Han people were bound by the land and could not leave the land for long periods of time to go to distant places to fight, but the Hu people were different.

The nomadic nature of the Hu people allowed them to travel for extended periods to wage war, reducing costs. When the Hu people went to war, their relatives left behind around the military towns would act as hostages, ensuring the loyalty of these Hu cavalrymen.

Yang Kan was somewhat worried and said:

"Your Majesty, I am worried that if this system is abused in the long run, it could cause great chaos if there are those with ulterior motives."

Yang Kan served in Longyou for many years. Although there were Hu cavalry in his army, Yang Kan himself was very wary of the Hu people.

Regarding the Hu cavalry, Yang Kan believed they were useful but shouldn't be used frequently. Li Bi, however, was different; his attitude was that if they were useful, they could be used indefinitely. As for whether the Hu cavalry would rebel, Li Bi wasn't worried at all. "You dare to rebel and see what happens?" he thought.
"As long as the Hu tribes are dispersed sufficiently, and all the Khans and their sons are summoned to Chang'an, and generals are dispatched from Chang'an to various towns to inspect and monitor them, there will be no need to worry about the loyalty and fighting strength of the Hu cavalry."

Li Shuang understood what the two of them were saying.

Yang Kan viewed the system from a long-term perspective, while Li Bi focused on the technical details.

After listening, Li Shuang nodded and said:
“I am aware of your intentions. However, this system is a measure to save the day. As for whether people a hundred years from now will abuse this system to the point of being out of control, that is not something we can control now.”

For Li Shuang, the most important thing now is to deal with the threat from the Western Regions.

The Western Rouran could launch a counterattack at any time, and to deal with it, a large number of troops must be able to be deployed in the Western Regions.

The city-adjacent system is the optimal solution today.

Unless, at this time, he can develop flintlock muskets, train musket units, and send them into the Western Regions to deliver a devastating blow to the Western Rouran cavalry.

Of course, that's not possible for now.

"The most urgent task is to deal with the Western Rouran. Otherwise, if Anagui comes from the east, Longyou will be uneasy, the north will be restless, and Guanzhong will also be threatened."

After listening to Li Shuang's words, Yang Kan finally nodded.

"Your Majesty, I understand!"

"Therefore, it was implemented in Longyou and Lingzhou."

"promise!"

……

Samarkand.

Thousands of miles away, the city-states of the Western Regions were filled with exotic customs that the Rouran people had never seen before.

This most important hub city on the Silk Road has now changed hands.

The arrival of Anagui filled the local officials and wealthy merchants with enthusiasm, who offered beautiful women, jewelry, and rare fruits to please their new master.

However, the Rouran Khan, who had fought for many years and was now weathered by time, had no interest in these things.

His gaze was fixed solely on soldiers, armor, horses, and taxes.

These are the assets he has for returning to the East.

"Khan, this is a drink from the East; it can refresh and relieve fatigue!"

Looking at the tea brought by the Sogdian merchants, Anagui couldn't help but ask:
"East?"

"That's right, this is called a tea brick. It can be brewed with hot water and is very valuable. It was bought from Chang'an!"

"Chang'an?"

The Sogdian merchants thought Anagui would be pleased, but when Anagui heard those two words, he felt only endless anger and sighs.

"Why have I never seen this before?"

After Anagui finished speaking, the Rouran soldiers on either side looked at him as if he were a liar.

The Sogdian merchant was greatly alarmed and quickly explained:

"I dare not deceive the Khan. This was purchased from Chang'an. It is a drink that has become popular among the nobles and officials of distant Luoyang and Chang'an in recent years, and later spread to the common people."

After listening, Anagui waved his hand, and the soldiers retreated. He stepped forward, picked up a few tea leaves from the tea brick, and murmured:
"Luoyang!"

Anagui recalled his trip to Luoyang years ago, and looking at the scene now, it felt like a lifetime ago.

……

(End of this chapter)