Chapter 417 The Road is in the West

Author: Gongsun Wujiu

Chapter 417 The Road is in the West

King Youxian has been feeling quite conflicted these days.

When he learned that the Han army was leaving the fortress to attack Shan Yuting, he immediately issued an order to assemble his troops.

Although the tribes respected his order and gathered at the royal court, after the westward march, the tribes were scattered all over the place, and some tribes had even crossed the mountains.

So it took a month just to assemble it.

The various tribes managed to assemble an army of 60,000 troops, but at this time the temperature dropped again.

Although King Youxian ignored the objections of all the kings and forcibly sent troops to attack Suiye, intending to force the Han army in the Western Regions to return.

But it is a pity that in the battle of Suiye City, facing the well-prepared Han army, he had the advantage of strength and did not win.

Instead, nearly three thousand warriors lost their lives at the foot of Suiye City.

Just as he was preparing to send more troops to attack Suiye City, a sudden snowstorm forced him to retreat.

After finally waiting for the blizzard to stop, news came that the Han army had captured Shan Yuting.

When he sent a messenger to find out the specific situation of Shan Yuting.

An even more shocking news came: the Han army actually carried out an unprecedented massacre of Shan Yuting.

More than half of Shan Yuting's population died at the hands of the Han army.

Huyandi Chanyu was actually angered to death because of this.

Zuo Xian Wang Xulu Quanqu held a ceremony to worship heaven and became the new Chanyu.

King Xian of the right was naturally unconvinced that King Xulu Quanqu of the left had become the new chanyu.

Qiang Hu has always valued strength. After Shan Yuting was massacred by the Han army, his strength was far inferior to that of his right wing.

According to tradition, one should become the new Chanyu himself.

The small kings on the right also persuaded the right king to establish himself as a chanyu.

Although King Youxian was moved, he also knew that once he did this, it meant that Qianghu would be completely divided.

The unified Qianghu were no match for the Han people, let alone a divided Xiongnu.

It was precisely because of this that he was so conflicted.

"Your Majesty, the King of the Right School is here!"

When King Youxian heard this, he immediately stood up and said: "Please come in quickly, King Youxian!"

After a while, Li Ling entered King Youxian's tent under the leadership of his guards.

"Meet the King!"

Although Li Ling now has a desire to be independent, he is still respectful when facing King Youxian.

"Get down!"

King Youxian first dared the guards and dancers to go down, and then personally served Li Ling a glass of wine.

"King of the Right School, do you know what is going on in Shan Yuting!"

King You Xian did not mince words and asked questions directly.

When Li Ling heard this, he naturally understood that although King Youxian was asking about Shan Yuting, he was actually asking about the independence of the right department.

For Li Ling, if he wants to stand on his own feet, the weaker the Huns are, the better.

It would also be beneficial to him if the Xiongnu were split into two parts: east and west.

But he also understood that he could not directly persuade King Youxian to become independent.

After Li Ling drank the wine handed to him by King Youxian in one gulp, he asked: "What does King Youxian think of the current situation between Hu and Han?"

When King Youxian heard this, he cut off a piece of mutton in front of him with a knife.

"After Shan Yuting was massacred by the Han army, it will take at least twenty years for me to regain my strength!"

While Li Ling was cutting the meat in front of him seemingly casually, he continued to ask: "Your Majesty, do you think Zhang Yue will give him twenty years to rape Hu?"

King Youxian shook his head without any hesitation.

Li Ling continued: "Where does your Majesty think my future lies?"

Upon hearing this, King Youxian looked at the chopped mutton in front of him and remained silent for a long time.

Li Ling didn't urge him and just drank by himself.

"This is a bar from Tieshan City. It's really good wine!"

Li Ling complimented the wine in the glass seemingly casually.

King Youxian was touched by his seemingly casual words.

More than ten years ago, the mountain country where Tieshan City was located belonged to Qiang Hu and was still under his control, but now it is the hinterland of the Han army.

The Han-Hungarian war has been going on for decades. The Han army has become stronger and stronger while the Qianghu have become weaker and weaker, and more and more land has been lost.

First it was Henan (Wuyuan Shuofang area), then Hetao, then Hexi, Liaodong, and later the Western Regions...

Shan Yuting and Zuobu, who were originally the most powerful, have been weakened to the extreme.

A few decades ago, King Youxian, the King of the Four Corners, was the weakest among the Four Corners, but now he is stronger than the other Three King Kings combined.

What is the reason for this? It is simply because the right side has a unique geographical advantage.

If the right group had not chosen to march westward, the situation at this time would probably not be much better than that of Shan Yuting and the left group.

King Youxian couldn't help but look at Li Ling when he thought of this, and then picked up the wine glass in front of him.

“Qianghu’s future lies in the West!”

King Youxian spoke softly, and then drank the wine in one gulp.

Li Ling had a faint smile on his face when he heard this, and he sighed:

"The population of the Hu tribes under our control is now less than one million. If we continue to fight against the Han people, I am afraid that in the end..."

At this point, he paused deliberately and sighed again.

Upon hearing this, King Youxian took the initiative to say what Li Ling had not finished.

"If I, Qiang Hu, continue to fight against the Han people, I may follow in the footsteps of Dongyi, Beidi, and Guifang..."

Li Ling sighed and said: "What the king said is true. If I want to develop, moving westward is the best way out!"

King You Xian said with deep approval: "Yes, King You Xian and I really have the same heroic views!"

At this point, King Youxian sighed and said: "It's a pity that Xulu Quanqu is a person who has not changed from the past... It is as difficult as climbing to the sky for him to move westward!"

Li Ling heard this and said, "Why don't your Majesty move westward on his own?"

King Youxian looked at the wine glass in his hand with a complicated expression.

"I'm afraid Shan Yuting won't agree to this!"

When Li Ling heard this, he didn't know what King You Xian was thinking. He just wanted to persuade him to become independent.

Although Li Ling understood in his heart, he would never persuade him directly.

He slowly cut off a piece of mutton and said, "Does your Majesty know that the Han people have a saying?"

King Youxian asked curiously: "What are you talking about?"

Li Ling smiled, raised his wine glass and said, "I will not accept the military orders from abroad!"

King Youxian's eyes lit up when he heard this. He stared at Li Ling closely and said, "King Youxian is indeed a talented person... a wise man..."

King Youxian obviously understood what Li Ling said.

King Youxian has not chosen to stand on his own for a long time. There are two main reasons. One is that there are still many tribes in the Youbu who are loyal to Shan Yuting.

The second reason was the fear of being attacked by the Han army in the Western Regions after independence.

If the right department ignores Shan Yuting and continues to move westward and breaks away from the connection with Shan Yuting, then the first problem will be easily solved.

Li Ling added fuel to the fire at this time, "I have recently sent people to explore to the west...Thousands of miles to the west are lands that are as fertile as the Central Plains..."

"If you don't take what God gives you, you will be blamed for it... This God-given land should be attributed to me, Qianghu!"

After hearing this, King Youxian drank all the wine in his glass, already having a decision in his heart!

…

After nearly a month of marching, the Han army in the Western Regions finally returned to the newly built Yiwu City.

This time out of the fortress, the Han army in the Western Regions gained a lot.

In terms of manpower alone, they brought back nearly 40,000 rescued slaves, and more than 50,000 young women.

This high-quality population of more than 90,000 will soon bring the development of the Western Region to another level.
To be continued...