Jinting Han people

Chapter 167 Hao Duyuan (4k)

Hao Duyuan, who lived west of Fushi City, was an ambitious man. Now thirty-seven years old, with tens of thousands of men under his command, he no longer needed to lead the charge into battle. Yet, he still spent an hour every morning on horseback, hunting, as a necessary habit to stay strong and alert.

After decades of weathering, the walls of Fushi City have become somewhat dilapidated, with cracks all over the foundation and weeds stubbornly growing out of the cracks. The Tiele people's tribe is mixed in with the ruins of Fushi City.

When you reach the hilltop south of the ruins, you can see thousands of tents of the Tiele people. There you can see the white smoke rising from the boiling buttermilk, which is as eye-catching as a long snake.

Hao Duyuan's followers, such as Juquzha, Duolancha, Xue Ganxiu, Chiganming and others, were also amazed at their leader's archery skills.

Of course, Hao Duyuan's power was far less than that of either the Xiongnu or the Xianbei at their peak. However, now, fourteen years after Tufa Shuji's assassination, Hao Duyuan, with over three thousand tribes under his control, was already a formidable force in Shuofang.

"Your Excellency is a master archer!" Juquzha came to the leader holding a wild goose shot by an arrow, bowed and complimented him:

"This goose was probably about 50 feet in the sky, and from the ground it looked only the size of a fly, yet you were able to shoot it with a single arrow from over 40 feet away. You are truly a hero!"

Hao Duyuan dismounted and said to his followers with a smile:
"Don't say that. People should know their own limitations. Everyone in power is a sharpshooter who can hit the target from a hundred paces away. They're just giving me a break for my sake. I'm just using this to force myself not to slack off."

Hao Duyuan wiped the sweat off his body and walked with his subordinates to the copper pot where the porridge was being boiled. They each took a bowl of milk porridge and sat on the mats with everyone. While eating and drinking, he gave instructions:

"Autumn is coming again. There's not much water and grass left here. You need to be prepared. In ten days or so, the wild geese will fly south. Once a new batch of supplies arrives from Huangyaji, we won't be able to stay here any longer."

Although it was not stated explicitly, everyone present understood that this was preparation for the next migration.

Dolancha asked, "Sir, where are we going this time?"

"Let's go west, to Gaopingchuan."

The men present all looked perplexed, for Gaopingchuan lay west of Long. Not only was it quite a distance from Fushi, but there were also many high mountains between them, making the road treacherous and difficult to navigate. Especially when crossing the Long Mountains, it wasn't uncommon for someone to slip and fall to their death.

Hao Duyuan clearly understood his subordinates' concerns. As a leader, he had to strengthen their resolve. Therefore, he said in an unquestionable tone:
"If you want to achieve great things, you must have the determination to overcome difficulties. This trip isn't about killing people or fighting, it's just about walking more mountain roads. What's so scary about that?"

"Back then, when I led my troops out of Shangdang, I had only a few hundred or so tribes under my command, yet I traveled thousands of miles to Shuofang, filled with ambition. Why? Because only in this way could I disregard the imperial court's wishes and hold my head high!"

"This time we're going to Gaopingchuan not only to graze the Di people to avoid the court's pursuit, but also to seize the opportunity to win over the Di people and exchange their cattle and sheep for more ironware, so that we can recruit more soldiers. Next year, when we fight Liu Xundou again, we may win!"

The Liu Xundou mentioned by Hao Duyuan was the commander of the northern Xiongnu. His base camp was at the foot of the Luwei Mountain in Xinxing County. He was also secretly managing the Shuofang areas. He had many conflicts with Hao Duyuan and could be said to be Hao Duyuan's biggest enemy at the moment.

Naturally, the subordinates did not dare to object. As Hao Duyuan said, this leader's status was earned through hard work. If the subordinates wanted to question it, they had to first measure their own strength.

Ultimately, people are nostalgic. If they could have a place to settle down, no one would be willing to wander around. Shuofang had been ruled by the Han Dynasty for four hundred years, and most of the Hu people there had become assimilated, living a semi-agricultural, semi-pastoral lifestyle. Now that Hao Duyuan had gathered them together and wanted to restore their nomadic lifestyle, while this was acceptable, it would still be difficult to implement.

