The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 219 The Army Returns in Triumph, Revenge

Two days later, a grand funeral was held in the Eastern Capital.

Xiao Simo, son of Emperor Chengtian of the Liao Dynasty, Grand Prince of the Six Courts, and Governor of the Eastern Capital, passed away.

Li Xiao, dressed in white mourning clothes, personally carried the coffin, while Xiao Yanyan and Shu Lu Wujin supported each other, crying so hard they almost fainted.

Hundreds of imperial guards, also dressed in white, rode their warhorses in neat rows, like two solid walls, escorting the coffin forward.

An atmosphere of endless sorrow and solemnity permeated the procession.

As Li Xiao watched Xiao Simo's coffin being buried in the grave, his expression turned solemn, a hint of sorrow flashing in his eyes.

In the years prior, Xiao Simo was undoubtedly the person who had the greatest influence on Li Xiao.

Without Xiao Simo's support, Li Xiao would probably still be just a local strongman in Jinzhou, and would never have achieved what he has today.

They may have unified the Han tribes of Jinzhou, but they will inevitably struggle under the threat of the Naiman tribe.

Having a helpful person by your side can really save you from taking many detours.

As he listened to the sound of yellow earth falling into the grave, memories of his time with Xiao Simo kept replaying in Li Xiao's mind.

Before Li Xiao led his army to bypass Alai Ridge during the decisive battle with the Naiman tribe at Jinshan, Xiao Simo solemnly said, "Boy, do you dare to gamble your life with me?"

After decisively defeating the main force of the Naiman and forcing the Taiyang Khan to flee in panic, Xiao Simo shouted triumphantly, "Remember, wherever the iron cavalry of the Northern Frontier treads, water will freeze and fire will be extinguished."

After Li Xiao presented the West Wind Fierce liquor to Xiao Simo for tasting, Xiao Simo drank it with the greatest joy, exclaiming, "A good man's blood should be like strong liquor, fiery when it goes down, and scalding in the aftertaste."

Li Xiao reached out and took the wine flask from the guard beside him, then poured the crystal-clear wine onto the fresh soil.

The deep voice said, "You said that the backbone of the warriors of the Northern Frontier must be even stronger than the walls of the Eastern Capital."

"From now on, I will take over the responsibility of the northern frontier."

After burying Xiao Simo outside the city, Li Xiao left some of his royal guards to guard the tomb, and even moved their families there, making them the family that guarded Xiao Simo's tomb.

Two days later, Li Xiao led his army back to Jinzhou.

The scorching sun beat down on the vast land.

The golden sun and moon battle flag fluttered in the wind, shining brightly in the sunlight, like a golden ocean.

The army set off in a grand procession, the thunderous sound of hooves shaking the earth.

Like most soldiers, Li Xiao was dressed in a simple round-necked cloth robe to shield himself from the scorching sun, while his armor was already placed on the baggage train and horse.

Riding his warhorse, Li Xiao looked at Li Dashan opposite him and said in a deep voice, "Sixth Uncle, I'm entrusting Ye Mili City to you."

"This land is fertile and rich in water and grass. We should cultivate it as soon as possible for our use."

"Sixth Uncle, you have a heavy burden to bear."

Li Xiao left Li Dashan in Dongdu to prevent generals from staying in one place for too long and thus creating local separatism.

Frequent changes in position facilitated the strengthening of centralized power in Jinzhou.

Moreover, Li Dashan had experience in reclaiming desert land and knew how to cultivate wasteland.

"Don't worry, I'm here!" Li Dashan nodded heavily.

"However, we still need to send a group of Han people over as soon as possible, otherwise we won't be able to get anything done."

"Don't worry, the population of Yemili will only increase in the future," Li Xiao said with a smile.

Then, his gaze fell on Xiao Yanyan beside him.

At this moment, she was saying goodbye to Shulu Wujin.

"Sister-in-law, you'll be all alone in Dongdu from now on, so please take good care of yourself."

"If anything happens, send someone to Jinzhou immediately to deliver a message," Xiao Yanyan said reluctantly.

