As night falls, everything is silent, and the bright moonlight spreads quietly over the earth, illuminating the road and guiding the way forward. Liu Min and his party all put on their military robes to ward off the cold and returned home silently.
As he approached the Han army's camp, Liu Min spoke again: "Now that the Black Khan has retreated, the battle situation south of the Tianshan Mountains has been decided. What will our army do in the next step? What do you think, Brother Yuan Xian?"
Turning his head and glancing at Liu Min, Yang Yanzhao chuckled and said, "Your Highness must have been thinking about this matter recently!"
Liu Min nodded and admitted directly: "Exactly! However, after thinking about it for a long time, I still feel troubled. One person thinks about shortcomings, and two people think about strengths. I also looked for opportunities to consult the generals, but their ideas were not unified, and even polar opposites.
Some suggested taking advantage of the victory and marching north into the Black Khan's hinterland in an attempt to destroy the country; others, seeking stability, suggested taking a rest and looking for another opportunity to fight; of course, there were also those who were satisfied with the current results and suggested stopping the army! "
"What suggestion does Your Highness prefer?" Yang Yanzhao asked.
Liu Min did not answer directly, but looked at Yang Yanzhao seriously: "What the generals said is reasonable, but it is difficult to make a decision for the moment, so I asked Brother Yuan Xian to teach me!"
In fact, Liu Min had solicited the opinions of almost all the senior generals in the camp, except Yang Yanzhao, and Yang Yanzhao's ideas were very important. During the Western Expedition, Yang Yanzhao's right to speak was second only to Liu Min.
Facing Liu Min's serious gaze, he could feel the importance he attached to him. Yang Yanzhao felt grateful and said humbly: "How dare you give advice in front of His Highness?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Min immediately waved his hands and said boldly: "This statement is outrageous! In public, we are colleagues in the same robe, and in private, we are relatives of the clan. I sincerely seek advice, so I can speak frankly. There is no need to do this. Congratulations!"
Liu Min mentioned this, and Yang Yanzhao felt sincere and put away his slightly unnecessary caution. After thinking for a while, Yang Yanzhao said: "Your Highness, since the Western Expedition, we have fought hard for several months, annihilated tens of thousands of enemies, and expanded thousands of miles of territory. The results can be said to be brilliant.
However, by the end of the war, the troops were exhausted, food and equipment were depleted, and tens of thousands of people were killed or injured. It was necessary to rest and recuperate on the spot. The biggest dilemma facing the army now is the supply of military supplies, which is thousands of miles away, greatly increasing the cost of transshipment.
However, the newly occupied land is not yet peaceful, the remnant bandits still exist, the people are not attached to it, and the public security is unstable. It needs to be cleared urgently to ensure a stable future. These months of hard fighting have proved that the Black Khanate is unexpectedly difficult to fight. Even though it has achieved brilliant victories and caused a lot of casualties to the enemy, it is still not easy to destroy the country.
Its national strength is still unclear, and it is not clear how much strength it has left in the country. If we rush northward, we are afraid that we will be defeated before the enemy is defeated. The obstruction of Tianshan Mountain is the biggest difficulty facing our army. Radical strategies are not advisable, safety should come first! "
After hearing Yang Yanzhao's opinion, Liu Min's face didn't change much. Obviously, he knew it well. After pondering for a while, Liu Min said: "Brother Yuan Xian's consideration is pertinent and calm. I also understand that Black Khan is not a country that can be destroyed.
However, our pursuit of stability and rest also gave the Black Khans time to adjust and prepare. Once they recover from the disastrous defeats in Kucha and Bash, and then destroy them, the difficulty of advancing will also increase. .
The artillery supported by the Ministry of War has already been tried, and it is very powerful. Although the enemy is blocked by the Tianshan Mountains and the danger of Badaling is taken by surprise, it is still possible to conquer it.
Good opportunities are rare, and it would be a pity to give them up. However, we must also worry about the future. It is really a dilemma! "
Hearing this, Yang Yanzhao couldn't help but look serious. He looked at Liu Min, thought for a while, and then sighed: "To take risks, it is better to seek stability. One of the two is one. How to make a decision, Your Highness, please think twice!"
Liu Min suddenly smiled bitterly and said: "I don't have to think twice! I have already thought nine times or ten times!"
Heaving a sigh of relief, Liu Min said: "I talked with Xiang Deming. According to him, Hexi has already done its best to supply the army. Food, grass and weapons have been transferred from the pass. The losses during this period are staggering.
The imperial court has paid a huge price for this war, and even maintaining the current situation is not easy. Therefore, I am determined to end the war as soon as possible, and eliminating the Black Khan is the fundamental solution.
