The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

After two fierce battles, the Xiongnu army completely collapsed and fled north like birds and beasts.

They originally brought with them more than 200,000 civilians and slaves and more than 100,000 cattle and sheep, but now they fled in chaos.

Bai Lin led 80,000 Qin troops in hot pursuit. All he saw were cattle and sheep fleeing all over the mountains and plains, and there were almost no civilians or slaves left.

Bai Lin then decisively issued orders to the Qin army to capture cattle, sheep, and slaves. After much effort, they finally captured 50,000 Xiongnu prisoners of war and 80,000 cattle and sheep.

Sima Yan also made significant gains while clearing the battlefield, capturing as many as 100,000 Xiongnu and seizing 50,000 war horses. Due to the carefully planned ambush, losses were relatively minimal, with only 30,000 casualties. The only regrettable thing was that the Xiongnu leader, Touman, managed to escape with only 80,000 remaining troops.

Without hesitation, Meng Tian ordered the heads of the 100,000 Xiongnu who had lost their lives to be chopped off, and then a huge Jingguan was built in the northern part of the Houhetao Plain. At the same time, he also arranged for personnel to carefully check and record the names of the fallen soldiers and then bury them on the spot.

Looking at the situation in Mengyuan, after detailed statistics, it was found that they had captured a total of 10,000 Xiongnu people, and also seized 5,000 war horses and 10,000 cattle and sheep. It is worth mentioning that most of these captured Xiongnu people were children of princes and nobles.

Meng Yi learned that Maodun had successfully broken through the siege with a few hundred remaining soldiers last night, and he felt it was a pity.

Li You led 20,000 cavalrymen northward like a gust of wind to meet Meng Yuan, who had already cleared the battlefield. The two armies quickly merged and marched southward like a torrent of steel.

Inside the Zhangtai Palace in Xianyang, the lights were brightly lit as Emperor Qin Shi Huang sat at his desk, intently flipping through official documents one by one. His eyes were firm and focused, as if he wanted to see every corner of the world through these ancient words.

Since switching to paper, Ying Zheng has clearly felt its convenience.

This new medium was not only lightweight and portable, but also faster to write and transmit. More importantly, it subtly changed the format and content of official documents—the information became clearer and easier to read. Ying Zheng secretly marveled at the tremendous impact of technological progress.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid horse hooves approached from afar, breaking the tranquility of the night. A dusty messenger, like a flying bird, came galloping from the distant north, straight to the gates of Xianyang.

The soldiers defending the city were immediately perked up by the sound of horse hooves. They knew this must be important intelligence from the front. Sure enough, as the messenger approached, he shouted, "Great victory at the border!" His voice revealed uncontrollable excitement and joy.

Upon hearing the good news, the palace guards beamed with joy and eagerly opened the city gates to let the messenger pass. The messenger galloped all the way to the outside of the Zhangtai Palace, dismounted, and raced up the hall, stopping at the foot of the high steps.

He was panting, but his eyes were shining with excitement, and he shouted hoarsely: "Your Majesty, a great victory at the border!"

Seeing this, the guards who had been waiting in the hall for a long time rushed forward like arrows, took the military report from the messenger, and then delivered it to the Zhangtai Palace as quickly as possible to present it to Qin Shihuang Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng opened the military report, his brows beaming with joy. "Your Majesty, your servant, Meng Tian, ​​has fortunately fulfilled his mission this time. Li You, Sima Yan, Bai Lin, and other generals fought like tigers descending from the mountains in the Battle of Jiuyuan, crushing a massive Xiongnu army of 280,000 men and annihilating 100,000 of them. They also captured the Left Wise King, the Right General, and 100,000 of them, as well as 50,000 civilians, 50,000 warhorses, and 80,000 cattle and sheep. Meng Yuan, Meng Yi, and other generals fought like dragons emerging from the sea in the Battle of the Xiongnu Royal Court, annihilating 10,000 Xiongnu and capturing over 5,000 princes and nobles, including the Right Wise King and the Left Grand Commandant. Pang Bo, Meng Yi, and other generals fought like a broken bamboo in the Battle of Yanmen, completely annihilating the Left General's 15,000 men... Our army suffered over 30,000 casualties. I, your Majesty, feel ashamed that we were unable to capture the Xiongnu Great Chanyu, Touman, alive in the Battle of Jiuyuan..."

