diymy Chapter 52 The Stumbling of a Young Man
Chapter 52 The Stumbling of a Young Man
Seeing the Han army's formation halt, the young man spurred his horse forward a few steps on his own.
None of the Wuhuan cavalry behind him moved, which shows his prestige in the army.
He bowed slightly to Liu Bei from his horse, performing a traditional grassland salute. His voice was loud and clear, with the unique clarity of a young man, yet also conveying a sense of composure.
"Tadun, the Wuhuan chieftain of Liaoxi, has come with a thousand followers to await the command of Lord Liu, on the orders of my master, Qiuliju."
Tadun!
As Liu Bei sat on his horse, looking at the twelve-year-old boy before him, his heart skipped a beat.
How could he not recognize this name?
This is Tadun, the future Wuhuan chieftain who will rule over three counties and become a renowned grassland warlord in the north!
Historically, after Qiuliju's death, it was this young man who, as a nephew, took over the power of the Wuhuan in Liaoxi and unified the three commanderies of Wuhuan.
He became an important ally of Yuan Shao in the north, and even after the Battle of Guandu, he dared to take in the Yuan brothers and openly oppose Cao Cao.
In the end, he was killed by Zhang Liao in battle at White Wolf Mountain.
He never expected that Qiuliju would entrust this thousand elite cavalrymen to a boy who was only twelve years old.
I never imagined that I would meet this future grassland warlord in this way, at this time and place.
The Han generals behind him also looked surprised.
None of them expected that the person sent by Qiuliju to command a thousand elite cavalry was actually a teenager.
Han Dangdang immediately frowned.
Gongsun Zan scoffed, his eyes full of disdain, thinking that Qiu Liju was being far too frivolous by sending a child to deal with them.
Only Tian Yu and Cheng Pu exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of seriousness in each other's eyes.
To command the obedience of a thousand valiant Wuhuan knights, it's impossible that he could only rely on the name of Qiuliju. This young man is definitely not as simple as he seems.
Liu Bei suppressed the turmoil in his heart, spurred his horse forward, and returned the greeting to Tadun with a gentle yet authoritative tone.
"Thank you for coming all this way, young man, and thank you even more for Lord Qiuliju's righteous assistance."
"Xuande is here to thank you both."
He deliberately used the title "Little Handsome," showing Tadun full respect and not showing any disrespect because of his age.
Upon hearing this, Tadun's dark eyes flickered slightly. He bowed again on his horse, his tone remaining neither humble nor arrogant.
"Lord Liu, you're too kind."
"My master said that the Lord saved the lives of my entire Wuhuan tribe, and the Wuhuan people will never forget this kindness."
"If Your Majesty intends to attack the Xianbei Queji tribe, the Wuhuan people will have no reason to cower behind."
"These thousand men are all the most elite knights of my Wuhuan tribe. They are familiar with the grassland terrain and are skilled in mounted archery and raids. You may give them any orders, my lord."
"Oh, and the master also instructed that you be given a thousand warhorses!"
"Your Excellency may send someone to take over later!"
He spoke politely and with impeccable manners, but there was always a sense of propriety in his tone.
There seems to be a sense of respectful distance!
Even when facing Liu Bei, who had been kind to the Wuhuan, he simply obeyed Qiuliju's orders and fulfilled his duty as an ally, without any intention of currying favor.
As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and whistled. Immediately, two Wuhuan knights rode out from behind him, carrying a scroll of sheepskin map, and presented it to Liu Bei.
Tadun said in a deep voice, "This is a topographical map of the upper reaches of the Liao River, which my Wuhuan people have walked on the grasslands for generations."
"Where there is water, where there is valley, where it is suitable to set up an ambush, and where the settlements of the Queji tribe are all clearly marked."
"If Your Excellency intends to attack the Queji Division, this map might be of some help."
Liu Bei had Tian Yu take the map, and when he unfolded it, he was even more surprised.
This map was far more detailed than the one he had, clearly marking even the seasonal rivers and hidden valleys on the grassland.
Even the location and approximate population of each scattered village in Queji County were marked.
A twelve-year-old boy who can consider things so thoroughly is no ordinary person.
"Young Master, you're very kind. This map is exactly what we need right now," Liu Bei said, bowing again in thanks.
Tadun simply nodded slightly and said nothing more.
But his gaze swept over the Han army's formation again, from the neat infantry formation to the strict command and dispatch, and the coordination between the various battalions.
His gaze lingered for a long time, a barely perceptible hint of inquiry flashing in his dark eyes, before he regained his cold and composed demeanor.
From a young age, he heard from the elders of his clan that the Han people's military books and formations were so powerful that the grassland people could not learn them.
Seeing it today, I can see that it truly lives up to its reputation.
These Han infantrymen were far inferior to the Wuhuan cavalry in terms of archery and horsemanship.
Once they formed a battle formation, they were like an immovable mountain, advancing and retreating with perfect discipline, and commanding with unwavering unity. Even during a march, they showed no weakness whatsoever.
Don't be fooled by the fact that his Wuhuan formation looks quite impressive; it was something he had spent a long time adjusting.
Once things start moving, it's a different story.
He silently memorized the formations and commands, but remained outwardly calm.
He even turned to his personal guards and whispered something in the Wuhuan language, his tone filled with the defiant spirit of a young man.
"The Han people's formations look intimidating, but when it comes to actual raids and battles on the grasslands, you have to look to our Wuhuan people's scimitars and fast horses."
The guards quickly bowed in agreement, their eyes filled with awe for the young general.
The Wuhuan language was spoken in a very low voice, and most of the Han soldiers did not hear it.
Gongsun Zan, who grew up on the frontier and was fluent in the Wuhuan language, heard it clearly.
He immediately snorted coldly, placed his hand on the double-edged iron halberd at his waist, spurred his horse forward, stared sharply at Tadun, and shouted sternly.
"A mere child like you, yet you speak with such arrogance!"
"If you actually get to the battlefield, you'll probably be cut down by the Xianbei before you even draw your scimitar!"
Gongsun Zan already deeply resented the Wuhuan people, and when he saw that Tadun, a mere child, dared to look down on the Han army from behind, he immediately lost his temper.
These words instantly created a tense atmosphere.
The Wuhuan knights behind Tadun all put their hands on their scimitars, staring fiercely at Gongsun Zan, while their warhorses pawed restlessly.
On the Han army's side, Han Dang, Yan Gang, and others also reined in their horses, watching the Wuhuan cavalry warily, ready to respond to any unusual movements.
But Taddon himself was not angry at all.
He merely glanced at Gongsun Zan, his dark eyes showing no emotion whatsoever—neither anger nor retreat.
He spoke calmly, his Mandarin still fluent: "General, on the battlefield, words are not enough."
"Whether we can kill the Xianbei or not, we'll see when we meet the Queji tribe."
"I am here on the orders of my lord to assist Lord Liu, not to argue with the general."
In short, it was neither too soft nor too hard, neither putting itself at a disadvantage nor escalating the conflict.
They also steered the conversation back to the main topic, striking the perfect balance.