Chapter 144 Speeding up
After the three men successfully negotiated, Mo Yuan and Pei Yan returned to Baishui Pass. Mo Yuan looked at Pei Yan and said, "Your Majesty, I always feel something is wrong. How could Helian Bo agree so easily?"
"Nothing."
Pei Yan also felt something was wrong, but Helian Bo was still not a threat to him.
Pei Yan received Lu An's letter on the third night after returning to Baishui Pass. He read An An's letter carefully, word by word. The letter was full of Xuan Ying and Cheng Yan, but not a single word about himself. He only wrote one sentence at the end of the letter: "Pei Yan, I miss you so much."
Pei Yan's fingers gently stroked the six words and whispered, "An An, I miss you too." Pei Yan looked at the letter in his hand and thought: It seems that I need to speed up.
As soon as Mo Yuan entered the room, he saw the letter in Pei Yan's hand. He thought indignantly: Why doesn't Long Qi write to him? He has written many letters to Long Qi. At the beginning, Long Qi would ask him to take good care of himself, but now he writes two letters, and it is good enough if Long Qi can reply to one.
What’s even more hateful is that Long Qi actually asked him to write fewer letters, saying that the pigeons were so tired that they collapsed. After Mo Yuan read the letter, he couldn’t help but write back to refute it. Was that his fault? That was clearly my deep love. After Mo Yuan sent this letter, Long Qi did not reply to him. He is in a very depressed mood now.
When Mo Yuan saw Pei Yan's look, he ignored him and turned back to his room.
Before dawn the next day, the grassland was shrouded in thick fog, and five fast horses passed through it like ghosts.
Ashina was lying on the horse's back, the cold morning wind blowing his cheeks so hard that it hurt. Four Tuoba warriors followed closely behind him. They suddenly appeared in the middle of the night, carrying the golden wolf token of the leader - to urgently summon him back to the camp.
"Second Prince, hurry up!" The leading warrior Bater shouted, "The chief wants to see you before sunrise!"
Ashina did not answer, but just whipped him hard. The horse felt pain and sped up a bit. His thoughts were more chaotic than the galloping horse. Four days ago, he was still happy about the successful peace talks between Pei Yan and Murong Chui; now, he has to face the doubts of his clansmen.
The outline of a camp gradually emerged in the fog - the royal court of the Tuoba tribe. Unlike Murong Chui's camp, the tents here were larger and denser, and the golden-roofed tent in the center shone brightly even in the dim light. In front of the tent stood a ten-foot-high flagpole, on which hung the golden wolf flag of the Tuoba tribe.
The cavalry rushed into the camp, startling a chorus of barking dogs. Ashina pulled the reins, and the horse's front hooves were raised high, splashing mud and water. He dismounted and strode towards the golden-roofed tent. When the guards saw him, they immediately spread their spears to make way for him.
The tent was brightly lit. Twelve tribal elders sat on both sides. Sitting on a tiger-skin chair in the center was the great leader Tuoba, whose hair and beard were all white and whose eagle eyes were as sharp as knives. Ashina knelt on one knee and said, "Father, I am back."
The chief did not ask him to stand up immediately. Instead, he slowly stroked the wolf head carving inlaid on the armrest of the chair and said, "I heard that you became the guide of the Emperor of Wei?"
The temperature in the tent seemed to drop suddenly. Ashina looked up and looked directly into the eyes of the great leader: "Your Majesty Pei Yan intends to open up trade and end the years of war between the two countries. I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Tuoba tribe."
"Opportunity?" A red-faced elder on the left sneered, "Ashina, you are too naive! Who is Pei Yan? How many of our warriors did he kill in the battle at Sunset Plain six years ago? Now he suddenly wants to trade, he must have some ulterior motive!"
Ashina stood up and brushed the dust off his knees. "Elder Harke, it is precisely because Pei Yan is so powerful that we should seize this opportunity. After six consecutive years of war, how many able-bodied men are left in the Tuoba tribe? How many families have lost their sons, husbands, and fathers?"
He turned to the chieftain and said in a low voice, "Father, you know our situation better than anyone. Last year's white plague froze most of the livestock to death, and this spring there was another plague. If we continue to fight, even if the Tuoba tribe is not destroyed by the Wei cavalry, they will die of hunger and cold!"
The chieftain's eyes flickered with a hint of hesitation, but he quickly regained his composure. "Helian Bo sent someone to deliver a message saying that Pei Yan has built three new fortresses on the border, each of which can hold 5,000 troops. Is this what you call peace?"
