The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 220 The Royal Court is Hopeless

Night fell completely over the grassland, and in the Karluk tribe, the campfires blazed like menacing bloodshot eyes.

The wind, carrying the pungent smell of blood and burnt flesh, swept past with a mournful sound.

The corpses of the Karluks have been cleared out and piled up outside the tribe like a small mountain.

Some of them had empty eyes, their faces frozen with terror and resentment; others were decapitated, their blood soaking the grass beneath them, turning the tender green grass into an eerie blackish-red.

Broken spears, shattered shields, and rusty arrowheads were scattered all around, intertwined with the corpses, creating a chilling scene.

On the other side, hundreds of captured women were imprisoned in a sheep pen, huddled together, their trembling bodies conveying endless unease.

Fifteen-year-old Ayinur was dragged out of the sheepfold by two demons dressed in crimson armor. Her face was filled with terror, and her body trembled as she struggled incessantly.

"Let me go, please let me go."

Unfortunately, the two guards couldn't understand what she was saying at all. They grinned mockingly, went to the tent that originally belonged to the tribal chief, and threw her inside.

Then, he said fiercely, "Stay inside quietly."

Ayinur couldn't understand, but she was trembling with fear and curled up in the corner in terror.

Just then, shouts and laughter suddenly came from the nearby tent: "Hahaha, this little wildcat's claws are quite sharp."

“Tugani~” Ayinur’s tears flowed, and her fear grew even stronger.

This was her cousin, who had just gotten married not long ago, and her husband had gone to Luoyang and never returned.

Moreover, she had been imprisoned in the sheepfold with him before, but was taken away earlier.

Is this my fate?
Aynur dug her nails into her palms, looked up at the tent roof, and cried out, "God above, save your poor believer!"

As early as the Karakhanid Dynasty, the Karluks and Uyghurs, except for those from the Gaochang Kingdom, had already worshipped Allah, and this has continued for over a century.

Unfortunately, even Jesus couldn't save the Karluks, and neither could Allah.

On the other side, a middle-aged woman dressed in fine clothes was thrown into the tent; it was Ayinur's mother.

Several Jinzhou soldiers were arguing outside the tent.

"Xiao Wuzi, you captured this woman, so she's naturally your slave. You can decide what to do with her."

"Hey, why don't you go first?" Xiao Wuzi said with a smile.

The Golden State Army had a clear set of rules for dealing with prisoners of war.

What the team seizes belongs to the team.

Those captured after being surrounded by the army belong to the army. After the battle, one-third of all the spoils will be turned into money and distributed to the soldiers.

Whatever you discover and capture on your own belongs to you. You can hand it over to the army as a merit and receive some reward.

But before that, you definitely need to have some fun.

If you encounter any beautiful female prisoners, you can keep them, but you will need to pay two-thirds of their value to the army, or use your previous battle merits to redeem them.

From then on, they would be the soldiers' private slaves.

The prisoner in front of them was clearly of noble birth from the Karluk tribe, and quite attractive, but rather rather old.

The young soldier did not intend to keep her, so he planned to first offer her to the local officials and then hand her over to the army.

After a struggle, Shihu entered the tent and, amidst the woman's terrified pleas for mercy, roughly pressed her onto the muddy ground.

Seeing something around her neck that looked like a talisman, Shihu ripped it off and examined it closely. He found it was made of very simple materials, worthless, and merely symbolic.

So he threw her to the ground, pressed his狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face against the back of the woman's neck, and chuckled:
"I've heard that your God is omnipotent and can even foresee disasters? How come He didn't predict today?"

In the distance, the bound Karluk prisoners of war could hear intermittent cries coming from deep within the camp, each one like a dull knife cutting into their hearts.

Some people's lips trembled uncontrollably, their teeth chattered, and their whole bodies shook uncontrollably.

Some people collapsed to the ground, tears streaming uncontrollably down their faces, their expressions filled with despair and helplessness.

Others futilely tugged at the ropes binding them, their arm veins bulging, but could only watch helplessly as tragedy unfolded.

