The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 198 The Fall of the King of the Northern Frontier
"Bang~"

Chaos reigned in the city, filled with shouts of battle, but the courtyard of the Prince's mansion was eerily silent. Xiao Simo looked grave and furious, while the guards arranged by Xiao Dalu were tense, uneasy, and at a loss.

Just then, several muffled thuds suddenly echoed in the quiet courtyard.

The guards immediately reacted and shouted, "Who goes there?"

But in the next second, several arrows shot out from the darkness.

The bullets pierced the bodies of the guards, and with screams of agony, several of Xiao Dalu's trusted men fell to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, five guards burst through the door and quickly went to Xiao Simo's bedside.

"Your Majesty~"

"Your Majesty, how are you?"

These five men were Xiao Simo's personal guards, and they were required to stand guard outside his door even when he slept.

After the upheaval in Luoyang, he was imprisoned by Xiao Dalu.

Taking advantage of the chaos in the city, the five escaped and immediately rushed to Xiao Simo's courtyard for protection.

I'm afraid Xiao Dalu might be driven to desperation and commit the heinous act of patricide.

"Your Majesty, Aridad's army has entered the city and will arrive here soon."

“We’ll be fine soon.” A guard named Wututai pointed his bow and arrow towards the door, guarding against an attack by Xiao Dalu’s men.

“No, Ali Da probably didn’t come to save me, but to kill me,” Xiao Simo said in a low voice.

The midnight moonlight shone through the window onto his pale and swollen face, which was thin and dry, with only skin covering his bones, making him look even more sinister and terrifying, like a skeleton.

"What?" Several guards were shocked.

They did not doubt Xiao Simo's words; as his personal guards, their lives depended on him.

Under any circumstances, they would unconditionally obey Xiao Simo's orders, even if it meant death.

"What should we do then?" the guard asked urgently.

"Your Majesty, we will protect you and fight our way out."

"Change the king's clothes. While it's still dark, there might still be a chance."

But Xiao Simo seemed indifferent, lying relaxed on the bed. He shook his head and said with a faint smile, "In this state, even if I escape, I won't live for more than a few days."

"It will only drag you down for no reason."

"You don't need to worry about me."

"My days are numbered; I have lived long enough."

"Go, everyone, flee for your lives."

Xiao Simo was already determined to die, so there was no need for him to implicate these loyal guards any further.

He just wanted to ask Ali Dad in person why he had betrayed him.

“We have received such great favor from the King that we can never repay it in our lifetime. How can we abandon the King and live a life of shame?” said a guard named Wututai in a firm voice.

He then exchanged a glance with the others and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, I apologize."

After saying that, he wrapped Xiao Simo in a blanket and carried him on his shoulder.

Having been tormented by illness for so long, Xiao Simo's body weighs less than 100 pounds, and he can lift it without any effort.

"We will protect the king and leave through the tunnel."

Wu Tutai carried Xiao Simo and led several guards towards the backyard.

Upon arriving at a room filled with clutter, he ordered his men to move everything out.

Lifting a stone slab instantly reveals the dark entrance to the tunnel.

He handed Xiao Simo to another person and said in a deep voice, "I entrust the King to you. Even if it means death, you must protect the King."

"Wu Tu Tai, aren't you coming with us?" the other guards asked.

“No, I must stay.” Wututai looked at the debris scattered on the ground and shook his head slightly.

Last time, when the princess left, it was he who moved all these miscellaneous items back, which prevented Xiao Dalu's men from discovering the tunnel.

The same applies now; if no one cleans up the mess, Alida's people will surely discover this tunnel and come after them.

The other guards understood what Wututai meant, and with sorrowful expressions, they said in deep voices, "Wututai, take care."

After saying this, several guards carried Xiao Simo into the tunnel.

At this time, the rebel army had already reached the outside of the Prince's Palace. Wututai hurriedly moved all the miscellaneous items back and wiped away all traces.

The moonlight, as white as frost, spilled onto the green tiles of the Prince's Mansion.

More than twenty soldiers from the Northern Navy vanguard, carrying cowhide shields, smashed open the side gate of the Prince's Mansion. A sudden volley of arrows rained down, instantly covering the shields with feathered arrows, making them look just like porcupines with quills.

