"General... isn't this a little improper?"
Liu Mo's shoulders were hunched so high that his head was almost hidden between them.
He timidly watched the distant road, swallowed again, and looked at Wen Yang beside him.
Wen Yang stood there, tall and powerfully built, gazing down the distant road.
Ever since Wen Yang had taken charge of the many affairs concerning the Xiongnu, he had become thoroughly embroiled with the various Southern Xiongnu tribes.
Yes, embroiled in the literal, physical sense: they had all fought together.
Wen Yang had originally come with the ambition of trampling the Xiongnu beneath his horses, only to discover upon arrival that he was too late! The previous generals had already done thirty years' worth of trampling!
This immediately robbed Wen Yang of his fighting spirit.
But then Wen Yang discovered that resettling and civilizing them was not as simple as he had imagined. Though the Xiongnu had been trampled, the local officials were each more overbearing than the last!
These people completely failed to understand the significance of these policies.
The officials felt that the Xiongnu ought to be kept beyond the pass. Bringing them into the cities, having them farm, making them change their names and study under instruction-this was simply a thankless task!
With that much energy to spare, why bother civilizing the Xiongnu?
They would be better off doing something else.
Many officials privately believed that the emperor was preparing to emulate the virtuous kings of antiquity and establish his own great virtue.
People often said that the virtuous kings of antiquity could civilize the surrounding barbarians through morality, making them willingly accept the way of the Sages and adopt the caps and robes of China.
But to the officials, such things belonged only in ancient legends.
They were utterly impossible