Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

That night, Helian Chang secretly summoned his most trusted and astute steward, who was also his half-brother, Helian Ming.

This person had engaged in border trade many times, was fluent in Mandarin, and was a smooth talker.

"Amin, the life and death of my Helian tribe depends on this battle."

Helian Chang dismissed his attendants, his face grave. "Take a few men, disguise yourself as a merchant caravan, and bring the tribe's best fifty fine horses, one hundred top-quality sable pelts, ten bushels of pearls, and... this."

He took out a small copper tube sealed tightly with sealing wax from his pocket and handed it to Helian Ming, lowering his voice, "Inside are copies of several secret letters from Murong Chui when he contacted the eldest prince to plan this invasion to the south, and tacitly approved our tribe's tolerance of plundering Hanyuan. There are also the names and appearances of several leaders of the Chuanlin Yan tribe who had contact with us. This is our only, and last, sincerity."

Helian Ming's hands trembled slightly as he accepted the copper tube. He knew the significance of what was inside—enough to cause a huge uproar in the Northern Yan court, enough to completely bind their Helian tribe to Murong Chui's side, leaving no room for maneuver. "Brother, is this really necessary? This is..."

"If we don't do it this way, our entire clan will be buried with Murong Chui!"

Helian Chang gritted his teeth and said, "Go to Dingbei Pass and request an audience with Han Yuan Jingbei King Xiao Chen. Tell him that I, Helian Chang, am willing to lead my entire clan to surrender, but I beg for the lives of all my people and a way out for my Helian tribe. The conditions... he can set them. As long as my Helian tribe's sacrificial rites are not cut off and my tribe's bloodline is not severed, everything is negotiable!"

"Yes! I'll set off immediately!" Helian Ming nodded emphatically.

Three days later, Helian Ming and his party, disguised, crossed the border hills and arrived at Dingbei Pass, where they revealed their identities and purpose.

Soon, they were brought into the pass and escorted under strict guard to the newly renovated former residence of the Longquan Pass garrison commander, now the Jingbei Prince's temporary residence.

Xiao Chen received Helian Ming in the simple yet solemn hall.

He was not wearing full armor, only a black casual robe, but he sat upright, exuding an imposing aura without anger, his gaze calmly sweeping over Helian Ming kneeling below and the gifts.

Helian Ming, trembling with fear, presented the gift list and the copper tube, subtly but clearly conveying Helian Chang's willingness to submit and his plea for survival. His forehead remained pressed to the ground, and he dared not raise it.

After listening, Xiao Chen gestured to his guards to put away the copper tube, but did not check it immediately.

He was silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but each word struck Helian Ming's heart like a hammer:

"The Helian tribe aided Murong Chui in his southern invasion and plundered our border people; their crimes are unforgivable. Now, seeing the might of our army, they realize they are only surrendering out of fear, not out of genuine admiration."

Helian Ming trembled and repeatedly cried out, "I deserve to die!"

"However, Heaven cherishes life, and I am not a bloodthirsty person. Since Helian Chang is willing to surrender, he must agree to five conditions, none of which can be omitted." Xiao Chen's tone turned cold.

"Please enlighten us, Your Highness! Our troops will obey without question!" Helian Ming hurriedly said.

"Firstly, all the people of Hanyuan who were captured during this invasion must be returned, regardless of age or gender. Not a single person shall be missing. The stolen property and livestock must also be recovered."

"Secondly, hand over all the leaders, nobles and their core followers in your tribe who have been hostile to me, participated in plundering, or colluded with bandits such as the Chuanlin Yan. They must be named and identified, and must not be concealed or replaced."

"Thirdly, we cede all the pastures south of the Blackwater River and east of Wolf Howling Mountain that originally belonged to your tribe to be placed under the direct jurisdiction of Dingbei Pass."

"Fourth, Helian Chang needs to send his eldest son to live in Zhenbei City."

"Fifth, all men of the Helian tribe aged between fifteen and fifty must be registered and placed under the command of the Hanyuan Military Government. The tribe shall no longer be allowed to maintain an independent and organized army."