Ashina was prepared: "Those fortresses are to guard against nomadic tribes further north, not against us. Pei Yan personally promised that as long as the tribes abide by the agreement, the trade will be open for a long time, and ironware and salt will be traded in limited quantities."
There was a murmur of discussion in the tent. The importance of iron and salt to the grassland tribes was self-evident.
"Enough!" The chief suddenly slammed the table and stood up. "Ashina, you have been bewitched by Pei Yan! He first conquered by force, then controlled economically, and eventually all tribes will become vassals of Wei! Helian Bo is right, we must unite and deal a fatal blow to Wei before winter comes!"
Ashina looked at the chief in shock: "Father! You want to cooperate with Helian Bo? Have you forgotten how he betrayed us and attacked our ranch? Have you forgotten how he..."
"Shut up!" The chief was furious, with wrinkles on his face twisted like ravines. "I understand the survival rules of the grassland better than you do! The strong prey on the weak, and only the fittest survive! Although Helian Bo is cunning, we have a common enemy now!"
Ashina's heart sank. He looked around the tent. Most of the elders avoided his gaze. Only a few nodded slightly in support. These people had already decided to join forces with Helian Bo to challenge the Wei Dynasty once again. A losing war.
"In that case," Ashina took a deep breath, "Please allow me to resign from the position of commander of the royal guards."
There was an uproar in the tent. Resigning voluntarily in front of the leader is an act close to rebellion.
The chief's face was terribly gloomy: "You would rather follow the Emperor of Wei than fight for your own people?"
"It is precisely because I love my people that I don't want to see them die in vain!" Ashina's voice trembled, "Father, you participated in the Battle of Sunset Plain and saw with your own eyes the combat effectiveness of the Wei army. We have no chance of winning!"
The chief suddenly walked down from the throne and approached Ashina step by step. Although he is nearly sixty years old, his figure is still as straight as a pine tree, and every step he takes carries a sense of oppression.
"During the time you were in the capital, what kind of magic potion did Pei Yan give you?" The chief's voice was low and dangerous. "Or... have you been bribed by him and become a spy for the Wei Dynasty?"
Ashina was struck by lightning and couldn't believe his ears: "Father! How could you..."
The chieftain raised his hand suddenly, signaling him to shut up: "From now on, you are not allowed to leave the royal court. We will discuss the plan with Helian Bo and Murong Chui, and then decide how to deal with you."
"Murong Chui?" Ashina grasped the key information, "Murong Chui also agreed to go to war?"
The chief sneered: "Murong Fox is very good at changing his attitude according to the situation. Last night, Helian Bo sent someone to tell him that the Tiele tribe in the north has agreed to join the alliance. Fifty thousand Tiele cavalry are heading south!"
Ashina's face turned pale. The Tiele tribe, a nomadic people in the northernmost part of the grassland, had never fought against the Wei Dynasty. It was said that each of their warriors could fight ten people at once. If they also joined Helian Bobo's alliance...
"Take him away!" The chief waved his hand, and two burly guards immediately stepped forward to hold Ashina.
"Father! Please think twice!" Ashina struggled and shouted, "Even if the Tiele tribe joins us, we will..."
A piece of smelly rag was stuffed into his mouth, and the second half of his sentence turned into a vague whimper. At the last moment before he was dragged out of the tent, Ashina saw the chief turn around, his back as resolute as iron.
The morning light penetrated the mist and shone on Ashina's face, but it could not dispel the coldness in his heart.
At the same time, on the city wall of Baishui Pass a hundred miles away, Pei Yan and Mo Yuan were patrolling the border.
The city wall in the morning mist meandered like a dragon, with an arrow tower every hundred steps. When the defenders saw the emperor in person, they all straightened their backs with fiery eyes. Six years ago, it was this young emperor who led them to a great victory at Sunset Plains, establishing the dominant position of the Wei Dynasty in the northern border.
"Your Majesty, the three new fortresses have been completed." Mo Yuan pointed to the beacon towers vaguely visible in the distance, "Each can accommodate 5,000 troops, and they will support each other. Even if Helian Bo attacks with all his might, he will never be able to break through this line of defense."
Pei Yan's eyes fell on the thick fog outside the pass: "I'm not worried about Helian Bobo."
"What is that?"
