The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 244 Zhaoji Returns to Han, Xiongnu Surrender to Qi, Chu and Wei Form Alliance, Eastern Wu Resists Cao

The window frames the snow-capped peaks of the Western Mountains, a sight that has lasted for a thousand years; the gate opens to the boats from the Eastern Wu region, sailing ten thousand miles away.

The mighty Yangtze River, like a sharp blade, divides Western Sichuan and Eastern Wu into two ends.

The Yangtze River is a horizontal line on the map.

The world has experienced many ups and downs over the past century, and the rivers and mountains have seen many periods of decline and rise.

The rugged and difficult-to-traverse Dabie Mountains have once again drawn a vertical line on the map.

And in the middle of this horizontal and vertical line is Jingzhou.

Jingzhou is an unavoidable topic in the history of the Three Kingdoms.

It's not just because it's wealthy, but also because of its extremely important geographical location.

For the southern regimes, Jingzhou served as a bridge to counter the north.

If we want to unify the south, Jingzhou is the key route for our army.

As for the northern regimes...

After unifying the north, why did Cao Cao prioritize attacking Jingzhou during his southern campaign?

Compared to advancing into the Qinling Mountains to the west and the waterways to the east, capturing Jingzhou was the optimal solution for conquering the world.

This is why Wei, Shu, and Wu all vied for control of Jingzhou.

In fact,
As early as when Cao Cao attacked Zhang Xiu, it was for the purpose of seizing Jingzhou.

However, I was delayed by matters in the north.

Cao Cao still has the strength to compete with Liu Biao for Jingzhou.

However, there was an even more powerful enemy, which forced him to choose to unite with Jingzhou to jointly resist the powerful foe.

Liu Biao proclaimed himself Duke of Chu and formally signed an alliance treaty with the State of Wei.

This was clearly aimed at Liu Bei.

Liu Bei reacted immediately.

On one hand, he submitted a memorial to the imperial court, condemning Liu Biao for his overstepping of authority.

On the one hand, it announced the severing of diplomatic ties with Jingzhou and refused trade between the two places.

Liu Biao was subjected to both political and economic sanctions.

But that wasn't enough; Liu Bei was also considering whether to launch a further military campaign against Liu Biao.

After all, as mentioned earlier, Jingzhou is an excellent location for conquering the world.

So he summoned his ministers and said to them:
"Liu Jingsheng has betrayed the alliance and joined the rebels. I intend to personally lead a large army to punish Jingzhou and Xiangyang!"

What do you all think?

Zhuge Liang stopped him, saying:

"This goes against the strategic policy of the Marquis of Tan."

"The Marquis of Tan's intention was to first pacify the north, then the south, and finally take Jingzhou in the south."

"With Jingzhou to the west and Bashu to the west, the remaining heroes will surely submit to us."

"If we take Jingzhou now, I fear Cao Cao will reap the benefits without lifting a finger."

Liu Bei pondered for a long time, then frowned and said:

"However, the alliance between Jingzhou and Wei is not in our country's best interest."

"If we do not act soon, it will surely become a great calamity."

Liu Bei was very worried about the threat posed by the Chu-Wei alliance.

After all, his strength was far from overwhelming Cao Cao, and now he had Jingzhou as well.

There is no doubt that this alliance treaty will become the biggest obstacle on Liu Bei's path to unification.

At that time, Jian Yong, who had grown up at the time, was by Liu Bei's side, and he said to him:
"Liu Biao usurped the title of Duke, and the Prime Minister must know about this."

"You can send someone to Jizhou to inquire about the Prime Minister's opinion."

Liu Bei then followed his advice and dispatched a fast cavalryman to Bohai overnight.

He consulted Li Yi, asking him how he viewed the current Chu-Wei alliance.

Should the State of Qi react immediately and launch a campaign against Liu Biao as a form of punishment?

The letter was sent through the Prime Minister's office and reported to Li Yi.

The Prime Minister's office greatly improved administrative efficiency, and Li Yi immediately replied and sent it to Liu Bei.

The book states briefly:

"I have heard that Your Majesty intends to punish Liu Biao for his betrayal of the alliance and his allegiance to Cao Cao."

"However, I humbly believe that attacking Jing at this time is not a good strategy. I hope Your Majesty will consider this."

"Firstly, the army is exhausted and the people are impoverished, so we cannot act rashly."

