Has the Han Dynasty been restored today?

Chapter 103 Surrender

The distance from Wuxing to Xiabian, where Qiangduan is located, is about two hundred li, which is only a four-day journey for Jiang Wei's Tiger Step Army.

As Jiang Wei's army marched north from Wuxing, passed Chiting, and then entered the Zhuoshui Valley Road, the movements of the six thousand troops were undoubtedly discovered by the anxious Qiang Duan.

By the time Qiang Duan realized that Jiang Wei's army was approaching, Jiang Wei's army had already left the northern entrance of the Zhuoshui River Valley and advanced to Xiabian.

Between the two ruined cities of Hechi, only about fifty li away from Xiabian, the temporary encampment there clearly indicates an intention to hold the area between Xiabian and Hechi and block Qiangduan's path to Chencang in Wei.

Of course—Wudu County was originally a mountainous area. The Xiabian and Hechi areas could not even be considered mountain plains, but only hilly areas.

Given this terrain, Qiang Duan could certainly escape if he wanted to. But if he didn't lead his tribe into Wei, he could survive, but what future would he have?

Moreover, the tribe was the foundation of his existence. He had already been heartbroken to give up three hundred tribes to Fu Shuang, and he was unwilling to abandon his subordinates under any circumstances!

Regardless of how Qiangduan fell into panic and fear in Xiabian City, Jiang Wei set off from Wuxing on February 1st and arrived at the camp on the evening of February 3rd.

After resting here for a whole day, on the morning of February 5th, before it was fully light, Qiang Duan's second son, Tu He, who was being held in the army, was hurriedly awakened by the soldiers and taken to Jiang Wei's camp by his left and right arms.

Three days of marching, one day of rest. And today they're so menacing again—

In Tuhe's view, it seemed that today's purpose was to cut off his head as a sacrifice to the flag, and then send troops to approach Xiabian!

"General, spare my life! General, spare my life!" Tu He knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly: "I am still useful! I am still useful!"

General, please don't kill this villain!

"What use are you?"

Jiang Wei stood before the bed with his arms outstretched, two guards helping him put on his armor. Jiang Wei didn't even look at Tu He directly; he only asked a question in a low voice, and Tu He was already trembling with fear.

Tu He's forehead was covered in sweat. He struggled to lift his head, but was pressed down again by two armored soldiers on either side. He struggled quite a bit: "I can try to persuade my father! He wouldn't dare to oppose the court, General, please let me go and talk to him!"

Having said that, Tuhe kowtowed again.

"Are you really good at persuasion?"

With his arm armor already on, Jiang Wei lowered his arms and stared sharply at Tu He's face, while the armored soldiers beside him were still tying the ribbons to his armor.

"I can persuade you! Of course I can persuade you!" Tu He tried his best to make his expression appear sincere.

Jiang Wei slowly said, "Since you have the will to live, I will give your troops another chance. In a quarter of an hour, the soldiers of each camp will have their meal. In a quarter of an hour, the Tiger Step Army will set off westward."

"I know exactly how far it is below, so you don't need to hide it from me. Just go back and tell Qiangduan to come to me as soon as possible. If he doesn't reach my camp before noon, then he is no different from a traitor."

"Did you understand?"

"I understand!" Tu He thanked him profusely, then took Jiang Wei's token and rode westward with several of his followers.

Fearing he would miss the appointed time, Tu He spared no effort and returned to his headquarters in less than an hour. Meanwhile, inside the dilapidated walls of Xiabian City, Qiang Duan, who was already hesitant, became even more indecisive after Tu He's return and persuasion.

"Does Father want to die?" Tu He turned his face to the side, stretching his left cheek, which had no ear, in front of Qiang Duan, and sobbed uncontrollably: "I have already seen it in the army. Fu Shuang has already sold Father out. General Jiang has brought several thousand elite troops here!"

This time, they really intend to kill someone!

"The State of Wei has already announced that there will be a reward of being enfeoffed as a marquis this time!" Qiang Duan paced anxiously in the room. "I'm already over fifty years old. That's an enfeoffment as a marquis! How many lifetimes would it take for us Di people to earn such a title? How can I not be tempted?"

"Father, are you going to make enemies of the Han state?" Tu He had no choice but to kneel on the ground and kowtow again: "If General Jiang's army arrives and punishes Father, Father will lose his troops. How easy is it to obtain the title of Marquis of Wei? More than ten years ago, when Father fought for Wei, half of the men in his troops died!"

Qiang Duan let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with resentment.

He just didn't understand why the Han Kingdom acted so quickly, why they brought their troops over without even giving a warning.

How could you act so decisively? You didn't even have time to wait for the Wei army to arrive as reinforcements?!

Jiang Wei's army was almost upon them, but Qiang Duan still dared not abandon his men and flee.

Whether it's the Qiang, the Di, or those other miscellaneous Hu peoples, once you lose your followers, who will remember that you were once a leader? Any random wild Qiang tribe by the roadside could easily annex you!

Furthermore, Jiang Wei said that if they came voluntarily, it wouldn't be considered rebellion.

Having no other choice, Qiang Duan led a hundred light cavalry eastward to find Jiang Wei's army, without even daring to bring his lances. Because he had lied about having a leg ailment, driven by his survival instinct, Qiang Duan even found a large wooden cart, loaded it with heavy objects, and let the wheels run over his calf to make his "tumor leg" story seem true.

Finally, Qiang Duan himself, along with Tu He and a group of followers, knelt down before Jiang Wei's horse.

"Qiangduan." Jiang Wei held the reins in one hand and the whip in the other, sitting on his horse looking down at the Di chieftain kneeling on the ground, his eyes full of disdain.

"Reporting to the general, it is indeed I, Qiang Duan, who did not dare to raise his head and prostrated himself on the ground, repeatedly replying."

Jiang Wei snorted lightly: "It has been two years since I last saw you. Now it seems you have made something of yourself and are ready to accomplish great things! Your coming to see me today is not an act of mistreatment by the court."

"What did the Wei envoy say to you? Repeat it to me now!"

Qiangduan swallowed hard and replied, "So that the general may know, the Wei envoy said that we should send people from our troops to Chencang, saying that the Wei general wants to reward the Di and Qiang people, and even said that we might be granted titles of nobility—"

Qiangduan's Chinese wasn't as fluent as his son's, but it was still fairly coherent. Jiang Wei patiently listened to what he heard, and it was almost identical to what he already knew.

Jiang Wei nodded slightly: "Your tribe has long resided in Xiabian, but as its leader, you harbor rebellious intentions towards the Han, which you yourself have admitted. Considering you have not actually rebelled, the court can tolerate you, but it cannot allow your tribe to continue residing in Wudu Commandery!"

"What does the general mean by this?" Qiang Duan looked up in surprise.

Jiang Wei's voice turned cold: "Your entire unit will be relocated to Hanzhong. You may still lead your unit, but you must also serve as a Han official. By the grace of the court, you are permitted to continue to oversee your unit in Hanzhong with the position of Sima."

"You either accept this order, or you will be cutting yourself off from the court and seeking death before me!"

"Sima?" Qiang Duan hesitated for a moment: "Can a Di person become an official?"

Jiang Wei said coldly, "A commander of a separate division with a salary of 1,000 shi (a unit of grain measure) can oversee his own division. The court will provide you with a salary according to this rank, but the court will also send officials to your division to govern. All the harvests of your division will be subject to taxes paid to the court; they will not be your private property! If war breaks out, you can still lead your division to war."

"To be willing, or not to be unwilling?"

"I am willing, I am willing!" Qiang Duan kowtowed repeatedly.