Shuhan

In the winter of the seventh year of Yanxing, the north wind outside Youzhou City carried snow particles, which pierced the faces of Han soldiers like countless steel needles.

The lookout on the city wall wrapped himself tightly in a fox-skin cloak, and the white breath he exhaled instantly condensed into ice on his iron armor.

Suddenly, billowing smoke and dust rose from the northern horizon, like a gray-black dragon tearing through the snowfield. Three thousand elite cavalrymen trampled through the three-foot-thick snow and galloped over.

"Report - the secret envoy of the Military Department wants to see you!"

The scouts' shouts pierced through the howling wind.

Inside the central army tent, the flame of a tallow candle cast the shadow of Crown Prince Liu Si on the cowhide map. The golden dragon on his black battle robe rose and fell slightly with his rapid breathing.

When the secret envoy lifted the felt curtain, the snow all over his body fell off, but the parchment scroll in his arms was as dry as new.

"The Tufa tribe under the command of the Xiongnu Zuoxian King has agreed to act as an internal supporter."

The emissary's voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement.

"70% of the food and grass in the Xianbei Chanyu's court was burned by an unknown fire three days ago!"

Liu Si pressed his fingers hard on the Onon River on the map, and his nails left a crescent-shaped indentation on the parchment.

The money and grain accumulated in the fields over the past three years and the secret agents laid by the secret army on the grasslands over the past six months have finally come to an end.

"Pass the order on." His voice was low but every word was as hard as iron.

"At 3 p.m. tomorrow, the entire army will set out!"

Before he finished speaking, the neighing of war horses suddenly came from outside the tent, as if foreshadowing that a bloody storm was about to come.

Half a month later, the snowstorm suddenly stopped at the foot of Langjuxu Mountain where the Xiongnu royal court was located.

The Han army's catapults were arranged in formation in the darkness before dawn, and the gunpowder cans wrapped in cowhide glowed faintly blue in the moonlight.

Liu Si was wearing black iron armor, and the jade pendant with a dragon pattern hanging on his waist collided with the heart-protecting mirror, making a clear sound.

He looked at the felt tents of the Xiongnu royal court in the distance. Those once mighty yurts were now shivering in the cold wind.

"put!"

As the command flag was waved, the wooden capstan of the catapult made a creaking sound.

Three hundred gunpowder cans streaked across the night sky and fell into the Hun camp, leaving long tails of flame.

In an instant, the explosion sounded like thunder, flames shot up into the sky, illuminating the resolute faces of the Han army soldiers.

The Huns woke up from their sleep, only to find their tents engulfed in flames. Screams, cries and explosions were intertwined.

Inside the golden-roofed tent of the Xiongnu Zuoxian King, the candlelight flickered in the violent vibrations.

King Zuo Xian hurriedly put on his armor, but heard the shouts of the Han army outside the tent.

"Oh no! The Han army is attacking!"

Before the guards had finished shouting, the tent door was split open by a sharp sword, and Liu Si rushed in with a long sword in hand and more than a dozen elite soldiers.

"Lord Zuo, how are you?"

Liu Si's voice was as cold as ice, and the tip of his sword lifted the opponent's crown.

"Do you remember that three years ago, you sent people to rob my Han merchant caravan?"

King Zuo Xian looked at the young Han army general in front of him, and a trace of fear flashed in his eyes.

He thought of the prince mentioned in the secret letter, the ruthless character who had suppressed the rebellions in Yongzhou and Jingzhou with iron and blood, and now he was standing in front of him.

Before Zuo Xian Wang could answer, the sound of more intense fighting suddenly came from outside the tent.

Liu Si turned his head and saw a Hun warrior rushing in waving a scimitar.

He sneered, shook his wrist slightly, and the long sword pierced the opponent's throat accurately like a poisonous snake out of a hole.

Warm blood splattered on his goggles, blurring his vision, but his movements did not stop at all, and he continued to kill towards the core area of ​​the Xiongnu royal court.

