94 Xiongnu Song and Dance Troupe
◎ Huo Yan: I can set a price and never cheat anyone.◎
At the beginning of the Yin (Tien) hour, the sky was as dark as sesame paste, making the moon appear exceptionally large, like a giant lightbulb. The Han army marched under the moonlight, men holding wooden pieces in their mouths and horses' hooves tightly wrapped. Huo Yan, still holding a piece of wood in his mouth, was slapped in the face by the swift night wind blowing across the grasslands. He could only rub his face and curse inwardly.
Huo Yan followed Huo Qubing, feeling somewhat ignorant of the world. Huo Qubing slowed his horse, and he also slowed his horse, then took out his crystal telescope from his bosom and looked around.
It's a rainy summer, and Gaolan Mountain, at the northern foot of the Qilian Mountains, is in the midst of snowmelt season. Rainwater has carved gullies into the ochre sandstone. The Ruoshui River, swollen from the spring floods, is dotted with the remains of poplar trees washed down from upstream, all saturated and blackened, appearing to shimmer in the soft moonlight.
Moonlight, a filter that adds affection to any dog photo.
His breathing was so slow that it seemed non-existent. Huo Qubing glanced at him and saw the telescope in his hand, so he reached out and took it.
Huo Yan gritted his teeth, bared his fangs and claws, then hatefully took a piece of the dried meat that Zhao Po Nu gave to Huo Qubing.
Huo Qubing naturally followed Huo Yan's example and put the telescope in front of his eyes. He didn't know what he saw, but he became visibly excited.
He was so excited that he hooked his finger at Huo Yan. Huo Yan, chewing on some dried meat, rode his horse forward, stood shoulder to shoulder with him, spread his hands in front of him, and motioned him to write.
Huo Qubing couldn't help laughing, and he wrote quickly, with a flamboyant and vigorous style.
Huo Yan stared at it for a while before he could vaguely piece together the words written by Huo Qubing.
"Ah! Yan! There! Is! Gold! Big! Big!!"
Every word reveals his joy, which shows that Huo Qubing really likes it and the gold is really big.
Huo Yan's waist straightened as he bit into the dried meat in the leather bag. The meat was moist, salty, and gritty, crunching between his teeth, like a piece of plastic. But he was also so excited that he didn't find it unpalatable at all. He devoured the meat in no time, and his warhorse followed Huo Qubing across the frozen ground at the northern foothills of the Qilian Mountains.
Go! Go!
In the distance, the wolf-head banner of the Xiongnu camp loomed in the twilight. Huo Qubing reined in his horse, and behind him, eight thousand cavalrymen formed a goose-shaped formation. Their horses blew white mist, their hooves pawing at the gravel restlessly. Their metal armor gleamed coldly in the dimming light. The young general stood on the southern cliff. He removed his helmet, revealing a rougher face. His sharp gaze swept across the black tide that squirmed like insects on the mountainside. He pointed in the direction of the Xiongnu camp, which stretched far away at the foot of Gaolan Mountain.
It's over there!
Huo Yan also looked over, and the cavalrymen behind him also looked over. A large black group of eight thousand cavalrymen stretched their necks almost simultaneously and looked into the sesame paste, but they only saw pitch black and were greatly disappointed.
General, what are you looking at?
Huo Qubing narrowed his eyes and glanced at them. A group of people immediately lowered their necks, rubbed their noses, wiped their knives, and pretended to be very busy.
Huo Yan tried to lean forward, but Huo Qubing patted his shoulder, so he had to retract his neck.
Huo Qubing made a gesture, and the eight thousand cavalrymen took off their leather armor in unison. Huo Yan also took off his armor in the same way, wrapped the light armor around his waist, and checked his weapons, swords, crossbows, and arrows.
"Han family sons, follow me!"
At the end of the Yin hour, a clear voice pierced the north wind. This was the first sentence Huo Qubing said, and then he rode his horse and took the lead.
When Huo Qubing moved, the Han army moved.
The Han army, their horseshoes wrapped in felt, surged like a black tide across the mountain ridge. Huo Yan gripped his ring-handled saber tightly, watching Huo Qubing's lone figure charging forward, casting a slender shadow in the moonlight. The sharp edge of the ring-handled saber looked pristine.
