Chapter 69: Bestowing the Han Surname

The next day, the faint light of dawn scattered over the Western Regions, draping this vast expanse of silver-white land with a layer of gold.

Liu Ju and Huo Qubing, clad in armor, stood full of vigor before the Han Army's ranks.

The soldiers of the Han Army were all spirited, their eyes like torches; their neat ranks resembled a steel Great Wall, exuding a chilling aura.

"Soldiers, today is the time for us to conquer Loulan and exalt the prestige of the Great Han!"

Liu Ju's voice rose impassioned and high, echoing in the morning air.

"Fight for the Great Han!"

The Han Army soldiers shouted in unison, their cries like thunder, ringing through the heavens, as if they would shake heaven and earth.

Meanwhile, inside Loulan City, the allied forces of Wusun, Xiongnu, and Loulan likewise stood ready in strict formation.

Wusun King Lie Jiaomi's face was solemn, his eyes showing resolve; he loudly shouted to inspire the Wusun soldiers: "Warriors, we have nowhere left to retreat! Behind us lies our honor and glory; for Wusun, fight to the death!"

The Wusun soldiers responded in unison, the spears in their hands flashing with cold light.

Xiongnu Er Chanyu rode on a tall horse, brandishing his saber and roaring: "Xiongnu youths, we have roamed the steppes; how could we fear this Han Army? Let them know our might!"

The Xiongnu cavalry bellowed in waves, their warhorses neighed, and a tragic battle aura permeated the whole of Loulan City.

Although the Loulan King felt fear in his heart, he still forced composure, shouting to Loulan's soldiers and civilians: "Loulan is our homeland; we will share its life and death!"

The populace responded in kind, picking up various crude weapons and joining the ranks defending the city.

"Attack!"

Outside Loulan City, as Liu Ju gave the order, war drums sounded, and the Han Army's Hongwu cannon first let out a roar.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

One booming sound after another, like rolling thunder, shook the earth.

Shells arced across the sky like meteors, carrying destructive force, smashing into Loulan City.

In an instant, smoke filled the Loulan city walls, and bricks and stones flew sideways.

Shell after shell struck the walls precisely, blasting out a huge breach; amid the flying dust, the silhouettes of the enemy within the city could be seen.

At the same time, the Han Army's siege tower, pushed forward by the soldiers' strenuous effort, advanced like a steel iron beast toward Loulan's city gate.

When the Han Army's Hongwu cannon roared and its shells fell like meteors upon Loulan City, the allied forces did not panic.

The Xiongnu soldiers quickly raised their shields, forming a solid shield wall to try to block the flying debris.

The Wusun archers, meanwhile, sought targets on the walls and shot fiercely at the Han Army's camp; arrows rained down with a whistling sound.

Facing the impact of the Han Army's siege tower, the Loulan soldiers piled boulders before the gate to try to slow its advance; at the same time, they looped ropes around the battering ram, straining to pull it back, hoping to prevent it from striking the gate.

The massive battering ram at the front of the Great Han's siege tower repeatedly struck the gate with violent force, emitting a dull yet powerful sound.

"Creak—" under this tremendous impact, the gate gradually showed cracks, swaying on the verge of collapse.

Although the allied forces of Xiongnu, Wusun, and Loulan resisted desperately, under the Han Army's fierce assault they appeared somewhat overwhelmed.

They continuously shot arrows and hurled stones from the walls, trying to block the Han Army's advance, but all of this could not stop the Han Army's forward march.

Taking the lead, Huo Qubing's Han Army cavalry seized the moment, surging like a tide through the breached wall and the swaying gate into the city.

The cavalry wielded firearms, galloping across the city; the fire and smoke spewed by the firearms spread throughout the city.

Each gunshot, like the summoning of a death god, precisely pierced the enemy's defenses; under this sudden attack, the enemy ranks fell into chaos, fleeing in all directions.

Under the Han Army's valiant assault, Loulan City's defenses collapsed completely.

Yet Lie Jiaomi, who had just regained confidence, and Er Chanyu, seeing this, had already gone back on their earlier solemn vows, terrified to the point of their livers and gallbladders feeling ready to burst.

"Retreat, retreat quickly!"

Lie Jiaomi let out a loud shout, first mounting a horse, hastily gathering his remnants and fleeing outward from the city.

Er Chanyu also hurriedly shouted for his soldiers to follow.

"You..."

Seeing the two flee without any righteousness, the Loulan King immediately spat out a mouthful of blood in anger.

But Loulan was his homeland; while the Wusun King and Er Chanyu could abandon everything and flee, he could not forsake his own people.

The Loulan King wiped the blood from his lips, and his eyes instantly became resolutely firm.

He drew the sword at his waist; though the blade bore some rust, it still flashed with a cold light in the sunlight.

"Loulan youths, although the Wusun and Xiongnu peoples have betrayed and abandoned us, we will not retreat!"

