"Hunnic cavalry?" Lü Yi's brow furrowed, finally recalling the barbarians annihilated by Liang Xiao years ago.
"Marshal, that Attila, to develop southwest from the bitter cold lands and found the Hunnic Empire, is indeed a hero. Should our army take the initiative now, destroy their supply lines, or continue to defend and await a decisive battle between both sides?"
The officers and strategists were eager, but Lü Yi suppressed them.
"Nan Jiyun, Yue Yun, and Heraclius are already en route and will arrive shortly. It is a tremendous good thing to have them expend vast manpower and resources to establish this supply line. Look at our city walls!" Lü Yi burst into laughter.
Everyone looked at the city walls and couldn't help but smile.
The current Yumenguan had city walls with a minimum thickness of an astonishing five zhang.
Such walls, let alone bombarded by Huihui cannons, could not even be breached by Shenwu cannons!
"For the enemy army to break through Yumenguan, they can only rely on ballistae and imitation Huihui cannons for cover, then send men to scale the walls. This way, they must also prepare a large number of siege equipment, which is a tremendous burden on manpower and resources! If our army can win a decisive battle outside Yumenguan and pursue them, capturing the enemy's farmland and pastures within their supply lines..."
"This is the Emperor's strategy! The initiative is firmly in our army's hands. The enemy's attempt to tie down our army here, or even bankrupt our nation, is an impractical idea. However, we cannot be complacent. The enemy dares to establish such a large-scale, long-term supply line, indicating that the West is now a united front, and also demonstrating the enemy's considerable strength, capable of sustaining such expenditures!"
Everyone suddenly understood, but their faces were filled with regret.
The Great Qian was now powerful, with most border threats largely eliminated. It was a little harder for the soldiers to earn merit by killing enemies compared to before. They had hoped to seize this excellent opportunity...
However, the nation treated soldiers and their families with great care, and they were proud to serve on the frontier and retire.
With the situation in the capital stable, Liang Xiao was preparing to take Xiao Qing back to their ancestral home in Yanzhou for ancestral worship when a pressing report arrived from the East Sea.
"Your Majesty! Emperor! In the south, a fleet from the Ayyubid dynasty has been received. Among them are many remnants of the Great Zhou who call themselves the Liang Family Army. They have disarmed and are on their way to the capital!"
Liang Xiao and Xiao Qing were startled. They took the secret letter from the shadow guards and learned the entire story, their expressions growing grave.
"Such a drastic change in the West... But it is a tremendous good thing that three thousand of the Liang Family Army can defect to the Great Qian!"
Both letters were written by Barbaris, who had traded with the Great Qian in the past. Now, Barbaris, with his family in tow, requested to defect to the Great Qian along with Liang Jing, promising to accept only Great Qian culture henceforth and never to propagate religion.
"That Saladin, indeed a great ruler with foresight. The current situation is likely not favorable." Liang Xiao's praise carried a hint of sorrow.
However, the Great Qian had sufficient strength for self-preservation. For a distant campaign, a powerful fleet was lacking. To fight all the way from the West to the Ayyubid dynasty without relying on foraging through war would require at least three to five years.
Furthermore, Liang Xiao had to personally oversee the Great Qian to prevent the rampant growth of capitalism. Forcing a western expedition during this period of adjustment in the national industrial structure might repeat the mistakes of Emperor Yang of Sui.
Xiao Qing summoned the court officials to discuss the matter.
"Since they are remnants of the Great Zhou, and the thousand infants from the Ayyubid dynasty are not influenced by religion, I believe they can be accepted!" The officials expressed their stances.
Xiao Qing finally made up her mind to accept these innocent children.
A few days later, Liang Jing and Barbaris arrived in the capital ahead of the others and met with Xiao Qing.
The moment Barbaris saw Liang Xiao from the audience, his heart was filled with reverence. Liang Jing, however, was greatly surprised.
"Lady Liang Jing, mind your etiquette!" Barbaris whispered a reminder.
"No need to be nervous. She likely discovered my resemblance to the portrait of the Great Zhou's Martial Saint," Liang Xiao said with a smile.
"Yes! You, you are truly the reincarnation of our ancestors..." Liang Jing came to her senses, filled with emotion.
Even though she had heard on the journey that the Liang family were descendants of the Great Zhou's Martial Saint, the face was so similar to the portrait worshipped by generations of the Liang Family Army that she couldn't help but be overwhelmed.
Liang Xiao also observed Liang Jing.
She was over thirty, tall and imposing, with a heroic spirit in her demeanor, truly a woman who could rival any man.
According to Heraclius, she also possessed innate divine strength and could easily wield the sixty-jin Silver Dragon Golden Treasure Saber.
Barbaris, with trembling hands, took out Saladin's personal letter from his embrace and handed it to Liang Xiao for perusal, translating the contents simultaneously.
"To the Great Saint Emperor of Great Qian, the Great Marquis of An, the Great Qian people: When you read this letter, perhaps the Ayyubid dynasty will have vanished into the river of history. We hope that in consideration of the Ayyubid dynasty's assistance to the Liang Family Army in returning to their homeland, you will accept these thousand innocent children and allow them to become subjects of the Qian people. Barbaris will ensure no further contact with them in the future, allowing them only to accept Great Qian culture. We are eternally grateful! Sincerely, Saladin."
"This Tianri clan is truly a scourge of our time!" The officials couldn't help but sigh.
Barbaris implored, "Our entire clan of two hundred people requests to join the Great Qian. We guarantee that in the future, we will remain within our homes and only move within our residential areas, never spreading the teachings of the True World..."
Liang Xiao descended the steps and personally helped Barbaris up.
"From now on, this Great Qian will be your home, and all of you are subjects of the Qian people. You understand the poison of the Tianri clan better than we do. Once they are defeated, they will inevitably slaughter all living beings in their jurisdiction to prevent our nation from foraging through war and advancing further into enemy territory. However, no matter how cunning the Tianri clan may be, the Great Qian will not abandon its western and southern expeditions! Within ten years, the Guishuang Dynasty will be destroyed!"
"Due to objective limitations in transportation and logistics, the nation will strive to sweep across the West and annihilate the Tianri clan within thirty years!"
Barbaris and his entourage were deeply grateful, pledged their allegiance, and in accordance with Saladin's wishes, proactively avoided suspicion, strictly forbidding their clansmen from contacting the infants from the Ayyubid dynasty.
Of the thousand infants, only six hundred survived by the time they reached the Great Qian. Considering the peculiarities of the True World, Liang Xiao ultimately decided not to be overly generous.
This land absolutely would not permit religious interference in politics.
The return of the three thousand Liang Family Army to the Great Qian was also publicized in the newspapers, filling the common people with pride.
This was proof of the ever-increasing influence of the Qian people!
Liang Jing, hearing that Heraclius had gone to the western front, also volunteered for service. Leaving her family behind, she led three hundred elite soldiers to the western front.
Nan Jiyun and Yue Yun, taking advantage of the convenience of trains, arrived at the western front ahead of time and took over from Lü Yi.
The Grand Marshal, who had served the Great Qian diligently for half his life, finally returned to the capital to report.
Nan Jiyun received military orders from Lü Yi and Liang Xiao to prioritize defense. While ensuring the absolute safety of Yumenguan, they could switch to offense at any time to harass the enemy.
Everything in the capital was arranged in an orderly fashion. Liang Xiao finally took his wife and children, including Xiao Qing and her son, along with his two mothers, plus Liang Feng's family and Liang Yun's family, to accompany his father back to their ancestral home in Yanzhou.