The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 326 The Capture of Xiping Prefecture, the Demise of Western Xia
Inside the imperial palace of Xiping Prefecture, the aroma of wine mingled with the scent of cosmetics.

Li Anquan leaned back on a soft couch covered with white tiger skin, embracing two beautiful concubines in his arms, holding a golden goblet filled with fine wine in his hand, his eyes glazed over, his face full of drunkenness.

"This is life!"

"Hahaha!"

He had only been on the throne for less than two months, and his former restrained sharpness had slowly been swallowed up by extravagance.

The palace was filled with the sounds of string and wind instruments, and dancers dressed in light gauze robes twirled and leaped around, creating a scene of decadent indulgence.

"I've fought so many wars and suffered so much humiliation under Li Chunyou. Now that I'm the emperor, what's wrong with enjoying myself?"

Li Anquan downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, his hand roaming freely in the arms of the concubine beside him. Still feeling unsatisfied, he said arrogantly, "Someone, summon Li Chunyou's former concubines to me."

Before long, Li Chunyou's concubines also gathered around Li Anquan to please him.

Their families sent them to the palace to arrange marriages with the royal family; they were the concubines of the Xia Emperor, but not just Li Chunyou's concubines.

Li Anquan laughed loudly, reached out and pulled the most beautiful concubine into his arms, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.

"What a pity for Consort Wang, she was a beauty of unparalleled grace!"

"I hadn't even had a chance to properly enjoy myself before she was sent to Xingqing Prefecture. I wonder if that scoundrel Li Xiao has ruined her..."

The thought of Consort Wang's appearance made his heart itch, but he could only give up—he still needed the Northern Frontier to "recognize" his throne, and dared not provoke Li Xiao.

Just then, a young eunuch rushed in, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is seriously ill and has sent someone to invite Your Majesty to come and visit her."

"Queen Mother?"

The smile on Li Anquan's face vanished instantly, and his tone was full of impatience: "What's wrong with her now?"

After he imprisoned Li Chunyou and his son and declared himself emperor, the Empress Dowager realized that she had been deceived.

She originally thought that Li Anquan would help the crown prince ascend the throne and let her continue to rule as regent, but she did not expect that Li Anquan would turn his back on her and not only take away her power, but also imprison her in a side hall.

These days, she is filled with regret and remorse, only now realizing that the only person in this world who can tolerate her abuse of power is her own son. Unfortunately, he was pushed into the abyss by her own hand, and she is filled with remorse.

Even Li Anquan, who had an affair with her, turned his back on her ruthlessly after becoming emperor.

Later, upon learning that Li Chunyou and his son had been secretly murdered by Li Anquan, the Empress Dowager was completely devastated and fell ill, now on her deathbed.

"Hmph, I've served her for so many years, suffering her temper at home and being suppressed by her son outside. I've had enough!"

Li Anquan spat, his tone icy: "Just find any imperial physician to take a look. If they can cure it, then cure it; if they can't... then send them to keep Emperor Renzong company, so they won't get in my way!"

The young eunuch was so frightened that he dared not say another word and quickly bowed and retreated.

Li Anquan embraced his concubine again, about to continue his pleasure, when another series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall. A eunuch scrambled in, his face pale.

"Your Majesty! It's not good!"

"Privy Councilor He Ni sent someone to report that the Northern Frontier people... the Northern Frontier army has crossed the Yellow River!"

"what?!"

Li Anquan suddenly sprang up from the soft couch, and the golden goblet crashed to the ground with a "bang," spilling wine all over the floor.

The drunkenness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by shock and panic in his eyes. He grabbed the eunuch by the collar and demanded sharply, "Say that again!"

"The Northern Frontier Army... The Northern Frontier Army has crossed the Yellow River and is marching towards Xiping Prefecture. Privy Councilor He Ni said that our army is no match for them and urged His Majesty to send reinforcements immediately."

The eunuch's voice was trembling with fear, as if he were crying.

Li Anquan staggered back a step, his face turning deathly pale.

He never expected that the people from the northern frontier would arrive so quickly.

He originally thought that the two powerful forces of the Northern Frontier and the Jin Kingdom would at least give the Xia Kingdom some breathing room, but now the Northern Frontier army has crossed the Yellow River and Xiping Prefecture is in imminent danger.

"Quickly, go and ask the Jin Kingdom for reinforcements."

