"May brave warriors feast on the flesh of barbarians!"
"And laugh while drinking the blood of the Xiongnu!"
Hiss...
The words on the banner stirred the hearts of everyone.
As Lu Yu raised the banner, the black characters on the blood-red silk seemed to conjure visions of the wails of the barbarians beneath Mount Bailang and Mount Wuhuan, and the bleached bones of the Hu scattered across a hundred deserts.
"We have long heard that the Chancellor harbors ambitions, aspiring to be a Great Han General who conquers the West and campaigns north against the barbarians, reclaiming lost territories!"
"Now, the Wuhuan people are acting erratically... repeatedly receiving favors from the Great Han, yet they continue to raid south and occupy our Yinshan region!"
"In the past, the Marquis of Champion, Huo Qubing, performed sacrifices to heaven on Mount Langjuxu. Why should the Chancellor not do the same on Yinshan, at Mount Bailang?"
Lu Yu's eyes were filled with unwavering resolve...
He had completely changed his previous stance towards the Southern Xiongnu and the Xianbei.
After all, while the Southern Xiongnu and Xianbei were indeed foreign peoples, they had not occupied Han territory, nor had they received favors from the Han. Furthermore, the Southern Xiongnu had pledged allegiance to the Han and even contributed to the emperor's return to Luoyang!
But the Wuhuan were different.
The Wuhuan were a disgrace to the Great Han!
From the reign of Emperor Guangwu, after General Fubo Ma Yuan's unsuccessful campaign against the Wuhuan, Emperor Guangwu, Liu Xiu, did not hesitate to bribe the Wuhuan with vast sums of wealth to secure their submission. From that moment on, the Wuhuan became a disgrace to the Great Han!
Although Yue Wumu's "Man Jiang Hong" was slightly altered, it did not lose its martial spirit!
Everyone could feel the sorrow and the hatred for the barbarians within it!
"During Emperor Guangwu's reign, a 'buy-off policy' was implemented, where the Wuhuan were given silk and grain to cease their attacks on the Han dynasty! Yuan Shao adopted a policy of buy-offs and intermarriage!"
"Indeed, the Wuhuan cavalry appeared and disappeared like phantoms, their combat prowess formidable. They breached the Central Plains as if entering their own territory! Emperor Guangwu and the Yuan clan decided that since they were coming to plunder anyway, they might as well give them what they wanted!"
"While this was a way to resolve the issue, in my opinion, it was the utmost humiliation!"
Upon saying this...
Lu Yu took out an imperial edict from his robe.
"Chancellor, this is an imperial decree bestowed upon me by the Son of Heaven before my departure!"
He quickly unfurled it, presenting it to all the civil and military officials.
— Northern Hunt!
The edict contained nothing else, only two words: Northern Hunt!
"Northern Hunt?"
Cao Cao unconsciously murmured, and many officials echoed his sentiment, their eyes filled with shock and complexity.
Lu Ziyu's poem, with lines like "My hair bristles with rage as I lean on the balustrade," and "I laugh while drinking the blood of the Xiongnu," undeniably declared his stance...
More importantly, there were the words "Northern Hunt" in the imperial edict.
For many years, the barbarians had encroached upon the borders, and the barbarians referred to this as "Southern Hunt." They treated the frontiers of the Great Han as their hunting grounds!
These two words, "Northern Hunt," brought to mind the saying from Emperor Wu's reign: "The situation of attack and defense is different! If the raiders can go, so can we!"
If the barbarians dared to treat the Great Han's frontiers as their hunting grounds, why couldn't the lands of the barbarians beyond the frontier be treated as hunting grounds?
Instantly, all the civil and military officials who had raised objections now bowed and seconded the proposal.
"A northern campaign against the Wuhuan, I second the motion!"
"I second the motion!"
Lu Yu's words were perfect and brilliant, possessing an irresistible magic.
The atmosphere had been whipped into a frenzy...
