The summer night in Luoyang was somewhat sultry.
In Cao Cao's study, Xun Yu waved his hand, and the three followers he brought each unrolled a scroll.
The first scroll depicted the fall of Liyang City north of the Yellow River, with Yuan Tan fleeing to Nanpi City and Yuan Shang to Ye City.
The second scroll was a depiction of the elephants sent by the Sun clan of Jiangdong, which were now being transported by water and land via the Ying River towards Xudu City and would arrive soon.
When Cao Cao saw these two scrolls, he said nothing, merely nodding gently to indicate he understood.
However, when the third scroll was revealed, Cao Cao's eyes narrowed.
It was a painting of a cavalry unit advancing through vast yellow sands. Among the riders, a beautiful girl was particularly striking, and at the end of the procession, the Xiongnu were already waiting, seemingly to welcome this young lady.
"Zhaojun Goes to the Frontier!"
Cao Cao softly uttered these four words.
With one hand, he caressed the painting of "Zhaojun Goes to the Frontier," and with the other, he stroked his beard.
After a long while, he finally spoke.
"Did the Chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu, Hu Chiquan, truly say this?"
"Indeed!" Xun Yu nodded. "Today, I was ordered to receive the Xiongnu envoy at the posthouse. They proposed a marriage alliance with Prime Minister Cao, following the examples of past Han princesses like Xijun, Jieyou, and Wang Zhaojun, to achieve a grand plan of intermarriage, eliminate estrangement, and extinguish the flames of war forever!"
The Xijun, Jieyou, and Wang Zhaojun mentioned by Xun Yu were all "princesses" of the Han Dynasty!
Wang Zhaojun was widely known, let's not dwell on her...
Princess Xijun was the daughter of Liu Jian, the King of Jiangdu.
During the Yuanfeng era, Emperor Wu of Han married a Han princess to the King of Wusun, 'Lie Jiao Mi,' as his right-hand consort. Later, as 'Lie Jiao Mi' grew old, according to custom, Princess Xijun was bestowed upon his grandson 'Cen Zou' as wife.
Princess Jieyou was a descendant of Liu Jiao, the younger brother of Emperor Gao of Han and the King of Chu Yuan.
In the first year of Tianhan, because Princess Xijun died, Princess Jieyou was ordered to marry the King of Wusun, 'Jun Xumi.'
After 'Jun Xumi' died, his cousin, the King of Fei, 'Weng Gui Mi,' succeeded him. She remarried according to Wusun customs. After 'Weng Gui Mi' died, the son of 'Jun Xumi' and a Xiongnu wife, 'Ni Mi,' inherited the throne, and she married him again.
Simply put, these princesses each married three times, marrying into an entire clan!
And the marriage customs of the Xiongnu were thus.
When the father died, the son could take the stepmother as wife, and sometimes even the grandson could marry the grandmother.
Princess Xijun, when the old King 'Kun Shang' of Wusun was still alive, had Princess Xijun sent to his grandson.
Wang Zhaojun also remarried the eldest son of her husband, Chanyu 'Huhanye,' after his death.
Such marriage customs were considered against human ethics by the Han people.
Cao Cao naturally knew this.
Huuu...
He exhaled a long breath.
After a moment of contemplation, he softly murmured, "Since Lord Ling Xun has received the envoy from the Southern Xiongnu, have you ascertained who the intended recipient from the Southern Xiongnu is?"
"It's..." Upon mentioning this topic, Xun Yu paused, finding it somewhat difficult to speak.
After a moment, he finally said.
"It is the eldest son of Chanyu Hu Chiquan, the Left Wise King of the Xiongnu, who wishes to marry Prime Minister Cao's eldest daughter, Cao Mu!"
At this point, Xun Yu paused. "The Southern Xiongnu have offered three thousand fine horses annually and twenty thousand Xiongnu cavalry to assist Prime Minister in his northern campaign against the Wuhuan as a token of their sincerity! Chanyu Hu Chiquan also specifically mentioned wishing to meet the most intelligent person under Prime Minister's command, Lu Ziyu, face to face."
Ho...
Fifty thousand fine horses, and twenty thousand Xiongnu cavalry!
Cao Cao's eyes narrowed instantly. This was too tempting...
