Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 136 Naturalization
That roar, like the death knell, shattered Murong Han's spirit!
He no longer cared about maintaining his composure as a wise man. With a strange cry, surrounded by his guards, he fled for his life like a stray dog ​​towards the gap in the rear of the camp that had not yet been encircled!
Zhang Xian would not allow him to escape. His black warhorse galloped forward, increasing its speed! The Hu soldiers blocking his way were like duckweed parted by a giant wave, being knocked away and smashed to pieces!
It seems that we are about to catch up!

A resolute glint flashed in Murong Han's eyes. He abruptly turned his horse around and, with the last dozen or so guards, charged fearlessly toward Zhang Xian: "Protect the Chanyu! Stop him!"

"Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!" Zhang Xian's eyes were icy cold as his Overlord Halberd transformed into a streak of dark light that swept across the entire army!

Puff! Puff! Snap!

The screams abruptly ceased! In just two or three exchanges, these dozen or so valiant guards were swept away like leaves in a whirlwind, their bodies and horses slashed and sent flying! Blood and flesh were scattered all over the ground!
During this brief lull in the blockade, Murong Han had already reached the edge of the camp and was about to disappear into the dark grassland!
"Hansheng!"

"Huang Hansheng of Nanyang is here! Enemy general, do not flee!"

A sharp, piercing sound, like an arrow whistling through the clouds and splitting rocks, rang out.

The unparalleled power of the Four Stone Longbow sent the arrow hurtling straight at Murong Han like a heavy cannon.

There was a pop.

"Ah!!!" A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the night sky, then abruptly stopped...

The arrow shaft, powerful enough to shoot stones and fight tigers, pierced the body of the man on horseback. Blood gushed out, and he fell to the ground, unable to rise again.

The camp at the foot of Wild Fox Ridge has been completely transformed into a sea of ​​fire and a battlefield of carnage.

The flames of revenge of the Lü Si Army are burning everything.

The shouts of battle gradually thinned out, replaced by the desperate howls of the barbarians, the mournful neighing of warhorses, and the crackling sound of flames engulfing everything.

Zhang Xian stood on a high slope in the camp that had not yet been affected by the fire, his black warhorse pawing excitedly at the scorching ground beneath its hooves.

The black armor was bathed in the firelight, turning a dark red, and the scarlet cloak fluttered wildly in the hot wind.

He coldly surveyed the inferno beneath his feet, a purgatory he himself had set ablaze.

Huang Zhong, covered in blood, strode forward, carrying his still-dripping nine-ringed mountain-chopping knife. Behind him stood the Linzi Battalion's sword and shield bearers, their heavy shields like walls, their blades stained with blood.

"Reporting to our lord! The remaining enemy forces in the Eastern Camp have been wiped out! Countless heads have been taken!"

Zhang Liao also rode up, exhausted but with sharp eyes: "My lord! The stubborn enemy in the western camp has been annihilated! Thousands have surrendered!"

Zhang Xian's gaze swept over the ravaged enemy camp, over the corpses of the barbarians scattered everywhere, and finally settled on the darkness in the distance where Murong Han had perished.

He slowly raised the Overlord Halberd in his hand, a weapon steeped in enemy blood and radiating a chilling aura in the firelight. Its tip pointed diagonally to the sky, and his icy voice, as if from the depths of hell, echoed clearly in the ears of every soldier.

"Send the order!"

"Clean up the battlefield."

"Sever the enemy chieftain's head!"

"With the corpses of the barbarians..."

"here!"

"Build a Jingguan!"

"promise!"
-
In the mornings in Bingbei, the dew is abundant.

The loud cry of an eagle awakened the sleeping camp.

The Chinese military tent.

Zhao Yun opened his eyes, still dazed.

"woo"

The dry lips parted with a tearing pain, but even this small sound woke up the other person there.

"woke up?"

Zhang Xian took the cloak from one side, put it on, and walked up to Zhao Yun.

"Brother Xian,"

Upon seeing that familiar face, the latter almost burst into tears, and he called out in a slightly choked voice.

"Brother Xian, I'm sorry."

Zhang Xian sighed and bowed slightly: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said this to you. The people you really owe an apology to are the soldiers who trusted you and followed you into battle."

