Today, the vast territory and huge influence of the Han Dynasty have long been incomparable with those of Emperor Gaozu.

More than ten years of conquest have created a prosperous dynasty. Majestic and majestic, neighboring countries bow down, and the king's orders are everywhere, don't dare to disobey!

The influence of the empire in the east, has crossed the sea. On the Goryeo Peninsula across the sea from Langya County, three counties and four counties were set up to firmly guard the gateway to the East China Sea and control the north-south traffic.

The southeast direction is to extinguish Baiyue, and several counties of Zhuya, Cangwu and Qiongzhou are set up. In the southwest direction, it subdued the southwest Yi, and set up Yelang and Burmese and Yunnan counties. The ethnic minorities living in these places were not only afraid of the powerful power of the Han Dynasty, but also grateful for the tremendous help they received in the economic field.

Not to mention the northern steppes. The unruly nomads of centuries are being tamed. The three cities of Shuofang are like a giant dragon entrenched on the border of the grassland, quietly guarding one side.

In the west, along the line of Yumen Pass and Yangguan, the four counties of Dunhuang, Zhangye, Wuwei and Jiuquan, which stretched for hundreds of miles to the west, controlled most of the Western Regions under the influence of the Han Dynasty, so that the entire territory in the west was free of turmoil.

The tentacles that the Han Empire stretched out around were like spears and shields. You can attack when you advance, and you can defend when you retreat. Guarding the Quartet, protecting the land and people of this great empire, and also maintaining the passage of communication between the Chinese nation and the outside world. Arguably this is one of the best layouts.

However, just as the winter had just begun, the peace was suddenly shattered. The Han Dynasty was threatened to varying degrees from three aspects. The hardest test is inevitable.

The vast Western Regions, flying sand and rocks, are extremely cold. Mighty legions from the far west broke through obstacles like beasts of the wilderness and came overwhelmingly. These small countries in the Western Regions have little power to fight back in the face of this kind of destructive power. Except for a few countries such as Dashi and Gaya, which have long been secretly colluding with them, the rest are about to suffer a catastrophe.

The Han army stationed in the Western Regions totaled more than 30,000 people. They patrolled the four counties separately, and they were all under the jurisdiction of the Protectorate of the Western Regions. And General Li Kang, who served as the protector of the Western Regions, was located in the largest Wuwei County.

In fact, some small-scale abnormal events have occurred since last year, and the soldiers of the Han army have also been alert. It's just that it hasn't attracted much attention.

At the beginning, I received a request for help from a businessman, saying that he had been robbed of his property and killed him. The patrol officers reacted quickly and quickly went to investigate. It's just that the other party has come and gone without a trace, and it is difficult to find out the whereabouts.

I thought it was just an accidental robbery incident, but I didn't expect that similar things happened more frequently and intensified, and even the merchant groups of about 100 people were not spared.

After receiving the news, Li Dang, the protector of the Western Regions, was furious and issued a stern general order, ordering the garrisons of the four counties to form a special patrol team to strictly protect the safety of the trade route. At the same time, every effort was made to track down the source of the robbers.

Later, after hard work, I finally gained something. When another group of merchants was robbed and killed by the fierce robbers who suddenly appeared, the nearest Jiuquan County received an alarm, and a large group of cavalry was dispatched to besiege and kill all the robbers who did not have time to run far.

It was during this battle that the Han army finally figured out that these so-called bandits were jointly organized by the most marginal small countries in the Western Regions. Relying on the convenience of being familiar with the terrain, they unscrupulously intercepted and killed the incoming and outgoing caravans, obtained goods, and shared the spoils for enjoyment.

How dare a small country do evil under their noses! The garrison general of Jiuquan County didn't even have time to report the matter to the Western Regions Protectorate, and directly led three thousand subordinates to dispatch. It is said that there has been no battle in the past few years, and all the soldiers are itching on their forehands! Activities, muscles and bones, as a military training.

Three thousand Han cavalry, in this part of the Western Regions, is enough to go sideways. Not to mention that the army is not growing an inch of grass everywhere, anyway, the sound of horses' hooves is heard from afar, and no one dares to wait for death without long eyes.

However, when they were about to reach the border of those small countries in the smoke and dust they had set up, they heard a report from the outpost that several royal cities, including the Great Eclipse, Gayya, and Suqian Kingdoms, were empty. I don't know if I got the news in advance, or because of some other reason, anyway, everyone ran away.

After running such a long way, not only did the hijacked merchants and goods not be found, but they also did not even see what these robbers looked like, and the three thousand Han troops were a little annoyed from top to bottom.

After searching around without success, the general who led the troops ordered to enter the Great Food King City to see if there were any useful clues. As a result, no one could have imagined that the three thousand Han athletes would never come out ...... once they entered.

The deputy general who stayed in Jiuquan County led less than a thousand people, and he did not wait for the news from the generals until night came. Even the scouts who were sent out one after another, none of them came back to report the news. This is an unusual situation. The adjutant general had some uneasy premonitions in his heart, and he hurriedly sent someone to Pegasus to the Western Regions Protectorate of Wuwei County to report the situation to General Li Kang.

