The revival of Shu Han

Chapter 332 Intelligence from the West ([-])
"Well, Aziz, how is the Jin State's Western Region Chief History Mansion running?"

"If you go back to Da Sima, it shouldn't be too bad. They are now huddled near the old city of Loulan, and have reclaimed about a thousand acres of land. There are only about 400 people in the entire Changshi Mansion."

When the national power of the Western Han Dynasty was strong, the Chang'an government set up the Protectorate in the Western Regions.Xinmang usurped the Han, causing great chaos in the country, which led to the withdrawal of the Han regime from the Western Regions.After the establishment of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ban Chao turned the world around, allowing the Han family to establish the Protectorate in the Western Regions again.However, the national power of the Eastern Han Dynasty was far behind that of the Western Han Dynasty, so the Duhufu of the Eastern Han Dynasty was revoked soon after its establishment.

In 123 AD, Ban Yong, the grandson of Ban Chao, ruled the Western Regions again.At this time, the Eastern Han government had fallen into the embarrassing situation where foreign relatives and eunuchs took turns fighting, and the aristocratic family continued to grow.Therefore, the Eastern Han Dynasty no longer set up the Duhufu, but established the Changshifu-in terms of administrative level, the Duhufu is at the state level, and the Changshifu is at the county level.In short, the Eastern Han no longer tried to control dozens of countries in the Western Regions as a whole, but tried to preserve a Han Chinese stronghold in the Western Regions, nothing more.

Even so, in the short 123 years from 189 AD to the Yellow Turban Uprising in 66, the Mansion of the Chief History Officer of the Western Regions also experienced three links and three unique experiences.It was not until after Cao Cao completely defeated Ma Chao that he sent people to open the Western Regions again.

But at that time, Cao Wei's main energy was to deal with the challenges of Han and Wu in the south.Therefore, for the Western Regions, the policy of the late Eastern Han Dynasty was also maintained: to set up the Changshi Mansion, and in the Western Regions, it would be good to have a stronghold or outpost of the Han people.When we Han people become stronger in the future, this stronghold will be the basis for restoring the entire Western Regions.

And where is this outpost?After leaving Yumenguan, it is less than [-] miles to the northwest, the old place of Loulan on the northeast edge of ancient Lop Nur.

The so-called Loulan is the former name of Shanshan Kingdom.As mentioned above, the water sources around the Tarim Basin are stable and changing.In the past, Lop Nur was rich in water sources, and the ancient Loulan Kingdom prospered because of this.Later, Lop Nur gradually shrank, and the Loulan Kingdom moved to the southwest as a whole, and settled down in the new oasis, and the country's name was changed to Shanshan.At this time, the warriors of the Han family, who did not receive strong support from the central government, had no choice but to pick up the abandoned ancient city of Loulan, and use this as the center to hang up the signboard of the Changshifu of the Western Regions.Declare the existence of the Han people to the entire Western Regions.

How helpless this is, and how tragic this is.

In the archaeological excavations of later generations, a large number of wooden slips from the Wei and Jin Dynasties were unearthed in the ancient city of Loulan.The content above is almost all about how to farm, how to harvest, and how to effectively use water sources... It can be seen that the Western Regions Changshi Mansion of that era really existed.But its main function is no longer the ruling body of the Han family in the Western Regions.It is an outpost of the Han people, a base for reclamation.

"Well, three to four hundred people. Hehehe, then, I can imagine that if there is any dispute among the countries in the Western Regions, they probably won't go to the Changshi Mansion to ask for justice, right?"

"Uh... the great Sima can see thousands of miles away."

At this time, the Western Regions are a very good time for countries such as Shanshan and Khotan.The northern Huns have gone to the northeast, and they will regain their vitality on the black soil of Ukraine.In another 100 years, Attila, their leader, will lead them to scour the whole of Europe as the whip of God.The Yuezhi people, who were equally powerful in the past, also went to the south of the Indus River Valley to establish the Guishuang Empire.Sasanian Persia in the west was busy fighting the Eastern Roman Empire, and the Han people in the east were also in civil war.The countries in the Western Regions caught in the middle unexpectedly have no one to trouble them.So there are no tigers in the mountains, and monkeys are kings.Countries like Shanshan and Khotan, which have a population of less than [-] and are as big as boogers, dare to seek hegemony.

"Not as powerful as others, so of course you can't get the corresponding respect. Then, does anyone in the Western Regions dare to ask the Changshi Mansion of the Western Regions to pay them taxes?"

"There is no such thing. Although the Changshi Mansion is very weak, it is the representative of the Han family after all. Besides..." Aziz looked up at Guan Yi, and felt that Guan Yi was not the kind of hot-tempered queen He continued: "A small place planted by hundreds of people has extremely limited output. There is no need to get a reputation for provoking the Han people for such a small thing."

"Hey, it seems that the latter is the real reason." Guan Yi sighed helplessly, and his heart was also a little sad: "I didn't expect that my big man was in the Western Regions, and there was only one signboard left."

After calming down, Guan Yi continued to ask: "The west of the Western Regions is Sassanid, right? How is that country doing now?"

