My younger brother Lü Fengxian

Chapter 227 Factions and Disagreements

"Oh?"

"Is it Kirby?"

Tan Shihuai glanced at Kobe Neng and smiled faintly.

"But is there a good strategy to defeat Han?"

"Your Majesty, I don't deserve the credit for your advice, but I have some different opinions."

Kobe first bowed respectfully to Tan Shihuai, and then spoke humbly.

"Although the Han army is not as powerful as it was during its heyday when it defeated the Xiongnu, it still cannot be underestimated."

"Although the Han army only fought hastily and passively, their weapons were sharp and well-equipped. They were definitely not comparable to the scimitars and leather armor in the hands of the Xianbei people."

"Moreover, they are fighting on their home turf in Hebei. Not only do they have the support of the Han emperor in Luoyang behind them, but they also have a steady stream of supplies requisitioned from all over the Han country. In addition, many soldiers and civilians in Hebei will voluntarily join their army and provide them with supplies and food. These don't even require the Han army to actively collect them. They are all spontaneous actions of the Han people in Hebei."

"Moreover, Lu Zhi, Zhu Jun, and Huangfu Song were all famous generals of the Han Dynasty. They were strict in command and took every step carefully, causing our Xianbei army to suffer a lot!"

"Ever since the Emperor of Han sent over 100,000 troops from three directions to aid Hebei, our offensive has been much weaker than before. We have been driven from the Yellow River to the Great Wall by the Han army."

"We have no way to retreat now. If you follow my idea..."

As Kobinen spoke, the atmosphere in the king's tent became more solemn, almost suffocating.

Kobe is the only sober person in the entire Xianbei group besides the leader Tan Shihuai.

As he spoke, he hesitated for a moment, then carefully raised his head to take a look at Tan Shihuai's face. He found that unlike the other people in the royal tent who had expressions of shock and indignation as if they were immersed in some beautiful dream and were suddenly awakened, Tan Shihuai's face remained as calm as the surface of an ancient pond, without a ripple. So he gritted his teeth and continued speaking.

"Anyway, in the past six months, we have gained a lot from looting inside the Great Wall. Not only have we looted more than 100,000 women, who are the most important to the sparsely populated Xianbei people like us, but we have also looted as many craftsmen, male slaves, and livestock as the women. The other baggage and supplies are also something we have never heard of or seen in hundreds of years!"

"Besides, the Hebei area of ​​the Han Kingdom has been devastated after our conquests over the past six months. Not only are the cities in ruins and the villages deserted, but the population is also declining. It is far from being as prosperous as before. The threat to us Xianbei people will be greatly reduced in the future."

"In the current situation, we are just like the greedy herbalists on the Xianbei Mountain. The baskets we carry are already filled with various herbs, including some valuable ones, but we still covet the more precious Jade Ganoderma Lucidum."

"Although the Jade Ganoderma is good, it will only bloom on dangerous cliffs."

"If you rashly take the risk to pick them, not only will the herbs in the basket behind you fall off the cliff, but you may even lose your life because of greed and stupidity."

"Therefore, according to your subordinates' opinion, it is better to return the people and materials already obtained to Saibei first."

"After all, ten birds in the bush are worth a bird in the hand..."

"What are you talking about?!" Before Kobe could finish his words, Budugen interrupted him with a loud shout.

"We have paid the price of tens of thousands of brave lives and countless hard work to achieve this great situation today."

"And you, a coward, dared to propose retreat and escape to the Great Chanyu in front of all the tribe leaders of the Xianbei tribes when we were about to completely defeat the Han people?"

"Kirby can...!"

"Ever since you learned some Han Chinese stuff, you look less and less like a Xianbei. Are you on the side of the Xianbei, or are you speaking for the Han Chinese?"

Budugen rushed forward angrily, grabbed Kobinen's collar, and yelled angrily almost right next to his face.

"That's right! Lord Budugen is right, we must not retreat!"

"Running away is something only a coward can do. As a great Xianbei, I would rather die in battle than take a single step back!"

"Victory is just around the corner. Wouldn't it be foolish to run away at this moment?"

Upon hearing Kobe's public suggestion of retreat, not only Bu Dugen was furious. The other tribal leaders whose eyes were blinded by desire and ambition also started clamoring when they saw someone step forward.

