Han Xian's head rolled onto the tray beside the wooden box that held Guo Da's.
The hall fell silent.
Zhang Xin didn't even look at it again.
"Send both heads to Luoyang," he said coldly. "Let the court see clearly who lived—and who died with honor."
To him, Han Xian's act wasn't merit.
It was rot.
A man who betrays his own leader at the brink of defeat will betray anyone. Keeping such a person wasn't reward—it was future disaster.
Guo Da, on the other hand…
Zhang Xin exhaled slowly.
A wasted pillar.
Aftermath: Order from Chaos
With Qi County secured, Zhang Xin did not rush north.
Instead, he stayed.
Not to celebrate—but to build.
Over the next month, he personally oversaw the resettlement of more than 100,000 surrendered White Wave Yellow Turbans. Land registers were brought in, fields reassigned, populations redistributed across counties.
Where land was lacking—
He bought more.
Where food was short—
He rationed carefully.
Where order was weak—
He enforced it firmly.
This wasn't conquest anymore.
This was governance.
A Growing Army
Reinforcements soon arrived from Youzhou under Liu Yu's command.
10,000 troops led by Xianyu Fu 4,000 cavalry under Guan Yu stationed at Yanmen
Zhang Xin quickly reorganized everything.
He issued new orders:
Guan Yu – Supreme commander of the northern campaign Xianyu Fu – Military advisor Objective: Retake Dingxiang and Yunzhong, then hold position and await the main army
Meanwhile, Zhang Xin calculated his own strength:
3,400 cavalry 5,000 Black Mountain troops 2,000 county soldiers 2,000 state troops under Zhang Yang 3,000 new troops under Gao Shun 2,000+ archers
Total: over 14,000 elite troops
Combined with Guan Yu's forces—
Nearly 30,000 soldiers.
For the first time since his rise, Zhang Xin wasn't outnumbered.
He was the overwhelming force.
Zhang Xin rubbed his hands unconsciously.
"I've never fought a battle like this…"
A rare smile appeared.
This would be a real war.
The Strategic Shift
Originally, he had planned a two-pronged assault on the Southern Xiongnu:
One army from Yanmen One from Longmen Ferry
But after studying the terrain—
He scrapped it.
"The land north of Longmen is too narrow. Too barren," he told Xun You. "A large army would starve before it fights."
So he changed plans:
➡️ Concentrate all forces➡️ Advance from Yanmen➡️ Strike directly at Meiji—the Xiongnu royal court
A single decisive battle.
Clean.
Final.
The Imperial Edict
Just as preparations began—
Everything changed.
Wang Ling rushed in.
"Brother-in-law, an imperial edict has arrived!"
Zhang Xin frowned.
Strange timing.
He went out personally to receive it—
And froze.
Standing there…
Was Zhang Rang.
That alone was a bad sign.
Or a very big one.
After returning to the city and setting up the ceremonial altar, Zhang Xin received the decree.
As he read—
His expression darkened.
Then stiffened.
Then turned completely blank.
The edict, issued under Emperor Ling of Han, declared:
Zhang Xin was to immediately return to Luoyang His authority as Governor of Bingzhou was revoked His military command over Bingzhou and Youzhou was removed The new Governor of Bingzhou would be Ding Yuan
The timing couldn't have been worse.
The war wasn't finished.
Victory was within reach.
And now—
He was being pulled out.
Zhang Xin forced himself to remain composed.
"Attendant… why now?"
Zhang Rang only smiled.
"This is a good thing."
A good thing?
Zhang Xin didn't believe that for a second.
Until—
Zhang Rang finally revealed it:
"The Son of Heaven intends to form a new army."
In that instant, everything clicked.
The Xiyuan New Army.
The Eight Colonels.
Power centered not in provinces—
But in the capital.
Names flashed through Zhang Xin's mind:
Yuan Shao Cao Cao
This was the battlefield behind the battlefield.
A struggle for control of the empire itself.
Bingzhou…
Suddenly felt small.
A Forced Decision
Zhang Xin didn't want to go.
Not now.
Not when everything was within his grasp.
But he had no choice.
The emperor still lived.
His family was in Luoyang.
Disobedience meant destruction.
He accepted the decree.
"Your subject obeys."
Final Arrangements
Once Zhang Rang was settled, Zhang Xin moved quickly.
Orders flew out:
Guan Yu and Xianyu Fu were to withdraw to Youzhou Recovered territories were to be held locally No further advance
The northern campaign—
Cancelled.
Then he summoned Yang Feng and the others.
When they heard he was leaving, panic spread immediately.
"What about us?"
"What about the people in the mountains?"
Some even urged rebellion.
Zhang Xin just smiled.
"You're rushing again."
Then, patiently, he laid out a system:
Trade furs and herbs from the mountains Sell through the Zhen family of Zhongshan Buy grain cheaply from Youzhou Contact his allies if needed Maintain stability
It wasn't perfect.
But it was survival.
When he finished—
Yang Feng and the others were in tears.
For a moment, they didn't see Zhang Xin.
They saw someone else.
A figure from the past.
The Great Teacher.
"We thank you, Young General."
Zhang Xin helped them up.
Then added one final arrangement:
"Chu Yan will not return to the mountains."
"You will lead in his place."
Yang Feng nodded.
No hesitation this time.
The Shift of Power
Everything was in place.
Bingzhou would hold—for now.
The Yellow Turbans would survive.
The army would not collapse.
Zhang Xin stood alone for a moment after they left.
Looking north.
Then south.
The battlefield had changed.
From mountains and cavalry—
To court and intrigue.
He turned.
"Summon Gao Shun."
The next war…
Would be in Luoyang.