The sixth year of Jianyuan, July.≤,

Liang Xiao led a huge messenger and caravan to cross the Pamir Mountains again and came to Wulei.

Dongfangshuo was busy in the green fields, and the clear mountain snow water flowed along the newly dug ditch, moistening the land under his feet and nourishing the green wheat seedlings in the fields. Several unclothed Hu people were pulling weeds in the fields. Most of them were naked and exposed with their skinny bodies, and looked no different from refugees.

Seeing Liang Xiao staring at the Hu people, Dongfang Shuo laughed: "Don't look, it's all the evils you and me have committed. The Huns ate all their cattle and sheep, and they were lucky that they didn't starve to death."

Liang Xiao grinned, but didn't laugh out loud. In the war last year, they and the Huns fought, but the small countries were unlucky. He bought a large number of cattle and sheep first, and the Huns snatched away the rest. It was impossible for them not to starve.

"You won't just run around for them, do you?"

"Eating is the top priority now." Dongfang Shuo squatted down, washed his hands in the canal, picked up some water, and took a big sip. "It's so sweet. You're walking too fast. Wait for two months, and Cheshi's grapes will be ripe. Wash the snow-capped water and send it directly into his mouth. It's so delicious. Other things in the Western Regions are far from reaching the Central Plains."

"Foodie!" Liang Xiao curled his lips and pretended to be disdainful, but he had to admit that Dongfang Shuo was right. The Western Regions are full of sunshine, and fruits are famous for their goodness.

"Food, sex, is what Confucius said. Therefore, solving the food problem in various countries is my top priority." Dongfang Shuo smiled without any mind. "By the way, I have built the tomb of Alkapa. If you have time, go and take a look. If you are not satisfied, I will repair it."

"I don't worry about doing things. However, I still have to take a look. I don't know when I will wait for the next time I come to the Western Regions."

"That's true." Dongfang Shuo smacked his lips. After a moment of silence, he said: "But it's better to be faster. If you can't open the Hexi Corridor as soon as possible and drive away the Huns, I won't support it for too long."

"I will do it as soon as possible. Last year, General Li Guang attacked the Xiu Tu Wang army. If nothing unexpected happens, he should have gained a lot, which is enough to make the people of the court understand the background of the Huns. Just wait for the Empress Dowager to die, the emperor can launch a large number of troops."

Dongfang Shuo glanced at Liang Xiao and sighed. Liang Xiao heard the wrong accent and asked quickly: "Why, I'm wrong again?"

Dongfang Shuo did not answer. After thinking for a while, he solemnly said to Liang Xiao: "If you have to go back, just promise me one thing. Otherwise, you don't go back."

Liang Xiao smiled. "So serious?"

"Well, you didn't recognize what the biggest trouble was in the court." Dongfang Shuo raised his brow: "Do you think it's the Huns?"

"Isn't the Huns, are they princes?"

"Of course, the princes are troublesome, and it is not easier to solve than the Huns. However, the real problem of the court is not the princes, but the destiny. Have you heard of Yuan Gu, a doctor of poetry?"

Liang Xiao's heart moved and understood what Dongfang Shuo meant. He didn't know Yuan Gu, but he knew this person. Yuan Gu left his name in history because of two arguments: once was discussing the Tangwu Revolution with Huang Sheng in front of Emperor Jing, and once was saying in front of the Empress Dowager that "Laozi" was a family statement, which caused the Empress Dowager to throw him into the pigpen.

Yuan Gu’s experience is actually a microcosm of Confucianism’s way of resisting Huang-Lao and striving for political status.

But what does this have to do with destiny?

"It's so scary." Dongfang Shuo sighed exaggeratedly, put his hands on his hips, and guided the country like a great man. "After returning to Chang'an, besides war, you'd better not express your opinions, so as not to be caught. If you have time, read more books."

Liang Xiao retorted. "Someone has a lot of books, but he has come to hide in the Western Regions?"

Dongfang Shuo frowned. "Where are we talking about you, why did you get me back? Who am I? Can I have the same knowledge as them?"

Before they finished speaking, the two of them laughed. Dongfang Shuo shook his head helplessly and pulled Liang Xiao to the side.

"Okay, I admit that no matter how much you study, you don't have much use. You have to have the power in your hands. However, if you can be a hero in the Western Regions, when you arrive in Chang'an, you have to put away your minions and not show your sharpness. If you can't do it, just don't go back and hide in the Western Regions with me. It's not bad to lose Huainan and Dayuan, don't you think?"

Liang Xiao put away his smile. "Manqian, I remember what you said. You must be careful. Although the Huns are not good people, these Western Regions are not good people. If you cannot control them, you may backfire at any time."

"That's why I asked you to advise the court after you go back and launch an attack on Hexi as soon as possible." Dongfang Shuo said, walked to the carriage, climbed onto the carriage, and brought out a bundle of wooden slips that looked like a hill. "This is an article I wrote. You can read it slowly on the road, and it's best to remember every word in your heart, and then you will know why the biggest trouble in the court is destiny."

Liang Xiao was shocked. How long does it take to write these large piles of wooden slips?

"The last time I wrote such an article, I wrote to Your Majesty. Your Majesty has read it for two months." Dongfang Shuo smiled proudly. "It will take two or three months for you to return to Chang'an, and you will almost finish reading it. This is my hard work, I hope you will not let it go."

