Three Kingdoms: Ancestors of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 181 Ma Zheng
In the sixth year of Jianxing, Emperor Liu Chan of the Han Dynasty, at the beginning of June.

Zhuge Liang finally finished his horse affairs, and Liu Chan, who had been waiting for a long time, returned to Chengdu.

Liu Chanyu drove along the West Han River into Qishan Road, turned east, entered Hanzhong, and then turned south to return to Chengdu.

Along the way, Liu Chan is also re-inspecting the situation in counties and counties.At this time, after more than a month of settlement, the government affairs of the county and county began to operate, and the people slowly returned to their homes. Although it was still a bit barren, it could be seen that there was a vitality hidden in it.

On the Western Han water channel repaired by Yang Xi, in addition to the public ships and military boats, there are also some Bashu merchants' boats.

It can be clearly felt that under the governance of Qinzhou officials, people's hearts in Longyou have begun to stabilize, and order is slowly being restored.Although the ruler has changed, the common people in the countryside don't care about these problems. They have grown summer crops in the fields normally. No matter whether the sky is falling or not, they still have to eat.

During the summer months, the weather is hot and the wind is mild.After settling in Longyou, Zhuge Liang was all smiles all the way. On the imperial drive, he and Liu Chan had a great time talking about Longxi Mazheng.

Liu Chan's face was calm, but his tone was full of doubts. He asked, "Bo Zhan (Ma Dai) is in charge of the horse administration, is it really feasible?"

With a smile on the corner of Zhuge Liang's mouth, he said comfortingly: "Your Majesty, don't worry, Bo Zhan is a cautious man, good at horse nature, familiar with the grasslands in Longyou. Zong Yu) will be able to live up to the trust of the great man."

Zhuge Liang inspected all parts of Longyou, and Ma Dai followed him.After more than half a ten-day inspection, Zhuge Liang decided to set up pastoral gardens on the border of Longyou, such as the warrior pastoral gardens in Nan'an County, Gupo pastoral gardens in Tianshui County, and Qingshui pastoral gardens in Hanchang County (Guangwei County).

Later, Zhuge Liang ordered Ma Dai to serve as the priest order and take charge of Longyou Mazheng.And Liu Chan had many doubts about Ma Dai's post as priest, but out of trust in Zhuge Liang, he still handed over Longyou Pastoral Garden to Ma Dai's jurisdiction.

Seeing that Liu Chan's doubts could not be dispelled, Zhuge Liang guessed and asked, "I wonder if your Majesty was influenced by the post-Han horse administration, thinking that only Confucian scholars can serve as officials below the imperial servant?"

Hearing this, Liu Chan raised his eyes to look at Zhuge Liang, shook his head and said, "That's not true. I thought Bo Zhan was good at riding and fighting, so I didn't let him train cavalry. Instead, let Bo Zhan handle horse affairs and manage the pastoral garden. I was worried that people would not be able to do their best. That's all."

Zhuge Liang shook his feather fan lightly, and said with a smile, "Does Your Majesty know the gains and losses of Ma Zheng in the former Han and later Han?"

"I don't know much about it. I only know that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty raised more than [-] horses in Longyou. The horse administration in the later Han Dynasty fell, and most of the Confucian scholars governed the pastoral gardens. It was useless." Liu Chan shook his head and replied.

"Your Majesty doesn't know something!" Zhuge Liang said: "In the former Han Dynasty, most of the horses in the official camp set up pastoral gardens on the northwest border. The pastoral gardens were often harassed by enemy horses. Therefore, the pastoral gardens must guard against foreign enemies and thieves. This is a trouble. Therefore, the people in the pastoral garden often teach riding and fighting, so as to defend against foreign enemies, and they can go out with the army."

Liu Chan nodded thoughtfully, looked at Zhuge Liang, and said, "Does Xiangfu want Bo Zhan to follow the horse administration of the former Han Dynasty?"

Zhuge Liang nodded and said with relief: "There are similarities, but there are also differences. Most of the people in the Muyuan in the former Han Dynasty were servants. They taught riding and fighting, and most of them defended against foreign enemies."

"As for the government of the ministers, choose soldiers to enter the pasture garden and raise war horses. The chief is the cavalry commander, and the officials are cavalry soldiers. The pastoral garden raises war horses and practices riding and shooting diligently in the pastoral garden. In wartime, they can go out with the army when needed. After a few years, you can get thousands of elite cavalry and strong horses, wouldn't it be wonderful!"

