Chapter 228: Sunset Over the Western Hills

"What are you saying?"

"Defeated?"

"My Great General, dead?"

Dayuan Kingdom.

At this moment, Xie Xuan looked down in disbelief at Jiao Zhe, who was kneeling below covered in wounds, and trembling with rage, he barked: "Why didn't you just die, eh?"

"Why didn't you just die? Why wasn't it you who died!"

The others also sighed incessantly.

Indeed.

This Jiao Zhe truly had a bit too much luck; he had originally been in the thick of the charge, but who would have thought that while killing, he would find a tunnel—and who else but Jiao Zhe knew Cheshi as his old stomping ground? Seeing the situation was dire, he immediately burrowed out, not caring about the heaven-shaking cries of battle and the wails of the dying behind him.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

Jiao Zhe wept bitterly: "I wish it had been me who died, I truly wish it..."

In any case, no matter what, he was still alive.

The act had to be convincing, didn't it?

"Defeated?"

Xie Xuan seemed to age a dozen years in an instant; even now, he still could not believe this was the truth. Two hundred thousand troops! That was two hundred thousand troops! That was supposed to be his capital to fight his way back to the Longyan Dynasty. One must know, what was the total population of the entire Northern Western Regions? Added together, it was no more than a few million, not even as much as a single Qingzhou of the Longyan Dynasty!

The loss of two hundred thousand troops was, for Xie Xuan, absolutely fatal.

This was the foundation he had saved up bit by bit over thirty-one years of controlling the Northern Western Regions.

"Your Majesty, please restrain your grief..."

"Your Majesty!"

The civil and military officials also began to weep.

A national tragedy, a great tragedy for the nation!

Xie Xuan stood stunned for a moment, then smiled miserably: "This Governor Liu, what kind of sacred being is he exactly? Tell me, what kind of sacred being is he?"

No one could answer.

At this time, the Longyan Dynasty was rotting to the core, and it was the best opportunity for Xie Xuan to strike back, yet this unknown Governor Liu had given him a head-on blow.

What now?

Where could he find another two hundred thousand?

Nowadays, the entire military strength of Dayuan, added together, was likely only two hundred thousand left.

It was over.

Everything was over.

All plans came to an abrupt halt.

"Dismissed, all of you, be dismissed... I want to be quiet."

Suddenly, Xie Xuan felt a sense of sorrow.

The civil and military officials did not know what to say, and could only disperse.

Xie Xuan climbed a high tower and gazed into the vast distance.

Thirty-one years...

All for nothing.

How many more thirty-one years did he have in his life?

He looked from dawn until dusk.

At this moment.

A graceful figure appeared behind him, draped a sheepskin coat over his shoulders, and said softly: "Your Majesty, the night wind is cold, you must take care of your health."

Only then did the icy expression on Xie Xuan's face soften slightly; he smiled gently and grasped those jade-like hands, smooth as cream: "Qing'er, look at the empire I have conquered for you. Qing'er, do you like it?"

This woman was elegant and noble, a beauty who could topple cities, and her long red dress brought out the nobility in her to the fullest. She was the Empress of this Dayuan Kingdom, Zhai Qing'er.

Theoretically.

With such status, and the Emperor being so fond of her, the two should have been in perfect harmony, yet in the eyes of this Zhai Qing'er, there was always an inexplicable coldness toward Xie Xuan.

Hearing this, she nodded slightly and smiled: "Your Majesty, it is enough, it is enough. Your subject likes it, I like it very much."

Xie Xuan laughed heartily: "Rest assured, the failure of this battle is just an accident. My Dayuan still has many fierce generals! Qing'er, rest assured, very soon, very soon we will fight our way back to Longyan!"

"At that time, I will truly let you be the mother of the world!"

Zhai Qing'er took a deep look at her husband and smiled faintly: "Your Majesty, it is enough, is it not enough? Let us just grow old here in Dayuan, that is enough. Can we not return to Longyan? Dayuan has just begun to recuperate and cannot withstand such turmoil..."

Xie Xuan was instantly enraged, his temper flaring: "Qing'er, what do you mean by that?"

"Do you think that I still cannot compare to him?"

"Is that what you mean?"

"That I cannot compare to that old fox, Xie Lao'er?"

