"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations!"

Upon hearing the Parthian king's instructions, Sakhosky nodded emphatically.

Afterwards, with everyone watching, Sakhozzi led dozens of followers southwards.

Three days later, the messenger sent by Ardasi arrived at the Han army camp first, found Kemolai, and put forward the request to purchase military equipment and weapons.

Kemolai did not hide anything from Chu Qian and reported it directly.

Chu Qian agreed to the Persian's request without hesitation.

Supporting the Persian uprising to destabilize Parthia's rear was a crucial part of the plan. Now that he could achieve his goal and make money at the same time, Chu Qian naturally had no reason to refuse.

Upon realizing that his mission had been accomplished, the messenger sent by Ardasi returned home with a joyful expression.

Chu Qian then summoned Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Ling Cao, and other Han army generals to discuss the next steps.

Glancing at everyone, Chu Qian said with a radiant smile, "Everyone, our previously formulated plan has already achieved initial success."

Next, what we need to do is to recuperate and develop production and trade in the southern Parthian territories, accumulating sufficient resources for our army. Within ten years, we will build a powerful army capable of sweeping across the entire Parthian region, and assimilate the Parthian people, making them accept everything from the heart of the Han Dynasty!

Cheng Pu echoed, "What the Chu envoy said is true. At present, our military strength and resources are limited. Even if we destroy Parthia, it will only benefit Rome, Kushan, or Persians. It will be a loss for us!"

Chu Qian smiled and nodded: "Therefore, I have decided that while secretly supporting the Persians, we should also help the Parthians from time to time."

Ideally, the Parthians and Persians should be locked in a state of mutual conflict!

In this way, not only can we deplete the population and strength of both sides, but our army can also obtain a large amount of profit from the sale of arms.

At that time, their strength will be diminished while ours will be strengthened, which will be more conducive to our army's subsequent plans and actions.

"Then everything will proceed according to Commander Chu's plan!"

After hearing Chu Qian's plan, all the generals nodded in agreement.

...

Two days later, Sakqi and his party finally arrived at the Han army's camp.

Since Chu Qian and Sakqi had already reached an agreement, this negotiation was merely a formality.

During the negotiations, Chu Qian first made outrageous demands, directly asking Parthia to cede fifty cities in the south and pay war reparations of 200 million gold coins.

Sakqi, on the other hand, argued his case, ceding only the southern sea ports and fifty-two southern cities to the Han army for fifty years, and also getting the Han army to cancel the war reparations.

Sarkozy's performance and the outcome of the negotiations earned him the great respect of his entourage.

Subsequently, the two sides discussed economic, trade and military cooperation.

Parthia will exempt Han merchants from commercial taxes, allow the Taiping Religion to preach within Parthia, and designate several concessions within Parthia for Han merchants and Taoist priests to reside in.

In return, the Han Dynasty agreed to provide Parthia with military equipment and weapons at the original price.

Furthermore, Sakqi proactively suggested that the Han army could send some officers to assist Parthia in forming and training a new army.

Chu Qian agreed to the request without hesitation.

Soon, the results of the negotiations were relayed back to the capital.

Upon learning that Sakqi had not only preserved the southern territory through negotiations but also successfully persuaded the Han army to provide them with military equipment, the Parthian king and his ministers were overjoyed.

Although Parthia will lose control of its southern territory for fifty years, this outcome is the best possible result compared to ceding the entire southern territory and paying an indemnity of two hundred million gold coins.

After both sides formally signed the treaty, the Han army began to withdraw in accordance with the agreement.

However, during the Han army's retreat, the people of the occupied cities also followed the Han army with their families.

It turns out that during the conquest of these cities, the Han army not only did not harm the people in the slightest, but also opened granaries to distribute food and provide relief to the poor.

During this time, the instructors in the army also traveled around with guides, explaining to the Parthian people the many benefits of being under the rule of the Han Dynasty. They also promised that as long as they went to the area under the jurisdiction of the Han army, they would be allocated a piece of land of their own and live a stable and prosperous life.

For the Parthian people who had long suffered from exploitation and oppression, the conditions promised by the Han army were undoubtedly fatally attractive.

Furthermore, the Han army's strict discipline and distribution of grain from granaries earned their genuine respect and approval.

Therefore, during the Han army's withdrawal, without the Han army needing to send anyone to organize them, the people themselves packed up everything and followed behind the Han army.

Not only the people of these occupied cities, but also the people of the surrounding cities joined the southward journey after hearing the news.

According to rough calculations, at least one million people joined the southward march.

The Parthian king and his ministers said nothing about the departing people; of course, they dared not say anything.

After a month, Chu Qian and his army, along with the people who had traveled south, finally returned to Ansu City.

Because of the large army led by Sakqi that had burned, killed, and looted along the way, Ansu, Kenan, Linshan and other places were almost deserted, leaving a lot of land and houses available, which was just enough to settle the people who had come with them.

At the same time, Roman merchants arrived in time with grain they had purchased from Rome, which met the Han army's food shortage and ensured the resettlement of the people.

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