bullyxtreme Chapter 374 Conspiring to Overthrow Qin!
Chapter 374 Conspiring to Overthrow Qin!
After saying this, Xiang Liang turned to his personal guards behind him and gave them a few instructions, ordering them to properly arrange the armor and warhorses.
He then warmly took the Xiongnu envoy's hand and strode toward the commander's tent.
The heavy tent flap was suddenly flung open, and a wave of heat rushed in, instantly dispelling the chill from everyone's bodies.
Inside the large tent, several huge charcoal fires were burning brightly, making a soft crackling sound.
On one side of the main seat, a figure was already sitting upright.
The man was dressed in a wide black robe, with an upright posture, yet he exuded an inexplicable and eerie aura.
As soon as the Xiongnu envoy stepped into the tent, his gaze was instantly drawn to the man in black robes. He paused involuntarily, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes.
Seeing this, Xiang Liang laughed heartily and solemnly introduced:
"Envoy, do not panic. This is none other than the most valued guest of our Great Chu, and the renowned Immortal Master of Qin!"
Upon hearing the words "Great Qin Immortal Master," the Xiongnu envoy trembled violently, his face filled with disbelief.
The reputation of the Great Qin Immortal Master is no secret.
His name was not only renowned throughout the Central Plains, but also known to the Xiongnu royal court far beyond the Great Wall.
Legend has it that this immortal master possessed the ability to summon wind and rain, create things out of thin air, and unleash divine thunder from the heavens. He was also the most revered deity by Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty.
The Xiongnu Chanyu Touman lamented many times in the royal court that if the Qin Dynasty truly had divine assistance, the day when the Xiongnu would invade the south would be far off.
The envoy never expected that the immortal master would be sitting in the tent of the leader of the Qin rebels!
After a brief moment of shock, the Xiongnu envoy dared not show the slightest negligence or arrogance.
He took a deep breath, strode forward, placed one hand on his chest, and bowed deeply to Ji Dan, performing the highest form of courtesy a Xiongnu person would show to their most revered shaman, his tone filled with awe:
"The envoy of the Great Xiongnu pays homage to the Immortal Master! The Immortal Master's divine might is known throughout the land. To behold your true form today is truly a blessing bestowed by the Eternal Heaven!"
Beneath the mask, Ji Dan's heart was pounding wildly.
What utter nonsense about the Great Qin Immortal Master!
Acting is still my forte!
So Ji Dan suppressed his anxiety, picked up a cup of warm wine in front of him, raised his chin slightly, and put on a superior air, looking down on all living beings.
"Um!"
Ji Dan said calmly, "No need. Please sit down."
With that soft hum, the envoy felt even more that the person before him was unfathomable. After thanking him repeatedly, he carefully sat down, even his breathing becoming much softer.
The banquet began soon.
The cooks brought out lamb legs and jars of strong liquor.
Xiang Liang frequently raised his cup, exchanging toasts with the envoy.
Both of them were deliberately trying to get closer, exchanging polite compliments.
After several large bowls of strong liquor, the atmosphere inside the tent gradually became warm and familiar. The envoy's restraint faded, replaced by the boldness characteristic of a man from beyond the Great Wall.
After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,
The messenger put down the bronze cup in his hand and got to the point.
"Lord Xiang, Immortal Master."
The envoy sighed, his eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and anxiety. "Let's speak frankly. The Great Chanyu sent me with warhorses and armor this time, indeed intending to lend a helping hand to Lord Xiang. But right now, our Xiongnu are also suffering greatly internally!"
Xiang Liang put down his wine cup, straightened his expression, and pretended to listen attentively: "Oh? What difficulties does the envoy face? Please speak frankly."
The envoy shook his head and said with a wry smile, "Grain supplies. This year, the grasslands have suffered severe drought, and countless cattle and sheep have frozen to death. The grain reserves of all the tribes are almost gone!"
"If we don't march south to forage for fodder, countless women and children of our Xiongnu will starve to death this winter!"
"But!"
The envoy's tone suddenly changed, "I don't know what's gotten into Qin Emperor Ying Zheng. He has now amassed 300,000 troops in the north, and the Great Wall is heavily guarded. Generals like Wang Jian and Meng Tian are on high alert!"
Although our Great Xiongnu have many brave warriors, if we were to truly engage in a full-scale war with the 300,000 elite troops of the Great Qin, and launch a siege of a city, the result would inevitably be mutual destruction and rivers of blood!
The envoy sighed heavily at this point: "Although the Great Chanyu provokes us on the border every day and plunders small groups of Qin troops, it's just a drop in the ocean. If a major war were to break out, our supplies would be insufficient!"
If we don't fight, we'll just be waiting to die!
Currently, the Great Chanyu is frowning every day in his tent, unable to come up with a perfect solution to break the deadlock!
After listening, Xiang Liang frowned deeply.
He naturally understood the predicament of the Xiongnu.
If the Xiongnu retreat, the Qin army's northern expedition will be unstoppable!
If the Xiongnu were to fight to the death, they could certainly inflict heavy losses on the Qin army, but the Xiongnu themselves would also suffer a great loss of strength.
What Xiang Liang most hoped to see was a protracted standoff between the Xiongnu and the Qin army, gradually wearing down and depleting the Qin's national strength, military power, and supplies.
Only in this way could his Jiangdong followers have enough time to accumulate strength and rise up in rebellion.
"This is indeed a tricky problem..."
Xiang Liang tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his mind racing as he considered a solution.
He tried to come up with several plans to harass the Qin army's supply lines, but upon closer examination, he realized that these petty tricks were simply ineffective against a renowned general like Meng Tian, and would only backfire.
After much persuasion, Xiang Liang realized that he couldn't offer any substantial advice.
Left with no other choice, he could only turn his gaze to Ji Dan, who had remained silent to the side.
"Immortal Master".
Xiang Liang bowed slightly and asked respectfully, "You are knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, possessing extraordinary talent. Now, facing this deadly situation, I wonder if the Immortal Master has any brilliant plan to relieve the Great Chanyu's worries?"
Ji Dan, whose name was called, suddenly twitched her face hidden behind her mask.
Holy crap!
Ji Dan cursed inwardly, "Damn it, what can I do? I couldn't even protect my own country when I was in Yan, and now you want me to devise a plan for the Xiongnu to deal with Qin Shi Huang?"
"Xiang Liang, you're giving me way too much credit!"
Cold sweat instantly broke out on Ji Dan's forehead and slid down her cheeks.
The tent fell silent instantly. Xiang Liang and the Xiongnu envoy's eyes were fixed on him, their gazes filled with anticipation and longing.
Ji Dan knew that she absolutely could not back down at this moment.
"Calm down, you must calm down. Think about the military books you've read before, think about how they're sung in operas..." Ji Dan's brain was working frantically.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.
Ji Dan slowly put down the wine cup in his hand, his movements extremely slow and composed.
He let out a meaningful chuckle, "In my view, the predicament of the Chanyu is nothing more than a puzzle that can be solved with a snap of the fingers."
The Xiongnu envoy's eyes lit up, and he abruptly stood up, eagerly asking, "Is what you say true, Immortal Master? Please enlighten me!"