Firelight flickered in front of the Xiongnu tent, and the faint sobbing of a woman could be heard. Huo Yan internally complained that the Xiongnu nobles' nightlife was just like Liu Che's, stretching all night long, day after day, and indulgently debauched!
Huo Qubing obviously couldn't bear to watch. He glanced at Zhao Po Nu and ordered in an orderly manner, "Southeast wind vent, bring kerosene and burn the grassland."
Zhao Po Nu clasped his fists and immediately led two thousand elite soldiers, carrying three hundred bags of kerosene, and rushed out. They sneaked along the Qinzhi Road to the southeast windward entrance of the Xiongnu hayfield, ready to use powerful crossbows to launch rockets.
Huo Yan's face was chapped by the wind, and he couldn't tell the directions of the wind.
North is up, south is down, west is left, east is right. Get up in the morning and face the sun.
Huo Yan looked around and finally determined that it was the sun's fault.
Huo Qubing then ordered Li Gan to lead 3,000 crossbowmen to scale the western cliffs and block the entrance to the valley using crossbows. Gaolan Mountain was flanked by cliffs on either side, with a deep valley opening in the middle. As long as they could hold the valley entrance, it would be a natural pocket.
Huo Yan didn't understand, but he raised his eyebrows when he heard Li Gan's name.
He didn't react at all, but the barrage of comments exploded.
[Strange, Li Gan didn't follow Qu Bing in the second year of Yuanshuo!]
In the fourth year of Yuanshou, Li Gan followed Huo Qubing as a lieutenant to fight against the Xiongnu. He was granted the title of Guannei Hou because he captured the drum and flag of Zuo Xianwang and beheaded many people.
[Hey! Yanyan!]
[Yan'er, it wasn't you who did this!]
[Huo Yan, tell the truth!]
[Who are you worthy of?]
Given Ah Yan's personality, how could he remain under someone else's control for long? He's definitely going to sideline Old Li.
[Old Li, danger.]
Huo Yan smiled, then reined in his horse, leaped back and joined the third row, set up his crossbow, and lined up in the center of the army.
Huo Qubing personally led 5,000 cavalry, armed with 10-foot-long horse spears, to attack the Xiongnu's central army.
Behind them, the vanguard used 10-foot-long horse spears to break shields, the next row of swordsmen chopped off horses' legs, and the third row of crossbows provided support.
Break through the formation!
The sharp sound of the blade rubbing against the north wind startled a few night owls. These birds raised by the Huns did not know that their masters were about to meet their end.
Fifty thousand elite soldiers of the Xiongnu Hunye King were stationed here, and twelve gilded bronze men stood on the central altar. These were sacred objects worshipped by the Xiutu King for generations.
Huo Qubing pulled the reins, and the black steed leaped down the hill as if it were soaring into the air. No one dared to stop it along the way. "Charge! Now is the time to achieve success!"
A low voice mixed with a clear laugh spread throughout the battlefield.
"Yes, General!" The echoes were deafening.
The black cavalry came like a dark cloud, and the sharp whistling filled the battlefield. The war drums were beating, and in the torches, the armor was cold, just like a black dragon with its mouth wide open, wanting to swallow everything into its belly.
The Huns were awakened by the familiar whistle, and a chill penetrated their bones and rushed straight to their tailbones.
"Who!" King Hunxie rushed out of the tent and saw a sandstorm covering the sky rising from the southern slope. Eight thousand men were riding horses and galloping wildly, dragging thorns with them, raising a cloud of dust.
The first one was wearing black armor and holding a spear, with eyebrows flying into his temples, and was extremely handsome.
The word "Huo" on the black banner behind him fluttered, as if it had merged with him.
Suddenly, a towering smoke rose from the Gaolan Valley. Zhao Po Nu led two thousand elite soldiers in a surprise attack on the Xiongnu forage grounds. Huo Yan's special kerosene, fueled by the northwest wind, turned a hundred thousand bundles of grass into a sea of fire. The cries of eagles echoed in the wind, and the dark sky was ablaze, the moonlight becoming a mere backdrop. In an instant, the vast army was before them.
