On the fourth day of the new year, the coalition troops in the Western Regions retreated to the entrance of the Silk Road. The news of their whereabouts was leaked by the Han slaves they captured, and they were ambushed by the people of Lou Lan. When the coalition troops in the Western Regions invaded Great Liang, they once occupied Lou Lan, killed their old king, and forced the young drunkard prince to exile. This time, they finally had the chance to take vengeance.

At this point, the coalition forces had suffered heavy losses and were defeated.

On the fifth day, the Black Iron Camp recovered twenty-seven passes on the Silk Road and directly attacked the former garrisons of the coalition forces. All the foreigners who had not yet had time to evacuate were captured.

https://www.northwestflower.net/sha-po-lang/book-2/chapter-9-western-expedition/9-iv

Shen Yi ran to the camp tent and reported, "Grand Marshal, the tortoises in the Western Regions shrunk their necks back, handed over a letter for a peace treaty, fearing that they would not be able to explain to their Western parents. They want to exchange the Han people they had taken for prisoners. You see..."

Gu Yun instantly agreed: “Yes!”

As soon as this remark came out, there was an uproar in the Marshal's tent, the line "Marshal, please think carefully" came and went one after another.

Shen Yi was shocked: "Marshal, the war report has not been sent to the court yet. There are many important members of foreign states among these prisoners. To arbitrarily deal with them... is that alright?"

Gu Yun raised a hand to interrupt his voice: "If the Black Iron Camp did not retreat at that time, these people should still be inside the borders now. Even if they become refugees, at least they can queue up for bowls of porridge to drink and will not be taken away for no reason and humiliated as livestock... I am not blaming you, gentlemen. The withdrawal order was sent by Yan...by me, Black Iron Camp was able to be preserved, thus the battle today could be won. The captured and humiliated civilians are still waiting for me. You can mistreat anyone, but you cannot mistreat the people who have given outstanding service.”

As soon as this was said, the tent was silent, no one raised any objections — but they soon found that Gu Yun had no intention of ‘arbitrarily’ disposing the prisoners of war.