A troop was hastily assembled, and in an instant, they departed from Ping City, heading north to search and advance.
On the grasslands north of Ping City, a group of weary men and exhausted horses were resting.
“Lord Hedouling of the Hedouling clan, upon hearing of the Wang family's difficulties, flew into a rage and immediately rallied several thousand cavalry from Shuofang to march eastward, intimidating the Qi clan,” Prime Minister Duan Fan reported quietly after straightening his attire and approaching Lady Wang.
The Hedouling clan was one of the tribes in the Tuoba alliance, once settled near Dai Commandery’s western borders.
They had close relations with the Wuhuan Wang clan but were later resettled west of Shengle in the old territory of Wuyuan for herding.
Last year, this clan did not follow Tuoba Yulu south; the reason being that Shi Le and Shi Hu, uncle and nephew from Shang Commandery, exhibited suspicious behavior, seemingly eyeing Shuofang.
Since Shuofang and Wuyuan were close neighbors, the Hedouling clan was ordered to stay and guard.
The Hedouling claimed descent from the Han Dynasty’s Grand Herald Dou Zhang (though the lineage is questionable).
Zhang Zitong, during the reign of Emperor Ling, was the Governor of Yanmen.