Shuhan

The summer sun is hot and bright, illuminating the boundless grassland and coating the green grass leaves with a layer of dazzling golden glow.

Tuoba Liwei led more than 20,000 elite cavalrymen, like an unstoppable iron stream, slowly flowing back to the holy land in their hearts - the fertile grassland located in the north of Dai County.

The sound of horse hooves and the sound of wind intertwined to form a majestic war song. However, Tuoba Liwei's face was shrouded in an indelible haze.

The grassland should have been a paradise for their people to sing and laugh, with herds of cattle and sheep, but now it is no longer peaceful because of Kebineng's invasion.

After a few spring rains, life on the grassland flourished at an astonishing rate, and the grass almost submerged the horses' backs. This was a gift from nature, but in Tuoba Liwei's eyes, it became a cover for others' greedy desires.

His gaze penetrated through layers of grass waves, as if it could see through everything, and looked directly at the distant and vague direction of the swamp, with complex emotions surging in his heart.

"Great Khan, scouts have been sent out and will soon find Kebinen's whereabouts."

A general in iron armor stepped forward to report, his voice steady and powerful.

Tuoba Li nodded slightly, his brows revealing an unquestionable determination: "Okay, this is the moment we have been waiting for. Although the grassland is large, the enemy has nowhere to hide."

His words were short and powerful, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying an irresistible majesty.

Half a day passed in a flash, the sun had quietly climbed to the zenith, and the air on the grassland seemed to become heavy because of the tense atmosphere.

At this time, a dusty scout came galloping on horseback, his horse's hooves stirring up waves of grass.

"Khan, Kebi Neng's troops know that our army is approaching and have retreated to the depths of the swamp!" The scout's voice was slightly panting.

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Liwei curled up the corner of his mouth into a sneer, which contained both mockery of the enemy's cowardice and confidence in his own upcoming revenge.

"You robbed my Tuoba tribe of their people, cattle and sheep, and you want to just walk away? What wishful thinking!" He
There was unquestionable power in his words, and then he waved his hand.

"Send out the troops, target Daze! I, Tuoba Liwei, will not be a human being if I don't defeat Kebineng!"

With his order, the 20,000 cavalrymen, like awakened lions, burst out with astonishing momentum in an instant. The sound of horse hooves was like thunder, dust was flying, and the army rushed towards the direction of the lake like a tide.

At the same time, deep in the swamp, in Kebinen’s royal tent, the atmosphere was equally tense.

This prairie hero sat upright on a tiger-skin chair, his face stern and his eyes revealing a bit of calculation and uneasiness.

When he heard the news that Tuoba Liwei was leading his troops to attack, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but then he regained his composure.

"Tuoba Liwei, he's finally here." He whispered to himself, as if weighing the upcoming showdown.

"Khan, according to the scouts' report, Tuoba Liwei is leading 30,000 to 40,000 troops towards our Daze." A scout knelt on the ground, his voice trembling slightly, obviously fearing the impending war.

Ke Bineng's eyes flickered when he heard this, and he seemed to be calculating quickly in his mind.

“Thirty to forty thousand people is not a large number, but it should not be underestimated.” He pondered for a moment, a sly smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Daze is my foundation, I will not give up easily. But to deal with Tuoba Liwei, we need to use our wits."

Kebineng stood up, walked out of the tent, and looked at the grassland in the distance that was about to be baptized by war. He already had a plan in his mind.

The summer sun scorches the earth like a raging fire, baking every inch of the grassland hot.

In this boundless heat wave, Tuoba Liwei led his army and after ten days of arduous journey, finally arrived at the edge of the swamp.

Looking from afar, tents are densely arranged all over the lake like stars in a patchwork. The colorful tops of the tents shine with a soft yet firm light in the sun.

There are herds of cattle and sheep, some leisurely grazing on the grass, some lazily lying in the shade of the trees, enjoying the rare coolness.

There are crowds of people and busy herdsmen walking around, some are busy preparing food, some are taking care of young children. The whole lake presents a prosperous and harmonious scene.

However, for Tuoba Liwei and his soldiers, all this was just appearance.

Their nerves were tense and their eyes were as sharp as eagles, always alert to possible threats hidden around them.

Tuoba Liwei was wearing iron armor, a wolf skin on his shoulders, and a bronze helmet on his head. In the sunlight, his face was firm and stern.

He knew very well that the purpose of this trip was not only to plunder resources, but also a direct challenge to Kebineng, a contest concerning the dignity and future destiny of the tribe.

As the army slowly moved deeper into the swamp, Tuoba Liwei's heart became heavier.

He sent out scouts to scout around, but they did not encounter any decent resistance until they captured a large number of people and cattle and sheep.

Most of these prisoners were elderly people, women and children, as well as cattle and sheep that were too slow to evacuate with the troops.

