By the end of October, right after we move to Winter Camp, Zhao Yan takes me and a few tribe members cross the border again. This time, we go through every single Baijiu stores he owns and collect as much money as we can. We then buy large amount of soy beans and hays for horses. Horses eat a lot. I feel like they eat all day long. In order to keep them well fed this winter, Zhao Yan decides to keep minimum amount of other animals and processes the rest as food.
The battle, which later in history will be called Battle of Mobei, is going to break out between February and April next year. The timing of the war is strategical. Horses in Xiongnu are at their worst condition during this time. Suffering from the long and cold winter without sufficient food, horses are very weak. On the contrary, Han’s horses are in much better condition. The weather in Han is better and horses are fed with dry hays and soy bean cakes all winter long. Han does not have better horses than those in Xiongnu, they just have better weather, better feed and better understandings on how to leverage to their maximum benefit. That’s why whenever Han attacks Xiongnu, it’s always in spring or summer time. And Xiongnu always attacks Han in fall when their horses are strong after fresh grass all summer long.
Zhao Yan has also cleared out all blacksmith shops. He tells me that Emperor Wu is in discussion with his court officials about nationalization of the making and supplying of any metal products as well as supplying and distribution of salt. So it’s better for him to buy as much as possible before it requires registration.
In January, we go to the gathering at Chanyu’s place again. This time, I don’t need to hide in the ger anymore. So I wandered around while they are having meetings.
They’ve already known the impending attack from Han. Multiple intelligence sources, unusual tightened security along the border and the sudden increase of Han soldiers clearly tells everyone of upcoming war. However, among all the participants of the meeting, only two of them have prepared themselves and their tribes for the war, Zhao Xin and his brother Zhao Yan. Zhao Xin started training his tribes after he found out what Zhao Yan was doing. He also took the advice from Zhao Yan and diverted part of stored food into multiple secret locations.
Chanyu decides to have his main force stationed in west part of Xiongnu Steppe, while his longtime friend, Worthy Prince of the East, stations at east. Zhao Xin and Zhao Yan have both been asked to stay with Chanyu’s main force.
I am relieved when I heard the news. General Wei is going to be the one in the west battle field where he will encounter Chanyu’s main force. General Huo is going to fight with Worthy Prince of the East at the east battle field. As always, General Wei likes to take away the livelihood from Xiongnu rather than killing. So the chance to survive the war for Xiongnu soldiers is better at west side. But about twenty thousands of Xiongnu soldiers will still be killed at the west side.
For the fight at east, Huo’s troops will completely destroy and wipe out the forces belong to Worthy Princes of the East and other Xiongnu nobles. Over seventy thousands Xiongnu soldiers will be killed.
“Do you still want to do this?” I ask Zhao Yan when he comes back to ger.
As always, he smooches away my worries.
“It does not look good at all.” I tell him what I have found while he was in the meeting. “Chanyu’s soldiers are not trained at all. And the horses are in worse condition. They look weak and skinny. A lot of soldiers are sick too. I hope it’s not contagious.”
Actually the sickness is contagious like a bad season flu. I insist on Zhao Yan washes his hand with soap whenever he comes back and forbid him to get close to anybody who doesn’t look so good.
Chanyu is no match to Emperor Wu at all. He has no vision and no self-discipline. Both Zhao Yan and Zhao Xin have warned him about the upcoming battle, he still had no preparation in place other than taking the suggestion from Zhao Xin to move the food storage to north. As a leader in Xiongnu, he is more occupied with possible coup against him than the battle with his neighbors. He believes that he has taken revenge successfully in fall every time after he lost battles with Han in spring or summer times.
What he doesn’t know is the importance of the upcoming war, which will break down Xiongnu Empire into two regions. South region will be occupied and controlled tightly by Han, while his people will have to live in north region such as Gobi Desert and Siberia, where the weather is cold and grassland is limited. Eventually, more and more tribes will migrate west. One of them will go as far as a place where it is contemporarily called Hungary. They will build the famous Hunnic Empire. But that is much later.
For now, Chanyu hasn’t realized that his contemptuous attitude towards this war will lead to disastrous consequences to his people.
“Chanyu has already distributed the food for soldiers and horses. We are all ordered to move to summer camps right away. That will leave the south of steppe almost empty for Han. It will take them long time to travel to north. By then, our soldiers and horses will be ready.”
I sigh since I have already told him the result of the war. None of those will matter. I don’t want to bug him since he looks concerned already. Both of us know Xiongnu soldiers, even in their best conditions, are no match to Han soldiers, who are much more disciplined, better trained and better equipped.
When Zhao Yan goes to meet Chanyu alone, I go to see Zhao Xin, who is quite surprised by my visit.
“I am asking for the return of favors.” I open the conversation directly.
“Of course. I own you three lives: my brother, my wife and my daughter.” He understands and is ready for my request.
I ask him to keep Zhao Yan next to him all the time. Zhao Xin will survive the war and will live for a long time. By keeping Zhao Yan next to him, I believe he will be safe as well.
“Don’t worry, I will keep him right next to me.” He chuckles.
“All the time.” I press him.
