Chapter 101 Extra 1
Spring of the first year of Yuanding. Outside the pass, the Han army camp.
The tents standing on the grassland look like the wings of geese when viewed from the air.
Inside the camp, although the soldiers had just fought a fierce battle, the enemy was small in number and only some of their own soldiers were on the field, so the battle went very smoothly.
As a result, no one's face showed any sign of fatigue; everyone was beaming with joy and pride. Those who needed to rest rested, those who needed to train trained, and those who needed to light the fire and cook did so. Everything proceeded in an orderly and well-organized manner.
The patrol officers and guards stood straight and looked energetic; the lookouts on the high platform stood in front of the telescope, observing carefully with their eyes as sharp as torches.
The generals gathered in the commander's tent to discuss the next battle plan.
"Previously, we faced the forces of Zuo Xian Wang. Although they were elite, they numbered only a few thousand. This clearly shows that they were a small force, not the main force of the Xiongnu."
This battle was merely an appetizer; the real culinary delights were yet to come. The Han Dynasty's purpose in this expedition was far greater, and this small victory was clearly of little concern to them. Their target was the Chanyu and the main force.
"The war has already begun. Chanyu Yizhixie will soon receive the news and make his deployments. This group of troops we encountered might not be sent by him to test our strength."
"If that's the case, we should seize the opportunity and pursue them as soon as possible. It would be best if we could catch them off guard."
"General, give the order. Speed is of the essence in war."
Wei Qing nodded gently, feeling that what they said made sense and that action was indeed necessary. He stood up and said, "Please come with me to report to the Crown Prince."
With Liu Ju's unremitting efforts, Liu Che finally nodded reluctantly, and Liu Ju was able to lead the army as the "Crown Prince" as he wished.
Although Liu Che had ordered in advance that the power of war decision-making was still in Wei Qing's hands, with the crown prince by his side, Wei Qing could not ignore it. Such important decisions always had to go through the formalities and let Liu Ju know.
If Liu Ju had other ideas, he would have to listen to them regardless of whether they were adopted or not.
Then all the generals followed Wei Qing out of the commander's tent and headed for the prince's tent.
The prince was not in the account, only Huo Guang was organizing the documents for him.
Seeing the arrival, Huo Guang stood up and saluted each one. When he learned the purpose of their visit, he said with a smile, "General, the Crown Prince has taken Bu Yi to look at the grass."
Everyone: …???
Wei Qing was confused: "What did you just say you were looking at?"
"Look at the grass." Huo Guang took out a bundle of grass from the table and said, "This is it."
Everyone: ...
It turns out there's nothing wrong with their ears, nor is it that they misunderstood. It's really grass. The real deal!
The generals looked at each other with some disillusionment.
What's so nice about grass? The prince has seen grass before. Weeds are everywhere, even in Shanglin Garden.
Well, Prince, have you never seen the endless grassland? What is meant by "looking at the grass" is to feel the vastness of the grassland and run horses and feel the wind?
If so, that's possible.
Wei Qing led his generals out again to the place where Liu Ju was looking at grass. When they got closer, they found that the so-called "looking at grass" was really "looking at grass". Not only did they look at it, they also dug it up.
In front, Liu Ju was squatting on the ground, digging up the soil and digging out the grass. He dug it out very carefully, held it in his palm, looked at it, and then held it in his arms happily, ecstatic.
Everyone became even more disillusioned.
Huo Qubing laughed: "Is a blade of grass worth so much to you?"
Liu Ju gently stroked the tip of the grass: "Not only is it a treasure, it's a great treasure."
Everyone was stunned. Huo Qubing suddenly understood something and took a closer look at the plant. His eyes lit up. "It seems a little different from ordinary weeds, but it has a great use? What is it used for this time? Making sugar or salt, or using it as medicine, or something else?"
"It can indeed be used as medicine." Liu Ju nodded. "This herb is called alfalfa and can clear internal heat and prevent bleeding. But its greatest value lies not in its medicinal use but as fodder.
"It's the best forage grass and isn't picky about where it grows. It can be grown in the south, the north, the east, and the west.
