Chapter 147
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These two Xiongnu men were spared, but all the other Xiongnu were mercilessly killed.
Even those who regretfully shouted “surrender” and claimed they could lead the way were not spared from the swinging blades.
The two Xiongnu who had stepped forward first witnessed the deaths of their fellow tribesmen and were scared to the point of having weak legs. They were both trembling with fear and relieved that they had stood up in time and received a chance to live.
However, they soon realized that this opportunity to live was not as good as it seemed. They were kept imprisoned the whole night without a drop of water. Early the next morning, they were roughly tied to horses and told that they would only be given water when they led the way to a barbarian tribe.
The faces of the two Xiongnu changed.
Nomadic people on the grasslands understood the importance of water sources and the feeling of thirst. Without water, a person would die in three or four days, and the process of dehydration would be agonizing.
These detestable Central Plains people were using the tactic of withholding water to force them to lead the way quickly. It was truly cruel!
However, driven by their instinct to survive, they dared not say anything and anxiously led Yuan Li’s group deep into the grasslands.
In order to survive, they had to find a barbarian tribe within three days.
Generals like He Lang and Duan Yuquan remained in the borderlands, while Yuan Li led Jia Qing and Yang Zhongfa on a journey deep into the grasslands.
Yuan Li had trained an elite cavalry unit, which had grown from a thousand to eight thousand strong. When Chu Hechao went to attack Jizhou, he took three thousand of them with him, and when Yuan Li came to the Northern Territory, he brought four thousand.
Now, he divided these four thousand into two groups, and along with Yang Zhongfa, they lightly equipped themselves and silently entered the grasslands, each with a Xiongnu defector, a guide, and a compass.
The compass was a simple one made by Yuan Li using water and a needle, and he had taught Yang Zhongfa the method. With the combination of the compass, guide, and Xiongnu defector, their chances of finding a barbarian tribe in the grassland would be greatly increased, and the possibility of the Xiongnu people lying would be minimized.
Fortunately, the Xiongnu defector was quite obedient and didn’t have any crooked thoughts. They were even more anxious to find a barbarian tribe than Yuan Li’s group. Finally, after three days, the Xiongnu people led Yuan Li to the first barbarian tribe.
By this time, the Xiongnu people were extremely thirsty, their bodies weakened, their lips chapped and turning purple, their eyes dark, and their minds blurred. They desperately pleaded, “Water, water… we found the tribe, give us water.”
Yuan Li nodded to his nearby guard, who stepped forward with a water bag, removed the cork, and roughly lifted the Xiongnu man’s head by pulling his hair, then fed him water.
The Xiongnu man didn’t mind the guard’s rudeness at all. He clung tightly to the water bag, tears of joy streaming down his face as he drank the water. He swallowed mouthful after mouthful, unwilling to let go of even a drop in his thirst.
But when the water bag was half empty, the guard cruelly snatched it back, threw some dry food to the Xiongnu man, and said to him as he struggled to get more water, “You’ll get more water when you lead us to the next tribe.”
The Xiongnu man swallowed his saliva, his thirsty gaze fixed on the water bag, “I understand.”
Ahead, Jia Qing looked at the distant tribe’s tents and asked, “Lord, what’s your plan?”
Yuan Li replied with a question, “What’s your suggestion?”
Jia Qing said, “Since Huyan Huntu’s strength comes from the support of various barbarian tribes, then these tribes are his allies. We should eliminate these tribes to weaken Huyan Huntu’s power.”
“That’s also what I was thinking,” Yuan Li smiled faintly, “but it’s not enough.”
At this moment, it was just before dawn, and the sky was gray, covering the grasslands in silence. The distant tribe was quiet, and the barbarians were asleep. The dim light obscured the large group of people and horses.
Yuan Li looked at the tribe and said, “We need to let these barbarians know that it was Huyan Huntu’s provocation against us that brought this disaster upon them, and it was with the help of the Xiongnu that we were able to find their whereabouts smoothly.”
Jia Qing nodded, “Are you planning to incite conflict between the various barbarian tribes and Huyan Huntu?”
“Yes,” Yuan Li tightened the reins, “We’ll wipe out the smaller tribes completely, and do our best with the larger ones. We’ll provoke them into infighting before Huyan Huntu realizes it. If we can seize the position of the Xiongnu court through the people of these barbarian tribes, it will be even better. All the generals, follow me!”
With that, Yuan Li led the charge.
Jia Qing closely followed, protecting Yuan Li’s safety, and ordered the soldiers to surround the tribe from both sides, drawing their swords.
The tribe, still asleep, was suddenly awakened, and cries of misery pierced the long night.
