Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 52: King of Liang of Wei
"King Qiang, please stay!" Zhang Xiong squeezed the horse's belly hard, and the warhorse neighed and stood across in front of the white horse Qiang King.

The Baima Qiang King was not a Qiang king who rode a white horse, but the leader of a Diqiang tribe called Baima, which was the most prosperous in Shanggui, Lueyang, with a population of seven to eight thousand.

"What are you doing chasing me again, you Wei dog?

"Is he like that guy just now, crying and begging me to go back?

"Or... do you want to shoot me again?"

The one who was believed to be Yang Qianwan, the King of Baima Qiang, but actually was not Yang Tiao, the King of Anding Qiang, sneered.

The surrounding Qiang cavalry suddenly burst into laughter.

Zhang Xiong blushed, and after a pause, he dismounted and gave a fist pump. "King Qiang, I apologize for any offense I've caused you."

"Get out!" Yang Tiao spat at the man with disdain, then swung his whip and hit the warhorse that blocked his way.

The warhorse neighed and leaped to the side a dozen steps before stopping, its eyes filled with fear and resentment.

Yang Tiao ignored the young Wei man who was standing there in a daze, almost furious, and continued to ride forward.

However, after walking a few steps, the young Wei man with a rather rough appearance rushed forward again.

The slightly powerful voice now almost sounded like pleading:
"King Qiang doesn't know!

"Some time ago, I made an agreement with the Heavenly Family envoy who was going to Tianshui. Anyone coming to help must have a password, otherwise the city will not be opened!
"The Shu invaders are cunning and we must be on guard against them!

"Jieting is of great importance. If it falls into the hands of the Shu invaders, Longyou will certainly be in danger!
"The survival of Jieting now depends on the Qiang King's decision!
"King Qiang, please consider your long-standing friendship with Envoy Guo and don't get angry with this brat!"

"No, if you Wei people cannot defend Longyou, what does it have to do with us Qiang people?" The Qiang King of Anding who was riding a white horse looked incredulous.

"Longyou belongs to the Wei people, and I am the King of Qiang.

"Longyou belongs to the Han people, and I am also the Qiang King.

"Since your Wei general is dead, how can we protect Longyou?!

"Why would I help you, Wei?
"Don't you think I understand this?!

"roll!"

Yang Tiao continued to ride his horse forward.

"King Qiang!" Zhang Xiong rushed forward again and made an impassioned speech.

"The fate of the Great Wei depends on the Qiang King's thoughts!
"If the King of Ruoqiang mobilizes the might of his people to help our Great Wei eliminate the Shu invaders and stabilize the west, he may be crowned king and given land like the King of Wu in the future, becoming the King of Liang in our Great Wei!"

Yang Tiao frowned when he heard this, as if he was thinking seriously.

After a moment, he asked, "What does Jing'an wash and blow mean?"

Zhang Xiong was stunned for a moment before he said vaguely:
"It means to protect Longyou."

Yang Tiao suddenly realized, and then became furious:
"Who are you to speak so arrogantly?

"How dare you promise the Great Wei and Liang King!
"Are you Cao Pi's son?!"

Zhang Xiong was stunned and couldn't breathe.

The so-called "King of Liang of the Great Wei" was just a nonsense he blurted out in a hurry.

It is believed that the Qiang people have always been greedy and unjust, and only by showing them kindness can they be lured.

Besides, he just said “maybe it’s possible”.

That is definitely not possible!

"King Qiang, I am Zhang Xiong, the son of the Right General of the Wei Dynasty, who is currently in charge of the military affairs of Longyou!
"The current conflict in Longyou is crucial to the fate of the Great Wei. If the King of Qiang can lend a helping hand to the Great Wei, I will ask my father to pray for a great achievement for the King of Qiang!

"The Qiang King is a king. If he could be enthroned by the Emperor of Wei like the Chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu, the Qiang people of Longyou would surely follow his lead and submit wholeheartedly!"

Yang Tiao's expression changed slightly: "You are actually Zhang He's son?"

"Yes!" Zhang Xiong noticed that the White Horse Qiang King Yang Qianwan seemed to have some intentions, and quickly responded.

After thinking in silence for dozens of breaths, Yang Tiao finally said:
"We Qiang people are different from those Xiongnu bandits.

