Chapter 138: Protectorate Prefecture

Zhen Er had been searching for the encampment of the Wuluohu tribe in the biting wind and snow for two days before finally locating the winter valley under the guidance of a local Shiwei man. This was the core winter settlement of the Wuluohu tribe, with a total population of fewer than three or four thousand. When spring arrived, they would disperse once again, only to gather here when winter approached.

This was a barren land, so desolate that even the ruthless Khitans would not bother contesting for food with these savage Shiwei.

When his master pointed to the Wuluohu territory of the Shiwei on the map, Zhen Er heard tales of gold and diamonds. Beneath this barren earth lay countless treasures—this had to be a gift bestowed upon his master by the gods; otherwise, how could the master have known of the gold and diamonds hidden here?

Of course, this mission was merely for scouting. Mountains, rivers, lakes, and marshes were meticulously and accurately mapped. When the second and third trade caravans arrived, they would grasp sharp swords and long spears in their hands, establishing a fortress belonging to their master upon this very land. As for the Shiwei savages clad in animal skins, under the benevolent guidance of the master, they would be forged into truly brave and fearless warriors, bringing peace and tranquility to this region.

However, these Shiwei savages knew nothing of this, and Zhen Er had no intention of enlightening them. Stupid savages needed only to understand obedience; as for the rest... there was nothing more to consider.

"The master often says that professional matters should be left to professionals. Generals must lead their soldiers well, officials must govern the common folk, and artisans must craft exquisite goods... People differ only in their status and occupation, not in nobility or baseness. Naturally, the Shiwei savages make the finest source of soldiers!"

Such logic was far too profound; even Zhen Er could not fully comprehend it. Yet, what did that matter?

His familiarity with the northern lands had made him the leader of the caravan. Zhen Thirty focused entirely on map-making, while Zhen Thirty-one recorded the local customs and traditions everywhere they went... Everyone had their designated duties, and the safety of the caravan naturally fell upon his shoulders as the leader.

The most perilous hazards along the way were neither the bitter cold, nor hunger, nor prowling wolves, but the ubiquitous, bloodthirsty horse bandits.

Those seemingly honest and kind-hearted herdsmen would, upon witnessing any sign of cowardice from the caravan, cast aside their hypocritical masks without hesitation and indulge in dreams of striking it rich.

Then there were the omnipresent bandits, trailing behind the caravan like starving wolves. Moving in packs of thirty or forty, sometimes fifty or sixty, and occasionally numbering in the hundreds, they would emerge from places utterly unexpected—striking this Great Tang caravan from the depths of the forests, the withered grasses, or piles of jagged rocks.

In the eyes of these outlaws, the Great Tang caravan was soft and easy to bully; no matter how strong their opponents might be, they would supposedly remain courteous and never pursue their "unintentional mistakes." Unfortunately, these bandits were utterly mistaken this time, for they had encountered their nemesis: Zhen Er.

Before setting out, Zhen Er had asked the master what should be done if someone attempted to rob the trade routes. The master's reply was: "If you repay resentment with virtue, how shall you repay virtue?"

Zhen Er asked the master a second time: "Can bandits be put to use?" The master answered: "They only know how to destroy and cannot produce—what use is there in keeping them alive?"

Zhen Er asked the master a third time: "Can the Hu people be utilized?" The master smiled and said: "Hold fine wine in one hand, and a sharp sword in the other!"

Along the journey, the caravan had been ambushed a dozen times. The souls that perished under Zhen Er's arrows alone numbered no less than twenty or thirty. The horse bandits came and went like the wind; whenever they lost a fight, they fled, only to regroup and launch another wave of attacks. Yet, this time they had met Zhen Er. When the horse bandits retreated back to their lair, they suddenly discovered that Zhen Er had tailed them all the way. Caught in a panic, their stronghold was completely uprooted and destroyed by Zhen Er in a single sweep. Having traversed the northern lands for three months, the caravan's goods had not diminished in the slightest—instead, they kept multiplying, leaving Zhen Er to marvel that being a horse bandit was truly a profession with a very promising financial future!

"Why doesn't a real man wear a Wu hook, to conquer the fifty prefectures of Guanshan..." A surge of heroic spirit inevitably rose within Zhen Er's chest.

The master had said that the more roads one travels, the more things one witnesses, and naturally, one's horizons broaden. Zhen Er could not help but think of the soaring eagles high above the nine heavens; he had grown up in the deep mountains, yet his heart soared like an eagle spreading its wings. Soon, he would fly back to his former home, look upon his own kin once more, and lead them out of the remote mountain forests to admire the wonders of this world together.

