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

Although the smoke of battle at Dingbei Pass had dissipated, the earth-shattering roar of the "Thunderclap" and the formidable reputation of "Prince Jingbei" Xiao Chen for his brilliant military strategy and impartial rewards and punishments spread like wildfire and the frost of late autumn, sweeping across every remaining inch of the northern border at a speed far faster than the battle reports, and leaving a deep imprint on the hearts of every border general and every anxious commoner.

When the Northern Yan peace delegation, escorted by a large force, left Zhenbei City dejectedly with the nearly humiliating peace terms, heading north to report back to their homeland, the atmosphere in the entire northern border had already undergone a subtle yet profound change.

It was not merely a recognition of defeat, but a re-examination and... choice regarding a new order and a rising power.

Lone Wolf Castle.

This is a stone fortress located more than 300 miles northwest of Zhenbei City, near the snowfield.

The fortress lord's name is Han Meng. He is not a direct descendant of the Murong royal family, nor even from a core tribe. He relied on his bravery and a bit of luck to accumulate merit in several raids on the snowfield barbarians. He was enfeoffed here by the former old Khan and is guarding this bitter, barren, yet strategically important land.

He had over three hundred brave and capable brothers under his command, plus the herdsmen he relied on, which barely made up a thousand men who could fight.

In the past, he was like a true lone wolf, having to defend against the occasional incursions from the northern snowfields, deal with the royal court's irregular conscription and bribery, and guard against the covetousness of other small forces nearby. He lived a very frugal life, and his loyalty to the Murong clan stemmed more from the fear of being crushed by a more powerful force.

When news of the crushing defeat at Dingbei Pass arrived, Han Meng's first reaction was shock and disbelief.

Murong Chui, the war god of Northern Yan, the eagle of the grasslands, how could he have lost? And lost so miserably?

But as more details came from the routed soldiers, especially the descriptions of the earth-shattering power of the Thunderclap Bomb, and the subsequent subservient and almost self-destructive surrender of the Helian tribe, Han Meng's heart sank little by little.

He sensed something different—the world of Northern Yan might be about to change.

Soon after, news of internal strife within the Northern Yan royal court, the sudden death of the old Khan, the ascension of the young ruler, and Yuwen Hu's regency broke the camel's back.

Immediately following, the Northern Yan royal court dispatched envoys to Han Yuan to sue for peace!

Ceding territory, paying reparations, opening markets, and accepting hostages... one after another, the rumored harsh terms lashed at the hearts of Han Meng and his men like whips.

The royal court is too busy to even take care of itself and has to bow down and beg for peace with the enemy. So what are these isolated fortresses left on the border to fend for themselves?

"Lord of the fortress, I heard that in the Cold Abyss, as long as the tribes that submit are obedient, they are not only spared from death, but also given pastures, and the chieftains can retain their status. However... they have to hand over their military power and accept reorganization." A trusted subordinate leaned over and whispered, his eyes gleaming.

"The Helian tribe is terrified of being beaten, there's nothing we can do! We..." another person muttered, but his voice was clearly lacking in confidence.

Han Meng looked at the sparse garrison inside the fortress and touched the cold city wall.

The fort's food reserves are running low, and the supply of animal hides for the winter is also scarce.

The barbarians of the snowy plains to the north seem to have heard the news as well, and their activities on the border have become more frequent recently.

Relying on the royal court? The royal court is probably not even able to protect itself now.

Hoping for help from other nearby castles? Batu of Blackrock City and Suhe of Wildhorse Station, they are probably just as anxious as I am.

Just as Han Meng was hesitating and struggling, an envoy from Zhenbei City arrived at Lone Wolf Fortress with a personal letter from Prince Xiao Chen of Jingbei and a proclamation stamped with the seal of the Jingbei Grand General's Office.

The envoy did not bring a large army, but only a dozen or so guards, and his attitude was neither humble nor arrogant.

The letter contained simple words, yet carried immense weight.

In his letter, Xiao Chen did not act arrogantly as the victor. Instead, he was quite "considerate" in mentioning that Lone Wolf Fortress was located on the frontier and was difficult to defend. He also expressed his appreciation for the hard work of Han Meng and others in protecting the border and the people.

Then, shifting his focus, he elaborated on Han Yuan's philosophy of protecting its borders and ensuring the well-being of its people, as well as the shared prosperity of all ethnic groups. He clearly stated that any border city or tribe willing to submit to Han Yuan and abide by its laws would have its leader's status and the property of its people guaranteed. Han Yuan would treat all tribes equally, providing protection, opening trade routes, and helping to defend against foreign enemies.

However, it was also clearly stated that they must accept the reorganization of Hanyuan Military Government, and the responsibility of guarding the area would be uniformly arranged by Hanyuan.

