Chapter 527 Horse guard Liangzhou
On the platform on the north bank of the Bailong River, a mountain city stands proudly against the top of the Dieshan Mountain.
Qin Lang and his party finally arrived in Diezhou.
In front of them was a small city surrounded by mountains and rivers. The city was only a kilometer from east to west, and less than 500 meters from north to south. The city walls were built according to the topography.
Several parts of the outer city wall have collapsed and have not been repaired, and the holes and rammed earth layers on the ruins are still clearly visible.
And on the mountain ridge about 100 meters high in the northwest of Diezhou City, there is also a beacon tower built of loess.
Surrounded by mountains, high mountains and deep valleys, the Bailong River flows at the bottom of the mountains in the distance.
Ascending to the mountain city, it feels as if you have reached the top of the sky.
The road up the mountain was steep and bumpy, with twists and turns. Qin Lang had to admire the people who chose to build the city here. Such a city is indeed easy to defend but difficult to attack.
From a military point of view, the location of this city is very powerful, easy to defend but difficult to attack. But from the perspective of development, especially from the perspective of economy and transportation, this place is terrible. It takes at least two hours to climb from the bottom of the mountain to the platform in the middle of the mountain. It seems very close, but When you get up, you can climb dead people, zigzagging around.
Especially this road is very difficult to walk. In many places, you have to step on stone steps, and you can only walk on horseback and not drive. The platform on the mountain is not too big, which limits the size of the city and the population in the city.
In fact, Diezhou City is really not big, and the population is very small.
The governor of Diezhou who came to greet him was a dry old man with gray hair, very thin, but very energetic. The old man was obviously a civil servant governor, but he came to greet him in leather armor and with a bow and knife.
After some conversation, Qin Lang learned that this Inspector Liu was extremely extraordinary. He was actually seventy years old, and what was even more extraordinary was that this old man had actually been in Diezhou for more than fifty years.
"I am originally from Diezhou," the old man stroked his beard and said, "This place was originally the domain of Yugong Liangzhou. However, through the Qin, Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties, the Qiangs always guarded it. In the Later Wei Dynasty, the land entered Tuyuhun."
When the old man was young, he lived in this place. At first, it was ruled by Dangchang King Shenlang Qiang, and they Han people were also ruled by Dangchang King. Later, Tuyuhun people destroyed Dangchang Kingdom. Although the Northern Wei Dynasty sent troops to help Restoration of the country, but it was still quickly attacked by Tuyuhun again.
"Until Emperor Wu of Zhou sent troops to the west to chase the Rong, and Tuyuhun was defeated and retreated to the north and west, this place was owned by the Han Dynasty, and it was built as a stacked state, which means overlapping mountains and rivers."
After the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, Diezhou was abolished and counties were merged into Taozhou. Until the second year of Wude, Xitu was attached and Diezhou was reset. But the state city is not the Diezhou city of the Northern Zhou and Sui dynasties, but moved to the ancient city of Hechuan, twenty-nine miles west.
"This Diezhou city was called Hechuan County in the Zhou and Sui Dynasties. Before Hechuan was established in Zhou Dynasty, it was Jiaoshu Fortress."
Lao Liu was a citizen of Dangchang State when he was born. Later, Tuyuhun invaded and became a citizen of Tuyuhun. Later, when the Northern Zhou Dynasty expelled Tuyuhun from the west, he became a citizen of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. At that time, Lao Liu was only sixteen years old, and joined the army of the Northern Zhou Dynasty's western expedition. After the war, he was awarded the post of deputy of the team because of his meritorious service, and became a soldier of the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
After Zhou, Sui and Tang dynasties, Lao Liu stayed in this place and fought with Zhuqiang for many years.
From a sixteen-year-old boy to an old man who is nearly seventy this year, he has gone through three dynasties and finally achieved the post of governor.
However, Diezhou is just a border state, with a registered permanent residence of just over 1,700 households, which is still the total population of the three counties and eleven townships.
