Capítulo 576: 553. Start Of Xiongnu Civil War
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Reluctantly, they agreed to reach out to the Han for direct military support. It was a risky move; if word spread that they were asking the Han to interfere in internal Xiongnu matters, their legitimacy would erode even further. Yet desperation overrode their caution. They knew that without assistance, Tugeh Khagan's loyalists might overpower them. The plan was set: they would lure Tugeh Khagan into a confrontation, allowing the Han to launch a pincer attack from a second front, encircling him and crushing his forces once and for all.
With the plan finalized, they summoned one of the Han spies embedded within their camp, instructing him to relay the request for assistance to Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai. The message was explicit: Batu and Zolgar needed a strong show of Han force to decisively end Tugeh Khagan's resistance. The spy nodded, swiftly vanishing into the night to carry the urgent plea.
Meanwhile, in his own encampment, Tugeh Khagan continued his efforts to rebuild alliances. He knew that Batu and Zolgar's betrayal had left many chieftains disillusioned, and he seized upon their growing doubts, appealing to their pride as Xiongnu warriors.
Over time, more chieftains began to rally to his side, lured by the prospect of reclaiming Xiongnu honor and independence from Han influence.
At night, Tugeh Khagan held councils around the fire, recounting stories of past victories and the Xiongnu's once-unbreakable unity. The flickering flames cast shadows across the faces of those listening, stirring a collective memory of battles fought for survival and glory, free from the chains of foreign powers.
"We are the sons of the steppes," Tugeh Khagan declared one evening, his voice firm. "We do not bend to the Han, nor do we trade our loyalty for their coin. Those who wish to make us slaves to another empire will find no place in our ranks."
His words rekindled the spirits of his warriors, inspiring not only the chieftains who had remained loyal but also those who had begun to question Batu and Zolgar's ambitions. One by one, chieftains repledged their loyalty, vowing to stand by Tugeh Khagan against what they saw as an insidious betrayal of their heritage.
Despite these gains, Tugeh Khagan knew Batu and Zolgar would not relinquish their power without a fight. He expected them to scheme against him and warned his loyal chieftains to prepare for any treachery. Scouts were dispatched to watch for signs of movement from Batu, Zolgar, and the Han. Every night, he and his council strategized, hoping to stay one step ahead of their enemies.
Across the border, at the Great Wall, Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai received Batu and Zolgar's message. Guo Jia read the request, a thin smile playing on his lips. "It seems they are desperate," he remarked to Xi Zhicai. "Their greed and ambition are stronger than their loyalty to their own kin."
Xi Zhicai nodded thoughtfully. "If we send troops, it will only increase the division among the Xiongnu. Tugeh Khagan's supporters will see it as a blatant attempt to undermine their independence. This could work well in our favor, spreading dissent and weakening their unity even further."
The two advisors crafted a response, agreeing to send a contingent of Cao Cao soldiers under the guise of "allies" to aid Batu and Zolgar's forces. The plan was to capitalize on the discord within the Xiongnu, pushing the factions further apart while strengthening Cao Cao's influence over the region.
By supporting Batu and Zolgar, they could ensure that the Xiongnu remained divided, making them easier to control and eventually assimilate into Cao Cao's domain, allowing Cao Cao to gain riches and manpower at the same time.
As the only general who had returned from reconquering the lost land from the Xiongnu, Li Dian was assigned with 50,000 men to help Batu and Zolgar in facing Tugeh Khagan, and was given 3 days to prepare himself and his men before heading out to the steppe.
Li Dian was a veteran of many battles, known for his sharp tactical mind and prowess on the battlefield. When he received orders from Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai to assist Batu and Zolgar with 50,000 soldiers, he understood the significance.
This was not simply a military maneuver; it was part of a complex web of the two advisors' strategies designed to deepen the divisions among the Xiongnu. Over the three days allotted, Li Dian ensured his troops were fully supplied with rations, winter gear for the harsh steppe climate, and sufficient arms.
He selected captains with experience in long campaigns and briefed them thoroughly on the landscape, the Xiongnu tactics, and the overarching objective: the elimination of Tugeh Khagan as a unified figurehead of the Xiongnu resistance.
Meanwhile, Batu and Zolgar received Guo Jia and Xi Zhicai's letter through the Han spy who was stationed in their camp. The message confirmed that Li Dian and his 50,000 troops would soon arrive to support their cause.
Reading the letter, Batu and Zolgar shared a rare moment of relief, knowing that with such a formidable force behind them, they could finally put an end to Tugeh Khagan's resistance. However, they understood that this alliance with the Han was a delicate matter.
Only their most loyal chieftains knew of their Han ties; the broader assembly of chieftains was simply told that allies would support their effort to maintain unity and ensure a secure future for the Xiongnu.
To avoid any suspicion, Batu and Zolgar immediately organized a council meeting and summoned all chieftains, even those who had previously wavered in their allegiance.
When the chieftains arrived, they found Batu and Zolgar prepared with a map of the steppe laid out before them, showing the positions of both their forces and the territories controlled by Tugeh Khagan's supporters. Batu addressed the assembly, his voice strong and resolute.
