His identity was that of the Crown Prince of Donghu.
Moreover, he was the most skilled in warfare among the princes.
Unlike the states of Shenzhou or the tradition of primogeniture in Chinese history, Donghu revered strength above all. Naturally, Tuoba Hu was the one on whom the Donghu King had placed the greatest hopes.
The secret of the royal treasury was known only to the Donghu King. If the king were to die, then the knowledge would pass on to him.
Although he didn't know all the details, Tuoba Hu was well aware that his father had once told him that within the royal treasury lay the accumulated wealth of the Donghu people over the past century.
Weapons, armor Various medicinal herbs.
As long as they could retrieve the resources from the treasury, they would be able to quickly recover from the devastating losses suffered by their people.
"Your Highness,"
"Cleaning up now is meaningless."
"The entire royal court has been engulfed in the fire set by the Qin army. If we clear it out, it will take at least a month to finish."
"Moreover, there are too many corpses of our people, which will take time to handle."
"Many of our clansmen were wounded by the Qin soldiers, and we lack the necessary medicine."
"Please make a decision, Your Highness."
Another general spoke up.
"Can we gather grain and medicine from the surrounding tribes?" Tuoba Hu asked.
"Your Highness,"
"The tribes surrounding the royal court were almost entirely slaughtered by the Qin army."
"Now, all the surviving tribes are pleading for aid from the royal court," a general replied, his voice filled with sorrow.
"How much have we lost this time?" Tuoba Hu frowned deeply and asked.
"The royal court originally had over 300,000 clansmen."
"After taking stock, we estimate that more than 100,000 of our people were massacred by the Qin army within the royal court alone."
"It wasn't just the royal court many other tribes suffered as well."
"In this invasion, the Qin army slaughtered at least 500,000 to 600,000 of our people. And that's only those who were directly killed by them."
"Many others succumbed to injuries inflicted by the Qin forces."
"Additionally, the Qin soldiers burned down the grain stores of every tribe they found."
"Winter has arrived, and with such devastating losses and no grain reserves left, many more of our people may die in the cold."
As the grim statistics were recounted, the expressions of the surrounding Donghu generals grew darker, filled with pain and hatred.
"Qin…"
"This is all Qin's doing."
"When our people recover, we will have our revenge on Qin! They will pay for this in blood!" Tuoba Hu declared coldly.
At this moment, aside from cursing Qin, they had nothing else they could do.
Just then
"Report!"
"Your Highness, General Wu Wu has returned!"
A Donghu soldier ran up to Tuoba Hu in a panic, his face full of anxiety.
"Where is my father?" Tuoba Hu immediately asked.
"Uh… this… this…"
The soldier hesitated, seemingly afraid to speak.
Tuoba Hu's brows furrowed.
"Your Highness…"
"The king… the king, he…"
From behind, Wu Wu staggered forward, his body covered in wounds, blood dripping from him continuously. Behind him, a group of battered and broken soldiers followed, looking utterly defeated.
One look at them, and it was clear this was a retreating army.
"What happened to my father?" Tuoba Hu pressed urgently.
A sense of unease grew within him.
Wu Wu trembled, then knelt before Tuoba Hu.
"His Majesty said that as the King of Donghu, he failed to stop the Qin army from massacring our people, and this was his sin."
"He led the invasion into Qin but failed to achieve victory. Instead, the Qin army caught up with us. His Majesty declared that he would fight the Qin soldiers to the death."
"His Majesty fought valiantly but ultimately fell at the hands of the Qin general, Zhao Feng."
"Before he died, he entrusted me with this royal token and commanded that I deliver it to Your Highness. He said that this token is the key to unlocking the royal treasury. Once the treasury is opened, our people can swiftly recover."
Wu Wu pulled a bloodstained token from his chest and respectfully presented it to Tuoba Hu.
"Father… is truly dead?"
Tuoba Hu's eyes widened in disbelief.
When they had split their forces, his father had been perfectly fine. And now, in less than twenty days, he was gone?
The shock hit Tuoba Hu hard.
"Your Highness…"
"I wouldn't dare to speak falsely," Wu Wu said in a trembling voice.
