Upon hearing this, Shi Nudan pondered slightly while the tribal leaders beside him looked to him for leadership and said nothing.
Qing Xia stood up and said, “Eagles should spread their wings and soar high, fine horses should gallop across the grasslands. Today is merely a meeting of envoys. Since Lord Shi Nudan cannot make decisions, please return and tell Great Khan Longge that if he truly has sincerity, three days from now at the foot of Mount Baideng, this official is willing to drink and celebrate with Great Khan Longge, plotting great affairs together.”
With that, she turned and walked out. Outside the door stood a crowd of Xiongnu men. Qing Xia’s eyes swept across everyone, noticing that several Xiongnu were actually wearing Xichuan war boots—clearly they had been through the passes. She couldn’t help but curve her lips in a cold smile, saying indifferently, “Are there truly no heroes left on the grasslands? To rely on Yan Hui’s favor for survival—this truly disgraces Xunda Tianshen’s face.”
Without caring how ugly the surrounding Xiongnu envoys’ expressions became, she mounted her horse and, protected by Huang Biao and other guards, turned and rode away.
Duoge, envoy of Nannu Chili, stepped forward and said to Shi Nudan, “My lord, what do we do now?”
Shi Nudan watched Qing Xia’s departing figure with a grave expression, slowly saying, “Return and report to A’shu Dianxia. Time is running out. If we don’t handle this cleanly before Hui Dianxia returns, the grasslands will surely fall into chaos. Though this person is young, his insights are extraordinary. How can we people of the Golden Family wag our tails and beg for mercy under Yan Hui’s horse? Brothers, let’s go!”
Fierce winds howled across the grassland as the group of Xiongnu envoys galloped away. Qing Xia sat upright on horseback atop a high slope with three hundred black-clad guards behind her. These were all black-clad elite troops who had originally followed Qing Xia on Chu Li’s orders for secret protection—each skilled in archery and horsemanship with unmatched martial abilities. However, among them was one person with a pale face and red lips, clear bright eyes—clearly not someone who practiced martial arts.
Jin Shaohuang, dressed as a black-clad guard, spurred his horse forward to Qing Xia’s side. Following her gaze downward, watching those figures disappearing into the sunset, he slowly said, “Does Your Excellency truly plan to establish trade with the Xiongnu?”
“Of course,” Qing Xia showed no expression, looking at the vast setting sun on the horizon as she said softly, “Young Master Jin exclusively provided the grain and supplies for this northern journey. If this official doesn’t establish trade with the Xiongnu, wouldn’t Young Master Jin’s efforts be wasted?”
Jin Shaohuang smiled and said, “Your Excellency jokes. I don’t believe Your Excellency would establish trade with the Xiongnu for my sake. In my opinion, Your Excellency wants to support the Xiongnu against Northern Qin and Xichuan.”
Qing Xia turned her head, fixing her eyes steadily on Jin Shaohuang. An imperceptible sharp gleam flashed in her pupils, yet her tone became increasingly light as she said, “How can someone of Young Master Jin’s caliber make me believe you’re content to be just a wealthy patriarch?”
Jin Shaohuang was startled, suddenly realizing his slip of tongue. Qing Xia continued, “You’re not wrong, but not entirely correct either. The Xiongnu iron cavalry are fierce, skilled in archery and horsemanship, and for thousands of years have never given up their ambitions toward our Central Plains. For years they’ve knocked at our gates and ravaged our borders. Southern Chu and Eastern Qi fare somewhat better, but Northern Qin and Xichuan—who knows how many civilians die under Xiongnu wolf blades each year. Until the Xiongnu are pacified, the Central Plains can never have lasting peace.”
Jin Shaohuang frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, “Then why do you still want to trade with the Xiongnu? Don’t you know this will only strengthen grassland power?”
Qing Xia reined in her horse and turned around, saying, “I want to strengthen grassland power precisely so they’ll have the ability to contend with the western nations.”
“Contend with the western nations?”
“Exactly,” Qing Xia smiled faintly. The blood-red sunset shone on her face with a dazzling radiance. Slight smile lines appeared at the corners of Qing Xia’s eyes as she said in a deep voice, “The Xiongnu’s strength is our assistance. Young Master Jin, just wait and see. Someday, these vast northern grasslands will all be Great Chu territory. Not only that, but also the Western Region nations, Tsarist Russia, the Eastern Sea. Someday, Great Chu’s black dragon banners will be planted in every corner of this world.”
Jin Shaohuang’s eyes narrowed slightly as he said, “I truly didn’t see that Your Excellency is someone with such worldly ambitions.”
Qing Xia chuckled and said, “Actually, what Young Master wants to say is that I’m wildly ambitious, right?”
Jin Shaohuang didn’t argue, laughing coldly and remaining silent.
“I only suddenly understood this,” Qing Xia said softly, her eyes carrying an incomprehensible brilliance. “Young Master Jin, have you ever had someone you loved?”
Jin Shaohuang was startled, not expecting Qing Xia to suddenly ask this question. After being confused for a long while, he slowly said, “Never, though recently I’ve been rather fond of a newly purchased concubine.”
“In that case, you wouldn’t understand,” Qing Xia’s voice gradually became gentle, her handsome face appearing increasingly open and modest. “Once, I only wanted to retreat to the mountains and forests, living peacefully to old age. But now, I truly want to command the four directions and compete for the world. The human heart is truly a wondrous thing.”
