"What's the situation in the Western Region? Didn't it say that the Khitan was going to withdraw its troops? It's been nearly a year and there's still no news? There's no latest report from Hexi!" Emperor Liu continued to ask.
When asked, Li Chongju responded with his usual eloquence: "It is true that the Liao Kingdom wanted to withdraw its troops from the Western Regions and get out of the quagmire. There were also many nobles and officials in the court who agreed with this matter. However, the assassination from the Liao court I learned from some news that there has actually been a truce between the Black Khanate and the Liao Kingdom for a long time, and someone has proposed peace!"
"It seems that the Khitan people are still reluctant to part with the fat meat in the Western Regions after all!" Emperor Liu muttered: "The Black Khan seems to have no successors! This is normal, otherwise a small country in the Western Regions can fight against the Liao army The contest has come to this point, and we have repeatedly gained the upper hand. Even if we go on an expedition, it should not end here!"
In fact, Emperor Liu also had a vague contempt for the small countries in the Western Regions. He could think highly of and value the Liao army, but after learning about some of the battles in the Western Regions and knowing that the Black Khan army was evenly matched with the Liao army, he gloated about the misfortune, but also felt a sense of disgust.
The source of this disgust was that Emperor Liu was worried that if the Han army went westward, would it be able to easily win in the distant Tianshan Mountains and eliminate those who were disobedient?
"What is the current situation of the Black Khanate?" Emperor Liu asked.
Faced with this problem, Li Chongju first looked embarrassed, and then handed over his hand to plead guilty: "Your Majesty, forgive me, but I know very little about the Black Khanate, and Wude has few spies arranged in the Western Regions..."
In the final analysis, we still don’t pay enough attention to it, and we don’t have that awareness. Of course, Emperor Liu himself also had responsibilities. Even if he only gave instructions, Li Chongju would actively carry out the tasks.
After looking at him, Emperor Liu ordered: "We should pay more attention to this matter and send more spies. Not to mention grasping the slightest signs of trouble, but if there is a change, the court should get it in time so as to react!"
"Yes!" Li Chongju did not mention the difficulties involved, but just responded: "I plan to join the clans of the Western Regions myself, recruit some people into the Wude Division, and open up the Western Regions for Your Majesty!"
Li Chongju's mind was obviously quite flexible. Emperor Liu nodded and did not give too many instructions. He believed that Li could do a good job. As soon as his thoughts changed, Emperor Liu mentioned a person: "Where is Pule, the envoy who came east to ask for help on behalf of the Uighur Khan in Xizhou, where is he now?"
"When he was unable to call for help, this man sneaked back to Yizhou and gathered a crowd to organize a resistance. After being defeated by the Liao army, he took refuge with the Han Dynasty. Since the destruction of the Uighurs in Xizhou, this man has been staying in Shazhou and now serves as a low-level officer in the Hexi frontier army... ...." Li Chongju responded.
The reason why Li Chongju's hair turned gray so quickly was because he had to worry about people and record too many things. When the emperor asked, he had to respond. Even the former Uighur envoy who had become obsolete long ago could remember it.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Liu chuckled: "Back then, I saw this man as tough and smart, and wanted to give him an official position, but he refused, and wanted to go back to rescue. Now that the Uighurs have been destroyed, they have come full circle, and they are still in the Han Dynasty. Effective!"
"Send someone to summon this person to Tokyo. I want to see him!" Emperor Liu ordered casually.
"yes!"
Obviously, Emperor Liu suddenly focused his attention on a small servant, and his intention was definitely not that. Perhaps, he deliberately interfered with the affairs of the Western Regions. Li Chongju secretly guessed in his heart, but did not express anything on his face.
The Western Region has been in chaos for six years, and now it has finally managed to calm down. Although there is insufficient information, Emperor Liu's guess is still correct, and the Black Khan Dynasty is indeed weak.
Since the eastward march, the two sides fought fiercely in the Uighur homeland of Gaochang for more than three years. Although they relied on various advantages, they once gained the upper hand and captured the important town of Qiuci in the fourth year of Kaibao.
But since then, the Black Khan's army seemed to have exhausted all its strength and could no longer survive. The goal of the Black Khan Dynasty was naturally to defeat the Liao army in one fell swoop, annex the Uighur homeland, and then unify the Western Regions.
However, after spending such a long time and paying a heavy price, only Kucha was captured in the end, and it was still a city that was plowed by wars time and time again. Although this is a fertile land, it is somewhat insignificant compared to Gaochang, Yizhou, Luntai and other places.