"It takes root very easily and its root system can extend very deep underground. Therefore, it does not need a pleasant climate and can absorb sufficient nutrients from deep soil even in drought.
"It's also a continuous-growing crop. As long as it's not uprooted, a new crop will grow after each harvest. The cycle continues endlessly. More importantly, the grass is of excellent quality and can provide livestock with many of the nutrients they need, far superior to regular concentrates."
Everyone was stunned as they looked at the "weeds" of alfalfa at their feet, then turned back to look at the war horses in the camp. Their eyes gradually changed from initial confusion to surprise: "That really is a big treasure!"
Looking at Liu Ju again was even more surprising.
They had walked past it countless times without even a second glance, but only the prince could discern its uniqueness. Then he thought about all the other "divine objects" he had encountered before, especially the sugarcane residue used to make alcohol.
Ahhh, what kind of fairy prince is this?
What they considered "trash" could be treasured in his hands. How amazing! How could they have thought the prince was just digging grass for fun?
You must be crazy.
The generals here were feeling guilty and reflecting on themselves, while Liu Ju over there felt a little strange.
According to the system's
The origin of alfalfa should be in the Western Regions, not in the Xiongnu. So why is it here?
After a second of confusion, Liu Ju shook his head and dismissed it. It wasn't important.
Perhaps it was accidentally left behind by a passing merchant; or perhaps it was dropped by a migrating eagle.
Will take it into your pocket and play its greatest role.
Liu Ju handed the excavated grass to Wei Buzhi, who collected it. He looked at the crowd and said, "There's no rush for this matter. We can directly hand it over to the Yangma Temple for research and cultivation. Did my uncle and the generals come to visit me specifically? Is there something important?"
Wei Qing replied, "Yes."
Liu Ju nodded and led everyone back to the tent. He asked people to fetch water to wash their hands while listening to Wei Qing's report.
After Wei Qing finished speaking, he asked, "Before the expedition, the Emperor seemed to have planned to have my cousin Qubing find the main force of the Xiongnu and attack Chanyu Yizhixie.
"If we discover along the way that the Chanyu has changed his whereabouts and has headed east, then uncle will assist my cousin and lead him straight out of Dai County. Uncle, do you intend to continue using this method?"
"yes."
Liu Ju thought about it. The method was fine, but no matter how the coordination and mobilization were carried out, who would ultimately face Yizhixie Chanyu? One thing needed to be determined first: the exact location of Yizhixie Chanyu's residence.
The grasslands and deserts are vast and boundless and hard to find.
He pondered and asked again, "The Xiongnu troops we killed earlier weren't completely wiped out; we captured hundreds of them. Who is the most senior among these people?"
Huo Qubing replied, "The doorman under Zuo Xian Wang seems to be called Bu He."
"Let him go, and the remaining hundreds of prisoners can also be released."
Huo Qubing paused and asked, "Do you want them to be your guides and follow them?"
Wei Qing frowned, "This method is inappropriate. These people belong to Zuo Xian Wang's army and were sent to Zuo Xian Wang's headquarters. Bu He is quite powerful and may not be able to detect that someone is following us."
"The Xiongnu garrison also has a lookout tower and scouts. Even without the telescopes we use, they're not rogues. Even if they discover our garrison, they probably won't be able to bring back any news alive."
"Once they are discovered, our purpose will be exposed. Zuo Xian Wang will immediately report to the Chanyu and order him to change his whereabouts and choose a new location."
In this case, it is useless even if you know it.
Liu Ju smiled and did not answer immediately. He picked up a pen, spread out a piece of paper, wrote a letter, dried the ink, and handed it over.
"Give this to Buhe and have him deliver it to Yizhixie. This is written by the Crown Prince of Han himself. It's sealed with wax. The Left Wise Prince dare not open it privately, let alone take it on his own. He will definitely bring it to Yizhixie to present it in person."
Wei Qing took the book
Xin, seeing the words above, froze.
Huo Qubing and the other generals came over to take a look, and their eyes widened.
Liu Ju was still laughing: "Generals, what do you think if I invite Yizhixie to negotiate peace?
Everyone swallowed their saliva, unable to complain.