However, if we want to achieve our goal, the current strength of the Western Expedition Army is still insufficient, both in terms of troops and supplies. Once the scale of the war expands, the northwest will need to provide more support and mobilize more military and civilian material resources.
Although I don’t want to admit it, I must be vigilant about resorting to militarism. We have expanded the land for thousands of miles and restored all the Western Provinces, but apart from the great martial arts, there is no actual harvest. The land and population of these thousands of miles can hardly provide any benefit to the army.
What's more, the attitude within the imperial court toward the Western Expedition has become increasingly ambiguous. The rebellion in Yulin has not stopped, and the northwest is also unsettled."
Liu Min finally said what was in his heart, and it also reflected his tangled psychology at this time. He was already a qualified commander, focusing not only on this war, but also on being responsible for tens of thousands of soldiers, and for the great Han people. The loss of national power is a consideration for the security and stability of the northwest.
Yang Yanzhao fell silent. With his current knowledge, he was deeply touched by what Liu Min said. After thinking for a moment, Yang Yanzhao said: "What His Highness said is very comprehensive. No matter what decision you make, I will fully support it!"
Liu Min looked at Yang Yanzhao with some surprise. This kind of trust in life and death made him a little touched, and at the same time, he also felt more pressure.
Looking up at the sky, in the dark night, the half-shaped crescent moon also dimmed a little. Liu Min frowned deeply, thought for a while, and said in a deep voice: "With the responsibility of the three armies, I have to consider the future of these tens of thousands of soldiers. ! Let’s put aside the discussion of entering the army for now!”
Hearing what Liu Min said, Yang Yanzhao breathed a sigh of relief. Since he had made suggestions for stability, he naturally did not want Liu Min to choose a radical decision. Compared with the so-called "good opportunity", he hopes to ensure the safety of the army first.
"Your Highness, in the two battles of Kucha and Bash, we severely defeated Heihan. Their losses were debilitating and damaging to our vitality. Even if we do not have to adjust the time, as long as our army is well prepared and accumulates strength, we will definitely be able to do so in the future. We can still defeat them!" Yang Yanzhao said firmly and confidently.
"You don't have to comfort me!" Hearing this, Liu Min also looked confident: "I have never doubted whether we can defeat the Black Khans. The biggest obstacle to our army is not the enemy, but the long and difficult road. As long as it overcomes its own difficulties, the Han army will still be indestructible and invincible!"
"Your Highness's arrogance is admirable!" Yang Yanzhao smiled.
After letting out the cruel words, Liu Min seemed to have a clearer mind, waving his hand: "Since we have chosen to seek stability, the entire strategy of the Western Expedition should be adjusted!"
"What are your concerns, Your Highness?" Yang Yanzhao asked.
Liu Min's eyes looked particularly bright under the cover of night, and he said: "Since the biggest difficulty lies in the transportation of military supplies, then we should try to solve this fundamental problem.
We cannot rely entirely on supplies from the court. Every meter and every piece of equipment is transported from thousands of miles away. The cost is too great. We have to get food locally! "
"This land of thousands of miles west of Qiuci has been devastated by war, and I'm afraid it will be a drop in the bucket!" Yang Yanzhao sighed.
However, Liu Min was very determined and said directly: "Next, we mainly do two things. One is to clear out the newly occupied land; the other is to guard and cultivate the land, and organize the local tribes to graze, and the soldiers can also cultivate on the spot. .
Since stability is required, then we must be steady to the end, lay a solid foundation, and accumulate sufficient military supplies, food and equipment! "
Hearing Liu Min put forward such an opinion, Yang Yanzhao couldn't help but be shocked. This was to completely prolong the war between Han and Heilongjiang! However, after carefully weighing it, one has to admit that this is indeed the safest way. Only by effectively implementing the "farming" strategy can the biggest trouble of the Western Expedition be fundamentally solved. That is, the time spent is probably measured in years.
"As a result, this war will definitely last for many years," Yang Yanzhao said with emotion.
But from Yang Yanzhao's tone, he approved of this method.
Liu Min said: "This matter is just an idea of mine. After returning to the camp, I will summon the army generals and discuss it together!"
"In addition, no matter what, Shule must be captured and the Black Khan's power south of the Tianshan Mountains must be completely eliminated. Yuan Xian worked hard and went there personally. Shule was empty, but the area had not suffered too heavy a military disaster. It is the best place to store grain and support, and cannot be taken advantage of by Khotan!" Liu Min said again.
Yang Yanzhao immediately said: "The general has already had this intention. The situation in Shule is already very clear. Five thousand soldiers are enough! In fact, guarding against Khotan is more important than capturing the city!"
(End of chapter)
