When Huo Qubing's army set out, it was in early spring. In order to keep warm, he was still wearing a sheepskin coat outside the linen clothes.

By the time the army returned, it began to snow in the sky. In order to keep warm, the soldiers were still wearing sheepskin coats.

At this time, Wang Xiao had already returned in the flying sword in advance.

After all, he is still the emperor of the Han Dynasty. He can still hide his feelings if he can't go into seclusion for three to five months, but if he doesn't show up for almost a year, he will have to come to the palace to rebel.

In fact, Wei Qing, who came back early after defeating King Zuo Xian, went directly to find Wang Xiao when he arrived in Chang'an City.

When he learned that Wang Xiao was in seclusion and did not see anyone, he almost forced himself to break through. In the end, Wei Zifu stopped him.

This is not to say that Wei Qing is going to cause trouble, or that he is angry that Wang Xiao did not go to the suburbs to welcome him. But it is because he is worried that something will happen to Wang Xiao.

We cannot see the emperor safe and sound with our own eyes. Wei Qing said he would do nothing.

The next day, he went to Wang Xiao's retreat again and made up his mind from the front, even if Wei Zifu intercepted him, it would be useless.

For Wei Qing, who is loyal to the emperor, confirming the safety of the emperor is the most important thing.

"I've come so early, I haven't had a meal yet."

Wang Xiao, wearing black clothes in the palace, sat on specially made wooden tables and chairs and ate breakfast.

When he saw Wei Qing coming, he waved to him, "The plan for the year lies in spring, and the plan for the day lies in the morning. If you want a good day, you must eat breakfast well and come and have it together."

‘Hu~’

Seeing Wang Xiao appearing in front of him intact, Wei Qing subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

After sitting down on Hu's bench, Wei Zifu, who was standing beside him, smiled and served him a bowl of porridge.

"Huo Qubing has started to return, and the organizational resistance of the Huns has basically been eliminated. In the next few years, the army will only need to go north to clear the remnants of the Huns regularly."

After a few greetings, Wang Xiao began to tell the general about his strategic plans for the next few years. "The focus of the next few years is to build roads and immigrate, build cities and settle the grassland completely."

The reason why I talked to Wei Qing was not about Dou Ying because Wei Qing, the Grand Sima General, had the power to participate in confidential matters.

Simply put, he is above the Prime Minister.

Wei Qing and Huo Qubing can participate in strategic decisions. Dou Ying's side has actually become an executive agency.

"Whatever Your Majesty says is what you want." Wei Qing drank porridge silently and generally did not express his opinions on these matters.

Wang Xiao gave him such power, but Wei Qing was very cautious and rarely used this power.

"Without such a war, are there any dissatisfaction in the army?" Wang Xiao asked Wei Qing. "This time you went to Mobei, you defeated the troops of Zuo Xianwang, and you made outstanding achievements. There will be no shortage of rewards you deserve."

"His Majesty."

Wei Qing put down the porridge bowl and said seriously, "It is the duty of a minister to fight for the country, and he dare not ask for rewards. If there is no war in the future, it is a blessing that the soldiers can go home alive."

Wang Xiao heard the meaning of Wei Qing's words, thought for a while and asked him, "There are many casualties in this battle?"

"There are great casualties in every battle."

Wei Qing, who was not old, sighed in his words, "Every time he took the soldiers to fight, he would think in his heart that he would bring them home alive. After the war, he cleaned up the battlefield and watched the soldiers lying on the ground, and the Wei Chen felt panic."

He raised his hand and tapped the table gently. After pondering for a while, Wang Xiao said, "Have you given the pension?"

Wei Qing immediately responded, "No one dared to stretch out his hand randomly."

Rubbing his chin and thinking for a while, Wang Xiao said again, "Let's do this, set a pension standard. Those who sacrifice their lives for the country on the battlefield can be exempted from all corvee taxes for a generation. If you are discharged from the army due to injury, you can get a salary of 100 stones according to the rank, and you will die. You see

what?"

Wei Qing hurriedly stood up and saluted Wang Xiao solemnly, "Thank you Your Majesty! The soldiers in the army must be grateful!"

If the Han army was killed and injured in battle, the generals would have a lot of pensions. Those with titles could also have heirs to inherit the title.

But for ordinary soldiers, at most they will only burn money for a sum of money.

Wang Xiao’s current pension requirements is a huge burden for the Han Dynasty’s finances. But for the soldiers, it really completely relieved their worries.

Because of his lowly background, Wei Qing could understand the suffering of the lower-class soldiers.

After hearing Wang Xiao's words, the soldiers of the world couldn't help but thank Wang Xiao.

If you think about it in the wrong way, such as Prime Minister Cao, you have to be wary of Wei Qing.

But Wang Xiao doesn't care about these things here.

Not only because he believes in Wei Qing's character, but more importantly, because he is very clear about his strength and can easily solve any troubles he encounters.

He raised his hand and pointed to the porridge bowl on the table, "Eat breakfast, don't waste food."

When Wei Qing left to arrange pensions, Wang Xiao did not rush to leave, but asked Bo Wanghou to come in.

The Marquis of Bowang is Zhang Qian. Since he returned from his second mission to the Western Regions, Wang Xiao has been left in Chang'an City by Wang Xiao and established the Western Regions Protectorate.

