Records of Emperor Guangwu of Han bestowing a golden seal upon envoys from Wa can be found in the Book of the Later Han.
In the northeastern part of Wa's Kyushu island, there was a sizable "Queen's Kingdom" called Yamatai, which governed over thirty smaller states. The ruler of this kingdom was the queen "Himiko."
She was a very mysterious woman, recorded in books as skilled in using supernatural affairs to bewitch the populace.
Even more mysterious was that no outsider had ever seen her face. Only a thousand attendants and one man who delivered meals could enter and exit her palace.
If history were to follow its course, Himiko had dispatched envoys to pay homage to the Great Wei twice. During Cao Rui's reign, she was even granted a purple ribbon and a golden seal inscribed with "King of Wa allied with Wei."
It seemed she had appeared a bit too early.
"This..."
After hearing the words of the Han people who had sailed into the harbor in small boats, Huang Zhong and Huang Xu frowned. These ships... this so-called Yamatai Kingdom completely overturned their understanding.
So, beyond the seas of the Han Dynasty, there were other nations?
"What? What should we do?"
Huang Zhong scratched his head.
Huang Xu, however, spoke with certainty. He immediately replied to the Han man, "Tell them they can land, but only in the designated area, and they are not allowed to disembark! We can provide some supplies and will hand over this visiting card from the Queen of Yamatai to our Commander Lu. All decisions must be made by him!"
"Alright... alright..." the Han man nodded repeatedly.
Huang Zhong, not entirely at ease, added a question, "How many people do they have?"
"Five thousand! Among them are one thousand women!"
Huang Zhong narrowed his eyes but remained silent. He decided to mobilize the Danyang troops of Xuzhou. This place absolutely could not afford any trouble!
The sea surface rippled with blue waves.
Seven or eight massive ships lined up.
On the leading ship...
The Han man fully relayed Huang Xu's words.
Himiko blinked her eyes. She softly murmured the words "Young Master Lu," as if... these three words had stirred boundless curiosity beneath her mysterious veil.
...
...
Beneath Bai Lang Mountain, the great battle was nearing its end.
Under the command of Zhang Liao, this was almost a one-sided slaughter. The blood-red sunset filled the sky, dyeing the bloody battlefield crimson.
Countless soldiers of the Dragon Cavalry Camp had begun to finish off the fallen barbarians, and some severely wounded captives were being bound.
Just then...
"What is that?"
As the light of the bright sun shone down...
Cao Xiu noticed a vast open space behind the Wuhuan royal court.
At the boundary between light and darkness, a huge palisade of wooden stockades emerged, appearing like a pen for livestock!
Cao Xiu, with a few personal guards, stepped forward. His halberd cleaved open the gate of the stockade. Instantly, his expression changed! His eyes turned crimson.
"This..."
Before him were countless Han women with sallow complexions and vacant eyes, imprisoned in this sheep pen. The number was estimated to be over a thousand.
It was hard to imagine that such a wicked practice of penning women like livestock, which had been eliminated with the progress of Southern Xiongnu and Xianbei civilization, was still retained by the Wuhuan even to this day.
"Despicable..."
"Despicable!"
Cao Xiu exclaimed twice. At this moment, he finally understood why Lu Yu treated the three barbarian groups with such starkly different methods!
The Wuhuan, caught between the Xianbei and the Great Han, deserved to be eliminated first!
"General Wen Yuan..."
Cao Xiu roared furiously. This cry attracted more armored soldiers from the Dragon Cavalry Camp, but when everyone saw the scene before them, their eyes reddened, filled with disbelief.
"Thud..."
At this moment, Zhang Liao dismounted, walking over the corpses littering the ground.
The smell of rotten decay permeated the entire tribal area, almost making one nauseous.
However, upon seeing the scene within the "sheep pen," Zhang Liao's brow furrowed. He had lived in the borderlands for a long time, growing up in Yanmen. Although he knew the Xiongnu had a custom of cannibalism, that was before the Qin Dynasty. For the Wuhuan, after developing for so long and maintaining such close contact with the Han Dynasty, to be like this...
*Whoosh...*
Zhang Liao drew his sword, and the gate of the entire stockade was cut open. However, the women inside the stockade dared not run, or rather, after being confined for so long, they had become numb.
"Heh!"
Zhang Liao let out a clear laugh, his eyes flashing with killing intent again.
