Teasing the First Dragon at the Start

Bai Su nodded: "That's excellent."

Meng Tian glanced at the map on Bai Su's table with some curiosity: "Is Young Master preparing to establish a Protectorate?"

Bai Su was taken aback for a moment, but didn't hide anything and nodded, saying, "That's right. This grassland is so vast that the Beiting Protectorate alone certainly can't manage it. In order to stabilize the overall situation, it needs to be divided into three regions."

Meng Tian couldn't help but ask, "Why are there three?"

Bai Su smiled and said, "Because these three places will affect the rise and fall of the nation in the Central Plains and the grasslands."

"For example, the first place was in the Hetao region, which is a strategic location on the boundary between the grasslands and the Central Plains. Whoever occupies the Hetao region will have the dominant power."

"With the Hetao region falling into the hands of the grasslands, the Central Plains were trapped in the south. Every day, they were worried about the grasslands moving south. They needed to build the Great Wall for defense, otherwise, if troops were transferred from the Central Plains, it would be too late to protect the border."

"If the Hetao region falls into the hands of the Central Plains, the Central Plains can establish a border fortress there. If the grasslands cannot conquer the Hetao region, they cannot threaten the Central Plains, and the Central Plains can move north at any time."

"The Zhao state relied on the advantages of the Hetao region to defeat the Xiongnu in one fell swoop and expand its territory by more than several thousand miles."

Meng Tian stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and realized that this was indeed the case.

When Your Majesty swept across the six kingdoms, the Xiongnu took advantage of the Zhao state's weakness and seized the Hetao region, posing a significant threat to the Central Plains. If Your Majesty hadn't promptly sent her north to drive out the Xiongnu and build the Great Wall...

Once the Xiongnu have had a few decades to recover and recuperate, they might become a behemoth that suffocates the Central Plains.

Bai Su continued, "The second location is in Liaodong. Don't underestimate this place now. This area of ​​the Greater Khingan Mountains has been a good place for fishing and hunting since ancient times. Many powerful forces have been born here."

"If the Central Plains does not control them, sooner or later, when the Central Plains is in turmoil and its national strength is declining, the fishing and hunting tribes here will take advantage of the situation to rise up, and may even move south and occupy the Central Plains."

"Therefore, we need to establish the Liaodong Protectorate here to govern it."

This was certainly not something he made up out of thin air.

In the early days, there were the Quanrong and Donghu, and later the Xianbei, Rouran, and Jin people, all of whom rose from this place.

If the Central Plains were to bring them under its control, and through changing their customs, teaching them to use Chinese characters, wear Han clothing, and speak the Chinese language, thus integrating them into its own culture, then they would become one of the many powerful armies in the Central Plains.

Just like when the Xia army annexed the Yiqu Kingdom, they obtained a large number of horse-taming and horse-breeding techniques.

The State of Zhao annexed the State of Zhongshan and acquired cavalry warfare technology.

There's no reason to let go of such a strategically important location.

Meng Tian nodded and exclaimed, "Young Master is truly a genius of our time. I never expected that you would be so knowledgeable about astronomy and geography, and even about humanities and customs. It is truly admirable. I wonder where this third place is?"

Bai Su, holding an oil lamp, came to a yellowed sheepskin map and pointed, saying, "The third strategic location is naturally the northern plateau north of Yinshan. Although it cannot compare to the southern plateau, it is still a good place suitable for grazing."

"If this place is not unified, it will be fine. But once it falls into the hands of a powerful ruler and integrates the large and small tribes here, it will become a force to be reckoned with, just like the Xiongnu today."

"Therefore, we need to divide the grassland in two and establish multiple protectorates to govern it."

“If we simply farm, it would be impossible to manage. But things are different now. We can establish trade routes in the area, using cloth, salt, iron pots, tea, and porcelain as hard currency, just like the grain tax system in the Central Plains, and establish unified management in the area.”

"But I'm having a bit of a headache. We lack some local, respected, and influential people to maintain order in the early stages..."

When the Xia army first arrived and suddenly decided to establish a protectorate in the area, it would be difficult if there were no local tribal leaders or other influential figures to respond in the early stages.

Building that would be an extremely difficult task.

