The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 196 Father and Son

"The royal court's traitors have kidnapped my father! Charge in!"

"Everyone will be rewarded for rescuing Father."

Xiao Dalu's roar shattered the tranquility of the palace.

The soldiers behind him, carrying simple wooden shields, surged toward the palace like a black tide, followed closely by soldiers wielding bows and spears, pressing forward relentlessly.

Before the prince's guards could retaliate, they were riddled with arrows.

In any era, soldiers are not only pillars for protecting the country, but also tools for those in power to seize power and profit.

They don't have many channels of information to understand what's happening at the top, and they can't distinguish who is good and who is bad.

They could only blindly obey the orders of their direct superiors.

Even if a few soldiers realized something was wrong, they could only go with the flow under the pressure of the general trend.

After all, the smarter the soldier, the faster they die.

Therefore, under these circumstances, Xiao Dalu quickly led his army to capture the Prince's Palace.

"boom--"

With a loud crash, the gate to the courtyard where Xiao Simo was located was violently smashed open.

Xiao Dalu, dressed in blood-stained iron armor and carrying a long spear, strode in.

Before this, his confidants had already spread out in a fan shape and occupied the small courtyard.

Xiao Simo was sitting on a wooden chair, wearing a heavy fox fur coat, with a half-cooled medicine cup on the stone table beside him.

Seven guards formed a circle in front of them, their spears like a forest, pointing at Xiao Dalu and his group.

"Your Highness, stop."

As Xiao Dalu drew closer, one of his guards gripped his spear tightly, his face contorted with rage, and shouted loudly.

No one expected that Xiao Dalu would launch a rebellion at this time, and he had almost taken over the entire palace.

Is the next step to target the king?

At this moment, Xiao Dalu stood still, exuding a fierce aura.

As tall as an iron tower, he slowly squatted down, knelt on one knee, and said with his hand on his chest, "Chief Abu has arrived late to save the king; Father has been frightened."

Xiao Simo's face remained completely expressionless throughout, as he merely stared at him with half-closed eyes.

After a long while, he said to his personal guards, "You may all leave. I need to speak with Abu-tou alone."

"Your Majesty?"

The guards looked shocked; they knew in their hearts that Xiao Dalu was rebelling.

"Get out," Xiao Simo said firmly.

The guards had no choice but to leave the courtyard.

Xiao Dalu also ordered his men to wait outside the courtyard.

At this moment, only the father and son remained in the empty courtyard.

Xiao Dalu knelt on the ground and looked up at Xiao Simo, only to find that he had a lot more white hair at his temples.

His face was haggard, and his coughing up blood became more severe. Unbeknownst to him, Xiao Simo had aged several more years.

He was much shorter and thinner than I remembered, as if time had stripped away his backbone.

At this moment, Xiao Dalu felt a strange pang of sadness.

I even felt that I was so unfilial.

But the next second, his gaze hardened again.

“I did nothing wrong. Everything he did was for the Xiao family.”

"My father is old. Only I can lead the Xiao family to become powerful again," Xiao Dalu said firmly in his heart.

"Cough cough cough cough~"

In the midst of this silence, Xiao Simo coughed violently again.

His face was pale and bloodless, and his eyes were swollen, as if he was about to cough up his lungs.

Xiao Dalu hurriedly stepped forward, picked up the medicine from the stone table next to him, and fed it to Xiao Simo.

He gently patted Xiao Simo's back until he coughed up several black blood clots, after which he slowly recovered.

Xiao Dalu gently helped him lie back down on the wooden chair, and then knelt down on the ground again.

"Huhuhu~"

Amidst heavy breathing, Xiao Simo slowly spoke, "Chief Abu, I'm not surprised that you've come this far."

"Although your temperament and personality are like your grandmother's, the blood of the Xiao family still flows in your veins."

"If it were me, I would probably make the same choice as you."

“In this respect, my son and I are quite alike.”

Xiao Simo suddenly laughed, a laugh filled with bitterness.

At this moment, he couldn't help but recall the scene of Xiao Dalu's birth.

Despite the fact that his child was born to a maid, Xiao Simo was still very happy.

They even gave him the nickname 'Abutou,' which in itself represents their recognition and respect for his identity.

At that time, Xiao Dalu was chubby and much stronger than other children his age, and it was clear at a glance that he was a skilled warrior.

Xiao Simo even wanted to groom him as his successor and teach him how to fight.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. He was too busy with political struggles to discipline Xiao Dalu, who ended up being spoiled by that woman.

He is impulsive, short-tempered, and unpopular.

With the birth of his legitimate son, Xiao Simo gradually shifted his focus to Xiao Helun.

This further deepened the rift between father and son.