The accompanying proclamation detailed the specific policies after submission: treatment of chieftains, resettlement of followers, tax reductions, land grants for military merits, etc., all clearly organized and with distinct rewards and punishments.

Han Meng sat in the cold main hall of the fortress all night, holding that light yet heavy letter.

He recalled the annihilation of Murong Chui's army, the "example" of the Helian tribe, the indifference and infighting of the royal court, the increasingly aggressive barbarians to the north, and the hungry and bewildered eyes of his brothers in the fortress and the dependent herdsmen...

The next morning, Han Meng, his eyes red-rimmed, summoned all the leaders. He didn't say much, but simply read aloud the contents of Xiao Chen's letter and proclamation. A deathly silence fell over the hall.

"Lord of the castle, are we... really going to..." someone asked in a trembling voice.

"Otherwise what?"

Han Meng's voice was hoarse. "Wait for the royal court to come to our rescue? Wait for the Han Yuan army and the heavenly thunder to strike? Or wait for winter to come and for the northern barbarians to come and steal our food and women?"

He looked around at everyone and said, word by word, "Prince Xiao of Hanyuan gave us a way to live and a future. Even the Helian tribe, which is so large, has submitted. Who are we, a hundred or so people, trying to impress by holding on? Are we supposed to be loyal to that royal court that can barely protect itself?"

No one spoke again. The instinct for survival, and the vague hope for a better future, overwhelmed the already fragile loyalty.

Three days later, the gates of Lone Wolf Fortress were opened wide.

Han Meng, the lord of the fortress, led all the chieftains, soldiers, and representatives of the main forces within the fortress to a place five miles outside the fortress. There, they burned incense, set up an altar, and handed over the seal of authority and the register of soldiers and civilians within the fortress to the envoy from Han Yuan, formally surrendering and submitting to the emperor.

The envoy, representing Prince Xiao Chen of Jingbei, accepted Han Meng's surrender and announced on the spot that Han Meng would remain the garrison commander of Lone Wolf Fortress. After his troops were reorganized, they would be responsible for the defense and land reclamation of the local area and some newly incorporated areas. All treatment would be implemented in accordance with the proclamation.

The news spread like wildfire.

Balu of Blackrock City, a tribal leader of humble origins who conquered a small territory through bravery, almost without hesitation followed Han Meng's example and surrendered his entire city after learning of Lone Wolf Fortress's allegiance and witnessing the rapid delivery of winter food and cloth from the Cold Abyss as "settlement fees."

Suhe of Yemayi was originally the leader of a large caravan. Due to the war, he occupied this place and was most sensitive to the trade routes.

When he learned that Han Yuan not only ensured the safety of those who surrendered, but also vigorously opened and protected trade routes and established a large-scale mutual market at Dingbei Pass, he immediately realized the huge business opportunities involved.

After the envoy from the Cold Abyss promised his caravan preferential treatment on the new trade route, Suhe gladly submitted and proactively provided intelligence on other nearby forces.

Tieshanbao, Xiangshuizhai, Huiyantun, Luoyingxia... one after another, these fortresses, post stations, and garrisons scattered along the northern border, whether large or small, belonging to the Northern Yan border army system or established by local strongmen, followed the example of Gulangbao, Heishicheng, and Yemayi's successive submission. Under the dual effects of the Northern Yan royal court's loss of prestige, Hanyuan's growing military power, and the policy of "appeasement," they fell like dominoes, sending envoys to Zhenbeicheng or Dingbeiguan to express their intention to submit within just over a month.

Their reasons were largely the same: they were unwilling to be buried with the corrupt and infighting royal court, could not bear the invasion of the northern barbarians or surrounding forces, admired the prestige of the King of Jingbei, were willing to be protected by Hanyuan, jointly safeguard the peace of their homeland, and in exchange for a way to survive or even a better livelihood.

Xiao Chen had anticipated this and made preparations accordingly. He personally received Han Meng, Batu, Suhe, and others who had come to surrender the earliest, comforted them with gentle words, reiterated his promises, and bestowed upon them official positions and wealth.

Those who subsequently joined were handled by Han Lie, Zhou Tong, and others according to established procedures, which was extremely efficient.

With each city or fortress conquered, Han Yuan's military and political forces would quickly follow: a small squad of elite soldiers would be stationed there, clerks would register households and land, craftsmen would guide the repair of fortresses and the construction of water conservancy projects, and caravans would bring urgently needed supplies... Order was quickly established in a way that was far more efficient and pragmatic than during the Northern Yan's rule.

Without bloodshed or resistance, the remaining seven scattered border fortresses in the North surrendered to the Cold Abyss in an almost avalanche-like manner.

