The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

The cavalryman came before Maodun, dismounted, knelt on one knee, and said hurriedly, "Your Highness, there are several Qin people claiming to be envoys sent by the Qin Emperor and want to see you!"

Maodun frowned slightly, his eyes swept over the cavalryman, and then fell on the tent in the distance.

After a moment's silence, he said, "Bring them here."

The cavalry took the order and left. After a while, several envoys dressed in Qin Dynasty costumes were brought over.

It turned out to be Jiang Huang and Dong Yi. They walked cautiously, their eyes revealing a hint of nervousness and confusion.

When they saw Maodun, they hurried forward and saluted, their movements a little stiff, as if they were afraid of making a mistake.

"Whoosh!"

"Ouch!"

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, blowing up the dust on the ground.

Jiang Huang and Dong Yi slipped, lost their balance, and fell heavily to the ground. They struggled to their feet, only to find their hands and clothes were covered in blood.

They looked around in horror and saw a headless corpse lying there, blood still flowing.

Jiang Huang and Dong Yi's faces turned pale in an instant, and beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.

Their eyes were filled with tension and uneasiness, their lips trembling slightly, and they were obviously extremely shocked by the scene before them.

Maodun sat on the high platform with a playful smile on his lips. His eyes slowly swept over Jiang Huang and Dong Yi, as if he was appreciating their embarrassment.

He said sarcastically, "The envoy of the Great Qin is so flustered that he has lost the demeanor of a great power."

Dong Yi calmed himself down, took a deep breath, and tried to keep his voice calm. "Don't blame me, Your Highness. It's just that this sudden scene caught us both off guard."

Jiang Huang also nodded in agreement, his voice trembling a little: "Yes, Your Highness, this is really unexpected..." There was a hint of fear in his eyes, but at the same time he was trying hard to control his emotions.

The whole scene fell into a brief silence, with only the sound of wind blowing and Jiang Huang and Dong Yi's rapid breathing.

They didn't know what would happen next and were filled with anxiety.

Maodun rode his horse and slowly circled around the two people in front of him.

As he moved, an invisible sense of oppression spread around like a surging tide, making Jiang Huang and the other man feel a little short of breath.

After standing still, Maodun fixed his sharp gaze on Dong Yi and the other man, and said, "Tell me, why did the Emperor of Qin send you two all the way here?"

Dong Yi's heart tightened, but he managed to remain calm. After taking a deep breath, he replied, "Your Highness, His Majesty has long heard of your extraordinary bravery and is deeply impressed. We are sending you two with a small gift to express our sincere wishes, hoping to establish friendly relations with the powerful Xiongnu."

As soon as he finished speaking, Dong Yi turned slightly and winked at the followers behind him.

A dozen followers behind him hurriedly stepped forward and respectfully presented the carefully prepared gifts to Maodun with both hands.

Maodun glanced at the gifts casually, without revealing much emotion in his eyes.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, a hint of a smile forming as he spoke slowly, "The Emperor Qin is quite thoughtful. It's a pity that on this vast grassland, one cannot rely solely on material possessions."

At this point, Maodun paused briefly, then suddenly raised his head and continued, "As far as I know, your great Emperor Ying Zheng has passed away. The newly enthroned young Emperor Hu Hai is still young and may not be able to control the government. Moreover, the domestic situation is turbulent. Your Prince Fusu and General Meng Tian are stationed in the north with 200,000 troops under their command, and they seem quite dissatisfied with the current court!"

Dong Yi was shocked. He had not expected Maodun to be so well-informed. However, he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Your Highness, you are joking. Your Majesty is wise and wise now, and the whole of Qin is united."

Maodun laughed heartily, his laughter echoing through the empty space, chilling everyone to the bone. His laugh was tinged with sarcasm: "Is that so? I've heard that Fusu is the heir to the throne. I'm afraid the Qin court is already in a state of panic."

Jiang Huang couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, this is the internal affairs of our Great Qin. I hope Your Highness will not believe in rumors."

A chilling cold light suddenly flashed in Maodun's eyes, followed by a cold snort of disdain.

He said, "Humph! This prince has no interest in the intrigues within your Central Plains Dynasty. Now, tell me the truth, what exactly are you trying to do this time?"

Jiang Huang and Dong Yi, who were standing aside, couldn't help but look at each other.

Dong Yi took a deep breath with a solemn expression and spoke respectfully, "Your Highness, please understand! Meng Tian and the 200,000-man army he leads have always been a major threat to your army. Therefore, our Majesty has specially sent me here, hoping to cooperate with your army to eliminate them. Doing so will not only relieve your army of worries, but will also benefit both of us greatly!"

At this moment, across the vast grassland, a strong wind swept across like a wild horse.

The sound of the fierce wind was deafening, like the shouts of thousands of troops galloping past.

Under the strong wind, everyone's clothes were lifted high, and their sleeves fluttered and rustled.

After listening to what Dong Yi said, Maodun narrowed his eyes slightly, sat quietly on his horse, and said nothing, as if he was carefully weighing the pros and cons of this cooperation in his mind.

Seeing Maodun lost in thought, Dong Yi quickly struck while the iron was hot and continued, "Your Highness, there's no need to worry too much about this matter. As long as we work together to eliminate Meng Tian's army, the vast northern border region will fall into your hands. Moreover, by then, the situation in Great Qin will have stabilized, and naturally, we won't have the extra energy to deal with the Xiongnu!"

Maodun pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "This prince wants the Hetao Plain and the grasslands north of the Great Wall, plus 30,000 sets of weapons and armor and 30,000 shi of grain. Otherwise, there is no further negotiation!"

Dong Yi's face was troubled when he heard this, and sweat broke out on his forehead. Fifty thousand sets of weapons and armor and fifty thousand dan of grain and fodder were no small sums. This far exceeded the scope of what they had promised when they came.

But if he didn't agree now, the alliance would be over. He secretly groaned inwardly, not knowing what to do.

Seeing this, Jiang Huang whispered to Dong Yi, "Master Dong, this matter is of great importance. We must send a letter back to ask His Majesty for instructions as soon as possible."

Dong Yi gritted his teeth and said to Maodun, "Your Highness, the conditions you proposed are too harsh. It is difficult to agree to 50,000 sets of weapons and armor. We need to send a message back to the court and ask Your Majesty to make a decision. However, regarding the Hetao Plain and the grasslands north of the Great Wall, we can first draft an agreement." There was a hint of helplessness and pleading in his tone.

Maodun snorted coldly and waved the whip in the air, making a crisp sound.

A hint of dissatisfaction flashed in his eyes, and he said, "You people of Daqin are always cunning. Are you trying to delay time?"

Dong Yi hurriedly explained, "Your Highness has misunderstood. It's just that a small envoy like me cannot make the decision on our own on such a serious matter."

Maodun played with the whip in his hand, thought for a long time, and then said, "Then I will give you five days. If you don't get a satisfactory answer after five days, don't blame me for being rude."

Watching Jiang Huang, Dong Yi and others walking farther and farther away until they disappeared.

Maodun stood in place, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a smile of disdain and sarcasm.

He thought to himself, "This young emperor of the Great Qin is such a fool! To achieve his goal, he actually wants to get rid of Meng Tian. How foolish! Isn't this tantamount to cutting off one's own arm? Once we lose this elite division, who can stop the Xiongnu cavalry's southward advance? Hahaha..."

Thinking of this, Maodun couldn't help but laugh out loud with his head raised, and his laughter echoed across the empty wilderness, as if he had already seen the future scene of the Qin Dynasty trembling under his iron hoof.

Happy New Year to everyone on New Year's Eve