Xianyang, the Grand Commandant's residence.
The wicked man was studying a map, a map of the Western Regions drawn by a Xiongnu shaman after being tortured.
The map is marked with countless unfamiliar place names—Kangju, Daxia, Anxi, the former territory of the Yuezhi… These places are all outside the territory of Daqin.
"Grand Commandant," the Black Ice Guard agent bowed, "as you have commanded, we have gathered intelligence beyond the Western Regions."
The wicked man looked up: "Tell me."
"The Great Xia Kingdom is famous for its heavenly horses, and it is separated from our Western Regions by the Tian Shan Mountains. Kangju is fierce and warlike, controlling the Syr Darya River basin. Parthia is even further away, and it is said to have the strength of a 'kingdom of ten thousand chariots.' As for the Yuezhi... they migrated westward after being defeated by the Xiongnu, and now they settle in northern Bactria."
A glint of cunning gleamed in the wicked man's eyes. Since the destruction of the Xiongnu, Yuezhi, and the Western Regions, the Qin Dynasty had no rivals in the north and west. But the more distant lands remained unknown.
What are the specialties of these countries?
"Reporting to the Grand Commandant," the spies replied, "Parthia is rich in rare treasures, especially renowned for its glass and tourmaline. Meanwhile, the lands where the Yuezhi migrated are abundant in gold, silver, and agate..."
"Fine!" The wicked man slammed his hand on the table. "Send the order to summon the masters of the Mohist school!"
Soon, Xianglihe and Zizhen arrived in a hurry.
"Grand Commandant," Xiangli He said, bowing slightly, "what orders do you have for us?"
The wicked man pointed to the map: "This Grand Commandant intends to expand beyond the Western Regions. However, the journey here is long and the terrain is complex. Ordinary troops cannot undertake such a long march. Therefore..."
His gaze was intense: "I need you to improve your vehicles and weapons to make them more suitable for expeditions, especially for marching and fighting in harsh environments such as the Gobi Desert and other deserts."
The two Mohists examined the map and pondered for a moment.
Zizhen spoke first: "Grand Commandant, conventional chariots are indeed unsuitable. Their wheels easily get stuck in the desert, and resupply is also a problem. However..."
His eyes lit up: "We can design a lightweight armored vehicle with multi-layered, specially designed tires and modify the horse harness structure. This way, it can travel at high speeds on sand without getting stuck."
Xiang Lihe added, "A modified version of the 'Honeycomb' system can also be installed on the vehicle, along with a water storage device to solve the drinking water problem during long journeys."
"Brilliant plan!" the wicked man exclaimed joyfully. "I, the Grand Commandant, give you one month to create a prototype. A generous reward awaits you upon success!"
The two accepted the order and immediately began designing.
Just then, Wang Li rushed back from the border, bringing new intelligence.
"Grand Commandant," he said, bowing slightly, "the Kangju Kingdom beyond the Western Regions has learned of our conquest of the Yuezhi and other Western Regions kingdoms, and seems to be filled with fear. They have sent envoys, wishing to establish trade with our Great Qin..."
"Oh?" The wicked man raised an eyebrow. "It seems these distant lands are beginning to fear the strength of my Great Qin. Perfect, summon their envoys. This Grand Commandant will personally meet these people from beyond the Western Regions!"
Three days later, in the main hall of the Grand Commandant's residence.
An envoy dressed in exotic attire stood before the wicked man. His face was rugged, and his eyes held both wariness and awe.
"Grand Commandant of Qin," the envoy said in broken Chinese, "I have come on the orders of the King of Kangju to express my respect for your country and to express my hope for trade relations..."
"Hmph!" The wicked man sneered, interrupting him. "Your Kangju is nothing but a small country outside the Western Regions. What right do you have to trade with my Great Qin on an equal footing?"
The envoy's expression changed: "Grand Commandant, you are mistaken. Kangju may be small, but it is quite powerful. Our country is rich in fine horses and jade, and we also control the northern route of the Silk Road..."
"The Silk Road?" A cold glint flashed in the villain's eyes. "That road is now part of the territory of my Great Qin!"
He stood up and looked down at the envoy: "Go back and tell your king that if you wish to trade with Great Qin, you may. But you must acknowledge Great Qin as your suzerain state and pay tribute regularly every year! Otherwise..."
A cold smile appeared on his face: "Otherwise, your Kangju will also disappear from this land forever, like the Yuezhi and the Xiongnu!"
The envoy's face turned deathly pale, and he retreated repeatedly. He had certainly heard of the Qin Dynasty's ruthless methods, and now, witnessing them firsthand, he could see that they were indeed well-deserved.
"I...I will take the Grand Commandant's words back with me..."
"Go," the wicked man waved his hand. "Within three months, I, the Grand Commandant, will see your reply. If you know what's good for you, Great Qin will treat you kindly. If you don't..."
He didn't finish speaking, but his murderous intent was already palpable.
The envoy hastily retreated, his heart filled with fear. He knew this was not a threat, but a true declaration of death. The iron hooves of Qin were already poised to trample beyond the Western Regions!
After seeing the messenger off, the wicked man immediately summoned his generals for a meeting.
"Gentlemen," he said, pointing to the map, "the Western Regions are pacified, the Xiongnu are destroyed. It's time to expand to even more distant lands."
He traced his finger across the map: "Beyond the Western Regions lies Kangju, further west is Bactria, and even further still are the former territories of Parthia and the Yuezhi. These places may be far, but that doesn't mean they are unconquerable!"
The generals looked at each other in bewilderment.
Meng Tian spoke first: "Grand Commandant, these places are too far from us. If we were to launch a campaign, the supply lines would become a major problem..."
"That's precisely why we need to conquer them!" the wicked man declared resolutely. "Just think about it, if all these places belong to Great Qin, our trade routes will extend to even farther places. The wealth of the Silk Road will all fall into the hands of Great Qin!"
He pointed westward: "More importantly, it is said that the Great Xia has Ferghana horses, Kangju has many fine jades, and Parthia produces glass. These are all treasures that our Great Qin needs!"
Upon hearing this, the generals' eyes gleamed with desire. Indeed, the wealth beyond the Western Regions was highly coveted. If they could bring it under their control, the strength of the Qin Dynasty would rise to a new level.
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