"We face a defining moment for the Xiongnu," he began. "Tugeh Khagan has betrayed us by the consecutive defeats he suffered at the hands of the Han and Xianbei tribes, tearing apart the unity that once made us strong. If we are to restore stability, we must act decisively and swiftly."
Zolgar stepped in to add, "We are not alone in this fight. Allies who understand the value of a united steppe are supporting us. With their help, we will not only defeat Tugeh Khagan but also prevent future dissent from undermining our strength."
The council listened intently, though not without skepticism. Some chieftains who had only recently pledged their loyalty glanced at each other, wary of Batu and Zolgar's words about "allies." Many assumed this meant smaller tribes or scattered mercenaries, though none imagined the full extent of the Han involvement.
Batu and Zolgar skillfully steered the discussion towards strategy, describing in broad terms their intent to lure Tugeh Khagan into a trap by spreading false information about a weakened frontline, drawing him into an ambush. They avoided any mention of Li Dian's arrival or the Han forces, choosing to keep that as their hidden advantage.
After the meeting, the chieftains dispersed to prepare their warriors. Batu and Zolgar's core supporters, privy to the arrangement with the Han, were tasked with coordinating the Xiongnu forces with Li Dian's army upon its arrival. The others, still unaware, were encouraged to rally their men under the banner of defending the Xiongnu's future.
Meanwhile, in his camp, Tugeh Khagan continued his efforts to unite the Xiongnu chieftains disillusioned by Batu and Zolgar. He knew of their betrayal, but news of an impending attack was yet to reach him.
The chieftains loyal to him gathered nightly around the fire, strategizing and sharing stories of resistance against the Han and other past threats. Tugeh Khagan emphasized the necessity of retaining their autonomy, stirring his followers with speeches that drew on their shared history of independence.
"Batu and Zolgar have opened our land to foreign ambitions," he told them one evening. "They think they can control the Han, use them for their own purposes. But history has shown us the price of such alliances. We will never be slaves to another empire, nor pawns to the ambitions of men who do not understand our ways."
The chieftains nodded, their determination hardening. Scouts were sent to monitor any unusual movements across the steppe, though the full scope of Batu and Zolgar's plan remained hidden. Tugeh Khagan's forces grew daily, but not as much as Batu and Zolgar as warriors who felt betrayed by Tugeh Khagan's defeat and were bribed with riches joined their cause.
Both sides spent hours planning with their chieftains, preparing their men for an inevitable clash, where a Xiongnu civil war would take place even though external threats such as Cao Cao's army and the Xianbei tribes were around them.
Back at the Great Wall, Li Dian led his soldiers forward, gradually moving deeper into the Xiongnu steppe. His captains, informed of the covert nature of this mission, maintained strict discipline.
Cao Cao soldiers, accustomed to rigid military structures, moved in calculated formations, maintaining silence and speed to minimize detection.
Li Dian knew that once they drew close enough to Batu and Zolgar's forces, they would coordinate their attack with a pincer movement that would encircle Tugeh Khagan allowing suspicions to harbor amongst the Xiongnu, but also at the same time ensure Batu and Zolgar victory.
As they neared Batu and Zolgar's territory, Li Dian and his army were greeted in secret by Batu's most loyal envoys. Li Dian met with Batu and Zolgar under the cover of darkness to finalize their coordinated strategy.
Maps were unfurled, and the details of the pincer movement were discussed in whispers. Batu outlined his forces' positioning, indicating where Tugeh Khagan would be drawn into a narrow valley that would leave his forces vulnerable from both sides.
"The valley will trap him, because this valley is the only way for him to go to our encampment," Batu explained, his finger tracing the path that Tugeh Khagan's forces would take. "He will think our forces are either scattered, stretched thin, or were fighting against the Xianbei at the time. When he advances, he won't know what awaits him."
Li Dian nodded, his face unreadable. "Once he's within reach, my forces will strike. He will have nowhere to run, I and my men will ensure no stranglers leave the area, and as for the one who surrenders we will leave them to the two of you."
Over the next several days, Batu and Zolgar spread rumors of their forces being weakened by minor skirmishes against the Xianbei and a lack of resources caused their men to be scattered and stretched thin, hoping to lure Tugeh Khagan into attacking.
Their ruse was working, because when Tugeh Khagan received word of Batu and Zolgar's supposed vulnerabilities, he decided to strike their army, seeing it as an opportunity to reclaim leadership and rally his people under a unified Xiongnu banner.
As Tugeh Khagan's forces approached, Batu and Zolgar prepared their own men. The loyal chieftains were instructed to position their warriors in strategic locations along the valley, preparing for an ambush. Li Dian's forces were concealed on the far side, waiting for the signal to advance. Li Dian and his men, well-hidden and motionless, waited for the decisive moment.
Finally, Tugeh Khagan's army entered the valley, moving cautiously at first, but growing more confident as they saw no sign of Batu and Zolgar's main forces. Just as Tugeh Khagan's army advanced deeper, a signal was given, and the sound of horns blared across the valley as Batu's and Zolgar's warriors emerged from the ridges, effectively trapping Tugeh Khagan's forces between two fronts.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Overlord Of The Central Plains
Age: 32 (199 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 1325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 951 (+20)
VIT: 613 (+20)
AGI: 598 (+10)
INT: 617
CHR: 96
WIS: 519
WILL: 407
ATR Points: 0
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
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