Huan Wen had already made plans in his mind whether to capture Mulu City or Gross.
Although he defeated the army of the Funan barbarian leader and captured the young leader of the Funan dynasty, after interrogating some prisoners, Huan Wen had a clearer understanding of the originally unfamiliar Funan dynasty.
Today's Funan Dynasty is slightly similar to the Ji Zhou era in the Central Plains, but the power of this Funan King is slightly greater than that of the Zhou Emperor.
Although King Funan's army was defeated, the strength of Queen Mother Funan, King Funan's brothers, and military lords from various places were still quite intact.
"If Mulu City falls into my hands, Funan Kingdom may never have peace again!"
Huan Wen said while looking at the western sky with a smile.
The generals nearby all laughed together when they heard this.
With the powerful crossbows and iron armor in their hands and their fierce bravery, even King Funan's army was defeated like melons and vegetables.
"Your Majesty, let's march directly towards Mulu City. We can capture it in less than a month!" General Ma Zhong said.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I heard that the Funan Kingdom also has a population of millions. It must be better than those in these bare mountains."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I am willing to be the vanguard to attack Mulu City!"
The rest of the generals also shouted in unison.
Huan Wen kept his confident smile and looked at the curly bearded people next to him.
These people were all captured nobles of the Funan barbarians. Under the threat of death, they quickly acted as the 'leading party'.
Huan Wen asked them about the situation in Mulu City through the Piao translator next to him.
These captured Funan people all showed painful expressions.
Although they had no choice but to surrender, if they really led these ferocious northerners to invade the mainland of Funan, the almighty Shishui God would definitely abandon their dirty souls.
However, if you refuse to cooperate, I'm afraid your life will be abandoned immediately.
After hearing the inquiry, these people rushed to tell Huan Wen about the situation in Mulu City.
"Your Majesty, they said that there are about more than 10,000 defenders in Mulu City. The defender is Ardashir, the younger brother of King Funan who was captured. However, this Ardashir is not very old. The person who really controls Mulu City is A confidant sent by the Queen Mother of Funan."
After listening to Piao Guo's translation, Huan Wen showed an extremely contemptuous expression.
Those Funan prisoners saw it and knew that Huan Wen had despised Mulu City.
There was no way, their tens of thousands of troops were beaten to pieces, let alone Mulu City, which only had 10,000 people.
Even if the defeated troops who escaped from the front were gathered into Mulu City, it would be difficult to resist these northerners.
However, no one dared to try to exaggerate Mulu City's military strength in order to scare off the enemy.
In that case, if there is any flaw, it will threaten your own life.
"You all just listen up."
Huan Wen suddenly looked solemn and said to these Funan prisoners.
"You, the Funan Kingdom, are so arrogant that you dare to invade the Han Dynasty. I must let you know the power of the Han Dynasty. I will not give up until you destroy the capital of Funan!"
"Now that Mulu City is blocking the way, I will let you go back and tell Prince Funan's younger brother, Ah Shi Shi Xi, that as long as he is willing to surrender the city, I will go to the Emperor and ask him to be the pro-Han King of Funan."
"If not, we will definitely attack Mulu City and have a bloodbath for three days!"
Upon hearing the murderous words translated by the Piao people, these Funan prisoners all bowed down in fear.
However, their inner ecstasy could not be concealed.
As long as they can be freed, they can bring any message to Aldashir in Mulu City.
"I'm willing!"
Several people said in succession.
"I only give Mulu City ten days to think about it. If you don't accept the surrender, then I will immediately lead my army to crush Mulu City!"
Huan Wen said fiercely.
Soon, under Huan Wen's instruction, this group of prisoners who had just become the Funan Leading Party were immediately freed.
Seeing them get horses and food, leave the northern army, and head towards freedom, the Funan barbarians who had refused to cooperate before showed regret.
From now on, they may no longer be able to survive as a person and can only be laborers like animals, just like they are now.
After these Funan prisoners left, Huan Wen immediately summoned the generals.
