Chapter 242: Command

  "Bang..."

  Qian Zhi fiercely threw the secret letter in his hand onto the ground, stirring up a burst of swirling dust.

  A series of footsteps sounded, and a tall figure walked to his side. At a glance, he saw the secret letter on the ground, furrowed his brow in dissatisfaction, looked at him with discontent, and asked: "What's wrong?"

  "This group of idiots is up to something."

  She smiled slightly and asked: "Didn't they catch Liu Zhengqi?"

  Kui stopped shaking his head and said angrily: "If they just didn't catch Liu Zhengqi, that would be understandable. Even our Jie tribe's more than 100 brave warriors were all defeated, let alone these mobs."

  He was taken aback for a moment, and then asked with a hint of surprise: "What's gotten into you?"

  He stopped in his tracks, his toes lightly tapping the ground, and the letter suddenly rose into the air. He casually reached out and grabbed it, saying: "Brother Zuo, take a look at this. They're actually saying that Liu Zhengqi has over three thousand people by his side. What nonsense."

  After glancing over it briefly, a strange and extraordinary feeling surged up in his heart. He let out a sigh and said, "Falsely reporting the number of people is originally a common tactic used by the Han people, but this is just too excessive."

  What he said is very right, in the Han army, competing for merits and demerits, deducting military rations, exaggerating the number of enemies killed, etc. have almost become an open secret. Even the five major military groups that are strict in governing the army cannot be completely exempt, but only fewer in number.

  The various tribes of the grasslands were well aware of this point. According to Modu Chanyu's idea, those Han people were all some soft-shelled shrimp, and it was best not to use any of them. However, the Xiongnu people were after all too few in number. To say nothing of defending the entire Central Plains, even just that vast northern land was enough to make them feel stretched thin. Even if they had gathered other ethnic groups from the grasslands, they still felt a shortage of manpower.

  Hami accepted Jiang Kongming's suggestion, using Han to govern Han. He surrendered a batch of Han people and promised them great benefits, letting them assist the Xiongnu in handling affairs, thus maintaining the current good situation.

  Xiao Duo is the only son of Ha Mie's spear, and he knows very well about his father's painstaking efforts. Moreover, since the defeat on the grassland, his temperament has also undergone a drastic change, no longer looking down on the Han people, and deeply approving of this matter.

  However, Qian Qi of the Jie tribe did not think so.

  "That's too much, three thousand people? I spit... " Kuang Zhi shouted fiercely: "If Liu Zhengqi has three thousand people, does he still need to hide and escape? He's probably already rushed out with a strong momentum. After all, he is the prince of the Han people, how can he be willing to be like a yellow mouse, being beaten by everyone."

  He glanced at him unexpectedly, and Duo had only a few encounters with him. If it wasn't for joining forces to besiege Liu Zhengqi this time, they would have parted ways long ago. Unexpectedly, this Han man who was famous for his bravery on the grasslands turned out to be so cunning as well.

  As for Kanji's words, Ziduo was quite appreciative and asked: "So in your opinion, brother Kanji, how many people should they have?"

  "Hmm... After a moment of hesitation, he said: "Probably around a hundred or so."

  "Hmph... " Xiao Leng sneered: "A hundred or so people were exaggerated to three thousand, these Han people are indeed not ordinary. If there really were three thousand people, would my twenty sons have gone to die in vain?"

  He did not know that when this secret letter was first reported, the number of people involved in Liu Zhengqi and others was only 300. However, afterwards, each official responsible for reviewing it would habitually add a stroke, so that by the time it reached Modi's hands, the number had surged to 3,000, leaving him crying and laughing at the same time.

  The enemy army of three thousand, the defending troops in those places are definitely unable to resist, so there is also sufficient confidence, it's not that we can't keep them, but they are not strong enough.

  They only pushed the responsibility, but did not think that if Liu Zhengqi really had three thousand troops, how could he flee in front of a small pass. Those more than 20 pursuing Xiongnu people are not fools and idiots either. If they were facing three thousand horses, the first thing they should do is to escape, rather than rushing up to die.

  Twenty people chasing three thousand people?

  A ridiculous and absurd scene suddenly emerged in his mind.

  Twenty magnified, almost towering human-shaped Tyrannosaurus Rexes, Qin Yong, bared their teeth and brandished their claws, with faces full of hatred. In front of them were more than three thousand old, weak, sick and disabled people, crying out to the sky and fleeing in a state of panic.

  Isn't it that those twenty ordinary Xiongnu people have become Qin Yong, who even Lian Zongshi has to fear three points? And are the 3,000 Han men under Liu Zhengqi's command all timid and weak, with no strength to bind a chicken?

  Who is this idiot who wrote this? Zuo looked at the confidential letter in his hand, but no matter how he looked at it, it was more and more awkward.

  "This is something that should be killed." He muttered to himself, thinking of the Han official who had brought the secret letter, not only without any shame, but also with a justified tone.

