klisemfg Chapter 385 Instigation
Chapter 385 Instigation
Touman Chanyu looked at Liu Qi kneeling on the ground and remained silent for a long time. Just when Liu Qi thought he was doomed, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the tent. It turned out that a general within the Xiongnu had a conflict with Touman Chanyu and took the opportunity to rebel, throwing the royal court into chaos.
Lu Jia and Liu Qi escaped from the camp amidst the chaos. They hid in the disorderly royal court, looking for an opportunity to leave. At this moment, they saw the rebellious generals leading their troops in a fierce battle with the Chanyu's guards; the situation was extremely chaotic. Lu Jia had a sudden inspiration and said to Liu Qi, "We can use this opportunity to help the Chanyu quell the rebellion. Perhaps we can gain his trust and complete our mission."
Liu Qi nodded, secretly contemplating the wisdom in Lu Jia's words. His eyes were sharp as he intently watched the situation on the battlefield, observing the movements of both sides.
After careful consideration, Liu Qi decided to sneak into the battlefield with Lu Jia. They carefully avoided the two sides in the battle, moving like ghosts among the flashing swords, looking for the best opportunity to offer their assistance.
In this tense atmosphere, Liu Qi and Lu Jia's hearts pounded faster. They were completely focused, not daring to relax for a moment, for fear of being discovered and falling into danger.
Finally, they discovered a crucial scene amidst the chaos of the battlefield—the rebel general was confronting the leader of Touman Chanyu's guards, with both sides on the verge of war and the situation extremely critical.
Lu Jia and Liu Qi seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on the rebel general from the side. Lu Jia, wielding a dagger he had found, thrust it fiercely at the general's arm, while Liu Qi kicked him in the knee. The rebel general, in pain, staggered. The leader of the Chanyu's guards took the opportunity to counterattack and subdue him.
Upon witnessing this, Touman Chanyu's eyes lit up with admiration. After the rebellion was quelled, Touman Chanyu summoned Lu Jia and Liu Qi to thank them for their help. Lu Jia took the opportunity to explain that although they had come to this place to escape Qin law, they sincerely wanted to establish friendly trade relations with the Xiongnu and had no malicious intent.
Touman Chanyu remained silent, his deep eyes fixed on the two men before him, as if trying to see through their appearances to their true thoughts.
After careful consideration, Touman Chanyu gradually formed an idea. He thought to himself, "Although these two men come from the Central Plains, they are both very quick-witted and quite skilled. If I can use such talents, they might bring me unexpected gains."
Thinking this, Touman Chanyu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile. He decided to leave the two men in the royal court for the time being to observe their performance and see if they were truly capable of serving him.
Over the next few days, Lu Jia and Liu Qi busied themselves near the Xiongnu royal court. On the surface, they appeared to be actively promoting the fine wine and silk they had brought, but in reality, through careful observation over the past two days, they had gained a general understanding of the main situation of the Xiongnu.
The Chanyu of the Xiongnu royal court was named Touman Chanyu, and he had a son named Modu. In the past, Touman Chanyu had greatly valued Modu and placed high hopes on him. However, a few years ago, Touman Chanyu acquired a new woman. This new queen was not only exceptionally beautiful but also charming and alluring, captivating Touman Chanyu completely.
After the queen entered Touman Chanyu's life, she frequently whispered in his ear, influencing him. Gradually, Touman Chanyu became increasingly distant from his son, Maodun, and no longer valued him as much as before.
Now, the queen is six months pregnant, and she is plotting to get rid of Maodun so that her unborn child can inherit the position of Chanyu in the future.
Besides these, on this vast land, there was another tribe whose strength was comparable to that of the Xiongnu—the Donghu. This tribe had long harbored resentment towards the Xiongnu and frequently provoked them. Moreover, the Donghu king even made arrogant pronouncements, claiming he would seize the Xiongnu's queen and their prized horses. Such arrogant remarks undoubtedly exacerbated the tension between the Xiongnu and the Donghu, causing friction between the two sides to escalate continuously.
The group that came to provoke the Xiongnu this time were none other than the subordinates of the Donghu King. They were aggressive and made no attempt to conceal their hostility, clearly indicating they had come prepared. Faced with such provocation, the Xiongnu naturally wouldn't stand idly by, which is why they gave Liu Qi and Lu Jia an opportunity.
However, besides the Xiongnu and Donghu, another powerful force existed on this land—the Yuezhi. The Yuezhi king was also a formidable figure, and the Yuezhi tribe under his rule possessed considerable strength and influence.
Currently, these three forces are testing each other while remaining wary of one another. They are all cautiously observing each other's every move, trying to understand each other's bottom line and intentions. This delicate balance makes the whole situation unpredictable and difficult to foresee what will happen next.
Having already discovered this information, Liu Qi and Lu Jia, after much deliberation, finally came up with a general plan.
A few days later, Lu Jia approached Touman Chanyu with a fawning expression and said respectfully, "Chanyu, I have recently heard some news that may be of great benefit to you."
Upon hearing this, Touman Chanyu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful sneer: "Oh? Is that so? Tell me about it."
Seeing this, Lu Jia continued, "Chanyu, I've heard that the Donghu king has always harbored resentment towards you and has been quite disrespectful to you. Moreover, your queen is about to give birth. If the Donghu suddenly attack while she is giving birth, it could threaten the safety of your queen and the child."
Touman Chanyu's expression grew increasingly serious as he listened to Lu Jia's words. He nodded, agreeing with Lu Jia's reasoning. Seeing that Touman Chanyu seemed to be deep in thought, Lu Jia seized the opportunity to continue, "Chanyu, with your current strength, your army is powerful and your morale is high. Isn't this the perfect opportunity to wipe out the Donghu and unify the grasslands? If you can successfully defeat the Donghu, your fame will resound throughout the entire grasslands. At that time, who would dare to disrespect you?"
Touman Chanyu's mind began to shift, and his ambition burned fiercely like a ignited flame. However, despite being moved by Lu Jia's words, he still had reservations: "If we start a war rashly, there may be many unexpected variables."
Seeing this, Liu Qi quickly pressed his advantage, saying, "Chanyu, think about it! This is a golden opportunity! Last time, the people sent by the Donghu King were so arrogant in launching a war against us. If you don't take countermeasures, I'm afraid more and more tribes will disrespect you. At that time, where will your prestige be? The consequences will be unimaginable!"
The more Touman Chanyu listened, the more reasonable Liu Qi's words seemed. His brows gradually relaxed, and his initial concerns dissipated under Liu Qi's analysis. With the constant encouragement of Lu Jia and Liu Qi, Touman Chanyu finally made up his mind to send troops to attack the Donghu.
This decision swept through the entire Xiongnu tribe like a whirlwind. War on the steppe was imminent, and the Xiongnu people were extremely excited. They were eager to try, sharpening their knives, ready to seize women, horses, and fertile land.