The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 294 Three Sons and Two Daughters, the Kreikhan Court Falls

Li Xiao always distinguishes between the formal names and nicknames of his children. He decides the formal names, while the nicknames are left to their mothers.

Just like this newborn child, Sorghaghtani gave him the nickname "Mongke".

In the grassland language, it carries the beautiful meaning of "eternity, auspiciousness, and health".

As for his formal name, Li Xiao had already decided on it: Li Shihui.

The character '晖' is the same as '辉', which symbolizes both brilliance and splendor, and also the afterglow of the sun, expressing his expectations for his child.

Not long after Möngke was born, a loud cry of a baby came from another room.

A Uyghur maidservant hurried out to report, her expression seemingly slightly disappointed.

"Reporting to the Grand Protector, the lady has given birth to a baby girl."

At that moment, upon hearing that it was a daughter, the disappointment on the faces of Tajiguli and Asugul was obvious.

Now that the Kingdom of Gaochang no longer exists, the sisters have lost their greatest support. They had hoped to have a son so that they could have a more secure foothold in the Protectorate General's office.

The unexpected result was a daughter, and the disappointment in her heart was hard to hide.

Tajiguli cried, and could only keep telling her sister to be strong and get pregnant as soon as possible so that she could have a son.

But Li Xiao was not disappointed at all. He already had three sons and one daughter, and having another daughter would be great.

So, he happily waved his hand and announced that all those who participated in the delivery of the two ladies would be generously rewarded.

At the same time, he named his newborn second daughter Li Ruyue.

By this time, Li Xiao had three sons and two daughters.

The eldest son, Jin Dao, was named Li Shizhao.

Eldest daughter, Li Lingyue.

The second son, Chang Gong, was Li Shixuan.

The third son, Mongke, was Li Shihui.

Second daughter, Li Ruyue.

With the addition of the children that Er Ya and Xiao Yanyan are carrying, the Li family's offspring are becoming increasingly prosperous.

It's winter again.

Thick snow had accumulated in the streets and alleys of Longcheng, and icicles under the eaves were half a foot long. The cold wind howled past, carrying snowflakes.

During this year, the Northern Frontier Army rested and recuperated, and did not launch any major wars.

There were only occasional sporadic battles in Gansu, Beihai and other places, which were all small-scale skirmishes by the Northern Frontier Army as it expanded outwards.

It can be left to the generals in various regions. If they win, they will be rewarded; if they lose, they will be punished. Li Xiao doesn't need to worry too much about it, after all, he is not a micro-management master.

On this day, Li Xiao was in his study reviewing the memorials submitted by Zhang Xinghua, the governor of Gansu.

Zhang Xinghua gave a detailed report on the year's work: leading the military and civilians to resume farming and persuading people who had fled into the mountains to come down and settle down.

Luo Meng led the troops of the Fourth Garrison out of the pass three times, plundering a considerable number of people, grain, and wealth from Hexi.

Gansu's population has recovered from 200,000 last year to 300,000, and the land reclamation rate has reached 80%, enabling it to transport at least 300,000 shi of grain to northern Xinjiang.

Behind these figures lies the increasingly solid economic foundation of northern Xinjiang.

Li Xiao nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad."

Although he had been implementing the "Western Development" strategy, relocating people from the Central Plains to the northern frontier.

But the foundation of northern Xinjiang is ultimately too shallow.

The output of Gansu alone is equivalent to one-third of that of the entire northern Xinjiang region.

His gaze darkened only when he read the last few sentences.

In his memorial, Zhang Xinghua mentioned that the Song Dynasty delegation had arrived in Wuwei City, intending to form an alliance with the northern frontier to jointly attack the Jin Dynasty, and asked how to deal with it.

"The Song Kingdom delegation?" Li Xiao murmured, tapping his fingers lightly on the table.

He knew in his heart that in another year, the Song state would launch a northern expedition.

If the northern frontier can tie down the Jin forces in the northwest, the Song's northern expedition will be much more effective. No wonder they are eager to form an alliance.

However, alliances are never a one-sided benefit.

Li Xiao paused on the four characters "共图金国" (jointly plotting against the Jin Dynasty) with his fingertips, a calculating glint in his eyes.

Although the northern frontier is currently in good shape, it is not worthwhile for it to serve as the vanguard for the Song Dynasty's northern expedition.

After a moment's thought, Li Xiao picked up his pen and wrote a reply to Zhang Xinghua.

