Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

Early the next morning.

If the order of Qiangqu Chanyu were followed, the Xiongnu army should have broken camp and set off southward toward Dingxiang Commandery.

However, when Xubuguduhou arrived outside the yurt of Qiangqu Chanyu at dawn, he only saw Yufuluo standing outside the yurt.

"Right Wise King." Marquis Xubugudu bowed to Yufuluo, who was standing outside the yurt of Qiangqu Chanyu, with his hand on his chest.

Huvro's expression was noticeably better than it had been the previous night.

“Lord Xubugudu, my father was not feeling well last night.”

Yufuluo looked at Xubuguduhou standing in front of him and said, "As you know, my father has been in poor health lately. The Xianbei have already withdrawn their troops, so I hoped that my father could take a good rest. My father agreed, and now I will command the army."

Xubuguduhou's expression changed slightly as he glanced at the dome behind Yufuluo.

"Also, Father received an order from His Highness the Prince of Liang last night, requiring the army to turn east and head towards Yanmen County. Father is currently unable to meet with the many chieftains, so please inform them that the army should change direction."

Marquis Xubugudu wanted to say something, but he swallowed the words back down when they reached his lips.

"Do you have any other questions?"

Seeing that Xubuguduhou seemed hesitant to speak, Yufuluo said, "If Xubuguduhou has any questions, then go to the yurt behind me and ask my father for advice."

As he spoke, Hufro stepped aside from the spot blocking the yurt.

Xubuguduhou glanced at the dome behind Yufuluo, then immediately bowed and said, "Right Wise King is joking. Since it is the Great Chanyu's order, I will carry it out immediately."

"I hope the Right Wise King will convey to the Great Chanyu that he should take good care of his health."

Yufuluo took a deep breath and nodded: "Alright, then Marquis Xubugudu may go."

"Yes, Right Wise King."

After bowing his head and taking a few steps back, Xubu Guduhou turned and walked away into the distance.

Huvro squinted at the distant Marquis of Subhudu, a cold smile playing on his lips, before leaning on his cane and returning to the deep dome.

The bloodstains from last night have been cleaned up, and the floor has been replaced with a clean white carpet.

Guo Tu, dressed in a black scholar's robe, knelt beside the table, holding a silver cup filled with mare's milk wine.

Guo Tu turned around after hearing footsteps.

"How is it going? Has that Marquis of Xubugudu not had any suspicions?" Guo Tu asked, looking at Yufuluo.

Hufro shook his head and said, "It seems not, but there's no guarantee that it won't be discovered in the long run."

“It’s alright.” Guo Tu shook his head and said, “The journey from here to Yanmen County is not far. As long as we reach Pingcheng Pass, we can reunite with Budugen and your previous troops.”

"Once we get there, it won't matter whether Marquis Xubugudu is alive or not. We can just find some excuse to lure him and kill him."

"As for the other Xiongnu nobles, those who submit can stay. The leaders of the remaining small tribes don't understand anything. As long as they are given enough benefits, they will follow whoever they want."

Yufro nodded in agreement with Guo Tu's view.

The chieftains of the small Xiongnu tribes only cared about profit; this has always been the case.

In the past, when the Xiongnu invaded the south, these small tribes were willing to send troops as long as they could successfully plunder resources.

On the contrary, if several southward expeditions fail or yield no benefits, even if it is the Great Khan's order, the chieftains of these small tribes will resist carrying it out.

“It seems you know a lot about the Xiongnu,” Yufuluo said, looking at Guotu.

Guo Tu smiled modestly and said, "As a friend, Chanyu, you have absolutely no need to worry. My mission in coming to the Xiongnu is to facilitate an alliance. Nothing else is my concern."

"Now that the old Chanyu is dead, everything will be settled once we rejoin the Xianbei army, and then you will be the true Great Chanyu."

"I congratulate you in advance." Guo Tu put down the mare's milk wine he didn't like and bowed to Yufuluo.

