Upon hearing Xue Rengui's report, Liu Wei glanced at the sand table map again and nodded in satisfaction.
These three prefectures are currently protected by the Yinshan Mountains to the north and the Yellow River to the south.
There are three mountain passes and fortresses over there in the clouds to prevent the Xianbei from moving south.
Meanwhile, Shuofang also has two passes, Gaoque Pass and Jiming Pass, which control its vital passage.
To the south of Shuofang Commandery lies Beidi Commandery at the foot of Helan Mountain, but it is separated from Shuofang by a high-altitude desert.
The only passage is the winding Yellow River valley.
However, the Yellow River carved a natural barrier into this plateau, making it difficult to reach Shuofang from Beidi County at the foot of Helan Mountain unless one travels by boat downstream.
Beidi Commandery is now under the jurisdiction of Liangzhou, but it is occupied by the Qiang and Di people.
Meanwhile, Bian Zhang and Han Sui were causing trouble in Wuwei and Jincheng in Liangzhou. Ding Yuan, who was sent to quell the rebellion, had no time to spare for Beidi Commandery.
Therefore, it seems that the three prefectures of Yunzhong, Shuofang, and Wuyuan that he currently controls are quite safe.
Unless he wants to let people in to fight, don't even think about letting a single enemy in.
However, his gaze swept towards a place 800 miles west of Jiming Pass, his eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes lit up.
Xue Rengui immediately noticed the subtle change in Liu Wei's expression and followed Liu Wei's gaze to a lake on the sand table.
Zhangye County, Liangzhou, Juyan Lake.
It is an important passage leading to the northern desert through the Badain Jaran Desert and the Gobi Desert, and it is a strategic location that must be fought over and defended by military strategists.
When Huo Qubing marched from the northwest of Gaoque Pass to attack the Xiongnu, he passed through this area.
This area can be described as a large fertile land in the desert and Gobi, with grasslands and agricultural reclamation areas.
Both the Western Han and Eastern Han dynasties established prefectures and counties here and implemented the military-agricultural colony policy.
It would be no problem for them to be self-sufficient and raise tens of thousands of soldiers.
"My lord, this is Juyan Lake!"
Xue Rengui immediately understood Liu Wei's thoughts and said, "The counties under Zhangye Commandery in Liangzhou are strategically important locations that military strategists must contend for!"
"General Xue, from a military strategic perspective, how is this location?"
When Liu Wei heard that Xue Rengui knew about this place, he wanted to test him.
"My lord, I believe this place leads to the northern desert, and is only four or five hundred li from Lady Fan's city. To the northwest are Yanran Mountain and Zhao Xin City!"
“Going west, we can reach the Western Regions; going upstream along the Heihe River, we can appear at Zhangye and Wuwei, two key locations in the Hexi Corridor, and seize control of the Hexi Corridor.”
"The strategic location of this place appears to be very important."
"Once troops are stationed here, it will be like inserting a thorn between the three places of Mobei, the Western Regions, and Liangzhou, effectively suppressing these three places, and serving as a springboard for our future advance into Mobei and the Western Regions."
Xue Rengui's analysis was very logical and reasonable.
"Yes, General Xue truly has strategic vision; he deserves to be called a war god!" Liu Wei blurted out in praise.
A strange light appeared on Xue Rengui's face, and he immediately said humbly, "I am unworthy of the title of God of War!"
"Hehe, but it sounds pretty appealing!"
Liu Wei smiled and didn't argue with him.
"Although our territory is now impregnable, it would pose a significant threat to us if a foreign race were to gather hundreds of thousands of troops to attack."
"If we station an army at Juyan Lake, we can attack from the rear should the Hu people make any rash moves."
"At the same time, this is also our base for conquering north and west."
"Its existence allows us to advance or retreat at will, just like our outstretched fist—we can punch whoever we want!"
Liu Wei expanded on Xue Rengui's analysis.
In the two or three years before Liu Hong died and Dong Zhuo entered the capital, while stockpiling grain and building high walls, the pace of eliminating foreign tribes could not be stopped!
Although the Tuoba Xianbei in southern Gobi were decimated, there were still many Xianbei tribes in the entire desert.
Further west, there were the Dingling and Jiankun, two ancient nomadic peoples, as well as the Northern Xiongnu who occupied the area between the Yanran and Jinshan Mountains.
The Dingling were originally an ancient nomadic people living south of Lake Baikal. They were driven to the Altai region by the Xiongnu and Xianbei.
They could make wheels taller than a person, also known as high carts, which were the predecessors of the later Tiele tribe.
The Tiele tribe was the tribe that Xue Rengui used to subdue the Tianshan Mountains with three arrows and massacre 100,000 of its people.
In addition, the Protectorate of the Western Regions is estimated to be weak at this time, and the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions are each governing themselves and do not listen to the Han Dynasty's jurisdiction!
It's impossible for Liu Wei to just focus on developing the economy at the foot of Yinshan Mountain for the next two or three years!
With so many fierce cavalrymen, we must maintain a constant fighting spirit and sustain ourselves through battle.
"General Xue, please discuss this with Commander Shen later, and we will immediately begin to gather sufficient intelligence on Juyan Lake!"
"In addition, the alien tribes around us are multiplying quite quickly, so we often send the three governors, Zhang Liao, Liu Du, and Zhang Xun, to fight them."
Upon hearing Liu Wei's words, Xue Rengui immediately grinned: "My lord appointed me as the Marquis's Sima. I thought I would be staying here for a long time!"
"If my halberd does not drink blood for a long time, it will emit a mournful wail."
"My lord, what's the best excuse we should use to attack them?"
The Xiongnu seized four commanderies in Yunzhong and then tried to kill Liu Wei, which is why Liu Wei exterminated them all.
The Xianbei, however, wanted to reap the benefits and seized the opportunity to enter the fray while Liu Wei was fighting Huchuquan.
The Jie people, whose clan was exterminated by Xue Rengui on the south bank of the Yellow River, attempted to ambush Xue Rengui during a sandstorm to seize his horses and equipment, but were instead killed in the process.
In short, when Liu Wei left Yanmen Pass, he encountered the foreign barbarians. They were the ones who attacked first, and Liu Wei was forced to fight back.
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