"After the previous campaign against the Wuhuan and the recent pacification of Liaodong, the soldiers had traveled thousands of miles, their armor still on and their warhorses still thin."

"If we send our exhausted troops south again, I fear our army will be too old and weary to achieve a complete victory."

"Furthermore, due to years of war, the people of Hebei and Qinghai are burdened with heavy taxes and corvée labor, and their granaries are not full."

"If we raise a large army again, I fear internal troubles may arise."

"Both, Cao Cao and Liu Bei attacked together, but their strength was insufficient."

"Liu Biao usurped the title of Duke of Chu, and his alliance with the rebel Wei was already as close as lips and teeth."

"If we launch an attack on Jingzhou, Cao Cao will surely attack Hebei."

"At that time, both the north and south will be attacked, and the outcome will be unpredictable."

"It would be better to temporarily cease hostilities, conserve our strength, and wait for Cao Cao and Biao to develop a rift before making further moves."

"Thirdly, the navy is not ready and the terrain is not advantageous."

"Liu Biao controlled the natural defenses of the Yangtze River, and his navy was elite, with a thousand warships."

"Our Qi navy is newly established and we are not yet familiar with boats and oars. If we rashly engage in battle, we may be like a duck entering water and end up being controlled by them."

"Therefore, Your Majesty, please temporarily quell your wrath, show leniency outwardly, and prepare for war inwardly."

"We can send an envoy to rebuke Liu Biao for his crimes, and then observe his reaction."

"A secret order was given to Chen Yuanlong to intensify the training of the navy in Guangling in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances."

"Only when the time, place, and people are all in place can we take Jingzhou and Xiangyang in one fell swoop. That would be the most foolproof strategy."

"Your subject Yi bows respectfully."

Li Yi not only opposed Liu Bei's campaign against Jingzhou at this time, but also opposed turning against Cao Cao at this point.

The reason is simple: wars are happening too frequently.

In the past few years, Liu Ying's soldiers have been either fighting or on their way to fight in the north.

They had finally settled down, and if they were suddenly told that they were going to conquer the south again...

Li Yi worried that even with his prestige in the army, it would be difficult to suppress the mutiny.

Secondly, Cao Cao and Liu Biao were not weak in their own right.

In particular, Liu Biao's sudden death led to the surrender of the gentry and powerful families of Jingzhou.

This led to Cao Cao taking Jingzhou without much effort, thus giving people the mistaken impression that Jingzhou was weak.

But actually,

Before the Battle of Red Cliffs began, Cao Cao had already raised a large army with the intention of attacking Liu Biao.

Cao Cao had already made thorough preparations and planned to fight Liu Biao to the death.

No one expected that Liu Biao, who had been AFK for half his life, would forcibly quit the game the day before the match.

The Chu-Wei alliance has just been signed, and they are currently in their honeymoon period.

Li Yi believed that starting a war now would be extremely unwise.

No matter which side you attack, the other side will definitely join the fight.

At present, the State of Qi absolutely does not have the capability to fight on two fronts simultaneously.

This brings us to the third point Li Yi mentioned—the Jingzhou navy.

We all say that Cao Cao lost the chance to unify the country after losing the Battle of Red Cliffs.

Because he lost Jingzhou, he also lost the strongest navy in the country at that time.

Without a strong navy to support it, it would be difficult for Xuzhou to cross the Yangtze River and seize Jingzhou.

Compared to Jingzhou's developed shipbuilding industry and its advantageous location with numerous lakes and harbors, Xuzhou's shipbuilding industry appears relatively weak.

So what was Li Yi's plan in the face of the ill-intentioned Wei-Chu alliance targeting Qi?

We'll stick to the original plan and settle things in the north first.

This means completely driving Cao Cao's forces out of Hebei.

However, during this period, Qi could only engage in localized wars with Wei, and could not escalate into a full-scale war.

This means gradually eroding Cao Cao's territory in the north.

That's right.

Li Yi adopted the same strategy employed by the attrition faction, represented by Tian Feng and Ju Shou, during Yuan Shen's era.

Old Liu has the advantage in national strength, so there's no need for him to rush into a quick battle like Yuan Shen did back then.

This can also be seen in the advice Jia Xu gave to Cao Cao after he unified the north.

"By rewarding the officials and soldiers, pacifying the people, and enabling them to live in peace and prosperity, we can subdue Jiangdong without troubling the masses."

