The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 263 Controlling the throat of Gansu and Liangzhou, and the gateway to Hexi

The sun hung high in the sky, scorching the vast earth.

The golden sun and moon battle flags fluttered in the wind as the Northern Frontier army surged forth from Liangzhou City like a raging tide.

These are the First and Sixth Towns led by Li Xiao.

After the Battle of Liangzhou, Li Xiao handed over the city of Liangzhou to the Fourth Garrison, which arrived later, and then led tens of thousands of cavalry to continue the eastward expedition.

We are preparing to travel to the heart of the Western Xia territory.

After all, the elite Western Xia army had been completely wiped out in the Hexi campaign, leaving the Western Xia heartland vulnerable. It was good at defense but not at offense.

Li Xiao's forces consisted entirely of cavalry, moving swiftly like the wind, enough to stir up trouble in the heart of Western Xia.

About 150 li from Liangzhou City, a scout came galloping up and reported to the Grand Protector: Tiger Wolf Gorge is 20 li ahead.

"Tiger Wolf Gorge?"

Li Xiao's expression hardened, and he looked up at the outline of the distant mountains.

It was already late afternoon, and the crimson sunset was shining on the mountains in front of us, making them look like a golden mountain, dazzling with light.

But what really caught Li Xiao's attention was the name Tiger Wolf Gorge, which could also be called Tiger Wolf Valley.

Many fictional novels have depicted her, the most famous being the story of the Yang family women generals.

After the men of the Yang family died in battle, twelve widows went on a westward expedition. In Tiger Wolf Valley, they were ambushed by the Xia army, and eleven of them died in battle. The old lady She wept blood in grief.

Although it is just a story made up by later generations, the perilous terrain of Tiger Wolf Valley is beyond doubt.

Moreover, in actual history, the Northern Song army fought a war with the Western Xia army in Tiger Wolf Valley. After the defeat, the Northern Song army completely lost control of the Hexi Corridor.

The Northern Song army had no more good horses to use, which led to a rapid decline in its combat effectiveness.

Facing the infamous Tiger Wolf Valley, Li Xiao naturally dared not underestimate it, and shouted in a deep voice: "Send the order for the army to set up camp outside Tiger Wolf Valley."

"We'll enter the valley first thing tomorrow morning."

Subsequently, a large number of scouts were dispatched to Tiger Wolf Valley for reconnaissance.

Although the elite main force of Western Xia had been almost completely wiped out in the Battle of Hexi, Li Xiao still had to take precautions.

After all, Tiger Wolf Valley has a treacherous terrain, making it an absolute stronghold that can be held by one man against ten thousand. Even a small number of troops would be enough to pose a great threat to the Northern Frontier Army.

The next morning, as the sun began to rise, a flurry of noise and wisps of smoke rose from the Northern Frontier Army camp.

The aroma of millet porridge wafted outside Tiger Wolf Valley.

Li Xiao, who had just finished his morning exercise, strode back wearing a black shirt that revealed half of his chest.

The morning breeze was cool, but Li Xiao felt no chill at all; his blood and energy were surging, and he was full of vitality.

Its powerful aura is like a lurking beast, giving people a great sense of oppression.

"Grand Protector!"

Outside the tent, Lin Dazhuang was already waiting. Upon seeing Li Xiao, he immediately put his hand to his chest and shouted.

"Dazhuang, have you eaten yet?"

"Let's go together!"

Li Xiao asked softly, and before Lin Dazhuang could answer, he waved his hand, instructing his personal guards to prepare two breakfasts.

Although Lin Dazhuang had already eaten, he said he could eat two more bowls when Li Xiao invited him.

So he handed his helmet and scimitar to the guards outside the tent, followed Li Xiao into the tent, and sat down behind the low table.

Soon, two guards brought out breakfast.

The regular garrison troops of the six towns need to engage in long-term, high-intensity combat, so their food supply must be adequately guaranteed.

Unlike ordinary people who eat two meals a day, soldiers in the town eat three meals a day.

Lunch is at noon, while breakfast is mainly light.

Even Li Xiao himself wasn't anything special; he had a bowl of millet porridge, a pancake, and a small dish of pickled vegetables.

