There are 36 large and small kingdoms in the Western Regions, among which Shanshan is the closest to the Han Dynasty and borders the Han Dynasty. From Dunhuang out of the Jade Gate Pass, the sunshine, that is, to Shanshan country.

Shanshan is the famous Loulan country, east to Dunhuang, northwest to Yanqi, Yuli, southwest to Ruoqiang, and the end. Wangcheng is a mud city, 1,600 miles away from Dunhuang, 6,100 miles away from Chang'an, at this time it has been prosperous, and the population of residents exceeds 40,000.

Loulan is the famous "country of cities" in the Western Regions.

After the Han-Hun Hexi War, the Han Dynasty set up four counties of Dunhuang, and Loulan was adjacent to Dunhuang. As the only way for the Han Dynasty to trade with the countries of the Western Regions, Loulan played a vital role in its trade route, if Loulan was not connected, the trade route between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions was also blocked.

Over the years, Han-Hungarian relations have deteriorated to an unprecedented extreme, and the situation between the two countries has seriously affected the surrounding kingdoms. After the Great Migration, the Xiongnu tried their best to subdue and win over the countries of the Western Regions, and Loulan also became one of their important targets. For the same purpose, Dahan is also trying his best to develop his relationship with Loulan.

Faced with the struggle between the two powerful countries in the north and the east, Loulan was forced to get involved, and although the king of Loulan felt troubled but helpless. Just like this time, the Xiongnu sent an army of 5,000 to besiege the mud city of Loulan for a month, but the king of Loulan had nothing to do.

Yi Zhixian had no intention of really fighting with Loulan, nor did he intend to destroy Loulan's country, and sending 5,000 troops instead of 50,000 was more of an element to coerce Loulan into submission, rather than triggering a life-and-death war between the two countries. Therefore, after the 5,000 troops of Yi Zhixian arrived at the mud city, they were stationed in the north of the mud city, and then sent envoys into the royal city to negotiate with the king of Loulan, hoping that he would promise to help the Xiongnu deal with the Han Dynasty.

Faced with the 5,000-strong army of the Xiongnu, the king of Loulan was unable to send troops to fight with him. On the one hand, the royal city of more than 40,000 people itself has few troops, and it may not be able to beat the 5,000 elite cavalry of others, although the Loulan army looks very well-equipped, but the king of Loulan knows that his army that grew up in the peaceful and prosperous era cannot be compared with the army of the Huns who crawled out of the pile of dead. And once the army of the king of Qin from all walks of life comes to join the siege, it will completely trigger a national war between Loulan and the Xiongnu, which is also what the king of Loulan does not want to see.

Besides, didn't the Huns also attack the city?

The relationship between Loulan and the Xiongnu is in such an indescribable balance. And the maintenance of this delicate balance is precisely the peace and tranquility of the five thousand Huns outside the mud city and the mud city.

In the palace of the mud city, the king of Loulan, who was in his prime, was receiving the envoys of the Xiongnu.

"King Loulan, it's been a month, have you figured it out?" The Hun envoy was spent a month in the mud city, even if he had a good temper, he didn't have it, but the king of Loulan in front of him was the king of Loulan who ate the scales and grinded with himself, which made the Hun envoy extremely frustrated, "Ally with the Great Huns, we can ensure that you are not harassed by the Han people, and help your country become the most powerful country in the Western Regions!" Today's king, you have to give a reply to our ministers no matter what, the time limit for our ministers to send envoys has arrived, and if there is no result today, you can't go back to Da Danyu to return to your life! If that is the case, I am afraid that the king and the ministers will not have a good time. ”

In stark contrast to the impetuous Hun envoys, the demeanor of the King of Loulan was quite leisurely, and he was not moved at all in the face of the Xiongnu envoys' criticism. It's not that his psychological quality is good enough, and he was also anxious in the previous days, but since he received the news two days before the fight, saying that the envoys of the Han Dynasty would be able to reach the mud city in two days, King Loulan already had a plan in his heart.

"Don't be impatient, don't be impatient, the matter of forming an alliance with your country is very important, and it involves the 100,000 people of Loulan, and it really can't be decided in one day or two. These days, the king has been consulting with the ministers, hoping to come up with a plan as soon as possible. King Loulan said calmly.

"In this case, the king has been talking for a month, how long will he be perfunctory?" The Huns shouted coldly, "In any case, if the king doesn't give an explanation to our ministers today, then the Hun army stationed outside the city will not be as quiet as it is now!" ”

"Is this a threat to the king?" King Loulan's face suddenly fell, he had been coerced like this for a month, and ordinary people couldn't bear it, let alone the king of a country?

"I don't dare to threaten the king." The voice of the Xiongnu envoy was still cold and hard, "It's just that the king doesn't give a clear answer to my minister, and my minister will die after he goes back, so why worry about the fish dying and the net will be broken?" ”

King Loulan knew that today was perfunctory, so he had to say: "Three days, your envoy will give this king another three days." After three days, the king will surely give your envoy an answer. If not, we'll see you again! ”

"Good! Just as the king said! The Hun envoy had nothing to fear, and after saying this, he got up and left.