They may not be wealthy or have a large army, but their symbolic significance and strategic value are immeasurable.

This means that Han Yuan's rule is no longer limited to a few key points such as Zhenbei City, Panshi Fortress, and Dingbei Pass, but has truly extended its reach to most of the inhabited and productive areas in the northern border, forming a relatively complete and in-depth control network.

When the last Ice Peak outpost, located in the far north bordering the snowfields, sent an old man to present a falcon's tail feather as a symbol of loyalty and a rough map, it was already late autumn.

The council hall of the Jingbei Prince's Mansion.

On the huge map of the North, the areas representing the control of the Cold Abyss have been prominently connected by the vermilion brush.

From Zhenbei City at the southernmost tip to Bingfeng Post at the northernmost tip, from Dingbei Pass in the east to the old territory of the Canglang tribe in the west, although its territory is still not comparable to that of the Northern Yan at its peak, it has become the sole ruler of the northern border, with no large-scale opposition forces remaining.

Xiao Chen stood before the map, hands clasped behind his back. Wang Dashan, Han Lie, Zhao Tie, Liu Yidao, Zhou Tong, and other high-ranking civil and military officials stood on either side, their faces beaming with excitement.

"Your Highness," Han Lie said, his voice trembling slightly with excitement as he held the newly compiled documents, "Lone Wolf Fortress, Black Stone City, Wild Horse Post Station, Iron Mountain Fortress, Echoing Water Village, Grey Goose Village, Falling Eagle Gorge, and Ice Peak Post Station—the eleven main border fortresses and strongholds of the Northern Territory—have, apart from my original Zhenbei and Panshi, and the newly acquired Dingbei, all seven other cities, along with their seventeen attached garrisons and post stations, have formally submitted their allegiance. The takeover is essentially complete. The Northern Territory is now entirely in my hands!"

Xiao Chen's gaze slowly swept over each newly added name on the map, as if he could see through these symbols the sun, moon, and stars flags that had just been raised in those border towns, the complex and expectant eyes of the soldiers and civilians who had submitted, and the policies, laws, caravans, and culture of Hanyuan flowing to every corner of this land along the newly built roads and reopened trade routes.

"Seven Cities Return to the Heart..."

Xiao Chen repeated the sentence in a low voice, his tone not filled with elation, but rather with a calm sense of responsibility and consideration. "This is not the end, but the beginning."

He turned to face the assembled officials, his voice clear and firm:

"The territory has been initially established, but the people's hearts are not yet settled, the system has not been established, and everything needs to be rebuilt. The seven cities and the newly attached territories have different situations and need to be properly settled according to local conditions."

Chief Secretary Han was instructed to immediately formulate the "Regulations for the Governance of the Newly Subordinate Border Towns," categorize them by type, and assign personnel to take over, ensuring that government orders were effectively implemented and the people's livelihood was stable.

General Wang, the defenses of various regions need to be replanned. The reorganization of surrendered soldiers and newly attached troops needs to be accelerated. Weed out the weak and keep the strong, and make sure to bring them under the control of our military government.

Registrar Zhou, the household registration and land surveys, tax exemptions, and the implementation of new policies must be carried out as soon as possible. The expansion of trade routes and the management of border markets must also not be neglected.

"It is easy to submit, but difficult to govern. To truly gain the trust of the people of the North, to win their hearts and minds, and to make them willing to fight, farm, and trade for the North, is the foundation for lasting peace and stability. This is not something that can be accomplished in a day; it requires the concerted efforts and diligence of all of you."

"We obey Your Majesty's command!" the ministers bowed and responded loudly. They knew that the prince was right.

The submission of seven cities signifies that the military and political obstacles to Han Yuan's unification of the northern border have been largely cleared, and a new and powerful force, centered on Zhenbei City and covering the vast northern border, has risen. However, the subsequent governance, integration, and development will be a much longer and more arduous challenge.

Xiao Chen's gaze returned to the map, where the territory of Han Yuan had been outlined as a whole by the vermilion brush. To the north lay the vast Northern Yan grasslands, temporarily dormant, and the even more distant snowfields; to the south lay the seemingly calm yet turbulent Central Plains of the Great Xia.

"With the northern border pacified," he murmured to himself, "it's time to turn our attention to a wider world. We must improve our internal governance, strengthen our border defenses, stockpile provisions, train our troops, and forge our weapons... Great Xia, Northern Yan... In this game of the world, I, Han Yuan, have already made my move."

Seven cities are won over, and the northern border is unified.

But this is not the end; rather, it is the prelude to a grander chapter.

After absorbing the last few pieces of the puzzle from the North, the Cold Abyss machine is now roaring toward an unknown and possible future with an unprecedentedly complete form and powerful engine.