Hanhou

In the sixth year of Jianyuan, in the spring, the envoys from the Western Regions who stayed in Chang'an for nearly a year finally bid farewell to the emperor one after another and prepared to return home.

In order to stay in Chang'an, the envoys tried their best to save face, abandon moral integrity, and did not hesitate to hug the door frame and grab the door leaf.Serious interpretation: their so-called bottom line, that is, there is no bottom line!

After a long time, the court thought that they would stick to it until the end of time, and finally a letter eagle flew into Chang'an, bringing news that the Huns had given up their "robbing way" and the alarm was lifted.

The envoys from the Western Regions, who ate and drank well in Chang'an and were reluctant to think about Sichuan, finally remembered the responsibilities they shouldered. No matter how reluctant they were, they had to say goodbye to the Emperor of Han, take the results of this trip, and embark on the return journey together.

As long as the Xiongnu did not block the way and the guards of the envoys of various countries united, they could fight even if they encountered bandits.

To their surprise, Liu Che attached great importance to the countries of the Western Regions and ordered the counties to send troops to escort them along the way.

It was not until the team reached Loulan that the Han army stopped advancing.It's not that they don't want to go forward, the reason is that Loulan is currently a vassal state of the Huns, and thousands of cavalry from the Huns headquarters are stationed in Loulan City.Once the Han army appears, conflicts are inevitable,

Although Liu Che was planning to push across the grassland and fight head-on with the Xiongnu headquarters, it would not be wise to rashly clash with the Xiongnu stationed in the Western Regions before everything was ready, and let the other party take precautions in advance.

Even if Liu Che wanted to get hot, the ministers of the Manchu Dynasty would stop him.

In this regard, the envoys of various countries had nothing to say, and sincerely thanked the Han army for escorting them, thanked the emperor of Han for his benevolence, and continued on their way home.

Sandwiched between the Han and the Hungarians, the various states in the Western Regions knew that the country was small and the people were few, and it would be difficult to survive without relying on one of them.

Before the Huns were powerful, the Han Dynasty shunned them, and the countries in the Western Regions surrendered to the Huns, willing to be the servants of the Huns.

Now that the Xiongnu were defeated in Mayi, with nearly [-] casualties in the First World War, the Han Dynasty showed its blade, and it was very possible to wrestle with the Xiongnu.Through the traveling caravans, countries in the Western Regions continued to collect information, and their minds gradually became active.

The large number of envoys sent this time is mainly for the purpose of testing.

Both the Han Dynasty and the Huns were tested.

Before the envoys set off, they were not desperate to hug the thigh of the Han Dynasty.When they arrived in Chang'an one after another and saw the majestic city walls, the majestic Han Palace, and the mighty army, their thoughts changed instantly.

Taking Loulan as an example, the land area is not large, not even comparable to a county in the Han Dynasty.

In its heyday, the domestic population was less than [-], and the number of soldiers capable of fighting was less than [-].This kind of national strength is already one of the best among the countries in the Western Regions.

Regardless of the Han Dynasty or the Huns, as long as they are willing, they can destroy the country by sending out a cavalry.

In the past, Loulan was attached to the Xiongnu because the city was so powerful that he had to prostrate himself on the ground in order to protect himself.Now that Feng Shui is taking turns, the Han Dynasty obviously wants to overwhelm the Xiongnu. With the shrewdness of King Loulan, he must reconsider in order to allow the country to continue to exist and the people to continue to survive.

The Huns only knew how to plunder, and imposed heavy taxes on the slave countries.Especially in recent years, tax increases have been made almost every year, making the countries in the Western Regions that are still relatively wealthy miserable.

In contrast, the policies of the Han Dynasty were much more enlightened.

As the Han army continued to fight north and south, the strength of the Han Dynasty continued to grow, and more and more Han merchants traveled to the Western Regions.Some large caravans reached as far as Yuezhi, Wusun and even Anxi.

The caravan is full of rare goods and is guarded by powerful warriors.Bandits along the way did not dare to rob, and small groups of rangers had to avoid sharp edges.

The kings and ministers of foreign countries in the Western Regions are not good at fighting, and their governance ability is average, but their vision is extremely vicious.With the increase in caravan exchanges, many of them have seen the "tricks".

However, living between two behemoths and not wanting to be crushed to death due to negligence, the king and ministers adhered to the principle of "talk more and make more mistakes, say less and make mistakes, and you can survive if you are confused".

In their view, it is only natural to depend on the strong.

