October 25th.

Cao Cao, clad in full armor, rode a yellow horse to the west of Wusun City.

Twenty thousand Han soldiers and thirty thousand auxiliary troops, fully equipped, lined up outside the city.

All the soldiers wore expressions of excitement.

Today, the merit-based system of the Han army has taken root in people's hearts. Whether they are Han soldiers or soldiers of the attached army, their greatest desire is to fight a tough battle to earn a title that can change their own destiny.

Morale is high!

After surveying the area on horseback, Cao Cao smiled with satisfaction.

"Beat the drums, let's go!!"

With Cao Cao's order, the 50,000-strong army began to march in batches toward Dayuan.

Cao Cao, full of vigor, rode ahead on his horse, followed by generals such as Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Xu Chu, and Hua Xiong.

Behind the main army was a supply train consisting of nearly 150,000 laborers.

These laborers were all Han Chinese who had migrated from elsewhere. They received training from militia organizations on a regular basis and were ready to go to the battlefield in critical moments.

The long queue stretched for miles, so impressive that the beginning and end could not be seen from each other.

Under the planning and coordination of the advisors, the army moved as a unified whole, advancing and retreating in an orderly manner without any disorder, and quickly marched towards Dayuan.

The journey, which originally took fifteen days, was shortened to ten days by them.

Even Cao Cao was full of praise.

"If things continue like this, we can definitely finish this campaign before the end of the year!"

Cao Cao's face was full of smiles as he watched the soldiers setting up camp outside Dayuan City.

He Lian and Xie Zhiyu, who were stationed in Dayuan City, also came out of the city to pay their respects.

Although both of them were granted the title of king by the Emperor of Han, with a rank higher than Cao Cao's, they did not dare to put on airs.

They were well aware that their temporary residence in the Western Regions was entirely due to the Han Dynasty's hospitality, and that Cao Cao, the ruler of the Western Regions, was undoubtedly superior to them.

Inside the central command tent.

After the two sides exchanged greetings, Cao Cao ordered someone to bring out a topographical map of Kangju.

This map was redrawn by the staff team, and it clearly marks the army's marching route and the main cities to be attacked.

"According to the plan, the Xianbei and Xiongnu tribes will serve as the left and right vanguards, clearing obstacles along the marching route and cutting off supplies between cities, while our main army will be responsible for attacking and conquering territories from the rear..."

Standing before the map, Cao Cao explained his previous battle plan in detail to He Lian and Xie Zhiyu.

"Please rest assured, General Cao, our two units, totaling 40,000 warriors, have been assembled and are ready to depart at any time!"

He patted his chest and solemnly guaranteed, while Xie Zhiyu next to him nodded excitedly.

During the two years they spent recuperating in Dayuan, they also learned a lot about the situation of the western grasslands.

The abundance of aquatic plants there is comparable to that of the old place.

Moreover, the barbarians living on that grassland not only had outdated weapons and low combat effectiveness, but were also divided into multiple races and tribes, making them a disorganized bunch.

Their two existing 40,000 combat-ready troops are now equipped with weapons and armor supplied by the Han Dynasty, making them an overwhelming force.

Most importantly, besides Rome, there were other countries bordering the grasslands there. These countries, along with Rome, were easy prey for them.

A vast grassland large enough for two herdsmen to live on, plus a few pieces of fat meat lying around that you can gnaw on anytime, that's much better than living in this Western Region.

Therefore, whether it was He Lianxiezhiyu or the soldiers and herdsmen of both tribes, they all longed for that paradise-like place.

Now, they are finally able to embark on their journey again, and they are already very excited.

After two days of rest, the army set off again.

He Lian and Xie Zhiyu each led their 20,000 cavalrymen and charged towards Kangju.

Kangju, located in northeastern Parthia, was slightly smaller than Wusun in terms of land area, with a population of about 600,000 and a number of archers of 80,000 to 90,000. It was a major power among the Western Regions and had been subjugated by the Xiongnu and the Yuezhi.

After the Yuezhi were annexed by the Kushan Empire, they submitted to the Kushan Empire.

Although Kangju also has cities, most of its people still lead a nomadic life.

This is why the staff group chose Xianbei and Xiongnu people as the vanguard.

Nomadic to nomadic.

After all, the Xianbei and Xiongnu were indeed the most powerful nomadic peoples in the world, and no one was better at dealing with nomadic peoples than them.

Of course, the main reason was to send two groups of men into Kangju territory to cause destruction.

Unlike other Western Regions states, Kangju had been hostile to the Han Dynasty since the reign of Emperor Xiaowu.

During the reign of Emperor Xuan, the Xiongnu were in turmoil. Huhanye surrendered to the Han Dynasty and led his troops south, while Zhizhi led his troops west.

However, the Kangju Kingdom invited Zhizhi to establish Zhizhi City in southern Ankang, so that they could fight against the Han Dynasty together.

It can be said that Kangju was anti-Han at its core.

Therefore, one of the staff group's plans was to use the Xianbei and Xiongnu people to destroy Kangju into a wasteland, which would also facilitate the Han Dynasty's subsequent immigration and rule.

This coincides with Cao Cao's idea.

November 15th.

He Lian and Xie Zhiyu led 40,000 cavalrymen to be the first to enter the southeastern region of Kangju.

According to the plan, the two groups will be divided into eastern and western routes to sweep away all the tribes along the route from the border to the Kangju royal city.

Gazing at the land of Kangju ahead, He Lian turned to Li Ru beside him and asked in a deep voice, "Sir, what do you suggest we do to maximize our benefits while fulfilling the Han army's demands?"

"What? Does Your Majesty intend to plunder the entire Kangju?" Li Ru asked instead of answering, looking at He Lian with a smile.

He Lian smiled and said, "I'm not stupid. I've dealt with General Cao a few times in the past two years, so I know a little about his temperament."

The reason he made us the strikers was precisely to have us do that, wasn't it?

After all, everyone in Kangju is hostile to the Han Dynasty. If we kill and plunder all the Kangju people, we can help them solve the problem of subsequent rule.

Furthermore, the resources within Kangju are sufficient to support our westward journey, so the Han Dynasty does not need to provide us with any more supplies.

This achieves multiple benefits with one action, doesn't it?

"Your Majesty is right, General Cao is indeed planning this!"

After listening to He Lian's insights, Li Ru nodded in agreement.

"Haha~, it's really not easy to gain your approval, sir!"

Seeing that Li Ru agreed with his statement, He Lian couldn't help but laugh out loud.