"The cavalry force has 2,047 men. In yesterday's battle, 420 were seriously wounded, countless others were lightly wounded, and 211 died."

"Do you know what this means?"

He helped Zhao Yun sit up.

The sixteen-year-old boy's childishness had long since faded; he was filled with remorse and remained silent.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Zhang Xian continued softly, "This means that 211 families have lost a son, a husband, or even the pillar of their family forever."

"After you go back, you will take the compensation and go to each and every family to kowtow and apologize!" His words became slightly stern.

"younger brother."

Upon hearing of the cavalry's casualties, Zhao Yun's eyes dimmed further. He nodded.

"Know."

Zhang Xian patted him on the shoulder: "Remember what happened yesterday, and don't do it again!"

"Not anymore!"

"Never again!"

Zhao Yun forced himself to kneel on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble general has caused the army to be trapped. I beg my lord to punish me!"

Zhang Xian stared at him for a moment, then took a few steps back and stood up straight: "You are wrong, but the fault is not entirely yours. Just wait and see."

He turned around, lifted the curtain, and shouted outside: "Order Huang Zhong, Xi Zhong, Zhang Liao, Zhao Gou, Zhao Niu, Zhao Hu, and all officers of the cavalry battalion commander rank and above to enter the tent for a meeting!"

"promise!"

The guards outside the main tent immediately went to inform them.

Before long, more than a dozen people entered the tent.

"Lord!"

"Lord!"

"My lord."

The dozen or so people bowed, and were secretly pleased to see Zhao Yun kneeling to one side.

"Ah Yun is awake!"

"Brother Yun!"

"General!"

"."

Huang Zhong and others called out with concern.

But Zhao Yun, who was kneeling, did not react at all.

"This"

The group exchanged glances.

Zhang Xian waved his hand: "Alright, stop calling him, he's apologizing."

He turned and walked to the table, where he sat down.

"Zhicai, tell me about yesterday's discovery."

"only."

Xi Zhong cupped his hands and stepped forward: "Yesterday, in the battle of Yehuling, we annihilated the grassland forces, beheading 2,700, capturing 1,500, and leaving fewer than 100 who escaped. The ringleaders have been executed."

"Following up the search and examination, forty-three secret letters were found, all of which were plots against our Luqi Army. The intelligence was so detailed that it could only have come from a powerful clan in Bingnan. Although no name was found, I suspect that all of these secret letters were written by the same person."

"who!"

Zhao Yun raised his head, his eyes filled with rage.

Xi Zhong glanced at him, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "It's not hard to guess who in Bingzhou has a grudge against our lord: the Wang family of Taiyuan!"

Zhao Yun clenched his fist, a murderous intent rising in his heart.

"Alright," said Zhang Xian, who was sitting at the head of the table, waving his hand.

"Zhao Yun".

"The end will be here."

"As the commander-in-chief, you caused the entire army to suffer. This is your fault. Therefore, you are temporarily relieved of your post as cavalry captain and demoted to infantry spearman."

"My lord!"

"Lord!"

"My lord, we are willing to continue to follow General Zhao!"

"."

Huang Zhong quickly tried to dissuade them, and officers of all ranks in the cavalry also volunteered to continue to be under Zhao Yun's command.

They still vividly remember the scene yesterday where the white horse made several incursions and escapes, turning a seemingly hopeless situation around.

Even when they are in dire straits, they have no complaints about following such a leader.

"Enough! Did you hear me clearly?!" Zhao Yun knelt down, banging his head on the ground: "Zhao Yun obeys!"

"Zhang Liao, Zhao Gou!"

"The general is here!"

"You two will temporarily assume the positions of cavalry captains and continue to command the cavalry!"

"."

"Is there a problem?" Zhang Xian slammed his hand on the table.

The two men quickly cupped their hands in greeting: "Your humble servants obey!"

"Now that the mistakes have been made, let's reward those who have made contributions."

Zhang Xian slowly stood up and looked at Xi Zhong.

"Zhicai, Nian."

"only."

Xi Zhicai took out a piece of paper, unfolded it, and began to speak, word by word.

"The cavalry force entered the northern grasslands for over two months, beheading three thousand and capturing tens of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses."

The following are the individuals who have made meritorious contributions in each department.

"Zhang Liao was promoted to Colonel (Sima) and commanded a thousand men."

