After Being Abducted by the General

chapter 52

Chu Hechao remained vigilant, waiting for the support of Huyan Ting or Huyan Huntu.

When Huyan Ting led twenty thousand cavalry to provide assistance, Chu Hechao received the news. That's why he used the thundering cannons as a deterrent, to delay Huyan Ting's advance and wait until after killing Huyan Wuzhu to engage in battle with Huyan Ting.

However, Chu Hechao did not expect that upon learning of Huyan Wuzhu's death, Huyan Ting did not stay for a moment and showed no intention of seizing his father's head and body. He immediately led the twenty thousand cavalry and turned around to flee.

But upon learning that Huyan Huntu had already returned to the royal court ahead of them, Chu Hechao understood why.

The Xiongnu were not just a pure tribe; they had their own country, with its ruling center known as the "royal court" or "Chanyu court"*. The Xiongnu royal court was located in the southern desert, thus referred to as the Southern Desert Royal Court.

Huyan Ting did not possess the same bravery and skill in warfare as his father, but he had a long-term vision. Upon hearing that his younger brother, Huyan Huntu, had returned to the Southern Desert Royal Court with the cavalry, Huyan Ting eagerly led his troops with the intention of returning to the royal court. He was worried that his brother would seize control of the political power in the royal court after their father's death.

Just as Chu Hechao had anticipated, Huyan Ting was indeed in a hurry to return to the royal court, to prevent his brother from seizing the throne after their father's demise.

He and his accompanying soldiers did not feel any shame or remorse about their decision to turn around and flee.

The Xiongnu people did not have their own language; as long as there was profit to be gained, they would disregard civilization and moral principles.

"Father, please don't blame me," Huyan Ting silently thought, braving the cold wind.

Engaging in a battle with Chu Hechao, who possessed terrifying weapons, for the sake of your death is clearly not a profitable venture.

This is a lesson you once taught me, and I will always keep it firmly in my heart.

Behind him, faced with Huyan Ting's departure, Chu Hechao had no means to stop him.

It was a practical problem. Chu Hechao didn't have enough cavalry to pursue the Xiongnu and venture deep into the grasslands to find their royal court.

The grasslands were vast, and it was extremely difficult to completely eradicate the Xiongnu by chasing them relentlessly. It required substantial resources and investment. The fifty thousand cavalry was not the entirety of the Xiongnu's forces. To truly intimidate the Xiongnu, there had to be a powerful empire providing logistical support and military equipment.

At the very least, Chu Hechao believed that he needed a hundred thousand elite cavalry to constantly push the Xiongnu northward, far away from the Central Plains.

However, achieving this was clearly not possible at the moment. Therefore, apart from watching the Xiongnu depart, he had no other options.

However, this victorious battle was not without its benefits.

With Huyan Wuzhu's death, there would be a power struggle within the royal court. Huyan Huntu was not a simple man, and he would never be content to be subordinate to Huyan Ting.

The internal power shifts among the Xiongnu would prevent them from coming to disturb the border, and the feat of slaying Huyan Wuzhu would serve as a fierce deterrent to the Xianbei and Wuhuan tribes. At the very least, the border could enjoy three to four years of peace.