The Soldier of the Red Mansion

Chapter 251 Just a bunch of petty bandits
The site of the former Shanyu City is one of the most fertile areas in the region.

Batel left his homeland with forty or fifty Hu cavalrymen, passing through his own tribes. The tribal chiefs and their herdsmen warmly welcomed Batel.

The Hu cavalry following Batel were warriors of the tribe.

After drinking their fill of mare's milk wine and eating their fill of mutton, they would then lead away the woman they had their eye on, sneaking into the tent under the cover of darkness.

Batel and the tribal chief watched everything with smiles on their faces.

After enjoying the lively bonfire feast, the herders were left to clean up. Looking at the remaining food and drinks, they swallowed hard but didn't dare to steal a single bite, even though their stomachs were growling with hunger.

the next day.

Batel emerged from the tent, his face glowing. He bid farewell to the tribal chief and led his cavalry onward.

The Hu cavalry had a great time that night and were all smiles.

Batel sat steadily on his horse, surveyed his warriors, and seeing that they were in good spirits, let out a hearty laugh.

"Although we have lost a lot, we have such fertile pastures, so we are not at a loss. In a few years, our tribe will prosper."

"Taiji's decision is correct."

"Taiji is the wisest eagle, the sage of the grasslands."

Upon hearing Batel's words, the Hu cavalrymen around him began to flatter him, making Batel laugh non-stop the whole way.

"When we are weak, we should lie low. The Zhou people only know how to farm. The grasslands belong to us."

Batel did not forget to promise: "In less than ten years, our tribe will become the most powerful tribe in the Shanyu region, and you will become my most loyal chieftains."

The warriors loved hearing Taiji's promises.

Who doesn't want to be the leader?

But the prerequisite is territory.

Only by gaining the Taiji's recognition can one have their own territory and tribe. Everyone must be loyal to the Taiji and be willing to work for him, hoping that one day they will become the chief.

The group rode their horses northward along a river.

We finally arrived at a few trees.

This place has no name. As agreed, the place under the three trees is where I and China agreed to meet.

Three trees.

Batel saw China under the tree.

China and the others sat under the tree, and when they saw Batel, they looked wary.

"Bartel, are you so afraid of me?"

Upon seeing that Batel had brought dozens of people with him, China said with disdain.

The Warriors brought by Battier were furious upon hearing this.

They all stared at China.

The people of China were also prepared, although their numbers were far fewer than the enemy's.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything to you."

"I can say that calmly," Batel said.

China's rudeness wasn't just an outward display; she was actually quite perceptive. Her actions, seemingly meant to provoke him, were actually a test to see if he harbored any hostility.

If I show even the slightest hostility, this person will probably turn around and run away immediately.

China relaxed a bit and stopped saying anything unpleasant.

The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.

"Where's what I want?"

"for you."

Batel took out a piece of sheepskin with some things drawn on it, which looked like a map.

"That's it?"

Chi Na took the sheepskin handed to him by Batel, glanced at it a few times, and said speechlessly, "You really don't care that such a good place as Tu Mao Chuan was given to the Zhou people."

Batel explained, "The wind is strong over there, so it's not advisable to go too far in."

Chi Na not only didn't let it go, but couldn't help but mock, "You acted as a dog for the Zhou people, and yet the Zhou people are still wary of you."

“The new General Wang is different from others; you don’t understand.”

Although China's words were unpleasant, Batel was powerless to explain and could only remain calm, feigning profundity.

China did not pursue the matter.

In any case, he was now in need of Batel's help, so he looked carefully at the sheepskin in his hand.

Batel sized up China.

Both China and he were Taiji of the Shanyu tribe, and their strength was once evenly matched.

Now a different choice has been made.

They chose to bow their heads and offer up half of the tribe's cattle and sheep in exchange for peace and opportunity.

China made the decision to resist to the end, and thus lost its territory, and could only go to the Osaka-noboru area.

Batel's eyes darted up and down, occasionally glancing at the people that China had brought.

Not only was Chi Na exhausted, but the spirits of the people he brought with him also showed that they were having a tough time.

Come to think of it.

Ou Yanhu led his main force on a northern expedition, while Chi Na led his tribe to surrender to Da Bansheng. As for Ou Yanhu's son, Wu En, how could he dare to take Chi Na in with peace of mind? He would definitely try to undermine Chi Na's strength.

Now that things have come to this, China has no choice but to go down this dark path.

Given General Wang's temperament.

Even if he relented and let Chika go, Chika wouldn't dare to be brought before him. Who knows what this man might do? He might even try to fool Chika and then chop off her head once he sees her.

Battelle couldn't help but feel smug.

Back then, Chi Na looked down on himself before he left, but what about now?
Although he lost a lot, he also gained a lot of territory, while China, who once looked down on him, became a stray dog.

Under Batel's gaze and suppressing his grief and indignation, China finally threw the sheepskin back to Batel.

"Bater Taiji, we are all Hu people, and Hu people should help Hu people. I hope you can understand this principle." China put aside its inner thoughts and stared at Bater seriously.

"do not worry."

Batel nodded heavily.