There was no longer any doubt about a northern campaign!
Even Cao Cao, a poet himself, marveled at the breadth of Lu Yu's mind. What kind of person could compose such astonishing poetry as a grand ceremony before a campaign!
"Gongda..."
"I am here!"
Cao Cao immediately ordered, "Make a hundred copies of this 'Rage Bristles' banner and this 'Northern Hunt' imperial edict. For this campaign against the Wuhuan, I, Cao Cao, will plant this battle flag on all of Yinshan and Bailang Mountains, awakening the sleeping heroes on the frontier, allowing them to witness our sacrifice to heaven and enfealment ceremony on Mount Bailang!"
"Yes!"
Xun You solemnly accepted the battle flag.
Compared to the shock within the administrative offices...
When "Man Jiang Hong" and the imperial edict of "Northern Hunt" were circulated among the army and spread across Jizhou, Youzhou, and Bingzhou, the sensation was even more immense!
Across the vast land, an overwhelming aura of killing intent rose to the heavens, as if countless slumbering heroes were roaring from beneath the earth, lending their strength to this northern expeditionary force!
The day was bright and sunny, but as night fell, a torrential rain began, as if heaven itself felt the solemn and killing aura carried by "Man Jiang Hong."
The room was steamy. Cao Cao and Lu Yu, with their upper bodies bare, sat in separate wooden tubs.
"For this campaign against the Wuhuan, Ziyu seems quite resolute. This is quite different from your past attitude towards the Southern Xiongnu and Xianbei," Cao Cao began.
Lu Yu smiled. "Chancellor, if I told you that the current Wuhuan are outwardly strong but inwardly weak, at the end of their rope, would you believe me?"
Cao Cao was startled and sat up abruptly, splashing water. "You mean the Wuhuan's renowned iron cavalry? Outwardly strong but inwardly weak? And Tadun, who incorporated the three commanderies of Wuhuan, is at the end of his rope?"
"More or less!" Lu Yu replied. "For years, the border populace has suffered, but the Wuhuan have not had it easy either. Ever since the Marquis of Champion moved the Wuhuan to the Han borders, the Wuhuan have constantly faced the dual threats of the northern Xiongnu and the southern Han!"
"They have played both sides, jumped back and forth, and struggled to survive in the cracks... and what Tadun has consolidated is merely a rabble. They are nowhere near as powerful as imagined! Rest assured, Chancellor Cao."
Upon saying this...
Lu Yu paused and continued, "Furthermore, the Wuhuan have had extensive contact with the Han. Their territory, in addition to livestock farming, also cultivates a large amount of arable land, and their warhorses are top-notch. This is an invaluable great rear base!"
Hiss...
Cao Cao nodded.
"I have also considered this point. Gaining the Wuhuan's land means it can be used immediately, saving a lot of trouble. However, it's ultimately not as profound or far-reaching as you think!"
Cao Cao's eyes narrowed, and a hint of worry appeared in them.
"As you say, the Wuhuan are outwardly strong but inwardly weak, but the Wuhuan's Liucheng is thousands of miles away, and the roads along the way are numerous and winding, making it difficult for the army to advance. If the Wuhuan people guard the key strongholds and passes, then campaigning north will not be so easy!"
The more he spoke... the heavier Cao Cao's mood became.
"That is why I wanted to grandly compose that 'Man Jiang Hong,' so that Tadun would know of our plan for a northern campaign, so that he would prepare, so that he would set up passes along the way. Otherwise, it would be too uninteresting."
Lu Yu's words completely caught Cao Cao by surprise.
"Ziyu... this..."
Cao Cao suddenly stood up, completely forgetting that he was still in the tub. His short but sturdy body was exposed.
"Chancellor... please don't be agitated!"
Lu Yu was startled. He looked around to confirm that no one was nearby, then lowered his voice and revealed his plan.
"Chancellor, have you not heard... feint to the east, then strike to the west; appear to retreat in order to advance!"
