After entering September, it started to snow intermittently in the Hetao Plain.
Of course, in fact, neither the Han Dynasty nor the Xiongnu call this place Hetao now.
The Han Dynasty was called "Hejian".
This is because this place is surrounded by the Yellow River.
The Huns divided this place into two parts.
The area south of the Yellow River is called Henan.
The area west of the Yellow River is called Hexi Land.
Since the Qin army voluntarily abandoned this place, the Huns accepted it. As of today, the Xiongnu Empire has occupied this treasured land for more than seventy years.
Of course, the Huns called the actions of their ancestors 'recovery'.
For the Han Dynasty, the "Hejian Land" was the hometown of Jiuyuan and the wealth left to future generations by King Wuling of Zhao and Emperor Qin Shihuang.
For the Huns, this land was the birthplace of their ancestors.
The first Huns settled into tribes here.
They have been nomadic here for thousands of years.
Relying on the nourishment of the Yellow River and the protection of the Yinshan and Yangshan mountains, the Xiongnu tribe did not disappear in the long river of history.
to this land.
They will also absolutely risk everything and risk everything to protect.
In particular, those nobles from the Xiongnu Shan Yuting knew the importance of this place.
"Back then, the great Chanyu of Maodun regained the land of Henan. He established this place and ordered all the tribes. At that time, the Xubu family was in the south, the Huyan family was in the east, the Lan family was in the north, and the Luotang family was in the center. The heads of all tribes were in Qu.
Commander-in-Chief, we led our troops to join the Yin Mountains and made an alliance together, swearing: Unless the mountains and rivers collapse, the earth becomes red, and the Huns are wiped out, we must not abandon Henan!" Huyan Dangtu stood at the top of Gaoque's city, looking at the vast grassland. This piece of grassland was in the eyes of the Huns.
Here, the anointed land given by the gods, the garden of the Chanyu, the place where the clan babies grow up, and the mother's shelter.
Here, you are far away from the cruelty of the desert.
The climate is relatively warm throughout the year, with abundant water and soil, and prosperous vegetation.
The sturdy Yinshan Mountains and the majestic river are enough to block all enemies outside the Yinshan Mountains.
After the Huns regained this land, it only took them twenty years to become the overlord of the grassland, and even the overlord of the known world.
Under the hooves of the Xiongnu horses, the Yuezhi people fled, the Donghu people perished, and the Hujie people surrendered.
All the tribes that were once equal to the Xiongnu knelt down one after another and became Shan Yuting's lackeys.
All the people who draw bows are one family.
The Xiongnu Empire entered its peak period.
Unfortunately, the Battle of Mayi two years ago changed everything.
The Han people in the south rose strongly and posed a great challenge to the hegemony and even survival of the Xiongnu Empire.
Huyan Dangtu knew it very well.
Even his master, the military minister Shanyu, understood.
The people of the Han Dynasty will definitely come to covet this fertile land.
As for the consequences of losing this place, every Hun noble with a little knowledge knows it well. What does that mean?
That was tantamount to announcing that the crown of the Hun Empire had fallen.
The empire prospered because of this place, and it will decline because of the loss of this place.
Even today's Xiongnu Empire covers an area of tens of thousands of miles and controls a huge world.
However, in the current empire territory, there is no other land as fertile, safe, warm and protected by mountains, forests, swamps and rivers as the land below.
It is precisely because of knowing this that Huyan Dangtu appears here.
He and the main force of his Huyan clan also appeared here.
The Huyan clan is the strongest clan in the Xiongnu Empire besides the royal family Luotang clan!
In essence, Huyan, Xubu and Lan are all relatives of Shanyu.
They have been intermarrying with the Luotang family for generations.
Chanyu's Yan family is not Huyan, but is a descendant of the Lan family.
The relationship between the Kuantan clan and the three major clans is like the relationship between a big tree and a vine.
If a big tree falls, the vines will inevitably die.
Only when the branches are large and leafy can the vines flourish.
Every patriarch of the three major clans knows and understands this.
Therefore, for generations, the Xubu, Huyan, and Lan clans, although they may not necessarily unite to support Shanyu.