When their gaze fell upon the mountain of their comrades' corpses piled up in the distance, these people trembled uncontrollably once again.

The real men of the tribe have all died in battle; those who remain are nothing but a bunch of wretched fools clinging to life.

As the moon rose high in the sky, the sounds in the camp gradually ceased.

Inside the large tent in the middle, Erhu shouted, "Guards!"

Then, two guards dressed in crimson cotton armor entered the tent.

Erhu sat on the edge of the bed with his shoulders exposed and a swagger.

Behind him stood Ayinur.

"Take her out of here, she's useless."

Erhu said with a look of disgust, completely unsatisfied.

Although he doesn't have the same skills as his older brother, he can still handle one or two, but unfortunately he's still a greenhorn and not very useful.

"As ordered."

The guards stepped forward and took Ayinur away, then asked, "Should we keep her or..."

Keeping them means continuing to serve Erhu.

If Erhu doesn't like it, it will be directly added to the military treasury and later sold into slavery or given as a reward to other soldiers.

"Keep it!"

This Karluk girl is quite pretty, but she's inexperienced. She'll improve with more training.

But then another question came to his mind.

She was already seventeen years old, long past the age to get married.

His mother and grandmother had urged him and Da Hu many times, but it had been delayed because of the war.

Now that his nephew is about to be born, and he doesn't even have a proper woman, Erhu suddenly felt a little uneasy.

It's not that I want to start a family, but rather that I feel I should have a child.

The children born to the legal wife, not the children born to these women who have no legal status.

The children born to the Karluk women are not worthy of inheriting Erhu's legacy.

"Never mind, let my older brother and mother make the arrangements."

Erhu shook his head and said he didn't want to waste his brainpower.

Other women are fine as they please, but when it comes to the matter of the principal wife, the opinion of Li Xiao, the eldest brother, should be the primary consideration, and it would be best if she were a Han Chinese.

The next day, Erhu summoned his generals.

They found that these guys all had ruddy complexions, completely shaking off the fatigue from the previous battles.

Indeed, even the toughest man can't live without the nourishment of a woman.

The coexistence of Yin and Yang is the true nature of things.

"Commander-in-Chief, the prisoners confessed that one group of Karluk tribes escaped to the royal court's territory, while others fled to the Karakhanid Khanate," reported Jiang Youtian, a commander under Erhu.

"Wang Ting?" Erhu was surprised; he could run quite fast.

"These Karluk traitors killed so many soldiers of the Eastern Capital Army, and even my nephew Xiao Helun. Did they think they could live in peace after leaving Yili?"

"Absolutely impossible." Erhu's eyes widened, and he said with murderous intent.

Xiao Helun is Li Xiao's nephew, so naturally he is also Li Xiao's nephew.

It is my duty to avenge my nephew.

“However, we have just made peace with the royal court. If we continue to pursue the Karluk tribe, will we break out into war with the royal court again?” said Zhao Shunzi, another commander.

"Let's fight then, what's there to be afraid of?" Erhu slammed his hand on the table and said.

He now commands four thousand elite cavalry, capable of putting up a fierce battle even against tens of thousands of royal troops.

"By the way, when will the compensation that Wang Tingjun promised us be delivered?"

Erhu suddenly thought of this matter: if war breaks out again, what will happen to the compensation from the royal court?
With 50,000 taels of gold, 300,000 taels of silver, and 1,000 bolts of silk, it was no small sum.

Jiang Youtian said, "According to the agreement, this compensation will be delivered to the Qihe Army in ten days."

"Then let's wait ten days, get the compensation, and then attack the royal court."

"If you don't hand over the Karluks, I'll turn the royal court upside down!" Erhu shouted.

Four thousand elite cavalrymen may not be able to destroy the royal court, but they are enough to cause a great disturbance in its heartland.

As for the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate, it cannot be let go.

After the Karluks were eliminated, Ili became sparsely populated.

So, before parting ways, Li Xiao told Erhu.

They tamed the original Karluks, turned them into slaves, and forced them to cultivate wasteland.

