Han dynasty
To the north of China proper, the nomadic Xiongnu chieftain Modu Chanyu (r. 209–174 BC) conquered various tribes inhabiting the eastern portion of the Eurasian Steppe. By the end of his reign, he controlled Manchuria, Mongolia, and the Tarim Basin, subjugating over twenty states east of Samarkand. Emperor Gaozu was troubled about the abundant Han-manufactured iron weapons traded to the Xiongnu along the northern borders, and he established a trade embargo against the group. In retaliation, the Xiongnu invaded what is now Shanxi province, where they defeated the Han forces at Baideng in 200 BC. After negotiations, the "heqin" agreement in 198 BC nominally held the leaders of the Xiongnu and the Han as equal partners in a royal marriage alliance, but the Han were forced to send large amounts of tribute items such as silk clothes, food, and wine to the Xiongnu.
Sheshui
Huanglong, one of the Eight Immortals was named Qi Tianlong, and married Ho Xiangu. They lived on a boat, and often helped others. One year, the rain came down in torrents, the mountains burst, the fertile fields flooded, and the animals were slaughtered. Qi Tianlong and his wife rescued many villagers from the calamities. But the two of them became very tired, and were swept away by the floodwaters. Their bodies were found in the county in the north, and the couple were buried on the banks of the She River. In honor of the couple who saved their lives, the villagers built the Xianyou Tai and Xian You cave in front of the couple's tomb, dedicated to their memory. This touched the Eight Immortals, and every winter solstice after the couple's death, the group gathered here and give a wine libation as a sacrifice.