Shulu Wujin was unwilling to go to Jinzhou, as it was a completely unfamiliar place to her.

In the Eastern Capital, there are still traces of Xiao Simo and Xiao Helun, as well as their large royal mansion and other properties. Shulu Wujin could live a good life in the Eastern Capital.

"Don't worry, it's alright. My sister-in-law is a grown woman; she'll take good care of herself," Shu Lu Wu Jin said with a sorrowful expression.

As a widow who had lost her husband and son, she found life somewhat difficult while guarding the vast royal palace.

But it wouldn't be good to go to Jinzhou either; after all, what kind of widowed sister-in-law goes to her husband's younger sister's house? It's more like the other way around.

"But you, with your pregnancy progressing further, you can't be so willful anymore."

"You must rest well and make sure you give birth to a son."

Shu Lu Wujin looked at Xiao Yanyan's belly and offered some advice.

But a hint of envy still lingered deep in his eyes.

"I also hope he can live up to expectations," Xiao Yanyan murmured, touching her belly.

Li Xiao's harem is growing larger and larger, especially since he is about to marry one of Zhilugu's daughters.

These women may not threaten Xiao Yanyan's position, but they could potentially threaten the position of her children.

There are still some differences between a legitimate son and the eldest legitimate son.

Xiao Yanyan hoped more than anyone else that the baby in her belly would be a boy.

After saying goodbye, Li Xiao shouted, "Let's go!"

He then mounted his horse, glanced at the haggard-looking Shulu Wujin, and said, "Sister-in-law, please take good care of yourself."

"If I have time to come to Dongdu, I will visit my sister-in-law again."

After saying that, he turned and left with Xiao Yanyan.

On the other side, Yelü Jin and her two younger sisters, who were prisoners of war, had already walked several miles with the Jinzhou army.

Turning her head to look at the increasingly smaller Eastern Capital, she felt a little uneasy.

This is always the case when leaving a familiar environment and going to an unfamiliar place.

"Jinzhou, I heard it's still eight hundred li away from the Eastern Capital!"

"Will I marry him after we arrive in Jinzhou?" Yelü Jin murmured to herself, feeling a strange mix of emotions.

I should have been very resistant to this, but I wasn't; surprisingly, I even felt a little bit of anticipation.

Especially when she thought about that day, when Li Xiao was so close to her, and the strong masculine scent wafted over her, even just thinking about it made her feel weak.

Thinking of this, Yelü Jin felt her face flush slightly again.

……

Ili.

The vast expanse of land and sky, with its undulating mountain grasslands, resembles an endless green carpet stretching all the way to the horizon.

At the foot of a high mountain, a Karluk tribe that had just fled to this place was busy setting up camp.

Their tents were arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, and colorful banners fluttered in the wind.

The people in the tribe were busy but orderly. Women were milking sheep outside their tents, while some men were repairing saddles and others were sharpening knives and bows.

But everyone's face was filled with worry, and their eyes revealed fear and unease.

Outside a tent in the middle of the tribe, several tribal chiefs were sitting together.

Some people looked bitter, some sighed, and some remained silent, simply chopping tree branches to make arrows.

"I thought that with Xiao Simo seriously ill, the Northern Frontier would be leaderless, but who would have thought that the Jinzhou Army would be so powerful."

"If we had known this would happen, we wouldn't have gotten involved with them. The royal court is simply a bunch of useless people," an old nobleman lamented.

The birch branch in the hand of the person next to him suddenly broke, and the arrow could not be made.

Then, he looked at the people around him, and a dry laugh that sounded worse than crying escaped his throat: "Get involved? We are nothing but pawns in the hands of the royal court! Seven out of ten arrows they sent last month were defective."

“Those worms in the royal court.”

Someone kicked over the earthenware pot at their feet, and the shards of pottery cracked sharply on the stone slab.

"They said that once Xiao Simo died, the northern frontier would be in chaos, but the Jinzhou army razed the eastern capital in three days and drove the royal army back to the south bank of the Ili River in half a month."

"Now look what's happened, the Jinzhou army is blaming us, and they're probably going to take action against us next."