Reaching this point was, in fact, an inevitable outcome.

Even without the defeat in Yili, Xiao Dalu would probably have still gone to such lengths to fight this battle.

As Xiao Simo recounted his childhood, Xiao Dalu felt an increasing tightness in his chest, his eyes reddened, and tears involuntarily streamed down his face.

His head slammed heavily to the ground, and he cried out through sobs, "Father!"

"Cough cough cough~"

Xiao Simo coughed lightly, reached out and gently stroked Xiao Dalu's head, saying in a weak voice, "Don't cry, get up."

“Your father has never blamed you, and he understands your actions.”

Xiao Dalu straightened up, knelt before Xiao Simo with tears streaming down his face, and looked aggrieved. He murmured, "Father, I have really messed up this time. Do whatever you want with me."

"But you have to wait until I've dealt with the royal army before you make your move."

He wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, clenched his fists, and said in a muffled voice, "But even if you kill me, I won't be able to swallow this insult."

"What makes that brat better than me?"

"Just because he was born from the wife's womb, does he think he can enjoy everything so openly?"

"Just because he is the legitimate son, my son, born to a concubine, is treated like an outsider's child?"

"Why?"

He tore open his armor, revealing a hideous scar on his chest: "I've been fighting alongside you since I was ten years old. You probably can't even remember how many scars I have."

"I've never backed down on the battlefield. Why?"

"I want to prove to you, Father, that I am your best son."

"Xiao Helun is not as good as me."

"But what?"

“I have done so much, but you can’t see any of it. He is still the heir apparent, while I am not even a commander of a thousand.”

"I'm not convinced."

Xiao Dalu cried loudly, his face covered in tears.

In his childhood memories, Xiao Simo always doted on him.

Everything changed after Xiao Helun was born. Xiao Simo paid less and less attention to him, and even when he took the initiative to go to Xiao Simo, he would be taken away by his mother under the pretext of being busy with official business.

Therefore, in his stubborn mind, it was because of Xiao Helun's appearance that he lost his father's love.

He did so much, being a good soldier on the battlefield, fighting bravely against the enemy, and his body was covered in countless scars.

Be a good son in the royal palace and do your best to be filial to your father and mother.

The point was to prove to Xiao Simo that he was better than Xiao Helun.

However, Xiao Simo deliberately ignored Xiao Helun in order to secure Xiao Helun's position.

So much so that despite his many military achievements, he has turned a blind eye to them all, and to this day he is not even a commander of a thousand.

Isn't it because they're afraid he'll hold military power and become a threat to Xiao Helun in the future?
Xiao Dalu may not have had this idea initially, but after feeling suppressed by Xiao Simo, he did.

He was simply not convinced; he wanted to tell Xiao Simo that he was wrong and that he was the best son.

"Today, I'm putting this out there: even without the precious skin of a legitimate son, I can still twist Yelü Zhilugu's head off and use it as a football."

Xiao Dalu choked back a sob and said through tears.

At this moment, he didn't seem like a son who started the Xuanwu Gate Incident, but rather like a rebellious teenager vying for his father's favor over trivial family matters.

Looking at the grief-stricken Xiao Dalu, Xiao Simo sighed, a hint of weakness flashing in his eyes.

With a soft sigh, he said in a weak voice, "Abutou, you are my son, my eldest son, Xiao Simo."

How could my father turn a blind eye to you?

"Your father knows that you are competitive and always want to prove yourself."

"Your father knows how many scars you have, and which year and which battle each scar was from."

"Father knows all of this."

At this point, Xiao Simo's eyes welled up with tears. He gently touched the wound on Xiao Dalu's chest and choked out his words.

"Nine knife scars, three arrow wounds, and one gunshot wound on the shoulder."

"Father will provide every doctor who can treat your wounds."

“Promote and reward each and every one of them.”

"I'm just worried they won't treat your injuries properly."

As he spoke, tears welled up in Xiao Simo's eyes.

Even a tiger wouldn't eat its cubs, especially his eldest son.

How could Xiao Simo not care or cherish her?
Unfortunately, he was the head of the Xiao family and the Grand King of the Sixth Academy.

Many times, one can only keep all emotions hidden in one's heart, and one cannot act on emotion in anything one does; one must always prioritize the interests of the Xiao family and the Northern Frontier.

Looking back now, he realizes that he also made mistakes.

The main reason was that his expectations for Xiao Dalu were too high at the time. However, when he discovered that Xiao Dalu had gone astray and could no longer be a qualified successor, he immediately abandoned him.

Back then, the Xiao family's situation wasn't very good, and Xiao Simo didn't have much time and energy to correct Xiao Dalu, so he could only start a new account.