First, he acknowledged his achievements of the year, saying, "The people's livelihood is stable and the military supplies are plentiful; this is all thanks to you," and encouraged him to continue his efforts.

This year, the grain supply in various parts of northern Xinjiang is barely enough to sustain the region, while the grain from Gansu can be reserved for future campaigns against the Xia Kingdom.

Then, changing the subject, he said that the Song delegation did not need to come to the northern border, and he would send someone to Wuwei to negotiate.

"If we are to form an alliance, we must make the Song people show some sincerity."

"The might of my northern frontier is not something the Song Kingdom can borrow casually."

Soon after, Li Xiao selected the people to go to the negotiations.

Hu Li, the military advisor of the Court of State Ceremonies, was still on the grasslands, so the newly appointed military advisor of the Court of Legal Affairs, Suo Rui, was chosen.

He was a native Han Chinese who grew up in the desert. He had followed Li Xiao in battles for a long time and rose through the ranks based on his military achievements.

He was knowledgeable in both military and civil affairs. When the Grand Protectorate was established, he chose to retire from active service and serve as the deputy military advisor of the Legal Affairs Department.

Last year, Gu Zizhong became the governor of Xizhou, and he took the opportunity to become the military advisor of the legal department, a troublesome person.

Before his departure, Li Xiao summoned him to his study alone and pointed to the map on the wall, saying, "Remember, although we are all Han Chinese, we have nothing to do with those spineless Song people."

Whether they live or die is not important.

"The important thing is that we cannot lose face and interests in our northern border region."

"We want grain, silk, and tea."

"As for joining forces to attack the Jin, we can just give a vague answer. As for when we will send troops, that depends on our decision."

"Let them fight the Jin Kingdom first."

"Once the Jin army is nearly exhausted, it will be time for us to march south from the northern frontier."

Sori bowed and accepted the order, and the next day he set off for Wuwei with his personal guards.

……

At the same time, the northern desert was freezing cold, no less severe than the snowstorms of the northern frontier.

The world was a vast expanse of white, and almost all the herders had hid in their tents to hibernate, except for an army that was marching alone in the wind and snow.

Wrapped in layers of tattered sheepskin, they rode their warhorses on a difficult journey, their breath instantly torn apart by the cold wind.

The leader was none other than Temujin.

His face was covered in chilblains, and his palms were cracked like old tree bark.

Only one pair of eyes, bright as a hungry wolf, stared intently at the distant horizon blurred by wind and snow.

"Chief Temujin, another ten brothers have frozen to death today," Muqali said as he caught up with Temujin on his warhorse.

"At this rate, we'll never make it to Zhezhe Yundu Mountain."

Marching in winter is nothing short of inhuman torture.

Originally, Temujin had two thousand cavalrymen under his command, but along the way, one or two hundred had frozen to death, and morale had plummeted to its lowest point.

Coupled with the arduous journey and lack of food over the past few days, even the loyal soldiers of the Qiyan tribe, who had always blindly worshipped Temujin, began to complain and their eyes began to waver as they looked at him.

Temujin saw all of this, but his heart remained as firm as a rock.

He knew that to defeat such a behemoth as the Kereit tribe, many soldiers' lives would have to be sacrificed.

So he looked at Mu Huali with a firm gaze and said in a deep voice, "Mu Huali, if we turn back now, we will truly be heading towards death."

"Only by moving forward can we live in the face of death. You must believe that the Eternal Heaven will protect us."

Muqali's military talent was no less than that of Temujin, and he was even better at commanding battles.

But he was still young, and his understanding of human nature and his use of power were far less sophisticated than those of the seasoned Genghis Khan.

"But we endured the cold wind and heavy snow, and we didn't even have enough food to fill our stomachs. I was worried that if we continued on, the warriors really wouldn't be able to hold on."

He looked at the numb faces of the soldiers around him, his voice full of worry.

A bombing of a camp is a catastrophic disaster for any army, let alone a remnant force that was already on the verge of collapse.

"Although we have run out of food and livestock, we still have warhorses," Temujin said in a cold and hard voice.

The next second, he suddenly drew his scimitar and thrust it into the neck of the warhorse beneath him without hesitation.

"Whoa whoa whoa~"

The warhorse let out a mournful whinny, startling the surrounding Qiyan soldiers who all turned to look.

They watched in shock as their leader killed his own warhorse.

