The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 173 Xiao Yanyan is pregnant
The last chill of winter was gently swept away by the breeze, and the snow gradually melted, revealing large patches of tender grass shoots.

Looking into the distance, withered yellow leaves intertwine with new green leaves, and the warm sun shines down, heralding the arrival of spring.

For the Golden State Army, this also meant the arrival of war.

On this day, Li Xiao convened a meeting of ten thousand households.

All the commanders and officers of the three towns of Jinzhou were present.

Inside the golden tent, Li Xiao, dressed in yellow cotton armor, sat high at the head of the table.

The six commanders and commanders of the second and third towns were positioned on the left and right respectively.

However, among the red and white colors, there were also two yellow figures.

Qin Chunsheng and Luo Meng, the two commanders of the First Town personally led by Li Xiao, held higher positions than the commanders of the other two towns.

Therefore, the two sat to the left and right of Li Erjiang and Li Dashan, respectively.

Outside the tent, the Imperial Guards stood in rows, maintaining a tight defense, while only the nine of them were inside.

They represent the highest-ranking ruling class in Jinzhou.

"With spring already here, it's time for our Jinzhou army to get moving," Li Xiao said in a deep voice.

This set the tone for the military conference.

campaign.

"This year's snow disaster was quite severe. Many people who had just arrived in Jinzhou were affected, and some families even lost more than half of their cattle and sheep to the cold."

“If we don’t fight a war and seize some cattle, sheep and grain, these people will not be able to survive.”

As soon as Li Xiao finished speaking, Li Erjiang said in a deep voice, "The matter of the savage tribe killing my Jinzhou herdsmen last year is not over yet."

"The Naiman Taiyang Khan has not yet escorted those savages back to Jinzhou."

"It seems they are deliberately trying to make trouble for Jinzhou."

Li Dashan spoke third, saying, "Perfect timing! Once we deal with the Naiman people, the eastern part of Jinzhou will be completely peaceful."

"Grand Commander, this humble general requests permission to lead the vanguard of the army and strike directly at Tannu Tuva," Erhu said, standing up with a fierce air.

"Alright, I'll allow you to be the vanguard this time," Li Xiao said with a calm nod.

Then, his gaze swept across the crowd: "A year ago, my Northern Frontier Army launched an eastern expedition against the Naiman people, though we were not able to achieve complete success."

"But it also severely weakened the Naiman people."

"Last year, the Naimans fought against the Kereit tribe, and that stupid pig Wang Khan fell into the trap set by the Tayang Khan brothers."

"Not only did they return empty-handed, but the Naiman tribe also took the opportunity to incorporate prisoners of war, annex some tribes, and recover some of their strength."

"According to the intelligence gathered by the Horma tribe spies, the army under Taiyang Khan is about 20,000 men."

“Buyiluhe Khan also has more than 10,000 troops under his command.”

"The strength of the Naiman tribe should not be underestimated," Li Xiao said calmly.

Upon hearing Li Xiao's words, the generals' expressions remained unchanged.

It was only a little over 30,000 enemy troops.

If the Golden State Army could defeat them the first time, they could defeat them the second time.

"This is my order!"

As soon as Li Xiao finished speaking, the generals straightened their backs and chests puffed out, all their eyes fixed on Li Xiao.

"Each thousand-household prefecture will conscript six hundred garrison soldiers to form the main force of the army to conquer the Naiman tribe in the east."

"I personally took command."

"The Second Garrison Commander Li Erjiang is stationed in Jinzhou, and the Third Garrison Commander Li Dashan is stationed in the desert."

"The remaining 10,000 households will follow me on the expedition."

As soon as he finished speaking, the generals shouted in unison, "Yes, sir!"

The Jinzhou Army currently has 37 thousand households and 37,000 garrison soldiers.

However, not all of them can be mobilized.

Because the people of Jinzhou were all soldiers, each household was a soldier in the town. Although they were registered as military households, they were not necessarily suitable to be soldiers.

Some of them were older or physically disabled, and they were considered a family, but they were not suitable for fighting, and they would not be sent to the battlefield unless absolutely necessary.

