Yixi Ke'er Lake is the second largest lake in the Black Khanate, second only to Dalinkul Lake in the north. It has high altitude, extremely deep water, never freezes all year round, and beautiful scenery. At the same time, thanks to the suitable climate, the basin centered on Yixikeer Lake is also an important livestock and grain-producing area of the Black Khanate.
Along the edge of the lake, in addition to Balsihan, there are many small towns and villages, dotted like diamonds around the pearl of Yixikeer Lake. Jile City is located at the western end of Yixike'er Lake, close to the capital, and has always been prosperous. The Han army has been stationed here since the end of the war.
The expedition lasted for half a year, and they were either marching hard or fighting hard. They were extremely exhausted from top to bottom and needed a long period of rest. And with the death of the Black Khan, the army was annihilated, and the Eight Assassins fell, the entire eastern Black Khanate no longer had an organized force that could pose a threat to the Han army, and there was enough time and a safe enough environment to rest and recuperate.
As an important agricultural and animal husbandry area of the Black Khanate, there was naturally no shortage of food and meat. During the advance of the Han army, the local area also received a bumper harvest. There were also sufficient supplies in towns and cities and among the people for the Han army to use.
The matter of requisitioning grain was naturally left to the Khotanese. Because of the setback that day, the army was in a critical situation, and Liu Minzheng disliked them. The Khotan people knew this well, and under the leadership of their general Yuchi Guli, they worked extra hard to raise food for the Han army.
In the battle on the southern front, the Han army suffered heavy casualties, and the Khotan army suffered heavy losses. Under the frantic attack of the Black Khans, nearly 60% of the soldiers were lost, with less than 2,000 men left.
In fact, the fighting power of the Khotan people is not that weak. At this stage, the Khotan Kingdom is still in a prosperous and prosperous stage. However, its neighbors are too dazzling and cover up its light. In addition, the Khotan army was forced by Liu Min to join the battle against the Black Khan, so it was normal for them not to exert all their strength on the battlefield.
However, after a painful lesson, the Khotanese finally woke up. No jokes were allowed on the battlefield, and no carelessness was tolerated. Or maybe it was to redeem Liu Min's anger towards them, or maybe it was due to other factors. In the follow-up, During the battle, the Khotanese began to fight tooth and nail.
Especially in the final battle between Jile and the Black Khan Army, everyone fought bravely and charged harder than the Han army. They really deserved their credit. Alimusa Khan of the Black Khanate was defeated by Khotan. An unknown soldier shot and killed him. Of course, he is no longer an unknown person. After Liu Min learned about it, he praised his achievements and named him Li Shehan. Li was also included in the national surname of Khotan.
The performance on the battlefield may be unsatisfactory, but outside the battlefield, the Khotanese servants are very diligent, dedicated, and extremely active in their profession. After all, they can also benefit from it.
The Han army, from top to bottom, acquiesced in the burning, killing and looting caused by the Khotanese. The war was devoid of warmth and benefit, and even the Han army had no motivation, let alone these servants.
What Liu Min has to do is to do as little as possible to attract hatred, although the effect will not be very good. After all, to the Black Khan people, the big man is a real invader. But no matter how bad it is, it can still make the men of the Han Dynasty feel more relaxed, have more time to rest, and not be burdened by those "mundane things". In addition to military supplies, the Han army also had to give a share of what the Khotanese people looted.
The afternoon sun is shining high, casting sparkling waves on the surface of Yixikeer Lake. Under the strong wind, the water plants are swaying, the blue waves are rippling, and from time to time, birds fly by and plunge into the deep forest. On the top of the mountains in the distance, the snow-capped peaks are so conspicuous, and the towering glaciers, like a row of giants, guard the pearl of Yixikeer Lake.
The guards were resting and letting their horses rest by the lake, while Liu Min and Guo Yi were strolling among the grass. The old military robes were draped over their shoulders, blown up by the wind and whistling. The cold wind seemed to calm down Liu Min's mood. .
A long, cathartic roar broke the tranquility of the lakeside, causing birds to frighten and animals to flee. After laughing a few times, Liu Min pointed to the lake, which was as clear as a mirror with fish swimming on it, and praised: "What a lake, good water and soil, and good scenery! It's also fun to enjoy such beautiful scenery after fighting."
