Three Kingdoms

Chapter 385 Decline of Pingyang

Fei Qian's Beiqu camp was not located at the former site of Beiqu County, but in the Xinshui River Basin to the southwest, and some distance to the east-south of the Xinshui River was Pingyang County, which was also the old Pingyang country.

The old Pingyang Kingdom was originally the fiefdom of Cao Shen, a great hero of the Han Dynasty. Cao Shen followed Liu Bang in revolting against Qin in Peixian County. He experienced hundreds of battles and made many military exploits, conquering two countries and 122 counties. After Liu Bang became emperor, he rewarded meritorious ministers based on their merits, and Cao Shen ranked second in merit. Therefore, Cao Shen was granted the title of Marquis of Pingyang and established the Marquis of Pingyang with 1600 households.

However, during the sixth generation of Pingyang Marquis, Cao Zong, the fifth grandson of Cao Shen, was dismissed because of the prince's rebellion. The country was wiped out with a household of 23,000.

Later, although Cao Ben, the eighth grandson of Cao Shen, became the Marquis of Pingyang and restored the Marquis of Pingyang, which had been eliminated for 90 years, it was already in a state of decline, with only a thousand households...

During Wang Mang's period, Pingyang Marquis Cao Ben died, and his son Cao Hong succeeded to the throne.

In the second year of Emperor Guangwu's reign, Cao Hong raised troops to assist Emperor Guangwu in pacifying Hebei. Therefore, after Guangwu ascended the throne, he continued to attack the throne as before. Later, Cao Hong died and was succeeded by his son Cao Kuang.

But unfortunately, Cao Kuang died without an heir, and the entire so-called Pingyang Cao family was cut off, and Pingyang County declined again...

In the second year after the founding of Emperor Zhang of the Han Dynasty, Xia Zhao reinstated Cao Shen, and Cao Zhan became Marquis of Rongcheng, continuing Cao Shen's sacrifice.

Soon, it was cut off again.

In the third year of Yongchu reign of Emperor He of the Han Dynasty, Emperor He ordered Da Honglu to search for Cao Zhan's close relatives and grant him a title.

Fortunately, after this time, the number of Rongcheng Marquises conferred by Cao Shen's descendants never ceased in the Han Dynasty.

However, this is no longer in Pingyang, but in Rongcheng.

But now, the old Pingyang County in front of Fei Qian is already covered with yellow sand and ruins...

More than a hundred years later, the original prosperous princely kingdom has completely disappeared.

Fei Qian asked Ma Yue and his soldiers to set up camp near the original site of Pingyang County, while he and Huang Cheng slowly walked to the old site of Pingyang County.

Any powerful things in the world are as small as fine dust in the face of time.

The city wall of Pingyang County may have been a majestic behemoth many years ago, but now it is completely abandoned, with no one on duty to guard it. The blue bricks on the surface of many places on the city wall have collapsed to the ground, exposing the rammed earth inside. The layers are like the remains of a giant who died and were buried in the desert, looking so desolate. Some wild grasses grow strongly in the gaps between the blue bricks and soil of the city wall, adding a little bit of vitality and greenness to the yellow and black.

In ancient times, grass could not grow on city walls. The roots of the grass would destroy the original compact green bricks and soil layers, and then collapse very easily. Therefore, once grass grows, it must be removed immediately. However, abandoned cities like Pingyang, Naturally, no one will manage and clean it up...

Fei Qian looked around and found a gap where the city wall had collapsed quite badly. He climbed up and found that a lot of the original green bricks on the wall had fallen off, forming a slope for stepping on. Fei Qian crouched, using his hands and feet, and stepped onto the rammed earth layer of the city wall without much effort. However, while climbing, he was stained by fine yellow sand and had yellow marks all over his body.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

No matter how prosperous, majestic and dazzling it is, it is just a piece of loess under your feet.

"Shuye, what do you think about us setting up a camp here?"

Huang Cheng stood beside Fei Qian, looked around, hesitated, and said: "This place is flat. Although there is water, there is no danger to defend it. I'm afraid..."

