The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 566 Alien Race
Wei Yan looked around and saw Xianbei cavalry surging in like a tide, their blades flashing in the wind and snow. He laughed loudly, "Well done, Tuoba Liwei! Today I'll show you what the iron cavalry of the Tang Dynasty truly is!"

"All troops, heed my command!" Wei Yan raised his longsword high, his voice like thunder, roaring, "Wedge formation! Follow me and carve a bloody path through!"

Five thousand Tang cavalrymen swiftly changed formation, with Wei Yan as their spearhead, plunging straight into the Xianbei ranks like a sharp dagger. The two armies clashed, blood mingling with snowflakes. Wei Yan led the charge, and wherever his long sword passed, Xianbei warriors fell from their horses.

Tuoba Liwei shouted from afar, "Surround them! Don't let a single one escape!"

His voice was filled with terror. If Wei Yan broke through the encirclement, he and his tribe would face annihilation. The Tang Dynasty would not tolerate any traitors. He had pretended to surrender to the Tang, but secretly colluded with Kebineng to plot against Wei Yan and tens of thousands of border troops. The Tang Dynasty would not let him off the hook.

Just then, a familiar bugle call suddenly rang out amidst the wind and snow. Wei Yan's spirits lifted.

"The horn of our Great Tang Dynasty has sounded! Reinforcements have arrived!"

Suddenly, a cavalry force in white robes charged out from the northwest, led by a general with a silver spear and a white horse—it was Zhao Yun. His reinforcements descended like divine soldiers, instantly disrupting the Xianbei's encirclement.

"Zilong, you've arrived just in time!" Wei Yan laughed and rode up to meet Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun swept his silver spear across, repelling several Xianbei cavalrymen, and said in a deep voice, "Wenchang, we've fallen into a trap! General Xu Huang has led his main force to encircle us from the east. We must break through as soon as possible!"

The two armies joined forces and fought a retreating battle. Although the Xianbei were numerous, the Tang army's skillful coordination prevented them from forming an encirclement.

Suddenly, the deafening sound of war drums echoed from afar. Chaos erupted in the rear of the Xianbei army as Xu Huang led the main force of the Tang Dynasty in a tidal wave, their banners obscuring the sky.

Seeing the situation was dire, Tuoba Liwei hurriedly turned his horse around and shouted, "Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

Kebineng was furious: "Tuoba Liwei! You coward!" He personally led his personal guards to charge at the Tang army, but was shot in the shoulder by an arrow from Zhao Yun and almost fell off his horse.

Amidst the wind and snow, the three Tang armies formed an encirclement. The Xianbei army was thrown into chaos and scattered in all directions. Taking advantage of the situation, Wei Yan led his elite troops straight to Kebineng's banner, sweeping all before them.

As dusk fell, the Xianbei army was routed. Tuoba Liwei was captured alive by Xu Huang, and Kebineng fled north in panic with only a few hundred cavalry.

After the battle, the Tang army was declared the victorious force. Zhao Yun ordered his troops to set up camp and rest on the snowy plains, while simultaneously dispatching a fast horse to report the victory to Chang'an.

Inside the tent, Wei Yan personally escorted Tuoba Liwei in, kicking him to his knees: "Traitor! You nearly caused the deaths of five thousand of my men on the snowy plains!"

Tuoba Liwei's face was ashen, and he did not utter a word.

Zhao Yun raised his hand to stop Wei Yan: "Wen Chang, calm down. This man can be dealt with by His Majesty." He turned to Tuoba Liwei and said coldly, "Do you know the consequences of betraying the Tang Dynasty?"

Tuoba Liwei suddenly looked up, a strange glint in his eyes: "You think you've won? The real blizzard has only just begun."

Before the words were even finished, a sudden gale arose outside the tent, and the blizzard intensified several times over. A sentry rushed in, panicked, to report: "General! A blizzard is here! Visibility is less than three steps!"

Zhao Yun's expression changed drastically: "This is bad! Quickly order the entire army to regroup and set up camp on the spot to avoid the storm!"

