Wuxia: The Super Slave Master

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The old patrol chief's face suddenly darkened. He quickly lowered his head, placed his hand on his chest, and calmly bowed, saying, "We, the Right Wing of the Xiongnu, have always only known Zhong Ping, and not the others."

The young cavalry officer seemed to nod in satisfaction: "Shaha, we keep asking you to go out and become a general, why do you always stick to your patrol post? If you become a general, you won't have to endure the cold wind and wild beasts here."

“I have feelings for this grassland.” The old patrol leader kept his head down and his hand on his chest until the young officer was out of sight, then he raised his head. The young patrol soldier learned for the first time that his patrol leader was named Shaha, and he also learned for the first time that his patrol leader could become a general at any time.

Deep in the grasslands, a faint firelight appeared. Yesuo's horse finally galloped freely. He suddenly let out a deep, resonant howl that carried far into the distance. A rustling sound grew closer and louder in the darkness. Finally, it became clear: a giant, dark gray wolf charged ahead, followed closely by a dense pack! A dozen or so wolves sat among the pack, carrying a Hun knight. Their dark clothing seemed to blend seamlessly into the night.

“Evening training is over early tonight,” Yesso said simply, seemingly without emotion. “Officers of our Steppe Wolf Legion, I have something to say to you. The officers will tell the knights tomorrow morning. Now, knights, go and get some rest. Officers, go to the main tent.”

People must be amazed by Yesso's gentle yet enigmatic face and his deep-set eyes. Even more astonishing is that he was raised as a slave, though the exact circumstances of his birth are unknown; he was found by Zhong Ping. Few people know this anymore, and even fewer are willing to mention it. People are astonished that this nobleman's demeanor is so deeply rooted in slavery. Even Zhong Ping finds him unpredictable, yet he is undeniably loyal and willing to carry out every command Zhong Ping makes.

Zhong Ping was his savior. How many tribes had perished in the brutal wars of unification back then! Zhong Ping found him on his march; the little boy was sick with cold and had been abandoned by the roadside. Perhaps a spark of humanity suddenly ignited in Zhong Ping, and he hired a slave woman to raise him, naming him Yesuo, meaning wanderer. Although seriously ill, the child miraculously survived, and not only did he survive, he displayed noble qualities in every way.

Chapter Seventy Yesso

For most of his life, Yesuo has been largely ignored, despite his remarkable appointment as Zhongping's chief strategist two years ago. With Zhongping becoming the Great Khan, Yesuo has clearly become a pivotal political figure on the steppe.

For the first twenty years of his life, he was an extremely lonely figure. He fell ill frequently and could not ride horses or shoot arrows like other boys on the grasslands, especially since he was a slave. People were surprised to find that this child would sometimes follow his foster mother, a female slave, reciting poems and singing songs they couldn't understand. The knowledgeable people of the grasslands knew it was Chinese. It was an extremely mournful song; even the Xiongnu people would weep upon hearing it. Although they couldn't understand the lyrics, the plaintive melody seemed to be telling a story, its long echoes reaching deep into the grasslands.

When he was in good spirits, he sometimes rode horses and eventually learned swordsmanship and archery, earning him the hope of becoming a cavalryman on the steppes. If he were selected for the steppe cavalry, he could escape slavery, along with his foster mother. However, he spent most of his time on the wastelands. He had no friends; the animals of the wastelands were his friends.

The tribesmen mocked him, even the slaves ridiculed him. He was too reclusive, too eccentric; how could he be chosen as an excellent steppe cavalryman?

As for how he rose to become the top strategist, there is only an unverified legend. When the Han general Xiahou Dun led his elite cavalry to attack the grasslands, the warriors of the grasslands were conscripted to protect the eastern border. Meanwhile, the Qiang people of the west took the opportunity to enter the grasslands, burning, killing, and looting. It is said that the Han general Ma Teng deliberately opened up the defense zone to allow them to cross.

When the tribe was on the verge of annihilation, the elders remembered the ancient legend of the steppe wolf army. The legend said that the steppe wolf army was a guardian bestowed upon the steppe by the Hun gods, and that when the steppe faced danger, the steppe wolf army would appear to defend the steppe according to the Hun gods' instructions. So they all knelt down and prayed.