It was not just numbers on paper, nor just that Cao Cao could use the Southern Xiongnu to contain the Xianbei and attack the Wuhuan...
This also meant that Cao Cao would have one less hidden danger in the north and a strong ally, which was extremely important for the unification and stability of the northern situation!
But...
"Mu'er..." Cao Cao turned around, his eyes fixed. He knew very well what Cao Mu meant to the Cao camp at this time!
The forge workshop, this was the key to the invincibility of the "Long Xiao Camp!"
But...
Strictly speaking, Mu'er was not irreplaceable in the forge workshop.
Fifty thousand fine horses, twenty thousand Xiongnu cavalry, and a strong reinforcement on the northern border.
Vaguely, Cao Cao saw the scene of sweeping through the Xianbei and Wuhuan, restoring the Western Regions, and rebuilding the Protectorate of the Western Regions. This was Cao Cao's childhood dream!
Once upon a time, his dream was to be a Western Expedition General like the "Marquis of Champion," and after his death, his tombstone would bear the inscription, "Tomb of Cao, Former Western Expedition General."
And... marrying into the Xiongnu would undoubtedly shorten his dream by at least twenty years, and also free him from worries, allowing him to focus his energy elsewhere.
Many people subconsciously believe that Zhaojun going to the frontier signified Xiongnu strength and Han weakness, and a humiliating peace sought by the court.
However, this is not consistent with official history.
In official history, the period of Emperor Yuan of Han was the peak period of the Western Han Dynasty, and the Xiongnu, after repeated attacks by the Han Dynasty, had already been severely weakened. The Han was strong and the Xiongnu weak.
Chanyu 'Huhanye' of the Xiongnu had already surrendered and become a vassal of the Han Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han.
Moreover, 'Huhanye Chanyu' had entered Chang'an three times to pay homage to the Son of Heaven, "performing all the rites of a vassal!"
Simply put, Zhaojun going to the frontier was a specific manifestation of the Han Dynasty's policy of ethnic harmony during Emperor Yuan's reign. How similar was the past Han strength and Xiongnu weakness to the present Cao strength and Xiongnu weakness!
After all...
Zhaojun going to the frontier exchanged forty years of peace between the Han court and the Xiongnu!
Both the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu benefited greatly from this!
Of course, forty years of peace was too luxurious. Cao Cao did not want forty years!
Twenty years of border stability... was enough for him to unify this chaotic land.
But...
Cao Mu, Mu'er, this was his eldest daughter!
This was the daughter of the late Lady Liu.
In his early years, his three sons—Cao Ang, Cao Shuo, and Cao Mu...
Shuo'er died of illness, and Ang'er withdrew from the succession struggle due to Yu'er. In this regard, Cao Cao felt he owed Lady Liu.
If even Mu'er... married into the Xiongnu, he... Cao Cao, after his death, how could he face Lady Liu in the netherworld!
"Sigh..."
A long sigh.
Cao Cao's expression was extremely complex. He turned around, intending to leave the study.
"Prime Minister..." Xun Yu immediately asked... "When will Prime Minister Cao meet the envoy from the Southern Xiongnu?"
Step...
Cao Cao's footsteps halted.
He pondered for a moment, then beckoned.
"Let's wait! Give me some time to think."
"Then..."
Xun Yu wanted to ask more, but the words stuck in his throat and did not come out.
He just watched Cao Cao's receding back and shook his head slightly. He wanted to ask where Prime Minister Cao was going.
But... was it necessary to ask?
He had already guessed where Prime Minister Cao was going—
—The White Horse Marquis Mansion!
Whenever he encountered a difficult decision, he would definitely go to see that eldest young master who was good at "attacking the heart," not to mention... strictly speaking, Lu Yu was Cao Mu's direct superior!
And often, Lu Yu's words could clear away the fog and bring forth the sun!
This time would be the same, wouldn't it!
...
...
At this time, the night was clear and starry. The Big Dipper's seven stars were countable, sparkling brilliantly, and the Milky Way spanned the sky like a shining white ribbon.
The night was dark, without a trace of wind.
In the White Horse Marquis Mansion, in a secluded courtyard.
"Bang..."
A gentle knock on the door.
Through the window, Cai Zhaoji could tell it was her younger brother Lu Yu outside...
Her cheeks were flushed, and she did not open the door, nor did she speak.
