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

Chapter 398 Maodun escapes death once again

Upon receiving the news, the leaders of the various Xiongnu tribes rushed to the Xiongnu royal court with great speed and reverence for the Great Chanyu and a sense of responsibility to their tribes. The court was soon bustling with activity.

Touman Chanyu sat on his throne, his figure tall and majestic, as if the whole world was under his control. He looked around at the crowd below, then slowly spoke, announcing his first decree: "Maodun is hereby appointed as the Left Wise King."

This order was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples everywhere. The leaders of the various Xiongnu tribes were astonished, exchanging bewildered glances. Did this mean that Modu had been appointed as the crown prince?

Although the crowd was puzzled by the order, they still readily agreed and congratulated Maodun. Maodun stood in the crowd, a smile of surprise and satisfaction on his face.

With Touman Chanyu's intervention, the restless forces within the Xiongnu instantly quieted down, daring not to make any further moves. Maodun finally felt relieved again, and his last bit of wariness towards his father vanished without a trace.

However, the Yuezhi and Donghu did not give the Xiongnu much time. Their massive armies were already on their way, their footsteps thundering across the land. This time, they had formed an alliance, determined to completely annihilate the Xiongnu and ensure that the grasslands would never again be home to them.

Soon, the Yuezhi and Donghu allied forces arrived at the Xiongnu border. Upon receiving the urgent report, Touman Chanyu, observing the reactions of his men, suppressed his displeasure. He ordered, "Modu, lead ten thousand elite cavalry to meet the enemy first and dampen their morale."

Maodun accepted the order and immediately set off with his cavalry. He knew the mission would be arduous, but his fighting spirit was high. Shortly after Maodun left the royal court, Touman Chanyu's eyes turned sinister. He whispered to his trusted confidant, "When Maodun engages in battle with the enemy, find an opportunity to eliminate him."

In fact, Touman Chanyu's appointment of Modu as the Left Wise King was merely a temporary measure to stabilize the internal situation. He was wary of Modu's abilities and hated him for killing his queen and unborn child, and had always wanted to find an opportunity to get rid of him.

Meanwhile, Maodun led his cavalry swiftly to the battlefield, unaware of the danger that was already looming. On the battlefield, he saw the formidable combined forces of the Yuezhi and Donghu, but he was fearless, commanding his cavalry to charge towards the enemy like tigers.

The battle commenced, the shouts of battle deafening. Maodun led the charge, his long sword flashing, enemy soldiers falling in his wake. However, as he fought valiantly, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his lower back; a curved blade had pierced it. Maodun turned to see a trusted confidant from his own army. The confidant's eyes were filled with malice. "Maodun, I'm sorry, but the Chanyu has ordered your death!"

Maodun felt a chill in his heart, never expecting his father to actually do such a thing to him. But he didn't panic. Enduring the excruciating pain, he drew his short sword and stabbed his trusted aide in the throat. The aide's eyes widened, and he collapsed dead. At this moment, the battlefield situation became even more chaotic, with the Yuezhi and Donghu allied forces launching a fierce attack amidst the confusion.

Maodun knew he couldn't linger in battle. Gritting his teeth, he commanded his remaining cavalry to fight and retreat. Just when he thought he was about to die, he suddenly heard shouts of battle coming from behind. It turned out that the tribal chief who had been secretly supporting Maodun had arrived with reinforcements.

Instead of engaging the combined forces of the Yuezhi and the Hu, they cleverly avoided the enemy's main force, quickly rescued Maodun, and then fled. However, Maodun was severely wounded and in extremely poor condition. Despite this, he gritted his teeth and ran desperately, hoping to shake off the relentless pursuers as soon as possible.

After a long and arduous journey, Maodun finally managed to shake off the enemy's pursuit, but his strength was completely exhausted. His body swayed precariously, and he could no longer hold on; his vision went black, and he fainted.

This dizziness seemed to send Maodun into a long dream. In the dream, he returned to the time when his mother was still alive. Back then, his mother would always hold him gently, softly stroking his face, humming beautiful songs to lull him to sleep.

Maodun was immersed in these beautiful memories, feeling his mother's warmth and love. In this illusory world, he forgot the pain and exhaustion of reality, and fully enjoyed every moment with his mother.

Just as Maodun was lost in his dream, a commotion roused him from his reverie. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar tent. Several tense soldiers stood around him, and seeing that he had woken up, they rushed forward and said, "Left Wise King, you've finally woken up! Our tribal chief has rescued you."

A warm feeling welled up in Maodun's heart, as if infusing him with new strength, allowing him to sit up despite his weakness. His gaze fell on the soldiers before him, and he asked urgently, "Who is the leader of your tribe?"

One of the soldiers quickly replied, "Left Wise King, our leader is Zhamu, one of those who have always firmly supported you."

Upon hearing this name, Maodun felt somewhat relieved. He then pressed on, "Then how did he know I was in danger?"

The soldier said, "Our leader has been secretly monitoring your movements. After you set off, he arranged for spies to follow you. When he saw someone in your army trying to harm you, he immediately led us to rescue you." The soldier said respectfully. Maodun was deeply moved; he hadn't expected that someone would support him so much at this critical moment.

At this moment, Zhamu entered the tent and saw that Maodun had woken up. A relieved smile appeared on his face: "Left Wise King, you've finally woken up. Your injuries are serious, so you must take good care of yourself."

Maodun said gratefully, "Chief Zhamu, I will remember your life-saving grace."

Zhamu waved his hand: "Left Wise King, there's no need for that. You are the future hope of the Xiongnu, and it is only right that we support you."

Maodun pondered for a moment and said, "Now Touman Chanyu wants to kill me, and the Yuezhi and Donghu allied forces are also eyeing me covetously. I cannot sit idly by and wait for my death."

Zhamu nodded and said, "Left Wise King, please tell us your plans, and we will do our best to help you."

A resolute glint flashed in Maodun's eyes: "I will regroup my forces, first defeat the combined forces of the Yuezhi and Donghu, and then return to settle things with Touman Chanyu!"

Zhamu smiled and nodded, indicating his willingness to fully assist Maodun. Maodun felt somewhat relieved upon seeing this, and nodded slightly to express his sincere gratitude to Zhamu.