Chapter 162: Weakness
In reunifying the land, the Xun dynasty defeated many northern states, seized massive amounts of grazing lands, and improved existing defensive walls into what later would become the Wall of Yan
This security threat probably drove scattered pastoralist nomadic tribes to create a confederation under a strong chieftain,
Inevitably, the two sides clashed.
Jiang Han worked to control former Xun territories, and at the same time, the grassland people moved to reoccupy their lost lands.
In the next century, the Yan Dynasty tried many different means of coping with northern nomads, including offensive and defensive wars, paying tribute, marrying princesses to chieftain rulers, and utilizing border markets and other rewards to encourage grassland people defections and cultural assimilation.
Varying degrees of success notwithstanding, these tactics ultimately did not bring Yan dynasty any security.
the chiefs had less control over subordinate tribes than the centralized Yan state over its subjects and could not stop raids into Yan territory even if they tried.
And the answer of Yan is to eradicate the people they do not agree with.
This is the true face of Yan.
"The people of Yan are the bravest in times of peace, the most cowardly in times of peril, the strongest in the presence of cowards, the servants in the presence of the strong, fierce and hateful in the presence of the kind and shockingly silent in the presence of evil."
That is the assessment of many chieftains about the people of Yan.