Chapter 124

Takbal Yeokmi carefully followed the messenger, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at the slightest hint of trouble. However, contrary to his worries, the messenger headed straight to Chang-ran’s tent. Takbal Yeokmi squinted suspiciously, wondering if there was something unusual inside.

“Please enter.”

“Ahem, good work.”

Takbal Yeokmi puffed out his chest, trying not to appear intimidated by the messenger’s words. Inside the tent, contrary to his wild imagination, only Chang-ran was present. It was unnatural for her to still be in full armor so late into the night, but it only added to her imposing aura.

“You’ve come.”

“Yes, General. I heard you summoned me.”

Their relationship had evolved from mutual respect to a more hierarchical one, a testament to Takbal Yeokmi’s efforts to bridge the gap. He observed Chang-ran’s expression, wondering if she had called him to address the backlash from the retreats that had angered the tribes. Yet, her face remained impassive.

Takbal Yeokmi was relieved. He had hoped that Chang-ran, whom he revered as a heavenly maiden, wasn’t a cowardly general frightened by the enemy’s forces. Chang-ran, noticing his relief, spoke.

“Do you trust me?”

“Is this a loyalty test? Such direct confirmation isn’t usually effective,” Takbal Yeokmi thought to himself, but he answered calmly.

“Of course. If I don’t trust the Commander, who else would I trust?”

“Really? Then how about compared to Du Bin?”

A chill ran down Takbal Yeokmi’s spine. He instinctively sensed danger. This wasn’t just a simple loyalty check.

“…Commander? What do you mean…?”

This wasn’t just about reaffirming loyalty. The thought flashed through Takbal Yeokmi’s mind.

‘Chang-ran and Du Bin. Life and death. A choice between the two.’

Takbal Yeokmi was certain that if he chose Du Bin, Chang-ran would kill him. With her already shaky authority, if it got out that she had asked him to choose between her and Du Bin, even a child would know that Du Bin would turn against the Han Dynasty.

The repercussions of killing him? Chang-ran had a perfect alibi. She could simply claim that Takbal Yeokmi had tried to assault her, and that would be the end of it.

Takbal Yeokmi understood why Chang-ran had summoned him secretly, but he wasn’t the least bit happy about it.

“I want to hear your true feelings.”

“…May I ask in return? Have you asked this question to anyone else?”

“Of course not. You are the first and last.”

“Then… yes, I will follow you, Commander.”

It wasn’t a lie.

Du Bin had been Takbal Yeokmi’s benefactor, but Takbal Yeokmi felt no obligation to repay him. On the steppes, relationships were purely transactional unless they were blood relatives.

The labels of Xianbei, Xiongnu, or Qiang were just terms the Han used to distinguish barbarians. They didn’t share a sense of community. In that sense, Du Bin was no different. He hadn’t taken in the Takbal Tribe out of genuine kindness but as useful mercenaries.

Moreover, Takbal Yeokmi had grand ambitions. In actual history, even after becoming Du Bin’s son-in-law, Takbal Yeokmi killed Du Bin’s sons and absorbed the Molokhui Tribe after Du Bin’s death.

He was an ambitious man who could sever ties with Du Bin if necessary.

“Let’s work together on something.”

“To repel the enemy?”

“That’s the idea.”

“I will gladly follow.”

Takbal Yeokmi felt a thrill, knowing his judgment hadn’t been wrong, and immediately bowed.

“In the next battle, lure Du Bin into attacking.”

“Are you planning to use Du Bin as a decoy?”

“To catch a cautious fish, a fake bait won’t do.”

“But is it really wise? Du Bin’s forces are significant.”

Abandoning Du Bin and the Xianbei troops would be a huge loss. Takbal Yeokmi didn’t see the need to throw away such a valuable piece.

The Wei army was the one eager for a full-scale battle. All they needed to do was not retreat, right?

But Chang-ran just smiled faintly, showing no intention of addressing Takbal Yeokmi’s doubts. Takbal Yeokmi quickly shifted his stance.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Gather Du Bin’s cavalry after they become remnants. Du Bin’s fate is in your hands.”

If Takbal Yeokmi wished, he could take over Du Bin’s Molokhui Tribe as a reward for his cooperation.

“I won’t disappoint you.”

“After pretending to retreat and gathering the troops, turn the army around and strike the enemy’s rear.”

Takbal Yeokmi understood Chang-ran’s plan. Use the Xianbei as bait to draw the enemy into a full-scale battle, then, while the Han army held the line, use the mobile cavalry to attack the Wei army’s rear.

