Chapter 10 The Meeting of Tribes

Three days had passed since Ye Tao arrived at Benlang Plains, yet he had not seen Dai Yun. Dai Yun was adept at seizing opportunities. While the Xueqi Army's ten thousand cavalry were still en route, the Tieyun Cavalry's ten thousand troops had already arrived at Benlang Plains and were under her command. With the anticipated victory arriving sooner than expected, Dai Yun began to exploit the brief chaos that arose during the tribal meeting.

When the first battle report arrived, many tribes were skeptical that the Xueqi Army had successfully repelled Zhao Li and Ni Sigui's forces with minimal casualties. Those who had secretly aligned themselves with the Korka tribe were even more dismissive. However, when the announcement came that the Tieyun Cavalry had captured Mengnan Banner, annihilating the Xiling vanguard camp stationed there, the once-noisy Benlang Plains fell silent. Three days later, the news that arrived left everyone dumbfounded: the Xueqi Army and the Tieyun Cavalry had joined forces to completely eliminate over twenty thousand Daoming Sect members, severely wounded Zhao Li and Ni Sigui's forces once again, routed Jia Qingyun's forces, and captured Jia Qingyun alive. The main Xiling army, led by Jiang Xujing himself, covered the retreat back to Xiling. The allied forces had successfully captured Zijing Valley Camp and were now threatening Mochou Pass. Reliable sources indicated that the strongest force in northern Xiling, Jiang Xujing's twenty thousand elite cavalry, had suffered at least four thousand casualties, and Jiang Xujing himself had been wounded in battle.

Hesitation and doubt turned into curiosity. Had the Xueqi Army truly become that powerful? What kind of shock would the approaching ten thousand Xueqi Army cavalry bring to these tribal soldiers who had grown up on horseback?

But Dai Yun was not waiting. She led the ten thousand Tieyun Cavalry in a lightning-fast strike against the Gasa tribe. In the battle, she deliberately ignored the distinction between the camps of the Huani and Xiersa tribes, who were in cahoots with the Gasa tribe, and swept all three interconnected tribes into the fray. Having grown up on the grasslands, Dai Yun was very familiar with the tribal warfare tactics. Under her leadership, the Tieyun Cavalry did not gather or form ranks, but instead charged into the Gasa tribe's camp using the classic grassland tribal raiding tactics, wiping out the three tribes in one fell swoop and rounding up all the leading figures.

Afterward, Dai Yun announced that the remaining forces and populations of the Gasa, Huani, and Xiersa tribes would be merged into the Leimao tribe, directly under the command of the Yunzhou Dai family. Although Dai Yun's series of actions seemed somewhat hasty and reckless, the large amounts of gold and jewelry found from the three tribes, as well as their communications with Korka and even directly with Xiling, left those who wanted to criticize Dai Yun speechless. This was simply the rule of the grasslands.

Because she had to escort the remnants of the three tribes and guard against enemy attacks, it would naturally take Dai Yun several days to return. During these days, amidst the encouragement from the victory in Yunzhou, the elimination of dissenting voices by Dai Yun, and the tribulation suffered by the various tribes caught between the original centripetal force toward Yunzhou, there was still much to be done. Ye Tao had arrived.

The Xueqi Army cavalry truly gave these grassland tribes a stunning impression. Originally, the purpose of bringing the Xueqi Army was to show off military strength, and Ye Tao generously allowed tribes that had always been close to Yunzhou to enter the camp for "joint celebrations." Ye Tao did not interfere in the inevitable competitions, displays of skill, provocations, or even brawls. Although the Xueqi Army might still have some gaps in individual combat power, horsemanship, and archery compared to these grassland men, the strength of the Xueqi Army as a whole was undeniable.

Ye Tao, who was not good at socializing, only received a few of the more important tribal leaders and discussed with them the "ethnic policies" he had formulated, which had not yet been approved by the Dongping lord. On the other hand, Zeng Zining and Feng Zi, who were no strangers to dealing with people, shuttled back and forth among the various tribes, making many friends. Many small tribes regarded the Yunzhou Dai family as their rulers, and now, when their "ruler" had joined another "ruler," they would inevitably be somewhat worried. However, after subtly spreading the news that Dongping would treat the tribes better in certain aspects, the atmosphere became lively. Ye Tao's lack of sociability became the dignity expected of a high-ranking official from a great power in the eyes of most tribal members, and naturally, Ye Tao's subordinates became the key targets they could curry favor with and were keen to curry favor with.

But Feng Zi and Zeng Zining, Ye Tao's old friends, would bring the gifts they received every night to Ye Tao's camp, and everyone would pick and choose the interesting things together. Zeng Zining, who had been an apprentice at a pawnshop, was very knowledgeable in identifying and evaluating antiques, but although his former shopkeeper was depressed about losing a very intelligent apprentice, there was no way to get a registered general to appraise antiques and issue pawn tickets. Feng Zi's intentions were even more far-reaching. He had already learned about the minerals and plants in the activity areas of each tribe through contact with the tribes and had even discovered several uncommon herbs.

After several days of intensive public relations activities, they finally waited for Dai Yun.

