I, the prince, only want to be deposed.

Chapter 456 Offensive and defensive changes
Wei Qing clearly remembered that the last time he fought against the Right Wise King of the Xiongnu was the surprise attack on Gaoque seventeen years ago.

It’s just that the previous Right Wise King was not called Xianbi, but Yueji.

In that battle, Yueji underestimated the enemy and was drunk, so he was surrounded by the enemy in a night attack. Although Yueji was about to leave, the Han army killed more than 5,000 enemies, captured and trapped more than ten deputy kings, 15,000 Xiongnu men and women, and captured hundreds of thousands of livestock.

Yes, hundreds of thousands of livestock!

A large number of Xiongnu tribes fled, and there was no time to drive away their livestock, so they were all left to the Han army. Later, it took two months just to drive the sheep back. The soldiers under his command ate mutton for every meal, and everyone smelled of mutton.

It was also after that battle that he was appointed as the great general, with a fief of 8,700 households, and was known as the Marquis of Ten Thousand Households.

His three sons were still in their infancy, and each of them was a marquis of a thousand households.

It was also from that time.

Wei Qing sensed Liu Che's hostility and fear, and began to deliberately control his power.

However, man proposes, God disposes. In the second year, while he was trying his best to control the points, he even seemed to be nurturing the enemy to protect himself.

Huo Qubing, who was leading troops to fight for the first time, suddenly jumped out. He led 800 light cavalry and ran too far. He was crowned champion marquis in one battle. From then on, he started a life of cheating, even crazier than him, until he was crowned wolf and had the Xu.

This time, Liu Che openly made it clear to him, discarded his hostility and fear, and ordered him to give it his all.

He no longer needed to intentionally control his points, as he had Liu Ju, who was even more evil than Huo Qubing...

To be honest, there was a moment when he felt deeply sympathetic towards the Huns in his heart.

Huns, oh Huns, it’s not that you are not strong enough, it’s because God blesses our Han Dynasty and gives birth to so many monsters.

Your country's destiny has come to an end. I wonder if you regret it now. You were born too close to the Han Dynasty, and you were too arrogant before, becoming the mortal enemy of the Han Dynasty.

Now here comes my nephew.

He is different from the emperor of the current dynasty. The emperor of the current dynasty only asks you to submit, but my nephew does not intend to give you the slightest chance to submit...

"Xiongnu, long time no see!"

Wei Qing did not lead the charge. As the main general, he only needed to stay in the center of the army and make plans.

When the war broke out, military orders were issued like snowflakes.

The scouts kept on going, and the latest battle reports were constantly transmitted to the tent.

On the battlefield, sky lanterns of various colors rose into the sky, like balls of gorgeous daytime fireworks, celebrating the impending victory of the Han army.

Xianbi finally listened to the advice of King Youguli and his generals, and hastily organized an army to resist.

But how could such a hastily organized army resist the more powerful Han army than before? The sudden appearance of crossbow cavalry alone had already made the Xiongnu archers, who were good at riding and shooting, lose all their advantages.

Now it was the Han army that was harassing the army formation, and the Xiongnu archers didn't even have the chance to get close and shoot arrows to harass them. If they came into the range, they would be shot like hedgehogs.

In this case, the final result of this battle is:

When Youxian Wang Xianbi saw that the situation was not good, he led part of the main force and fled northward in panic.

The Han army killed more than 9,000 people in one fell swoop, including seven deputy kings, and captured more than 24,000 Xiongnu men and women, including more than ten deputy kings, more than 100 generals, porters, and captains, and captured countless livestock...

Can't count at all.

Unlike the surprise attack on Gaoque more than ten years ago, this time Zhao Po Nu followed Liu Ju's harassment tactics and drove a large number of Xiongnu tribes north of the Altai Mountains out of the lush pastures. In fear, these tribes all drove their sheep to seek refuge with Xianbi, hoping to receive the protection of the Right Wise King.

Unexpectedly, the Right Wise King was completely defeated within a month. In order to preserve some strength, he decisively led his main force to flee northwards soon after the battle, leaving these tribes and their sheep to the fierce Han army.

Before escaping, he ordered the killing of King Youguli and the Xiongnu general who advocated resistance.

This move was naturally intended to put all the blame for the failure on King Youguli and the Xiongnu general, but there was no way to explain to the Chanyu with dead people.

Besides, this was originally their problem. If they had not insisted on resistance, but had directly followed his idea and ordered a withdrawal, the losses of the right wing of the Xiongnu would have been smaller than it is now.

During the escape, Xianbi always carried Wei Lu with him, like a talisman.

"Wei Lu, now is the time for you to tell me the major flaws in the Han strategy!"

He called Wei Lu to his carriage and asked him with a stern look.

Now is the time to consider how to explain to the Chanyu.

Even if the blame for this failure was entirely placed on the King of Youguli and the Xiongnu general, he, as the Right Wise King in charge of the right wing of the Xiongnu, still could not escape blame and had to come up with an excuse to exonerate himself.

"Right Wise King, how much do you know about the Western Regions?"

Wei Lu hurriedly smiled along but did not answer but asked instead.

"If you have something to say, just say it. There are two types of people that I hate the most in my life. One is people who are too opinionated, and the other is people who keep things in suspense in front of me."

Xianbi said in a cold voice with some impatience.

"How dare I keep you in suspense in front of the Right Wise King? It's just that this matter is closely related, so I asked this question."

Wei Lu quickly lowered his posture and said seriously,

"To be honest, the biggest flaw in the Han Dynasty's strategy was that the Xiongnu chose to cross the Western Regions and head west of the Western Regions when their survival was at stake."

"The Han people seem to have some understanding of the area north of Mobei, and they are certain that going further north will be a desperate situation where it will be difficult to survive."

"Now the Xiongnu have the Han Dynasty to their south, and the Wuhuan to their east have also surrendered to the Han Dynasty after the Battle of Mobei. If the north is in dire straits again, it seems the Xiongnu have only one way out, which is to migrate westwards."

"It's a pity that the Han army has not yet taken control of the Western Regions, and it is even more impossible to establish a defense line in a short period of time to prevent the Xiongnu from migrating westwards."

"So if the Xiongnu decide to move westward at this opportunity, it will be very difficult for the Han army to stop them, and they can only watch the Xiongnu escape."

"In addition, as far as I know, as long as we cross the Pamir Mountains, we will reach a land that is much more fertile than the bitter and cold land of Mobei. The Xiongnu can recuperate here and will be able to make a comeback in no time."

"Most importantly, does the Right Wise King know why the Han Dynasty suddenly marched into the Western Regions?"

Hearing this, Xianbi frowned while thinking about Wei Lu's words and shouted in a deep voice:

"Are you keeping me in suspense again?"

"Don't dare."

Wei Lu shrank his neck and continued to smile.
"The Han Dynasty has acquired a silver mountain overseas in the past two years, which produces a large amount of silver every year. Silver is the main currency in the Western Regions and west of the Western Regions."

"That's why the Han Dynasty wants to open up this trade route as soon as possible and spend the silver."

"If the Xiongnu choose to move westward, they will block this trade route, which is tantamount to strangling the Han Dynasty. The offensive and defensive situation will inevitably change again!"

(End of this chapter)