Located on the northern foothills of the Yin Mountains, in the southern part of the Gobi Desert, lies the city of Darhan.
The land where the Xianbei Khan Tuoba Gao prospered.
The burly Tuoba Gao, as strong as a black bear, sat in the main seat, a faint, sinister smile playing on his lips.
To his left was a tall, white-haired old man who resembled a fierce tiger.
At the bottom of the steps stood a middle-aged man with an extremely unnatural expression, his hands trembling incessantly, hidden in his sleeves.
Beside him were three open chests, filled with dazzling gold and silver jewels.
Tuoba Gao didn't even glance at the jewels, took a sip of wine, and then coldly said:
“I offered to send troops to help you before, but you not only didn’t appreciate it, you also cut off the nose of our Tuoba tribe’s envoy.”
"That brat Huchuquan is truly arrogant. I was just preparing to march south to punish him, but you've delivered yourselves right to my doorstep!"
"Don't think you can get my forgiveness by offering some gold and silver jewelry. You're dreaming!"
The Xianbei chieftain Murong Hu, standing nearby, also shouted, "You think you can fob us off with a mere amount of gold and silver? My nephew Murong Jie has lost his nose!"
"Khan, ignore him. Instead, just kill this envoy, then lead the army over Yinshan and go straight to Yunzhong to make that brat Huchuquan kneel down and apologize."
The voice of Murong Hu, the Yangzhen leader of the Xianbei, was so loud that it was deafening to the envoy.
After Huyan Qimai was defeated and killed in battle, facing the imminent arrival of the Han army at the city gates, Huchuquan gathered everyone to discuss the matter. In the end, he reluctantly sent an envoy to ask the Tuoba Xianbei for military assistance.
But no envoy dared to go.
Because when the Xianbei envoy came, Huyan Qimai cut off his nose. If he went there, he would definitely lose several parts of his body, even if he didn't die.
Ultimately, the envoy was coerced and threatened with the lives of his entire family, and he had no choice but to come to Darhan City to pay homage to Tuoba Gao.
"Respected Khan, Lord Yangzhen, spare my life!"
Faced with Murong Hu's roar, the Xiongnu envoy's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground, crying out, "I was just a messenger; it was all the Huyan chieftain who made the decisions on his own."
“Our king sent me here this time with the sincere intention of inviting the Khan to send troops.”
"These jewels are our apology."
"If you help us drive out the Han people, our king will offer you even more wealth."
Tuoba Gao didn't speak, but gave a cold smile.
Upon hearing this, Murong Hu strode forward, kicked over the jewels, and roared, "Who do you think you are? These jewels are your token of sincerity?"
"Was it Huyan Qimai who cut off my nephew's nose?"
"Why doesn't he come and apologize in person? I'll cut off his nose myself!"
"As for you, guards! Drag you out now and cut you down to offer as a sacrifice to the flag."
Immediately, two fierce-looking guards rushed over, grabbed the messenger, and dragged him out.
The messenger's face turned ashen, his legs kicked wildly, and he cried out in a trembling voice, "Lord Yang Zhen, please calm your anger! Chief Huyan is already dead!"
"It's Han Chinese, the army of that Han prince from Dingxiang, they've already attacked!"
"If the Khan does not send troops, not only Yunzhong, but also Wuyuan and Shuofang will soon be taken over by others."
"As for the Shulechuan that the Khan desires, it is likely that it will soon be lost as well."
The envoy blurted out, "If Khan Ken sends troops, our king is willing to cede the Shule River to Khan."
"stop!"
Tuoba Gao, who had been coldly observing from the side, shouted loudly, and the guards dropped the messenger.
The messenger was sweating profusely, lying on the ground trembling, his trousers already stained with a foul stench, it seemed he had wet himself in fear.
"You offered this to us willingly?"
"We didn't force you to give it to us, did we?"
Tuoba Gao was waiting for these words.
"Yes...yes, Chief Huyan acted improperly and offended the Khan and Lord Yangzhen. His Shulechuan will be used as an apology!"
The envoy, ignoring that he had wet his pants, said tremblingly.
I shouldn't have kept you in suspense earlier; I should have just stated the conditions all at once.
That was close!
If I had spoken even a fraction of a second later, I would have lost my head.
His back was covered in cold sweat.
"Heh, if you don't offer anything, do you think you can hold on?"
Tuoba Gao sneered, "Hmph! You little rascal, you're not being honest either, deliberately hiding things."
“Go back and tell that kid Huchuquan that we want not only Shulechuan, but also Wuyuan County.”
"If they disagree, we will support Shuofang's Qubei to take it over."
"As for you remnants of the army, just fend for yourselves!"
Upon hearing this, the envoy froze on the spot.
Lord Xubu said that as long as the Shule River was ceded, the Xianbei people would agree to send troops.
But things are not as expected now.
"You're lucky you survived. If I killed you, no one would relay the message!"
Murong Hu said, "Guards, cut off his ears and send them to my nephew."
The messenger was so frightened that his soul almost left his body. After a scream, both of his ears were gone.
After the envoy fled the city of Darhan.
"This is such a golden opportunity to cross the Yin Mountains and seize the Hetao region, why don't you send troops now, Khan?"
"If Huchuquan is defeated by the Han people and they occupy Yunzhong, we will be too late."
Seeing that Tuoba Gao only sent the messenger back to deliver the message and had no intention of sending troops, Murong Hu expressed his confusion.
"How could I not know this was a golden opportunity?"
"The weather is about to turn cold. The northern foothills of the Yin Mountains get freezing cold as soon as autumn arrives! Who wouldn't want the warm and lush land on the southern foothills of the Yin Mountains?"
Tuoba Gao smiled faintly, "There's a Han proverb that goes something like... something about the mantis stalking the cicada..."
"The oriole is unaware of the mantis behind!" Murong Hu casually replied.
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