As is well known, in the history of the Three Kingdoms, there were those who did not heed Jia Xu's advice.

The outcome is usually not good.

Li Yi and Jia Xu had similar strategies: don't get cocky when things are going well, play it safe and steady.

Slowly climb to the high ground, then destroy the crystal, and finally achieve victory.

Of course, gradually encroaching on Cao Cao's territory did not escalate the war to a full scale.

This requires some skill and expertise.

How exactly to do it is a headache for Li Yi and his prime minister's office.

After reading Li Yi's memorial, Liu Bei pondered for a long time and finally accepted his advice.

How could Kongming best support Li Yi?
Kongming lightly waved his feather fan and answered in response:

"We can first send someone with generous gifts to Xiangyang to convey a message to Liu Biao."

"To make them complacent."

"Liu Biao is like a dog guarding a house; he is suspicious by nature. If he learns of Your Majesty's past actions, he will not hold it against you."

"I am determined to renew our friendship with Your Majesty."

Liu Bei followed his advice and immediately appointed Jian Yong as an envoy to go to Jingzhou to convey a message to Liu Biao.

"...I heard that Jing Sheng was granted a title by the Duke of Chu, which I find very puzzling."

"Upon closer reflection, it may have been caused by coercion from Cao Cao."

"If you are willing to renew our alliance, I will forgive your past transgressions."

To demonstrate his sincerity, Liu Bei not only released the Jingzhou merchant ships that he had previously detained, but also restored trade between the two regions.

He even submitted a memorial to the emperor, offering Liu Biao the position of Minister of Works.

Upon seeing this, Liu Biao indeed became suspicious and uncertain.

He immediately sent someone to Huainan to inquire about the situation.

Chen Yuanlong received instructions from Liu Bei to remain inactive.

When the news reached Liu Biao, he indeed dared not act rashly.

Meanwhile, the powerful clans of Jingzhou seized this opportunity to put pressure on Liu Biao.

Since Liu Bei is willing to take the initiative to make peace and resume trade, we don't need to offend a powerful enemy.

Liu Biao thought about it and realized that this made sense; he couldn't place all his hopes on Cao Cao alone.

Anyway, Chu and Wei have a military treaty of alliance and mutual assistance. If Liu Bei really attacks, it won't be too late to send troops to help then.

This doesn't count as violating the alliance, does it?
Therefore, Liu Biao replied to Xuzhou with a letter, which stated in brief:
"Accepting the offer from Duke Chu was merely a temporary expedient."

"Reading the letter from King Qi, one can see his sincerity."

"If the King of Qi does not reject this, I am willing to continue the previous alliance."

Thus, Jingzhou was temporarily stabilized by Liu Bei.

Liu Bei then adopted Zhuge Liang's advice and sent an envoy to Eastern Wu.

He presented Sun Quan with 1,000 shi of sea salt and 500 fine horses from Liaodong, and conveyed the message:

"Cao Cao is cunning. He has now lured Liu Biao to claim the title of Duke of Chu, but in reality, he wants to make Sun Quan and Liu Biao fight each other."

"Lord Wu is wise and should join forces to resist the traitor Cao."

Having received favors from Liu Bei, Sun Quan indeed drove away Cao Cao's envoy who had come to make amends.

On the one hand, he ordered Lü Meng to strengthen the defenses of Lujiang and closely monitor the situation.

After Liu Bei's two foreign operations,
First, it stabilized Liu Biao in Jingzhou, thus misleading his assessment of the situation.

Secondly, he won over Sun Quan of Jiangdong, trying to prevent him from siding with Cao Cao.

It should be noted that Sun Quan's territory already bordered Cao Cao's.

Previously, when Liu Biao attacked and occupied Nanlujiang, he was defeated by Zhou Yu, and Nanlujiang then became adjacent to Cao Cao's Beilujiang.

In other words, Sun Quan could side with either Liu Bei or Cao Cao.

But it's clear that Liu Bei's side gave more.

Sun Quan immediately sent men from Yongning County to collect forty loads of large tangerines.

He also cut down ten coral trees and twenty pearls, and sent them to Xuzhou as a return gift.

We also congratulate Liu Bei on becoming king.

As a result, the interactions between the State of Qi and the State of Eastern Wu immediately became closer, and their relationship quickly warmed up.

The two sides hit it off immediately.
On the fifth day of the fifth month in 204 AD.

The leaders of both sides, Liu Bei and Sun Quan, met in Guangling County, Guangling Commandery.