The heat wave flipped Hunxie King's leather helmet, instantly singeing his hair. Amidst the chaos, he caught a glimpse of Huo Qubing's blade arcing upward. His lance deflected King Zhelan's golden sword, and with a casual movement, the flat of the ring-handled blade struck King Luhou's forehead hard. King Luhou's eyes widened as he fell heavily to the ground, his blood blooming crimson in the moonlight. Huo Qubing's wrist flicked, and his 10-foot-long lance, like a silver dragon stirring the sea, pierced the charging Xiongnu centurion, armor and all.
Warm blood flowed down the spear shaft. He pulled out the spear violently. Before the corpse fell to the ground, the heavy cavalry behind him rolled over like a black tide. The horse spears stabbed out one after another, making honeycomb-like holes in the Xiongnu shield formation.
"Shoot!" King Zhelan's hoarse roar was crushed by the sound of war drums, and a rain of Hun arrows rose into the sky.
King Hunxie also drew his bow and arrow, aiming at the nimble figure in the chaotic army.
Amidst the fighting, Huo Qubing clearly sensed a dangerous aura. A sharp arrow, unstrung from its bowstring, streaked through the air. Normally, Huo Qubing would have no trouble dodging it, but now, surrounded by several Huns, he couldn't dodge. He struck down a Hun on his left with his sword, but another lunged forward. He cursed inwardly, grabbed a Hun's sword-wielding hand, and struck again. As he swung and swung, a fiery pain shot through his left arm. The arrow behind him was now within reach.
At the critical moment, an iron arrow with a dark glow blocked the arrow three feet in front of Huo Qubing.
Huo Yan's crossbow string trembled at his fingertips, and this time he was accurate to the last detail.
Huo Qubing didn't turn around, but the curve of his lips betrayed his good mood. Huo Yan fired his crossbow again, clearing the way for him. The three-edged arrowhead tore through the thick smoke and accurately pierced the Xiongnu archer's throat.
Huo Qubing's lance had already pierced the second shield wall, severing the right hand of King Lu Hou, who was holding the sword. The bronze crossbow mechanism emitted a deafening hum, and the three-pronged crossbow bolts pierced the leather armor, pinning the front row of Xiongnu cavalry to the shield wall, their bodies piled up into a barrier of flesh and blood. Huo Qubing commanded calmly amid the hail of arrows. The crossbowmen fired in three rows, creating a continuous rainstorm. The banner embroidered with the wolf's head totem toppled completely, and the sound of shattering shields became a death knell in the ears of the Xiongnu.
At that moment, over ten thousand cavalrymen, led by King Hunye, flanked the enemy, their scimitars gleaming coldly in the bonfire's glow. Huo Qubing remained calm, unsheathing the horn at his waist and blasting it three times. The eight hundred soldiers of the Xianzhen Camp, lurking on either side of the valley, suddenly emerged, wielding seven-foot-long Mo Dao (Mo Dao). With a roar, they charged into the Xiongnu cavalry formation. Wherever their swords flashed, horses and riders were cut down. Blood splattered across the gilded bronze figure, staining the sacred object a hideous crimson.
The Huns were defeated, and Huo Qubing knew it very well. He led his men to drive away these remnants like a falcon drives sheep. The Huns fled in all directions. Someone shouted "Huo Qubing of the Han army," and the Huns began to flee like rats. Lu Hou's tribe fled north along the Ruoshui River.
The remnants of the Zhelan army fled westward, attempting to escape to Dunhuang.
Huo Qubing personally led the Hunxie King and Xiutu King. The Xiongnu fled to the river valley, attempting to break out. Li Guang's troops, following their pre-arranged plan, rained arrows down on the Xiongnu reinforcements. It was unclear who would drop their scimitars first, and the chain reaction spread like a plague. The Xiongnu were completely routed, with those at the rear trampling among themselves. A centurion, attempting to rally his troops, had his horse's leg shot off, leaving him in a heap of meat beneath his own feet.
When the first rays of morning light dyed the snow-capped peaks of Qilian Mountains red, the sound of drums gradually died down. Gaolan Mountain had become a Shura battlefield. The blood of the Huns almost dyed the grass red. The broken pieces of the golden sword shone coldly in the pool of blood.