"Sister Zhaoji, it's me."
"Bang, bang..."
Two more knocks, accompanied by Lu Yu's call, the knocking became more urgent.
Huuu...
Cai Zhaoji let out a long breath. She frowned, bit her lip, and threw open the door.
Seeing Lu Yu looking anxious, Cai Zhaoji spoke with a hint of reproach in her voice.
"You stayed here overnight last night!"
"And you've come again today. Are you addicted?"
With no one around, Cai Zhaoji simply said what was on her mind...
Uh...
This made Lu Yu awkward.
If you say you're not addicted, the question has already been asked. But if you say you are addicted... you've forgotten how you felt yesterday.
This is very manly... esteemed viewers understand.
"Cough cough..."
Clearing his throat, Lu Yu immediately said, "Sister Zhaoji, where are you going with this? I have a very serious matter tonight!"
"Serious matter?"
A hint of disappointment flashed in Cai Zhaoji's eyes...
Faintly, a different voice echoed in her heart.
"Who wants you to be serious?"
But she could not utter these words no matter what. Her upbringing did not allow her to say them.
"It's... it's about some customs of the Xiongnu," Lu Yu replied truthfully. "Recently, Xiongnu envoys have arrived in Xudu City. Before interacting with them, I wanted to ask Sister Zhaoji about the customs of the Xiongnu."
Lu Yu was sincerely seeking advice...
Of course, speaking of it, he did have some understanding of the Xiongnu, but his understanding was too one-sided...
Before crossing over, he hadn't even mastered the profound culture of the Han Dynasty, so his understanding of the cultures of these nomadic peoples was only superficial.
But Sister Zhaoji had read thousands of books, and the ancient texts stored in her chest numbered in the thousands. She had grown up in the northern regions, close to the border, and under Cai Yong's influence, she naturally had more knowledge of the Xiongnu.
Therefore, Lu Yu had specifically come to seek her advice.
"Then, come in! It's cold outside!"
Actually, Cai Zhaoji felt a little disappointed, but... not obviously so.
She opened the door and led Lu Yu inside.
A square table, two cups of tea.
Cai Zhaoji had specifically retrieved several scrolls from her study. These were texts about the customs of the Xiongnu that she had copied down.
Her father, Cai Yong, had compiled the "Continued Book of Han" for the Han court, which naturally recorded the customs and habits of nomadic peoples...
And Cai Yong had only completed half of this "Continued Book of Han."
The other half, Lu Yu knew, was a wish buried in Sister Zhaoji's heart that she wanted to fulfill for her father...
Therefore, she had memorized the first half completed by her father entirely, waiting for the time when the world would be peaceful and someone would champion "civil administration" again.
"What do you want to ask, Brother Yu?"
"Sister Zhaoji, there's no need to make the atmosphere so..." Lu Yu felt the atmosphere was a bit strange...
"Are you going to ask or not!" Cai Zhaoji feigned anger. At this moment, she had a hint of the slighted emotions that a young woman might have when facing her husband.
"Ask... ask!" Lu Yu said helplessly... "Sister Zhaoji, I know about the changes in the Xiongnu, but I am completely ignorant of their language, customs, and habits."
This...
Cai Zhaoji's eyes darted. After a moment of recollection, she began to speak.
"Father had specifically mentioned the Xiongnu to me. Firstly, regarding their habits, the Xiongnu are nomadic tribes with no written language, relying on spoken language for cohesion. Their lives are primarily based on animal husbandry, with sheep, cattle, horses, mules, and camels. Among these, horses are the most valued, being essential for combat, transportation, trade, and daily life!"
Speaking of this...
Cai Zhaoji paused. When she was a child in the northern regions, she had seen many Hu merchants before the age of five, and Cai Yong would also repeatedly mention some customs and habits of the Hu people to her.
Cai Zhaoji, out of curiosity, wrote them all down.
"Slightly different from us Han people, Xiongnu livestock products are privately owned, while the pastures of each tribe are communally owned by the nomads of that tribe. The Xiongnu live in yurts, which they call 'Qionglu.' They eat meat, drink fermented mare's milk, wear leather, and live a life of migrating with water and grass."