The two discussed some cooperation terms together and finally signed the Treaty of Guangling.

Its main content is that the State of Qi will provide military equipment and provisions to the State of Wu, and the State of Wu will send troops to attack Cao Cao's Lujiang.

The State of Qi sent skilled cavalry warriors from the north to train the army of Eastern Wu.

Eastern Wu selected experienced boatmen and sailors to expand the size of Qi's navy.

At the same time, the State of Qi made a commitment.

As long as Cao Cao or Liu Biao threaten the core territory of Eastern Wu, the State of Qi will definitely send troops to protect the territorial security of Eastern Wu.

Eastern Wu, on the other hand, wanted to sever all ties with Jingzhou and Wei, and expel the envoys of both countries.

At the same time, he ordered Yuan Yin, the governor of Danyang, to give the green light to Eastern Wu.

They tacitly allowed the generals of Eastern Wu to recruit and train Danyang soldiers.

At the same time, Liu Bei also sent Cao Bao, a veteran of the Danyang faction, to Danyang to assist Eastern Wu in recruiting people from Danyang.

This experienced Danyang general was tasked with training Danyang soldiers for Eastern Wu.

It can be said that Liu Bei's actions were quite effective.

This directly cut off any possibility of Eastern Wu joining the Wei-Chu alliance.

At the same time, they used Liu Biao's favorite tactics to deal with Liu Biao.

It means spending your own money while shedding someone else's blood.

Magic beats magic.

Since Li Yi's advice is that Qi should not escalate its conflict with Cao Cao into a full-scale conflict for the time being, it doesn't mean I can't send people to fight against Cao Cao.
Then I will support Sun Quan and slowly fight Cao Cao to the death.

Sun Quan was in his prime and eager to accomplish great things.

He also had a group of capable ministers under his command, including Zhou Yu, Lü Meng, Lu Xun, and Zhang Zhao.

In order to deal with Sun Quan, Cao Cao had to divert his attention to the south.

In this way, Li Yi would be able to gradually erode Cao Cao's territory in the north.

……

Let me talk about two things.

Meanwhile, Zhen Yao, acting on Li Yi's orders, went to the Xiongnu tribe in Bingzhou to order a flock of sheep from the Chanyu.

One reason was to purchase goods so he could open a mutton dumpling restaurant in Jizhou.

Secondly, it was a test to see which side the Xiongnu would prioritize between Qi and Wei. Thirdly, it was to redeem Cai Yan; Li Yi admired Cai Yan's talent and sympathized with her plight of being captured by the Xiongnu.

He then ordered Zhen Yao to ask the Left Wise King for the man.

Zhen Yao led a caravan to the Xiongnu royal court.

Chanyu Huchuquan led the kings of the five tribes out of their tents to welcome the Han envoy.

The various Xiongnu kings and tribes, in order.

The Left Wise King, the Left Guli King, the Right Wise King, and the Right Guli King were the most powerful and held the highest positions.

Among them, the Left Wise King was the first in line to succeed the Chanyu.

In other words, Liu Bao, who was then the Left Wise King, was equivalent to the Xiongnu Crown Prince at that time.

Hu Chuquan also received a return gift from the State of Qi, and then invited Zhen Yao to take the seat of honor.

He said with a smile:
"I am deeply sorry for failing to greet Your Excellency properly upon your arrival."

He paused, then picked up the goods list that Zhen Yao handed him.

Raising his eyes, he asked, "Does Your Excellency wish to buy my grassland sheep?"

Zhen Yao nodded and replied with a slight smile:
"By order of the Prime Minister, not only must we buy them, but we must buy them every year."

"The Prime Minister wants to open a hundred dumpling restaurants in Jizhou, but he has a particular fondness for the lambs fattened with licorice in your region."

"Therefore, he wished to buy 10,000 sheep, making it a regular practice every year."

“If Your Majesty agrees, the King of Qi is willing to open border markets, with no restrictions on salt and iron.”

Upon hearing this, all the kings' expressions changed slightly.

You should know that the Xiongnu people lacked everything, but the one thing they had no shortage of was cattle, sheep and livestock.

If they could dump cattle and sheep into the State of Qi every year in exchange for valuable salt and iron resources, it would be a great thing for them.

Moreover, even if the Southern Xiongnu couldn't gather the necessary cattle and sheep during a heavy snowfall, they could still ask the Xianbei people in the north for supplies.