"I shouldn't have listened to Wang Ting's nonsense back then."

The Karluk chieftain remained silent throughout, trembling as he reached for the wine at his waist, only to find it completely empty.

He shook his head bitterly and said, "What's the point of saying all this now?"

"What's done is done. Let's think about how to deal with the Jinzhou army's retaliation."

Another young nobleman, gripping his scimitar tightly, said in a deep voice, "The combined forces of the Royal Court Army and the Kangli Army number nearly 100,000, but they were all routed by the Jinzhou Army."

"How can our tribe, with less than two thousand people, possibly defeat the Jinzhou army?"

The crisis of extinction has loomed over everyone's heart.

"The Hudaharu tribe has entered the Kete Mountains, and it seems they are preparing to continue south to seek refuge with the royal court."

"Why don't we go to the royal court too?" a middle-aged man suggested.

The other person shook his head and said, "Does this mean we have to leave Yili?"

"If we go to the royal court, they won't give us pastures. What will our cattle and sheep eat? How will we survive?"

In rural China, people fight tooth and nail over farmland and water; similarly, nomadic peoples would hack and slash at each other for fertile pastures.

Each tribe has its own territory and pastures, and it is difficult to gain a foothold in an unfamiliar place.

"That's better than the Jinzhou army's swords cutting our necks."

"What if we surrender to the Jinzhou army? Will they let us go?"

"Hmph, Abar, are you going to gamble the fate of our tribe on the mercy of our enemies?"

“I think the Karakhanid Khanate is also a good place. Although it is all desert, their army is much easier to deal with than the Royal Army and the Jinzhou Army.”

"Moreover, we and the Karakhanid Khanate share a common enemy, and they may also hope for our help."

Although the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate was predominantly Uyghur, it also included a large number of Karluks.

They share the same roots as the Karluks of Ili and can easily integrate into the community.

Most importantly, the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate suffered severe losses in military strength after these wars.

Even if they are unwilling to accept them, they can still forcibly seize a piece of territory by force.

After some arguing, the chieftain finally made the final decision: "Alright, let's go to the Karakhanid Khanate."

"But we will come back someday."

After saying that, he looked with reluctance at the surrounding grasslands and the distant mountains.

This is where their ancestors lived. They will definitely take it back when the tribe becomes powerful in the future.

But the next moment, the clan leader slowly raised his head, feeling the slight coolness coming from his body.

"got windy."

At this moment, one can vaguely see dark clouds rising in the northwest direction of the grassland, where the sky meets the earth. The dark clouds are like a heavy black mountain pressing down, giving people an indescribable sense of oppression.

The storm is coming!
According to the Karluk people's experience, the storm would reach their tribe's location in less than fifteen minutes.

“Go back and pack your belongings, gather the cattle and sheep, and let the children come back too.”

"We will rest here for the night and set off for the Karakhanid Khanate early tomorrow morning."

After the clan chief finished giving his instructions, everyone left in silence.

The men, carrying tools, prepared to reinforce their tents, while the women quickly gathered up the furs and game that had been drying and carried them inside. The elders hurriedly herded the sheep that had been foraging outside back into the pen, the most important treasure for every nomadic family.

Even the death or injury of one or two animals in a storm can be unbearable for an average family.

The wind grew stronger, mixed with the terrified bleating of the sheep, making one feel uneasy.

As darkness grew, the entire tribe would be completely shrouded in darkness in less than fifteen minutes.

After tidying everything up, the Karluks huddled in their tents and prayed to the gods, hoping the storm would pass quickly and that their cattle and sheep would suffer minimal losses.

Most importantly, we hope the Golden State Army will let them go and forgive their past actions.

As dusk fell, the sound of horses' hooves echoed from the foot of a small hill a few miles away from the Karluk tribe.

"Uu uh uh~"

The three knights held onto the reins and stood on the hillside, gazing into the distance.

Although the terrain was undulating, the dark clouds had not yet fully arrived, and the outlines of the distant tribes could be clearly seen.

"Looks like we're in luck."

