The gates of Chishui City were closed, and machine guns, mortars, etc. were mounted on the city walls.
In the artillery tower, Lu Ming held a telescope and looked at a large group of cavalrymen galloping away in the distance, raising a cloud of dust.
Most of Ma Quanyou's troops should have retreated to the Baihai area. Not only is there the White Sea, an inland sea that was once rampant with bandits but has now been incorporated into Chen Xingchang's Baihai Kingdom, but further northwest is the vast desert, mountains and dense forests, where many foreign border residents live. It would be difficult for our side, whether it is aircraft or armored forces, to enter the White Sea area.
However, at the same time, Ma Quanyou's group returned to the prairie and even came to the city of Chishui to show off their strength.
Obviously, he did not come back to attack and recapture Chishui City, but to declare his existence and let the troops who were still loyal to Ma Quanyou know that the war was not over yet.
Most of the nomadic tribes on the prairie will protect or even help them fight against themselves.
The current situation is that we are the invaders, hiding in a few fixed cities, while the prairie is the world of the rebels.
The rebels received support from many nomadic tribes and launched a guerrilla war.
From now on, not to mention that it would be dangerous for a small number of people to go to various large and small settlements, even the supply lines of several large settlements occupied by our side, such as Chishui City, would become the main targets of the rebels.
In addition, the nomadic tribes in the west, led by the Huangyuan tribe, will also support the remaining troops of Ma Quanyou openly or secretly.
Why do I feel like I'm becoming the American Empire? It's obvious that the other side can be easily defeated if we use real weapons, but we have the advantage of terrain and people. Are we going to be dragged into the quagmire of war here
Thinking about it, Lu Ming rubbed his nose, feeling a little weird.
…
The walls of the snow-white restaurant in Ma Quanyou Khan's Palace are inlaid with layers of sparkling diamonds.
Of course, diamonds are not that precious in this world and have not been hyped up as a symbol of love or a must-have at weddings.
But even so, it is an extremely precious ornament. The fact that Ma Quanyou uses it in this way shows how extravagant he is.
The rectangular dining table with a white tablecloth and the cutlery and forks were all made of pure gold.
Ma Quanchang sat beside him and talked to Lu Ming carefully.
"It was supposed to be decided the day before yesterday! Unexpectedly, there was an urgent report that the remnants of Ma Quanyou's rebel army fled to Chishui. We have been busy preparing for the worst these two days. Commissioner Ma, please don't be surprised!" Lu Ming said with a smile.
Ma Quanchang hurriedly smiled and said, "No, no."
Lu Ming looked at his watch. He, Ma Quanchang and Tuoba Khanhou had agreed to meet at noon. He arrived just before noon, while Ma Quanchang arrived more than ten minutes early. Now it was already five minutes past twelve and Tuoba Khanhou had not arrived yet.
Her movements were not completely free, as she was guarded by female agents from the Secret Service. However, if she deliberately wasted time, the female agents could not drag her over by force. After all, they were asking her to discuss something, not to bring her to justice.
Outside the restaurant is an elegant fountain flowerbed, inside the fountain is a snow-white statue of the prairie god holding a bow.
When Lu Ming went to check his watch again, a group of people came from behind the fountain statue. Leading them was a gorgeous lady with noble temperament. She was wearing a snow-white waisted robe, which faintly revealed her snow-white boots. She had a pretty face with an oval shape, which was rare among grassland women. Her skin was fair, and she wore a golden crown inlaid with sparkling gems on her head. There were two snow-white tassels hanging on both sides. The gorgeous clothes made the beauty look even more gorgeous, noble and calm. She looked very much like the queen of the grassland empire that Lu Ming had seen in film and television works in his previous life.
When Ma Quanchang saw the person coming, he hesitated for a moment, but finally stood up and stood by with his hands hanging down, like a minister welcoming a royal family.
Needless to say, the one who came was Queen Tuoba Khan.
Although she is just in her early thirties, she got married at the age of twelve and has been married to Ma Quanyou for eighteen years. Ma Quanyou was nearly forty when he married her.
Lu Ming looked at her with great curiosity, feeling as if he had arrived in a classical grassland empire.
Tuoba Khan later came to the long table opposite where Lu Ming was sitting. Her personal maid pulled out a chair for her and she sat down gracefully. From beginning to end, she ignored Ma Quanchang and even Lu Ming, the deputy minister in charge.
Lu Ming smiled and made a gesture, and the servants brought large plates of beef, mutton, fruits, etc.
"Madam Tuoba, it's our first meeting. My name is Wang Pingbei."
Tuoba Khan glanced at Lu Ming with his beautiful eyes and nodded slightly, "Manager Wang, I wonder why you want me, a prisoner, to come here?"
Ma Quanchang sat down a little awkwardly at this time and coughed, "Han Hou, long time no see."
Tuoba Khan didn't even look at him and ignored his words.
Ma Quanchang looked ashamed and said no more.
Obviously, in Tuoba Lan's eyes, Ma Quanchang was a traitor who betrayed his ethnic group, and Ma Quanchang also felt guilty.
Lu Ming smiled and said, "Madam Tuoba, what do you think of the current order of the prairie?"
Tuoba Khan said calmly: "Your tribe is reckless. Even if you are willing to leave the grassland now, you will still be enemies for a thousand years. Unless you kill all my children on the grassland! But in this world, I don't think you have the courage to go against the will of heaven."
Lu Ming nodded and said, "As you said, only Ma Quanyou can massacre our Zhongzhou people's city. If we retaliate, it will be an unforgivable crime?"
Tuoba Khan said coldly: "Your Highness, you have different pursuits from my Khan. Didn't you attack my Khan repeatedly for his wrongdoings and sentenced him to a very scary crime in absentia?"
Lu Ming smiled and said, "It seems that you understand a lot and know that we will never do anything to exterminate a race. However, although the herdsmen don't understand now, my army is indeed here to liberate the people of the grassland. They don't understand now, but they will understand slowly. I will go to each settlement and distribute the slave owners' property to the herdsmen in that settlement, and slowly spread the news. Do you think they will always misunderstand the new life we are going to bring them and go to hell? Or will they gradually understand that the new lifestyle we bring will be wonderful?"
Tuoba Khan said calmly, "Just do it, Chief Steward Wang."
Lu Ming nodded, "I am planning to start with the Tuoba tribe. The Tuoba tribe is located in an area with lush grass and water, and the tribe settlements are dense. It is not very far from here, more than 500 miles away. My armed aircraft can fly back and forth. So every three days, I will send out air raids. What do you think?"
Tuoba Lan's pretty face changed color slightly.
Lu Ming smiled. Blackmail was still effective. In fact, the oil that could be transported to Chishui was so precious nowadays that he couldn't bear to use a helicopter to raid the grassland settlements every three days.
"How about this, Madam Tuoba, you naturally cannot make the decision on your clan's affairs. I am going to meet the Tuoba clan leader. I can take him to Chishui by plane. I will guarantee his safety. How about you write a letter to persuade him to come to Chishui?" After a pause, Lu Ming continued: "The Tuoba clan has always been content with pastoral affairs. As long as the Tuoba clan leader is willing to be loyal to the principality, all conditions can be negotiated."
"I can't write." Tuoba Lan stood up gracefully. "If there is nothing else, I'll take my leave!"
She said, "I'm leaving now, sinner," but without any courtesy, she turned around and walked out.
Ma Quanchang was helpless and glanced at Lu Ming's face with some uneasiness.
Lu Ming took out his knife and fork and started eating meat, showing no emotion at all.