Tiger Guards

Chapter 530 Life or Death

Zhao Ji is worried about potential changes in the country and within North Korea, which is an objectively existing hidden danger.

His setbacks on the front lines may fuel hidden dangers or allow these destabilizing factors to continue to linger.

Similarly, everyone has different ideas.

The battle at the front is going more and more smoothly. Some people dare not act rashly, while others are eager to cause trouble, fearing that they will not have another chance.

The central government is the central government, the country is the country, and even the military has similar hidden dangers.

Ultimately, the Zhao family's rapid rise inevitably led to various hidden dangers.

Even if Yuan Shao were to come, there would be all sorts of internal sabotage within his own ranks.

Looking back now, the extermination of the Wang clan of Taiyuan and the subsequent bloodbath of the surrounding gentry and powerful figures through marriage alliances were truly the wisest moves of my life.

Thinking of this triumphant move, Zhao Ji couldn't help but smile, even though he was worried about unforeseen changes in the rear.

While he was experiencing this blissful distress, the Xianbei royal army stationed near Heyin on the south bank was not so happy.

For Qianman, the death of Kui Tou and the annihilation of the core royal court's elite forces meant that Kui Tou's son also lost the confidence to compete with him for the throne.

So happiness came too quickly. Qianman seized the opportunity and, after controlling the royal court and imprisoning Kui Tou's son, he became the rightful new king.

But the Han army arrived quickly, and Budugen's useless cousin was no match for their offensive.

Originally, if the two sides joined forces, they could have attacked the Han army from both sides.

Even without war, they can continue to receive reinforcements from various units while maintaining a stalemate, and their military strength will become increasingly formidable; while the Han army, unable to break through the stalemate, will have to withdraw before its food and supplies are exhausted.

Throughout history, the only thing that could limit the Han army in wars between the Han and Xiongnu and Xianbei was its supply lines.

However, the Xianbei people have now settled in the cities left behind by the Han army, and the Han army has come through the snow. This makes it impossible for the Xianbei tribes to fight back. If they flee, the number of people and livestock killed or injured by the natural disaster is incalculable. Therefore, they can only rely on the cities to fight the Han army head-on.

Tonight, beacon fires blaze everywhere along the north bank of the Yellow River, and even the ashes from the burning grass are blown by the cold wind into the Heyin camp.

Qianman faced three choices: either respond to the call from the army and immediately cross the river to fight the Han army.

They could either continue waiting here, as the Han army's forces were limited and could not expand excessively; or, as the Han army wreaked havoc, more and more conservative tribes would come to join him out of anger and a desire to avoid harm.

This would give us a greater chance of defeating and annihilating the Han army. Given the current climate and situation, once we defeat the Han army, they are destined to be completely wiped out.

However, in this case, every tribe that is destroyed during the observation period will become his enemy.

After the war, these tribes would certainly harbor resentment and leave, most likely seeking refuge with Budugen.

The third option is somewhat difficult to talk about: a ceasefire with the Han army... Even if this succeeds and preserves the vitality of the Xianbei tribes, they will not appreciate his kindness. Instead, they will think that his actions are unworthy of being the descendants of the great Tanshihuai.

Therefore, a ceasefire agreement cannot be reached in order to preserve the vitality of the tribe, as this would severely damage the tribal confidence of the Xianbei; the mixed Qiang and Xiongnu people who have merged internally will also develop thoughts of defection.

These tribes outside the Xianbei will surely betray or even turn against the Xianbei when they are no longer so powerful.

A ceasefire is a ceasefire for the long-term development of the tribe, but the greatest losses are suffered by the individual and their descendants.

Rather than doing that, it would be better to heed the strong calls from the tribal leaders and nobles... and fight the Han army!
If we're going to be unlucky, we'll all be unlucky together; if we win, the glory will belong to the descendants of the great Tan Shihuai!
We can't possibly wrong ourselves, sacrifice ourselves for the greater good of the Xianbei people, and then bear the infamy!
Qianman settled her thoughts, stepped out of the warm house, and saw snowflakes falling.

He reached out to catch it, and the snowflakes melted instantly upon landing in his palm, leaving a cool sensation.

As he looked down at his palm, a tribal elder approached, leaning on a deer-headed staff, and also looked up at the snowflakes: "Is Your Majesty worried about the Han army?" "Yes, the strength of this Han army is beyond my imagination."

Qianman bowed to the elder: "What does Grandfather think?"

"You know that this Han army is strong because they are not afraid to die. How many people do you think would have to die to kill these Han soldiers?"

When the elder asked a question, Qianman remained silent. He felt that at least 30,000 people would have to die to defeat the Han army. After the Han army collapsed, all the Xianbei people would emerge and join forces to annihilate the Han army.

