Chapter 68

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 68

Chapter Title: Duan Jing and Zhang Huan

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After the long battle ended, the scattered units returned to camp one after another.

Dismounting my horse, a pungent stench of sweat and animal dung assaulted my nose.

The soldiers were utterly exhausted, but they couldn't hide their gleaming eyes at the sight of the herded livestock and the sacks strapped to their backs. Especially the Qiang and Di cavalrymen, who chattered noisily as they unpacked their spoils.

The camp quickly bustled with people, horses, and captured herds of cattle and sheep. Amid the clamor, Zhang Liao and Gao Shun approached to report.

"Lord, here is the final tally of our achievements!"

Zhang Liao unfurled a bamboo slip stained with blood.

"In this pacification campaign, we slew some twenty thousand enemies and took over five thousand prisoners. We captured twenty thousand horses and more than a hundred thousand head of cattle and sheep. Our total casualties number less than a thousand."

"Well done."

I took the bamboo slip. The losses were lighter than I'd expected.

"Handle the fallen with full honors, and send generous shares of the captured livestock to their families as consolation. Spare no effort in treating the wounded."

"What of the prisoners?"

Gao Shun asked.

"Send those showing no signs of resistance to Changli for road construction work. The rest—"

I glanced at the prisoners we'd taken. Their faces were etched with fear.

"...disarm them and release them. Tell them to go home and spread word far and wide of our victory."

"Yes, sir!"

As Zhang Liao and Gao Shun withdrew, Takya, Myagon, Mokta, and the other foreign chieftains who'd earned distinction in this war came swarming over.

Excitement still burned on their faces, their eyes glued to the growing piles of spoils stacking up in one corner of the camp.

Takya spoke first.

"Governor Ye! The prowess we've witnessed serving in your army is truly astounding! Our Qiang warriors all say they were right to follow you."

"Indeed! To sweep away so many foes in a single stroke! Now Jiuquan and Dunhuang hold no terror for us!"

Myagon chimed in with heated fervor. Mokta couldn't hold back any longer and cut to the chase.

"Ahem, so how do you plan to divide the spoils, Governor?"

I pointed to the mountain-like heaps of loot piling up in the camp's central square.

"Those who earned merit in this war deserve their due rewards. Especially the Qiang and Di, who blazed the trail at the vanguard and pressed the pursuit."

Then I announced the distribution ratios I'd prepared after consulting with Jia Xu and Tian Feng.

My direct troops took the lion's share, but I allotted generously enough to honor the foreigners' contributions and forestall any grumbling.

"The captured horses and weapons go to the units to bolster our strength. Livestock and other goods will be divided fairly by merit. Any objections?"

The chieftains' faces lit up at the unexpectedly lavish shares.

"Your judgment is just; how could we not obey!"

"Our thanks, Governor!"

Satisfied, the chieftains went off to claim their portions.

'Hmm, as expected—trying to hoard all the loot just makes your belly burst.'

With post-battle affairs settled, I returned to my tent for a brief respite.

The long, grueling war in Jiuquan had finally ended.

The rowdy camp settled down, and as I headed back to my tent to rest, hurried footsteps echoed from outside.

It was a messenger from Yang Yong, who had pacified Jiuquan's Hu tribes.

"Governor Ye! Sincere congratulations on your great victory! Here is a letter from the Provincial Governor."

"Hmm, my thanks. Rest up after your long ride."

"Thank you, Governor."

I unfurled the letter once the messenger departed. The contents were just as I'd anticipated.

'Heh... who knew the Provincial Governor would be more hot-blooded than me.'

I set the letter on the table and summoned Tian Feng and Jia Xu.

"The Provincial Governor's orders have arrived: advance on Dunhuang immediately... Teacher Jia, as a Liang Province man, you know it best. What of Dunhuang?"

Jia Xu's expression grew grave, unlike before. He spread out a map and pointed to the vast expanse northwest ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of Dunhuang.

"Lord, Dunhuang itself is not the issue—it's what lies beyond. Jiuquan's foreigners were mere scattered bands. But past Dunhuang stretch the strongholds of mighty nomadic tribes."

"Mighty nomadic tribes?"

"Even the Xianling Qiang, whence Beigong Boyu hailed, wield fearsome power. Records claim they can muster a full hundred thousand when the tribe mobilizes as one."

I couldn't hide my shock at Jia Xu's words. A hundred thousand—from a single tribe? No mere dog's name.

"Though now splintered with bases across the grasslands beyond Dunhuang, the instant we set foot on its soil, they'll view it as an invasion of their domain and react with fury."

Jia Xu pressed on.

"That's not all. Xiongnu remnants, even bands of the Southern Xiongnu pushed westward... They roam unbound across the steppes, seasoned in plunder and warfare, and above all, fiercely devoted to preserving their way of life and traditions."

"In short, tougher nuts than in Beigong Boyu's day. What of the Hu tribes there?"

"Dunhuang's Hu are of little note. Nomads dominate so thoroughly that many Han have fled, unlike Jiuquan."

My brow furrowed instinctively. Tian Feng then spoke up.

"Teacher Jia speaks true. Seizing Dunhuang is one matter; how to handle those formidable nomads afterward is the true crux. Lord, brute force alone invites endless rebellions. In the end, you must choose."

Jia Xu took up the thread.

"Two men once pacified these lands: Duan Jing and Zhang Huan."

