I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 157 Prevention is better than cure

Many merchants in Xianyang were rushing around, buying up wool on a large scale. This unusual activity quickly attracted the curious attention of the people, and the streets and alleys were filled with discussion. However, in this era, ordinary people rarely raised sheep, so they could only sigh in despair at this sight.

Ying Wuyou was well aware of this. She knew the grasslands were a land abundant in cattle and sheep, and if she could establish trade relations with the nomadic peoples living on the vast grasslands, she might be able to acquire sufficient wool resources. However, a problem arose—the grassland tribes were scattered everywhere, among which the more powerful ones included the Xiongnu, Donghu, and Loufan. Which tribe should she choose to establish a cooperative relationship with?

Ying Wuyou sat there quietly, her eyes slightly closed, but her mind was like a turbulent sea, memories flooding her mind like a tide. Suddenly, a historical scene about Qin Shi Huang's unification of China clearly emerged in her thoughts.

Back then, Qin Shi Huang, with his grand strategies and boundless ambition, finally unified the land of China. However, this great emperor was not satisfied with this; he turned his attention to the vast northern grasslands. That mysterious and wild land filled Qin Shi Huang with longing, and he yearned to incorporate it into his territory.

However, the people of the steppe tribes were exceptionally cunning. Every autumn, when the grasses withered and the harvest was plentiful, these tribes would gather in droves and march south like a whirlwind, wreaking havoc on villages and towns along the border of the Central Plains. They were swift as the wind, often disappearing without a trace on horseback before Qin Shi Huang could send a large army to subdue them. Even when the Qin army gave chase, it was difficult to catch up with the agile and skilled steppe cavalry; and even in occasional encounters, the Qin army rarely gained the upper hand in direct combat.

Thus, the harassment from the steppe tribes continued unabated, bringing endless suffering and disaster to the people in the border regions. They burned houses, slaughtered the innocent, and looted property, leaving devastation and widespread desolation wherever they went. Faced with such a rampant enemy, Qin Shi Huang was helpless and ultimately had to take a desperate measure—ordering the construction of the Great Wall to block the invasion of the Xiongnu.

The unification of the entire grassland was accomplished by Modu Chanyu, the son of Touman Chanyu. With his extraordinary wisdom and fearless courage, he led his people in battles across the north and south. This young leader was not only brave and skilled in battle, but also exceptionally resourceful, earning him widespread fame on the grassland and the respect and awe of the surrounding tribes.

Thinking of this, Ying Wuyou fell into deep thought again: How old is this famous Modu Chanyu? Is it possible to eliminate him before he becomes too powerful, thus avoiding all the troubles that may arise in the future? But then she thought again, this move was extremely risky. If she was not careful, it would provoke a strong backlash from the tribes of the grasslands, and might even lead to the situation getting out of control... For a moment, various thoughts intertwined in Ying Wuyou's mind, making it difficult for her to make a decision.

However, the planning for the grasslands must begin as soon as possible. If it is delayed, the situation will become increasingly difficult once the grasslands are unified. Unfortunately, Ying Wuyou currently lacks wise and far-sighted people around him. Thus, Ying Wuyou fell into deep thought, recalling the outstanding civil officials of the Han Dynasty.

Let's start with Xiao He. At this point, he might have been an official in Qin, or perhaps in Chu. Did he know Liu Bang at that time? Perhaps he could have tried to win him over, since Xiao He's eventual decision to follow Liu Bang stemmed from his initial desire to persuade Liu Bang to work alongside the magistrate of Pei County. The magistrate of Pei County, in turn, was inclined to support the uprising led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang. This led to the story of Xiao He joining Liu Bang.

Then I thought of Cao Can, who should have been in Pei County at this time. He had a close relationship with Xiao He, and they were very friendly; at the same time, he was also quite close to Liu Bang. Because of this, in the end, he resolutely joined Liu Bang's forces. This man could also be won over.

There was also Lu Jia. Lu Jia was from the State of Chu, and at this time, he should have been only a teenager. The reason he eventually joined Liu Bang was that he deeply felt that the Qin Dynasty's laws were harsh and could be considered tyrannical, and therefore firmly believed that benevolent governance should be implemented to bring peace to the world.

Li Shiqi was originally an official of the Qin Dynasty, but he ultimately chose to follow Liu Bang. One of the reasons for this was that he felt that the Qin laws were too harsh and were the result of tyranny.

As for Chen Ping, it is still unknown whether he has been born yet.

Ying Wuyou was eager to recruit all these talented individuals, but finding a way to retain them proved to be a real challenge.

As for Zhang Liang, he was an even bigger headache for Ying Wuyou. Zhang Liang came from a noble family in the state of Han and harbored a deep-seated hatred for Qin Shi Huang. He had even meticulously planned an assassination attempt against Qin Shi Huang, which, although unsuccessful, demonstrated the magnitude of his resolve and the high level of danger involved. Therefore, subduing Zhang Liang was virtually an impossible task. Not only was it impossible for him to surrender to Qin, but simply dealing with such a formidable opponent was already extremely difficult.

Moreover, most of these people were from the State of Chu! Since Chu had not yet been unified by the powerful State of Qin, finding them would be extremely difficult! They couldn't very well kidnap them secretly, could they?

However, without resorting to such extreme measures, how could a mere nine-year-old girl possibly persuade these people? Moreover, these individuals are both capable and eloquent. If they are ignored and the situation is allowed to develop unchecked, they will undoubtedly become extremely formidable adversaries in the future.

Thinking this through, Ying Wuyou made a quick decision and summoned Lin Xi, Lin Qi, Sun Yi, Zhang Wu, Tian Guang, and Liu Sheng. Ying Wuyou looked at them solemnly and said, "I now need to entrust you six with an important task. This matter is of utmost importance, and you must do your utmost to ensure its successful completion. I wonder if you can do it?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the men responded in unison, "We will certainly live up to our mission, Your Highness, please rest assured!"

Seeing everyone's resolute attitude, Ying Wuyou nodded in satisfaction. Then she looked at Lin Xi and said, "Lin Xi, this time you will go to Pei County to find a man named Xiao He. Remember, you must find him by all means. If he refuses to come to Xianyang, then you will have to use some forceful methods to forcibly bring his family to Xianyang as well; but if he is willing to cooperate, you must also bring his family to Xianyang. Do you understand?"

Lin Xi clasped his hands in a respectful bow and replied without hesitation, "Yes, Your subordinate obeys and will certainly not fail in your mission!"