Chapter 88

"General Li Guang, commander of the Weiyang Palace guards, greets the envoy!"

The imposing and intimidating general replied, looking at the Han emblem in Li You's hand, he hesitated to speak.

It's the Flying General! No wonder he stands out so much. He must have wanted to ask about the Xiongnu situation just now. Upon hearing the news of my return, he must have already guessed that the Han Dynasty is about to launch another war against the Xiongnu! How could a general as enthusiastic about warfare as him be content to miss such a great opportunity to establish his name?

"Your Majesty, your servant Zhang Qian has returned!" Entering the Xuan Room Hall, Li You finally met the emperor who left a glorious mark in Chinese history. The current Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, was only eighteen years old. The power of the court was still in the hands of Empress Dowager Dou, but after several years of training, Liu Che already had the bearing of an emperor.

"Zhang Aiqing has returned!" Liu Che had been sitting on the throne, but as soon as Li You entered the Xuan Room Hall with the Han emblem, he could no longer sit still. He suddenly stood up and carefully examined the only envoy who had completed his mission. His originally smooth face had been etched with the marks of the desert's sandstorms and the snow of the mountains. His once splendid robe was now tattered and stained with dark blood, but his gaze remained firm and unyielding, just as it was when he set out from Chang'an.

"Yes! Your servant set out from Chang'an last year, and after more than a year, crossed the Hexi Corridor, broke through the siege of Zhong Xingshuo, crossed the Yellow River, climbed over the Great Snow Mountain, and evaded the pursuit of the Chanyu and Kunye kings, finally entering the Western Regions! From the Kingdom of Loulan to the west, passing through the Kingdoms of Yanqi, Kucha, Gumo, and Shule, I reached the territory of the Great Yuezhi. At that time, the Great Yuezhi was in a fierce battle with the Xiongnu vassal state of Wusun! Your servant formed an alliance with the Great Yuezhi to attack the Xiongnu and helped them defeat Wusun before setting out on the return journey! After passing through the Kingdoms of Shache, Yutian, Jingjue, and Qiemo, I returned to the territory of the Xiongnu!"

"Your servant brought the second prince of Loulan, Fumituo, and the envoy of the Great Yuezhi, Huweishika, and broke through the Xiongnu's encirclement. Finally, on the western bank of the Yellow River, I killed Zhong Xingshuo! I have just returned to our great Han territory!" After speaking, Li You held up the Han emblem with both hands and said loudly, "Your servant Zhang Qian has not failed the mission and has finally completed the task entrusted by Your Majesty! Today, I specially come to report to Your Majesty!"

Thinking of the hardships and dangers along the way, the towering snow-capped mountains, the scorching deserts, the ferocious bandits, the cunning Xiongnu, and the Han men who died protecting him, Li You's eyes became moist, and his voice choked with emotion.

"Good! Good! Good! It's good that you have returned!" Liu Che was also so excited that he could hardly control himself. He had long expected that the mission to the Western Regions would be fraught with difficulties, but he never imagined it would be so challenging, and that Zhang Qian would complete the task so brilliantly! He took the Han emblem with both hands and examined it carefully. The faded pennants and the weathered staff seemed to transport him back to the brutal battles.

"Your Majesty! Your servant has also drawn a detailed map from Chang'an to the Great Yuezhi, recording the customs, products, and characteristics of the people along the way!" Li You reached into his robe, took out a stack of sheepskin paper, and presented it to Liu Che again, "From now on, the Hexi Corridor to the Western Regions will no longer be a secret to our great Han!"

"Good! Good! Good!" Liu Che was now so excited that he didn't know what to say. The surprise Li You brought him today was too great. He put aside his imperial dignity, grabbed the map, and quickly flipped through it. After just a few glances, he couldn't help but ask, "Zhang Aiqing, what else have you brought back for the Emperor?"

"Your servant has also brought back the head of Zhong Xingshuo! This man has repeatedly disrupted our Han's marriage alliances and incited the Xiongnu Chanyu to invade the border! Now this traitor has been executed! The head is in the hands of Tang Yifu outside the palace!" Li You replied again.

"Done well! Since the time of Emperor Wen, Zhong Xingshuo has caused great harm to our great Han! Now that Zhang Aiqing has beheaded him, this is another great achievement!" The Han had suffered greatly from Zhong Xingshuo for a long time. Hearing that this major threat had been eliminated, Liu Che felt extremely relieved, "Quickly, order Tang Yifu to bring the head of Zhong Xingshuo into the palace to pay respects!"

"Your Majesty! Your servant has also brought back the second prince of Loulan, Fumituo, and the envoy of the Great Yuezhi, Huweishika, as well as the alliance with the Great Yuezhi!" Li You then explained their backgrounds to Liu Che.

When he heard that Li You had kidnapped a prince in the Loulan palace, Liu Che couldn't help but laugh, praising his bravery, "Summon Fumituo and Huweishika to the palace! No, summon all the members of the mission to the palace! I will hold a banquet to welcome them! I want to meet these brave men of our great Han! And the guests from the Western Regions!"

"Your Majesty, your servant has also brought back the Heavenly Horses of Dayuan. These horses are incredibly swift, capable of traveling a thousand miles in a day and eight hundred at night! If they can be bred in large numbers, our great Han will have the fastest cavalry in the world!"

"Your servant has also brought back seeds of alfalfa from the Western Regions! Alfalfa is known as the king of forage on the grasslands, and all livestock love to eat it! Horses that eat it become strong and healthy! If it can be widely planted, our great Han's horses will become even stronger!"

"Your servant has also brought back seeds of grapes, walnuts, pomegranates, sesame, broad beans, cucumbers, garlic, and carrots from the Western Regions. These will provide more food for the people of our great Han and reduce hunger and cold!"

"Your servant has also brought back dozens of brave and experienced Han soldiers who are familiar with the Xiongnu. After this journey, each of them can at least serve as a commander of a hundred men! With them as guides, our great Han's army will be able to move freely from the Hexi Corridor to the Western Regions!"

"Your servant has also brought back..." For a moment, only Li You's voice filled the Xuan Room Hall. He recounted all the achievements of his journey to Liu Che, and Liu Che and the others in the hall listened quietly, afraid to miss a single word!

After a long time, Li You's voice finally stopped. Liu Che, after calming his excited heart, said, "Zhang Aiqing and the members of the mission have worked hard! Today, I will first hold a banquet to welcome you, and in the future, I will reward you generously!"

More than two hundred members of the mission entered the Weiyang Palace. Fumituo, Huweishika, and the other Western Region people were almost speechless at the grandeur of the palace, still in a daze even when they stood before Liu Che!

After the banquet, everyone was arranged to rest, except for Li You and Tang Yifu, who were left behind. Liu Che stroked the Han emblem and said loudly, "Summon the Three Excellencies, the Nine Ministers, and all officials of the rank of 2,000 stones and above in Chang'an to the palace! I want to discuss the Western Regions with them!"

In an instant, countless eunuchs streamed out of the Weiyang Palace, heading to the residences of the nobles and ministers! Chang'an was shaken!

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