I just never imagined that there would be such a treasured place in this remote place deep in the mountains. It is almost winter, but the scenery is still so beautiful and pleasing to the eye! "
Guo Yi was beside him, and he looked similar to Liu Min. He had an unkempt beard and didn't take care of it. Of course, he couldn't care about these details during the journey. However, his mood was equally relaxed and he responded with a smile: “Since ancient times, beautiful scenery has always been in inaccessible places.
Even in China, such a large lake is rare. Without seeing the whole picture, I just don't know which one is bigger and which one is smaller than Poyang Lake. However, this is indeed a treasure land. With a little development and utilization, it should not be a problem to support half a million people! This is even superior to some lands in Anxi."
Liu Min nodded when he heard this, but said forcefully: "Now, this is my territory in Anxi, the great Han Dynasty!"
"Your Highness is so generous!" Guo Yi praised.
Liu Min bent down, picked up a flat stone from the grass, grasped it, and threw it sideways at the lake. The stone flew out and swept across the lake, leaving behind a trail of water drifts. Liu Min followed closely, counting from near to far, one, two, three. Before he could finish counting, the calm water surface was completely rippled.
When the lake surface gradually returned to calm, Liu Min stooped down and picked up another stone and handed it to Guo Yi: "Zimei, come and try it too!"
Hearing this, Guo Yi also became interested. These noble children had basically played around in Jinming Pond in Tokyo when they were young. Now, they feel like they have regained their childishness.
Guo Yi also threw it hard, not as far as Liu Min, but the number was obviously more. Seeing that Hunter was happy, Liu Min immediately said: "Let's compete!"
Soon, the two generals of the Western Expedition, Liu Min and Guo Yi, competed on the lakeside, and the accompanying guards also had something to do. They were selecting suitable stone pieces to present.
While throwing stones, Liu Min said: "No wonder the Black Khanate has gradually risen in the past few decades, occupying a large area of fertile soil and water at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, and has a unified and strong central government, an army It is not weak either, and armed with religious beliefs, it has already laid the foundation for its rise.
If they had not moved eastward too early and attracted the attention of the Han Dynasty, if they had used these decades to continue to develop agriculture and animal husbandry, expand their population, and accumulate strength, it would have been difficult for the Han Dynasty to control them, let alone defeat them. Within the territory! "
Guo Yi nodded and said: "Anxi is thousands of miles away from the capital, and Gaochang is two thousand miles away from the Eight Assassins of Gun, which is really too far. The power that can be devoted to the Western Regions at one time is always limited. If the strength of the Black Khans remains intact, it’s really hard to predict their success or failure!”
"This is what the great man likes to do with his luck. One success and one success, God will help him!" Liu Min smiled slightly, showing confidence.
"The name of this lake needs to be changed. What is it called Yixike'er? It's too hard to pronounce!" Liu Min said suddenly.
Hearing this, Guo Yi asked: "Your Highness, are you interested in giving it a name?"
"Isn't it a local legend? Isn't this a pearl left by the gods in the world? This lake is so vast, let's call it Zhuhai!" Liu Min pondered for a moment and said with some uncertainty: "Isn't it too tacky?"
"It's not vulgar! It's very artistic!" Guo Yi said.
Liu Mini laughed a few times, and then said: "Except for this lake, all the towns and mountains we have conquered will have their Han names changed. The rule of the Han Dynasty over this place will start with the name change. We will eradicate the rule of the Black Khan step by step. The traces of it! Like the city of Barsi Khan, it needs to be cleared out in particular. The enemy capital eight assassinated Gun and renamed it Broken Leaf, and Chuihe River was also changed back to Broken Leaf Water."
"Yes!" Guo Yi's expression also looked more serious: "Xiang Deming is more suitable to do these things!"
"You are trying to tire out our chief steward!" Liu Min waved his hand gently and said with a smile, "Let's ask the court for more political officials!"
As he said that, Liu Min raised his eyes and looked to the north, where, separated by several mountains, was the location of Broken Leaf City. Liu Min's eyes also showed a little reminiscence and yearning, and he murmured: "Zuiye, after hundreds of years, I'm finally back!"