After reading the military report, Emperor Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng was overjoyed. He then stood like a pine tree beside the railing outside the palace, gazing towards the north.

Immediately, Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng issued an order, summoning the right prime minister Feng Quji, the left prime minister Li Si, the imperial censor Feng Jie, and the internal historian Gan Luo to the Weiyang Palace to discuss important matters.

Soon after, everyone arrived at the palace, looking puzzled.

Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng could hardly conceal his inner joy and said, "My dear ministers, please circulate this military report."

After receiving the military report, everyone's face was filled with joy. They congratulated in unison: "Long live His Majesty, long live His Majesty, and may the Great Qin Empire prosper forever!"

Ying Zheng's voice was loud and powerful, echoing throughout the palace: "My dear ministers, this victory is not only my good fortune, but also the glory of the Qin Dynasty. Meng Tian and other generals have made great achievements in the war, and I will definitely reward them generously!"

Li Si bowed respectfully and offered his advice, "Your Majesty is wise and valiant. This battle with the Xiongnu has severely damaged the enemy's vitality, but we must still be vigilant against the Yuezhi people to the northwest, lest they take advantage of the opportunity to cause chaos."

Feng Quji agreed. "Prime Minister Li is absolutely right. Your Majesty, we should build cities in the Hetao Plain and station elite troops there to ensure peace and stability on the Qin frontier."

Qin Shi Huang sat on the dragon throne, wearing a crown with tassels and a black robe, looking majestic. His sharp eyes, like those of an eagle, slowly swept over the ministers below.

After a moment, the First Emperor nodded slightly, expressing his agreement with his ministers. His voice, deep and rich, resounded like a mighty bell, echoing throughout the palace, seemingly piercing through time and space: "The elite troops of the Great Qin are truly invincible! They are like a torrent of steel, unstoppable; their swords destroy everything they point to! They charge forward courageously, fearless and unwavering. Even when facing an enemy many times their size, they remain undaunted, crushing the enemy with unwavering force, forcing them to flee in disarray. I firmly believe that no one in the world can stop the advance of the warriors of the Great Qin!"

Upon hearing this, all the ministers shouted in unison: "Long live His Majesty, long live the Great Qin!" For a moment, the sound shook the sky and was magnificent.

Seeing this, Ying Zheng's lips curled up slightly, and he gently raised his hand, signaling for silence. Once the hall was quiet again, he continued, "In this northern campaign against the Xiongnu, our soldiers fought bravely, risking their lives. Ultimately, we were able to defeat the Xiongnu with fewer troops, crushing them and making them afraid to return south to graze their horses. This unprecedented achievement is the unparalleled glory of our Great Qin!" A satisfied smile spread across Ying Zheng's face as he finished.

He turned abruptly, his eyes as sharp as torches, gazing firmly at Gan Luo. His voice rang out as steady and powerful as a bell: "Gan Qing! Quickly draft an imperial edict to commend all soldiers and comfort the families of the wounded and fallen soldiers. At the same time, promote Meng Tian to the rank of General and have him lead 300,000 troops to continue defending the Jiuyuan Line. Reward the rest of the generals according to their merits. Next year, I will personally travel north to inspect the Great Wall defenses and send envoys to various countries to announce the glorious victory of this battle, so that the great name of our Great Qin Empire will be known to the world!"

Gan Luo respectfully accepted the order and left. Everyone present shouted "Long live the emperor" in unison to express their praise and support for the emperor's wise decision.

In an instant, the palace was filled with thunderous cheers and a joyful atmosphere.

Yet, behind this bustling scene, amidst the laughter and joy, the shadow of war lingers on the distant northern border. The brave warriors of the Qin Empire know that true peace has yet to arrive. They must remain vigilant, weapons firmly grasped, ready to respond to any eventuality and safeguard this vast territory.