"Honorable Da Sima, let me answer this question." Then stood up, a tall man with fair skin, deep eyes, nose augmentation, and green eyes: "Your servant Dai is originally from Elam. The family offended a nobleman from Sassanid, and had to live in Shule for a long time."

Seeing Guan Yi making a gesture to continue, Dai Yi hurriedly continued: "Sassan is very powerful. Although the territory it controls is not as big as that of the big man, it is far larger than the entire Western Regions. The king is called the king of ten thousand The king is in charge of the sacred fire. His country has no fewer than 500 million citizens and no fewer than 20 soldiers. During the war with Rome eight years ago, Sassan captured the Roman emperor and made him a slave..."

Well, Sasanian Persia in this era is still in a rising period.The mutual tearing between them and the Roman Empire will continue for a long time.It is nothing if an emperor of Rome is captured. Behind him, another outstanding emperor died in battle.

In short, this country can only make good friends with it for the time being, and cannot provoke it.

"So, what about Guishuang?"

"Honorable Da Sima, your servant Kurshan is familiar with the situation there." Kurshan, who was robbed of the right to speak by others just now, finally had a chance to express himself at this time. "The Guishuang Empire has a state-owned population of more than 500 million and can mobilize more than 20 soldiers. Its soldiers include light cavalry and elephant soldiers. However, there are many ethnic groups in the country, and only the Yuezhi people at the top are good at fighting. The Rabidians are humble and obedient. In recent years, the battle between Guishuang and Sassan, its neighbor in the northwest, has basically failed. In its southeast, the rise of Gupta has posed a challenge to it. Although it can be suppressed for the time being Gupta, but judging from the experience of your servants traveling all over the world for so many years, the decline of Guishuang is irreversible."

Oh, that place in India is really good, the natives there are really easy to conquer.It's just that the cultural environment there is too exaggerated. No matter which conqueror enters, it won't be long before it will be softened into a puddle of mud.

However, for Gupta to truly replace Guishuang, according to the development of the historical plane, it will take at least 100 years of hard work.

"Well, Kurshan, you have traveled in Guishuang and Gupta, have you ever seen Buddhism there?"

"Of course I have, venerable Da Sima, are you interested in Buddhism?"

"Hehehe, Kurshan, are you a Buddhist?"

"Hey, of course not. Your servant believes in golden coins and pursues great achievements in this life. He is not interested in Buddhism that does good in this life and enjoys blessings in the next life. Da Sima, you need me to bring you Gupta The eminent monk over there?"

"No need."

After carefully listening to the introductions of many businessmen, Guan Yi has a general understanding of the situation in the Western Regions and the west of the Western Regions.

Although the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of later generations is the first province among the five northwestern provinces to achieve food self-sufficiency, its agricultural production is promising even in this era.However, there is a serious shortage of population in the interior of the Han family, and a large amount of land has not been effectively cultivated.Therefore, it is purely brain-dead behavior in this era to effectively control the Western Regions and migrate a large number of people there for farming.

For Guan Yi, the Western Regions in this era is a simple line of communication.The big Han needs to maintain a certain military presence in this place, and it is enough to ensure the smooth flow of trade routes here.

As for the cost of garrisoning troops on this land, of course it is necessary to combine the army and station, and at the same time suck blood from the countries in the Western Regions, so as to ensure the self-sufficiency of the stationed army.

The commercial route in the Western Regions remains open, so many good horse breeds, wheat breeds, rapeseeds from West Asia and Europe... and a large amount of gold coins will be continuously imported into the Han Dynasty.While effectively improving the national strength of the Han Dynasty, it can also improve the people's livelihood of the Han Dynasty in advance.

Of course, what Guan Yi values ​​more is to open up a new field of thought for the Han people of this era.Introduce the cultural essence of ancient Greece and Rome into China as soon as possible.This enables the local philosophy on this land to absorb new nutrients and thus take on a new look.This guides the country to a higher apex in the future.

Of course, once the door of cultural exchange is opened.There must be those who want and like to come in (Western classical philosophy, classic jurisprudence).There are also things that the traversers are not very interested in or resist.For example, Buddhism in the Indian Peninsula (in fact, it was already popular in Han China in this era), Sasanian Zoroastrianism (Zoroastrianism), Roman Christianity... Fortunately, there is no Xingyue religion in this era.

However, my Great China has its own national conditions here.Thanks to the blessings of the Duke of Zhou and the pre-Qin scholars, the word "li" has penetrated into the bones of the Chinese nation.Ancestor worship and family recognition will always be the mainstream of Huaxia's values.

So, what am I worrying about here?History has long proven that when any religion enters China, it must make corresponding changes in order to survive in this country.Even if those world-renowned business giants in later generations entered China, wouldn't they also sell porridge and fried dough sticks?
"Everyone, I have made up my mind. The army of the Han family will enter the Western Regions no later than the year after next year. By that time, the commercial routes in the Western Regions will be completely opened up. And you are one step ahead of your colleagues. I hope that you will do what I have told you, and as long as I am satisfied, you will be satisfied as well!"

(End of this chapter)