Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 219 Are you also a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty?
The biting north wind howled wildly across the desolate wilderness, producing a dense and heart-pounding rustling sound.

All that could be seen was a chaotic gray-white expanse, so deathly silent it was suffocating.

Lu Bu lay prone behind a sheltered rock, his chestnut horse pacing anxiously in the snow beside him.

A thin layer of frost had formed on the lens of his telescope. He wiped it away forcefully with his gloved fingertips and pointed the telescope again at the vast depression to the north.

Through the telescope's field of view, the scene deep in the depression finally became clear.

Even a seasoned general like Lü Bu couldn't help but feel a slight unease.

What a vast camp it was!
The densely packed yurts filled the entire sheltered mountain valley, stretching almost to the horizon.

In the center of the yurts, a huge golden-topped wolf-head tent stands proudly, with several wolf flags of different patterns hanging from a thick flagpole, fluttering in the strong wind.

Countless barbarian cavalrymen, like ants, galloped back and forth inside and outside the camp, driving herds of cattle and sheep, or transporting cartloads of looted supplies into the camp.

The rough shouts, the mooing of cattle and sheep, and the thunder of horses' hooves could be heard by Lü Bu even from a great distance, as if he were hallucinating.

"General, did you see clearly?" Wei Xu's voice rang out behind Lü Bu, hoarse from a long march.

Lu Bu slowly lowered his telescope, and the white breath he exhaled dissipated.

"Look closely, that bastard's forces are quite large."

His voice was deep and menacing: "One golden tent, at least seven large tents, judging by the banners, the Luanji tribe, the Lan clan, the Qiulin clan... and a few other bastards I've never seen before, all gathered together! Felt tents... no less than ten thousand! Men who can ride horses and draw bows, no less than thirty thousand!"

Song Xian gasped, "Thirty thousand? Damn, they've brought out their entire fortune!"

Lu Bu turned around and gave Song Xian a look that said, "Look at me like I'm an idiot."

"They've brought out their entire fortune? Song Xian, get this straight, we're the ones causing them trouble now! It's much better if we all gang up on them; once the general arrives, we can have a good slaughter!"

He licked his lower lip with a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.

Song Xian, standing beside him, scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Well, we're not used to them raiding our borders. This is the first time we've taken the initiative to fight them, so we're a little unaccustomed to it."

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu grinned cruelly: "The general said the roles of offense and defense have changed. From now on, if they don't leave, we'll come several times a year! Let them taste what it's like to be raided on the border!"

He slowly rose, put away his binoculars, and waved his hand: "Send the order! Once the map is clear, we will retreat to the main camp!"

The Han army formed a joint camp.

The continuous stockades are nestled deep on the edge of a Gobi Desert.

The stockade wall is over ten feet high, made of thick round logs deeply wedged into the frozen soil, and the outer layer is further reinforced with water to freeze, forming a hard, slippery, and difficult-to-climb ice wall.

The patrolling soldiers, wrapped in thick fur robes, sent their wary eyes through the wind and snow, scanning the vast north.

The camp was orderly and well-organized.

Each battalion was stationed in its designated area, with tents arranged neatly and wide passageways provided.

The warhorses were housed in a sheltered stable area, well-fed, and occasionally let out low neighs.

The fortifications of the Han army camps were like red-hot iron nails, driven deep into the nerves of the Hu (non-Han) allied forces.

Inside the golden-topped wolf-head tent, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the deathly silence before a blizzard.

"Warriors of the gods!" The chieftain of the Qiulin clan, a burly man with a hideous scar on his face, slammed his fist on the low table in front of him, causing the bronze bowl to jump.

"They dare to push Han Chinese villages right up to our doorstep! Are we, tens of thousands of archers, going to be scared away by a little snow and a few pieces of wood?"

He glanced around at the tribal leaders in the tent, his gaze finally settling on the chieftain of the allied forces, Qiangqu, the powerful leader of the Luanji tribe, who sat in the main seat.

