You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

Indeed, the Great Qian Dynasty provides generous logistical support to its border garrisons.

They even have snacks to eat.

In addition, the related benefits and rations are also better, and if military merits are established, extra rewards will be given. Therefore, many people even tend to guard the border.

It may be tedious, but a generous reward will surely attract brave men, and it is also a way to get promoted quickly in the army.

Of course, fortune favors the bold, and danger is inevitable.

A carrier pigeon arrived, and when the officer took the letter, he said solemnly, "The scouts at the front have confirmed that a plague has broken out among the livestock of the northern barbarians, and a large number of cattle and sheep have died..."

The rest is self-explanatory.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines; even people from agrarian societies understood its importance.

Autumn flu is no joke. For years, Daqian has emphasized hygiene and disseminated relevant knowledge, but nomadic peoples don't have the resources. Can they really expect each tent to be meticulously maintained? Impossible.

Xiayi has a complete set of plans for building irrigation canals, hospitals, rodent control, mosquito control, and seasonal disinfection.

Don't forget that Feng Tianyin was a witch doctor when she was young.

She was already in charge of some medical activities before she became a priestess.

Most of those who died from the plague back then were infected while on the front lines, which is why they moved Heaven and were resurrected.

That's how people interpret it.

Therefore, the Great Qian Dynasty had a culture that valued public health from top to bottom, which the barbarians could not do.

“With so many livestock gone… those animals are in danger of overwintering.” The officer gritted his teeth and said, “Why didn’t we let the horses get infected too? Now things are dangerous.”

"It can't be that serious, can it? They know the capabilities of the Great Qian Dynasty."

Trade between Xia Yi and Mo Bei increased significantly over the past year, leading to greater mutual understanding. Under the High Priest's leadership, many trade goods were exchanged frequently, and there was a certain degree of intelligence sharing between them.

They understood that the Southern Qian Dynasty was a massive entity.

but.

The barbarian tribes also united at an astonishing speed, forming dozens of large tribal confederations, some of which included city-states.

Life in the northern desert was tough, but not to the point of being unbearable. The total population was not small, and in a sense, the whole population was a soldier, skilled in horsemanship and archery, making them a constant threat.

The reason for maintaining trade is the need for intelligence; both sides need to find out about each other.

Feng Tianyin had already planned to start the war.

The problem was that the Great Qian Dynasty couldn't easily wage war on its own against the vast north, which is why they had these beacon tower guards, responsible for communication, monitoring enemy movements, recording maps, and so on...

"Someone's coming!"

Suddenly, the lookout at the top of the beacon tower waved his binoculars to warn them.

These small, low-tech items were already being made by artisans long ago, with the entire supply chain, including the glassmaking technology, readily available.

This is all thanks to Feng Tianyin's frequent technical guidance.

Unbeknownst to many, the Leader Skill "Enlightenment" increases research progress by 50% and has a chance to directly complete the technology. This skill is constantly at work, and it is reflected in her actions by personally taking action to advance the technology tree with her AI knowledge.

The Great Qian Dynasty did not lack or fail to master many technologies; it simply lacked the scale to do so.

"They are our people."

The lookout continued to report: "A complete reconnaissance team, three people in total, but they seem to be in a hurry. Let's prepare to provide backup."

The beacon towers also served as the most remote post stations in peacetime.

After all, scouts are constantly investigating distant areas, not only to gather intelligence, but also to collect all kinds of crops, vegetation, animals and furs, which may prove useful.

The officer immediately left the fortress with his men, as providing backup was no easy task.

They were on the ridge.

Below are numerous cliffs and precipices, offering a panoramic view of the plains and plateaus of northern Mongolia from altitudes often reaching 800 meters. The path is steep, and you can easily slip and fall on stones with every step.

However, their beacon tower was relatively low at the mountain pass.

Therefore, the plank road connects to the area below, where a fortified earthen bunker is located, firmly rooted in the mountain pass.

The scouts have arrived.

"Come and rest for a bit, have a cup of hot tea before we talk."

The team members, panting, sat down and, instead of reporting, indulged in a hearty meal. After all, the food in this barren land was far inferior to that of the Great Qian Dynasty; even the relatively poorly supplied border regions were better. Staying there for a while and then returning felt like eating a Manchu Han Imperial Feast.

It looks like my comrades are starving. They were strong and healthy when they went on the reconnaissance mission, but now they have lost weight and look haggard.

After a hearty meal and drinks, the captain finally spoke:

"We've already sent the carrier pigeons to Xia Yi. The news is that tribes from all over the northern desert are gathering in Linchun City-State, with an estimated total size of over 50."

"50!"

It was even more exaggerated than the combined number of city-state alliances in the Western Regions valleys.