After dawn, right after Juvro gave the order.

After Xubuguduhou relayed the order to change the army's southward march to an eastward march in accordance with Yufuluo's command, the 20,000-strong Xiongnu army began to break camp and set off.

Xubuguduhou, who had been following Qiangqu Chanyu all the way, did not get too close to Yufuluo this time.

Instead, he ordered the tribe's three thousand cavalry to depart last, choosing to be at the rear.

As for Xubuguduhou himself, he never left the territory of the tribal army.

...............

Several days later, in Jinyang County, Taiyuan Prefecture.

After Zhang Yang was captured, Liu Wei opened the city gates of Jinyang County, and the Liangzhou troops entered Jinyang County without losing a single soldier.

After Zhang Yang was captured, Liu Wei, in his capacity as the governor of Taiyuan Prefecture, issued an order that within just a few days, the entire Taiyuan Prefecture was transformed into Duan Yu's sphere of influence.

However, after capturing Taiyuan County, the Liangzhou army did not continue northward.

According to the previous plan, the Southern Xiongnu would send troops south across the Yin Mountains and then conquer the remaining counties.

As for the Liangzhou army, they were to turn towards Taiyuan County, following the route taken by the million Yellow Turbans who had migrated to Jizhou, to conquer Jizhou.

After the Southern Xiongnu conquered the remaining counties, they would turn their troops from the direction of Yanmen County and send them to Youzhou.

This was the general strategic direction previously formulated by Xun You.

First, take the four prefectures of Hebei, then turn south, advance from the north to the south, attack from the high ground, cut off the three horse farms of the Han Dynasty in Bingzhou, Liangzhou, and Youzhou, as well as the huge granary of Jizhou, and then form an encirclement around Luoyang before crossing the Yellow River.

Therefore, after occupying Taiyuan County, the Liangzhou army rested in Jinyang and then prepared to advance on Jizhou.

Ji Province is not Bing Province; it is adjacent to the Sili Commandery.

Although the Liangzhou army had set foot in Jizhou, Jizhou did not have the same access to supplies and grain transport as Bingzhou.

To attack Jizhou, we really have to take it city by city, one by one, through hard-fought battles.

Making thorough preparations before the battle is also essential.

The army was originally supposed to set off today.

But just last night, a secret intelligence report from the Military Affairs Department was delivered to Jia Xu and Li Ru.

Not only last night, but just half a day after receiving the first secret letter from the Grand Council last night, that is, this morning, the second secret letter from the Grand Council was also delivered to Jia Xu.

..............

Inside the official residence in Jinyang City.

Jia Xu, Li Ru, and Cheng Yu gathered together at this moment.

All three of them had extremely solemn expressions.

A secret intelligence report from the Military Affairs Bureau, sent from the Xiongnu army in Yunzhong County, is being passed between the three men.

Last night, after the first intelligence report arrived, the three of them immediately sat down together to discuss it.

Before the three of them could come to a conclusion, a second secret letter arrived after dawn.

After a quick breakfast, the three, who hadn't slept all night, resumed their discussions.

On the table in front of Jia Xu was a cup of strong tea, freshly brewed for the interrogation. His hands were tucked into his sleeves, and his brows were furrowed.

"Wenhe, according to your guess, what is the current situation of Qiangqu Chanyu?" Li Ru put down the secret intelligence that he had received from the Military Affairs Department.

With his hands tucked into his sleeves, Jia Xu raised his hands and rubbed his nose.

"Based on my guess, there's roughly a 70% chance that Qiangqu Chanyu is under Yufuluo's control, and the remaining 30%... is very likely that he's already dead," Jia Xu said slowly.

The tall Cheng Yu shook his head, indicating a different opinion: "In my opinion, Yu Fuluo has probably already committed patricide."

Li Ru took a deep breath.

Patricide.

This word is not unusual.