Although she was leading the Tieyun Cavalry, Dai Yun was still wearing the Xueqi Army's supervisor armor that Ye Tao had designed specifically for her. This was probably the first full-body cavalry armor designed for women in the history of this time and space. Ye Tao, who was no longer constrained by craftsmanship in armor manufacturing, had a history of wandering in many online games known for their aesthetic style, and naturally incorporated quite a few modern design elements into the design and manufacture of the armor. The armor had extremely comprehensive protection and could fully demonstrate the feminine lines. In order to echo Dai Yun's name, the surface of the armor was intricately carved with various forms of cloud patterns. Wearing this armor and draping a snow-white cloak, Dai Yun was like a free cloud floating in the sky, beautiful, light, noble, and elusive...

Dai Yun rode directly into the Xueqi Army's camp. She tossed the reins, leaped nimbly to the ground, took two steps forward, and knelt on one knee with a confident smile, cupping her fist in salute to Ye Tao, saying, "Lord, Xueqi Army Supervisor Dai Yun reports to you."

Regardless of whether Dai Yun would still lead a group of old, weak, women, and children to become the Dai family's head and patriarch as the Dai family's most pessimistic assumptions had suggested, Dai Yun's solemn and humble salute to Ye Tao, while her elder brother stood behind Ye Tao, represented the past of an era in Yunzhou and the arrival of an era in Yunzhou. The Dai family had finally submitted to Dongping, submitting to a powerful and vibrant country.

Ye Tao, wearing a simple robe, was somewhat embarrassed. He naturally understood that such a statement was appropriate and necessary under the circumstances, surrounded by the army and with many tribal leaders watching. It was indeed a symbol and a performance, even if their familiarity had made it unnecessary for them to do so.

"Get up," Ye Tao said gently, supporting Dai Yun's elbow with his hand. "You've worked hard."

Ye Tao's words of "worked hard" also relieved Dai Yun of most of the responsibility for acting without authorization. Although Ye Tao would never explicitly state that Dai Yun's attack on the three tribes was at his suggestion, as long as he hinted that he seemed to have known about it beforehand, it was enough. With Dai Yun's special status, she would not be held accountable for acting without authorization at any time in the future, whether within the family, within Yunzhou, or even within Dongping. And the greatest benefit of Ye Tao taking on this responsibility was probably that the way the tribal leaders looked at him would change slightly. They would no longer regard him merely as an easy-to-talk-to young Dongping official, but as a commander with a deep mind and decisive in killing.

Ye Tao pursed his lips, looked at the soldiers in the camp, and said to Dai Yun, "Now that you're back, these ten thousand men are still under your command. Everyone needs you, this supervisor."

As soon as Ye Tao's words fell, the entire Xueqi Army camp erupted in a neat "Hoorah!" before returning to silence.

Looking at the tribal leaders' somewhat nervous expressions, Ye Tao and Dai Yun exchanged a very secretive smile. Ye Tao turned to the place where the tribal leaders were gathered and said warmly, "Now that Supervisor Dai has returned, let me see... it seems that all the tribes scheduled to participate in the meeting have arrived. Chief Golan, the meeting was convened by you. You see, we don't have to stick to a specific time. Let's start tomorrow."

Chief Golan led the quite powerful Solo tribe. Because most of the tribes in Yunzhou had to maintain various relationships with the Yunzhou Dai family due to the supply of salt and tea, even if the Solo tribe had strong strength, its appeal was far less than that of the Korka tribe on the northern grasslands. But the Solo tribe, like the Xueshi tribe, could be said to be loyal to the Dai family, not just obedient. Moreover, both the Solo tribe and the Xueshi tribe were related to the Dai family by marriage, only the kinship between the Xueshi tribe and the Dai family was closer.

Golan had already fully exchanged views with Ye Tao on various situations of getting along with the tribes after Dongping entered Yunzhou. Ye Tao frankly told Golan that he had not received full authorization. Golan, on the one hand, originally intended to eliminate the war in Yunzhou, and on the other hand, was also very fond of Ye Tao's frankness, and had previously promised Ye Tao that he would help. And the conditions put forward by Golan were not a problem in Ye Tao's view. His conditions were nothing more than: Dongping must treat the Dai family well and give them a considerable position; Ye Tao must do his best to promote the passage and implementation of the tribal policy framework he proposed; and one thousand sets of cavalry armor like the Xueqi Army...

Golan stroked his beard, stood up, and said, "No problem. Let's start tomorrow then." Looking at the tribal leaders and attendants around and behind him, Golan suddenly laughed, "Actually, if someone hadn't come to make trouble, we wouldn't have to hold any meetings at all. Everyone call out the lads in your hands, and let's all go fight that bastard fatso from the Korka tribe. After we win, we'll drink. That's much more exciting than sitting down and discussing any meetings. They have more than one hundred thousand people, and we also have more than one hundred thousand people, and we also have our grassland daughter Dai Yun, and the ten thousand cavalry that Lord Ye brought. We will definitely win. We will definitely win! We will definitely win!!"

Golan shouted excitedly, waving his fist, and stirring up everyone's emotions. The leaders, who had been fully prepared and made sufficient preparations for joining forces to fight the Korka tribe, agreed.

Ye Tao nodded with satisfaction and said, "Good. Then let's not waste time. Let's have lunch first, and then hold a military meeting. Everyone is clear about my conditions, and everyone will see my sincerity. I solemnly assure everyone that Yunzhou... will definitely be better tomorrow!"