Jinting Han people

Liu Xian left Tianshui in late October.

The sleet and snow continued to fall. The southern Jin army went south through Shangkou of Shanggui, crossed Panzhong Mountain and arrived at Shichang. After walking along Mumen Road for more than ten miles, they could see the famous Qishan Fort.

It's hard to imagine for those who haven't witnessed it firsthand. Qishan, the mountain that repeatedly stopped Zhuge Liang's armies, isn't actually a towering, precipitous peak, but rather a low, rounded hill. Located at the pass of the Qishan Road, its naturally vertical slopes and shape are perfectly suited for a castle. So, Cao Wei transformed the hill into a city, transforming it into a national fortress on par with Hefei.

It was the first time Liu Xian had ever seen a mountain fort like this. As he gazed at the naturally formed outline of Qishan Fort from afar and looked up at the scars carved by wind and frost on the mountain walls, he felt a surge of sincere reverence for the creation of heaven and earth. He said to his companion Li Sheng, "To think that such a mountain fort exists in the world is truly a work of genius!"

Li Sheng was also visiting this place for the first time. He looked at Qishan Fort and recalled, "Yes, who would have thought? I heard from the adults that Prime Minister Zhuge had repeatedly attacked but failed to conquer it. I thought it would be as dangerous as Jiange, but I didn't expect it to be a hilltop fort like this."

Li Ju said, "That's because Prime Minister Zhuge's image is great, so everyone thinks Qishan is noble. Qishan is benefiting from Prime Minister Zhuge's influence!"

This statement resonated deeply with the people, who nodded in agreement. It turns out that when a person's history reaches a certain height of glory, even the image of a mountain in their hearts changes.

However, the actual mountain fort will not change. After the chaos in recent years, Qishan Fort has fallen into the hands of the rebels and has become a difficult problem blocking the Jin army's way south.

Liu Xian was prepared for a tough battle at such a historic fortress. However, as per custom, he first sent envoys to the city to negotiate, hoping to persuade the fortress to surrender without a fight.

Just as the envoy was about to depart, the gate of Qishan Fort opened unexpectedly, and a group of people rode their horses towards the Jin army. Leading them was Li Xiong. He had met Liu Xian once in Chang'an, and now he had good news for the Jin people:

After the news of the pacification of Tianshui reached Wudu, Li Xiang, the patriarch of the Li family, decided to surrender. He ordered Li Xiong to wait in Qishan Fort, and as soon as the Jin army arrived, he would lead them to Xiabian City, so there was no need to fight with the Di people in Wudu anymore.

Upon hearing the news, the entire army was overjoyed.

According to prior information, among all the Qiang and Di tribes under Qi Wannian's command, the Lueyang Li clan was the strongest, the Baima Di Yang clan was second, and Hao Duyuan was a distant third. It was rumored that the Lueyang Li clan had not fully participated in the war in the past two years, instead focusing on recruiting refugees. Over the past two years, they have gathered nearly 100,000 refugees from Guanlong in Wudu County alone, and this number is still increasing.

Furthermore, having long heard that the Li family of Lueyang had produced numerous talented individuals, from the generation of Li Xiang to that of Li Xiong, the Jin army did not dare to hope for a peaceful takeover of Wudu County. Therefore, they chose a more distant option, prioritizing the easier route and moving on to the more challenging. They first crossed the Longban Mountains and pacified Lueyang and Tianshui counties, prioritizing the geographically closer Wudu.

Unexpectedly, the Li family of Lueyang surrendered directly despite having the advantage in military strength and geographical location.

Liu Xian immediately met with Li Xiong. Having not seen him for many years, this man of his age was wearing a round-necked robe, a cape, a futou, a Hudao hanging from his waist, and deerskin boots. While the main part of his outfit was modeled after Chinese clothing, it also retained a number of Hu influences, making it a striking sight and a very impressive sight.

Liu Xian smiled and asked him, "Brother Zhongjun, why are you here?"

Li Xiong replied calmly, "Since the envoy is here, why shouldn't I be here? The people of Guanlong are longing for the royal army, just as children long for their parents. They have been waiting for a long time."

"Then why did you wait until today to surrender?"

"Because Sun Xiu and Sima Rong are wicked, we have long since joined forces, and have only suffered abuse from them! We will only surrender when the envoy arrives."

This answer was extremely flattering to Liu Xian, as if they surrendered only because of his character. Liu Xian naturally didn't believe such words, but he also wouldn't undermine them at this time. No matter what, less fierce fighting and faster return home were always a good thing.

The army thus passed through Qishan Fort and reached two mountain roads, then continued south along the West Han River. The mountain road was winding, and after about 400 miles, the terrain gradually opened up. A tributary separated from the Han River and meandered northeast, entering the territory of Xiabian.

