Meiji.
The royal court of the Southern Xiongnu.
At this moment, Qiangqu Chanyu was receiving several envoys from the Han Dynasty.
Inside the sheepskin tent, the aroma of mare's milk wine filled the air, dancers sang and danced, and the sounds of the huqin (a type of reed pipe instrument) resonated.
Dozens of rugged-looking Xiongnu men, dressed in woolen fur coats, were cutting up lamb legs with small ox-horn knives and eating with gusto.
They eat like savages, like wolves and tigers.
His hands were covered in oil, but he wiped them on his chest, then stroked his chin and looked at the singing girl twisting and turning in the middle with a greedy and lewd expression.
He seemed to be imagining that he would soon strip these women naked and have them pleasuring him.
And right in the center of the large tent.
An elderly man wearing a sapphire crown had a ruddy complexion and looked radiant.
He frequently raised his cup, inviting everyone in the tent to drink one cup after another.
He is the current Chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu, Qiangqu Chanyu.
As the Han dynasty weakened, the troops of the four commanderies of Yunzhong withdrew to Yanmen Pass.
At the foot of the Yin Mountains, on the Hetao Plain north of the Yellow River, the territory of the Southern Xiongnu people was established.
Since taking office, Qiangqu Chanyu has cultivated good relations with the Han court and bribed officials to get the court to turn a blind eye to his actions in the Hetao region.
The Yinshan Mountains blocked the cold air currents from the north.
Compared to the Xianbei tribes in Hexi, north of the Yin Mountains, and the Qiang and Hu tribes who struggled to survive on the Ordos Plateau and the Loess Plateau.
The Southern Xiongnu lived a very comfortable life in the fertile and climatically suitable Hetao Plain.
Many ministers advised Qiangqu to move the royal court to Yunzhong City.
Qiangqu, however, was unwilling and only wanted to stay in Meiji.
His two sons, Yufuluo and Huchuquan, then led their followers. Yufuluo went to Dingxiang, and Huchuquan went to Yunzhong.
There were also two major households, one being Qiangqu's younger brother and the other being Qiangqu's in-law, surnamed Lan, who were stationed in Wuyuan and Shuofang respectively.
This is because Dingxiang, where Yufuluo was located, was adjacent to Yanmen and Daijun.
Every time they raided the Han people's territory, they plundered their wealth and people to enrich their tribes, making Yufuluo's people the most powerful among the four kings.
All the Southern Xiongnu people knew that the Left Wise King Huchuquan would one day succeed the Chanyu.
Now that the Right Wise King Yufuluo has greatly increased his power, everyone thinks that Yufuluo intends to challenge the successor.
However, at this time, the various Xianbei tribes in Hexi outside Yinshan were also frequently moving south.
The Murong, Tuoba, Yuwen, and Yuchi tribes also crossed the Yin Mountains and entered the Yunzhong and Shuofang regions.
This greatly displeased Qiangqu, who submitted a memorial to the Han court, requesting that he be provided with some excellent weapons and ironware in preparation for a major battle with the various Xianbei tribes in Hexi.
I thought the Han Dynasty was busy suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion and wouldn't bother with him.
Unexpectedly, the Han court took this issue very seriously and even sent an envoy to Meiji to deliver an imperial edict.
Originally, the envoy would have traveled from Luoyang through Yanmen Pass, then westward across the Yellow River at Pianguan Pass, where the Qingshui River meets the Yellow River, and thus reach Meiji.
They took a detour to Dingxiang to meet Yu Fuluo and handle some private matters for He Jin.
Although it took three to five days longer than expected.
Qiangqu, however, did not mind at all and treated the two envoys and their entourage with the highest level of courtesy.
Inside the large tent, on the left and right, sat the two envoys from Luoyang and their entourage at the head of the two rows.
They were heavily pregnant, dressed in luxurious clothes, and each was accompanied by a plump Xiongnu woman.
"You two envoys have come all the way from Luoyang, you must be tired! Drink!"
Qiangqu raised his ram's horn wine cup again and drank it all in one gulp.
"Your Excellency has a good capacity for alcohol, we'll drink it all too!" The two envoys were very satisfied with Qiangqu's performance.
I've heard that this Xiongnu chieftain is very clever and understands human relationships.
Officials sent as envoys to the Southern Xiongnu were accompanied by different Xiongnu women every day.
When they left, the gold, silver, and valuables they gave had to be transported by horse-drawn carriage.
This filled the two envoys with anticipation, and after finishing their drinks, they said ingratiatingly:
"Qiangqu Chanyu, His Majesty has already ordered Duan Jiong, the governor of Bingzhou, to prepare the 50,000 catties of iron ingots, 10,000 catties of coarse salt, and 1,000 sets of armor you requested."
"Someone will escort you to Xihe soon to complete the transaction!"
Qiangqu Chanyu was overjoyed.
The Xiongnu people had no shortage of food, horses, or soldiers!
What they lack is salt and iron!
Because they were a nomadic people, they naturally wouldn't mine iron ore for smelting.
The Ordos and Bayannur regions have abundant iron ore resources, but even if the Xiongnu people knew about them, they had no way to mine them.
They had a huge demand for ironware.
They crafted arrows, weapons, and iron pots, among other things.
In the past, it took more than ten horses to exchange for one pound of salt or ten pounds of iron.
Unexpectedly, he used the southward migration of the Xianbei tribes in Hexi to demand salt and iron from the Han Dynasty, and it actually worked.
"Thank you very much, Your Excellencies!"
Qiangqu waved his hand and immediately had a pile of agate and gemstones brought over.
The two messengers' eyes lit up as they picked up the gems to admire them.
He casually grabbed one and gave it to the Hu woman next to him, which prompted the woman to serve him attentively for a while.
Qiangqu was also in a great mood, and a group of officials, including Rizhu, Qiequ, Danghu, and Guduhou, toasted the two envoys.
"King Qiangqu, we have another matter to discuss!" one of the envoys said immediately, seeing that the atmosphere was pleasant.
"Please speak, Your Excellency!"
"Our dynasty's prince, Liu Wei, formerly the Prince of Taiyuan, is now enfeoffed as the Marquis of Yinshan. He recently went to Wuyuan City in Shuofang to take up his fief. Has King Qiangqu heard of this?"
Qiang Qu's expression changed, and he slammed down the ram's horn cup, demanding, "I was just about to ask you, Your Excellency, what is the meaning of the Emperor of the Great Han?"
"Fine, anyway, the Murong and Tuoba tribes of the Hexi Xianbei in Shuofang are already eyeing the Sule River."
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