Set up the beacons of smoke

Author: Hu Ren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Huhanie surrendered to the Han Dynasty and became a vassal, while Zhaojun went to the frontier. For over 60 years, there was no war on the Han-Xiongnu border. Cattle and sheep roamed the northern and southern Yin Mountains, and the people lived in peace and prosperity. However, Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty, tricked the golden seal granted by the Han to the Xiongnu, and the Xiongnu could no longer tolerate it. The flames of war flared up again on the frontier. He—Lian Bian (pronounced: Lian Di)—the legitimate grandson of Huhanie, deflected arrows with his bow, achieving two victories with one shot; captured Shuofang, stabilized Wu Yuan, and pacified Xihe; won five prefectures in four battles, shocking the world; seized three mountains by day and five cities by night, tying up Wang Mang's hundreds of thousands of troops. The Green Forest Army and the Red Beard Army seized the opportunity to grow, and Liu Xiu, the Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty, emerged. Should he follow his grandfather Huhanie and become a vassal of the Han Dynasty, or should he challenge the Central Plains? If he became a vassal of the Han Dynasty, the unity of the Chinese nation would be maintained, but the Xiongnu would split. If he challenged the Central Plains, the Xiongnu would unite, but the Chinese nation would split. Just as he was deeply pondering, he discovered that his wife was actually the wife of Emperor Guangwu of the Han Liu Xiu, and his beloved daughter had become part of the Liu family. Where would he ultimately turn?