"Their nobles also live in palaces, most of which were built by Han craftsmen. They also build military ramparts and castles, have carriages and boats, can build roads and bridges. In addition, their copper smelting industry is well-developed, capable of casting various weapons and horse tack. Their iron and pottery production also has a certain scale, but it is far behind our Central Plains."
Huuu...
Indeed, Lu Yu mused, it was not a wasted effort to ask Sister Zhaoji. Many points of knowledge were too subtle and fragmented, and he didn't know them!
Not knowing meant not understanding. Before interacting with the other party, not understanding them was very unwise.
Of course...
In his previous life, many people, when mentioning the Hu people, would irrationally harbor "resentment" and "deep-seated hatred," wishing they could cross over and slaughter all the Hu people.
They felt that not killing 300,000 Xiongnu was not enough to quell the tragedy of "Five Barbarians Uprising" and "Chaos in China"...
They felt they were unworthy of their Han identity!
But... is this realistic?
Ever since the three princesses of the Han Dynasty married into the Xiongnu, intermarriages between Hu and Han continued to happen. The number of Han women married by the Hu people in the frontier areas was unknown, and the number of Hu girls taken by Han men was even more immeasurable!
How could these people, with half Han blood in their veins, be so easily killed or slaughtered!
Furthermore... throughout history, Lu Yu had never heard of any dynasty that could truly eliminate the Hu people.
The reason was land; the land beyond the frontier was unsuitable for farming.
And land that could not be farmed, Han people were not interested in... and it could not generate any value.
Therefore, during Emperor Wu's reign, the Marquis of Champion Huo Qubing swept through the Xiongnu and restored the Western Regions, but what happened afterward? These vast lands seized beyond the frontier could not produce grain. One could not spend large amounts of troops and resources just to guard them!
Thus...
The Xiongnu returned with a vengeance, as expected!
They could split into three, becoming the Southern Xiongnu, Xianbei, and Wuhuan...
Or they could become the future Turks, become Tatars...
In short, as long as the land here could not produce grain, and the Han people were not interested in this land, then these nomadic peoples would remain a hidden threat and could not be resolved.
Many novel authors, when discussing the issue of "Hu people," would simply charge forward with unstoppable force, killing anyone in their path, but in reality, this could not solve any practical problems!
Of course...
Strictly speaking, the current Southern Xiongnu were completely different ethnic groups from the former "Xiongnu"!
For example, during the Qin Dynasty, "the Xiongnu had the custom of eating people," and the Xiongnu imprisoned Han women in sheep pens. This would basically not happen among the Southern Xiongnu.
After all, the Southern Xiongnu had long since surrendered to the Han and were vassals of the Han!
And the strategy to deal with the Southern Xiongnu was that annihilation was impossible.
The only way was assimilation, allowing them, through continuous reproduction and acceptance of Han education, to integrate into the Han people and become a part of the Han people.
Of course, this was very difficult...
The first priority was to solve the "self-sufficiency" grain problem of the Southern Xiongnu.
If they didn't have enough grain to eat, why wouldn't they raid south?
In other words, if grain could not be produced here, and no high-value methods could be found... even if Lu Yu allowed the Han people to assimilate them, no one would go! The difficulty was immense...
And for solving this problem, Lu Yu had some ideas and thoughts.
How to allow the Han people to dominate the frontier.
How to make the Hu people obey Old Cao's management through grain.
How, step by step, to make the Hu people forget they were Hu people...
Of course...
The specific implementation required Lu Yu to conduct an on-site assessment beyond the frontier.
As mentioned before, assimilation... maximum possible assimilation, but... the most urgent thing to solve was this issue of marriage alliance!
It could be said that once the marriage alliance was made, the subsequent path would be very smooth!
If the marriage alliance was refused, the subsequent path would be difficult.
Cai Zhaoji did not know Lu Yu's thoughts and continued to narrate the habits of the Hu people.
"The Xiongnu were primarily tribal alliances, with the leader of the alliance called 'Chanyu.' Below the 'Chanyu' were the Left and Right Wise Kings. Among these tribes, there were many surnames, such as Luan Di Shi, Hu Yan Shi, Lan Shi, Xu Bu Shi, Qiu Lin Shi, Han Shi, Lang Shi, and so on..."