Moreover, as Li Xiao's base of operations, Jinzhou naturally needed to be guarded by enough soldiers, and the desert also needed to be guarded by enough troops to suppress the Gaochang people and the people of the desert governor's office.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, Li Xiao can only freely mobilize about 60% of the town's troops.

That is, 600 people are selected from each thousand households to go to war, and 6 people are selected from each ten households.

There should be no more than eight people, otherwise Jinzhou will be vulnerable and easily taken advantage of by the enemy.

After determining the number of troops to be conscripted, the group discussed how to fight.

Before we knew it, it was already noon.

Once again, he was served a whole roasted lamb and beautiful Uyghur women. After the farewell banquet, Li Xiao returned home.

Upon entering, he saw Xiao Yanyan sitting blankly on the edge of the bed, lost in thought, sometimes crying and sometimes laughing, her emotions fluctuating greatly.

Hearing Li Xiao enter, she immediately came to her senses.

"Aman, what's wrong?"

"What happened?"

Li Xiao stepped forward and asked with concern.

Upon hearing Li Xiao's voice, Xiao Yanyan could no longer contain her excitement; her eyes instantly reddened, and tears streamed down her face.

She threw herself into Li Xiao's arms and began to sob softly.

Upon seeing this, Li Xiao's brows furrowed instantly, clearly indicating that he was starting to get angry.

Judging from Xiao Yanyan's appearance, she seemed to have been wronged.

How is this possible?

Husband and wife are one; bullying Xiao Yanyan is bullying Li Xiao.

Even with the other women, Li Xiao wouldn't let them off easily.

It wasn't about who she favored more; it was simply because Xiao Yanyan, as the legal wife, held an unshakeable position in the family.

In this rigidly hierarchical era, the status of the principal wife was crucial to the stability of the family.

Li Xiao gently patted her back while softly comforting her, "Aman, what happened? Who bullied you?"

At this moment, Li Xiao's mind was also filled with all sorts of random thoughts.

Xiao Yanyan is his legal wife. The two women in the house are like two quails when they see Xiao Yanyan. It's a good thing that Xiao Yanyan doesn't bully them.

As for other women, that was even more impossible; they were completely under Xiao Yanyan's control.

outsider?

It's unlikely. In Jinzhou, who would dare to disrespect Li Xiao?

Besides that, there are Li Xiao's family members.

old lady?
Mother Qin Dani?
It doesn't really look like it.

Neither of them were the type of shrewish, trouble-making women. They understood the stakes and wouldn't let Xiao Yanyan get upset!

After ruling out all other possibilities, only Xiao Yanyan's side remains.
"It can't be Xiao Simo~"

Li Xiao was shocked, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably.

After being comforted for a while, Xiao Yanyan's crying gradually stopped, but she still clung tightly to Li Xiao's chest, unwilling to let go.

Li Xiao urged again in a soft voice, "Aman, what exactly happened? If you've been wronged, I'll definitely stand up for you."

Xiao Yanyan raised her head, her eyes red and swollen.

She bit her lip slightly and whispered, "My husband, I... I think I'm pregnant."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiao's eyes flashed with a moment of blankness.

As the Grand Commander of Jinzhou, he fought on the battlefield and killed countless people.

He is always calm and ruthless, decisive and vicious, and rarely loses focus.

However, Xiao Yanyan's words kept echoing in Li Xiao's mind.

pregnant?

"Aman, you, you're really pregnant?"

He reached out with a slightly trembling hand and stroked Xiao Yanyan's cheek, asking her a question.

Meeting Li Xiao's gaze, Xiao Yanyan's eyes were red, but she broke into a smile through her tears, even a somewhat silly one.

She nodded gently and said, "Husband, I am indeed pregnant. My period is almost two months late. I had the doctor check my pulse this morning, and it is indeed true."

She was tall and slender, gently stroking her lower abdomen in Li Xiao's arms, a silly smile on her face, exuding a kind of maternal love.

This is the difference between a woman and a mother.

