The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

On the vast grassland, Meng Yuan and Sima Yan each led an army of 50,000, one bright and one dark, and rushed out from Jiuyuan and Yunzhong respectively.

On the other side of the Hetao Plain, Meng Yi led 20,000 cavalry and galloped like the wind.

Figures appeared and disappeared on the grassland, and the dust raised by horse hooves filled the air.

To the west, Yelihe and Yingbu, the chief generals of the Shaodang tribe, led a 50,000-strong Qiang army. The entire force was imposing, their battle flags fluttering. From west to east, they advanced towards the Xiongnu territory.

In the southeast, the 50,000-strong coalition army consisting of Jin Shanshui and Pang Bo from the Tuan tribe also set out on the journey.

From east to west, they entered the area ruled by the Xiongnu.

Han Xin, under the orders of Meng Yi, served under Pang Bo.

At the same time, Meng Yuan's 50,000-strong army and the coalition forces led by Pang Bo served as an open line to lure the enemy.

Their actions attracted the attention of the Xiongnu army, and Xiongnu spies reported back one after another, and the entire grassland fell into a tense atmosphere.

When Maodun of the Xiongnu learned that the Qin army was coming, he did not panic. He knew that the Central Plains army had a long journey and it was difficult to transport food and grass.

So Maodun sent the Right Wise King to lead a large army to fight against Pangbo's coalition forces.

"Charge!" The Right Wise King roared, and his subordinates rushed towards Pangbo's coalition forces like tigers descending from the mountains.

Pang Bo and others showed no sign of weakness, and a fierce fight broke out between the two sides.

After a fierce battle, the Hun cavalry gradually retreated.

"General, the Huns seem to be retreating!" a soldier reported to Pangbo.

Pangbo looked at the Hun army gradually moving away, and a trace of doubt arose in his heart, but it was quickly overshadowed by the joy of victory.

"Haha, the Huns are nothing but this! Chase them!" Pang Bo waved his hand and led the coalition forces to continue the pursuit.

However, as they went deeper into the grassland, the logistical pressure gradually increased and the soldiers became exhausted.

"General Pang, if we continue chasing like this, it might be dangerous." Han Xin rode his horse to Pang Bo and said anxiously.

Pang Bo smiled disapprovingly. "General Han, you're overthinking it. This is a golden opportunity to annihilate the Xiongnu Right Wise King's main force in one fell swoop. We can't miss it."

Han Xin frowned and continued to persuade, "General Pang, the Xiongnu are always cunning. They may be plotting something. We should be cautious."

Pang Bo waved his hand impatiently. "General Han, you don't have to say any more. I've made up my mind. I'll continue the pursuit!"

Han Xin had no choice but to secretly arrange a team of his trusted men to protect the food and supplies, and sent out spies to investigate the surrounding situation.

Then he borrowed 5000 cavalry from Jin Shanshui and followed him secretly to prevent any accidents.

As expected, not long after, the ambush troops led by the Xiongnu Left General rushed out from all directions and surrounded Pangbo's coalition forces.

"Oh no, we've fallen into a trap!" Pang Bo's face changed drastically and he felt extremely regretful.

Immediately, a quarter of the 10,000-strong army led by Pang Bo was killed by the Huns' ambush troops.

Just when Pangbo was in despair, he suddenly heard the sound of thousands of horses galloping towards him.

"General Pang, don't panic!" Han Xin shouted.

Pang Bo felt a little relieved when he saw Han Xin coming.

"Follow my orders, concentrate your forces, and attack the Huns' weak points!" Han Xin commanded the soldiers calmly.

Under the leadership of Han Xin, the 5000 cavalry behind him rushed in, and the surrounded coalition forces fought bravely and gradually tore open the encirclement of the Huns.

"General, we finally got out!" the deputy general shouted excitedly.

Upon seeing this, the ambush troops led by the Xiongnu Left General hurriedly led the army away.

Pang Bo looked at the scene before him and said to Han Xin with shame, "I regret not listening to your advice. I almost caused such a disaster."

