Chapter 808: The Wushen Tribe
The Wushen Tribe, a remnant of the Northern Yuan, struggled northward.
However, their journey was cut short by an unforeseen obstacle.
It turned out that the Otog tribe, their long-standing rivals, were also migrating north. The two groups met midway, and disputes over cattle and sheep quickly flared.
While the Wushen tribe's flocks grazed, they were brazenly seized by the Otog tribesmen.
This act of aggression led to yet another brutal confrontation between the two.
The outcome, predictably...
The Wushen tribe, already depleted of many young warriors, suffered a decisive defeat. Not only were large numbers of their cattle and sheep plundered by the Otog tribe, but even a significant number of their women were taken.
Unwilling to accept such a crushing loss, the Wushen tribe dispatched envoys to seek aid from their powerful overlord, the Ordos Tribe.
However, upon reaching the Ordos encampment, the envoys discovered that the Ordos tribe, under the leadership of Ligdan Khan, was currently engaged in a campaign against the Great Ming, hoping to seize much-needed grain.
The repeated failures had left Ligdan Khan gravely ill, his life hanging by a thread.
In such dire circumstances, who would spare a thought for the petty squabbles between a minor Wushen tribe and the Otog tribe?
With no one to arbitrate justice, and no means to defeat the Otog tribe on their own, the Wushen found themselves truly helpless.
They had no choice but to retreat to the northwestern fringes of the Yulin region.
The chieftain of the Wushen tribe harbored a hopeful thought: "We are nomads; our settlements are constantly on the move. Shi Jian managed to find us once, but there's no way he can track us down a second time, can he?"
With this rather naive optimism, he hoped to slowly rebuild their strength in obscurity.
Little did he know, just half a month into their recovery, a Han man with a truly menacing appearance—clearly no friend—arrived once more, leading a troop of flintlock cavalry.
"The name's Chen Qianhu!" the grim-faced man snarled, a cruel and terrifying grin splitting his face. "I'm not like Shi Jian. He was soft-spoken, but I'm not. Last time, Shi Jian was too lenient with you lot. The higher-ups called him a sissy, a spineless coward, completely useless, so they stripped him of his command and sent *me* to manage you."
Chen Qianhu bared his large, yellowed teeth, his eyes fixed on the Wushen chieftain with a terrifying, twisted gaze. "I have no intention of getting demoted! I'll say this once, Chieftain of the Wushen, hand over your chief wife, An Jile, and your eldest son, Zhebu, as hostages. I'll take them back and lock them up. If you don't obey, I'll boil them alive and feed them to the dogs."
With Chen Qianhu's terrifying expression and sinister tone, who would dare defy such a threat? The Wushen chieftain trembled uncontrollably, quickly and obediently presenting his chief wife, An Jile, and eldest son, Zhebu, as hostages.
Chen Qianhu then extorted two hundred more sheep from him, and with an air of immense arrogance, turned to leave with his cavalry. As he departed, he glanced back and tossed out, "You've been quite obedient this time! Seeing how well-behaved you are, I'll take you as my subordinate. If anyone bullies you in the future, remember to mention my name."
Though filled with dread, the Wushen chieftain decided to risk it, timidly asking, "General Chen... that... this humble one... we are being bullied right now. Could you perhaps lend us your aid?"
Chen Qianhu's eyes narrowed. "Oh? Who dares to bully you?"
The Wushen chieftain eagerly responded, "It's the... Otog tribe! They're currently on the northern plains, not far from here."
Chen Qianhu nodded. "I see! Very well, follow me. I'll take a ride across those northern plains and settle this matter for my subordinate."
The Wushen chieftain was overjoyed. "Then we'll leave it to General Chen!"
Mongols revered strength, and even if they had just been victims of a stronger power, the moment that power turned to aid them, they immediately felt a surge of pride.
In an instant, they transformed into the most swaggering figures on the steppes, strutting with newfound confidence.
The Wushen chieftain was about to act as a guide, ready to point out the Otog tribe's settlement to Chen Qianhu. However, to his surprise, Chen Qianhu didn't need to ask; he seemed to know precisely where the Otog tribe was located.
The troops moved forward without a hint of hesitation, charging directly toward the Otog tribe's encampment.
The Wushen tribesmen were utterly astonished. "How do these Han people pinpoint our Mongol settlements so accurately on the vast steppes? Is it some divine assistance?" they wondered aloud.
"We're here! That's the Otog tribe up ahead!"
Someone from the Wushen tribe shouted, but Chen Qianhu's men had already surged forward.
The Wushen tribesmen watched from a distance as Chen Qianhu's flintlock cavalry stormed the Otog people. A barrage of "bang, bang, bang" from the firearms erupted, and the Otog tribe, utterly unable to withstand the assault, was routed just as easily as the Wushen tribe had been.
The Han cavalry then surged into the settlement, plundering extensively and seizing a considerable number of the Otog tribe's cattle and sheep.
The Wushen tribesmen suddenly awoke to the realization, "Hey, we need to join in and take back the cattle and sheep the Otog tribe stole from us!"
A crowd of Wushen tribesmen howled and charged forward, joining the Han cavalry in the looting.
Some couldn't resist scoffing at the Otog people, roaring with arrogant laughter. "You dared to bully our Wushen tribe, now you know our power, don't you? Hahaha! With the Han people helping us, your Otog tribe will have to meekly obey us from now on!"
The groups rampaged through the Otog settlement, looting and fighting. In truth, Chen Qianhu's men had committed relatively few atrocities; it was the Wushen tribesmen who, turning on their own kin, proved far more vicious than the Han soldiers.
Much like how puppet troops often outdo their imperial overlords in cruelty...
After this devastating assault, the Otog tribe was left speechless and broken, forced to declare their submission to the Wushen tribe.
Meanwhile, the Wushen tribe swelled with arrogance. Not only had they recovered the cattle and sheep stolen by the Otog, but they had also plundered the Otog's livestock, effectively replenishing what the Han had taken from them. In their eyes, it was as if the Han had never stolen from them at all.
And, with a gleeful disregard for humanity, they also took some women from the Otog tribe, bringing them back to bear children—a truly joyous outcome in their twisted view.
The Wushen chieftain's ambition, too, began to swell.
Bolstered by the Han's assistance, the Wushen chieftain launched aggressive campaigns, first striking Ulaan Tolgoi and subjugating three smaller tribes in succession. Then, he marched his forces to Sumitu Sumu, conquering four more minor tribes...
After numerous tribes submitted to the Wushen, their power surged, and their ambition expanded in equal measure. They even began to disregard the authority of the Ordos Tribe, frequently challenging the Northern Yuan Mongol nobles.
At this point, the Great Khan of the Northern Yuan, Ligdan Khan, was gravely ill, on the verge of death. Many Mongol tribes had already pledged allegiance to the Manchus or forged alliances with them. The Northern Yuan existed in name only, a mere step away from utter collapse.
The sudden rise of the Wushen tribe further complicated the already chaotic situation in the Northern Yuan.
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