A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 144 Ling Yan
The sound of pine trees in the breeze, the bright moon over the flowing water.

Wei Qing, sitting in the main hall, couldn't believe that there was such a good opportunity in the world to annihilate the Xiongnu.

The mighty Prince Zhao of the Han Dynasty actually entered the fray himself, using his own flesh and blood as a stepping stone, to completely eliminate the barbarian tribes of the grasslands.

of course.

Not voluntary.

Liu Pengzu's aim was to disrupt the Han dynasty's political situation, putting the court in a dangerous position so that it wouldn't be able to deal with the vassal kings.

They even indulge in some outrageous fantasies.

In return, after annihilating the main armies of the Xiongnu Chanyu and the Left Wise King, Wei Qing was willing to hold a grand funeral for Prince Zhao.

The plot of Mayi.

It began in the second year of the Yuanguang era. That spring, His Majesty issued an edict to bring an old topic back to the table for discussion among his ministers.

"I married a member of my royal family to the Xiongnu Chanyu, and the gifts I gave him were countless. However, the Chanyu is arrogant and rude, and he keeps raiding the border counties, causing great harm to the people. I really can't bear it, so I want to send troops to attack the Xiongnu. What do you think?"

The edict was said to be seeking the opinions of the ministers, but His Majesty's will was clearly expressed.

End the peace treaty and launch a major attack on the Xiongnu!
The reason for issuing the edict at that time was not only because His Majesty had always had the desire to defeat the Xiongnu, but also because in the first year of Yuanguang, Nie Wengyi, a powerful local magistrate from Mayi, provided a plan through Wang Hui, the Grand Minister of Ceremonies, that could completely annihilate the Xiongnu Chanyu's army.

Specifically, the plan was to send Nie Wengyi as a spy to the Xiongnu Chanyu, claiming that he could kill the magistrate and assistant magistrate of Mayi County and surrender the city. The plan was to lure the Xiongnu into the city by exploiting their greed for its wealth, while the Han army would lie in ambush around it and wipe out the entire Xiongnu army.

Simple and easy.

It's almost like a fantasy.

However, he was able to persuade Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty because the chances of success were very high.

On the battlefield, the more complex the strategy, the greater the chance of failure, while a simple and easy strategy is more likely to succeed.

The whereabouts of the Xiongnu Chanyu have always been the most sought-after but hardest-to-obtain intelligence for the Han Dynasty. What makes Nie Wengyi so confident that he can find it?

This relates to what the traitor Zhong Xingfa said about why the Xiongnu were able to hold out for so long: someone within the Han Dynasty was "secretly colluding" with the Xiongnu.

The vassal kings of the Han Dynasty who were enfeoffed in border prefectures were one such example.

The powerful clans of the border regions are number two.

The profit-driven merchant is number three.

This group of people exchanged salt, iron, and other commodities controlled by the Han Dynasty for cattle, sheep, horses, and other goods from the Xiongnu, making huge profits in the process.

Mayi was located at the border between the Han and Xiongnu, and there were usually markets and trade there. The local powerful families had close and large-scale trade relations with the Xiongnu, and even with the Xiongnu Chanyu.

Numerous collaborations made Nie Wengyi a trustworthy person in the eyes of the Xiongnu Chanyu.

During the Han Dynasty, county magistrates and assistant magistrates were directly appointed by the imperial court and were often from outside the region. In particular, county magistrates often relied on the power of local magistrates to govern, so they would often try to build relationships with them. It was entirely possible for Nie Wengyi to approach and kill the county magistrate and assistant magistrate. This method was exactly the same as that used by Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu, uncle and nephew, to kill the governor of Kuaiji who trusted them at the end of the Qin Dynasty.

Therefore, in the eyes of the Xiongnu Chanyu, Nie Wengyi was capable of surrendering the city to the Xiongnu. Thus, the Chanyu mobilized a large army and headed towards Mayi.

Finally, there was the trap set by the Han Dynasty, a scheme within a scheme. Mayi's geographical environment was very special. It was tightly surrounded by the Black Camel Mountain, Juzhu Mountain, Shentou Mountain, and Qiwu Mountain on the south, west, and north sides, and the Sanggan River was located to the southeast. By ambushing a large army in advance, they could quickly form an encirclement and trap the Xiongnu when they entered the city.