That's right, although the Western Regions have not yet been included in the territory of the Han Dynasty, Wang Xiao has long regarded it as a treasure.

"Your Majesty, Queen."

Zhang Qian came in to salute, and after Wei Zifu responded, he asked the palace maids to prepare breakfast for Zhang Qian.

Regardless of whether Zhang Qian has eaten it or not, don’t ask, you must have not eaten it yet.

While waiting for breakfast, Wang Xiao said, "Have you heard about the Huns?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Now the Huns are finished, and the Western Regions are the things in our Han Dynasty."

"That's true." Wang Xiao smiled with satisfaction, "Your Western Region Protectorate can now officially go to the Western Regions."

"Thank you Empress." Zhang Qian first stood up and thanked Wei Zifu, who brought him breakfast, before sitting down and continuing to say, "Please rest assured, I must take all the thirty-six countries of the Western Regions under the command of the Han Dynasty."

"Don't be too happy too early."

Wang Xiao poured cold water on Zhang Qian. "In the next few years, the imperial court will not send large-scale troops. Especially before the straight road leading to the Western Regions of Dunhuang is repaired, don't expect to get the support of the army."

Zhang Qian was stunned and put down the porridge bowl in his hand. After thinking about it, he firmly said, "Please rest assured that even if there is no support from the army, I will take over the Western Regions for the great man."

"It is because I believe in your ability that I have given you this matter." Wang Xiao nodded with satisfaction and said, "Waiting for your good news."

Although the war with the Huns did not go bankrupt like the piglets in history.

But the military expenses paid for this are still an unprecedented huge expense.

Most of the military expenditures saved by Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing spent decades to be spent by Wang Xiao.

There is no money to support large-scale troops. On the one hand, the distance between the Western Regions is far and the road conditions are too poor. The more troops mobilize, the greater the expenses required.

If the troops were sent to capture the countries in the Western Regions, they would have to bear the living expenses of the locals, the cost of large troops stationing, etc.

In the case of insufficient road conditions, if you want to support the transportation of these required materials, the large expenses will also cause a headache for Wang Xiao.

"Although you can't send a large army, you can still give you enough financial support."

Wang Xiao instructed Zhang Qian, "You can mobilize those Western Regions to build a straight road connecting Dunhuang."

"I understand."

Zhang Qian nodded repeatedly, "Your Majesty once said that if you want to be rich, you must first build roads. If the great man wants to always control the Western Regions and can quickly transport troops, it is necessary to build a straight road."

"It's good that you can understand." Wang Xiao expressed his appreciation for Zhang Qian's ability to understand.

"How many people are you going to take to the Western Regions?"

"Three thousand people are enough."

"Three thousand soldiers?"

"Two thousand soldiers are enough." Zhang Qian said confidently, "The others are the officials and craftsmen of the Western Regions Protectorate."

"Are two thousand soldiers a little too?" Wang Xiao asked, "Can you use two thousand soldiers to pacify the thirty-six countries?"

Wang Xiao thought to himself that if two thousand soldiers want to defeat the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions, even if one Han is the Ten Hu, there is no way. Unless I personally lead the team to play Wushuang.

"Two thousand soldiers are enough."

Zhang Qian began to tell Wang Xiao about the Western Regions plan he had formulated over the years.

"I plan to do this. I will leave Yangguan and take down Ruoqiang first."

Zhang Qian explained, "The Queen of Ruoqiang is a princess of the Huns, and has always been hostile to our Han Dynasty. The country has only 4,000 households, more than 30,000 people, and only 4,000 soldiers. Two thousand Han soldiers are enough to take down such small countries."

Wang Xiao naturally knew very well about the topographic map of the Western Regions. He had been back and forth in the thousands of worlds.

Although the entire Western Region is vast, it is actually divided into two major places, north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, with the Tianshan Mountains as the middle line.

Generally speaking, it is called the Western Regions Protectorate in the south, and the Beiting Protectorate in the north.

If you start from Dunhuang, there are two famous passes.

One is Yangguan where "there is no friend when you go west to Yangguan".

Another one is the Yumen Pass where the "Spring Breeze does not cross the Yumen Pass".

If you start from Yangguan, you will walk to the south mu of Tianshan. If you start from Yumenguan, you will walk to the north mu of Tianshan.

The thirty-six countries in the Western Regions are distributed in the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains.

The snow water flowing down from the Tianshan Mountains nourishes and nurtures this ancient land.

In this era, the Western Regions had abundant water and grass, fertile land, and were far from the impression of the desert Gobi in later generations.

"Do you plan to take Ruoqiang as a stronghold in the name of eliminating the remnants of the Huns, and then guide the countries in the Western Regions from here?"

"Yes, that's what I mean."

"It's not impossible." Wang Xiao considered it and agreed to Zhang Qian's plan. "It's okay, it's not too far from Dunhuang. If something happens, you can get support from the Dunhuang army in time."

"yes"

Zhang Qian's response was a bit reluctant, but in fact he had never thought about asking for help from Dunhuang.

Because he is the chief of the Western Regions Protectorate, and the affairs of the Western Regions are his own affairs.

If he asks for help from Dunhuang, wouldn’t he seem to be incompetent?

Wang Xiao saw through his plan, but he did not expose it.
Chapter completed!