“All the time.” He laughs. “I know you two worry about each other. He has just asked me to protect you. I guess you two have a very high confidence about me.”
I have to admit Zhao Xin is an excellent general. He has been in battles with enemies with ten times more soldiers. Not only he is brave, he is also shrewd. He knows when to fight and when to keep his strength. After battle of Mobei, Chanyu will even favor him more. Xiongnu Empire will sustain largely on the food and herds he has preserved prior to the war.
“Do you know what else he said to me?” He says.
“I don’t know.” I shake my head.
“He wants me to guarantee your safety and your freedom if anything happens to him.”
I know I should not cry before the war starts. It will drag down his spirit. I have been very careful concealing my emotions in front of Zhao Yan. I have tried to be cheerful and supportive in front of him, making sure he is in the best physical as well as mental condition.
But my tears come down after Zhao Xin told me about their conversation. I have sensed his intention when he took me to visit the stores he owns. He really did not need to do that since the store manager in Shuofang is his friend since childhood and he has been managing and collecting money for him. But he insisted on visiting every store and introduced me to the store manager as his wife. He was making financial arrangement for me then and he is making arrangement for my freedom now.
Zhao Xin watches me crying quietly.
“Shiaonu, there is something my brother doesn’t have the guts to tell you in person, but that’s something I believe you should know. I wish I had said that to my late wife as well.”
“What does he want me to know?” I ask him, still sobbing.
“He wants you to live no matter what happens.”
I feel the desperation taking over me completely.
“Please, please keep him alive.” I kneel down in front of Zhao Xin as if he can really determine the life and death of Zhao Yan.
Zhao Yan goes back home the very next day while I stay at Zhao Xin’s home. He needs to move the tribe to summer camp rig
ht away. I have suggested the new location for summer camp, which is somewhere north of Lake Baikal. But that suggestion gets denied since it would double the length of travel time, and most importantly Zhao Yan doesn’t own that territory. Invading without permission means war in Xiongnu.
When he comes back with men from tribe, he reports to Zhao Xin as his Left General. Their job is to ensure the safety of the food storage. It is the last food resource for Xiongnu. Everyone is expecting a massive killing of their herds as well as herds been taken away by Han soldiers.
I present the chainmail armor I have made to Zhao Yan. Recently both of us have been careful conceal our emotions even they are boiling and burning inside.
He gives a loud laugh and puts a kiss on my face when he sees it. I help him to put it on.
“Baby, this looks awesome.” He says to me with a smile.
I know he meant the armor looks good. But I think he looks better. He has been in such a good physical condition, I doubt his body fat percentage is more than six percent.
“I have been wondering what you have been doing with those blacksmiths from Da Wan.” He says while checking out the armor.
It took me a lot of effort making it.
Blacksmith from Da Wan are not as good as those in Han. But they are the only ones willing to come to Xiongnu and work here. They get paid handsomely by Chanyu to make weapons. At this time, the most advanced technology in metallurgy is in Han. They have mastered the molding and forging technics when making sword and other weapons. My brother Jinu used to be an apprentice in a blacksmith shop and I have seen him forging the steels out of iron.
The chains of the armor was first made out of the mold. But they are too brittle to be useful. The armor requires the linking of each chain be linked together. We tried to add different material into the furnace and tried different cooling process. But none of them worked.
Just when I was about to give up, I remembered a material called fake silver in jewelry making. It is also called Chinese silver. The pure silver is too soft to be made into anything useful. So jewelers start adding copper, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome and something called cobalt when heating up the silver in the furnace. The products made out of this alloy can look like silver but much more sturdy than silver. Most of the so-called silver products, such as cups, plates and bottles are actually made from this material. The toughness and the softness of this alloy can be adjusted with different ratio. Sometimes, it requires very little silver to make a silver-like product. It is a good material to make jewelry since it can be easily manipulated with right ratio and when it is heated to certain temperature. This way of making silver products has been a secret among jewelers until Archimedes discovered the theft and proved it via his famous equilibrium of floating bodies. But I don’t worry about that at all.
Once we figured out the right material and right ratio, the rest is easy. We made wire first, then chains, and last link them all together in certain patterns.
“It is still heavier than I’d hoped for.” I tell Zhao Yan.
“It looks good.” He comments again on the look of it. I put the head piece over his head.
I pull a big knife from the table top and hit him suddenly with the back of the knife. The sheer force of my smacking forces him to back a couple of steps.
“I did not make this for looks. I made this to keep you safe. ” I am very pleased seeing his awestruck look. “It is impenetrable.”
All Han soldiers wear armors. They are made of thin slices of iron plates attached to their clothes through sewing. But it is stiff and rigid, limiting them when moves. The worst is that the design makes them vulnerable when dodging arrows. Xiongnu soldiers never wear any armors at all. Their main weapon is archery and they need the freedom and flexibility to shoot. But Han soldiers’ archery skill have improved a lot, especially after the saddle becomes the standard equipment.
Zhao Yan laughs and takes me outside to try out the armor on his horse.