Qiang Qu was about fifty years old, his hair and beard were already mixed with gray, but his figure was still as strong as a bear. He was wrapped in a gorgeous sable coat, his eyes were sinister, and his fingers unconsciously twirled a string of bone beads.

The leader of the Lan clan, a lean old man with sunken eyes, spoke in a sinister tone.

"The Han people have come from afar, and transporting their supplies is difficult. Let's trap them! Let's wear them down! The wind and snow will be our allies! Their horses will freeze to death, and their men will starve to death! In the end, that village will be a spoil of war bestowed upon us by the gods!"

His eyes gleamed with greed.

"Huh?" A hot-blooded young tribal chief couldn't help but retort.

"The aroma of meat wafting from the Han Chinese villages is so strong I can smell it even through the wind and snow! They probably have far more grain than we imagine! If we keep dragging this out, our men's morale will be completely worn down! Didn't you see those Han Chinese light cavalry patrolling around? They're eyeing our lone herds like hungry wolves! If we wait any longer, they might tear us to pieces first!"

The tent immediately erupted in a commotion as the two factions advocating war and those advocating attrition held their ground in a heated argument.

Qiang Qu remained silent, only his fingers, which were twisting the bone beads, moved faster and faster, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

He longed to raze that obstructive Han village to the ground immediately, but the imposing atmosphere of the Han camp left him with a chilling feeling deep within his heart.

This was the first time in all these years that he had encountered Han Chinese entering the grasslands.

The grasslands are not what they used to be. Hundreds of years ago, Modu Chanyu, Laoshang Chanyu, and Junchen Chanyu were so powerful that they made the Han dogs pay tribute every year. But now, the grasslands and the grasslands have fallen into desolation.

The Han army's camps are not easy to attack, especially those that are as fortified as fortified cities. The grassland warriors have always been good at attacking cities, and open field battles are their advantage!

However, the debate in the main tent wasn't wrong either: to wear down the Han army?

Don't forget why they gathered there! It was because the severe winter cold caused heavy losses of cattle and sheep, which forced them to gather and raid Han territory.

Trying to stall is definitely not going to work.

"Father."

A man beside Qiangqu whispered in his ear, "Father, the Han army is coming in a fierce manner, but although we are grassland people, we have been appointed by Emperor Liu. Perhaps we can force them to retreat!"

Yufro straightened up.

Qiangqu glanced at him in surprise; it seemed that his son had indeed pointed out a key point.

Yes, the Southern Xiongnu royal court was officially recognized by Emperor Liu. Does the Han army really dare to ignore it?!

He had some ideas in mind.

Just then, the tent flap was suddenly flung open, and a biting cold wind carrying snowflakes rushed in.

A scout from the Hu cavalry, covered in blood, staggered and fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

"Chanyu! It's terrible! The Han wolf cavalry... Lü Bu! It's Lü Bu's wolf cavalry! They... they attacked our flock of sheep that were overwintering in the southwestern grasslands, along with the elderly and weak who stayed behind... they killed them all! They killed them all! Women and children... not a single one was spared!"

The chieftain Yeli suddenly stood up, his eyes bloodshot as if dripping with blood: "Lu Bu! It's that Han dog again! I'll skin him alive!"

"Chanyu!" The old chief of the Tu Ge tribe also stood up abruptly, his voice sharp with anger.

"We can't wait any longer! The Han people are trying to cut off our roots! They want to trap us in this snowstorm and kill us! Warriors of the gods would rather die on the charge than starve or freeze to death like cowardly rabbits! Attack! Flatten the Han villages! Wash away our shame with the blood of the Han people!"

All eyes were focused on Qiangqu. The bloody news brought by the scouts had completely ignited the pent-up anger and fear in the hearts of the tribal leaders.

Qiangqu finally stopped twisting the bone beads with his fingers.

He slowly raised his head, drew the golden knife from his waist, and slammed it hard onto the low table in front of him!
"Calm down, everyone!"

A loud shout silenced the tent.

