Chapter 1479

The ancestors of the Mayi Zhang clan were originally surnamed Nie.

Named Nie Yi, a figure from the Western Han Wu Di period, the "Records of the Grand Historian" calls him "Nie Wengyi." A native of Mayi, Yanmen, a person from the time of Wu Di of the Western Han. The initiator of the famous "Mayi Plot."

According to records such as "Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Han Changru," "Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of the Xiongnu," and "Book of Han: Biographies of Dou, Tian, Guan, and Han," during the time of Wu Di of Han, the Xiongnu requested to form a marriage alliance with the Han Dynasty, and the ministers of the Han court were deadlocked over this.

Censor-in-Chief Han Anguo believed that the Xiongnu troops were strong and that they should follow the previous agreement and continue the policy of marriage alliance to seek peace and maintain mutual trade between the two sides.

But the Grand Herald Wang Hui believed that the Han and Xiongnu had been in a marriage alliance for so many years, but the Xiongnu had never kept their promises. Now that the Great Han had become unprecedentedly strong after the Rule of Wen and Jing, it was time to send troops to strike the Xiongnu so that the Xiongnu would not dare to plunder the border again.

But after listening to the opinions of both, Wu Di of Han ultimately chose the suggestion of Censor-in-Chief Han Anguo, believing that the timing was not yet ripe, and chose to continue the marriage alliance with the Xiongnu.

Although Wu Di of Han did not adopt the strategy of Grand Herald Wang Hui, Grand Herald Wang Hui never gave up and continued to run around for it.

At that time, Nie Yi, who was a great wealthy merchant, often traded livestock between the Han and Xiongnu and knew many leaders of Xiongnu tribes in the Xiongnu territory.

After Nie Yi learned of Grand Herald Wang Hui's worries, he found Grand Herald Wang Hui and said: "The Xiongnu often invade the border, which is always a root of trouble. Now, taking advantage of the opportunity of having just formed a marriage alliance with them, we can lure the Xiongnu in, and we can launch an ambush; we will surely be able to win a great victory."

Wang Hui asked Nie Yi what method he had to lure the Xiongnu in.

Nie Yi replied that he often did business at the border, and the Xiongnu people all knew him. He could use the excuse of doing business to pretend to offer Mayi to the Xiongnu people.

The Xiongnu people, greedy for the goods in Mayi, would definitely come.

Then, we can bury a large army in the nearby area, and as long as we wait for the Xiongnu people to arrive in Mayi, we can cut off their retreat and surround and annihilate them.

When Wang Hui heard Nie Yi say this, he thought this plan was feasible.

So he told this plan to Wu Di of Han.

And after Wu Di of Han heard it, he also agreed to this plan, so he began to mobilize a large army to start acting.

This time, Wu Di of Han dispatched a total of 300,000 troops.

They were respectively led by Han Anguo as General of the Protecting Army, and Li Guang, Gongsun He, Wang Hui, Li Xi, and others as generals, leading more than 300,000 troops to ambush near Mayi and Dai respectively.

However.

The plan did not go as smoothly as imagined.

At that time, the Xiongnu troops had marched to the vicinity of Mayi, but the scouts sent out observed that there were no common people appearing near Mayi County, nor were there any common people grazing in the surrounding area, and thus they were vigilant.

In the end, the Xiongnu dispatched troops to capture a Han army Captain in the surrounding area, and under duress, they learned that 300,000 troops had already been ambushed around Mayi, just waiting for the Xiongnu army to enter the city to surround and annihilate them.

After receiving this news, the Xiongnu immediately chose to withdraw their troops.

And Grand Herald Wang Hui was also convicted because of this and was eventually imprisoned and died.

Although the Mayi Plot failed, the Great Han only lost some troops and provisions.

But for Nie Yi, it was a disaster.

Nie Yi originally lived by trading livestock between the Han and Xiongnu.

This Mayi Plot was Nie Yi luring the Xiongnu, so the Xiongnu held a grudge against Nie Yi.

In addition, the border between the Han and Xiongnu at that time was like a fishing net with holes, and the Xiongnu could go south at any time.

The Xiongnu Chanyu at that time, the son of the Lao Shang Chanyu, ordered the execution of Nie Yi and the extermination of Nie Yi's family along with him.

There was no other way, Nie Yi could only change his surname, and eventually changed it to Zhang, only then avoiding the disaster.

Although the Mayi Plot failed.

But for Nie Yi, this was not a shameful thing.

Nie Yi, as a merchant, made sacrifices for the long-term peace and stability of the Great Han, which made the people of Yanmen Commandery admire Nie Yi very much.

It was precisely because of this that when the Xiongnu people wanted to execute the Nie Yi clan, the Nie Yi clan was able to survive because of the protection of the people of Yanmen Commandery.

This was also how the later Zhang clan came to be.

At this time, inside Mayi City, in the ancestral home of the Zhang clan.

Cheng Yu was sitting in the main hall of the Zhang clan's ancestral home.

In the hall, there were also many important clansmen of the Zhang clan.

This also included Zhang Liao's grandfather.