The leading knight surveyed the size of the tribe while chuckling to the two knights beside him.

The three men, all dressed in dark red cotton armor, wearing tasseled helmets, with cavalry sabers at their waists and holding hook-and-sickle spears, stood in the cold evening wind.

"We're lucky; we won't have to spend the night on the grasslands." The man on the left chuckled.

The other person carefully observed the situation of the tribe and said softly, "It seems that this is also a Karluk tribe."

"However, the population is quite large, about two thousand people."

"Hmph, so what if it's twenty thousand? They're just a bunch of rabble."

"Let's go back and report to Commander Wan."

……

Thirty miles to the northwest of the Karluk tribe, an army was advancing at a steady pace.

The army, like a long, crimson dragon, galloped across the vast grasslands, the thunderous roar of hooves shaking the earth.

This is an army of two thousand men, all of whom are cavalry.

The soldiers were all dressed in dark red cotton armor, wearing tasseled helmets, and carrying bows and arrows and spears. Each soldier rode three horses; they were the Yili Expeditionary Army under Erhu's command.

Originally, there were a total of 4,000 people, but after arriving in Yili, they split into two groups.

They searched for and eliminated the Karluk tribes hiding in the mountains.

This army was personally led by Erhu.

"Wan Hu, a heavy rain is coming."

The Jinzhou army also noticed the anomaly in the sky, but they did not panic.

After all, the western regions experience frequent rainfall in the summer due to the influence of warm air currents from the Atlantic Ocean.

Especially Yili, which is like a funnel facing west.

The rain vapors were blocked by the Tianshan Mountains and fell entirely onto the Ili Grassland, thus forming the mighty and surging Ili River.

However, the rainfall in Yili often comes and goes quickly.

Therefore, Erhu ordered: "The entire army should dismount and prepare for rest."

We can continue marching after the rain showers stop, but it's not too early, so we can set up camp on the spot.

Just then, three groups of warhorses appeared on the distant grassland; they were scouts from the Jinzhou army.

The three men approached Erhu, mounted their horses, and bowed with their right fists clenched to their chests: "Commander, we have discovered a Karluk tribe ahead, with approximately two thousand people."

"About thirty miles from here."

Upon hearing this, Erhu's face lit up with joy: "Two thousand men?"

This is a big fish!

However, seeing the dark clouds approaching from the sky, Erhu ordered: "After the rain stops, the entire army will attack and wipe out this Karluk tribe."

The heavy rain came quickly and went quickly.

Half an hour later, the dark clouds drifted over the Karluk tribe and headed southeast.

The Karluks emerged from their tents and continued their unfinished work.

But soon after, a low rumble broke the tribe's peace.

"Boom boom boom~"

It sounded like muffled thunder from the sky, or like the roar of an earth dragon turning over.

All the Karluks' expressions changed drastically. As a nomadic people, they knew all too well what such a sound meant.

A massive cavalry charge!

"There are enemies!"

"Get on your horse quickly."

The men grabbed their weapons, mounted their horses, and the women frantically pushed their children into their tents, plunging the entire tribe into chaos.

The cacophony of shouts and the neighing of warhorses echoed throughout the tribe, and even the chieftain's loud rebukes had no effect.

"Here they come. Here they come."

"It's the Jinzhou Army."

A scream shattered the tribe's clamor, instantly plunging it into deathly silence, with terror etched on every face.

Looking up, on the hillside two miles away, cavalrymen charged up the hillside and then charged down again, one after another, stretching endlessly.

Soon, a vast expanse of reddish water formed at the foot of the hillside.

They were all dressed in dark red armor, carrying long spears and bows, with crimson sun and moon battle banners fluttering in the wind.

The iron cavalry charged out, advancing wildly in the storm, like a crimson sunset rolling towards the tribe.

The shock was indescribable.

"It's the Jinzhou Army."

"It's those devils from Golden State, that's their flag, no doubt about it."

"The people of Jinzhou have come to demand their lives."

The Karluk soldiers panicked, gripped their bows and arrows tightly, and prepared to fight to the death.

The sound of horses' hooves approached like thunder, and moments later they arrived in front of the tribe.

