Chapter 417: I Shall Draw the Carved Bow Like a Full Moon!

In early September, turmoil broke out within the Xiongnu. Just as Modu fled west to the Yuezhi, the Qin First Emperor's imperial carriage arrived at Gaonu County in Shang Commandery, which bordered the lands south of the Yellow River Loop…

Gaonu was the future revolutionary holy land of Yan'an, but now, on the mountain of Gaonu where the grass and trees had withered yellow, there was no pagoda—only a tall rammed-earth watchtower standing atop the summit, commanding a view of the entire town. The First Emperor toured the mountain, accompanied by the Commandant of Justice Li Si and the Commandery Commandant of Shang, Feng Jie, among others. Li Si, widely learned and retentive of memory, gave the First Emperor a detailed introduction to the local situation:

"Although Fushi serves as the commandery seat of Shang, Gaonu has the most households and the largest city walls. A hundred years ago, when Shang still belonged to Wei, this place was already a hub where boats and carts converged."

Shang Commandery was originally the land of the White Di. At the transition from the Spring and Autumn period to the Warring States, Marquis Wen of Wei sent Li Kui and Wu Qi to subdue the White Di and established Shang Commandery, thereafter maintaining a century of rule over it.

But as Qin grew stronger day by day, Shang Commandery west of the great river became impossible to hold. In the 7th year of the Former Era of King Hui of Qin, the Qin army crushed the Wei army at Diaoyin, not far south of Gaonu, capturing the Wei general Long Jia and taking eighty thousand heads. After that battle, Wei declined day by day. The following year, it ceded the Western River region, contested for half a century, to Qin. In the 10th year of the Former Era of King Hui of Qin, it even handed over the fifteen counties of Shang Commandery, and all the riverine lands west of the great river fell to Qin… From that time on, the impregnable strategic position of the Guanzhong heartland was formally established.

"Your Majesty is the second sovereign since the late ruler King Hui to tour and hunt in Shang Commandery."

Feng Jie was also a smooth talker. Pointing at the troops of the southern section of Shang Commandery arrayed below the mountain to be reviewed by the First Emperor, he said: "When the soldiers heard of this, they were wild with joy!"

The autumn harvest was already complete. Taking advantage of the agricultural off-season, the border commanderies would every year, at the end of the eighth month and the start of the ninth, assemble the rotational conscripts and garrison troops to familiarize them with military order and drill them in archery, crossbow, and swordsmanship. Shang Commandery bordered the Rong people and the Xiongnu; if its sword was not sharpened fast enough, it would likely suffer invasion and plunder.

Watching the light chariots, cavalry, and infantry below the mountain roaring like a mountain avalanche and a tidal wave, the First Emperor nodded with satisfaction and asked Feng Jie: "How many troops can Shang Commandery levy?"

This was the core duty of a commandery commandant, and Feng Jie naturally answered fluently: "Shang Commandery has fifteen counties, sixty thousand households, and a population of over three hundred thousand. It can levy twenty thousand commandery soldiers. Adding the White Di infantry and cavalry, the total is roughly twenty-five thousand!"

This was the full military strength Shang Commandery could mobilize. The First Emperor remembered that Li Xin had said Longxi could levy twenty thousand troops, and that Heifu's Beidi Commandery, with a smaller population and only seven counties under its jurisdiction, could only levy fifteen thousand…

Add the forty thousand troops that Meng Tian could deploy from Yunzhong, Yanmen, and Dai Commanderies, and the several border commanderies alone would possess a force of one hundred thousand. The Interior could dispatch another fifty thousand, and with the one hundred fifty thousand civilian laborers conscripted nationwide, they could assemble a force of three hundred thousand to wage war against the Xiongnu!

After this northern inspection tour, facing the broken walls and ruins left by King Wuling of Zhao, and seeing the Xiongnu beyond the frontier, who possessed powerful military strength and posed a looming threat to his empire's northern border, the First Emperor had settled on a plan: the war would be next year!

If possible, the Emperor wished he could start the war this very autumn or winter.

But the First Emperor also understood that this would be a bitter campaign, no less than the destruction of Wei or Yan. Provisions must go before troops and horses. The grain and fodder to supply three hundred thousand men could only all be transported to the front lines next year. The civilian laborers from the interior could only set out on the campaign after the spring plowing was finished next year.

So what could be done now was merely to urge the border commanderies to intensify training, prepare to march beyond the frontier at any time, and actively gather intelligence on the Xiongnu's internal affairs.

