Chapter 11: The River Bend Campaign, With Swords Turned Toward the Huns

Chapter 11: The Hetao Campaign — A Sword Pointed at the Xiongnu

After Feng Quji finished his report, Meng Yi, the official in charge of finance, stepped forward to the center of the grand hall and bowed respectfully.

“Your Majesty, I, Minister Meng Yi, report that over the past five years, under Your Majesty’s full support and the active cooperation of the ministers, the Imperial Bank of the Great Qin Empire has been established in every commandery and county. The people of Qin, having come to fully understand the bank, have been eagerly depositing their savings.

Using the new imperial currency (replacing the Qin Banliang coin with the Qin coin), in the seventh year of the First Emperor’s reign, with a tax rate of one-thirtieth, grain tax revenue reached 5,202,900 taels (for ease of calculation: 1 gold = 10 taels of silver = 1,000 Qin coins = 10,000 wen). Commercial taxes amounted to 8,844,900 taels, trade taxes 1,430,800 taels, and salt taxes 1,864,700 taels, totaling 17,343,300 taels.

Military expenditures totaled 9,018,500 taels, while civil and livelihood expenses were 8,157,600 taels, leaving a surplus of 167,200 taels.”

“Excellent! Minister Meng, well done!” Emperor Qin Shi Huang, seated on the imperial throne, could not help but exclaim.

“All thanks to Your Majesty’s wise leadership! I dare not take credit,” Meng Yi replied humbly.

This year’s grand court assembly was rather dull; the entire session was simply a review of the achievements Qin had made over the past five years. The officials were all in high spirits, except for Yang Zimo, who sat bored and nodding off. There was no remedy for it—the court meetings of Qin were trivial compared to those of later eras. Used to modern times, all one could do was sleep or play with a phone; in Qin, sleeping was the only option.

“Immortal Teacher, Immortal Teacher!” Wang Ben’s voice jolted the dozing Yang Zimo awake. Seeing the bewildered expression on the Immortal Teacher’s face, the Emperor and officials wore resigned looks—there was nothing to be done, it had become a habit.

Yang Zimo came to his senses, rubbed his chubby face vigorously with both hands, stood up, and wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. He then walked to the center of the hall and bowed, saying, “Your Majesty.”

“Immortal Teacher, after discussing with my colleagues, we found that the demand for meat in Qin has increased significantly. Especially for the soldiers, according to your training methods, meat supply is far from sufficient. Currently, only the most elite troops get meat once every three days, while most soldiers eat meat only once every half month.

With over a million soldiers in Qin, fewer than twenty thousand have completed the full training regimen. The rest have only partially completed their training, primarily due to the lack of meat; with just grain alone, the soldiers cannot sustain such rigorous training.”

Wang Ben, now head of the Training Department and responsible for all soldier training, was well aware of the soldiers’ conditions. Soldiers who completed their training had at least triple the combat effectiveness compared to those who hadn’t.

Unfortunately, Qin was too poor, and with the extensive construction projects everywhere over the past five years, expenditures were large. Wang Ben had approached Ying Xi, who was in charge of logistics. Ying Xi took him to the warehouses once, after which Wang Ben fell silent and left.

During today’s court, Wang Ben asked Yang Zimo if he had any good ideas.

Even Emperor Qin Shi Huang looked towards him from the throne. Over these years, Qin had increased the breeding of chickens, ducks, and fish, and even raised many pigs. But according to the training manual, to ensure daily meat consumption was completely beyond Qin’s means.

In ancient times, cattle were more valuable than humans and not eaten. Horses were strategic assets, and Qin had few of them. Sheep were decent, but Qin’s agrarian civilization mainly relied on tilling the land, and large pastures suitable for mass breeding were scarce. Most pastureland was reserved for warhorses, so the country’s supply of meat products was very limited.

Unlike the tribes beyond the northern Great Wall, whose grassland lifestyle provided abundant meat, their soldiers were robust and highly effective in combat. If not for their salt and iron shortages, the threat they posed would be even greater.

“Your Majesty, my suggestion is to temporarily postpone the southern campaign against the Baiyue and instead move north to the grasslands to seize the Hetao region. (The Qin dynasty did not call it Hetao, but this name is used here for clarity.) With excellent pastures, Qin could raise warhorses, cattle, and sheep, alleviating the shortage of meat.

