Ma Chao's death did not make too many waves in the Liangxia army, and for Liu Heng, if he committed it in his hands, he would be killed. On the contrary, it was the death of Wang Shuang, which made him hate for a long time.

The battle of the Western Expedition, with the death of Han Sui, came to an end. From the end of March, Liu Yuan officially issued an edict to Pingliang, to the beginning of May, but in January, Han Sui was awarded the head, and all the counties of Hexi surrendered.

The Xia Kingdom unified the northwest, which is the general trend. Although it is clear that the Xia army will not be able to stop Liangzhou from advancing westward, the speed with which the war ends is still surprising. When the news reached Chang'an, the ministers of Daxia celebrated with their crowns, and Liu Yuan was also happy and praised Liu Heng. As far as he is concerned, Liu Heng's quick victory will reduce the pressure on the imperial court in terms of the supply and transportation of ordnance materials for the army that conquers the west, and he can once again put his energy into other directions.

The 10,000 Ding Zhuang recruited in Sanfu County were finally dismissed and returned to their hometowns halfway through. This time, the price paid by Xia Guo is not high.

Liu Heng naturally had a reputation in the center of the court for his cool work, and was jealous of the kings and jealous of the prince. Of course, the turmoil in Chang'an could not affect Liu Heng who was far away in Hexi, and he had already arrived in Dunhuang, more than 3,000 miles away from Chang'an.

After the Battle of Weak Water, Liu Heng led the army to escort the captives back to Guzang in a not very good mood, and at this time, Xuan and Xu Huang also led the army north to converge.

Although the battle was not long, the destruction of the two counties of Wuwei and Jincheng through Han Sui's actions was not small. Especially Wu Wei, under the leadership of Cheng Yin and Li Kan, the army swept away, and it was almost in ruins, but it also happened to clean up the head snake for the Xia army, so that it was convenient to take over the rule. And Cheng and Li, like Ma Play and Zhang Heng, saw the opportunity and did not hesitate to demote Liu Heng, temporarily pay homage to the general, and return to Liu Heng's account.

Cheng Gongying is not here, and Liu Heng is not interested in governing the government, restoring people's livelihood, and appeasing people's hearts. All of them were handed over to Duan Xuan, and Liu Heng led his light cavalry to the west and won the three counties in the west in one fell swoop.

Originally, Xu Huang continued to conquer Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang counties for Liu Heng, but Liu Heng refused and rushed back to Jincheng to sit in the town.

Han Sui was all slapped, and in the face of the Great Xia soldiers, where did the Hexi counties still have the ability to resist. Neither Hu nor Han had the courage to resist. Taking the three sparsely populated counties in this vast land is almost just a journey of marching and hurrying.

"His Royal Highness King Chen, this is the Jade Gate Closed!" In Dunhuang, Cheng Yin bowed to Liu Heng very humbly.

Liu Heng led the army to this point, and he went to the extreme west of the four counties in Hexi. Looking at the Yumen Pass formed by the accumulation of loess sand and gravel, it is somewhat deserted, these years Han Sui occupied Hexi, blocked the east-west road, and the caravan from the Western Regions to Chang'an was much less.

"Yangguan is in the south, and Yumen is in the north! Out of this level, it's the Western Regions! Liu Heng wiped his face that was blown by the wind, and his expression was different: "Seeing this pass, I am ready to move!" ”

"Your Highness wants to attack the Western Regions?" Guo Huai was beside Liu Heng and suddenly asked sideways.

