Shuhan

In the majestic and solemn Han capital palace, there are carved beams and painted rafters, vermilion pillars reaching up to the dome, and golden glazed tiles sparkling brightly under the sunlight.

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was solemn as the Han emperor and his ministers gathered together to discuss the border situation and domestic affairs.

Liu Chan sat upright on the dragon throne with a serious expression, his eyes filled with worry and determination.

He frowned slightly, glanced at the ministers, and slowly said: "Although the Xiongnu and Xianbei have retreated this time, the situation at the border is still not optimistic. My dear ministers, in your opinion, when will the grassland tribes invade next time?"

Zhuge Liang, who was dressed in court robes and a tall hat, stepped forward, saluted, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, the grassland tribes have always used autumn and winter as the time to plunder. At that time, the grass is yellow and the horses are fat, and their fighting power is at its peak. Moreover, after the autumn harvest, our dynasty has abundant food and grass, which is a time of great temptation for them. Therefore, the next invasion is very likely to be in autumn and winter."

Liu Chan nodded slightly, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Well, my dear minister, what you said is very true. Then how should we arrange the troops stationed at the border now?"

At this time, a minister who looked like a military commander stepped out. It was Wu Yi, who stood tall and straight, and spoke in a voice like a bell: "Your Majesty, I think that a small number of Han troops can be left to garrison Youzhou to deter the tribes on the grassland. This way, we can both demonstrate the power of our dynasty and keep a constant vigilance against their movements. The rest of the soldiers can be released to their respective places. First, they can go home to reunite with their families and appease the soldiers; second, they can be allowed to participate in agricultural production and enrich the national strength."

Liu Chan looked at Wu Yi with approval and said, "Your Excellency's plan is very good. As you say, except for a small number of Han troops who continue to deter Youzhou, the rest will be released."

However, when talking about the secret military department's search for the rioters, Liu Chan's face suddenly turned gloomy.

He slapped the armrest of the dragon throne heavily and said angrily: "The people of the Military Affairs Department have been searching for the rioters, but they have achieved little! Apart from a few merchants, there is almost nothing to be found. Those traitors are still hiding in the dark, trying to overthrow our Han Dynasty!"

The commander of the Jianjun Division hurriedly stepped out of the line, knelt on the ground and apologized, his forehead covered with beads of sweat, and his face was terrified: "Your Majesty, please calm down! We are incompetent and have not been able to catch all the rioters. But we will definitely send more people to investigate further, and we will not let your Majesty down!"

Liu Chan looked at him coldly, his eyes full of disappointment and anger: "Humph! If you don't do something, I will not let you off easily! For those who have been found to plot rebellion, I will order people to punish them severely and kill their three clans to serve as a warning to others! Let those who have evil intentions know the consequences of betraying our Han Dynasty!"

After dealing with the border garrisons and the rebellious plotters, Liu Chan's thoughts turned to the rebellion of the barbarians in Jingzhou.

He gently rubbed his temples, a trace of fatigue appeared on his face, but he soon cheered up and said, "The chaos of the barbarians in Jingzhou should be resolved. These barbarians often harass the people and cause trouble to the people. I order Ah Huinan and E Huan to lead troops to Jingzhou to wipe out the barbarians."

As soon as His Majesty said this, all the ministers nodded. Ah Huinan and E Huan stepped out, knelt on one knee, and said in unison: "Your Majesty, rest assured, we will do our best to quell the rebellion of the barbarians!"

Liu Chan looked at them with trust in his eyes: "This time we are clearing out the barbarians, not only to stabilize Jingzhou, but also to obtain labor. These barbarians are all labor. After clearing them out, we can let them cultivate the land and enrich our Han national strength. You must use both kindness and force to make them surrender sincerely."

Ah Huinan and E Huan exchanged a look, their eyes revealing determination: "Your Majesty is wise! We will definitely fulfill our mission!"

After retiring from court, Liu Chan sat alone in the pavilion of the imperial garden, gazing at the flourishing flowers in the garden, yet his heart was still filled with worry.

He knew very well that the Han Dynasty was now facing internal and external troubles, and if he was not careful, it might fall into an irretrievable situation.

Although the Xiongnu and Xianbei have retreated, they may come back at any time, and those hidden rebels are even more uneasy.

If the rebellion of the barbarians in Jingzhou is not properly resolved, it will become a major hidden danger to the Han Dynasty.

"I will work hard to make the Han Dynasty prosperous and live up to the wishes of my father and the previous emperors." Liu Chan whispered to himself, with a determination in his eyes.