Jin Shaohuang pondered silently. Qing Xia smiled and said, “To truly conquer a people, force is only the lowest method and wastes resources and harms the people. The wars between the Central Plains and Xiongnu have lasted long—for thousands of years, each has had periods of strength and weakness, yet neither could be completely eliminated. Now, the Xiongnu have strong troops and fine horses. Qidan Han’s ambitions are undying, Nannu Chili appears submissive on the surface, while Tanda and the Jurchen seem weak but once they gain rising strength, they’ll surely bite back at Guli A’shu. The Xiongnu grasslands—hmph—are already no longer a unified whole.”
The young general raised her head slightly, looking at the azure sky as she said in a deep voice, “If the Central Plains continue in turmoil, it will surely give the Xiongnu opportunities. When foreign cavalry trample across the Central Plains, destroying Central Plains culture and harming its people, the world will flow with blood and be unstable.”
Thinking of the bloody history of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, Qing Xia’s heart immediately surged with passion as she said, “Only under a unified central authority can we intimidate foreign barbarian states. The time isn’t right now—let the Xiongnu be happy for a few more days. I still need them to help us restrain Xichuan and harass the southwestern vassal states. Meanwhile, we’ll establish trade with the Xiongnu in the rear, transform Huarong Path into a commercial thoroughfare, and exile all Southern Chu criminals to the northern frontier to live among the Xiongnu. I want them to eat our Southern Chu rice while confronting Xichuan, wear our Southern Chu silk, speak our Southern Chu Han language, wear Chu shoes, don Chu caps, dress in Chu robes, live in Chu houses. Those who trade with them will be Chu people, those who speak with them will be Chu people, their employers will be Chu bosses, even their spouses will be Chu citizens. When they open their eyes to hear only Chu speech around them, and close their eyes to lie on Chu beds, the Xiongnu will have unknowingly been assimilated by us. Someday they’ll abandon their so-called Xunda Tianshen and turn to worship our Luoshui Heshen. That’s when we’ll send troops to the northern frontier.”
Jin Shaohuang’s eyes flashed as he looked up at Qing Xia, seeing the young general smile and say, “This is cultural conquest. Though it takes time, it’s highly effective and can eliminate their resistance consciousness—truly the most subtle method.”
The southeast’s greatest wealthy merchant pondered for a long while, finally sighing deeply, “Subtle indeed—truly apt imagery. Your Excellency is learned and talented, with meticulous thinking and unparalleled wisdom. Only today does Shaohuang truly submit.”
Qing Xia laughed, “Now you know why I wanted you to come north?”
“I know now,” Jin Shaohuang smiled bitterly and shook his head. “Building the north, transforming grasslands into cities, changing barbarian customs to Chu sentiment—Your Excellency has truly given me a great challenge.”
Qing Xia laughed heartily and suddenly raised her whip, saying, “Young Master Jin can even obtain corn seeds from the Western Ocean—how can this small matter be considered challenging? When the Jin family wields power over the world and wealth rivaling nations, just don’t forget this official.”
The fine horse galloped away in a cloud of dust. Jin Shaohuang stood on the plateau watching the southeastern governor disappear in the distance, suddenly smiling bitterly and sighing low, “Power over the world, wealth rivaling nations…”
Two days passed in a flash. Tomorrow would be the day of alliance with Guli A’shu. Qing Xia arrived at Mount Baideng at dawn to set up camp. Over the past two days, more than ten waves of scouts had been moving around their troops. Qing Xia had remained restrained and calm, and this attitude gave the surrounding scouts an impression of fearless confidence. All intelligence reports returned to their respective sources saying: Xia Qing is composed and calm, showing no fear despite repeated probing—he must have something to rely on.
The grasslands changed color as various forces gathered like layered clouds, with beacon fires ready to ignite at any moment. Winds rose and clouds surged.
However, at this moment, the southeastern provincial governor’s tent suddenly received a secret message that immediately shocked Governor Xia, who was waiting to meet with the Xiongnu!
“What did you say?” Qing Xia was greatly alarmed, hastily standing up and accidentally knocking over a teacup, soaking herself in tea.
The correspondence officer wiped his sweat while saying, “My lord, within five hundred li of Yanmen Pass, we’ve deployed personnel and informants everywhere, but there’s no trace of the southern border troops. According to intelligence from our scouts and spies, the border troops didn’t head to Yanmen Pass but went deep into the desert.”
“Went deep into the desert?” Qing Xia’s complexion paled slightly, her eyes wide as she murmured, “Weren’t they supposed to attack Xichuan in a pincer movement? Why did they enter the desert? What is he going to the desert for?”
Song Yang saw Qing Xia becoming somewhat flustered and quickly said to the correspondence officer, “You may withdraw first. This doesn’t concern you anymore.”
As soon as the correspondence officer left, Qing Xia quickly turned to Song Yang and said sternly, “What exactly is Chu Li going to do? Tell me immediately!”
Song Yang’s brow furrowed as he knelt firmly on the ground, saying in a deep voice, “Reporting to Your Excellency, this subordinate truly doesn’t know. I was only ordered to protect Your Excellency and received no other instructions.”
Qing Xia stared intently at Song Yang without blinking, trying to find a trace of insincerity in his eyes. After a long while, she finally had to give up, turning instead to say with worry, “The desert terrain is complex and is also the Xiongnu’s stronghold. Although we’ve drawn most of the Xiongnu to Mount Baideng, the ambush was set at Yanmen Pass. If he doesn’t go to Yanmen Pass, how can we provide support?”