Chapter 33: The Protector of Wuchang, Marquis of Bowang

  (Special thanks to " Zhao Wu Xu 2014" and " Hu Ye Bu Rao".)

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  The outcome of the Battle of Xiaozhishan was like shattering a mirror, and in just a few days, it spread throughout the northern deserts like it had grown wings. This was rarely seen in ancient times when communication basically relied on shouting.

  In fact, this news was able to spread so quickly throughout the north of the desert thanks to a shout - thanks to the help of the Yan brothers shouting out loud.

  On the day of the battle, Yan Rou saw the ferocity of the Hango cavalry and immediately decided to strengthen his relationship with the Hango department. To this end, the two brothers used all their skills to show off their influence and connections in the north of the desert to Ma Hong and the Hango department.

  Yan Shi brothers first reported the battle to Han Ting's Hu Wu Maru, and then informed the three counties of Wu Maru and the three departments of Xianbei about the outcome of the war. At the same time, they also sent out ten batches of messengers, deeply entering the northern grasslands, to loudly proclaim this matter to all the big and small tribes. Not only did it shock and intimidate the various departments in the north, but it also made many slaves of the Han dynasty ecstatic with joy. The direct consequence was that on the northern grasslands, there were everywhere surging underground escape routes.

  This is what Ma Yun wants to achieve.

  Apart from serving as duty announcers, the Yan brothers also generously donated 10,000 jin of scarce pig iron, 50 hu of salt, and 300 hu of millet to the Hangu Department. At the same time, they promised to replace the Hangu Department in applying to the Huwu Marquis's office to participate in the monopoly market.

  Of course, Ma Yuan didn't get these things for nothing. He handed over some of the captured Wuhuan people to the Yan brothers, letting them sell well to King Hulüwudan of the Wuhuan. In comparison, these captives were enough to consolidate the Yan brothers' status and influence in the eyes of the alien tribes, and their political effect was far more than what material goods could compare to. From this point on, the Yan brothers still made a profit.

  Seven days later, Yan Zhi, who had just rushed back from the Ning County (now Wanquan County, Hebei) where the Protector of the Wuhuan General's office was located, brought back a message that the Protector of the Wuhuan General Xing Ju had invited Ma Yuan to go to Ning City for discussion.

  Wuwan Marquis, the protector of Wuwan, was in charge of disputes between Wuwan and other tribes. The Han Gobo and Khanlu Wangbo tribes clashed at Xiaozhishan, which fell within the jurisdiction of the Wuwan Marquis. This battle was not large in scale, with fewer than 1,000 combatants on both sides combined, but casualties were heavy: over 500 Wuwan cavalrymen, including 50 elite riders, were killed or mortally wounded, and more than 100 were captured. Only Pofulu escaped with a dozen riders. This was an unprecedented disaster for the Wuyan tribe, which had only 800 households, 50,000 people, and 5,000 cavalrymen, making it the weakest of the three Wuwan tribes.

  On the vast grasslands of Mengnu, various tribes have been attacking each other, and battles involving over a thousand people are rare. Even in large-scale wars involving several thousand people, when it comes to determining victory or defeat, the actual number of deaths is less than one in ten. Nowadays, a small-scale battle involving only a few hundred people results in heavy casualties, with more than half of the troops being killed. Moreover, the side with fewer horses and men was defeated by an enemy that had nearly twice as many, and this enemy was a newly formed tribe composed of escaped slaves... How could Huo Qubing ignore this?

  The next day after receiving the news, Ma Xian arranged everything and set out on the road with Yan Shi brothers and twenty riders including Wu Zhui. The remaining three hundred Han cavalry (nearly thirty people were killed or injured in the battle of Xiaoshan) were all left behind to defend their own department. Although the Wuhuan people had just suffered a disastrous defeat, it was unlikely that they would immediately raise troops for revenge, but they also had to guard against the anger of Khan Lu and make irrational moves.