Hao Duyuan was well aware of this, but it was precisely because of this strategy that he was able to traverse the Shuofang region and win battle after battle. However, he had no idea how long he could maintain this strategy.

Just as he was thinking about his next strategy, a soldier came running up and said hurriedly:

"Report! Master Qi from Huangyaji has returned!"

Hao Duyuan's thoughts were interrupted. When he heard Qi Wannian's name, he did not show a happy expression, but rather a little strange. He asked:
"Qi Wannian is back? Didn't I ask him to gather intelligence and supplies in Huangyaji? Why is he back?"

"Sir, Lord Qi said he has someone he wants to introduce to you."

"Recommend?" Everyone present was puzzled, because Qi Wannian had always been very cautious in doing things. Without the leader's order, he hardly did anything unnecessary. He had never done such a thing as recommending others before.

Hao Duyuan frowned and asked, "What kind of person does he want to recommend?"

"He looks like a merchant, bringing some goods."

"Just a businessman...what's there to see about a businessman?"

"But Lord Qi said that you must meet these people. If used properly, it might save you ten years of hard work."

"Oh...that's what he said?" Hao Duyuan nodded slightly. He was wary of Qi Wannian in his heart, but he had to pay attention to what he said. After hesitating for a moment, he finally said, "Let Qi Wannian come over first. I'll ask him first."

Not long after, Qi Wannian sauntered over. He was alone, but no one present looked down on him. As Qi Wannian had said, he was very young, a rising star who had emerged in the past five or six years. He commanded only four or five hundred men, and in terms of strength, he wasn't even among the top ten of Hao Duyuan's troops. However, he had orchestrated the establishment of Huangyaji and was responsible for mobilizing supplies for the various Shuofang tribes, thus forcing all the leaders to rely on him.

What was even more remarkable was Qi Wannian's composure. No matter where he stood, he remained calm and composed, as if he were at home. This composure made Hao Duyuan feel somewhat intimidated. He didn't feel he could control him, but at the same time, he felt a certain reliance on him.

Of course, there is another part that Hao Duyuan is unwilling to admit. He may be a little afraid of this young man.

Hao Duyuan greeted him first and said, "Brother Qi, how are you doing recently?"

"It's okay, it's okay." Qi Wannian got straight to the point and said, "Sir, I came here with someone, you must see him."

"Haha, who is that person that you can introduce to me so seriously?"

"Of course they are from the Western Expedition Army."

This statement caused an uproar at the scene, with almost everyone showing confused looks, and some shouting, "You're crazy!" "Kill that guy!" But Qi Wannian remained calm, quietly waiting for the commotion to subside, and then casually said:

"There's nothing to be surprised about. It's just a person. What's the harm in meeting him?"

Hao Duyuan was not angry. He just quietly observed Qi Wannian's expression and said, "You should know that the people from the Zhengxi Army are the most untrustworthy."

"Back then, the Western Expedition Commander went back on his word, forcing countless people to starve. Later, Tufa rebelled and nearly succeeded, but was murdered by the Western Expedition Commander. I also suffered greatly from them when I was in Shangdang, which is why I came to Shuofang to start my own business. I also made a rule that I would never negotiate with the Western Expedition Commander."

"Not only did you meet with the person from the Zhengxi Army in private, you also took the initiative to bring him here. What's your reason?" "If you can't convince me, I will kill you."

Hearing what Hao Duyuan said, Qi Wannian did not show any nervousness at all. He smiled and nodded, saying, "Sir, first of all, this person is useful to us."

"it works?"

"He can provide us with a large amount of salt, which we are in great need of now."

"That's a reason, but it's not enough." Hao Duyuan nodded and said, "Compared to life, a little salt is not important."

Qi Wannian's expression remained unchanged as he continued, "Secondly, this man only brought over twenty or so men. If you, my lord, feel he's not worthy of your attention, you can send someone to kill them now. No one will betray your whereabouts."

This answer eased everyone's expressions a lot, because it proved that there was no problem with Qi Wannian's loyalty.

Hao Duyuan fell silent. He didn't understand Qi Wannian's true intention and could only wait for him to continue.

Qi Wannian added, "Third, I've been gathering information in Guanzhong for the past six months and have discovered that the situation there has changed dramatically, and the Western Expeditionary Army is no longer as strong as it once was. I think this is a good opportunity for you to get to know the Western Expeditionary Army."