In this regard, Feng Jie believed he had achieved outstanding results, and he confidently reported to the First Emperor on his infiltration of the Forest Hu over the past half year and more…

"The Forest Hu are also called the Forest People or Danlin. Their tribe numbers in the tens of thousands, all scattered in the mountain forests beyond the frontier, making a living by hunting. Several decades ago, the Zhao ruler Father-King adopted Hu clothing and mounted archery, subduing the Loufan and the Forest Hu. The Forest Hu submitted to Zhao. Later, as the Xiongnu gradually grew strong, they switched allegiance to the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu treat the Forest Hu as 'Forest Slaves,' demanding the Forest Hu chieftain contribute countless game and timber every year."

"In that case, tribes like the Forest Hu are merely coerced by the Xiongnu's power, not loyal subjects at heart?" Li Si, hearing this, looked thoughtful.

Feng Jie said: "Exactly. The Xuyan, Forest Hu, Loufan, and Baiyang are like the lords of the Yuyue and Ganyue who attached themselves to Chu back then. Although they are all Hu people, each has its own chieftain."

Li Si clapped his hands: "If so, when Your Majesty attacks the Xiongnu, these several tribes might also be used by us!"

"The commandery governor and I were thinking exactly that!"

Feng Jie said that the Governor of Shang, Qiang Hui, using his advantage of being of Qiang ethnicity, had sent Qiang and White Di people as envoys several times beyond the frontier, deep into the Forest Hu territory. They found the Forest Hu chieftain, moved him with emotion and persuaded him with reason, urging him to surrender to Qin.

The Forest Hu chieftain was somewhat swayed. As a small tribe caught between several major powers, they followed the principle of relying solely on the strong. When Zhao was strong, they surrendered to Zhao; when the Xiongnu flourished, they surrendered to the Hu. Now that the Qin dynasty was mighty, it seemed the time to change masters had come again…

But because he had a hostage son detained at the Chanyu's royal court, the Forest Hu chieftain did not rashly agree. He only promised that he absolutely dared not oppose the powerful Qin army—implying that if the Qin army passed through, he could turn a blind eye.

Therefore, Feng Jie believed that as long as they followed the old routine used to destroy the six states—dispatching envoys, bribing the four tribes, and sending people to give the Forest Hu chieftain some benefits—when Qin went to war with the Xiongnu next year, the Forest Hu could be subdued without a fight. After that, they could strive to win over the Loufan tribes to the north, and threaten the Baiyang and Helan to the west.

"The Xiongnu claim to have one hundred thousand string-pulling warriors, but they actually count their vassal tribes in that number. If they lose the Xuyan, Forest Hu, Loufan, and Baiyang, the Xiongnu's military strength will already be reduced by a third!"

Just as Feng Jie was presenting his operational strategy to the First Emperor, two urgent reports arrived simultaneously. One was from a Great Wall border outpost, addressed to Feng Jing. The other, however, was sent from Beidi Commandery…

Hearing it was a military report from Beidi Commandery, the First Emperor immediately ordered it unsealed and read it himself.

The ministers dared not disturb him and could only first look aside to see what news had come from the Shang Commandery border…

"It's the Forest Hu chieftain!"

Feng Jie was overjoyed. After quickly scanning two lines, he said to Li Si: "The Forest Hu chieftain says that the Xiongnu Chanyu suddenly expelled his son Modu, and also ordered the Gudu marquises to go separately to the Xuyan, Forest Hu, Loufan, and Baiyang tribes, demanding that the four chieftains come in person to the Chanyu's court to attend the October assembly!"

This summons was out of the ordinary. The Forest Hu chieftain, who had been secretly communicating with Shang Commandery and had a guilty conscience, naturally dared not go. Gritting his teeth, he reasoned that the Forest Hu at least had mountain forests for cover, with the Loufan blocking to the north, so the Xiongnu Chanyu's cavalry could not swiftly reach him. No longer caring for his eldest son held hostage in Touman City, he simply proposed surrender to Feng Jie, saying he was willing to submit to the Qin dynasty and hoped that Great Qin could shelter the Forest Hu…

This was perfect—Feng Jie's operational plan had advanced considerably more smoothly. Still young, he felt somewhat smug in his heart, taking credit for the achievement.

Only Li Si furrowed his brow: "Why would the Touman Chanyu both expel his eldest son and compel the four tribal chieftains to enter the Chanyu's court? Could something have gone wrong among the Xiongnu?"

"The Commandant of Justice guessed correctly!"