  From Hangou Village to Ning County, it's about 300 miles away. At a normal horse pace, it would take two to three days to arrive. However, Ma Xiu was worried about the Han Gou troops and decided to rush there and back quickly. He whipped his horse and arrived in Ning County by dusk on the second day. Since Yan Shi brothers and their over ten followers were following him, in order to keep it a secret, before departure, Ma Xiu ordered them to put away their stirrups and use rope stirrups instead. As a result, they had to clench their legs tightly around the horse's belly for a long time, causing muscle tension, leg cramps, and fatigue. By the time they arrived in Ning County, even someone as strong as Ma Xiu was exhausted.

  Ning County is one of the eight counties under the jurisdiction of Shanggu Prefecture, and has been the seat of the Protectorate of the Wuhuan since the Eastern Han. The entire county is not large, with a population of only 30,000, which sounds pitifully small. In fact, during the late Western Han period, Ning County had a population of over 50,000 to 60,000. However, in the fourth year of the Yonghe reign (187 AD), Zhongshan Administrator Zhang Chun and Taishan Governor Zhang Ju, along with the Wuhuan leader Qiu Lijiu, rebelled and killed the previous Protector of the Wuhuan, Ji Zhen. They plundered Ning County, massacred the border people, and caused a sharp decline in population.

  The Protector of the Wusun had a relatively high rank, equivalent to that of a provincial governor, and was a high-ranking official with a salary of 2,000 dan. However, the military forces under his command were not numerous, consisting of only two departments of Sima, namely the Cavalry Sima and the Infantry Sima, who commanded several hundred cavalrymen and several thousand infantrymen respectively. With only three to four thousand cavalry and infantry troops, it was impossible to subdue the Xiongnu and other unruly tribes, but the Protector of the Wusun not only had the power to intimidate them but also had the authority to mobilize the cavalry of various Wusun and Xianbei tribes in times of war. All this relied not on the Protector of the Wusun alone, but on the great Han Empire behind him.

  When the Han Empire was strong, the Protector of the Wusun had a firm grasp on power; when the Han Empire was weak, the Protector of the Wusun had a tenuous hold on power, and even his own personal safety became an issue. The previous Protector of the Wusun, Gan You, is a clear example of this; what about the current one?

  It was with such worries that Xing Ju, the protector of Wuduan, had been in office for five years and had never been free from worry. When he learned that a new tribe had risen 300 miles away, composed of Han people who were escaped slaves, and had retreated the powerful Xianbei Khan Tiande's 300 strong cavalry, defeated the right Beiping Wuduan Khan Wu Yan's 500 strong cavalry, and forced Pufulu to flee alone. Such brilliant military achievements were actually created by a young Han man named Ma Dun leading a group of escaped slaves. Xing Ju was shocked and overjoyed, thinking that such a powerful ally was truly heaven-sent. Just then, Yan Zhi came to report the news, and Xing Ju immediately entrusted him with a message, asking Ma Dun to come to the protector's headquarters for discussion.

  At dusk, outside the east gate of Ning County, a group of people were waiting under the shade of trees on the right side of the official road. The leader of this group was a young man who had just reached adulthood, with his hair tied up and wearing a coronet, having a strong facial outline, always with an almost imperceptible smile at the corner of his mouth, but with very sharp eyes. He stood there with his hands behind his back, motionless, as if he didn't know fatigue. The long wind lifted his green sleeves, making a rustling sound, adding to him a few points of elegance.

  A young man behind him, twenty-five or six years old, spoke in a low voice with a hint of apology: "Guo Rong, this time I recommended you to Xing Junwei as a historian, it was entirely because of Xing Junwei's recruitment call, but I didn't expect that the historian being recruited would be for...this..."

  The young man raised his hand to stop the man's apology, turned around and said seriously: "Brother Mingda recommended me to Mr. Xing, I'm grateful but not yet sufficient, how can I blame my brother? Brother Mingda is overthinking."

  Nangdai brother hastily said: "Guo Rong is not yet aware, Xing school lieutenant let you take me and others to welcome this person, the intention is..."

  Just as he said this, someone shouted loudly: "It's here! It's finally arrived!"

  The afterglow of dusk, the White Mountain (a branch of the Yan Mountains) is dyed with a warm glow, red clouds are surging in the vast blue sky, and in the distance, on the horizon, a team of galloping cavalrymen cast their shadows against the setting sun, rushing towards us.

  Han Gou's general Ma Xian arrived.