Chapter 1128: The Empress is with Child!【3】

Without a doubt, Empress Dowager Dong is drawing a pie in the sky!

Splitting the land and conferring a royal title!

However, in fact, this cannot be considered a true splitting of the land and conferring of a royal title.

Because the Western Regions never belonged to the Great Han in the first place.

There are dozens of countries in the Western Regions, and each one has a king.

And the Chanyu and kings of the Wusun and Northern Xiongnu have the qualifications to be on equal footing with the Great Han.

As for conquering the Western Regions and incorporating it into the Great Han's map.

Ever since the Western Regions existed, it has always been labeled as the Protectorate of the Western Regions, not a Western Regions Province or a Western Regions Commandery.

The Western Regions states have always been vassal states.

They are vassal states, not some commandery or some county.

Whoever truly has the ability to conquer the Western Regions and thoroughly subdue it would be enough to declare themselves king.

I don't know which brainless person came up with this tactic to win him over.

It's just that... this pie might be impossible for others to complete.

But for him... it is not impossible.

Conferring a royal title!

A king of a different surname in the Great Han.

This is a king of a different surname recognized by the Han imperial house.

This title alone is enough.

But he cannot appear too eager right now, as if he is really willing to eat this pie.

"Empress Dowager... the Western Regions... although they belonged to the Great Han since the time of Emperor Wu, they were never truly conquered in a real sense. Even with the might of the Great Han, it was impossible, let alone a mere Liangzhou."

"Empress Dowager, you also know that Liangzhou is but a cold and bitter place, vast and sparsely populated, and lacking in grain production, salt, and iron. Even if your subject has a thousand abilities, I fear I cannot conquer the entire Western Regions."

Duan Yu shakes his head and sighs.

Hmm?

Empress Dowager Dong is stunned.

When she was discussing it with Jian Shuo earlier, she didn't expect Duan Yu to refuse.

This is conferring a royal title.

Duan Yu actually refused?

"Does Marquis Duan think... it is too difficult?" Empress Dowager Dong asks in surprise.

Duan Yu nods: "Your subject is naturally willing to expand the territory for the Great Han, but..."

"This is indeed difficult."

"However..."

Duan Yu's "however" rekindles the hope that was about to be extinguished in Empress Dowager Dong.

"Marquis Duan, please speak freely," Empress Dowager Dong says eagerly: "If there are difficulties, just state them."

There are certainly difficulties.

Even if there are no difficulties, he must manufacture some.

"Although there are difficulties, your subject is willing to try. It is just that Liangzhou lacks salt and iron, and I hope the Empress Dowager can provide some convenience."

"The closest place to Liangzhou that produces the most salt is Anyi. Your subject hopes to send troops to mine salt in Anyi, Hedong," Duan Yu says.

Mining salt is not the goal.

Liangzhou does not actually lack salt.

But he needs a legitimate excuse to send troops to act in the Sili Colonel Department, at least in the direction west of Hangu Pass.

Hedong Commandery connects Bingzhou and the Sili Colonel Department; controlling Hangu Pass means controlling Chang'an, the capital of the Western Han dynasty, behind it. ===== CHAPTER 1130 =====