The First Emperor had already finished reading the memorial Heifu had sent. Laughing heartily, he said: "This matter is connected to the spies sent out by the Commandery Commandant of Beidi. Under the guise of Wushi clan merchants, Beidi Commandery has thoroughly scouted the roads, terrain, and tribal settlements of the Xiongnu's lands south of the Yellow River Loop and Beijia, and drawn them on a map. Ministers, come and look!"

Li Si and the others obeyed and drew near. They saw laid out on the table a map made of hemp paper, on which the mountains, rivers, roads, waterways, and tribal grazing lands were depicted in fine detail. The only blank area was the Forest Hu beyond the border of Shang Commandery…

Feng Jie was inwardly alarmed: "Our Shang Commandery spies only groped their way through the Forest Hu. I never imagined that Beidi Commandery's people had already traversed more than half of the Xiongnu realm!"

But what surprised them even more was yet to come. In his letter, Heifu explained what his subordinate, the Chief Clerk, had done among the Xiongnu. The Touman Chanyu's various strange behaviors might be connected to a "sowing-discord stratagem" deliberately set by Beidi Commandery!

"Touman suspected that his eldest son and the four tribes were about to collude with Qin to rebel, and therefore wished to summon his eldest son and the four tribal chieftains into the Chanyu's court to control them. Who would have thought that his eldest son Modu, resolute and fierce, would abruptly flee west—either to the Western Regions or into Yuezhi territory. The four tribes are also each in fear for their own safety. The Loufan and Baiyang, being close to the Xiongnu, have had their chieftains obediently enter the Chanyu's court. Meanwhile, the Xuyan chieftain, fearing that if he went he would never return, has also decided to submit to the interior, persuaded by the Beidi Commandery Chief Clerk!"

Feng Jie and his subordinate clerks looked at each other in dismay. So, what had caused the Forest Hu king to suddenly change his attitude was also Beidi Commandery's "sowing-discord stratagem"?

Both of the younger generation, and reputed to be "adept in both civil and military affairs," Feng Jie had always looked down on Heifu, that colleague of humble origins. When he took up his post and heard that Heifu was in the neighboring commandery, also as a commandery commandant, he had felt quite a competitive urge.

Although the strategy of western expansion was first advocated by Heifu, as a southerner coming to serve as an official in a northern border commandery, a stranger to the land and people, Feng Jie did not think Heifu could pull off any tricks.

Who would have expected that some time ago, Heifu first proposed building the Pacify-the-Frontier Shrine and won the First Emperor's favor—that was one thing. Now, after Shang Commandery had toiled for half a year and finally achieved results in the Forest Hu matter, in the end, the limelight was still completely stolen by Beidi Commandery…

Feng Jie felt very uncomfortable. At that moment, the First Emperor stopped laughing and looked around at everyone.

"Heifu says: The Xuyan are not like the Forest Hu. They are close to the Helan Mountains, and Xiongnu cavalry can arrive in an instant. Beidi should immediately dispatch troops to enter and garrison Xuyan, helping them resist the Xiongnu. If we can use Xuyan and Huamachi as strongholds, we can split the Xiongnu's lands south of the Yellow River Loop in two. When the great army marches next year, we can coordinate with Longxi Commandery to pincer-attack the Helan Xiongnu splinter tribe!"

Heifu's strategy was clear: next year would be the general offensive; this year would be a probing, small-scale fight. Taking advantage of the discord between the Xiongnu and the four tribes, they would seize Huamachi as a bridgehead…

The First Emperor especially appreciated Heifu's words requesting battle:

"I shall draw the carved bow like a full moon, gaze northwest, and shoot the Celestial Wolf! Heifu is willing to be Your Majesty's vanguard, to be Your Majesty's arrow!"

"That lad is clearly unskilled at archery, yet dares to utter such bold words?"

Although he joked that Heifu was not known for his archery skills, what the First Emperor appreciated was precisely this kind of spirit!

Still, personally witnessing the war drums being beaten here in the border commandery felt truly good.

Before Li Si, Zhao Gao, and Feng Jie, he declared: "It was Heifu who first advocated to us the strategy of opening up the northwest. The first arrow against the Xiongnu should naturally be shot from Beidi Commandery!"

No need for the ministers to deliberate further. The First Emperor struck the table: "Commandant of Justice, immediately draft an edict for us. Order Heifu to dispatch troops to Huamachi. Shang Commandery and Longxi shall each also send five thousand troops to support him on the left and right flanks!"

PS: Got it wrong in the last chapter, wrote Xiutu Marsh as Juyan Lake. Going to correct it now.

(End of chapter)