They do have some tricks up their sleeve.

only……

What's the cost?
Hu Chuquan hesitated and did not answer, because he knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

The Qi state offered such generous terms; surely it wasn't just because they coveted their cattle and sheep?

If we're really talking about cattle and sheep, the new grassland overlords, the Xianbei, have the best cattle and sheep.

Kebineng, in particular, was quite pro-Han.

It's not worth wasting this effort on the Southern Xiongnu tribe, which is already half Sinicized.

That night, Hu Chuquan ordered his men to slaughter cattle and sheep to entertain the Han envoy.

Zhen Yao was drinking with the Xiongnu nobles when he feigned drunkenness and asked:
"I recently heard that an envoy from Wei has also arrived. Is this true?"

The Xiongnu nobles, who had been singing and dancing, were immediately stunned when they heard Zhen Yao's words.

Hu Chuquan held up his wine glass with an embarrassed expression, looking somewhat at a loss.

Zhen Yao laughed heartily, then clapped his hands three times, and his attendants carried ten golden boxes.

The left column is filled with thousands of strings of cash, shining like a galaxy.

On the right is placed a hundred bushels of blue salt, as white as accumulated snow.

With his hands behind his back, Zhen Yao calmly said:
“Our Qi state is rich beyond measure; this is but a small thing.”

“If the king’s subjects are Qi, their annual rewards will be doubled.”

Because Zhen Yao comes from a wealthy and powerful family, he naturally possesses an air of nobility.

He said this with great confidence.

Upon seeing this, the Xiongnu nobles were all deeply moved, remarking that he was indeed a figure of Chinese stature.

Such a huge fortune was treated lightly and not taken seriously at all.

At this time,

Suddenly, thunderous hoofbeats were heard outside the tent, and a scout rushed to report:

"Zhang Liao has led three thousand iron cavalry to Yanmen!"

Hu Chuquan's expression suddenly changed, and he asked Zhen Yao in surprise:
"Will this formation kill Zhang Wenyuan of Tadun?"

Zhen Yao nodded in agreement.

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. Back then, Zhang Liao had slain the King of Wuhuan in battle, his fame shaking the heroes of the north.

The Xiongnu people now feel an itch on their necks just from hearing the name Zhang Liao.

"Young King has always admired the Celestial Empire and has never stopped paying tribute every year."

"I have done nothing wrong, but I do not know what the purpose is of the Celestial Empire sending troops here."

Hu Chuquan was also scared and hurriedly questioned Zhen Yao about what he wanted to do.

Zhen Yao said calmly:
"Your Majesty, please do not be alarmed. General Zhang has long admired the Chanyu's horsemanship and archery skills, and has come here specifically to join the hunt."

"But swords and blades have no eyes..."

The threatening intent behind the words was self-evident.

The Xiongnu chieftains were all trembling and speechless, and all their eyes fell on Huchuquan.

Before Huchuquan could react, another scout came to report.

"—Ma Chao, the governor of Bingzhou, has arrived in Yunzhong with 5,000 troops!"

what! ?

Even Ma Chao has come?

Hu Chuquan was greatly alarmed.

If Zhang Liao's fame is still only something people have heard of.

Hu Chuquan had personally experienced Ma Chao's strength.

The scene of Ma Chao's defeat of Bingzhou in that battle is still vivid in my mind.

This military operation is clearly intended to force Huchuquan to submit.

Hu Chuquan remained silent for a long time, then ordered someone to bring Wei Shu, and then placed it in the fire pit in front of Zhen Yao.

Leading the crowd, they bowed to Zhen Yao and said:

"Our tribe is willing to forever submit to King Qi and has no disloyal intentions!"

Zhen Yao was satisfied and personally helped Chu Quan up, praising his loyalty.

Remembering Li Yi's instructions, he then asked which one was the Left Wise King.

Hu Chuquan pointed at Liu Bao and exclaimed, "This is him!"

Liu Bao was called upon, and he stepped forward in awe and respectfully bowed:

"This humble one is Wang. May I ask what your orders are, Your Excellency?"

Zhen Yao then said:

"I have heard that Your Majesty has acquired the Han talent Cai, but the land of the barbarians is bitterly cold and not suitable for a talented woman."

"The Prime Minister is willing to redeem him with a thousand bolts of silk and a hundred cartloads of salt and iron. I wonder what the prince thinks?"