Large numbers of people, close roads, and religious fanaticism are all advantages of the Black Khan army, but they are not unlimited. In various battles with the Liao army, the Black Khan people lost more than 30,000 troops, but the results were difficult to achieve. It makes people happy.
For the Black Khanate, which has a population of only a million people, this bloodshed is enough. Even with the support of important jihadists, it is not endless. In addition, there is a mortal enemy of the Samanid Dynasty to the west. How can they fight to the death with the Liao army?
The Black Khan Dynasty had expanded westward once before and recovered the Talas. However, due to the strong power of the Samanid Dynasty, they actively suppressed their desire for expansion and turned to farming for development. This time we have seized a golden opportunity to advance eastward, but the Khitans are obviously not easy to deal with, so if we act rationally and calmly, there won't be too many psychological obstacles.
On the Liao army side, there were also many difficulties. Due to the intimidation of the Han in the south, domestic support was always insufficient, and the energy had to be divided into two parts, half to deal with the Black Khans, and half to suppress the Uighurs.
Under such circumstances, it is understandable that in the past year and a half, the two sides have further reduced their fighting spirit and reduced the number of major fights. The fierce battle has turned into a complete confrontation.
For the Liao Kingdom, there was originally the idea of giving up the Western Regions and getting rid of the predicament. If peace could be negotiated, there was no reason not to agree. As for Qiuci, which was invaded by Black Khan, it doesn't matter.
As for the Western Expedition of the Comprehensive Liao Army, although it suffered many setbacks in the middle and later stages and invested a lot of effort, overall, it still made a profit. Not only did they destroy the Xizhou Uighurs and obtain a large amount of wealth and material trophies, but they also frightened many rebels internally. They also recruited many young people from the Mobei ethnic group to reduce their strength, weaken unstable factors, and strengthen their control. The domination of the steppe.
At the same time, in the long years of war, through iron blood and swords, another elite force was trained. At this point, Da Han is slightly lacking. After all, since the Northern Expedition, Da Han's army has not experienced a major bloody battle for almost ten years.
The subsequent wars, whether it was Pingnan, Hexi, Annan, or Liuqiu, were too easy for the Han Dynasty. Not counting the unification war, they were all small fights.
The army lacks the water of iron and blood, and it is difficult to achieve greatness by relying on training alone. Of course, this is only a relative trend.
The actual situation is that the Han Dynasty still has an absolute advantage over the Liao Kingdom in terms of comprehensive strength. However, if we put aside some equipment differences and pull out an army to fight head-on with the Liao Army in the Western Regions, the Han Army will also You may not be able to win.
Now, Emperor Liu has entered his sixth year of ruling the world, and many situations have matured. Emperor Liu has also begun to lose control and focus his attention on the north to deal with the great enemy of the Khitan Liao Kingdom.
This time, compared to the Northern Expedition, the war will obviously be more difficult. To deal with the Liao Kingdom, which almost occupies the entire Mobei and Northeast, adjustments will be made in all aspects. Perhaps it will be another protracted and fierce battle, and the results may not even be available in three or two years.
Therefore, with Emperor Liu's always cautious and prudent style, he was always prepared but would not take action easily.
As far as the current situation is concerned, whatever the Liao Kingdom wants to do, the Han will stop it and set up obstacles. Not surprisingly, the Western Regions came into Emperor Liu's sight.
Over the years, Liao and Heilongjiang have been competing against each other, and the Han Dynasty has seen enough of it. Now, they want to stop, slow down, seek peace and seek development, but how can Emperor Liu allow it?
Whether the Western Region is in chaos or not, if Emperor Liu speaks, the effect will naturally be powerful.
"I heard that your husband is also getting married?" Emperor Liu suddenly changed the subject after recovering from military affairs and asked Li Chongju.
Li Chongju replied: "Yes, we are engaged for the first time and we plan to get married this year!"
"Which lady is this?" Emperor Liu asked again.
Li Chongju responded: "It's just a small clan from a rural area in Luzhou, with a small family and a small family. It's hard for him to catch your Majesty's discerning eye!"
After hearing this, Emperor Liu smiled, thought about it for a while, and said: "After you start a family and start a career, you should also arrange a job for your son to contribute to the court!"
Li Chongju's son, Li Jichang, is considered one of the more outstanding among the noble children. He is only in his early twenties now. In response, Li Chongju immediately expressed: "Thank you for your majesty's reward. However, I am young and cannot bear the current affairs. I need more study and experience. If I am easily appointed, I may miss my official duties!"
After hearing what he said, Emperor Liu immediately said: "It's not like I want to give him a high-ranking official position. Who hasn't been trained since he was young and shallow? He can't be Bailihou. He can always be a bookkeeper or a clerk... ..."