This "Dalai Nor horse" was the king of horses presented as tribute by the Balahu tribe near the Great Northern Marsh. It had always been regarded as a treasure by Temujin, but now it was stained with blood on the snow.

The soldiers were incredulous.

Moreover, the people of the grasslands have an affection for their warhorses no less than that for their family members, and they would not easily kill their warhorses.

Once the warhorse had completely died, Temujin, covered in blood, stood up, gripped his blood-dripping scimitar, and swept his gaze across the crowd with lightning speed, shouting loudly, "Warriors of the Qiyan tribe, look carefully!"

He stepped on the horse carcass, and drops of scarlet blood dripped from the sole of his boot onto the snow.

"So what if this horse is the king of horses?"

"When it can no longer lead us to victory, it must become our sustenance for survival."

"Today, I, Temujin, will share a horse with you..."

Temujin was a true hero; what was a mere warhorse to him?
He wouldn't care if he had to give up all his wealth and all his women.

Only names and objects cannot be shared; everything else is permissible.

Seeing that Temujin had slaughtered his most beloved warhorse to feed everyone, the soldiers of the Qiyan tribe were indeed moved.

Then Temujin continued shouting, "There are only three thousand Kereit soldiers at Zhezhe Yundu Mountain. Right now, they are embracing women and drinking mare's milk wine. They would never imagine that we dare to cross the blizzard in winter, let alone be on guard against us."

"The Eternal Heaven will not abandon true warriors."

"Once we reach Zhezheyundu Mountain, we will surely be able to crush all the tents of the Kereit people."

"And I, Temujin, promise you that each of you can become a centurion, an emissary of the Eternal Heaven, and a person above all others."

"You can crawl into the warm tents of the Kreik people, gnaw on their roasted lamb legs, drink their aged milk wine, and choose from those fair-skinned Kreik women."

"You are enduring hunger now so that you may become Noyans (nobles) in the future, so that you may be able to lie on your carpets and enjoy comfort."

Temujin suddenly pointed his scimitar at the sky and shouted, "As long as I, Temujin, am still here, the Qiyan tribe will not perish."

“In the future, your sons will become commanders of thousands, your grandsons will lead ten thousand cavalry, and the whole grassland will sing your names.”

"Now, who is willing to come with me to raid the Kree's camp and seize their women?"

The swirling snow and wind couldn't stop his voice from reaching the ears of every soldier. Under Temujin's passionate rallying cry, the Qiyan soldiers, whose morale had been low and who were almost ready to camp, instantly regained their fighting spirit.

Someone shouted first, "I do!"

Immediately afterwards, more and more voices broke through the wind and snow.

His frozen fingers gripped the scimitar tightly again, and flames ignited on his numb face.

They believed, or rather, they were willing to believe, that the man who had killed his beloved horse in their desperate situation could lead them back from hell to heaven.

Temujin looked at the scene before him with satisfaction, bent down and cut a piece of bloody flesh from the horse carcass, stuffed it directly into his mouth and chewed it vigorously.

"set off!"

"Let the Kereit people know how sharp the claws of the Mongolian eagle are in winter."

Then, Temujin mounted a Mongol ponie and continued on his way despite the wind and snow.

None of the other Qiyan soldiers fled.

Instead, one by one they came to the warhorse, each cutting off a piece of flesh and swallowing it raw.

Zhezheyundu Mountain was the temporary residence of the Kereit Khanate.

At this moment, a lively banquet was being held inside the Khan's tent, the air filled with the rich aroma of mare's milk wine and the fatty fragrance of roasted mutton.

Wang Han sat on the tiger-skin chair at the head of the table, wrapped in a thick sable fur coat, yet he still couldn't stop coughing and panting.

Seated below were numerous Kereit nobles, each dressed in magnificent brocade robes, toasting each other and laughing loudly.

However, there were two unfamiliar faces at the table.

Sitting on the left is Hu Li, the military advisor of the Northern Frontier Court.

Li Xiao's orders to him were clear: as long as the war on the grasslands remained unresolved, he would stay in the Kereit tribe to monitor the situation and relay messages.

He was holding a wine glass, seemingly socializing with the nobleman next to him, but his eyes were constantly watching the movements inside the tent.

Sitting on the other side was a burly middle-aged man, none other than Temujin's younger brother, Hasar.

Although his robes were decent enough, he looked like a country bumpkin and seemed out of place compared to the Kereit nobles.

