Chương 194: Departure, Gongsun Zan Arrives

"Then capture those young women," Jia Xu added, "and marry them off to our single soldiers. Once they're settled, with land, houses, and wives, who would want to rebel with the tribes? They'd probably be even more eager to defend Youzhou than we Han Chinese."

Cheng Yaojin slapped his thigh in amazement: "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! This psychological attack is even more ruthless than killing them!"

Liu Ce laughed loudly, "Brilliant! This is true assimilation!"

"It's not over yet." Jia Xu took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.

"The fourth step is to use their strength against them. Select those prisoners who are willing to submit and behave well, and form a 'Returning Righteousness Camp.' Give them their original weapons and let them deal with other disobedient tribes on the grasslands."

He sneered, "If we win, we'll reward them with grain and cloth; if we lose, we'll let them fend for themselves—it will save our Youzhou troops and make the barbarians kill each other, killing two birds with one stone."

Finally, he concluded, "In this way, we can save the troops of Youzhou and make the Hu people kill each other. Moreover, these Guiyi Camp members have the blood of other tribes on their hands, and no one will allow them to return to the grasslands. They will have no choice but to follow us wholeheartedly."

The tent was quiet for a moment.

Everyone looked at Jia Xu with mixed feelings—admiration, fear, and relief... relief that this old fox was one of their own.

Then...

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Cheng Yaojin was the first to break the silence.

"Mr. Wenhe, how did you develop such a brain? This is too cunning... no, too clever!"

Xue Rengui stroked his chin and said, "Mr. Wenhe's plan not only solves the prisoner problem, but also adds manpower to Youzhou, without incurring a reputation for bloodthirstiness... Brilliant!"

Xu Da nodded and said, "Moreover, even if the Wuhuan tribe wanted to reunite, they would have no foundation—the boys would be assimilated, the women would marry Han men, the able-bodied men would be worked to death, and the chieftains would be placed under house arrest. This is simply... cutting off their roots."

Liu Ce thought to himself: "Damn, no wonder he's Jia Xu; the name 'Poisonous Strategist' isn't for nothing. This scheme kills without shedding blood, destroys the spirit without harming the body—far more ruthless than a direct beheading. Luckily, this old fox is on my side."

He laughed heartily, slamming his hand on the table, and said, "Do as Wenhe says! This method is much more effective than beheading! I want to see if these Wuhuan people can outlast our hoes or escape our books!"

Jia Xu bowed slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Rest assured, my lord. In less than three years, these prisoners will forget they are Wuhuan people and only remember that they are citizens of Youzhou. At that time, the vast lands of the grasslands will naturally be yours."

Everyone in the tent burst into laughter, feeling that with this insidious plan, the border of Youzhou was now completely secure.

As I laughed, I suddenly felt a chill – this plan was too ruthless.

But in chaotic times, being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself.

...

The next morning, at the Lulong Pass camp.

Three armies, fully equipped and ready to go.

Xue Rengui, dressed in a white robe, holding a halberd, rode a white horse, exuding a heroic aura.

Behind him were Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong, Lü Bu, as well as Xuanjia Iron Cavalry and Flying Cavalry.

"My lord," Xue Rengui said, clasping his hands in a fist salute, "this humble general is off!"

Liu Ce nodded and said, "Ren Gui, the stronghold of the Wuhuan in Liaoxi is in Liucheng. Although Qiuliju is dead, there are still elders and generals in the tribe. If you can persuade them to surrender, then do so; if you can't... you know what to do."

"Understood, sir!" Xue Rengui pulled on the reins.

"Let's go!"

About six thousand cavalrymen roared away, raising a cloud of dust in their wake.

Xu Da, on the other hand, was much more composed.

He wasn't flashy, but just standing there, he exuded the air of a great general.

Behind him were Zhao Yun, Xu Chu, and the Iron Pagoda and Elite Cavalry.

"My lord," Xu Da said, clasping his hands in greeting, "Liaodong is a long way off. I expect to arrive within three days and resolve the issue within five."

Liu Ce smiled and said, "I trust Tiande to handle things. Go ahead."

"promise!"

Another large army set off.

Finally, there's Liu Ce's side.

Dian Wei led 800 Longxiang Battalion soldiers, Cheng Yaojin's Modao Battalion, and Huang Zhong's Jinshe Battalion—a total of about 6, 000 men, but most of them were infantry, with only the Longxiang Battalion being cavalry.

(The horses and the prisoners' belongings were temporarily placed under the custody of the guards at Lulong Pass.)

"My lord," Cheng Yaojin said, watching the two cavalry groups depart into the distance, a hint of envy in his eyes, "If only we had that many horses..."

Liu Ce laughed and scolded, "Be content! What do the Mo Dao Battalion need horses for? You guys are just a moving iron wall; if a horse comes, its legs will be cut off!"

He mounted his horse: "Let's go! Youbeiping is the closest, let's go, we'll wait for someone."

"Waiting for someone?" Dian Wei asked, puzzled.

"Waiting for whom?"

You'll know when you get there.

The army set off, and as expected, it moved slowly, with a large number of infantry.

After walking for a long time, with the sun high in the sky, suddenly a cloud of dust billowed ahead.

"Be on guard!" Huang Zhong immediately ordered, and the elite archers drew their bows and nocked their arrows.

But Liu Ce laughed and said, "Relax, we're on the same side."

As the dust settled, three thousand white horses appeared—all clad in white armor and riding white horses, dazzlingly bright in the sunlight.

(Back then, white horses were hard to find, so this will have to do.) The leading general, riding a white horse and wielding a silver spear, was none other than Gongsun Zan!

"My lord!" Gongsun Zan spurred his horse forward, dismounted, and knelt on one knee.

"I'm too late!"

Liu Ce dismounted and helped him up: "Bo Gui, you've arrived just in time! I calculated the time; you should have arrived by now."

Gongsun Zan laughed and said, "Upon receiving the lord's order, this humble general mustered three thousand White Horse Cavalry and rushed here day and night. Fortunately, we made it in time!"

Liu Ce laughed and said, "Bo Gui has arrived just in time!"

Gongsun Zan chuckled and said, "I heard that our lord defeated the Wuhuan coalition at Lulong Pass, leaving them utterly defeated! As soon as I received the lord's order, I rushed here with my White Horse Cavalry to assist in the battle, but unfortunately I was too late and missed the main battlefield."

Liu Ce waved his hand and said, "It's not too late, it's just the right time to come with me to fight the Wuhuan in Youbeiping."

He glanced at the cavalry behind Gongsun Zan. Originally, there were a thousand White Horse Cavalry, but now there were three thousand. The extra two thousand were the warhorses and equipment he had painstakingly provided for Gongsun Zan.

"Is everyone here?" Liu Ce asked.

"All assembled!" Gongsun Zan patted his chest.

"Three thousand White Horse Cavalry are ready to charge at any moment!"

"Alright!" Liu Ce remounted his horse.

"Now we have more cavalry, let's continue!"

Gongsun Zan mounted his horse and excitedly declared, "This time, in the attack on Youbeiping, I'm determined to kill as many as possible!"

Liu Ce reminded him, "Bo Gui, the main goal this time is to subdue, not massacre. Try to recruit those who can surrender, and kill as few people as possible."

Gongsun Zan nodded and said, "Don't worry, my lord, I understand!"

But the excitement in his eyes made Liu Ce a little uneasy: Does this guy really know anything?

The army regrouped, growing to over nine thousand men, and continued their advance towards Youbeiping.

......