That's true. Although it's a cold grassland, its ability to sustain life is much stronger than that of scattered oases that are often vast deserts. In fact, if they were scattered, they could easily survive the winter on their own.

But it also means a high mortality rate of nine out of ten houses being empty, with each person facing the devastating winter disaster and unable to escape it.

Combining them means that the supply capacity per square kilometer is insufficient.

Here comes the question-

Why gather a group of 50 people?

No one present was a fool; they immediately realized the problem and went straight to the heart of the matter: this was a harbinger of war.

The reconnaissance captain continued, "The leader known as the 'Tiger Tamer,' Erbala, has been elected as the Great Khan of the united tribes, clearly indicating a change in their political system. The main planner is the 'Great Shaman,' Gegentana, who persuaded and gathered everyone together."

"Linchun is now the military center of northern Mobei, and a storm is brewing."

PS

The promised 10,000-word update has been completed, and there will be another 10,000-word update tomorrow and the day after.

The bounty is still up; please give the author more motivation!

Chapter 66 The First Snow of the Year (5K)

The name Linchun is unfamiliar to people in mainland China.

But it was a well-known name to these scouts stationed on the northern border, because it was located at the foot of a volcano, with a suitable climate and fertile land.

It is also known as a holy site.

This is outrageous! Any person from the Great Qian Dynasty would be furious to hear this. We painstakingly built a temple, which took ten years from start to finish, and only after Heaven declared it a "miracle" was it considered a sacred site.

They dare to say such things, they're incredibly audacious.

Of course, it's understandable. After all, there are a lot of barren lands in northern Mongolia, and only a small area is suitable for long-term settlement.

"Linchun? That's the only place in the northern desert that can be considered a main city."

Shen Xingyao, the captain of the garrisoned reconnaissance troops, frowned and spread out a map to highlight key points. On one side was the approximate location of Linchun, and on the other side were the two passes of Kurong Mountain.

"Strengthen vigilance."

The subordinates immediately nodded in agreement.

This superior is highly experienced, having risen through the ranks by accumulating merits at the grassroots level. He is familiar with the border and is a reliable commander.

He said firmly, "Since the barbarians have gathered, it means they intend to attack us."

Upon hearing this, the group exchanged bewildered glances and discussed the matter.

“Even though it’s 300 kilometers away from Mount Kurong, it’s far enough for us to react. We must increase our vigilance.”

"It should be preparations made before winter truly arrives."

"They've been restless this year."

Everyone present had dealt with the northern barbarians and knew their nature well. They were brave and fierce, disregarded etiquette, and even still retained some primitive habits, which was truly despicable.

A tiger tamer who can command various tribes must be extraordinary and exceptionally brave.

It is said that he once ventured deep into the icy lands to tame a killer tiger and used it as his mount, thus gaining great fame.

He also benefited from this and inherited his father's position as leader.

He should be considered a hero.

In this era, psychic powers are not readily apparent, but occasionally extraordinary heroes and powerful individuals emerge. In the Great Qian Dynasty, such people are often recruited into the assault teams, becoming part of the collective, and operating systematically with the army after rigorous selection.

In fact, it is easy to become a leader among barbarians, which is a sign of barbarity.

In contrast, they were more concerned about the High Shaman, Gegentana. How dare this little girl claim to be acting as a deity? Was she trying to provoke the High Priest?

absurd!

The people of Daqian would not agree to the barbarians' overstepping their bounds.

"In my opinion, war is not far off. We should all prepare ourselves. I estimate that the temple will also make arrangements after receiving the news."

The stationed soldiers nodded.

The reconnaissance captain cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you all for your hospitality, but military orders are urgent, and I have to personally deliver some of the collected items to Xiayi. I'll take my leave now."

"It's all for the sake of the Great Qian Dynasty. You should set off now. We'll keep an eye on things here."

After waving goodbye, Shen Xingyao immediately instructed his subordinates to closely monitor the enemy's movements, especially at night.

After the two sides parted ways, the soldiers stationed at the scene acted swiftly.

Knowing full well that the enemy was gathering, they couldn't afford to remain inactive. So, the various beacon towers intensified their discussions and tightened their shift rotations. At the same time, they ensured that packages and horses were always kept together, just in case one thing happened at any time:

run away.

As the commander-in-chief, Feng Tianyin did not demand that the border beacon towers fight to the bitter end, as that was unrealistic. They should withdraw when necessary, as taking the intelligence with them was more important.

Escaping is shameful, but it's useful.

There's no need to put them in the face of an enemy they can't defeat.

In her vision, Mount Kurong was too far away, the supply lines were too long, and the real defense line was elsewhere.

That is located at two nodes in the mountain range, called "Dongku Pass" and "Xirong Pass". They simply and crudely blocked the two passes. The reason why they are not well known is that they are still under construction. They only started this year, and we don't know how they are now.