Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 149 The Submission of the Grasslands

The aftershocks of the victory at Moon Bay did not stop at the mountains of corpses and the screening and resettlement of two thousand surrendered soldiers. While the soldiers of Xinghuobao were still clearing the battlefield, treating the wounded, and tallying the spoils, an invisible but far-reaching shockwave was already spreading at an alarming speed into the depths of the vast and fragile northern grasslands.

The scattered remnants of the Golden Horde, like startled groundhogs, carried the terrifying news of "Chief Wuzhu's crushing defeat" and "the Starfire Fortress's army, with its mountain-like formations, raining down crossbow bolts, and invincible armor," along with their own lingering despair, back to every corner of the grasslands. The once awe-inspiring golden wolf-head banner of the Golden Horde had collapsed with a deafening roar, and the tragic annihilation of eight thousand elite troops sent a chill down the spines of every tribal chief, noble, and even ordinary herder who heard the news.

Once, the Golden Horde was one of the most powerful forces on the northern grasslands. Wuzhu's ambition and bravery made the surrounding tribes both hate and fear him. But this fierce wolf was utterly defeated and nearly wiped out by the emerging "Starfire Fortress" to the south! Just how powerful was Starfire Fortress's military? What a terrifying sight those legendary "divine crossbows" and "iron can" heavy infantry must have been!

Fear is often more effective at eroding will than swords. Faced with absolute military intimidation, the simple logic of the grasslands—survival of the fittest and the worship of the strong—begins to subtly shift.

Five days after the Battle of Moon Bay, the first wave of envoys from the grasslands appeared nervously outside the northern outpost of Starfire Fortress.

The messenger was from a medium-sized tribe called the Gray Feather Tribe, not far from the former territory of the Golden Horde. The Gray Feather Tribe was renowned for its excellent falcons and archers, with a population of about five or six thousand, including over a thousand archers. They had a history of friction with the Golden Horde and had been oppressed by them. Upon hearing of the Golden Horde's crushing defeat, their chieftain immediately dispatched messengers, carrying ten fine horses, fifty high-quality cowhides, and a pair of precious white-tailed gyrfalcons, to "congratulate Chief Starfire on his glorious victory" and express their humble wish for "eternal peace and neighborly relations."

Following closely behind were the "Black River Tribe," the "Curved Blade Tribe," the "White Cloud Tribe," and so on... As if the first domino had been toppled, within just half a month, more than twenty grassland tribes of varying sizes, either sending envoys or led by their chieftains, came to Xinghuo Fortress in a continuous stream to "pay homage" or "seek peace." The gifts they brought were dazzling: herds of cattle, sheep, and horses; mountains of furs; medicinal herbs unique to the grasslands; and even, in some tribes, their most beautiful young women. Their words were increasingly subservient, their attitudes increasingly humble, as if they feared following in the footsteps of the Golden Horde.

Most of these tribes had past conflicts with the Golden Horde, or were simply too weak to survive. The swift and decisive actions displayed by Starfire Fortress revealed to them a behemoth even more powerful than the Golden Horde, one that could potentially usher in a new order. Making a preemptive statement, seeking favor, and even refuge became their most instinctive choice.

Of course, not all tribes were so docile. Some tribes, which had close ties with the Golden Horde, or those that relied on their strength and were located in remote areas, remained hesitant or even hostile, secretly conspiring against each other. The most crucial tribe, the Aries, remained silent throughout, neither sending envoys nor showing any signs of mobilizing troops on a large scale. It was as if they had vanished from the turmoil, exuding an eerie calm.

Starfire Fortress, Main Council Chamber.

Chen Xing, Jia Wen, Chen Wei, Murong Mingyue, and Dian Xiong gathered again to discuss the sudden surge of "grassland submission" and how to deal with it.

"My lord, twenty-two tribes have already sent envoys to pledge allegiance, offering gifts and expressing their willingness to obey my commands, pay tribute regularly, and open border markets," Chen Wei reported on the latest diplomatic achievements. "Another eight or nine tribes have remained ambiguous and have not yet expressed their stance. The White Sheep tribe remains silent. After the Golden Horde collapsed, part of its original eastern pastures was seized by the Gray Feather tribe, the Black River tribe, and others, while the western part fell into chaos, with small groups of defeated soldiers becoming bandits, looting and pillaging."

Jia Wen listened quietly, marking the locations and attitudes of various tribes on the map with his finger. He then spoke up, "When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down; when a tree falls, the monkeys scatter—this is common sense. With the fall of the Golden Horde, the remaining pastures and people are like ownerless meat, and the wolves will naturally fight over them. Our Starfire Fortress has just won a victory and is now intimidating the northern lands. These neighboring, weaker tribes are rushing to join us, partly for self-preservation, and partly out of opportunism."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his narrow eyes: "However, such allegiance is based on weak foundations and relies entirely on the deterrent power of our army. Once our army weakens or the distribution of benefits is uneven, their rebellion will be imminent. Moreover, the Baiyang tribe has not yet made a move; they are observing and accumulating strength, and we must be wary of them."

"Does the strategist mean that we can't just rely on their verbal surrender?" Dianxiong asked in a deep voice.

"Exactly." Jia Wen nodded. "This military victory must be transformed into concrete political control and economic restraint. I have several suggestions."

