June is the best time of the year for the Gulang grassland, with lush grass and singing birds. As the monsoon blows over the Qiyun Mountains, the grassland ripples, revealing groups of sheep grazing and a few wild antelopes, forming a beautiful picture.
"This Gulang grassland is such a great place. How could such a place be occupied by those foreign races..." Yan Liqiang stood on the city wall of Baishi Pass, looking at the undulating grass waves in the distance, and he sighed with great interest.
Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, Yan Liqiang had returned to Qiyun County for several days. Today was June 1st, the day for the meeting and negotiation agreed by Yan Liqiang and the seven tribes of Shatu.
In the past few days, Su Sali acted as the middleman in arranging this meeting, and finally decided on the location and specific time of the meeting. Because of the insistence of the seven tribes of Shatu, the meeting place was on the grassland twenty miles outside Baishi Pass. Both parties to the meeting would only bring fifty people each, and no soldiers were allowed within twenty miles around. Yan Liqiang agreed.
The weather is very good today, with no clouds in the sky. Standing on the city wall of Baishi Pass, with Yan Liqiang's eyesight, he can easily see the temporary shed set up on the twenty-mile grassland. That is the place where the two sides will meet for negotiations.
From afar, in addition to the tents that could be seen, you could also see several horses galloping on the grassland in the east and west, rushing towards the location of the tents.
Among those horses and cavalry, three were sent from Baishi Pass, and the other three came from the grassland in the west. Before the meeting, both sides sent people to check the meeting place to prevent the other side from tampering. But to be more precise, because this place is closer to Baishi Pass and the awning was also built by Yan Liqiang, the people of the seven Shatu tribes were worried that Yan Liqiang would tamper with the venue, so they sent people to check the venue before the formal meeting.
"My lord, the seven tribes of Shatu have never been credible. You must not trust them. They picked and chose the meeting place this time, put forward many requirements, and were so cautious, as if they were afraid that we would do something. They must be guilty. Why don't you wait at Baishi Pass today? I will meet them and see what tricks they are playing, so as not to fall into their trap. Your life is related to the future and safety of Qiyun County, so you must not take risks lightly!"
The person who dared to say such words to Yan Liqiang at this time was naturally the defender of Baishi Pass, Tie Yunshan. Ever since he knew that Yan Liqiang was going to meet with the leaders of the seven Shatu tribes outside Baishi Pass, Tie Yunshan had been opposing Yan Liqiang from taking the risk to negotiate with the people of the seven Shatu tribes. He had advised Yan Liqiang several times before, and now that the negotiation time was approaching, he did not give up and was still persuading him.
"Yes, in recent days, according to the scouts we sent out, the actions of the seven Shatu tribes are somewhat strange. Although the harassment and erosion of the seven Shatu tribes by the Black Jie people are still continuing, the losses of the seven Shatu tribes do not seem to be great. It's a bit like a sleight of hand. My lord, you must be on guard!" As soon as Tie Yunshan opened his mouth, Xiao Manyu, the recorder beside him, also dissuaded him with a serious face.
Yan Liqiang certainly did not go to negotiate with the seven Shatu tribes, but wanted to take advantage of the negotiation meeting to use the Mind Snake to find out the secret thoughts and plans of those in power in the seven Shatu tribes, and then he could deal with them calmly. This ability to know the other party's cards as soon as you meet is unmatched by anyone, and no one else can do it for him, so he can only go himself. Even if it is a risk, Yan Liqiang thinks it is worth it.
"Don't worry, the Shatu people have evil ambitions, I know my limits, and I haven't heard of any strong people among the seven Shatu tribes. You just need to guard Baishi Pass!" Yan Liqiang smiled at Tie Yunshan and Xiao Manyu and changed the subject directly, "By the way, how do your soldiers feel about the new military pay?"
Since last month, the defenders of Baishi Pass have received their military pay in silver and gold coins, so Yan Liqiang asked this question.
Tie Yunshan and Xiao Manyu looked at each other helplessly, and finally it was Tie Yunshan who spoke, "The gold and silver coins issued this time are exquisite. After receiving them, the soldiers in Guanzhong were very happy and their morale was high. However, many people were reluctant to spend such exquisite coins..."
"Hahaha, tell your soldiers not to be reluctant to spend. The military pay in Qiyun County will be like this in the future and will not change. The number of people who directly trade in gold and silver will decrease!"
"yes!"
A group of people were chatting at Baishi Pass. Not long after, a soldier who was sent to check the meeting place came back riding on a rhino horse - there was no problem with the meeting place, and the people from the seven Shatu tribes on the opposite side had also confirmed it, so they could go.
After hearing the report and looking at the time, it was almost noon, so Yan Liqiang did not delay any longer, called for help, and left.