An astonishing thing happened: a large, well-organized pack of wolves appeared at the edge of the grassland, fiercely attacking the enemy. The enemy fled in disarray, howling and screaming, leaving behind thousands of mangled corpses. Even more astonishingly, a boy was riding on the back of a wolf, and that boy was none other than Yesso! Yesso appeared calm, jumped off the wolf, and silently went into his tent. Soon, a familiar, long, melodious song drifted from the tent.

The news spread throughout the grasslands overnight.

People searched repeatedly within a radius of a hundred miles, but couldn't find the grassland wolf legion; it seemed to have vanished without a trace. How could such a massive legion disappear overnight? Was the tribe lying? And what about the thousands of Qiang corpses on the grassland? The old hunter knew at a glance that they had been torn apart by ferocious wolves!

Zhong Ping, who was in charge of the right wing at the time, had obviously heard about this. It is said that he summoned Yesuo deep in the grasslands and appointed Yesuo as his advisor and assistant. Yesuo's mother was also freed from her status as a slave.

People inquired about this matter at the Chanyu's court assembly. The Great Chanyu Qiangqu and other leaders of the Left Wing were very curious, but Zhongping vehemently denied it. How could such an absurd thing happen? It was the valiant Right Wing Xiongnu who repelled the Qiang. The Qiang corpses people saw, torn apart by wolves, were from wild wolves that had killed them after they were killed by their own people.

People were skeptical, and the story was never confirmed, perhaps never will be, and may become a legend like the steppe wolf army. However, Yesuo did indeed rise from slavery to become Zhongping's strategist. He repeatedly offered brilliant plans in battle, earning the title of the most intelligent young man on the steppe, and was recently promoted by Zhongping to be his top strategist.

Now, this bookish-looking young man is sitting in the center of the large tent, and the fierce cavalry officers are all looking at him with utmost respect.

"The steppe wolf legion, may the Hunnic gods protect us," Yeso said calmly.

“May the Hun gods protect us,” the fierce officers said in unison in docile voices.

"I am acting on the orders of Grand Chanyu Zhongping to inform you of a potential emergency that may be occurring on the grasslands. You are deep within the grasslands and are unaware of what is happening outside," Yesuo said in an almost mechanical voice. The officers remained silent, heads bowed, listening intently.

"First, I'd like to ask, how's your food lately? How's the wolf pack? Are they healthy? Are they in good condition?" For the first time, Yesso's face showed an expression, revealing a serious look of concern.

The atmosphere became slightly more lively: "Excellent! There's an endless supply of gazelle meat and fine wine. Sprinkled with coarse salt and served with grassland vegetables, it's truly a life of paradise!" "The wolf pack is very healthy. They forage for themselves, eat live gazelles, and drink oasis water; they have no diseases whatsoever."

Yesso nodded in satisfaction. He was the only one who could completely control the steppe wolves, and strangely enough, the wolves became as docile as sheep around him. Hearing his long howl, the wolves would rush from all directions to obey his commands. The fierce alpha wolf was untouchable; even the bravest knights treated it with utmost respect. Yet Yesso could be ridden, and the alpha wolf even docilely allowed him to mount.

"The grasslands are facing a rather severe situation. I explained this to Grand Chanyu Zhongping before I came here, and I'm here today to inform you of it." Yesuo resumed his emotionless tone. "The Han Chinese Luo Chen and Cao Cao have made peace, and both sides have withdrawn their troops. This has been confirmed. What's even more serious is..." Yesuo raised his voice, staring at everyone with his deep gaze, "We have discovered that a large number of Luo Chen's main forces are rapidly moving from the Central Plains towards the Han-Xiongnu border."

"There's nothing to be afraid of!" an officer shouted. "We Xiongnu will surely defeat the Han!"

Yeso remained noncommittal and continued expressionlessly: "According to reports from the front, the enemy's cavalry is extremely formidable, even surpassing the fighting prowess of our Xiongnu warriors. This is unprecedented in hundreds of years. The Han people call them the Iron Cavalry of Guanzhong."

The cavalry officers looked at each other with disbelief.

“Do you remember Xiahou Dun? The one who brought pain and shame to our Xiongnu?” Yesuo spoke almost in a whisper. “This time, we Xiongnu will encounter even more Xiahou Duns.”