The soldiers would only be given meat at lunchtime.

Li Xiao and Lin Dazhuang were both rough men, and they finished their breakfast in just a few bites.

Then, Li Xiao said with a serious expression, "Dazhuang, the terrain inside Tiger Wolf Valley is complicated. Although there are locals as guides, you must be extremely careful."

"If there is danger, do not act rashly; wait for the main force of our army to provide support."

Lin Dazhuang's mission was to serve as the vanguard of the Northern Frontier army, entering Tiger Wolf Valley ahead of others to pave the way.

If possible, Li Xiao would not want to pass through Tiger Wolf Valley, but unfortunately, Tiger Wolf Valley has a very special geographical location and is the only way to enter and exit the Hexi Corridor.

Historically, there were actually three routes from Guanzhong to the Hexi Corridor.

The northern route starts from Zhongwei, west of Xingqing Prefecture, and goes straight west to reach Liangzhou City.

However, the entire route was almost entirely desert, and it was also extremely dangerous quicksand.

Water is scarce. Although it can accommodate a small number of caravans, if a large army were to enter, it would be a matter of life and death.

The southern route, on the other hand, requires detouring through Guanzhong, passing through the plateau, then traversing the Qilian Mountains, and entering the Shandan military horse farm from Biandukou.

The journey involves high altitude, lack of oxygen, and extreme weather, and the terrain is treacherous, making it extremely dangerous.

Therefore, throughout history, everyone has chosen to travel through the middle route.

Most of the road was safe and sound, except for Tiger Wolf Valley and Wushaoling, where the terrain was treacherous and the road was narrow, with high mountains on both sides.

Wushaoling is the eastern gateway to the Hexi Corridor; entering Wushaoling means entering the Hexi Corridor.

In terms of climate, geographical environment, and cultural customs, there are already significant differences between it and the Guanzhong Plain.

Heading north from Wushaoling is Tiger and Wolf Valley, known as the "Golden Pass and Silver Lock".

This is a natural barrier to the Hexi Corridor, and has been praised since ancient times as "controlling the throat of Gansu and Liangzhou and the gateway to Hexi".

It is a treacherous place located at the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor, with cliffs on both sides that seem to have been cleaved open by a giant axe of the gods, piercing the clouds and forming a natural, dangerous pass.

It is about 60 li long, but less than one li wide, with the narrowest part being only a dozen zhang. It is a strategic location that military strategists must fight for.

"Rest assured, Grand Protector, I will act with utmost care," Lin Dazhuang said in a deep voice.

He was the 30,000th commander of the First Town, with more than 2,000 elite cavalry under his command, and also carried 20 Tiger-Duke Cannons, making him a formidable fighter.

As long as they don't encounter the main force of the Xia army, they can at least safely withdraw from the valley.

After discussing the matter further with Lin Dazhuang, Lin Dazhuang led his troops away.

The 30,000th Cavalry Unit, all clad in cotton armor, each rider on three horses, marched slowly toward Tiger Wolf Valley in a grand procession.

By evening, news finally came from the 30,000th household.

"Reporting to the Grand Protector, our troops have safely passed through Tiger Wolf Valley and occupied the Wushaoling Heights."

Inside the golden tent, three cavalrymen dressed in yellow armor stood before Li Xiao.

Li Xiao recognized them; they were Lin Dazhuang's personal guards.

He breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing that Lin Dazhuang's troops had safely passed through Tiger Wolf Valley.

Tiger Wolf Valley and Wushaoling are the last barrier between the Hexi Corridor and Guanzhong. By occupying Wushaoling, the Northern Frontier Army can advance eastward at any time, threatening the security of the Western Xia heartland.

"It seems the Xia army's defeat was too sudden, so much so that the Xia court didn't even have time to send anyone to seize this dangerous place," Li Xiao said calmly.

Lin Dazhuang's troops have already occupied Wushaoling, which naturally means that the valley is safe.

However, just to be on the safe side, Li Xiao questioned the three guards in detail.

During this process, apart from looking tired, the three bodyguards were otherwise as usual.

Li Xiao nodded slightly: "You've all worked hard. Go and collect ten taels of silver each."

