Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Peace Talks with the Wu Clan

On the second day, as Liu Yao and Ju Shou were discussing state affairs, a dispatch officer rushed in, breathless. “Reporting… My lord, the Grand Commandant Taishi’s army is already ten li outside Ji County.”

“Hm?” Liu Yao frowned. He had given Taishi Ci a deadline of half a month, but the time had not yet come, and Taishi Ci had returned already. Liu Yao could not help but worry—had something happened? “Tell me, did you see any casualties among Taishi Ci’s troops?”

The messenger hesitated. “I am not certain, my lord, but judging from the Grand Commandant’s triumphant expression, he does not appear to be wounded.”

“Oh? It seems Ziyi has returned laden with spoils,” Ju Shou said, laughing.

“Very well, Gongyu, let us go and welcome Ziyi together.” Liu Yao’s heart was at ease.

When Liu Yao and Ju Shou ascended the city walls to look, they were dumbfounded. Taishi Ci rode at the head, while behind him was a dense mass of cattle, sheep, and horses—innumerable. Taishi Ci’s cavalry had lost all semblance of cavalrymen; instead, each seemed more like a stable hand, harried and awkwardly driving the livestock toward Ji County.

Upon seeing Liu Yao, Taishi Ci immediately dismounted and hurried over, excitement lighting his face. “Taishi Ci greets my lord.”

“Excellent, Ziyi, you have rendered great service this time!” Liu Yao, overjoyed, helped Taishi Ci up, then looked at the livestock behind him, his lips twitching. “Ziyi, just how many small tribes did you plunder to bring back so much booty?”

“My lord, I led a direct assault onto the Wuhuan grasslands, and along the way annihilated thirty or forty Wuhuan tribes, both large and small. As for the exact number of livestock, I cannot say. My men simply could not manage them all, so I withdrew early.” Taishi Ci spoke with lingering excitement; in his view, had he commanded more troops, he could have plundered every small tribe of the Wuhuan.

“Good, Ziyi, come with me into the city—let me hold a feast in your honor.” Smiling broadly, Liu Yao pulled Taishi Ci back to the provincial governor’s mansion. The livestock would be handled by others. That evening's celebration proceeded smoothly, uninterrupted as before; everyone drank until they were insensible. Only Zhang Fei’s gaze, filled with resentment and jealousy, made Taishi Ci’s skin crawl.

Afterwards, it was tallied that Taishi Ci had brought back thirty thousand warhorses, one hundred thousand cattle and sheep, and countless Wuhuan treasures.

News of the Wuhuan defeat reached their king, Qiu Li Ju, swiftly. Out of sixty thousand troops, fewer than three thousand survived, and his two generals and two nephews had become prisoners. Qiu Li Ju was so enraged he nearly spat blood.

In recent years, Qiu Li Ju had just ascended as King of the Wuhuan, but the various tribal factions under him were far from harmonious. He immediately tried to raise one hundred thousand troops to avenge the blood feud, but his subordinates harbored ulterior motives. None were willing to face the terrifying Governor of Youzhou again. Helpless, Qiu Li Ju could only suppress his hatred for the time being.

What Qiu Li Ju did not expect was that, shortly after, another war report arrived. Forty tribes around the Wuhuan royal court had all been wiped out—no survivors—and all their cattle, sheep, and horses stolen.

This time, Qiu Li Ju cried out in despair, “Governor of Youzhou, I will never rest until we are enemies!” He coughed up blood and fainted on the spot. Fortunately, he was revived in time; otherwise, he would have been the first Wuhuan king in history to die of rage.

Qiu Li Ju was indeed a man of talent and vision. After his recovery, he never mentioned revenge again, but instead sent envoys to Liu Yao to negotiate peace and redeem his two generals and nephews. Yet his heart bled—this loss would leave the Wuhuan weakened for seven or eight years at least.

Meanwhile, Liu Yao in distant Ji County soon learned of the Wuhuan envoys’ arrival.

“Gongyu, do you think the Wuhuan envoys have come to negotiate peace?” Liu Yao asked.

“Yes, my lord. I believe that is their only purpose,” Ju Shou replied.

“Why? I cannot believe we have so thoroughly crushed the Wuhuan that they can never recover.”

“My lord, I believe the Wuhuan seek peace for three reasons.”

“Oh? Please enlighten me, Gongyu.”

“First, though we have not destroyed the Wuhuan beyond repair, they have suffered a terrible blow. The Wuhuan do not face us alone; they are beset on all sides. The Xianbei and Xiongnu covet them, and all these tribes are of similar strength. This time the Wuhuan lost sixty or seventy thousand men and horses. If they suffer further losses, the Xianbei and Xiongnu could easily wipe them out. Second, I believe Qiu Li Ju is afraid.”

Liu Yao paused, pointing at himself. “Afraid? Afraid of me?”

“Precisely! For years, whenever the Wuhuan raided Han territory, they met little resistance, never suffering a defeat such as this. Now, he dares not provoke your wrath, but fears you might strike at the Wuhuan royal court and utterly destroy his people. Thus, he has sent envoys so quickly.”

Liu Yao smiled, secretly pleased. “And what of the third reason, Gongyu?”

Ju Shou broke into hearty laughter, leaving Liu Yao perplexed.

“My lord, the third reason is that he fears for his throne.”

“What has this to do with his kingship?” Liu Yao asked, puzzled.

Ju Shou smiled. “Do you recall the four captives we seized?”

“You mean those four have connections to Qiu Li Ju’s throne?” Liu Yao was surprised. He had intended to present the captured Wuhuan leaders as trophies to his father, Liu Hong.

“Exactly. Though Qiu Li Ju is king, the tribes under him are rife with discord. Two of the captives are his nephews, whom he must redeem. As for the other two, I have learned their identities: one is heir to the second-largest Wuhuan tribe, second only to Qiu Li Ju, and the other is heir to a major tribe fiercely loyal to him. Qiu Li Ju cannot abandon them. If he fails to rescue them when he has the chance, internal strife will erupt among the Wuhuan, and should the first and second tribes clash, even if Qiu Li Ju prevails, his vitality will be sapped, and his throne endangered.” Ju Shou stroked his beard, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

“Oh, so that’s how it is.” Liu Yao laughed. This was truly an unintended windfall.

“So, Gongyu, shall we make peace with the Wuhuan?” Liu Yao’s inclination was to eradicate them, lest trouble arise again.