Gan Ying persuaded: "Xiaochao, Dou Dashuai's secret sentry intercepted a secret report from the black tyrant and sent an undercover agent, maybe this princess is suspicious, don't think about it, the military order is like a mountain!" ”

Ban Chao said sadly: "I believe that she is not a spy who spies on my Han military intelligence, she is just a girl with a lot of curiosity." ”

Gan Ying was speechless, and chased Ban Biao away in a hurry.

In the autumn of 73 A.D., the sun set, the sunset was like blood, and under the city of Yiwu after the fierce battle, thousands of corpses of Hun soldiers and dead war horses were boundless. This was the first military attack on the Northern Xiongnu Heibatian decades after the founding of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and Dou Gu was inspecting the battlefield surrounded by Geng Zhong and Gongsun Miao. Dou Gu ordered: "Chen Sima, you lead the army to bury the corpses of the Huns, and treat the wounded in time." Chen Mu replied loudly: "Obey." He told the soldiers to dig the pit with their own hands.

At this moment, the two generals galloped over, and when they looked closer, it was Ban Chao and Geng Gong. (Geng Gong is Geng Zhong's younger brother, and later became a famous general of the Eastern Han Dynasty) under the city of Yiwu, the two led the troops to join forces inside and outside, and attacked the northern captives, and the two sides admired each other and became friends in a battle. I only heard Geng Gong arch his hand and said: "General Dou, our army has won a great victory, and I learned from the mouth of the captives that the remnants of the northern captives fled to the Pu Sea, and I am willing to lead five thousand elite cavalry with Ban Sima to pursue in order to compete for complete success!" Dou Gu and Geng Zhong were very happy to see the two tiger generals of Yiwu's great victory coming side by side, and Dou Gu said with concern: "The two armies are fighting, our soldiers are already tired, and then the army is chasing after me, I am worried that the army is too hard." Here, Gongsun Miao also came to the spirit, and interjected: "In the art of war, it is said that the poor are not chasing, our army has won a great victory, and now that the class has returned to the dynasty, the emperor will definitely reward you. ”

Dou Gu listened to Gongsun Miao's words, he didn't like it in his heart, anger flashed on his face, and he said word by word: "Although the enemy army is defeated, but the main force still exists, how can you be a teacher at this time, please be cautious!" Geng Zhong said loudly: "We are ordered by the emperor to go on a journey of thousands of miles, and we should focus on national affairs, how can we take personal fame and fortune first, look forward and backward, and be timid!" I agree with Geng Gong's opinion, and lead the army to chase after the enemy and eliminate the evil. When Gongsun Miao heard this, his black face turned purple with anger, and he didn't dare to say anything anymore.

Ban Chao arched his hand and said: "Don't worry, general, we are tired, and the enemy is even more tired." But if our army wins, its morale is high, and the enemy's army is defeated and his heart is broken, and at this time he will be able to win a great victory by chasing him with light cavalry. Dou Gu listened, pondered for a while, and said: "The courage of the two generals is commendable, and it is reasonable, the two of you led 5,000 elite soldiers to the Pu Sea, and I followed up with General Geng Zhong to lead the army, and fought another battle in the Pu Sea, and gave a annihilating blow to the main force of the Northern Xiongnu Hei Batian led by the King of Huyan in the southwest, laying the foundation for the next step to recover the Western Regions." Ban Chao and Geng Gong obeyed the order and led 5,000 elites to chase after Pu Zhihai.

King Huyan was heavily defeated by the Han army under the city of Yiwu, lost thousands of people, and retreated to the Pu Sea, leaving only eight or nine thousand people, so angry that King Huyan beat his chest. His subordinate beheading Wang Hu Tumao persuaded: "The king should not worry, in this battle, although our army was defeated, but also found out the strength of the Han army, Dou Gu led the Han soldiers only more than 20,000 people. The king was in the Pu Sea with a dangerous position, I went to Cheshi, Shanshan to borrow troops, and then attacked Yiwu, and the Han army decisive battle, with more to fight less, will be able to defeat the Han army, drink the Yellow River. King Huyan listened and nodded in agreement. Suddenly, Mao led his subordinates to Jin Tu and left the Pu Sea.

Not long after they left, the guards hurriedly came to report that the Han army brigade had invaded the Pu Sea, and when King Huyan heard this, he behaved in a panic and exclaimed: "Why did you come so quickly!" How did it come so quickly? As he spoke, he ordered the guards to resist desperately, and he took a dozen guards, mounted fast horses, and fled.