"Go down and rest first, then we'll enter the valley with the army early tomorrow morning."

Ten taels of silver is quite a lot; it can buy two cows.

The three guards' faces lit up with joy: "Thank you, Great Protector!"

Afterwards, they went back to rest under the guidance of Li Xiao's personal guards.

Li Xiao then turned to Qin Chunsheng, Li Donghe, and other generals, and said in a deep voice, "Tomorrow morning, the army will enter the valley and head east out of Hexi."

"Let those idiots in Xingqing Prefecture experience firsthand the might of my Northern Frontier Cavalry."

Luo Chunsheng and the others were filled with excitement and shouted in deep voices, "Yes, sir!"

The next day, the main force of the army entered Tiger Wolf Valley. Despite Lin Dazhuang clearing the way in advance, Li Xiao was still very careful. Whenever they encountered a dangerous place, he would send scouts to check the ridges on both sides for any ambushes.

They had only completed the sixty-mile journey by sunset.

This speed is just right for infantry, but it's rather slow for cavalry.

Although we wasted a lot of time in the valley, it was safe.

"As expected of the famous Tiger and Wolf Valley."

After leaving Tiger Wolf Valley, Li Xiao looked back at the valley behind him and couldn't help but marvel.

The experiences of that day only strengthened his resolve.

We must keep this dangerous place, Tiger Wolf Valley, firmly in our own hands.

"One man can hold the pass against ten thousand." The skinny monkey following Li Xiao exclaimed in amazement.

But then he said with a serious expression, "Great Protector, if a pass is built here, the connection between the Hexi Corridor and Guanzhong will be completely severed."

"The Xia Kingdom will also have no chance of conquering the Hexi Corridor."

Hearing this, Li Xiao glanced at the skinny monkey, nodded slightly, and praised, "You have indeed made some progress."

Then, looking towards Tiger Wolf Valley, he said in a deep voice, "You're right."

"If we want the Hexi Corridor to be safe from the invasion of the Xia army, a pass must be built in Tiger Wolf Valley."

Just like the famous Jiayuguan and Hangu Pass.

Tiger Wolf Valley is already a dangerous place. If a pass is built in it, the connection between the east and the west can be completely severed.

If the Western Xia wanted to recover the Hexi Corridor, it had to first capture Tiger Wolf Valley.

Having a pass would greatly increase the difficulty of capturing Tiger Wolf Valley, and would require at least tens of thousands of soldiers to be killed or wounded.

Historically, few dynasties built passes in Tiger Wolf Valley, mainly due to differences in their defensive priorities.

During the Han and Tang dynasties, the western border was in the Western Regions, and Tiger Wolf Valley was within the territory, so there was no need to build a pass.

The Western Xia dynasty did the same, building passes to obstruct the connection between the Hexi Corridor and Guanzhong, which not only consumed a lot of manpower and resources, but also potentially made the Hexi Corridor more independent. Therefore, Tiger Wolf Valley was always kept open.

But now, Li Xiao has his eye on the fertile lands of Liangzhou and Ganzhou, and on the 400,000 shi of grain produced annually in these two places.

If we want to control the Hexi Corridor, we must build a pass in Tiger Wolf Valley.

"Tiger Wolf Pass!"

Li Xiao gazed at the setting sun in the valley and said in a deep voice, "Once my army returns, we will begin constructing Tiger Wolf Pass."

Upon hearing this, the skinny monkey smiled, as if pleased that his suggestion had been adopted.

"The Grand Protector is wise."

As evening approached, the Northern Frontier Army set up camp and rested on the south side of Tiger Wolf Valley.

The next day, Li Xiao left Lin Dazhuang to guard Tiger Wolf Valley and protect the army's rear.

Then they continued their march, but at the Wushaoling location they made a 90-degree turn and began to head east along the Karuochuan River (Zhuanglang River).

This place is known as the Wushaoling Ancient Road.

Although it is also a dangerous place, it is much wider than Tiger and Wolf Valley, enough to accommodate more troops.

It was already the height of summer. Although Wushaoling was cool due to its high altitude, the sun was scorching.