Based on his feedback, I decide to make a few alternations. He wants it to be shortened both on sleeves and body length. The head piece slides when he moves, so I made hooks underneath his chin to secure it.
I end up making two more. One for Zhao Xin and another for Chanyu. After they see Zhao Yan’s armor, they all want one for themselves.
Zhao Xin puts me and his family together in a place called Yanran Mountain. It is a beautiful place with waterfall, lake and river, as if we are here for the vacation instead of seeking refuge from war.
“Baby, be safe and watch out for yourself.” Zhao Yan hugs me tightly before he goes back to his brother. “I will come to get you as soon as it’s over.”
While we are inside the mountain and enjoy the peace, I can’t stop thinking about the war outside. Zhao Xin’s wife looks much calmer than me. She prays patiently morning and night. I can’t even stay still for a few minutes.
Every day I climb to the highest spot of the mountain and try to get some signs on how the battle is going. But I have not seen anything.
“Shiaonu.” One of the two sons of Zhao Xin walks with me. “What are you looking for?”
“I am looking for a sign.” I tell him. We have become very close since we stay here together. I tell them stories and exhaust them by playing with them.
“What kind of sign?” He raises his little cute face asking me.
“Fire or smoke.”
”Why?” He is a very curious boy, always has a lot of questions.
“Because that will tell me if the war is over.”
According to the history, General Wei will first encounter Chanyu’s major force of eighty thousand cavalry. He orders his troops to form a ring with chariots and build a mobile fortress for his soldiers. With the long ranged weapon like arrows and crossbow, he manages to hold his troops against Xiongnu’s attack.
After a full day stall in battle, luck slowly leans to General Wei’s side when at dusk, a sandstorm hit the battle field. The visibility becomes so low that soldiers can’t even see the one next to them. He sends his major cavalry outside the ring and attack Xiongnu from behind. It was a battle with rocks and sands flying around them. Soldiers can only fight each other by touching each other’s clothes. Xiongnu soldiers not only are never good at close combat, they are also confused by the sudden appearance of Han soldiers next to them. They think they have lost the battle. Even Chanyu thinks the same way. So he runs away with a few hundreds of his guards leaving the rest of his soldiers baffled until they are either killed or captured.
General Wei orders his troops to chase Chanyu, who decides to look for refuge from Zhao Xin. Zhao Xin did not hold his fortress too long either. He runs away with his troops. But he has kept most of his soldiers. The location for food storage is at the south of where I am. It will be burnt the day General Wei goes back home.
That is the sign I have been waiting for. It will tell me the battle on the west side of steppe is over.
“I hate Han people.” Zhao Xin’s son says to me. “They come, they kill and they take our animals away.”
I sigh on what he said. How can you blame him to say something like that? That’s all he knows and that’s all he experiences.
“Xiongnu does the same to Han.” I tell him gently. “I am a Han. My parents are Han. They are the nicest people I have ever known. It’s not the fault of Han people or Xiongnu people, it is the greed for money, for control, and for power that drags everyone into such a crazy war. Xiongnu used to attack Han all the time. My own Niang was taken away from her home and was raped and tortured by Xiongnu soldiers.”
Zhao Xin’s son looks at me with his eyes widened. “I am sorry that I did not know you are a Han and I am sorry for your Niang.”
“It’s all past. I have a brother who is a half Xiongnu too. We used to play together all the time.” I smile at him. “You actually carry more blood of Han than blood of Xiongnu. Your dad is a half Han and your mom is a one hundred percent Han. That makes you more of a Han than a Xiongnu.”
> He looks as if he is going to cry. I take him in my arms.
“We are all the same. Han or Xiongnu, what’s the big deal? Don’t hate anybody. War just means the failure of our intelligence and our inability to communicate.”
We then sit quietly on the top of the mountain under the spring sun. After the bad weather yesterday, it turns into a gorgeous day.
“Is that smoke over there?” He points to a thin but clear smoke stream in the sky south of us.
“Yes, it is.” I hold his hand and get up. “It is over now.”
31 Death
Despite Zhao Yan’s words, I decide to leave the mountain to look for him right away.
With two of the tribe men Zhao Yan has left to me, we ride to the food storage place first.
The fire continues while bodies and the wounded soldiers are everywhere. The screams and whining from the wounded soldiers makes me feel like I am in hell.
“Nobody is responsible for the dead and the wounded?” I ask the two tribe men. They have been to the war before.
“Eventually their tribe member will come and collect them.” They tell me.
I have always imagined some sort of medical team will immediately come as soon as the battle is over. They would save the wounded and bury the dead. But apparently, after the slaughter, it’s up for someone else to take care of the aftermath. Or it is done intentionally to amplify the terror to the enemies.
Someone yells the name of one tribe member, we go to him right away. His left arm is gone and his face is covered in blood. I try to see what I can do, but I know he will not survive even with a doctor right there.
“Kill me.” He begs. “Save me the pain. All my stuff is yours.”
I see his suffer and I know it might be the best option for him.
“Tell me about my husband. Have you seen him? Where is he? ” I gather my courage and ask him.
“He has gone to east side with some tribe members.” He groans in pain.
My Soul is in the Sky Page 31