"Kill!"
Zhou Fugui, riding a horse, pointed his long halberd, and countless cavalrymen galloped out. On the vast northern grassland, dust billowed, obscuring the sky, the sun, and the moon. From high above, they looked like giant dragons.
After Zhou Fugui and his White Tiger Battalion "retreated" to White Wolf City, they captured several cities of the Xiongnu royal court. The pursuing Xiongnu army could not pinpoint the movements of the White Tiger Battalion. Meanwhile, some tribes harboring grudges against the Xiongnu took the opportunity to rise up and resist their tyranny.
As the saying goes, a single move can affect the entire game. Zhou Fugui and his White Tiger Battalion were like a stone thrown into calm water, creating a ripple that grew larger and larger, causing chaos across the grassland.
Thus, urgent dispatches, like snowflakes, flew into the camp of Duo Yongjian, the Great Chieftain of the Xiongnu, stationed before Yan San Pass.
"Bang!"
Upon receiving the report, Duo Yongjian was so enraged that he threw his iron helmet to the ground and roared, "Who is this Zhou Fugui? Where did the White Tiger Battalion spring from? I will kill them and tear this scoundrel to shreds like butchering cattle and sheep!"
The iron helmet struck the ground with a crisp sound, then spun endlessly, mirroring Duo Yongjian's current state of mind.
After the Xiongnu army captured Qilin Pass, Duo Yongjian, disregarding Lin Yue's counsel, advanced eastward. However, he fell into an ambush set by Hu Yan Sheng and suffered a defeat. As Duo Yongjian gathered his scattered troops, preparing for another decisive battle with Hu Yan Sheng, such terrifying news now reached him.
What was the royal court? It was Duo Yongjian's heartland, his foundation. How could it be lost? Not only could it not be lost, but no major mishap could occur. Yet now, Zhou Fugui and his White Tiger Battalion were in his heartland, carrying out "serf system" reforms and conquering territory. Moreover, many tribes with existing grievances or animosities against the Xiongnu had also risen in revolt. How could Duo Yongjian not be panicked? He was utterly beside himself.
Duo Yongjian immediately wanted to march back and slaughter these curs who had appeared from nowhere.
But the battle of the Three Passes had reached a critical juncture. If he retreated now and returned to the royal court, he would undoubtedly be ambushed by Hu Yan Sheng.
Hu Yan Sheng was an experienced veteran of warfare. How could he miss such a golden opportunity to win? If Hu Yan Sheng launched a flanking attack, Duo Yongjian's retreat might turn into a complete rout.
Hu Yan Sheng was a perceptive individual with extensive battlefield experience. He could detect even the slightest unusual occurrence on the battlefield.
Furthermore, if Duo Yongjian retreated now, all his previous efforts would be in vain, all his achievements undone.
He would have suffered heavy losses of soldiers and wasted vast amounts of resources, with meager gains.
Therefore, Duo Yongjian was in a predicament, unable to advance or retreat, trapped in an agonizing dilemma.
Duo Yongjian's eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging on his neck. He roared in fury, pointing at the sky with fingers as thick as small radishes. The servants attending him in the tent dared not even breathe, shrinking into corners, wishing they could merge with the tent itself.
Duo Yongjian was notoriously temperamental and capricious. He usually enjoyed tormenting others for amusement, let alone in his current state.
"Great Chieftain..." Others dared not speak, but Bai Chang, Duo Yongjian's advisor and nephew-in-law, the Left Guli King of the Xiongnu, dared to speak. After Duo Yongjian had thrown a tantrum for a long while, Bai Chang spoke in a sinister tone, "Zhou Fugui is that Yan general whom the Prince Consort let go."
Bai Chang, true to his name, had a pale complexion, like a ghost.
"The Prince Consort?" Duo Yongjian became even more enraged upon hearing this and shouted, "Quick, bring that wench to me!"
Lin Yue was formerly Duo Yongjian's woman. However, Duo Yongjian had given her to his only son, Prince Bian. Since then, Lin Yue had shown Duo Yongjian no respect, and he harbored considerable resentment. This was the first reason. The second was that Lin Yue was intelligent and resourceful. After becoming the Prince Consort of the Great Xiongnu, she used Prince Bian's influence to eliminate Duo Yongjian's allies and cultivate her own power. She now enjoyed considerable prestige among the Xiongnu, addressed by all as "Queen Qimoni." Lin Yue had indeed gained significant influence among the Xiongnu.
By the time Duo Yongjian realized it and wanted to get rid of Lin Yue, he found himself hesitant, feeling as if he were afraid to smash a rat for fear of breaking the jar.
Lin Yue commanded a considerable number of troops and enjoyed high regard. Lin Yue had grown too powerful to control.
However, in his current rage, Duo Yongjian could no longer afford to be so cautious. He was willing to confront Lin Yue, even if it meant open conflict.
"Great Chieftain, calm your anger, you absolutely must not do this!" Duo Yongjian was blinded by rage, but Bai Chang was more clear-headed and advised, "Before us lies the Yan army and the impregnable Winter City. Behind us, rebels are stirring. If we now engage in conflict with the Prince Consort... would that not be disastrous?"
If Duo Yongjian and Lin Yue were to fight, Hu Yan Sheng would seize the opportunity and attack amidst the chaos. The consequences for the Xiongnu army would be dire.