If there are still not enough men, then lead the army south, cross the Tian Shan Mountains, and plunder the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate.

Erhu had already witnessed the fighting strength of the Eastern Karakhanid army; it was far inferior to the royal army and on par with the Gaochang Kingdom army.

With just three thousand iron cavalry, Erhu was enough to flatten all the towns in the southern part of the Tianshan Corridor.

They plundered people and wealth, bringing men and women to work.

If you want the two tigers to back down, you have to show sincerity.

Needless to say, gold and silver treasures were plentiful, and women were indispensable as well.

Especially the princesses of the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate, their appearance must have been quite good.

If the elder brother married a princess from the royal court as a concubine, then it would naturally be fine for him to marry a princess from the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate as a concubine as well.

……

Half a month later, Erhu led three thousand cavalrymen and brazenly crossed the Ili River, charging toward the border of the royal court.

Konoha River, the royal court tent.

After more than half a month of recuperation, Yelü Zhilugu's leg injury has improved a lot, and he is able to walk on the ground with some difficulty.

At this moment, he sat on the couch at the head of the table, looking melancholy and unhappy, sometimes talking to himself.

Seeing his unusual behavior, the guards naturally dared not disturb him, so someone invited Princess Hunhu over.

Princess Hunhu is only thirteen years old this year. She is very beautiful, with big round eyes and a voice as melodious as a lark.

She was Yelü Zhilugu's most beloved daughter.

In the past, whenever Yelü Zhilugu encountered any troubles, all his worries would disappear as soon as he heard Princess Hunhu's laughter.

At this moment, seeing him sitting on the couch muttering to himself, Princess Hunhu, with her big, bright eyes and innocent expression, sat down beside him.

She gently wrapped her arms around his and said in a coquettish voice.

"Father, what's wrong? What happened to make you so unhappy?"

"The war hasn't stopped; we've stopped fighting with Dongdu!"

Yelü Zhilugu turned his head, a grotesque smile appearing on his gloomy face.

"Father is alright, just a little sad."

Princess Hunhu stood up, gently patted his shoulder, and asked curiously, "What happened?"

Feeling his daughter's soft little hands massaging his shoulders, Yelü Zhilugu's mood improved.

He sighed softly and said, "Your uncle is dead."

"Uncle?" Princess Hunhu opened her eyes wide, looking full of doubt. She had several uncles, all of whom were currently doing well in the royal court.

“It’s not them, it’s Wusi Tu,” Yelü Zhilugu said in a heavy tone.

"Oh! Uncle Wusi Tu? He's dead?"

Princess Hunhu was full of surprise, her small mouth slightly open.

Two years ago, when the northern frontier rebelled, Yelü Wusi Tu led the Kangli army to reinforce the royal court.

That was the first time she learned that she had such an uncle.

But I never expected that he would die now.

A flicker of reluctance and fear crossed the girl's mind.

Yelü Zhilugu gently patted Princess Hunhu's shoulder and sighed, "Yes, he's dead."

"They were killed by the Jinzhou army, and their bodies were not even collected for burial."

Are you sad and in pain?
Not necessarily.

Yelü Zhilugu felt more sorrow at the loss of his comrade than anything else.

According to the news sent by his spies to Luoyang.

The Kangli coalition attacked Dongdu, but was completely annihilated by the Jinzhou army.

Yelü Wusi Tu and the other Kangli leaders were captured by the Jinzhou army.

He was then ordered to be executed by Li Xiao.

The body is still hanging on a stake by the Cole River; it's probably already starting to dry out.

This filled Yelü Zhilugu with shock and fear.

To be honest, his personal relationship with Wusi Tu wasn't that deep.

After all, the two were not born to the same mother, and they were rivals for the throne when they were young. Moreover, they had not seen each other for so many years, and their relationship as brothers had long since become estranged.

What truly terrified Yelü Zhilugu was the formidable fighting power displayed by the Jinzhou army.

The 30,000 Kangli cavalry were completely wiped out. One can imagine that if it weren't for the threat from the Kangli army, the royal army would probably have been the one to be completely annihilated.