But if there is an external threat, they will definitely fight side by side with the Luotang clan.
The Huyan clan has five thousand knights.
Now, except for the one Wanqi who stayed at the headquarters in Junji Mountain and the one Wanqi who followed Shan Yu in the Western Expedition, the remaining three Wanqi were all brought here by Huyan Dangtu.
In addition, Lan's two thousand cavalrymen have also arrived in Yulin and can support him at any time.
In addition to Ruolu, Luhou, Hunxie, Xiutu and other tribes.
Huyan Dangtu can now mobilize up to 100,000 troops!
Even if we only count the tribal troops in the Yin Mountains, there are at least 70,000 riders.
The reason why there are so many troops here, besides worrying about the Han Dynasty in the south, is to protect the fruits of victory in last year's Western Expedition.
Most of the wealth and slaves Shanyu snatched back from Dawan last year are now settled in Henan within the Yinshan Mountains.
As for why?
the reason is simple.
Because many of the female slaves snatched back were pregnant.
A total of 50,000 to 60,000 female slaves are now pregnant with Huns.
The Huns had a very serious attitude towards their clan.
Even a herdsman knows that he must ensure that the child he gives birth to is of his own clan.
In the entire Xiongnu Empire, there was no better place to nurse babies and a place where the next generation could thrive than the land of Henan.
In addition, more than 40,000 pregnant women from our headquarters were also sent here to wait for delivery.
And these children who will be born next spring represent the future of all tribes and clans in the Xiongnu Empire.
If all goes well, in sixteen years, these children born next spring or summer will become a new generation of Huns warriors.
As the loyal dog of Chanyu, Huyan Dangtu chose to stay here.
This is because of the sense of mission.
It was also because he smelled something not so good.
"The intensity of inspections at the Han border fortress has suddenly increased recently..." Huyan Dangtu turned around and looked at the Hun nobles standing behind him: "Our people have not been with those who are related to us for half a month.
The merchants of 'Friendship' have had trade...the last food trade was eighteen days ago..."
"This is very wrong!"
A month ago, the border smuggling trade between Han and Hungary was still very prosperous.
Every day, merchants who cross the Great Wall for gold, silver, livestock, and furs and bring the salt, cloth, metals, and even weapons and books that the Huns need come to the Huns' tribes and even come to trade with the Huns near Gaoque City.
.
They continuously provided countless supplies to the Huns.
But now, in addition to the normal trading caravans on the border, only sporadic smugglers are still going back and forth.
The supplies these merchants brought were also very ordinary salt and grain.
At most, someone will bring bronze vessels.
As for the iron tools and weapons, as well as the information and books of the Han Dynasty, their sources have almost been cut off.
Huyan Dangtu instinctively realized that this was a signal for the Han Dynasty to attack.
But he could not just issue orders and recruit soldiers.
He needs more intelligence and information to support his judgment.
So, he turned his eyes to a nobleman beside him and said: "Han Yuan, my loyal slave, I order you to disguise yourself as a Han and enter the Han Dynasty's border fortress. Let me take a closer look to see where the Han Dynasty people are.
What the hell is going on? Come back and tell me as soon as you have any information!"
"Yes!" The nobleman knelt down, kissed Huyan Dangtu's boots, and said, "This slave must live up to his master's trust!"
He raised his head and saw that he had a standard Chinese face shape. Except for having braids on the back of his head and wearing clothes similar to those of the Huns, there was no difference between him and the Chinese race.
"Very good!" Huyan Dangtu nodded and said reassuringly: "You must pay attention to safety when you go here. The future hegemony of the Great Huns will also need the assistance of minions like you!"
Han Yuan immediately burst into tears and said loudly: "Master, please rest assured, this slave will definitely protect you!"
To him, it seemed that Huyan Dangtu's words of care were worth more than all the precious things in the world. With these words, he was willing to die even if he had these words.
Looking at Han Yuan's figure, even Huyan Dangtu couldn't help but praise with emotion: "What a slave!"
Then he sighed quietly: "It's a pity that there isn't much left..." (To be continued.)