Xiabian City, the capital of Wudu Commandery, lies just north of the Xiaoxi River, nestled against the mountain. It was once a crucial point in the stalemate between Shu Han and Cao Wei. However, like many other fortified cities in the area, its defenses declined with the fall of Shu Han, and the imperial court's control became extremely weak. With the intermingling of Han, Qiang, Di, and even Xianbei peoples, it's difficult to determine the county's population.

It was noon when the Jin army arrived, and Xiabian City loomed large on the horizon. As they drew closer, they could see the city walls were modest, simple and austere, revealing a meticulously restored structure. Southeast of the walls, scattered villages lay across the plains, and harvested wheat fields stretched out to the hills.

Along the way, after Li Xiong's detailed introduction, Liu Xian has gained a more comprehensive understanding of the current Li family.

The Li family originally came from the Ba people of Dangqu County, Baxi Prefecture. During Liu Zhang's reign in Shu, Zhang Lu of Hanzhong invaded Baxi and relocated the family to Yangcheban in Hanzhong, hence the name Yangcheba. When Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei, attacked Zhang Lu, Li Hu, then head of the Li family, led over 500 of his family members and voluntarily submitted to Cao Cao. To guard against Liu Bei's attack and strengthen his control over Hanzhong Prefecture, Cao Cao appointed Li Hu as a general and relocated the Li family to the northern part of Lueyang. Thus, while in Lueyang, the Li family became known as the Badi.

It has been almost eighty years, or four generations, since they came to Lueyang and started to reproduce.

Over the past eighty years, the Li family of Lueyang has been strongly supported because of their active sinicization and close relationship with the imperial court. After two generations of hard work by Li Hu and Li Mu, by the third generation, it had become the most prominent family in Lueyang. That is why the current head of the family, Li Xiang, was able to be recruited to Luoyang. Among the Hu people, he was only slightly inferior to Liu Yuan and Tuoba Shamo Khan.

Li Xiang’s deeds have been mentioned in the previous article, so I will not repeat them here. His four brothers are also famous heroes in the local area.

Li Xiang's eldest brother was Li Fu, also known by the courtesy name Xuanzheng. Although his name contained the characters "Fu" and "Zheng," Li Fu was actually a renowned strongman from Lueyang. He had hunted tigers in the mountains and forests, and could draw a five-stone bow, making him a recognized strongman among the Di people.

Li Xiang's second brother was Li Te, courtesy name Xuanxiu. His resume rivaled Li Xiang's. Having served in the prefectures and counties since his youth, he was well-versed in military science, a warrior skilled in riding and archery, possessing a calm, resolute, and measured temperament. He was particularly righteous and willing to stand up for the weak. He often mediated conflicts between clans and won the hearts of the people, a feat for which he and Li Xiang were known as the "Twin Peaks." However, because Li Te's appearance and eloquence were inferior to Li Xiang's, he ultimately ceded the position of clan leader to him. Li Liu, Li Xiang's fourth brother, courtesy name Xuantong, was unlike his three brothers. While Li Liu's bravery and courage were modest, he was cautious and resourceful. During the recent rebellion of Qi Wannian, it was he who suggested appeasing Qi Wannian while refraining from excessive involvement in the conflict. Instead, he focused on marching south to Wudu, recruiting refugees, and building strength. This led to the rapid growth of the Lueyang Li clan, reaching its current strength of over 100,000.

Li Xiang, Li Xiang's fifth brother, courtesy name Xuanlong, was a prominent figure of the third generation of the Li family. Though unassuming in appearance, taciturn, and often inconspicuous, Li Xiang was incredibly decisive. Once in action, his swiftness and dexterity were unpredictable. In the battle to capture Wudu, Li Fu spearheaded the attack, while Li Xiang was the key force. Their combined strength made the two unstoppable.

The fourth generation of the Li family boasted countless talented young men. Besides Li Xiong, there were Li Shi, Li Li, Li Yun, Li Bao, Li Guo, Li Ming, and many more. Add to that the Han and Di heroes the Li family had befriended through marriage, and the Li family had become a formidable entity. Its depth of connections far surpassed that of the Qi dynasty.

The more Liu Xian understood the power of the Li family in Lueyang, the more alarmed he became. This was especially true when he witnessed the situation around Xiabian. There were tens of thousands of refugees gathered there, yet despite their poverty, they maintained a well-organized existence. Some refugees walking along the roadsides hid to the side of the road, observing the passing Jin army with no awe in their eyes.

Most of the accompanying generals remained silent. Even Meng Ping noticed something was amiss along the way. Taking advantage of Li Xiong's inattention, he quietly asked Liu Xian, "Sir, the Li clan is so powerful and fully capable of fighting the government troops. Why did you surrender?"

Liu Xian simply said, "There are many wise men in their family. They should have seen the general trend clearly."

