149: Chapter 149 Conquering the Xiongnu!

Zhao Fusu began planning military operations against the Xiongnu.

He did not plan to send the three thousand Iron Pagoda to Shangjun.

This heavy cavalry was better suited for dealing with infantry.

The Xiongnu people are light infantry; with warhorses carrying three to four hundred catties of heavy armor, they simply wouldn't be able to catch up to the Xiongnu people.

Moreover, the three thousand Iron Pagoda stationed in Xianyang could also protect the munitions factory and the Industrial Zone.

Zhao Fusu prepared to send ten thousand revolver soldiers and one hundred artillerymen to Shangjun.

These one hundred artillerymen would carry fifty mortars and five tons of mortar shells, which is two thousand five hundred rounds of mortar shells.

Zhao Fusu attached great importance to this campaign against the Xiongnu.

When the time comes, he plans to head north personally.

He specifically went to check on the research and development progress of the Hot Air Balloons.

With a massive investment of money, the R&D progress of the Hot Air Balloons was faster than Zhao Fusu had expected.

In this campaign against the Xiongnu, he hoped the Hot Air Balloons could serve as reconnaissance units to discover the hiding places of the Xiongnu cavalry and use flag signals to inform the artillery of their positions, allowing the artillery to use mortars to bombard the Xiongnu cavalry.

Zhao Fusu sent out messengers to tell Meng Tian's Great Wall Legion to prepare for another expedition against the Xiongnu.

Within a week, he would have the munitions factory and the Great Qin Empire Academy of Sciences, which together had fifty to sixty thousand people, produce five tons of mortar shells.

At the same time, Zhao Fusu purchased a large amount of grain from the nobles.

He bought nine million dan of grain in one go.

Zhao Fusu's one-time purchase of so much grain immediately caused a stir among the nobles in Xianyang.

This move by Zhao Fusu was highly unusual.

Previously, although Zhao Fusu also bought large amounts of grain,

it was definitely not as terrifying as this time, buying enough grain for two million people to eat for a year all at once.

What does he want to do?!

Although the nobles discussed what Zhao Fusu's purpose for needing so much grain was, they were also happy to make money.

"Brother Fan, have you heard? Fusu bought nine million dan of grain all at once. What do you think he's trying to do?"

Xiang Liang hurriedly found Fan Zeng and asked.

Fan Zeng said, "Since ancient times, the purpose of hoarding grain is nothing more than to start a war."

"Brother Xiang, doesn't your art of war say that before the troops move, the food and fodder must go first?"

"Mhm."

Xiang Liang nodded.

He looked at Fan Zeng again and asked, "Brother Fan, where do you think the Qin Army is going to attack this time?"

"Brother Xiang, you should have heard the saying: 'That which destroys Qin shall be Hu'."

As soon as Fan Zeng said this, Xiang Liang's eyes lit up. "Brother Fan, do you mean the Qin Army is going to attack the Xiongnu again?"

"Correct."

Fan Zeng nodded and said, "From the moment Fusu gave up on repairing the Great Wall, he had already planned to completely conquer the Xiongnu!"

"Two years ago, although Meng Tian led the army to deal a heavy blow to the Xiongnu forces, he did not conquer them; he only drove them out of Hetao, chasing them from Yangshan Mountain to Yinshan Mountain."

"I heard that a very capable Modu Chanyu has emerged among the Xiongnu."

"In just two short years, this man has allowed the Xiongnu Royal Court to recover its strength, and it is even stronger than it was during Touman Chanyu's time."

Xiang Liang was surprised; he didn't expect Fan Zeng to know about the situation with the Xiongnu as well.

He couldn't help but ask curiously, "Brother Fan, you seem to know this Xiongnu Chanyu very well."

Fan Zeng laughed and said, "While gathering intelligence from all over the world, I once heard someone mention this Modu Chanyu."

"This man is a formidable leader."

"He seized the title of Chanyu by killing his own father!"

His expression became solemn.

Modun could even kill his own father; such a person is too terrifying!

Xiang Liang's face also changed.

Parricide was an absolute anomaly to nobles like them, who were deeply influenced by the rites of zhou.