This……

Liu Bao looked troubled; deep down, he was reluctant to let Cai Yan go.

But behind Zhen Yao is Li Yi, the powerful state of Qi.

The Xiongnu were no longer the Xiongnu of the time of Modu Chanyu; how could they withstand the might of the Celestial Empire's army?

Seeing that Liu Bao dared to hesitate, Zhen Yao's face darkened, and he sternly rebuked him:
"Where the Prime Minister's troops point, how can the barbarian horses withstand them?"

"Today, we redeem them with proper rites, truly because the prince cherishes the people."

"If you insist on not allowing it, I fear that we will meet in arms in the future, which is not what the prince wants."

Liu Bao was terrified and immediately ordered someone to invite Cai Zhaoji back to the Han people.

A moment later, surrounded by her maids, Cai Yan emerged carrying her zither.

She had already heard that it was a Han envoy who had specially brought her back to Han territory.

The thought of returning to the Han land she had been away from for so long brought tears to Cai Yan's eyes, and she covered her face and wept bitterly.

Zhen Yao immediately spoke up to comfort her, saying:
"The Prime Minister admires your talent and learning, and the Jizhou Academy is waiting for you to take a seat."

Cai Yan thanked him repeatedly, and just before boarding the carriage, she couldn't help but pick up her zither and sing one last song.

The piece is titled "Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute," and its opening lines are—

"When I was born, there was no prosperity; after I was born, the Han dynasty declined."

Her voice was melodious, yet mournful and desolate.

When the music ended and the strings fell silent, not only Zhen Yao, but even the chieftains and nobles of the various tribes couldn't help but bow their heads and wipe away tears.

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yao couldn't help but sigh:

"No wonder the Prime Minister insisted on sending the young lady back to Han."

"If this sound were to be silenced, wouldn't it be a regret for all eternity?"

So, they invited Cai Yan into the car and thanked Hu Chuquan, Liu Bao, and others for their obedience and cooperation.

Before leaving, Zhen Yao said to Hu Chuquan:
"The Prime Minister has ordered that Your Majesty accompany me to Ji Province."

"I wonder if Your Majesty would be willing to go?"

what?
Hu Chuquan was dumbfounded, feeling like he had been tricked.

Why didn't you tell me to go to Jizhou before all this time?

Why did you bring this up only after I had already driven away the Wei envoy?

Hu Chuquan felt fear in his heart and hesitated, not daring to respond.

He feared this was a trap set by Li Yi, who would kill him once he arrived.

After all, Han Chinese often do this kind of thing.

That means getting rid of the original Chanyu and then supporting a pro-Han faction to take power.

Several previous Chanyu (rulers of the Xiongnu) died in the same way.

Given past experiences, it's understandable that people wouldn't dare go to Huchuquan.

Seeing this, Zhen Yao solemnly advised:

What is the king's doubt?

"When Prime Minister Li attacked the Wuhuan, he alone pardoned those who surrendered."

"Conquer Liaodong and pacify its people."

"Now that we have invited you in sincerity, how could we possibly intend to harm the king?"

Hu Chuquan remained hesitant and declined, saying:
“We barbarians are crude and ignorant of the etiquette of the Central Plains.”

"I fear that my journey to Jizhou will offend the Prime Minister."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Yao burst into laughter.

There is an old saying among us Central Plains people: "Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar?"

"The Prime Minister has already ordered ten felt-covered carriages to be prepared, carrying a hundred jars of fine wine, just waiting for Your Majesty to get drunk together in Bohai!"

After saying this, he took out Li Yi's handwritten letter and handed it to Hu Chuquan.

The book says:

—"I wish to meet with the Chanyu at Yinshan to discuss strategies for securing the border. I hope the Chanyu will not refuse."

The book makes it very clear that Li Yi wanted to discuss the border issue with Hu Chuquan in person.

Don't you, Hu Chuquan, trust Li Yi's reputation for integrity?
After hesitating for a long time, Hu Chuquan had no choice but to agree to go to Jizhou with Zhen Yao to see Li Yi.

And so, the group, carrying the flock of sheep, returned to the Bohai Sea.

Upon hearing that Zhen Yao and others had returned to Ji, Li Yi personally led civil and military officials to greet them thirty miles outside Nanpi.

Looking into the distance, one can see banners obscuring the sun and flocks of sheep covering the mountains.

