Jinting Han people

Chapter 214 Tiefu Rebellion (4k)

After leaving Chang'an, Qi Wannian rode his horse at full speed, heading east along the Wei River, passing Weicheng and Gaolu to Xiagui, then turned north and went north along the Luo River all the way to Suli. Twenty miles further east, he arrived at Huangyaji, which he founded.

Qi Wannian traveled over 400 miles without any hindrance because he held Sun Xiu's token, and reached his destination in just four days. On the day of his arrival, he immediately organized the distribution of grain and relief supplies at Huangyaji.

This was a black market nestled among the mountains, already frequented by many border barbarians. After Qi Wannian released grain, the surrounding Tiele people flocked to join him. In just five or six days, Huangyaji had already attracted nearly 20,000 people.

It was also because of this news that Qi Wannian finally met his old leader Hao Duyuan after three years.

After experiencing the pain of losing his loved ones and a disastrous military defeat, this Xiongnu man who was once so powerful in Shuofang and known as the iron-clad man seemed to have grown old in the blink of an eye.

Although his face still evoked traces of the past, the fierce, ferocious spirit between his eyebrows had vanished. His once upright figure was now hunched by the arrow wound in his back, his wild beard only left a pitiful look of weathering, and his face was covered in wrinkles like needlework, sewn across his forehead, eyes, neck, and backs of his hands. This made Hao Duyuan look more like a stone sculpture than a warrior.

As the remnants of his army witnessed this, Qi Wannian tightly grasped Hao Duyuan's hand, only to feel its coldness. He wondered if his old leader's soul had been hollowed out by failure.

Hao Duyuan was originally afraid of Qi Wannian. He knew that among the younger generation, only Qi Wannian's talent surpassed his own, so he was jealous and deliberately arranged for him to stay in Huangyaji, doing only small things such as running the black market and scouting intelligence. Because of this, he readily made Qi Wannian a hostage, leaving him with nothing to do. Unexpectedly, when he saw Qi Wannian again today and was held by his hand, Hao Duyuan actually felt a sense of relief. He pulled Qi Wannian back and said regretfully:
"Wannian, if you were still under my command, why would it have come to this!" When he said this, he was overwhelmed with grief and burst into tears, crying in public.

The rest of the followers, living in uncertainty, were terrified. Seeing their leader weep, many of them recalled their compatriots who had died in Shuofang and felt the endless uncertainty about the future. They were also unable to control themselves and followed Hao Duyuan in weeping. For a moment, the whole place was filled with sobs, and the sound shook the valley.

Qi Wannian's expression remained unchanged. He waited until everyone had recovered, settled most of them down, and then helped Hao Duyuan into his own courtyard in Huangyaji. At the same time, he also summoned the few remaining Hu leaders, such as Juquzha, Duolansha and others, to come in and discuss matters together.

Qi Wannian spoke first and spoke to everyone, "Everyone, I am planning a rebellion. What do you think?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell silent. They almost thought that Qi Wannian had gone crazy. They had just escaped from a dangerous situation, and Qi Wannian was going to lead them to another dangerous situation?
Juqu Zha was not as famous as Qi Wannian in the tribe, but he was also famous for his wisdom. He complained to Qi Wannian:

"Chief Qi, we originally had over 30,000 men. With the exception of Liu Xundou, we were invincible in Shuofang. But even so, we were defeated repeatedly by the Xianbei. Now only one tenth of our troops remain. We don't even have a place to stand. We're like a bird with a broken wing. Let alone soaring high, even ordinary stray dogs can bully us. How can we fight the true dragon of the Jin Dynasty?"

This was not just his opinion; most of the people present held the same view.

They had been terrified by the Xianbei and simply wanted to find a safe place to recuperate. If possible, these Tiele people would be willing to lick their wounds and die of old age. At least that's what they thought now.

