"How many came?" Zhang Xin asked.
"Thirty or forty," the county official replied.
"Oh? So most of them are here?"
Zhang Xin let out a short laugh. "Looks like the Xianbei can't hold out much longer."
The official smiled. "All thanks to Your Excellency's might."
"Bring them in."
"Yes, sir."
After the official withdrew, Zhang Xin summoned Dian Wei and ordered a group of armored guards to stand watch outside the hall to maintain order.
Before long, a noisy crowd of Xianbei envoys gathered at the entrance, their voices overlapping in agitation. The courtyard outside the hall quickly became chaotic.
"Silence them. Let them enter one at a time," Zhang Xin instructed.
Dian Wei strode to the doorway and bellowed, "Silence!"
The uproar died instantly.
"The lord commands—enter one by one to speak!"
The envoys exchanged uneasy glances.
Dian Wei's towering frame, coupled with the twin iron halberds in his hands, made him look like a war god descended. None dared step forward.
After a moment of hesitation, one man was shoved out from the group.
"Why me?"
He turned back in protest, but under Dian Wei's cold gaze, he swallowed his words and stepped inside.
Dian Wei followed behind him, halberds in hand, while the guards at the door lowered their spears to block the rest.
Inside the hall, the man knelt on one knee, hand pressed to his chest.
"I am Piluo. By order of Lord Budugen, I have come to pay respects to General Ming."
"Get to the point," Zhang Xin said flatly.
Piluo recounted the dire situation on the grasslands. His voice turned sorrowful.
"We have no food left for the winter. Some tribes have… resorted to cannibalism. We beg General Ming for mercy—grant us grain to survive."
Zhang Xin let out a cold laugh.
"You Xianbei have raided Youzhou for years, stealing people and grain. And now you come begging me for food?"
Piluo bowed his head. "My lord says—if General Ming is willing to provide grain and open trade, the central Xianbei are willing to submit. For all eternity, we will never rebel."
His voice carried beyond the hall. Outside, the Xianbei envoys dropped to their knees.
"We are willing to submit to General Ming forever! We will never rebel again!"
"Your 'never' means nothing," Zhang Xin said with a sneer. "At the start of the Han, you were driven out and scattered by the Xiongnu. Our Great Han spent two centuries defeating them and reclaiming the north."
He stepped forward, voice rising.
"That was a favor to you. And how did you repay it?"
"You took their lands, raised your own banners, and raided us year after year!"
He fixed Piluo with a sharp gaze.
"Tell me—why should I believe you?"
Piluo faltered. The envoys outside could only repeat weakly, "We truly surrender… please believe us…"
Zhang Xin waved his hand impatiently.
"I see no sincerity. Go back."
Piluo tried to speak, but Zhang Xin cut him off.
"If you truly wish to submit, let your chiefs come to Yuyang in person!"
Without waiting for a reply, Zhang Xin turned and walked toward the rear courtyard.
The Xianbei stood frozen in confusion.
"Our lord commands you to leave!" Dian Wei roared, eyes blazing.
Left with no choice, the envoys retreated to the grasslands to report.
"Zhang Xin wants us all to go to Yuyang?"
Inside a great tent, dozens of Xianbei leaders gathered, their expressions grim.
After nearly a month of fighting, they had come to a harsh realization—if this continued, they would collapse, and the northern tribes like the Dingling and Jiankun would reap the benefits.
If they could neither fight nor feed themselves, surrender was the only option.
In their minds, surrendering to the Han meant food, rewards, and survival.
What was a little loss of face compared to that?
But Zhang Xin's demand stunned them.
Go to Yuyang?
Impossible.
If he chose to detain or kill them, there would be no recourse.
Budugen, seated at the center, looked troubled. With Kui Tou, Fu Luohan, and Qian Man already captured, he now held the highest authority among them.
"What other options do we have?" he asked.
Silence filled the tent.
At last, one leader spoke.
"Why not surrender to Liu Yu? Youzhou isn't ruled by Zhang Xin alone."
The others' eyes lit up.
"Yes! Liu Yu is known for his kindness. If we plead with him, he'll surely give us grain!"
The plan was quickly set. Messengers were dispatched to Ji County.
True to his reputation, Liu Yu was deeply moved upon hearing of the Xianbei's suffering. When told that they had resorted to cannibalism, he wept on the spot.
Ignoring Wei You's objections, he gathered a large supply of grain and ordered it delivered to the grasslands.
But the key pass—Lulong—was already under Zhang Xin's control.
As soon as the convoy arrived, it was seized by Zuo Bao.
Upon learning of this, Zuo Bao immediately reported to Yuyang.
Zhang Xin was furious.
"Liu Yu… no wonder he was killed by Gongsun Zan!"
He had gone to great lengths to weaken the Xianbei, only for Liu Yu to undermine him.
"Confiscate the grain. Kill the Xianbei envoys."
Days passed.
On the grasslands, Budugen and the others waited anxiously.
No grain came.
Suspicion grew.
Had Liu Yu deceived them?
They sent another envoy to investigate.
Liu Yu was equally confused—had he not already sent the grain?
When the truth emerged, he was enraged. He wrote a stern letter to Zhang Xin, demanding the release of the convoy, and sent another shipment.
This time, Zhang Xin acted even faster.
He ordered Hu Cai to intercept the convoy at the border of Guangyang. The grain was seized again, and the Xianbei envoys were executed.
At the same time, Zhang Xin sent a letter to Liu Yu, explaining his actions and offering future benefits.
Once the Xianbei truly submitted, trade would flourish, the borders would stabilize, and both sides would prosper.
Surely you don't want the people to suffer again, Governor?
Faced with this reasoning—and Wei You's counsel—Liu Yu ultimately fell silent.
Back on the grasslands, Budugen was at a loss.
Where was the grain?
Had Liu Yu betrayed them?
Desperate, they sent a third envoy.
This time, Liu Yu refused to meet them, claiming illness. Instead, Wei You quietly advised them:
"If you want resolution… go to Yuyang."
The envoys obeyed.
Zhang Xin, however, remained unmoved.
"The chiefs must come in person. I have someone who can identify them. No substitutes."
The envoys had no choice but to return.
When Budugen saw them alive, he was briefly relieved—but that relief vanished as he heard their report.
Once again, the leaders gathered.
Silence stretched across the tent.
At last, someone spoke hesitantly:
"Then… shall we go to Yuyang…?"