"We don't care about canonization or not, we like something practical.

"It's not impossible to lend you some grain."

Zhang Xiong's expression brightened.

The food supply team of the Baima Qiang King brought at least 10,000 dan of grain, enough to feed 4,000 people for more than two months.

"King Qiang, please state your demands! Even if you want to avenge the humiliation we suffered earlier by taking my life, I'm not afraid to do so!"

"You don't understand what people are saying or what?!
“I said we like practical things!
"What's the point of me taking your life?!"

Yang Tiao was really furious and rode away again.

"King Qiang, please wait!" Zhang Xiong ran forward with a panicked look on his face. "King Qiang, please state your conditions!"

Yang Tiao glanced disdainfully, raised his whip, and pointed at the grain team in front of him.

“See?

"Most of us Qiang people don't have armor.

"Since your father is Zhang He, he must have armor.

"Ten thousand dan of grain in exchange for one thousand pieces of forged iron armor, do you agree or not?"

what? !

Zhang Xiong was completely dumbfounded.

He knew that the Qiang people were greedy.

But I never expected that he would be so greedy?
A piece of forged armor can buy a thousand stones of grain in Luoyang!
Now ten thousand stones of grain for a thousand sets?

Why not grab it?!
"King Qiang, this is really too much... How about two hundred leaders?"

Do extraordinary things in extraordinary times.

The Shu invaders arrived at the city in a few days, and the two hundred leaders could barely accept it.

"Get lost." Yang Tiao's cursing tone was weaker this time, and he pretended to leave but didn't.

Zhang Xiong knew there was something to discuss, so he immediately said:

"If the King of Qiang can send a thousand men to defend Jieting with me, I will give you ten thousand dan of grain in exchange for three hundred armored men!"

In fact, Zhang He's son was still hesitant about whether these Qiang people were rebels.

The reason they caught up was because these Qiang people had almost no armor.

There is a world of difference between having armor and not having armor.

If these Qiang people were indeed rebels sent by the Shu bandits, wouldn't it be inviting a wolf into the house and courting their own destruction if they were asked to help defend the city and then wear armor?

But then again, if this group of unarmored Qiang people really dared to enter the city and were truly rebels against the Qiang, wouldn't they be at his mercy?
When there are many people, they tend to talk a lot, and Qiang people are greedy.

Just be careful and wait for them to enter the city and find a few smart-looking ones to lure them out.

Maybe you can achieve something amazing?!

Yang Tiao frowned and thought for a moment, then asked, "One hand over the food, the other hand over the armor?"

Zhang Xiong immediately shook his head:

"King Qiang, there are less than a thousand sets of iron armor in Jieting City, and the rest are all leather armor.

"Now the Shu invaders are about to attack the city. How can I hand over my armor to the Qiang King at this time?

"If Jieting is preserved and Longyou is safe, I will keep my word!"

"Four hundred." Yang Tiao thought for a long time and counted out four fingers.

"That's right!" Zhang Xiong replied in a loud voice.

"You people from the Central Plains are the most untrustworthy. How do I know you are not lying to me?" Yang Tiao narrowed his eyes and looked at the Wei general in front of him.

"Xiong Ke can sign a written agreement and swear an oath of blood with the Qiang King!"

Yang Tiao was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said:

"Forget about the blood oath, I have nothing to swear in common with you Wei people.

“When the time comes and we really can’t bear it anymore, we’ll all have to flee when disaster strikes.

"Just sign a written agreement. I trust you won't dare to lie to me."

"Can!"

Soon, the grain team slowly returned eastward.

Before setting, the sun finally reached the city.

"Okay, let your people come out and move half into the city, and I will keep the other half for myself." Yang Tiao spoke coldly while riding on horseback.

Afterwards, he instructed his attendants to unload the grain, and ordered each person to leave two days' worth of food for the return journey. Without waiting for the Wei troops to come down from the city to remove the grain, he ordered several hundred young and strong men to take the Qiang people carrying the grain westward, spending the night three or four miles away from Jieting.

However, after doing all these things, he had no intention of entering the city. He just ordered the remaining hundreds of young and strong men to simply build a bonfire at the foot of the city and cook under the wall.