Chi Na said no more and left with his men.

Watching the departing figures of Chi Na and his group, after a long while, Batel smiled and said, "You see, my decision was the right one."

"Taiji is wise."

"Taiji did the right thing."

“I also doubted whether Taiji was doing the right thing, and now I regret it very much. I shouldn’t have doubted Taiji.”

Listening to the words of the tribal warriors, Batel became increasingly smug.

No matter who it is, in the end, they can't escape their own calculations.

Using your brain is indeed much more effective than other methods.

China doesn't know how to use her brain.

Therefore, he could only act as his own henchman.

After leaving, China returned to Osaka.

"After I left, did Uen send anyone?" China asked upon returning to her tribe.

"No."

Upon hearing this answer, Akana looked utterly disappointed.

“Wu En doesn’t understand the big picture and is not worthy of being Ou Yanhu’s son.”

Ou Yanhu's forbearance and decisiveness greatly impressed Chi Na.

This man is a hero.

Unfortunately, her son was a coward.

They believed that his father led a large force on a northern expedition and was unwilling to wage war against the Zhou people, thus allowing Wang Xin to run rampant in the Shanyu region.

Unfortunately, Ou Yanhu was not there.

If Ou Yanhu were alive, given his magnanimity, he would certainly not have allowed Wang Xin to act in this way, gradually conquering the grasslands.

This is completely different from what has been done before.

Although she couldn't understand Wang Xin's actions, Chi Na felt a deep sense of crisis.

If Wang Xin is allowed to gain a foothold on the grasslands, the Hu people will never have another chance. We must act decisively.

pity.

They're all idiots.

Since that's the case, I'll have to take matters into my own hands.

Chi Na recruited warriors from his tribe and led fewer than three hundred Hu cavalry south.

We must kill every Zhou person we see.

They scared the Zhou people away.

The grasslands belong to the Hu people.

He knew he was no match for Zhou Jun, but he would hide from Zhou Jun and only kill Zhou people, and then see how Zhou Jun would catch him.

soon.

Several people came to this place, learned that China was not there, and took the news back with them.

“Reda must have gone to raid Rabbit Hair River.”

"I'm so proud of myself," Uen said.

Darong smiled with satisfaction. Although Wuen was not the Khan's eldest son, he was the Khan's smartest son. Otherwise, the Khan would not have left Wuen to guard the house.

Uen didn't gloat for long before he analyzed, "Actually, he also had to raid Rabbit Hair River."

"You're very shrewd."

Da Rong nodded.

The current priority for the Great Khan is stability; everything must give way to the Khan's northern expedition, and we await the Khan's safe return.

So, even though Wang Xin stirred up war in the Shanyu region and built a city in Tu Mao Chuan, Da Ban Sheng had to prioritize stability in order to ensure everything went smoothly, given that this man's record was simply too incredible.

With the strength left behind by Osaka, if they fail, wouldn't they lose the Khan's homeland?

No one can bear this responsibility. However, Chi Na is a member of the Shanyu tribe, not a tribe of Dabansheng.

He went south to burn, kill, and loot, ruining the affairs of Tu Mao Chuan. Wang Xin was furious, but he couldn't blame Da Ban Sheng.

This is why Uen didn't genuinely take in China, but only gave him a place to live.

Sufficient supplies are needed to get through the cold winter.

The China tribe has suffered heavy losses and lacks resources. It will not survive the winter and will inevitably fall apart, with its members defecting to other tribes.

The only solution is to march south and plunder the Great Zhou.

"Hopefully, Chinna will be of some use, and not just talk the talk," Uen said with some concern.

"Akana is still formidable."

Da Rong knew Chi Na's abilities and laughed, "As long as he gets ruthless, this ruthless man will give everyone a headache."

"That's good."

"It would be best to force the Zhou people to go back."

The merchants invested hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, and Wu En envied these merchants for being so wealthy.

But if hundreds of thousands of taels of silver are wasted, would you do it again? Whose money grows on trees?
-
soon.

Hu bandits appeared in Tu Mao Chuan.

Herdsmen in several places were massacred, and their livestock were looted.

Another place.

Six corpses lay scattered along the way.

It is clear that the man fought desperately to protect the women and children as they fled, but ultimately failed. The women and children were raped and murdered, and the man was tortured to death.

The family's tent and other belongings have all disappeared.

Dozens of soldiers patrolled the area.

"This shouldn't be an ordinary robbery."

One of the managers at Juzhongchang analyzed it this way.

Ma Fan frowned.

"Why?"

“Tribal competition is fierce, and there is a chronic shortage of able-bodied men. Logically speaking, such a family would be the best source of slaves, and they shouldn’t have been killed. So they must have come for Tu Mao Chuan.”

Ma Fan didn't quite understand.

The shopkeeper added, "Plundering is the goal, and those who come for our Rabbit Hair River also have a goal."

After saying that, the shopkeeper showed anger.

The ten horses, twenty cows, eighty sheep, and all the living utensils inside the tents were all lent to the herders by the trading company.

If calculated based on prices in mainland China.