The cavalry officers looked at each other again.

"Warriors of the Steppe Wolf Cavalry! Be ready at any time to venture deep into the steppe and defend the safety of the steppe on the Han-Xiongnu border!" Yesuo suddenly raised his voice and shouted to everyone, "May the Xiongnu gods protect us!"

"May the Xiongnu gods protect us!" the officers repeated excitedly.

"Disperse," Yesso said softly, then silently walked out of the tent. Under the officers' watchful eyes, he mounted his horse, galloped away, and disappeared into the twilight. The sky seemed to be faintly turning white on the horizon.

Chapter Seventy-One: The Real Threat

For the Xiongnu, the situation these past few days has been quite unpredictable.

Zhong Ping placed Yan Qing under strict surveillance. However, Yan Qing seemed unconcerned, spending his days soundly asleep in his tent. Zhong Ping ordered several surprise inspections by his officers, who either found Yan Qing asleep with his head covered or feasting.

The Shuofang front finally quieted down. Zhongting sent word that they were negotiating a withdrawal with the Luo army. The Xiongnu army had ceased its attacks, but according to their observations, the Luo army didn't seem to have retreated. On the contrary, their forces in Shuofang were increasing, with squads of infantry and cavalry seemingly entering the city daily. Zhongping was quite annoyed. However, the priest's message was the opposite: part of the Luo army had already retreated, and negotiations were progressing smoothly. Unable to assess the situation in Shuofang, Zhongping could only order Zhongting to be ready to attack at any time. More Xiongnu cavalry also began advancing from the rear into the right flank front. Zhongting's army had reached approximately 150,000, which finally put Zhongping at ease.

Since Luo Fu hadn't been brought over yet, Zhong Ping doubted the Han people's sincerity and sent messengers to Fa Zheng several times to urge them. Fa Zheng's message was that Luo Chen and Cao Cao had ceased their standoff, and Luo Fu would first go to Jiuyuan County, controlled by Cao Cao, and then head directly north from Jiuyuan to the royal court in the central grasslands. This was safer, though a slightly roundabout route, but they would arrive quickly. Fa Zheng even produced an order supposedly signed by Luo Chen, which, when translated, stated: "General Luo Fu is hereby entrusted to Fa Zheng for full arrangements, to be handed over to the Xiongnu from Jiuyuan." The two Chinese characters "Luo Chen" were written in a flamboyant style. Although Zhong Ping had never believed in such Han things, he comforted himself this time, after all, the initiative was still firmly in the hands of the Xiongnu. Zhong Ting had 150,000 men, and he had 150,000 men. This was the majority of his army, which he used to sweep through the Xiongnu tribes with these two iron cavalry forces. Most importantly, he was training a powerful and mysterious force, enough to utterly defeat the Han people. This was the source of his confidence.

During peacetime, when the Xiongnu army was stationed, it was not purely a military force, but often a mixed force of soldiers and civilians. Troop shortages could be replenished at any time; the entire population was both soldiers and civilians. The vast Xiongnu grasslands were divided into three parts: the western part, known as the Right Wing, was the traditional stronghold of Zhongping, which he had cultivated for many years; the central part was called the Royal Court; and the eastern part was the Left Wing. The Xiongnu had no capital; the Great Chanyu (ruler) would set up camp in various oases and lush pastures around the Royal Court in rotation. Wherever the Great Chanyu was, that place became the capital. After Zhongping's coup, his army entered the Royal Court and immediately took control of the entire territory. Except for one or two tribes that were immediately targeted and wiped out, the other tribes surrendered. Some tribes fled to the Left Wing. Zhongping's army then entered the Left Wing, and the tribes there switched sides. Currently, only General Liu Cheng is leading his troops to sweep away the remaining enemies in the north of the Left Wing. During the reigns of Emperor Wu and subsequent periods, the Xiongnu frequently experienced division and chaos, with many Xiongnu tribes migrating south to submit to the Han Dynasty. Some Han emperors bestowed the surname Liu upon Xiongnu nobles as a gesture of appeasement. Liu Cheng's ancestors were Xiongnu nobles who submitted to the Han, and by Liu Cheng's generation, they had largely assimilated into Han culture. However, at the end of the Han Dynasty, the Central Plains descended into chaos, with figures like Dong Zhuo rising to power. Liu Cheng then led his people back to the Xiongnu.

