-135 BC- so, at this point tensions between the Hàn dynasty and the Xiōngnú Empire were finally coming to a head.
-The whole héqīn system was humiliating for the Hàn dynasty (considering that they viewed the Xiōngnú as barbarians) and it also didn't work since the Xiōngnú would still raid Hàn territory constantly (at one point even coming as close as 150 km of Cháng'ān!). Emperor Wǔ had finally had enough.
-Starting with the reign of Emperor Gāozǔ (back in 202 BC) the Hàn dynasty had steadily been growing richer and more powerful, so much so that Emperor Wǔ felt that he was powerful enough to end the Xiōngnú threat once and for all!
-I guess it's also worth noting that Emperor Wǔ had probably felt this way ever since he was emperor, but he'd been blocked from taking action against the Xiōngnú for years by Grand Empress Dowager Dòu (who had really been calling the shots behind the scenes for a long time), but upon her death (in 135 BC) finally dealing with the Xiōngnú was back on the table!
-Many of the battle plans the Hàn dynasty drew up in preparation for the war were based on strategies devised by General Lǐ Mù of Zhào (one of the "Four Great Generals" of the Warring States period) for war with the Xiōngnú (especially the ol' "lure and ambush" trick).
-For example, the Hàn court came up with a plan to lure the Xiōngnú into an ambush by having a sketchy (but powerful) local trader/smuggler who lived in Mǎyì ("Horse Town"; in modern-day Shuòzhōu, Shānxī Province), a Hàn city near the border, declare his allegiance to Jūnchén Chányú and the Xiōngnú Empire (for some reason) and then prove his loyalty killing the local magistrate and then (somehow) make it so that Jūnchén Chányú and his Xiōngnú horde would easily be able to pass through the gates and raid the city. Of course, all the while 300,000 Hàn soldiers would be hiding out and waiting to attack the Xiōngnú while they were looting the city.
-At first, this plan seemed to be working pretty well. The trader/smuggler dude showed the Xiōngnú that he had followed through with the killing of the local magistrate by hanging his decapitated head (which had actually belonged to a recently-executed criminal) out of a window. However, as the Xiōngnú horde advanced towards the town they noticed that there were a bunch of cattle in the fields of the city, but no farmers or herdsmen tending to them...which, of course, was a red flag. Cautiously, the Xiōngnú decided to wait and investigate the situation first before going hogwild in the city, and soon enough they were able to capture a Hàn scout who ended up spilling the beans about the whole operation.
-Of course, once they figured this out the Xiōngnú didn't hesitate to GTFO, and although the Hàn army tried to chase them down it just didn't work out and the ambush fell apart.
-Although this incident would become known as The Battle of Mǎyì (135 BC), it wasn't really a battle. However, it's still significant because it was clear now that the Hàn dynasty was no longer going to put up with the Xiōngnú Empire's bullshit, and that the two empires were now officially hostile towards each other. In response to the Hàn dynasty's attempted ambush at the Battle of Mǎyì, the Xiōngnú armies stepped up the frequency and intensity of their raids along the border.
-Because of the Battle of Mǎyì disaster, Emperor Wǔ realized that they'd have to come up with new strategies and tactics for dealing with the Xiōngnú hordes, since it was obvious that the Xiōngnú had wised up to the more "traditional" ways that the previous Chinese dynasties had dealt with them in the past. So, he began to promote members of his personal guard to commanding positions of the Hàn military in order to make things more fresh and encourage new ideas, as the "old guard" generals and commanders apparently just wanted to continue with business as usual against the Xiōngnú.
-One guard promoted in this way was a dude named Wèi Qīng (half-brother of Weì Zǐfū (AKA Wèi Sīhòu, Empress Xiàowǔ Sī, or Empress Xiào Sī; one of Emperor Wǔ's concubines (who would soon become the second empress after some drama with Empress Chén which cost her her marriage to the emperor))); he would go on to become a key general in what would come to be known as the Hàn-Xiōngnú War (AKA the Sino-Xiōngnú War) starting in 133 BC.
-It's also worth noting that Wèi Qīng's (and Empress Xiào Sī's) nephew, Huò Qùbìng, would also soon be promoted to various high-ranking positions in the Hàn military; he'll be introduced into the narrative a bit later, though.
-129 BC- the Xiōngnú hordes attack the Shànggǔ Commandery/Prefecture (not really sure what the difference is at this point, but you get the idea), so Emperor Wǔ sends an army to go fight them off.
-Unfortunately for the Hàn generals assigned to this mission, the Xiōngnú prove to be extremely tricky, formidable opponents. However, General Wèi Qīng (the least experienced of the lot) was able to figure them out and had the most success fighting against the Xiōngnú by far.
-Because of this, Wèi Qīng was promoted, given a title, etc.