"Find out?"

"Yes, since King Zhao took office at the beginning of last year, over the past year and a half, the Western Expedition Army has been collecting excessive taxes and setting up checkpoints in Guanzhong. There's been widespread resentment among the people in the counties, and the roads are deserted. This is completely different from the situation in Guanzhong a few years ago when the King of Qin and the King of Liang were in charge."

At this point, Qi Wannian raised a question, "Sir, do you still remember your trip south to Fufeng last year?"

"I remember that last year when I went south, I got very little, less than half of what I had in the past."

"But I've been able to gather information. From the time Your Excellency went south to Fufeng last year until your return to Shuofang, the Western Expeditionary Army Headquarters didn't send any troops at all."

"Is there such a thing?!"

"Yes, this shows that the newly appointed King of Zhao is not only incompetent, but also lacks a basic sense of responsibility. Under his rule, the Western Expedition Army still has some of its original strength. This is worth pondering."

Qi Wannian emphasized here: "So, according to my judgment, the Western Expedition Army sent people to pacify the enemy this time, and they should be sincere. At least they can buy five years of peace."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present immediately started talking, and the tribal elders whispered to each other, discussing the credibility of this news. After all, no matter who it was, a long period of peace was always tempting.

Hao Duyuan clapped his hands, and everyone quieted down again, turning their gaze back to the leader to see what decision he would make.

Obviously, Hao Duyuan still didn't want to deal with the Zhengxi Army. He said, "This is all your one-sided statement. You haven't witnessed whether the Zhengxi Army has really changed. If you are wrong, it will be a disaster for us."

"Why not kill this man first and see how the Western Expeditionary Army reacts? If they are truly sincere, they can send an envoy and we can talk later."

There was actually no truth to this statement. Hao Duyuan was simply trying to make an example of someone and re-establish his authority in front of his subordinates. After all, Qi Wannian's words had greatly shaken his prestige.

He regretted it as soon as he said it, because for a true superior, admitting mistakes is more admirable than denying them.

Sure enough, Qi Wannian took advantage of the situation and said, "Sir, you should meet this person. He is indeed someone worth meeting."

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"In recent years, I have been collecting intelligence on the Han heroes in Guanzhong and purchasing their portraits at high prices."

Qi Wannian said very proudly: "This person came here anonymously at first, claiming to be a relative of Zuo Xian Wang, but unfortunately, I had already bought his portrait, and he couldn't hide it from my eyes at all."

Even people from remote areas would be curious about the heroes in the world. When they heard Qi Wannian say that the newcomer had a great background, they couldn't help but hold their breath and wait for his introduction.

Qi Wannian said with a smile, "He is the prince of Anle, the great-grandson of Liu Bei. He was once the leader of the Chu King's party. Because of factional disputes, he offended the queen and was now demoted to the position of county magistrate in Xiayang."

"You know, my lord, Xiayang is a famously poor county. In previous years, when we went south to plunder, we never passed through Xiayang."

"But within two years of his appointment, Xiayang had already been completely transformed and had accumulated some wealth. He also enjoyed considerable prestige among the scholars in Guanzhong. The people all said he was a figure like Jia Kui and Chen Shi, a rare talent who could assist the emperor."

"But in my opinion, he is a man of great audacity, just like his great-grandfather Liu Bei. You must meet him, my lord."

Having said that, Hao Duyuan had no choice but to disappear.

In this day and age, I believe no one would refuse an opportunity to meet Liu Bei's descendants, especially among the Huns who have a particularly strong sense of belonging to the Han Dynasty.

Hao Duyuan shook his head and laughed, "So you were waiting for me here? That's good. I've seen too many young people these days, most of whom are just ruining the reputation of our ancestors. But you said someone who is similar to our ancestors has come, so I have to meet him. But you just said so much, why didn't you introduce his name?"

"Of course, it's better to let the person himself introduce things like names. I believe he will give you a surprise."

"Surprise...Hahaha, I haven't seen a surprise in a long time. I hope you are right."

After saying this, Hao Duyuan nodded to the guard beside him and said, "Bring this descendant of Liu Bei up here and let me see what kind of surprise he can bring me."

It was under such circumstances that Liu Xian was brought among the Tiele people.

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(End of this chapter)