Li Yi then knew that the people had arrived, so he arranged the civil and military officials to stand separately, and ordered the armored soldiers to form a battle formation.

The ceremony of nine guests was set up, and when Huchuquan arrived, he personally went forward to greet him.

Hu Chuquan never expected Li Yi to make such a grand display, and seeing him come to greet him personally, he almost dismounted.

"...Why should the Prime Minister go to such lengths to greet me? I am filled with trepidation."

Li Yi held his hand and smiled:
"Han and Hu are one family, why make such a detailed distinction?"

"I am overjoyed that the Chanyu has come to my Bohai in person."

So he invited Chuquan to ride in the same carriage with him into the city.

Hu Chuquan was deeply moved and pointed to the children behind him.

“This is the youngest son of one of the kings of the Xiongnu, and I now offer him to the Prime Minister as a hostage.”

Although this was originally prepared in advance by Hu Chuquan as a pledge of allegiance to the State of Qi.

But at this moment, he couldn't help but feel a little "asked for credit," hoping to gain Li Yi's approval.

"...Alright, I will report this to the King of Qi later."

Many people may wonder why, in ancient times, it was always the Central Plains dynasties that sent princesses to marry foreign rulers in marriage alliances.

Instead of letting a foreign princess marry into the country.

The main reason is that Han Chinese people place too much importance on etiquette and rules. If I marry my daughter to you, you will become my son-in-law, and naturally I will be a generation above you.

But if I marry your princess, wouldn't you become my "father"?
Many people question what Emperor Wu of Han actually gained from his years of aggressive military campaigns.
In fact, the opening monologue of the TV series "Emperor Wu of Han" explains it very well:

"He established a nation with unprecedented dignity, he gave a people the confidence to stand tall for millennia, and his nation's name became the eternal name of a great people."

Thanks to Emperor Wu of Han's civil and military achievements, the people of the Han Dynasty could be said to be extremely confident, even arrogant.

The confidence was so great that when people in the Han Dynasty praised other ethnic groups, they would say that they were "very similar to themselves".

For this reason, the emperors of the Han and Tang dynasties who were able to establish peace through marriage alliances would never marry women from other ethnic groups.

The reason why barbarians are barbarians is that barbarian bloodlines should not be allowed to become concubines in the noble imperial palace of the Celestial Empire.

Therefore, it is untenable to regard "marriage alliances" as a stain on the Han and Tang dynasties.

Of course, marriage alliances didn't necessarily require a princess.

This is just going through the motions.

For example, Yuan Shao claimed that he married off a daughter of the Yuan family to the Xiongnu, but in reality, he chose an ordinary maid and packaged her as a daughter of the Yuan family.

This is a story from the past of Wang Zhaojun.

During the banquet,

Li Yi then took out his sword, cut the roasted meat, and sliced ​​it for the cook, Quan, saying:
"This sword once slew a traitorous general of the Wuhuan. Now, it is used to cut off the shoulder of a pig for the Chanyu. May our two families be forever united in friendship."

Hu Chuquan understood Li Yi's warning and immediately knelt down at the banquet, pointing to the heavens as a vow:

"Our descendants will never betray the Han."

"If I break this oath, I am willing to die under a thousand arrows!"

Li Yi was overjoyed and immediately helped Chu Quan to his feet, taking his hand and saying:

"There is something I need the Chanyu's help with right now!"

Ah this...

Hu Chuquan was taken aback and could only ask:
"May I ask what business the Prime Minister has that I may attend to?"

Li Yi smiled slightly and pulled Hu Chuquan to sit down.

As the candlelight flickered, the tip of the knife pointed towards the territory of Zhao County.

"...I wish to persuade the Chanyu to send troops to Zhao Commandery."

"……hiss."

Hu Chuquan gasped in shock; Zhao County was Cao Cao's territory.

Is Li Yi sending me to fight Cao Cao?

Hu Chuquan calmly asked:
"I wonder if you, young prince, will lead the troops yourself, or if the prime minister will assist me in leading the troops?"

The implication is: am I the only one going to fight, or will your Qi state also join in?
Li Yi chuckled:
"Qi does not wish to sever ties with Wei, but if Your Majesty takes Zhao's territory, Qi will not stand idly by."

This……

This is a worthless check.

Hu Chuquan hesitated. What if Li Yi betrayed him, and he would offend Cao Cao again?

Wouldn't that make one a loser?
……

(End of this chapter)