After all, no matter how capable this newly appointed official is, he doesn't know the situation as well as the local bigwigs.

Meng Tian smiled and said, "If it's other matters, I might not be able to help you, young master. But if it's about local strongmen, I do have someone I can introduce you to. As for whether you can get this local strongman to help you, that depends on your abilities, young master."

A hint of surprise crossed Bai Su's face, and she couldn't help but ask, "Oh, who is it?"

"Haven't you always wanted to see the young master? Come in."

Meng Tian turned to look outside the tent and called out.

"Splash!"

With a clanging sound of iron chains, the tent flaps were lifted.

A tall, slender figure appeared in Bai Su's line of sight.

This is a woman with exotic features, wearing a wide Hu skirt with a high slit at the bottom. As she walks, her round and slender legs are faintly visible. Her wild, wheat-colored skin is adorned with a wolf head tattoo, making her look extremely sexy.

Her hands were bound by a shackle, and her chest, covered by a Hu-style robe, was almost bursting out. Her jet-black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and a turquoise ornament was tied to her forehead.

Despite being escorted by guards, there was not a trace of fear on her face, as if she were a born wolf king.

After slowly walking up to Bai Su, he bowed deeply, his emerald green eyes fixed on Bai Su's face, and couldn't help but ask, "Are you the extraordinary person Meng Tian spoke of?"

A long strand of hair fell gently down, tickling Bai Su's cheek.

Bai Su stared at the face so close to hers for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"

"The Xiongnu Chanyu...Modu."

The woman looked directly at Bai Su and spoke with her lips slightly parted.

Chapter 332 Man, You've Piqued My Interest

"The Xiongnu Chanyu... Modu!!!"

Upon learning the identity of the woman in front of him, Bai Su was stunned for a moment, and then couldn't help but take a second look.

Of course, it wasn't because of her beauty.

Although this exotic, dark-skinned mature woman possessed a top-tier figure—her captivating charm, her shapely, firm thighs, and her alluring wolf-print tattoo were undeniably alluring—

Of course, more than her beauty, Bai Su was more concerned about her name, Maodun.

Perhaps in the eyes of the people of the Central Plains, this was just the name of a tribal lord, and nothing particularly strange about it.

However, in the history of the grasslands, her status was almost no less than that of Zheng Jie in the Central Plains.

If we say that Zhengjie swept across the six kingdoms, standardized carts and writing systems, and laid the foundation for the first time in Chinese civilization...

Modu was the first person to unify the grasslands and establish a powerful empire.

Historically, Modu Chanyu led the Xiongnu to conquer more than 20 countries, including the Donghu, Wusun, and Hujie, bringing the entire grassland, Liaodong, the Western Regions, and even the Hetao region in the Central Plains under his control.

They also besieged Liu Ji's troops, forcing the Han Dynasty to make a marriage alliance. Afterwards, they went south along the Hetao region and annexed part of the former Zhao state's territory, suffocating the Central Plains for more than a hundred years.

He can be considered a great ruler of the grasslands.

The wolf king of the grasslands, now with his hands shackled, stood before her in a sorry state, awaiting her judgment. This sight filled Bai Su with a sense of melancholy.

Maodun raised her delicate eyebrows, glanced at Bai Su with her emerald eyes, and couldn't help but ask, "You look so frail, unable to lift a finger or carry anything. Are you really the extraordinary person who helped Meng Tian defeat me?"

It wasn't that she looked down on Bai Su.

Since ancient times, the grasslands have been a place where the strong prey on the weak. Those who survive are all powerful rulers who are skilled in battle, ruthless, and imposing, capable of intimidating the surrounding area.

Bai Su, on the other hand, appeared to be a smooth talker, lacking any semblance of authority, and showed no signs of being a strong person.

Bai Su couldn't help but smile: "Holding a long sword is ultimately only enough to defeat one person. Only those who hold a military treatise can be considered to be able to defeat ten thousand people."

He noticed the fleeting suspicion in Maodun's eyes, so he paused and began to recount in detail how he had been observing the cloud cover and predicting the changes in wind and rain over the past few days.

After hearing Bai Su's strategy, Maodun's lips parted slightly, but he couldn't speak for a long time.