Hoo...
Cao Cao let out a sigh. Lu Yu's words were gradually spreading. At first, he didn't feel much, but as the conversation deepened, Cao Cao's eyes grew more focused.
Attacking the mind... it was a stratagem to win over the mind!
Yu'er is employing a stratagem to win over the mind again!
"Chancellor, you must have patience! This campaign against the Wuhuan is to solve the problem once and for all!"
"Tadun and the Yuan brothers can also think of what we can think of, but can they comprehend what lies hidden beneath the surface?"
Word after word flowed out.
For some inexplicable reason, Cao Cao felt his mood lighten considerably...
The rain was pouring outside, and though he stood outside the tub indoors, he felt exceptionally warm and genial!
That night, after Lu Yu left, Cao Cao sat in his study, replaying Lu Yu's plan for the northern campaign against the Wuhuan in his mind.
Before him lay the red banner inscribed with black characters.
"The shame of the frontier has not yet been avenged! The hatred of Baima, when will it be extinguished!"
Upon saying this... Cao Cao's eyes narrowed, as if recalling the humiliating "buy-off policy" towards the Wuhuan during Emperor Guangwu's reign!
He thought of the Baima Yi Cong, who had struck fear into the hearts of the barbarians, but had met their demise at Jieqiao.
"Sorrowful, lamentable!"
Just then...
"Father..."
With a clear voice, Cao Pi entered the study. He first bowed to Cao Cao, then holding a copied manuscript of "Man Jiang Hong," he said:
"Upon reading this 'Man Jiang Hong,' my heart is stirred. I request Father to permit me to serve as a scribe beside the Marquis of Baima, so that I may constantly learn from the Marquis of Baima's literary works and insights!"
"A scribe?" Cao Cao's mouth twitched...
As a father, how could he not know Cao Pi's true intentions?
Serving as a scribe was merely a pretext... in reality, he wanted to win over Ziyu! In the current climate, for his son Cao Cao, a scribe by Lu Yu's side was more valuable than even a Nine Ministers position.
However...
He hadn't expected Pi'er to already be planning for the position of Crown Prince...
It was a pity... this plan was doomed to failure from the start.
With this thought...
Cao Cao's tone turned cold, and his face became extremely dark.
"You see this 'Man Jiang Hong' and only wish to learn Lu Ziyu's literary works and insights? It seems you haven't grasped the killing intent within it. Is the true meaning of 'Man Jiang Hong' its wording? Is it insights? Extremely shallow! How can my son be like this, Cao Cao? You truly disappoint me!"
This...
Cao Cao's sudden outburst caused Cao Pi's brow to furrow.
"My child..."
Before he could speak, Cao Cao's sharp words poured out again. "You do not learn the art of governing the people, nor the strategy of war, yet you insist on being a scribe and studying literary works!"
Cao Cao trembled. "Enough! Tonight, you shall kneel here and reflect properly on where you have gone wrong! Furthermore, your title as Zhonglang General of the Five Offices is no longer suitable! Go and immerse yourself in literary works!"
This...
Cao Pi trembled.
Cao Cao, however, was already walking towards the door. Before leaving, he paused and glanced back at Cao Pi.
Though he remained silent, his heart was in turmoil.
"Pi'er, do not blame your father. The position of Crown Prince can only be held by Yu'er. You should abandon your excessive desires!"
Huo...
With Cao Cao's heavy footsteps echoing, Cao Pi's spirits plummeted.
He was... this was...
Gritting his teeth, he felt he had done nothing wrong, yet... it seemed everything was wrong.
Just then, his father Cao Cao's voice could be heard from outside the courtyard.
"This northern expedition will take a long time. Let Zhang'er accompany the army for some training!"
"Yes!" Xu Chu's voice echoed...
"Brother Zhang? Training?" Cao Pi felt his back molars grinding. Could it be... could it be that his father's favored son was his third brother, Cao Zhang?
