Though she was focused on food, her two-part spear was within reach, as if ready to be used at any moment.

“Why would Governor Qiao of Bingzhou be willing to let me go?” Bu Dugen hesitated but eventually sat down.

For some reason, in her generous actions, he saw a faint resemblance to the former leader, Tan Shihuai—a charisma befitting a formidable figure.

But knowing he was on the losing side, he felt the need to maintain the dignity of the Xianbei, which led him to adopt a respectful attitude during their negotiation.

Qiao Yan’s tone remained relaxed. “There are many factions in the northern grasslands. To the west, there are migrating Northern Xiongnu; to the east, the Wuhuan are invading Han territory. If I were to kill you, there would be two outcomes—”

“Either a new hero would emerge among the Xianbei factions, or the son of Huhuan would take on tribal responsibilities. This new leader would harbor ambitions and hatred toward the Han, with little fear of attacking again.”

“Or the Northern Xiongnu would return, re-establishing their court in the north, or the eastern Wuhuan would expand their power, eventually swallowing you and becoming a new foreign dynasty dominating the north of the Han.”

“That would be a problem for me.”

She spoke of it as a troublesome matter, but to Bu Dugen, her face showed little concern, only a teasing expression as if watching a small play.

Her next words were, “I’ll have to come back here again. How troublesome.”

Bu Dugen knew that reaching this place might not be so easy next time, but if she succeeded once in such a difficult task, no one would doubt her ability to do it again.

After a long silence, Bu Dugen finally replied, “What you say is true, Qiao of Bingzhou.”

He could roughly guess her thoughts.

If she let him go, it would indeed be a relatively worthwhile deal.

He still held authority here, and even though he had been captured by her, it wouldn’t affect his ability to gather loyal troops and stabilize the area.

However, his succession to leadership was not straightforward, and having had direct contact with her, he knew what kind of enemy Bingzhou posed, which meant he wouldn’t become her fierce rival.

Even if he tried to convince himself that Qiao Yan might just be elevating her image after a successful operation, he realized he could only arrive at a negative answer when asking if he had the ability to stand against her and her commanders, Lu Bu and Zhang Liao.

The impact of this imminent crisis had left a deep mark on his heart, one that would last until someone could defeat her directly.

But she was the appointed governor of Bingzhou and the Marquis of Leping, so who would have the necessity to defeat her?

Bu Dugen took a deep breath. In this negotiation, he was undoubtedly in the weaker position.

Qiao Yan’s situation was simply about whether to deploy troops again, while his was a life-and-death decision.

He gritted his teeth and asked, “What kind of compensation would you need to let me go?”

After considering, Qiao Yan replied, “Twenty thousand cattle and sheep.”

She added, “Every year.”

“That’s impossible!” Bu Dugen instinctively shouted.

Such a heavy burden would definitely cripple him and make it difficult to establish authority within the Xianbei in the coming years.

But Qiao Yan replied calmly, “Let’s settle this with some numbers. Former General Duan Jiming spent twenty years fighting the Western Qiang, capturing a total of 440,000 cattle, sheep, and horses, and beheading 40,000 people. If we break it down, that’s about 20,000 every year. My killing over 4,000 of your people this time is a bit higher than average, so next year, I could just come to collect autumn winds.”

“If you want to act this way, that’s fine. After all, this northern journey can also serve as military training for me.

There are many passes in the Yin Mountains, and our Han can build defenses along the southern slopes, while your Xianbei cannot establish a foolproof defense in the north. If I want to come, you can’t stop me.”

“Moreover, the environment of the Western Qiang is clearly less suitable for grazing compared to your vast grasslands, yet they still managed to accumulate this wealth. What about you?”

“I’m just asking you to make a choice: either provide part of your wealth to avoid disaster or let me come regularly to hunt on your grasslands. Isn’t that fair?”

Qiao Yan’s words caused Bu Dugen’s expression to change repeatedly.

Mentioning General Duan made him uneasy, as Duan’s reputation for ruthlessness extended beyond the Western Qiang.

In the past, when the Xianbei invaded Jiuquan, Duan had successfully repelled them!

Rather than merely suppressing foreign invasions, it seemed General Duan was pursuing a policy of extermination.

If this equally formidable Governor of Bingzhou chose the same path after negotiations failed, then, as she said, the roles would indeed reverse, and she could carry out her hunting plans.

It might be better to act on her suggestion and make a sacrifice to avoid disaster.

He heard Qiao Yan continue, “Consider this: if I need a stable source of cattle and sheep, I will support you in securing your position as Chanyu. You haven’t chosen to submit like the Southern Xiongnu, and I won’t interfere in your internal affairs. This is actually a good thing for you.”

“If you don’t want to only provide cattle and sheep, you can supply warhorses instead, in a one-to-one exchange.”

Bu Dugen couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

The first condition might be seen as a concession, but the second one was a direct slap in the face.

Cattle and sheep are just food, while warhorses are crucial resources for war, and even a one-to-one exchange would still be a loss for him.

Yet, faced with the facts presented, this was the lowest acceptable tribute he could agree to.

He replied, “I have one condition: if I return to the Xianbei, this expenditure can be a maximum of 5,000 cattle and sheep. If it’s more, my people would rather abandon me and choose another leader.”

“Sure.” Qiao Yan didn’t reject his condition.

In fact, even if Bu Dugeng

hadn’t said it, she would have insisted on partial payments.

Given that she was relying on just four thousand cavalry and two thousand infantry to venture deep into the grasslands with twenty thousand cattle and sheep, there was a high risk of being ambushed by the angry Xianbei.

Thinking about another purpose for her visit, she added, “I can even make your condition a bit easier. You can bring four thousand cattle and sheep first, then collect the remains of a thousand cattle and horses and transport them to the Yanmen border for handover. The remaining fifteen thousand cattle and sheep can be delivered before winter arrives. In exchange—”

Qiao Yan clapped her hands, and Zhang Yang, who had already received her orders, handed over a piece of clothing made from tree bark. “I will provide twenty thousand winter clothing items and other supplies in return. What do you think?”

Bu Dugen rubbed the clothing in his hands for a moment and made a decision. “Since Governor Qiao of Bingzhou doesn’t intend to cut off our chances, I will agree to this deal!”

Although the attack on the royal court had cost him many people and resources, he still had the capacity to trade four thousand cattle and sheep even after winter had passed.

Even though it pained him to see the cattle and sheep join Qiao Yan’s cavalry, he didn’t have time to dwell on that loss because he still needed to find the whereabouts of his brother, Kuitou.

If he truly died, Bu Dugen needed to quickly establish his position as the chieftain!

He couldn’t let Qian Man find an opportunity!

Little did he know that amidst the cheers of victory for the governor of Bingzhou, Qiao Yan looked back toward the north and thought to herself—

Once she got back, she would have Lu Bu find a way to contact Qian Man or Kebi Neng.

She never said she was only going to support one chieftain on the grasslands!

Thinking this, Qiao Yan shifted her gaze back to the nearby area.

To regain his freedom as soon as possible, Bu Dugen gathered the four thousand cattle and sheep before noon.

The bright spring sun made the triumphant return feel like a blazing fire, igniting everyone’s spirits.

Moved by the atmosphere, she raised her whip and shouted, “Let’s go! Once we return to Bingzhou, I’ll personally host a banquet to celebrate your achievements!”