Chapter 18: Chanyu Touman Unites the Forces to Attack Qin

Chapter 18: Chanyu Touman, Forming an Alliance Against Qin

Deep within the grasslands lies the Xiongnu royal court. At this time, the Xiongnu had not yet reached the pinnacle of their power. Their leader was Chanyu Touman, and the Xiongnu lived in the precarious gaps between the Donghu and the Yuezhi. The Xiongnu were divided into three parts: the Wise King of the Left governed the east, the Wise King of the Right governed the west, and the Great Chanyu’s royal court resided deep in the central plains at Touman City.

The Xiongnu operated as a tribal kingdom. In times of peace, they lived as nomadic tribes scattered across the vast grasslands. When war broke out, tribal warriors gathered under the command of their respective tribal leaders, falling under the jurisdiction of the Wise Kings or the Guli Kings. They migrated with water and grass, subsisting on meat and milk, wearing leather, and living in felt tents. Touman City, however, served as the administrative and political hub where the Xiongnu handled military affairs and received envoys. It was a settlement that spanned over ten miles from north to south.

Though it paled in comparison to the splendor of Xianyang, it was a rare sight in the vast wilderness. Its walls, built of rammed earth, stood about a zhang high. The royal court was guarded by cavalry patrols, and five miles outside the city, a special force known as the Silver Wolf Guard—loyal only to the Chanyu—was stationed. Comprised of five thousand of the bravest warriors selected from every Xiongnu tribe, this force had guarded the royal court since its inception and had never once left Touman City.

As the royal seat, Touman City drew nobles and merchants from all corners of the steppe: the Donghu, the Great Yuezhi, the Wusun, the Loulan, the Qiang, and various tribes from the distant Western Regions. It functioned as a trading hub where merchants exchanged essential goods, such as salt and weapons, for the tribes’ livestock and furs.

Just past midday, Touman was deep in the comforts of his consort’s embrace. He had previously received intelligence that the Qin were preparing to strike, but with no further news, he had merely taken precautionary measures, summoning the Wise Kings and the Guli Kings to advise them to be on guard and to retreat deep into the grasslands if they could not withstand an attack. In his eyes, the Qin would never dare to invade the steppe without a sufficient cavalry force, and if they did, they would surely be drowned by the iron hooves of his warriors.

"Report!"
"The Qin are here! The Qin are here!"

Wailing cries echoed from afar, a cacophony of terror that roused Touman from his midday rest. He bolted upright, threw on his clothes, and rushed to the council hall. It was already packed with tribal leaders who had been visiting for trade.

"Speak!" Touman demanded urgently.

"Chanyu, the Qin have launched an assault on the territory of the Wise King of the Left, attacking over thirty tribes both large and small. They have slaughtered countless people, looted everything, and burned the settlements to the ground," the messenger gasped, breathless.

"What? Those wretched jackals!"

"Chanyu, send out the army! I will sever the heads of the Qin and turn them into wine cups!" the Wise King of the Left roared, looking like an enraged black bear. The Qin had struck his territory first; his heart bled as he realized he had lost tens of thousands of warriors and over a hundred thousand herdsmen, not to mention countless cattle, sheep, and horses. If this continued, his influence would collapse, and his rivals would surely tear him apart.

"Wise King of the Left, wait until I understand the situation fully before we plan," Touman said, ignoring the man’s fury. He needed the facts. The Qin had been quiet for five years; this sudden strike was surely no simple matter.

"Report! Urgent military intelligence!" Before Touman could finish, the sound of hoofbeats thundered, and a blood-drenched scout burst in. Those who had been watching the Wise King of the Left with schadenfreude fell silent, looking on with dread, fearing news of their own tribes being attacked.

"Speak!"

"The Qin army has bypassed the main force of the Wise King of the Left and is attacking the encampments of the Wise King of the Right, the Guli Kings, and various generals, commandants, and tribal leaders. They do not linger—they loot, burn, and move on. They have already reached the heart of the grasslands."

"What!" The room erupted in chaos. The leaders gripped their scimitars, eager to cut down the Qin and drink their blood.

"How many are there?"

"Chanyu, there are about fifty thousand Qin cavalry, split into four columns, raiding for people, horses, and livestock. There is also a force of ten thousand steppe cavalry composed of Qiang, Di, Linhu, and Baidi tribesmen. And then, there is a unit of three thousand lunatics who kill everyone they see—they are like demons. Those who have seen them are driven to madness; they leave behind fields of corpses and mangled flesh. The characters on their banners are unrecognizable to me, but they look as sinister as the eyes of a starving wolf." The scout’s face was etched with terror as he recalled the sight.

"And fifty miles behind the cavalry follows a grand army; they number at least one hundred thousand, and they are carrying..." Before he could finish, the scout collapsed and died.

A deathly silence fell over the hall. The leaders exchanged glances, then turned their gaze toward Touman. Feeling the weight of their bloodshot eyes, a chill crept up Touman’s spine.

Just then, a young man dressed in the garb of a prince stepped forward. "Father, we should order all tribal leaders to return to their people, gather them, and retreat toward Touman City. If we delay, the Qin will pick us off one by one."

"That is unacceptable, Great Prince! How can our warriors flee without a fight? Our horses are stronger, our riders more skilled—why should we fear them?" countered the Wise King of the Right, Baru.

"Uncle Baru, it is not that we fear them, but they refuse to fight us directly! Do you not see? The Qin only want to plunder our horses, livestock, and people. If we lose more of our population, we will be too weak to survive the winter. The Qin do not lack soldiers; they lack warhorses. Once they transport these supplies back to Qin, they will easily field an army of two hundred thousand well-equipped cavalry. That will be the end of the Xiongnu!" the young man shouted passionately.

The room fell into a state of sobering realization.

"Modu, what do you suggest we do?" Touman asked his eldest son.

"Father, we must dispatch more scouts to monitor the Qin, and notify the tribes that haven't been attacked to gather at Touman City to prevent the enemy from growing stronger. Furthermore, we must send word to the Donghu, the Yuezhi, and other steppe tribes to seek their aid. If they refuse, they can wait for the Qin to crush them one by one until they are all extinct!"

"Well said. Then proceed with this plan!" With Touman’s order, the leaders rushed out of the tent, mounted their horses, and rode off in a frenzy.