Liu Cheng, resourceful and intelligent, brought advanced technology from the interior, quickly catching the attention of Qiang Qu and being promoted to general. Zhong Ping spared no effort in winning him over, and Liu Cheng, a shrewd and calculating man, saw Zhong Ping's growing power and seized the opportunity to join him, becoming one of Zhong Ping's most important and trusted generals. After Zhong Ping's coup, Liu Cheng clearly transformed into a high-ranking member of Zhong Ping's group, becoming a general in command of his own. Zhong Ping entrusted him with the task of suppressing the left wing of the Xiongnu. Liu Cheng led over 50,000 cavalry, rampaging unimpeded in the left wing, immediately annihilating any rebellious or disloyal individuals.

Zhong Ping's coup had been brewing for a long time and proceeded quite smoothly. However, Zhong Ping's greatest concern was not internal strife, but rather the potential intervention of the Central Plains. The Central Plains were powerful, a fact the Xiongnu had deeply understood since the reign of Emperor Wu. Whenever the Central Plains were unified and stable, and the entire nation was at war, the Xiongnu were destined to lose. Even against a single major warlord in the Central Plains, if their main forces clashed, the Xiongnu would be no match. However, Zhong Ping's advantage lay in the Central Plains' current state of chaos and conflict. Of the three major warlords, Yuan Shao's group was essentially finished, Luo Chen and Cao Cao were locked in a sharp confrontation, and neither could attend to the north. Therefore, Zhong Ping dared to launch a coup. However, no one is infallible, and nothing is absolute. Although Cao Cao and Luo Chen were locked in a standoff, if they were to temporarily maintain a peaceful relationship, allowing the Central Plains warlords to free up their main forces to march north, it would be troublesome. Back then, when Qiang Qu had just pacified the grasslands, Cao Cao was a newly emerging warlord, rising rapidly and attracting worldwide attention, with no obvious threats from his surroundings. Cao Cao then ordered Xiahou Dun to lead the main cavalry force northward. They advanced westward through the southern Xiongnu steppe, routing all Xiongnu troops who engaged them and killing all Xiongnu generals who went into battle. For a time, Xiahou Dun swept across the southern Xiongnu steppe, passing Shuofang and almost reaching Ma Teng's territory. The Xiongnu army at that time was not yet strong enough, lacking sufficient manpower to quickly assemble an army exceeding 100,000. Faced with Xiahou Dun's large force, they could only retreat in panic, unable to match him.

Xiahou Dun inflicted humiliation on the Xiongnu people, and his deeds became widely known among them, even among women and children. However, Yuan Shao soon showed a tendency to attack westward to contain Cao Cao, prompting Cao Cao to urgently order Xiahou Dun to lead the main cavalry force back to Xuchang. Xiahou Dun's campaign against the Xiongnu came to an end. Later, Cao Cao fought against Luo Chen, whose main force entered Shu. Cao Cao's main force inflicted heavy losses on Yuan Shao at Guandu, Wuchao, and Cangting, plunging the Central Plains into darkness, bloodshed, and widespread suffering. Many civilians were conscripted into the army or forced into labor, land was abandoned, and villages and cities were burned down.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Qiangqu expanded his army and organized the herders. He pacified various tribes and gradually implemented comprehensive control over the grasslands. The Xiongnu's power was consolidated, conflicts subsided, and their national strength greatly increased. At this time, Qiangqu's general Zhongping also made many military achievements and became a renowned Xiongnu war god. Zhongping secretly gathered helpers, organized groups, built his own army, and expanded his power and influence.

Thus, through the efforts of Qiangqu and Zhongping, the Xiongnu's national strength and mobilization capacity greatly improved. Xiahou Dun made them deeply aware of their own limitations and spurred them to improve themselves. However, although the Xiongnu were now stronger than before, they were still quite uncertain about facing the main forces of the Central Plains, including Zhongping himself. Zhongping hoped that the main forces of the Central Plains would not attack the grasslands, as that would make the situation very difficult.

