War was on the verge of erupting.
In April of Ganlu Year One, Guanqiu Jian marched out of Lelang, but instead of heading toward Goguryeo, he struck directly at the formidable Tuoba Tribe.
The Tuoba were embroiled in internal strife. With his eldest son Shamohan absent and Liwei gravely ill from everyone's betrayal, several of his sons were eager to prove themselves.
They twisted Liwei's instruction to "persuade them to return."
They began leading their own elite troops in pursuit of the departing traitors, and fighting broke out everywhere.
Liwei's core troops were exceptionally strong, each contingent commanded by one of his sons. Against traitors encumbered with their families, their fighting strength was fully displayed.
They swiftly defeated several major rebel forces and killed their chieftains to intimidate everyone else, intending to tell them that this was the fate of traitors!
They believed such actions would serve as a powerful deterrent and stop those people from fleeing.
Little did they know that their slaughter only made these chieftains more afraid. After learning that Kuxian had received the protection of the Wei people, they all sent envoys, hoping to contact Wei and secure the same protection.
Some tribal chieftains also formed alliances to fight back against the Tuoba troops pursuing them.
For a time, the flames of war rose everywhere.
"Hahaha, is that all you've got?"
Tuoba Xilu raised his spear high, the rebel chieftain's head hanging from its tip.
He glared angrily at the riders around him and barked, "Still refusing to surrender?!"
At his words, the riders who were fighting abandoned the wagon train and fled.
Xilu did not pursue them. Instead, he led his men to capture the wagon train before them.
This was not a large tribe. The wagon train numbered only a little over ten thousand