Chapter 385 Decline of Pingyang


    Feiqian''s Beiqu camp was not located at the former site of Beiqu County, but in the Xinshui River Basin to the southwest. A distance further east-south of the Xinshui River was Pingyang County, which was also the old Pingyang lord country.


    ??The old Pingyang Kingdom was originally a fiefdom owned by 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, and the country was wiped out. At the time of the rule, the household was 23,000.


    ? Later, although Cao Shen’s eighth grandson Cao Benshi was the Marquis of Pingyang and restored the Pingyang Marquis that 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 heirs, and the entire so-called Pingyang Cao family was cut off, and Pingyang County declined again...


    ?In the second year of 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 offer him a title.


    Fortunately, after this time, the number of Rongcheng marquises granted by Cao Shen''s descendants was never cut off in the Han Dynasty.


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


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


    The former prosperous princely state has completely disappeared after more than a hundred years.


    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 thing in the world is 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 weeds grew strongly in the gaps between the blue bricks and soil of the city wall, adding a little bit of vitality and greenery to the yellow-black landscape.


    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 saw that a lot of the original green bricks on the city wall had fallen off, forming a **** 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.


    “Shu Ye, what do you think of us setting up a camp here?”


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


    ??The topography 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 Pingyang old county seat site is 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 the meaning of what Huang Cheng didn''t say.


    ??The decline of Pingyang County, although it is due to the death of Pingyang Marquis, is mostly related to the terrain where it is 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 nearly 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 stepped on, and descended into the city of Pingyang County.


    Huang Cheng and several of his 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 was granted a title 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, so slowly, the population moved away, to Linfen in the southwest, to Xiangling, which has a favorable 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 being surrounded by suitable land for farming, with abundant water resources, 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.


    ??It’s just that the premise is that it can be saved...


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


    When Pang Tong presented the chain plan, he reminded that if they were tied together and attacked by fire, 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 came to remind him again. Cao Cao laughed: The sun rises on the winter solstice, and it is normal for the southeast wind to blow occasionally;


    Huang Gai led the ship to pretend to surrender. 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?


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


    Cheng Yu’s mood…


    (End of this chapter)