I am invincible, that's why I lie down. You're using your entire clan to rebel?

A long black robe with subtle gold patterns, the hem fluttering slightly in the cold wind.

His young face was expressionless, but the moment he appeared, the atmosphere in the entire tent seemed to suddenly become heavy.

Huyan Lie immediately stood up: "Your Majesty."

Qin Mu waved his hand: "Sit down."

Hu Yanlie didn't say anything more and sat down again, but his gaze remained fixed on Qin Mu.

This was the first time he had faced the Qin emperor at such close range.

He had only heard about it before, but now that he had actually seen it, he realized that the rumors were just rumors.

The real Qin Mu is even more enigmatic than the rumors suggest.

Especially his eyes, calm and indifferent, as if nothing could truly move him.

Qin Mu walked to the map, his gaze sweeping over the marked areas: "Where were we?"

Murong Xuan cupped his hands in greeting: "The Red Wolf Tribe, the Black Mountain Camp, and the White River Army."

None of the three parties have yet explicitly submitted.

Qin Mu nodded: "Who else?"

One sentence stunned both Hu Yanlie and Murong Xuan.

Hu Yanlie quickly said, "Besides these three parties, there are some scattered tribes, but their strength is limited. Once the three major powers deal with them, they will naturally submit."

Qin Mu looked at the map: "That's not what I'm asking about."

Huyan Lie was taken aback.

Qin Mu raised his eyes: "Who else hasn't been dealt with?"

The voice remained calm, but this time, Hu Yanlie understood its true meaning.

Qin Mu wasn't asking who hadn't surrendered yet; he was asking who dared to stand up and oppose him.

Huyan Lie remained silent for a moment, then pointed to the northernmost part of the map: "Tuoba Xiong, commander of the Baihe Army."

Qin Mu nodded: "Anything else?"

"Wulie, leader of the Red Wolf tribe."

Helian Shan, commander of the Black Mountain Battalion.

There were also several tribal chiefs.

Hu Yanlie named them one by one.

After listening, Qin Mu said without any hesitation, "Let's go."

Hu Yanlie was taken aback: "Where to?"

Qin Mu looked at him: "Take care of them."

As soon as those four words were spoken, the tent fell silent.

Hu Yanlie was clearly stunned, as was Murong Xuan.

They never expected that Qin Mu would actually take action personally.

"Your Majesty," Murong Xuan couldn't help but speak up, "Although these people are dissatisfied, they are, after all, generals and tribal leaders of the Northern Barbarians."

"If we force them all to be dealt with..." Qin Mu turned around: "Who said I wanted to kill them?"

Murong Xuan was taken aback.

Qin Mu said calmly, "I'm just going to tell them something."

"What's wrong?"

Qin Mu looked outside the tent: "The Northern Barbarians have already changed their ways."

Half an hour later, at the Qing Shi Ferry camp.

The army has assembled, but its numbers are small, only a few hundred.

Qin Mu did not mobilize the Qin army, nor did he bring many guards.

Yunluan followed behind him, her hand on the hilt of her sword, her face cold and stern.

Jiang Zhaoyue also accompanied them, riding a horse behind Qin Mu.

Huyan Lie and Murong Xuan followed behind on horseback, their faces solemn, clearly still processing the weight of what had just been said.

Hu Yanlie originally thought Qin Mu would go to the Red Wolf Tribe first, but Qin Mu directly changed direction: "Go to the White River Army."

Huyan Lie was slightly taken aback: "Your Majesty, the Baihe Army is quite a distance from here..."

Qin Mu calmly replied, "I know."

Let's tackle the toughest challenge first.

Hu Yanlie remained silent, but his heart skipped a beat.

This is Qin Mu's choice: not to pick the weakest one first, nor to defeat them one by one, but to directly target the most difficult one to deal with.

Because as long as Tuoba Xiong bows his head, the others will naturally understand how to choose.

The group moved forward quickly through the wind and snow.

Horse hooves trod through the snow, leaving a trail of messy hoofprints on the snowfield.

In less than two hours, a continuous stretch of black camps appeared in the distance; that was the Baihe Army.

The stockade walls stood tall, and a flag of the Northern Barbarian army was planted in the wind and snow, its fluttering in the wind.

The sentries on the stockade wall quickly spotted them, and a figure sprinted down the wall. The news spread rapidly throughout the entire camp.

The man was dressed in heavy armor, with black animal hides draped over his shoulders, and held a long sword in his hand, the blade gleaming darkly in the dim light of the day.

It was Tuoba Xiong.

He stood on the city wall, looking at Qin Mu from afar, his face showing no fear, but rather a hint of coldness.

"Has the Emperor Qin himself come?"

The adjutant beside him whispered, "General, should we refuse to see him?"

Tuoba Xiong shook his head: "No."

Since he dares to come, I'd like to see what this Emperor of Qin has to say.

A moment later, the city gates opened.

