Jiuquan, one of the four counties under the jurisdiction of the Western Regions of the Han Dynasty, is the most important strategic place in addition to Dunhuang. The wind from the boundless desert, with desolation and heroism, passes through the city all year round. The story that happened here is also extraordinarily generous and tragic.

At that time, it was just a desolate land with no grass. Wild beasts are infested, bandits are rampant. The iron hooves of the Huns swept like the wind, and the people of the Western Regions regarded it as a place of death.

That year, a red hurricane swept through from the east. The majestic general led his cavalry corps to crush the yellow sand and open up new land. The spear crisscrossed thousands of miles, descended dozens of countries, broke the Huns, and shocked the Western Regions.

"I have a pot of wine, enough to comfort Zhengchen. Dump the rivers and rivers, wash the sword and cast the soul of the army"! This only river within a radius of several hundred miles was named because of that heroic feat.

Jiuquan County, guarding the east-west road, is a place where marching troops must fight. And today, after the Western Regions Protectorate lost control of this place for nearly half a year, the sound of the iron hooves of the Han cavalry finally sounded again in the land east of the river.

After the all-night battle, the cavalry that pursued after the sleepless bite of the tail was divided into left and right flanks, forming a situation of outflanking the remnants of the Persian army that fled to the river. They are the Great Han Red Fire Army and the Flying Dragon Army.

Whether it is the Red Fire Army or the Flying Dragon Army, they all have a fateful relationship with the place of Jiuquan. Now, it is the best arrangement for them to do this.

Back then, Huo Quzhi, who was invincible in the Western Regions, led the Red Fire Army, and immediately speared here, painted the land as a city, and built the site of Jiuquan County for the first time. Soon after, the Western Regions Trade Road was opened and included in the jurisdiction of the Great Han Protectorate.

Later, Li Kang, who worshiped the general of the Western Regions, personally led tens of thousands of Han troops to station here. The Western Regions were completely surrendered, and business travel was unimpeded. This channel connecting the economy and civilization of the East and the West in the world should have been quiet and friendship would have lasted forever.

However, the iron cavalry of the Persians, with a hideous and murderous aura, finally came east. Li Dang and most of the soldiers of the Western Regions Protectorate were martyred in this place west of Jiuquan. If their heroic souls have not yet drifted away, above the vast sky, watching the heroic and invincible Han cavalry sweeping on the ground under their feet, they should also chant the wind and howl!

By the wide river, the king of Persia finally stopped his warhorse. The spear was on the ground, the horizontal knife was in the chest, and the light in his eyes was great. The Persian warriors who were chased all the way and fought bravely to stop the attack gradually died. They all died under the sword of the Han army. Now he is still loyal to his side, and he is no longer satisfied with ten thousand horses.

"King! Let's cross the river...... One step too late, it's too late! ”

The embarrassed nobles around him were panting and shouting. Some of them knew the king's character well. If he can't bear the shame of defeat after all, and wants to take them here for the final fight, then the result can only be all killed, and the horses will not be able to return to their hometowns.

The king of Persia was no longer willing to flee. In the battle of his life, he had never been so embarrassed. He looked at the sharp edge emanating from the golden sword, and suddenly remembered an oriental story that he had heard from those people in the royal court.

Legend has it that before the emperor of the Han Dynasty took over the world, the most brave and invincible king in this land was named the Overlord of Western Chu. His name made the entire Kyushu, the four seas, and thousands of princes hear it. Winning a hundred battles, crisscrossing the north and south, even the most powerful general in this world can't stop him from taking a shot.

However, he was such a powerful person, and in the end he failed...... The Persian king's heart beat violently, and he suddenly realized that his current situation was so similar to that overlord.

To fight or to retreat, to leave or to stay...... What choice should you make? Looking at the anxious looks of the people around him, the king of Persia hesitated slightly. Out of the dignity of the king and his confidence in his own strength, he did not feel that he was even inferior to the bravery of the overlord. In fact, he really wanted to show his unparalleled heroism at this time. Before retreating, he let go of the slaughter and deterred the pursuit of the Han army.

The sound of the horse's hooves of the pursuers is getting closer and closer, like a river falling into the sea, and the river is trembling. The king of Persia raised his spear in his left hand, looked at his subordinate warriors with fearful faces again, and finally gave orders to the remaining generals and nobles.

"You, take more than half of the men and horses, cross the river immediately!"

"The King...... Why? Never! ”

"Humph! The Han army was so arrogant that it wanted to kill them all...... Wait for me to kill for a while, punish its leader, and it's not too late to leave! ”

"King! We are willing to fight to the death together ....... ”

"Needless to say, this is a royal decree! Act now. ”

The king of Persia stopped the others from crying out. Such a heroic feat as killing a thousand armies and slaying a single horse can only be done by a talented king like him, and the samurai are just sent to death in vain.

