C152. Golden Armor Transforms!

C152. Golden Armor Transforms!

Upon news of Chu Hechao's return and witnessing the heads of the Hun warriors he sent, the Wuhuan, who had been simmering with dissent, fell back into line.

Chu Hechao's reputation as a formidable force among the Wuhuan was unparalleled.

Though unspoken, the Wuhuan harbored a deep fear of Chu Hechao. With the Xiongnu temporarily subdued by his presence, they naturally dared not act without their allies' support.

However, Chu Hechao would not grant them a reprieve for long. He summoned them to join the fight against the Xiongnu.

Despite the death of Lou Shan at Chu Hechao's hand, the Xiongnu's continued provocations stoked his unwavering resolve. He demanded 30,000 Wuhuan cavalry to accompany him on a daring raid into the Xiongnu heartland.

The Wuhuan people were in distress.

Several Wuhuan leaders gathered at Guli Chi's place to discuss the possibility of sending troops.

In theory, they shouldn't refuse, as it was their duty to respond to the call for war against the Xiongnu. However, they had secretly allied with the Xiongnu, so launching an attack would mean damaging their reputation and jeopardizing future alliances.

But if they didn't go to war, it would clearly indicate their opposition to Northern Zhou.

Frowning, Guli Chi pondered for a while before saying, "Let's answer the call to arms."

Although Dadan didn't look happy, he didn't voice any objections either.

Over the years, he had aged significantly, making it extremely difficult for him to ride and travel. At this moment, he was afraid that if he openly opposed Chu Hechao, he might not survive.

Guli Chi glanced at the Wuhuan leaders and said, "While we answer the call, we don't have to break ties with the Xiongnu. We can just go through the motions. If we execute it well, we might even get rid of Chu Hechao..."

His expression darkened as he thought about Yuan Li's ability to summon thunder and rain, a deep sense of fear and dread flashing in his eyes, "...and Yuan Li."

"Are you suggesting that we pretend to agree, then ambush Chu Hechao in alliance with the Xiongnu after going deep into the grassland?" Wuhuan leader Puyan from Yuyang County hesitated, "Isn't this risky? If we actually act against him, we'll surely be condemned by everyone. Chu Hechao has great influence now, and Northern Zhou won't spare us."

Unlike the Xiongnu, the Wuhuan people also valued loyalty. If they agreed to help Chu Hechao but then betrayed him, they couldn't stay under Northern Zhou's rule any longer.

Guli Chi's influence had waned over the years, making it increasingly difficult for him to tolerate his subordinates' objections. He sneered, "As long as we can kill Chu Hechao, who cares about our reputation? Once Chu Hechao is dead, we can rebel. There will be no one to stop us, and the fate of Northern Zhou will be uncertain..."

The Wuhuan leaders looked at each other and felt a sense of excitement.

After much deliberation, they decided that three Wuhuan leaders would lead troops to ambush Chu Hechao, while the disabled Guli Chi and Dadan would remain in Youzhou. In case Chu Hechao was eliminated, they would immediately kill Yuan Li and take control of Youzhou.

Once the decision was made, Guli Chi immediately sent a letter to the Xiongnu.

However, before the letter left the county, it was intercepted by the officials from the Grain Allocation Department.

*

Youzhou, Jixian County.

Yuan Li sent Wu Shanshi to the capital to present him to the emperor.

Just as the man was sent off, Yuan Li received a message from the Grain Allocation Department. After reading it, Yuan Li went to find Chu Hechao. The two men discussed a plan and prepared to counter their enemies.

Soon, news of the Wuhuan's plot to harm Chu Hechao spread, escalating rapidly and eventually reaching the ears of the Wuhuan people.

The first Wuhuan leader of Shanggu County to hear about the plot was Dadan. He turned pale upon hearing the news, wondering how such a secretive plan became public knowledge.

He wanted to immediately inform the other Wuhuan leaders but before he could act, he was informed that Yuan Li's men, Wu Kai and Liu Jixin had arrived with troops to see him.

With troops?!

Were Yuan Li and Chu Hechao planning to eliminate him first?

Dadan shuddered, sweat poured down his forehead. He knew that the visitors were not coming for a friendly discussion and were likely there to hold him accountable.