"How could the Jinzhou army be so evil?"

"Killing so many of our royal warriors wasn't enough; they even killed Uncle Wusi Tu."

"He's simply the worst person in the world."

Princess Hunhu puffed out her cheeks in anger and gritted her teeth as she spoke.

She already knew that her father had suffered a defeat in the Eastern Capital, losing many soldiers and generals, and that she herself had broken a leg. Since then, she had been depressed.

In her view, the Golden State Army was the culprit behind all the tragedies.

"It's a pity that I'm not a boy, otherwise I would definitely help my father defeat those Jinzhou people."

“Capture that Jinzhou governor named Li Xiao and make him kneel before you and kowtow ten thousand times.”

Hearing this, Yelü Zhilugu laughed heartily, taking it as Princess Hunhu trying to comfort him.

Because he understood his daughter's nature; she was kind-hearted and gentle, and even when she cursed, she was considered a bad person. The most vicious way to punish someone was to kowtow and apologize.

Even if such a daughter were to be reborn as a man, she would still be no match for that villain Li Xiao.

But Yelü Zhilugu was still moved by his daughter's filial piety and said with a smile, "She is indeed my daughter."

"When I personally capture Li Xiao in the future, I will let you see how he kneels before me and begs for forgiveness."

The father and daughter talked for a while longer, and Yelü Zhilugu's mood did indeed improve a lot.

Just then, a guard standing outside the tent said, "Your Majesty, Lord Han Jiuguang requests an audience."

Yelü Zhilugu casually waved his hand: "Let him in."

He didn't let Princess Hunhu leave either; unless it was something particularly important, he wouldn't deliberately avoid his daughter.

This clearly shows his affection for Princess Hunhu.

"Your Majesty, your humble servant has come to report."

Han Jiuguang entered the tent and bowed as he spoke.

At this moment, Zhilugu's mood soured again, and he said in a depressed voice, "All that money has been sent away?"

Han Jiuguang nodded slightly: "Your humble servant personally delivered it to Hebei and handed it over to the Jinzhou army."

After saying that, he sighed helplessly, "Alas!"

"The Jinzhou army did a good job of collecting, but that's 50,000 taels of gold and 300,000 taels of silver. It's such a waste."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yelü Zhilugu slammed his heavy hand on the table, his face dark with anger.

"Hmph, one day, I will make that scoundrel Li Xiao pay back this money a thousand times over."

The war reparations were a huge financial drain on the royal court, and Yelü Zhilugu's heart was bleeding.

Even his usual standard of living has dropped significantly; he hasn't eaten mutton for several days.

"Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to find a way to raise more money."

"Our army suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Dongdu, and the morale of the herdsmen is low. We can't do without money," Han Jiuguang said in a heavy voice.

"Money, money, money again! Do you really think our Great Liao is full of gold and silver mountains?" Yelü Zhilugu was furious, his cheeks trembling as he mentioned money.

"Your Majesty, why don't we borrow some money from the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate?" Han Jiuguang suggested as if a flash of inspiration had struck him.

"Borrow money?" Yelü Zhilugu was somewhat tempted.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing."

"But it would be a disgrace to our great Liao Kingdom to borrow money from a vassal state."

“Let’s increase the annual tribute!” Zhilugu said.

Not only the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate, but also the Western Karakhanid Khanate and Khwarazm, were vassal states of the Liao Dynasty.

The Liao Dynasty is in trouble now, and we should provide some assistance.

Han Jiuguang suddenly realized, and said with an admiring look, "Your Majesty is wise."

The two then began discussing the possibility of increasing the annual tribute.

The royal court has suffered a great loss of strength. If those vassal states are unwilling to increase their annual tribute, should we send troops to conquer them?

Or should they support a political force within the country that is closer to the Western Liao to come to power?
Princess Hunhu sat quietly to the side the whole time, and she could hear their conversation clearly.

Ultimately, the financial crisis of the royal court was caused by the military talent of Jinzhou.

