Chapter 208: Xie Xuan's Ambition

Xie Xuan.

The current master of the Northern Western Regions.

Thirty-one years ago, after failing in the struggle for the throne, he fled from the Xiongnu to this Dayuan Kingdom. After lying low for some time, he led his troops in a rebellion and seized the throne.

From then on, there was no stopping him; the powerful states of the Northern Western Regions, such as Qiuci, Cheshi, Wusun, and Yanqi, were all conquered by him. After breaking away from Longyan, he was like a dragon entering the clouds, displaying his grand talent and strategy.

After unifying the Northern Western Regions.

He began to isolate himself from the world and close his borders.

People thought he wanted to keep a low profile.

He wanted to recuperate and build up his strength to strike back at Longyan!

However, news of him was still discovered by his second elder brother, and the fifty-thousand-strong Longyan Army almost caused him to collapse. But fortunately, he won.

This victory completely solidified his status as the hegemon of the Northern Western Regions.

Qiuci and Cheshi eventually surrendered one after another.

"Hahahahahahahaha..."

Xie Xuan looked up to the sky and laughed, brimming with excitement: "Xie Tianyao is going to die, he is going to die..."

"Governor of Cheshi, what is your take on this?"

He looked at a man below.

That man smiled and said: "Your Majesty, a mere 150,000 Longyan troops will surely be slaughtered in the desert by Cheshi!"

That Ghost City and its ghost army, which belonged to Cheshi, had even defeated the former fifty-thousand-strong army, making them flee in terror; what more a mere 150,000?

Xie Xuan laughed: "Very good!"

150,000?

The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed.

Has this Xie Tianyao truly eaten so many Immortal Pills that his brain has stopped working?

Fifty thousand were already defeated, and you send 150,000 to come and die? Or is it that, in your dying moments, you want to make one last desperate attempt?

The Dayuan Kingdom has 400,000 soldiers and tens of thousands of Sweat-Blood Horse cavalry!

This is the accumulation of Xie Xuan's many years; he has been waiting for this day, waiting for Xie Tianyao to die. That's right, he is not reconciled; he is not reconciled to his failure back then!

He still wants to slaughter his way back to Longyan!

This is a good opportunity.

There is no better opportunity than now; once Xie Tianyao dies, Longyan will surely fall into chaos, and Xie Xuan's 400,000 elite soldiers will become a mighty force marching south.

Xie Xuan chuckled; naturally, he did not take this suddenly appearing army of 150,000 seriously.

He said indifferently: "My layout of so many years is finally going to be put to use."

"Wu Ming!"

A Han official stood out.

Xie Xuan smiled amusedly: "The Crown Prince, the Third Prince... sigh, why has no one ever paid attention to the Second Prince? Hmm? Is the Second Prince not worth paying attention to? Hahahaha..."

"They probably never imagined that the one to laugh last would be the Second Prince, right?"

"Notify the Xiongnu and the Qiang to prepare for the march into Zhongyuan."

"The Second Prince of Longyan should not be so lonely as snow, don't you agree, Wu Ming?"

He looked smilingly at the number one Strategist under his command.

Wu Ming cupped his hands and smiled: "Your Majesty, Wu Ming understands and will go make arrangements immediately."

"Good!"

Xie Xuan's eyes shone.

Although he is old, he is willing to let history repeat itself! He wants to tell the world that the Second Prince did not lose. The Second Prince should win. This Second Prince, forgotten by the world, is the one destined by heaven!

"Governor of Cheshi, I give you three days to annihilate the Longyan army."

"And then join forces with Qiuci to deal with that Loulan which wants to jump around, all on the way!"

Since things have reached this point.

It is time to let the world know his strength!

Closing the country is no longer necessary.

He has enough capital to contend for the throne and slaughter his way back to Longyan!

"Yes!"

"We will strictly obey the imperial decree!"

The governors of Cheshi and Qiuci both accepted the order.

The vast army.

Only now did they know what heat was.

The weather in the Western Regions is just this strange; the further north one goes, the hotter it gets, and the hotter it is during the day, the colder it is at night.

The thing Liu Zheng was worried about still happened.