Faced with such a prodigy who was knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, it's no wonder she lost.

Although some old herders in the Xiongnu tribes could predict the weather through years of rheumatism, there were none like Bai Su who could predict the weather so accurately.

The disdain on her face faded, and her beautiful eyes looked at Bai Su with some curiosity. She couldn't help but ask, "May I ask your honorable name, sir?"

Bai Su said, "My name is Bai Su."

Maodun exclaimed in surprise, "Bai Su, so you're the Grand Chancellor!!!"

Bai Su asked with some curiosity, "You know me?"

Maodun gave a wry smile and glanced at Bai Su with some helplessness: "Your reputation has already spread throughout the entire grassland. Who in the world does not know you? The porcelain and tea that our Xiongnu nobles have spent a lot of money to buy are all made by you."

"If someone has a great talent like you as their assistant, it's like having countless merchants lining up to give them money."

“I once thought that one day, when I would reclaim the land south of the Gobi Desert and besiege the Hetao region, I would make the Central Plains hand over your great talent, no matter the cost. With your help, the rise of the Xiongnu would be just around the corner.”

"But I never expected to see you here, sir."

Faced with Maodun's complicated gaze, Bai Su couldn't help but scratch her cheek awkwardly.

He never imagined that he held such a high position in the heart of this Xiongnu Chanyu.

However, considering the extent to which the Xiongnu valued talents from the Central Plains throughout history, he was not surprised at all.

It should be noted that when Zhang Qian was captured by the Xiongnu during his journey beyond the Great Wall, the Xiongnu not only did not kill him, the Han envoy, but also treated him to good wine and meat, and even offered him a wife so that he could marry and have children locally.

They valued even a Han Dynasty envoy so highly.

He was naturally eager to have such a valuable talent as him, who was skilled in business and making money.

Bai Su snapped out of her reverie and coughed lightly: "Since the Chanyu and I hit it off so well, why not join forces and make great strides together?"

Maodun was taken aback for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Since you're not going to kill me, are you going to let me go back?"

Bai Su shook her head slightly: "The Chanyu is joking. With a tiger as fierce as you, it was not easy to capture you. How can we let a tiger return to the mountain?"

Maodun raised a delicate eyebrow, her emerald eyes looking at Bai Su with a hint of doubt: "So you mean..."

Bai Su said, "I need you to take the lead and lead the former Xiongnu troops to submit to the Central Plains. From now on, they will be under the jurisdiction of the Protectorate."

Maodun's eyebrows furrowed involuntarily.

Bai Su's meaning was quite clear: she wanted the Xiongnu to completely lose all sovereignty and become vassals of the Central Plains, so that she, having lost her military power, could become a nominal lord.

For a powerful figure like her, this outcome is truly unacceptable.

Maodun gritted her teeth. Despite her hands being bound by chains, she walked straight forward, her eyes fixed on Bai Su's face: "I, Maodun, would never be a puppet of the Central Plains. There are only wolves running on the grasslands. Those with their necks bound are not wolves, they are dogs."

Looking at her angry face, Bai Su couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, you must understand that your Xiongnu were the first to invade the territory of my Great Xia. The two sides have been fighting for a long time and suffered heavy losses. Now there is no room for reconciliation between the two countries. My Great Xia army has occupied your royal court."

“The Xiongnu tribes right now are nothing more than meat on a chopping board. If you agree to lead the tribes, big and small, to submit to the Central Plains, there is still room for negotiation. If you do not agree, these hundreds of thousands of Great Xia cavalry will probably only be able to sweep across the entire grassland.”

"Once there is no more opposition, then it will be incorporated into the jurisdiction of the Anbei Protectorate..."

Maodun bit her lip tightly: "..."

A wave of sorrow washed over her. How long ago was it that all those tribes, big and small, on the grasslands stood before her, trembling with fear? When did she become so powerless?

Bai Su smiled and said, "Moreover, if the Chanyu is willing to join forces with me, there may be a day when I can command troops again in the future."

Maodun was taken aback: "What do you mean...?"

After all, a major threat like her should either be eliminated as soon as possible or kept on a leash for life. There has never been a case of loosening the ropes on a wolf king.