Chapter 430: Chen Yan's Four Horizontal Verses

Oh, right!

Gao Jiong suddenly halted his movement, as if he had just remembered something; he raised his hand and lightly tapped his own forehead, a hint of a careless smile appearing on his face, his tone carrying a slightly nonchalant apology: "Look, I was using my brain and almost forgot there's a clause that wasn't written into the treaty..."

His eyes flickered slightly as he spoke.

The previously gentle smile now carried a trace of an unfathomable meaning, and his deliberately paused tone instantly added tension to the air.

Xiahou Fuyun, seeing this, felt an alarm ring in his mind; his face, which had just eased a little, darkened again, his hand gripping the table edge tightened once more, and his voice carried a tense warning: "What?"

Gao Jiong leisurely adjusted his cuff, his fingertips brushing the pattern on his garment; his smile remained, but a hint of amusement twinkled in his eyes as he slowly spoke: "We still need the Great Khan to provide our army with thirty thousand Tujuhun women aged sixteen to thirty!"

This is a reward, a fulfillment of battle merits, giving the soldiers who fought the Tujuhun wives…

Especially the cavalry that first arrived under Fusi City and did little looting!

After all, Chen Yan has always been someone who would never shortchange any of his subordinates…

"You!"

Xiahou Fuyun slammed the table and rose abruptly; the heavy desk shook violently, a teacup on it clanged and toppled, spilling tea all over the floor.

His eyes widened, the crimson depths filled with raging fury, staring at Gao Jiong with a fixed, angry glare.

What does he think of the Tujuhun?

He not only takes and asks for everything, but also wants this Great Khan to be an old prostitute?

Standing beside him, Xiahou Da's heart tightened, and he hurriedly reached out to firmly grab his father's sleeve.

Gao Jiong, witnessing the scene, showed no trace of fear on his face; instead he slowly pursed his lips, drawing a composed light smile.

He raised his hand in a feigned pat and soothed: "Great Khan, don't be so agitated..."

He paused, then continued: "Our Grand General isn't just demanding those thirty thousand women for nothing!"

Xiahou Fuyun's breathing gradually steadied, the crimson in his eyes faded a bit, yet his brows remained tightly knit, his tone still carrying lingering caution and doubt: "What does that mean?"

He clearly didn't believe Gao Jiong would concede for free, assuming it was a new trap.

Gao Jiong blinked, his expression still calm, raised his right hand, held up five fingers, and smiled: "As an exchange, we can give the Great Khan five hundred thousand shi of grain to relieve Fusi City's urgent shortage!"

Such a massive amount of grain, just say it and give it; Gao Jiong felt no remorse at all…

After all, it's all loot taken from the five armies!

In any case, it's a cost‑free deal, a guaranteed profit.

Xiahou Fuyun's tightly knit brows suddenly relaxed, his complexion changed in an instant, the caution and resentment in his eyes replaced by a sudden gleam; his Adam's apple moved, and he subconsciously muttered repeatedly: "Five hundred thousand shi?"

Before the words finished, he hesitated not a moment; the earlier struggle and frustration seemed crushed by the lure of grain, and he shouted: "Fine!"

For the grain‑starved Fusi, swapping thirty thousand women for five hundred thousand shi of grain could not be more profitable…

With this, Fusi can hold out for over a month, enough time to bring in food from elsewhere.

Gao Jiong's smile at the corner of his mouth rose involuntarily, he placed one hand behind his back, his posture became a bit more upright, and his tone, suitably crisp, said: "If the Great Khan has no objections, you may send envoys out of the city, sign the treaty, and cease hostilities!"

Having said that, he lifted his chin outside the court gate, his bearing exuding a sense that "there's no time to waste."

Xiahou Fuyun took a deep breath, suppressing the last trace of complex emotion in his heart, turned his head toward Xiahou Da beside him, and ordered: "Da'er, you go with the high envoy!"

Hearing this, Xiahou Da immediately stepped back, bowed in a standard courtesy, and said in a steady, strong voice: "As you command!"

Having said that, he straightened up and made a "please" gesture toward Gao Jiong.

He then followed behind Gao Jiong, turning with the other two attendants, his steps steady as they left the great hall.

The hall doors slowly closed behind them.

Outside Fusi City.

The afternoon sun was blazing.

Heat waves rolled with sand dust across the Wilderness, even the wind carried a scorching temperature.

Deep within the camp, beneath a dense poplar forest, a rare shade lingered; dappled shadows fell on the ground, blocking most of the heat.

Wang Xiong, Yuwen Ze, Dou Luling and other commanders sat around a Qingshi table, pulling at their collars, opening their robes, leisurely munching on fruit.

On the table lay a basket of Western Regions grapes, each plump and violet‑shiny, along with a few halved sand melons, their orange‑red flesh soaked in juice, prompting frequent reaching hands.

Chen Yan likewise wore military attire, the Xuanse Jinshen fabric embroidered with dark patterns, his collar neatly bound with a jade sash.

Hongye, dressed in Xuanse Jinshen, stood beside him, holding a plain feather fan; her wrist lightly swayed, sending a steady cool breeze to his neck.

"Grand General, Subordinate General has a point of confusion..." Wang Xiong set down the melon rind, wiped his hand, his tone carrying a hint of doubt.

Chen Yan was pinching a grape, his fingertips gently peeling the skin; hearing that, he nonchalantly popped the flesh into his mouth, the sweet juice melting on his tongue, chewing twice before casually spitting out the seed, his voice lazy: "Speak!"

Wang Xiong reached into the bamboo basket and lifted a pink‑white peach, his fingertips lightly stroking the fine fuzz on its skin, his eyes holding an inscrutable doubt.