With each statement Xiao Chen made, Helian Ming's face paled a little more.

These conditions were tantamount to skinning and dismembering the Helian tribe, stripping them of all their military and political independence, forcing them to hand over their core members, cede fertile pastures, and send hostages...

"With all five conditions met, I can guarantee the lives of the entire Helian tribe, the position of leader can be inherited by Helian Chang's lineage, and the tribespeople can live peacefully on designated pastures, protected by the laws of my Hanyuan, and treated equally. If any one of these conditions is not met..."

Xiao Chen didn't continue, but the invisible pressure made Helian Ming almost suffocate.

"This humble servant...this humble servant will return immediately and report to my clan head!" Helian Ming was sweating profusely and kept kowtowing.

"I'll give you three days. If there's no reply after three days, or if the reply is incomplete or untrue, my Cold Abyss Iron Cavalry and Thunderclap will personally go to your Helian tribe's ranch to retrieve it." Xiao Chen waved his hand, signaling him to leave.

Helian Ming left the hall in a daze and rushed back to his tribe overnight.

After hearing the five conditions brought back by Helian Ming, Helian Chang turned ashen-faced and sat in the tent for a long time.

Outside the tent, the angry roars of Helian Bao and other pro-war faction members could be faintly heard, shouting "We would rather die than be humiliated" and "We absolutely cannot agree to this."

Ultimately, under pressure from the majority of the elders in the clan and the middle-level leaders who were terrified by the rumors of the "thunderclap," Helian Chang made a painful but resolute choice.

He secretly gathered his most loyal guards and devised a "banquet." He drugged the wine and drugged and bound his nephew Helian Bao, along with three other most aggressive young war leaders, their families, and trusted warriors—a total of over 120 people.

He then suppressed his intense pain and ordered the release of the more than 300 Han Yuan border people who had been captured and imprisoned in the tribe. He also gathered some of the looted property, as well as a large number of horses, cattle and sheep from his own tribe, and sent them, along with Helian Bao and others who were tied up like dumplings, to Dingbei Pass under the leadership of Helian Ming.

At the same time, he personally wrote the surrender document, formally acknowledging the five conditions for submission, and sent his eldest son, a boy of only fourteen years old.

A biting wind howled in front of Dingbei Pass.

Helian Bao and the others were brought to the front of the battle line, where they continued to curse angrily.

Xiao Chen sat upright on his horse, his face expressionless.

Wang Dashan stepped forward, verified his identity, and read out his crimes of colluding with foreign enemies, plundering border residents, and resisting imperial authority.

"cut!"

At the command, the sword fell.

The heads of Helian Bao and several other masterminds rolled on the ground, their blood staining the withered grass red.

His family members and associates were sent to hard labor camps and dispatched to various mines and construction sites.

Xiao Chen publicly announced that he accepted the submission of the Helian tribe. Their people could be relocated to a designated area and placed under the protection of Han Yuan, but they had to strictly abide by the laws, pay tribute regularly, and the men would be subject to inspection and reorganization.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the North.

The Helian tribe, a powerful clan of Northern Yan, the wife's family of Murong Chui and supporters of Tie Gan, was forced to hand over its core members, cede territory, pay reparations, and offer its son as a hostage under the onslaught of Han Yuan's troops. They almost crippled themselves in order to survive!

Once this precedent was set, all the other small and medium-sized tribes along the northern border were terrified.

The rabbit dies and the fox grieves; creatures grieve for their own kind.

If even the Helian tribe has come to such a state, what will be the fate of those who are weaker and dare to resist?

In a short time, tribes sent envoys to Dingbei Pass to inquire about the situation and express their submission.

Murong Chui's influence in the northern border region, built up over many years, quickly vanished with the fall of Dingbei Pass and the "example" set by the Helian tribe.

The formidable reputation of Han Yuan and the terror of "Thunderclap" acted like the strongest shackles and the sharpest blade, firmly gripping the throat of the southern border of Northern Yan and completely altering the power structure of this land.