"Zhao Gou was promoted to Colonel (Sima) and commanded a thousand men."

"Zhao Hu and Zhao Niu are promoted to military commanders and will temporarily assist Zhang Liao. Zhao Gou will command the cavalry battalion."

"The cavalry officers and soldiers will be promoted according to their merits, and each will be rewarded with two oxen and five sheep."

"Huang Zhong's troops arrived in time to provide reinforcements. Huang Zhong, the Colonel of the Liaodong Expedition, led three sets of elite armor, ten horses, twenty oxen, and fifty sheep."

"Each soldier of the Lin Battalion who rushed to the rescue will be rewarded with one cow and three sheep!"

"Zhao Yun."

Xi Zhicai recited in one breath the reward specifications that he and his lord had discussed the previous night, and then looked at Zhao Yun, who had not yet gotten up.

"His crime is less serious than that of the commander-in-chief, but considering his courage and bravery in protecting the cavalry soldiers, fighting against many enemies single-handedly, his position as cavalry captain is temporarily suspended and will be retained for future use!"

"We thank our Lord for His grace!"

Inside the tent, everyone bowed with their hands clasped.

Zhang Xian nodded slightly: "The bravery of all the soldiers is commendable. Keep up the good work."

He praised him, then looked at Zhao Yun, who was still bowing his head, and said softly, "Would you like me to help you up?"

"Yun dares not."

Zhao Yun then looked up and tried to get up, but several cavalry officers beside him quickly helped him up.

"General."

"It's alright, it's a blessing to be alive," he shook his head slightly, comforting everyone.

Then, as if remembering something, he cupped his hands towards Zhang Xian again and said, "Brother Xian!"

He was calling him "brother" rather than "lord".

Zhang Xian looked at him, and the others in the tent also looked at him.

"What's the matter?"

Zhao Yun's eyes hardened slightly, and he solemnly said, "I have grown up and no longer wish to use my age as an excuse. I humbly request that Brother Xian celebrate my coming-of-age ceremony!"

Zhang Xian paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

"Lie down and rest. The rest of you gather your troops and prepare to return."

"promise!"

The White River Valley army camp, shrouded in mist, broke camp and departed.

All that remained were bright red bloodstains and a mound of skulls.

Vultures circled overhead, waiting to land and feast.

And at the foot of Yehu Ridge, forty or fifty miles away from Baihe Valley.

An even larger mound of Jingguan (a type of human pyramid) silently testifies to the horror.

The surrounding area was charred black.

The silence was broken only when a shepherd came along and saw the scene.

Qiangyin, a small town located south of Baihe Valley and guarding the border between the northern grasslands and Han territory, has now become a bridgehead for the Lüchi army's northward advance.

On the city wall, the banner of "Commander Huang of the Liaodong Region" fluttered in the wind.

The once slightly dilapidated city walls have been reinforced, the makeshift camps have been extended outwards, warhorses neigh in the stables, and the sounds of soldiers training can be heard incessantly on the drill ground.

The atmosphere inside the central command tent was solemn.

Zhang Xian sat in the main seat, with Huang Zhong, Xi Zhong, Zhang Liao, and Zhao Gou on either side.

Although Zhao Yun's injuries had not yet healed and his face was still pale, he forced himself to sit down and listen.

On the table, a brand-new map of the northern grasslands was spread out, with key locations such as Baihe Valley and Yehu Ridge clearly marked in red ink, as well as the locations of several newly established outposts by the Lüqi Army.

"Zhi Cai, the largest tribe in Bingbei, has already been wiped out. What do you think we should do next?"

"My lord, I believe that it is better to bring the northern grasslands under our control sooner rather than later. However, we currently do not have enough people to control the north."

"But our army's might has already made all the tribes in the northern grasslands tremble with fear. If we implement the naturalization and grazing order now, the effect will be remarkable."

Xi Zhong spoke eloquently.

In fact, he had already discussed the arrangements for the Bingbei Grassland with Zhang Xianhan and others.

The key is to eliminate the big ones and devour the small ones.

The "Order for Assimilation and Grazing" is, as the name suggests, an order to assimilate the Hu people.

How to naturalize?

Pay tribute first!
You can continue grazing on the Bingbei grasslands, but you must have a grazing order issued by the Protectorate of the Xiongnu.

