In Xianyang, a biting north wind whipped up snowflakes, pounding against the doors and windows of the Grand Commandant's mansion.
The wicked man was handling official business when a scout, covered in snow, burst in: "Report! Urgent report from the border! The Right Wise King of the Xiongnu, Ulan, has led 30,000 cavalry in a surprise attack on Jiuyuan County during the snowstorm, and has already plundered more than ten villages!"
"The Right Wise King?" The wicked man put down the bamboo slip in his hand, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
This Ulan was a confidant of the new Xiongnu king, Chiyunlang.
After taking power, Chi Yunlang reorganized the Xiongnu and established the system of Left and Right Wise Kings, which was modeled after the enfeoffment system of the Qin Dynasty.
Ulan was brave and skilled in battle, and was appointed as the Right Wise King, ruling over the western Xiongnu territory.
"Tell me the details."
"Reporting to the Grand Commandant," the scout said, "Ulan took advantage of the blizzard to launch a surprise attack on the border. The defending troops were completely unprepared for an attack in this weather, and by the time they discovered it, it was too late. More than a dozen villages were looted, and countless civilians were killed or wounded..."
"This Crimson Cloud Wolf..." the wicked man sneered.
Several years ago, Zhao destroyed the Xiongnu Han, thinking that this would make the Xiongnu cease their attacks.
Unexpectedly, this Crimson Cloud Wolf appeared out of nowhere, not only quelling the internal strife but also subduing more than a dozen tribes.
The Xiongnu of today are as powerful as they were in their prime.
What's most troublesome is that this Crimson Cloud Wolf is quite cunning.
He himself was stationed in the northern desert, but he sent his generals to attack in all directions. Whenever they stirred up trouble, they would immediately retreat, keeping the Qin army constantly on the move.
"Summon Meng Tian and Wang Li to see me!"
Before long, the two generals arrived in haste.
"Grand Commandant," Meng Tian said, clasping his hands in greeting, "this humble general has received the news. This Wulan is indeed formidable, extremely fierce in leading troops into battle. His choice to launch an attack in the midst of heavy snow is precisely to catch us off guard."
"The border is on high alert everywhere now," Wang Li added. "We're afraid they might have another trick up their sleeve."
The wicked man walked to the sand table and pointed to the location of Jiuyuan County: "Ulan is testing us. Chiyunlang has a good plan; knowing they've just quelled an internal rebellion and shouldn't wage a major war, they're sending their men to wear us down. However..."
A cold smile crept across his lips: "Perfect, let them see our new gadget!"
"What the Grand Commandant means is..." Wang Li's eyes lit up.
"That's right!" the wicked man said, turning around. "The first batch of the Mohist school's newly developed 'Swarm of Bees' has already been distributed. You must immediately muster five thousand elite troops and issue one 'Swarm of Bees' to each of them. This time, let the Xiongnu see what a true divine weapon is!"
He paced to the window, gazing at the swirling snowflakes: "Ulan probably thinks we can't do anything to him in this weather. These barbarians are always arrogant, believing blizzards are their natural barrier. Today, it's time to show them the might of Great Qin!"
Soon, five thousand elite Qin soldiers were assembled.
Each person carried a "Honeycomb Bow" on their back, with three spare quivers hanging from their waist. This was a deliberate arrangement by the wicked man to ensure sustained combat capability. Unlike ordinary crossbows, the "Honeycomb Bow's" quivers could be quickly changed, greatly improving combat efficiency.
"I've remembered," he said to the two generals. "'A Swarm of Bees' has a range of 350 paces and extremely high accuracy. Most importantly, the combined power of eighteen arrows fired simultaneously is astonishing! In this snowy weather, ordinary arrows are unlikely to hit their targets, but 'A Swarm of Bees' is different. Its arrows are densely packed; even if there's a slight deviation, they will still wound the enemy."
"Understood, sir," Meng Tian replied, clasping his hands in a fist salute. "This time, we will disperse five thousand men into an ambush, and give the Xiongnu a big surprise once they enter our firing range!"
"Oh, right," the wicked man added, "The Mohist arrowheads are specially made with barbs, making them very difficult to pull out once they hit the target. Even if they don't kill instantly, they can incapacitate the enemy. Take plenty of quivers; you must completely crush these barbarians!"
The two generals carefully noted down the key points and then led their troops to set off.
Amidst the swirling snow, five thousand Qin soldiers, cloaked in white capes, raced northward through the night.
This attire not only concealed their presence but also prevented them from getting soaked by the snowmelt all at once.
Meanwhile, in Jiuyuan County.
The Xiongnu cavalry were plundering extensively, and this kind of weather was perfect for them to fight; the Qin army simply couldn't catch up with them.
Ulan was listening to his subordinates report on the battle results. This fierce Right Wise King exuded a ruthless aura. He was the Red Cloud Wolf's most trusted general, and every time he went out to attack, he would bring back a large amount of spoils.
"Reporting to the Right Wise King," a scout reported, "We've spotted Qin troops! It seems there are only about five thousand of them, and they're heading this way."
"Only five thousand men?" Ulan sneered. "It seems the Qin army truly has no way to deal with us. Sending so few men in this weather is practically suicide!"
He was too confident. In this snowy weather, the Xiongnu cavalry had a clear advantage. The Qin army's powerful bows and crossbows were completely ineffective, and they couldn't even see where the enemy was.
"Send the order: the entire army, prepare!" He waved his hand. "This time, I will show the Qin army what the might of the steppe warriors truly means!"
However, what he didn't know was that the Qin army had already laid an ambush on the only road he could take.
Meng Tian and Wang Li divided their five thousand men into ten teams, who lay in ambush on the high ground on both sides of the road. Each man held a "swarm of bees" pistol, waiting for the perfect moment to fire. Their white cloaks made them blend perfectly into the snowy landscape.
Finally, the Xiongnu cavalry appeared.
Taking advantage of the weather, they were completely unprepared and charged forward with a roar. The heavy snow blurred their vision, and they didn't notice the ambush by the roadside at all.
"Prepare!" Meng Tian whispered, "Wait until they enter firing range..."
Three hundred steps... two hundred steps...
"put!"
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