About a month ago, he had fought all the way to Shanggu Commandery. Li Commandery Governor of Shanggu personally led the commandery’s officials, large and small, and the generals to welcome him at the city gate, along with Zhao Kuan.
After Zhao Kuan accepted Shanggu Commandery’s letter of surrender, he planted the “Zhao” character banner on the city tower.
The matter proceeding so smoothly, Tuoba Yilu couldn’t understand why Zhao Hanzhang had sent him to Shanggu Commandery. Then the Duan clan Xianbei’s great army pressed at the border.
They swiftly passed through Beiping Commandery, their army standing in dark masses at the border between Beiping and Shanggu Commanderies, looking ready to descend at any moment.
Zhao Kuan and Li Commandery Governor immediately requested that Tuoba Yilu suppress the Duan clan Xianbei and block the enemy outside Shanggu Commandery.
Only then did Tuoba Yilu confirm that Zhao Hanzhang’s purpose wasn’t to have him receive Shanggu Commandery at all, but to defend it—to prevent the Duan clan Xianbei from moving south and disrupting her plans to occupy Youzhou and destroy the Xiongnu.
At that moment, Tuoba Yilu’s heart burned like fire. For the long-term interests of the Tuoba tribe, he shouldn’t block the Duan clan Xianbei. Once Zhao Hanzhang unified the north, he would become useless, and the Tuoba tribe would lose its nourishment for development. Only if Youzhou, Jizhou, and Bingzhou continued in chaos, remaining in their previous fragmented state, could the Tuoba tribe develop opportunistically.
Not to mention distant matters—just the money and grain Liu Kun paid annually to hire the Tuoba tribe was enough to keep them clothed and fed for over half the year. Raising some sheep and horses on top of that, they’d have no worries for an entire year.
But Zhao Kuan and Li Commandery Governor had him roasting over the fire. Combined with his promise to Zhao Hanzhang before departing, he couldn’t lift his feet to leave.
After racking his brains, he thought of a plan—he damaged a batch of grain and fodder, using the excuse of insufficient supplies to leave. Li Commandery Governor then had ten carts of grain and fodder delivered.
Tuoba Yilu claimed insufficient military strength, and Zhao Kuan said he would petition Zhao Hanzhang to have Zu Ti and Zhao Ju, who were nearby, come to their aid.
He only stayed because he’d heard Zu Ti and Zhao Ju were nearby and didn’t forcibly leave. Sure enough, before long, Zu Ti arrived. The three armies faced each other across the river.
Tuoba Yilu didn’t want to fight—he only wanted to leave, so he didn’t move. For some reason, the Duan clan Xianbei and Zu Ti also didn’t move. Everyone just remained there, silently consuming grain and fodder.
Until recently when Shi Lei arrived, bringing news that Zhao Hanzhang had achieved great victory and the Xiongnu state was destroyed.
At that moment, Tuoba Yilu felt no joy, only alarm and a slight chill.
Even the Xiongnu, so powerful, had been defeated by Zhao Hanzhang. Would there truly be room for the Tuoba tribe in Youzhou and Bingzhou in the future?
Yet within these worries was at least a thread of hope—Liu Kun. His relationship with Liu Kun was good. In the future, relying on Liu Kun, the Tuoba tribe’s days shouldn’t be too difficult. But he never expected Zhao Hanzhang would transfer Liu Kun away.
Oh, he had always known this, but Liu Kun had kept refusing. How had he suddenly agreed?
Beigong Chun, Beigong Chun—that was a fierce general whom neither Shi Lei nor Wang Mi could defeat. He himself was evenly matched with Shi Lei, which by calculation meant he would lose to Beigong Chun.
Though one couldn’t calculate warfare this way—after all, battlefields involved many factors—he still couldn’t help it. He didn’t think he could suppress Beigong Chun.
At this moment, Tuoba Yilu missed Liu Kun terribly.
As for whether Zhao Hanzhang knew of his calculations, that would depend on how Zhao Kuan viewed and reported the matter.
Tuoba Yilu was alarmed. He tossed the sword to his guard and forced out a smile with Tuoba Yulü as they went out.
Zhao Kuan stood in the autumn wind with his hands tucked in his sleeves. Hearing footsteps, he turned back, cupped his hands with a smile, and said, “General Tuoba, the Governor is already waiting. Please.”
Tuoba Yilu smiled and agreed, going with Zhao Kuan to meet Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan had gone directly to Zu Ti’s army, then summoned Shi Lei and Tuoba Yilu to meet her.