The complete annihilation of the Chanyu's main army is an unprecedented feat, and that is why Your Majesty is tempted.

He did not hesitate to personally lead an army of 300,000, determined to wash away the humiliation of the Han Dynasty over the past few decades.

However, this highly secretive imperial strategic plan was discovered by a border guard officer, who then appeared at the front-line outpost at such a crucial time, causing all the preparations of the Han Dynasty's 300,000-strong army to go to waste.

The failure of the Han plan was due to the will of Heaven.

After that, the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu completely broke off relations and began a war that lasted for more than a decade.

However, this unsuccessful attempt to lure and annihilate the enemy reveals a great deal.

For the sake of the people and wealth of a single county in the Han territory, the Xiongnu Chanyu was willing to risk his life to lead 100,000 elite cavalry southward. This was not only for the pleasure of plunder, but also proved that the Han Dynasty's economic blockade against the Xiongnu had reached a very serious level.

In fact, the economic blockade imposed by agricultural tribes on nomadic tribes began as soon as the Great Wall was built. Don't underestimate the low Great Wall; it can't even stop people, but it can stop horses!

When faced with the Great Wall, the Xiongnu army either abandoned their warhorses and became infantry, or destroyed the Great Wall before advancing in large numbers.

The former would be courting death by abandoning its advantages and engaging in foot battles in the Central Plains.

The latter, the quality of the Great Wall, has stood the test of time. If the Xiongnu wanted to destroy it, they would have to expend a lot of manpower and resources. By that time, the Han army would have already surrounded it.

Therefore, the appearance of the Great Wall made the tribes on the grassland suddenly realize that it was difficult to raid southward when there was no war between the two sides.

Obtaining many daily necessities has become extremely difficult.

With normal plundering routes disrupted, they could only rely on the group that secretly colluded with the Xiongnu to "barter" goods.

However, merchants pursue profit regardless of geographical boundaries. Along the vast border between the Han Dynasty and the grasslands, the feudal lords, powerful families, and merchants of the Han Dynasty's border regions gained an extremely advantageous position by utilizing the Great Wall's blockade.

For the Xiongnu, it's a fixed price: one pot and one horse. If you don't buy, I'll go find the Donghu.

As for the Donghu people, they already have two horses and a cooking pot. Do you want to buy it or not? If not, I'll go find the Xiongnu.

They used every trick in the book—cheating, deceiving, swindling, and fraud—to make a fortune for princes, powerful figures, and merchants.

Even more frightening is that once war breaks out between the grasslands and the Central Plains, the grasslands will face an even more severe trade blockade.

Trade between the two sides in commodities such as salt, iron, cattle, sheep, and horses reached a new level.

For more than a decade, the princes, powerful families, and merchants on the borders of the Han Dynasty violated the laws of the court and crossed the border to "bleed" the Xiongnu, making a fortune from the war and accumulating unimaginable wealth. However, the Xiongnu's supply problem remained unresolved.

Before the Han-Xiongnu War, the Xiongnu already faced serious logistical problems, which worsened after the war.

King Liu Pengzu of Zhao was a person whom the Xiongnu Chanyu trusted even more than Nie Wengyi, a powerful figure from Mayi.

The retainers and powerful figures of the Zhao state were the force that could help the Xiongnu destroy the Great Wall.

Most importantly, if the Xiongnu could acquire the Dai region and occupy the strategically important northern part of the Central Plains, all the problems on the grasslands would be solved.

This was far more attractive to the Xiongnu Chanyu than the people and wealth of Mayi.

It's like a replay of the Mayi Plot.

Unlike the extensive preparations of the second year of Yuanguang, this time, the Han army only needed to set up a trap in Dai, waiting for the main army of the Xiongnu Chanyu and the main army of the Left Wise King to enter, and then tie up the trap.

The rest were prepared by His Highness King Zhao, Zhao's retainers, powerful families, and the Xiongnu.