Their helpless eyes are filled with fear and anxiety, but also reveal a desire for survival.

Tuoba Liwei became suspicious and pulled over a prisoner. He was an elderly man with gray hair, a hunched body and his face was full of traces of time.

The old man knelt before Tuoba Liwei's horse, his hands trembling, his eyes full of fear. "Great Khan Kebi Neng...he...he heard that Great Khan Tuoba was coming, so he fled directly to the north."

The old man's voice was weak and trembling, as if every word drained away all his strength.

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Liwei curled up the corner of his mouth into a sneer, and the laughter echoed in the empty grassland, carrying a bit of sarcasm and disdain.

"I thought Ke Bineng was a hero, but he turned out to be a coward."

His voice was loud and full of contempt for his opponent, but he did not completely let his guard down in his heart.

Years of battlefield experience have taught him that things are often not that simple.

In order to ensure that everything was foolproof, Tuoba Liwei immediately ordered the dispatch of the most elite cavalry to spread out in all directions to confirm whether Kebi Neng had really escaped far away.

He stood on a high place, his eyes sharp as torches, gazing into the distance, with mixed feelings in his heart.

There is both a desire for victory and a fear of unknown dangers.

His soldiers, these heroic Xianbei warriors, had also experienced a long march, their faces were filled with fatigue, but there was still an unyielding light in their eyes.

The waiting time was always long and agonizing. Finally, the rangers returned one after another and brought accurate news: Kebineng had indeed led the main force to flee northward, leaving behind only the elderly, the weak, the sick and the disabled, and the supplies that they had no time to take away.

Hearing the news, Tuoba Liwei finally breathed a sigh of relief and his tense nerves relaxed.

He gave loud orders to his soldiers to slaughter cattle and sheep in preparation for celebrating this victory without a fight.

As the bonfire was lit, the grassland was filled with the tempting aroma of meat.

The Xianbei warriors sat around the fire, eating meat with big mouthfuls, drinking wine with big bowls, and laughter and singing intertwined.

Many of them had not had a good rest for many days. Now that they were full and satisfied, fatigue instantly overwhelmed them. Some of them fell directly to the ground and fell into a deep sleep, regardless of day or night.

Tuoba Liwei sat in front of his tent, looking at everything in front of him, feeling both satisfied and worried.

This victory is only temporary. There is still a long way to go and the competition with Kebineng is far from over.

But at this moment, he was willing to let the soldiers enjoy this hard-earned tranquility, because on this grassland, war and peace are always intertwined, and those who can survive on this land are those warriors who can both fight and enjoy life.

As night falls, the starry sky shines brightly and the bonfire is still burning above the swamp, illuminating everyone's face and the hope in their hearts.

Tuoba Liwei closed his eyes and felt the tranquility of the moment. He knew that tomorrow would be a new beginning. They would set out on the journey again to pursue the glory and dreams that belonged to the Xianbei people.

. . .

Late at night, the moonlight was as dark as ink, and the entire Daze camp was immersed in a dead silence. Even the cattle and sheep that were usually noisy had fallen asleep. Only the occasional chirping of night birds broke the tranquility. However, in this seemingly peaceful night, an undercurrent was quietly surging. A group of figures quietly shuttled through the night. They were dressed in dark clothes, their faces were painted with black ash, and only a pair of eyes flashing with cunning light were exposed.

These people were the ambush troops carefully arranged by Kebineng.

They used the cover of night and sneaked into the Daze camp quietly, like a group of ghosts, gliding silently in the darkness.

At this moment, Ke Bineng was hiding in a dense forest on the edge of the camp. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, and he was closely watching every move in the camp.

His plan was careful and cunning. He disguised a large amount of baggage, people, cattle and sheep as if they were fleeing north, while he himself ambushed in the dark with elite warriors, waiting for the best opportunity to deal a fatal blow to Tuoba Liwei.

As the night grew darker, the guards in the camp gradually relaxed their vigilance.

At this moment, Kebineng waved his hand, and his warriors rushed into the camp quickly and silently like ghosts.

Instead of taking the horses, they headed straight for the stables.

The warriors skillfully untied the reins and mounted their horses. In an instant, a burst of horse neighing was heard in the stable, but it was soon swallowed up by the night.

Afterwards, these warriors rushed towards the king's tent like a black whirlwind.

Their movements were swift and decisive, the swords in their hands flashing coldly in the moonlight, as if they were going to cut through the night.

Inside the camp, the soldiers who were originally sleeping were awakened by the sudden shouting and killing. They panicked and fled everywhere, but were soon surrounded by the enemy.

The shouts of killing, pleas for mercy, and the neighing of war horses intertwined together, breaking the silence of the night, and the camp instantly turned into a hell on earth.

Tuoba Liwei was awakened from his sleep. He quickly put on his armor and picked up his weapon, but surrounded by his personal guards, he had no choice but to flee.