He rolled the peach in his palm, then looked up at Chen Yan, his tone containing a hint of incomprehension: "Is the age range you set for the women Ah Jiong is to marry not a bit too broad?"

"Thirty is perhaps a bit old..."

Wang Xiong knew that his Grand General intended to grant wives to meritorious men…

But thirty is already middle‑aged, isn't it?

"That's the part you don't understand, right?"

Chen Yan heard that, a playful smile instantly spreading in his eyes; his fingertips pinched another grape, leisurely placing it in his mouth, the slight astringency of the skin and the sweet flesh spreading on his tongue.

After swallowing, he set the stem down, then spoke earnestly, his tone laced with a hint of jest: "Let me teach you a principle: set your heart for a maiden, set your destiny for a married woman; inherit the ultimate art for a wife, and bring peace to a widow!"

Gu Yu Ci, sitting nearby, stifled a laugh, subtly winked at Wang Xiong, then reached out to pat his shoulder, his voice a little lower, carrying the tone of one who's been there: "Youth has its perks, but age has its advantages…"

"You'll understand someday!"

A younger sister has the good of a younger sister; an elder sister naturally has the good of an elder sister.

For example, the older will care for you; a pat will let you know the change…

Helian Shi abruptly set down the half‑eaten sand melon, raised his thumb, his eyes full of admiration, his voice booming enough to startle the cicadas in the trees: "Grand General, your prose is splendid!"

Beside him, He Ba Le also set down the grapevine in his hand, clapped his hands lightly, his tone full of reverence: "Truly worthy of being my Great Zhou Poet Immortal!"

"It truly rouses the deaf and the hard‑of‑hearing!"

Wang Xiong's previously furrowed brows gradually relaxed, as if he had a realization, the doubt in his eyes was suddenly replaced, and he clasped his fists, saying, "Subordinate General, I have taken your instruction!"

Yuwen Ze lifted a sliced pear, its flesh snow‑white and juicy; after swallowing the fruit, he raised his eyes toward his own elder brother, his tone full of doubt: "A Xiong, I don't quite understand; we could strike in one blow and wipe out Tu Yu Hun outright, so why must we still sign the treaty beneath the city?"

Wind blew in from outside the poplar forest, lifting the dark hem of his robe, making the bewilderment in his eyes appear even more blunt.

In Yuwen Ze's view, the peace talks of the treaty beneath the city are a needless extra step...

Isn't the merit of expanding borders even greater?

One must know that after the granaries are burned, Fusi City cannot hold out for long...

Then we could pocket the glory of destroying a nation, couldn't we?

That is the true boldness of a military commander!

Chen Yan twirled an unfinished grape between his fingertips, did not speak immediately, but raised his eyes and slowly surveyed the room, his gaze sweeping over the assembled generals—from Wang Xiong to He Ba Le—and finally returning to Yuwen Ze.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he asked, "You must have some doubts in your hearts, right?"

"Hmm."

As soon as the words fell, the generals first exchanged glances, then promptly nodded.

Though obeying orders is their duty, "forsaking a victory to negotiate peace" truly left them with a belly full of questions.

"Please, Grand General, enlighten us!" Dou Luling was the first to clasp his fists.

Chen Yan glanced through a gap in the poplar forest toward Fusi City; the distant city's outline shimmered faintly in the heat, as if wrapped in a veil of mist.

He withdrew his gaze, gently squeezing the grape until juice dripped, and said meaningfully, "The intention was good, but now is still not the right time..."

Wind swept sand grains across, and the poplar leaves rustled.

"Timing?"

"What timing?"

The generals, hearing this, showed even greater confusion on their faces, looking at each other, eyes full of incomprehension.

Chen Yan raised his hand and waved, "Zhu Yi, go fetch the map!"

"Yes."

Zhu Yi replied, then turned and hurried toward the camp tent behind them.

Yet after a moment, he returned holding an unfolded sheepskin map.

Chen Yan took the sheepskin map, slowly spread it on Qingshi's desk, where ink lines clearly traced the western frontier's mountains, rivers, and cities; he raised his hand toward the map and said in a steady voice, "Take a look!"

The generals immediately gathered around, their gazes flicking over the map.

Chen Yan placed his fingertip on the area labeled "Tu Yu Hun," slowly tracing the surrounding mountains and deserts, his tone heavy: "Tu Yu Hun lies in the northwest, far from Guanzhong, and is hard to govern..."

He paused, then pressed his fingertip firmly on the line where oasis meets the Gobi on the map: "The people's hearts are not yet pledged, the terrain is complex and ever‑changing, prone to rebellion!"

Often, politics and warfare are really just economic accounting...

Tu Yu Hun's terrain is intricate, with Gobi, snow‑capped mountains, and swamps interwoven; if the main army withdraws, the remaining restoration forces can easily hide in deep mountains and deserts.

In times of chaos, sending troops to suppress it only burdens the people and drains resources.

The drawbacks outweigh the benefits.

No matter how you count it, it's a losing deal!

Then what use is the hollow fame of destroying a nation?

"I understand now!"

Yuwen Ze stared at the area his fingertip had marked, his pupils narrowing slightly; the previously furrowed brows suddenly relaxed, and a flash of sudden insight lit his eyes. He clapped his hands sharply and laughed, "Instead of wasting massive manpower and resources on governance and pacification, it's better to let the Xiahou clan continue to administer it, gradually eroding it through subtle influence!"

Treating Tu Yu Hun as an ATM, then the headache falls on the Xiahou clan...

Once its people's hearts are completely lost, reclaiming Tu Yu Hun will be as easy as a snap!