coobybook Chapter 395 Maodun Returns to the Xiongnu Court
Chapter 395 Maodun Returns to the Xiongnu Court
Meanwhile, on Touman Chanyu's side, after escaping from the Xiongnu royal court, he was like a stray dog, leading the remaining elite Xiongnu troops in a aimless flight. Due to their haste, by the time they reached the next tribe, their supplies were almost exhausted. And this tribe was exceptionally barren; their supplies were completely depleted after only a few days. Left with no other choice, Touman Chanyu had to lead his men to the next location.
During his long and arduous escape, Touman Chanyu heard that Modu was still alive and had led his men to recapture the Xiongnu royal court. At that moment, a surge of joy and hope welled up in his heart, as if he could see the dawn of the Xiongnu's revival. Ignoring his fatigue and dust from the journey, he immediately led his men back, thinking that he could finally return to his tribe and restore order.
However, when he arrived weary from his journey at the Xiongnu court, he was ruthlessly blocked from entering. As the Great Chanyu of the Xiongnu, Touman Chanyu had spent his life receiving awe and respect; he had never suffered such humiliation. He was instantly enraged, his eyes wide, shouting at those who blocked his way, but his anger had no effect whatsoever. The soldiers stood like a cold wall, resolutely carrying out Modu's orders without the slightest hesitation.
Only then did Touman Chanyu realize, as if from a dream, that Modu intended to rebel. He couldn't believe that his son, on whom he had placed so much hope, would betray him. What grieved him even more was the news that his beloved queen had been brutally murdered by Modu, and his unborn son had also perished. This devastating news was like a sharp dagger piercing Touman Chanyu's heart. He felt a sudden darkness engulf him, a mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth, and he fell straight backward, unconscious.
When he awoke again, he found himself imprisoned in a simple tent, his former guards and confidants gone. He stared at the tent ceiling, his eyes empty and filled with despair, his heart brimming with regret and anger. He remembered his past glory, leading the Xiongnu across the grasslands, unchallenged and invincible. Now, he had fallen to this state, betrayed by his own son, having lost everything.
Modu Chanyu sat in the main tent of the Xiongnu royal court, his face devoid of any joy of victory. He knew that although he had reclaimed the court, the Xiongnu were severely weakened and faced numerous crises. The threat from the Donghu remained, the hatred from the Yuezhi had not been resolved, and the Loufan king's suspicion of him was deepening. More importantly, the rift between him and his father was irreparable; he had to find a way to stabilize the situation and make the Xiongnu strong again.
In the days that followed, Modu began to reorganize the Xiongnu internally. He redefined the spheres of influence of the tribes, weakened the power of some leaders who were dissatisfied with him, and promoted a number of generals who were loyal to him. He also actively organized the herders to resume production, trained soldiers, and strengthened the Xiongnu's power.
Meanwhile, the Loufan king, observing Maodun's actions at the Xiongnu court, grew increasingly uneasy. He feared Maodun might renege on his promise and launch an attack on Loufan. Therefore, he also began strengthening the Loufan tribe's defenses, training soldiers, and preparing for any potential crisis.
Upon learning that Modu had recaptured the Xiongnu court, the Yuezhi king's hatred intensified. He continuously dispatched envoys to neighboring tribes, attempting to unite them against the Xiongnu. He knew that the Yuezhi alone could hardly contend with the Xiongnu; only by uniting with other tribes could they hope for revenge.
The Donghu were closely monitoring the Xiongnu's every move. They had not given up their ambitions despite being defeated by Modu last time. On the contrary, they were secretly accumulating strength, waiting for the next opportunity to attack the Xiongnu, hoping to completely replace the Xiongnu's position on the grasslands.
Lu Jia and Liu Qi, who had already fled before the Donghu attacked the Xiongnu royal court, were now in a state of extreme disarray. Upon learning of the impending Donghu attack on the Xiongnu royal court, they abandoned all their belongings and hastily fled.
However, they had barely left when they spotted the Xiongnu royal court ablaze in the distance. The raging flames seemed poised to engulf the entire court, sending chills down their spines. Lu Jia and Liu Qi secretly rejoiced, believing their plan had gone very smoothly and that the Donghu would surely succeed in capturing the Xiongnu royal court.
However, they never expected that Modu would be so formidable! He not only successfully borrowed troops from Loufan, but also swiftly recaptured the Xiongnu royal court. All of this was beyond Lu Jia and Liu Qi's expectations, catching them completely off guard.
The situation became increasingly unpredictable and baffling. What was initially thought to be a sure victory had turned into a complex and uncertain affair. Lu Jia and Liu Qi began to worry about their safety, unsure of how to proceed and filled with unease.
However, Lu Jia and Liu Qi were no ordinary people. They were both outstanding individuals, especially Lu Jia, who had left a illustrious name in history. Such figures would naturally not be intimidated by ordinary difficulties.
After the initial panic, Lu Jia and Liu Qi quickly calmed down. They began to reassess the current situation and consider strategies for dealing with Maodun. After all, Maodun was no ordinary opponent; to defeat him, a comprehensive plan and strategy were essential.
Lu Jia and Liu Qi understood this well, so they decided not to rush into action, but to first carefully analyze Modu's characteristics and weaknesses. After much deliberation, Lu Jia gradually came to some conclusions. He frowned and analyzed, "Modu is now consolidating his power among the Xiongnu, and his strength is gradually increasing. Direct confrontation will likely be difficult to succeed. We can take advantage of the surrounding tribes' fear of him. The Yuezhi king harbors deep hatred, the Donghu king is ambitious, and the Loufan king is also uneasy. If we can mediate among them and get them to unite against Modu, Modu will be greatly weakened even if he is not killed."
Liu Qi nodded in agreement: "This plan is feasible, but we still need to carefully plan how to persuade them to join forces."
Lu Jia said, "Contact Tian Xiaodao and the others; he'll surely have a solution." Liu Qi nodded slightly in agreement.
Lu Jia and Liu Qi knew that Tian Xiaodao was exceptionally intelligent and had a wide network of connections; contacting him would surely solve their current predicament. Therefore, the two began to discuss how to make contact with Tian Xiaodao.
Meanwhile, Modu was not idle. He knew that he needed to be authoritative to gain a foothold on the grasslands, and as for the power of the Xiongnu, he would find ways to wrest it back from the Loufan king once he grew up.