Before the Huns were strong, they surrendered to the Huns; now that the Han Dynasty is powerful, they try their best to find out the news, and then rush to hug their thighs.Even if there was no similar idea before, when the envoys return, learn about the situation in Chang'an, and contact the current comparison of the Han and Hungarian forces, people's hearts will inevitably be moved.

The most important thing is that these envoys stayed in Chang'an for a long time, and it was impossible for the Huns to think about it.

According to the style of the Xiongnu in the past, all these bold "slaves" should be beheaded, and a warning should be given to the countries of the Western Regions who dare to give birth to two hearts.

However, the envoy was determined, and the Huns would not return to the country unless they left, and they would directly spend with each other.News came from Jianlong City that scouts from the Han Dynasty frequently appeared, fearing signs of a major war, and the cavalry staying outside were recalled one after another to prevent accidents.

If the war starts, food and grass in the Western Regions will become extremely important, so it is necessary to give the opponent some face, and the raised butcher's knife can only be put down temporarily.

Why did the Huns hold their breath like this?

Since when did the Xiongnu, who dominated the grassland, become so cautious that when they discovered the scouts of the Han army, instead of rushing to kill them, they shrank their troops and became cautious?

It can only be said that good fortune makes people.

From Mao Dun, Lao Shang to military ministers, the glory of the Huns is no longer what it used to be.Plagues frequently broke out in the grasslands, and the headquarters suffered another major defeat.If there is enough time, move the ministries to the depths of the grassland and lie dormant for several years, maybe they can recover seven or eight points.

It is a pity that the Han Dynasty will not give this opportunity to the opponent.

Taking advantage of your illness to kill you, being ruthless to the enemy like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves is Chang'an's highest criterion for foreign affairs.

When the envoys from the Western Regions returned to the country one after another, they scrambled to persuade the king to change his family quickly and become the leg pendant of the Han emperor. The scouts of the Han Dynasty frequently appeared on the grasslands. Is it a false move, or is it really planning to send troops on a large scale.

Shan Yu, a military official who was seriously ill, knew very well that if the Han Dynasty really wanted to send troops to the north, this battle might not be easy to fight.

In the city of Chang'an, Liu Che summoned important officials into the propaganda room for several days, pointed to the map hanging on the wall, and said a simple sentence: I want to destroy the Xiongnu!

Wei Wan and Dou Ying said that the minister had no objections, and Zhi Buyi, Wang Hui and Han Anguo also raised their hands in agreement.

The Xiongnu was the confidant of the Han Dynasty, and the sooner they are destroyed, the sooner they will be.

It is best to clean up Longcheng, and not a single Xiongnu will be left, that will be everyone's satisfaction.

It's just that when to fight, when to fight, how to fight, how many troops to send, which army to dispatch, how to coordinate food and grass, and who will be the commander, all must be carefully considered and considered in the long run.

After all, the Huns are no better than Baiyue.

The more people there are, the more they rely on natural dangers. As long as they overcome the miasma and poisonous insects, they will not be a problem.The previous Nanzheng went to Minyue and Nanyue, which is enough to prove this point.

The Huns were the old opponents of the Han Dynasty. After the siege of Baideng, the Han Dynasty faced the Huns and took defensive positions most of the time.It wasn't until Emperor Wu ascended the throne that he began to switch from defense to offense and marched into the grassland on a large scale.

Although there were a few victories before, after the statistics of the results, it was a big victory or a miserable victory.

The most morale-boosting battle in Mayi, after the encirclement is opened, will also cost lives.

The fighting power of the Xiongnu is definitely not weak, especially the headquarters army under the military minister Shanyu and the four corners of the royal court is even more elite.To fight against such an army, one must be prepared to escape death or even fight for the head.Like the attack on Minyue and Nanyue, the battle loss reached [-]:[-] or even [-]:[-], which is pure fantasy.

The officials of the Han Dynasty, regardless of civil or military, can be ranked in the Chang'an court. Regardless of their temperament and shortcomings, most of them have lit up their combat skills and have a certain understanding of the art of war.

This is also the scariest.

An enterprising young emperor with "conquest" as his goal in life, and a group of court officials who are scheming, engaged in diplomacy and economics, and never forget to copy knives and kill people, together form a huge war machine, which roars in terror.

When encountering such an opponent, Maodun may not have a good solution even in the next life, let alone a military minister who is far inferior to Maodun.

"Your Majesty, at the turn of spring and summer, it is not appropriate to enter the army. Why not wait until the end of summer and the beginning of autumn?" Wei Wan suggested.

"Send troops at the beginning of autumn?" Liu Che pondered for a moment, then said, "Prime Minister may wish to speak in detail."

