Chapter 80 Going South
At one command, more than 200,000 troops marched north again.

Li Silang was in a very heavy mood after bidding farewell to his wife. It was not because of any romantic feelings, but mainly because there might be a big pit ahead waiting for hundreds of thousands of people to jump into.

But he couldn't say anything and could only take things one step at a time.

This is the disadvantage of being powerless and having little influence. Every decision made by those in power can send you to death, or take you to heaven.

At the foot of the Yinshan Mountains, there are countless tents lined up one after another, and at night, bonfires are dotted everywhere.

The golden-roofed tent in the center can accommodate as many as a hundred people, and is guarded by hundreds of elite wolf guards.

Lying on the couch deep in the tent was the old Khan Ashina Rangan. He was over fifty years old and could no longer stand up. Beside him was a beautiful woman in a wide-sleeved palace dress who was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Don't cry, my Khatun. It's a blessing from God for a person on the grassland to live to this age. What's more, my last name is Ashina. Some Ashina men don't even live to adulthood and will die at the hands of their tribesmen."

Ran Gan's face looked pale and he didn't have enough strength to speak.

"I know what you are worried about, but this is the custom of our Turkic people. After I die, you will marry Tujishi. In fact, you are about the same age. For the sake of the saint and Dayan, you are still the Great Khatun. No one can shake your position."

The beautiful woman was about 30 years old, which was the most charming moment for a woman. She was the Princess Ningling of the Great Yan, the sister of the saint Murong Ying, and married to the Turkic Qimin Khan Ashina Rangan, becoming the Great Khatun. She was considered the most powerful woman on the grassland.

But now, when the man in front of her, her husband, was seriously ill and unable to take care of things, she couldn't even leave this big tent.

The Wolf Guards outside, also known as Fuli, are the Khan’s personal guards, composed of the most valiant and skilled warriors on the grassland.

But after the old wolf king became seriously ill, the new wolf king became their master.

And the new wolf king was Ashina Rangan’s son, Ashina Tujishi.

"But now Tujishi is going south to attack Dayan. Khan, are you going to let him do what he wants?" Princess Ningling said anxiously.

"Hehe, I know that Tujishi has always had great ambitions, but he is the most outstanding of my sons. He has led the army to defeat Datou several times. So, whether I give it to him or not, the position of Khan will be his in the end. Only he can convince everyone, including my brothers, cough cough cough."

Ran Gan kept coughing as he spoke, and Princess Ningling hurried forward to help him calm down, and then took a golden cup and filled some water for him to drink.

Said Cao Cao, Cao Cao.

A Turkic nobleman in his thirties, wearing a luxurious fur robe and a felt hat, walked into the big tent. He had a handsome face, an aquiline nose full of aggression, and wolf-like eyes. He walked all the way to Rangan's bed and nodded slightly. It was Ashina Tujishi who had just received the Khan's crown.

"Father, are you feeling better?"

"Hahaha, Tu Jishi, you are here to see when I die, right?" Ran Gan glanced at his son and said some very heartbreaking words.

Ashina Tujishi's eyes were deep, like the bottomless blue sea. Hearing his father's unfriendly words, he spread his hands and said, "Father, you should know that I am now the Khan. It doesn't matter whether you are alive or dead, but I still hope you can live longer. I will lead the army south soon. I have written a letter to the Emperor of Dayan in your name, and he is waiting for you to pay homage to him. Or you can wait until I catch him in front of you, so that you can meet him as well."

Ran Gan sighed, "I remind you that no matter whether it is the Xianbei or the Han people, they are not easy to deal with. Don't underestimate Dayan, otherwise you will suffer."

"Hahaha, my father, you don't have to worry about this. Wait until I bring Murong Ying back, or I can just go to Luoyang or Chang'an?"

Ashina Tujishi's eyes shifted from his sick father to the beautiful Princess Ningling, and the desire in his eyes was as undisguised as his ambition. "Princess, do you want to go back to Chang'an and Luoyang? Don't worry, I will take you back."

Princess Ningling turned her head away and did not look at him.

Ashina Tujishi smiled and said, "You shot the messengers who delivered the letter, and they were all killed. Murong Ying would not get the news. You actually shot twenty messengers. You are really thoughtful. Oh, and your carrier pigeons. Although there is not much meat, it is delicious when roasted."

Princess Ningling looked up and glared at him, but soon succumbed to the aggressive and possessive look.

"I'm going, my father. I hope you're still alive when I come back. I sincerely hope you can meet the emperor of Dayan here, at the foot of Yinshan Mountain. And your beautiful princess, I will rule the Central Plains like your grandfather, the great Emperor Wu Murong Yi, but I will be greater than him and become the master of the Central Plains and the grasslands, hahahahaha"

After saying that, Ashina nodded slightly at his father lying on the sickbed, then left with a big laugh.

Princess Ningling finally breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Ashina Rangan lying on the sickbed and said, "He has great ambitions, but I don't think he can succeed."

Ashina Ran said: "It doesn't matter. It is he who decides the fate of the descendants of Canglang, not me. But for you, he is obviously a better choice. He is young and strong, and he will let you experience the joy of being a woman again."

Princess Ningling frowned as she listened to this. The Xianbei people also had similar customs, that is, when a father or elder brother died, his sons and younger brothers would inherit their property and women. This was similar among all nomadic tribes.

But Princess Ningling grew up in the Central Plains after all, and was influenced by the Central Plains etiquette and laws, so she naturally hated this.

Moreover, she always had her heart set on her homeland, even when she became the Great Khatun of the Turks.

But facing Ashina Tujishi's ambition, all she could do was send a messenger to inform her brother Murong Ying to make preparations early.

The only thing that made her feel fortunate was that she had sent out more than twenty messengers.

Ashina Rangan walked out of the big tent and looked at the many royal nobles who were waiting outside the tent, including his brothers, uncles, and even people of his grandfather's generation.

"The Great Yan Emperor Murong Ying has fallen into the trap. They are now heading north. This is our chance."

"More than thirty years ago, Emperor Wu of Yan, Murong Yi, led his army into the Central Plains, occupied the most prosperous land in the world, and became the emperor of the Central Plains."

"In the past thirty years, we have fought countless battles with Dayan, and most of them ended in failure."

"But now, Great Yan is no longer the Great Yan of thirty years ago. They have conquered Goguryeo twice, but both times ended in disastrous defeat. There are rebellions everywhere, and they are already overwhelmed. Now, it's time to let them see the sharp swords and arrows of us Turks."

"What the Xianbei can do, we can do too."

Ashina Tujishi's loud voice made the Turkic nobles around him excited and made the so-called wolf blood in their bodies boil.

Amid the cheers all around him, he issued his first military order as Khan.

"Go south."

(End of this chapter)