Liu Chan was not happy when he heard the words, but frowned slightly, hesitating for a while, and said: "At present, my big man has just captured Longyou, and Cao Wei will attack me soon. I am afraid that the pastoral garden will have a lot of time to raise war horses. for military supplies."

"Your Majesty's question, I just want to tell your Majesty." Zhuge Liang shook his feather fan lightly, and said with a smile: "The horse administration in the later Han Dynasty has been abolished, and the former Han Dynasty no longer raises war horses in official camps for self-sufficiency, but buys them, pays tribute, and plunders them. War horses for military supplies. Although this move is unsustainable in the long run, in the short term, there is still no shortage of war horses."

Liu Chan suddenly realized, clapped his palms, sighed, and said, "I just found out why Xiangfu sent Bozhan to serve as the post of pastor. Xiangfu wanted to use Bozhan's identity and his ability to ride and fight to make him govern the horse administration."

Zhuge Liang shook his feather fan lightly, nodded and smiled.

Liu Chan couldn't help sighing, Zhuge Liang is a great talent!Zhuge Liang asked Ma Dai to serve as the pastor order to govern the newly established pastoral garden. On the surface, he asked Ma Dai to raise war horses and use them for military supplies, but Zhuge Liang's purpose was not here.

Ma Dai is proficient in cavalry warfare, a rare and excellent cavalry general in Ji Han, but he has another identity, that is, the younger brother of Ma Chao, General Shenweitian.

Although what Ma Chao did in Longyou was not popular in Longyou, Ma Chao had a very good relationship with the Qiang people, and most Qiang people worshiped him.

Ma Dai, who inherited his political legacy, may be difficult to move forward among the Han people in Longyou, but he may be very popular among the Qiang people.

It may be difficult for Ma Dai to appease the Qiang tribe, but it is not too difficult for him to buy war horses by virtue of his identity and hoard them for the Han army in a short period of time.After a short period of time, the animal husbandry can raise war horses. After a few years, when the young horses grow up, the big man can be self-sufficient.

In addition, cavalry recruits can enter the pastoral garden to raise horses. Ma Dai serves as the pastor's order, and his subordinates serve as pastoral garden officials.In leisure time, he teaches riding and fighting, and feeds war horses; in wartime, he is incorporated into the Han army to fight.

This move does not need to worry about delaying time at all, but it will allow cavalry recruits to get along with horses for a long time, master horsemanship, and become excellent cavalry, just like nomadic soldiers.

Liu Chan let go of his knots, and said with a smile, "I don't know if Xiangfu will give Bo Zhan the sharp weapon of cavalry, so that he can use it on the cavalry."

The sharp weapons of riding in Liu Chan's mouth are stirrups and horseshoes. Takahashi saddles existed in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

When Zhuge Liang heard this, the smile on his face was even brighter, he couldn't close his mouth from ear to ear, and said with a smile: "Bo Zhan was overjoyed when he saw the stirrups, and said, "If a person can become an elite cavalry soldier in three years, but with the help of stirrups, it will take more than a year to learn." , you can become an elite cavalry pawn.'”

"As for the horseshoes, Bo Zhan also praised them again and again. He also said that with horseshoes, the number of damaged horses can be greatly reduced."

Liu Chan knew that Zhuge Liang was not proficient in riding and had no experience in fighting enemies on horseback, so he could only quote Ma Dai's words to express the importance of these two things.

Liu Chan, who is proficient in riding and shooting, knows that the appearance of double stirrups and stirrups has changed the form of riding and fighting to a large extent. In the past, only people who were very proficient in riding and fighting could do sprinting, stabbing, chopping and other actions on horseback.

The stirrup greatly reduces the difficulty, allowing more cavalry to free their hands, rely on their feet to control their balance on the horse, and perform actions such as sprinting, stabbing, chopping, and hitting.This also makes it easier for farming peoples to defeat nomads.

Horseshoes (Note ①) protect the horseshoe, reduce damage to the horse, and at the same time allow the horse to grip more stably and increase speed.
-
①Horseshoes have multiple sources, the West originated from Rome, and China originated from the Xianbei tribe of the Western Han Dynasty (horseshoe iron shoes), but they were not widely spread until the Yuan Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)