Leading the charge was a centurion under Erhu's command, dressed in full dark red cotton armor, holding a long spear, with only his face showing, coldly surveying the panicked Karluks.

Behind him, soldiers held aloft red battle flags embroidered with sun and moon patterns, their gleaming weapons flashing coldly in the sunlight.

"The Karluk tribes have colluded with the rebel army; their crime is unforgivable!"

The centurion's voice boomed like thunder: "By order of the Grand Protector, we will pacify the Karluk tribes."

As soon as the words were spoken, the arrows from both sides were launched almost simultaneously.

The arrows of the Karluk soldiers were forged from ordinary molten iron and used repeatedly until they had lost their sharp edges, making them unable to penetrate the cotton armor of the Jinzhou army.

In contrast, the arrows of the Eastern Capital army were all forged from Hexi steel, extremely sharp, and completely ignored the leather armor of the Karluks when fired at close range.

Just a few breaths later, screams of agony rang out from the Karluk guards.

Excitement and coldness were evident on the faces of every Golden State soldier. At this moment, no one was afraid; in fact, many were filled with longing.

Because this tribe has wealth, slaves, and women.

“Kill all their soldiers, plunder all their cattle and sheep, and take their women.”

This was what all the soldiers thought, and it was also the purpose of their journey from Jinzhou to Yili.

Looting.

Commonly known as "grass harvesting".

"kill!"

The Jinzhou army stormed into the tribe.

A Jinzhou soldier, wielding a hook-and-sickle spear, walked right past a Karluk soldier carrying a spear.

It pierced the soldier's chest, blood gushing out, and the body fell heavily to the ground.

"Adunu~"

In the distance, a Karluk woman saw the soldier being killed and let out a pitiful cry; perhaps she was the soldier's sister or wife.

But the next second, the Jinzhou soldier threw a lasso at her, which accurately snagged the woman's neck.

"Hahaha~"

The soldier laughed as he pulled the woman over, shoved her onto the horse's back, and slapped her hard across the buttocks.

"Crack~"

The crisp sound made the soldier grin: "A pretty Karluk girl could be sold to the Hexi Merchant Guild for ten sheep."

Looting is still the fastest way to make money.

Although they still had to hand over two-thirds, the soldiers were still very happy.

On the other side, Aguda, the strongest warrior in the tribe and also the commander of the tribe's guard, brandished his spear and protected his family as they slowly retreated.

He shouted to his eldest son, "Protect your grandmother and brothers, run into the mountains, to the Karakhanid Khanate."

The blade of the gun in his hand had chipped, and his leather robe was soaked in blood, making it impossible to tell whether it was his own or his comrade's.

The Jinzhou army's cotton armor was very strong, with an inner layer of iron plates.

Even with his superhuman strength, it would be difficult to pierce through it, since the weapon in his hand was just a spear, not a sharp weapon like an armor-piercing cone.

But just as Aguda was distracted, three more Jinzhou cavalrymen came in a triangular formation to flank him.

One of them threw out a lasso, but he dodged it. Then another soldier charged in, and Aguda swept his gun across the enemy lines.

But the next second, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder.

It turned out to be the third soldier who took the opportunity to launch a sneak attack, hooking his shoulder with his spear.

With a strong pull, he yanked the horse off its hind legs.

The second soldier immediately followed, looking down at him, and thrust his hook-and-sickle spear fiercely into his ribs.

"Ah~"

Painful screams rang out, and the family members in the distance were heartbroken.

Erhu has given the order that there should be no mercy towards the Karluks, especially those Karluk soldiers who stubbornly resist; they should all be killed without mercy.

After dealing with the tribe's strongest warrior, the three Golden State soldiers turned their attention to his family.

The leading soldier laughed and said, "Gargauluk female slaves are worth quite a bit of money in Jinzhou."

"Kill the wolf cub with the knife to claim military merit, and sell the rest."

The Jinzhou army killed only the guards who dared to resist with knives; ordinary civilians were all golden treasures in their eyes.

I can't bear to kill them!
(End of this chapter)