Cao Xiu reminded him, "These are likely Han women captured by the Wuhuan, kept here for their hunting and enjoyment. This wooden stockade is in the darkest part at the foot of Bai Lang Mountain, so perhaps only a faint ray of light can be seen in the early morning!"
"Come out!"
Zhang Liao shouted at the group of Han women.
However, they remained motionless, their eyes dull, like wooden figures.
All the soldiers of the Dragon Cavalry Camp were puzzled. Why... weren't they coming out even though the gate was open? Didn't they desire freedom?
Just then...
Xiahou Mao, with keen observation, noticed something. He swept his spear, and a section of the wooden stockade collapsed, falling onto heaps of thatch.
A Han man, covered in blood, leaped out from the thatch.
"Tadun?"
Zhang Liao spoke instinctively.
Xiahou Mao's spear was already at his neck.
Yes, the imposing, ferocious-looking, blood-covered Han man before him was none other than Tadun, the king of the three Wuhuan commanderies, enfeoffed by Yuan Shao as Chanyu.
With the army routed and his horse shot dead, escaping without a horse on the battlefield was almost impossible! He could only hide here, hoping to evade pursuit by the Dragon Cavalry.
At this very moment, his eyes were filled with unconcealed resentment and hatred!
"Kill me if you want to kill me!"
He shouted loudly.
With a "swish," Xiahou Mao showed no mercy. He slightly raised his spear, directly cutting off Tadun's right ear.
Ah...
A heart-rending wail immediately echoed throughout the tribe!
Xiahou Mao was about to strike again but was stopped by Zhang Liao.
"Wait!"
"General!" Xiahou Mao was confused.
Zhang Liao strode into the stockade and handed his sword to a Han woman, saying indifferently, "You had no choice before, but now, I offer you a path!"
Zhang Liao pointed at Tadun.
"Take this sword and kill him! I will bring you back to the Great Han alive, back to your homes. I will help you erase all your past. No one will know your history!"
"Ah..."
"Barbarians are coming... Barbarians are coming!"
The Han woman, trembling, took the sword but her whole body shook. She screamed in terror, her pupils flashing with immense fear.
For years, she had been abducted to the borderlands, living a life worse than death!
"General... why must you let her..."
Xiahou Mao spoke.
"Indeed, why should a woman be the one to kill Tadun?" Cao Xiu also felt unbearable.
"Whoosh!"
Zhang Liao grabbed the Han woman before him and dragged her out of the dark stockade, pointing at the bright sun in the sky and the freely drifting clouds!
"Do you see? The sun rises in the east. That is your home! You live in the Great Han, in the thirteen prefectures of Zhuxia... not in this prison devoid of freedom! Not in this endless blackness. Do you remember? The way home? Do you remember your parents who gave birth to you and raised you!"
"The barbarians... it was... it was they who plundered in Yanmen! When I was very young... I was abducted here."
The woman's voice was choked with tears.
Zhang Liao took her hand, making her grip the sword tightly. "Kill him, and I will take you back to Yanmen. That is my home too!"
"If you don't kill him, you will never escape the shadow of these barbarians. You will dream of their cruel fangs in your nightmares!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him!"
"Ah... ah..."
Under Zhang Liao's powerful words, a sword forged from fine steel pierced Tadun's chest.
Tadun, now exhausted, was powerless to resist. He could only watch as a woman, a woman he had once abused, pierced his chest with a sword.
Just then.
"Clang clang clang..."
Countless Dragon Cavalry soldiers unbuckled their personal sabers and threw them on the ground...
The originally numb Han women, starting with a few, picked up the sabers. Then, more and more Han women gripped the sabers and moved towards Tadun, who had fallen to his knees from excessive blood loss.
"Slash!"
"Slash!"
Countless sabers pierced Tadun's body.
Numerous female voices screamed.
"Kill this demon, and we can go home!"
"Kill him!"
At first, it was one stab after another, but gradually, the situation became uncontrollable. When hatred surfaced, and when hatred could be vented, it was like a breached flood, unstoppable!
Pouncing, biting, pulling, gnawing...
These women wished they could devour Tadun, this demon, alive!
This scene moved all the soldiers of the Dragon Cavalry Camp. Who knew what these Han women had endured over the years.
*Hoo...*
Zhang Liao exhaled a breath of stale air and walked out of the oppressive stockade.