Destiny.

This time, they sided with the Han Dynasty.

Wei Qing and the Northern Army generals who had not yet fought in Hexi were so excited that they could not contain themselves. They never expected that staying in Chang'an would bring them such tremendous military achievements.

He shall be granted a title of nobility! He shall be granted a title of nobility! He shall be granted a title of nobility!

This battle.

How many military commanders can one achieve through such battles?

It's impossible to calculate.

It's impossible to calculate.

Wei Qing and Gongsun Ao planned the battle in detail, setting up ambushes in cities such as Dai and Dai counties, and mobilizing troops from the Southern and Northern armies, as well as troops from the Three Auxiliary Commanderies, bringing the total to 100,000 men.

Given the terrain of Dai, a suitable force can exert greater power than a larger force. As long as the Xiongnu army enters the trap, with these 100,000 men, even if all the archers from the Xiongnu Chanyu's main force and the Left Wise King's main force come, Wei Qing is confident that not a single one will escape.

However, the sack must be sturdy; we can't let the Xiongnu army break through it and occupy the Dai region, or things will get really messy.

Wei Qing stood up from the embroidered stool, looked at Liu Ju on the throne, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I request that General Cheng be sent to guard Dai County."

"Cheng Bushi?"

"Yes."

Wei Qing nodded emphatically.

Although the abilities of the generals from the reigns of Emperor Xiaowen and Emperor Xiaojing were often criticized, their skills in defending cities were truly unquestionable.

Cheng Bushi, in particular, was able to defend the largest city with the fewest men; his resilience was unmatched in the world.

Using this man as a "pocket," even if Wei Qing himself were to attack, he would have to think twice, let alone the Xiongnu army, which would have absolutely no chance of breaking through.

"My original intention was to let General Cheng take over the safety of Chang'an, but since I've decided to take a gamble..."

Liu Ju looked at Cheng Bushi, the Commandant of the Changle Palace Guard. His elder brother fought in Hexi, Lu Bode fought in Nanyue, and now the southern and northern armies guarding Chang'an are fighting in Dai. Since the founding of the Han Dynasty, the capital city has never been so empty. If there were an old general like Cheng Bushi guarding Chang'an, Liu Ju would be at ease. But his uncle said that this battle was related to the future of the Han Dynasty. "Old General."

The usually composed and meticulous Cheng Bushi could not hide his excitement; the fierce general's body trembled as he bowed and said, "Your subordinate is here."

"please!"

“As long as Dai County exists, I exist; if I am not here, Dai County will still exist. I would never dare to fail Your Majesty’s expectations.”

Cheng Bushi's tiger-like eyes welled with tears as he knelt on the ground and made a solemn pledge.

He never imagined that, in his twilight years, the emperor would still be willing to give him such an opportunity. In this battle, his merit in defending the city was no less than that in capturing a turtle. Even if the military merit system remained unchanged, he could still be granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households for a single battle.

People often say that Li Guang and Cheng Hao were not as famous generals as Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing.

But he utterly loathed that statement.

How could Cheng Bushi, a fine young man, be associated with such a treacherous villain?

"General, you are the ironclad bulwark of our Han Dynasty. When you return in triumph, I wish to build a Golden Terrace on the banks of the Wei River to bestow upon you the title of General and Marquis!" Liu Ju promised.

As a national hero, one should be treated with the respect due to a national hero.

Upon hearing this, the generals were moved. The Golden Terrace, the conferment of titles and the appointment of generals—what an honor this was!

war! war! war!
"Your Majesty, your grace."

Cheng Bushi kowtowed and raised his head slightly, saying, "Your subject has a wish: to enter the Qilin Pavilion in the future."

The expressions of the Northern Army generals changed slightly.

There are already more than a dozen people in the Qilin Pavilion. If there are any more, how will future generations remember their names?

"The Qilin Pavilion is full, and no more will be added thereafter."

Looking at the reassured faces of the Northern Army generals and the disappointment of Cheng Bushi, Liu Ju laughed and said, "One day, in the Lingyan Pavilion, you will be the first among the meritorious officials!"

(End of this chapter)