But Qi Wannian glanced at them and knew where their problems lay, so he could quickly prescribe the right remedy. He straightened up and said slowly:
"You're all saying such depressing things because you're in so much pain that you want to desert. But I don't need to explain. You all should know what we usually do if we catch a deserter."

Everyone was silent as Qi Wannian continued:

"We will break his legs and hands in public and throw him into a place where wolves are active. He will be torn to pieces by wolves before his eyes. Vultures will then gnaw on his body. In less than seven days, he will be nothing but a bunch of bones."

"This is a very cruel thing, isn't it? We are not emotionless animals, why should we do this? Because we know that if a person is born into this cruel world and is unwilling to fight, he will die!"

"No matter how good a sheep is at escaping, its fate is to become prey. Since it has no claws or teeth, it is destined to be eaten by humans. And a tiger, no matter how old and tired it is, can only survive by relying on its claws and teeth to tear its prey into pieces. Without meat, it will starve to death."

"God is very cruel. He has given the world no other choice. The only true law is bloodshed. Those who are unwilling to bleed will be killed. Only those who are brave enough to fight can survive. Even if you are a dog, you must be useful to survive. It has been so in the past and it will be so in the future. Everyone, we have no choice."

Having said this, Qi Wannian once again glanced at the people present. Their faces were pale, but they all stood up straight with their fists clenched. Qi Wannian shattered their lies and forced them to face the bloody truth.

The truth is indeed this. People have nowhere to escape from suffering. All they can choose is how to face God's condemnation.

Hao Duyuan still had doubts. He asked, "Wannian, we understand what you said, but why do you want to provoke the Jin Dynasty? Do you really have a chance of winning?"

Qi Wannian said decisively: "Sir, this is a golden opportunity, how can you hesitate?"

"I've been in Chang'an for three years, making many friends and gaining a thorough understanding of the defenses in Guanzhong. The one currently in charge of the Western Expedition Army is Sun Xiu, the Chief Clerk of Prince Zhao. He's a skilled political figure, but utterly incompetent in military matters! He's suffered two consecutive defeats and is currently battling for power in the court with Jie Xi, the Governor of Yongzhou. The Western Expedition Army is now divided, internally and externally!"

"What's more, I'm now under the command of the Western Expedition Army. I've been ordered to gather those Tiele people who have been driven away by the Xianbei and have nowhere else to go. I can recruit them generously, enough to recruit tens of thousands of people!"

"Many of Lord Hao San's former subordinates are scattered across the Guanzhong counties. Once we have reorganized them, we can march south to plunder. Then, if you raise your voice, the more than 100,000 Xiongnu troops in the rear will surely be at your disposal."

"By then, all the counties in Guanzhong will rise up in response. We will ally with the Tuoba Xianbei in the north and the Qinliang Qiang and Hu in the west. By mobilizing the remaining courage of our warriors and exhausting the wisdom of our heroes, why should we worry about not achieving our great cause?"

At this point, everyone's heart was pounding, and their original worries and hesitations had disappeared.

For those who have reached their wits' end, the most terrifying thing isn't failure itself, but the uncertainty of the future. If everything we knew in the past is no longer relevant, where will the future lead? Is there a trail of failure after failure behind it? The fear of this future is the most terrifying thing.

At this time, Qi Wannian pointed out a bright path for them. They suddenly discovered that the future was not bleak, but a bright future. Courage and wisdom returned to them.

Duolansha began to discuss the final question with Qi Wannian: "Sir, we don't understand the situation in Guanzhong as well as you do, so we will certainly follow your advice. However, we have suffered a crushing defeat, and everyone will surely want to rest and recuperate for a short period of time. Your words may convince us, but I'm afraid they won't convince everyone. With such a huge disparity in numbers, I'm afraid people may not be willing to fight!"

Qi Wannian had been prepared. He stroked his beard and sneered, "If everyone is willing to fight, it won't be difficult."