Ban Chao and Geng Gong ran for a long time, attacking them unprepared, and more than 5,000 of the enemy's main force were annihilated in the first battle of Pu Shihai, and thousands of remnants fled for their lives. Dou Gu truthfully reported the battle report to Emperor Ming, and Emperor Ming was overjoyed, and issued an order to reward Dou Gu and Geng Zhong, and ordered Dou Gu to control the other three Han armies and perform the duties and powers of a general. The generals rejoiced when they heard this.

Dou Gu saw that the geographical location of Yiwu was very important, and after discussing with the generals, he decided to set up Yihe Duwei in Yiwu, leaving the soldiers in Tuntian, and making long-term plans, preparing to march from Yiwu to recover the Cheshi, so as to persuade the emperor to reset the capital of the Western Regions and complete the plan to recover the Western Regions.

Due to the cold weather and the difficulty of military food, Dou Gu settled the matter of Yiwu Tun and decided to lead the army to return to Dunhuang temporarily, and then lead the troops to attack the Che Division in the autumn of next year.

Ban Chao said to Dou Gu: "It is very necessary for the army to temporarily return to Dunhuang to recuperate, in order to coerce the victory over Yu Wei and recover the Western Regions as soon as possible, I am willing to lead the troops to Shanshan first, promote Hanwei from the southern Western Regions, and persuade Shanshan, Khotan, Shule and other countries to return to Han." Strategically, it formed a flanking attack on Qiuzi, Yanqi, Cheshi and other countries in the southern province of the Western Regions, helping the Han army to recover the Cheshi and reset the capital of the Western Regions in the future. ”

Seeing that this matter was very important, Dou Gu summoned the generals to negotiate. Everyone felt that the Shanshan countries had been betraying the Han for a long time, and the auspicious fortune was unpredictable, and they could not continue to lead more troops and more food and grass, and it was difficult to make a difference if they led fewer troops. Seeing this, Dou Gu got up and paced, thinking repeatedly. Seeing this, Ban Chao said with emotion: "All the generals rest assured, because the southern countries have been oppressed by the northern captives, they have long had the heart of the Han, I am willing to lead the selection of dozens of generals and soldiers to Shanshan, tell them about the Han Wei, with reason, with emotion, I think there should be seventy or eighty percent sure to persuade them to return to the Han." In the event of failure, sacrificing one's life for the country will not be harmed by our army. "The generals saw that Ban Chao gave up his life for the country and was arrogant, and they all admired it.

Geng Gong first expressed his willingness to go to Shanshan with Ban Chao. Geng Zhong also said: "Ban Sima courage is commendable, the general should let him choose the elite, the first emperor once said that where there is a will, there is a way, Ban Sima is all-round in civil and military affairs, and has great ambitions for a long time, it is very important to go to the southern province of the Western Regions, once successful, to recover the Western Regions, the plan to break the right arm of the Xiongnu can be achieved soon." Seeing that the crowd was vying for meritorious service to the country, Gongsun Miao also said: "I am willing to go to Shanshan with Ban Sima to make meritorious service." ”

Seeing that the generals were eager to serve the country, Dou Gu stroked the long beard on his chest and said: "Ban Gu often says that doing extraordinary things, making extraordinary contributions, and making extraordinary talents. Once successful, it can be worth the achievements of tens of thousands of our army for many years, subduing the Xiongnu without moving China, and ensuring long-term peace and stability in the frontier. Ban Sima is this extraordinary person, so he asked Ban Sima to select strong men, good horses, good guns, and treasure swords among the army, and go to Shanshan to make contributions to the country. Guo Duwei also wants to go, his courage is commendable, so he will be Ban Sima's deputy. ”

Seeing that Dou Gu agreed to go by himself, Ban Chao created the conditions for himself as much as possible, and got up and thanked: "Thank you for the trust of the general and the generals." Gongsun Miao saw that Dou Gu really let him go, he regretted it very much, and said in his heart that dozens of people went to the enemy country, wouldn't it be sent to death, thinking of this, he secretly hated himself for causing trouble with his mouth, so angry that he twisted his thighs hard, and lost his voice in pain, "Ouch! When he shouted, everyone saw that he was suffering from gains and losses, and that he was depressed, and because they despised him as a human being, they ignored him.