-128 BC- Wèi Sīhòu gives birth to a son (I'm sure Emperor Wǔ finally breathed a sigh of relief after this), Liú Jù (AKA Crown Prince Wèi, Crown Prince Lì ("The Unrepentant Crown Prince" (hmmmm...)), etc.), who was immediately named crown prince (obviously). Additionally, this resulted in Emperor Wǔ marrying Wèi Sīhòu (known posthumously as Empress Xiàowǔ Sī), . officially making her the new empress.
-Wait, so what happened with the Emperor Wǔ's first wife (Empress Chén)?
-Apparently there was a bunch of drama a couple years earlier involving Empress Chén being extremely jealous of Wèi Sīhòu to the point where Empress Chén started resorting to witchcraft and occultic rites in order to curse Wèi Sīhòu, but this didn't work and when the emperor found out he had Empress Chén imprisoned and forced to live under house arrest for the rest of her life.
-Between 127-123 BC, General Wèi Qīn led increasingly huge forces and was able to win key battles against the Xiōngnú, which of course gained him more titles and prestige and shit (eventually attaining the title of "Generalissimo" ("Dàjiāngjūn") of the entire Hàn military!).
-Like his uncle, around this time Huò Qùbìng was also similarly achieving remarkable key victories as well (which would eventually lead him to become a general of the Hàn military).
-Because of General Wèi Qīng's and General Huò Qùbìng's victories, it would take a few years for the years for the Xiōngnú Empire to recover from its losses and launch another invasion.
-126 BC- Jūnchén Chányú dies; replaced by his brother, Yīzhìxié.
-Before becoming chányú, Yīzhìxié was the "Worthy Prince of the West" (AKA "Túqí/Wise/Worthy Prince/King of the West/Right" (any of its variations)).
-OK, so it's worth noting that the Xiōngnú Empire's government was basically organized like this- you had the chányú at the top, and then under him there were the "Worthy Prince of the West" and the "Worthy Prince of the East", and then under them there were two more dudes, and then under them two more dudes, etc.
-The "Worthy Prince of the West" title meant that you were of the same clan as the current chányú and were also the heir apparent to the throne, whereas if you were the Worthy Prince of the East you came from the aristocratic (and matriarchal) Hūyǎn clan.
-Although both princes were ultimately beholden to the chányú, they were still highly autonomous and could wage war on their own if they wanted to and stuff like that.
-119 BC- because of the severe losses of warriors, resources, and territory, Yīzhìxié Chányú finally decided to pull back the Xiōngnú forces to the northern half of the Gobi Desert, thinking that there would be no way that the Hàn armies would be so brazen as to attempt to attack them by crossing the desert.
-However, the chányú was mistaken. Emperor Wǔ launched an invasion force which was to go straight across the desert and attack the Xiōngnú as they attempted to recover from their devastating losses in the south.
-This would come to be known as the Battle of Mòbĕi ("Mòbĕi" meaning "Northern Desert"). The Hàn forces were led by both General Wèi Qīng and General Huò Qùbìng.
-On the run and facing two of the Hàn dynasty's greatest generals (in terms of specializing in kicking the Xiōngnú's ass), the Xiōngnú's armies were utterly crushed (although Wèi Qīng had a much more difficult time with his skirmishes). That being said, the Hàn forces suffered pretty brutal losses as well.
-The aftermath of key battle resulted in a Xiōngnú-Hàn ceasefire established after the Battle of Mòbĕi, although this wouldn't last long (only seven years haha and then the Xiōngnú would start raiding again south of the border) because the Hàn dynasty made the mistake of insisting that the Xiōngnú Empire become a tributary of the Hàn Empire (kind of like a reverse héqīn system that had been set up previously between the two).
-Ultimately, the Hàn dynasty was able to wrest control of key Xiōngnú-contested regions such as the Ordos Plateau (Èěrduōsī), the Héxī (or Gānsù) Corridor (Héxī Zǒuláng), and the Gobi (AKA Gēbì, Gowĭ) Desert. The Xiōngnú Empire was now significantly smaller and for the most part had to live in and around southern Siberia (which must have really sucked).
-This was significant because not only did it severely cripple the Xiōngnú Empire to the point where it began to decline as a whole (and would never recover), but the new territory gained by the Hàn Empire allowed it to expand its trade and culture (as well as political influence and military presence) westward and ultimately into what is now modern-day Central Asia (and the development of what would come to be known as the Northern Silk Road (although it kind of existed before this time but was probably way less developed and way more dangerous)).
-This stable access to the West allowed for the Hàn dynasty to greatly transform their economy through trade and other shit, and they quickly populated the region with their own people and military (which included expanding the old Qín dynasty's fortifications into the area as well).
-Because of this, the Hàn dynasty was now more powerful than ever before; the Xiōngnú Empire unfortunately would continue to decline and lose territory over the coming decades as various regions declared independence from the Xiōngnú chányú.
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