Taiyi True Man closed his eyes, as if lost in nostalgia for past memories: "The old Taoist was seventy-one years old before, and had been wandering the world, but no one knew that the old Taoist still had a good kung fu."

  His eyes suddenly opened, and a sharp light burst out: "However, that year, the old Taoist went to the northern border, just as the Xiongnu iron cavalry came south. They killed people and looted things, like locusts passing through, leaving nothing behind. I couldn't bear it anymore, so I finally broke the rule and started killing those barbarians."

  Jiang Kongming said coldly: "What you said is too simple, although the world doesn't know, but Jiang Mouren is extremely sensitive to numbers, so he deliberately investigated."

  He then reported a series of shocking data: "The six northern counties, with over 1 million households and tens of millions of people. However, after the war, nine out of ten houses were empty, and only one in ten survived. The population of the six northern counties forty years ago was less than 30,000, mostly consisting of the elderly, women, and children, with very few young adults."

  Xu Haifeng only felt a chill, although the six counties were invaded, he knew about it. But the situation was so cruel that he had never heard of it before. He asked: "The Xiongnu people are so bloodthirsty? Why didn't we know about it?"

  Taiyi Zhenren's face was sullen, with no hint of a smile. He sighed and said: "It's all because of face-saving, for the sake of Liu family's reputation, they even forbade Shi Shu from recording it, only we can pass it down orally, not daring to forget for a single day."

  Jiang Kongming fanned himself with a feather fan and said, "At that time, the Xiongnu iron cavalry defeated the Wolf Army Corps, forcing the Red Ocean to retreat, and attacked six counties. This caused a stir in the court and the people, and the Tianying Army Corps and the Huanglong Army Corps were urgently dispatched to the north to meet the enemy. In addition, there were private soldiers raised by various large families, as well as reserve troops drawn from all over the place. A total of nearly one million regular army, reservists, and laborers were mobilized, using a continuous human wave tactic to block the Xiongnu people at several strategic passes, and finally dragged on until winter."

  Xu Haifeng nodded slightly. He naturally knew that in the northern battlefield, once winter arrived, the weather was extremely cold, and it would be impossible to conduct large-scale warfare again.

  Especially the Xiongnu people, they were all cavalry, and some warriors had horses that weren't even worth a single piece.

  The fodder for these horses was mostly obtained locally, but in the severe winter, the grass withered and turned yellow, and an army of over 20,000 people gathered together, making it impossible to find enough food for their mounts.

  It was already winter, and no matter how great an advantage the Huns might gain, they could only retreat.

  "He suddenly thought of something and asked: 'Then didn't the six counties fall into the hands of the Xiongnu? How can they be recovered?'"

  Taiyi Zhenren smiled proudly and said: "Of course it was snatched back, would they spit out the food that had already entered their mouths?"

  Jiang Gongming sighed and said, "Once winter arrives, most of the Xiongnu people will return to their tribes. The garrison troops in the six counties were finally forced to abandon the city under the desperate attacks of the Han army and civilians. However, the losses suffered by the Han court in order to retake the six counties were unprecedented."

  Jiang Kongming's face sank, and he said: "Combining the forces of the four major military groups, hundreds of thousands of officials and soldiers, lasting throughout the entire winter, exhausting the national treasury that had been accumulated for a hundred years, and finally losing nearly half of the troops, just to recapture the six counties. In this battle alone, Fang's family lost their only surviving elder who died heroically for the country.

  Taiyi Zhenren let out a long sigh and said, "It's precisely because of this change that I, the old Dao, have been frequently entering the world over the past 40 years, seeking a way to achieve lasting peace for the Great Han, so that it will no longer suffer from foreign invasions. But this matter is not easy to discuss, and until now, there is still no clue."

  Xu Haifeng turned his head to look at Jiang Koming, and both he and Taiyi Zhenren felt that Jiang Koming had a discriminatory and hateful feeling towards the Xiongnu people, which was a genuine emotion, without any pretence.

  He didn't doubt what the other party had said about replacing Taiyi Zhenren to fulfill his wish, but just wanted to complete this incredible task, even if it was Jiang Gongming, he might not be able to guarantee success.

  Jiang Kongming immediately saw the inquiring look in Xu Haifeng's eyes, and he smiled slightly: "If it were on the vast grasslands, no matter how powerful our Han people are, we would not be able to eradicate them. Even if we temporarily drive them out, decades later, as long as the power of the Great Han declines slightly, they will surely return."

  Taiyi Zhenren nodded slowly, agreeing: "The Xiongnu people were born there, grew up there, and the vast grasslands are like their home. Wanting to annihilate them there is indeed not something any country can do."

  Xu Haifeng's eyes lit up and he said, "Luring a snake out of its hole, could it be that the other snake refers to the Xiongnu people?"

  Jiang Gongming burst out laughing and said: "If Master still can't guess it by now, then I, Jiang, am truly blind."

  Taiyi Zhenren and Xu Haifeng stared at each other, the two fell silent for a moment, Xu Haifeng shook his head and said: "This matter is still not suitable."

  Jiang Kongming revealed a hint of a smile, with an expression that seemed to have expected this all along. He smiled and asked: "Is the lord worried that the Xiongnu will resort to their old tricks again and create another scene of carnage?"

