Tumeng: I am a national advisor in the Golden Family

Chapter 114 Great Salt Lake

Zhang Yong and Wokuotai left the camp directly that morning and set out toward the west. Following Zhang Yong's instructions, they observed the nearby terrain and looked for green stone mountains.

Then observe some passing birds and see where they land to find the giant salt lake Zhang Yong mentioned.

"Father-in-law, this area of ​​Xiliao is indeed a geomantic treasure, even more strategic than the Khwarezm in the west." Zhang Yong said while sitting on the off-road vehicle.

is not that right?Xiliao now includes the entire Xinjiang region, plus some territories of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

The geographical location is very advantageous. There are countless salt lakes here. In the Hami region alone, Zhang Yong knows of two. There are many salt lakes in the entire Xinjiang region, and the salt resources are very abundant.

In addition, there are various coal mines and oil resources. Now oil can be refined into gasoline, which is a military strategic resource, but the ones in Khwarezm seem to be better and easier to mine.

But Xiliao is very close!This is the biggest advantage,
"Really! I think this place is extremely poor, but there are still a lot of good pastures here, which are very suitable for grazing." Wo Kuotai said.

They Mongolians still prefer land with a lot of pasture, unlike the Jin people who like the Central Plains.

Before the conquest was over, a Mongolian general once proposed to annihilate all the Han, Jurchen, Dangxiang, Uighur, and Khitan peoples south of the Jin Kingdom, and then destroy all the crops and rice fields there, and then spread the Plant grass and turn it into pasture.

This proposal was opposed by Yelu Chucai and a large group of Han military generals, and he was also among the opponents at the time.

Grazing is done wherever possible, but it is better to plant crops wherever crops can be grown. Crops can feed people better. He Wo Kuotai understands this.

"The entire Western Liao Kingdom, the area near the Tianshan Mountains is indeed very suitable for grazing. There is a lot of snow accumulated on the Tianshan Mountains, and snow water flows down from the mountains all year round. But not only grazing, it is also very suitable for growing crops, such as cotton. , planting wheat." Zhang Yong said.

Not suitable for rice.After all, the water resources here are not abundant, but wheat and barley can grow another thing, cotton.

Before crossing over, Xinjiang's cotton output was also among the best. The land in Xiliao could still grow crops very well, and the arable area was not small. There was only the desert area in the central area, so there was not much that could be done.

This era is not suitable for greening the desert. As for some mineral resources in the desert, they have not been mined before crossing, and they have not even been detected, so he does not need to think too much.

"What you mean is that this is a geomantic treasure land, but there are too few people here. Many places are vast and uninhabited!" Wo Kuotai said.

This place in the Western Region is huge, but it is also desolate!

There are quite a few wild deer, wild antelopes, wild horses, bison herds, and wild sheep herds.

Recently, they have hunted a lot of game with their Mongolian cavalry.

There are thousands of antelopes here at one time, and you can shoot many prey with a bow and arrow.

The Mongolians like to hunt very much, so there is no shortage of meat on this land, but there are really not many people, and there are not even as many animals here.

"The area around Khwarazm is also vast and sparsely populated. The same is true for the countries to the west. It is unrealistic to relocate people from there," Ogedai said.

However, if the discovery of the salt mine is true and Genghis Khan can be informed, then his father Khan can be persuaded to move some people over to help mine the salt mine.

Zhang Yong nodded.

This is indeed a problem. The lack of population is the lack of hard power. In the land of Xiliao, after years of war, the available population is too small.

However, if in the future, I can successfully capture the Guanzhong and Hanzhong areas, I can develop westward to capture Lanzhou, seize the entire Gansu, and then connect to the Western Regions.

After several wars in the Central Plains region, there are a large number of refugees who can come here to cultivate and take root in this land. In the future, they can better occupy this land and develop the entire Western Region. (Actually, many book friends have asked me before that the Guanzhong area is seriously affected by water and soil erosion. In fact, the main character wants the Guanzhong area not because of its fertile land, but because it is connected to Sichuan and Shu, to the countries in the western region of Gansu, and to the entire Central Plains. , and even borders the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, which is today's Ningxia, so I don't need to say the importance of this place! To the west, you can capture the entire Xixia, and even the land in Gansu and Qinghai, and you can also connect the snow area. This is a real strategic center point.)
However, Zhang Yong did not make this proposal. This land is now the fiefdom of Wokuotai, and those refugees from the Central Plains are treated as slaves if they are sent here.

