Chapter 621: The major forces in Xiliang

On July 21, in the fourth year of Tiantong, Zhuge Zhan brought the leader of Naiqin tribe Tozo back to Xiabian City, and told Li Siye about the request put forward by Tozo. Li Siye had no problem with this. First, Li Siye did not feel that he would not be able to defeat Xiliang. Second, Deng Sheng, who was far away in Wancheng, also agreed to accept the Qiang tribe who was eager to Deng State, so Li Siye agreed readily, but Li Siye still asked Zhuge Zhan to go to Nanzheng to ask Zhuge Liang. After all, if there was really a possibility, then the place where Naiqin tribe was finally accepted must be Zhuge Liang, so it still needed to get Zhuge Liang's consent.

So, Zhuge Zhan rushed to Nanzheng without stopping. On July 28, in the fourth year of Tiantong, Zhuge Zhan returned to Wudu County with his satisfactory reply. However, he did not go to Xiabian, but went directly to the Naiqin tribe outside the Qiangdao City. After a conversation with Tozo, the leader of the Naiqin tribe, and took Tozo back to Xiabian City with Tozo.

In the fourth year of Tiantong, on the second day of the eighth month, Zhuge Zhan brought Tozo back to Xiabian City. Li Siye personally brought people outside the city to greet him. Originally, a small tribe like Enaki tribe only needed to send an official to greet him. Li Siye could not come in person. However, Naiqi tribe was the first Qiang tribe to surrender to Deng State, and the Qiang people were the key to the Deng State's governance of Xiliang counties in the future. Therefore, to show sincerity, Li Siye personally greeted him outside the city and also expressed goodwill to all Qiang tribes.

"Captain Tozo, this is Li Siye, General of the Cavalry of our General Deng General's Office, General Li Siye!" Zhuge Zhan introduced Li Siye to Tozo.

Seeing this, Tozo hurriedly saluted Li Siye with fear and fear, "Tuzo has seen General Li!" Although Tozo is the leader of Naiqi, Naiqi is a small tribe. The biggest official that Tozo has ever seen in his life is only the prefect of a county. Moreover, with the strength of Naiqi, the prefect of a county may not take Tozo seriously. Suddenly, a general appeared. Although Tozo was not sure what kind of official the general was in the General's Governor's Office was, he still understood the title of general. If a big word was added in front of the general, it means that the person in front of him was bigger than all the generals.

Li Siye smiled and helped Tozo up and said, "The leader of Tozo doesn't have to be too polite. You are the leader of the Naiqi tribe who dominates the life and death, rise and fall, honor and disgrace of the people of a clan. In terms of status and status, you are still above me, Li Siye. There is no need to be so restrained!"

"I dare not! I dare not!" Tozo said repeatedly, "I dare not."

"Okay, Chief Tozo, this is not a place to talk. Please follow me to enter the city. I have prepared a banquet in the city to welcome the leader!" Li Siye saw that Tozo was still so reserved, so he asked Tozo to enter the city.

After entering the city, during the banquet, Li Siye asked Tozo about the situation of the Xiliang counties. Tozo replied: "General, because I have been traveling in Xiliang counties for many years in the past few years, and I am somewhat familiar with the terrain of the Xiliang counties. However, after all, my territory is just an insignificant small tribe and has no ability to contact the top leaders of the Qin army. I don't know the deployment of the Qin army in Xiliang counties at all. However, I heard that the largest official in the Qin army in Xiliang is Ma Zhi. In Xiliang, all the Qin army, including those county magistrates in Xiliang, must listen to him."

"Ma Zhi? No impression!" Li Siye tried hard to recall the name Ma Zhi. It is logical that the Qin army that could control the entire eight counties of Xiliang must be a famous general in Qin. However, no matter how Li Siye recalled it, he could not remember a person named Ma Zhi.

At this time, Chen Suo, who had been sitting in the last seat, stepped out and said, "General, the villain knows this Ma Zhi!" Although Chen Suo is a person of Mingjing and the generation of Darkness, he is also one of the senior executives, at this time, his identity is only a businessman in Hanzhong County. He is not qualified to sit here, but considering that he is the person most familiar to Tozo and among all the people here, Tozo trusts the most, so Li Siye also attended Chen Suo.

"Oh, let's talk about it carefully!" When Chen Suo heard that he knew Ma Zhi, Li Siye asked quickly, "There is no choice but to be prepared to meet, but now he doesn't even know the basic situation of his opponent.