Upon hearing that Liu Xian, the prince of Anle and commander of the Pingxi Army, had arrived with his troops, Li Xiang, the former commander of the cavalry of the Luoyang Central Army, quickly led his clansmen down to the city to welcome him.

In terms of status, Liu Xian was a senior general in the Jin army, while Li Xiang was a surrendered rebel general who had already admitted defeat. Li Xiang should have immediately paid his respects to Liu Xian. However, he only dismounted and bowed.

Liu Xian saw Li Xiang, a tall man with a thin, dark face and many wrinkles, looking about fifty years old. He wore a hood, a black, cross-collared robe, a yellow leather belt around his waist, and Hu boots. The attendants behind him wore double-leg armor, wielded ring-handled swords, and had their trousers tied with cloth strips around their legs. Their posture and build made it clear that these were no mere soldiers, just pretending to be soldiers.

As the living quarters in the city were small, Li Xiang simply set up camp for the Jin army outside the city and then hosted a banquet to entertain the Jin army generals.

After erecting a windbreak, they lit a bonfire and brought out tables. The Hu people laid out barnyard millet wine and mutton, with wheat cakes and grains as staples. The officers and their attendants of lower rank ate at the end, while in the center of the barrier sat the host and guests opposite each other. At one end sat Liu Xian, Suo Jing, Li Han, Zhang Guang, and Huangfu Shang, while at the other sat the five third-generation Li brothers. They were of similar age, all exuding the slender, athletic air characteristic of the Longshang people.

The two sides exchanged a few words of greeting reluctantly, but unfortunately, Li Xiang and others had heavy accents and Liu Xian could hardly understand them. Fortunately, Li Han, Suo Jing and Huangfu Shang were all from Qinliang, and they could whisper what the other party said to Liu Xian, so the conversation could proceed normally.

Liu Xian asked, "Lord Xuanxu, is everything okay here?"

Li Xiang replied, "Not very good."

Zhang Guang asked in confusion, "Coming along this road, Wudu is considered to be relatively well-governed. How can it be bad?"

Li Xiang sighed, pointed at the person beside him and said, "Second brother, talk to the envoy about the situation in Wudu."

The person he was referring to was Li Te. Li Te sat up straight and said to Liu Xian and the others, "You all came from Qishan Road. You only saw the situation in the west of the county, but you don't know the situation in the east."

East of the county? Does that refer to the old road to Chencang? Liu Xian and Suo Jing exchanged a glance and immediately said, "I'd like to hear more about it."

Li Te continued, "As you all know, ever since Qi Wannian started the rebellion, my brothers and I have been forced to deal with him perfunctorily. But secretly, we are concerned about protecting the country and the people. So, for the past two years, we have been quietly recruiting refugees."

"But last year, a devastating disaster swept through the two states, sending refugees pouring down from the old Chencang Road. Over 200,000 people gathered within the territory. Alas, a single county simply couldn't afford to feed so many starving people, let alone a poor, remote place like Wudu. Despite our best efforts to appease them, over 40,000 people still starved to death last year."

Although it was just a simple sentence, it moved Liu Xian deeply. He had personally experienced the famine of the previous year, and even without embellishment, Liu Xian could still picture the tragic scene of starving people and corpses lying on the ground. This prompted him to interrupt and ask, "Is it the same this year?"

Li Te glanced at Liu Xian and nodded, "Yes, it's the same this year. Although there have been no wars in Wudu this year and a lot of farmland has been reclaimed, it's still extremely difficult to feed over a hundred thousand people."

"Even so, many people still flocked to Wudu via the old Chencang Road. Especially three months ago, after the royal army's victory over Qi, thousands of years later, many people became homeless and wandered here. Although we tried our best, we were unable to provide them with relief."

"People are still dying of starvation on the old Chencang Road every day. It's unbearable to hear. I am truly worried and eagerly await the arrival of the imperial army. That's why I sent Zhongjun early to Qishan Fort to await the imperial army so that we can resolve this issue as soon as possible."

Liu Xian took a deep breath, feeling overwhelmed by the problem before him. At the same time, he sensed something was amiss. He asked Li Xiang, "It sounds like Lord Xuanxu has a solution, but it's just not going to work for the time being?"

"Yes," Li Xiang said, "Envoy Liu should know why so many refugees entered the Chencang Old Road, right?"

Liu Xian knew, of course, that these refugees intended to take the old Chencang Road to Yang'an Pass and enter Hanzhong from there. However, Liangzhou Governor Luo Shang was afraid of the rebels' spies and had not dared to open the pass to release them.

Wait, Hanzhong?! Liu Xian guessed what Li Xiang was thinking, and his face turned pale in an instant.

As expected, Li Xiang said slowly, "I hope the envoy can report to the Western Military Command and have Yang'an Pass opened. We are willing to go south to Bashu and seek a way out for these innocent people." (End of this chapter)