The army split into countless small teams, conducting a thorough search of the grasslands. Anyone found to be of foreign origin, regardless of age or gender, was to be killed without exception.

This bloody crackdown lasted for a full month.

All the Wuhuan, Xianbei, and Dingling tribes were completely destroyed, and their populations were wiped out. According to statistics, more than 100,000 non-Han peoples were killed in this northern expedition, and the whereabouts of the rest are unknown, possibly having fled to the harsher north.

"Send the order to the three armies!" The wicked man stood on the shore of the North Sea. "Return to the capital in triumph! This Grand Commandant must report to His Majesty on this great victory!"

Three months later, outside Xianyang City.

The mighty Qin army returned in triumph. They escorted thousands of prisoners and carried countless spoils of war. The furs of the Wuhuan, the gold ornaments of the Xianbei, the pearls of the Dingling—a dazzling array of rare and precious treasures.

Ying Zheng personally greeted him outside the city, and civil and military officials lined up to welcome him.

"The Grand Commandant is mighty!"

"The Qin army is invincible!"

Amidst deafening cheers, the wicked man rode forward and bowed to the First Emperor: "Your subject, the wicked man, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

"You may rise, my lord." Ying Zheng smiled broadly. "This northern expedition has been a resounding victory! I have ordered a grand celebration banquet to be held for you and all the soldiers!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The wicked man stood up. "Your Majesty's command led a northern expedition, and I have already conquered the Wuhuan, Xianbei, and Dingling tribes. From now on, there will be no more foreign tribes on the northern grasslands, and our Great Qin's northern border will forever enjoy peace!"

Ying Zheng laughed loudly: "Good! My dear minister has lived up to my expectations and made great contributions to the Qin Dynasty! Guards, bestow rewards! I want the whole world to know that those who have made great contributions to the Qin Dynasty's expansion will receive the highest honor!"

At the grand victory banquet, the wicked man was granted the title of "Marquis of the Northern Lands," with a fief of ten thousand households, a thousand taels of gold, and a hundred pieces of fine jade, enjoying the ultimate in glory and wealth.

That night, the wicked man stood alone outside the Epang Palace, gazing northwards.

That grassland, once the domain of nomadic peoples, is now entirely ruled by the Qin. The traces of other tribes have been erased, leaving only the Qin banners fluttering in the wind across the grassland.

.............

Xianyang, the Grand Commandant's residence.

The wicked man sat at his desk, carefully reading the reports sent from various places.

News from the north indicates that the clearing operation on the grasslands is nearing its end, with the remaining nomadic tribes either being killed or fleeing to the far north and colder regions.

The Western Regions and areas beyond them have completely submitted and dare not make the slightest move.

"Grand Commandant," a trusted aide whispered, "You have successively pacified Goguryeo, Sushen, and Buyeo in the south; Dian and Yelang in the southwest; the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions; Kangju, Daxia, and Parthia beyond the Western Regions; and the Xiongnu, Yuezhi, Wuhuan, Xianbei, and Dingling in the north."

"Now that all foreign tribes have been eliminated, what a great achievement this is!"

The wicked man put down the bamboo slips, his gaze deep: "This is not enough."

"Not enough?" The confidant was taken aback. "What other plans does the Grand Commandant have?"

The wicked man stood up and walked to the huge map in the center of the hall: "These places have been unified on the surface, and those remaining foreign tribes also seem to have submitted to our Great Qin."

"But in reality, hidden dangers still exist in various places, and undercurrents are brewing."

He pointed southeast: "Although the Japanese kingdom has been destroyed, there are still many islands along the southeast coast inhabited by foreign tribes. Although they dare not cause trouble now, who can guarantee that they won't become a threat in the future?"

He pointed southwest: "To the southwest, beyond the lands of Dian and Yelang, lies the Kingdom of Sindhu. It's a vast, sparsely populated region, teeming with wealth, and has always been an object of my interest."

He then pointed to the far west: "Beyond Parthia, there are even more distant places. It is said that there lies a powerful nation there called 'Rome,' incredibly wealthy and possessing a formidable military."

"In short, the world is vast, and our Qin state still has an incredibly long way to go before 'that day' arrives."

The confidant was stunned: "Does the Grand Commandant mean to continue expanding?"

"Exactly!" the wicked man said, his eyes blazing. "A true empire should have no borders. Only through continuous expansion can the long-term stability of the nation be guaranteed!"

Just then, a secret agent from the Black Ice Bureau strode in.

"Reporting to the Grand Commandant, there is urgent intelligence!"

";explain!";

"The envoy from the Kingdom of Sindhu has arrived outside Chang'an and requests an audience with His Majesty and the Grand Commandant."

The wicked man raised an eyebrow: "Sindhu? Why did they suddenly send an envoy?"

"Reporting to the Grand Commandant," the spies said, "the envoy himself said that he came to pay tribute in fear after Parthia was destroyed, seeking peace."

"Interesting." The wicked man sneered, "It seems the might of my Great Qin has spread throughout the world. Send the order to prepare for an audience!"

Three days later, at Chengming Hall.

The envoy from India, dressed in exotic attire and wearing a peculiar headdress, arrived at the First Emperor's court with a dozen attendants. They brought a large number of precious gifts—gold, silver, jewels, spices, ivory, and peacock feathers—worth a fortune.

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