"The current Chanyu of the Xiongnu, Hu Chiquan, is from the Luan Di Shi. In fact, from the Qin Dynasty to the present, every Chanyu of the Xiongnu has been from the Luan Di Shi. Succession was either father to son or elder brother to younger brother. Other clans like Hu Yan Shi, Lan Shi, Xu Bu Shi, and Qiu Lin Shi were also noble, intermarrying with the Chanyu for generations. Major matters such as abdication, war and peace, and sacrifices were decided through consultation among the nobles of each tribe. The Xiongnu called this the 'Chanyu Court'."
"The Xiongnu had unwritten rules: thieves would have their property confiscated, major crimes would be punishable by death, and minor crimes would be flogged, with imprisonment not exceeding ten days. The entire country would not have more than ten prisoners!"
"The Xiongnu worshipped the sun in the morning and the moon in the evening. They advanced when the moon was full and retreated when it was waning. Those who could behead enemies on the battlefield were awarded a cup of wine. Any spoils were their own, and captured individuals were made slaves. Those who brought back the bodies of the deceased in battle could receive all of the deceased's wealth. In the first month of each year, they held a small meeting at the Chanyu Court for sacrifices; in May, they held a large meeting at Longcheng to sacrifice to ancestors, Heaven, Earth, and spirits; in autumn, when the horses were fat, they held a large meeting at Denglin to inspect people and livestock. Additionally, they often sacrificed to heavenly spirits on the Wu day of January, May, and September."
Speaking of this...
Cai Zhaoji paused and also related the marriage customs of the Xiongnu to Lu Yu.
"The biggest difference between the Xiongnu and us lies in their marriage customs. After their father or elder brother died, they would take their stepmother or brother's widow as wife. The Xiongnu practiced burial. The heads of the deceased faced east. Nobles were buried deeply, with up to three layers of coffins. Upon the death of a Chanyu, in addition to gold, silver, and furs buried with him, dozens or even hundreds of favored concubines and attendants would be buried alive with the deceased!"
Cai Zhaoji spoke eloquently, and Lu Yu listened with great interest.
As expected of Sister Zhaoji...
Before crossing over, when Lu Yu read about this period of the Later Han Dynasty, he always wondered why Cai Wenji, after being captured by the Southern Xiongnu, had a different fate from other women, being able to marry the Left Wise King and even become his most favored consort! Even more exaggerated was that the entire Xiongnu society treated her with great respect!
This was very unusual...
But... after listening to Sister Zhaoji's explanation today, Lu Yu understood...
Sister Zhaoji, who grew up in the northern steppes, was too familiar with the Xiongnu. She understood everything about the Xiongnu, and this knowledge made her stand out.
Of course, in history, Cai Zhaoji was abducted to the frontier, and the tragedy of her playing the Huqin and pipa occurred. In this life, it was resolved by Lu Yu.
However, solving the hundred-year-old conflict between Hu and Han still remained a long and arduous task!
Without realizing it, time passed quietly...
They talked until past midnight, and Lu Yu's understanding of the Xiongnu deepened considerably.
It further solidified his strategic thinking regarding the Southern Xiongnu, which was not simply about slaughter... but about assimilation!
The perspective needed to be broadened. The Southern Xiongnu already had Han blood flowing within them. They could be Hu people, or they could be Han people, as long as the Han people were interested in those lands... as long as the Han people could gain "wealth" from those lands!
As long as the Han people actively entered the frontier areas more... established more schools, and infiltrated more...
Within three generations, the Hu generals would no longer be Hu, and the Hu generals would return to the Han!
This was a grand vision...
Just as he thought this.
Cai Zhaoji's eyes blinked.
"You've talked so much, but you haven't told me yet. Why are you suddenly interested in the Xiongnu? Is it just because the Southern Xiongnu envoy has come to Xudu?"
"No!" Lu Yu waved his hand and replied truthfully. "This is one reason. The most important reason is another: the Xiongnu proposed a marriage alliance with Prime Minister Cao... and the candidate has already been chosen?"
"Who?"
"Prime Minister Cao's eldest daughter—Cao Mu!"
As Lu Yu uttered these words, Cai Zhaoji's face turned pale.
"Crack," the bamboo slips in her hand fell to the ground... her eyes widened. "How... how could it be... be Mu'er?"
Yes...
Cao Mu was her, Cai Zhaoji's, earliest and most beloved female disciple!
...
...