Chen Suo said: "Ma Zhi was born in the Ma clan of the Western Liang Dynasty. The Ma clan was originally from the Central Plains. When he moved west with the descendants of Ying Qin, he took root in Wuwei County of Xiliang. However, he remained unknown until Ma Zhi's father Ma Hong joined the army and became the command of Meng Wen, the father of the former Qin general Meng Zhan. Later, Ma Hong married the daughter of the Qiang nobles, received the support of some Qiang tribes, and began to make his mark in the army. At that time, the turmoil of the Qiang tribes broke out one after another. In order to suppress and appease the Qiang tribe, Qin promoted Ma Hong vigorously. Finally, Ma Hong took the position of General Pingxi and the governor of Tianshui County."

"At this point, the Ma clan began to rise. Ma Hong had three sons in his lifetime, Ma Sheng, the eldest son, who was famous in Qin, who was famous all over the world. Later, he was killed in Qunin City by Duke Chen (Chang Yuchun). His second son Ma Yang died in Xiliang in his early years. The third son was Ma Zhi. Ma Zhi's ability was not outstanding among the three brothers. The position of the patriarch of the Ma clan was originally Ma Sheng. Later, Ma Sheng followed Qin into Guanzhong, so he left Ma Zhi to deal with the family affairs in Xiliang."

"After Ma Sheng's death, Ma Zhi officially became the leader of the Ma clan. In order to compensate Ma Sheng for the heroic death of Qunin City in battle, Ma Zhi did have some ability. Moreover, because of the relationship between the Ma clan and the Qiang tribe, Qin promoted Ma Zhi to General Pingxi and the magistrate of Wuwei County, and at the same time controlled the troops of Xiliang. Because of Ma Zhi's existence, although the Qiang tribe occasionally had turmoil in recent years, it was generally stable. In that year, Ma Sheng selected 5,000 elite troops from various Qiang tribes with the Qiang tribes and formed a Qiang racer who was good at riding and shooting and was very strong. After Ma Sheng went to Chang'an, this racer was in the hands of Ma Zhi." Chen Suo continued.

Li Siye nodded. He didn't know Ma Zhi, but he still knew Ma Sheng. Ma Sheng was a famous general of Qin. Although he was defeated in Quren City and died in the battlefield, at that time, Ma Sheng led far fewer troops than Deng's army and was in an isolated and helpless situation. It can be said that it was a crime of non-war. In terms of ability, Ma Sheng was a bit stronger than Wang Feng and Ying Huai. If he hadn't died early, he would have the position of the Minister of Responsible. As Ma Sheng's younger brother, Ma Zhi could gain the trust of Qin and control the troops of Xiliang. He should have good abilities.

"Ma Sheng was over fifty years old when he died in Qunin City in battle. As his younger brother, Ma Zhi should be no longer much older!" said Li Siye.

Chen Suo nodded and said, "It is said that Ma Zhi is a few years younger than Ma Sheng, but he is also at the age of knowing destiny."

"The relationship between Ma Zhi and the Qiang tribes in the Xiliang counties is so extraordinary. Wouldn't it be difficult for us to win over the Qiang tribes in the eight counties of Xiliang? Maybe the Qiang people will help Ma Zhi because of their relationship with the Ma clan." Deng Zhong said on the side.

The Ma clan has the blood of the Qiang people and has been in good terms with the Qiang people for many years. If the Deng army enters Xiliang, will the Qiang people in the eight counties of Xiliang resist the Deng army with the Qin army?

When everyone heard this, they nodded repeatedly. This was a big problem. Although the Naiqi tribe had surrendered to the Deng Kingdom and could also win over the Qiang tribes in the Xiliang counties with the same clan, the Naiqi tribe was weak and had no say in the Qiang tribe, but the Ma clan was different. The Ma clan had good friendship with the Qiang tribe for three generations, and the Ma clan was in-laws. Moreover, the Ma clan was strong, which was more worthy of trust than the weak Naiqi tribe.

"Actually not necessarily!" At this time, Tozo said, "Although there are countless Qiang tribes in the eight counties of Xiliang, there are only three most powerful tribes, namely the Pingni tribe, Naifeng tribe, and Mengya tribe. These three tribes are all over 100,000 tribes and tens of thousands of strong people. With the tribes that have joined them, they can easily organize tens of thousands of troops. The entire eight counties of Xiliang are basically led by these three tribes."

Chen Suo, who was standing beside him, nodded and said, "It's basically that. The woman Ma Hong married at that time, and under the control of the Mengya tribe, he shocked other Qiang tribes."