It was a classic encirclement tactic, one Chang-ran had used many times before. But would it work against the numerically superior Wei army? Even with Takbal Yeokmi’s help, the Wei army wasn’t some bandit group; their losses would be significant.

Many doubts arose, but Takbal Yeokmi didn’t voice them. According to Chang-ran’s plan, he would temporarily leave the battlefield. He doubted the Wei army would chase them with the Han main force in front.

If Chang-ran’s plan failed, Takbal Yeokmi could simply flee.

“Should I rejoin the battle at a time I deem appropriate?”

“You’ll know naturally when you see the battlefield.”

“You mean you’ll give a signal? What will it be?”

Chang-ran’s smile deepened, her red lips forming a clear arc.

“A flower.”

§

Unlike the Han camp, where the dissatisfaction of the tribes was growing, the Wei camp was filled with excitement. The overall morale was the opposite, but both camps shared one thing: the stark contrast between the tribes and the Han army’s atmosphere.

The Wei army, having suffered many defeats at Chang-ran’s hands, remained cautious, suspecting that her retreats were part of a larger plan. However, the tribes, who had only heard of Chang-ran and the Han army, were brimming with confidence.

Only the Southern Xiongnu, whose leader You Piao had been killed by Chang-ran, remained vigilant.

“The rumors were just rumors.”

“Of course. A woman as a general? What can you expect?”

The Xianbei, Ge, and Wuhuan soldiers gathered to mock Chang-ran and the Han army. What was there to fear from an enemy that had fled three times before even fighting? Their fear of the Wei army itself was fading.

The Wei command was well aware of the tribes’ mood. Jian Chao, the newly appointed Protector of the Northern Barbarians, was the first to notice. The overconfidence of the northern tribes, except for the Southern Xiongnu, was troubling.

“The northern barbarians, except for the Southern Xiongnu, are too excited.”

“Is it difficult to control them?”

“Not at all.”

Jian Chao spoke with pride. Since Yuan Shao’s time, he had been commanding the northern tribes, including the Wuhuan. Losing control over such a situation was unthinkable.

“Just as Protector Jian said. No matter how excited they are, they’re still under our control.”

Even Yan Yu, who was second to none in commanding the tribes, agreed with Jian Chao.

“We need to be cautious.”

Yang Shi, the Governor of Bing Province, spoke up. While low morale often led to army collapse, overconfidence could also lead to reckless charges and defeat.

Zhang Xiu, one of the few who had defeated Cao Cao, had suffered such a defeat. Though he later avenged it with Jia Xu’s advice.

“Don’t forget that Sun Bin of Qi used feigned retreats to deceive Pang Juan of Wei.”

“Governor Yang’s point is valid, but I see a flaw.”

Zhao Chang, the military commander, shook his head.

“Sun Bin’s troops were a unified Qi army, but our current enemies are not. Feigning retreat to break our cool would only backfire on them.”

In Zhao Chang’s view, the nomads’ nature was inherently different. Unlike the Han, who valued systematic strategy, they relied on instinctive strength.

Zhao Chang assumed Chang-ran had done some preparatory work, but even so, she couldn’t control the dissatisfaction of the ordinary soldiers.

Zhao Chang’s focus wasn’t on these tribal antics.

“Our past defeats were largely due to letting Chang-ran roam free. Her keen eye for spotting weaknesses and bold actions have exploited our vulnerabilities.”

During the Hanzhong campaign, she had brilliantly exploited a momentary gap caused by Yang Su. In Jing Province, she had attacked at the weakest moment, knowing the troops were mostly new recruits.

“Guo Huai’s defeat was similar. She created the weakness herself.”

Zhao Chang prided himself on having analyzed Chang-ran more deeply than anyone. His conclusion was that containing her was key.

“With a large army, we can strike Chang-ran and her main force directly. The terrain here is flat, with no forests for ambushes. Using the logic of a large army, victory is certain.”

The orthodox way.

A large army doesn’t need tricks. Trying to use tricks might expose weaknesses, giving Chang-ran an opportunity.

In Zhao Chang’s view, the best way to defeat Chang-ran was to press forward with a large army.

As for those tribes? They’re just for stabilizing the rear and filling numbers. As long as they don’t cause trouble, that’s enough.

Let the tribes fight among themselves.

In the end, the outcome would be decided between Chang-ran and Zhao Chang.

“Tomorrow, we attack again.”

And when Zhao Chang launched the attack the next day, the Han army showed signs of retreating once more. But this time, it was different.

A group of cavalry charged out from the Han camp.

It was Du Bin leading the Xianbei.