Therefore, Princess Hunhu harbored even less affection for Jinzhou in her young heart.

"That guy named Li Xiao is absolutely wicked."

Although she should address Li Xiao as her brother-in-law, and thus also as her uncle, Princess Hunhu believed that Yelü Jin was forced to marry Li Xiao.

She doesn't acknowledge this brother-in-law at all.

Just as Princess Hunhu was listening absentmindedly, showing no interest in these political matters, and preparing to return to her mother, her personal guards reappeared outside the tent.

This time, the guard's expression was even more urgent.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from the Rehai tribe: they have been attacked by the Jinzhou army."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Zhilugu jumped up from the bed, only to feel a sharp pain in his leg.

He quickly sat down, but still looked incredulous as he asked:

"what?"

"The Jinzhou army is attacking from the direction of Yili?"

"Damn Li Xiao, what is he trying to do?"

The Wang Ting compensation payment has just been made, so why is the Jinzhou army attacking again in the blink of an eye?
Is there any trust left between people?

Yelü Zhilugu now strongly suspects that Li Xiao intends to swindle all his money first and then take his life.

Yelü Zhilugu had lived most of his life and had never seen such a despicable and shameless person.

Han Jiuguang, who was standing next to him, was also very surprised, because Li Xiao had not informed him of this matter in advance.

So he quickly said, "Your Majesty, please don't rush. Let's meet the people from Atami first!"

Atami is what later became known as Lake Issyk-Kul.

It is the easternmost point of the territory directly ruled by the royal court, and also the dividing line between the royal court and Ili.

In order to guard against the Jinzhou army from the direction of Yili, Yelü Zhilugu sent an additional thousand herders to Rehai, on top of the original thousand herders.

In total, there were two thousand elite royal soldiers, which was already a very powerful military force.

"Bring him in," Yelü Zhilugu ordered with a grim face.

Then, a disheveled Khitan cavalryman entered the tent.

Upon hearing his explanation, Yelü Zhilugu was also dumbfounded: "Chasing and killing the Karluks?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, the Jinzhou army told us that we must hand over all the Karluk tribes that fled here, otherwise they will send even more troops," the soldier said in a trembling voice.

Han Jiuguang breathed a sigh of relief and reminded him, "Your Majesty, this is the Karluk tribe that recently came to seek refuge."

"You agreed to take them in, and said that as long as they serve the royal court, no one will retaliate against them."

Yelü Zhilugu naturally remembered it, but suddenly regretted that his words had been too absolute.

In the Battle of Dongdu, the royal court suffered heavy losses. Faced with the Karluk tribe's request for protection, Yelü Zhilugu naturally agreed without hesitation.

But who would have thought that the Jinzhou army would be so petty and narrow-minded?

They wouldn't let go of a mere few Karluks, and even chased them into the royal territory.

"That's utterly arrogant."

"Extremely arrogant! Do they even respect the Great Liao Dynasty?"

"Someone come here!"

Yelü Zhilugu roared in anger, but after choking for a long time, he did not dare to issue the order to start the war again.

Then, with a dejected look in his eyes, he looked at Han Jiuguang and sighed, "Privy Councilor, tell me, how should we resolve this situation?"

In fact, he already had an idea in mind.

Han Jiuguang shook his head with a heavy expression: "Our army is exhausted and we are really not suited to fight the Jinzhou army again."

"The only option now is to send those Karluks back."

Send it back?
Yelü Zhilugu's face was filled with grief and indignation.

This is practically rubbing his face in the ground.

Unfortunately, Wang Tingjun's strength had not recovered, and he was truly unable to fight.

So he waved his hand and said dejectedly, "Go ahead, tell them to get lost."

"Damn the Karluks, when will they stop causing trouble for my Great Liao?"

Han Jiuguang nodded gently: "Yes, sir!"

He then stepped out of the tent and gently exhaled a breath of stale air.

Looking at the azure sky, he shook his head inwardly and said, "How many more years can this royal court hold out? We should make preparations for going to Jinzhou as soon as possible."

(End of this chapter)