This is an era where the strong are respected. Raising a son is like raising a poisonous insect; only the strongest one will be nurtured with all one's might.

From the perspective of the head of the Xiao family, Xiao Simo did not do anything wrong.

However, from a father's perspective, the damage done to the child is irreparable.

Perhaps because he was on the verge of death and knew his days were numbered, Xiao Simo lost his usual stubbornness and looked at Xiao Dalu with more affection.

Hearing Xiao Simo's words, Xiao Dalu's face was also full of shock. He stared blankly at Xiao Simo and slowly smiled.

But as she laughed, tears began to flow uncontrollably again. "Father~"

"Father, you—"

"My son deserves to die!"

Xiao Dalu broke down in tears, burying his face in Xiao Simo's arms like a child, his shoulders heaving, his heart filled with unbearable sorrow.

My father is already so seriously ill, and I'm just adding to his burden.

Damn it!
"Woooooooo~"

"Don't cry, don't cry~"

"You're such a grown man, why are you crying? Cough cough cough~" Xiao Simo said lightly, but because of his own emotional fluctuations, he couldn't help but cough again.

This time, Xiao Simo's condition was even more serious, to the point that he was spitting blood.

Xiao Dalu looked terrified and hurriedly tried to stand up, crying, "Father, how are you?"

"I'll go get you a doctor."

"No need~" came Xiao Simo's weak voice. After coughing up a mouthful of blood, his condition actually stabilized.

He lay weakly on the wooden chair, stopping Xiao Dalu. He knew his days were numbered and didn't want to continue struggling.

Seeing him gently raise his hand, Xiao Dalu immediately understood, knelt down beside him, and placed his withered hand on his cheek.

"Father, you will be alright."

"Things will definitely get better."

"I also need to prove to you that I can take over the royal court!"

Xiao Dalu spoke urgently, tears streaming down his face.

Xiao Simo smiled, knowing he wouldn't live to see that day.

But it's better than seeing the East fall.

She gently stroked his face and said in a soft voice, "Before we knew it, you've reached the age where you're almost ready to get married."

"I'm afraid my father won't live to see that day."

It's just a pity that this child looks too much like his mother.

"If only you could be like me!" Xiao Simo lamented.

It wasn't his appearance, but rather his personality, abilities, and other intrinsic qualities that he didn't inherit.

If Xiao Dalu could meet his expectations, those things wouldn't have happened, and Xiao Simo could confidently hand over power to him.

But now, he doesn't believe Xiao Dalu has the ability to turn the tide.

He understood Xiao Dalu, and he understood Wugulun even more.

They, mother and son, do not have that ability.

"Forget it, it's no use saying anything now."

"You've already done what you wanted to do, so don't regret it. Just keep going with determination," Xiao Simo sighed softly.

He then took out a gold-forged token from under his body, and with trembling hands, extended his arm and handed it to Xiao Dalu.

He said in a deep voice, "This is the Great King's Token of my Sixth Academy. With it, I can command all the troops of the Sixth Academy."

"take it!"

"Don't let it down!"

"Go and call Yalisin and the others over. Didn't Father already appoint you as the Governor of Yinshan?"

"A mere warrant is not enough to convince people."

"Father will personally announce this edict to them, which will make your position as Governor of Yinshan legitimate."

Xiao Dalu held the golden token in both hands.
Tears welled up again, and he slammed his forehead heavily onto the ground once more.

"Father~"

Xiao Simo waved his hand gently and said softly, "Go."

"Take it and use it to prove yourself."

"Dongdu, it's all up to you."

……

A natural barrier separates Yili from Dongdu.

It is called Alatau Mountain, and is a branch of the Tian Shan mountain range.

At this moment, the royal court's 20,000-strong army trekked across mountains and rivers to reach them.

"Your Highness, if we continue for another three hundred li, we will see the Eastern Capital City."

"We can't go any further, or we'll be in trouble if we run into the army of Dongdu."

Xiao He suddenly mounted his horse and pointed northeast with his whip, saying...

At this time, the 20,000-strong army had just crossed the Alatau Mountains and was preparing to set up camp and rest at the foot of the mountains, waiting for the scattered soldiers to rejoin the ranks.

Yelü Zhixin and Xiao Hetu led more than a hundred cavalrymen and continued forward for several dozen miles to scout the terrain and determine the marching route.

With such a small force, it would indeed be very dangerous if they encountered the Eastern Capital Army.

The sun was blazing, and the wind was howling.

Yelü Zhixin, riding his horse, stood atop a high slope, gazing into the distance, and sighed.

“Back then, my great-grandfather used the Eastern Capital as his base and led my Khitan warriors to conquer the vast Liao Dynasty in the Western Regions.”

