With the fall of the capital city of Kucha and the westward flight of the Kucha king and his entourage, the people of the capital, filled with grief and indignation, all chose to submit.

With their own king and noble officials gone, what can a group of unarmed commoners do?

Under Xie Zhiyu's control, the soldiers entering the city did not harm the people inside, which made the people of Kucha, who had been living in fear, breathe a sigh of relief.

In their view, the Huns were not the brutal and savage people that the noble officials had described.

After cleaning up the city, Xie Zhiyu also ordered the granaries to be opened and distributed a batch of food supplies to all the people to help them get through the winter.

At the same time, Xie Zhiyu also posted a notice to inform all the people of the city that the high taxes originally set by the King of Kucha would be reduced by half.

Faced with such kindness from the Xiongnu, the people in the city were overjoyed, and many even regarded Xie Zhiyu as their savior.

Within just two or three days, Xie Zhiyu had won the support and recognition of the people of Kucha, and many young men even volunteered to join the army to serve him.

Faced with this situation, Xie Zhiyu was both happy and deeply moved.

This method of winning the hearts of the people was something he learned from the Han army.

It was only at this moment that he truly realized the terrifying nature of Han culture and its ruling system.

On the other side, the 15,000 Kucha soldiers who had accompanied Chou Chan on the expedition against Wusun all chose to surrender after learning that the capital had fallen and their king had fled west.

After incorporating the soldiers of Kucha, Chou Chan, following Xie Zhiyu's orders, led his army to an oasis a hundred miles south of Wusun and encamped there.

Faced with the approaching Xiongnu army, which was already close to within a hundred miles, the people of Wusun were filled with fear and unease.

While the King of Wusun was sending people to conscript soldiers and able-bodied men, he was also sending people to urge the envoys who were going to Gaochang to contact Liu Yu as soon as possible, hoping that the Han Dynasty could send reinforcements as soon as possible.

Urged on by his king, the Left Chancellor of Wusun, who was personally leading the team, also quickened his pace and headed towards Gaochang.

...

On the morning of the tenth day of the tenth month in the eighth year of Jianning, west of Gaochang City.

At this moment, the city gate was wide open, and there was no one entering or leaving. The soldiers who were originally stationed at the city gate were replaced by Imperial Guards soldiers with red pheasants on their heads and wearing red robes.

Two hundred Imperial Guard soldiers, holding banners, stood in formation every five steps, like straight pine trees, lining both sides of the Yuguan Road.

A gentle breeze blew by, and the banners on both sides of the official road fluttered, making a series of "whooshing" sounds.

Feeling the gentle breeze, Yuan Shao, standing below the city gate, took a deep breath, a look of contentment on his face.

Yuan Shao was seen wearing a golden helmet of the Imperial Guard, a suit of armor bestowed by the Emperor, a military sword bestowed by the Emperor at his waist, and a bright red cloak.

This outfit accentuated Yuan Shao's already tall and imposing stature, making him appear even more noble and majestic.

Generals Zhang Xiu, Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Hua Xiong, Xiahou Dun, and others stood behind Yuan Shao, fully armed, their eyes all fixed on the western horizon.

"They're here!"

Yuan Shao, who was standing in front, suddenly spoke, and everyone looked at him intently.

On the western horizon, a plume of dust gradually approached, and below it, a troop could be faintly seen.

Several Wusun cavalrymen guarded the front of the delegation, followed by the Wusun Left Chancellor and more than ten accompanying officials, and then came the carriages full of gifts and the escorts.

Looking at the Imperial Guards soldiers on both sides of the official road and Yuan Shao and others at the city gate, the Wusun envoy's face also showed a hint of joy.

He hadn't expected the Han army to put on such a grand welcome for him. After all, those Imperial Guards were the personal troops of the Han emperor. The fact that they lined up to welcome him showed how much the Han army valued him.

Soon, the Wusun delegation arrived at a point two hundred meters from the city gate.

"stop!!"

The Left Chancellor of Wusun called a halt to the procession, then jumped off the carriage, tidied his appearance, and walked towards Yuan Shao and his entourage.

As they walked, the Left Chancellor of Wusun also looked up at Yuan Shao and the others.

The moment the Left Chancellor of Wusun saw Yuan Shao, his eyes lit up, filled with admiration.

"Tall and imposing, yet possessing a gentle and refined demeanor!"

While secretly praising him, the Left Chancellor of Wusun looked behind Yuan Shao.

"What a group of valiant and mighty generals! The Han Dynasty is indeed extraordinary!"

Upon seeing the imposing physiques of Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Hua Xiong, Xiahou Dun, and others, even the Left Chancellor of Wusun couldn't help but marvel.

In his view, any one of these Han generals was far more powerful than the strongest warrior in their country.

Upon approaching, the Left Chancellor of Wusun was the first to bow to Yuan Shao, who was at the head of the group.

"I am Cheng Xu, the Left Chancellor of Wusun. I have met this general. May I ask who you are...?"

Yuan Shao smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "I am Yuan Shao, the Deputy Envoy of the Protectorate of the Western Regions!"

Upon hearing the name Yuan Shao, Cheng Xu's heart skipped a beat.

On his way here, the King of Wusun repeatedly warned him to avoid Yuan Shao, but unexpectedly, the other party came out to ambush him in person.

"What? Does Your Excellency find something amiss?"

Seeing Cheng Xu standing there in a daze, Yuan Shao immediately smiled and asked.

"No... I have long heard of General Yuan's great name. Meeting you today, I can see that he truly lives up to his reputation and is a hero of his generation!"

Cheng Xu quickly snapped out of his reverie and showered Yuan Shao with praise.

"Haha~, Your Excellency is too kind. Let's go into the city and talk!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao laughed loudly and turned to the side, signaling everyone to clear the way into the city.

"General Yuan, please go first!"

Cheng Xu quickly took a step back and bowed to Yuan Shao.

"You've come from afar, esteemed envoy. Why be so polite? Let's go into the city together!"

Yuan Shao smiled, took Cheng Xu's hand, and they walked together into the city.

"The Western Regions are a place with a lot of wind and sand. Your Excellency must have suffered quite a bit on your journey here," Yuan Shao asked with a warm smile as he walked with Cheng Xu by his hand.

"Fortunately, I've lived here for a long time and have gotten used to it!" Cheng Xu replied with a smile.

Yuan Shao smiled and asked, "How many wives and children does your esteemed envoy have at home?"

Cheng Xu: "One wife and five concubines, three sons and five daughters..."

Yuan Shao: "Is the lady well?"

"It's fine!"

"..."

"This Yuan Shao doesn't seem to be the petty and narrow-minded person Your Majesty described!"

As Cheng Xu walked alongside Yuan Shao, he was also infected by Yuan Shao's affability and felt an inexplicable sense of closeness to him.

Zhang Xiu, Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and others behind him also greeted the officials accompanying Cheng Xu with great enthusiasm.

The two groups chatted and laughed all the way, just like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years.