Qiangqu surveyed the crowd, his wolf-like eyes meeting none of their gazes.

"You think you can defeat the Han army by making a fuss? How many tribal warriors have fallen to the Han army in the past two years?"

“You are all aware of the changes in Bingzhou. Is Zhang Xian just an ordinary warrior? Does he dare to come here and set up a battle formation because he is afraid of the short bows and bone arrows you have?”

"A direct confrontation? Who will be the vanguard?"

"You're going to the Tu Ge tribe?" Qiang Qu looked at the Tu Ge tribe.

The latter lowered his head and stopped shouting.

"Should Qiu Lin go instead?" He looked at the Qiu Lin chieftain again.

All I got was a head bowed. "What, are you scared now?"

Qiang Qu chuckled, threw the golden knife on the low table, and plopped down on it again.

"But the Chanyu..."

A young tribal chief hesitated before speaking.

“If we keep guarding us like this, the cattle and sheep in the tribe won’t last much longer.”

Qiangqu waved to him: "I understand. We gathered here for survival. Let's test the strength of these Han people first."

"Yufulo!"

"Your son is here!"

"Lead a contingent of brave warriors to negotiate with the Han army and ask them why they are besieging a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty!"

"I understand!"

Yufuluo strode out of the royal court, startling the group of steppe tribal leaders.

Loyal and virtuous of the Han Dynasty?

Who is it?

Where did these loyal and virtuous Han Chinese come from?
They looked around, seemingly trying to find the traitor hiding among them.

After a while, someone suddenly realized, "Yes, the leader of Luanji is the King of the Southern Xiongnu, who was appointed by Emperor Liu Hong of the Han Dynasty and is in charge of leading the various tribes of the grasslands."

In that sense, it seems, it appears, that he truly was a loyal and virtuous man of the Han Dynasty.

However, what this loyal official did was somewhat unethical; over the years, he had plundered and exploited the territory of the Han Dynasty.

A deep and desolate sound of a bull horn echoed across the wasteland.

In an instant, not only did everyone on the grassland royal court look over, but the Han army scouts who were patrolling around also felt a sense of urgency and hurriedly rode back.

The Han army formed a joint camp.

Huang Zhong received the news and summoned his generals.

Everyone's faces were filled with excitement. The fight was about to begin. Although their lord hadn't arrived yet, they could still have a good sparring session!

Huang Zhong could clearly see what everyone was thinking.

He waved his hand.

"Don't even think about going out to meet the enemy! The lord's orders are absolute! Even if the barbarians come, we can only defend!"

"Pass on my order: tighten the troops' position in the camp and be ready for defensive operations at any time!"

Although the generals were somewhat disappointed, they all bowed and said in unison, "Yes, sir!"

The mournful sound of a bull horn echoed and lingered across the wasteland.

On the watchtower of the gate, Huang Zhong stood with his hand on his sword, fine frost condensing on his black iron armor.

His hawk-like gaze pierced through the chaotic wind and snow, locking onto the churning snow dust outside the camp.

On the horizon, a black tide was surging against the wind and snow.

"Reporting to the General!" The scout, his head covered in snow, rushed up the watchtower, his voice trembling with breathlessness.

"There are about two thousand Hu cavalry, carrying...carrying Han flags! The leader claims to be Yufuluo, the son of the Southern Xiongnu Chanyu, and wants to see the commander!"

"Han flag?" Zhang Feibao's eyes widened, his thick beard covered with icicles, and his voice boomed like thunder.

"These wolf cubs dare to wave the Han flag? When I, Old Zhang, get out here, I'll poke ten holes in them with one spear!"

Zhao Yun pressed down on his shoulder, his handsome face calm and composed: "Yide, calm down, let's see what tricks they have up their sleeves."

"Exactly." Huang Zhong's voice was deep, like an undercurrent beneath the ice.

"Order all battalions to nock their bows and crossbows, draw their swords and spears, and guard their stockades! Anyone who leaves the camp without my command will be executed!"