After receiving a definite answer, Li Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

To be honest, I didn't feel the ecstatic joy I had imagined.

I simply accepted the result very easily.

Some say that a mother's love for her child begins during pregnancy, but a father's love only gradually develops after the child is born.

So at this moment, Li Xiao was not overjoyed, but felt somewhat bewildered, and then a smile appeared on his face.

"Great, great, that's wonderful!" Li Xiao said happily.

To be honest, he felt deep down that he was still too young and not ready to be a father.

But in this day and age, it's quite normal for someone his age to become a father for the first time.

As for Xiao Yanyan, she is already quite old.

At the age of twenty-two, and with her first pregnancy, it's easy to imagine that she was far more excited than Li Xiao.

At this moment, this child seems to have become her entire life for the rest of her days.

"Have you told your mother and grandmother this news?"

"I'll go tell them right away."

"Let them take care of you personally."

"Pregnant women are picky about food, so I'll have someone find some cooks to properly instruct your servants on how to cook."

Li Xiao kept talking, all of which were experiences he gained from watching videos in his previous life.

Seeing Li Xiao's expression, Xiao Yanyan smiled through her tears: "Husband, I'm not that delicate, don't worry."

She grew up in the military camp with her brother, where she developed excellent martial arts skills and physical fitness far surpassed that of ordinary women.

Moreover, for Khitan women, giving birth was not a big deal.

There aren't many rules, and many people even continue working after giving birth.

"Giving birth is a major event for a woman, and it cannot be taken lightly," Li Xiao said.

"You must be careful when riding horses in the future, and try to take a carriage whenever possible."

Hearing Li Xiao's concern for her, Xiao Yanyan's lips curled up slightly, looking quite pleased.

"I don't want to ride in a carriage."

"Husband, don't worry, I'll be careful," Xiao Yanyan said, gently stroking her lower abdomen.

She knew how important the child in her womb was.

If it's a boy, then he'll be Li Xiao's eldest son and will basically inherit everything from Li Xiao in the future.

At this time, Li Xiao served as the governor of Jinzhou, and was the de facto ruler of Jinzhou, the desert and Gaochang, with tens of thousands of troops in his hands.

His every move will affect countless people, and the issue of his offspring has long been a source of anxiety for many.

Only when Li Xiao has a son will everyone feel at ease and no longer have to worry. The empire they have built will not collapse because Li Xiao has no successor.

Therefore, the child in Xiao Yanyan's womb is of utmost importance.

Moreover, Xiao Yanyan is already in her twenties and has long hoped for this child.

Now, her greatest wish is for the child to be a boy.

As Li Xiao's eldest son, his advantages are self-evident.

Gently stroking Xiao Yanyan's lower abdomen, Li Xiao did not feel the legendary blood connection.

But I did feel an unprecedented sense of responsibility.

He knew that from now on, he would not only live for himself, but also for Xiao Yanyan and his child.

He wanted to carve out a vast territory for his children.

"Unfortunately, I am about to lead my army to conquer the Naiman people."

Li Xiao sighed and shook his head. He was not by her side when she needed him most, failing to fulfill his responsibilities as a husband and father.

"It's alright, my husband!"

"I'm not the kind of delicate woman."

"Moreover, as the governor of Jinzhou, you are responsible for protecting the borders and ensuring the safety of the people. As a general of the Liao Dynasty, you are responsible for conquering the rebellious forces in the northern frontier. As my husband, Xiao Yanyan, you should have the world in your heart and ambitions in all directions. How can you indulge in romantic love?"

"As for having children, that's a woman's business."

"My lord, please take good care of yourself while we are at war. Don't worry about us."

"You must come back safe and sound."

Hearing Xiao Yanyan's words, Li Xiao sighed softly and gently stroked her cheek, saying, "My wife is truly a heroine among women, putting many men to shame."

"Having you as my wife is the greatest blessing of my life."

"Aman, I will deal with the Naiman people as soon as possible before the child is born."

……

"Woooooooo~"

"Woo~"

Just as dawn broke, a deep, resonant horn sounded across the land, echoing throughout the entire Qianhu Mansion.