He was scared to face them, but had no choice. He forced himself to calm down and said, "Let them in."

The soldiers brought Liu Jixin and Wu Kai upstairs, with Wu Kai standing expressionless behind Liu Jixin, accompanied by a group of strong bodyguards, exuding a menacing air.

Liu Jixin stood at the forefront, politely bowing to Dadan, "Is everything okay with the Wuhuan leaders recently?"

Dadan's forehead was covered in more and more cold sweat, and his sense of impending danger grew stronger. Without waiting for Liu Jixin to ask, he took the initiative to defend himself, "The rumors circulating outside have nothing to do with me! As a court official, a governor should not use force against me without clarifying the truth!"

Liu Jixin raised an eyebrow and decided not to waste words with Dadan. He calmly explained how Dadan and Guli Chi had conspired to harm Chu Hechao and Yuan Li, shocking Dadan more with each detail.

As Liu Jixin spoke, Dadan's face turned paler, unable to believe how they had obtained such accurate information.

When Liu Jixin finished speaking, Dadan had no strength left to argue. He slumped weakly into his seat, angrily asking, "How did you come to know about this information?"

"It's naturally because someone among the Wuhuan leaders switched sides and informed us," Liu Jixin replied.

Dadan shouted angrily, "Who?"

Liu Jixin remained silent, smiling. When Dadan changed from anger to fear, he said, "Dadan, as far as I know, you highly value your eldest son."

Dadan's expression changed, staring angrily.

"Don't be tense," Liu Jixin sighed regretfully, "If I am not mistaken, more than twenty years ago, you were the most powerful Wuhuan leader in the tribe. You commanded tens of thousands of men, skilled in battle, a hero admired by the Wuhuan people. But since Guli Chi became the leader, your reputation has been declining year by year. Combined with your age, the current Wuhuan people may have already forgotten you."

Dadan's expression shifted unpredictably, his sensitive spot hit, a hint of resentment appearing in his gaze.

Liu Jixin smiled slightly and continued, "It's a shame that even with a disabled arm and physical disability, Guli Chi, who cannot even go to the battlefield to kill enemies, has managed to rise to the leader's position. Dadan, don't you think it's time for a change in the Wuhuan leadership?"

Dadan's thoughts stirred, a contemplative look on his face. But quickly regaining his composure, he looked at Liu Jixin warily, "What do you want?"

Stepping forward, Liu Jixin lowered his voice, "Do you think your eldest son is fit to be the next Wuhuan leader?"

Dadan was suddenly shocked, staring at him in disbelief.

Liu Jixin continued, "Other Wuhuan leaders have already joined us. If you are a wise person, you should know what to do. As long as you're willing to stand by our side, defeat Guli Chi and his supporters, follow the orders of the governor and the general, we can help you and your descendants become Wuhuan leaders, restoring your past glory."

Dadan swallowed hard, suppressing his greed, "What if I don't agree?"

Liu Jixin chuckled and replied, "There will always be someone who agrees."

Dadan fell silent for a moment. What if he didn't agree?

Chu Hechao already knew about this, they would definitely not let go of them. The nearest to Jixian County was Shanggu County, and he would be the first to suffer.

For the sake of survival, there was only one choice.

Dadan's face twitched with muscles, but finally made up his mind, "Fine, I am willing to ally with the Prefect Governor and the Grand General to fight against Guli Chi."

Liu Jixin smiled satisfactorily and politely said, "For our future cooperation, I will take your family with me. As long as you do not betray us, we will ensure the safety of your family."

Dadan opened his mouth, feeling heavy-hearted. This completely eliminated any thoughts of betrayal, and he nodded in a complex manner.

*

On the other side, the same thing was happening to Puyan in Fuyang County.

Puyan was already worried about the situation, especially since he had long been dissatisfied with Guli Chi. Upon learning that other Wuhuan Daren had already joined Youzhou, he did not hesitate and agreed to surrender.

By the end of August, before the autumn harvest.

Before the Wuhuan people received any news from the Xiongnu and began to wonder, the unprepared Wuhuan Daren from Yebinping and Liaodong counties were suddenly attacked by Dadan and Puyan.

When Puyan's big knife was placed on the neck of Zuosang, his eyes widened, and he cursed loudly, "Puyan, you dare to betray the leader!"

