The passes and cities along Wuguan Road had fallen into disrepair and lain abandoned for years because of Later Zhao's earlier internal strife. The Di people had ruled Guanzhong for less than two years and had not had time for large-scale repairs.
At the beginning, when the Di people had just entered the passes, they had sent envoys with white sheep to Jiangling specifically to court Huan Wen's goodwill. The two sides had opened markets along Wuguan Road, bringing a brief spell of prosperity.
Early this year, after Fu Jian's enthronement as emperor, he had sent an inspector of Jingzhou with two or three thousand men to Shangluo County, the richest county on Wuguan Road. He had occupied two cities, but once rebellion broke out in Guanzhong and troops became scarce, he obediently packed up his armor and cleared out, leaving only a handful of stragglers.
That was also why Xue Zhen had reached Lantian Pass so easily.
Lantian Pass lay a very long way from Lantian County-over a hundred li-but it was already the deepest checkpoint along Wuguan Road. Beyond it, the terrain opened up and became difficult to block, so this place really could not be lightly abandoned again.
But the Di regime was too insubstantial. Apart from their own Fangtou group, everyone else had only recently submitted. Among them was a former comrade of Xue Zhen's from the Gaoli Army, now serving as a Banner Chief at Lantian Pass.
That was the fundamental reason Liu Cheng had heard talk of promoting Xue Zhen as soon as he returned: the fellow had not merely taken two empty-shell counties, but had also found an inside contact at Lantian Pass.
Now Huan Wen had reached Sanhu Pavilion and formally turned onto Wuguan Road. The moment his proclamation went out, Lantian