"Didn't the King of Qiang say that he would defend the city with me? Why not go into the city with his Qiang warriors and spend the night there?" Zhang Xiong was a little confused.

"Hmph, you are afraid that I will go into the city and harm you, but I am more afraid that you will trick me into coming into the city and harm me!" Yang Tiao sneered.

"I'm lending you 5,000 grains now, but what else do you want from me? I just spat at you a few times, who knows if you'll hold a grudge against me?
"If I bring my men with you into the city, won't I become your prey?"

Zhang Xiong was stunned for a moment: "How is the Qiang King going to help me defend the city?"

"What?" Yang Tiao asked back.

"Isn't it also helping you defend the city when I lend you food? Why can't I help you defend the city when I'm outside the city?

"Your written document didn't say that I have to bring people into the city to help you defend it, right?
"I plan to lead my men to Nanshan tomorrow, the same mountain where the Han army was defeated.

"When the Han people arrive, I'll find a chance to strike them down!"

Zhang Xiong was confused.

How can you be such a scoundrel?!
The captain named Li beside him was even more confused.

When they returned to the city, Captain Li sneered at Zhang Xiong:

"Well, are you still afraid that the Qiang King will come into the city and seize your Jieting?
"The Qiang and Hu people have always been greedy and violent. If it weren't for the fact that Envoy Guo of Yongzhou has used both kindness and force on the Qiang and Hu people in Longyou for many years, and has offered them many inducements, how could they be willing to come and help?

"Now the Shu invaders have taken our Wei army's armor and food supplies in front, and we have 20,000 to 30,000 people behind us.

"They are afraid that our army will come to our aid from the west, so they will march day and night and arrive tomorrow!

"The road to Tianshui is long, and Longyou is vast and sparsely populated. It was not easy for Envoy Guo to ask the nearby Qiang warriors to transport food to help.

"If you hadn't repeatedly obstructed me, why would I have given him four hundred pieces of iron armor?
"You said the other day that you were waiting for help from the West, but when they did, you refused to let them in.

"People are even more reluctant to go into the city now, so what else can we do?"

After saying this, the captain surnamed Li, who had ridden alone to request the Qiang King to come back and guard him, strode away with his guards, bringing with him a gust of cold wind that made the lonely son of Zhang He feel very miserable.

However, soon, Zhang He's son thought of something and took the law enforcement soldiers who were in charge of supervising military rations to the warehouse to check the grain that had just been moved into the city.

Corn and soybeans are indeed good.

It's indeed good if it's mixed with some sand and gravel.

But there were indeed no weapons or armor hidden in the food.

Judging from the scale, there are indeed four or five thousand stones.

"Could it be that they are really here to help?" Zhang Xiong really couldn't see any flaws, so he suddenly felt that he might have been too suspicious.

He walked outside the city and found Yang Qianwan, the White Horse Qiang King who was quite famous in the neighborhood.

"King Qiang, there may be thousands of Shu invaders arriving tomorrow morning. You should return to the city with us to defend it."

No matter whether they are rebellious Qiang or obedient Qiang, we will trick them into the city first.

"What?" The Qiang King was stunned for a moment, frowning. "How could they come so quickly?"

Zhang Xiong explained:
"According to the angel who came here the other day to announce the news, before he received the order and set out, several angels had already gone to Longyou to deliver the message.

“However, I have never seen a single person in Jieting City.

"I think he must have been robbed and killed by the Shu invaders.

"Now the Shu invaders have seized hundreds of Wei soldiers in armor and clothing, and are escorting two to three thousand civilians to Long from Guanzhong to protect food and fodder. They must think that Jieting is unaware that Guanzhong has been lost, so they want to deceive us by coming to the city gate.

"This is also why I am wary of the Qiang King. I really have to be on guard."

"Oh..." Yang Tiao pondered for a long time, and finally realized, "I understand."

After a moment, he was stunned again and said:
“Since the Han army wants to deceive the city, why don’t you… How can you Han people say that?”

Zhang Xiong was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized: "King Qiang wants to say, turn the tables?!"

"Take advantage of the enemy's tactics? Yes, we should take advantage of the enemy's tactics." The King of Qiang looked as if he was not smart enough.