The caravan had now reached the mouth of the valley. The scenery inside and outside the pass felt like two entirely different worlds: the outside was a realm of ice and snow, while the valley within was brimming with the vibrant hues of spring. This was the winter valley of the Wuluohu tribe!

As soon as they stepped into the valley, a troop of horsemen came galloping directly toward them. Every single one of them wore a leather hat, wrapped themselves in thick, aged sheepskins, and wielded various weapons, giving them the appearance of scattered, fleeing soldiers.

"What people are you, and why have you come to this place!"

Zhen Er could not understand their speech. The guide, who had been purchased with ten bucketfuls of fiery liquor, spurred his horse forward to confront the group. Following a brief exchange, a cheer erupted from the band of riders as they circled around the caravan, their faces beaming with excitement.

Before long, Zhen Er was led by this group of refugee-like men into a large tent. The tent looked more like an earthen pit, half underground and half above—a typical winter dwelling method of the Shiwei tribes, bearing a slight resemblance to the geothermal heating principles of later eras.

Inside the tent, Zhen Er met the chieftain of the Wuluohu tribe—an elderly man whose face was etched with deep gullies. Though he looked to be eighty or ninety years old, his actual age was only around forty or fifty. A warm, kind smile graced his face as he spoke in halting, broken Tang Chinese: "Honorable guests from afar, your arrival makes this cold winter much warmer, like a clear spring flowing into the heart of the Wuluohu tribe. The Wuluohu shall offer the sweetest wine and the fairest women to entertain our most esteemed guests. Let us begin our celebration!"

The chieftain of the Wuluohu tribe was named Pu Kun, a name that in the Shiwei language signified resilience and unyielding strength. At the same time, he held another identity: a Pacification General of the Great Tang and a Senior Cavalry Commandant, holding a fifth-rank official title complete with imperial edicts and seals from the Great Tang, hereditary and permanent. As long as Pu Kun's descendants were not entirely wiped out, they would forever remain second-generation or multi-generational officials within the Great Tang system.

What was the Jimi (loose rein) system? The *Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Sima Xiangru* with the *Suoyin* commentary explains: "Ji refers to the halter of a horse; Mi refers to the breast-strap of an ox," which extended to mean a policy of control and containment. The establishment of Jimi prefectures by Central Plains dynasties began during the Tang Dynasty. The Tang applied this policy to remote ethnic minorities, recognizing the local indigenous nobility, conferring titles of kings and marquises upon them, and incorporating them into the imperial administration.

The Jimi system of the Tang Dynasty manifested in three ways: The first involved establishing Jimi prefectures and counties in regions under the direct military shadow of the Tang. Their officials were hereditary tribal chieftains who enjoyed internal autonomy and paid tribute, while bearing certain obligations such as loyalty to the central government and providing military supplies upon request. The imperial court regarded these as part of its territory, using the term "Chi" (imperial decree) for official documents.

The second category comprised tributary states such as Nanzhao and the Uyghurs, whose rulers were typically enfeoffed as Khagans or commandery princes. They possessed their own defined territories, yet the political legitimacy of their leaders derived from the enfeoffment of the Central Plains government rather than independent authority. The Central Plains regime viewed them as subjects, using the phrase "The Emperor Inquires" for documents.

The third category consisted of the so-called "enemy states" and "countries of the absolute frontiers," such as Tibet and Japan. Although they might occasionally receive imperial enfeoffments, these were mostly recognitions of existing political realities. The ruling legitimacy of their leaders did not depend on the enfeoffment of the Central Plains regime, and documents issued to them by the Central Plains mostly used the phrase "The Emperor Respectfully Inquires."

The Wuluohu tribe belonged to the second category. Although the Central Plains dynasty had bestowed numerous official titles upon them, the tribe's leaders possessed their own internal system of governance. Even if Pu Kun lacked an heir, as long as the Wuluohu tribe endured and maintained a nominal submission to the Central Plains dynasty, they would retain the recognition of the Central Plains regime without any binding constraints whatsoever.

Zhen Er discovered that Pu Kun could speak broken Tang Chinese, making communication much simpler. "We have traversed thousands of miles across mountains and rivers to reach the Wuluohu tribe, bringing the finest silks and superior wine to exchange for Shiwei furs and supplies, and leaving behind our precious friendship. Please accept the most sincere blessings of the trade caravan!"