Dunhuang County is governed by Dunhuang County. It belongs to the governor of Liangzhou. It was called "Guazhou" in ancient times. According to the "Left Turn", it was originally a territory of "Yun's surname Rong". "Yu Gong? Mountains, Waters and Lands" also records: "In the ancient Guazhou of Dunhuang, good melons were produced in the tribute land of the state."

Dunhuang means grand. At the end of the Qin Dynasty and the beginning of the Han Dynasty, it was the residence of the Dayuezhi. Later, the Yuezhi was exiled by the Xiongnu, and the Dunhuang area became the territory of the Hunxie King. In the second year of Yuande (121 BC), the Xiongnu were defeated and fled far away. Since then, the Han Dynasty established two counties of Wuwei and Jiuquan in Hexi, and built the Great Wall with Yumen and Yangguan as the passes. Ten years later, in the sixth year of Yuanding, Zhangye County and Dunhuang County were divided, and together with Wuwei County and Jiuquan County, they were called the "Four Hexi County" together. The residents moved to the country to guard the land and gradually became popular.

Later, Ban Dingyuan spent his whole life managing the Western Regions. He missed his hometown in his late years and wrote a memorial to beg for home. He once said, "I dare not see you at Jiuquan County, but I hope to be born in Yumen Pass."

Dunhuang was originally just a small county on the border.

The six counties were led by Dunhuang, Ming'an, Xiaogu, Yuanquan, Guangzhi, Longle, and six counties. The east was bounded by Mingshui (Ji Duanshui) and Jiuquan County. In the Han Dynasty, Yuanquan County was changed to Pinquan County. Because it was the important place for customs clearance on the Silk Road and frequent personnel exchanges, it developed very quickly during the Han Dynasty. Foreign trade was very prosperous.

Since Emperor Wu "listed four counties" and "according to the two passes", Dunhuang has been the military, trade, cultural center and transportation throat leading to the Central Plains to the Western Regions. The Central Plains merchants set out from Luoyang, Chang'an and other Tongdu Dayi, and headed westward. They are divided into two north and south routes in Dunhuang: either out of Yangguan, the northern foot of Kunlun Mountain, or out of Yumen, and the southern foot of Tianshan Mountain. Later, they pass through the Western Regions and extend the farthest to the present-day West Asia, Europe and North Africa.

Therefore, Yumen Pass and Yang Pass, one north and one south, are two must pass passes to the Western Regions. The two customs clearance routes from north to south are collectively called the "North and South Silk Road".

In Dunhuang, it became a transit station for caravans, people and animals to rest and goods.

Since it is a transit station, it is reasonable to resell silk to the Western Regions’ wealthy merchants.

This is one of the reasons why everyone believes in what wealthy businessmen say.

The second reason is the Kushan gold coins that I saw with my own eyes.

Kushan kings of all dynasties liked to print their avatars on gold coins. They were exquisitely made and unforgettable. However, the Central Plains was not circulated. They were not visible without bulk trade with the rich merchants in the Western Regions. After all, there were silver coins and copper coins equivalent to Wuzhu coins. In addition to bulk trade, there was no need to settle with gold coins. On the Silk Road, the largest bulk trade was silk.

In addition, Linxiang Hou is famous. Recently, the Eastern Qiang has indeed become much more stable. So he seeks profit and avoids harm, becoming the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Why is it all silk? It’s very simple. If you don’t sell silk, how can it be called the Silk Road?

Just kidding. The reason is all silk is considered in many aspects.

First of all, silk has a high value. Nowadays, cloth is equivalent to currency. And in terms of logistics costs, silk is much lower than other goods.

Later generations divided logistics and transportation into heavy goods and soaked goods. Soaked goods is also called light goods. With the same load, silk will undoubtedly be transported more. With the same load capacity, silk will be lighter.

Moreover, the fabric is not easy to deteriorate or damage. Even if the journey west is difficult, the value retention rate is still very high.

Therefore, Xia Jing carries silk and comes to find out whereabouts of his brother Xia Fu. When he learns about Zhao E's martyrdom, Taichang Zhang Huan tributes him with silk.

Compared with gold that is too profitable, cloth is more popular among scholars.

Such a huge silk caravan is heading west in a vast way. How can it not attract attention?

However, everyone's attention in Chang'an City is now in the Huya Camp, unless there are ulterior motives.