Tuoba Xiong led out with more than a dozen generals, his steps steady, the armor making a low metallic clanging sound as he walked.

The two stood a few dozen steps apart in the wind and snow.

Qin Mu sat on his horse, quietly watching Tuoba Xiong.

Tuoba Xiong dismounted, but did not bow. He simply clasped his hands and said, "Tuoba Xiong greets the Emperor of Great Qin."

Qin Mu glanced at him: "You dare to defy me?"

Tuoba Xiong was silent for a moment, then said directly, "I disagree."

Hu Yanlie's expression changed slightly, and Murong Xuan beside him sighed inwardly.

But Qin Mu wasn't angry; he didn't even frown.

Why?

Tuoba Xiong looked up: "Because this is Northern Mang, and I am a soldier of Northern Mang."

I can listen to the Khan, but I am not willing to listen to the Qin Dynasty.

Qin Mu nodded: "That's backbone."

Tuoba Xiong was clearly taken aback, not expecting Qin Mu to say that.

But the next moment, Qin Mu asked, "Why do you think I came here?"

Tuoba Xiong did not answer.

Qin Mu continued, "You think I came here to kill you?"

Tuoba Xiong gripped the hilt of his sword tightly: "Isn't that right?"

"Of course not," Qin Mu said calmly. "Killing you would be easy."

"If I truly wanted to kill you, do you think you'd still be standing here?"

Tuoba Xiong's pupils suddenly contracted, and his fingers gripping the hilt of the knife tightened slightly.

The Baihe Army generals behind him also changed their expressions instantly, and some of them had already placed their hands on the hilts of their swords.

They certainly knew what Qin Mu's words meant.

What truly alarmed them was not the words themselves, but Qin Mu's tone when he said them—it was too calm, as if killing 30,000 Baihe soldiers was not a matter of concern.

Tuoba Xiong remained silent for a long time, a fine layer of cold sweat seeping from his back.

It was an extremely dangerous intuition that told him the man in front of him was not bluffing.

"What does Your Majesty wish to do?"

Qin Mu dismounted and walked step by step to him.

The wind and snow fell on his shoulders, accumulating a thin layer of white on his black robe, but he didn't care at all, simply standing two steps in front of Tuoba Xiong.

"I will only ask you one question: If the Northern Barbarians continue their attack, can you win?"

Tuoba Xiong remained silent.

Qin Mu continued: "The Northern Mang has been fighting internally for so many years, with infighting in the royal court, various tribes vying for power, and each fighting its own battles."

How much time do you actually have to get together?

Tuoba Xiong's expression gradually turned ugly, because what Qin Mu said was true.

Is the Northern Barbarians strong?

Of course it's strong.

However, the biggest weakness of the Northern Barbarians has never been their military strength, but their internal weaknesses.

The various tribes were wary of each other, the royal court and the tribes fought each other, and even different factions existed within the same army.

Qin Mu looked at him: "I'll give you a chance."

"What opportunity?"

"Leave."

Tuoba Xiong was taken aback.

Qin Mu pointed to the Baihe Army behind him: "Your soldiers, your generals, your military power, all of you are retained."

You only need to admit one thing.

Tuoba Xiong frowned: "What?"

"The Northern Barbarians are a vassal state of the Great Qin."

Upon hearing this, the generals behind Tuoba Xiong immediately stirred.

"General!"

"this……"

"We cannot agree to this!"

Tuoba Xiong raised his hand, silencing all sounds.

He looked at Qin Mu: "What if I don't agree?"

Qin Mu looked at him but did not answer.

He slowly raised his right hand, and Yunluan instantly understood.

She drew her sword, and a beam of sword light shot into the sky.

boom--

A snow-covered hill in the distance was suddenly cleaved in two by sword energy.

A tremendous roar echoed across the snowfield, and snow tumbled down along the sides of the crack, revealing the dark gray rock face inside the hill.

The entire Baihe army camp fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone's expression changed. Some people's mouths were agape, some almost dropped their weapons, and some subconsciously took a half step back.

Tuoba Xiong stared intently at the split hill, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword slowly loosening.

He had seen masters; he himself was one of the best in the army.

But that sword strike just now had exceeded the limits of his understanding.

That's beyond what human power can achieve.

The hill was at least two miles away from them, but the aftershock of that sword strike made him feel the air being torn apart even from that distance.

He suddenly realized something—Qin Mu's statement, "Killing you is easy," was not a threat.

He was simply stating the facts.

Qin Mu calmly said, "Now, do you still want to try?"

No one speaks.

The snow continued to fall, but the Baihe Army, which had been so hostile just moments before, was now eerily quiet.

Because they finally realized that the man in front of them was not someone they could fight against by sheer numbers.

Tuoba Xiong took a deep breath, slowly loosened the hilt of his sword, and sheathed the longsword again.

"Your Majesty." His voice was a few decibels deeper than before.

"Um?"

"I can agree."

Qin Mu nodded: "Very good."