The next day, he publicly announced that he had received orders from Sun Xiu, the chief secretary of the King of Zhao, to gather the Tiele people who had been driven from Shuofang. The court would provide them with free relief and relocate them to the Guanzhong Plain to the south. Qi Wannian extolled the richness of Guanzhong, describing it as a land of abundance, with pristine fields and rivers running every ten miles. Even if one sowed freely, the harvest in autumn would be several times that of Shuofang. Only a small amount would need to be paid in taxes each year, and the rest would be enough for everyone to have adequate food and clothing.

After the great battle, the Tiele people were already exhausted both physically and mentally. When they heard about such a good thing, they flocked to Huangyaji. In just half a month, nearly 100,000 people gathered. The huge momentum instantly aroused the vigilance of the Zhengxi Army.

Sun Xiu sent a letter to reprimand Qi Wannian, ordering him to lead his troops north to Shuofang immediately without any delay.

This was exactly what Qi Wannian wanted. He captured the envoy sent by Sun Xiu, tortured him, and then ordered him to publicly announce the letter and the news. He revealed that the Western Expeditionary Army had no intention of migrating the Tiele people south to Guanzhong. Instead, they planned to unite the Tiele people and then return to attack the Tuoba Xianbei in Shuofang. After this, Qi Wannian issued a conscription order, obtained over 10,000 men, and made a show of sending them off.

On the day we set out, the crowd snaked for over ten miles, shedding tears as they bid farewell. Many people's sleeves were soaked with tears.

Some people said, "Being driven by the Jin people to fight to the death with the Xianbei is worse than being a slave! Why would you want to return to the tiger's den just after leaving it?"

When it was time to say goodbye, many people looked at their loved ones, recalled the hardships they had endured over the past six months, and thought of what would happen in the future. Unable to contain the pain in their hearts, they dismounted one after another. Some hugged their brothers and cried bitterly, some fathers and sons held hands and wailed, and some husbands and wives and children gathered together, sobbing and weeping together. The various cries, some loud and some low, merged together, shaking the earth.

This kind of scene was common, but at this moment it gradually got out of control. People from all tribes crowded together, blocking the entire road. Everywhere you looked, there was a crowd of people, and a complete loss of order.

At this moment, Qi Wannian appeared before the crowd, holding high a red crow banner, riding an eight-foot-tall dark red horse, and dressed in full military uniform. Upon seeing him, the Tiele people shouted, "Master Wannian is here! Master Wannian is here!"

During this period, Qi Wannian distributed grain as a relief and mediated conflicts among various tribes, and he had won the hearts of the people.

Qi Wannian's subordinate Wu Luogan rode over first, wiping his tears with his robe sleeve. He said to the crowd, "Master Wannian understands your pain of separation from your loved ones and the hardships of forced labor and battle. I have sent a special envoy to Chang'an to beg His Royal Highness the Prince of Zhao to grant you another ten days or half a month, so that you can reunite for a few days before leaving."

When several Tiele chieftains heard this, they shouted, "We know how kind and righteous Lord Wannian has been to us, but even if he offers us some leniency, we will still fight the Xianbei to the death."

When everyone heard this, they were filled with resentment and burst into tears.

At this time, Qi Wannian finally rode his horse into the crowd and was immediately surrounded by the Tiele people. Looking around, it was like a flame among the ashes.

Qi Wannian stood on his horse and said to the crowd, "We are all from Shuofang. Although we have fought each other in the past, since we have been displaced and traveled thousands of miles to get here, we are all one family and fellow villagers. Today, seeing you fellow villagers going to Shuofang to suffer, how can Qi Wannian bear it!"

At this point, he was already sobbing uncontrollably. Qi Wannian wiped his tears with his sleeve and continued, "But this is an order from the Western Expeditionary Army. I cannot disobey it. If we go to Shuofang to fight the Xianbei now, our chances of success are slim. If we don't go, and disobey the imperial court, we will face a great risk of death. We will die anyway. What can we do?"

