Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

In the Western Region kingdom of Loulan, the Daqian envoys were warmly received by the king. He detailed the benefits of an alliance between Daqian and the Western Region states, including trade, cultural exchange, and joint defense against the Xiongnu. The king, fully aware of the Xiongnu threat to the Western Region states, readily agreed to the alliance after careful consideration.

Seizing the opportunity, the envoys continued their journey to Kucha, Khotan, and other states. Leveraging Ohzen's prestige and the envoys' sincerity and eloquence, they persuaded several Western Region states to join the alliance. These states expressed their willingness to work alongside Ohzen to jointly address the Xiongnu threat and expressed their anticipation for the trade exchanges that would soon unfold.

As more and more Western Region states formed alliances with Daqian, news spread back to Daqian, inspiring nationwide excitement. Upon hearing the news, the emperor was overjoyed and rewarded the Minister of Rites and other relevant officials. Simultaneously, the imperial court began intensively preparing for trade with Western Region states, encouraging domestic merchants to travel to the border in preparation for large-scale trade with the region.

In border areas, with the implementation of the military farming policy, soldiers reclaimed vast tracts of wasteland, sowing the seeds of hope. To improve the efficiency and yield of these farming practices, the imperial court invited experienced agronomists from China to guide the soldiers in growing grain and vegetables. Gradually, vibrant farmland emerged from the once barren borderlands.

Meanwhile, construction of the border passes was in full swing. Craftsmen toiled day and night, constructing walls, watchtowers, and other fortifications from massive stones and sturdy timber. Under the supervision of Baili Xi and Li Jing, the passes' defenses became increasingly robust and difficult to attack.

The military academy in the country was also successfully established. After a rigorous selection process, a group of young and talented students entered the academy. Experienced generals served as instructors, imparting their combat experience and military theory to the students without reservation. The students diligently studied military tactics and practiced battle formations daily, eager to one day serve on the front lines and contribute to the defense of the Great Front.

However, upon learning of Daqian's alliance with the Western Regions and his actions on the border, the Xiongnu were shocked and enraged. The newly appointed Xiongnu Chanyu, Yizhixie, was determined to restore the Xiongnu's reputation and re-establish its supremacy on the steppes. He summoned the leaders of the various Xiongnu tribes to discuss countermeasures.

Chanyu Yizhixie sat at the head of the tent, his face dark, and said, "How dare the Great Qian bully the Xiongnu so much? They've formed an alliance with the nations of the Western Regions and are aggressively stationing troops and building fortifications on the border. We can't just sit back and watch! We must teach them a lesson!"

A Xiongnu general stood up and said, "Chanyu, the Great Qian has greatly increased in strength. We should not attack rashly. It would be better to send a small force of cavalry to harass their border settlements, disrupt their food and fodder production, and weaken their strength."

After a moment's contemplation, Chanyu Yizhixie nodded and said, "This plan is feasible. Send Aguda with two thousand elite cavalrymen to attack the Daqian military camp under cover of night. Be sure to burn their food and fodder to intimidate the Daqian army!"

Aguda took his orders and left. That night, he led two thousand cavalrymen, approaching the military camp on the Daqian border like a ghost. Inside the camp, the soldiers had mostly fallen asleep after a day's work, with only a few sentries patrolling the perimeter.

At Aguda's command, the Xiongnu cavalry charged the camp. Upon detecting the enemy, the sentries sounded the alarm. However, the Xiongnu cavalry arrived too quickly, and before the Daqian soldiers could fully react, they had already burst into the camp. Wielding their swords, they attacked and killed, setting fire to the warehouses storing grain and fodder. For a moment, the military camp was ablaze with flames, and shouts of killing filled the air.

The Daqian soldiers, in a panic, rose up to resist. The commander in charge of the military camp's defense quickly organized his forces and engaged in a desperate battle with the Xiongnu cavalry. Although the Daqian soldiers fought bravely, the Xiongnu cavalry was aggressive and had the advantage of surprise, and the Daqian army gradually lost the upper hand.

Just then, reinforcements arrived. The commander of a nearby pass, having heard the alarm, led five hundred soldiers to support the attack. The arrival of the reinforcements boosted the morale of the Daqian army. They joined forces with the soldiers inside the camp, forming a pincer attack on the Xiongnu cavalry.

Seeing the situation dire and fearing a siege, Aguda quickly ordered a retreat. The Xiongnu cavalry fled in disarray, leaving the camp in ruins. While the Daizen army successfully repelled the Xiongnu attack, it also suffered losses, with some food and fodder burned and many soldiers injured.

Upon learning of this, Baili Xi and Li Jing rushed to the military camp. They comforted the wounded soldiers and commended the officers and soldiers for their bravery. At the same time, they realized that there were still loopholes in the border defenses and that night patrols and vigilance needed to be strengthened.

