The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

Shen Wanqian immediately understood: "Your Highness means... Hadan and Bayin?"

"That's right," Xiao Jingchen said. "Call them here. I have a new task for them."

Soon, Hadan, the leader of the Black Wolf tribe, Bayin, the leader of the Vulture tribe, and the leaders of several other larger tribes that had submitted to the regime were summoned to the golden tent.

When they came in, they all had humble and ingratiating smiles, thinking that the prince was going to give them some kind of reward.

"Greetings, Your Highness!" Everyone bowed in unison.

"Rise, all of you." Xiao Jingchen sat on the throne, looking down at them. "I've called you here today because I have some incredibly good news for you."

Upon hearing the "good news," Hadan, Bayin, and the others' eyes lit up, and their ears perked up.

"As you all know, the Yuezhi in the west are courting death, daring to station troops on the border of our Great Yan, with malicious intent," Xiao Jingchen said slowly. "I have decided to lead troops to teach them a lesson."

Upon hearing that war was imminent, and that it was to fight the powerful Yuezhi, the expressions of several tribal leaders changed slightly. They had just finished a war and really didn't want to fight again.

Xiao Jingchen took in their expressions and continued, "I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, this time, you won't be the main force. My Great Yan's 150,000 iron cavalry will gnaw through even the toughest bones of the Yuezhi."

"What I need are you, as guides and flanks for my army. You are more familiar with the terrain of the Western Regions and know the customs of those tribes than we Han Chinese. Your task is to help my army sweep away those scattered resistances and harass their supply lines."

"Of course, I won't let you work for nothing." Xiao Jingchen's tone carried a fatal allure.

"I promise that in this battle, all the cattle, sheep, property, and slaves captured by your respective tribes, except for weapons which must be handed over, will be 70% yours!"

"boom!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up a tidal wave in the hearts of all the tribal chiefs.

Seventy percent!

This is a proportion they never even dared to imagine!

You have to understand, in the past, when they fought alongside Ashina Sun, getting two or three percent of the spoils was considered an immense blessing. Most of the spoils had to be sent to the royal court.

Now, Xiao Jingchen is actually willing to let them take 70%!

What does this mean? It means that as long as they go with the Great Yan army, even if they just follow behind and pick up the scraps, their tribe's strength can expand several times over in a short period of time!

"Your Highness...are you telling the truth?" Hadan's voice trembled; he couldn't believe his ears.

"I, Xiao Jingchen, keep my word," Xiao Jingchen said calmly. "And that's not all."

He looked at Bayin, the man who was given the title of "Huaihua Langjiang" but received only the name and less reward than Hadan.

"In this battle, whoever has made the greatest contribution, killed the most enemies, and captured the most spoils will be rewarded. After the war, I will redivide the pastures of the grasslands. The one with the greatest merit will receive the largest and most fertile piece."

"Furthermore, I will petition His Majesty the Emperor of Great Yan to appoint the one with the greatest merit as the new 'Protectorate of the Grasslands,' a hereditary title, to rule the entire grasslands on behalf of Great Yan!"

If the previous "70% of the spoils" only drove them crazy...

Then, the phrase "the protectorate of the grasslands is hereditary and unreplaceable" directly ignited the deepest ambition in their hearts!

Ashina Sun is dead, and the throne of the king of the grasslands is now vacant!

Although this "Grassland Protector" sounds like he is going to submit to the Great Yan, isn't he actually the new king of the grassland?

In an instant, all the tribal chiefs' breathing became heavy. They looked at each other, their eyes no longer filled with the previous humility and unity, but with naked competition and hostility.

Hadan looked at Bayin, thinking to himself: This time, I must get ahead of you and take the biggest credit!

Bayin looked at the others, thinking to himself: Nobody can take this from me! This grassland protectorate must be mine!

They all understood that Xiao Jingchen was dangling a tangible carrot in front of them.

But they understood even more clearly that this carrot was too tempting! So tempting that even though they knew it was a calculated move, they were still willing to jump in and fight for it.

"Your Highness!" Hadan was the first to kneel down, shouting loudly, "My Black Wolf tribe is willing to serve as Your Highness's vanguard! We will brave mountains of knives and seas of fire, even unto death!"

"My Vulture Tribe is also willing to die for Your Highness!" Bayin retorted, immediately kneeling down as well.

"We are all willing to die for Your Highness!"

The other leaders also knelt down and shouted their loyalty.

Looking at the people kneeling before him, Xiao Jingchen's lips curled into a cold smile.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

He didn't need these steppe people to genuinely submit; he only needed to use self-interest to bind them firmly to his chariot. He wanted them to fight and restrain each other over the bones he had thrown out.

In this way, they will never be able to unite against themselves.

"Very good." Xiao Jingchen stood up, his voice echoing throughout the golden tent.

"The army will set off in three days!"

"Target: The Yuezhi!"

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The entire grassland was transformed into a massive war machine, operating with unprecedented efficiency, all because of Xiao Jingchen's order.

The grain originally intended to appease the herders was centralized as a strategic reserve. Shen Wanqian's Commerce Department mobilized all its manpower to collect over 400,000 of the strongest warhorses from the various surrendered tribes. At the same time, countless cattle and sheep were driven, forming a massive torrent that followed behind the army.

Over the past three days, the most common sight on the grasslands has been countless herders sending their tribes' best horses and fattest cattle and sheep to the Great Yan army's camp. Their faces showed no reluctance, but rather were filled with anticipation and fervor.

Because of Xiao Jingchen's promise, it had spread to every corner of the grassland through the mouths of those tribal chiefs.

Go to the Western Regions, rob money, seize land, and steal women! Of everything you steal, 70% belongs to you!

The one who makes the greatest contribution will become the new king of the grasslands!

This simple, direct, yet incredibly alluring slogan instantly ignited the passion of these grassland men, whose very blood was thick with the spirit of plunder. For them, war was no longer a dreaded form of forced labor, but a celebration of wealth and a chance to change their destiny.

They even started competing to see who contributed more horses or stronger cattle and sheep, as if this had become part of their pre-war achievements.

The mentality of the grassland soldiers who had just been incorporated into the army and put on the uniforms of the Great Yan army also underwent a subtle change.

They had thought that after surrendering, the best outcome would be returning home to herd livestock and eke out a living. But they never expected their new master to be so generous and so powerful. Not only were they given military pay and equipment, but now he was going to lead them to plunder a country.

Moreover, they are trying to steal their former "allies".

This gave them a sense of absurdity, yet also a strange thrill. Following the strong was always better than following a dead man who had become a mound of corpses.