Chapter Seventy-Two: Searching for Cai Yan

As a nomadic people, the Xiongnu's productivity was far inferior to that of the Central Plains. Many things, such as handicrafts and metallurgy, were extremely underdeveloped, yet essential for their survival. To a certain extent, the Xiongnu relied on trade with the Central Plains and even raiding for their livelihood.

Zhongping's hopes were simple—though he presented a menacing facade—first, that the Han people not interfere with the grasslands. He was deeply uneasy about the Han regular army's northward advance and strongly demanded their withdrawal. He wanted the Han people to return the troops to Luofu, guaranteeing the coup would be without hindrance. Second, that the grasslands could continue to receive supplies from the Central Plains, through trade and annual tribute.

However, he increasingly sensed that the Han people might intervene in the grasslands, changing their previously docile state. The regular Han army marched north, repelling the Xiongnu's attack on Shuofang for the first time in over a decade. The Han people, arrogant and reckless, accepted Yu Luofu, and then hesitated to return him. But he had his reasons, most importantly his increasingly powerful army. It could quickly mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops to fight and defeat large Han armies. Another reason was the knowledge he had received from the Han people about a woman named Cai Yan, supposedly a talented woman; and he also had Yan Qing under his command.

To be honest, Zhong Ping had no idea who Cai Yan was. Why would he bother with the details of the slaves he'd seized?

"Summon the elders from the nearby tribes!" Zhong Ping thought of this and couldn't help but want to find out who Cai Yan was so that he could keep a close watch on her, since she was a significant asset.

Soon, the elders responsible for the tribe's population, hunting, migration and other administrative affairs gathered in Zhongping's tent.

"Great Chanyu." They placed one hand on their chest and bowed deeply.

"Please have a seat, everyone." Zhongping kindly invited the elders to drink, as he greatly admired the title "Great Chanyu." "Our army has been stationed here recently, and our use of this land must have caused your tribe considerable disturbance. We apologize."

"It is our honor that the Great Khan's mighty army has been stationed here." "Many young men from our tribe are in the army." The elders chattered amongst themselves, seemingly maintaining a deliberate show of intimacy. This was understandable; the Great Khan had changed, and although no one spoke of it, this momentous event weighed heavily on their minds. Even though these tribes pledged allegiance, an awkward silence was inevitable when the two sides met.

“Recently, there have been many Han troops on the border, so I had no choice but to lead a large army south to protect our Xiongnu grasslands… Please forgive me.” Zhong Ping explained very politely. “Elders, how is the tribe’s hunting going?”

"Excellent!" the elders exclaimed in praise. "A few days ago, the Great Chanyu's army sent over some top-quality mutton, which has already been distributed. These past few days, everyone has been drinking and eating meat, living like gods. The women are busy curing and making dried meat; it's a truly joyous scene..." "Thank you for your kindness, Great Chanyu!"

Zhong Ping simply smiled and nodded.

Every grassland dweller has heard the story of the steppe wolf cavalry, a gift from the Xiongnu god to the grasslands, representing the god's protection. However, this story seems to be mostly legend and not entirely credible. Zhong Ping initially only listened to it as a legend until he met Yesuo.

The mysterious boy told him firmly that he could control and command a large pack of wolves. He watched as Yesso summoned a large, well-organized pack of wolves with a long howl. These wolves came galloping from the western horizon at an astonishing speed. This deep grassland seemed to be their home.

Where did he learn his skills? The boy said he was simply very lonely, often wandering deep into the grasslands, befriending the wolves… This seemed to make sense, yet it also didn't. The boy was mysterious. A plan suddenly flashed through Zhong Ping's mind. He didn't know if the Xiongnu god's grassland wolf army existed. But he could build his own Zhong Ping grassland wolf army, since he had met a boy who could command wolves—a highly organized, exceptionally swift, and mysterious pack of wolves. He immediately appointed the boy as his assistant and strategist.

Thus, a secret training program and a mysterious training base were born, and thus, a mysterious force was formed—the Grassland Wolf Cavalry Regiment. Several years have passed, and this mysterious legion, hidden deep within the grasslands and deserts, has achieved a qualitative breakthrough in training, becoming Zhong Ping's trump card.

"By the way, Cai Yan, have you ever heard of a Han Chinese female slave named Cai Yan?" Zhong Ping asked casually. He didn't want news of his search for Cai Yan to spread easily, as it might alert the Han people to the fact that he didn't know where Cai Yan was.