Since Yan Xing and Qu Yi were both selected and returned with a cash box, they returned three days later. In front of the three layers of Chang'an elders inside and outside, they were appointed as the Quhou of the Army by Liu Bei. The rank was 60 shi, 60 hu of the moon, 720 shi a year, and 216,000 shi a year. They were only slightly lower than the rank of the governor of the state.

Only then did everyone realize that Linxiang Hou was not recruiting soldiers, but asking for generals!

How can the standards be equivalent to recruiting soldiers in Jianghuai? No wonder they are so strict that they have to choose from one in a thousand.

The elders of Yongliang have all the knots in their hearts.

After Qu Yi returned home quickly, he persuaded more than a thousand clans to come to apply for the recruitment. Although he only came with four brothers today, a large group of people came one after another. This was the first death warrior who Qu Yi relied on for his fame. Liu Bei had to accept them all no matter what.

It’s a pity that I had something to say to Your Majesty first. I only brought 360 people to clear the Western Regions. Therefore, more than a thousand people were temporarily fostered in Huya Camp. All expenses were taken by Liu Bei. The training was also a member of Linxiang’s retainers. I kept them for later use. I will take them back to Linxiang together after the Western Regions are cleared.

If you are gone, you will first ascend to the death warrior. How can Yuan Benchu ​​defeat Gongsun Bogui?

After a deep conversation with the Qu brothers, I learned that in the early years of Your Majesty, the Ju family in Pingyuan took refuge in Xiping and changed the Qu surname. Later, they became a local surname. Qu Yi grew up in Liangzhou since he was a child and was proficient in the warfare of the Qiang people. He was good at defeating the cavalry.

What Liu Bei didn't know was.

When the Three Kingdoms period was in the Three Kingdoms, the Qu family of Xiping successively raised troops to rebel against Cao, Qu Yan, Qu Guang, Qu Ying and others, all of whom were famous in history.

It is said that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao used the emperor to order the princes to establish the "Han thief". In order to support the Han Dynasty, heroes rose up everywhere. Qu Yan, Zhangye Zhangjin, Jiuquan Huang Hua and others made an appointment to raise troops (can the "uprising" be used here?). Although he was defeated and killed, the rebellion of Wei this time shocked the entire Hexi. After Qu Yan, there were also Qu Guang, Qu Ying and other heroes who successively raised troops to rebel against Cao.

But they were all bloody suppressed by the Cao Wei regime.

In order to prevent the Qu family from rebelling again, during the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, the Qu family in Xiping was ordered to move to Jincheng. The reason was that Jincheng was closer and easy to control.

After moving to Jincheng, the Qu family spent decades of sleeping on firewood and tasting gall. They were ranked as a wealthy family in Xizhou with the You family in Jincheng. At that time, a nursery rhyme was circulated in Jincheng County: "Qu and You, there are no fewer cattle and sheep. Open the rich gates in the south and look at the brothels in the north."

The Tang Dynasty's "Yuanhe surname Zhuan" records: "(Qu) is in Xiping, and the eleventh generation of Sun Jia is in the Juqu family." Qu Jia, the eleventh generation of Sun Jia, was an official in Northern Liang. After the Northern Wei Dynasty destroyed Northern Liang, Qu Jia followed Juqu Wuhui (the grandson of Juqu Mengxun, the king of Northern Liang) through the desert and occupied Shanshan and Gaochang in the Western Region. Later, Juqu Wuhui died of illness, and Qu Jia was then supported by the people of the country. From then on, "Qu family passed on to the country for nine generations" and ruled Gaochang for 134 years.

Therefore, from Liu Bei's standpoint, the Qu family in Xiping can be said to be loyal and kind.

If you are in line with his three views, you should use it yourself.

Silk is expensive and light. The light car can travel 300 miles a day. The caravan arrives at the entrance of the Hexi Corridor soon.

The Hexi Corridor is sandwiched between the Qilian Mountains, Heli Mountains, Longshou Mountains and other mountains. It is narrow and straight, shaped like a corridor. Because it is located west of the river, it is called the "Hexi Corridor".

The corridor runs from southeast to northwest, and passes through the four counties of Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan and Dunhuang in turn, and extends to the vicinity of Yumen Pass. It is more than 2,000 miles long and several miles wide to hundreds of miles.

The convoy took a little supply and then set off from Jincheng. After the Hongchiling (Wushaoling) was flat, it officially entered the Hexi Corridor.

At the same time, dozens of riders who had traveled a long distance also arrived at their destination.
Chapter completed!