AWB Chapter 396: The horses, sheep, and cattle are all gone
Chapter 396: The horses, sheep, and cattle are all gone
When Huo Jun returned to the camp, he was so angry that he was shaking all over. He suddenly took off the sword at his waist and slammed it heavily on the table.
"What the hell is this!" Huo Jun roared, his chest heaving violently. "Shen Chongshan is completely out of his mind. He actually reached such an agreement with the Xiongnu!"
Master Bai took a sip of tea, his face full of sarcasm:
"I really underestimated Shen Chongshan. I thought he was just greedy for money, but I didn't expect him to do such a foolish thing.
He is not planning for Da Qi at all, he is simply crazy!
Opening border trade zones may seem like a way to exchange what is available, but in reality it is inviting wolves into the house.”
Liu Xiang paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, his brows knitted tightly into the shape of a "chuan" character, and he sighed deeply.
"How is this any different from leaving your back door open?
The Huns have always been ambitious. Once they are allowed to easily enter the territory of Da Qi, how can they be easily sent away?
For the sake of those few supplies and tax silver, and for his own selfish interests, Shen Chongshan actually put Da Qi into such a dangerous situation.
They are simply disregarding the safety of millions of people and treating the country of Da Qi as a joke!"
Master Bai stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth, saying indignantly:
"He is short-sighted, only focusing on the immediate benefits, but not considering the serious consequences of opening up the rear.
Once the border is opened, the Huns will pour in in large numbers. Who can guarantee that they will not harbor evil intentions?
By then, the people of Da Qi will be plunged into dire straits, the peace on the border will no longer exist, and the country will face internal and external troubles!"
Liu Xiang nodded slightly, his eyes firm:
"We absolutely cannot sit back and allow them to make a deal.
We must find a way to stop it. We can’t let Shen Chongshan’s wrong decision destroy Da Qi!”
Master Bai sighed deeply:
"Okay, although this matter is difficult, it can definitely be solved. There is no need to rush it, we have to take it slow.
We must first disrupt their plan. There will be an operation tonight, so everyone should be alert!"
When everyone heard the words "action", their eyes lit up instantly.
In the middle of the night, the moonlight was like water, and Naitang led them through the woods. They crossed two mountains and walked along the path for a long time, and finally heard faint movements coming from the valley.
Everyone approached cautiously and saw that the Xiongnu and Shen Chongshan's people had already met in the valley.
The flickering firelight stretched the figure out long.
The Huns were tall and strong, all wrapped in thick animal skin coats. Their hair was tied casually behind their heads, and a few strands of hair flew freely in the wind.
Leading the charge on the Xiongnu side were more than two hundred sturdy horses, their fur having a satin-like luster, and their manes fluttering in the wind adding a touch of unruly grace.
In the Great Qi Dynasty, good horses have always been a strategic material that military strategists must fight for. Their preciousness is self-evident. Once they flow into Bianliang, they will become the object of competition among princes, nobles, military generals and powerful officials, and the price will naturally be very high.
Following the horses were carriages loaded with cargo.
The first car was filled with brightly colored, high-quality furs, including silver fox fur, mink fur, wolf fur...
These furs were extremely popular among the dignitaries in Bianjing and were treasures worth a fortune. Any one of them could be sold at a high price in Bianjing.
The second carriage was loaded with exquisite gold and silver items.
There are wine jugs with smooth lines, and jewelry inlaid with turquoise, agate and other gemstones...
The third carriage was filled with exquisitely crafted leather bags, which were filled with milk wine fermented from goat's milk and horse's milk. The rich aroma drifted faintly in the air.
Next to them were bundles of tanned animal hides and strips of meat that had not been fully dried.
Most of the land of the Xiongnu Kingdom was vast grassland, with some mountains, forests and deserts.
The grassland is rich in water and grass, which is suitable for the development of animal husbandry. The Huns have grown crops before, and some places can also grow them.
However, the grassland climate is harsh, with strong winds and droughts often destroying crops. Moreover, the Huns lived near water and grass, and growing crops required long-term settlement and care, which would cause them to miss the opportunity for grazing.
In comparison, grazing is more flexible and more suitable for the changing environment of the grassland and their living habits, so they mainly graze and do not grow crops.
The three carriages slowly stopped. Behind them, hundreds of cattle and sheep were strolling leisurely, their bleating and mooing sounds intertwined.
Just as everyone was counting the goods and discussing the price in an orderly manner, something unexpected happened.
The herd of horses nearby neighed without warning, their front hooves raised high, their manes flying wildly in the wind, and their hooves dug into the ground, stirring up clouds of dust.
The restlessness of the horses spread quickly, and soon the nearby sheep and cattle were also caught up in this inexplicable commotion.
The sheep were no longer docile. They stared with bloodshot eyes, pointed their horns at the crowd, and rushed forward recklessly.
The cattle were even more violent, trampling with their strong limbs and their mooing was full of madness.
The originally peaceful trading scene instantly turned into a chaotic battlefield, with people panicking and running around.
The Huns shouted and tried to control the livestock. Shen Chongshan's men were in a panic and the situation was completely out of control.
Huo Qing shouted loudly: "What on earth do you mean by this?"
Wule was also so angry that he cursed loudly:
"I haven't asked you what you mean yet?
Do you have control over these animals? They were fine at home."
The two groups immediately started fighting with each other, fists were flying, and the shouts of killing were so loud that the dust on the grassland flew up. Some people were knocked to the ground, but they struggled to get up and continue fighting. The scene was in chaos.
Just as they were fighting fiercely, the horses, cattle and sheep nearby took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, and as if they had received some signal, they started running wildly towards the depths of the grassland.
After an unknown amount of time, the melee finally stopped.
Everyone stood there breathless and wounded, with anger still on their faces.
Huo Qing looked around. The horses, sheep, and cattle that had belonged to them were nowhere to be seen. He was so angry that his veins were throbbing, and his face turned pale and red. "This... How am I going to explain this when I get back?"
Wule was shocked, then looked at Huo Qing speechlessly and shouted:
"You Qi people are full of lies! Now all the livestock have run away.
Anyway, I'm not done with you! You must give me an explanation today, otherwise, we'll settle this account slowly!"
Huo Qing was also confused and could only go back and tell Shen Chongshan. Shen Chongshan frowned and said, "Are you saying that all those herds of horses, sheep, and cattle are gone?"
Huo Qing's expression was solemn, his face filled with helplessness. He nodded slowly and said in a low voice, "Yes, I really can't figure it out. All of a sudden, those beasts seemed to have gone crazy and disappeared."
"After the incident, we didn't dare to delay for a moment and went to look for them without stopping.
We chased them all the way, but unexpectedly, the livestock ran directly to the outside of the Great Wall.
The vast expanse beyond the Great Wall, with its yellow sand filling the sky and vast territory, is like a headless fly, unable to find anything at all.” A vein bulged slightly on Huo Qing’s forehead.