Zhang Liao's father was also a merchant, living by trading livestock.

However, when Zhang Liao was only six or seven years old, he was intercepted and killed by the Xiongnu on the road while taking his wife to trade livestock, and both husband and wife died.

At that time, both brothers Zhang Liao and Zhang Xun were in the team, but they luckily escaped with their lives and were saved by an old soldier from Bingzhou, and were later sent back to the Zhang clan.

Zhang Liao's grandfather was already over sixty, with a full head of gray hair, but his spirit was good.

"General Cheng, coming here this time, the hospitality has been inadequate, please forgive me."

Zhang Liao's grandfather smiled and bowed to Cheng Yu.

Although Cheng Yu was a scholar, his physique, appearance, and the temperament on his body had nothing to do with a scholar.

If not told, everyone would think Cheng Yu was a great general who charged into battle.

He had a burly physique and a fierce appearance.

Cheng Yu did not pay much attention to the address of Zhang Liao's grandfather.

Elders are respected, not to mention that the person in front of him was Zhang Liao's grandfather.

Both brothers Zhang Liao and Zhang Xun now had titles and were also generals leading troops, and at the same time, Chen Qing'an and these earliest followers of Duan Yu had marriage ties, and their status and position in the Liangzhou Group were also transcendent.

"Old Zhang, you are too modest." Cheng Yu returned the salute.

"General Cheng coming here this time, is there any important military business?" Zhang Liao's grandfather asked: "If there is any place where the Zhang clan is needed, just say it; we are duty-bound to provide people and effort."

Cheng Yu took a deep breath, then nodded and said: "Coming here this time, there really is an extremely important military matter that requires the cooperation of Old Zhang and the Zhang clan."

Hearing Cheng Yu say this, Zhang Liao's grandfather immediately became serious.

Then he looked at the clansmen in the hall and waved his hand, saying: "You all go down first; I will discuss military affairs with General Cheng."

The other Zhang clansmen in the hall immediately stood up, bowed, and then exited the hall.

Seeing Zhang Liao's grandfather act this way, Cheng Yu immediately bowed and said: "Old Zhang is so righteous; it is truly a fortunate thing for His Highness the Liang Prince to have the help of the Zhang clan."

Zhang Liao's grandfather smiled while stroking his beard.

Investing in Duan Yu was already a matter that Zhang Liao's grandfather was extremely proud of.

Now, apart from the brothers Zhang Liao and Zhang Xun, the Zhang clan had thousands of clansmen serving under Duan Yu.

The Zhang clan of the past was only a powerful family.

But now.

The Zhang clan was not just a simple powerful family.

Two marquises in one family, although they were only Pavilion Marquises, they were still titles.

"Haha." Zhang Liao's grandfather laughed and said: "General Cheng, you overpraise. If we talk about a fortunate thing, it should be that Wenyuan and his brother getting to know His Highness the Liang Prince back then; that was the fortunate thing, and it was also the fortunate thing for the Zhang clan."

After the two exchanged a few polite words, Cheng Yu brought the conversation to the main topic.

"Zhang Liao, I once heard that the Zhang clan is the descendant of Nie Weng of the Mayi Plot back then."

Zhang Liao's grandfather nodded when he heard this and said: "Yes, at that time the Mayi Plot failed, and forced by the Xiongnu's pursuit, the ancestor had no choice but to change his family name and even his surname, only then being able to continue to this day; otherwise, there might not be any Mayi Zhang clan now."

Cheng Yu expressed admiration and said: "I admire Nie Weng's actions back then very much; as a merchant, he sought peace for the Great Han. Although he failed, this spirit is noble."

"To tell you the truth, I came here today precisely for another Mayi Plot."

As soon as Cheng Yu said this, Zhang Liao's grandfather's expression immediately shook.

Another Mayi Plot?

"Mr. Cheng, please speak; this old man is willing to hear the details."

After Cheng Yu deliberated for a while, he slowly laid out the entire plan.

The reason why the last Mayi Plot failed was because there were problems in the details.

Before coming to Mayi County, Cheng Yu, Jia Xu, and Li Ru had already summarized the failures of the last Mayi Plot.

Details.

Details determine success or failure.

Wanting to lure the enemy is not that easy.

The Xiongnu and Xianbei are not all fools; there are many smart people among them.

And according to the intelligence sent back from the Xiongnu.

There is also a Han strategist beside Yufuluo.

Although the identity of this person is not yet known, this person should not be simple either.

If the details are not done well, it is very likely that they will repeat the same mistakes.

After all, if the strategist beside Yufuluo is really a Han person, it is impossible that he has not heard of the Mayi Plot.

How to be impeccable in the details is naturally to let everything take its natural course.

When Cheng Yu finished telling the entire plan to Zhang Liao's grandfather, Zhang Liao's grandfather's expression obviously became very heavy.

"Old Zhang, this plan is a great plan for a hundred years. If it succeeds, the Xiongnu and Xianbei will have no possibility of rising again within a hundred years. It is the fortune of the border and the fortune of all Han people. The Zhang clan will definitely leave their names in history and be respected by future generations."