Initially, Qin does not lack soldiers but lacks horses, cattle, and sheep. We should learn from the grassland tribes and seize everything they have that's edible and useful—not by direct confrontation, but by taking their resources. When winter comes, they will either starve or be forced to raid others.

Qin has high walls and large cities. When the grassland tribes come, we will adopt a scorched earth policy. Instead of direct battles, we will play the waiting game until winter snow blocks their retreat. War is a test of comprehensive national strength. Qin has 30 million people, vast lands, ample cities and fortresses, and strategic depth. Moreover, we have a million elite soldiers. While we cannot chase them on the grasslands, once they enter Qin’s heartland, they will be crushed.

If we raid the Xiongnu and seize their resources, Qin can immediately form an elite cavalry force of no less than 50,000, along with endless cattle and sheep, greatly enhancing our military strength.”

“Excellent!”

“It seems Your Majesty is ready to strike at the Xiongnu,” Yang Zimo’s eyes brightened involuntarily.

“Indeed. Having heard the ministers’ reports and exchanged opinions with the generals, this is precisely the season when the Xiongnu’s cattle, sheep, and horses bear offspring. These animals move slowly, making this the best time for Qin to invade,” Qin Shi Huang was the first to express his stance.

Yang Zimo mentally weighed the advantages and, after some thought, also expressed his agreement.

“Your Majesty, all our soldiers are now professional troops who will not delay farming when deployed. Since we aim to seize Xiongnu resources, the focus should be on cavalry. Although Qin has rested for five years, our warhorse numbers remain low, mostly concentrated with the Wall Guards of Jiuyuan—the Vermilion Bird Army. I believe General Meng is more knowledgeable on this matter than I am.”

Hearing this, Meng Tian stepped forward. “Your Majesty, the Vermilion Bird Corps primarily guards against the southern advances of the grassland tribes, so cavalry forms the majority. The corps is fully staffed with 200,000 men: five battalions of light cavalry totaling 100,000, 30,000 sword-and-shield infantry, 30,000 archers and crossbowmen, and 40,000 spearmen. Currently, there are only 30,000 light cavalry and 70,000 unmounted cavalry; the other units are at full strength.

According to the Immortal Teacher, to maximize benefits, the Military Affairs Office estimates Qin can deploy 50,000 cavalry, 250,000 infantry, and 100,000 archers and crossbowmen. However, it remains uncertain whether the treasury can support the expenses of an army of 400,000.”

After speaking, Meng Tian returned to his seat. Deploying 400,000 troops was the Military Affairs Office’s carefully considered maximum. Any more would jeopardize Qin’s stability.

Qin had five major corps totaling 850,000 soldiers, plus about 250,000 Imperial Security Guards maintaining order. Sending out 400,000 troops meant committing nearly half the total force, placing immense pressure on the empire.

Before Meng Tian could sit, Feng Quji loudly objected, “Your Majesty, I strongly oppose! Using half of Qin’s soldiers against the Xiongnu would shake the foundation of the state. The Xiongnu are born of the grasslands, living by water, and their tribesmen grow up on horseback. Every time the Huaxia tribes fought the Xiongnu, they never struck at their roots because they could not catch them.

This campaign aims mainly at cattle, sheep, and horses; cavalry alone suffices. Too many infantry and archers would be ineffective. Our main task is to secure resources and prevent the Xiongnu from recklessly moving south. We only need to defend our forts and cities, not wage a major campaign.

Moreover, an army of 400,000 requires at least 800,000 laborers for logistics, who consume vast amounts of food and fodder. Qin cannot bear this burden, Your Majesty!”

Seeing Feng Quji’s passionate concern, even Qin Shi Huang could not help but feel sympathy. He knew the cost was great, but having waited five years, he could wait no longer. He then turned to Yang Zimo, asking if he had any solutions.

Feeling the Emperor’s gaze, Yang Zimo was speechless. He was no expert but could only offer his amateur perspective.

“Your Majesty, Elder Feng, I do have some other thoughts. Please allow me to finish before you make a decision,” Zimo said, cupping his hands and addressing the officials around him.

(End of Chapter)