It was a small tribe with only a few hundred people, completely unable to resist the two thousand iron riders led by Yuan Li. By the time the sun rose, they had already captured this tribe and immediately set off to the next one.
Among those accompanying them were individuals responsible for drawing the terrain maps on silk cloth with charcoal. This was a task assigned by Yuan Li. From the moment they entered the grasslands, they had been drawing the positions of various tribes, rivers, forests, and mountain ranges on the silk cloth. Drawing the terrain map was crucial. Even if they found the tribes by trial and error, and the tribes relocated, the rivers, forests, and valleys would not change. Nomadic tribes depended on water sources for their livelihoods, and as long as they depicted these unchanging features, they could use the water sources to search for the barbarian tribes in the future.
The individuals drawing the terrain maps were intelligence personnel from the Liangliao Institution. They had systematically studied how to draw maps and, through following Yuan Li’s campaign against the barbarian tribes, their terrain maps were gradually taking shape.
After entering the grasslands, Yuan Li did not sever communication with the Northern Border and Yang Zhongfa. There were cavalry units returning every day to exchange information in the rear. However, as they went deeper into the grasslands, the cavalry took longer to travel back and forth.
This was the first time Jia Qing followed Yuan Li into battle, and it was Yuan Li’s first time leading the charge. Jia Qing expected Yuan Li to be somewhat flustered, but Yuan Li remained calm, so calm that it didn’t seem like his first time on the battlefield. His previous gentle demeanor had completely disappeared in the heat of battle.
He could be ruthless without hesitation and wouldn’t waver in his determination. The more time Jia Qing spent with Yuan Li, the more he admired him, and he was genuinely devoted to him.
Facing the enemy without mercy, yet treating his own people with care, Yuan Li’s charisma was irresistible, and Jia Qing couldn’t resist being drawn to him.
And these small barbarian tribes were simply not enough to deter this elite iron cavalry.
The reason why the various barbarian tribes chose to side with Huyan Huntu was that they were not strong enough on their own. They thought that joining the Xiongnu would bring them a good life, but they didn’t expect to be attacked by the Central Plains people because of Huyan Huntu.
Every time Yuan Li arrived at a tribe, he would explain the reasons for attacking them: It was because Huyan Huntu constantly sent cavalry to invade their borders that they could no longer tolerate it and decided to launch a counterattack deep into the grasslands. Because you all sided with Huyan Huntu, we are here to kill you. Oh, how did you think we found you? It was because of the Xiongnu’s guidance that we found your tribe.
There were always some tribes that were able to detect Yuan Li’s movements in advance and put up effective resistance or escape. The surviving members also understood the reasons for their attacks. Hatred is sometimes a strange thing. Although it was Yuan Li and the Central Plains people attacking them, they felt even more resentment towards Huyan Huntu.
It was not hard to understand. The hatred between the barbarian tribes and the Central Plains people had been going on for hundreds of years. The Central Plains people killing them was as common as them invading the Central Plains. However, the betrayal from an ally, and the innocent suffering caused by that alliance, was something these barbarian tribes couldn’t accept.
Not just one barbarian tribe felt this way.
“Huyan Huntu, I joined you and gave you the power to make a comeback, but your actions have brought disaster upon us. Was it your men who led the Central Plains people to find our soldiers?!”
If these barbarian tribes had learned the culture of the Central Plains, they would definitely curse Huyan Huntu as ungrateful and treacherous.
The Xiongnu guide who led Yuan Li’s party began to realize that something was wrong. He hesitated more and more while leading the way, and during another attack on a barbarian tribe, he seized the opportunity to escape.
The first to notice him fleeing was one of the personnel from the Liangliao Institution, who shouted loudly, “Lord, the Xiongnu man is running away!!!”
Yuan Li turned his head and saw that the Xiongnu man was already fifty meters away on horseback. He stopped Jia Qing, who was attempting to chase the Xiongnu man, and extended his hand to one of the nearby soldiers, “Bring the big bow.”
The soldier quickly handed him the big bow.
Yuan Li strung the bow and aimed the arrow at the Xiongnu man’s chest. He pulled the bow to its maximum, almost reaching a full moon, and released the arrow fiercely.
In the next instant, the Xiongnu man fell off his horse.
A single shot hit its target.
Jia Qing’s eyes brightened, “Lord, that was a brilliant move! You must have practiced it for many years!”
“Since I was young,” Yuan Li replied with a sense of relief, “I’ve made some progress.”