At the same time, on the battlefield of the Xianbei royal court, the Han cavalry were fighting fiercely with the Xianbei cavalry.

The Han army's war horses were tall and strong, and their hooves crushed the snow, raising gusts of snow mist.

They held ring-handled swords made of fine steel, which flashed coldly in the sunlight.

Although the Xianbei cavalry were brave, they gradually became unable to keep up with the advanced weapons and tactics of the Han army.

"kill!"

The Han army general Zhang Yi shouted and led the cavalry into the Xianbei formation.

His spear was like a silver dragon emerging from the abyss, picking up and sending one Xianbei warrior after another flying.

The Xianbei Chanyu, riding a white warhorse, attempted to organize a counterattack, but his orders were lost in the chaos.

Suddenly, a sharp arrow shot from the darkness and hit his shoulder. The Chanyu screamed and almost fell off his horse.

However, the Han army's combat effectiveness was too strong, and their weapons and equipment were even a generation behind theirs.

The battle lasted for three full days and three nights.

The Xianbei and the Xiongnu were no match at all.

When the last Xianbei warrior fell, the grassland was littered with corpses, and the blood had dyed the white snow dark red.

Liu Si stood on a high place in the Xianbei royal court, looking at the remaining enemies fleeing in a panic in the distance, and an indescribable sense of pride surged in his heart.

This battle not only destroyed the military forces of the Xianbei and Xiongnu, but more importantly, it completely changed the pattern of the grassland.

Subsequently, the imperial court issued an edict to relocate the Xianbei and Xiongnu people to the interior, allowing them to live and work under the supervision of the Han people.

The migrating teams were like two winding dragons, moving slowly across the grassland in early spring.

The Xianbei people were wrapped in tattered fur coats, leading skinny horses. The cries of children and the sighs of the elderly mixed with the north wind and drifted away.

In contrast, there was a team of Han Chinese who came from the inland areas. They pushed ox carts fully loaded with farm tools, with newly sprouted peach saplings tied to the shafts. Children were running and laughing in the team, holding soil tied with red ropes in their hands - that was the fire brought from their hometown.

"Faster!" The Han army captain's whip made a crisp sound in the air.

"After crossing this desert, we will find our new home!" His iron armor gleamed coldly in the sun, and the bronze bell hanging around his waist tinkled with the bumps.

The old Xianbei patriarch Mu Chilie held his grandson's hand and looked at the Han army's flag in the distance. His old face was full of worry: "Mo Rigen, remember these Han people in iron armor, they..."

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by his grandson's clear laughter.

Deep in the grassland, the first new city "Dingshuo City" is under construction in full swing.

The rammed earth city wall is getting higher every day, and the blue-gray bricks still have the smell of fresh earth.

Liu Si rode a tall horse to inspect the construction site. His black cloak was blown up by the wind, revealing the darkly embroidered cloud and thunder pattern on the lining.

"The city defenses must be strengthened and the moat must be dug three feet deep."

He pointed to the blueprint and spoke to the craftsmen.

"But the school and the clinic must also be completed as soon as possible."

The spring sunshine shines on the grassland, and the melted snow water gathers into streams, nourishing the newly turned land.

The Han people waved their hoes and buried the seeds in the moist soil.

The Xianbei people learned farming under the supervision of the Han army. Muchilie's grandson Morigen squatted on the edge of the field, curiously watching the Han children weaving straw hats with willow branches.

"for you."

The Han child Afu put a straw hat on Morigen's head.

"When the wheat is ripe in the fall, I will teach you how to make maltose."

Liu Si stood on the city wall of Dingshuo City, looking at the village with smoke rising from chimneys in the distance.

The spring breeze blows on my face, bringing the fragrance of earth and grass, and in a trance there is a bit of the breath of the south of the Yangtze River.

Suddenly, a burst of rapid horse hoof sounds came from far away, and the scout dismounted: "Your Highness, a pack of wolves was spotted thirty miles away!"

"Get ready!"

