Chapter 1030: The Debate Between Qiang and Han

Ma Chao was well aware that the combat effectiveness of the Qiang cavalry was almost laughable. In the Central Plains, their capabilities were mostly limited to skirmishes against infantry, and they likely couldn’t even handle elite foot soldiers.

It should be noted that during the pacification of the Qiang rebellion in Western Liang, the elite Danyang troops worked together with the Western Liang cavalry to crush the Qiang riders. Although the Qiang weren’t physically weaker than the Han, in this era, once numbers exceeded a hundred, it became nearly impossible for foreign tribes to defeat the Han army head-on. This had almost become an accepted principle, even acknowledged by the foreign tribes themselves.

Still, despite the poor combat effectiveness of the Qiang cavalry, they were useful for support or for fighting easy battles, especially given their large numbers. A massive charge could still appear imposing.

Thinking about this, Ma Chao dismissed any concerns. After all, his goal in vying for the Qiang King's position was merely to stabilize the Qiang and Hu tribes, preventing them from being used by Cao Cao as a pretext to attack his family. As for truly relying on the Qiang and Hu as subordinates, Ma Chao had long decided to abandon that idea.

Ma Chao understood very clearly that the strength of the Qiang and Xianbei was insignificant. If they faced the Han army directly, they would surely be crushed. The only reason the Han dynasty hadn’t eliminated them entirely was because they couldn’t afford to focus all their resources on dealing with the Qiang and Xianbei; otherwise, they would have been wiped out long ago.

Each time the Han dealt with the Qiang and Hu, it was like fighting with one hand tied behind their back. If the Han were fully committed, there was no way the Qiang and Xianbei could gain the upper hand.

Despite the Qiang’s lackluster combat capabilities, the fact that they had genuinely submitted to Ma Chao was clear enough. After all, while their cavalry might seem weak to Ma Chao, it still represented formidable fighting power to the Qiang themselves.

"Greetings, King of Qiang. What plans does Your Majesty have for governing the Qiang people?" Xun You asked with a smile as he entered the royal tent and bowed slightly to Ma Chao. However, unlike before, Xun You’s gesture was now that of a foreign minister greeting a vassal king, not the ritual of one Han official greeting another.

Though Ma Chao was straightforward, he was, after all, a descendant of nobles. He had been taught proper etiquette and understood when such formalities were appropriate.

"Sir, there’s no need for such formality. Though I am now the King of Qiang, my father remains the General Who Conquers the West for the Han court. Blood from the Han still runs through my veins, just as it does from the Qiang. Does that mean my Han heritage should be ignored?" Ma Chao said calmly. Fa Zheng had already explained all of this to him in advance.

"In that case, let me first offer my congratulations to the Qiang King," Xun You said, bowing again in the manner of a foreign minister to a vassal king.

"Sir, there’s no need for this. The Qiang and Han share a common ancestor. Why make such distinctions? The blood of the ancient Shennong clan runs in my veins—do you not acknowledge this bloodline, and the cultural heritage it carries?" Ma Chao said with a hint of mockery in his voice.

What Fa Zheng had taught Ma Chao was simple: if Cao Cao started talking about bloodlines, Ma Chao would invoke the ancient Shennong clan. After all, the Qiang and Han share the same ancestry, with the blood of Shennong flowing through both.

If Cao Cao brought up culture, Ma Chao would respond in kind. Despite the decline of Ma Chao’s family, as a descendant of nobility, he had learned all these principles flawlessly.

"How could I possibly doubt you, Mengqi?" Xun You shook his head, realizing that it was futile to argue further. Ma Chao, with someone’s assistance, had clearly prepared for every possible outcome.

"Sir, your excessive courtesy puts me to shame. From my perspective, why should the Qiang and Han be treated differently when we share a common ancestor? The Qiang people resort to plunder only because they have no way to solve their food problems. As the saying goes, 'When the granaries are full, people know propriety.' Surely, sir, coming from the prestigious Xun family, you understand this better than anyone," Ma Chao said, his face filled with authority.

Before Xun You could respond, Ma Chao continued, "Sir, look at your own robes, and then at the leaders of these ancient Qiang tribes. In their tribes, they are nobles who hold the power of life and death over others. You should understand the contrast."

How could the Qiang people's clothing compare to Xun You’s? Even though Xun You didn’t go to the extremes of his ancestor Xun Yu, his simple Confucian robes still set him far above these barbarians clad in sheepskins. His elegant attire, adorned with jade and gold, was worlds apart from the Qiang leaders.

Xun You’s expression remained unchanged, already knowing where Ma Chao was going with this. He couldn’t let Ma Chao finish the thought entirely, so he interrupted, saying, "My lord has always wanted to improve the lives of the people under his rule, whether Han or Qiang. However, with the constant infighting among the Qiang, how could we ever have had the chance?"

"I believe now is that chance. The bitter cold of Western Liang makes life unbearable for the Qiang. For a mouthful of food, for a piece of grazing land, or for an oasis, how many Qiang people have fallen?" Ma Chao’s voice was tinged with sorrow, and many of the tribal leaders wore somber expressions. Ma Chao was speaking the truth.

"Compare your lives to that of Sir Xun, and you know the reality. You also understand the strength of the Han dynasty. Do you really want to continue living this life of licking blood off the blade?" Ma Chao said with a compassionate look—an expression he had practiced for a long time.

"Maybe you think that, with me as the Qiang King, you will rise to greatness. But I can only tell you this: the Qiang people are too small, too small to produce a peerless warrior. In the Central Plains, I’m not even considered a top fighter!" Ma Chao sighed.

The tribal leaders of the Qiang were incredulous, and Ma Chao observed their expressions before looking at Dian Wei. "General Dian, please show them the strength of a Central Plains warrior."

Dian Wei grinned, revealing his white teeth. He threw a punch at the ground, and as he swung, the air visibly distorted, refracting light in various hues. After a faint sound, a small hole the size of a wellhead appeared at Dian Wei’s feet.

The Qiang leaders were perplexed, not understanding what had happened. Only the Grand Elder, Second Elder, and Fourth Elder looked on with solemn expressions. After a long pause, they finally asked, "May I ask, is this general the number one warrior in the Central Plains?"

"I would love to be number one, but I’m not even ranked among the top!" Dian Wei said with a helpless look as he stroked his beard. The thirty-six Lu Bus ranked above him were simply overwhelming.

"That’s the truth, and I’m not ranked either," Ma Chao nodded. "There is only one person in the world who truly deserves the title of number one."

"I imagine you all wish to enter the Central Plains, to own your own land, and to live peacefully. No one wants to endure this kind of hardship," Ma Chao said to the Qiang nobles. "But the Han dynasty is filled with powerful warriors. If not for the fact that you are of my mother’s people, I honestly wouldn’t bother with you."

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