"It is rumored that there are thirty-six countries in the Western Regions, which produce good horses and are very rich, and they should submit to my Great Xia and become the territory of my Great Xia. What the former Han can do, my Great Xia Xiong started in the south and north of the desert, so naturally I can't let it go! Liu Heng's eyes were full of ambition: "Lone has decided, go on an expedition to the Western Regions!" ”

"We only have 4,000 light horsemen now, and the Western Regions are so big that we have little to know. The road is unclear, the geography is unknown, the Gobi Desert, the swamps and dangerous shoals, His Royal Highness's daughter goes, it's too risky! Wang Chang frowned and persuaded: "If you go to the Western Regions, there is no way to replenish the grain, grass and ordnance." Moreover, His Majesty said before that this expedition to the west will end in Dunhuang. Please think twice, Your Highness! ”

Glancing at Wang Chang, Liu Heng played with taste: "Is Wen Shu afraid, or is he reluctant to Chang'an's wife and young son, and he is eager to return home?" ”

Wang Chang is talented, and with this observation along the way, Liu Heng is convinced, but he has no idea of accepting it. Because his wife is Bian, and there is a concubine Bian Shu in the palace, who is Liu Cheng's mother. Therefore, the attitude towards Wang Chang and Liu Heng is average, and the same is true for Guo Huai.

"Determination has been made, if Wen Shu is afraid of the difficulties of the west, he will return to Guzang!" Liu Heng looked at Wang Chang lightly: "Also, if you are alone in the Western Regions, why do you need grain and grass!" ”

Hearing the cold meaning in Liu Heng's tone, Wang Chang immediately understood his plan.

"The whole army rested here for three days, preparing food and water for the march. Three days later, although Lone continued to march westward, in order to make immortal achievements! Liu Heng rode a horse and ran in front of the military formation, shouting loudly to mobilize morale.

"Wen Shu, shall we go?" Riding to Wang Chang's side, Guo Huai asked softly.

Wang Chang had been staring at Liu Heng's movements before, and when he heard this, he turned his head to look at Guo Huai: "Go, naturally I want to go, how can I be a person who is afraid of danger and difficulty." King Chen wants to go his own way, and if our subordinates return alone, they will not be despised by the people of the world! ”

"Moreover, if you go to the Western Regions, it will not be in vain for me to live a good man's life. Boji, I'm just afraid that I have expectations for the trip to the Western Regions! Wang Chang chuckled and said to Guo Huai.

For the Western Regions, no matter when, no matter which force, there is an opportunity, and it is inevitable that you will yearn for it.

Sure enough, hearing Wang Chang's words, Guo Huai's face became more and more eager to try: "Brother Wenshu still knows me!" ”

Three days later, he sent someone to Guzang to deliver the news of his expedition to the Western Regions, Liu Heng did not leave a single pawn, and the whole army went out of Yumen, straight to the northwest, and the iron hooves of Great Xia officially set foot on the land of the Western Regions.

In the previous conversation with Wang Chang, Liu Heng seemed extremely conceited, but when he really moved westward, he was actually very cautious. Knowing that the geography was different, he sent people to arrest some old people who had been to the Western Regions in the local area, and forcibly detained a few brave merchants from the Western Regions who traveled to and from Hexi sporadically, thinking that they were guides, and set off.

is still one person and two horses, in terms of water and food, Liu Heng is fully prepared. Although he planned to use war in the Western Regions to feed the war and feed the enemy, the premise was that the enemy had food. Judging from the news in the guide's mouth, out of the Yumen Pass, there is a huge empty wasteland, and the first thing to do in the Western Regions is to cross this wasteland.

After leaving the Jade Gate, under the guidance of the guide, follow the Silk Road, all the way to the west, and then turn to the northwest. This time, Liu Heng did not dare to march quickly, and he kept controlling and being careful, maintaining the physical strength of people and horses.

After rushing for nearly a thousand miles, Liu Heng saw the first "city" that was not a city on this trip, Liuzhong, which had only a population of about 200 people, and crushed down.

Finally saw the crowd, Liu Heng came all the way, and the nerves that had been tense were finally able to relax a little.

Standing on the low earthen wall, Liu Heng looked westward, this land in the Western Regions is far away, vast and boundless, and it is refreshing to look at. Compared with the Daxia grassland, it is a different style.

Liu Heng's eyes were filled with coldness, more than 100 miles to the west, to the west of Gaochang, that is the country of Cheshi. With a population of nearly 10,000 and hundreds of soldiers, this country is not a small country in the Western Regions.

After resting for two days, Liu Heng marched west again, and Xuanhe was the military of Daxia. Target: Driver, Jiaohe City.