Liu Wu didn’t know that Gan Ning had already led the ocean-going fleet to the American continent.

At this time, Liu Wu led more than 100,000 cavalry and marched into the grassland in a mighty manner.

The vast grasslands south of the desert are the habitat of various Xianbei tribes, large and small.

The Xianbei tribes had long been nomadic, good at riding and shooting, and their fighting power should not be underestimated. They had been able to fight the Han army on the grassland for hundreds of years. However, in front of Liu Wu and the Han cavalry he specially prepared, the bravery of these tribes seemed insignificant.

These more than 100,000 cavalrymen were all Han cavalry equipped with the three treasures of horses. Their comprehensive combat power was much stronger than that of the Xianbei people. They rushed into the southern grasslands of the desert like an unstoppable torrent.

Liu Wu knew very well that in order to win on the grassland, he needed not only speed and strength but also a large number of Xianbei guides.

When fighting on the grasslands, the importance of a guide is self-evident.

Familiar with the terrain, climate, and customs of the local peoples, they can provide valuable guidance and advice to the army and avoid difficulties or conflicts.

Just like Li Guang, a famous general in the Western Han Dynasty, it is enough to see the key role of guides in grassland wars.

Historically, Li Guang was known as the “Flying General” and was famous for his bravery and good fighting skills. However, in the Battle of Mobei, he suffered a major setback due to the lack of a guide. In the Battle of Mobei, Li Guang was ordered to go around the east route and join the right general Zhao Shiqi to advance from the east route to cover the flank of the main force. However, on the vast Mobei grassland, without a guide familiar with the terrain, Li Guang and his troops quickly lost their way. They rushed left and right, but could not find the correct route. In the end, not only did they fail to form an effective coordination with the main force, but they also missed the opportunity to fight because they got lost.

Li Guang’s getting lost not only led to his own tragedy – he committed suicide because he could not face the punishment of military law – but also reversed the situation of the entire battle. The Han army, which was originally expected to achieve a major victory, was seriously affected by Li Guang’s troops getting lost and losing contact, which seriously affected the deployment and coordination of the entire battle.

Therefore, in the grassland campaign, the role of the guide is crucial. It can be said that the guide is the “eyes” and “ears” of the army, and is the key person to ensure that the army can move smoothly and avoid danger and conflict.

Therefore, while having the powerful combat effectiveness of the Han cavalry, Liu Wu also paid attention to finding a large number of Xianbei guides.

These Xianbei guides were all captured Xianbei soldiers. They came from various Xianbei tribes and naturally knew where their tribes were. There were more than 1,400 Xianbei captives serving as guides.

Under the command of Liu Wu, an army of more than 100,000 cavalrymen swept through the Xianbei tribes of all sizes in the southern grasslands of the desert like a storm. Wherever they went, the Xianbei tribes retreated one after another.

At the beginning of the battle, Liu Wu adopted the tactic of dividing the army and attacking together. He divided the army into several groups and attacked the camps and livestock of the Xianbei tribes. Although the Xianbei tribes were brave, under Liu Wu’s careful and targeted planning, the camps of the Xianbei tribes were soon broken by the Han cavalry, and the livestock were also plundered by Liu Wu and used as baggage.

Faced with the sudden attack of the Han cavalry, the various Xianbei tribes in the eastern part were defeated one after another, and either chose to flee.

However, Liu Wu did not give them this opportunity. He led the Han cavalry in hot pursuit.

After more than ten days of fierce fighting and pursuit, Liu Wu led his army, chasing the defeated Xianbei tribes in the east and killing their way into the Xianbei tribes in the central part.

The central Xianbei tribes, having received the news, put up a strong resistance. However, after a fierce battle, they were completely defeated by Liu Wu’s Han cavalry. Tens of thousands of central Xianbei troops were routed and fled to the western Xianbei.

At this time, after a long journey and fighting for a month, many Han troops and horses were very tired.

However, Liu Wu did not give the Xianbei people a chance. He led 80,000 Han troops who were still able to fight westwards into the western Xianbei area, while the remaining Han troops stayed in the central and eastern Xianbei to guard the prisoners, cattle and sheep.

In the vast grassland of Western Xianbei, Liu Wu led 80,000 Han cavalrymen to confront the 100,000 Xianbei cavalrymen who were already on high alert.

This has already gathered all the strength of the Xianbei people in southern Mobei.

This battle will determine the fate of the grasslands south of the desert. (End of this chapter)