His voice, filled with anger and resolve, became extraordinarily loud, echoing through the city's streets.

He rode his horse, galloping through the city; wherever he went, groups upon groups of tenacious Loulan soldiers and civilians gathered.

"We were born in Loulan, raised in Loulan; this land is our root!"

The Loulan King shouted loudly: "Today, even if we die in battle, we must make the Han Army know that the Loulan people cannot be bullied!"

The soldiers and civilians were ignited by his words, letting out earth-shaking shouts; they tightly gripped their weapons and followed behind him.

At this moment, the Han Army surged forward like a tide.

The Loulan King feared nothing, leading the charge on horseback toward the Han Army.

His sword waved in the air, tracing fierce arcs; each swing carried the force of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats.

Those Loulan soldiers and civilians at his side followed closely, thrusting with spears and smashing with farm tools, engaging the Han Army in a death struggle.

Meanwhile, Huo Qubing had already fixed his target on the Loulan King, spurring his horse forward to meet him.

"Clang!"

Their long swords clashed; in just one exchange, Huo Qubing cut down the fiercely advancing Loulan King from his horse.

"The Loulan King has been executed; those who surrender shall not be killed!"

Huo Qubing's solemn voice rang out, whereupon the Han Army soldiers also began to shout.

In no time, the Loulan soldiers and civilians who had just been full of fighting spirit laid down their weapons and surrendered.

At this moment, the Loulan King had long lost his former majesty, collapsed to the ground, his eyes filled with fear and despair.

Liu Ju rode his war horse slowly over, looking down at the King of Loulan from above, and said in a deep voice: "Behead him, hang his body on the city wall to show the public. From now on there will be no Loulan in this world; it will be incorporated into the Protectorate of the Western Regions, to be uniformly administered by the Han court."

He ignored the King of Loulan's pleas and the people's protests, looking toward the direction in which the King of Wusun and the Xiongnu Chanyu fled, and shouted: "Pause for a moment, then continue the pursuit; exterminate them completely!"

"Your Majesty, what should we do with the resisting soldiers and civilians?" At this moment, Zhang Tang, reeking of blood and like a killing god, stepped forward and asked.

Liu Ju glanced around; the Loulan people avoided his gaze, not daring to meet his eyes.

He said slowly: "Marquis Bolang, you need to stay behind temporarily to administer Loulan City; you must properly handle post-war affairs, and anyone who disobeys will be killed without pardon."

"Yes!"

Zhang Qian respectfully accepted the order.

Liu Ju nodded, then said to Wei Xiang: "Wei Xiang, effective immediately, take five thousand Feathered Forest Guards to the northern desert region reclaimed by Prince Xuanwei, implement the Han agricultural and pastoral policy, establish the Western Regions Production and Construction Corps, and make sure the vast desert becomes the Han's most fertile pasture. Specific details will be discussed tomorrow."

Then he looked at the captured Xiongnu and said: "Effective today, you are demoted to Han slaves; follow Wei Secretary back to rebuild your homeland. After three years, those whose conduct stays within bounds will regain their freedom. From now on there will be no Xiongnu, only subjects of my Han."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace!"

The captured Xiongnu thought they were prepared to be executed at any moment, merely clinging to life day by day, unable to find peace.

But they never expected the Son of Heaven to spare their lives, let alone allow them to return home; they burst into tears, thanking him from the bottom of their hearts.

"Your Majesty, I don't want to go back; I wish to join Your Majesty's army, swearing to die in loyalty to Your Majesty and to the Han."

At this moment, a Xiongnu youth boldly stepped forward and spoke cautiously.

Liu Ju raised his eyebrows and asked: "What is your name?"

"Your Majesty, this lowly one has no name," the youth replied respectfully.

Liu Ju pondered for a moment, then said: "From today onward, I grant you the surname Liu and the name Hanmin. How does that sound?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Liu Hanmin excitedly threw himself to the ground and knelt.

"Please grant me a name, Your Majesty!"

At this moment, other Xiongnu also knelt down, kowtowing sincerely.

Liu Ju curled the corner of his mouth, gave a light cough, then turned to Huo Qubing and said: "Prince Xuanwei, you should handle this matter; as for assigning them to a unit, that decision is yours as well—I will not intervene."

Having said that, Liu Ju hurried away.

Huo Qubing stared wide-eyed at the masses of kneeling Xiongnu, feeling overwhelmed.

"One can still play like this?"

Other soldiers also looked in the direction Liu Ju had gone, their faces full of surprise.

Meanwhile, the Loulan people who had long given up resistance also knelt down in a crowd, looking expectantly at Huo Qubing as he scratched his ear and cheek.

"Please grant us a name, Prince Xuanwei!"

They all said in unison.

Huo Qubing's heart turned cold; he would rather go into battle and risk his life than give people names.

"This place is not suitable for lingering!"