As the bugle sounded, one family after another awoke from their sleep.

Without saying a word, the women silently dressed and left the tent to prepare food outside.

The men took out their bows, arrows, knives, and axes and gave them a final cleaning.

No one spoke; at this moment, the grassland seemed to have been muted, with only the deep sound of the horn echoing through the air.

After having breakfast, Zhao Erdao went to the livestock pen outside the tent, picked out the strongest warhorse, and then picked out two less powerful horses.

He put the ten days' worth of food his wife had prepared for him, along with his bow, arrows, sword, and axe, onto a second-rate horse.

Outside the tent, the wife held a baby in her arms, with a boy and a girl following behind her, all standing there quietly.

No one spoke; they simply watched Zhao Erdao silently, their eyes filled with worry and reluctance.

"Look at the mournful faces of you all, people will think I'm dead!"

"I'm going to fight a war, to plunder cattle and sheep, to steal money and grain, so you can live a good life, not to die!"

"It's not the first or second time, stop being so girly."

Zhao Erdao said casually, walked up to his six-year-old son, and pinched his red and black cheeks.

"Dog, after I'm gone, you'll be the only man in the family. Protect your mother and your younger siblings."

The boy gritted his teeth and nodded heavily: "Dad, don't worry, I will definitely protect Mom and my younger brother and sister."

Zhao Erdao chuckled on his rugged face and gently patted his son's thin shoulder.

Although his thousand-household office was located on the grassland, only six hundred men went on expeditions, while four hundred men stayed behind to guard the home under the command of the deputy thousand-household commander.

There is basically no danger. His words of advice stemmed from a father's expectation that his son would grow up quickly.

After saying goodbye to his wife and children, just as he was about to leave, he saw an old man riding a horse towards him.

His face was weathered, but his eyes had a sharp, hawk-like quality. His back was slightly hunched, but when he rode on horseback, he appeared as sturdy as a pine tree.

"Father, what brings you here?" Zhao Erdao said in surprise.

The old man in front of me is Zhao Tiezhu.

She was supposed to be living a retirement life in Tazhai, being cared for by her elder brother's family.

Zhao Erdao, on the other hand, separated from his family and, due to his position as a commander of a thousand households, brought his small family to the grasslands to live with the thousand households under his command.

This place is quite far from Tazhai. I never expected to see my father arrive just before I was about to set off for the expedition.

"I'm here to see you off."

Zhao Tiezhu spoke in a calm voice, seemingly without any emotional fluctuation, which is also the way many middle-aged and elderly men communicate with their sons.

She clearly cares a lot, but she's not good at expressing her feelings.

"Hey, Dad, this isn't my first time fighting a war, what's there to worry about?"

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself," Zhao Erdao said, patting his chest.

Zhao Tiezhu didn't say much, but let out a soft sigh of relief, swallowing back all the words of "take care" and "be careful."

Just like Zhao Erdao had done to his son, he patted Zhao Erdao's shoulder heavily.

He said in a deep voice, "Even if it costs you your life, you must protect Da Long."

This is an instruction, more like an assignment.

Isn't he worried about his son's safety?
No, he was more worried than anyone else.

But on the battlefield, there were people more important than his son's life who he had to protect.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Erdao nodded heavily and said firmly, "Don't worry, Father, even if I die, I will not let anyone harm the Grand Commander."

The father and son's vows were firm, while only the wife beside them silently shed tears.

"Woooooooo~"

"Woo~"

Just then, another horn blast rang out across the grassland; this was the second horn blast.

Three bugle calls signaled that all soldiers must return to their posts, or the consequences would be dire.

As a commander of a thousand households, Zhao Er should set an example.

"Father, Madam, it's time. I must go."

With that, he leaped up and nimbly mounted a second-class horse, leading the other two horses as they galloped toward the distant grasslands.

At this moment, five centurions under Zhao Erdao's command were converging on the grassland from all directions.

Soon, the six hundred soldiers had assembled.