Before the guards of the Prince's Palace could nock a second arrow, arrows from the Northern Navy followed closely behind. At the same time, fully armored cavalrymen charged into the palace and began a massacre.

Within a short period of time, the Prince's Mansion changed hands again.

Soon, an old man dressed in leather armor, riding a warhorse, walked quickly into the palace with an excited expression on his face.

A boastful voice laughed loudly, "Smo, my good-for-nothing nephew~"

Where are you?

"Your fourth uncle is here to settle accounts with you."

"Hahaha~"

His name was Xiao Pulayelu, which means "brave and decisive general" in the Khitan language.

He was the fourth son of Xiao Wulila, but he was an illegitimate son. His mother was of humble birth, and he had two legitimate older brothers. Moreover, his sister-in-law was the then-regent empress, Yelü Pusuwan.

Therefore, despite Xiao Pulaiyelu's outstanding abilities and bravery in battle, he never dared to dream of becoming the King of the Six Courts.

He only wanted to become a general of the Liao Dynasty and assist his elder brother.

Until that year, the eldest sister-in-law committed adultery with the second brother and killed the eldest brother.

The old man got angry and killed his sister-in-law and second brother.

Within a few days, both of the Xiao family's second-generation direct descendants died, and officials and generals at all levels faced a major purge.

With power in flux, the position of heir has become uncertain.

Xiao Pulayelu's mind immediately became active.

Among the illegitimate sons of the Xiao family, he was the most capable. He thought that without the suppression of his eldest and second eldest brothers, the old man would have no choice but to select him as his successor.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Simo, who was still a boy at the time, was chosen to become the head of the Xiao family.

Xiao Pulaiyelu was naturally unconvinced.

After the old man passed away, he jumped out and competed with Xiao Simo for power.

Although Xiao Simo was young and had a shallow foundation at the time, he inherited Yelü Pusuwan's political talent.

He quickly established himself and engaged in a fierce power struggle with Xiao Pulayelu. In the end, he paid a heavy price to defeat Xiao Pulayelu, forcing him to flee Western Liao to escape Xiao Simo's persecution.

Now, ten years later, Xiao Pulaiyelu has finally returned.

This time, he's going to take back everything he's lost.

However, just after Xiao Pulayelu entered the palace, he received a report.

"Sir, the King has disappeared without a trace."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Pulayelu's expression changed instantly: "What?"

"He got away?"

His expression became urgent. If Xiao Simo ran outside and raised his arms to call for help, the Beihai Army that they had fooled would probably immediately defect.

Therefore, Xiao Pulaiyelu also began to panic.

He shouted, "Search! Don't miss a single corner of the Prince's mansion!"

"Block the roads, guard the city gates, and do not allow anyone to enter."

"As ordered."

The general nodded heavily and turned to leave.

This person was also a spy left behind by Xiao Pulayelu, and now serves as a centurion in the Northern Navy.

When the two legitimate sons of the Xiao family died, a power vacuum was created, and the generals and officials under the Xiao family were restless.

Although Xiao Simo became the heir, he was young and had a weak foundation. Even though he inherited a group of supporters from his parents, he himself did not have many trusted confidants.

At that time, Xiao Pulayelu had already made a name for himself in the army, so he secretly planted a group of people under Xiao Simo's command in various ways.

This included Ali Da, the governor of Beihai.

Subsequently, Ali also arrived at the Prince's Mansion, but was met with Xiao Pulaye Lu's cold and stern gaze.

"Sir, I've heard that the King..."

“That’s right, he ran away.” Xiao Pulayelu said with a cold snort, his face grim.

He had just ordered a thorough search of the entire Prince's residence, but they couldn't find Xiao Simo.

He is likely hiding in one of the nearby houses, and he is ordering his men to search for him.

However, he looked at Alida with a suspicious gaze and asked in a deep voice, "Alida, is it you who let Xiao Simo escape?"

Upon hearing this, Ali's expression changed drastically, and he quickly shook his head, saying, "No, it wasn't me."

"I was so busy dealing with Xiao Dalu that I didn't have time to attend to the Prince's residence."