"That's the past!" Tozo continued, "My Naiqian tribe moved from Naifeng tribe, and has been in contact with the ancestral land for many years. Last year, I visited Naifeng tribe. Erto, the leader of Naifeng tribe, complained in front of me, saying that the Mengya tribe relied on the relationship between the Ma clan and bullied people too much and suppressed the Naifeng tribe and the Pingni tribe everywhere. And I also wanted the two tribes to take the lead in supporting the leader of the Mengya tribe, Hu Pi, as the Qiang king. The two tribes did not agree, and they were jointly suppressed by the Qin army and the Mengya tribe."

"In other words, the only one who truly united with the Ma clan in the eight counties of Xiliang was the Mengya tribe?" When everyone heard this, their eyes lit up. Now it was much easier. Two of the three Qiang tribes were dissatisfied with the Qin army. As long as the Deng army instilled a little, they promised that it would be no problem to surrender to the Pingni tribe and the Naifeng tribe. Moreover, Tozo said just now that any of the three tribes can raise tens of thousands of elite troops. This is a very powerful force. The reason why the Qiang tribe could not fight against the Qin army before was that it was not united enough, otherwise the Qin army would definitely not be able to do anything with the bravery of the Qiang tribe.

"I don't know if it's true or false!" Tozo said carefully. He was heard from others and didn't see it with his own eyes, so he was not sure whether what the leader of the Feng tribe, Etu, said in front of him.

"No matter what, the march to Xiliang was the decree issued by His Majesty himself. We must complete it no matter what. So no matter whether the Naifeng tribe and the Pingni tribe really have conflicts with the Mengya tribe and the Qin army, we must try to win over and support the leader. I don't know where the Naifeng tribe is in Xiliang?" Li Siye said.

"It is the Feng tribe in Angucheng in Longxi County, which is close to Taoshui and has a relatively rich water source." Tozo said.

After hearing this, Li Siye hurried to the map and said, "Angucheng is along Taoshui northward, and Didaocheng is the capital of Longxi County. As long as we control Didaocheng, our army can attack Tianshui County to the east and Jincheng County to the north, and there will be many more choices."

"If we want to attack Longxi County, our army will have a roadblock!" At this time, General Li Jing, the Tianwu Guard, said with a smile.

"What General Li said was the southern commander in Lintao City?" Deng Zhong asked. After coming to Xiabian City, Deng Zhong had heard that there was a southern commander's mansion established by the Qin State in Lintao City, which governed the affairs of the three counties of Longxi County, Jincheng County and Wudu County.

Li Jing nodded and said, "It is precisely because when Qin was established in Xiliang, in order to control and balance the ethnic groups of the eight counties of Xiliang, four major commanders were specially established, namely the southern commander of Lintao, the northern commander of Lian County, the eastern commander of Wu and the western commander of Yumen. These four major commanders were the focus of Qin's control of all directions at the beginning, and had heavy troops in four places. However, due to various reasons, the Western Commander's Mansion declined. The Northern Commander's Mansion was established for the issue of support, and in the end, only the Eastern Commander and the Southern Commander's Mansion remained. After the Qin army entered Guanzhong, its status also declined a lot, leaving only the Southern Commander's Mansion."

"General Li, it seems that you know a lot!" Li Siye smiled at the cousin in front of him, and smiled knowingly. Before he decided to attack Xiliang, what Deng's government and the country were most worried about was his unfamiliarity with Xiliang. What Li Siye did not expect was that Li Jing had launched an investigation into the counties of Xiliang so early. After all, these things were not something that could be known by asking questions. In-depth investigations were necessary. Although the information Li Jing received was not particularly useful, it was much better than that without.

Li Jing smiled and said, "This is nothing. My great Deng's strategy is to be determined by the world, and Xiliang is also one of the goals. The last general is just preparing for a little bit of the rain."

"Okay, it's better to prepare for the future. Let's talk about what the situation is like in this southern commander." Li Siye said.

Li Jing continued: "This southern Duwei Mansion is mainly to coordinate the affairs of the three counties of Wudu County, Longxi County and Jincheng County, and is responsible for reconciling the difficulties between the various tribes. But you know very well that the eight counties in Xiliang, except for the Qin people, there are the Qiang people the most. These four commanders, except for the Western Duwei Mansion far away in Yumen, are all used to balance the Qiang people. Among them, the four commanders are the strongest in the southern Duwei Mansion. After the Qin State established the four commanders, they allowed the Duwei Mansion to recruit elites from all races to join the army. From that time on, the Southern Duwei Mansion recruited 20,000 elite troops from all races, especially the Qiang people. Because these troops were only listened to the Duwei Mansion, even the Qin court could not mobilize them."

"There are 20,000 people?" Li Siye was a little surprised, because before he went to war, he had investigated. The Qin army in the eight counties of Xiliang was only 50,000. Unexpectedly, there were 20,000 people in the southern Duwei Mansion in Lintao.
Chapter completed!