Big man: I am the Champion Marquis!

Chapter 172: Their respective starting points
Huo Xian and others are now busy dealing with the war that may happen next. All aspects need to be considered carefully and fully prepared so that they can calmly face the possible situation that may happen next.

It looks pretty good now. There's nothing to worry about logistics and supplies for the time being. This is not the first time I've been to the Western Regions. I have a lot of experience, so I naturally know what preparations are needed.

Not to mention cattle, horses, camels, sheep and so on, even winter clothes, various fur coats, etc. have been transported up now.

Even though the weather is getting colder, there is nothing to worry about for Huo Xian and others.

Gongsun Ao was worried and said to Huo Xian, "Grand Marshal, I feel that something is not right. There is something wrong with the movements of Qie Mi's people, and the Xiongnu people are also not making any moves. This is really too strange."

Huo Xian thought so too. "We have already guarded the valley entrance, and the Qi people can't get in, and they certainly can't get out. It seems like they are planning to ambush us, hoping that we will enter the valley."

Gongsun Ao thought the same. "I think so too. The Qie Mi people are now in the valley and have emptied the city. They are just waiting for my army to enter the valley so that they can ambush us from both sides."

"Yes, and these people won't retreat either." Zhao Anguo said in great frustration, "If these people were really scared, they would have left the valley long ago. They won't advance, and they won't retreat either. These people have big plans!"

Qie Mi people's thoughts are obvious, and everyone knows this in their hearts. This is naturally one of the reasons why everyone is very cautious now. We really can't take risks.

Huo Xian asked, "Did Li Ling's troops send scouts into the valley to investigate?"

Zhao Anguo immediately replied, "Of course we sent people to check. Those Qiemi people were holding on tightly, neither advancing nor retreating, and they just drove away our scouts. We also checked both sides of the valley earlier, and there were indeed some signs of ambushes."

Huo Xian nodded slightly and asked again, "Can we ask the local guide if we can find a small path to get behind the Qiemi people?"

Zhao Anguo said helplessly, "It is said that there is a small road, but before we can find it, we meet the Qiemi people."

It is naturally a good idea to find a less traveled path and take a detour. However, it is not easy to do this, because Qie Mi Ren may have thought of this.

These people are more familiar with the environment and terrain here, and have long been prepared for some small roads, etc., so it is naturally impossible for them to give the Han army the opportunity to easily get around behind them.

Huo Xian was not particularly disappointed. It would be best if he could find a small path for a divine soldier to descend from the sky.

But since there is no such opportunity, there is no need to be particularly frustrated, because this is not a conventional tactic.

It would be better to find other ways. Taking steady steps is definitely not a bad thing for the Han army.

Gongsun Ao said, "Now it seems that these Qiemi people are probably luring the Xiongnu reinforcements to the enemy."

Huo Xian thought it made a lot of sense, and Zhao Anguo also said, "Now the scouts are investigating everywhere, and I have captured a lot of people from the Western Regions. When we were fighting the Cheshi, the Qimi people began to retreat into the valley."

The retreat was very timely, and it could be said that they had been prepared for a long time. These people had really been predicting the movements of the Han army.

Everyone fell silent, and it was obvious that they were not satisfied with the current stalemate.

Huo Xian thought for a moment and said, "The Qiemi people don't need to worry. If the Xiongnu don't come out, they will destroy Qiemi in winter."

Although the Qiemi people were lying in ambush in the valley, it did not mean that they were absolutely safe. The Han army could also advance steadily into the valley. As long as the Qiemi people's ambush lost its suddenness, it would not be a problem to eliminate them.

Gongsun Ao and others naturally knew this truth. They just needed to advance step by step. It was not a particularly difficult task at all. The main thing was that the Han army did not have enough time and needed to be wary of the Huns.

If it weren't for these worries, the Qimi people might have been defeated long ago. Their desire to confront the Han army head-on was tantamount to trying to stop a chariot with a mantis arm.

Now, the biggest problem for the Han army is that they have not found the main enemy. It is simply that the Huns have not shown up yet, which makes people feel uneasy.

Huo Xian thought for a moment and said, "We should let the army rest now. It's been a long journey, and they have been fighting constantly these days. I'm afraid the soldiers are a little tired."

