Tiger Guards

Chapter 350 Mutual Respect
The following day, after a night's rest, Zhao Ji and the allied forces of Qubei headed north to the old Shanyu royal court.

In the old royal court area, the seven tribes of the Tu Ge Xiongnu and half of the Xian branch formed a joint army and also lined up to welcome them.

On the front lines of the two armies, on the green grassland.

Before Zhao Ji arrived, the Tu Ge Xiongnu had already set up a wooden platform, laid out leopard skins, and built a banquet table.

Both sides were very restrained and did not show much of a temper.

Only individual scout knights rode swiftly back and forth; there were no other large-scale, rapidly moving units.

Zhao Ji and Qu Bei rode forward, while Helan Lizheng and eight others abandoned their guards and rode alone to meet them.

Qu Bei broke away from Zhao Ji and drove his horse to the center of the field.

When Zhao Ji arrived calmly, Qu Bei extended his arms to introduce him to He Lan Lizheng and the others: "This is the Grand Marshal of the Han Dynasty, the Governor of Bingzhou, and the Marquis of Pingyang Zhao. He is engaged to the Empress's younger sister and is highly trusted and relied upon by the Emperor."

Helan Lizheng and the others dismounted, knelt on one knee, and cupped their hands above their heads: "We pay our respects to the Grand Marshal."

"Please rise, everyone. Why don't you introduce me, Right Wise King?"

"Here."

Qu Bei agreed to dismount and began to introduce himself one by one, based on the strength of the group.

Each time someone was introduced, Zhao Ji would tap his riding whip against the edge of his helmet, give the person a respectful look, and nod slightly.

He was calm and composed. At this moment, he was confident that he could whip these Xiongnu nobles to death, let alone draw his sword.

This calm and unrestrained behavior was, in fact, taken for granted by Helan Lizheng and others.

This reminded them of the legendary man and all sorts of legendary stories.

Even if Zhao Ji were thirty or forty years old now, it wouldn't make them feel any particular respect or fear.

Zhao Ji is only nineteen years old, and that's nineteen in the traditional Chinese age reckoning. This is the real, mobile, nomadic fear of the grasslands.

When Qu Bei introduced the eighth person: "Grand Marshal, this is the younger brother of the former King of Xianzhi..."

Just as he was about to introduce him, Zhao Ji raised his riding whip and pointed it diagonally at the Tu Ge allied forces opposite him: "Let him go back. He is not qualified to attend today's meeting. His nephew is right behind us, and I didn't bring him, so he is not qualified either."

"Yes, Xiao Wang understands."

Qu Bei immediately stepped forward and forcefully shoved the other man's shoulder: "Go back quickly and wait for the Grand Marshal's decision."

The other party dared not refute, and bowed deeply to Zhao Ji. He wanted to say something, but seeing Zhao Ji's impatient expression, he bowed deeply again, took a few steps back, pulled on the reins, and walked a dozen steps further before mounting his horse and leaving.

Watching the man walk away, Zhao Ji glanced at the suspended wooden platform covered with leopard skins: "I came to Xihe to resolve the disputes of the Xian branch, and also to resolve the disputes of you all. If you are willing to listen to me, we can sit on the platform and talk. If you are not willing, we can let the officers and soldiers fight. Whoever wins will listen to them."

A Tu Ge chieftain named Jin Cheng spoke first, cupping his hands in greeting: "I would like to hear the Grand Marshal's insightful opinion."

Zhao Ji looked around, and He Lanli and the others also cupped their hands in greeting: "We are willing to listen to the Grand Marshal's mediation."

"Alright, let's sit down and talk. I've also brought some gifts for you all."

Zhao Ji reached into the horse tack and took out a can of tea, handing it to Qu Bei: "Please trouble Your Majesty to boil it with hot water, and also boil a can of milk."

"Yes, Your Highness. I will do it myself."

Qu Bei agreed and immediately mounted his horse to return to his camp to prepare these things.

Zhao Ji leaped off his horse and adjusted the hilt of his sword at his waist.