"Father… how could you do this? If you are gone, how can I possibly hold the clan together?"
"With such devastating losses, how can I bear this burden alone?"
Tuoba Hu's voice broke with grief as he cried out in anguish.
The surrounding Donghu generals also burst into tears.
"Your Highness,"
"His Majesty decreed…"
"That upon his death, Your Highness is to take the royal token and ascend as the new King."
"The royal treasury lies beneath the throne."
"We pledge our allegiance to Your Highness!"
Wu Wu lifted the token high above his head and knelt before Tuoba Hu.
The surrounding Donghu generals immediately followed, all kneeling and shouting in unison:
"We pledge our allegiance to the King!"
As their cries spread, one by one, the Donghu soldiers fell to their knees, bowing deeply.
At that moment
Throughout the ruined remains of the royal court, thousands upon thousands of Donghu people knelt in reverence.
They were welcoming their new ruler.
"Heaven bears witness."
"The Wolf God bears witness."
"I, Tuoba Hu, am now the King of Donghu."
"Today,"
"I swear upon my name that I will devote my life to the strength and resurgence of our people!"
"The massacre of our people, the murder of my father I will never forget!"
"When our people have recovered, I, Tuoba Hu, shall lead our warriors to trample upon Qin!"
"We will make Qin pay for this blood debt with their blood!"
"I will tear Zhao Feng limb from limb!"
"The hatred of our people"
"Will never be forgotten!"
Tuoba Hu lifted the royal token high, his voice filled with boundless hatred.
"Long live the King!"
"Long live Donghu!"
"Long live the King!"
Deafening cheers echoed across the ruined royal court.
Tuoba Hu, along with Wu Wu and his closest generals, then made their way toward the main hall of the Donghu royal court.
Before long, they arrived at the grand throne of the Donghu King.
But at this moment
The throne had already been shattered, seemingly destroyed by a mighty force.
However, the remains had been deliberately covered, as if concealing a hidden entrance beneath.
"Open it," Tuoba Hu commanded.
Tuoba Hu waved his hand.
Several soldiers immediately stepped forward.
They removed the stone slab covering the throne's position.
The next moment
A passageway appeared before their eyes.
"Great King,"
"This is the clan's treasure vault that the late king spoke of. Inside lies a century's worth of our tribe's accumulated resources."
"Our tribe has suffered immensely at the hands of the Qin army, but as long as we open this vault and obtain the resources within, we can quickly recover." Wu Wu said excitedly.
"Mm."
A flash of excitement appeared in Tuoba Hu's eyes as well.
His tribe had been slaughtered and devastated by Zhao Feng's forces.
Without the resources in this vault, it would be nearly impossible for his people to recover.
But now, the situation has changed.
As long as they could open this century-old treasure vault, the resources inside could alter the fate of their tribe and accelerate their recovery.
"Let's go."
Tuoba Hu couldn't wait and stepped into the passageway.
Wu Wu and the other generals followed closely.
They had only ever heard of the tribe's treasure vault. Only the ruling king of each generation knew its location and how to open it.
To witness it with their own eyes now was a rare privilege.
However, when they reached the entrance to the vault
Everyone froze.
"The vault door… it's broken?"
Tuoba Hu's voice trembled.
Before them
A massive bronze door had been split into two halves, completely shattered.
It seemed
Someone had already entered.
"The Qin army… could they have opened the vault before us?" a general speculated.
Hearing this, Tuoba Hu panicked.
He rushed inside the vault.
Upon entering
He looked around.
His eyes widened in disbelief, and then he was consumed by boundless rage.
"Impossible."
"This is impossible!"
"How could the Qin army have emptied our tribe's vault so quickly?"
"How could a century's worth of our people's accumulated wealth be completely gone?"
Tuoba Hu's voice quivered, on the verge of breaking.
Seeing the empty treasure vault
It was an even greater blow to him than learning of his father's death.
Not just Tuoba Hu
The generals who followed him were also frozen in shock.
The century-old treasure vault of their tribe was gone.
Judging by the scene, it had been completely ransacked by the Qin army.
And the most humiliating part was that the vault had been stripped bare, with not a single thing left behind. It had been thoroughly cleaned out.
