The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 207 An Enemy Who Is Too Arrogant to Be Found

Han Xin followed his gaze and saw rows of tents, black Qin army flags, and a constant stream of Qin soldiers.

This is General Meng Tian's camp at Helan Mountain.

Wu Shi Luo said, "Prince Fusu ordered General Meng Tian to set up camp here in order to continue the Northern Expedition."

Han Xin asked, "Should we continue the Northern Expedition?"

Wu Shilu laughed and said, "Don't you think so?"

Han Xin remained silent, knowing full well that Prince Fusu still harbored ambitions for a northern expedition, and that the north would be in turmoil if Maodun was not eliminated.

The threat posed by Modu was too great, and the valiant enemy could not be allowed to remain in the north for long.

Wu Shilu looked at the setting sun in the distance and said, "Let's go back."

On the way back, the horse didn't go very fast. Wu Shi Luo said, "The warhorses of the Tianshan Mountains can run much faster. Today was just a small test. The Xiongnu understand their warhorses better than they understand themselves. If you want to know the limits of a horse's strength, you have to drive it to a more distant place. Only by understanding the habits of the Xiongnu can you fight them. This is very important."

Han Xin listened attentively and took notes of what was said.

The two returned to the ranch, drinking milk tea and eating mutton.

At daybreak, Wu Shi Luo left with his servants, intending to travel to the Western Regions to inquire about the current situation of the Xiongnu and Yuezhi people.

After seeing this person off, Han Xin remembered that Modu had killed the Yuezhi king who was offering sacrifices at Mazong Mountain, and now the Yuezhi and the Xiongnu people had a great feud.

Raising horses is not like herding sheep. Herding sheep is easy, but raising warhorses is not so simple.

Han Xin mounted his horse again, this time with his bow and arrows and sword, and rode northward.

This time, Han Xin crossed the camp at Helan Mountain and ran from noon until night. He didn't know how long he ran until the night wind grew colder and colder.

After only a short rest during the night, Han Xin continued on his horse.

Finally, Han Xin discovered a tribe on a pasture.

From a distance, without making any rash moves, we could see that the Huns of this tribe were slaughtering their flocks of sheep, their children were fighting, and their women were washing sheepskins by the river.

Finally, a man noticed the lone rider and the lone figure parked some distance away.

Upon seeing that the other party was wearing black armor, the Hun shouted loudly, and warhorses came after them.

Han Xin took a deep breath and ordered his warhorse to turn around and run back. This time, the warhorse ran as fast as it could, and the sound of arrows piercing the air could be heard from behind.

Looking back, there were only three Xiongnu riders chasing after them.

The two sides maintained a distance, and it seemed that the Xiongnu might not be able to catch up, watching as the distance between them grew further and further.

It's unclear where Han Xin got his courage from, but it was probably because he was young that he had such audacity. He shouted, "Let your Xiongnu's fastest warhorses chase after me!"

The three Xiongnu riders did not pursue further, while Han Xin, riding his warhorse, had already galloped towards the setting sun and disappeared from sight after crossing a high slope.

After returning to the ranch, Han Xin ate and then wrote in his tent.

The wind was strong tonight, and the cowhide tent seemed about to be blown away several times. Han Xin wrote down his recent insights, as well as his understanding of cavalry, warhorses, and the Xiongnu people.

Han Xin believed that warhorses on the grasslands could travel thousands of miles a day, and that the outcome of a chase battle depended entirely on the horse's strength. Therefore, warhorses were extremely important to the Xiongnu people.

To deal with the Xiongnu cavalry, you don't need many, just fast.

Through his conversation with Wu Shi Luo, Han Xin learned how Maodun had destroyed the Donghu royal court overnight and launched a surprise attack on Mazong Mountain.

And indeed, the head of the Yuezhi king became Maodun's drinking vessel, which he was using to drink.

Therefore, Han Xin wrote a new strategy for raising horses.

Although he didn't know how to fight the Xiongnu, he knew what kind of warhorses he would need if he were to fight them.

The following day, Han Xin had the letter sent to Xianyang. From Yunzhong County to Xianyang, taking the imperial road, it would take no more than five days to deliver the letter to the Prime Minister's residence.

In five more days, it will be delivered to Yunzhong County.

However, after the letter was sent, Han Xin waited for ten days without receiving a reply.

After that, Han Xin waited for five more days, but still received no reply.

During his leisure time, Han Xin resumed his neglected horse-herding life and repeated his daily tasks. This leisurely horse-herding life also returned to the season when he could not see any other living people for half a month at a time.

However, his wife's pregnancy added some ripples to their peaceful life.

The grasslands are not like Guanzhong, and Han Xin hoped that his wife could give birth to their child in Guanzhong.

Therefore, Han Xin wrote another letter and went to the Helan Mountain camp first, and then had someone send the letter to Xianyang.

I thought that this letter might also go unanswered once it reached Xianyang, just like the last one, since the last letter also went unanswered.

But this time, on the seventh day, a group of people arrived at his ranch.

The visitor was a woman from Shangjun. After asking some questions and taking her pulse, she told Han Xin, "Madam is in good health and appears to be three months pregnant."

Upon hearing this, Han Xin became somewhat nervous.

The woman continued, “Madam is pregnant and cannot travel far. It would be best if you stayed here. I will come every month from now on. If you are about to give birth, I will stay here for half a month to take care of you. If there is any accident, you can come to the prefectural governor’s mansion in Shangjun. I will be there day and night.”

Han Xin thanked her repeatedly and saw her off.

He looked at his wife, whose expression held a mixture of worry and joy.

Han Xin scratched his head, puzzled as to why the young master had not responded to the matter of horse administration for so long, or whether there was a problem with the horse administration strategy he had written earlier.
Han Xin recalled the horse administration strategy he had written earlier, and believed that the Qin law required those in positions of power to perform their duties, and that professionals should do what they were good at.

If the young master could see that he is not a professional horse breeder, he would truly be letting the young master down.

Now, not only does the young master not criticize his horse management policy, but he also sends people to take care of his wife, which makes Han Xin feel even more guilty towards the young master.

With such a young master, this Great Qin is truly wonderful.

After letting his wife rest early, Han Xin picked up his book and continued his studies.

In the summer of the thirty-sixth year of the First Emperor's reign, in the seventh month.

A Yuezhi army was dispatched to launch a surprise attack on the Xiongnu court in the northern desert.

The Yuezhi people wanted to reclaim the head of their king, but the head had become a drinking vessel played with by Modu, which made the Yuezhi people grit their teeth in anger.

Maodun even boasted that he would make the heads of the Yuezhi king's sons and nephews into his drinking vessels.

Lou Jing, the county magistrate of Wuwei County in the Hexi Corridor, cursed upon hearing the news: "This Maodun... is truly extremely arrogant."

Chen Ping leisurely sipped his wine and said, "This wine has become quite sour lately."

"Really?" Ju also tasted it and said, "Brother Chen Ping, it's not sour."

Chen Ping asked, "How many times have you drunk grape wine?"

Ju scratched his head and said with a simple smile, "I've only drunk it three times, not as much as Brother Chen Ping."

Chen Ping glanced at Lou Jing again and said, "Let's drink."

Lou Jing regarded alcohol as a life-or-death enemy, saying, "I am on duty and cannot drink alcohol. If I drink alcohol, I will be punished by military law. Chen Ping... please let me live a few more years."

Chen Ping, drunk, said, "I still admire the way you called me a slut back then more."

(End of this chapter)