"First, it will take several months to dispatch the army, so it is not advisable to rush. Second, when the grain is ripe in autumn, the cattle and sheep are the fattest. When the army enters the grassland at this time, most of the food and fodder can be solved by itself. When they return, they will arrest other tribes, and those who follow will graze for the Han family. Raise horses, and those who rebel can also kill chickens and monkeys."

These words are quite straightforward, so straightforward that there is no cover-up.

In the past, the Xiongnu went south to plunder. According to the vicious strategy described by the Bank of China, they mostly invaded the border in autumn, robbing grain, cattle and sheep, plundering people, and burning down houses and fortresses.

Why not tit for tat?

The Xiongnu came in autumn, and the Han army also went in autumn.

When the Huns robbed food, the Han army went to rob the tribe's cattle, sheep and horses.

When the Xiongnu set fire to houses and destroyed fields in border counties, the Han army went to the grasslands to burn tents.

The air is crisp in autumn, and the grass leaves are gradually withering and yellowing, which are excellent ignition materials.Regardless of the loss, setting fire to the grassland will surely make the Xiongnu have a good drink.

If the plan is proper and the action is fast enough, it may not be impossible to burn Longcheng.

"Good!" Liu Che's eyes lit up, and his expression showed excitement.

Dou Ying and Zhi Buyi nodded frequently, and Wang Hui and Han Anguo exchanged glances, obviously agreeing.

Manners?

what is that?

It is not in the dictionary, and there is absolutely no need to have it.

"Your Majesty, if there is a fire attack, Bianjun needs to prepare early." Wei Yue said.

Bianjun is close to the grassland, and as the prefects of all counties jointly opened maps to the north, the border line has advanced several miles.The direction of the wind is unpredictable. If you don't take precautions, if the fire burns from the grassland to the Han area, it will be very bad.

"Indeed."

The grand offensive strategy was finalized, and the big bosses brainstormed again to discuss how to preserve the Han land under the fire attack, and various fire-fighting measures were released one by one.

Zhao Jia suddenly discovered that the bigwigs of the Han Dynasty were all decathlons, and they were simply inhuman.Encountering such an opponent, it is difficult for the Huns to stop eating.

The meeting ended, and the ministers dispersed.

Han Yan and Cao Shi were left behind by the emperor, while Zhao Jia, Wei Yue and Li Danghu withdrew from the announcement room and returned to Linyuan together.

A few days ago, the Fourth Battalion added another group of recruits, including dozens of high school students.

Different from Dou Liang, Guan Xian and others, this time there are both direct and side branches of the high school, and they are all selected by selection. They have good riding and shooting skills, and excellent physical endurance.

Since entering the camp, no matter how hard the training is, no one has quit, and all of them have gritted their teeth and persevered.During the period, many people were injured. No matter how painful the wound was, as long as they could stand up, walk and draw their bows, and carry a large shield, they would persist in exercising for a day.

These people have shown with practical actions that they were born in Gaoliang, and may be rich, but they do not lack the spirit of martial arts, and they are not cowards or cowards!

For comparison, this group of high-school children, who entered the camp before but became deserters, were mentioned many times, and they were all ashamed and dissatisfied, and finally developed to the point where they dared not even leave the camp.

"Now I know regret, it's too late!"

Things have come to this, staying in Chang'an can only be a laughing stock, not wanting to be unable to hold up his head for the rest of his life, he must go to the frontier fortress to join the army and make military exploits on the battlefield in order to wash away his early reputation of cowardice.

While Zhao Jia was busy training, Huainan Wang Liu An was nervously waiting for the emperor to summon him.

Liu Ling, the princess of Huainan, is still detained in the Lieutenant's Mansion, and Ning Cheng did not torture her, and the queen mother's various methods have brought her to the brink of collapse.

None of the servants and servants brought by Liu Ling to Beijing could escape, and they were all arrested by Ning Cheng.

Liu An was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan when he couldn't see Liu Ling.

He had a premonition that this time there must be more bad luck than good.

The Huainan Prince's Mansion was in turmoil. Zhou Yangyou and Shen Tugong of Hedong County received letters from Chang'an successively.

After reading the letter and asking the family boy who delivered the letter, Zhou Yangyou had a gloomy face, hit the case with his palm, and cursed angrily: "Nizi!"

Lord Shentu put down the bamboo slips, opened the incriminating evidence, stroked his long beard, and laughed triumphantly.

"Zhou Yangyou, the sky is going to kill you, no wonder this official!"