"Qin Kingdom."
"Zhao Feng…"
"You and I are sworn enemies unto death!"
Tuoba Hu roared in fury.
The next moment
His rage became uncontrollable.
"Ugh!"
A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from his lips.
Shacheng Territory.
"Ying'er."
"Do you think it's too abrupt for me to visit Auntie like this?"
"Should I go to the county city first to buy some gifts before visiting?"
"Even though I've already bought quite a few things, it still feels insufficient."
Beside a carriage, Li You chattered incessantly to Zhao Ying, who was inside.
Inside the carriage
Zhao Ying listened to Li You's words, feeling both shy and annoyed.
Before
Li You had been somewhat afraid of her brother and didn't dare to speak much around him. But now that her brother wasn't stopping him, Li You had become bolder.
Seated inside the carriage as well, Zhao Feng watched his sister with amusement.
He was well aware that Li You had been pursuing his sister for nearly two years.
Back then
Countless nobles had come seeking her hand in marriage, but Zhao Feng had made it clear that his sister's marriage was for her to decide.
Whoever she liked whether they were commoners or nobility
He, as her brother, would support her.
But if anyone dared to use deceitful tricks, he would show no mercy.
Since Li You was pursuing her in an upright manner, Zhao Feng had no objections.
And it seemed that his sister didn't dislike Li You either.
Moreover, Li You had never been married, and his character was decent.
"If you don't like Li You, I can reject him for you and tell him to stop bothering you."
Seeing his sister's expression, Zhao Feng spoke up.
"That…" Zhao Ying was taken aback, and then quickly waved her hand. "That's not necessary."
"So, it seems you do have some feelings for him," Zhao Feng teased.
"At the very least, I don't dislike him."
"And he doesn't have the arrogance of a spoiled noble." Zhao Ying replied gently.
"Don't assume all noble sons are arrogant wastrels."
"They receive far better education than commoners, and true wastrels are rare in Qin." Zhao Feng smiled.
A powerful family producing a wastrel
Was quite unlikely.
Unless someone was truly spoiled beyond measure and utterly unmotivated.
Otherwise, a true noble family's priority was strengthening their lineage.
And the foundation of that strength lay in their descendants.
That's why noble families spared no effort in educating their heirs.
This has been true throughout history, in both this era and later ones.
"Mm."
Zhao Ying nodded, feeling that her brother's words made sense.
At this moment
"Great General."
"We have entered the Sandhill Territory."
"The county seat is ahead, and the county governor is already waiting." Zhang Ming's voice sounded from outside.
"Who is currently the county governor of Sandhill?" Zhao Feng asked.
"Reporting to the Great General," Zhang Ming replied respectfully, "It is the former county governor Yan Bing's deputy, a man named Xiao He."
"Who?"
Hearing this name, Zhao Feng was momentarily stunned and asked again.
"County Governor Xiao He," Zhang Ming repeated, thinking his commander had not heard clearly.
"Xiao He, one of the Three Great Heroes of the early Han Dynasty."
"A genius in internal administration."
"This is quite interesting. According to historical records, wasn't he serving as a county magistrate in Pei County?"
"How did he end up as the county governor of Sandhill?"
"Could it be the butterfly effect caused by my presence?"
Regarding Xiao He, how could Zhao Feng, with the memories of his past life, not know of him?
The street rogue Liu Bang was able to seize the world, overthrow the Qin, and establish the Han Dynasty largely due to the capable ministers assisting him. Among them, Xiao He was crucial and responsible for internal affairs, personnel management, and even logistics, providing Liu Bang with a stable rear base.
This allowed Liu Bang to ultimately seize the empire.
However, now
History seemed to have been altered by Zhao Feng.
Xiao He had left Pei County and become the governor of Sandhill.
Although Sandhill was not a major territory and its population ranked low among Qin's counties, a county governor was still in a significant position.
"Ever since I joined the army,"
"I have fought countless battles, even slain kings,"
"The changes I've brought to this world are immense."
"A butterfly effect like this is nothing in comparison."
"But still"
"Since I've encountered this talent, I won't let that rogue Liu Bang have him."