Huo Qubing's face was covered in blood. He wiped his face vigorously with his sleeves several times before he smiled.
He left Zhao Po Nu and the other wounded soldiers in Gaolan Mountain and took his men out to have fun. Since A Yan was there, he felt relieved.
The objects of his pleasure, King Hunxie and King Xiutu, were nearly driven mad. They had already been beaten to the point of losing their courage, yet how could such good men launch surprise attacks at night, seven times at that!
He frightened the Huns so much that whenever they heard horses neighing, they would abandon their baggage and run north. By the time he withdrew his troops, King Hunxie and King Xiutu had been exhausted to the point of mental weakness, and only 20% of their subordinates were left.
Most of the Xiongnu were broken into small pieces by Huo Qubing, who then rode back to the camp with the captives in his arms, feeling very proud.
When he gets back, he can pack up the shiny golden man and take it back to Chang'an. He has to put the golden man in the most conspicuous place in his home.
The Xiongnu camp on Gaolan Mountain.
When Huo Qubing went out to play, Huo Yan turned into an octopus. He not only had to treat the wounded, but also deal with prisoners, write battle reports, deal with the resettlement of soldiers, the date of relocation of camps and a series of other issues.
He also didn't expect that Zhao Po Nu was not only semi-automatic in fighting, but also in handling military affairs, and asked him about everything.
He couldn't help but complain, "You lost your brother, don't you even know his name?"
"As long as the general is here, I will listen to him!" Zhao Po Nu was not ashamed but proud of it.
Huo Yan's silence was deafening.
Finally, he covered his face and waved his hands, "It's fine, go and greet your general!"
Zhao Po Nu agreed happily and took a few people to pick up Huo Qubing.
Huo Yan sighed loudly and long, then resignedly grabbed the bamboo slips and wrote a battle report.
"This is the life we lead. We are just like cattle and horses wherever we go."
He clumsily wrote a word with a carving knife and almost cut his hand, which made him even angrier.
"This is such a crappy place, they don't even sell paper!"
"Huo Qubing, he's flying again! Like a shadowless eagle!"
Whenever he gets angry, he likes to nag.
"Unload the Xiongnu's golden man and I'll carry one away!"
The barrage of comments burst into laughter.
[Your Majesty, I have a plan.]
Huo Yan raised his chin.
[Put yourself into mitosis!]
Huo Yan touched his chin and muttered "get out" after a long time. He wrote a battle report to Liu Che and then asked someone to deliver it urgently for 800 miles. Then he got up to see the wounded and sent the prisoners to clean the battlefield and herd sheep. He planned to eliminate the existence of slaves from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties to the present, so he had to find new slaves. It would be just right to bring the Huns back to Chang'an as slaves.
He was thinking about how to replace the private slaves of the wealthy families with Xiongnu people. The whole process was smooth and without any delay.
[Fuck, the living devil!]
[Ayan, you have some skills.]
Huo Yan crossed his legs and said, "If they can serve as dogs to the Xiongnu King, then what's wrong with them serving as dogs to the Han people?"
[That makes damn sense!]
[Your Majesty, I have a foolish idea. Let's force the Xiongnu to sell him to those wealthy families. If they don't want to buy him, let them exchange him for their servants, ten for one.]
[You kid.]
[Your Majesty, I've become a traitor by forcing you to pay me ten thousand gold coins. Hahahaha.]
[Use the money from selling the Huns to buy Hun horses and capture more Huns. I'm born to be involved in domestic affairs!]
[I know this question. The Huns are good at Mongolian dance!]
Huo Yan rolled his eyes at the barrage, "The eunuch next to me?"
The barrage of comments were bickering with him, all in a playful and playful manner.
At this moment, a black cloud and yellow sand were raised outside. Huo Yan thought it was an enemy attack, so he hurriedly got up to lead the horse. Then he saw Huo Qubing, the leader, among the yellow sand. He relaxed and told the messenger not to go and deliver the message.
Huo Qubing dismounted with an expressionless face, put his hand naturally on Huo Yan's shoulder, and led him to see the sheep he had caught.
