Three Kingdoms: Wolong's brother-in-law, tricking Liu Bei into seizing Jingzhou

Inside the palace of Blue Moon City, the morning light, like a golden veil, gently fell upon every inch of the land, and the bright daylight illuminated the magnificent palace.

Inside the palace, the carved beams and painted rafters, the golden splendor, all exuded the majesty and nobility of the imperial family.

Ushas and Pinu, these two loyal ministers, carefully helped Xiao Fang into the main hall.

Xiao Fang exuded an imposing aura, each step seemingly treading on a historical juncture, carrying an undeniable authority.

They slowly walked toward the supreme throne. Under the gaze of the crowd, Xiao Fang sat high on the throne, like a majestic god, looking down upon all things in the world.

At this moment, Lu Xun, Zhang Bao, and other strategists and generals had already gathered neatly in the main hall.

Their expressions were solemn, and their eyes revealed their awe of Xiao Fang.

Lu Xun stepped forward first and shouted:
"Reporting to Prime Minister Xiao!"

I have already received orders to punish the Yuezhi women into slavery and send the men to build the imperial road.

Now that the Yuezhi have been pacified and the situation is stable, it is time to return to the Han Dynasty and rejoin the Han court.

Xiao Fang frowned slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, and asked:
"Where is Parthia's army now?"

His voice seemed to contain endless majesty.

Lu Xun hurriedly reported again, saying:

"Reporting to Prime Minister Xiao, Fritz has led the Parthian army back to the Parthian Empire overnight."

This man was sensible; seeing the situation was unfavorable, he hastily withdrew his troops.

Xiao Fang sneered, his laughter filled with disdain:
"Unfortunately... I won't let him off so easily."

"Issue the order: mobilize the entire army and march west! I will annihilate the Parthian Empire in one fell swoop, and make it vanish forever!"

Every word he uttered seemed to carry immense weight.

Upon hearing this, all the ministers were shocked, as if struck by lightning, their faces showing disbelief.

The generals originally thought that the Yuezhi had been successfully conquered and that Xiao Fang would surely return to the Central Plains to reunite with his family.

Who would have thought that their emperor would have such ambitions as to conquer the Parthian Empire as well!
Lu Xun frowned slightly, and after a moment's thought, cautiously suggested:

"Prime Minister Xiao, our army has traveled thousands of miles and endured countless hardships to finally conquer the Yuezhi Empire."

The Napoleonic Empire is far more powerful than the Yuezhi, and it will probably be difficult to conquer.

I urge Prime Minister Xiao to reconsider.

The ministers echoed their sentiments, each expressing their concern about the potential attack on the Parthian Empire.

"Our army has marched a long way and the soldiers are exhausted. If we attack Parthia now, we may not be able to do so."

"The Parthian Empire is vast and has a large army. If we attack rashly, we will probably be in trouble."

Everyone offered their opinions.

Xiao Fang remained unmoved. His gaze was firm as he swept over the assembled officials, and he slowly said:

"There are no mountains or deserts between the Parthian Empire and the Yuezhi; the terrain is flat and open."

If I were to return to China in triumph, Fritz would surely take advantage of the situation to attack the Yuezhi.

"Wouldn't the Yuezhi Empire, which we've worked so hard to build, fall into the hands of others?"

Upon hearing this, the ministers were speechless, realizing Xiao Fang's profound foresight.

Xiao Fang paused for a moment, then continued:

"Fritz retreated to Parthia because he wanted to wait for me to return to the Central Plains before he could steal the Yuezhi."

Unfortunately, I did not do as he wished!
"I will raze the Parthian Empire to the ground in one fell swoop, and let Fritz know that there is no good end for those who oppose me!"

Xiao Fang revealed his motive for sending troops.

The ministers suddenly understood and all showed expressions of admiration.

Lu Xun was the first to change his tune, saying, "What Prime Minister Xiao said makes sense. We are short-sighted and only see the difficulties at hand, but we have overlooked the long-term benefits."

If we retreat eastward, and Parthia attacks us repeatedly, we will indeed find it difficult to hold out.

If we conquer the Yuezhi, it will only benefit Fritz, which would be a huge loss for us.

Seeing this, Zhuge Dan was filled with fervor and stepped forward to volunteer for battle:
"Please give the order, Prime Minister Xiao! I am willing to be the vanguard and crush Parthia! Even if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead, I will never retreat!"

As soon as he took the lead, the other generals leaped up and shouted in unison, "Let us fight!"

"I am willing to follow Prime Minister Xiao on the expedition and crush Parthia!"

The generals' fighting spirit was ignited, and a determined light shone in everyone's eyes.

Seeing this, Xiao Fang was overjoyed. He slammed his hand on the table and shouted:

"Good! Pass down the order for the army to rest for ten days."

Ten days later, the entire army was mobilized and headed straight for the Parthian Empire!
Let the Napoleonic Empire witness the might of the Han army!

The generals readily accepted the order.

Meanwhile, in the eastern part of the Parthian Empire, there was a fortified mountain city—White Sand City.

This city was built against the mountain, in a strategic location that was easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it like an impregnable fortress.

Hundreds of thousands of Han troops marched westward in a mighty procession.

Their steps were synchronized, like an unstoppable torrent of steel.

Xiao Fang was determined to win, his gaze fixed firmly on Baisha City, a once important town belonging to the Yuezhi Empire.

White Sand City, now in the hands of the Parthian Empire, has become a barrier to the advance of the Han army.

Fritz was horrified when he learned of the fall of Blue Moon City and the destruction of the Yuezhi.

Faced with the might of the Han army, he dared not confront them head-on, and thus decisively led his troops to retreat to Parthia.

As for Baisha City, he followed Sima Yi's advice and left General Kanla and Han general Ma Su to guard it.

Sima Yi believed that Baisha City was impregnable, with strong defenses and ample food supplies, and could hold out for three months without falling.

Three months later, the Han army was exhausted from its expedition and its morale was completely depleted.

At that time, Fritz will lead his main force to rescue Baisha City. With an attack from both inside and outside, and having the advantage of being well-rested, he will surely be able to defeat the Han army.

"Fritz, you're trying to use White Sand City as bait."

Xiao Fang muttered to himself during the march.

A hint of wariness flashed in his eyes; he had already seen through Fritz's scheme.

The army continued its march and finally arrived at Baisha City at dusk.

Hundreds of thousands of Han soldiers quickly set up camp, their tents stretching as far as the eye could see, resembling a white ocean.

Xiao Fang climbed a nearby hill and looked down at the mountain town.

The walls of Baisha City were tall and thick, with soldiers standing guard on the city towers, flags fluttering, and the defenses were very tight.

“Vinu, it seems you’ve put a lot of effort into this city.”

Xiao Fang glanced back at Pi Nu and said with a smile.

Pinu, the former empress, now stood beside Xiao Fang with a hint of shame on her face.

"The Parthians' offensive was too fierce, and in order to defend against their invasion, I had no choice but to build this fortified city."

"I never imagined this city would become an obstacle to the Han army; it is my fault."

Xiao Fang waved his hand and said gently:

I don't mean to blame you.

Do you think a mere city can stop the advance of my Han army?

In my eyes, it was nothing more than a paper fortress.

Vinu Gongwei said:
"Prime Minister Xiao is a master strategist and a man of extraordinary wisdom. Baisha City is naturally no match for you."

I believe you will be able to lead the Han army to conquer this city and achieve victory.

Xiao Fang remained silent, simply looking back at White Sand City. (End of Chapter)