I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 313 The Situation Collapses!
Hedong.

After driving Yuan Tan away, Liu Miao settled down here.

Just as Liu Miao had predicted, his soldiers from Jingzhou and Yangzhou were simply unable to endure the harsh northern cold.

After the Frost's Descent, before the Beginning of Winter, many people have already caught the chills and sent letters to their families, asking them to send them some warm clothes to keep warm.

Liu Miao also instructed Jingzhou to produce as many winter clothes as possible. However, unlike the hemp and ramie used to make ordinary clothing, the winter clothes were either made from animal fur to form jackets, or they were made into lined garments with both an outer and an inner lining, filled with silk floss.

Unlike hemp, which is a widely cultivated crop, neither animal fur nor silk floss is common in the south. Gu Yong could only assure Liu Miao that he would transport some fur from Jiaozhou as soon as possible and purchase some silk floss from Shu to make winter clothes.

At this time, Huchuquan, the Xiongnu Chanyu who had been stationed in Linfen and confronting Yuan Tan, also sent an envoy to find Liu Miao.

Huchuquan wanted to make peace with Liu Miao and requested that Liu Miao release the captured Xiongnu Right Wise King's tribe.

Liu Miao originally didn't want to pay any attention to Hu Chuquan.

Release these Xiongnu back, then let them recuperate before continuing to follow Yuan Shao in attacking us.

However, the messenger from the kitchen assured Liu Miao that he would never again follow Yuan Shao in attacking Liu Miao!
"The Chanyu has already broken with Yuan Shao's eldest son, Yuan Tan. How could he possibly continue to ally with Yuan Shao?"

The messenger from Huchuquan prostrated himself at Liu Miao's feet, looking at him with a pleading expression.

"Now, all we can rely on is the Han Dynasty!"

"Besides, the Chanyu is also of the Liu bloodline, and is of the same clan as you!"

In order to curry favor with Liu Miao and win back the Right Wise King's troops, Hu Chuquan even sent a thousand sheep as a "bribe".

Why would Liu Miao refuse meat that was offered to him?
They immediately set up a large cauldron, put some scallions and chives inside, added water, lit firewood, covered it, and simmered it for half a day. The rich aroma of mutton completely dispelled the soldiers' chill.

Liu Miao ladled out a bowl of mutton soup with leg meat, then broke some soup noodles into pieces and put them in the bowl before he began to eat with great relish.

When other soldiers saw this, they followed suit and imitated Liu Miao's way of eating, which quickly became popular!
Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci each held a bowl of mutton soup with flatbread in front of Liu Miao, and while eating the meat, they asked Liu Miao, "Does our lord intend to agree to Huchuquan's request?"

"Promise what?"

Liu Miao reached in and picked at the shredded mutton stuck between his teeth.

"Just because I ate mutton doesn't mean I accept the return of the Right Wise King's tribe!"

After putting down the empty bowl, Chen Wu, being very perceptive, ladled out another bowl of mutton soup for Liu Miao, and even picked out a piece of lamb leg to put in the bowl before bringing it back to Liu Miao.

"belch!"

When Liu Miao hiccuped, warm air would rise from his mouth.

Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci did not seem surprised by Liu Miao's behavior. However, while slurping his mutton soup, Zhou Yu asked about the preparations for winter clothes.

"It's too early! This time it was our poor planning. We should wait until spring to launch an attack on Bingzhou or Jizhou."

Liu Miao scooped the lamb leg from the bowl, and with a slight movement of his fingers, tore off a piece of succulent lamb meat.

Liu Miao turned around and put the mutton into Chen Wu's bowl, then tore off a piece and put it into Zhou Yu's bowl before continuing to gnaw on the big bone.

"That old bastard Huchuquan is up to no good! Now he knows he's surnamed Liu? Where was he all this time? I'd rather keep those Xiongnu from the Right Wise King's tribe as laborers than send them to him!"

Zhou Yu skillfully ate the mutton that Liu Miao had placed in his bowl, and said as he chewed, "Actually, it's not that I can't return it."

"Ugh?"

“What Hu Chuquan said is right. He has already offended Yuan Tan to the death, and it is impossible for him to continue to ally with him in the short term.”

Zhou Yu was actually quite tempted by Huchuquan's proposal.

“Anyway, we are currently in dire need of furs, so why not trade those Huns for some sheep? We can eat meat and use their furs to make winter clothes.”

"I have also heard that although Cao Cao killed Yan Liang and Wen Chou, he was later defeated by Yuan Shao and could only retreat to Guandu."

Zhou Yu was still worried about the war in the Central Plains.

"The problem now is that Cao Cao will be defeated before spring arrives. So the sooner we attack Hebei, the better it will be for Cao Cao's side."

"Suck it!"

Liu Miao sucked hard and extracted the entire sheep marrow, then swallowed it smoothly.

"Does Gongjin really want to change?"

"Yes."

Zhou Yu hadn't been staying indoors all the time to avoid the cold; he had also inquired about things on the Xiongnu side.

"The current Chanyu, Huchuquan, is the younger brother of the previous Chanyu, Yufuluo. Yufuluo's own son, Liu Bao, is the current Left Wise King of the Xiongnu."

“If Huchuquan doesn’t bring the Right Wise King’s tribe back, he’s very likely to lose his position as Chanyu! In other words…”

Liu Miao put down the lamb leg, which was now completely devoid of any oil: "In other words, Huchuquan will probably spare no expense to ransom these Xiongnu people?"