Puyan coldly snorted, "Guli Chi has been in power for too long. It's time for a change, don't you think?"

Zuosang was furious, his face red with hatred, "What can Yuan Li and Chu Hechao offer you, that made you betray us?!"

Puyan no longer wasted words, and with a sweep of his big knife, he cut off his head, then laughed, "What they can give me is much more than what Guli Chi can offer."

At the same time, Chu Hechao also led his troops to Liaoxi County.

When Chu Hechao was mobilizing his troops, Guli Chi received the news. Connecting it to the recent rumors, he broke out in a cold sweat. He immediately sent letters to the chiefs of the various tribes, preparing for a battle with Chu Hechao.

Ever since deciding to break ties with Northern Zhou, Guli Chi had been discussing with his subordinates how to rebel.

The Wuhuan tribes had been recuperating for years, and if they could gather the forces of the five tribes, they would have a strong army of 200,000, half of which were cavalry. Guli Chi was confident in this force, even Chu Hechao would be powerless. They would not fail like they did years ago.

Guli Chi and the other Wuhuan Daren had planned their attack route. They would first kill Chu Hechao in the grasslands, then divide their forces to occupy Liaoxi, Shanggu, and Fuyang counties before moving into Liaodong from Liaoxi. They would approach Jixian, kill Yuan Li, and quickly take over Youzhou.

Although they did not expect how news of their plan against Chu Hechao had leaked, Guli Chi felt that even if the worst came to worst, with their 200,000 troops, they could still pillage and seize resources. They might not be able to take over Youzhou, but they could kill Chu Hechao or Yuan Li!

With a bit of effort, they might be able to take Youzhou without the Xiongnu's help.

However, when Chu Hechao was right in front of him and the other four tribes had no reaction, Guli Chi, who had been confident up until now, began to panic.

He urged the remaining Wuhuan Daren multiple times, especially his trusted Zuosang, but despite sending out letter after letter, Guli Chi did not receive any reinforcements.

In the end, Guli Chi could only hastily lead his 30,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry to face off against Chu Hechao.

Liaoxi County was characterized by rugged mountains and hills, with very few cultivable fields and not many people. Guli Chi had wanted to forcibly recruit soldiers, but Chu Hechao's sudden arrival left him helpless. He couldn't do anything, not even plunder much military funds.

One side was in chaos, the other was well-prepared. When Guli Chi faced off against Chu Hechao, there was a clear disparity in momentum.

Chu Hechao sat calmly on his horse, staring at Guli Chi from a distant.

As soon as Guli Chi saw Chu Hechao and his army, he became confused, his face changing drastically.

Since moving to Youzhou, Guli Chi had not encountered Chu Hechao face-to-face. His impression of Chu Hechao and his army was still stuck on the battle 11 years ago when Chu Hechao had cut off his arm.

Eleven years ago, Chu Hechao's soldiers had worn tattered weapons, had scarce cavalry, weak horses, and exhausted soldiers. Even Chu Hechao himself wasn't in great shape.

Back then, Chu Hechao had defeated Guli Chi through sheer determination, sacrificing over 50,000 lives for a Pyrrhic victory.

Guli Chi had never been willing to sell horses to Chu Hechao and Yuan Li. Although he knew that over the years, Youzhou had gradually stabilized and Chu Hechao's army had grown stronger, he never imagined they would become like this.

If he didn't know that the person opposite him was Chu Hechao and the Youzhou army, Guli Chi would have almost failed to recognize them.

How did Chu Hechao have so many well-equipped, strong cavalry?

Where did they get their horses?

Where did they obtain their weapons?

Looking around, the enemy camp was complete with shield bearers, archers, catapult operators, and heavy cavalry, not missing a single type of soldier. Their formation was well-organized, their momentum grand, and all soldiers shouted loudly with confidence. Their leather armor was not worn out, and their weapons were shiny with a gleaming cold light.

Looking at Chu Hechao, he was vastly different from eleven years ago.

He was clad in iron armor, with a helmet protecting his head, arm guards, knee guards, and a leather belt around his waist, covering every vulnerable area from head to toe.

The armor was adorned with ornate curved patterns, polished round protectors on the chest and back. The armor was painted with gold lacquer, making it a magnificent suit of golden armor.