Li Jing said angrily, "How dare these Xiongnu rebels act so recklessly, attacking our farming camp at night? Although they escaped this time, we will never give up!" Baili Xi nodded solemnly and said, "This attack serves as a wake-up call for us. We cannot afford to neglect our border defenses. We must redeploy and strengthen our defenses."

The two men immediately took action. They first replanned the defense layout of the military camp, expanding the perimeter by several miles, adding multiple sentries, and arranging hourly rotations to ensure no slackness in nighttime security. They also dug deep trenches around the camp and buried sharp bamboo sticks to hinder the rapid attacks of the Xiongnu cavalry.

To ensure prompt detection of distant enemy movements, Baili Xi and Li Jing ordered the construction of several watchtowers on elevated ground near the camp. Soldiers with exceptional eyesight were posted day and night to alert the Xiongnu with beacons and horns if they detected any sign of the Xiongnu. Within the camp, the soldiers were divided into several emergency teams and detailed contingency plans were developed to ensure a swift response and orderly resistance in the event of an attack.

They also strengthened communication and coordination with surrounding passes. They agreed with the commanders of each pass that if a military camp or other border outpost was attacked, reinforcements from nearby passes must be dispatched immediately without delay. To ensure timely and accurate information transmission, they established multiple beacon fire lines and trained messengers skilled in delivering messages on horseback.

While strengthening military defenses, Baili Xi and Li Jing also focused on stabilizing both the military and civilian morale. They personally visited the tents of wounded soldiers, offering them warmth and encouragement, and promising to severely punish the Xiongnu and make them pay a heavy price for their surprise attack. As for the civilians living on the border, they organized soldiers to help fortify their homes and distribute food and daily necessities, ensuring that the people felt the military's protection and the court's care, strengthening their resolve to remain on the border.

Back in the Xiongnu camp, Chanyu Yizhixie learned that while Aguda had successfully burned some of the Daqian army's food and fodder, he had failed to inflict a fatal blow to the Daqian army, and had also lost a significant number of his own cavalry. He was furious. He shouted at Aguda, "You led two thousand elite cavalry, yet you only managed to inflict a minor setback on the Daqian army, and you also cost me a significant number of my men. You're truly useless!"

Aguda knelt on the ground, head bowed, and said, "Chanyu, calm down. While the Daqian army's defenses have holes, the nearby passes are providing rapid reinforcements. It will be difficult for me to exploit this victory." Chanyu Yizhixie snorted coldly, saying, "The Daqian army has strengthened its border defenses. It will be difficult for us to gain an easy victory. But my Xiongnu will not give up. We must devise a foolproof strategy and inflict a heavy blow on the Daqian army."

At this time, a counselor stood up and said, "Chanyu, Daqian has formed an alliance with the countries of the Western Regions, so their trade routes must be busy. We can send out cavalry, disguised as horse thieves, to plunder the trade routes between Daqian and the Western Regions. This will not only weaken Daqian's economy, but also undermine their alliance with the Western Regions." Chanyu Yizhixie's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He said, "This is a brilliant plan! Send Huhanye with 3,000 cavalrymen, selected from among them skilled in horsemanship and archery and familiar with the terrain, to intercept and kill the Daqian caravans along the trade routes. Remember, don't reveal our Xiongnu identity and let Daqian think we are just ordinary horse thieves."

Upon receiving the order, Huhanye immediately selected three thousand elite cavalrymen, disguised them as horse thieves, and lurked along the trade route between Daqian and the Western Regions. Soon, a Daqian merchant caravan slowly came into their sight. Comprising hundreds of carriages, laden with precious goods such as silk, tea, and porcelain, the caravan moved cautiously, protected by dozens of guards.

At Huhanye's command, the Xiongnu cavalry rushed down the hillsides on both sides like tigers and surrounded the caravan in an instant. Seeing that the situation was not good, the caravan guards immediately drew their swords and fought desperately. However, the Xiongnu cavalry were well-trained and numerous, and the caravan guards gradually could not resist. After a fierce battle, most of the caravan guards were killed, and the goods were looted by the Xiongnu cavalry. Huhanye looked at his men who returned with a full load, laughed triumphantly and said, "Daqian, let's see how long you can be so proud!"

News of the caravan's hijacking quickly reached Daqian. Upon learning of the incident, the border commander immediately reported it to Baili Xi and Li Jing. Upon hearing this, the two men realized the seriousness of the matter. If the trade route security issue wasn't resolved quickly, it would not only affect Daqian's trade with the Western Regions but could also lead to the breakdown of their newly established alliance.

Li Jing said: "It seems that the Xiongnu have started to attack our trade routes. This move is quite cruel. We must find a way to ensure the safety of the trade routes." Baili Xi pondered for a moment and said: "On the one hand, we can increase the escort force of the caravan.