That... that brute?
Of course...
Cao Pi had no idea that for Cao Cao, he would rather reuse a son who was like a brute than reuse a son as cunning and scheming as he was!
Yu'er's path to succession must not encounter any further unforeseen events!
In Ye City, before the government office with the plaque "Marquis of Baima Residence."
The sun had already risen.
Zhang Liao stood solemnly at the gate, gazing expectantly towards the interior of the office... Last night, Lu Yu had sent someone to inform him to come to this residence this morning to discuss matters.
Yesterday, a poem "Man Jiang Hong" had spread throughout Ye City, making this summons at this particular moment deeply significant.
The main gate of the residence was wide open...
Zhang Liao's spirits were high as Dian Wei patted his shoulder.
"Young Master Lu is waiting for you in the main hall!"
"Oh!" Zhang Liao replied and quickly entered.
At a desk...
Lu Yu and Zhang Liao sat opposite each other, with a map spread out before them. It depicted the route from Youzhou to Mount Bailang. There was only one, and most of it passed through valleys, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack!
The map also contained many blurry records, indicating... that there was not much intelligence available on the Wuhuan of the three commanderies.
"Young Master Lu summoned me here for the northern campaign against the Wuhuan?" Zhang Liao asked directly.
"That is correct!" Lu Yu nodded.
Just as he was about to speak in detail... Zhang Liao spoke first, "This subordinate wishes to request a campaign against the Wuhuan..."
Hmm...
Lu Yu looked up. Zhang Liao's expression was extremely serious... and this caused Lu Yu's eyes to focus, as if he suddenly remembered something.
In the "Records of the Three Kingdoms: Biography of Zhang Liao," it was mentioned that Nie Yi's family had to change their surname to Zhang to escape their enemies... This meant that Zhang Liao's original surname was Nie.
Of course...
Lu Yu had not paid much attention when he read this passage before, but now.
"General Zhang? Or rather, does the Nie family wish to fulfill... their unfulfilled mission from the past?"
Lu Yu's tone was quite serious.
Zhang Liao's eyes widened considerably.
After a long period of contemplation, he finally murmured, "So, Young Master Lu knows these things..."
As these words escaped, Lu Yu understood. Indeed... Zhang Liao's original surname was Nie, and his ancestor, "Nie Yi," was the first person in Emperor Wu's reign to propose a plan to attack the Xiongnu.
That was in the year 133 BC, during the second year of Emperor Wu's Guangyuan reign, when the famous "Mayi Conspiracy" was launched!
When speaking of the first battle between the Han and the Xiongnu, many people would immediately think of the "Siege of Baideng!"
While the Siege of Baideng was indeed the first large-scale engagement between the Han and the Xiongnu, if the goal was to "annihilate" the main Xiongnu forces, the offensive initiated was the Battle of Mayi!
Just two years prior, the Xiongnu and the Han had maintained border peace through marital alliances. However, due to one person, who proposed a strategy, Emperor Wu Liu Che was once again motivated to counterattack the Xiongnu.
This person was Nie Yi, an ancestor of Zhang Liao.
Previously, the Xiongnu had launched large-scale "hunting" activities against Yanmen seven times according to historical records!
As a powerful figure in Mayi County, Nie Yi had gained the trust of the Xiongnu through border trade. He suggested to Emperor Wu that he could lure the Xiongnu into the interior for a large-scale ambush!
Emperor Wu Liu Che was too eager to counterattack the Xiongnu...
However, the officials in the court seemed too accustomed to the peace brought by marital alliances.
Finally, Emperor Wu overcame all objections and decided to adopt this plan, mobilizing over 300,000 troops and making the entire Mayi County the ambush site!
Nie Yi was to lure the Xiongnu Chanyu and the main forces, and then implement a pincer movement.
The location of Mayi County is in present-day "Shanxi." As everyone knows, the entire Shanxi is formed by a series of mountain ranges dividing it into basins. This broken terrain is not conducive to the mobility of cavalry units, making it very suitable for ambushes and encirclement operations!