"Now, the Eastern Capital should be returned to the hands of our imperial family."

As he spoke, Yelü Zhixin turned his head and said, "Minister Xiao, has there been any news from the Eastern Capital?"

How is Xiao Simo's health?

Xiao Hetu and his son have both been granted official positions.

Xiao Hetu was the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat in the royal court.

The second-in-command of the Secretariat sounds like a high-ranking official in the royal court.

But in reality, he was nothing more than the emperor's private secretary.

All power came from the emperor, so this official position was irrelevant to Xiao Hetu.

The father and son had even bigger plans.

"Your Highness, Xiao Simo's health is very poor."

"I heard he vomited a lot of blood after being hit hard by the Battle of Ili," Xiao Hetu said.

The fact that he was able to obtain such information shows that his intelligence channels in Dongdu are quite sophisticated.

They were even better informed than the royal court.

"Really? Hahaha!" Yelü Zhixin laughed heartily.

"I do hope that my uncle can live a little longer."

"It would be best if I could see the Eastern Capital fall to the ground with my own eyes, hahaha!"

"Perhaps he will be so angry that he vomits blood again."

In his view, the royal court was bound to win.

The Eastern Capital had only three thousand soldiers left, while he himself had twenty thousand troops under his command.

Including the Karluk tribe in Yili, the total number is over 20,000.

Moreover, the main army was already very close to the Eastern Capital, but reinforcements from other parts of the Northern Frontier were still on their way.

So, what could Xiao Simo use to stop his army?
"After all, he is my cousin and an important minister of my Great Liao."

"Pass down the order: after the fall of the Eastern Capital, no one is to be disrespectful to King Xiao Simo," Yelü Zhixin said with a smile.

He wanted to present it to his father, the emperor.

Yelü Zhilugu would be more than happy to see Xiao Simo in such a sorry state, kneeling before him.

"Yes, sir!" Xiao Hetu nodded lightly.

Instead of continuing forward, the group turned back to the main camp.

The first thing Yelü Zhixin asked upon returning to the main tent was, "Has that little brat woken up yet?"

The general under his command patted his chest and said, "Your Highness, the traitorous son Xiao Helun has not yet woken up."

"The doctor said that he already had an ailment that had not yet healed."

"Having suffered such severe injuries, I'm afraid..."

Xiao Helun ultimately failed to escape, being shot in the back by royal soldiers and falling from his horse.

Moreover, he was not fully recovered to begin with, and then he suffered a serious injury, which led to an infection in his wound, and now he has a high fever.

He was completely dazed and unconscious.

Although they are enemies, they are also relatives after all.

Yelü Zhixin ordered everyone to do their utmost to treat his injuries.

However, the royal court's doctor did not understand how to make allicin, and given the current level of medical technology, Xiao Helun's injuries were very troublesome.

"Do your best and obey destiny."

"Do your best to treat him," Yelü Zhixin said, waving his hand.

He wouldn't have done this if it weren't to add some credit to his resume.

Honestly, a cousin from several generations removed, who was also an enemy, didn't really bother him.

After inquiring about Xiao Helun's affairs, Yelü Zhixin convened a meeting of his generals.

They discussed how to capture the Eastern Capital.

Just then, Xiao He suddenly walked in, smiling and saying, "Your Highness, I wish to offer you my congratulations."

"Oh? What's the joy about this?" Yelü Zhixin asked, puzzled.

Xiao Hetu then took out a strip of cloth from his bosom and explained, "I just received a message from the Eastern Capital."

"Xiao Simo's eldest son, Xiao Dalu, launched a coup, proclaimed himself the governor of Yinshan, and imprisoned Xiao Simo."

"Isn't this a joyous occasion?"

Upon hearing this, Yelü Zhixin immediately exclaimed with delight, "Really?"

"Absolutely true!"

"Great! Hahaha!" Yelü Zhixin stood up excitedly and burst into laughter.

"Who would have thought that Xiao Simo would have this day!"

"Being betrayed by your own son must have been incredibly disheartening, hahaha."

The other generals also showed expressions of joy.

Xiao Simo had fought in the south and north for many years and had a high reputation in the Liao Dynasty.

Even with an absolute advantage in troop strength, they couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive when facing Xiao Simo in person.

Now look what's happened; Dongdu has crippled itself.

Xiao Simo was imprisoned by his son.

They didn't care about a mere kid.

"Your Highness, this humble general requests permission to serve as the vanguard and capture the Eastern Capital."

The royal generals were filled with fighting spirit, as if they already considered the Eastern Capital to be theirs for the taking.

(End of this chapter)