The complex situation on the border makes it difficult for the population to grow here. However, in recent years, many small Qiang tribes have migrated to nomads. However, these Qiang people are neither registered nor pay taxes.
"Tuyuhun and Dangxiang also came to attack several times, but now Xinzhou City stands on the top of Dushan, facing Juejian in the west and Qiangshui in the south. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and it is not afraid of Xirong."
But Qin Lang saw that when old Liu Lian came to greet them, he was wearing armor and holding a sword, so he knew that this place was definitely not as strong as he said, otherwise a governor would not need Tiantian Jia to stay with him.
They climbed up to the city gate tower together, stood on it and looked around.
"This place is indeed easy to defend but difficult to attack." Su Dingfang said.
Lao Liu said proudly, "I am 265 miles southeast of Diezhou, 129 miles north and south, 1,700 miles east to Chang'an, 2,560 miles east to Luoyang, and southeast along the Qiang River. The water is 256 miles from Dangzhou, 280 miles from Shangdangxiang Bank of the Yellow River in the west, 180 miles from Taozhou in the northeast, and 140 miles from Fangzhou in the southeast."
Qin Lang and the others came from the Yellow River in the west, and the calculated distance was only 280 miles, but they walked in the mountains for half a month.
Old Liu said proudly, "Although we have 1,700 households in eleven townships and three counties in Diezhou, no matter whether it is Tuyuhun or Dangxiang Qiang, it is impossible to win."
"Is there any water on this mountain?" Qin Lang asked.
"Of course there is water."
Diezhou City is located on the platform at the top of Dushan Mountain, but there are higher peaks behind it, and snow water flows down from the snow peaks all the year round, converging into rivers.
In fact, Diezhou City was originally the seat of Hechuan County. The name of Hechuan County came from the fact that the Sangu River flows down from the snow-capped mountains and joins the southeast of the county.
Diezhou City will never be short of water. There are streams passing through the city and wells.
Diezhou Guanxian three, Hechuan, Lechuan, Diechuan, Guanxiang eleven, but more than half of the population is actually in this Hechuan city.
It's too remote here.
That's why Lao Liu has gone through three dynasties, but he can still stay here, and has been promoted again and again, and finally became the governor. No one in the Central Plains really cares about the position of governor.
In history, before Li Shimin died, he deliberately demoted Li Ji to the governor of Diezhou, wanting to test Li Ji's loyalty for the last time. If he dared to hesitate at all, he would kill him to remove hidden dangers for Prince Li Zhi. After Li Ji received the order, he rushed to Diezhou to take office without hesitation, and Li Shimin finally left him with peace of mind to the prince Li Zhi, and told the prince that Li Ji should be called back to the court as soon as he succeeds to the throne. Phase reuse.
A lot of military settlements have also been opened outside the city of Diezhou, which is a terraced field, adding a beautiful scenery.
Of course, Diezhou soldiers and civilians also graze.
Self-sufficiency is basically no problem.
Qin Lang became more and more satisfied with this place.
"I think we can stop here first." He looked at Su Dingfang.
"Duke Wei plans?"
"I've been running for half a month, and I don't want to run away. This place is very good. It is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the passage is controlled. The Tuyuhun people and the Dangxiang people are still following. We will intercept them here."
Qin Lang didn't want to pat his **** and run away, and then attracted Tuyuhun and Dangxiang's army to plunder the border and plunder the people.
Although Diezhou is only a border state, it is already the territory of the Tang Dynasty and cannot be plundered by Qiang barbarians.
In the party's territory, it doesn't matter how you run, but in your own home, you have to worry about it.
Qin Lang took out the map and unfolded it.
"According to the news I received earlier, my grandfather has regained the city of Jiachuan in Fuzhou. This move is extremely powerful. It has already blocked the retreat of tens of thousands of party members in Koufu and Wenzhou. Now the Qiang people in the east want to If you flee back, the Qiang people in the west will definitely meet you."
"I believe that the Qiang people will not only pin their hopes on recapturing Jiachuan, they will definitely break through in other directions, such as Gansongling in Songzhou, or Diezhou in the north. So I plan to stay in Diezhou and not give The opportunity for the Qiang people to break through from the north."
