Chapter 502: The Sorrow of the World
Luo Qing himself did not expect that coming to Chang'an would be so smooth. Emperor Liu Xun was different from what many people imagined. He seemed to be impatiently waiting for the arrival of this war.
The entire Han Dynasty and even the Xia Dynasty were shocked by this edict of Emperor Liu Xun.
Orders were delivered to the counties and states one after another along with the envoys.
Liu Xun's attitude was unprecedentedly tough, which indeed exceeded many people's expectations. A large number of troops were recruited from various counties and kingdoms.
"Ever since Emperor Xiaowu defeated the Xiongnu in the decisive battle in Mobei, the army of the Central Plains has never been as strong as it is today."
"Isn't this considered militarism?"
"How can there be corrupt scholars like you among the Confucian school? The tyrant emperor Liu Dan did not care about the displacement of the people in the world and imposed taxes harshly. That is called warmongering.
The Han Dynasty is thriving under your majesty's rule, and the treasury is far more prosperous than before. Even if a large-scale military operation is used, it is impossible to cause a large number of refugees. This is called doing things within one's capabilities!"
Various voices echoed everywhere, and finally merged into one voice, which was the emperor's edict, "Defeat the Xiongnu, restore peace to the border of the Han Dynasty, and allow the Han Dynasty to have another fifty years of stability!"
Luo Shi received the emperor's order, "You are the son of the late Wushuang Marquis. In the past, Wushuang Marquis Wu Ji led the armies of the Western Regions and Hexi, marched into Mobei, and annihilated the Xiongnu. Now I will give this task to you again. Don't bring shame to our ancestors."
Luo Shi put away the decree, looked at the magnificent scenery of the Western Regions with white clouds, turned around and said loudly to the assistant officer of the Protectorate: "Pass on my order to recruit all the righteous troops, recruit the troops of all the vassal states, and mobilize food and grass to go to war!"
The armies of the Western Regions and Hexi are among the most powerful in the Han army. Due to their long experience in battles, they are not much worse than the armies formed by good families.
The main problem in the Western Regions is the small number of Han people. Every time Luo Shi goes to war, he is unwilling to mobilize a large number of Han people to go to the battlefield, because he is afraid that a large number of Han men will die in the battle, which will change the already fragile population ratio.
After four generations of emperors' continuous exile and immigration, as well as the military deterrence of the Grand Protectorate, the ancient Wusun Kingdom in the Western Regions has lost most of its territory. The royal family continues to migrate westward, and nearly 300,000 Han people live on this land.
This was the base of the Grand Protectorate in the Western Regions. Luo Shi protected it very carefully. Even if he wanted to attack the Xiongnu, he was unwilling to recruit a large number of people from here.
Because it is not certain that we can win against the Huns, and a long-distance raid of thousands of miles will itself be a kind of loss, and it is unknown how many people will die on the way.
All the countries in the Western Regions were under the jurisdiction of the Protectorate-General of the Western Regions. They all received this rather stern letter from the Protectorate. They found out that the Huns had made a comeback and wanted to compete with the Han people for the position of overlord of the world again.
The war between the Han court and the Xiongnu may have happened too long ago, and the kings of these small countries in the Western Regions have forgotten how the Han court defeated the Xiongnu.
Now people actually believe that the Huns can compete with the Han Dynasty. Luo Shi's evaluation is a daydream. The Huns without the Western Regions are like a tiger without wings. They can run well, but wanting to fly is a dream.
Although they had countless different thoughts in their hearts, the countries in the Western Regions were very honest. They mobilized their people and food and followed Luo Shi to attack the Huns.
The Huns are too far away and Luo Shi is too close, there is nothing we can do!
…
Wushuang Marquis Mansion.
The emperor's decree came down, and after preparations, it was time to go to war.
Luo Shi was wearing the general's uniform, and his wife straightened the collar of his robe for him, "My dear, when can you come back?"
Luo Shi was silent for a moment and said, "The food and grass will be enough for one year at most. If that's not enough, we'll have to eat the enemy, that's one year."
"Okay, one year. You must come back on time after one year. I will be waiting for you at home."
Luo Shi nodded silently. The woman in front of him no longer had the beauty she once had, and both of them looked a little old.
A Han princess lived with him for decades in this wild land of the Western Regions, supporting each other.
Luo Shi suddenly sighed.
well.
Going to Chang'an to kill Liu Dan did hurt her after all. Although she didn't say it, she woke up from her dreams from time to time. This kind of depressed mood made her suffer every moment, and her health has been deteriorating since then.
A pampered woman was in worse health than a battle-hardened general like himself.
Thinking about this, Luo Shi actually didn't know what to say. His life was really twisted.
In the eyes of outsiders, he is the Northwest King of the Han Dynasty, he is the Protector General of the Western Regions with outstanding military achievements, he is the bravest general of the Han Dynasty today, and he is the idol of athletes all over the world. He is powerful in the Western Regions and can call on the princes and people of the Western Regions and Hexi with his reputation. His prestige even far exceeds that of his brother, Duke Zhao who sits in Zhaocheng.
