The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

When Meng Yi and Han Xin led 5,000 troops from the Yuezhi Kingdom to reinforce, the rebellion of the Shaodang tribe had already been settled.

With Ying Bu's full support, Tarilan gathered an army of 20,000 Shaodang soldiers, who rushed straight to the core of the Zhongqiang tribe - the royal tent camp with thunderous force.

However, the Zhongqiang tribe, having lost their leader, the Zhongqiang King, fell into chaos, becoming a group of headless flies, bewildered and helpless. As a result, facing the onslaught of the Talilan army, the Zhongqiang tribe was powerless and ultimately suffered a crushing defeat.

Afterwards, the army led by Tarilan pursued the victory and quickly swept through the entire territory of the Zhongqiang tribe like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

After a fierce battle, the Shaodang tribe won a great victory in this thrilling battle, and successfully occupied half of the vast land and large population of the Zhongqiang tribe, and its own strength was also significantly enhanced.

As for the remaining half of the Zhongqiang tribe's territory, it was divided up completely by other Lingqiang tribes and those smaller tribes.

It's worth noting that this strategic deployment was a valuable suggestion Ying Bu offered to Talilan. Knowing the principle that "a tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind," Ying Bu believed that the Shaodang tribe currently lacked the strength to unify the Qiang people. Therefore, it would be better to allow all factions to benefit and share the fruits of victory.

Today, the Shaodang tribe has ushered in a new chapter. Tarilan's younger brother Tarim has ascended the throne and become the new generation ruler of the tribe.

Tallinn was the eldest princess of the tribe. With her exceptional wisdom and leadership, she shouldered the heavy responsibility of managing the complex affairs of the tribe. According to the agreement, when Tarim turned sixteen, she would officially hand over the rule of the tribe to him.

As night fell, a riot of stars twinkled in the sky. A blazing bonfire illuminated the surroundings, illuminating the joyful faces of the people. Everyone gathered around the bonfire, enjoying the delicious barbecue, the aroma filling the air and making everyone salivate.

Han Xin and others kept looking at Ying Bu and Talilan, sizing up the newlyweds.

At this moment, Han Xin suddenly broke the silence. With a smile on his face, he asked, "Brother Ying Bu, when are you and the princess going to get married?"

Everyone was stunned when they heard this, and they all turned their eyes to Ying Bu, waiting for his answer.

Unexpectedly, the usually shy and introverted Ying Bu seemed like a completely different person. He looked at Talilan lovingly, a happy smile on his face, and said slowly, "Wait two more years! After Lan'er has properly handed over the tribal affairs to the new king, we will get married. When the time comes, please ask the general to officiate our wedding."

Meng Yi smiled and said, "Okay. I'm looking forward to drinking at your wedding!"

Ying Bu continued, "For now, I still need to follow the general on the battlefield and strive to gain merit, otherwise I won't even have a place to settle down in the future."

As soon as the words fell, the crowd erupted in laughter, the laughter echoing in the night sky, filled with joy and blessings.

Everyone raised their glasses to congratulate Yingbu and Talilan, wishing them a happy marriage and a long life together.

Ying Bu held Talleyrand's hand tightly, his eyes filled with determination and tenderness. In this lively and joyful atmosphere, the two of them became closer...

The next day, as the sun shone across the vast grassland, Meng Yi led his people to bid farewell to the Shaodang tribe and prepare to embark on the journey back to Xianyang.

Yingbu and Talleyrand stood together, staring at each other silently, their hearts filled with sadness. Although they had only been together for a short time, a deep bond had already been established between them.

Finally, it was Talleyrand who broke the silence first: "Brother Yingbu, this is a farewell. Be careful on your journey. I'll wait for you to come back!"

Ying Bu held Talilan's hand tightly and said solemnly: "Lan'er, you must take care of yourself too. Wait for me!" After that, the two said goodbye reluctantly.

Talilane accompanied Meng Yi and the others for a long distance, tears gleaming in her beautiful eyes as she watched their backs gradually recede until they completely disappeared from her sight.

Talleyrand slowly turned around and walked towards the tribe. Each step seemed so heavy, as if taking away the most precious thing in her heart.

Meng Yi and his entourage continued their journey, and after two days and two nights of arduous journey, they finally arrived at the border between the Xiongnu, Yuezhi, and Qiang peoples. The terrain here was difficult, the environment was complex, and there were many unknown dangers.

However, just as they were about to continue their march towards the Helan Mountains, they suddenly heard the sound of hurried horse hooves, and in an instant, the entire earth seemed to tremble.

Meng Yi's face changed and he immediately shouted, "Everyone be on alert! Prepare for battle!" Upon hearing this, everyone acted quickly, gripping their weapons tightly and ready for battle.

At this moment, a dashing man appeared at the front of the group, riding a tall, powerful warhorse. With a piercing gaze and an imposing presence, he shouted, "People of the Central Plains, this prince has been waiting for you for a long time! Look who this is!" It was Maodun, the leader of the army.

Following the direction of Maodun's finger, Meng Yi and the others saw three men tied behind the Xiongnu cavalry. They were bloodstained and dying, their faces unrecognizable, and their clothes were tattered, but from the remaining pieces, one could still vaguely make out the standard uniforms of the Qin army.

Witnessing this terrifying scene, Wang Er's face darkened as he lowered his voice to Meng Yi, "General, those are our own people! When the Shaodang tribe rebelled that day, my four other brothers and I went to report to you. We never imagined that these three would fall into the clutches of the Xiongnu."

Hearing this, Meng Yi's heart sank suddenly. He looked carefully at the clothes worn by the soldiers, and sure enough, they were the attire of the Qin army.

He immediately turned around, staring at Maodun with a glare of rage, and demanded, "Who on earth are you? Why did you dare to so brutally murder the soldiers of the Great Qin?"

A cold smile played across Maodun's lips as he responded with disdain, "I presume you must be the renowned Meng Yi! Thinking back to that fierce battle at the royal court, if I hadn't fought tooth and nail to break free, I'd have perished long ago... Hehe. Besides, in recent years, you Qin people have wantonly trampled upon our Xiongnu territory and slaughtered our people. I, the prince, was merely repaying you with an eye for an eye. Today, since you are my prisoners, don't even think about leaving here alive!"

Facing Maodun's threats and provocations, Meng Yi showed no fear. Instead, he sneered contemptuously, "Oh? So you're the Prince Maodun who fled in such a panic! If you have the guts, why don't you release them first? Then how about we fight one-on-one?"