Although Qin Lang hadn't received the latest news about the eastern battlefield at this time, and didn't know that the tens of thousands of Dangxiang Qiang had already planned to detour to the west by the Qiang River, he realized intuitively that with a famous general like Qin Qiong in Jiachuan, he won another 20,000 from Zhang Shigui. With reinforcements from many horses, it was extremely difficult for the Qiang people to return from the original route.
In this case, if they want to retreat, they can only rely on the Qiang and Tuyuhun people in the west to support them.
Tuyuhun and Dangxiang Qiang will definitely not just attack Jiachuan, but will definitely attack in several ways, so that they can be more confident.
This is just an inference and prediction that every qualified general will make.
The Dangxiang people and Qiang people followed behind, so this judgment is easier to come to, but he did not expect that after Dangxiang Qiang rescued Wenzhou, he would kill Wenzhou again, let alone these The guy didn't dare to beat Qin Qiong hard, but instead ran east, and then detoured Qiangshui, trying to go through three states and kill him back to his hometown.
Normally speaking, they should go back from Jiachuan.
Qin Lang wanted to prevent Tuyuhun and Dangxiang Qiang from attacking Diezhou here, but unexpectedly, he hit them by mistake, and instead took the first step, blocking the retreat of Xifeng Bulai and others.
Su Dingfang, Liang Jianfang and other generals were all brave and warlike, and they were a little bit reluctant to retreat like this. Hearing that Qin Lang said that he would stay in Diezhou and fight another battle with the Dangxiang people and even the Tuyuhun people, they all became excited .
All the generals clapped their chests and shouted to give the Qiang thieves a look.
After a brief discussion, Qin Lang made the decision to stay in Diezhou to stop the enemy from following him.
The order was issued quickly, and nearly 3,000 soldiers had no objection, but were very excited. The Qingqi began to repair the city wall of Hechuan, and added fortifications such as Juma.
Lao Liu also proposed to divide the troops to defend the two cities of Lechuan and Diechuan, and also proposed to send troops to Fangzhou to station.
Diezhou and Fangzhou are adjacent to each other, guarding the exit of the upper reaches of the Qiangshui River Valley.
Although there is a risk of dispersing troops, considering that the cities in Diezhou and Fangzhou are actually extremely dangerous mountain fortresses, all of which are easy to defend and difficult to attack, Qin Lang thinks that Lao Liu's proposal is also good.
Concentrating all the troops in Diezhou City, in fact, some defenses overflowed, and his soldiers are cavalry, and they are all concentrated on the mountain, which is not conducive to defense and counterattack. It would be better to disperse them in several castles, which would be more flexible and proactive.
However, this will test the commanding ability of the generals, as well as the ability of the generals who divide the troops to grasp the battle situation. Otherwise, the troops will be scattered and they will be easily defeated one by one.
In the end, everyone unanimously agreed that Qin Lang would personally sit in Diezhou City, Su Dingfang would lead 1,000 riders to garrison Fangzhou Changfen City, Liang Jianfang and Gao Zhensheng would each lead 500 riders to the two cities of Lechuan and Diechuan, and Gao Kan would lead 300 riders. Moved to Mamu Castle, the former city of the Tuyuhun people, 30 miles east of Diezhou City.
Xi Junmai still led more than a hundred riders from the headquarters, stationed in the ruins of an ancient Qiang city in Dangchang, 20 miles west of Diezhou, and went out to explore.
Agreed to send signals with beacon smoke, support each other, and stop the enemy together.
"Since the soldiers of the Great Tang Dynasty are here, we will never let the Xirong violate our borders of the Great Tang Dynasty!"
Lao Liu, who is nearly 70 years old, is not to be outdone, and proposes to lead the army and people of Diezhou to help out. He also said that he is also more prestigious among the Qiang people in Diezhou, and he can call on these Qiang tribes in Diezhou to send troops to help!
(end of this chapter)