After the official finished speaking, he waved his hand impatiently.
He then turned and left, leaving the barbarian envoys looking at each other, at a loss for what to do.
They waited for three days.
The long wait was agonizing; the messengers were like birds trapped in a cage, restless and anxious.
The walls of the inn were made of rough logs and smelled musty.
A few faint rays of light shone through the cracks in the roof, illuminating the simple furnishings inside.
Several old wooden tables and stools were scattered around the room, covered in dust.
For three days, they could only stay in the post station, passing the time with nothing to do.
They tried to talk to the Xiongnu soldiers.
But the language barrier is like an insurmountable chasm, preventing them from communicating.
The food on the grasslands is completely different from what they taste like in their hometowns.
The strong smell of mare's milk made them nauseous, and the greasy roasted mutton was hard for them to swallow.
They miss the sweet spring water of their hometown, the fragrant fruits, and even more so, the warm sunshine.
They tried to fill their stomachs with the dry rations they had brought, but they were quickly used up.
They tried to accept the food of the Xiongnu, but the strong smell of mutton was unbearable for them.
Unable to bear their hunger any longer, they had no choice but to swallow a few pieces of roasted mutton.
But my stomach was churning violently, and I felt extremely uncomfortable.
During the long night, they lay on the hard wooden bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
They feared that Touman the Great would not receive them.
They worried that the mission would not be completed, and even more worried that they would never be able to return to their hometown.
Finally, on the evening of the third day.
A Xiongnu official, dressed in leather armor and with a curved sword at his waist, hurried into the post station.
His expression was serious, his gaze sharp, as he swept his eyes over the barbarian envoys gathered in the post station.
He announced in a deep, authoritative voice:
"The Touman Emperor summons you!"
The barbarian envoys followed closely behind the Xiongnu officials, passing through a series of heavily guarded checkpoints.
The heavily guarded soldiers stood like iron towers, casting cold, icy gazes.
They traversed the winding passageway, each step teetering on the edge of fear.
Finally, they arrived at the magnificent Xiongnu palace.
Looking up, the majestic palace seems to pierce the clouds, its imposing presence inspiring awe.
However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that this magnificent palace is still under construction.
Scaffolding was everywhere, and building materials were scattered all over the place, creating a chaotic scene.
Millions of ragged prisoners of war toiled under the scorching sun.
They were emaciated and haggard, carrying huge stone pillars and stones like walking corpses.
Sweat soaked through their tattered clothes, gleaming blindingly in the sunlight.
The heavy stones bent their backs, making every step exceptionally difficult.
The Xiongnu soldiers, wielding leather whips, mercilessly lashed the poor prisoners of war as if driving livestock.
A barbarian envoy, unable to bear the sight of this hellish scene, asked in a low voice:
"Where... did you capture these?"
His companion quickly covered his mouth and whispered:
"Be careful what you say! You might get into trouble because of what you say!"
Everyone was trembling with fear, not daring to breathe loudly, for fear of getting into trouble.
The interior of the palace was resplendent with gold, a stark contrast to the desolate scene outside.
The ground was paved with gold bricks, and twelve huge gold pillars supported the palace.
It was so bright and dazzling that it was hard to open one's eyes.
In the Golden Palace, Touman the Great sat on his golden dragon throne.
He was tall and imposing, with a stern face, thick eyebrows like swords, and piercing eyes that made people afraid to look him in the eye.
The barbarian envoys prostrated themselves on the ground, performing a full-body prostration, and said in unison:
"Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor of the Xiongnu!"
Touman the Great uttered a single word: "Rise."
Only then did everyone dare to stand up, but they still kept their heads down, not daring to look directly at Touman.
"Are you a branch that separated from the main branch two hundred years ago?"
Touman the Great's voice was deep and powerful, carrying an air of authority.
"Yes, Your Majesty, this is our family tree!"
An envoy presented the genealogy with both hands.
This family genealogy has weathered two hundred years of storms and is now somewhat worn.
But the text on it is still clearly visible.
The Touman Emperor took the genealogy, not bothering to distinguish whether it was genuine or not.
He only glanced at it symbolically before tossing it aside.
In fact, he already knew why these barbarians had come—they were simply asking for help.
Two hundred years ago, the barbarians were originally a branch of the Xiongnu. Due to internal strife, they chose to migrate westward.
Now that their territory has been invaded and they are on the verge of national extinction, they finally remember their ancestors.
However, when the barbarians left, they took one-third of the Xiongnu's population and livestock with them.
This greatly weakened the Xiongnu, giving other tribes an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
They were almost wiped out by other tribes.
The Xiongnu people harbored deep hatred for the barbarian tribes.
However, two hundred years is enough time for many things to change beyond recognition.
He was more interested in why these barbarians had come.
"Speak, what brings you here?"
The Touman Emperor's tone was impatient.
The envoys looked at each other, and finally, an older envoy mustered his courage and said:
"Your Majesty, we...we wish to beg for your protection!"
"shelter?"
Touman the Great sneered.
"You barbarians occupy this rich land, why do you need my protection?"
"Your Majesty, a man named Lu Yan has risen to power in the heart of the Central Plains, and their iron hooves have already trampled onto our land!"
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