With the conclusion of this imperial military conference, the Yuyang garrison, together with the northern expeditionary force, once again sprang into action.
While Lu Zhi sent people to summon the Southern Wuhuan people, he also sent people with a slave purchase order to the Murong Tu tribe of the Eastern Xianbei.
Upon receiving the summons, the Southern Wuhuan chieftain, Qiu Liju of Yuyang, Nanlou of Shanggu, and Wu Yan of Youbeiping, among others, hurriedly arrived in Yuyang to pay their respects.
As soon as they entered the tent, before they could even see Liu Hong's face clearly, Qiu Liju, Nanlou, Wuyan, and the others bowed deeply, bending their waists as low as possible.
"Your humble servants Qiuliju, Nanlou, and Wuyan pay their respects to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Han Dynasty."
Liu Hong, seated in the main seat, calmly glanced at the three of them.
No need for formalities.
Liu Hong's authoritative voice reached the ears of the three, causing them to tremble involuntarily.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
After exchanging greetings, the three rugged-looking Wuhuan leaders stood there with their heads bowed, like docile kittens.
"What brings you three here to observe the state of my army?"
Facing these three Wuhuan leaders, Liu Hong did not offer them pleasantries to demonstrate his friendliness and approachability. Instead, he directly inquired about their impressions of the Han army.
Qiu Liju and the others exchanged glances upon hearing this, their hearts pounding with unease as they struggled to understand the Emperor of Han's intentions.
Qiu Liju bowed slightly and said respectfully, "As I traveled along the way, I saw that the royal army's soldiers were all well-equipped, strong, and in high spirits. Even the heavenly soldiers were no better than them."
"Yes, Your Majesty. The Han Dynasty has a powerful army, and it is unrivaled in the world."
"Indeed, with such a strong army of the Han Dynasty guarding us, our people are able to avoid the invasions of the Xianbei and the northern barbarians and graze our livestock in peace."
Nanlou and Wuyan echoed their sentiments, adopting a humble attitude and showering the Han army with praise.
"Haha~ Well said! As the Son of Heaven, my soldiers are naturally heavenly soldiers. How can the mere Xianbei and Northern Wuhuan possibly stand against heavenly soldiers?"
Liu Hong's hearty laughter filled the entire tent, clearly indicating that he was very pleased with the flattery from Qiu Liju and the other two.
Then Liu Hong looked at Zhang Rang beside him and said loudly, "By imperial decree, the Qiuliju, Nanlou, Wuyan and other tribes have been loyal and devoted, leading their subordinates for many years to herd sheep and horses for the Han Dynasty and guard the border. They have made great contributions."
Today, I bestow upon you three hundred bolts of silk, five hundred jars of imperial wine, five hundred cans of fine tea, one thousand boxes of refined salt, and five thousand sheets of ink and paper…
"Your Majesty, we thank you for your divine grace."
Seeing Liu Hong generously bestow a large number of valuable gifts, Qiu Liju and the others were overjoyed and hurriedly bowed to express their gratitude.
"Haha~, the three of you don't need to be so formal, please sit down."
Despite the pain in his heart, Liu Hong happily invited the three of them to sit down.
After taking his seat, Qiu Liju made a preliminary assessment of Liu Hong. In his opinion, the young emperor of the Han Dynasty was a person who cared about his reputation and was ambitious.
Liu Hong looked at Qiu Liju with a smile and said in a deep voice:
"The reason I have summoned you here is to discuss the attack on Goguryeo..."
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, wherever Your Majesty's sword points, we will fight to the death and never fail Your Majesty's great kindness."
Before Liu Hong could finish speaking, Qiu Liju hurriedly spoke up, expressing his loyalty to Liu Hong.
Nanlou and Wuyan, standing to the side, secretly glared at Qiuliju, seemingly annoyed that Qiuliju had stolen their chance to shine.
"I have never taken Goguryeo seriously. I was referring to other things."
Liu Hong waved his hand with a smile, his words and demeanor filled with arrogance.
Nanlou spoke first: "Please give your orders, Your Majesty, and we will do our utmost to serve you."
"I order you to return and select warriors from your tribes to launch an attack on Shishefu next spring to prevent him from taking advantage of the situation."
"this......"
Upon hearing that Liu Hong was actually asking them to attack Shefu, Qiu Liju and the others were taken aback and dared not agree so easily.
Although they had previously defeated the Shefu with the Han army, they had also suffered heavy losses. In addition, the Han Dynasty's slave purchase order last year had led to a fierce battle with the Northern Wuhuan, resulting in the loss of a large number of tribal people and the loss of most of their cavalry.
After all, the strength of the Northern Wuhuan far surpasses theirs. If they are defeated by the Shefu again, their last remaining resources will be completely lost.
"What? You are unwilling to send troops to help?"
Seeing the hesitation on the faces of Qiu Liju and the other two, Liu Hong's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a gloomy expression and an extremely cold tone.
Faced with the sudden change in the Han emperor's demeanor, Qiu Liju and his two companions couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines.
Qiu Liju hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please investigate. Last year, we fought against the Shefu, but we suffered more defeats than victories, and our warriors also suffered heavy losses."
Now, all the able-bodied men in the tribe have gone to mine coal for the Han, unwilling to be drafted into the army. Therefore, our forces are no match for the Shefu.
"Yes, Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly."
Nanlou and Wuyan also reluctantly chimed in, originally thinking that this Han emperor was just ambitious and eager for quick success, but they did not expect him to turn on them so quickly.
Liu Hong said in a deep voice, "I only want you to harass and contain them, not to fight a decisive battle with the Shefu. What are you afraid of?"
"Furthermore, on your journey, I will allocate a batch of armor and weapons to equip your warriors. The slaves you capture will also be purchased by the Great Han at double the price of last year."
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