Within the army, there appeared signs of being unaccustomed to the climate; Liu Zheng immediately ordered them to be quarantined, and for every one that appeared, another would escort them back to Loulan to recuperate.

This was very necessary.

With 150,000 people, all kinds of cross-infections and the collision and transmission of various unknown viruses were consequences Liu Zheng was unwilling to bear.

After marching for two days, the area ahead became increasingly desolate.

This time, the person Loulan sent to act as a guide for the Yinzhou army was a Lieutenant named Remaiti; it seemed that the closer they got to that Flame Mountain, the more nervous Remaiti became, sweating profusely.

"Protector of the State, it is not far now..."

"Protector of the State, let's get this straight: I'll only lead you to the place! I am not going in! It's too terrifying!"

"Protector of the State, you must be extremely careful. I've heard that the Ghost Army appears suddenly and vanishes suddenly, coming and going like the wind, with incredible speed!"

Along the way, he kept chattering incessantly.

However.

He suddenly discovered that in this troop, apart from himself, no one else had a look of fear on their face; instead, they all wore mocking smiles.

Are these people truly not afraid of death?

Liu Zheng only nodded at him.

Along this journey, his ears had grown calloused from listening. There were all sorts of legends about the Ghost Army, and even in the villages they passed, those farmers would change color at the mere mention of the Ghost Army; it was evident that this Ghost Army was indeed something that struck terror into people's hearts in the Western Regions.

Qingyang Shuo said calmly, "Young Master, this Cheshi is truly a good place."

Liu Zheng listened attentively.

Qingyang Shuo said, "The geographical position of Cheshi is a place that military strategists must fight for. Looking east to Jiayuguan, it is almost flat as a plain. If the Silk Road can pass through here, the Western Regions will be right before our eyes; likewise, for the Western Regions, Longyan is also within reach. Therefore, this Ghost City is indeed an interesting place."

Liu Zheng was shaken: "Does the gentleman mean that Xie Xuan still harbors the intention of fighting his way back to Zhongyuan?"

Could it be that this Ghost City itself is the path to Longyan that Xie Xuan has prepared? That is why he is playing these tricks and creating this terrifying thing. Because by doing so, he can ensure that others dare not advance west, while he can march east at any time!

Thinking of this, Liu Zheng was startled.

Qingyang Shuo nodded calmly: "The world is about to be in chaos, and Xie Xuan will certainly stir up trouble. If I am not mistaken..."

Liu Zheng looked over abruptly.

"He will lead the Hu into Zhongyuan, though I do not yet understand how he will do it."

"What?"

Liu Zheng's expression changed drastically, and his hair stood on end.

No wonder the old Emperor was in such a hurry to send him to the Western Regions to rebuild the Protectorate. It turns out it wasn't just to consume the rising Yinzhou Army, not just to expand the territory, and not just to remove a rising, handsome, and dashing young talent—a competitor—for his own son...

More importantly.

He wanted to use Liu Zheng's Yinzhou Army, these 150,000 troops, to block Xie Xuan from marching east and heading south!

As for whether it could succeed, that would depend on fate!

Ruthless!

From beginning to end, Liu Zheng's impression of Xie Tianyao was one word: ruthless; two words: vicious!

Leading the Hu into Zhongyuan.

The Five Hu Uprising?

Liu Zheng took a deep breath.

At this moment, the Dayuan Kingdom in the Western Regions, the Xiongnu, the Qiang, plus the Wa pirates who frequently harass Longyan from the sea—their current national strength is not a whit inferior to the Five Hu of those years!

It's in chaos!

Longyan is truly about to fall into chaos!

"Young Master, I feel something is wrong!"

Just at this moment, Qin Zhangfeng, who was walking at the very front, suddenly stopped and frowned.

"What happened?"

Liu Zheng was taken aback.

Qin Zhangfeng said, "It seems we are lost; we have walked back to where we started!"

Liu Zheng took a look, and his heart skipped a beat.

Sure enough. In this Gobi desert, they were actually starting to lose their sense of direction!

"Did you not use the compass?"

Liu Zheng felt a tightness in his chest.

But he still tried to ask.

"The compass is in chaos; it's useless!"

Liu Zheng took a deep breath. So soon, is this test already upon us?