But can the Xianbei people around Heyin withstand the deaths of 30,000?

If Kui Tou and the royal court's elite troops were still alive, in the face of this situation where the Han army was raiding beyond the Great Wall, as long as the royal court's elite troops did not move, they could force the various tribes to send troops, and the allied army of more than 100,000 could directly crush the Han army.

"Twenty years ago, the Han army came from three directions. All the Xianbei people obeyed the orders of the Great Chief, and we killed countless Han soldiers in one battle."

The elder fell into recollection: "After that battle, we gained all of Shuofang, Wuyuan, and Yunzhong, and the Great Chieftain also moved the royal court to Shuofang. What he wanted was the Western Regions, from which we could obtain ironware. But he died, and later your father was wounded by Han soldiers when he attacked the Northern Lands. What does this mean?"

Qianman leaned down: "Grandpa and Father had bad luck, does that mean I have bad luck too?"

"This shows that the Han people are still destined for greatness. What the Xiongnu people could not do, our great Xianbei will do."

Seeing that the wind was getting colder, the elder leaned on his deer-head cane and walked towards the house. Qianman quickly followed and helped this distant relative to her grandfather to sit down. Qianman asked, "Grandpa, if my grandfather were still alive, what would he do?"

“If he were here, the Han army wouldn’t dare to be so presumptuous.”

The elder, revealing his yellowed, rotten teeth, smiled broadly: "It was your brothers fighting amongst yourselves, and the various tribes within the country being at odds, that allowed the Han people to gain the upper hand. If the Great Chief were here now, he wouldn't fight the Han army. He would give the Han army the glory, women, slaves, wealth, cattle, horses, and sheep they desired, and make them withdraw. Even if the Han army wanted all the Xianbei women, the Great Chief would give them to them."

Qian Man frowned and stood to one side: "Impossible. My grandfather was brave and skilled in battle, invincible. How could he bow down to the Han people?"

"If Budugen hadn't failed, we could still fight. But in the current situation, even if the Great Chieftain were to be resurrected, he wouldn't fight the Han army again. It's a meaningless war. What would we gain even if we won?"

Seeing that Qianman remained silent, the elder continued, "The Great Chief was not born a Great Chief. What difference is there between the people of the Great Chief era and the people of the present era? If there are no women, we can still plunder them. As long as the men are alive, we can seize pastures, cattle, sheep, women, and slaves. The Han people like to fight for power in the court. Only when this Grand Marshal goes to fight for power can we have children and strengthen our herd."

“If the Xianbei’s destiny comes to pass, they will do what the Xiongnu failed to do. I am destined not to see that day. I hope you can relinquish your position as king and share the western and eastern regions with Budugen, just like the Duke of Zhou in the Han region.”

The elder patiently advised her, but Qianman remained silent. She tilted her head to look at the fire pit and slowly went over to add charcoal to it.

When the charcoal was burning, he turned back and said, "Impossible. This is either my nephew or my son. For power, when he grows up and can draw a strong bow in a few years, he will definitely kill me."

Seeing the elder sigh, Qianman explained, “I also hope that the Xianbei can become strong and occupy all the lands where the sun rises and sets. But those who escaped all said that it was my people who did not come to the rescue, which allowed the Han army to break through the vanguard and kill Kui Tou. Faced with such hatred, I cannot trust them. I also have children, and I must think of them.”

“You are not the chief’s grandson. If the chief were alive, he would have whipped you to death!”

"I am Grandpa's favorite grandson!"

As Qian Man spoke, she turned around, drew a short knife from her waist, and thrust it into the elder's throat. She twisted it with her hand, her eyes resolute: "Without my grandfather, the Xianbei people would be just like the Wuhuan and Qiang people, wild dogs on the grassland! It was my grandfather who made the Xianbei people strong. The truly great one is my grandfather, not the Xianbei!"

Without drawing her sword, Qianman placed her hands on the other person's head and said, "Go and ask Grandpa what he has to say."

The other person clutched his neck with both hands and collapsed to the ground, struggling. The deer-head staff also fell to the ground.

Qianman stared at his opponent until he was completely dead before calmly stepping out of the house and addressing the noble guards gathered at the door: "My father urged me to go to war, but I hesitated. He used his life to force me to fight. Notify all tribes that we cross the river tomorrow and engage the Han army in a decisive battle! If we win, the fertile lands of Henan will be ours; if we lose, we will become slaves of the Han people!"

The surrounding noble guards looked horrified, then shouted in unison, "Yes!"

"Start the war!"

(End of this chapter)