Jinting Han people

"Oh? How did you recognize me?"

Now that his identity had been revealed, Liu Xian no longer pretended and walked naturally from the crowd. He comforted Li Ju with his eyes, calming the others, and then stood in front of Chi Nu Luo's body, looking at Pu Hong with interest.

It has to be said that the current development of events was indeed beyond his expectations.

Liu Xian's original plan was to wait until he entered the tent and then seize the opportunity to take the initiative and kill the governor stationed by Qi Wannian in Lueyang. Finally, he would reveal his identity and intimidate all the Hu leaders at the conference. In this way, he would be able to take the initiative and the pacification would be successful for the most part.

But unexpectedly, before he could make a move, the young man in front of him took the lead.

This scene didn't faze Liu Xian. After all, he wanted to eliminate this very military governor. Regardless of who killed him, it would be beneficial to him. Instead, Liu Xian was quite curious about Pu Hong. This was the first time he had heard of this young man, and he had never imagined he could be so ruthless.

Liu Xian looked at Pu Hong, and Pu Hong looked him up and down. Pu Hong laughed and said, "Your attire is flawless. It was your attendants who betrayed you."

"Oh?"

"When Chi Nu Luo was questioning them just now, your followers didn't look at Li Yamen, but instead subconsciously looked at you. This shows that you are the leader of this team. Li Yamen's status is already very high, and the leader can't be someone of the same level. And considering your age, it is clear that there is no other possibility except that Envoy Liu came in person."

Faced with this explanation, Liu Xian's eyes lit up and he applauded Pu Hong:

"Brother Pu is so quick-witted and meticulous, I admire him."

Pu Hong also laughed and said:
"Envoy Liu actually dared to risk his life. His courage is truly admirable."

But he immediately put on a serious expression and brought the subject back to the point:

"But if you want us to change our ways, courage alone may not be enough."

Because he was so young, Pu Hong looked a bit funny talking among a group of adults. But after what happened just now, no one dared to underestimate him.

But Liu Xian looked directly at Pu Hong for a moment, and he had keenly noticed the strangeness in it, and slowly asked:

"You killed Qi Wannian's men, and in fact you have already cut ties with the Qi bandits, but you say you don't want to change your ways. Isn't it strange?"

"Not surprising," Pu Hong replied, his head held high. "Yes, Qi Wannian is indeed doomed, but that doesn't mean we are willing to bow down to the Jin people."

"Are you going to lead your people in carrying the banner of rebellion against Jin?"

"No, I'm not that stupid. We simply want to decide our own fate. As long as you can't drive us away, we'll stay here like rats. But if the situation gets too bad, we won't just wait to die. When that happens, I'll lead my entire clan north to Lingzhou and resume our ancestral home. Can the imperial court still hunt my tribe there? Then, when the time is right, we can return."

As soon as these words were spoken, the Hu people present were in an uproar again, and even Liu Xian and Li Ju were surprised.

Lingzhou is located north of Anding County and west of Shuofang. A large river flows through it, forming a vast plain with abundant grass and water, and cattle and sheep roaming the land. A county was once established here during the Han Dynasty, but it was abandoned during the Wei and Jin Dynasties. It is now a gathering place for a mixed group of Hu people.

This was indeed a good place to go. But the migration of any ethnic group was not easy, let alone the Pu clan of Lueyang, which numbered over ten thousand people. Sleeping in the open air and having no fixed place to live along the way, who knows how many of them would die of exhaustion. Not to mention the inevitable battles with the local Hu people once they arrived. The only benefit, perhaps, was that they had indeed escaped the control of the Jin people.

The price is too high, and I'm afraid few people can have such a bold decision.

Liu Xian looked into Pu Hong's eyes and said:

"It's not an easy thing to do."

"It's not easy, so if we weren't desperate, we would never have made this choice."

Pu Hong sighed and asked Liu Xian directly:
"Let's get straight to the point. How many people did you bring with you, Lord Liu?"

The negotiation had begun. Liu Xian neither exaggerated nor concealed anything, and said directly:

"I have 20,000 cavalry under my command."

"So, there are other armies?"

"Lord Zhang Shiyan, commander of the Western Expedition Army, is leading 40,000 infantry and cavalry. He is currently ascending Long from the Waping Road in the north. He should have passed Xinping County by now."

Everyone present was horrified upon hearing this. They had stationed their entire army on Guanlong Road and Fanxu Road. This also meant that the northern army would inevitably succeed in reaching Long. With these two armies, one from the south and one from the north, no matter what happened to the other counties in Qinzhou, Lueyang County, located in Longban, would bear the brunt of the attack and would be unavoidable.