"The nomadic tribes further north." Pei Yan's voice was unusually solemn. "Tie Le, Uighur, Khitan... these tribes have never fought against the Wei Dynasty and know very little about us. If Helian Bobo persuades them to join the alliance..."
Mo Yuan frowned, "The Tiele cavalry are indeed brave, but they never get involved in grassland disputes. Why would they help Helian Bobo?"
Pei Yan was about to answer when there was a sudden commotion at the foot of the pass and a group of soldiers came over, escorting several people dressed as merchants.
"What's going on?" Mo Yuan asked.
The leading captain knelt on one knee and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Marquis, the patrol team found this group of merchants acting suspiciously ten miles outside the pass. They claimed to be Western Hu merchants, but this was among the goods they carried."
The captain presented a piece of leather to Mo Yuan, who took it and looked at it, his face suddenly changed - on the inside of the leather was a detailed topographic map, marking the location of each fortress on the border of the Great Wei and the number of garrisons.
Pei Yan glanced at them and sneered, "What a Hu merchant." He turned to the prisoners and asked, "Who sent you here? Helian Bo?"
Several people lowered their heads in silence, one of them suddenly jumped up, a dagger slipped out of his sleeve, and rushed straight towards Pei Yan!
Mo Yuan reacted as fast as lightning, unsheathing his sword. With a flash of cold light, the assassin's arm was severed at the wrist, blood splattered on the bricks, and the severed hand was still tightly grasping the dagger.
"Ah!" The assassin screamed and fell to the ground, and the rest of his accomplices turned pale.
Pei Yan didn't move at all, not even blinking: "Take him away and interrogate him thoroughly."
The soldiers dragged the screaming assassin away, and his blood left a glaring red mark on the city wall.
Mo Yuan sheathed his sword and said, "Your Majesty, the situation is worse than we thought. Helian Bo is not only preparing for war, but is also sending people to investigate our military deployment."
Pei Yan looked towards the north, his eyes seemed to penetrate the thick fog and saw the threat in the distance: "Pass the order, the whole army is on alert, and send a fast horse to inform Murong Chui, I want to see him immediately."
"Murong Chui?" Mo Yuan was puzzled. "He just reached an agreement with us, and then he formed an alliance with Helian Bo. This man is fickle and cannot be trusted!"
Pei Yan shook his head: "Murong Chui is a smart man. He agreed to the alliance either because he was forced or because he got information we don't know." Pei Yan suddenly paused: "For example, the news that the Tiele tribe went south."
Mo Yuan took a deep breath and said, "Tie Le tribe? Are they really going to join the war?"
"We'll find out after interrogating those spies." Pei Yan turned and walked down the city wall. "Gather all the generals. I want to redeploy the defense."
Two hours later, it was heard that all the soldiers were in the meeting hall of Baishui Pass. In front of the sand table, Pei Yan was holding a thin stick.
"Helian Boruo and Tiele tribes will attack together. There are three routes to choose from." The thin stick tapped on the sand table, "Wangshan Pass in the west, Baishui Pass in the middle, and Black Stone Canyon in the east."
All the generals listened attentively. Six years ago before the Battle of Sunset Plain, Pei Yan also analyzed the enemy's movements in this way. In the end, he anticipated the enemy's moves and won a great victory.
"The western front has open terrain, which is conducive to the deployment of cavalry, but it is the farthest from the Wuhuan camp and difficult to supply." "The eastern front has high mountains and deep valleys, which is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and is not suitable for large-scale army operations." ”
The stick finally stopped in the middle. "So Helian Bo is most likely to attack Baishui Pass and send a small army to contain the defenders on the east and west lines."
A bearded general could not help but ask: "Your Majesty, if the Tiele cavalry really has 50,000 people, plus the Wuhuan, Xianbei and other tribes, the enemy army may exceed 80,000. Our three new fortresses have a total of only 15,000 defenders..."
Pei Yan smiled slightly: "Who said we only have 15,000 people?"
Under the generals' puzzled gazes, Pei Yan moved his thin stick to the south side of the sand table: "Longxiong and Huben armies have received secret orders to march north, and will arrive here in three days—" The tip of the stick pointed at an unnamed valley, "It is only twenty miles away from Baishui Pass, and support can be provided at any time."
The generals were surprised. Longxiong and Huben were the most elite troops of the Wei Dynasty. Each army had 15,000 men and were personally organized and trained by Pei Yan.