Zhao Feng chuckled inwardly.
Now that he had found such a valuable talent, there was no way he would let him go.
He knew the future.
He knew the chaos that lay ahead.
And a man like Xiao He was exactly what he needed.
A stable rear base was more important than anything.
"Alright."
"Continue forward."
"I would like to meet this new county governor." Zhao Feng ordered.
"Understood."
Zhang Ming immediately responded.
The guards escorted them forward once more.
Meanwhile, in front of Sandhill's county seat
A man in his thirties, clad in Qin official robes, stood waiting at the forefront.
Behind him stood numerous officials of Sandhill County.
The county's garrisoned troops had also assembled.
Even more astonishing
As the news of Zhao Feng's return spread, tens of thousands of common folk gathered outside the city, eagerly waiting.
"Judging by the time, the Great General should be arriving soon."
Xiao He spoke slowly.
"He should be here any moment."
"Great General Zhao Feng is undoubtedly a hero of our Qin. The last time I saw him was two years ago. Now, to welcome him back home is Sandhill's great honor."
"Indeed."
"The military exploits he has achieved this time are truly inspiring."
"With a general like Zhao Feng, it is a blessing for our Qin, and even more so for all of Huaxia."
"He led an army of just ten thousand deep into foreign lands, destroyed dozens of enemy tribes, killed hundreds of thousands, and even razed the enemy royal court to the ground. Such feats are unprecedented!"
"Honestly, when I first heard of the Great General's triumphs, which spread the might of Huaxia across the land, I a mere scholar was tempted to lay down my brush and take up the sword!"
"Hah, forget it. The Great General's army is made up of Qin's finest warriors, battle-hardened soldiers. You wouldn't stand a chance of joining them."
"Haha, I was just joking."
"But truly, being able to meet the Great General today is a great honor."
"His fame now resounds across the land. Countless people wish to see him, but few ever get the chance."
"Exactly, exactly."
"For Sandhill to have produced such a figure this is our greatest pride."
…
As they waited, many engaged in discussion.
Not just the gathered officials, but also the soldiers and common folk.
Everyone spoke with absolute respect and admiration for Zhao Feng.
This was truly a rare sight.
In the past, even when Qin's generals triumphed over foreign nations, they were mostly admired by their fellow soldiers.
But for Zhao Feng
He was revered by the entire army, the officials, and even the common people.
The reason was simple.
He had elevated the prestige of Huaxia.
Though the states of Shenzhou were divided, they all belonged to Huaxia, sharing the same roots and origin.
Internal strife among their own was one thing but Zhao Feng had led an army into foreign lands and avenged the Huaxia people slaughtered by those barbarians.
How could they not respect him?
How could they not worship such a hero of the people?
Because of Zhao Feng
Many retired veterans across Qin were now clamoring to re-enlist, eager to serve their country once more.
This was the extent of his influence.
The name Zhao Feng was now known across the land.
To the people of Huaxia, he was a symbol of honor.
Even Xiao He, standing at the forefront, could not help but feel deeply moved as he listened to the voices around him.
"Great General Zhao Feng."
"Only twenty-two years old."
"Joined the army at sixteen. In just six years, he has risen from a mere recruit to the rank of Great General, witnessing the fall of the Three Jin States, the annihilation of Yan, and now"
"He has crushed the barbarian royal court, striking terror into foreign lands."
"Is this truly something a human can accomplish?"
Xiao He pondered, feeling a natural sense of admiration for the man he was about to meet.
For someone as significant as Xiao He one of the historical "Three Great Heroes" of early Han to feel awe and reverence, there could be only one man in the world capable of evoking such emotions.
At this moment
Xiao He was impatient to finally meet Zhao Feng in person and witness the legend with his own eyes.
After all
He had only recently been transferred to Sandhill.
Previously, he had only served as a county magistrate here.
His colleagues had all met Zhao Feng before, but he had never seen him.
And just then
"They're here!"
"The Great General is here!"
"Look ahead!"
A voice rang out in excitement.
Instantly, all conversation ceased.
Everyone turned their eyes forward.
In the distance, a cavalry force clad in black armor, thousands strong, slowly approached Sandhill County.
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