Liu Zhonglu waved his hands repeatedly, his expression turning serious.
"No, no. It is already a great privilege for me to sit inside while the horses pull it. Such a marvelous object should be reserved for the Great Khan himself.
How would we, mere subordinates, dare to presume beyond our station?"
He spoke hurriedly, as if afraid Chen Rong might insist.
In truth, Liu Zhonglu did not dare entertain such thoughts.
Though he did not fully understand what kind of fuel powered the steel carriage, anything bestowed by a god must be extraordinarily precious.
A machine capable of moving without horses—such a thing was beyond comprehension.
No matter how curious he was, he would never presume to use it freely before the Great Khan himself had experienced it.
Chen Rong understood the man's caution. In a rigidly hierarchical world like the Mongol empire, even small acts could be interpreted as disrespect.
He did not press the matter further.
Instead, he shifted the conversation.
"General Liu, could you tell me about the world today? I have been absent for more than a thousand years. Much must have changed."
Liu Zhonglu nodded, clearly pleased by the request.
"Certainly. But first, I must know—during which era did you withdraw into the divine cave? Only then can I begin from the appropriate time."
Chen Rong nodded slightly. "I recall only fragments.
Cao Cao was at war with Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao marched south from Hebei with a great army, and Cao Cao conscripted men everywhere to replenish his forces.
At the time, I fled into the mountains to avoid the chaos."
"Then what you remember must be the Battle of Guandu," Liu Zhonglu said thoughtfully. "At first, Cao Cao was at a disadvantage.
Yet later, he launched a surprise attack on Wuchao, burning Yuan Shao's supply depots and turning defeat into victory. After that, the north gradually fell under his control."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"In time, the Three Kingdoms arose, and eventually the realm was reunified under the Jin. But the peace did not last.
Afterward came generations of division and turmoil, until the Sui reunited the realm once more.
The Tang followed, and under their rule, the empire reached great prosperity.
Their territory was vast, and many foreign kingdoms came to pay tribute."
Chen Rong nodded slightly. The Tang dynasty's golden age was well-known even in modern times.
The wind swept gently across the grassland as Liu Zhonglu spoke, his voice steady and measured.
"But after the Tang declined," Liu Zhonglu continued, "the world again descended into disorder.
Eventually, The Khitan established the Liao in the north, while the Song ruled the Central Plains.
Later, the Jurchens rose, destroying the Liao and founding the Jin.
The Song court retreated south of the Yangtze River, relying on the river as a natural defense.
Since then, the north has passed through many hands."."
Liu Zhonglu paused briefly before concluding.
"And now, the Mongols have risen. The Jin dynasty is collapsing.
Much of the north has already fallen under the Great Khan's rule."
Chen Rong leaned back slightly, absorbing the explanation.
Though he already knew much of this history, hearing it recounted from a contemporary perspective gave it new weight.
After a moment of silence, Chen Rong spoke again, his tone casual but probing.
"Then this Mongol Khan… would he be considered a descendant of the Xiongnu? If so, why does he not call himself Chanyu?"
Liu Zhonglu's expression tightened slightly, and he glanced around instinctively before replying.
"Sir, such comparisons should be made with caution," he said in a lowered voice.
"The Mongol Empire today is far more powerful than the Xiongnu of the Han era.
Even the mighty Han dynasty might struggle to match its present strength."
There was unmistakable admiration in his tone.
"Genghis Khan is a man of extraordinary talent and boundless ambition.
He has unified the entire Mongol steppe, conquered vast northern territories, seized large portions of Western Xia, destroyed Western Liao, and laid waste to Khwarezm.
His armies continue to push further west. At this moment, no empire can rival the Mongols' momentum."
Chen Rong listened thoughtfully.
He understood that Liu Zhonglu's praise was influenced in part by loyalty, yet it was not without reason.
The speed of Mongol expansion truly was unprecedented.
Within only a few decades, scattered tribes had transformed into a force capable of reshaping entire regions.