"promise!"

The messengers below the watchtower responded with a resounding roar, their armor clanging, and commands echoing throughout the camp, instantly putting the entire camp on high alert.

Before long, the Hu cavalry halted their advance a short distance from the Han camp.

The lead rider, dressed in a magnificent sable fur coat and wearing a golden wolf-skin hat, was none other than Yufuluo.

Behind him, two strong slaves held up two flags high. One was a ferocious wolf's head, and the other was a faded but still eye-catching red flag with black characters!

"Hey! Listen up, Han generals in the camp!"

A translator beside Yufro rode forward a few steps and roared in broken Chinese, his voice trailing off in the wind.

"I am Yufuluo, son of the Great Xiongnu Chanyu! I have come here on my father's orders to question you! Why have you stationed your troops here and besieged my royal court? My Southern Xiongnu tribes have been enfeoffed by the Han emperor for generations and are here to guard the northern border for the Great Han! You have broken your promise and provoked this border conflict! Withdraw your troops immediately, or the heavenly army will arrive and we will all perish!"

He held aloft a seal in his hand, which still reflected a dim golden light in the wind and snow. It was the very seal that the Han Dynasty had conferred upon the Southern Xiongnu Chanyu!

"Bullshit!" Zhang Fei roared, his hair standing on end in fury. He pointed his spear at the enemy and his voice was like thunder.

"When you plundered my border people and slaughtered my villages, did you ever remember this golden seal? You knocked on the gates year after year, invading every year, and you dare to call yourselves loyal border guards? You're utterly rubbish! If you have the guts, bring it on! Your grandfather is here!"

The interpreter turned pale, stunned by Zhang Fei's fierce aura, and was speechless for a moment.

Hufro's face darkened. He waved to stop the interpreter and spoke himself, his voice deliberately arrogant.

"General of Han! This is a golden seal personally bestowed by the Emperor of Han! Your troops besieging the royal court are tantamount to rebellion! If you do not withdraw your troops, I will inform the Emperor, and your heads will be forfeit! Open the gates immediately and allow my envoy to enter Luoyang to plead with the Emperor!"

The only response he received was the sudden hum of bowstrings tightening on the walls of the Han camp, the engineers working through the night to repair and reinforce the city's defensive equipment. The cold silence was more piercing than any insult.

Yufuluo was met with a rebuff, and remained in a stalemate for a full half hour under the silent barrage of swords and arrows from the Han army.

In the end, he could only wave his hand angrily and retreat dejectedly in the swirling snow. The Han flag, a symbol of loyalty and virtue, drooped helplessly in the gale and was quickly covered by the swirling snow, looking particularly ironic.

The wind and snow intensified day by day, as if to freeze the entire wasteland completely.

The Han army camp was like a rock rooted in frozen soil, unmoved by wind and frost.

The heat in the workshops accompanying the army only intensified day by day.

Bundles of finely forged, three-edged armor-piercing arrows were carried up the stockade wall, the huge ballista winch gleamed with grease, and the blacksmith's hammer worked day and night, repairing armor plates and weapons.

The soldiers silently cleaned their weapons, all waiting patiently.

Five days later, late at night, the wind and snow surprisingly stopped.

Suddenly, a suppressed commotion and cheers arose from the direction of the camp gate, like drops of boiling oil being thrown into water.

"Our lord has arrived!"

"It's our lord's banner!"

The gate swung open with a roar, and a squad of armored knights charged in like sharp blades cutting through the snow.

The first rider was Zhang Xian.

He was not wearing armor, only a black close-fitting outfit covered by a thick cloak, and his face bore the marks of a long journey.

"Greetings, my lord (general)!" Huang Zhong, Zhao Yun, Lü Bu, and other generals clasped their fists in unison, their armor clanging.

Zhang Xian dismounted swiftly and decisively, his gaze falling on Huang Zhong: "Hansheng, the camp is well set up. What are the movements of the Hu people?"

(End of this chapter)