"First, we must establish rules and define titles," Jia Wendao said. "We cannot simply accept gifts from any tribe that comes to submit. Their chieftains must personally come to Xinghuo Fortress or send their direct descendants to perform the 'Ceremony of Submission' to our lord and receive honorary titles such as 'Lord of the Capital' and 'Marquis of Guiyi' conferred by Xinghuo Fortress, along with official seals and banners. At the same time, they must sign formal 'Submission Documents' that clearly define their obligations: the types and quantities of tribute to be paid annually; the scale of military assistance required in times of war; permission for Xinghuo Fortress to establish markets and station a small number of envoys in their territories; and the need for Xinghuo Fortress's approval for any major internal disputes or changes in leadership within their tribes, etc."

Chen Xing pondered: "In this way, although I cannot directly rule them, I can incorporate them into my vassal system and exert influence in a legitimate manner."

"Secondly, control the economy and bestow favors," Jia Wen continued. "Open the border markets, allowing these subjugated tribes to exchange cattle, sheep, horses, furs, and medicinal herbs for necessities from my Xinghuo Fortress, such as salt, iron, cloth, tea, and porcelain, especially... 'Xingyuan Tongbao' (a type of currency). We must gradually get them used to using our currency for trade, deeply binding their economies to ours. For tribes that are obedient, pay tribute promptly, and actively send troops, we can offer more favorable trade terms, and even reward them with exquisite luxury goods as a sign of favor. For those who outwardly comply but inwardly defy us, we will reduce or even close the border markets, imposing economic sanctions."

Murong Mingyue's eyes lit up: "This is an excellent plan. The grassland tribes cannot live without salt and iron. Controlling the trade will strangle them. Moreover, enticing them with benefits is more effective and lasting than simply intimidating them with military force."

"Thirdly, we need to infiltrate and set an example." Jia Wen looked at Chen Wei and Murong Mingyue. "The formation of the 'Hu Yi Cong' needs to be accelerated. We can select another group of willing young men from these surrendered tribes to join the 'Hu Yi Cong' and mix them with the surrendered soldiers of the Golden Horde. Let them see that serving my Xinghuo Fortress not only guarantees survival but also rewards, promotions, and even land. At the same time, we can cultivate one or two chieftains or nobles who are absolutely loyal to me and have certain abilities among the surrendered tribes, giving them support and honors exceeding those of their peers, making them role models for other tribes to emulate, and also serving as pawns planted within the grasslands."

"Finally, we need to put pressure on the White Sheep tribe to force them to make a statement." Jia Wen pointed to the location of the White Sheep tribe on the map. "We can send a strong envoy, emboldened by our great victory, directly to the White Sheep tribe's royal court, to question them about why they guided the Golden Horde and disrupted border peace. We demand they hand over the leader who guided them and the generals involved, compensate our army for its losses, and cede a fertile grassland in the south as an apology. If they agree, we can gradually bring them under our control depending on their subsequent behavior. If they resist..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "This would give our army a pretext to continue our military campaign, thoroughly intimidate the grasslands, and seize real benefits. The White Sheep tribe is not weak, but it is not a monolithic entity. After this major defeat, the pro-peace and pro-war factions within it will inevitably clash. We can secretly contact the forces within it that are dissatisfied with the chieftain, promise them benefits, and sow discord. When the time is right, we may be able to settle things in one fell swoop."

The plan clearly and thoroughly outlines how to maximize the gains of military victory and transform them into a long-term, stable rule. It combines appeasement with deterrence; it offers both legitimacy and tangible benefits; it aims to win over the majority while also preparing to crack down on the diehards.

After listening, Chen Xing glanced at the vast grassland on the map that was already tilting towards Xinghuo Fortress, and slowly said, "Let's follow Wenhe's plan. Chen Wei and Mingyue, you two, together with the Minister of Rites, will be responsible for receiving and bestowing titles upon the envoys of the various tribes that have submitted to us, and for drafting the terms of the documents. Dian Xiong, the training and expansion of 'Hu Yi Cong' will be jointly handled by you and Chen Wei, and you must ensure that it becomes a fighting force as soon as possible. As for questioning and pressuring the Baiyang tribe, Wenhe, you will be in charge of this matter, with Li Shu cooperating. You must find a good balance, applying pressure but not pushing them to the brink."

"Your subject obeys!" the crowd responded in unison.

With the political machine of Xinghuo Fort set in motion, a grand project ostensibly of "submission" but in reality "control" slowly unfolded across the vast northern grasslands. Seals and flags were issued, border markets were established, trade routes were re-planned, and able-bodied Hu people began to enter the "Hu Righteous Cavalry" camps for training. Meanwhile, a tough diplomatic note targeting the Baiyang tribe was also delivered from Xinghuo Fort by fast horse.

The winds of the grasslands still ripple across the boundless waves of grass, but the scent they carry is different now. The mournful howls of the Golden Horde's wolves have faded into the distance, replaced by the image of the Starfire and Crimson Flame banners fluttering above an increasing number of tribal camps. A new order in the northern frontier, centered on Starfire Fortress, backed by military deterrence, bound by economic ties, and nominally granted by political investiture, is beginning to sprout, albeit with difficulty and unwavering determination, after the bloodshed and fire of Moon Bay.

The submission of the grasslands, though not a complete conquest achieved overnight, signifies that Xinghuobao's influence has truly crossed the traditional borders and defenses, and begun to attempt to deeply embed its will and influence into this ancient and unruly land in another form.