The sudden blizzard lasted for three days and three nights. When the sky finally cleared, the Tang army discovered that Kebineng and the remaining Xianbei cavalry had vanished without a trace. Xu Huang gazed at the vast white snowfield and sighed, "What a pity, Kebineng escaped."

Wei Yan laughed heartily and said, "They may run away, but they can't hide! Once the snow melts in spring, we'll strike straight at their heart! They'll be destroyed by us sooner or later."

Zhao Yun sheathed his sword, his gaze resolute, and nodded, saying, "Although this battle did not achieve complete victory, it has severely weakened the Xianbei. Order the army to return to Yanmen Pass! We will discuss the Northern Expedition with His Majesty again next spring!"

The snowstorm subsided, and the banners of the Tang Dynasty gleamed in the sunlight. In the distance, an eagle soared across the sky, flying northward.
Chang'an City, Daming Palace.

Emperor Qin Shou of Tang held a report of victory from the border, his brows furrowed. He wore a bright yellow dragon robe and a winged crown. Although he was only thirty-five years old, he still looked very young, heroic and robust.

"Your Majesty, how is the war at the border?" Jia Xu, who was standing to the side, asked softly. This strategist, known for his wisdom and resourcefulness, had white hair and beard, but his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle's.

Qin Shou handed the report to Jia Xu: "Although Zilong and Wenchang were victorious, Kebineng escaped. What worries me even more is what Tuoba Liwei said when he was captured alive."

Jia Xu quickly scanned the report, his brows furrowing as he said, "'The real blizzard has only just begun'—this statement is quite profound."

Qin Shou walked to the window, gazing at the gloomy northern sky: "Since the previous dynasty, although the foreign tribes have outwardly submitted to the Han, they have harbored treacherous intentions. The Xianbei, Xiongnu, and Qiang tribes have rebelled and surrendered at different times, and the borders have never known peace. The demise of the previous dynasty was largely due to the rebellions of these foreign tribes."

Jia Xu pondered for a moment: "Your Majesty is wise. Those who are not of our race are bound to have different hearts. These foreign tribes live a nomadic life, are not accustomed to the customs and laws of our Central Plains, and when weak they are subservient, and when strong they invade and plunder—this is their nature."

Qin Shou turned around, a resolute glint in his eyes, and said, "Wenhe, I order you to immediately begin gathering intelligence on the various tribes, especially their interactions and communications. I need to know our enemy and ourselves to ensure lasting peace and stability."

Jia Xu bowed and accepted the order: "Your subject obeys. Your subject suggests that we simultaneously strengthen control over the trade routes in the Western Regions, as merchants traveling between these areas are the most efficient at gathering information."

"Granted." Qin Shou nodded. "Furthermore, strengthen surveillance of the surrendered Hu tribes, especially the sons of their leaders who are held hostage in Chang'an. We cannot allow something like what happened to Tuoba Liwei to happen again."

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall. A guard knelt and reported, "Your Majesty, an urgent dispatch from Yanmen Pass!"

Qin Shou's heart tightened: "Bring it here!"

In his report, Zhao Yun detailed the strange occurrences discovered after the blizzard—the routed Xianbei army was not fleeing aimlessly, but rather retreating northward in an organized manner, with reinforcements along the way. Even more unsettling was the discovery of traces of Xiongnu cavalry on the border by scouts.

After reading the report, Jia Xu's expression turned grave: "Your Majesty, this matter is of utmost importance. The Xianbei and the Xiongnu have always been at odds, but now they seem to be showing signs of joining forces."

Qin Shou slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "Issue the imperial decree! Order Zhao Yun to strengthen border defenses and lead elite troops to patrol the northern frontier. Wei Yan will be stationed at Yanmen Pass, and Xu Huang will be stationed at Youzhou, to strictly prevent the Hu people from invading the south!"

After the guards left to carry out their orders, Qin Shou wearily rubbed his temples and said with a wry smile, "Wenhe, I have a feeling that this blizzard has probably only just begun."

"Your Majesty, our Great Tang Dynasty reigns supreme over the world. As long as we remain vigilant, what do we have to fear from these foreign tribes?" Jia Xu reassured him.

(End of this chapter)