Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After a brief rest in Beidi County, Ma Chao and Cheliji assembled their vast army and marched resolutely toward the land of the Eastern Qiang. However, the harsh winter had already arrived, causing significant difficulties and obstacles to the march. Furthermore, as time progressed into the twelfth lunar month, the soldiers' homesickness grew stronger, a sentiment that permeated the arduous march. Ma Chao took this situation into account throughout the march, carefully considering his response and constantly consulting with Cheliji. After much deliberation and discussion, they ultimately decided on a swift and decisive strategy to address the current situation.

Ma Chao tirelessly encouraged his troops, bolstering their confidence. Furthermore, while in Beidi County, he wrote to Longxi County to borrow various supplies. After acquiring these, he instructed Yang Qiuxian to allocate a portion to replenish the troops led by Ma Chao and Cheliji. It was precisely because of these timely replenishments that the army's morale was maintained at a certain level, allowing the soldiers to maintain their fighting spirit and determination despite the difficult situation, preventing them from completely collapsing due to lack of supplies and the harsh environment.

Within the Eastern Qiang camp, Mi Tang faced an extremely difficult and arduous situation. He had originally planned to seize the opportunity presented by Ma Chao's return to aid the Western Liang, deploying a massive army from various tribes to completely annihilate the Western Liang troops invading Eastern Qiang territory. However, the situation completely contradicted his plan. Under Mi Tang's pressure, the various tribes were forced to withdraw their own troops to reinforce their forces. However, the arrival of these troops brought with them the same difficult situation and despair that each tribe was facing. The Qiang soldiers, already facing unfavorable conditions and logistical difficulties, were extremely limited, even with the limited food and fodder they had collected and carried. They often went hungry and were underfed, and most of their tents had been burned down in the previous battle. All these circumstances had brought their spirits to the brink of collapse. As a result, these young and strong men who came here described in detail the miserable situation of their hometown, which further made the Qiang soldiers more and more war-weary, and the entire Eastern Qiang camp was filled with a depressed and negative atmosphere.

Although the troops were replenished, the supply of logistics and food could not keep up with the pace. This was like a heavy shackle that was firmly placed around the necks of the Qiang army.

Mi Tang had solemnly pledged to fully support the army with supplies from his own headquarters, but unexpected events occurred. The Shaodang Qiang and their allied tribes launched a relentless and agonizing campaign against Mi Tang's headquarters. Mi Tang repeatedly dispatched vast quantities of supplies, eagerly hoping to deliver them to the front lines and bring hope to the awaiting soldiers. However, each time, his hopes were dashed, as the Shaodang Qiang mercilessly plundered the supplies. Mi Tang found himself in an extremely difficult and daunting predicament. He dared not send a large force to support the enemy. The slightest sign of a large-scale military deployment from his side would prompt the opposing Xiliang camp, like a cunning hunter, to launch elusive ambushes or even join in the looting, thwarting all his efforts.

The burden of these logistical burdens weighed heavily on Mi Tang's heart, nearly draining his family's wealth. Yet, the supplies that actually arrived were meager, like a drop in the bucket. Faced with this dire, almost hopeless situation, Mi Tang was forced to make a choice: prioritize supplies for the tribes closest to him and those willing to fight. Smaller tribes received virtually no supplies, suffering in hunger and cold. Mi Tang, gazing upon this chaotic and difficult situation, felt a surge of anxiety and helplessness, knowing he was trapped in an impasse from which he could not easily escape. He wanted to dispatch troops to resolve these thorny issues, to confront the Shaodang Qiang and protect his supplies, but he feared the imminent attack from the Xiliang camp. This tormented dilemma left him trapped in a dark abyss, with no glimmer of hope. He could only struggle in this endless predicament, watching helplessly as the Qiang's plight grew increasingly dire.

This dire situation not only showed no signs of improvement, but actually worsened Mi Tang's condition. Already exhausted by the difficult situation, he now faced a series of unsolvable problems and dilemmas, and the anxiety and pressure within him surged like a tide, exacerbating his physical condition and mental decline. He felt as if shrouded in a thick haze, unable to escape the suffocating torment of both body and mind from this suffocating predicament.

Mi Tang's serious illness, coupled with Mi Dang's earlier battle injuries, fueled a wave of scheming within the tribal leaders, E He and Shao Ge. They saw an opportunity, so they privately met with leaders of smaller tribes and key members of larger ones. While complaining about the hardships of the current war, they also vividly described the blissful life of the Western Qiang, where there was no war, the people had ample food and clothing, and even assistance from the Western Liang in times of crisis.

The words of the two chiefs, Ehe and Shaoge, seemed to hold a certain magical power, stirring the hearts of the smaller tribal leaders and the core members of their forces. A flicker of excitement gradually appeared in their eyes, and their once resolute hearts seemed to crack. As some of the chiefs listened to the descriptions of the beautiful life of the Western Qiang, their eyes lit up with longing and yearning. Their thoughts began to drift far away, imagining how wonderful it would be if the world they described could truly be fulfilled.

They secretly pondered the situation in Dongqiang. Mi Tang's serious illness and Mi Dang's injuries left them with no hope of victory. Yet, everything E He and Shao Ge described was like a ray of light in the darkness, subtly stirring their resolve. Their once steadfast belief in supporting Dongqiang began to waver, their hearts gradually tilting. Confusion and uncertainty about the future filled them. Under this bewilderment, their remaining resolve seemed to be slowly crumbling.

Leaders E He and Shao Ge watched helplessly as Mi Tang, once a mighty tiger, became a toothless force. While his might remained, he saw no hope of defeating Ma Chao. Having already surrendered before, they now wanted to seize the opportunity to show off their skills. Since the Eastern Qiang's defeat seemed inevitable, they believed they should make every effort to prepare for their own surrender to Ma Chao.

As the two leaders, E He and Shao Ge, continued to secretly instigate and persuade, the originally firm resolve of the leaders of the small tribes and the backbone of the slightly larger tribes gradually began to waver.

Aside from those tribes that had long been close to Mi Tang and those steadfastly loyal to him, the other leaders' mindsets gradually and dramatically shifted. Initially, they viewed Xiliang's invasion of the Eastern Qiang as a horrific act that would lead to the destruction of their families and clans, necessitating their resolute defense of their homeland. This gradually shifted to a belief that Xiliang's arrival was in fact intended to aid the Eastern Qiang in overthrowing the tyrant Mi Tang. This shift, like an invisible undercurrent, quietly and subtly influenced the Qiang soldiers under their command.

The Qiang soldiers had already harbored a deep-seated aversion to war, but this shift in their thinking had given rise to new hopes and aspirations. As a result, their morale had plummeted, and they had almost completely lost their will to fight, completely unwilling to fight for Mi Tang. On the surface, the Eastern Qiang camp appeared to maintain its strict order, everything calm and orderly as usual, but in reality, its interior was already riddled with problems and hidden dangers.

Sadly, however, Mi Tang is currently seriously ill. His physical weakness and lack of energy mean that he simply does not have enough ability and mind to notice all these changes. He can only allow this bad situation to continue to ferment and spread in secret.