Still, Chen Rong spoke gently in response.
"During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Generals Wei Qing and Huo Qubing defeated the Xiongnu repeatedly.
Hundreds of thousands of nomads were destroyed. Surely you are familiar with that history?"
"Of course," Liu Zhonglu replied with a nod. "But consider this—the place where Huo Qubing sealed Wolf Mountain now lies within Mongol lands.
And the Great Khan's armies have advanced even beyond that, into distant territories inhabited by tribes such as the Kipchaks."
He gestured toward the endless horizon, where the grassland stretched into the fading distance.
"The lands we travel through once formed part of the Western Regions.
Yet the Great Khan's conquests now extend far beyond them. Khwarezm was once a powerful kingdom—vast in territory and formidable in strength—yet it fell within only two years."
His voice grew heavier as he finished.
"The world has changed, Sir. Today, the Mongols dominate the north."
Chen Rong nodded thoughtfully.
After a brief silence, he asked, "Then… how are the Han Chinese in the north treated? Does the Southern Song court still consider them its own people?"
Liu Zhonglu's expression darkened.
"Sir, you may not know this. When the Mongols first rose and attacked the Jin dynasty, many Han officials in the north wished to defect to the Song.
They secretly contacted the Southern court and offered to surrender territory."
He paused, his voice carrying restrained anger.
"But the Song court rejected them.
They claimed that we had lived under Jin rule for generations and were no longer true Han people. They even called us barbarians."
Chen Rong frowned slightly.
Liu Zhonglu continued, bitterness creeping into his tone.
"The Yellow River region is the birthplace of our civilization. Yet when northern Han officials sought reunion, the Song court refused.
When Yue Fei led his northern expedition, the people of the north welcomed him as a savior. We believed he would restore our homeland."
His voice lowered.
"But the Song emperor recalled him with twelve gold medals. Then they accused him of treason and executed him."
The wind outside howled softly across the grassland as Liu Zhonglu spoke.
"Years later, the Song court cleared his name, claiming he had been slandered. But what use was that? The man was already dead."
He shook his head.
"Since then, many northern Han people have lost faith in the Song dynasty. Some even harbor resentment."
Chen Rong listened silently. He knew that historically, such sentiments did exist, especially among northern elites who felt abandoned by the Southern Song.
Liu Zhonglu continued.
"Even Master Changchun was invited by the Song emperor. Yet he chose instead to travel west and meet the Great Khan. That alone speaks volumes."
He gave a faint, bitter smile.
"As for the Jin emperor… his kingdom is collapsing. There is little reason to seek him out."
Chen Rong nodded slowly.
"I see."
After a moment, Liu Zhonglu added in a quieter voice.
"Sir, since you are Han Chinese, I must warn you. When meeting the Great Khan, certain matters should be spoken carefully.
The Mongol court treats Han, Khitan, Turkic, and other peoples with relative fairness—as long as they possess talent."
He paused.
"For example, Yelu Chucai, one of the Great Khan's most trusted advisors, is of Khitan royal descent."
Chen Rong inclined his head.
"Thank you for your kindness, General. I understand your meaning."
Liu Zhonglu nodded.
"A thousand years have passed. The world is no longer what it once was. The Han people are not confined to the south. There are millions remain in the north."
The conversation fell quiet for a time as the carriage rolled steadily westward.
After a while, Chen Rong spoke again.
"General Liu, would you be willing to teach me Mongolian? If I am to meet the Great Khan, it would be better if I could speak directly."
Liu Zhonglu laughed warmly.
"It is not strictly necessary. Many translators serve the Great Khan. Still, if you wish to learn, I would be glad to teach you.
Your speech is somewhat unusual—you should also practice speaking more like us."
Chen Rong gave a faint smile.
His "unusual speech" was simply modern Mandarin. To Liu Zhonglu, it likely sounded strange and archaic at once.
"Then I shall trouble you, General."
"It is no trouble at all."
The steel carriage continued forward across the endless grasslands, moving westward under the vast sky.