At this time, a breeze blew, and the petals fell like pink snowflakes.

The sunlight shines through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows, adding a bit of tranquility and peace to this imperial garden.

However, behind this seemingly calm situation, the Han people are facing many challenges.

After receiving the order, A Huinan and E Huan immediately began to prepare for the expedition.

They counted the troops, checked weapons and food supplies, and everything was proceeding in a tense and orderly manner.

Ah Huinan stood on the training ground, looking at the neat rows of soldiers, feeling filled with pride.

He clenched the spear in his hand and shouted loudly: "Soldiers! This time we are going to Jingzhou to quell the rebellion of the barbarians and stabilize the people. Everyone must fight bravely and make great military achievements for our Han Dynasty!"

The soldiers shouted in unison: "Fight bravely and kill the enemy! Make contributions to the Han Dynasty!" The sound resounded through the sky, shaking the surrounding trees slightly.

E Huan was carefully checking the food and supplies to make sure nothing was missed.

He frowned and said to the officer in charge of food and fodder with a serious face: "Food and fodder are the foundation of marching and fighting, and we must not be careless in the slightest. Every bag of food and every pot of water is related to the life and death of the soldiers, and to the success or failure of this expedition. You must be cautious!"

The official nodded repeatedly, his forehead covered with sweat: "General, rest assured, I will do my best!"

At the same time, the military officials were also stepping up their search for potential rioters.

They disguised themselves, went deep into the streets and alleys, dealt with all kinds of people, and tried to get clues from them.

A secret agent from the secret military department, dressed in tattered clothes and disguised as a vegetable vendor, was chatting with people around him in the vegetable market.

He said casually, "This city has been very unstable recently. I heard that someone is planning a rebellion."

An old lady who was buying vegetables nearby looked at him warily and whispered, "Young man, don't say such things. These days, the mouth can cause trouble. However, I heard that there seem to be some mysterious people who often gather in the dilapidated temple in the west of the city. I don't know what they are doing."

The spy was moved, but remained calm on the surface: "Auntie, do you know what those people look like?"

The old lady shook her head: "I just heard it from others. I don't know the details. Don't say it was me who said it."

The spy quickly apologized with a smile: "Don't worry, ma'am. I'm just asking casually."

The spy ran all the way and arrived at the heavily guarded residence of the military commander.

The guards at the door were like two cold stone statues, holding spears and looking vigilant.

The spy was panting, his face covered in sweat, but he didn't even bother to wipe it off as he eagerly identified himself to the guard.

Entering the mansion, candlelight flickered in the hall of the military headquarters, and light and shadows danced strangely on the walls.

The commander of the Jianjunsi was frowning and looking carefully at a map on the table.

The spy knelt on the ground with a plop, and said in a hurried and trembling voice: "Commander, something terrible has happened! Someone is plotting a rebellion in the ruined temple west of the city!"

When the commander heard this, his eyes suddenly became as sharp as an eagle, and the brush in his hand broke with a "snap".

He stood up suddenly, his tall body shrouded in shadows, his face full of shock and anger.

After a brief thought, he quickly issued an order: "Mobilize the troops immediately and follow me to raid the ruined temple in the west of the city! We must not let the rebels succeed in their conspiracy!"

Soon, a team of well-trained soldiers from the secret service gathered.

They were dressed in black, looked grim, and held sharp blades, like a group of silent ghosts in the night. The leader rode on a tall horse, his face as gloomy as the sky before a storm.

He waved his hand and shouted in a low and powerful voice: "Let's go!" The sound of horse hooves and footsteps intertwined together, breaking the tranquility of the night.

When the team quietly surrounded the dilapidated temple in the west of the city, the surroundings were eerily quiet, with only the occasional cry of an owl echoing in the night sky.

The door of the dilapidated temple was half-open, and a faint light was visible from inside.

The commander made a gesture, and the soldiers approached quickly like ghosts. When they kicked the door open and rushed in like a tide, they were stunned by the scene before them.

Inside the dilapidated temple, a group of ragged, unkempt hooligans were sitting together, with some simple food and wine on the table.

When they saw the soldiers from the Jianjun Division suddenly breaking in, they were so scared that their faces turned pale, and some even collapsed to the ground.

"Are you planning a rebellion?"

A man who looked like a leader was trembling all over and stammering, "Sir, please spare me! We...we just got together to discuss how to steal more money. We didn't even think about treason!"

The commander's expression instantly turned extremely ugly, his eyes showing both anger and a hint of regret.