"Mmm..." Reminded by Bai Chang, Duo Yongjian's mind cleared slightly. His chest, which felt like it was about to explode, calmed a little. He looked at Bai Chang and asked, "Your esteemed Left Guli King, what brilliant plan do you have?"
Normally, Duo Yongjian would address Bai Chang familiarly as "Chang nu," but now, seeking his help, he changed to "esteemed Left Guli King..."
"Great Chieftain..." Bai Chang replied with a wry smile, "Regardless, the morale of the army must not be disrupted. If morale is lost, then all is lost! I propose that, firstly, the Prince Consort be ordered to lead her troops back to quell the rebellion and atone for her crimes..."
"Let that slut go?" Duo Yongjian interrupted before Bai Chang could finish, "I fear that before Zhou's rebellion is quelled, another one will arise."
"Great Chieftain..." Bai Chang shook his head, "Zhou Fugui and his ilk are not to be trifled with, otherwise, they would not have captured several cities and disrupted our royal court. Thus, ordering the Prince Consort to quell the rebellion is like two tigers fighting, one must be injured. Regardless of the outcome, the Prince Consort's forces will inevitably suffer losses. And Great Chieftain... as long as the Prince Consort leads her troops back to the royal court, will she not then be at your mercy? The Prince Consort can be dealt with as you see fit!"
"Hahahaha, brilliant, brilliant!!" Duo Yongjian burst into laughter upon hearing this. His anger turned to joy. Relieved, he sat back on his wolf-skin armchair and repeatedly ordered his attendants, "Bring wine, bring wine quickly! Today, this chieftain will drink heartily with the esteemed Left Guli King!"
The servants in the tent felt a bit relieved and nervously brought forth fine wine and delicacies.
As the saying goes, fear recedes and lust arises. Duo Yongjian, embracing two young and beautiful female slaves, said to Bai Chang, "I never expected you to have such skill? What is the second plan?"
In the cold weather, although the two female slaves were wrapped in thick winter clothes, their chests were half exposed, pale and tender, dazzling Bai Chang. He licked his lips and replied, "This second plan is to seek peace."
The female slaves serving Duo Yongjian were all stunningly beautiful women.
"Seek peace?" Duo Yongjian, seeing Bai Chang's covetous look, pushed one of the female slaves towards him and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Of course, it is to seek peace with the Yan court," Bai Chang replied, embracing the female slave, "Great Chieftain, this war cannot continue. We must send an envoy to seek peace with the Yan court. If they agree, you can march your troops back to quell the internal strife, stabilize the royal court, and then march south again when the autumn is high and the horses are fat."
"Chang nu..." Duo Yongjian roared, "I just praised you, and now you offer such a terrible plan? The Yan court is insatiably greedy, and this time we have... No, no, the Yan court will demand exorbitant compensation, and will they even agree?"
"As long as sufficient wealth is offered, what cannot be negotiated? Great Chieftain, the Xianbei Yan is not entirely peaceful. To their west is Zhao, to their south is Xia, and to the east, there are pirates attacking the borders, with constant maritime alerts. Their lives are not easy either. Therefore, Great Chieftain, if you do thus and so, you will surely gain something, and they dare not demand too much," Bai Chang replied with a wry smile.
"Haha, haha!" Duo Yongjian was delighted and laughed heartily. Then, he threw another beautiful young female slave in his hand to Bai Chang, saying, "You handle this matter. If you handle it well, you can choose any of the maidservants in the tent."
Duo Yongjian thought to himself, the Xianbei Yan was indeed not entirely peaceful. Everything was as Bai Chang said. The Yan court was besieged on all sides and was equally overwhelmed. What more could they demand?
Wasn't he, too, taking advantage of the Xianbei Yan's weakness when he marched south? Duo Yongjian mused inwardly.
Bai Chang, embracing the two female slaves, said to Duo Yongjian, "Great Chieftain, I also heard that the Right Guli King, Qi Wu Han, surrendered to the Zhou rebels after losing White Wolf City..."
Each good idea was rewarded with a beautiful young female slave. Bai Chang regretted that his parents had not given him four arms, wishing he could immediately return to his tent and enjoy himself.
However, female slaves were still just slaves, disposable like worn-out shoes. How could they compare to power and status? Therefore, Bai Chang used this opportunity to suppress Qi Wu Han, the Right Guli King.
Currently, the positions of the wise kings of the Xiongnu, whether the Left Wise King or the Right Wise King, were vacant. Therefore, if Bai Chang suppressed Qi Wu Han, even crushing him to death, then the Left Wise King or the Right Wise King would undoubtedly be his...
However, to his surprise, the Great Chieftain Duo Yongjian was furious. He snatched back a female slave he had already rewarded to Bai Chang and roared, "Qi Wu Han was captured, not surrendered. Moreover, he has already recaptured White Wolf City and driven away the Zhou rebels. What crime has he committed? At this critical juncture, we cannot create further complications."
Duo Yongjian was relatively trusting of his brother-in-law, Qi Wu Han, the Right Guli King of the Great Xiongnu. Even if he had doubts, he could not settle the score with him now. He would deal with it after stability was restored.
Many people had witnessed Duo Yongjian ascend to the position of Great Chieftain of the Xiongnu. He could distinguish between priorities and urgency.
Bai Chang, the Left Guli King of the Xiongnu, could only withdraw meekly.
Inadvertently, he had lost a beautiful young female slave...
A good idea was rewarded with a beautiful young female slave. A bad idea, of course, resulted in the loss of a beautiful young female slave...