It could be said that Nie Yi had simulated the entire plan countless times in his mind...
After the Han army had stealthily encircled Mayi, Nie Yi began his espionage operation. He went to the Xiongnu and said that he could kill the county magistrate and the county assistant of Mayi and then open the city gates to surrender!
The Xiongnu Chanyu was delighted and sent an envoy back with Nie Yi. As planned, Nie Yi killed a few condemned prisoners, hung their heads on the city wall, and then pointed to two of them, telling the Xiongnu that these were the county magistrate and the county assistant!
The envoy returned to report their participation, and as expected, the Chanyu gathered ten thousand Hu cavalry and crossed the "Wuzhou Pass," heading for Mayi!
If Mayi fell, it would be equivalent to Yanmen being breached, rendering the Yanmen Pass, which blocked the Hu, useless!
Logically...
The Xiongnu Chanyu should have entered the ambush circle and been surrounded and annihilated by the Han army!
Unfortunately...
On the way to Mayi, the Xiongnu captured a unlucky "Wei Li." Wei Li was a unique official position in the border regions, with one every hundred li, similar to the "Ting Chang" in the Central Plains!
And this "Wei Li" captured by the Xiongnu, out of fear, revealed everything he knew...
Because of this, the Xiongnu Chanyu immediately gathered his forces and retreated along the same route...
Only after these barbarians had withdrawn from Yanmen did the main Han army realize the plan had failed. It was a meticulously planned campaign by both Han and Hu, involving forty thousand people, but it ended anticlimactically, like thunder without rain.
And all the efforts and forbearance of the Nie family over the years were wasted in a single day... all because of a minor, minuscule oversight!
Success was thwarted!
To escape the pursuit of the barbarians, they had no choice but to change their names!
However... every descendant of the Nie family had to remember the shame of this "Mayi Conspiracy"!
Generation after generation, it was passed down, until a descendant of the Nie family – Zhang Liao.
It seemed...
Ever since he guarded Yanmen as a child, he had remembered the ancestral teachings of the Nie family, and his lifelong aspiration was to defeat the barbarians in the north, so that his ancestors of the Nie family could rest in peace!
This was an imprint embedded in his bones – the soul and bones of the Nie family!
For this reason, Zhang Liao had long been honing his sabre and was ready for this northern campaign!
"Young Master, in this battle, our Nie family descendants wish to serve as vanguards!"
Zhang Liao suddenly stood up and bowed to Lu Yu.
Normally, in this battle, the main army would be Cao Cao, and the most Zhang Liao could strive for was the position of vanguard.
Who would have thought...
Lu Yu's eyes fixed. "Wenyuan, in this battle, you are not the vanguard, you are the commander!" Dafeng Novel Network
"Commander?" Zhang Liao was somewhat incredulous.
Lu Yu's words continued, "That's right. It is reported that... on the side of the Southern Xiongnu, Zhang Xiu and Yang Xiu have also dispatched troops to campaign against the Wuhuan, with Zhang Xiu personally leading the troops! Chancellor Cao has also assembled 200,000 troops! A month from now, we will hold a mobilization ceremony in Ye City and march directly to Mount Bailang, vowing to break Liucheng!"
"Then..." Zhang Liao felt he hadn't understood.
Zhang Xiu again, and Chancellor Cao again, how could he be the commander?
Just then, Lu Yu's next words made him tremble all over.
"Wenyuan, remember this, these two armies... are all paving the way for you!"
"I have already selected five thousand elite cavalry for you! Only your contingent can charge up Mount Bailang, like a dagger piercing the heart of the Wuhuan!"
Upon saying this...
Lu Yu paused, his tone becoming even more solemn.
"There is no more beautiful scene than a descendant of the Nie family sacrificing to the heavens and commemorating their ancestors on Mount Bailang!"