"You must gather your troops immediately and follow me on the north route. Let's go and eat Gross City!" Huan Wen said.
Everyone was shocked when they heard this.
"Your Majesty, didn't you just say that you were going to attack Mulu City and take advantage of the Funan Kingdom?"
A group of generals were all confused.
"You are all thinking too simply. The Funan Kingdom has millions of people and hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers. With our total army of less than 30,000 people, how can we possibly eat it!"
Huan Wen waved his hand and said.
"Mulu City is too far from the Western Region Protectorate and too close to the Funan people. Even if it is captured, it will be difficult to get support from the Western Region Protectorate. Sooner or later it will be lost."
"It is better to go directly north and take Gross City in our hands. Then the river valley from Kushan to Piao will be ours and we can firmly control it."
"This is much better than eating a worthless Mulu City."
Obviously, Huan Wen's few words convinced everyone.
Everyone travels thousands of miles with great hardships, not for murder and arson, but for the wealth they enjoy after killing and arson.
Since Mulu City has no chance of accepting it, it is natural to give up.
"Those Funan people who were sent back will definitely bring the news that we are about to attack Mulu City. Most of the Funan people have to work hard to strengthen the city's defenses and are unlikely to come to follow and pursue. We have enough time to calmly attack Gross City."
Huan Wen's idea was immediately unanimously approved by everyone.
After these years of traveling, they already have a good understanding of the situation in the Western Regions.
As long as Gross City is obtained, it means that the core area of the Western Region will fall into their hands.
Then we must fulfill the military promise of breaking the soil and sealing the territory for everyone, and everyone can enjoy it to their heart's content.
With the intention to complete the last piece of territory of the Western Region and the Western Kingdom, everyone led their troops towards the northeast along the dry and desolate road.
The journey of nearly five hundred miles took everyone less than ten days.
However, when they saw the shadow of Gross City in the distance, they were shocked by the scene in front of them.
I saw billowing black smoke rising into the sky in the distance, and the entire Gross City was shrouded in it.
Obviously, someone killed Gross City before they did!
Gross, also called Bukhara.
As one of the most important cities in Central Asia, it is closest to the nomadic groups in Central Asia.
For these barbaric nomadic tribes, the prosperity and wealth of Bukhara are what they dream about.
Today, this prosperous city was finally conquered by barbaric nomadic tribes.
The nomadic tribe that conquered this city was the Lao tribe that had just formed an alliance with Huan Wen.
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"
A loud horn sounded outside the city of Bukhara, which was an early warning signal for the Laos.
"what's the situation!?"
In the city of Bukhara, the leader of the Laos, Idila, walked out of the house with his pants raised and asked with an unhappy look on his face.
Behind him, several Gross women in tattered clothes showed frightened expressions.
"Chief, a large number of cavalry were discovered outside the city!"
A Lao soldier said.
"Who is he and where does he come from?"
When Idila heard this, he immediately became alert.
The place where their Lao tribe was originally nomadic was hundreds of miles away from Bukhara, separated by the territory of the Khorezm people.
It was absolutely impossible to appear here.
However, because the Laos were supported by Huan Wen's weapons and supplies, these barbarians with crude weapons developed a shocking fighting power.
First, they went south to harass the borders of the Funan people, and then moved east to attack the territory of the Khorezm people, and defeated a large army assembled by the Khorezm people in one fell swoop.
From then on, Idela led his troops to continue marching to the southeast. Gross City, which had no defense preparation at all, soon fell.
Idela ordered the entire army to plunder and slaughter the city for three days, and then planned to flee north before reinforcements from the Funan people arrived.
"I don't know who the army is from the south. We are too few in number and no one dares to go up and investigate!"
Hearing the replies from his tribe, Idila was very worried.
After they entered Gross, they were like mice falling into a noodle vat. No one wanted to get out.
Most of the originally deployed outer guard cavalry did not obey orders.
"Call the leaders of the Eighteen Divisions over!"
Idila ordered helplessly.