Upon hearing this, Pu Hong couldn't help but take a breath and sighed:
"Your army's order to attack Longyou was so decisive, and the march was so swift, it was truly frightening."

Liu Xian asked, hands behind his back, "Then I wonder what your plan is?"

Pu Hong lowered his head and said, "Even with Qi Wannian's ability, he couldn't defeat your army, so naturally, neither can we. According to common sense, even if we wanted to escape now, I'm afraid it would be too late."

"That's it."

Pu Hong raised his head again, his eyes unwavering, and said to Liu Xian:

"But even so, I still cannot accept Envoy Liu's offer of amnesty."

This sentence was beyond Liu Xian's expectation. Judging from Pu Hong's previous words, he should have thought about the cause and effect and was not a person who was ignorant of the current situation. Unexpectedly, he was still unwilling to surrender. He couldn't help but ask:

"Can you tell me why?"

"Because people cannot be without integrity."

Pu Hong finally revealed a trace of sadness. He stated calmly:
"It's natural for the strong to bully the weak. Qi Wannian has been defeated, and his fate is lost. Logically, I shouldn't let my people die with him. But for the past two years, I have always regarded Qi Wannian as my master. If I abandon him immediately when danger strikes, how will the world view me?"

"They will say that we Di people are all spineless wastes, two-faced pig intestines. Not only you Jin people will look down on us, I am afraid that the Xianbei, Xiongnu, Tiele, Qiang, and even we ourselves will say: 'Look! These are people who are born to be slaves!'"

"Of course, people shouldn't be slaves. Those who don't keep their word have no dignity or integrity. Even if they're still alive, they're no different from cattle and sheep waiting to be slaughtered. I'm trying to find a way for my people to live a decent life. Otherwise, it's a dead end." He then pointed at Chi Nu Luo's body on the ground and said, "To be honest, although I killed this man, he was a man, and I admire him very much. It's a pity that he chose a different path to death."

"I hope Envoy Liu will be tolerant and give us this opportunity."

At this point, the Hu leaders were silent, but Liu Xian began to understand what Pu Hong meant.

Pu Hong's predicament was indeed extremely delicate. If he surrendered, the Lueyang Pu clan would likely lose its reputation among the Hu people and lose its footing. However, if he stood up to resist the Jin army, success would be difficult and a dead end. Between the two options, fleeing to Lingzhou would be preferable. Therefore, he hoped to find a compromise, a way to surrender while preserving his reputation.

This thought made Liu Xian laugh. Because in politics, respecting dignity is the right of the strong, and groveling is the duty of the weak. Saying this was a bit naive.

But he was also somewhat moved. Although Liu Xian advocated for trust and loyalty, he rarely heard the words from others. Now, hearing them from the mouth of a young man he had just met in Longshan, it felt like a lifetime ago. This made Liu Xian think: If the leader of the Pu family is such a hero, it would not be a bad idea to spend more time on him.

So he said, "So, in Brother Pu's opinion, what should I do?"

Pu Hong was somewhat surprised to see Liu Xian agree so readily. He hesitated for a moment and continued:

"Envoy Liu should know Lord Hao Duyuan, the old leader of the Tiele people."

It was a familiar name. Liu Xian remembered his trip to Shuofang vividly. He smiled and said, "Of course I know. Five years ago, I was the one who was responsible for recruiting him. He was an unforgettable hero."

"He is in Tianshui County now."

"Oh?" Liu Xian narrowed his eyes and asked, "What do you mean, Brother Pu?"

"I know that Lord Hao is a Tiele person. He will never betray Qi Wannian and surrender."

Pu Hong pointed westward and said slowly, "In that case, you and Lord Hao will have to fight. If you don't mind, I can challenge Lord Hao to a duel on your behalf. If you win, we will have delayed the battle for a while and done our part, which will repay Lord Qi Wannian's kindness to us."

So this was the plan. Liu Xian understood it all in an instant.

Pu Hong wanted to deflect the conflict, allowing Liu Xian to attack Tianshui first and then Lueyang. If he surrendered at this point, Pu would not only lose his reputation but also become a target of public criticism, a highly likely outcome that would outweigh the gains. However, if he allowed the Jin army to attack Tianshui first, he could sit back and watch the situation unfold. If the Jin army won, he would have a reason to surrender. If the Jin army lost, he could raise the price. It was a sure-win deal.

After figuring this out, Liu Xian looked at Pu Hong with admiration and said with a smile:
"Brother Pu is really thoughtful. When I was your age, I probably didn't have your intelligence."

Pu Hong remained unmoved. He simply stared at Liu Xian and asked, "I wonder if Envoy Liu is willing to agree?"