Throughout history, not to mention the barbaric lands of the northern grasslands, even in the Central Plains, cases of fratricide and patricide for power have been commonplace.

However, at this critical juncture, the fact that Yufuluo has now killed Qiangqu Chanyu and taken control of the Xiongnu army is clearly a dangerous sign.

This dangerous move could very well affect the Liangzhou army's future plans.

No, it's not just very likely, it will definitely have an impact.

"Leaving aside the situation of Qiangqu Chanyu, it is a fact that Yufuluo has taken control of the Xiongnu army." Li Ru slowly said, "The intelligence says that Yufuluo came under the pretext of having repelled the Xianbei army. I think that if Yufuluo has imprisoned or killed Qiangqu Chanyu, then it is very likely that he has reached some kind of agreement with Budugen of the Xianbei."

"Back then, His Highness the Prince of Liang burned down Tanhan Mountain, forging a blood feud with the Xianbei. If these two were to join forces, I'm afraid..."

Li Ru shook his head as he spoke: "The Xiongnu army is now advancing eastward towards Yanmen County, and it is very likely that they intend to open Pingcheng Pass and let the Xianbei army in."

"If that's really the case, then the problem is serious."

Yufuluo previously commanded 20,000 Xiongnu troops, and with the addition of the 20,000 troops under the control of Qiangqu Chanyu, that makes a total of 40,000.

It is roughly estimated that the Xianbei also had an army of tens of thousands.

Raising 100,000 won't be a problem.

Of course, this doesn't mean that the Xianbei and Xiongnu's 100,000-strong army was particularly powerful.

If it were a real war, even if it were a campaign of conquering cities and seizing territory, the combined forces of the 100,000 Xiongnu and Xianbei would be nothing special.

It wouldn't be too difficult for the Liangzhou army to defeat them.

The weapons and armor of the Xiongnu and Xianbei were inferior to those of the Liangzhou army.

Not to mention during a siege.

But that's not how wars are fought.

The enemy will not stand there and wait for the Liangzhou army to come and attack.

Of course, they won't offer themselves up on their own initiative.

If we consider the Liangzhou Army as the initial, lesser-known Liangzhou Army from four years ago, then that possibility still exists.

If Yufuluo and Budugen joined forces, they would really dare to confront each other head-on, relying on their army of 100,000.

However, everyone in the world now knows the fighting strength of the Liangzhou army and knows that Duan Yu has never been defeated.

Just look at the current strategic policy of the imperial court in Luoyang to understand.

It was all about defense, holding out to the death, and absolutely not going out of the city for a decisive battle.

If the combined forces of 100,000 Xiongnu and Xianbei actually crossed the Great Wall and entered Bingzhou, it would bring endless trouble.

Both the Xiongnu and Xianbei were cavalry, extremely fast, a speed that even the Liangzhou army could not match.

Because the Liangzhou army's cavalry only made up a portion of its forces, the majority were infantry.

As long as the Xiongnu and Xianbei allied forces remain scattered in Bingzhou, divided into more than a dozen groups, or even more, they will continue to plunder, burn, and kill.

Then the entire Bingzhou region would be plunged into chaos and suffering.

Not only Bingzhou, but also beyond Pingcheng Pass today, the Xiongnu and Xianbei can advance towards Youzhou and Jizhou.

As long as the Xiongnu and Xianbei armies wanted to leave, there was no way to stop them.

Moreover, even if they could defeat them, completely driving so many Xiongnu and Xianbei armies out of Bingzhou would not be an easy task.

The worst-case scenario is that the combined forces of the Xiongnu and Xianbei will burn, kill, and plunder everywhere, turning the entire Bingzhou into scorched earth; that would be a real problem.

When they attacked Liangzhou, Duan Yu's orders were very clear.

Try not to disturb the people, and strive to obtain a complete Bingzhou.

However, judging from these two secret reports, things are likely to change even more drastically.

"I think we should report this matter to His Highness Prince Liang immediately," Cheng Yu suggested.