The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 558 Reconquest of the Grasslands
The golden roof of the Taiji Hall gleamed in the morning sun. Qin Shou sat upright on the dragon throne, his piercing gaze sweeping over the assembled officials. Today's court assembly was extraordinary; a tense atmosphere permeated the hall.

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present!" Zhang Hong, Minister of Revenue, stepped forward, holding an ivory tablet, and declared loudly, "Since the land inventory in Guanzhong began, 1,387,600 mu of land hidden by aristocratic families has been recovered, and more than 200,000 households of displaced people have been resettled."

Qin Shou nodded slightly, but his gaze fell on his third son, Qin Chengwen, who was standing in front of the ministers. This son, who had seemed unruly in the past, had made a great contribution this time, yet he still maintained his nonchalant expression.

"Third brother, step forward to receive your investiture." Qin Shou suddenly spoke, his voice echoing throughout the hall.

Qin Chengwen paused for a moment, then strode to the center of the hall and knelt on one knee: "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

"The Third Prince, Qin Chengwen, is both wise and brave, and has shared the nation's burdens. He is hereby specially enfeoffed as the Prince of Zhongnan, in charge of the military and political affairs of the seven prefectures of Nanzhong." Qin Shou's voice was authoritative and resonant. He continued, "He is also bestowed with ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand bolts of brocade to ensure the well-being of his people."

These words caused an uproar throughout the court. Although Zhongnan was located in a remote area, it was newly acquired territory by the imperial court, with an area equivalent to three Guanzhong Plains. It yielded three harvests a year and was rich in resources, attracting the attention of many nobles in the court. Qin Shou's move was tantamount to handing over half of the country to his third son.

Qin Chengwen raised his head, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, then kowtowed: "Your subject obeys the decree and will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust."

“Mi Zhu, Gu Yong,” Qin Shou continued calling out names.

Two senior officials stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, we are here."

"I hereby appoint you two as the Left and Right Chancellors of Zhongnan, to assist the King of Zhongnan in governing the southern region. Mi Zhu will be in charge of civil administration, and Gu Yong will manage finances. Take up your posts immediately."

Mi Zhu's expression changed slightly, while Gu Yong remained composed. The two exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Your subjects obey the decree."

After the court session, Qin Shou summoned Qin Chengwen to the imperial study. The young prince had changed into his princely robes, but he still retained his carefree and irreverent demeanor.

"Father's move was truly brilliant," Qin Chengwen said with a grin. "Sending your son, along with the Mi and Gu families, to the south not only solved the land issue in Guanzhong but also expanded the southern frontier."

Qin Shou picked up his teacup and took a sip. "You seem to have a good understanding. However, the South is not like Chang'an; it's shrouded in miasma, and the barbarians are fierce. Are you confident in your abilities?"

"With the assistance of two veteran ministers, Mi Zhu and Gu Yong, governing the Central and Southern regions should not be a problem; I am confident." A glint of light flashed in Qin Chengwen's eyes, and he hesitated before saying, "However, Father, there are many barbarian tribes in the area, and I need to deal with them, but I have neither soldiers nor generals at my disposal."

"Whom have you taken a fancy to?" Qin Shou asked immediately.

"How are General Huang and his son?" Qin Chengwen asked immediately, his eyes darting around.

"Ding Feng, please!"

After thinking it over, Qin Shou decided to let Ding Feng accompany Qin Chengwen south.

"My son, I accept the decree."

Qin Chengwen thought about it and agreed.

"The powerful families of Jiangnan have been entrenched for too long, and I have long intended to rectify this situation." Qin Shou put down his teacup, his voice low and deep. "Gu Yong's prestige in court is too high; keeping him in Chang'an would be detrimental. Sending him to Zhongnan will allow him to utilize his talents and also enable him to lead the Jiangnan families to help you govern the region and develop Zhongnan."

Qin Chengwen suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. That Mi Zhu..."

"Mi Zhu is skilled in business and can be a great help to you. He's different from Fang; you can make good use of him," Qin Shou instructed. A knowing glint flashed in Qin Chengwen's eyes, and he cupped his hands, saying, "Your subject understands. With Mi Zhu managing trade, Gu Yong governing domestic affairs, and Ding Feng commanding the military, Zhongnan will surely become a treasure trove of grain for our Great Qin."