Helan Lizheng stepped forward, extending his arms and bowing deeply: "Grand Marshal, please."

"it is good."

Zhao Ji walked towards the wooden platform with his left hand on the hilt of his sword and his right hand gripping the horsewhip, followed by the other seven Tu Ge chieftains.

The Tu Ge clan was powerful, not only because of their seven leaders, but also because they were closer to the Xian branch, which is why they got involved in this succession dispute.

The Tuge Xiongnu were also distributed in Zhangye, Wuwei, Anding, southern Beidi, Shangjun and other places, with leaders of all sizes.

A large-scale leader could command over two thousand units, while a small-scale leader could command over five hundred units and could field a thousand cavalry.

Because the Tu Ge tribe has developed too many branches and is distributed over a long and narrow area, and due to various internal and external factors, no Tu Ge king has yet been chosen who can win the hearts and minds of the people.

This was also the result of the Han court's continuous suppression. The three royal courts were unable to effectively suppress the Tu Ge Xiongnu, so most of the Xiongnu who rebelled during the reigns of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling came from the various Tu Ge tribes.

During the great rebellion in Liangzhou, the rebel army besieged Fu Xie, the governor of Tianshui, in Jicheng.

The Xiongnu rebels who participated in the siege came from the Tu Ge Xiongnu of Beidi Commandery. They begged Fu Xie to open the city gates, and they were willing to protect Fu Xie as he returned to Beidi.

After refusing the offer, Fu Xie settled his thirteen-year-old son, Fu Gan, and refused the rebels' attempts to persuade him to surrender. He led his men out of the city to fight, and they all died in battle. Tianshui fell, and 100,000 rebel troops stormed into Guanzhong to plunder. The imperial tombs in Guanzhong were also looted and damaged.

Compared to the entire Xiutuge collective, these seven leaders can barely represent half of Xiutuge.

After Zhao Ji ascended the platform, he knelt down calmly. The seven chieftains politely declined each other's offer and also knelt down to Zhao Ji's left.

They all removed their swords and daggers and placed them on their right sides to show that they were harmless.

Even the small knife he always carried for eating meat was placed in front of him.

Zhao Ji also took off his helmet belt and put his hat on his left side, but he only wrapped his head with a red turban.

At this moment, servants from both sides drove up in carriages. These unarmed servants brought cooked and roasted mutton, wine, and other food, which they placed in front of Zhao Ji and the others.

Qu Bei also brought the milk, firewood, pots and pans, and water bags he had collected, and started to cook milk tea by lighting a fire.

As fireworks lit up the sky, Zhao Ji picked up his wine bowl and said, “You may not know this, but after the withdrawal of troops from the Central Plains, I knew that Taiyuan was short of food, so I drank a bowl of wine at the victory celebration banquet. I have abstained from alcohol for more than five months since then, but I will break my vow for you all today.”

"The Grand Marshal respects us, and we dare not offend him."

Helan Lizheng raised the wine bowl with both hands and said solemnly, "This first bowl of wine is offered to the spirits of heaven and earth and all things, and to pray for favorable weather and peace for people and livestock."

As he spoke, Helan Lizheng and the other six chieftains splashed wine, and Zhao Ji also splashed wine.

Each poured wine for themselves, and Helan Lizheng said, "This second bowl of wine is to honor the Grand Marshal for treating the Xiongnu as his own children. Although we are in Xihe and Shangjun, we are also deeply grateful and thankful that the Han Dynasty has a Grand Marshal."

After saying this, he held up the wine bowl with both hands and took the lead in drinking it down in one gulp, and the other leaders followed suit.

After they poured the wine, Zhao Ji raised the wine bowl with one hand and said, "I also want to thank you for giving me face."

Having said that, he brought the wine bowl to his lips, slurped it down in one gulp.

He dislikes tilting his head back while drinking, exposing his throat, especially when drinking with strangers.