Everyone was silent for a moment. Suddenly, someone shouted from the crowd, "We're all going to die anyway, why go to Shuofang and fight the Xianbei to the death? I think heading south to Guanzhong is the only way to survive!"

Hearing this, many people grumbled, "The Jin people are really bullying us. First they talked about moving south, and now they want us to die. How can such a good thing happen?"

More people echoed, "Yes, go south and kill the Jin people!"

Seeing this, Qi Wannian seemed quite surprised. He waved his hands in panic and said, "Going south means we will be against the Celestial Empire. Aren't they more formidable than the Xianbei? You should think it over carefully!"

However, this statement backfired on the crowd. In the eyes of the Tiele people, the Xianbei were invincible, practically unbeatable. The Jin dynasty had only fought two disastrous battles the year before; how could they possibly compare to the Xianbei? Thinking back to Qi Wannian's earlier claims about the prosperity of Guanzhong, more and more people cried out, "We're all going to die, why die in the north? I'd rather be a ghost in Chang'an than a slave in the north!"

Qi Wannian waved his hand again, saying earnestly to the crowd, "This is a last resort. Let me think it over. Haven't you seen Hao San? He has an army of 200,000, but they were a mob, defeated by the Jin army in two battles. Isn't this just courting death?"

He paused, then said thoughtfully, "If we want to march south and avoid repeating Hao San's mistakes, we must elect a leader who can enforce the law, enforce rewards and punishments, and thus control the masses and command the entire army. Only in this way can we overcome difficulties and defeat the powerful enemy. But who can take on such a heavy responsibility?"

The answer was self-evident. As soon as the words fell, the crowd erupted in shouts of joy: "It must be Lord Wannian! We are willing to accept you as emperor!"

When the people around heard it, they seemed to wake up from a dream and quickly echoed loudly. For a moment, the inspiring shouts were like waves, echoing one after another in the forests of Huanglong Mountain.

The atmosphere had reached this point, and Qi Wannian naturally did not refuse. He pulled the reins to his horse, and when the shouting gradually died down, he slowly walked up to the crowd and said in a loud voice: "Since you have elected me as your leader, from now on, you must be united in life and death and obey my orders as firmly as a mountain. Otherwise, if you disobey orders and fail, a hundred deaths are not a pity, but I am afraid that you will be laughed at and ridiculed by future generations!" After that, he immediately turned his horse and ordered everyone to return to the camp.

The next day, he held a grand banquet for the troops, raised an altar, and slaughtered cattle and sheep to entertain the soldiers. They swore an oath of blood and swore to the sky:

"You must not deceive your comrades, you must not violate military orders. Fortune and honor are determined by fate, and life and death are in the hands of the leader.

The people of Jin are immoral, harming Heaven and the people. We will uphold justice for Heaven, embark on a great cause, and strive bravely and unwaveringly, without regret until death!

When Qi Wannian launched his rebellion, the Western Expedition Command was unaware of the details and assumed that Hao Duyuan, relying on his position, was unwilling to obey Qi Wannian's orders. Sun Xiu then planned to send another urgent letter, urging Qi Wannian to march north, saying that if Hao Duyuan refused, he could be secretly killed, and the court would support Qi Wannian.

As a result, while the letter was still on the way, Qi Wannian had already led his troops out of Huanglong Mountain and marched straight to the city of Linjin with a thunderous force.

Fengyi Governor Ouyang Jian and Fengyi Commandant Bai Yun were caught off guard, and their city was quickly breached by Qi Wannian. Bai Yun was killed in action, and Ouyang Jian escaped. Within Linjin City were still thousands of suits of armor brought in from the previous Hedong rebellion, all of which Qi Wannian had captured.

At the same time, Qi Wannian raised Hao Duyuan's banner and notified the Xiongnu people in the surrounding counties who were detained and guarded. When the Xiongnu people in the rear learned of this, they were immediately excited and gathered in large numbers to respond, causing great unrest in Guanzhong.

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(End of this chapter)