The king's order is like a mountain, and no one dares to say more. Several generals with red eyes led most of the cavalry into the river and began to cross it. And the thousand horsemen who stayed behind to fight with the king of Persia were the most powerful warriors in the Persian Empire. They turned their horses' heads and took a deep breath. To be able to fight alongside the great king of Persia was the supreme honor of being a warrior.

The sunset melts gold, the twilight clouds merge, and it is close to dusk. The king of Persia, who wields sunset and raises his sword, is in the eyes of all Persians their last spiritual belief and immortal support.

"Prepare ......!"

The thousand-horseed warriors, who were already holding the heart of death, heard that their king was about to issue an order for battle, and raised their scimitars in unison, ready to charge towards the Han army rushing towards hundreds of zhang away.

Sometimes, though, it's not so easy to get away with heroism. The king of Persia is not the overlord of Western Chu, and the Jiuquan River is not the Wujiang River. The person who is the opponent of Yuan Zhao may never guess how carefully he will make the battle plan! What is an ambush on all sides? If it's an enemy he really values, he'll do even better!

Although the river is wide, it is not deep at this time of spring and summer. Even if he walked to the middle of the river, he had just crossed the horse's back.

Nearly 10,000 horsemen, including generals and nobles, were crossing the river. Those who are ahead are already on the other side. Someone casually raised his head and suddenly exclaimed. The glow in the west was a bit dazzling, and although I couldn't see it clearly, I didn't know when many figures appeared on the other side, which was still a big surprise.

"General! There is someone on the other side...... Not good, there is an ambush! ”

The samurai on horseback were a little flustered. If the army of the Han Dynasty had been waiting in ambush here for a long time, then it would have been a bad thing. Attacking halfway is exactly the soldier's plan!

"Don't panic, everyone! This is not the Han army, just some people from the Western Regions. They are not cavalry, there is nothing to fear. Wait until you get ashore and kill them all! ”

After several generals saw the situation clearly, they began to give orders loudly. They wielded scimitars, lifted their horses' heads, and crossed the river at a faster pace. Since he is from the Western Regions, it is really not worth taking it to heart.

But in the next moment, all the Persians, from the generals to the samurai, realized that they were wrong. And, fatally wrong! Perhaps, they will never have the opportunity to set foot on the shore again, and this flowing river is their final destination.

The Persian warriors who rushed to the front could finally see the expressions on the faces of those on the other side of the river. I don't know how long they have been waiting here, the people of the Western Regions have hatred on their faces, and they are even more enthusiastic and inexplicably excited. Then, I saw that they lit the torches in their hands one after another, and threw them viciously into the river with all their might.

Looking up at these torches falling from mid-air, the Persian warriors were still a little strange, they didn't understand what the people in the Western Regions were doing. The opponent does not attack with bows and arrows, but with torches? Do you want to come and burn them? Still is...... Want to set the river on fire? These stupid people from the Western Regions!

The curse has not yet been spoken. The Persian warriors' eyes widened in shock, and fire suddenly rose in their eyes...... The people of the Western Regions really set this river on fire!

The river that flowed quietly, I don't know what was going on, suddenly burst into flames and billowing smoke, and suddenly rose to a height of more than a foot. Almost in the blink of an eye, this section of the river was boiling. All the people and horses who stepped into the river, without exception, were caught in the fire, and there was nowhere to hide, let alone escape.......

After throwing the torches, the people of the Western Regions immediately began to bend their bows and arrows, and even the Persian warriors who were lucky enough to run ashore with a fire full of fire were shot by random arrows, and it was difficult to survive.

"Well, there is no need to waste arrows, they are covered in oil and fire, where can they escape?"

Jiang Sheng, who was dressed as a scout of the Han army, stretched out his hand to stop the people from the Western Regions who were indiscriminately firing arrows. He looked at the tragic situation in the river with an expressionless face, and there was no sadness or joy in his heart. This is war, and it does not have to be mixed with any personal feelings. This is the truth that he has recently learned by following Yuan Zhao's side.

The people of the Western Regions, who had been brutally slaughtered by Persian warriors, put down their bows and arrows. They looked at the enemy in the river who was struggling in the fire and finally died in agony, and their hearts were filled with joy. This was followed by a deeper appreciation and awe for the Han people.

"Please thank the great Marquis Commander! All of us in the Western Regions, thank you very much to him for helping us get revenge. In the future, I will be a vassal and have no two hearts! ”

The leader of this united army, representing the countries of the Western Regions, bowed to the ground, and his heart was extremely pious. In their minds, Yuan Zhao is no different from a clever god.

Originally, they also suspected that these Han scouts who had come to assist in the battle in advance would have any effect on letting them stop the enemy by the river. But it turned out that they had already thought that the king of Persia would flee here. Moreover, the black fire oil brought in wooden barrels was so powerful that it was poured into the river from the upstream, and the river was full of fire, and all the horses were burned!

"Charge! Capture the king of Persia alive! ”

A river of fire separated each other, and the majestic shouts of the Han army sounded on the opposite bank.