What was originally thought to be a major rebellion concerning the safety of the country turned out to be just a farce by a group of ruffians.

He glared at the spy fiercely, thinking to himself: This information is so inaccurate that it almost caused a big mistake. I must reorganize the intelligence network when I return.

But at this moment, he suppressed the anger in his heart and snorted coldly: "Take all these people back to me and interrogate them strictly!"

After saying that, he turned around and led the team out of the ruined temple.

At this time, the dark clouds in the night sky dissipated, and the cold moonlight shone down, as if silently mocking this misunderstanding.

In Jingzhou, the barbarians seemed to have sensed the approaching Han army.

They discussed countermeasures in the mountain village.

A barbarian leader, with a burly figure and a face full of flesh, brandished a big knife in his hand and shouted: "What if the Han army comes? We occupy this strategic location. It won't be easy for them to attack us! Let's fight them!"

Another barbarian elder who seemed more stable frowned and said, "Don't be reckless. The Han army is powerful. If we fight them head-on, I'm afraid it will be dangerous. It's better to send someone to find out the strength of the Han army first, and then make a decision."

The leader glared at the old man and said, "Humph! You are just a coward! Why are you afraid of the Han army? We barbarians have never been afraid of them!"

The old man shook his head helplessly: "Chief, this is not a question of fear or not, but we need to judge the situation. If we attack rashly, it will play into the hands of the Han army. It is better to be cautious."

While the barbarians were arguing, Ahuinan and Ehuan had already led their army towards Jingzhou.

Along the way, military flags fluttered, horses hooves clattered, and the soldiers were in high spirits, eager to achieve merit in this battle.

When the army reached a valley, they saw steep mountains on both sides and a narrow road in the valley.

Ah Huinan became alert. He pulled the reins and said to E Huan, "The terrain here is dangerous. There may be an ambush. Pass the order down and tell the soldiers to move forward carefully and be vigilant."

E Huan nodded and immediately passed the order down. The soldiers held their weapons tightly and moved forward cautiously.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced the sky, and then countless barbarians emerged from the surrounding valleys. Like ghosts, they rushed towards the Han army shouting.

The barbarians were strong and sturdy, with strange oil paint on their faces, fierce light flashing in their eyes, and the scimitars in their hands reflected a cold light in the sunlight.

Ah Huinan shouted, "Soldiers, don't panic! Form a battle array to meet the enemy!"

The Han army quickly formed a square formation, with shield bearers in the front, spearmen in the back, and archers in the back row of the square formation, drawing their bows and shooting arrows.

For a moment, the sounds of shouting and weapons clashing were intertwined in the valley.

Although the barbarians were brave, the Han army was well-trained and had a tight formation.

The two sides engaged in a fierce melee.

Ah Huinan held a long knife in his hand, squeezed the horse's belly hard, and rushed towards the barbarians like an arrow.

His eyes were firm and cold, without any fear on his face.

As the long sword was swung, blood splattered and the barbarians fell one after another.

"kill!"

Ah Huinan roared while swinging his sword continuously. Every swing carried a tremendous force and went straight to the barbarian's vital points.

Under the leadership of Ahuinan, the morale of the Han army was greatly boosted and each of them fought bravely against the enemy.

On the battlefield, shouts and screams were intertwined, and blood dyed the yellow sand red.

The wind and sand seemed to be shocked by the fierce battle and blew even harder, trying to cover up the cruel scene.

While Ahuinan was fighting with other enemies, a barbarian quietly approached from the side, raised the scimitar in his hand high, and slashed hard at Ahuinan's back.

Ah Huinan sensed the movement behind him and quickly dodged to the side, and the sharp scimitar scraped past his armor.

Ah Huinan swung his knife back and hit the barbarian right in the throat. The barbarian opened his eyes wide and slowly fell down.

After a fierce fighting, the barbarians gradually could not withstand the fierce attack of the Han army and began to retreat.

Finally, the barbarians retreated like a tide, leaving only corpses scattered all over the battlefield. Ah Hui was panting heavily, his face was splattered with blood, and he couldn't tell whether it was his own or the enemy's.

"Soldiers, seize the opportunity to pursue the victory! Don't let them escape!" Ah Huinan shouted.

In his opinion, the heads of these barbarians were all military merits, so how could he let them escape?
The morale of the Han army was greatly boosted, and they chased the barbarians all the way.

Faced with the Han army with better weapons and equipment, these barbarians in the deep mountains and old forests could only flee for their lives. (End of this chapter)