As the leader of the Lao tribe, Idila's power was actually not great at all. At most, he could only lead everyone to fight and march together.
If you really want to implement any specific orders, you have to rely on the leaders of the eighteen departments to restrain the people.
It's such a loose alliance. If reinforcements from the Funan people come, I'm afraid they will have to run away immediately.
The leaders of various Lao tribes quickly gathered here in Idila.
When they heard that an army of unknown origin had appeared, everyone expressed their intention to run away immediately.
"I think it's better to send someone to check first. If it's really the Funan army, it won't be too late for us to retreat."
Idila expressed his thoughts.
They had just captured Gross for two days, and everyone was in the mood for a looting spree.
Moreover, there are still a large number of treasures hidden by the Gross people that have not been recovered.
"No matter who they are, even if the Funan people come, they will never be able to trap us. If it's not the Funan people, then it's the reinforcements that have been pieced together around us. If we defeat them, we might be able to plunder more slaves. .”
Idila's idea finally won everyone's approval.
After all, it was thanks to the leadership of Idila that these Lao tribes could gain so much.
Now that an enemy of unknown origin appeared, all Gross's Lao troops stopped looting and massacring the city, and began to pack their bags and prepare to retreat or fight.
The cavalry sent out by Idila to investigate soon encountered Huan Wen's scouts.
Huan Wen's scouts had all seen these laos before, and some of them knew their language. The two sides who were originally on guard soon relaxed.
"Your Majesty, that's great. It's not anyone else in front of you, but those lao people."
General Ma Zhong said with a relaxed smile.
Their soldiers and horses have been marching for too long, and both their physical strength and supplies are very tight. If another enemy in front eats Gross, they will be unable to obtain supplies.
"Laugh your ass off!"
When Huan Wen learned that there were Lao tribesmen in Gross City ahead, his face fell and he cursed very unhappily.
Ma Zhong and others all shut up, wondering what taboo they had committed.
Huan Wen sent someone to send away the several Lao scouts, and then he spoke to them.
"These Laos have slaughtered every bit of the city, and almost all the food supplies have fallen into their hands. And I just found out that the Lao army numbered 30,000 to 40,000, which is comparable to ours. .”
"These laos are vicious wolves who won't let go when they see flesh and blood. If we ask for supplies from them, do you think you can give it to us?"
Huan Wen looked at everyone with a thoughtful expression.
Ma Zhong and others were stunned when they saw this. They had all seen those Lao people before.
If the Xianbei Qianghu in the northern part of the Central Plains are barbarians who do not know etiquette, then these Lao people are extremely vicious beasts.
As long as there are benefits, they won't care about their allies at all, especially if Huan Wen and his army don't look so scary, it will be difficult to get them to spit out the meat in their mouths.
"What's more, my original plan was to capture Gross City and then set up a general to run it. Now the Laos have massacred Gross. Without the people, Gross is an empty city. With us, How can we manage this little manpower?"
In fact, Huan Wen had another reason for his extreme dissatisfaction that he did not say.
It was the fierceness and strength displayed by these Lao people that had already made Huan Wen deeply afraid.
The Lao people, who originally wore animal skins and used crude weapons, were able to defeat the Khorezm and Funan people one after another after receiving his support, which really surprised Huan Wen.
"Your Majesty, these lao people are all Yidi beasts, and they will definitely not obey orders. Why don't we be the vanguard and kill them by surprise? We will surely take back Gross City."
The general next to him, Ma Zhong, seemed to have guessed what Huan Wen meant, so he patted his chest and asked for a fight.
"No need, let's meet these lao people for a while first."
Huan Wen thought for a while and decided to temporarily put away his hostility.
"I want to understand first what kind of strength these Lao people have now. They were able to break through Gross City so quickly. This is not the skill they should have."
In Huan Wen's opinion, these Laos were savage and warlike, but they were never very good at fortified battles such as attacking cities.
This is also the reason why the Lao tribe has been unable to threaten the Funan border cities.
And Huan Wen wanted to find out what made these laos change so strongly.