Gongsun Ao smiled confidently and said, "Don't worry, Grand Marshal. Our men are not particularly tired since we went on the expedition, so we can rest well now. If there is a major war, our men will surely fight bravely."

This is confidence and also a fact. After all, the soldiers have not experienced a hard battle and are not particularly tired. Now is not their physical limit.

There is no need to worry about the soldiers' condition for the time being. This is definitely good news for Huo Xian. The army can enter a wartime state at any time and can meet powerful enemies in the best condition.

But we can't be absolutely careless at this time. We must be careful when necessary and make sure to prepare for what needs to be done.

Huo Xian was thinking about finding the main force of the Huns, or to be more precise, the movements of the Huns. He now felt more and more the difficulty of a decisive battle with the Huns.

A head-on confrontation is naturally extremely important, but it is not necessarily the most direct and critical thing. The biggest difficulty is whether we can find the Huns and force them to fight a decisive battle.

This is not about waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out, but mainly about taking a short break and constantly monitoring the enemy's movements. We are now in a wartime state.

When Liu Che, who was far away in Chang'an, received the report, he immediately laughed, "Xian'er will not let me down. She won again this time."

As the prime minister, Gongsun He was naturally happy and hurriedly flattered him, saying, "Marquis Guanjun has been studying with Your Majesty since he was young. The art of war was taught by Your Majesty, so it will not be difficult for him to win."

Liu Che glanced at Gongsun He. The prime minister of the Han Dynasty was becoming more and more spineless. However, this was not a bad thing for the emperor. This was what he wanted to see.

If he really wanted some capable prime ministers, he would not have appointed Shi Qing and Gongsun He as prime ministers. In the final analysis, he just needed a yes-man, someone who could get things done for him.

Handing the general report to Gongsun He, Liu Che said with a smile, "Whether it's Qubing or Xian'er, they both like to lead the army to fight in a roundabout way. This time they defeated two countries in a row, which is a good thing."

Many ministers in the palace felt unhappy. It seemed that the young Grand Marshal and General Huoqi had now destroyed two countries, and making great achievements was no longer a difficult task for him!

The civil and military officials had no doubt that Huo Xian could lead his army to victory. They were just surprised at the speed with which he achieved his success.

Liu Che said with great satisfaction, "He has made progress this time, and he even knows to send back military reports from the outside. In the past, I would have had trouble knowing where his troops were." The others didn't know how to answer for a moment. It was really that the emperor's preference for Marquis Guanjun had reached an unprecedented level, and what was considered treason in the eyes of others was not a problem for Marquis Guanjun.

Gongsun He carefully read the military report and felt that Huo Xian was reporting his achievements. There was no doubt about this. After winning the battle, it was normal to report the achievements to the court. Who doesn't want to make achievements?

But if you look more carefully, you will find that between the lines, in addition to reporting achievements and showing off, the author is also asking for support from the court in all aspects.

Not to mention food, wages and supplies, some troops and horses are also needed to support, and there is even hope that Zhao Po Nu in the surrendered city will send troops to drive out the Huns. All of this is in preparation for a big war.

Even though Huo Xian is far away in the Western Regions now, his mind is still on the great battle with the Huns. Defeating Cheshi and other nations is not enough, and he is still thinking about expanding the scale of the war.

Gongsun He thought about it carefully and said, "Your Majesty, I think it is still winter and we should not send troops now. You can order the Marquis of Guanjun to hold on and wait until the beginning of spring next year before sending troops."

Liu Che nodded, but then asked, "Marquis Guanjun means to attack from both sides, attacking the Xiongnu Right Xianwang tribe first. Who do you think should lead the troops on the left side if Marquis Guanjun makes a detour from the Western Regions?"

Gongsun He was embarrassed because according to Huo Xian's idea, he would lead the army through the desert to attack Youxian Wang's army. But this would also require the Han army to send troops to encircle the Xiongnu from the left.

There was nothing wrong with Huo Xian's tactics. Everyone knew a few things about fighting the Huns, which required a pincer attack, which meant attacking from both sides.

Seeing that Gongsun He was silent, Liu Che looked to the side and said, "Go and call the crown prince and the general. It's difficult for you to share my worries about these things."

Although they were despised by the emperor, no one seemed to care about such things at all. They were mainly used to such treatment and it was not worth being depressed about it.