"Exactly!"

Liu Miao clicked his tongue: "Indeed! It's not that we can't talk about it!"

"Okay! Let's talk then!"

Zhang Liao captured approximately three thousand Right Xiongnu cavalrymen.

Huchuquan, on the other side, cautiously offered a price: one sheep for two Xiongnu people.

"Get lost! Are you Huns so worthless? One of you isn't even worth as much as a sheep? Aren't you afraid your people will be heartbroken to hear this!"

Huchuquan then changed the price to one sheep for one Xiongnu person.

"Get lost! Those are all able-bodied Xiongnu men! Are they worth only a sheep?"

"..."

Huchuquan had no other choice but to offer "one and a half sheep in exchange for one Xiongnu person".

In other words, a total of 4,500 sheep were exchanged for the 3,000 young and strong Xiongnu men from the Right Wise King's tribe that Liu Miao had captured!

Liu Miao had already agreed to this method. However, Hu Chuquan's side was clearly acting inhumanely!

He actually sent a messenger saying that since he had already sent Liu Miao a thousand sheep, wouldn't it be enough to send another three thousand five hundred sheep?
"They've come after me, Liu Miao, instead of me!"

Liu Miao was so angry he wanted to grind his teeth!
He's always the one taking advantage of others; there's no reason for anyone to take advantage of him.
However, Hu Chuquan also had his reasons: "That's all we have!"

"The tribe may have some surplus sheep, but those are for breeding! They don't address the root cause!"

"If General Liu can wait, he can send another thousand sheep next year..."

"Get lost! Next year? By then it'll be too late!"

When Hu Chuquan was at his wit's end, he finally remembered Liu Miao's peculiar habit.

"If General Liu is unwilling, my Chanyu is willing to send his daughter to him for a marriage alliance..."

"Get lost! The Chanyu's daughter? Is the Chanyu's daughter only worth a thousand sheep? Is she made of gold or something?"

However, seeing that the envoy from Huchuquan looked truly gloomy, Liu Miao guessed that those three thousand-plus sheep had probably already squeezed Huchuquan dry, leaving him with absolutely no profit.

I thought about it.

"Is your Chanyu's daughter beautiful?"

"Of course! She's a jewel of the grasslands!"

"..."

Liu Miao sighed helplessly.

"That's fine!"

"For the sake of the Han Dynasty! What does it matter if I, Liu Miao, add another stain to my reputation?"

As Liu Miao nodded, Hu Chuquan finally breathed a sigh of relief!

More than three thousand Xiongnu people from the Right Wise King's tribe were handed over to the other side.

Of course, their warhorses still had to stay with Liu Miao. Otherwise, the price wouldn't be just one and a half sheep per person.

Meanwhile, Huchuquan also rounded up the total, sending four thousand sheep to Liu Miao.

Incidentally, there was also Huchuquan's daughter, who, strictly speaking, belonged to the Luanti clan, a distant cousin of Liu Miao.

Luan Ti's skin was not smooth; in fact, it could be described as rough.

But the wolf-skin coat she wore gave her a breathtaking, wild beauty.

As for the face...

Anyway, ever since he slept with Zhen Mi, Liu Miao has become completely face-blind, feeling that all women's faces are pretty much the same and there is no difference between them.

"You can be considered a princess of the Xiongnu."

Liu Miao casually asked, "Have you ever slept with a man?"

"No."

Unlike Han women who shyly turn their heads away upon seeing men, Luan Ti stared intently at Liu Miao.

"However, I've seen warhorse breeding, so I know what it's all about."

Liu Miao raised an eyebrow: "You speak Chinese quite well! Unlike your father's envoy before, whose Chinese had a strong muttony accent."

“The wife of the Left Wise King taught me to read and write.”

Liu Miao didn't react at first.

However, he immediately nodded and said, "So it was Zhao Ji who taught you, no wonder."

"It's a pity the teaching wasn't complete! That kind of thing between men is not the same as breeding warhorses!"

Liu Miao patted the makeshift folding chair he had cobbled together: "Come here! I'll teach you!"

……

……

The next day.

Liu Miao left the camp, where Zhou Tai was already waiting at the door with a bowl of mutton soup, a sly smile on his lips: "My lord, how is it?"

Zhou Tai was definitely not asking about mutton soup.

Liu Miao clicked his tongue in admiration and exclaimed, "No wonder she's a Xiongnu woman; she's got real strength in her waist and legs!"

After a moment of silence, Liu Miao suddenly blurted out, "It's just that the flavor is a bit too strong."

Zhou Tai immediately laughed and said, "Women need a strong scent to be truly exciting!"

"That's true! Hahahaha!!"

Liu Miao and Zhou Tai were laughing loudly when they suddenly noticed Zhou Yu rushing towards Liu Miao with a serious expression.

"Gongjin, what's the rush? If you're in such a hurry, I can ask Huchuquan to get you a few more Xiongnu women, how about that?"

"What nonsense is my lord talking about?"

Liu Miao then noticed that Zhou Yu, who was usually calm and collected, was now filled with indescribable anxiety and panic!

For Zhou Yu to react in this way, something major must have happened!

Liu Miao stopped laughing, his brows furrowing slightly: "What exactly happened?"

"Xu You has betrayed us! He ordered assassins to kill Xun Yu at the banquet. Now Xun Yu's fate is unknown, and Cao Cao has completely abandoned Guandu and returned to Xuchang!"

(End of this chapter)