The golden sun and moon battle flag fluttered across the land. Zhao Erdao, a commander of a thousand households, belonged to the first town of Jinzhou and was a commander of ten thousand households personally led by Li Xiao.

Therefore, all six hundred soldiers were wearing yellow cotton armor and stood silently on tall warhorses.

During this winter, Jinzhou Armory worked with great enthusiasm, forging a large number of armor plates using Hexi steel.

Then, Li Xiao organized many women to sew cotton, cotton cloth and armor plates together, pressing them tightly, and finally produced more than 20,000 sets of cotton armor.

This basically ensures that each soldier going into battle has a set of cotton armor.

Although it's only early spring, the weather in northern Xinjiang is still cold. The thick cotton armor helps the soldiers resist the cold wind and is much warmer than the sheepskin they usually wear.

Even though the cotton armor was quite heavy, the soldiers still liked to wear it.

Stylish and good-looking, warm and windproof, it allows for immediate counterattack in case of a surprise attack during a march, without any preparation.

"The three bugle calls have sounded; those who fail to appear will be executed."

Zhao Erdao, clad in yellow armor and riding a warhorse, surveyed his six hundred cavalrymen with a cold, sharp gaze.

The guards quickly completed the tally.

"Reporting to the commander, the commander's office should have six hundred people present, and six hundred people are present. No one is late."

These military rules were also taught to these commanders and centurions by Li Xiao when he was at the military academy.

They were required to establish military discipline, strictly follow orders, and not be lenient in the slightest.

Although it may seem like a small matter, a soldier being late can affect the cohesion and organization of the entire army.

A thousand-mile dike can be breached by an ant hole; we must never underestimate its importance.

"it is good."

"Everyone, listen up, move out!"

"Arrive at the Dragon City Wasteland before 9:00 AM."

Zhao Erdao shouted loudly, and soon led his six hundred iron cavalrymen away in a grand procession.

He set assembly times for his soldiers, but Li Xiao also set assembly times for his generals.

If the appointed time has not arrived, then those who will be beheaded are Zhao Erdao and his comrades.

As the Jinzhou Army grew larger, its military discipline became increasingly detailed and strict.

Meanwhile, throughout Jinzhou, countless armies were converging on the Dragon City Wasteland.

As for the army in the desert, there were thirteen thousand households, totaling seven thousand eight hundred soldiers, who had set off two days earlier.

Li Xiao stipulated that today's Si Shi (9-11 AM) is the time for all troops to assemble.

Those who fail to arrive by the deadline will be executed by the officer.

……

Dragon City.

The construction of this city is not progressing quickly, as the winters in northern Xinjiang are too cold, and construction has been halted.

At this moment, Xiao Yanyan, protected by her servants and a group of guards, stood on half of the city wall, gazing at the large army gathering on the grassland in the distance.

As troops arrived one after another, the grasslands became increasingly lively.

Golden, red, and white sun and moon battle flags fluttered wildly in the cold wind.

The neighing of warhorses rose and fell, never ceasing.

The soldiers, dressed in tricolor cotton armor, gathered densely on the grassland, creating a magnificent sight.

Countless hook-and-sickle spears pointed to the sky, gleaming with a cold metallic luster under the sunlight, resembling an ocean forged from steel.

The soldiers brandished their spears and roared loudly.

"Wind, wind, wind~"

"Wind, wind, wind~"

Their expressions were resolute, and their shouts, when combined, were like rolling thunder, shaking the earth.

In the midst of the army, Li Xiao, dressed in yellow cotton armor embroidered with patterns of the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, rode on his warhorse, his cold and sharp gaze fixed on the army.

He swung his sword down heavily and shouted, "Let's go!"

"We will not return until the Naiman are defeated!"

"We will not return until the Naiman are defeated!"

The army surged forward, and beneath the golden sun and moon battle banners, Li Xiao silently turned his head, gazing at the distant city walls.

I could vaguely see Xiao Yanyan's figure.

After gazing for a moment, Li Xiao turned around, brandished his whip, and rode away.

"A man's affections for his children are hard to bear; only when he fights for the country can a true hero be revealed."

(End of this chapter)