Then the garrison at the head of the city saw the fire! The fire that rose to the sky burned half of the sky to the west, and although the distance was two or three hundred miles away, it seemed that you could still feel the heat of the fire. In the darkness of the night, the fire not only started suddenly, but also burned extremely violently. Not only the defenders of Jiuquan County saw it, but also Wuwei and Zhangye, who were close. Moreover, the neighboring countries of the Western Regions can also see clearly.

There is no doubt that this fire must have something to do with the Han army that went out to exterminate the bandits. However, even now, the remaining soldiers and horses in Jiuquan County did not realize that the catastrophe was coming. Because they never thought that in this region, there would be any country that would dare to openly oppose the Han Dynasty. I don't believe that there is any force here that will wipe out the 3,000 brave and warlike Han army!

However, the world is unpredictable. When the sudden appearance of enemies from the darkness swept the sky and surrounded the lonely city, it was too late!

After hearing the alarm, the lieutenant general and the rest of the soldiers who immediately organized themselves and went to the top of the city to defend themselves against the enemy were almost stunned to watch the countless torches spread from afar to the city. Densely packed with enemies whose faces they couldn't see at all, they began to fire iron arrows. In the buzz of breaking through the sky, a dense forest of arrow rain composed of thousands of iron arrows instantly enveloped the defense area at the head of the city...... And so the god of death came.

The lieutenant general of the Han army, who was hit by several arrows in the first round of blows, fell down on his back to the sky, and in the light of the torches, he saw a huge siege machine higher than the city tower slowly rising, and then some tall warriors jumped down from mid-air wielding scimitar blades, and those hideous faces, like demons appearing in hell, chasing souls and killing fiercely!

The four counties of Dunhuang, Zhangye, Wuwei and Jiuquan under the jurisdiction of the Western Regions Protectorate started from Dunhuang, the first important pass outside the Yumen Pass, each of which was separated by more than 100 miles, until it went deep into the edge of the Gobi Desert and looked at the Kunlun and Qilian Mountains in the distance. Within the reach of the garrison, most of the countries in the Western Regions can protect it.

However, at such a long distance, it takes time to transmit military information overnight. When Li Dang, who was sitting in Wuwei, received an emergency sent by Jiuquan Feiqi, he frowned slightly. Then he asked Zhang Qian, the Marquis of Bowang, who served as Sima in the army.

"Could it be that the combined strength of the five small countries in the Western Regions can confront the elite of the three thousand Han army?"

Zhang Qian and Li Kang have a deep friendship, and they were both born as guards in Weiyang Palace. Later they fought side by side until today. The Great Han Dynasty opened the Western Regions Protectorate to deter the four counties region, worshiped Li Dare as the general of the Metropolitan Protectorate, and Zhang Qian as the Sima in the army, and the two of them as partners, it can be said that they have a very tacit understanding. In the past, when he was an envoy, Zhang Qian had sent several envoys to various countries. He is very familiar with all aspects of the situation in the Western Regions. Seeing Li Dang's puzzled expression, Zhang Qian shook his head and said.

"Among these countries in the Western Regions, even the most powerful Dawan and Loulan are only a few thousand soldiers and horses. The rest are already vulnerable. What's more, they have always been obedient and will not cause trouble at all. As for the remote countries of Da Shi and Gayya, if they want to fight against the Han army, lend them great courage, I'm afraid they don't have that ability! ”

Li dared to hear Zhang Qian say the same, and he was relieved. Thinking of the looting of the merchants he had received recently, and the several times the patrolling Han army had been harassed, he pressed his sword in his hand and grinded his teeth.

"The new son of heaven in Chang'an succeeded to the throne...... It seems that some people in some places in the Western Regions have been fluctuating recently! The knives in the hands of the soldiers should see blood again. ”

Zhang Qian laughed, he completely agreed with this opinion. The so-called "Huaiwei Fuyuan" is not just as simple as words, sometimes it is essential to use some means to kill chickens and set an example to monkeys.

The two of them were talking, and suddenly someone came to report, saying that there was a fire in the west, even in Wuwei City. They were surprised in their hearts and hurriedly followed to look into the distance. Sure enough, the red light rushed into the sky hundreds of miles away, which was very amazing.

"Is there any follow-up news from the Jiuquan County garrison?"

Li Dang and Zhang Qian glanced at each other, feeling a little bad. The sergeant's answer was no news. When he thought of a frightening possibility, Zhang Qian said with a pale face.

"Looking at the direction of the fire, it should be the Great Food King City a hundred miles west of Jiuquan. General Lee, how should I ......? ”

Li Kang's face also changed. Years of military experience told him that something was likely to happen to the Jiuquan Han Army.

"Gather your troops and horses at once. I'll take someone to see what is going on! As soon as the Duhu Mansion should arrange the matter, it will be entrusted to Sima. ”

The night was dark, and the soldiers were mighty. Li Dang said goodbye to Zhang Qian, and led 5,000 Pixiu soldiers to go in the direction of the fire. But I don't know that after this parting, people and ghosts have different paths, and life and death are strange!