Fan Zeng continued, "After Modun became Chanyu, the Donghu were powerful and prosperous. Hearing that Modun had killed his father and established himself, they decided to try diplomacy before force, sending an envoy to tell Modun they wanted Touman's thousand-li horse."

"Modun asked his ministers, and they all said: 'The thousand-li horse is a precious steed of the Xiongnu; do not give it to them.'"

"Modun said: 'They are a neighboring country; why begrudge them a single horse?' Thus, he gave the thousand-li horse to the Donghu."

"After a while, the Donghu thought Modun was afraid of them, so they sent an envoy to Modun saying they wanted one of the Chanyu's Yanzhi."

"Modun again consulted his ministers. The ministers were all furious and said: 'The Donghu are unreasonable, actually wanting a Yanzhi! Please send troops to attack them.'"

"Modun said: 'It is just giving away a woman, what of it?'"

"So, he gave his favorite Yanzhi to the Donghu."

"The King of Donghu became increasingly arrogant and began to invade and harass to the west."

"There was a piece of wasteland between the Donghu and the Xiongnu where no one lived. This place spanned over a thousand li, and both sides had built outposts on either side of this wasteland."

"The Donghu sent an envoy to Modun saying they wanted to occupy this wasteland."

"Modun sought the opinions of his ministers. Some among them said: 'This is discarded wasteland; it's fine to give it to them, and fine not to.'"

"Modun flew into a rage and said: 'Land is the foundation of the state; how can it be given to them!'"

"Then, Modun killed those who had said the wasteland should be given to the Donghu."

"Afterward, he led his army east to attack the Donghu."

"The Donghu initially looked down on the Xiongnu, and thus took no precautions."

"When Modun arrived with his troops and the battle began, the Donghu were caught off guard and were defeated. The King of Donghu was eliminated, and the Xiongnu captured and plundered the Donghu people, livestock, and property."

"After that, Modu Chanyu took advantage of his victory to send out troops, driving away the Yuezhi to the west, and his power continued to expand."

"Now, this Modu Chanyu's strength is not inferior to Meng Tian's Great Wall Legion."

"The Xiongnu are a huge threat to us."

Fan Zeng had no favorable feelings toward the Xiongnu people.

Their Six Lands and the State of Qin were once all vassal states of the Zhou Dynasty.

The Xiongnu people are Hu people.

Since the Zhou Dynasty, the Hu people have constantly raided the borders, plundering grain and women.

They and the Xiongnu people are considered blood enemies.

Fan Zeng said, "Fusu's firearms are so terrifying, perhaps he really can completely conquer the Xiongnu people!"

Xiang Liang strongly agreed with Fan Zeng's statement.

He had seen with his own eyes that world-shattering scene when those three thousand six hundred explosive packs detonated.

Under Zhao Fusu's leadership, the Qin Army might indeed be able to annex the Xiongnu people's territory, causing Great Qin's territory to explode in size once again.

"Brother Fan, do you think we should do something?"

Xiang Liang's eyes flickered with a strange light as he looked at Fan Zeng.

"No."

Fan Zeng shook his head and said, "To resist foreign aggression, one must first stabilize the interior. If we rebel at this time, Fusu would likely concentrate his troops and eliminate us first."

"Besides..."

Fan Zeng smiled bitterly and said, "After Fusu's artillery demonstration, the Nobles of the Six Lands are all broken."

The Nobles of the Six Lands were originally the main force against Qin; if they returned to their ancestral lands, they could call upon a large number of anti-Qin righteous men.

If they formed an alliance with the Nobles of the Six Lands, they would have hope of overthrowing Great Qin.

But the Nobles of the Six Lands were too close to the center of the shelling and received the greatest shock; they have already been intimidated by Zhao Fusu's meiliangxin cannon.

In the short term, they won't dare to have any thoughts of provoking Great Qin again.

Fan Zeng and Xiang Liang were also helpless.

They originally thought that with Ying Zheng dead, they would have a chance to seize the world.

But now, a freak even more terrifying than Ying Zheng has appeared!