I will make Qin Shi Huang immortal in the Great Qin Dynasty.

The ministers in the court imagined that scene in their minds.

Five hundred fierce warriors clad in iron armor and wielding giant hammers.

They charged head-on into the formation of hundreds of thousands of cavalry.

Wherever they went, men and horses fell, and a huge gap was created in their formation.

Then the gap widened until the entire Xiongnu line of defense was torn apart like a piece of dried mud that had been kneaded.

Someone muttered, "Wouldn't that be like harvesting wheat?"

Someone nearby chimed in, "Wheat is harvested in batches, but they just singe it all off at once. Once it's singed, it's bald."

Ying Zheng sat on his throne, neither interrupting Meng Tian's report nor participating in the hushed discussions in the hall.

His gaze fell on the unfolded map, on the locations of the various Xiongnu tribes marked with cinnabar.

In his mind, the battlefield situation that Meng Tian had just described was unfolding scene by scene.

He listened attentively and observed carefully, going over every detail in his mind twice before he was certain that the strategy was flawless.

However, one question remains hidden behind these deductions.

Right Chancellor Feng Quji stepped forward from the ranks of civil officials, cupped his hands, and asked, "General Meng's strategy is indeed meticulous, but I have a question: if the Xiongnu refuse to engage in a decisive battle, how should we respond?"

Meng Tian seemed to have anticipated this question, and without even a moment's pause, he answered directly, "That's even simpler."

"Since they won't engage in a decisive battle, my 20,000 light cavalry have been sweeping and plundering across the grasslands."

"Today we raid one tribe, tomorrow we raid two tribes, and the day after tomorrow we'll make up for the ones we missed before."

"The horses we plundered can replenish our cavalry, the cattle and sheep we plundered can serve as military rations and supplies, and the people we plundered will be Qin's free labor force."

"The more we plunder, the stronger our army becomes, the weaker the Xiongnu become, and the harder it is to mend the breach."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Feng Quji: "Once the Xiongnu tribes have been plundered of most of their supplies and people, they won't even have enough bows and crossbows to fire a full volley, and their cavalry won't even have enough horses. What will they use to fight then?"

"They were either driven to a dead end and had no choice but to gather all available troops to fight us to the death."

"Either head north and flee far away, abandoning all the lush pastures, and escape to a more distant and desolate place."

"What if they flee far away?" Feng Quji pressed.

Meng Tian answered without hesitation: "If they flee far away, we will follow and pursue them."

"Don't chase too closely. Follow behind, capture those who slack off, seize abandoned livestock and supplies, and slowly erode their remaining strength."

"Their tribe has many elderly, weak, women and children, and their baggage is complicated, so they can't travel far."

"As long as we keep pursuing them, they will never be able to stop to rest and rebuild. Eventually, they will either collapse on their own during their escape or stop somewhere with nowhere left to retreat, and make their final stand against our army."

"After this battle," Meng Tian paused, his voice turning somber, "the Xiongnu will be completely driven out of the north. From now on, there will be no more foreign tribes plundering people or looting fields on the northern border of Great Qin."

"The people of Qin can now peacefully farm, herd livestock, and live their lives, no longer needing to be on guard against the sound of horses' hooves from the north every night."

The hall was quiet for a moment.

The civil officials bowed their heads, while the military officers stood tall, each digesting what they had just heard.

Ying Zheng raised his gaze from the map and slowly swept it over every face in the hall.

Ying Zheng gave the order.

"Meng Tian."

Meng Tian stepped forward, cupped his hands, and bowed, saying, "Your subject is here."

"I hereby appoint you as commander-in-chief, leading 500 heavy cavalry and 20,000 light cavalry. Prepare immediately and depart on a chosen day. Enter the grasslands and, according to the strategy you just presented, force the Xiongnu to concentrate their main force, thus securing a decisive victory in one battle."

Meng Tian bowed even deeper, his voice steady and powerful: "Your subject obeys the decree."

Ying Zheng's gaze shifted to another figure in the ranks of military generals.

"Wang Ben."

Wang Ben strode forward, his armor clanging loudly: "Your subject is here."

"You will command an army of 200,000, and follow up. After the heavy and light cavalry have completed the main battle, your task is to seize the Xiongnu's cattle, sheep, horses, and people, and transport them back to Qin. Establish transit stations along the way to ensure the smooth return of the spoils of war, replenishing Qin's material reserves and labor force."

Wang Ben bowed respectfully and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."

Ying Zheng's gaze shifted to the ranks of civil officials.

"Li Si."

Li Si stepped forward, cupped his hands, and bowed: "Your subject is here."

"You will oversee the entire army's provisions, supplies, and subsequent resupply, ensuring that the front lines do not run out of food or ammunition. I want Meng Tian to fight effectively at the front, without being distracted by logistical issues at the rear."

Li Si bowed, his voice steady: "Your subject will do everything in his power to ensure the army has no shortage of provisions."

Ying Zheng's gaze finally landed on Qin Tian, ​​pausing for a moment.

"The Imperial Advisor."

Qin Tian stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and without saying much, simply replied, "Present."

"In this battle, the Imperial Advisor need not personally go to the front lines. However, if any unforeseen circumstances arise, I hope the Imperial Advisor will be ready to intervene at any time to protect the army."

Qin Tian nodded slightly: "Your Majesty, rest assured. If any unforeseen circumstances arise, I will arrive that very day."

Ying Zheng nodded slightly, then sat up straight again, his gaze sweeping over the civil and military officials in the hall: "All of you, perform your duties diligently and do not slack off."

"If this battle succeeds, the northern frontier will be at peace, and the territory of the Great Qin will extend northward from the Great Wall to the North Sea."

"This is the largest and most significant battle since the Qin Dynasty unified the world. I hope that all of you will work together to fight this battle well, thoroughly, and completely."

All the civil and military officials in the hall responded in unison.

Those voices contained the fervor of military generals and the composure of civil officials.

There was the eagerness of the young people, and the very soft sigh of the veterans.

After the court session ended, people in the main hall gradually left.

The military officers gathered in twos and threes, discussing the details of preparations and the departure time, and even their pace was much faster than usual.

The civil servants gathered on one side of the corridor, talking in hushed tones about the logistics and transportation routes. Some of them took out small notebooks they carried with them and scribbled something on them quickly.

Qin Tian walked alone at the very back, his pace neither fast nor slow.

When he reached the steps outside the palace gate, he stood there, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Gazing at the distant blue sky, cleaned and clear by the wind.

The faint smile at the corner of his mouth finally spread slowly, carrying a sense of relief and anticipation after everything had settled.

From that morning when he first sensed the power of the Yuan energy in the mountains.

On that afternoon when he looked down at Ying Zheng's chariot from high above.

And now, with the sounds of the entire empire revolving around his decision in the imperial court, the moment he had been waiting for was finally approaching.