Prince, you talk about peace talks, but the content of your words is actually... a provocation.
Liu Ju knew this very well. After all, “peace talks are impossible.”
Yes, at least not now.
"So, what do you think will be Chanyu Yizhixie's reaction upon receiving this letter?
How else could they react? Everyone almost unanimously replied, "They considered it a great humiliation and flew into a rage."
Liu Ju slammed the table and said, "I want him to fly into a rage. How can he remain indifferent when I have humiliated him so much? What's more, I will not only send him a 'peace treaty', but also spread its contents throughout the world."
"The nations of the Western Regions will be waiting to see Yizhixie's reaction. If he endures this, it means he's afraid of the Han Dynasty and me, the Crown Prince. If he doesn't even dare to provoke a twelve-year-old Crown Prince and can only cowardly retreat, how will he react when facing the Han Emperor?
"If he truly acts like a coward and hides his head, then his authority as the Xiongnu Chanyu will be over. Then, what will he use to intimidate the Western Regions? How can the Western Regions countries still feel fear?
"Furthermore, the return of hundreds of captives would cause too much noise, inevitably drawing inquiries from the military. Not only would the contents of the 'peace treaty' be concealed in the Western Regions, but it would also be discussed among the troops at home, causing unrest in the military.
"If Yizhixie still wishes to stabilize his army and intimidate the Western Regions, he must abandon the 'peace talks' and challenge me to a battle. But this battle will not be easy. A confrontation between two armies involves the fate and dignity of both nations. We cannot afford to lose, and Yizhixie cannot afford to lose even more.
"The Xiongnu suffered repeated losses at our hands in the past few years, and their arrogance is not as strong as it used to be. Last year, they attacked us several times, but whether it was assassination or espionage, they were all defeated and lost face.
"In this war, if Yizhixie wants to increase his chances of victory, restore his dignity, and strengthen the morale of his troops, he must lead the army in person. If the Chanyu leads the army in person, the main force of the Xiongnu will naturally be mobilized.
"Instead of searching for his base, we should lure him out.
The generals were silent. This method was indeed a good one, and highly feasible.
It wasn't that they couldn't think of it, but no one dared to think of it. This was because there was a fatal element in the plan that required the Crown Prince to personally take action to achieve the best results.
It is extremely risky for the prince to take action personally.
Who would dare to think of it? Even if Liu Ju himself proposed it, no one would dare to respond.
The generals made suggestions
Dissuade: "Yizhixie is not so easy to deceive. If the Crown Prince does not show up, the plan may not go as planned. And if the Crown Prince shows up, it will be disadvantageous to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince's status is precious and the Han Dynasty is related to the country. You must not act on impulse. I hope the Crown Prince will think twice.
Liu Ju waved his hand: "Don't we have you? With so many of you, don't you have the confidence to protect a lone person?
Everyone was silent. They did have some confidence, but confidence alone wasn't the only factor. They were worried about what might happen.
Liu Ju naturally understood and said with a smile, "According to your original plan, my uncle and cousin will each lead a group to look for Yizhixie. Who of you will go with them, and who will stay behind to protect me?
Everyone was about to answer. Liu Ju raised his hand to interrupt, "No matter who stays, they will be weak and alone. If you feel that you can't protect me together, then can you protect me if one or two of you stay?"
"Your Highness, this is different. At that time, we were facing the Xiongnu army, and there would be bloody battles between the two sides. How could Your Highness be safer in the battlefield than in the camp?
Liu Ju disagreed: "The camp is safe? Can you guarantee that the Xiongnu are not waiting for you to leave so that they can launch a surprise attack and assassinate Yu Gu?
Everyone was speechless. This... although they would certainly be on guard against this, they couldn't guarantee it.
"Since I insist on leading the army in person, I am not here simply to watch the fun. I am the crown prince, and this battle is crucial to the long-term stability of the Han Dynasty.
"I can't just sit there and do nothing and be a mascot. Even if I'm a mascot, it's not just for show; I have to play my role as a mascot.
Liu Ju looked at Wei Qing and said, "Uncle, you are the commander-in-chief, what do you think?
"Your Highness, have you made up your mind?