Someone ahead dragged the Xiongnu man over, and Jia Qing went up to take a look. The Xiongnu man was already dead. He couldn’t help but advise, “Lord, you have the style of a famous general. Whether it’s leading troops in battle or killing enemies, you have great potential. You can try to follow the path of a famous general to accumulate fame.”
Yuan Li put away his bow and arrows, shaking his head with a smile. “I already have enough talented generals under my command. What difference would I make? Besides, among all the renowned generals in the world, who can surpass Chu Hechao? He is my ally, and there is no need for me to go through the trouble of seeking more.”
Jia Qing frowned, “But you have the ability and yet you don’t use it. It’s such a waste.”
Yuan Li didn’t feel it was a waste, “There are numerous famous generals in the world, and I’m not the one lacking. But those who can stay in the rear and oversee the overall situation are few, and there are not many who can compare to me. So let others be famous generals.”
These two sentences may sound simple, but they reflect Yuan Li’s magnanimity and tolerance, which made Jia Qing feel uplifted. He was convinced and nodded in agreement with Yuan Li’s idea.
Even though the Xiongnu man was dead, the hatred incited among the various barbarian tribes did not dissipate. Soon, some people from the barbarian tribes came forward with resentment, agreeing to lead Yuan Li and his party to find the location of the Xiongnu royal court.
The barbarian tribes had always sought revenge for any grievances they suffered.
Since Huyan Huntu’s people led the enemy to destroy their tribes, they also wanted to lead the enemy to destroy Huyan Huntu’s tribes. Nobody would be left unscathed.
Yuan Li was satisfied with this situation. He agreed to the request of the barbarian tribes, spared the people of this tribe, and gained access to the path leading to the Xiongnu royal court.
As they headed towards the Xiongnu royal court, their movements became even more cautious. The person responsible for drawing the maps was particularly tense and dared not make any mistakes.
The Xiongnu royal court was deep in the grasslands, and the closer they got to it, the farther they were from the Central Plains. They had entered Xiongnu territory. Yuan Li’s group consisted of only two thousand iron riders, which meant nothing to the Xiongnu’s large army. Therefore, Yuan Li’s objective was not to attack the Xiongnu royal court but to locate it and then leave the grasslands to plan for the long term.
However, Huyan Huntu was a vigilant opponent. The escalating conflicts on the grasslands had already reached his ears. He dispatched many Xiongnu cavalry to patrol the grasslands. If it weren’t for the timely reaction of their guide, Yuan Li’s group would have clashed with the Xiongnu several times.
And this day was no exception.
The two thousand iron riders hid in a valley, carefully watching the backs of the thousands of Xiongnu riders as they left.
Yuan Li was heavily protected by his personal guards and Jia Qing and his men, and they didn’t let their guard down until the last Xiongnu rider was gone.
At this point, they couldn’t afford to show any trace of their presence. If they were discovered by the Xiongnu, they would quickly receive reinforcements, and being hundreds of miles away from northern border, they would have no way to call for help.
Jia Qing’s expression was serious. “Lord, forgive me for speaking plainly, but we can’t go any further.”
They had encountered two Xiongnu cavalry units just today. If it weren’t for their quick reaction, they would have no place to be buried by now. Even in this heavily guarded position, one could imagine how difficult it would be in deeper territory!
Yuan Li clenched his teeth, unwilling to give up. “We’ve come this far…”
“Lord!” Jia Qing’s voice was low but firm, “Your safety is more important than the location of the Xiongnu royal court! Please don’t be stubborn; let’s return tonight!”
Yuan Li pressed his lips together, clenched his right fist, and looked around from the top of the hill.
There was still an endless expanse of grassland, with no end in sight. But Yuan Li knew that the Xiongnu royal court must be nearby.
Having come this far, how could Yuan Li give up before finding the Xiongnu royal court?
But he was also clear-headed. What Jia Qing said was right.
If they went any further, there was an eighty to ninety percent chance that they would be discovered by the Xiongnu. Once discovered, they would either die or be captured.
If they were captured, with Yuan Li’s identity, it would cause unimaginable disaster to Chu Hechao, Youzhou, Bingzhou, and even the entire Northern Zhou.
Jia Qing said, “Lord!”
Yuan Li pounded the ground fiercely, took a deep breath, and stood up, “Let me think about it. We’ll discuss it tonight.”
Tonight was the day when the weather forecast was updated every seven days. After midnight, Yuan Li would know the weather for the next seven days.
If they left now, Yuan Li couldn’t bear it. But if they rushed forward recklessly, it wouldn’t work either.
He placed his hope in the weather forecast.
Please, help me out a bit.
Yuan Li licked his dry and cracked lips, looked up at the sky, and his heart pounded with anticipation.
Let there be rain.
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