“Cai Yan?” The Xiongnu elders looked at each other in bewilderment. “There are a few Han female slaves, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone named Cai Yan.”

Zhong Ping was somewhat disappointed. No? Was Cai Yan not among these tribes? However, most of the captured Han slaves were settled in several southern tribes, especially south of the royal court.

"Elders, please go to your respective tribes and thoroughly inspect all Han female slaves for a name like Cai Yan. Once you find her, immediately detain her and report back to me. A hefty reward awaits!" Zhong Ping commanded sternly. "However, elders, please be mindful that this matter must be kept strictly confidential. If anyone spreads this information..." Zhong Ping's expression turned threatening as he gripped his waist knife, "Don't blame me for being impolite."

The elders were terrified and stammered their assurances.

"I entrust this to you all." Zhong Ping regained his kind expression, clasped his hands in a fist and fist salute, and saw the elders off.

"Report!" An officer suddenly rushed in, flustered. "Yan...Yan Qing is missing!"

Zhong Ping was shocked. His face then turned fierce: "What's the panic! With so many men, you can't even keep an eye on Yan Qing?" The officer, terrified, hurriedly knelt down. "He's been there the whole time. We checked on him every now and then, but he knocked out all the soldiers observing and guarding him, so we didn't notice him... But he shouldn't have gone far..."

"Order the camp sealed off! Arrest any man who looks like a Han Chinese!" Zhong Ping said coldly. "I don't believe he can escape." He kicked the officer hard, sending him sprawling into the corner of the tent, clutching his leg and crying out in pain, begging for mercy: "Great Chanyu, spare my life..."

Zhong Ping sneered: "The warriors of the Xiongnu always earn their lives themselves, they have no reason to beg! Take your men and search, if you can't find anything, you don't need to come back to see me alive!"

Upon hearing this, the officer knew further words were useless, so he knelt down, thanked the Chanyu, and limped away.

Chapter Seventy-Three: Intelligence and Special Agent Agencies

Although Yan Qing ate, drank, and slept soundly every day, he was still quite troubled. It wasn't the current matter; Fa Zheng was a cunning and treacherous fellow, someone he didn't need to worry about and could easily handle. Yan Qing's troubles stemmed from organizing the intelligence and espionage networks.

Prime Minister Luo Chen likely first considered the matter of an intelligence network after Xu Shu and Ma Dai became separated. The original plan was for Ma Dai to lead over ten thousand cavalry to provide support, but Xu You's cunning nearly led to Xu Shu's capture. The entire Luo army remained completely unaware of this, oblivious to the progress of Cao Cao's forces. Ultimately, Xu Shu escaped danger only after a chance encounter with Liu Bei and being forced to seek refuge with Huang Zhong. Without Liu Bei's intervention, Xu Shu would likely have been captured, resulting in the loss of one of Luo Chen's most trusted lieutenants.

The Prime Minister was quite annoyed, but he couldn't very well blame the generals. Ma Dai and the others had done their best and seemed to have handled the situation well and effectively. Xu Shu returned to Chang'an and Tongguan, repeatedly praising General Ma Dai and expressing gratitude for saving his life, intending to protect General Ma Dai from punishment.

At the time, Luo Chen was very busy and only mentioned to Yan Qing that an intelligence system should be established. The intelligence system was not established, but a high-speed communication system was established. A large number of relay stations, horse trails and messengers appeared in Luo Chen's controlled area of ​​067 to ensure that messages were transmitted smoothly and without hindrance.

Not long ago, General Chang Yuchun received the Xiongnu prince and Luofu, and the news reached Tongguan, thousands of miles away, the very next day. Luo Chen immediately made decisions, including making peace with Cao Cao as soon as possible and negotiating with the Xiongnu to buy time. The communication system played a crucial role.

However, Luo Chen still convened a high-level meeting that evening. To Yan Qing's surprise, apart from Yan Qing and Xu Da, all the attendees were civil officials: Zhuge Liang, Xu Shu, Zhang Heng, Sun Yuanhua, Xu Da, and Yan Qing. Luo Chen got straight to the point: "Through all these years of fighting, everyone should understand how crucial intelligence is."

Yan Qing immediately understood what it meant, because Luo Chen had mentioned it to him before.