  Only now did he understand why Kui Qi was so furious, his eyebrows twitching with a surge of evil fire in his heart. The dead were after all Xiongnu people, and at this moment, his mood was even more vicious than Kui Qi's by three points.

  His face gradually turned iron-green, and Qian Zhi beside him was also full of anger.

  "A good deed for the Chinese people..."

  His heart skipped a beat as he recalled the words Hami had told him before they set off.

  "The Han people, numerous and powerful, if they can unite as one, even if we Xiongnu become twice as strong, it would be difficult to shake them. Although there is hope of taking the capital now, our dominance has just begun. For the loyal and virtuous among the Han people, we must exert all our strength to kill and eliminate them, leaving not a single one. For those who are opportunistic and wavering, we should use gentle and persuasive means to win them over. And for those with talent but timid and weak, we should entice them with benefits, making them serve us. Only by using these three strategies simultaneously can we achieve great things."

  The Han person who sent the letter today is one of those who have devoted themselves to them. If they are killed now, what consequences will it lead to?

  He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his chest, and no longer pursued it. Instead, he smiled slightly and said: "Three thousand people? That's purely nonsense. Brother Qian Zhi, if you're willing, we might as well go together to see if it's really just over a hundred people."

  A flicker of astonishment flashed across his eyes, and the notorious grassland tiger, known for his violent temper and unparalleled bravery, was able to calm down from his rage so quickly. It seemed that he was not to be underestimated.

  He burst out laughing and loudly responded: "Alright, let's have a competition between us brothers to see who can get Liu Zhengqi's head!"

  Report...

  "Come in."

  A messenger rushed in and handed over a letter, saying: "The Xiongnu Chanyu's urgent dispatch has arrived from 800 miles away."

  The two prairie men looked at each other and what important matter was worth using this signaling method by the Khan.

  "Present."

  It is...

  He undid the seal and opened it, spreading it out for a look, his face suddenly changing color.

  After retreating a step to show avoidance, but seeing the expression of the man in charge, it was clear that nothing good would come out of this. As expected, he heard him say: "Guan Zhi brother, the single order is transmitted, Liu Zhengyi has great use, cannot be harmed, must be captured alive."

  "What?" Qian Zhi hurriedly took a step forward, his eyes scanning over Mo Duo's hands.

  The writing on the grassland is concise and straightforward, without any flowery language, just a few sentences can clearly explain things.

  "Why did Modu Chanyu suddenly change his mind? Doesn't he make things difficult for us by doing so?" Jian Zhi whispered in complaint.

  His thick eyebrows shot up, he didn't say a word, but his eyes suddenly became sharp and piercing, staring tightly at Qian Zhi, without uttering a sound.

  He knew it was wrong as soon as the words left his mouth, but by then it was too late to take them back. He gave an awkward smile, and a patch of sweat had already seeped through the back of his shirt.

  Modu was the king of all tribes on the prairie and the emperor of the great grassland.

  No one can humiliate him openly, otherwise it would be an enemy of the strongest Xiongnu on the grassland.

  His face gradually calmed down, and he said lightly: "Since the Khan has done so, he must have his reasons. As for why, I don't know, nor do I want to know. The only thing I know is that this is an order, and we must go and complete it. That's enough."

  He bowed to him and said, "Yes, thank you for your advice, Brother Duan." He paused for a moment, then continued, "Just now, I was momentarily confused and spoke thoughtlessly. Please forgive me, Brother Duan."

  He is highly skilled in martial arts and comes from a noble background, always having been proud and arrogant, not one to easily lower his head, but behind him stands the entire Xianbei tribe.

  If it were for this one sentence that he would fall out with the Xiongnu people, then the consequences would be more than he could bear.

  He slightly bowed his head and said, "I dare not accept your instruction. As for what happened just now, I didn't hear anything. I only ask that you follow the order and act accordingly."

  "It is......" Qian Zhi bowed deeply and said.

  But in his lowered eyes, there was a chilling and eerie cold light that made one's heart skip a beat.

  The Western camp was filled with countless horses and men, all ready to depart. With Zhang Jinzhong's order, the 800,000-strong Tianying Army set off on their journey to Taiyuan.

  They will be there, gathering the remnants of the imperial troops, and engaging in a decisive battle with the Xiongnu.

  Zhang Jinzhong left with all his men and horses, even taking away the informants he had planted over the decades.

  Overnight, this Western-style grand camp with a glorious history completely changed hands.

  On the high wall, looking at the gradually disappearing team, Xu Haifeng asked softly: "Do you think they can win?"

  "Win or lose, it doesn't matter. We must go and join in the excitement." Jiang Kongming's voice faintly sounded from behind him.

  "Alas..." Xu Haifeng let out a long sigh. The changes in the world were indeed unpredictable. When he first met Gu Dao, who would have thought that he would one day grasp the fate of this city?

  "Has milord really made up his mind?"

  "Yes, if Ting'er makes an appearance, perhaps we can keep Liu Junshu. Permitted to gaze up at the sky, his tone actually carried a rare hint of sighing: 'Friends from past days are no longer many...'"

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