Only the Western Xianbei nobles under his command were still standing behind him, silently supporting their leader.

"Humph!"

"The Han Chinese military books say that a good commander will always first consider how to avoid failure before considering how to win!"

Seeing Budugen taking the opportunity to settle a personal grudge, Kobe only had to exert a little force to break free from his hand.

"You are a bunch of idiots who are blinded by ambition! Have you never considered the consequences of losing the fight?"

"Have you forgotten the fate of the many tribes that were destroyed by us Xianbei in one battle?"

Having said that, without waiting for Budugen to answer, Kobe knelt down in front of Tan Shihuai, who had remained silent, with a sincere and respectful look.

"Your Excellency, the great Chanyu who created the history of the Xianbei people, the future of the Xianbei people is now before you."

"No matter what decision you make, your most loyal warrior Kirby will carry out your orders to the letter."

"It's so similar..."

Looking at this rising star who looked like his younger self, Tan Shihuai suddenly felt dazed.

He seemed to have crossed over the long years and saw his energetic self in his youth.

At that time, I was so eccentric, so different, and so reckless.

If not for this, he would not have unified the Xianbei, established such a foundation, and become the undisputed greatest hero among millions of Xianbei people.

However, no matter how great a hero is, he will eventually be defeated by the power of time.

Over the years, the image of the energetic self in the past has gradually become blurred in my memory.

Health, perception, and physical strength were also taken away by my younger self.

Even that lofty ambition cannot be retained after all.

“I am old after all…”

Looking at the young Kobe Neng, Tan Shihuai suddenly sighed in his heart.

Although he still looks strong, years of war and trauma have left his body riddled with illnesses.

He was so old that he even had no energy to stop the Xianbei chariot that he had built with his own hands.

Therefore, even though he knew in his heart that Kobe might be right, he could not and would not agree.

"You are a coward of lowly blood, a bastard who came from nowhere, and you dare to influence the decision of the Great Chanyu. I think you are courting death!"

Budugen saw that Tan Shihuai became even more silent because of Kobineng's words, and he couldn't help but feel anxious. He snatched a horsewhip from the waist of someone beside him and wanted to rush up and whip Kobineng.

Others don’t know about Tan Shihuai’s physical condition, but as Tan Shihuai’s grandson, he knows it well.

Tan Shihuai's health is now deteriorating. If this journey south was not related to the fate of the entire Xianbei ethnic group, the sick Tan Shihuai would not have led the army personally.

No one knows how long Tan Shihuai's body can last.

It may be able to support four or five years, or it may only support four or five months.

While Budugen was worried about his grandfather's health, he was even more worried that after his grandfather's death, when the throne of the Xianbei Khan became vacant, he would not have made enough achievements and would miss the throne.

Perhaps, this invasion to the south is his last chance!
This invasion to the south was just a pursuit of money and population for the patriarchs and nobles of other tribes.

But for Budugen, it is a crucial opportunity that determines whether he can inherit the throne of the Great Khan.

Originally, although Budugen was also anxious, he was not as anxious as this one.

It was only because of the defeat of his general Huto that his position as successor, which was originally quite solid, suddenly became unstable. Huto, that damn bastard.

He was as cunning as a fox in normal days, but he never expected that after hunting eagles all his life, he would end up having his eyes pecked out by an eagle.

He himself died and his clan was wiped out, and his body was brought back by an unknown coachman.

Instead, it implicated its master.

He really deserves to die!
"enough!"

Budugen raised the whip high up and was about to swing it when it was suddenly grasped firmly by a large hand covered with calluses.

"Um……?"

Budugen turned around in surprise, but what awaited him was a slap from another equally powerful hand.

"Grandpa...you..."

Budugen looked at Tan Shihuai, who had a sullen face, and felt both shocked and frightened.

"Compared to bloodline, courage and loyalty are the greatest proof of the Xianbei people!"

"Budugen, you really disappoint me!"

Tan Shihuai looked at the grandson of the brave and greedy Xianbei warrior in front of him and felt greatly disappointed.

Compared with the strength and courage to charge into battle, wisdom and patience are the qualities that a Khan needs more.