He mounted his warhorse and, using all his strength, fled out of the camp. Behind him were the approaching shouts of killing and the blazing flames.

In the darkness of the night, Tuoba Liwei's face appeared unusually resolute, but his eyes revealed a barely perceptible hint of panic.

He knew that he was careless this time and he underestimated Ke Bineng's cunning and ruthlessness.

His heart was filled with regret and unwillingness, but at this moment, he could only choose to escape and preserve his strength for a comeback.

At dawn the next day, the war gradually subsided.

The Daze camp was littered with burnt tents, scattered weapons and corpses.

Of the tens of thousands of people brought by Tuoba Liwei, one or two thousand died, more than ten thousand were captured, and the rest fled in panic.

Ke Bineng stood on a high place, looking at everything in front of him, a smug smile appeared on his face.

He didn't need to count, just a quick glance and he knew that he had obtained at least 100,000 cattle, sheep and 10,000 war horses today.

With a victory today, the situation on the grassland will change again.

He, Kebineng, will regain his strength and become the overlord of the grassland.

At this moment, Tuoba Liwei was trudging across the grassland with his remaining troops. His heart was filled with bitterness and helplessness, but he knew that he could not just give up. He had to cheer up, regroup, and fight Kebineng to the death.

Because on this grassland, only the strong can survive, and only the victors can write history.

perhaps
We have to ask the Emperor of Han for help!

. . .

the other side.

Guangyang County.

Guangyang Palace, this magnificent palace located in the territory of the Han Dynasty, once received many beautiful women from Youbing under the warm sunshine of spring, making the palace full of concubines, competing with each other for beauty.

Now, midsummer has arrived and the sun is scorching, but the side halls of the palace are kept pleasantly cool because of ice cubes placed everywhere.

The slight coolness emitted by the ice forms a sharp contrast with the scorching summer outside, as if they are two completely different worlds.

At this moment, Liu Chan was sitting on the dragon throne in the side hall, concentrating on handling state affairs.

His face was calm and majestic, and his brows revealed an extraordinary temperament.

There were piles of memorials on the desk, but he was at ease. The pen in his hand danced quickly on the paper as he reviewed one memorial after another.

Around the hall, palace maids were moving quietly and lightly. They were dressed in long gauze skirts and walked lightly, like fairies descending to earth.

There were special maids guarding the copper basins where ice cubes were placed. They replaced the melted ice cubes from time to time to ensure that the temperature in the side hall always remained within the most comfortable range.

At this moment, the sound of soft footsteps broke the silence in the side hall.

Zhen Mi, a beautiful lady with peerless beauty and voluptuous figure, dressed in gorgeous palace clothes, slowly came over with a bowl of iced sour plum juice.

Her face is as delicate and beautiful as a blooming peony; her figure is as graceful and charming as a swaying willow branch.

Her every move reveals endless charm, as if it can drive men crazy.

Liu Chan looked up and saw Zhen Mi walking towards him. Her smile was like a spring breeze, making people feel relaxed and happy.

He put down the brush in his hand, moved his body, and embraced Zhen Mi in his arms as swiftly as a cheetah.

His hands roamed over her body unceremoniously, feeling her delicate skin and warm body temperature.

Zhen Mi's cheeks turned red instantly, her breathing became rapid and hot, and her eyes flashed with shyness and confusion.

Liu Chan's actions became more and more bold, and Zhen Mi gradually became intoxicated by his tenderness.

However, just when she was about to lose herself, Liu Chan suddenly stopped.

He looked at Zhen Mi's flushed face, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he asked softly, "Is Ji'er asleep?"

Zhen Mi blushed and nodded, her voice a little hurried: "Ji'er has fallen asleep, Wei Nu is watching over her."

Wei Nu was the second daughter of Liu Chan and Zhen Mi. She was smart and clever, and was deeply loved by Liu Chan.

Ji'er was the prince born to Zhen Mi for Liu Chan last year. He ranked eighth among all the princes and was Liu Chan's favorite.

When Liu Chan heard this, he felt a warm feeling in his heart.

He gently stroked Zhen Mi's hair, with a gentle light in his eyes.

Zhen Mi was not only his favorite woman, but also an important chess piece in his political layout.

Zhen Mi was born into the Zhen family of Zhongshan, a prominent family among the gentry in Jizhou.

The purpose of bringing Zhen Mi and the eighth prince here was to give the Zhen family of Zhongshan a reason to return to Han.

You can be a relative of the Wei Kingdom, but you can also be a relative of the Han Kingdom!
Liu Chan's heart was full of ambition. He hoped that through the existence of Zhen Mi, the Zhen family of Zhongshan would see the benefits of returning to Han and thus become a helper in his great cause of unification.

However, he also understood that this was just the beginning, and the layout had just started. Whether it would succeed was still an unknown. (End of this chapter)