Otherwise, tribes without grazing permits would either have to leave and return north to the desert, or they would be killed.

How are grazing orders issued?
Zhang Xian set up camp at Qiangyin, with Huang Zhong in charge, and the cavalry and the Linzi camp left behind to guard the area.

And issued an order to the Protectorate of the Xiongnu Commandery of all tribes in the northern grasslands.

Effective immediately, the area north of the Baihe Valley, south of the Yinshan Mountains, west to the east bank of the Yellow River, and east to the area 100 li outside the Qiangyin Pass is designated as the "Bingbei Pasture Protection Area".

All nomadic tribes within this region were subject to the jurisdiction and protection of the Lüsi Protectorate of the Xiongnu.

Anyone entering this area with weapons outside the protected pasture zone will be considered a border intruder and will be killed without exception!

Any tribe wishing to graze its livestock within the protected pasture area, regardless of size, must have its leader personally travel to the Qiangyin camp to report the tribe's name, population, number of livestock, and approximate nomadic range to General Huang Zhong, the Commandant of the Liaodong.

After the report is verified, the Protectorate of the Xiongnu will issue a specially made "Naturalization and Grazing Order" wooden stamp with a fire-lacquer seal, engraved with the tribe name, the chieftain's name, and the validity period.

Only tribes holding a "naturalization and grazing order" are recognized as "naturalized tribes" by the Lüsi, and are protected by the Lüsi army, and can graze freely within a designated area.

To obtain a naturalized grazing order, one had to pay a "grazing tax" to the Protectorate of the Xiongnu every autumn, based on the number of livestock: one in ten for horses, one in fifteen for cattle, and one in twenty for sheep. Of course, this tax could also be paid in exchange for furs, dried meat, or warhorses.

If you are summoned by the enemy army, you must do your best to cooperate, such as as a guide, transporter, or defender.

Zhang Xian read through each item one by one, then tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a soft, rhythmic sound.

The tent was silent as all the generals held their breath, awaiting their lord's decision.

“Hmm,” Zhang Xian finally spoke, his voice low but carrying an undeniable authority.

"The document is clear and the rewards and punishments are well-defined, which is acceptable." He handed the document back to Xi Zhong: "Make one hundred copies immediately in both Han and Hu languages."

The Chinese characters were posted at the newly established outposts, while the non-Chinese characters were widely disseminated to all tribes of the grasslands by soldiers, merchants, and surrendered non-Chinese people who understood the language! I want every herder in their yurt to know that from this day forward, this grassland has new rules!

"Yes, sir!" Xi Zhong solemnly accepted the order.

"Hansheng," Zhang Xian said, looking at Huang Zhong.

"Qiangyin will temporarily serve as our northern gateway and the foundation for implementing this decree. You will be stationed here to oversee the military and political affairs of the north. You will be fully responsible for patrolling, tax collection, adjudicating tribal disputes, and issuing grazing orders!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Huang Zhong clasped his hands in a fist salute.

“Zhang Liao, Zhao Gou!” Zhang Xian turned his gaze to the two acting cavalry captains.

"The general is here!"

"The cavalry has suffered some damage in this battle, but its strength remains! You two will temporarily lead the cavalry, and you have three tasks!"

Zhang Xian held up three fingers, his speech quickening, carrying a steely tone:
"First, rest and expansion! Select able-bodied men from the prisoners and those willing to assimilate into the Hu (non-Han) culture, choosing the strongest, bravest, and skilled in riding and archery to fill the gaps and train them rigorously! I want the cavalry battalion to recover its combat strength as soon as possible, with a tentative number of 1,500 cavalrymen!"

"Secondly, patrol the grasslands! Centered on Qiangyin, each unit will consist of a hundred riders, taking turns to patrol! Carrying newly drawn maps, they will inspect every grassland and every river valley!"

"Thirdly, we will exterminate the tribes that refuse to be assimilated. We have warned them several times, but those who do not listen have been reported to General Huang, who has mobilized troops to resolutely annihilate them! We will build a Jingguan (a mound of corpses) as a warning to others!"

"Once the naturalization and grazing order is implemented, we will act accordingly!"

Zhang Liao and Zhao Gou exchanged a glance and replied in unison, "Your subordinates obey!"
(End of this chapter)