"I am determined to let you see how I will trample him under my feet!"

"I will do it, I certainly will!"

Zhai Qing'er closed her beautiful eyes slightly, then gave a smile that could topple a city: "Your Majesty, Chan'er has run away, taking several Night Walkers with her; I suspect she has gone to assassinate that Governor Liu."

"What?"

Xie Xuan's face changed, and then a dazzling killing intent erupted from his eyes; he grabbed Zhai Qing'er by her swan-like neck and roared: "It was you, it was you, wasn't it!"

"Qing'er, I have treated you as my life, and you, you, you, you actually... do you think that I am not even as good as that Governor Liu?"

Yanqi had finally been taken.

If one says that Cheshi is the gateway to the Northern Western Regions, then Yanqi is the true throat of the Northern Western Regions.

Yanqi is in the center of the Northern Western Regions, with Cheshi to the east, Qiuci to the south, Wusun to the north, and Dayuan to the west. There are many small states in between; in short, Yanqi is the very center of the entire Northern Western Regions, or rather, the entire Western Regions, which even Loulan cannot compare to.

Throughout the dynasties, there has been a reason for building this Western Regions Protectorate in Yanqi.

This battle.

Including the Loulan Army, the total losses were eighty thousand.

But the Yinzhou Army still had one hundred thousand remaining. When occupying Yanqi, Liu Zheng once again followed the same pattern. The people in the city must either obediently be my slaves, or get out to some other place!

Empty City Strategy!

One hundred thousand troops were stationed in Yanqi, eyeing the entire Western Regions like a tiger; for a time, Qiuci, Wusun, and Dayuan all dared not make any moves.

Finally, there was time to catch a breath.

With a single order.

The Protectorate in Yanqi also began its reconstruction.

Soon, a new Protectorate appeared in Yanqi City.

Liu Dahao issued a statement that the Protectorate would be rebuilt in three days.

What is intriguing is that in these few days, some small states in the Western Regions around Yanqi, including Wusun above, actually sent congratulatory Han.

Qingyang Shuo laughed: "It seems that after the battle of Yanqi, the Northern Western Regions is no longer a monolithic block."

Everyone laughed heartily.

This was the result Liu Zheng wanted.

This matter was actually within Liu Zheng's expectations. Xie Xuan is already old; he is no longer the young and strong man he once was. The troops in his hands were almost completely wiped out in this battle. In the past, when you were strong and powerful, the various states of the Western Regions all bowed and submitted to you, but what about now?

The Western Regions Protectorate of Longyan has returned!

Dayuan is already a setting sun.

Who still cares about you?

Can you develop again without twenty or thirty years?

Thus, it is normal for some people to change their allegiances.

Qingyang Shuo said: "This time, let's see how the imperial court rewards us."

Jiang Xuan said excitedly: "Two days later, the first batch of craftsmen and prisoners from Yinzhou will be able to arrive in Yanqi; at that time, Yanqi will truly become lively!"

Speaking of this, Liu Zheng is actually the one who is very expectant.

Because during these days of reorganizing in Yanqi, the Prince of Yong from Hanzhong of Longyan sent him a Han.

It indicated some of the talents among these prisoners.

For example, former loyal officials of Longyan.

Famous great men of letters, and there is even an Imperial Tutor among them! An Imperial Tutor, what does that mean? Someone who can be the teacher of an Emperor is not a joke.

In the future, these will all be the backbone of the Western Regions Construction Corps.

Sure enough.

Two days later.

Everyone went out of the city and saw at a glance the vast and mighty, long procession; those dense, countless people could not be seen to the end at a single glance.

"Prefect Liu, have you been well!"

What surprised and shocked Liu Zheng even more was.

The one responsible for transporting these people this time was actually an old acquaintance, the Prince of Yong from Hanzhong!

Liu Dahao, Liu Zheng, and their party came over one after another to pay their respects. No matter what, this is a Feudatory King, so the necessary etiquette must still be observed.

The Prince of Yong, however, laughed heartily: "Prefectural Governor Liu, Prefect Liu, this is being too formal, isn't it?"

"Quick, quick, the Emperor's oral decree!"

It has arrived!

Everyone looked at each other and smiled, and one after another knelt down.