"Great Khan, Temujin is ignorant of the Mandate of Heaven and goes against the will of Heaven. He will bring about his own destruction sooner or later!" Hasar raised his wine cup, stood up and raised it to Wang Khan from afar. His voice was loud but carried a hint of deliberate flattery.

“I have long seen through his true colors and am unwilling to follow him to my death. I have come to surrender to the Great Khan and am willing to serve him like a dog or a horse, helping the Great Khan to completely eliminate that traitor!”

The tent fell silent for a moment as all the nobles turned their gazes toward Hasar, some scrutinizing, some disdainful, and some watching with amusement, anticipation of a good show.

Wang Han coughed twice, squinted at Hasar, and slowly said, "Since you are Temujin's brother, aren't you afraid that I will suspect you are a spy sent by him?"

Hasar immediately knelt on one knee and placed his hands on his chest: "Great Khan, you are wise!"

“I have long severed all ties with Temujin. He is willing to abandon even his own family for power. If I stay by his side, I will only face death.”

"I am willing to offer up all the secrets of the Qiyan tribe that I know, in order to ask the Great Khan to spare the lives of me and my people!"

Prior to this, Temujin sent Jeleme to surrender to the Khan's court, but Sangkun demanded that Temujin bind his own hands and kneel before the Khan's court.

Temujin knew that he had a deep grudge against Sangkun, and that once he entered the Khan's court, Sangkun would never let him go.

And so the war continued.

Under the powerful pressure of the Kereit tribe, the Qiyan tribe finally began to split.

Temujin's brother led a portion of his troops away and came to surrender to Wang Khan.

This move pleased Wang Han greatly, and Sang Kun had little objection either.

His target was not the Qiyan tribe, but Temujin himself.

He always believed that Temujin was ambitious and that only by killing Temujin could the grasslands be at peace.

As for Hasar?
He's nothing but a stray dog.

Spare his life; it won't hurt to enhance the Kereit tribe's reputation for tolerance.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

"Get up," Wang Han said, coughing and panting, his face flushed, struggling to utter a complete sentence.

"Since you've come to surrender, my Kereit tribe isn't intolerant of people. Sit down and have a drink first. As for what happens next, that will depend on your performance."

Hasar quickly thanked him and got up to sit down.

The noise inside the tent gradually returned, with the clinking of wine glasses and laughter ringing out once more.

When the banquet ended, the wind and snow outside the tent had subsided somewhat, and the moonlight shone through the sparse clouds onto the snow-covered ground, giving it a cool and clear glow.

Hu Li and Zha Hegan walked side by side, and Hu Li spoke first: "Your Highness, what do you think of Hasar's surrender?"

Zhahegan pulled up the collar of his fur coat, frowned, and shook his head with a solemn expression: "This matter is very strange."

"Hasar was Temujin's most capable right-hand man. I still remember clearly how the two brothers fought side by side on the banks of the Onon River."

"I don't believe he has truly submitted."

He paused, his tone becoming more complex: "I actually have great respect for Temujin. In Han Chinese terms, it's like we admire each other as heroes."

"He's a ruthless man at heart, ruthless to his men, and even more ruthless to himself. He will never be defeated so easily."

"Hassar's surrender at this time seems like..."

"It's more like they deliberately offered themselves up?" Hu Li chimed in, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Most likely."

Zhahegan nodded: "Temujin may seem rough, but he is actually very meticulous."

Hu Li nodded slightly, his breath dispersing in front of him: "Although I don't know much about Temujin, the Grand Protector always talks about him, saying that he is the most dangerous wolf on the grassland."

"In my opinion, he probably won't be defeated easily."

He then turned to Zhaheganbu and said solemnly, "During this time, Your Highness, please keep your family and followers in check and be extremely vigilant."

"Send more men to patrol at night, and don't keep the lights in the tents on too late, lest they give anyone an opportunity to take advantage."

Zhahegan nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, Military Advisor Hu, I understand the importance of this matter."

The two walked a few more steps, and Hu Li suddenly remembered something. He slowed down and said with a smile, "By the way, Your Highness, there is some good news to tell you."

"Lady Sorghaghtani gave birth to a son a few days ago. The Grand Protector named him Li Shihui, and his nickname is Möngke."

Zhahegan was taken aback at first, then a smile spread across his face: "Really? This is truly wonderful news."

He then began to mutter the name 'Mongke' to himself, becoming more and more satisfied with it.

"Mongke is a good name! I hope he will always be healthy and auspicious."