The rows of Huns behind him exchanged glances with Huo Yan, and they trembled subconsciously when they saw his face that looked like Huo Qubing.
Huo Qubing looked proud and eager to seek praise.
We didn't kill many this time, they were all alive and we brought them all back.
Huo Yan, who was in charge of the overall coordination of military rations, broke out in sweat on his forehead. He had just killed eight thousand people and captured ten thousand, and Huo Qubing came and captured another ten thousand. My goodness, they were all starving to death.
He told Huo Qubing what he had said, and Huo Qubing raised his eyebrows and said, "We've been taken as prisoners, and we're still given food?"
He asked Huo Yan suspiciously, "You're not going to treat their injuries, are you? I worked so hard to cut them."
Huo Yan: ...Not really. We were afraid of contracting the disease, so we burned the injured ones as if they were dead.
Huo Qubing sighed, "Ayan is still too kind."
I don’t even have enough food to eat, why should I give it to him?
If you starve to death, I will bury you. If you are sick, I will burn you. Only the strong are worthy of being my prisoners.
Zhao Po Nu also sighed, and was punched in the chest by Huo Yan, who had lost his patience. "I'm going to sell all these Xiongnu people for money. For every one I sell, I'll give you 30% of the money to buy better horses, more beautiful swords and arrows. Maybe I can even raise enough money to make a set of shining golden armor for you and your horses. Do you understand?"
Huo Qubing's eyes lit up, and the eyes of the cavalrymen behind him also lit up, and their eyes became gentle when they looked at the Huns.
They believed that Huo Yan could sell the Huns. After all, everything they ate and used now came from Huo Yan's arms factory.
Zhao Po Nu said, "How to sell it and where to sell it!"
Huo Qubing looked at the hairy Xiongnu with disdain, "This appearance is too bad, are you still going to do business?"
Huo Yan also observed the appearance of the Huns and frowned in disgust.
"I heard that the Xiongnu are good at dancing. Some of them are sheepherders, and some are dancers."
Huo Qubing tilted his head, "Really?"
As soon as he asked the question, Huo Yan nodded.
Zhao Po Nu then pushed the captured Xiongnu King Hunxie and said, "Our general wants you to jump."
King Hunxie was so angry that he was about to burst into tears. Finally, under the kind gaze of Huo Qubing, he shrank back and shook his sleeves.
Huo Yan was very satisfied with his cargo. "Not bad. It would be better if it could be tamed a little more docile."
He ordered his men to take the Huns away and to temper them for a while. Those who were obedient and submissive were kept, while those who were disobedient were beheaded.
Zhao Po Nu suspected that he had heard it wrong.
What the hell is this dance!
Huo Yan smiled, "Brother, there are two or three particularly good ones that I want to send back to Chang'an with the Jin people to give to my uncle. Doesn't he like watching people dance? The Xiongnu King Dance has a unique flavor."
Huo Qubing felt sorry for having to donate his golden man, but he felt inexplicably happy when he thought of Liu Che's dark face.
"Send it. Our dynasty governs the world with filial piety. If there are good things, we should first offer them to the king and father." He coughed lightly and smiled at Huo Yan.
After the two men finished talking, they walked back side by side to discuss the return journey, leaving Zhao Po Nu alone and disheveled in the wind.
"Well, does it look good? Do we have to pay tribute to the emperor?"
Chang'an.
The battle report of the first Battle of Hexi arrived in the evening. Liu Che didn't even have time to take off his socks and just took it to read.
There are only three sentences above. My brother has killed the Huns, and I’m afraid you’ll rush over in a hurry, so I’m telling you this first.
Liu Che's face froze for a long time, and he took a deep breath.
"Next one!"
This letter is much more official.
The General of Cavalry led his troops across the Wudu River, attacked the Xiupu River, and crossed the Hunu River, traversing five kingdoms. They captured no baggage or people, and nearly captured the Chanyu's son. After six days of fighting, they crossed the Yanzhi Mountains for over a thousand miles. They engaged in close combat at the foot of Gaolan, killing the King of Zhelan, beheading the King of Luhou, and capturing the Kings of Hunxie and Xiutu. They also captured the Prince of Hunxie, the Prime Minister, and the Commandant. They captured 1960 heads and 25,000 prisoners, and captured the golden figure used by Xiutu for offering sacrifices to the heavens. The army's strength was reduced by one-third.