After all, there can be countless warriors, but there can only be one Great Khan of the Xianbei!
However, he seldom sees these two features in Budugen. Instead, they begin to appear frequently in Kobe, who is still kneeling on the ground, after being influenced by the Han culture.

This made Tan Shihuai, who already had a premonition that his end was near, feel deeply uneasy.

Now, seeing that Budugen, whose reason had been blinded by greed, actually disregarded the overall unity of the Xianbei people and wanted to whip Kobinen, one of the three leaders together with him, in public.

If this whip had been used effectively, it would most likely have immediately caused actual division among the Xianbei people.

After all, in the history of the Xianbei, division and chaos are the main themes!
Although Tan Shihuai admires the rising star Kobe, he does not want to hand over the foundation he has built to an outsider.

Although Budugen is impulsive and brave, and has many faults, he still has his own blood in him.

No matter how outstanding Ke Bineng is, he is still an outsider.

And because of his outsider status, the more outstanding he is, the greater the threat he poses to Tan Shihuai.

However, Tan Shihuai was unable to immediately deprive Kobinen of his position as leader.

Compared with the Han people's patriarchal system that has been passed down for more than a thousand years, the Xianbei have too little history.

So much so that even though the Xianbei had been unified by him, the idea that the strong are respected, which was deeply rooted in his bones, still played a role.

Kobe's position as leader of the Eastern Conference is not so much a reward from himself as it is the result of his own powerlessness and going with the flow.

The best proof of this is the eastern nobles who stood firmly behind Kobinen even when the western and central tribes opposed them.

therefore.

Tan Shihuai seemed to be supporting Kobe Neng, but in fact he was helping his stupid grandson.

As a warrior known for his bravery even among the Xianbei, how could Kobe avoid Budugen's whipping that was full of loopholes?

Seeing how he was totally unaware just now, rather than being unable to react and dodge, Tan Shihuai was more willing to believe that Kobe intentionally took the whip.

"Kobe Neng, my grandson just offended you. Now he has received the punishment he deserves. Are you satisfied?"

Tan Shihuai came to Kobineng and helped him up kindly.

"The Khan is serious. He is only concerned about the future of Xianbei. What crime has Budugen committed?"

Kobe was able to keep a smile on his face, showing the breadth of mind and spirit that only a king can have.

However, his performance caught the attention of Tan Shihuai, which made the latter even more fearful.

"well said!"

"The size of the Xianbei is getting bigger and bigger, and the population of the Xianbei is getting bigger and bigger."

"Therefore, Xianbei's territory must become larger and larger in the future!"

"Your suggestion is good, but it is inappropriate!"

Tan Shihuai sneered in his heart, ruthlessly rejected Kobineng's proposal, and at the same time he made up his mind.

Since Kobe has become too powerful to be eliminated.

Then we will first destroy his troops in the decisive battle three days later.

Although the Xianbei are the Xianbei of the Xianbei people, they are more like Tan Shihuai's own Xianbei.

According to Kobe's current development momentum, I am afraid that after his soul returns to Changshengtian, the bloodline of the Great Khan will change hands within a few years.

This is something Tan Shihuai absolutely cannot tolerate.

Tan Shihuai, who was originally hesitant about whether to fight or make peace, immediately stopped hesitating.

In order to maintain the purity of the Great Chanyu's bloodline, even if the Xianbei's power weakened, it was not out of the question.

"Um……?"

"But……!"

Kobe was extremely disappointed when he heard this.

"Here comes someone!"

"Bring up the Han county governor who refused to surrender!"

But the shrewd Tan Shihuai did not give him any room to argue further.

Tan Shihuai understood that it was impossible to eliminate the increasingly serious internal conflicts.

Then you might as well transfer it out.

"Yes!" The guards outside the big tent heard Tan Shihuai's call and immediately took the order and left.

The other nobles in the big tent didn't know why Tan Shihuai suddenly wanted to see a Han prisoner during such a crucial decision.

Not long after.

A tall but extremely strong captive was dragged up by two strong Xianbei guards.

The middle-aged captive looked extremely miserable. His face was as pale as paper, his hair and beard were disheveled, and his originally white clothes were stained black and red by blood. His body was covered with horrific wounds with his skin torn and his flesh turned out. He could no longer bleed.

It is obvious that he had suffered cruel torture at the hands of the Xianbei people.

……

(End of this chapter)