The north wind was howling, and hundreds of miles east of the Stone Kingdom, a group of 80,000 elite cavalry were advancing rapidly.

The environment was harsh with flying sand and rocks, freezing cold, but not a single soldier complained and everyone had a firm determination in their eyes.

In front, Zhao Yun and Zhang He walked side by side.

Zhao Yun, who had never experienced the bitter cold of the grassland, frowned from time to time. He was not worried about the environment, but about time.

Seeing that it was not long before Ye Feng ascended the throne, and they had not even reached the Stone Kingdom, how could they not be anxious?
If you miss the time, it is still a great achievement, but compared with others, it is obviously inferior.

Although Zhao Yun had no desire for fame and fortune, he also hoped to leave a significant mark at a critical juncture in history.

"Zilong, is this your first time going north to the grassland?"

Zhao Yun was stunned for a moment, then nodded slowly: "I only heard from others before that the grassland is vast and endless, but I feel that I am already a general, and my strength is at the top of the world. It is difficult for ordinary people to be defeated, so how can it be difficult for me?"

"But I didn't expect that after seven or eight days of diving into the grassland, I would still see the withered grass in front of me, as if I had been going around in circles for the past few days."

"I finally understand why the lord gave the order to eradicate the roots of the enemy."

"It's not that we don't want to occupy these places, it's just that it's easy to take them down, but it's extremely difficult to completely occupy them."

"The surrounding area is not suitable for farming. If we rely on the logistics and food shipped from Youzhou, we don't know how much manpower and material resources will be consumed. Even the most powerful empire will be dragged down by such a burden."

"My lord, you are so far-sighted and thoughtful. I am so ashamed of myself!"

Zhang He smiled and nodded: "Yes, for now, we can completely conquer these ethnic groups, but it is too difficult to conquer this place."

"This place is not suitable for our people to live here. When I came out before, I asked the lord a question."

"Since we can't defend this place, why do we need to go to the farthest place and leave our footprints there? The most important thing is to inform those barbarians with institutions not to let them enter the territory of our China."

"How much manpower is consumed by such a tedious and complicated matter?"

“Is it really worth it?”

Zhao Yun secretly thought that it was not worth it, but he knew Zhang He had something else to say, so he did not speak.

Zhang He seemed to have guessed what Zhao Yun was thinking and said with a smile, "You also think it's not worth it, right?"

“No matter how you look at it, it’s not worth it.”

"It would be easy to conquer these nations. All we need to do is to sweep through them with our army. Those who are willing to surrender will be spared, while those who are unwilling will be killed without mercy."

"After several massacres, who would dare to stand still?"

"The Huns are fierce enough. They have lived on the grasslands for hundreds of years. But when they are faced with a desperate situation and hundreds of thousands of people are waiting for us to slaughter them, won't they be afraid?"

"I even saw quite a few people peeing right under my gaze."

"But now I understand what the lord meant." Seeing Zhao Yun staring at him intently, Zhang He smiled and said, "Actually, the reason is very simple."

"Just because we think this is a barren land now doesn't mean it will always be a barren land."

"Even if we can't control these places, as long as they belong to us in theory, they can at least serve as a buffer zone so that the people of Youzhou and Bingzhou won't suffer from unprovoked disasters all the time."

"It is also a role model for future generations. If you don't even have the achievements that your ancestors have achieved, how can you have the face to indulge in wine and women and indulge in pleasures of life?"

"Are you all focusing on your official duties instead of concentrating all your energy on the court?"

Zhao Yun suddenly realized: "So that's how it is."

"My lord, you really think far enough, and it makes sense."

"Since Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, every emperor must at least expand the territory based on the foundation of the Qin Dynasty. Only then can they be considered wise rulers and be praised by others."

Zhang He nodded and said, "That is why my lord has decided to wipe out the barbarians and kill them while they are weak."

"If we don't strike them when China is strong, we will wait until China is weak, and countless people will die in vain."

"It is better for me to let my friend die than for me to let these barbarians die, isn't it much better for us Chinese people to die?"

"That's one of them."

"Another point!"

"In addition to leaving a benchmark that will be difficult for future wise rulers to reach, the lord also hopes that we, the generals, can also leave a name that will last forever."

"What were your thoughts before you followed the lord?"

Zhao Yun was stunned, with confusion in his eyes.

Zhang He continued, "My original idea was very simple. If I could seal the Wolf's Lair and sketch Yanran, and follow in the footsteps of my predecessors, I would be able to rest in peace."

"As for the rest, I don't dare to think too much, for fear of being laughed at."

"But before, I not only reached the place where Wei Qing and Huo Qubing arrived, but also went 2,000 miles further. I and more than a hundred personal soldiers spent hundreds of horses to rewrite the history of China."

"We want all future martial artists to use us as a benchmark and continue to expand our territory northwards."

"If time is not tight and the mission is not heavy, I will continue to travel north. It would be best if future generations cannot surpass me."

"You said that the lord asked you to come here to coordinate my achievements, but I think the lord favors you. After all, this limelight is given to you for free. To be honest, I am a little jealous!"

(End of this chapter)