Han Xin smiled faintly: "General Pang, don't blame yourself. We must reunite with the main force as soon as possible to prevent the Xiongnu from attacking again."

Pang Bo nodded, and together with Han Xin, led the coalition forces to quickly evacuate the battlefield.

At the same time, Hu Hai and others who were far away in the Xianyang Palace learned that Meng Tian led a large army to the north to fight against the Huns.

Hu Hai immediately summoned ministers including Wang Li, Yao Jia, Zhao Gao, Feng Quji, and Feng Jie to discuss the matter.

Zhao Gao walked into the palace with small steps and a flattering smile on his face.

He bowed and said softly, "Your Majesty, this is indeed a good opportunity. Meng Tian has a large army stationed outside, while Jiuyuan is undermanned. As long as we move our troops quickly, we will be able to capture Jiuyuan in one fell swoop."

Yao Jia stood aside, a look of hesitation on his face. He frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "Your Majesty, while this move may seem advantageous, Meng Tian's troops are ultimately part of the Great Qin Army. Moreover, this Northern Expedition against the Xiongnu is an attack on a foreign tribe. A rash surprise attack would risk losing the support of the people."

After hearing what Yao Jia said, Hu Hai waved his hand impatiently and said, "I don't care about the people's opinions. I only know that the Qin Empire belongs to me. I will not tolerate any threats."

Wang Liji stood aside, his brow furrowed in thought. After a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, this matter requires careful consideration. The army led by Meng Tian is formidable. If we act rashly, we will likely suffer more than we gain."

After hearing Wang Li's words, Hu Hai snorted in dissatisfaction and said, "Marquis Wucheng, are you afraid?"

Wang Li quickly knelt and said in fear, "Your Majesty, please calm down. I have absolutely no such intention. However, the situation is complicated now, and we need to act with caution to avoid falling into the enemy's trap."

Seeing this, Zhao Gao quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, what Marquis Wucheng said is not without reason. But we cannot miss this opportunity! As long as we plan carefully, we will surely succeed."

Hu Hai nodded and said, "Well, what Mr. Zhao said is quite right. Then let's discuss how to successfully launch a surprise attack on Jiuyuan."

The atmosphere in the palace became more solemn, and the ministers all lowered their heads and did not dare to speak easily.

Hu Hai's eyes swept over everyone and finally landed on Zhao Gao. He said, "Zhao Gao, do you have any good plans?"

A sly glint flashed in Zhao Gao's eyes, and he whispered, "Your Majesty, I have a plan. We can first send a special force to infiltrate Jiuyuan and create chaos. Then, we can send the main force to attack head-on, and we will surely capture Jiuyuan in one fell swoop."

Hu Hai smiled after hearing what Zhao Gao said. He said, "Okay, I'll follow your advice."

At the same time, on the other side of the battlefield, the armies led by Meng Yi and Meng Yuan were advancing quietly, and they were each acting as a secret line deep into the northern grasslands.

Along the way, the soldiers' faces were filled with fatigue as they crossed mountains and deserts.

"General, we have been walking for so long and have not found any trace of the main force of the Huns. What should we do?" Li Ziwei asked worriedly.

Meng Yi frowned and said in a deep voice: "Don't worry, we will keep moving forward and we will definitely find them.

At most, it was a surprise attack launched by a small group of Hun troops!

After a fierce battle, they finally succeeded in killing all the small groups of Huns.

But what is worrying is that the two armies have never been able to find any trace of the main force of the Huns.

As time went by, the two armies, which were originally full of confidence, began to become anxious.

Meng Yi sighed and muttered to himself, "Alas! I was overconfident, thinking that I could crush the Xiongnu by surrounding them from all sides. I didn't expect them to be so cunning that I couldn't even find their main force. It seems that a genius like Huo Qubing was truly the choice of the times. Although his brilliance was only a momentary one, he left an eternal legacy for the Han people. A time traveler of my level cannot compare to him."

At this moment, the entire military camp was filled with a tense atmosphere.