“Everyone here is from Wudu. You should know best how loyal Wudu is to you.”

Xiao Pulayelu's expression softened slightly upon hearing this. Alida had gained Xiao Simo's favor and was promoted to Governor of Beihai, so he was showing signs of slipping out of Xiao's control.

If it weren't for the fact that he held Ali Da's lifeline in his hands, this guy would definitely have sold him to Xiao Simo right away.

Comparatively speaking, Wu Du, who was not valued by Xiao Simo and was merely a centurion, was more loyal to Xiao Pulayelu.

He was eager to defeat Xiao Simo and achieve the goal of supporting the emperor.

"Humph~"

"Never forget who you are, and never forget what you have done."

"If Xiao Simo finds out, will he tolerate you?"

"Killing Xiao Simo will benefit both of us."

"Don't even think about betting on both sides, you're not qualified," Xiao Pulaiyelu warned.

Although it wasn't Ali Da who released Xiao Simo, Xiao Pulayelu still wanted to teach him a lesson, to remind him at all times whose dog he was.

So as not to be blinded by Xiao Simo's small favors.

"Yes, sir, I understand."

Ali's face was grim, his fists clenched, and he spoke in a low voice.

Ten years ago, he was just an ordinary boy, but one day he was suddenly chosen by Xiao Pulaiyelu and secretly trained.

At that time, Ali Da naively thought he was about to rise to prominence and become a phoenix.

Later he learned that Xiao Pulayelu wanted him to become a spy and infiltrate Xiao Simo's inner circle.

Moreover, in order to control Ali Da and his people, Xiao Pulaiyelu did more than just send people to take care of their parents and relatives.

They even made them sign a pledge of allegiance.

He personally killed Xiao Simo's son!
At that time, the struggle between Xiao Pulayelu and Xiao Simo had become increasingly intense, involving not only overt political battles but also numerous underhanded tactics.

Xiao Pulaiyelu originally intended to kidnap Xiao Simo's eldest son, Xiao Dalu, but by chance, he kidnapped another of Xiao Simo's illegitimate sons instead.

The original intention was to force Xiao Simo to make concessions, but the situation at the time did not allow Xiao Simo to back down.

Therefore, in a fit of rage, Xiao Pulayelu directly killed Xiao Simo's illegitimate son.

Those who took action were Ali and his group of teenagers.

With this leverage, Xiao Pulayelu no longer worried about Alida and others turning against him, so he confidently sent him to infiltrate Xiao Simo's inner circle.

Over the course of ten years, Ali Da repeatedly distinguished himself in battle and was noticed by Xiao Simo, who gradually promoted him to the position of Governor of Beihai.

He had long been captivated by Xiao Simo, but that incident remained an indelible stain on his reputation.

He couldn't imagine what the outcome would be if Xiao Simo found out that he was the murderer of his son.

He could also kill Xiao Pulaiyelu.

But it won't be long before someone tells Xiao Simo the truth about that matter.

If Xiao Simo believed this, he would surely die.

Even if you don't believe it, the seed of doubt has already been planted, and it's only a matter of time before it takes root and sprouts.

After all, he couldn't withstand an investigation.

Whether he believed it or not, he could not keep his position as the Governor of Beihai.

Therefore, when Xiao Pulaiyelu contacted him again, Alida had no choice but to bite the bullet and go down this dark path.

Only when Xiao Simo dies will that matter completely lose its threat to him, and no one will seek revenge for a child who has been dead for more than ten years.

Only then could he escape Xiao Pulaiyelu's coercion.

Even kill him.

At that time, the northern frontier was unclaimed.

Alibaba may have a chance to compete for that position.

Even if we take a step back, he could have sought refuge with the royal court. If Yelü Zhilugu wanted to stabilize the northern border, he would never have exterminated the forces in the northern border.

They didn't have the strength to kill them all.

Therefore, by leveraging the power of the royal court, he might be able to advance even further.

With these thoughts in mind, Ali's resolve strengthened.

She glanced silently at Xiao Pulayelu, realizing it wasn't the time to turn against him yet.

He then stepped out of the palace, his face tense, and gave orders to all the soldiers.