However, Zhang He's son could no longer hear what the Qiang King said next, but his heart was pounding wildly.

What the Qiang King said makes so much sense.

Since these Shu bandits don't know that I've seen through their deception plan, if I just trick them into coming into the city, won't they be at my mercy?

And wouldn't the food and fodder they brought be just what I need?!

Zhang Xiong hurriedly called the captain named Li and two military commanders, and told them his plan to take advantage of the enemy's strategy.

Unexpectedly, Captain Li was full of suspicion and disdain: "The Shu invaders are not fools. How could they listen to you if you asked them to disarm and abandon their weapons before entering the city?"

When Zhang Xiong heard this, his enthusiasm suddenly cooled down.

I was so excited just now that I forgot that the Shu bandits might just leave.

He glanced at the White Horse Qiang King quietly, as if to say, "You are not actually very smart."

"Then wait until they reach the city, and then we will break out. If they really attack all night, they will be exhausted tomorrow!" Zhang Xiong made up his mind.

Captain Li poured cold water on him again:
"If they can really launch a night raid and have the guts to deceive the city, they must be the elite of the Shu invaders.

"Can a bunch of us, a bunch of ragtag people responsible for guarding the grain, really defeat them?
"If a few hundred more people die, who will defend the city when the Shu invaders arrive?"

You know best what kind of soldiers you lead.

He is not Lai She of two hundred years ago, and the two thousand soldiers under his command are not willing to die.

When the news of the general's death came out, morale was almost destroyed.

They are not the general's personal soldiers, otherwise they might have the determination to avenge the general.

Otherwise, why would they be ready to abandon the city as soon as they heard that the Shu army was coming to besiege it?

Zhang Xiong became depressed again and fell into a deadlock again.

The Qiang King was excited: "I have a solution!"

Everyone looked at the Qiang King, their faces filled with disbelief.

How can you, a Qiang person, come up with a solution?

"Didn't you say that they were wearing your Wei army's armor?" Yang Tiao said.

"I don't want those four hundred pieces of iron armor you mentioned before.

"I want the thousand collars from the Han army!"

Captain Li was dumbfounded:
"King Qiang, are you planning to take advantage of the Han army's unpreparedness and launch a night attack? How can you Qiang people see at night?"

The Qiang King smirked: "Humph, not all of them, but the elite Qiang warriors around me often eat cattle and sheep livers and blood-activating foods. They are indeed much more far-sighted than you Han people."

Zhang Xiong felt strange.

Why did the Qiang King suddenly not want the 400 armors he promised?

Moreover, it is not certain that you can come back safely if you attack the Han army at night. Are the Qiang people so fearless of death for a few hundred pieces of iron armor?

However, just as he was doubting himself, the Qiang King's plan immediately hit him in the face.

"Son of Zhang He, I'm planning to attack the Han army at night. You can't let us go shirtless, can you?
"How about this? You lend me 400 pieces of iron armor and 600 pieces of leather armor. I'll return them to you after I've captured the Han army's armor."

what?
Zhang Xiong suddenly realized.

Judging from the Qiang King's character, after seizing the Han army's armor during a night raid, he would probably steal all of his thousand pieces of armor and run away?

How can we defend the city then?

Captain Li didn't think too much about it, but asked worriedly:
"King Qiang, what if the Han army is prepared? They must be elite, and I'm afraid they can also see at night. I'm afraid you may not be their match."

The Qiang King was disdainful:

"No matter how elite they are, they can't march in armor all the time, right? They can't march all night, right? They have to rest sometimes, right?

"I'm not stupid, I'll definitely wait for the right moment to decide whether to attack or not.

"If it succeeds, it will be good for you and me.

"If that doesn't work, I'll just return the armor I borrowed from you.

"But you must continue to give me the 400 pieces of iron armor you promised me. You can't let me make this trip in vain."

"Just follow the Qiang King's plan!" Captain Li didn't care what Zhang Xiong was thinking. He just felt that the Qiang King's plan was foolproof. Anyway, he didn't have to die.

"Then you can kill two more cows and two sheep for me. We can drink some blood and eat some live organs, so that we can see more clearly at night." The Qiang King vowed.

Zhang Xiong and others were dumbfounded.

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(End of this chapter)