On the ruins of the capital of Kangju, the wicked man summoned his generals for a meeting.

"Next, we'll head straight for Great Xia." He drew a route on the sand table. "According to intelligence, Great Xia's capital is Bactria, a fortified city with high walls, easy to defend and difficult to attack."

Meng Tian nodded: "This humble general has also heard that the Great Xia is rich in lapis lazuli and turquoise, a treasure trove of the west. They also possess elite elephant troops, whose fighting strength should not be underestimated."

"That's right." A glint of greed flashed in the wicked man's eyes. "This western expedition, besides expanding our territory, also has another purpose: to acquire these treasures. It's said that the Great Xia's elephant cavalry is incredibly powerful, capable of defeating enemies ten times their size. If we can bring their technology back to Great Qin, our army will be even more invincible."

He pointed out a route on the map: "We'll start from here, advance along the Amu Darya Valley, and head straight into the heart of Bactria. According to intelligence, they've learned of the destruction of Kangju and are urgently gathering troops to prepare for resistance."

"Grand Commandant," Wang Li reminded him, "Da Xia has many mountains and rivers; our expeditionary chariots may not be able to function effectively."

"No problem." The wicked man said confidently, "That's precisely why we need even more flexible tactics. Meng Tian will lead the main force in a frontal attack on the capital of Great Xia to draw their attention. Wang Li will lead 50,000 elite troops on a detour south to seize their treasury. Once we control their source of wealth, Great Xia will surely collapse without a fight!"

"Brilliant plan!" the generals exclaimed in unison.

"Order the entire army to rest for three days, and then continue westward!"

Three days later, the army set off again.

This time, the Qin army made special preparations for marching in mountainous terrain. The wheels were replaced with a design suitable for mountain roads, and the "swarm" of vehicles was also adjusted to ensure its effectiveness in complex terrain.

On the fifth day of the march, a scout reported: "Grand Commandant, Xia cavalry have been spotted thirty li ahead. They appear to have discovered our army and are retreating rapidly; there are approximately five hundred of them..."

"Chase them!" the wicked man immediately ordered. "Don't let a single one escape! We absolutely cannot allow them to inform the Great Xia!"

Five thousand cavalrymen immediately set off to pursue the scouts. Although the Xia people were skilled horsemen, they were still no match for the Qin army. After a day and a night of pursuit, the scouts were completely annihilated, leaving no survivors.

"Grand Commandant, you are wise!" a scout reported. "All the sentries have been killed; the Great Xia should still be unaware of our arrival!"

The wicked man nodded in satisfaction: "Proceed according to the original plan. Meng Tian will lead the main force westward, while Wang Li will immediately divide his troops and head south to seize the treasury!"

The army split into two groups and continued its advance.

Meng Tian led an army of 200,000 men straight to the capital of the Great Xia, making a huge commotion to deliberately attract the enemy's attention. Meanwhile, Wang Li led 50,000 elite troops southward in secret, with their target being the Great Xia's most famous treasury—the Sogdiana Treasury.

On the eighth day of the march, on the plains of Bactria.

Beneath the walls of the Great Xia capital, the defending troops stood ready. They had already received news of the fall of Kangju and knew that the Qin army's iron hooves were imminent. To protect their nation and people, Great Xia mobilized the entire country, gathering an army of 150,000 and deploying them around the capital.

"Your Majesty," the chief minister said, "Our scouts report that the Qin army has advanced to within thirty li. Judging from their size, they number at least two hundred thousand..."

The King of Xia's expression was grave. He had already heard from the Kangju refugees about the Qin army's brutality. Not only had they destroyed the kingdom, but they had also exterminated the entire clan, leaving not a single survivor.

"Order all tribes to defend the city to the death!" he gritted his teeth. "Also, send envoys to Parthia to request aid! Tell them that if Great Xia falls, they will be next!"

The order had barely been given when deafening battle cries erupted outside the city. The vanguard of the Qin army had arrived and begun a probing attack.

"Release the arrows!"

On the city walls, the Xia archers began to fire. Countless arrows rained down on the Qin army, but were blocked by their shield formations, achieving little effect.

On the contrary, the Qin army's "swarm" attack was incredibly powerful. A dense rain of arrows covered the entire city wall, turning many of the defenders into pincushions.

"Hold on! We must hold on!" the Great Xia general roared, boosting morale.

Throughout the day, the Qin army launched probing attacks, not a full-scale assault. The Xia defenders, believing they had held the city, cheered with joy.

Little did they know, this was merely a feint by the Qin army. The real killing move was the surprise attack led by Wang Li!

Sogdiana Treasury, the royal treasury of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Under the moonlight, several stone buildings stood majestically. These buildings housed the wealth of the Great Xia royal family—gold, silver, jewels, lapis lazuli, and turquoise, priceless treasures. They were national treasures of Great Xia, under strict guard.

Hundreds of elite guards stood watch around the treasury, bows at their sides, to ensure no thieves approached.

However, they never dreamed that an elite Qin army had already bypassed the mountains and quietly approached the treasure vault.

"kill!"

At a single command, 50,000 Qin soldiers charged out like ghosts, launching an attack on the unsuspecting guards.

"ah!"

Amidst piercing screams, hundreds of guards were hacked to death. The Qin army immediately seized control of the entire treasury, surrounding the precious treasures.

"Move it!" Wang Li ordered. "Not a single gem is allowed to be left behind!"

The soldiers quickly began moving the treasures, stuffing them into sacks. Lapis lazuli, turquoise, gold and silver jewels—countless treasures were swept away.

"Reporting to the General, a total of ten thousand catties of gold, one hundred thousand catties of silver, and countless lapis lazuli and turquoise were unearthed. In addition, three thousand pieces of ivory were discovered, along with various precious herbs."

"Excellent!" Wang Li exclaimed with delight. "Order the entire army to carry their own loads and return immediately! I intend to present these treasures to the Grand Commandant!"

Before dawn, Wang Li's men had quietly withdrawn, fleeing far away with the looted treasures. By the time the Great Xia people discovered the attack on their treasury, it was too late.

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