Therefore, everything has to wait until he takes power. He must quickly help Mongolia to conquer Xixia and the Jin Kingdom, and then obtain his own land, and then encourage the main Mongolian forces to go to Europe for the Western Expedition.

The pastures along the Volga River are very fertile, and the area there is larger than the entire Central Plains.

In the afternoon of that day, the team led by Zhang Yong and Wo Kuotai found a suitable area based on the movements of some flying birds.

The huge green mountain package Zhang Yong mentioned is surrounded by mountains on all sides. There is a big downhill slope, and after going down, there is a basin.

"Master Wokuotai, we just chased some passing wild ducks all the way here, and found that they landed in front, which should be the place you mentioned." A Mongolian soldier ran over and said.

"Hahaha! Zhang Yong. Did you think it was here?" Wo Kuotai asked.

This place is quite secretive. It is surrounded by mountains and there is only one trail to get down. If you don't search carefully, you won't be able to find it.And there is a lush lake ahead, where many birds live among the reeds.There is ample water in this area.

"Well! Father-in-law, do you see the green hill in front of you right here? Follow the green hill and we will arrive in about ten miles." Zhang Yong said.

"go!"

Wo Kuotai left Zhang Yong's off-road vehicle and galloped over on a horse. Zhang Yong also stepped on the accelerator and shifted into fourth gear.

A few minutes later, everyone came to a lake with abundant water, many animals nearby, and tall reeds.

Under the lake, there is a huge white pool with pits and pits scattered around it. The land next to it is white as if it has snowed. This is a natural salt mine.

Wokuotai jumped off his horse very excitedly, stretched out his hand to touch the white soil on the ground, and then put it in his mouth.

Several other Mongolian soldiers also jumped off their horses in the same way. Some tasted the white salt water nearby, and some tasted the white accumulated salt on the ground.

"It's salty! Zhang Yong, you really found it! Is this soil salty? Is this really a salt mine or a salt lake?" Wo Kuotai patted Zhang Yong's shoulder very excitedly and said .

Looking up from this square, it is estimated that there are more than ten miles of land, which is a vast expanse of white, all of which are salt mines, and there are many pitted and small pools, which are also full of salt water.

"Congratulations, father-in-law, this is your fiefdom, and this wealth also belongs to you." Zhang Yong said with a smile.

"That's not all! There is a small lake here with water, so people can live there." Wo Kuotai said.

"Father-in-law, although the water here is fresh water, it is very salty and does not taste very good." Zhang Yong said with a smile.

Although the water in the nearby lake is fresh water, it is still a little salty because it is close to the salt pond.

But by digging a well more than ten miles away from here, we can obtain normal groundwater for drinking. The groundwater is suitable for drinking.

"It doesn't matter, as long as it's fresh water, you can drink it. It's a little salty, just enough to replenish the salt.

Let me tell you, the area in the salt lake is very suitable for grazing. The grass here has a lot of salt in it. After the sheep eat the water grass here, the meat will taste better and is very delicious. "Wokuotai said.

This is the experience of their nomadic people, accumulated from thousands of years of grazing. When grazing in a place with salt water, the aquatic plants here will be very good, and the meat of the mutton will be very delicious.

He had just observed the nearby small lake. Some birds and some beasts would drink the water here, which proved that the water here was fresh water and they could survive here.

"Father-in-law, if you dig a well ten miles away, you should be able to find suitable underground fresh water. If you build a small town here, it should be self-sufficient." Zhang Yong said.

There is more than one salt lake. There are many salt lakes in Xiliao. Find them all.

"Okay! I will write a letter to tell Genghis Khan about this and let him know that we have found a large salt lake mine." Wogedai said.

Genghis Khan will be very happy when he knows about this.

When an army travels, salt is indispensable. The salt here is open in the open. It can be mined by just hiring workers, which is very convenient.

Moreover, you can also graze here, and the sheep that eat salt water grass are very delicious.

"Father-in-law, the land here is quite fertile. How about we grow watermelons here?" Zhang Yong asked.

There is a lot of dense vegetation nearby, and there is also a small lake, which is also suitable for watering watermelons. As long as it is a little far away from the salt lake, the salt will not wash into these watermelons.

"Okay! We will farm here. I will send people back immediately, let the large army come over, and let Hamili deliver the prepared food. We will set up camp here." Wokuotai said.

Leaving a few cavalrymen to guard here, Wo Kuotai and Zhang Yong returned to the main force.

It is planned to bring the large army here as soon as possible, and all the food and grass originally planned for Hamili will be transported here.

　There are many salt lakes in Xinjiang and Qinghai.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)