At the mention of 'Duan Jing' and 'Zhang Huan,' Tian Feng offered his assessment of the former.

"Duan Jing brought peace through merciless extermination, beheading countless foreigners. His mere name stills barbarian children mid-weep. Yet no sooner had he died than Liang Province plunged back into chaos."

Jia Xu, by contrast, began on Zhang Huan.

"Zhang Huan was different. Having subdued by force, he established laws and order, treating Han and foreigners with equal justice to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠win their trust. Thus did Liang enjoy lasting stability. Even today, a shrine in Wuwei honors him with rites."

Tian Feng and Jia Xu turned their gazes to me and said,

"Lord, which path will you take? Shall you sweep them away in blood like Duan Jing, or choose to govern like Zhang Huan? Your decision will utterly reshape our strategy going forward."

I fell silent for a moment.

Slaughter them all like Duan Jing? I loathe the Wuhuan tribes, true—but hacking off over a hundred thousand heads? Perish the thought.

Besides, if I wiped them out, who would guard the Silk Road? With whom would we trade?

"Had I meant to behead a hundred thousand like Duan Jing, I'd have taken Han hands in Changli and butchered them all already."

I reached my conclusion.

"Zhang Huan forged laws himself and ruled with fairness—much like me. Force alone never endures. Surely Zhang Huan's way is superior?"

At my answer, the two advisors exchanged relieved glances.

"If that is your will, Lord, then our approach to Dunhuang must align accordingly."

"Of course, I won't coddle the disobedient. Subdue them by force first, then find ways to govern like Zhang Huan thereafter. But before plotting the assault, we must first submit a formal dispatch to the Provincial Governor."

I pointed at the map.

"Governor Bu lacks prowess in military affairs, making him ideal to stabilize Jiuquan. Best to petition the Provincial Governor to entrust him temporarily with its governance. Then Governor Jia and I lead the main army north to Dunhuang, while the Provincial Governor brings up the rear with supplies and support."

The two advisors nodded at my proposal.

"You two, devise concrete stratagems from this foundation on how to tackle Dunhuang's Hu and the foreign tribes—especially those Xianling Qiang. With ties to Beigong Boyu, they won't sit idle as we march north. Make scouting their movements our top priority."

"Understood, Lord."

Jiuquan alone had been a headache; who knew what Dunhuang held. But securing it would reopen the Silk Road—no losing proposition there.

In Dunhuang's barren steppe heart, dozens of gers stood arrayed in a circle.

The grandest central ger reeked of sour kumis.

Inside, a nomad who had barely escaped Jiuquan with his life panted out his report.

"A Han host has invaded Jiuquan lands! Our brothers... fell to that warrior on the red horse...!"

The White Horse Qiang chieftain furrowed his brow at the report.

"A warrior on a red horse? You mean Governor Ye of Changli, perhaps?"

"Yes! That's the one! No human—he—alone cut down hundreds...!"

No sooner had the nomad finished than the Xianling Qiang chieftain on the high seat scoffed.

"Hmph! Jiuquan's weaklings cower before one lone Han? Beigong Boyu was a disgrace to our Xianling Qiang! Had we intervened, it would have been different!"

At his arrogant tone, a Northern Xiongnu remnant chieftain seated to one side spoke coldly.

"Mind your tongue, young Xianling chieftain. We've heard the rumors too. This Ye Bu is no ordinary Han. He beheaded the Yellow Turban ringleaders—and didn't your tribesman Beigong Boyu lose his head to him as well?"

"Beigong Boyu was no true tribesman—a weakling and a shame! And Yellow Turbans? Middling peasant rabble from the heartlands! Think them fit to compare with our mighty Qiang warriors?!"

The Xianling Qiang chieftain bellowed. Ill winds stirred between them, but the Black River Qiang chieftain hastily intervened.

"This is no time for us to squabble! The Han covet Dunhuang itself. Shouldn't we discuss our response?"

The White Horse Qiang chieftain nodded.

"Well said indeed. From all we've heard, they smash head-on when united and pursue relentlessly when scattered. We can't meet them halfway."

Yet the Xianling Qiang chieftain brimmed with confidence.

"That's the fate of those softened by mingling with Han! True warriors like us, upholding our ancestors' ways—it's different! We clash head-on and shatter their cavalry—done!"

Then another Northern Xiongnu chieftain spoke with sarcasm.

"Head-on, eh... Word is Changli's Tianshan Qiang have already bent knee to that Han cur."

"What?!"

The Xianling Qiang chieftain's eyes bulged.

"Those mongrel scum dare side with Han?! Defiling Qiang honor! We strike the traitors first!"

"Please, rein in that fiery temper, Xianling chieftain! Housecleaning can wait—the Han are nearly upon us!"

The White Horse and Black River Qiang chieftains pleaded urgently.

The ger grew rowdy once more with heated debate on how to counter the Han.

Then, a Northern Xiongnu chieftain who had watched silently from a distant corner spoke softly.

"...Hmm. Peculiar."

All eyes turned to him.

"Do those Han truly crave this barren steppe? Or is it this 'road' they seek?"

Silence fell over the ger.

"If the road is all they want... why not just yield it? Why must we stake our lives on battle?"

At the Northern Xiongnu chieftain's probing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠question, the other tribal leaders—who moments before had fiercely debated war—could only exchange mute glances.