Houcheng is the junction of Dali and Xianbei grasslands. Both Dali and Xianbei have stationed an army on their respective territories.
On this day, a small group of Xianbei soldiers on patrol discovered that a high platform was being built on the opposite side.
The Xianbei soldiers observed for a while and found that the other party had sent a team to stare at them with weapons in hand, as if to prevent them from sneak attacks, while another team was still building a high platform.
The Xianbei soldiers didn't understand what was happening on the other side, so they reported the situation.
The high platform was quickly set up, and there was a burst of gongs and drums, which directly attracted the other party's attention.
The soldiers on the Dali side shouted directly, "Xianbei barbarians across the way, please come out, General Yu Chirui. Our magistrate has something to say to him!"
At present, the highest general in the Xianbei military camp is Yuchi Rui. With such a big battle going on in Dalihou City, he naturally has to come out and take a look.
Lu Desheng climbed to the observation deck.
Next to him followed Qin Yan.
Among the four brothers of the Qin family, Qin Sheng is the most skilled, followed by Qin Yan.
Le Guicai was below, directing the soldiers to take precautions.
There was no high platform in Xianbei, so Yu Chirui simply asked someone to bring a horse. He rode on the horse, and he won't lose even if he loses!
Both sides are ready.
Lu Desheng shouted from the air, "May I ask if there is General Yuchi Rui Yuchi in front of you?"
The other party also replied from a distance, "I am Yu Chirui. May I ask who you are?"
"I am the new Houcheng County Magistrate Lu Desheng!"
"Magistrate Lu, what do you mean?"
"I came forward this time to ask you to tell you Tuoba Khan that our negotiating team in Houcheng, Liaodong County, Dali wants to talk to him."
Yu Chirui frowned, the negotiating team from Houcheng, Liaodong County, Dali Kingdom? What the hell?
Before he could speak, the two lieutenants next to him spoke.
"Hahaha, is there no one in Dali?"
"Does Dali look down on us Xianbei? As soon as you become the county magistrate, do you dare to talk to our Khan?"
Lu Desheng nodded towards Le Guicai.
After a while, a person appeared on the high platform.
Seeing being hung up, little prince Tuobalian was still cursing Xianbei.
Yuchi Rui fell silent, and the deputy general's laughter stopped abruptly.
The new Houcheng County Magistrate wants to negotiate. The other party is not qualified enough, but the other party has your life in hand. Can you refuse to negotiate?
After confirming that the other party had seen Tuoba Lian clearly, at Lu Desheng's signal, the soldier guarding Tuoba Lian stuffed a rag back into his mouth.
"General Yuchi, the official position of our negotiating team is a little low, but there is no way. We must follow the authority when the matter is urgent. You Xianbei only gave us five days, and higher-level officials cannot catch up."
Yuchi Rui took a deep breath. We did give five days, but it's only three and a half days now. You don't wait for higher-level officials to arrive, but you directly arrange the negotiation time for the fifth day? Where's the ghost letter?
"How do you want to talk?"
Lu Desheng: "The time for negotiation is set at noon the day after tomorrow. We will discuss the details at that time. Oh, by the way, Tuoba Khan does not have to come in person. He can also designate a negotiating team to negotiate."
Yu Chirui narrowed his eyes, "What if we don't agree to negotiate?"
Lu Desheng patted his face and said, "Little Prince Tuobalian, did you hear that? Your father, Khan, and your Xianbei generals don't care about your life or death."
"Uh-huh--"
Tuoba Lian struggled, and the Xianbei soldiers on the opposite side became commotion.
"Lord Yuchi, tell your people not to act rashly, otherwise..."
As soon as Lu Desheng finished speaking, Le Guicai put a little force on the knife on Tuoba Lian's neck. The knife penetrated the flesh, drawing out dazzling red blood.
"Bold! Aren't you afraid that our Xianbei cavalry will crush your Liaodong County?"
"Tread on, just step on. Anyway, we have no way to survive if we lose Liaodong County. It's impossible for us to let people go in vain." Lu Desheng said calmly, "The worst case is that everyone will die! Anyway, we have the little prince Tuoba Lian buried with him. That’s enough.”
Facing Lu Desheng who was so tough, Yu Chirui quickly shouted to stop and asked his soldiers to step back a foot to show his submission.
"Come here, send a message back to the royal court eight hundred miles away! Tell the Khan that the Houcheng County Magistrate Lu Desheng wants to negotiate with us! The negotiation time will be arranged at noon two days later." After saying this, Yuchi Rui immediately lowered his voice. Ask your own archer, "Can you shoot the opponent?"
The big man Yuchi Ruibian shook his head, "The observation tower set up by the opponent was carefully calculated and is just outside my shooting range. Unless you are a sharpshooter, you can't shoot the opponent."
Yuchi Rui couldn't hide his disappointment when he heard this.
After the goal was achieved, Lu Desheng smiled and said, "General Yuchi, in two days, Lu will be here waiting for the negotiating team from the Xianbei Royal Court. You must be punctual, otherwise I don't know what bad things will happen."
"Don't worry, Magistrate Lu!" Yu Chirui gritted his teeth.
Then, he watched the people on the other side evacuate slowly and in an orderly manner.
Xianbei Royal Court
Tuoba Khan sat at the top and watched the people below quarreling.
"Dugu Zhong, if you say you won't fight this battle, you won't fight it. Where will we, Xianbei, put our faces?"
"That's right, little prince Tuoba Lian was arrested, and we Xianbei didn't say anything. Will everyone be able to bully us in the future?"
"Don't put it so nicely, He Lanyan and He Ximing, are you taking the lead in the battle because you want to avenge your son?"
"Yes, you are too selfish. For your own selfishness, you don't care about the life and death of the entire tribe!"
"Then you mean not to save little prince Tuobalian?"
"You're talking nonsense! Of course we have to save people, but we can't easily raise troops!"
"What's wrong with raising troops? We Xianbei people are still afraid of not being able to fight?!"
"Raising troops at this time, leaving the cattle and sheep alone? If we delay spring grazing, what will our entire tribe eat and drink in autumn and winter?"
"Yes, you should really go down there and listen to the voices of our herdsmen!"
"Without food or drink, let's rob the Han people! We used to do this, why can't we do it now?! After Liaodong County is robbed, we can rob Xuantu County, Liaoxi County, and Youpingbei County in Dali , Yuyang County..."
"You think Dali is a soft persimmon, just letting us manipulate him?!"
"Khan, please make your decision carefully."
Tuoba Khan on the throne did not speak. Does he want to save Tuoba Lian? I want to save him. After all, he is a son, an adult son, and he is of great use.
But raising troops to go south? This decision is not easy to make, so be careful. If one thing is not done well, it will be a problem for the tribe to survive the winter.
These people never think about it. It is true that they can go south to rob the Han people, but they must be skillful. They must study where they can rob and where they cannot rob, and they cannot act recklessly!
"Report!"
"What's the matter? Report me!"
"Khan, General Yuchi Rui has come to report that Lu Desheng, the magistrate of Dali Houcheng County, has kidnapped the young prince Tuobalian and demands to negotiate with our Xianbei! The time for negotiation is set at noon two days later."
Tuoba Khan narrowed his eyes slightly.
Everyone in the royal court was stunned.