Chu Hechao sat tall on his horse, calm and composed, with his already imposing figure further enhanced by the armor, exuding a powerful aura.

It was noon, and the dazzling sunlight made the golden armor shine brightly, enhancing Chu Hechao's heroic presence. When Guli Chi saw this armor, greed filled his heart, wanting to make it his own.

Comparing it to his own armor, which he once thought was good, now seemed like ragged clothing in comparison, causing his face to darken with uncertainty.

His mind started to waver with doubt.

What had happened in these eleven years to transform Chu Hechao, who had previously struggled to even equip his soldiers, into this completely different person, showing no signs of any deficiencies from head to toe.

Guli Chi was taken aback by the vast transformation in Chu Hechao's army. His eyes kept scanning Chu Hechao's golden armor repeatedly, gritting his teeth. Before even beginning the battle, Guli Chi already felt an overwhelming sense of being subdued by the opponent.

In reality, this was the first time Chu Hechao had worn this armor on the battlefield.

Chu Hechao's birthday fell on the fourth day of the first month, but as both his parents had passed away, he couldn't celebrate. Yuan Li had been thinking of gifting him something, and knowing that men in ancient times didn't desire many things, particularly as a General, Yuan Li set his sights on the armor.

He planned to make three sets of armor: a gold armor based on the Ming Light Armor, another set being the Ming Light Armor, and a third set of Scale Armor. Unfortunately, crafting armor was not easy, and each set was more difficult than the last.

Yuan Li spent a lot of time designing the armor, but in the end, he couldn't finish them in time for Chu Hechao's birthday. It was only recently that Yuan Li finally presented the three sets of armor to Chu Hechao.

Upon seeing these three sets of armor, Chu Hechao was completely stunned. He was speechless, his eyes wide, unable to move.

Realizing that Yuan Li had spent a year making these for him, Chu Hechao excitedly lifted Yuan Li up and spun him around in the room. Then, he eagerly took turns wearing the three sets of armor to show them off.

When coming to fight the Wuhuan Wumang people, Chu Hechao deliberately wore the most eye-catching and luxurious golden armor, shining brightly on the battlefield.

Not only was the armor beautiful, but it was also lighter than the current black armor, with enhanced defensive capabilities covering areas that the previous armor could not. The advantages were numerous.

When donning the armor, even for someone already imposing, it exuded a powerful aura, especially on Chu Hechao. While flaunting it to his subordinates in Jixian County, the military officers were left envious, wishing they could have a set of armor like his, some even wanting to cry and beg Yuan Li to make a set for them.

Yang Zhongfa and Yuan Congyun shamelessly asked Chu Hechao to let them try wearing the armor, any armor would do, as long as they could experience it. But Chu Hechao was cold and ruthless, reluctant to even let them touch the armor without being begged for a long time.

Once touched, he would meticulously polish the armor himself every night, showing a tender care that even made Yuan Li bemused.

Not only was Guli Chi envious at this moment but all the generals and officers by Chu Hechao's side couldn't take their eyes off the magnificent sight.

Under the sunlight, the beauty of the golden armor was elevated even further.

Yuan Congyun couldn't help but stare at it, appealing to Chu Hechao, "General, there is something I'd like to ask of you."

Chu Hechao casually moved his arm, "Not possible."

Yuan Congyun looked dejected, "General, please, I beg of you. Please ask Lord Yuan to make a set of armor like this for me, whether it's made of copper, iron, or gold, I will bring the materials myself, without spending a single coin from Lord Yuan."

For these marching men, there was nothing more enticing than weapons and armor. This type of armor was like beautiful jewelry to women, they simply had to have it.

Chu Hechao didn't waver, "You go ask Lord Yuan ; I can't promise you."

Yuan Congyun sighed, lacking the shamelessness of Yang Zhongfa, and regretfully said, "Well."

Chu Hechao glanced at him and, ultimately being someone who cared for his subordinates, kindly said, "If you perform well in this battle, then I might..."

Yuan Congyun's spirits lifted, gazing eagerly at Chu Hechao.

Would he get a similar set of armor?

Under his hopeful eyes, Chu Hechao nonchalantly said, "I will let you wear it for a day."

Yuan Congyun: "..."

You better give up on that idea!