The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

A moment later, Ying Bu quickly approached and reported to Meng Yi with a serious expression, "General, the Xiongnu we encountered this time are very different from those we have encountered before. Their fighting ability is extremely strong, far exceeding those we have encountered before. Five of our brothers have been seriously injured, and ten have suffered minor injuries of varying degrees. Fortunately, we have also successfully captured two people."

Meng Yi frowned after hearing this, and he quickly and skillfully applied a simple bandage to the wound on his body.

He then summoned Li Ziwei and instructed him in a firm and serious tone, "This place is only about two days' journey from the Shaodang tribe. You must immediately arrange for personnel to safely escort the seriously injured brothers to the Shaodang tribe. Be sure to act with caution and avoid attracting attention as much as possible. Seek the help of Princess Talilane and ask her to send someone to treat these injured brothers. Also, remember to instruct the brothers in charge of the escort to stay behind after arriving at their destination and closely monitor the Shaodang tribe's every move. Report any unusual activities promptly."

Li Ziwei bowed respectfully and replied, "I obey your command, General." After that, he turned around and left in a hurry, and began to deploy relevant matters in an orderly manner.

Meng Yi slowly turned his head, his gaze as cold as a torch, staring at the two captured Xiongnu before him. He demanded in a deep voice, "Tell me, who ordered you to attack us? And why did you do this?"

One of the captives suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with resentment and hatred, and he growled through gnashing teeth, "Hmph! If you've got the guts, just do it! Kill me or chop me up, it's all up to you!"

The other prisoner kept his head down and remained silent, as if he was hiding endless secrets and fears in his heart.

Meng Yi's heart suddenly trembled, his eyes flashing, and he waved his arm, signaling the soldiers beside him to take the two away and keep them under strict guard. He decided to interrogate the two captives and thoroughly investigate the true intentions of the mastermind behind this.

As night fell like inky darkness, the earth was shrouded in darkness. Meng Yi walked towards the tent where the prisoners were being held. Once inside, he sat firmly on a wooden chair, his eyes fixed on the two prisoners before him.

Meng Yi's voice was cold and deep, as if it came from the depths of hell. "Do you still want to remain silent? Humph! Don't think you can escape my questioning this way. I'm telling you, I have plenty of ways to make you talk. Come on, cut his calf for me, but remember not to make it too big, and let the blood flow out slowly. When night falls, throw them outside the tent, so they can feel the cold night for themselves."

It was late July, and the climate in the Western Regions was quite unique, with a huge temperature difference between day and night. By midnight, the chill was so intense it was enough to make one shiver.

The Hun who kept silent began to tremble slightly and his face became paler, but he still clenched his teeth and said nothing.

Seeing this, Meng Yi sneered, stood up, and turned to leave. The soldiers behind him followed his instructions and led the two men outside the tent.

The biting night wind howled like a raging beast, leaving the Hun's calf deeply scratched and bleeding profusely. He shivered in the biting wind like a shaky leaf. His lips had already turned purple, and his body convulsed with the extreme cold and pain.

In sharp contrast to him was another Hun prisoner. Although he was in the same predicament, this man still kept his lips tightly closed and did not utter a single groan of pain.

That night, Han Xin took on the responsibility of night patrol. He stood there like a guardian, his eyes fixed sharply on the two captives before him. He knew these enemies could pose a huge threat, so he did not dare to take them lightly.

Furthermore, to inflict even greater pressure and pain on the captives, Han Xin mercilessly poured a basin of icy water over them without hesitation. The most glaring wounds were particularly targeted, with the cold water instantly seeping into the wounds, causing excruciating pain.

A moment later, Han Xin hurried over, clasped his fists, and bowed to Meng Yi. He said, "General, after interrogation, the two captives have confessed everything. They say they are the personal guards of the Xiongnu Crown Prince Maodun. Maodun learned that a Qin army was trying to win over the Qiang people, so he sent his trusted confidants to secretly intercept and kill them."

Hearing this, a cold light suddenly flashed in Meng Yi's eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "If that's the case, then there must be undercurrents and constant disputes within the Shaodang tribe!"

After saying this, he couldn't help but frown slightly, lost in thought, secretly pondering: "This Xiongnu Crown Prince Maodun is truly an ambitious man. Given time, he will definitely become a serious threat to our Great Qin. Thinking back to the battle at the royal court, we could have captured this beast in one fell swoop, but in the end, he managed to escape. Thinking about it now, it's really a pity!"

Thinking of this, Meng Yi made a decisive move and shouted loudly: "Pass on my military order, immediately strengthen the camp's defenses. We must ensure that there are no accidents. There must be no slacking off!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Han Xin bowed and agreed, then turned and left, following the order.

After a short but necessary rest, Meng Yi decided to prepare to move forward.

Before embarking on the expedition, he issued a cold and decisive order without hesitation: "Kill those two Hun prisoners!" This decision was not made on impulse or cruelty, but based on careful consideration of the situation and strategic considerations.

At this moment, the team of forty people that originally set out from Jiuyuan is now reduced to only thirty-two people.

The crowd marched non-stop towards the north. After two days of arduous journey, they finally arrived at the land of Yuezhi.

However, shortly after entering the Yuezhi's territory, the sound of rapid horse hooves suddenly rang out, shattering the tranquil atmosphere. A group of cavalrymen, clad in leather armor and armed with sharp weapons, galloped in from all directions like a gust of wind, quickly forming a circle and trapping Meng Yi and his companions in the center.

Meng Yi gazed at the approaching Yuezhi horde. He steadily raised the gleaming Qin sword high in his hand and gave the order to the people behind him: "Form a battle array! Prepare for battle!" Everyone moved at top speed, forming a tight and orderly defensive formation.

The Yuezhi general standing in the front was tall and strong with a face full of flesh. He raised his voice and shouted: "Who are you? How dare you be so bold as to trespass into our Yuezhi territory without permission!" His voice was like thunder, shaking the air around him slightly.

Meng Yi showed no fear, holding his head high and chest puffed out, responding with full vigor, "We are envoys from the Great Qin State, and we have come here on a mission to discuss important matters with the King of Yuezhi."

After saying this, he solemnly raised the scepter that symbolized his identity and authority high up in the air. The bright color was particularly eye-catching under the sunlight.

Seeing this scene, a hint of doubt flashed in the eyes of the Yuezhi generals, and they were obviously thinking and weighing what Meng Yi said.

After a long while, he suddenly waved his hand, signaling his soldiers who were on high alert to make way for him, and said, "In that case, come with me to meet the king." After that, he turned around and walked forward.

Immediately afterwards, Meng Yi led his followers without hesitation and followed the pace of the Yuezhi general, striding towards the direction of the Yuezhi royal tent.

Along the way, everyone remained highly vigilant, always paying attention to any possible disturbances around them.