But only he himself knew the bitterness of it, and how much pain was hidden under that iron body. Taking away Liu Dan's women and daughter and protecting the King of Dayuan was his act of following his heart.
"Now that you've been sorted out, you're still that heroic man, just like the one I saw you before."
The woman put away her sorrow and smiled, "Go meet your comrades and lead them to defeat the Xiongnu. I am the daughter of Emperor Xiaowu, a true Han princess, and I cannot bear to see the Xiongnu exist in the world."
Luo Shi nodded, then turned around and strode forward, but the further he walked, the more he felt a sense of foreboding. But when he thought about it, he didn't know where this feeling came from. He could only shake his head and attribute it to worry about the future.
In the Wushuang Marquis's mansion, the woman watched her husband stride away. She could no longer hold back and coughed heavily twice. The bright red blood on the white cloth was so glaring. Her face was so pale. Her health was really bad.
There may be a strong side to her character, but she is still a weak woman after all. She understands the violent behavior between her husband and brother but cannot forgive herself. It has been eighteen years, and her own children and her brother's children have grown up. She can't bear it anymore.
"lady!"
The maid beside him exclaimed, and then asked anxiously: "Should we call the master back?"
She waved her hand and said, "Don't make a fuss. The head of the family is going to do great things. We should not cause trouble for him. National affairs are not something a woman like me can handle."
The maid looked anxious when she heard this, but she didn't know what to say.
"You must come back soon, my dear."
…
“Tap, tap, tap!”
A burst of almost synchronous horse hoof sounds rang out, and the ground rose and fell in a regular pattern. Even without looking, everyone knew that it must be the Temple Army coming.
After searching all over the Western Regions, the only army that can perform horse riding to this level is the Temple Army, the strongest army in the Western Regions!
The Western Regions Protectorate relied on this army of 3,000 people to intimidate the Western Regions Protectorate for decades. Those small countries could be conquered almost overnight. They were unparalleled in charging into the enemy lines and invincible in pursuing the rebel armies.
"No battle shall be started until the Temple Army arrives."
When the Han army was insufficient in number, the combat effectiveness of the vassal army was very poor, so there was a saying that the temple army always undertook the most difficult tasks.
Luo Shi raised his eyes and looked in the direction they came from. He saw teams of knights dressed in the decorations of the Temple Army who could easily control their horses at high speeds, and then skillfully slow down the speed. Watching these people riding horses even felt like a kind of enjoyment.
"The descendant of the Supreme Suwang Shanghuangtian, the great high priest, I offer you my most sincere respect!"
After dismounting, these temple army knights from various countries in the Western Regions directly performed the utmost courtesy to Luo Shi. He once thought about correcting the address, but failed in the end, so the matter was left unresolved.
The soldiers of the temple army are not puppets, but they are blessed with many buff auras under the effect of the artifact. They will lose these auras after losing the blessing of the artifact.
With the arrival of the Temple Army, the rest of the teams of soldiers gathered together. The Western Region might be short of anything, but the only thing in abundance was horses.
In the Western Regions, even the infantry were mounted infantry.
But the fact is that there is no one who doesn't know how to ride a horse. Even the Han people who came from the Central Plains, as long as they live here for a generation, will become strong riders.
The Han people here not only farm, but also graze.
The oldest tribes were a combination of farming and animal husbandry, but later on, because farming provided too much food, they gave up animal husbandry.
Now the Han people in the Western Regions have embarked on this path again. With the powerful Central Plains behind them and located at a key position on the trade route, the Han people in the Western Regions do not need to rely entirely on farming to survive, but they naturally cannot give up grazing to ensure their combat effectiveness.
More and more soldiers gathered, with swords and spears in hand. The roars of countless war horses resounded through the clouds, and the sound of war drums beat loudly.
The temple army surrounded Luo Shi and walked up to the platform.
"The Emperor of Chang'an sent an imperial edict to the Western Regions, summoning warriors from the Western Regions to fight against the Xiongnu.
The Xiongnu's army reached the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, and the Xiongnu's horses' hooves once again trampled on the stability of the Western Regions.
The Han Dynasty ruled the Western Regions for decades, and it must have been more prosperous than when the Huns came here.
The glory of the Su Wang Emperor is spread here. This is something that only the Xia can bring. Brandish your weapons, raise your horses, and defend the glory of the Su Wang. "
As soon as Luo Shi's voice fell, the sound of horse hooves came together. The soldiers of the Temple Army all roared and clashed with swords.
There was a solemn and murderous atmosphere in the field. In this land, the concept of royal power has never been supreme. It would be unstable to rule by imperial power alone. One still had to rely on the appeal of the Su King.
"Set off!"
————
After the imperial edict was issued, Shi dispatched 5,000 Han cavalry from Wusun, Dayuan and the eastern countries, and recruited 30,000 soldiers from twelve countries including Cheshi and Qiemi, all of whom were knights.
A captain came forward and said, "The countries in the Western Regions are in disorder. Please send 10,000 Han knights to fight to the death."
Shi said: "The army of the temple is brave and valiant. I will lead them to guard the central army. We will overcome difficulties and be unstoppable. The army should not worry." - "Book of Han: Biography of Wushuang Hou"
(End of this chapter)
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