The scorching sun made the rocks underfoot scorching hot, and tens of thousands of hooves from the northern frontier trod slowly forward on the mountain roads, which were shrouded in steaming heat.

Another day passed, and on the afternoon of the second day, the main force of the Northern Frontier Army finally left the Wushaoling Ancient Road.

"Report~"

"Reporting to the Grand Protector, a village has been discovered ahead."

There are probably around seven or eight hundred people.

The golden sun and moon battle banner fluttered under the blazing sun. When Li Xiao heard the scout's report, a slight smile appeared on his face as he squinted and looked ahead.

Then he turned to look at the surrounding Northern Frontier army. During the continuous march, the morale of these soldiers had been somewhat low.

Li Xiao prepared to cook another pot of chicken soup.

"It's so cold~"

He rode his warhorse to a high ground, slowly drew his dragon-headed cavalry saber, pointed at the rising heat waves on the horizon, and his deep voice echoed across the wilderness: "Warriors."

"Do you see that piece of land over there?"

"That is the Guanzhong Plain, the Central Plains."

The blade was scorching hot from the sun, reflecting a dazzling halo, but Li Xiao's voice grew even more impassioned.

"The Hexi Corridor is just an appetizer; countless golds are buried beneath the fertile soil of Guanzhong and Longxi, and the wheat in the granaries ferments even in the sweltering heat."

"Those wives of Xia Kingdom nobles are waiting for us men from the Northern Frontier to cool them down in their sweltering mansions!"

Li Xiao's words elicited laughter from the soldiers, which quickly erupted into wild howls.

The soldiers ripped open their sweat-soaked shirts and roared loudly, their faces flushed and necks bulging: "Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Li Xiao's gaze swept over the surging crowd below the mountain, and he laughed loudly, saying, "As long as we win this battle, we can choose any woman from Hexi and lead any cattle, sheep, or horses we want."

"What if we lose..."

He licked his chapped lips, his voice turning icy cold amidst the summer heat: "Then let's die together in Guanzhong."

"To die together."

"I, Li Xiao, will never live alone."

As Li Xiao finished speaking, the soldiers of the Northern Frontier roared in unison, pounding their chests as their scimitars scraped against their armor.

"Ho ho ho ho~"

Li Xiao stood atop the mountain, his warhorse raising its forelegs high, neighing with fighting spirit.

"Warriors of the Northern Frontier, we are eagles of the grasslands and wolves of the wilderness, born to plunder."

"Follow me and we'll conquer Guanzhong and plunder everything they have!"

"On the day of our triumphant return, I will make the bonfires of the northern frontier burn from the grasslands to the banks of the great river, and every warrior's tent will be filled with gold and silver, and every night a woman will warm his bed!"

"kill!"

"kill!"

The soldiers in the northern frontier were filled with fighting spirit and roared fiercely.

The warhorses charged forward at breakneck speed, breaching the village in a mere moment, followed by rampant looting, releasing the pent-up emotions of the past few days.

As the sun sets, the noise and shouts in the village gradually disappear, and everything seems to return to peace.

Li Xiao ordered his army to set up camp and rest in the village.

The next morning, they continued heading southeast.

His target is Yuan Chuancang!

Because of the food shortage in northern Xinjiang, and the recent raids on Hexi Corridor that have robbed at least 500,000 people, the food problem is becoming increasingly serious.

Although Li Xiao planned to disperse these people in the northern frontier to reclaim wasteland and grow grain.

The vastness of the northern frontier is sufficient to feed these people.

But this will take time; for at least a year, the Northern Protectorate will need to provide grain to feed these more than 500,000 mouths.

This was a massive undertaking, and the grain from the desert and Gaochang alone could not possibly meet the needs of so many people.

Although the Northern Frontier Army had already looted 400,000 shi of grain in Ganzhou and Liangzhou, as the saying goes, "with grain in hand, one has nothing to fear."

The more grain, the better.

Li Xiao, who originally planned to stop the attack after capturing Liangzhou City, learned some news from a captured Western Xia general.

Yuanchuan Granary also has at least 300,000 shi of grain stored up.

The Western Xia Dynasty had four major granaries.