The gate of Baishi Pass was wide open. Yan Liqiang, riding on Caiyun Zhuiyue and holding a spear made of dragon-backed steel, was the first to rush forward. Following Yan Liqiang were Lian Wushuang, masters like Yan Qing and Yan Hong, as well as Wang Naiwu and dozens of guards around Yan Liqiang.
By the time Yan Liqiang and his men had almost reached the outskirts of the negotiation site twenty miles away, the people from the seven Shatu tribes on the opposite side had almost arrived on horseback. Both sides had fifty people, no more and no less.
When they arrived at the negotiation site, Yan Liqiang and his men dismounted, and the other side also dismounted. Then both sides walked to the negotiation tent at the same time and stood on either side of the tent. There were tables and benches on both sides of the tent. Yan Liqiang's side had one table for each person, while the Shatu people on the opposite side had a long table and benches.
None of the Shatu people who came for the negotiations this time were known to Yan Liqiang, but judging from the temperament of those Shatu people, they were indeed the nobles and the powerful ones among the seven Shatu tribes. The leader was an old man with a gloomy aura, a bunch of golden decorations on his body, and Tibetan mastiff-like hair.
When these Shatu people arrived, almost everyone's eyes fell on Yan Liqiang, and they immediately confirmed Yan Liqiang's identity.
Yan Liqiang sat down at the table and glanced across at the opposite side. His brows slightly frowned. "Where's Suratai? Isn't he Su Shali's brother? He was supposed to come. Why didn't he come?"
"We encountered an ambush by the Black Jie people on the road a few days ago. Suratai was injured and returned to the Uli tribe. I will represent the Uli tribe in this negotiation. By the way, I haven't introduced myself to the governor yet. My name is Nigu, the elder of the Uli tribe. The one next to me is the patriarch of the Coyote tribe. The others present here are the people who keep their word among the seven Shatu tribes!" The man named Nigu spoke to Yan Liqiang with a smile on his face.
As soon as he said this, the information sent back by the Mind Snake made Yan Liqiang's heart suddenly cold, because he already knew that a big change had taken place in the Wuli tribe. The heads of Su Shali's brothers were no longer on their necks. He even "saw" a few scenes in his mind. It was this man named Nigu who was holding Suratai's head in one hand and grinning in the tent full of fire, shouting that he wanted to kill the original chief's family. Standing next to this Nigu were several black Jie people with equally ferocious faces...
The Uli tribe has changed and joined the Black Jie people!
Looking at the chief of the Coyote Tribe, Nianshe obtained the same information. After the great defeat, the chief of the Coyote Tribe chopped off the heads of all the nobles in the tribe who still wanted to fight with the Black Jie people and who might threaten the ruling status of his family as quickly as possible, and then quickly defected to the Black Jie people to preserve his own power and position.
After the great defeat, the top leaders of the seven Shatu tribes also ushered in a new bloody reshuffle, and then a group of new nobles defected to the Black Jie people faster than they had imagined. To be precise, this meeting was a trap and a snare, and the one who arranged all this was Prince Taimiba, the commander of the Black Jie army...
In this meeting, their lowest goal is themselves, not allowing themselves to leave alive, and their highest goal is Baishi Pass and Qiyun County!
Yan Liqiang understood these people's plans in an instant. What a good plan and method!
If it weren't for this meeting with the people from the seven tribes of Shatu, Yan Liqiang would probably have been kept in the dark. He wouldn't have thought that the people from the seven tribes of Shatu would become the dogs of the Black Jie people so quickly and turn around to pounce on him...
Betrayal is commonplace for these Shatu people. They are used to showing their teeth to the weak and kneeling to the strong. As long as they can survive and continue to enjoy the life of fine wine and beautiful women, they will not hesitate to swing the butcher knife at their own people. They are really a bunch of scum, and they can never be tamed. It seems that the Han Empire has not killed enough of these people, which makes them regard the Han Empire as a target to be bitten again and again. The chaos in the Han Empire this time is also the reason why the seven Shatu tribes surrendered to the Black Jie people so quickly. The Black Jie people not only let them live, but also promised them many benefits after they occupied the northwest in the future...
Yan Liqiang sneered in his heart, but on the surface, he remained calm and instead smiled.
"If Suratai didn't come, then he didn't come!" Yan Liqiang waved his hand casually, seemingly not minding at all. "As long as the people who come are people who keep their words, it's fine. I heard that your people want to enter Baishi Pass for refuge. This request is not impossible to discuss, but I have a few small requests..."
As soon as Yan Liqiang opened his mouth, the Shatu people on the opposite side were slightly stunned. They didn't expect Yan Liqiang to be so direct. Then the Shatu people suddenly became excited...
"If you have any requests, please feel free to tell me. We are here to talk..." The old man named Niko gave Yan Liqiang a friendly smile...
(End of this chapter)