After Zhao Ji poured the wine, Helan Lizheng held up the wine bowl and asked, "I wonder how the Grand Marshal intends to handle the dispute between the uncle and nephew of the Xianzhi clan over the throne?"

"As far as I know, the Xian branch has always followed the tradition of succession from brother to brother, and when a son is strong, the son succeeds the father. This is similar to the customs of other tribes and there is nothing special about it."

Zhao Ji looked at these people and said, "I'm sure you all know how I dealt with the various tribes in Pingyang after the battle of Jiangyi last year. This Xianzhi tribe has more than two thousand households. Let's organize them into two thousand-household units, with this uncle and nephew each serving as a thousand-household unit. I'll take the extra ones."

Helan Lizheng and the others looked at each other and did not think Zhao Ji had gone too far.

If they were to take charge, although they wouldn't take away much of the main tribes, they would definitely take away as many of the subordinate tribes as they could.

They even plundered the livestock of the Korean Central Plains as much as possible.

Otherwise, why would so many people not go to graze their livestock but come all the way here?
Immediately, at Helan Lizheng's prompting glance, Xiu Tu Dada cupped his hands and asked, "I wonder how the Grand Marshal intends to settle us?"

"I am also implementing the system of a thousand households, but I am not in a hurry to achieve it quickly."

Zhao Ji looked at these people and said, “You will all have succession disputes in the future. In order to avoid fratricide, we can follow the example of the old practice of granting favors. Every time a thousand households are established, a thousand households will be granted; below the thousand households, there will be hundred households. After you all pass away, the people will be divided up in this way.”

"I can assure you all that the shogunate will not handle matters within the thousand-household division. However, the hundred-household divisions that are separated from the thousand-household division will be under the control of the shogunate."

"As a way of repaying you all, in the future, each commandery will be inherited by your children. Even if they are young, I will take them in to raise and educate them, and send them back to the headquarters to govern the tribes when they come of age. If you have no children, then your brothers may inherit the command."

After Zhao Ji finished speaking, he picked up his wine bowl and gently shook it. The people looked at each other and were quite interested.

If one can stably pass on their legacy, who would be willing to pass their followers to their brother?
It was only because the offspring were too young or too weak to defeat their brothers that this dual and flexible inheritance law of father-to-son succession and brother-to-brother succession was implemented after years of compromise to avoid unnecessary internal strife.

If a powerful institution like the imperial court or the shogunate provides guarantees and constraints, they can change the dual-track inheritance law to prioritize succession from father to son, with succession from brother to brother as a supplement.

Tribal leaders also have their own difficulties. Among the Qiang and Xianbei tribes, leaders are elected, and it is not always a matter of father-to-son or brother-to-brother succession. They are often elected internally, with several families taking turns in power, which is a generational succession.

As for the division of the followers... that's not too harsh.

The Xiutu people multiplied and grew stronger generation after generation by constantly differentiating and branching out.

Human energy is also limited. In terms of personal life, there is no essential difference between being the head of a thousand households and being the head of a three thousand households.

Zhao Ji's conditions weren't too harsh, so Helan Lizheng asked, "May I ask, Grand Marshal, is there anything else?"

"The rest is simply a matter of who attacks you, and I will send troops to protect you. In return, I will recruit volunteers. For the domestic war, each commander of a thousand will be required to recruit one hundred knights and three hundred horses each year; if it is for the campaign against the Xianbei, then three times the number of volunteers will be required."

“You all know I am not a stingy person. Anyone who is promoted to commander of a thousand can send envoys to Jinyang to buy ironware. I will not restrict your smuggling of ironware for three to five years. In exchange, you cannot sell your horses to my enemies. If you do, it will be considered treason and I will depose him and appoint his son or brother as commander of a thousand.”

Zhao Ji drank alone and smiled, "I have no intention of usurping the positions of commander of a thousand or a hundred households, but you must obey orders and abide by the law. If this becomes a system, then the positions of commander of a thousand or a hundred households can be inherited by sons and grandsons. How wonderful would that be?"

(End of this chapter)