"The King has been kidnapped by Xiao Dalu's accomplices. A city-wide search is underway. No corner should be overlooked. We must rescue the King."

Time quickly came to the next morning.

Xiao Simo and his party had already left the area of ​​Dongdu City and were heading east towards Jinzhou.

"Cough cough cough cough~"

"Your Majesty, please hold on. We are not safe yet. Once we enter the mountains, we can rest."

A guard on horseback shouted loudly, tied Xiao Simo to his back with a rope, and sped off towards Jinzhou.

But the next second, with a 'poof' sound, Xiao Simo spat out a mouthful of blood, completely staining the guard with blood.

Xiao Simo was already extremely weak, and the long, bumpy journey that night only exacerbated his injuries.

When he got there, he could no longer hold on.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, how are you?"

"Your Majesty~"

The guards immediately reined in their horses, and the other guards jumped off before the horses even stopped.

They untied Xiao Simo's ropes and helped him down from the horse.

At this moment, Xiao Simo was pale, barely breathing, his chest was covered in black blood, his eyes were swollen, and his pulse was weak, which was extremely frightening.

"Uh uh uh~"

At the trembling calls of his guards, Xiao Simo's eyelids finally trembled and opened, his cloudy pupils reflecting the vast sky of the northern frontier.

His voice was as soft as a withered leaf about to fall, yet it carried an unusual gentleness: "Just now... I seemed to see my father and mother."

His fingers unconsciously traced the edge of the fox fur coat, as if touching the hem of his mother's clothes in his memory. "They rode horses and reached out to me... just like when my father taught me to ride..."

Several guards swallowed hard, some turning their faces away, tears welling in the wrinkles around their eyes.

They had witnessed the fall of too many warriors, but never such a gentle moment of dying.

This "King of the Northern Frontier," who once killed countless people on the battlefield, now resembles a lost child, searching for the figures of his parents in his memories.

Perhaps, deep down, he has always longed for a warm home, with harmonious parents, free from infighting.

The mutual killing of his parents was a lifelong wound in Xiao Simo's heart.

"It's...it's my fault!" The young guard, Tulu, suddenly knelt down.

"If it weren't for my urging the horse too fast..." His voice was cut off by a sob, and his shoulders twitched violently.

Xiao Simo shook his head slightly: "It's fate that wants to take me away, what does it have to do with you?"

In reality, regardless of the ups and downs, Xiao Simo's fate would not have changed; his energy and spirit had been completely exhausted.

"No wonder my grandfather said before he died... that when people get old, they just want to go back to the grasslands..."

A violent cough tore at his throat, and blood trickled from the corner of Xiao Simo's mouth, yet he still gazed at the sky.

"I... am going to see my father and mother."

His voice suddenly became clear, each word carrying a sense of relief.

"Remember... after I die, bury me on the sunny slope in the mountains first."

"If there is an opportunity to recapture the Eastern Capital in the future..."

He paused, swallowing bloody saliva as his Adam's apple bobbed: "Then move it to my Xiao family's ancestral grave."

Several guards nodded repeatedly, tears streaming down their faces.

They must not let the rebels find Xiao Simo's body.

"Courtyard No. 15, Class A, Grade III..."

"There is an oil paper package in the well containing about 1,300 taels of silver."

"If you have the chance to return to Dongdu, the four of you can divide it up."

"Live a good life from now on..."

"Finally, go to Jinzhou, find Li Xiao, and tell him everything truthfully."

"Let him avenge me."

Xiao Simo's eyelids started to droop again, but he suddenly struggled to open his eyes wide: "Tell Li Xiao..."

His fingers gripped his bodyguard's wrist tightly: "The wolves of the northern frontier... never bow to the grasslands..."

Before he finished speaking, his hand suddenly loosened, like a feather scattered by the wind.

One of the guards trembled as he checked her breath, then burst into tears.

Under the scorching sun of northern Xinjiang, Xiao Simo's face finally relaxed, as if he had been relieved of the burden of his life.

A faint smile lingered on his lips—this was the first time in many years that he had shown such a relaxed expression while sober.

This legendary king of the northern frontier has finally met his end.

(End of this chapter)