Before dawn, Tan Shihuai stepped out of the tent. At this time, the vast grassland was still shrouded in darkness.

Taking a deep breath of the cool air, Tan Shihuai turned his head and gazed in the direction of Juyan, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

"Phew~, there are still twenty days left. Let these twenty days be my most glorious moment!"

Although his days were numbered, Tan Shihuai was not discouraged at all; on the contrary, he was unusually calm and at ease.

Just as Li Ru said, when Tan Shihuai learned that the Han emperor was in Juyan, he immediately thought of the siege of Baideng by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang.

If he could capture the Han emperor, he could also force the Han to support the Xianbei for decades with countless amounts of money, grain, and supplies.

Therefore, for Tan Shihuai, compared to capturing the Han emperor, the lack of time, the unfavorable campaign, the attack on his hometown, and the migration of the herdsmen were all insignificant.

If he could capture the Han emperor, he could not only leave his son with an opportunity for a powerful rise to power, but also become a hero on the grasslands, forever remembered, just like Modu.

This temptation is irresistible to anyone, especially to Tan Shihuai, who is facing a desperate situation.

This is a huge gamble; he's willing to risk the entire Xianbei people.

Gently waking the somewhat drowsy night watchmen outside the tent, Tan Shihuai said in a gentle voice, "Order the warriors to assemble immediately!"

The awakened soldiers were taken aback by their king's amiable attitude, but then immediately stood up straight and ran quickly toward the nearby tent.

Soon, a series of urgent horn calls echoed throughout the camp.

However, what Tan Shihuai forgot was that the 30,000 elite troops of Gaoliu he was leading had been traveling for many days and everyone was exhausted.

Unlike Tan Shihuai, the lower-ranking soldiers didn't think so much, nor were they excited about everything they were about to gain. Right now, all they wanted was to get a good night's sleep.

The sleeping soldiers paid no heed to the sharp bugle call, turned over, and continued to snore.

Seeing this, Tan Shihuai was not angry at all. Instead, he waited for an hour before sending someone to sound the horn again.

After much dawdling, until it was broad daylight, the team finally organized itself.

Looking at the soldiers who still looked dejected and listless, Tan Shihuai sighed inwardly, then called out loudly:

"Warriors, I know you are all exhausted, but now the Emperor of Han is in Juyan. This is a golden opportunity for our Xianbei people to rise and grow stronger."

"As long as we can capture the Emperor of Han, we will possess unimaginable wealth and beautiful women, and our descendants can live and thrive in peace and happiness..."

"I hereby swear to the Sirius God that as long as you follow me and capture the Emperor of Han alive, I will reward you handsomely. Each of you will receive your own pasture, livestock, and women!"

The dozens of guards around Tan Shihuai also shouted in unison, relaying his words to all the soldiers present.

Hearing Tan Shihuai describe the alluring future and the promised rewards, the soldiers' weariness vanished instantly, replaced by excitement and enthusiasm.

"I swear to follow the King to the death!!"

"Capture the Emperor of Han alive!!"

Immediately afterwards, the soldiers on the scene erupted in cheers, their morale reaching its peak.

Looking at the soldiers with high morale, Tan Shihuai smiled with satisfaction.

"The entire army marches forth, heading straight for Juyan!!"

After shouting, Tan Shihuai immediately mounted his horse and led 30,000 elite Gaoliu troops, changing course and heading straight for Juyan.

Tanhan Mountain, the royal court of the Xianbei.

Just as He Lian and Li Ru were busy gathering the young men of the tribe and preparing the army, the scouts they had sent out earlier also hurriedly returned to the palace.

"Your Highness, the King has approved your and your husband's plan, ordering you to mobilize all the men in our army to surround the Han Emperor before he leaves Juyan. The King has also led his army to change course and head straight for Juyan!"

"Alright, I understand!"

He Lian nodded, then looked at his personal guards and said in a deep voice, "Immediately send messengers to issue an urgent order to all tribes: all men, from forty to fourteen years old, must arrive at the royal court before sunset. Anyone who hesitates will be crushed by my army!"

"yes!!"

The guard responded loudly and immediately ran outside.

He Lian then turned to Li Ru and asked, "Sir, how many able-bodied men have you gathered since yesterday?"

Li Ru flipped through the roster in his hand. "Replying to the eldest young master, there are already more than 13,000 people!"

He Lian frowned: "If we add another 10,000 elite Gao Liu troops, then 25,000 men should be able to surround the Han emperor ahead of time, right?"

Li Ru frowned slightly: "What? Does the eldest young master intend to lead the army to Juyan first?"

"good!"

He Lian nodded: "Now there are only four days left before the Han emperor leaves Juyan. It will take my father at least three days to arrive. We must surround the Han emperor a day before he arrives."

Li Ru said solemnly, "But if you leave now, who will lead the young men you recruit later? According to your instructions, at least 40,000 men should be recruited. How to command so many people is a big problem!"

He Lian smiled and said, "Of course, it's up to you, sir, to take charge!"

Li Ru was slightly taken aback: "Me?"

He Lian nodded seriously: "That's right, it's you. Right now, only you have that ability, and I don't trust anyone else besides you!"

"Thank you for your trust, Your Highness. However, there are still many Han strategists and officials in the capital. They are also Your Majesty's right-hand men. If you were to entrust them all to my command, I fear they would be resentful and might even obstruct us. I urge Your Highness..."

"Someone come here!!"

Li Ru was interrupted by a loud shout from He Lian before he could finish speaking.

"What are your orders, young master?" A guard quickly approached.

He Lian coldly said, "By my order, arrest all Han Chinese strategists and officials within the capital and imprison them. Anyone who disobeys will be killed without exception!"

"yes!!"

The guard responded loudly, and then quickly ran outside.

After the guards left, He Lian smiled and looked at Li Ru, "Now that your worries are gone, sir, you can rest assured, right?"

Li Ru bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you for your trust, Young Master!"

He Lian stepped forward to help Li Ru up and said in a deep voice, "Then I'll leave everything to you, sir. There's no time to lose, I'll be leaving right away!"

"Please rest assured, Young Master, I will certainly live up to your expectations!"