Qin Shou nodded slightly, took a scroll from the table, and handed it to the other party, saying, "This is intelligence gathered by my secret guards from various tribes in the south and central regions. Among them, the Wuman and Baiman are the most powerful. You must use both kindness and force, and absolutely not resort to coercion alone."

"Father, rest assured." Qin Chengwen took the bamboo slip, then suddenly lowered his voice and asked with some concern, "But... what about my elder brother?"

"The Crown Prince has his own duties." Qin Shou's gaze suddenly sharpened as he instructed, "You just need to do your job well."

Half a month later, banners fluttered outside Chang'an. Qin Chengwen, dressed in a python robe, set off south under the escort of three thousand elite soldiers. Among the procession, Mi Zhu's caravan was laden with farming tools and grain, while Gu Yong's carriage was piled high with books and documents, accompanied by their families. Ding Feng would meet up with them in Jiangnan.

After settling matters in the court, Qin Shou once again raised an army and marched north to conquer the various Xianbei tribes. Along the long border, Wei Yan marched out of Yanmen Pass, Xu Huang marched out of Liaodong, and Qin Shou led 50,000 cavalrymen out of Zhuojun.

Qin Shou stood atop the city wall of Zhuojun, gazing at the vast northern grasslands, his eyes flashing with a cold light. The autumn wind whipped his battle robes, making them flutter loudly.

"Your Majesty, a scout reports that Kebineng and Budugen have led their troops to retreat three hundred li north, leaving only a few scattered cavalry to harass our army," Zhao Yun, clad in iron armor, reported in a deep voice.

Qin Shou's lips curled into a slight smile: "The Xianbei are resorting to their old tricks, trying to cripple our supply lines. Issue the order: Xu Huang will lead 10,000 light cavalry to outflank us along the Great Wall; Wei Yan will lead his army in a steady, methodical advance."

"Then Your Majesty..." Zhao Yun hesitated slightly.

"I will personally lead the central army to lure them into a trap," Qin Shou declared solemnly, his eyes blazing as he tapped his fingers heavily on the battlements. "This time, I will resolve the northern border threat once and for all!"

With three armies advancing simultaneously, Qin Shou's central army deliberately slowed its pace, its supply trains stretching for dozens of miles, as if luring the Xianbei to attack. Sure enough, late on the third night, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly echoed across the grasslands.

"Enemy attack! Protect the grain carts!" Flames erupted from the Tang army ranks. Thousands of Xianbei cavalry charged out of the darkness like ghosts, raining down arrows.

Just then, countless torches suddenly lit up the surroundings, and Tang archers, who had been lying in ambush, unleashed a volley of arrows. Caught off guard, the Xianbei were thrown into chaos, with men and horses falling in disarray.

"We've fallen into a trap! Retreat!" the Xianbei general leading the raid shouted, but it was too late. Qin Shou personally led his elite cavalry out from the flank, surrounding the Xianbei.

At dawn, the battle ended. Qin Shou, treading on the blood-stained grass, looked at the captured Xianbei general: "Tell me, where is Kebineng's main force?"

The general remained silent, his neck stiff. Qin Shou sneered and waved his hand, saying, "Drag him away and torture him severely. You must find out the whereabouts of Kebineng and Budugen."

He simply refused to believe that all these Xianbei people were tough as nails.

Sure enough, Qin Shou quickly extracted the location of the main Xianbei force from the prisoners. Kebineng and Budugen's allied forces were lying in ambush in the river valleys north of Yinshan, preparing to attack the Tang army.

"Just as I expected." Qin Shou stood before the sand table, lightly tapping the valley at the northern foot of Yinshan Mountain with his finger, and said smugly, "Kebineng wanted to lure me deeper in, then cut off my retreat."

Zhao Yun frowned and said, "Your Majesty, if our army rashly pursues, we risk falling into an ambush. Wouldn't it be better to send scouts to investigate first?"

(End of this chapter)