The crown prince is the heir to the throne, and this heir to the throne can be said to have considerable prestige and a very good reputation both in the court and the country. No one wants to compare himself with this heir to the throne.

As for the great general, there is no need to say more. His prestige has been unparalleled over the years. In addition to his outstanding military achievements, the general's personality and conduct have naturally been respected by everyone over the years.

Gongsun He thought for a moment and asked tentatively, "Your Majesty, can you issue an edict to recall the Marquis of Guanjun?"

Liu Che was silent for a moment, then said with some concern, "If there is no war now, I'm afraid there will be no war again, so it's right to recall the Marquis of Guanjun."

Then Liu Che looked at the person beside him and asked, "How is the concubine of Marquis Guanjun now?"

The young eunuch quickly replied, "Your Majesty, Her Royal Highness the Queen is taking care of it herself."

Gongsun He said quickly, "Some time ago, the war was urgent and it was difficult to know where the Marquis of Guanjun's troops were. Now that we know where the Marquis of Guanjun is, it's time to tell him."

Liu Che looked at Gongsun He and asked with a smile, "Do you think if I tell him this, will the child come back?"

Gongsun He said with certainty, "Unless there is an emergency, the Marquis of Guanjun will definitely return to Chang'an."

Liu Che also smiled and nodded, "Finally, the kid has been put on a bridle. If he hadn't been restrained, he would have run around like a wild boar."

Han Yunniang was pregnant, which was the best thing for many people. Huo Xian made it clear that he would not marry, which made many people stare blankly, so he could only settle for the next best thing.

Now that I'm old enough, I finally have a child. Even though I don't know whether it's a boy or a girl, it at least gives people some hope, and that's enough.

In addition to being concerned about the inheritance of the Guanjun Hou lineage, it is also because Huo Xian was too "unrestrained" in the past and he should be given some restrictions.

However, Liu Che also said with some concern, "It's hard to say now. If there is no war, he should come back. But if there is a war, the child will still have to spend the winter outside."

Gongsun He also knew this very well, and felt that it would be the best thing to have some restraint on Huo Xian and to have him take care of him. But after all, the overall situation should be taken into consideration, and the war should be the first priority.

Liu Ju hurried over and said after seeing the report, "Father, since the Cheshi have been destroyed, it is time to call the army back."

Liu Che asked casually, "Tell me, what do you think?"

Liu Ju replied, "Father, I think Cheshi is a small country in the Western Regions, and the Xiongnu is the mortal enemy. Since the court wants to use troops against the Xiongnu, it should recall Marquis Guanjun to serve as the general."

This answer basically satisfied Liu Che. Fortunately, his prince did not say anything about the war being a waste of money and manpower, but instead took the idea that there would be a bigger war coming up.

In the final analysis, there were no generals in the court. If they wanted to fight the Huns, the only people who could do it were Wei Qing and Huo Shan. This was something that anyone with a discerning eye could see. It would be difficult for anyone else to command the army.

Liu Che also nodded and said in agreement, "That is indeed the truth, but you should take a good look at the military report. Does the Marquis of Guanjun want to return to the army? Does the Marquis of Guanjun intend to return to the army?"

Liu Ju was stunned for a moment, then said, "Father, I thought the Cheshi had been destroyed and the war was over. Using troops against the Xiongnu is the most important thing, and it is not worth it for the court to continue to use troops in the Western Regions."

Liu Ju's meaning was actually very simple and obvious. Recalling Huo Shan was naturally to prepare for the Huns.

Moreover, from Liu Ju's point of view, Huo Xian's desire to increase troops in the Western Regions was putting the cart before the horse. Even though he trusted Huo Xian immensely, he felt that he could not let him do whatever he wanted.

Liu Che was not angry either. As an emperor, Liu Che could fully understand Liu Ju's starting point. If it were not for Huo Shan, he would have done so long ago.

A general can be less restricted sometimes when he is away from home, but that does not mean he should be allowed to do whatever he wants. That is definitely not a normal state.

The war should be decided by the court and the emperor, rather than a general deciding things outside.

After thinking it over carefully, Liu Che said, "Let's wait until the general arrives. I'm afraid there is a reason why the Marquis of Guanjun wants to increase his troops."

(End of this chapter)