The distance between the two armies was over twenty li—not close, but not far either. Tuoba Yilu and Zhao Kuan rode horses and quickly arrived at Zu Ti’s main camp with their men. Shi Lei had also just arrived. The two met at the camp gate, eyeing each other competitively.
Zhao Hanzhang had come to negotiate with the Duan clan Xianbei. She summoned the three to ask about the Duan clan Xianbei’s military strength and any conflicts and battle results during this period.
Learning that at most they had cursed each other’s ancestors and shoved each other a bit, with no casualties from actual conflict so far, Zhao Hanzhang fell silent for quite a while.
Then she felt even more confident about the negotiations.
Zhao Hanzhang immediately had Zhao Kuan draft a state letter and sent someone to deliver it to the Duan clan.
She smiled at Tuoba Yilu. “I brought fine wine. Elder brother, stay—we’ll drink heartily tonight.”
With that, she had Zu Ti entertain Tuoba Yilu while she kept Shi Lei to talk.
Before leaving, Tuoba Yilu couldn’t help glancing at the smiling Zhao Hanzhang, his heart filled with unease.
Zhao Hanzhang also didn’t remain in the main tent. She went outside with Shi Lei to catch the wind. The two rode horses directly to the riverside, looking at the Duan clan camp across the river.
She nodded toward the opposite bank. “Don’t look at how cold Beiping Commandery is—it has open plains, large tracts of land, very suitable for growing wheat and beans. Managed well, it can feed many people.”
Shi Lei’s gaze was piercing as he looked across the river. “But Beiping Commandery is currently occupied by the Duan clan Xianbei. Does the Governor intend to send troops against the Duan clan?”
Zhao Hanzhang shook her head. “Don’t look at how we now have three armies gathered here, but our strength is insufficient. You have ten thousand men, Zu Ti twenty thousand, and the Tuoba tribe at most thirty thousand troops.”
“If we truly fought, the Duan clan across from us could deploy forces approaching a hundred thousand. Moreover, Tuoba Yilu wouldn’t necessarily give his full effort. We’d be setting ourselves on fire.” Zhao Hanzhang snorted derisively and shook her head. “Not appropriate, not appropriate.”
But these were all excuses in Shi Lei’s view. The real problem was, “The Governor has run out of grain and fodder.”
Zhao Hanzhang sighed. “Shilong truly has keen insight. That’s right—I can’t produce grain and fodder for another battle. The people of Youzhou have also reached their limit, so at this time we can only retreat one step first. Wait until the future…”
Shi Lei’s gaze was piercing as he said in a low voice, “Wait until the future—I will take back Liaoxi Commandery as well.”
Liaoxi Commandery also belonged to Youzhou, but had been granted to the Duan clan by Wang Jun. He had even obtained an Liaoxi Duke title for Duan Wumouchen from the court. Like Liu Kun, it was a temporary compromise, with Wang Jun taking the benefits but leaving the trouble to Zhao Hanzhang.
Oh, now she had one more person to share the trouble with—Shi Lei.
Zhao Hanzhang’s wounded heart was somewhat comforted. She was about to encourage Shi Lei when she heard him ask quietly, “What about Dai Commandery then, Governor? Dai Commandery also belongs to my Youzhou.”
Zhao Hanzhang: …
She took back her earlier thought. She felt another arrow pierce her wounded heart.
Zhao Hanzhang considered briefly before saying, “Dai Commandery will be changed to Dai State, temporarily as Tuoba Yilu’s fief.”
Shi Lei raised his eyebrows. Temporarily?
Did this mean she would reclaim the fief later?
Of course Zhao Hanzhang wouldn’t say she would reclaim the fief. She only said to Shi Lei, “I promised Tuoba Yilu and won’t go back on my word. General Shi, under my governance, I also won’t allow you to attack each other privately.”
This entire territory truly belonged to her. Shi Lei was only Governor of Youzhou, and Tuoba Yilu was only Lord of Dai State. They only had administrative rights, not ownership. She absolutely would not allow the previous kind of mutual attacks and territorial seizures to occur.
If this didn’t change, where would the people find stable space to develop agriculture?
Shi Lei felt Zhao Hanzhang’s threat. He pressed his lips together before agreeing, indicating he would obey orders.
Only then did Zhao Hanzhang withdraw herauthority and smile at him. “General Shi, you have the court as your backing. I hope we can cooperate in the future to build Youzhou well.”