Li Ju, standing by, showed a look of surprise. He privately pulled Liu Xian's sleeve, indicating that Liu Xian should refuse, but Liu Xian waved his hands behind his back, indicating that he had made up his mind. Then he said to Pu Hong:
"No problem, I agree to this matter."

Pu Hong was overjoyed when he heard this, and immediately ordered his clansmen to kill a cow in the county and swear an oath. However, as soon as he said this, Liu Xian casually rejected him.

Liu Xian said to Pu Hong, "I believe in Brother Pu's character. Besides, with so many leaders here as witnesses, why would we need to swear an oath?"

"I'm so happy to be in Lueyang today. It's not just because I reached an agreement with Brother Pu, but also because I met so many heroes who are so trustworthy. How can I not be happy when I think we can become friends in the future?"

"It's time to drink! I'm not a big drinker, but on such a good occasion, how can I not drink? Brother Pu, why don't you give me a jar of wine? I'll toast to everyone here. That's enough!"

Liu Xian asked for wine in public, so how could Pu Hong refuse? He quickly asked his clansmen to bring a jar of sorghum wine and poured a bowl for each of the leaders present. Liu Xian toasted them one by one, regardless of their status.

After drinking the wine, Liu Xian pointed to the sky with one hand and covered his forehead with the other hand and said, "I have a very low alcohol tolerance and cannot handle the wine. I hope you can lend me a bed to rest."

After saying this, he walked to Pu Hong's bedroom behind the lobby to rest as if no one was around. He fell asleep soon, completely unaware that he was still in the enemy camp.

After this, all the Hu people present were impressed by Liu Xian's demeanor and said to each other:

"As expected of someone who defeated His Majesty, you are truly a hero!"

When Liu Xian woke up, it was already evening. Pu Hong personally escorted Liu Xian and his group out of the country and promised that he had sent someone to contact Hao Duyuan. Once the time and place of the battle were agreed upon, he would immediately send someone to Linwei to contact Liu Xian.

On the way back, Li Ju was quite dissatisfied with Liu Xian's behavior. He complained:

"Brother, the Hu people are the most untrustworthy. You came to negotiate with them in person, showing your sincerity, yet they are still not satisfied. This shows that they are not sincere. Why should you keep giving in?"

Liu Xian, looking forward with a torch, casually replied, "It's just a small concession. As Pu Hong said, with Hao Duyuan here, we're bound to have a battle, sooner or later. After what happened today, it simply brought that event forward, but it also avoided a conflict with the Lueyang Hu people, which is always a good thing."

"But what if this is just a cover? What if these barbarians refuse to acknowledge our defeat after we defeat Hao Duyuan? What if they collude with Hao Duyuan and plot an ambush against us?"

"Haha, these are all trivial matters." Liu Xian turned around and smiled at Li Ju, "Shihui, you've been too worried about the gains and losses of this battle, and ended up being caught in a dilemma of being blinded by one thing."

"Really? Please enlighten me, brother."

Liu Xian pushed aside the branches on the roadside and analyzed, "The most difficult battle has already been fought at Chenmayuan. Qi's situation is hopeless, and the Hu people are well aware of this. When a person loses something, they always miss it. Now they must be thinking about the future, not how to win this battle."

"That young leader named Pu Hong is truly a rare prodigy. Even in such a situation, he's still trying to maintain respect. Don't underestimate him for killing people in public, but he's actually quite adept at dealing with people. He wasn't even willing to offend the desperate Qi Wannian, so how could he be so ruthless as to completely sever ties with the imperial court?"

These words successfully convinced Li Ju. After thinking for a moment, he nodded in agreement and said, "Brother, you have considered things far and wide. It is indeed me who has been cautious and cautious."

However, there were some things Liu Xian still didn't say. The reason why he valued and tried to win over these Hu people was because he had a premonition: after pacifying the Qin, Long, Qiang and Hu this time, it would not be the end of the war.

In the near future, the struggle for power between the Empress's Party and the Crown Prince's Party will likely lead to even greater conflict. This will be a golden opportunity for him to restore his country. By then, these barbarians will also join in, perhaps becoming a crucial factor in determining the course of the war.

Taking this into consideration, Liu Xian had to make some preparations and try his best to establish some good relations with these Qiang and Hu people in Longyou. Perhaps this would have unexpected effects at some point in the future, but this was not something he could share with outsiders.

Five days after Liu Xian and his entourage returned to Linwei, Pu Hong dispatched an envoy, as agreed, to inform Liu Xian that Hao Duyuan had agreed to a battle with the Jin army. Without further delay, the date was set for August 29th, and the location was set at Shanggui, between Linwei and Jixian. Liu Xian was asked if he had any objections.

Liu Xian agreed to fight at Shanggui. (End of this chapter)