The Great Wall, also known as the Border Town, was the defensive line of the Longhan Empire against the northern nomadic tribes.

Before the Longhan era, the First Emperor of the Ancestral Dragon, the ruler of the Central Region, slew the Demon Lord, unified the seven kingdoms, and established the First Qin Dynasty. From then on, the landscape of the Central Region and even the Nine Realms changed.

During the same period, the Xiongnu, who claimed to be descendants of Yinglong, quietly rose to power on the grasslands and quickly became a regional hegemon, constantly threatening the safety of the Qin border.

To ensure a stable environment for the people and the court, the First Emperor resolved to wipe out the Xiongnu and eliminate external threats to the Central Plains in one fell swoop.

However, the terrain within the Xiongnu territory was complex, making it difficult for the Qin army to find their main force for a decisive battle. As a result, the Qin army often failed due to insufficient food and supplies.

To eliminate the threat posed by the Xiongnu, the First Emperor devoted enormous manpower to building border fortifications stretching for thousands of miles.

The purpose was to investigate the movements of the Xiongnu and, at the same time, to use the Great Wall to establish a fixed route.

They continuously transported troops and supplies to the border, seeking a final showdown with the Xiongnu.

However, this move by the First Emperor resulted in a huge loss of manpower and resources, and widespread discontent among the people.

Even after the First Emperor ascended to heaven, uprisings continued in various parts of the Central Region, and the remnants of the six kingdoms also took the opportunity to rebel.

Ultimately, Emperor Gaozu of Han and Emperor Ji of Song emerged victorious, inheriting the legacy of the early Qin dynasty and establishing the Longhan Empire on the devastated lands of Central China.

At the beginning of the Long Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu Empire launched an invasion with an army of 300,000. Emperor Song Ji of Han led an army of 400,000 to meet the enemy, but was eventually besieged at Baideng. Only by sacrificing the dignity of the country could they gain a moment of respite.

After the Battle of Baideng, the role of the Great Wall on the vast border changed completely. To prevent a repeat of the Battle of Baideng, Emperor Ji of Han repaired the Great Wall defense line from the Qin Dynasty.

From then on, the strongholds originally used for offense were completely transformed into defensive border posts.

As time passed, under the oppression of the Xiongnu, the Longhan Empire was beset by internal and external troubles, and its living space was infinitely compressed.

Besides the external threat of the Xiongnu, there were also many forces in various parts of the Central Region that outwardly complied with the Longhan Empire but inwardly opposed it, harboring strong hostility. As a result, the territory was gradually lost through repeated compromises.

This phenomenon was not completely reversed until Song Yanran ascended the throne.

It was Song Yanran who conquered the seventy-two kingdoms of the Central Region with her iron-fisted methods, not only regaining the lost territory but also expanding the territory more than tenfold.

At the same time, she changed the previous compromise relationship between the Longhan Empire and the Xiongnu, directly tore up all agreements, and began a protracted military strike against the Xiongnu.

Finally, the battle between the Xiongnu and the Longhan Empire at the Great Wall border established the Longhan Empire's formidable reputation.

The northern border stretches over 3,000 li into the heart of the grasslands, offering nothing but lush, verdant habitats.

This completely eliminated the threat posed by the Xiongnu to the Longhan Empire, allowing the border people to live in peace.

It was after this battle that the Dragon Han Empire was officially renamed the Dragon Han Celestial Dynasty, becoming one of the three most powerful nations on the Immortal Martial Continent, attracting countless powerful figures to follow.

Just as Shen Zhao led the Yintian Dynasty to become a top-tier nation, Song Yanran pulled the crumbling Longhan Dynasty out of the mire and brought it to its peak of glory.

After suffering a devastating blow from Song Yanran's personal expedition, the Xiongnu had no choice but to submit to the Longhan Celestial Dynasty.

Now, 2,700 years later, the Empress remains as beautiful as ever, but the Xiongnu Empire has no future to speak of.

The only way to change this situation is to gamble on the fate of the nation.

This was the long-cherished wish of every generation of Xiongnu kings.

That's what they thought, at least until today.

Unfortunately, today, a deadly uninvited guest arrived at the Xiongnu camp.

"I've said everything I need to say. You should think it over carefully."

Shen Zhao squatted on the ground and put some firewood into the campfire. At the same time, he hung the mare's milk wine jug directly on it. His skillful movements surprised even Xuan Hao Qiongchuan, who was a Xiongnu.

Xuanhao Qiongchuan is the thirty-eighth son of Xuanhao Hongye. He is only twenty-eight years old this year and is the most promising successor to the throne of the Xiongnu.

Unlike Xuanhao Hongye's hostile attitude towards the Longhan Heavenly Dynasty, Xuanhao Qiongchuan has longed for the culture of the Central Region since childhood and is a fanatical admirer of Empress Song Yanran.

According to official history, he was a staunch Han loyalist like Liu Yuan.

In terms of the current state of the internet...

It is the Song Dynasty commentary.

The Longhan Heavenly Dynasty valued martial prowess and also placed great importance on literature.

Xuanhao Qiongchuan himself was deeply influenced by Longhan, and was gentle and refined, with his clothing and appearance closely resembling the Longhan style.

He believes that although the Xiongnu were once slaughtered by the Han Dynasty, they had also caused irreparable harm to the people on the border of the Han Dynasty.

Now that the two countries have formally become diplomatic relations because of the war, they should not hold grudges over the past. History should be remembered, not used for retaliation.

Moreover, although Song Yanran occupied the most fertile land in the Xiongnu territory, she did not expel or humanely destroy the Xiongnu civilians living in that land.

On the contrary, the Longhan Celestial Dynasty was extremely inclusive, allowing Xiongnu people to settle on the border or even inland, and setting up various shelters on the grasslands, allowing a large number of herders to escape one disaster after another.

All of this led Xuanhao Qiongchuan to believe that his ancestors' obsession was wrong. The Xiongnu were just a nomadic group, how could they be enemies with the Han Dynasty, which had a well-established system?

If the Xiongnu people wanted to have their own future, the only way was to firmly support the Han Dynasty.

Therefore, when Xuan Hao Hongye planned to target Empress Song Yanran, Xuan Hao Qiongchuan didn't say anything, but inwardly he was extremely worried for the Empress.

Now, seeing that the Empress has sent envoys to negotiate, Xuan Hao Qiongchuan is very excited.

Shen Zhao has just made it clear what the current situation is like in the Longhan Celestial Dynasty, leaving the Xiongnu to choose whether to completely turn against the Longhan Celestial Dynasty or continue to support the Empress.

Xuan Hao Qiongchuan did not give a direct answer, but instead asked, "Sir, tell me, what are the chances of my father winning this trip to the capital?"

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