Cao Xiu, Xiahou Mao, and others also retreated.
Zhang Liao sighed, "From today onwards, there will be no Wuhuan race on Bai Lang Mountain!"
"During the northern expedition, Commander Lu mentioned that this battle was not to emulate the Marquis of Lie, Wei Qing, or the Marquis of Champion, Huo Qubing, but to surpass them. We cannot allow the Wuhuan another chance to linger."
This...
Cao Xiu narrowed his eyes. "So, what next?"
Heh...
Zhang Liao did not reply, only letting out a "heh." He had asked Lu Yu this question before the northern expedition, and Lu Yu's answer was: women and children are innocent...
Could this be interpreted in reverse... Did Young Master Lu mean that all adult barbarian children are guilty? Guilty enough to be executed!
"Crunch!"
With a heavy stomp, Zhang Liao crushed the leg bone of a dead barbarian child with his own foot!
This action undoubtedly answered Cao Xiu!
This is what they would do next!
— "Someone!"
— "Yes!"
— "Plant the Dragon Cavalry Camp banners all over Bai Lang Mountain!"
— "Cut off the heads of the barbarian children and hang them all on the city walls of Liucheng!"
"Yes!"
Fear...
To prevent the spread of hatred, then... let the barbarian children feel this genuine fear!
Struggle, in the abyss of blood and darkness, struggle!
...
...
Sun Yi, the Lord of Jiangdong, was only twenty-two years old this year.
Unlike his twenty-four-year-old elder brother, Sun Quan, who had the unique appearance of "dark whiskers and green eyes," Sun Yi's features were rugged, and his personality was similar to the "Little Hegemon" Sun Bofu!
He was open and straightforward, always charging to the front in battle!
At this moment, he was consulting Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong about Lu Xun's campaign against the Shanyue.
Sun Yi frowned. "Boyan is only in his early twenties and hasn't led many battles. Letting him campaign against the Shanyue makes me uneasy! But he insists on going... alas..."
Sun Yi naturally knew that his position as the Lord of Jiangdong was inseparable from the assistance of the Lu family, one of the four great clans.
However, the current situation was delicate.
His second brother, Sun Quan, with Zhou Yu's help, was achieving consecutive victories in attacking Jiangxia, and was on the verge of avenging their father. If he didn't act, and couldn't even resolve the issue of the Shanyue, his position would not be stable!
"Reporting to the Lord," Zhang Zhao bowed. "Although Lu Boyan is young, the rise and fall of the Lu family over the years have been almost entirely managed by him alone! For this reason, perhaps he can achieve unexpected results in his campaign against the Shanyue?"
Zhang Zhao paused at this point.
"Furthermore, Lu Boyan is only taking his own troops this time. The Lord has not granted him a single soldier. This way, we can observe the results. If Lu Boyan achieves consecutive victories, it will not be too late for the Lord to grant him more troops!"
Heh heh...
Hearing this, Sun Yi chuckled. "The Right Grand Commandant of Jiangdong is the old General Cheng Pu. If Boyan can defeat the Shanyue, I can enfeoff him as the Left Grand Commandant, what then? Haha..."
Not to mention...
After Zhang Zhao's explanation, Sun Yi gained considerable confidence.
In fact, it was clear to everyone that both Sun Yi and Sun Quan were vying for this "Left Grand Commandant" position. Whether it was Zhou Yu or Lu Xun, it was crucial for both sides, or rather, for the Huai-Si faction and the Eight Great Clans.
...
...
Outside Kuaiji City, amidst the mountains.
The encampment of the Lu family army was situated under a scorching sun.
Although they could have chosen the shade, Lu Xun deliberately chose a spot exposed to the sun. Of course, there were benefits to this location.
At least, it was close to the water source.
At this moment, within the main tent, two guests had arrived.
To show his welcome, Lu Xun prepared a banquet and sent someone to play music.
The zither and strings harmonized, playing a soft and elegant movement with a difficult rhythm. Lu Xun sat in the primary seat, with his trusted generals seated in turn within the tent.
Chen Gong sat in the first seat, followed by Sima Yi and Zhang Chunhua, who had traveled from afar.
Lastly were Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin.
Sima Yi, while drinking, did not forget to exchange glances with his wife, Zhang Chunhua.
Zhang Chunhua was somewhat anxious; they were not here for drinking.
Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin repeatedly shook their heads, muttering inwardly, why did the northern region send such a young lad, and a woman at that...
In their eyes, the combination of Sima Yi and Zhang Chunhua could be summarized in three words: unreliable!
"Haha..."
Lu Xun did not underestimate Sima Yi. He smiled and said, "I've been wondering which commander my elder brother would send to assist me. I never expected it would be such a young gentleman!"
Uh...
Just as Sima Yi was about to speak.
Zhou Tai interjected, "Does this gentleman understand troop command? Does he know what it means to be a commander?"
Uh...
Sima Yi waved his hand. "I have never commanded troops, so I naturally do not know the intricacies of troop command!"
"Then why are you here?" Zhou Tai was blunt.
Chen Gong's eyes narrowed slightly. In fact, since Sima Yi entered the tent, he had been observing this young man. However, his most direct feeling was that he was young and inexperienced, and unreliable!
Moreover, when he went south to Lujiang before, it seemed Lu Yu didn't have anyone like Sima Yi around him.
When it came to young people, Chen Gong only paid special attention to the one who had directly defeated him, named "Yang Xiu"!
For a moment, the atmosphere in the entire tent became considerably colder.
Zhang Chunhua also felt everyone's doubt towards Sima Yi, and she became even more curious... how would her husband resolve this?
Finally...
After a moment, Sima Yi slowly stood up. "Indeed, as this general has said, I have not commanded troops, and therefore cannot claim to be skilled in troop command. However, since Master Lu sent me here, there must be a reason! My purpose in coming here is to teach Young Master Boyan how to build an invincible army!"
Uh...
As soon as Sima Yi said this, everyone in the tent was stunned.
Lu Xun appeared very humble, cupping his fists slightly.
"I hope for Young Master Sima's guidance..."
"Does Young Master Boyan know? When Chancellor Cao first raised his army, he was full of spirit and was extremely strict with his soldiers. As a result, when recruiting soldiers in Yangzhou, he encountered betrayal from new recruits! Later, Chancellor Cao learned from his mistakes and was exceptionally lenient with the Qingzhou troops, but they rebelled again! Why did Chancellor Cao's training of troops ultimately result in 'leniency and strictness both failing'!"
Sima Yi spoke fluently, immediately posing a question.
Not to mention...
Using Cao Cao as an example immediately captured everyone's attention.
Without waiting for anyone to ask, Sima Yi continued, "Although I haven't trained troops, I have followed Master Lu and seen the Dragon Cavalry Camp train many times. I have also summarized several methods of troop training!"
"First, for an army to be invincible, it must first have ironclad discipline. The Dragon Cavalry Camp has several military orders. First, when outnumbered or facing a stronger enemy, retreat is permissible but scattering is not. The formation must not break, and casualties must not be left behind!"
"Second, regardless of victory or defeat, the army must be orderly. Drums should be beaten at the appropriate times, and morale must not be lost!"
"Third, in any unexpected situation, military law must not be abandoned. Those who plunder friendly troops will be caned forty times; those who attack friendly troops will be executed without mercy!"
"Fourth, when the enemy attacks, do your own job and do not panic! Build camps as needed, dig trenches as needed!"
"Fifth, do not fear when casualties are heavy. Each branch of the military should do what it is supposed to do. As long as everything is done step by step, according to military orders, morale will be restored!"
As soon as these words were spoken...
The atmosphere in the entire tent fell silent.
No one expected that this young Master Sima would, upon speaking, present so many well-founded and effective methods of troop training and command!
And this was not the most important thing.
The most important thing was precisely that... Sima Yi mentioned the methods of training and commanding troops of the Dragon Cavalry Camp!
The value instantly soared!
Of course...
It could be said that these were the Dragon Cavalry Camp's methods of training and commanding troops, but it was more accurate to say that Lu Yu had plagiarized Yu Jin's methods of training troops!
Yes, it was that Yu Jin, who had been criticized for thousands of years...
The hand of the truly five excellent generals, he had a way of leading, training, and commanding troops, and the facts proved that his soldiers were the most capable fighters!
At this moment, countless people exchanged glances, even Chen Gong opened his eyes.
They all felt they had underestimated this Young Master Sima.
But...
This was just the beginning!
Seeing everyone's expressions, Sima Yi's lips curved slightly, revealing a faint smile.
It was as if he was saying...
— Step aside, I'm about to show off!
...
...