  "Not bad, Military Advisor, you often teach that destruction is much simpler and faster than construction. If we let the Xiongnu people rampage in our Great Han territory, I'm afraid that even if we can recover the lost land, it will be full of scars and not worth it." Xu Haifeng said seriously.

  Jiang Kungming sneered and said, "If Modun's ambition is only to plunder, then the students would not have come up with this idea of opening the door for thieves." He turned his head to ask Taiyi Zhenren, who was watching intently beside him, "May I ask, Master, what are Modun's ambitions?"

  Taiyi Zhenren slightly nodded and said: "This person's ambition is quite grand, this is something that everyone knows, what about it?"

  Jiang Kongming stood up and said astonishingly: "Actually forty years ago in the first war, the Xiongnu people also had a chance to win."

  Xu Haifeng and the other person naturally knew that he wouldn't speak rashly, they exchanged a glance, Xu Haifeng said: "Military Strategist sir, back then the four great families of the Han Dynasty worked together in harmony, it's vastly different from their superficial unity today."

  His intention is that as long as the Han people work together and there are no traitors, they will have nothing to fear from the Xiongnu.

  Jiang Gongming smiled and said, "Your words are wrong, sir. Where there are people, there will be disputes. Wanting to unite in heart and virtue is impossible. A frost of three feet does not form in a single day. These several large families have been coexisting for hundreds of years, flourishing without decline, which is already an extraordinary thing."

  He walked to the table, poured a cup of cool tea, took a sip, moistened his dry throat and said: "Actually, before that battle, the Xiongnu people did not expect to achieve such great results. They were unprepared, just like usual, only knowing how to burn, kill, loot, and do all sorts of evil, making irreconcilable enemies with the people of the six counties, and fundamentally unable to stand firm there. If it weren't for this..."

  A cold smile played on his lips: "If the Xiongnu people could treat the common people well, they might not necessarily be unable to take root here. What the previous emperor wanted to thank was not his subjects, but the leader of the Xiongnu army."

  Xu Haifeng was momentarily speechless, and he glanced at Taiyi Zhenren. Both of them simultaneously emitted a chill from the bottom of their hearts that could not be suppressed.

  Coveting life and fearing death is human nature.

  If they really face a life-and-death situation, how many people will choose to die with dignity rather than live in shame, this answer they do not know and do not want to know.

  If it were a pedantic scholar who had devoted himself to the study of the sages, he would certainly have condemned Jiang's words and even gone so far as to denounce them in writing, in order to demonstrate his own lofty righteousness and unyielding dignity.

  However, Xu Haifeng and Taiyi Zhenren, one had personal experience and the other was knowledgeable, they knew that Jiang Kungming's words were reasonable and not exaggerated in the slightest.

  Taiyi Zhenren suddenly woke up and pointed at Jiang Koming, with his over 110 years of age, he was also shocked: "Could it be, could it be that you have told this to Hami?"

  Jiang Kongming drained the tea in his hand and threw away the cup, which shattered into powder: "If it weren't for this, would you think that Hami would send 5,000 fine war horses to see me just because of my letter? I, Jiang, don't have such a big face."

  Taiyi Zhenren's expression was gloomy, and he said: "The Xiongnu are notorious for their cruelty, and our Han military and civilians have suffered greatly at their hands. We know that only by fighting with all our might can we gain a chance to survive. Even so, over the centuries, it has been mostly defense and little offense. Now, if the Xiongnu people understand the way of combining strength and flexibility, then our Han is in danger."

  Xu Haifeng didn't say a word, but his eyes looking at Jiang Kongming also carried a few points of blame.

  Jiang Kongming took in their expressions, sneering as he said: "Even if the students were to seal their mouths, I ask you two, is it really true that there are no extraordinary people on this vast grassland? I dare to stake my life on it, at most a hundred years from now, this principle will be understood by foreigners too. I'm just bringing forward the time by a bit."

  Xu Haifeng had known him for a long time and was aware that in his heart, he had an almost blind and fanatical love for the Great Han nation, and would not do anything to harm the Han people without reason. So he asked: "Sir Military Advisor, what is the intention behind this move?"

  Jiang Kongming smiled and said, "Although the Xiongnu people know this principle, to fully implement it and see results, at least several decades of tireless effort are needed. However, how can students give them this time?"

  Taiyi True Man's eyes burst with divine light, as if substantial, he asked: "You're so confident, can you win against the Xiongnu Iron Cavalry?"

  Jiang Kongming sneered and replied, "If they hide in the grasslands, I'll have to take action. But if they enter the Great Han territory, I have a plan to make them never return."

  Taiyi Zhenren's eyes revealed a struggling expression, and he sighed: "I'm afraid that with this, the people of my Great Han will suffer."

  Jiang Kongming said coldly, "What war doesn't have deaths? You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a child. Once the Liu family is exterminated, I guarantee that all the elite soldiers will rise up and first destroy the Xiongnu; we won't stop until they are annihilated."

  Taiyi Zhenren looked at him for a while before saying, "Alright, if you can really fulfill this promise, then I'll abandon my old body and serve under you."

  Xu Haifeng was overjoyed, but still had a hint of worry in his heart, and asked: "Then the Liu family..."

  Taiyi Zhenren closed his eyes and said, "The Liu family, they have today's disaster, it is also a fault of their own. Moreover, hundreds of years ago, what was there to be called the Liu family? In the old Daoist's heart, there is only one Han tribe, but no Liu tribe."