"I'll have to have someone prepare some gifts to send to the northern frontier later."

"Your Highness is very kind."

Hu Li smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Madam's delivery went smoothly, and the baby is very healthy. I imagine Madam Sorghaghtani would be very happy if she knew you were thinking of her so much."

On this day, the tent of Zhaheganbu was warm and cozy.

He and his wife were packing gifts for Sorghaghtani, preparing to have them delivered to Longcheng by the caravan of the Hexi Trading Company.

"Although the northern frontier is more prosperous than the northern desert, with abundant resources and all sorts of rare and exotic items,"

"But nothing feels as comforting as the things from our hometown."

As Zhaheganbu's wife stuffed dried fruit into a sack, she laughed.

“These dried sea buckthorn berries were her favorite when she was little, and she’ll be happy to see them.”

Zhahegan nodded in agreement: "Pour that jar of deer blood wine back in too!"

As the couple were talking, they suddenly heard the faint sound of galloping warhorses.

Zhahegan suddenly stood up, his hand instinctively resting on the curved sword at his waist.

"somebody is coming."

Soon after, a trusted aide rushed over in a panic and reported, "Master! A large number of cavalry are attacking from the north!"

Zhaheganbu's expression was solemn, but he calmly asked, "How many people are there? Which tribe are they from?"

"It's too far away to see the flags clearly; all I can see is a dark mass!"

Zhahegan frowned, then suddenly realized something and asked in a deep voice, "Could it be Temujin?"

Meanwhile, chaos reigned in Wang Han's tent.

Wang Han had just taken his medicine and lay down when he was startled awake by the shouts of battle and sat up abruptly, coughing violently.

Sangkun flung open the tent flap and rushed in, his face filled with shock and anger: "Father Khan! Enemy troops are attacking from the north!"

"Is it the Northern Frontier Army?"

Wang Han clutched his chest, panting. His first thought was of the group of guys entrenched on the west side of Dujin Mountain.

It was precisely because they were far from the attack range of the Northern Frontier Army that the Khanate was moved to the Zhezheyundu Mountain further east.

"These bastards are definitely up to no good!" Sang Kun also thought they were from the Northern Frontier Army.

After all, the Kereit tribe is currently the undisputed overlord of the northern desert, without exception.

Aside from those bastards in the northern frontier, who else would dare to launch a sneak attack on the Kereit Khanate?
However, Sangkun had arranged many spies in the Yudujin Mountain area and the old Khanate. Why didn't they report the attack by the Northern Frontier Army?

Immediately afterwards, a guard stumbled in and spoke rapidly.

"There were no sun and moon battle flags from the northern frontier, nor red and yellow armor. They were all cavalrymen wearing tattered sheepskins, and they looked more like... tribes from our northern desert!"

A tribe in the northern desert?
Sangkun's heart skipped a beat, and a name instantly came to mind. He asked sharply, "Where is Hasar? Where is that Mongol slave?"

The subordinates around him looked at each other, none of them able to give a clear answer.

Sang Kun overturned the table, realizing he had been tricked.

That Hasar was clearly a spy sent by Temujin. He had been wandering around the Zhezheyundu Mountains these past few days and probably already knew the terrain of each place very well.

"Men! Assemble all forces and prepare for battle!" Sang Kun roared angrily.

Temujin's timing was terrible for the Kereit tribe.

In the dead of winter, the tribesmen either hibernated in their tents or were scattered across pastures hundreds of miles away, with only three thousand guard cavalry around the Khan's court.

Whether they can withstand Temujin's surprise attack depends on Tengri's decree.

Meanwhile, on the vast snowfield to the north, Temujin led more than 1,500 cavalrymen in a charge.

His tattered sheepskin coat was covered in snow and mud, but his eyes shone with an astonishing light, filled with a thirst for revenge.

Hasar, riding swiftly beside him, skillfully directed his troops to avoid traps and dangerous areas.

"Charge! Take over the Khan's tent, and the Kereit's cattle, sheep, and women will all be ours!" Temujin roared angrily.

"Boom boom boom~"

As warhorses galloped, more than a thousand Qiyan soldiers, looking like beggars, stormed into the Khan's court.

Although the Khan's guards had a numerical advantage, they were completely unprepared and were quickly overwhelmed by Temujin's furious sneak attack.

They suffered repeated defeats, and blood stained the snow-covered grounds of the Khan's court.

(End of this chapter)