"This place has caused my Juzhongchang to lose 370 taels of silver. If we include the profits it should have brought, it's nearly 1,000 taels of silver! My goodness, Mr. Ma!" The shopkeeper looked at Ma Fan with a heavy expression.

The military expenditure is 100,000 taels of silver per year.

Even if you throw it into the water, it will still create a splash.

The shopkeeper didn't dare to openly scold him, but he subtly reminded Ma Fan.

Ma Fan squinted.

There are already seven or eight places.

Ma Fan gritted his teeth and said, "I will definitely wipe out this gang of thieves."

"hope so."

The shopkeeper's face was cold.

I dare not offend Ma Fan, but the owners of Juzhongchang do.

Of the hundreds of thousands of taels of silver invested, 50,000 taels have already been paid to General Wang, and another 50,000 taels will be paid at the end of the year, since Juzhongchang has been incurring expenses from beginning to end.

At the fastest pace, it will take three years to break even.

Even a large and wealthy company like Juzhongchang, which spends money like water every day, cannot withstand such consumption and must be more careful with its spending.

The military is clearly at fault for suffering such heavy losses now, and who knows how much more it will lose in the future.

Left with no other option, Ma Fan could only lead his men to search for them.

The desert stretches to the horizon.

The aimless search yielded no results, and several more families were also afflicted.

Suddenly, the herders of Tu Mao Chuan felt a sense of impending doom.

Many people gave up.

"You damn Ma Fan, you're so useless. I overestimated you."

The situation is not good.

Zhang Can personally led his troops away from Zhenlu City, summoned Ma Fan back, and berated him harshly.

To put it bluntly, the military these days is basically being supported by businessmen.

"The brothers rely on this business to support their families and live a good life."

Not to mention the merchants were anxious, Zhang Can himself was anxious too, and continued to curse: "The general has only just left Zhenlu City and is still at Weiyuan Pass, and we've already made a mess of things here. How are we going to explain this to the general?"

Ma Fan did not explain his failure.

Just as Zhang Can was about to leave, Ma Fan stopped him and explained the difficulties and shortcomings, hoping that Zhang Can would learn from his mistakes.

"Ugh."

Zhang Can sighed.

In fact, Zhang Can understood that he couldn't blame Ma Fan.

The general is right. We are not afraid of the barbarians who are fond of enjoying life, but we are afraid of them who love to endure hardship.

In this vast desert, the Hu people are elusive and unpredictable. Even if I were to step forward myself, I might not be able to find a worthy opponent. But now that things have come to this, I have no other choice but to do this, at least to make a show of it so that I can give an account to the merchant.

as predicted.

Five or six days later, Zhang Can returned dejectedly.

Fortunately, perhaps because they searched so diligently, the group of barbarian cavalry did not dare to plunder around and seemed to have vanished into thin air.

But no one could laugh.

Because everyone knows that sooner or later these barbarians will cause trouble again.

"Go tell the general."

Zhang Can said dejectedly, feeling utterly helpless.

Ma Fan didn't mock Zhang Can; instead, he felt sad and worried, asking, "Won't this put the general in a difficult position?"

"I do not know."

Zhang Can leaned back in his recliner, taking off his boots as he did so. Exhausted, he explained weakly, "If even the general can't do anything, then no one can."

Ma Fan nodded.

In this situation, all we can do is wait it out.

boil.

They'll have to wait until those barbarians run into trouble on their own, or they're unlucky enough to run into them, or some other random reason.

In any case, the losses will definitely continue.

As for the many disaster victims from the mainland who were unwilling to stay and wanted to return to the interior, that was not a problem.

Not many people can go back.

Because there was no food.

Meanwhile, there are still a large number of disaster victims inside the pass who are willing to do anything as long as they are given food.

Although after eating one's fill, other thoughts will inevitably arise.

But the business has no shortage of people.

When will Rabbit Hair River return to peace?

Weiyuan Pass.

Wang Xin had just received news from Zhenlu City when Zhou Shiming personally arrived at Weiyuan Pass. Upon meeting him, Zhou Shiming immediately inquired about the matter without any formalities.

"One month."

Wang Xin said decisively.

Zhou Shiming was stunned.

He did indeed come to demand an explanation and to express his stance, hoping that Wang Xin would do his utmost to resolve the matter as soon as possible.

But Wang Xin answered too easily.

It always gave him a slightly strange feeling.

"The general was prepared?"

"No."

"Then why"

"Although I don't care much about reasons, sometimes you do need one."

Wang Xin said lightly.

Despite Wang Xin's young age, the cunning and shrewd Zhou Shiming felt a chill run down his spine upon seeing the man's attitude.

He was overjoyed.

Zhou Shiming had already seen the huge benefits and wholeheartedly supported it.

As for Wang Xin's abilities...

This man has been invincible since joining the army.

Everything is under this person's control.

Zhou Shiming wasn't too worried.

If the opponent were Ou Yanhu, who might return victorious from the northern expedition, Zhou Shiming wouldn't be so sure, since Ou Yanhu was not to be underestimated and was quite strong.

Nowadays...

They're just a bunch of petty bandits.

(End of this chapter)