"The other day, Mr. Xu Shu was almost intercepted and captured by Cao Cao's army, and our army was completely unaware of Cao Cao's actions." Luo Chen said, glancing at Xu Shu. "If we lose Mr. Xu Shu, it will be like losing one of my right and left arms."

"I've heard that Cao Cao has an organization specifically for gathering intelligence," Zhuge Liang said, "(babj) which is led by a man named Mao Jie."

Everyone present understood that Luo Chen wanted to establish an intelligence system.

“Cai Yan… I mentioned her to everyone the other day. She’s currently in the hands of the Xiongnu, her fate and location unknown.” Luo Chen said with a grim expression. “Tell me, do you all have any concrete plans to deliver Cai Yan to me safely and accurately?”

The high-ranking officials exchanged bewildered glances.

"General Xu Da, if I give you 300,000 troops to attack the northern desert and defeat the Xiongnu, can you bring Cai Yan to me?" Luo Chen asked Xu Da directly.

This question clearly put Xu Da in a difficult position. Xu Da paused for a moment, then said directly, "My lord has given me hundreds of thousands of troops. I will certainly do my utmost to attack the Xiongnu in the north, crush their main force, and prevent them from ever daring to invade the border again. This is my duty. However, with hundreds of thousands of troops, there will inevitably be widespread bloodshed and devastation wherever we go. Even if we defeat the Xiongnu, it seems difficult to find an ordinary person named Cai Yan."

Luo Chen simply nodded silently, glancing at the others. But everyone seemed to share Xu Da's thoughts, and remained silent with their heads down. Finally, Yan Qing had no choice but to say, "We can only send someone to infiltrate the Xiongnu tribes to investigate secretly, find Cai Yan, and bring her back quietly."

Luo Chen nodded silently again, his voice becoming even sterner: "We need a team. A team that can report all kinds of intelligence. A team that can find and rescue an ordinary person."

This idea was quite novel to people in ancient times. Perhaps Xu Da could accept it, since the Ming Dynasty had the Embroidered Uniform Guard. However, Xu Da was also a person from the early Ming Dynasty and was not very familiar with it.

"Let's select a hundred or so men from the Imperial Guard and train them." Seeing the ministers looking at each other, Luo Chen seemed too lazy to explain and just wanted to get the matter done as soon as possible.

"The most important thing about this team is its leader. Who will lead? How many?" Luo Chen looked around at the senior officials again. Clearly, this task was extremely arduous, comparable to manufacturing gunpowder. They had absolutely no idea how to train them, what the organizational structure would be, or how to expand the intelligence network to multiple locations. These were all unimaginable things, and the Luo Chen Group had no experience or foundation in intelligence operations.

As expected, the high-ranking officials fell silent again. This was the longest consecutive night of silence among these officials; everyone was extremely uncertain.

Zhang Heng and Sun Yuanhua were already on assignments and couldn't take on the task. Sure enough, Luo Chen glanced at them and said, "Mr. Zhang Heng and Mr. Sun Yuanhua are currently focused on artillery research and will not be assigned any new tasks for the time being. However, Chang'an Academy will begin researching intelligence methods and establishing an intelligence department and intelligence studies. Mr. Zhang Heng should take charge of this matter."

This matter posed a significant challenge for Zhang Heng. Where could he find such training materials? It was said that Cao Cao had experience with them… Although it was difficult, it was at least better than being the head of this intelligence agency. So Zhang Heng readily agreed.

That left were Zhuge Liang, Xu Shu, Xu Da, and Yan Qing. The four remained silent, an awkward silence falling over them.

"I am only knowledgeable in military and political strategy; as for intelligence and espionage, I am truly incapable of such a task," Zhuge Liang stated bluntly, refusing the position. Luo Chen did not blame him, but simply nodded. Since Zhuge Liang had said so, Xu Shu was even more so, and immediately stepped forward to repeat Zhuge Liang's words.

Upon seeing this, Xu Da quickly replied, "I am merely a general leading troops to fight the enemy on the battlefield. As for intelligence and spies, I am truly unable to take responsibility for that."

Luo Chen could only nod helplessly, leaving only Yan Qing. "Yan Qing... it seems you'll have to take on this responsibility," Luo Chen said helplessly.