The messenger was beaming.
"Your Majesty, the general said that the gift that the Jin people and he selected for Your Majesty will arrive soon."
Liu Che smiled happily, said hello three times, and asked Wei Qing to come and see.
Wei Qing entered the palace late at night, but before he even reached the door, he saw the radish-headed Liu Ju rushing out. The Crown Prince shouted loudly, dragging Huo Guang with him to announce the good news, "Uncle, we won!"
Wei Zifu's smile was all over her face. When she looked into his eyes, both of them had smiles of relief in their eyes.
Great, the child is back.
Chang'an was completely set on fire.
Sang Hongyang and the others were overjoyed to hear that Huo Yan had returned alive, especially Zhufu Yan, who was so happy that he couldn't stop smiling.
Mr. Jiang was relieved now that Dong Zhongshu was fine, and he even had a hint of showing off.
Uncle Dan was so happy that he didn't even care about the blisters on his lips, and was busy preparing a banquet to congratulate Huo Yan and Huo Qubing.
Huo Guang also followed Wei Shaoer to banquets with his head held high, and Wei Shaoer would giggle whenever others flattered him.
There was no way, one of her cubs was better than six, and she, Wei Shaoer, had two such cubs.
Everyone is looking forward to the day when the warblers fly and the men return home.
But the Jin people and the Xiongnu song and dance troupe arrived before the men.
In the Weiyang Palace, when Liu Che, who was showing off his eldest son's love for him, saw the hairy Xiongnu Xutu Prince Jin Midi and the Xiongnu Hunye King Duhu, the old father's heart was shaken.
What a rebellious son, no wonder he is the only one who has it!
The person who introduced the Xiongnu Song and Dance Troupe spoke eloquently and lied with his eyes open.
"The general and the young master have been searching day and night, and have finally chosen three Xiongnu dancers with excellent dancing skills to perform for Your Majesty."
Liu Che's face became darker and darker, and the faces of the officials in the court became redder and redder.
Huo Yan was not afraid at all of the young men that Uncle Dan had specially selected from his men. He introduced the Huns as if they were goods.
"This is a Xiongnu prince, over eight feet tall, quite strong, and able to ride a horse."
…
After the introductions were completed, the young man smiled clearly and knelt on the ground. "The three of us have a total of 130,000 gold coins. I now present this to Your Majesty. I will perform a Xiongnu sacrificial dance for Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed by God forever."
Three shackled Huns were led to the Weiyang Palace to dance. Not to mention dancing with shadows, only Li Kui was swinging a sledgehammer.
Liu Che, who always liked beauties, looked so gloomy that his face was almost covered with frost.
He suffered a loss in silence, but he could not stop the riot for fear of affecting the Huns' blessing and ruining his country's fortune, so he could only let the Huns perform the ritual.
Everyone's mouth was curled up three points, pure joy.
Wei Qing actually wanted to buy one, as this one looked like a good horse breeder.
Liu Che clenched his fists and then unclenched them three times, wanting to take off the pants of Huo Qubing and Huo Yan and beat them up.
After the dance finally ended and the people were led away, Liu Che heard the young man say seriously, "We brought back too many Huns this time, so we've reduced the price. From ten gold coins to ten thousand gold coins, we have all kinds of items. You're welcome to go to the Liquor Industry Bureau to get a badge. After you get the badge, you can go to Guanjun Hou to see the Huns."
Liu Che could no longer bear it and said, "Drag him away!"
As the young man was being carried away, he said, "I only want three gold pieces at a time! A living Hun!"
Liu Che said, "You're crazy about money! Get him out!"
Then I laughed unconsciously.
"This must be Huo Yan's idea. He treats the Huns like tigers."
The ministers also laughed and agreed.
There was a sense of joy in the Weiyang Palace.
【Author’s words】
Mongolian students please don’t read this, it’s a bad review.
Huo Xiaoyan, that's just how he is.
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