The terrain of the ruins of the old Pingyang County and the Beiqu Camp built by Fei Qian are completely different.

Beiqu Camp is located in the hilly area on the edge of the Loess Plateau. Although the water and soil damage on the Loess Plateau in the Han Dynasty was not as obvious as in later generations, millions of years of rainfall and water erosion have gradually produced some folded terrain on the Loess Plateau. , the terrain is also relatively fragmented, the landform is undulating, and mountains, hills, plains and wide valleys coexist. If someone who is not familiar with the terrain breaks in, looking at the mountains and running to death is not just an adjective...

But the ruins of the old county town of Pingyang are not like this.

This place is located on the west bank of the Fenshui River system, at the intersection of the folded terrain of the Fenshui Plain and the Loess Plateau. The terrain is relatively flat, without so many ravines and hills, and is suitable for growing crops. However, it is also precisely because of this that it is not a one-man village. When it is closed, it is a place that no one can open.

That's what Huang Cheng meant by what he didn't say.

Although the decline of Pingyang County was due to the death of Pingyang Marquis, it was mostly related to the terrain where it was located...

Fei Qian slowly walked along the rammed earth of the city wall into the old city. Although the rammed earth wall had mostly collapsed, it was not easy to walk. The watchtower on the city gate has collapsed and the city gate hole has been completely blocked. Therefore, if you want to enter the city, it should be easier to climb over the gap in the broken city wall than to open the city gate.

"Pingyang County has been abandoned for about twenty years, right?"

Fei Qian slid down the rammed earth layer of the city wall with a steep slope, carefully avoiding some areas that seemed loose when he stepped on it, and descended into the city of Pingyang County.

Huang Cheng and several personal guards were obviously much better than Fei Qian, and they all got down smoothly.

"I'm not sure about this, but judging from the situation, it should be about the same." Huang Cheng broke off a wooden beam of the collapsed house and found that the wood was basically rotten, so he said.

In the early Han Dynasty, the world was settled, so this flat area was suitable for planting a large number of crops. Without the war, the area soon became prosperous. When Cao Shen made a marquis here, Pingyang County had a population of 10,000 to 20,000 households. It was really It is a huge county.

But when the war comes, it will not be easy to defend here. It will not be possible to defend the city if the enemy comes, and it will be even worse if the enemy does not defend the city. Then the barbarians will plunder. Today, the Huns will come, and tomorrow the Qiang will come again. , no matter how flat the land is, no matter how suitable the soil is for planting, without a safe environment, how can we ensure harvest?

Without the grain harvest, it was naturally impossible to live in it, so slowly, the population moved away, to Linfen in the southwest, to Xiangling, which has a favorable geographical location, and Pingyang City was naturally abandoned...

But it is undeniable that Pingyang is indeed a good place.

Not only is this place good for having suitable land for farming in the surrounding area, abundant water sources, and convenient transportation, but more importantly, this county town is ownerless. As long as Fei Qian has the ability to control this area, it will naturally be here. Will become Feiqian's industry.

But the premise is that it must be preserved...

Cheng Yu reminded Cao Cao many times before burning Red Cliff...

When Pang Tong presented the chain plan, he reminded him that if they were tied together and encountered a fire attack, they would be finished. Cao Cao laughed and said: It's okay, there is no southeast wind in winter;

When the southeast wind started blowing up, Cheng Yu reminded him again, and Cao Cao laughed: "The winter solstice is a day of sunshine, and it is normal for the southeast wind to blow occasionally;

Huang Gai pretended to surrender with his ship. Cheng Yu was the first to realize that something was wrong. Cao Cao did not laugh this time, but after hearing the explanation, it was too late to stop him.

By the way, when Huarong Road was blocked by Guan Yu in the end, Cao Cao's men were either dumbfounded or wanted to fight to the death. Only Cheng Yu persuaded Cao Cao to come forward and show his affection in person, and they were able to escape.

But what did Cao Cao do after that?

He beat his chest, stamped his feet, looked up to the sky and cried: If Guo Jia was still alive, how could I have suffered such a defeat!

Cheng Yu's mood...

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