Mo Yuan suddenly realized: "So your majesty has been prepared for this! But why not just let them enter the fortress directly?"
"Show weakness to the enemy." Pei Yan's eyes flashed with a strategic light. "Helian Bo's spies only saw the fortress defenders and will underestimate our strength. When he is attacking the city with all his strength, two reinforcements will suddenly rush out..."
The generals nodded one after another, their eyes full of admiration. This is their emperor - a military genius with no omissions in his plans.
After the meeting, Mo Yuan stayed to discuss with Pei Yan alone.
"Your Majesty, there is another variable." Mo Yuan whispered: "Ashina, he suddenly left this morning, saying that the tribe urgently summoned him. I suspect..."
Pei Yan raised his hand to interrupt: "Ashina will not betray me."
"Your Majesty!" Mo Yuan raised his voice, which was rare. "He is a prince of the barbarian tribe, and we are related by blood! Now that the war is imminent, if he returns to his tribe, God knows what choice he will make!"
Pei Yan walked to the window and looked at the gradually dispersing fog in the north: "Mo Yuan, do you remember the young man we captured in the battle of Sunset Plain five years ago?"
Mo Yuan was stunned: "That young barbarian who would rather die than surrender?"
"It was Ashina." Pei Yan turned around, with a rare gentleness in his eyes. "He was only eighteen years old at the time, leading 300 cavalrymen to cover the retreat of the main force. I asked him why he didn't surrender, and he said that men of the grassland would rather die standing than live on their knees."
Mo Yuan was silent. Of course he remembered that scene - the young general covered in blood was pinned to the ground, but he still held his head high with an unyielding fire burning in his eyes. It was that backbone that made Pei Yan make an exception and spare his life.
"Such a person would either not agree to cooperate from the beginning, or would never betray his promise if he agreed." Pei Yan's voice was as firm as iron, "I believe in him."
Mo Yuan hesitated to speak. As a subject, he could not directly refute the emperor; but as the Marquis of Zhenbei, he had to consider all possibilities.
"Report!" The messenger's hurried voice broke the silence, "Urgent military information! A large number of cavalry was spotted fifty miles to the north, with more than 30,000 people, moving towards Baishui Pass! The vanguard flag... is the Black Wolf Flag of the Tiele Tribe!"
Pei Yan and Mo Yuan looked at each other and their expressions changed at the same time. The Tiele tribe arrived faster than expected!
"Order the entire army to prepare to meet the enemy!" Pei Yan strode out, his battle robe fluttering like an eagle's wings. "Send more scouts to closely monitor the enemy's movements. I want to know where Helian Bo's main force is!"
Mo Yuan followed closely behind, his hand on the hilt of his sword: "Your Majesty, should we recall the envoy sent to contact Murong Chui?"
Pei Yan shook his head: "No need, if Murong Chui really has difficulties, now is the time for him to make his position clear."
The two men climbed up the city wall and looked into the distance. On the northern horizon, a black cloud was slowly approaching - it was not a cloud, but dust raised by the Tiele cavalry. Even if you are dozens of miles away, you can still feel the slight tremor of the earth.
"Finally here." Pei Yan said softly. There was no fear in his eyes, only the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent. "Pass on my order. The Longxiong and Huben armies will stay in hiding as planned. The Baishui Pass defenders will create a false panic to lure the enemy deeper."
Mo Yuan quickly passed the order down, and then returned to Pei Yan: "Your Majesty, there is another question... If Ashina really brings the Tuoba tribe to participate in the war, we..."
"He won't." Pei Yan said firmly, "But if it really comes to that..." His eyes suddenly turned cold, "When we meet on the battlefield, we each serve our own master, and life and death are determined by fate."
Below the city, the soldiers were busy reinforcing the city's defenses and moving arrows and boulders. They seemed to be in a panic, but in fact everything was in order. This was Pei Yan’s strategy—to make the enemy think that the Wei defenders were caught off guard.
In the distance, the Tiele cavalry were getting closer and closer, and the black wolf flags were fluttering in the wind. This powerful army, which has never fought against the Wei Dynasty, is about to learn what the "military power of the Heavenly Kingdom" is.
Farther north, in the golden tent of the Tuoba tribe, Ashina was chained to a pillar, and the sound of the horn to assemble the soldiers in the camp echoed in his ears. He knew that a decisive battle that would change the fate of the grassland was about to begin, but he was trapped here, powerless...
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