"Your Majesty..." Yan Qing really didn't want to take on this task. He wasn't familiar with it. Although he was a Lieutenant General, to put it bluntly, he was Luo Chen's personal bodyguard, always by his side, and usually only led a 10,000-strong Imperial Guard. But asking him to establish a nationwide system seemed beyond his capabilities. Yan Qing looked somewhat troubled.

Luo Chen knew what he was going to say, so he could only say, "There's no need to build a huge system right now. The most urgent thing is to assemble a team and rescue Cai Yan. Okay..."

Seeing that he couldn't avoid it, Yan Qing had no choice but to agree.

Chapter Seventy-Four: Familiar Melody

Where exactly is Cai Yan? How do I find her? Yan Qing lay in bed, deep in thought, even dreaming about her.

His hastily trained so-called special agent team is now barely assembled in Shuofang. These guys are called spies, but they probably don't even know what spies are. Of course, Yan Qing himself is clueless. Besides the fighting and slashing skills that soldiers already possess, these people have also been trained in infiltration and hand-to-hand combat. Because they need to infiltrate deep into Xiongnu territory, they've also been trained in Xiongnu language and gestures. However, as soon as Yan Qing went to inspect them, he knew they were doomed. These guys couldn't possibly impersonate Xiongnu people. Anyone could see that they looked like Han Chinese, and the Xiongnu clothing seemed to have been forcibly put on (which it actually was). And it was even worse when they tried to speak. They couldn't speak the Xiongnu language at all, only gesturing. Of course, Yan Qing couldn't speak it either, but he was smart enough to learn from Fa Zheng for a while and could manage with basic conversational phrases.

Yan Qing knew these guys were unreliable, so he could only keep them in Shuofang City for now and not let them make a move, so as not to alert them.

Of course, Yan Qing was also troubled. Alone on this vast grassland, where could he find even an ordinary female slave? Although he could easily escape confinement, without finding someone, he still couldn't complete the task Luo Chen had given him!

The yurt was opened, sunlight streamed in, and the Xiongnu soldiers came to deliver food again.

The food provided to Yan Qing by the Xiongnu was quite good. Yan Qing enjoyed eating large chunks of meat; the tender and delicious mutton surpassed many of the refined dishes of the Central Plains. However, Yan Qing didn't drink much, fearing it would interfere with his duties. Today, a young Xiongnu soldier brought the food. He entered the tent, slowly arranged several bowls and some wine, humming a tune, "Eeya eeya... dang," in a rather melodious tone. At first, Yan Qing didn't pay much attention and praised the young man in broken Xiongnu. But then he paused, stunned... Where had he ever heard that tune before?!

This tune was definitely not the kind he usually listened to for leisure. Its long, mournful melody suggested he'd heard it by chance while on some important mission. What was it?

The young Xiongnu soldier had laid out the food and drink and was about to leave when Yan Qing grabbed him. The Xiongnu soldier looked terrified, thinking Yan Qing was going to hit him. But Yan Qing immediately let go and began gesturing, as if asking himself something. "Where did you hear the song?" Yan Qing asked in Chinese (he couldn't express it in Xiongnu) while pointing to his mouth. The Xiongnu soldier was confused, thinking he wanted some good wine, so he tentatively asked, "Wine?"

Yan Qing knew the Xiongnu language referred to wine and quickly shook his head. The young Xiongnu soldier looked bewildered and wanted to go out to call for help. Yan Qing quickly stopped him, and in his haste, he imitated the song himself, humming "Eeya..." and then asked, "Where?" The Xiongnu soldier finally understood and rattled off a long string of words, of which Yan Qing only recognized a few fragments: "tribe," "Han people," and "woman." Yan Qing felt his mind suddenly race: Han people—woman—a familiar song, who else could it be? As if struck by lightning, "I remember! I know!" Yan Qing muttered excitedly. That's right, he had heard this tune before, when he accompanied Luo Chen to visit Cai Yong on Longzhou Island on the Yellow River! At that time, he was on an unfamiliar island, responsible for protecting Luo Chen's safety, and his nerves were quite tense, needing to stay alert at all times. So when he heard this tune, although it was melodious and poignant, he was also transported back to the scene of hearing it for the first time, feeling the tension of carrying out some important mission.