These are the 'Lingzhou Granary' located in Lingzhou City, the 'Ganliang Granary' located in Ganzhou and Liangzhou, and the 'Imperial Granary' located in Xingqing Prefecture.

The last one is 'Yuanchuan Warehouse' located in the southern part of Zhuoluo City.

Among the four major granaries, the Imperial Granary in Xingqing Prefecture was the largest, and it was said to be able to store a million shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain.

The 'Yuanchuan Granary' is the smallest in scale, with a daily output of only around 100,000 shi (a unit of dry measure).

However, due to its geographical location, Yuanchuan is situated in the eastern part of the Hexi Corridor.

Three hundred li southeast of Wushaoling lies Yuanchuan.

It can serve as a logistical base for the army that is conquering the west.

Therefore, at the start of the war, the Western Xia court transferred a large amount of grain and fodder from the Imperial Granary and Lingzhou Granary to the Yuanchuan Granary.

Clearly, the Western Xia rulers and their ministers were prepared for a protracted war with the northern frontier, but they did not expect the Battle of Hexi to end so tragically and so swiftly.

The grain and fodder located in the 'Yuanchuan Granary' naturally became a piece of fat meat placed in front of the Northern Frontier Army.

Li Xiao felt uncomfortable all over if he didn't eat it.

So, the Northern Frontier Army arrived.

However, there is still one obstacle to capturing Yuanchuan Warehouse: Zhuoluo City.

This place is located north of Yuanchuan Granary, less than 100 li away.

The 'Henan Military Command,' one of the twelve military supervisory commands of the former Western Xia, was located in Zhuoluo City.

The purpose was to guard against the Tibetan Empire and the Song Dynasty in the south.

However, at the time of the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Western Xia also sent troops south and seized a large area of ​​territory from the Northern Song.

This included a large area of ​​territory south of Zhuoluo City, which directly brought Xining, the capital of Qinghai in later generations, under its rule.

The area around Xining is the famous Hehuang Valley, with fertile soil and vast fields.

The Western Xia further developed this area, opening up a large number of farmlands, and then built the 'Yuanchuan Granary' to store grain from the Hehuang Valley.

With the addition of a large amount of military rations transported from Xingqing Prefecture, the current grain reserves of the 'Yuanchuan Granary' have reached 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure).

At this time, the Northern Frontier Army was marching south along the Karo River Valley, and even if they encountered villages along the way, they would simply skip them if there was no need to.

No temptation could stop Li Xiao's desire for food.

"Grand Protector, a scout has brought news."

"Zhuoluo City is less than twenty miles away from our army."

On this day, the Northern Frontier Army arrived outside Zhuoluo City.

According to reports from the Embroidered Uniform Guard's spies in the Privy Council of Xingqing Prefecture, since the Western Xia captured Xining Prefecture, the defensive focus of Zhuoluo City has shifted south.

To guard against the threat and plunder of the Hehuang Valley by the Tibetans who came from the plateau.

The Western Xia emperor decided to move the main force of the Southern Army, originally located in Zhuoluo City, to Xining Prefecture to defend the border.

In addition, some of the troops of the Southern Army were lost in Liangzhou City during the previous Battle of Hexi.

Therefore, although Zhuoluo City was still nominally the garrison of the Southern Army Command, its actual military strength had dwindled to only a few thousand men.

Besides guarding against the Jin state south of the Yellow River, the most important tasks were to protect the Yuanchuan granary.

However, a city with only a few thousand people stationed there posed a very limited threat to the Northern Frontier Army.

Li Xiao didn't even plan to attack Zhuoluo City, but instead bypassed it and went straight to Yuanchuan.

"Order the Sixth Division to surround Zhuoluo City and protect the rear of our main force."

"I personally led the First Garrison south to seize the 'Yuanchuan Granary'."

As the sun set, Li Xiao looked toward Zhuoluo City and coldly shouted in a deep voice.

His only goal was the grain supply in Yuanchuan; everything else had to take a backseat to it.

Meanwhile, the garrison of Zhuoluo City also discovered the arrival of the Northern Frontier Army, and the piercing sound of gongs rang out from the city walls.

"The barbarians from the northern frontier are here!"

"The barbarians from the northern frontier are here!"

(End of this chapter)