When Liu Si turned around, the jade pendant with dragon pattern on his waist hit the heart-protecting mirror, making a crisp sound.

He mounted his warhorse and led a group of cavalrymen to gallop away. On the grassland, hundreds of hungry wolves were surrounding the tents of the Xianbei herdsmen. Amid the shrill howls of the wolves, the herdsmen's cries for help were heard.

“Shoot!”

As the order was given, a rain of arrows broke through the air.

Liu Si unsheathed his sword, and with a flash of cold light, a vicious wolf that pounced on him was cut into two pieces.

Blood splattered on his face, and the warm touch reminded him of the battlefield in Yongzhou three years ago.

But at this moment, when he saw the grateful eyes of the herdsmen, another kind of excitement surged in his heart.

After the battle, Morigen timidly handed over a piece of dried beef: "Thank you, Your Highness."

Liu Si took the beef, touched the child's head and said with a smile: "Call me Brother Liu from now on."

As the sun sets, he looks at the children running on the grassland, Han and Xianbei children chasing and playing, their laughter echoing across the vast sky and earth.

A year later in the spring, Liu Si came to the grassland again.

Dingshuo City has begun to take shape, and the Han army flags on the city walls are fluttering.

The wheat fields outside the city are endless, and the breeze blows, raising golden waves.

The sound of reading aloud came from the school. Under the apricot tree in front of the clinic, the Xianbei elders were basking in the sun and discussing this year's harvest in stiff Chinese.

"Your Highness, it's time to return to the city."

His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of his attendant.

Liu Si pulled the reins of his horse and looked back at the former battlefield.

The snow-capped mountains in the distance form a harmonious picture with the newly built city and fertile fields.

He suddenly remembered his father's words: "True victory is not to make the enemy fearful, but to make them yearn for it."

As the dusk deepened, lights on the grassland lit up one after another.

Liu Si rode his horse back to the city. Behind him he heard the melodious sound of the horse-head fiddle, which was the Han song "Guanju" that the Xianbei people had just learned.

He knew that this war would bring not only territorial expansion but also the integration of civilizations.

This battle not only expanded the territory for the Han Dynasty, but more importantly, made the grassland completely become the back garden of the Han people. For decades, no one dared to challenge the majesty of the Han Dynasty.

And he, as the commander of this battle, will also leave a significant mark in the history of the Han Dynasty.

In the middle spring of the ninth year of Yanxing, the willow catkins in Luoyang City had not yet completely floated away, but the banks of the Luo River were already bustling with activity.

The river surface shrouded in morning mist was rippling with ripples. Three hundred ships were lined up like giant beasts. The red flags with the word "Han" hung on the masts fluttered in the wind. The newly cast bronze muzzles on both sides of the ship's hull flashed a cold light, startling a group of egrets that flew up to the sky.

In the Taiji Hall, Liu Chan looked at the third prince and asked, "Zhao'er, do you know why I chose you?"

Liu Zhao raised his head, the unique heroic spirit of a young man flowing between his eyebrows. The dragon embroidered with gold thread on his black brocade robe had not yet been painted, but it already showed a bit of majesty.

"Father, I am willing to expand the territory for the Han Dynasty, so that wherever the sun and the moon shine, it will be Han territory!"

His voice was clear and firm, carrying the passion and enthusiasm unique to young people.

A smile appeared on Liu Chan's lips.

"Okay, okay."

"Your fourth brother is soft-hearted after all. This matter of opening up the sea requires an iron fist and courage."

"Back then, Xu Fu sailed east, and Wei Wen went to Yizhou. Now, it's time for our Han fleet to sail to a more distant place."

Half a month later, Quanzhou Port was crowded with people, and the sea breeze blew in with a salty and fishy smell.

Liu Zhao stood on the deck of the flagship "Zhenhaiwang" and looked at the huge fleet in front of him.

Hundreds of ships are densely lined up on the sea. Even though the sails have not been raised yet, they already look like a white wall.