Tuoba Xiong then asked, "But I have one condition."

Hu Yanlie frowned, about to speak, but was stopped by Murong Xuan's eyes.

Qin Mu smiled and said, "Speak."

"The Baihe Army must not be disbanded."

Qin Mu did not hesitate: "I agree."

Tuoba Xiong was taken aback, as if he hadn't expected him to agree so readily.

He paused, then added, "The military system of Northern Mang cannot be arbitrarily altered by Great Qin."

"Can."

"The people of Northern Mang should not be forcibly conscripted either."

"Of course." Qin Mu nodded, his tone without any hesitation.

Tuoba Xiong was stunned.

He originally thought that Qin Mu would compete with him, bargain, and propose exchange conditions.

Qin Mu agreed to every condition so readily, as if those terms were unimportant to him.

He paused for a moment, then asked, "Anything else?"

Qin Mu looked at him: "I'm asking you, is there anything else?"

"..."

Tuoba Xiong remained silent for a long time before finally shaking his head: "No more."

"That's settled then." Qin Mu turned around. "From now on, the Baihe Army will still be under your command."

Tuoba Xiong stood there, watching Qin Mu mount his horse, his gaze complex.

After Qin Mu had taken a dozen or so steps, he suddenly spoke: "Your Majesty."

Qin Mu turned around.

After a moment's hesitation, Tuoba Xiong finally said, "If one day, the Northern Barbarians need to send troops, I will listen to the Khan."

But what if Northern Mang is invaded by foreign enemies...?

Qin Mu looked at him and said, "I will also send troops."

Tuoba Xiong was stunned. He opened his mouth, but found that he didn't know how to respond.

Qin Mu didn't explain further, but simply remounted his horse and said, "Let's go."

Hu Yanlie quickly followed.

Even after Qin Mu had gone far away, no one in the Baihe army spoke.

Standing in the wind and snow, Tuoba Xiong watched Qin Mu's departing figure for a long time before whispering, "Just what kind of monster is this emperor?"

The adjutant beside him whispered, "General, is he really gone?"

Tuoba Xiong was silent for a moment: "He doesn't need to leave anything behind, because he knows we will keep our promise."

The lieutenant wanted to say something more, but seeing Tuoba Xiong's solemn expression, he swallowed his words in the end.

After defeating the Baihe Army, Qin Mu did not return to his camp, but went directly to the Red Wolf Tribe.

Upon hearing this decision, Huyan Lie couldn't help but smile wryly: "Your Majesty, are you planning to eliminate them all within a single day?"

Qin Mu responded calmly, "Mm."

"Why drag it out?"

Upon hearing this, Murong Xuan remained silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"Your Highness."

Huyan Lie looked at him.

Murong Xuan said, "Now I finally understand why Your Majesty was able to become the Emperor of Qin."

Why?

"Because when others solve a problem, they need to prepare first."

"But Your Majesty only needs to make a decision to resolve a matter."

Hu Yanlie listened without speaking, but stared at the black figure in front of him, and for the first time, a feeling truly arose in his heart.

Perhaps submitting to the Qin Dynasty is not a bad thing.

The territory of the Red Wolf tribe.

Inside the large tent, Wu Lie was drinking.

He was a burly man, wearing a thick wolfskin robe, with half a roasted lamb and several jugs of strong liquor on the table in front of him.

He was enjoying his drink when he heard a report from his guards outside the tent—Qin Mu had arrived outside the clan's territory.

Wu Lie smashed the wine glass in his hand, his face instantly turning gloomy.

"What's he doing here?"

The guard lowered his voice and said, "His Majesty says he wants to see the leader."

Wu Lie sneered: "See me? On what grounds?"

Before he finished speaking, the curtain was lifted.

Qin Mu walked straight in without announcing himself, without waiting, and without even giving Wu Lie time to react.

All the Red Wolf warriors inside the tent instinctively gripped their weapons, and some had already drawn their scimitars from their waists.

Yunluan took a step forward, her hand already on the hilt of her sword, her gaze sweeping over everyone in the tent like a knife.

Qin Mu waved his hand and said, "All of you, step back."

Wu Lie was taken aback. He looked at Qin Mu, then glanced at the young emperor who had entered his tent with only one guard.

"You're that confident in yourself?"

Qin Mu sat down opposite him, his posture as casual as if he were in his own study: "I don't need to believe."

Because none of the people here can kill me.

One sentence brought complete silence to the entire tent.

Wu Lie's face turned ashen, and his fingers tightened slightly around the wine pot.

The samurai around him had drawn their swords halfway, but dared not push them any further.

In the end, however, Ulie did not give the order.

"You want me to submit?"

"no."

"What is that?"

"I'll give you a choice."

Qin Mu picked up the wine in front of him, smelled it, and then put it down.

"Submit to the Great Qin."

Or…” He raised his head, looking calmly at Wu Lie, “leave Northern Mang.”