"King, the envoys of the Huns are so arrogant that they have no one in their eyes!" After the Xiongnu envoys left, the close attendant of the king of Loulan said angrily, "Why do they want to pull our Loulan into the matter of the Han Dynasty?" It's really hateful! ”

King Loulan glanced at this close attendant and sneered: "Why didn't you say this when the Hun envoy was there just now?" ”

“...... The king forgives his sins, the villain deserves to die, and he shouldn't say much! The attendant fell to his knees in fear.

"It's all a bunch of stuff!" King Loulan scolded, not knowing whether he was talking about others or himself, and then stood up and left.

....................................................

Qin Cheng and the others encountered no less than three or five small groups of Hun cavalry along the way, but they were all annihilated. And according to Qin Cheng's instructions, none of the Hun cavalry who attacked the caravan were spared, and all of them were executed!

The caravan could not carry prisoners, nor could they be allowed to report their whereabouts to the news, and there was no choice but to kill them all.

When they arrived in the territory of Loulan Kingdom, Qin Cheng and the others did not plan to reveal their identities immediately, but after learning that their royal city was besieged by the Xiongnu, Qin Cheng still found the official mansion of Loulan State, identified their identities, and asked them to secretly inform the King of Loulan of the news of their envoy to Loulan.

After all, if Loulan had formed an alliance with the Xiongnu before his people arrived in Mud City, then none of his people would have been able to go back.

In this way, Qin Cheng and the others had an official guide when they hurried back. However, considering the urgency of the situation in Mud City, Qin Cheng and the others immediately decided to separate from the caravan and lead five hundred heavy horsemen to rush to Mud City so as not to delay the business.

When approaching the mud city, Qin Cheng suddenly ordered the team to slow down, and asked the guide to choose a path that was conducive to concealment. And Qin Cheng himself took Huo to the two of Qin Qingzhi, plus a guide, and quickly approached the mud city to check the situation.

"The Huns have been stationed here for a month?" After tying up a war horse behind a mountain bag and hiding their figures, Qin Cheng and others climbed to the top of the mountain bag, and they could see the mud city, as well as the Hun army stationed five miles north of the mud city.

Qin Cheng asked the guide beside him when he said this.

This guide is in his twenties, his skin is white and unique to the Western Regions, and his eyes are so bright that people can tell at a glance that this is a clever guy, and his simple clothes are very simple, and he even has a small opening on his shoulder.

Some time ago, when Qin Cheng and the others were arranging a guide, this young man named Xike Chafu was recommended by Mao Sui, and the official personnel of Loulan did not intend to use him, because this person was an ordinary civilian, and it was naturally not his turn to lead the way. However, this guy's attitude was very resolute, and he could see at a glance that Qin Cheng was the leader of the caravan, so he entangled Qin Cheng.

Qin Cheng remembered that when he asked him why he wanted to do this errand so much, Xike Chafu said frankly in his half-understood Chinese: "If I lead the way well, I also hope that the nobles will introduce them to the government at that time and find me an official and a half-job!" ”

"Haha!" Qin Cheng laughed and asked him, "How can you be sure that my referral is useful?" ”

"The nobleman comes from the Han Dynasty, and is naturally the king's guest. And I think that since the nobleman can bring so many elite soldiers, presumably the nobleman must have a noble status! "Sikochafu is very confident and determined.

"If it's a talent, then count you as one!" Qin Cheng expressed his appreciation to the Xike teaman, and then agreed to the Xike teaman's request.

...................................

Xike teaman nodded, looking at the Huns with eyes full of hatred, "When I left Mud City a month ago, I happened to see this group of Hun thieves coming!" ”

"That's all there when they came?" Qin Cheng observed the Xiongnu military camp on the opposite side and asked,

"That's it!" Sico teaman affirmed.

"How can you be so sure?" Qin Qingzhi was skeptical of Xike Teaman's determined attitude.

"I had good eyes, and when I left, I was also in this place, and I carefully counted the military formations of the Hun thieves, and at that time I knew that the Hun thieves were about five thousand." He pointed to the Xiongnu army formation opposite, and said: "General, please see, now the Xiongnu military camp has about 200 tents, except for some big tents, according to the configuration of 25 to 30 people in each ordinary camp tent, it can be seen that the number of Xiongnu thieves is also about 5,000!" ”

After Qin Qingzhi understood what Xike Teaman meant, his eyes immediately changed when he looked at him, and asked, "Have you been in the military camp before?" ”

"Stayed. However, the upper peak of the barracks was too shameless, and my comrades were just messing around, so I disdained to be with them, and then I came out. The Sico teaman plucked a piece of grass and put it in his mouth and chewed it, a little uninhibited, he said this, especially when he talked about Shangfeng's "shamelessness", it seemed very bland.

"......" Qin Qingzhi.

"Stop chatting and get down to business." Qin Cheng smiled, and then asked Huo Quai, "Did you find anything?" ”

"Yes!" Huo Qu said sickly, "The Hun camp is tight on the outside and loose on the inside, and at first glance it looks like the army is well-organized, well-guarded, and can fight at any time." But in reality, it was just a show, and the banners were all resting on the ground, and most of the soldiers were idle and disorganized. After speaking, Huo Quzhi concluded: "From this point of view, this is a waste camp!" ”