Liang Xiao's heart moved and he glanced at Dongfang Shuo. Dongfang Shuo smiled and squeezed his eyes strangely. Liang Xiao smiled slightly.

"I'll see it."

After saying goodbye to Dongfang Shuo, he arrived at the mission and proton sent by King Kucha, and came to Cheshi again and paid homage to King Cheshi. With the help of Li Danghu, the Cheshi Palace had been repaired and there was no trace of being burned by Liang Xiao at the beginning. King Cheshi only had awe in his eyes.

While Cheshiwang was preparing for the delegation, Liang Xiao, accompanied by Li Danghu, went to the Alkapa Valley to worship. Dongfang Shuo moved Sigma's body out of the cave and built a tomb. The tomb was not big, but it was very delicate. The whole was carved from stone. A stele was erected in front of the tomb. The forehead was carved into a spear, shield and bow. Two lines of words were written in Greek and Chinese on the tombstone: The stele of the Amazon warrior Alkapa.

Next to the tomb is a large tomb, burying other soldiers who died during the expedition. There is a large monument in front of the tomb, engraved with an inscription written by Dongfang Shuo himself, recording the legendary raid and the names of each soldier.

The mercenaries who accompanied him saw that the sacrificed robes were enjoying such treatment, looked at each other with a little excited eyes.

When he learned that Liang Xiao was coming to worship Alkapa, the Cheshi Captain of Wutugu also rushed over. The husband of a Han man, Wu Guinian, was with him. Liang Xiao was surprised to see Wu Guinian. Moya said that Wu Guinian was only in his forties, but what he saw was clearly an old man with gray hair and gray hair.

"Where is Mr. Ng? Can you report it?"

Wu Guinian's reaction was a little slow. Liang Xiao waited for a long time before he laughed embarrassedly: "It's been too long, I forgot."

Liang Xiao didn't ask again. Wu Guinian didn't say it, but was naturally not because he forgot it, but because he refused to say it. If he had no great grief in his heart, how could he have fallen short of it before he was old? "Then Mr. Wu will treat this place as his hometown. Moya is a good woman."

"Thank you for your mercy, sir." Wu Guinian murmured: "Moya is grateful to you. If it weren't for your protection, Wu would probably be the last one."

Li Danghu said from the side: "Moya has advised many times to Che Shiwang. Che Shiwang is willing to form an alliance with the Han Dynasty, and Moya has made contributions."

Liang Xiao nodded. "Moya is indeed a female hero who does not allow the bearded girl to cherish it."

Wu Guinian responded and retreated silently.

After returning from Alkapa Valley, Cheshiwang had already prepared a mission. His Buddhist prince Che Yi followed Liang Xiao to Chang'an as a proton. Liang Xiao was surprised. Even if Moya talked about it, Cheshiwang was impressed and did not sincerely form an alliance with the Han Dynasty. Sending the only son to Chang'an as a qualifier is too sincere, not like the style that Cheshiwang could do.

After inquiring, Liang Xiao learned that this was Che Yi’s own request. King Moyu of Cheshi repeatedly stopped him but failed, so he had to let him go. Later, when he was alone with Che Yi, Liang Xiao asked the reason. Che Yi said a little embarrassedly that this was the suggestion of his aunt Moya. She hoped that he would go to Chang'an to study and gain more knowledge and become a qualified king in the future.

Liang Xiao was once again grateful that he did not kill Mo Ya at the beginning, otherwise the matter of Che Master would not have been so smooth.

Liang Xiao walked eastward, and the team accompanied him became larger and larger. When he crossed Xingxing Gorge again, there were more than 500 people and more than a thousand camels and horses behind him. After receiving the news, the Little Yuezhi Chief Commander Ma Qi was shocked to see so many people.

"Sir, have the kingdoms in the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains sent missions?"

Liang Xiao smiled. "Although it's not all, it's almost the same. Captain, what about you? Are you interested in sending someone to Chang'an with me?"

March shook his head and smiled bitterly. "It's not that I don't want to, but I can't. Lord, the Huns are back, and they're crazy. It's probably not that easy for adults to return to Chang'an."

Liang Xiao was very surprised. "Which tribe is from?"

"Rizhu King." Maqi said: "In addition, I have received news that although General Li of your Han Dynasty succeeded in attacking King Xiu Tu's troops last year, he withdrew again. King Xiu Tu not only regained his pasture, but also joined forces with the Qiang people to invade the Han Dynasty many times, and gained a lot, and now he is stronger."

Liang Xiao was shocked, which was completely opposite to his expectations. "What about General Li? He did not fight back?"

Maqi shook his head. "I don't know, the one who is fighting against the Huns is a general named Gongsun."

Liang Xiao's heart skipped a beat and a ominous premonition arose. Last time Li Shuyun returned to Chang'an, he had more than 300 mercenaries around him to protect him. As a result, he had not completed the task yet, so he had to bury most of the goods and go into battle lightly. He took advantage of the opportunity of the Huns' expedition to the west and the empty Hexi River to return to Chang'an.

Now he only has more than a hundred young Greek knights and mercenaries around him, and the rest are left to Dongfang Shuo. At that time, he was thinking that there were too many people and he could not arrange it when he went back. Now he realized that without sufficient force to protect him, it was almost impossible for him to arrive in Chang'an safely.

What should I do?—

(To be continued.)
Chapter completed!