Each ship was loaded with enough food and ironware for three years, as well as twenty newly developed "Thunderbolt" cannons - the cast iron gun bodies were shiny black, and the muzzles were carved with ferocious gluttonous patterns.

"Your Highness, the envoy from the Sanmiao Kingdom requests to see you." The attendant's report interrupted Liu Zhao's thoughts.

He turned around and saw several dark-skinned foreigners coming up the gangway. They were wearing straw clothes, necklaces made of shark teeth around their necks, and holding gifts wrapped in banana leaves in their hands.

The old man in the lead knelt on the deck and said in stiff Chinese: "Hearing the might of the Han Dynasty, the Sanmiao people are willing to submit."

Liu Zhao bent down and helped the old man up, his eyes sweeping over the warship not far behind him.

Those canoes were like children's toys in front of the Han Dynasty's warships.

"Since you are willing to submit, please follow our army." His voice was gentle but carried unquestionable majesty.

"Once we capture Yizhou, there will be a huge reward."

The old man raised his head and looked at the jade pendant with dragon pattern hanging on the young prince's waist. It was glowing warmly in the sun, and an inexplicable awe welled up in his heart.

On the day the fleet set sail, the sky was covered with dark clouds and the waves hit the side of the ship, making a deafening sound.

Liu Zhao stood at the bow, letting the sea breeze lift his robe.

"Pass my orders."

His voice cut through the wind and rain.

"Full speed ahead, we must reach the Penghu Islands tonight!"

As the horn sounded, hundreds of warships raised their white sails at the same time, like a group of giant birds with spread wings, breaking through the waves towards the southeast.

Three days later, the outline of Izu Island came into view.

The natives on the island had never seen such a large fleet, and shouts of fear were heard one after another.

Liu Zhao looked at the dense crowd on the shore and raised the bronze arrow in his hand: "Prepare the artillery!"

Following an order, twenty cannons roared at the same time, and the roar shook the sea surface.

In the flames, the indigenous village was razed to the ground in an instant.

"Send a messenger ashore."

Before the smoke had cleared, Liu Zhao issued new orders.

"Tell them that those who surrender will be spared, and those who are willing to become Han citizens will be granted ten acres of land."

He glanced at the terrified natives and remembered his father's advice before he left: "Opening the sea is not about killing people, but about spreading the civilization of the Han Dynasty to all directions."

Three months later, three cities had been built on Izu Island. The Han people reclaimed wasteland and planted rice seeds. The sound of children reciting "The Analects of Confucius" could be heard in the school.

Liu Zhao stood on the newly built city wall, looking at the sea in the distance, and had a new plan in his mind.

Spices from Southeast Asia, gold mines from Australia, and the unknown continent beyond.
All of these will become part of the Han Dynasty's possession.

In the Luoyang Imperial Palace, Liu Chan was looking through the trade route map from the Western Regions when he received the good news.

When Liu Chan saw the news that Yizhou had been incorporated into the territory of the Han Dynasty, he smiled. He picked up the red pen and drew a heavy circle on the map, as if he wanted to include the entire world in the territory of the Han Dynasty.

“Prime Minister.”

He turned to Zhuge Liang beside him and spoke, his voice filled with unprecedented pride.

"Today Zhao'er is going to Southeast Asia, and Xuan'er is going to the Western Regions. It's time to redraw the territory of our Han Dynasty!"

Zhuge Liang had a complicated expression on his face.

Today, the Han Dynasty has risen for the third time, but your Majesty's ambitions far surpass those of the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor Wu.

He actually wants the entire world to become the territory of the Han Dynasty!
As night falls, the lights in Luoyang City light up one after another, and the warships on the Luo River are still training.

Liu Zhao stood on the wall of Yizhou, looking at the starry sky, and his father's words seemed to ring in his ears again: "Wherever the sun sets, it is Han territory."

He tightly grasped the long sword at his waist and swore in his heart: One day, the flag of the Han Dynasty will be planted in every corner of the world.

And this magnificent journey of opening up the sea has just begun.

(End of the book) (End of this chapter)