"If you are willing to submit, I, the Grand Commandant, can allow you to continue ruling this oasis," he said bluntly. "However, from now on, you must abide by the rules of my Great Qin!"
The King of Dayuan smiled bitterly: "Since we've been defeated, what else is there to say? I only ask that the Grand Commandant treat the people of Dayuan kindly..."
"Rest assured," the wicked man said. "This Grand Commandant has always valued talent. Your Ferghana horsemanship and archery skills are excellent, perfect for serving my Great Qin."
He stood up and looked into the distance: "This oasis will henceforth be the outpost for our Great Qin's westward expansion. Since you have chosen to submit, you should understand—this marks the beginning of a new era!"
In the stillness of the night, the wicked man stood atop the city wall, overlooking the newly conquered city.
The architectural style of Dayuan City differed greatly from that of the Central Plains. Although many of its tall arrow towers were damaged in battle, they still displayed their unique charm. The streets were crisscrossed and orderly, clearly the result of careful planning.
"Grand Commandant!" Wang Li rushed over. "A considerable amount of treasure has been found in the city. Besides the jewels and jade artifacts, there are some rather peculiar items..."
"Oh?" The wicked husband became interested. "Tell me about it."
"These Ferghana people seem to possess a secret art of horse breeding," Wang Li said. "They not only know how to select stallions, but also have a complete training system. Even more remarkably, they know how to treat horses' illnesses!"
The wicked man's eyes lit up: "Call all the horse breeders here!"
Soon, several horse administration officials from Dayuan were brought to the city wall. Although they were captured, they remained relatively calm. Clearly, they knew their own worth.
"Let me ask you," the wicked man said bluntly, "Did you breed these Ferghana horses?"
The head horse official replied, "Reporting to the Grand Commandant, this type of horse is actually a rare breed, found only in this oasis. However, it has been through many years of breeding that it has achieved its current quality."
"Oh? Tell me more."
"These horses are extraordinary from birth," the horse official said. "They are not only large in size, but also have exceptional stamina. Most remarkably, they sweat a reddish substance, which looks like they are bleeding. That's why we call them 'Akhal-Teke' horses."
He continued, "But what's most valuable is their character. These horses are extremely intelligent and loyal. Once you gain their trust, they will never abandon their master, even on the most dangerous battlefield."
The wicked man nodded: "So how did you train them?"
"That's a long story..." the horse official said. "First, you have to train them from a young age so the foals recognize their owner. Then they need long-term training to get used to various complex movements. Most importantly, they need to be fed; horses at different stages require different feed..."
As he listened to this professional knowledge, the wicked man became increasingly interested.
He discovered that this Dayuan was not merely a tribe skilled in horsemanship and archery, but a civilization possessing advanced technology. No wonder they were able to establish such a vast commercial empire on this oasis.
"Pass down the order," he said to Wang Li, "keep all these horse administration officials here. I, the Grand Commandant, intend to establish the Great Qin's horse farm here!"
Wang Li accepted the order and left.
Just then, Zhang Erhe brought a new discovery: "Grand Commandant, a large number of maps and books have been found in the city. They not only record methods of horse breeding, but also a lot of information about trade routes."
"Trade routes?"
"Not bad." Zhang Erhe unfolded a parchment scroll. "Look, these routes extend all the way to the far west. There seems to be an even larger kingdom there..."
The wicked man carefully examined the map.
The map marked countless city-states and oases, forming a vast commercial network. Through these routes, all sorts of rare and exotic treasures were continuously transported to the Central Plains.
"Interesting." A glint of light flashed in his eyes. "Since there are so many wealthy city-states, why not go and take a look? Order the entire army to rest for three days. This Grand Commandant will personally go and meet these distant neighbors!"
The order was quickly relayed throughout the entire army.
The Qin soldiers were overjoyed. They had already heard the legends of those distant lands, and now they finally had the opportunity to see them for themselves.
Meanwhile, in the palace of the King of Dayuan.
"These are all ancient texts left by our ancestors," the King of Dayuan said, pointing to rows of bamboo slips. "They not only record the secrets of horse breeding, but also many rules governing commercial transactions."
The wicked man casually flipped through the books and found them to be extremely detailed. From selecting horses to training methods, from choosing trade routes to calculating prices, everything was meticulously organized.
"You people of Dayuan are indeed extraordinary," he exclaimed. "No wonder you've managed to build such a large industry on this oasis."
The King of Dayuan smiled wryly: "Unfortunately, we still can't withstand the Grand Commandant's divine weapons. That kind of 'swarm of bees' is truly unheard of."
"What's so special about this?" the wicked man said arrogantly. "Just wait and see. The Qin cavalry I, the Grand Commandant, will crush the entire Western Regions! Your Ferghana horses will be a perfect help to me."
As night deepened, the entire city gradually quieted down.
The wicked man stood alone at the highest point of the palace, gazing westward, where the bright moon hung in the sky and the stars twinkled.
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