"nature.
Wei Qing bowed and said, "I accept your order.
Generals: ...???
No, General Wei, how could you possibly obey my orders? You can't even offer some advice. Aside from the relationship between monarch and subject, you're still uncle and nephew. The Crown Prince holds you in such high esteem. If you're firm, he'll surely listen.
We were hoping you would suppress the prince's thoughts, but you just said, "I obey your command?
They didn't understand, they were completely confused. After leaving the tent, they were still in a daze. They wanted to ask Wei Qing for clarification, but Wei Qing walked away very quickly. Then they looked at Huo Qubing, who was also walking very quickly.
It’s not that I can’t pursue her, but after thinking about it, I decided not to.
One of them is very tight-lipped. As long as he doesn't want to say anything, none of you can get a word out of him. The other has always been self-promoting since he was a child. He never considers other people's feelings or gives them face, so it's better not to mention it.
But apart from these two, there is still a third person to ask.
So the generals wisely chose to arrest Cao Xiang.
"What do the General and the Cavalry General mean by this? How can we allow the Crown Prince to act so recklessly?"
"Yes, it's fine if he's just the General of the Cavalry. The General is not such a careless person. How could he allow the Crown Prince to act so willfully?"
"Even though the Crown Prince is leading the army himself, how can we really let him go to the battlefield? What if something unexpected happens?"
…
The matter of gunpowder bombs was a top secret of the Han Dynasty, known only to the generals. They were also unaware of it for the time being. Therefore, upon hearing the Crown Prince's proposal, they had many concerns.
One accusation after another followed, and Cao Xiang regretted deeply that he was a step slower and failed to run, and ended up becoming the "target of public criticism."
Damn! He clearly wasn't the one who proposed it, nor was he the one who made the decision.
Really no match for Cao Xiang, he could only speak: "You also said that the general is not a careless person. Although the prince is the crown prince, His Majesty has strictly ordered before the expedition not to let the prince make arbitrary decisions.
"If the Crown Prince has any suggestions, the General may listen, but whether or not to adopt them is up to the General to evaluate and consider. If the General deems them unworkable, he can veto them directly. Therefore, the General is not obligated to listen to the Crown Prince. If that's the case, why do you think the General should agree?"
Everyone was stunned. We asked you because we didn't know what you meant.
Cao Xiang continued, "Although the Marquis of Guanjun has a somewhat flamboyant and casual personality, he would never joke about war. He and the Crown Prince have a deep bond and care about his safety more than anyone else."
"Even if he might act recklessly in other matters, he would never act recklessly in such a crucial matter as one that concerns both the war and the Crown Prince."
Everyone raised their eyebrows: "Are you trying to say that the General and the Champion Marquis must have a reason for doing this?"
"yes."
Everyone couldn't help but roll their eyes. Isn't that nonsense? They must have a reason, but what is it?
"Generals, the prince doesn't say it, the general doesn't say it, the champion marquis doesn't say it, then it can't be said, at least not for the time being. In short,
Everyone just relax and follow the instructions and arrangements.
"I guarantee that this battle will be the most glorious one in your lives, a battle in which you will witness miracles and legends. Being able to participate in this battle will be the blessing of a lifetime and one you will never forget."
After saying this, Cao Xiang took advantage of the moment when everyone was stunned and quickly ran away.
Everyone was left staring at each other in bewilderment: A glorious legend? What was going on with all this mystery?
Wait. There seemed to be rumors before that the prince had invented a magical weapon. Could this be related?
But what kind of magical weapon needs to be kept secret to this extent?
Everyone took a deep breath. If this "divine weapon" really existed, it must be extremely powerful and might even subvert their cognition.
Thinking of this, everyone's confusion faded away and they were filled with endless curiosity and anticipation.
The author has something to say
To the Generals
Liu Ju: I will make sure your trip is worthwhile.
Generals: ...Hmm, hmm. The Crown Prince is mighty.
【To the Xiongnu】
Liu Ju: I will also make your trip worthwhile.
Xiongnu: Why do we put ours in quotation marks?
Liu Ju: Because those who understand will understand.
Xiongnu: ...
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