Chapter 146: Questioning the crime
On the grassland, Gao Huan and his group, who had been away from Su Ze's camp for more than half a month, camped beside a stream. Yu Jin held a map in his hand and asked the [Yulin scout who was fluent in the Hu language] who came back with information.
Yu Jin asked, "Are you sure you have discovered the Gaoche people's royal court?"
The Yu Lin scout who was fluent in the Hu language said with his hands crossed: "I am sure! I have captured a few lone herdsmen and confirmed that this is the Gaoche royal court!"
Yu Jin inquired about the intelligence in detail and finally confirmed that what the scouts described was indeed the royal court of the Gaoche people.
Yu Jin's grandfather Yu Di was once sent as an envoy to Gaoche and was imprisoned by the king of Gaoche for three years. In the end, his unyielding spirit moved the king and he finally returned to Northern Wei.
After returning to the Northern Wei Dynasty, Yu Ti wrote a book about his experiences in Gaoche, drew a map of the location of the Gaoche royal court based on his memory, and asked the children of his clan to learn the northern Hu languages, especially the Gaoche language.
Before going on the expedition, Yu Jin also carefully read the books left by his grandfather and copied a copy of his grandfather's map.
But unfortunately, the map left by grandfather Yu Di was very simple, and Gaoche was a nomadic tribe, and their royal court would also move. If Yu Jin and Su Ze's scouts had not been fluent in the Hu language and confirmed the location of the royal court from the Shang people, they would not have been able to find this grassland at all.
Finally found!
Yu Jin breathed a sigh of relief. He finally lived up to Su Ze's expectations and found the Gaoche Royal Court!
But Yu Jin did not relax. Finding the Gaoche royal court was only the first step of the plan. The challenge he would face next would be a hundred times more difficult than searching for the Gaoche royal court on the grassland.
At this time, Gao Huan, Sima Ziru and Hou Jing returned to the temporary camp with their prey.
After Hou Jing knew that Yu Jin was Li Chong's military officer and realized that Yu Jin was a military general "within the system", he became very flattering to Yu Jin.
He came to Yu Jin with the hare in his hand and said, "General Yu, we have rabbit meat to eat today."
Yu Jin was quite disgusted with Hou Jing's flattery, but Hou Jing also played a huge role along the way. Relying on Hou Jing's beast-like intuition, the team avoided risks many times. Yu Jin could only accept Hou Jing's kindness.
Even in the face of Hou Jing's flattery, Yu Jin also gave him some advice on military tactics. However, what surprised Yu Jin was that Hou Jing, a soldier of the Six Garrisons who came from a humble background, was actually extremely talented in military tactics!
Each of the assistants that Su Ze arranged for himself has unique skills and is a capable person.
After the three of them came back, Yu Jin immediately said, "We have found the Gaoche King's tent. You all accompanied me here and have completed Captain Su's commission. Now is the most dangerous time, and it's my turn to go."
Gao Huan immediately said, "Brother Yu, what are you talking about? We have been through life and death with you all the way. Are we going to run away at this last moment? Wouldn't that make the other men in the Six Garrisons laugh at us?"
"Since we came together, let's go together. Only then can I explain to Brother Su!"
Yu Jin felt a little touched. No wonder Su Ze spoke so highly of Gao Huan. This man had a heroic spirit that made people want to get close to him.
It would be wrong for Yu Jin to be pretentious towards such a companion. He nodded and tacitly agreed that Gao Huan and others would continue to accompany him into the Gaoche royal court.
Yu Jin removed the blanket tied under the horse's belly. He carefully spread out the blanket, revealing a wooden cane wrapped in layers of blanket.
Yu Jin took out the walking stick. The flag on the top of the walking stick hung down. The red yak hair was very bright, and there was a hollow symbol at the bottom.
When Gao Huan and his companions saw the cane, they held their breath. This was a scepter awarded by the Wei court!
The imperial envoys represented the Central Plains court. In the past, Zhang Qian, Su Wu and Ban Gu visited the Western Regions and the grasslands with imperial envoys in hand. Even the Huns did not dare to kill the envoys holding the imperial envoys without authorization.
However, the chariot sticks of the Han Dynasty did not have tokens. The Western Jin Dynasty reformed the chariot sticks. Four kinds of tokens, made of gold, silver, copper and iron, were hung under the chariot sticks, representing different statuses: Fake chariot sticks: Iron tokens were used to punish people who disobeyed military orders during war.
Holding the Imperial Token: A bronze token which gives one the power to kill people without official positions in peacetime and officials below the fifth rank in times of war.
Envoy with a Silver Token: A silver token that can be used to kill officials below the fifth rank regardless of peacetime or wartime.
Fake Jieyue: Golden talisman. The above three situations have the power of life and death, and can only be possessed by people in high positions and with great power.
There are a total of two tokens in the army heading north, one is from General Li Chong who holds the token, and the other is Li Shizhe who holds the token and is the junior minister of the Imperial Household who is ordered by the court to lead the army in the northern expedition.
The bronze token hanging on the staff in Yu Jin's hand was the one that Su Dao had stolen from Li Shizhe's tent.
But no matter what kind of token it is, it is a symbol of the Wei court.
Yu Jin put on the envoy's traveling crown, which was the crown worn by his grandfather Yu Ti when he was riding in the imperial carriage. After putting on a jade hairpin, Yu Jin suddenly became an elegant civil official.
Gao Huan and others pretended to be Yu Jin's guards, and they came to the front of the Gaoche royal court in a swaggering manner. Yu Jin held up the chariot flag high, and the flag fluttered in the wind. Seeing the crowd like this, the Gaoche cavalry did not dare to stop them and let them go straight to the royal court.
The Gaoche people regard their cars as their homes. The more gorgeous the car is, the higher their status in the tribe.
When they arrived in front of a huge gilded carriage, Gao Huan and others held their breath.
The car is carved with intricate patterns, all of which are covered in gold.
But this was not the reason why Gao Huan and others were shocked. The car was really too big!
It would take twelve horses standing side by side to pull this carriage. The wheels of this carriage are taller than a person. This is not a carriage at all, it is simply a moving castle!
But Yu Jin was not surprised at all. His grandfather's book had recorded the appearance of this Gaoche. This was the Gaoche where the current king of Gaoche lived, and it was also the most honorable royal court of the Gaoche people!
Yes, the royal court of the Gaoche people is not a grassland or a city, but such a huge carriage!
The relationship between Gaoche and Rouran was one of two grassland civilizations constantly competing for leadership.
When the Rouran was strong, Gaoche surrendered to them and assisted them in attacking the Northern Wei as their vassal.
When the Gaoche tribe became powerful, they would submit to the Northern Wei and join forces with the Northern Wei to suppress the Rouran tribe.
The current Gaoche King Mi'etu, with the help of Emperor Xuanwu, once killed the Rouran Khan Futu, thus gaining the status of overlord of the Western Regions. Later, he sent envoys to pay tribute to Emperor Xuanwei with a very submissive attitude.
Unfortunately, after Emperor Xuanwu ascended the throne, the attitude of Gaoche King Mi'etu changed. Since the young emperor ascended the throne, Gaoche had never sent envoys to pay tribute again. And in this invasion of Rouran, many vassal tribes of Gaoche were also mixed in.
Looking at the huge golden carriage, Yu Jin took a deep breath, stood proudly with his staff in hand, and shouted at the carriage:
"The envoy of Wei is here! Why has Gaoche King Mi'etu not been to the court for several years?"
(End of this chapter)