But soon after, Li Anquan received an even more heartbreaking truth.

The Song Dynasty had already launched a northern expedition, and the main force of the Jin army had been transferred south. The remaining troops in Guanzhong were needed to guard the local area and were simply unable to come to the aid of Xiping Prefecture.

"how so……"

Li Anquan slumped on the dragon throne, feeling as if all his strength had been drained.

He originally thought that the Jin Kingdom was the last lifeline for the Xia Kingdom, but he did not expect that the Song Kingdom would launch a northern expedition at this critical moment, disrupting everything. Now Xiping Prefecture is isolated and helpless.

"Your Majesty, what should we do now?"

Several officials who remained on duty approached, their faces filled with fear.

The Xiping Prefecture court was already incomplete due to the relocation of the capital and the coup, and now there are only a dozen or so officials who can take charge. Faced with the approaching army from the north, none of them can come up with a feasible solution.

Li Anquan suddenly looked up, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "How many troops are left in the city?"

"Your Majesty, only 10,000 old, weak, and disabled soldiers remain in the city. The remaining 40,000 troops have been taken by Privy Councilor He Ni to the other side of the Yellow River to set up defenses," an official replied in a trembling voice.

"Conscript! Conscript soldiers nationwide immediately!"

Li Anquan slammed his hand on the table, his voice hoarse: "Whether it's a ten-year-old boy or a sixty-year-old man, as long as they can pick up a weapon, bring them to me."

But as soon as he said this, another official poured cold water on his enthusiasm: "Your Majesty, it's too late."

"With years of continuous warfare, the men around Xiping Prefecture have been almost entirely conscripted. The villages outside the city are mostly filled with widows, almost like a 'land of women.' Where can we find anyone to conscript?"

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Someone cautiously suggested, "Your Majesty, perhaps... perhaps we should open the gates and surrender?"

But he was immediately refuted by everyone else: "Bullshit!"

"How can the Xia Kingdom's century-old foundation be destroyed just like that?"

"Your Majesty, I urge you to hold Xiping Prefecture. As long as we hold out until Privy Councilor He Ni returns with his troops, we will surely be able to fight the Northern Frontier Army!"

"That's right, we must not surrender."

"The people of Northern Xinjiang are a bunch of devils who will kill us all."

These officials were making a huge fuss, and no matter how 'benevolent' the peacemakers were before, they had all become staunch war hawks.

They were terrified by the policies of the northern frontier towards the defeated.

The people of the northern frontier were quite merciful to ordinary soldiers and civilians, not only pardoning them but also distributing land and women to them.

But where did these fields and women come from?

Isn't it just that they confiscated the money from these scholar-officials and landowners?

In the imperial court, which of the many officials doesn't own thousands of acres of fertile land and have a harem of beautiful concubines?
They confiscated everything, and now they want to become slaves of the people of the Northern Frontier.
It would be better to kill them!

Therefore, at this moment, the Xia Kingdom's court was basically dominated by the pro-war faction. Anyone who dared to mention surrender would be considered an enemy of the entire scholar-official class.

Even Li Anquan is stuck here.

The two factions of officials argued incessantly, which only made him more agitated.

As dusk approached outside the palace, a thought suddenly popped into my head: staying here is just waiting to die, I might as well escape first and then make other plans.

"enough!"

Li Anquan interrupted the argument sternly: "I have made my decision. I will leave Crown Prince Chengzhen to guard Xiping Prefecture. I will personally go to Xiazhou to recruit soldiers. Once we have gathered reinforcements, we will definitely march back to Xiping Prefecture."

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then immediately responded enthusiastically to Li Anquan's plan, showing their unwavering loyalty in protecting Li Anquan on his journey to Xiazhou.

South of Xiping Prefecture, in the wilderness, Heniheda was leading 40,000 Xia troops, hurrying back.

He originally intended to retreat to Xiping Prefecture and rely on the high city walls to resist the Northern Frontier Army, but the speed of the Northern Frontier cavalry far exceeded his expectations.

At first, there were only a few scouts, following the Xia army's flanks and rear at a distance, not daring to launch an attack, but like an inescapable shadow, constantly watching the Xia army's movements.

"General, why don't we send cavalry to drive them away?" a lieutenant suggested.

Heniheda nodded and sent two hundred cavalrymen to pursue them.

However, the scouts from the northern frontier were extremely fast, and when the Xia army cavalry caught up, they spurred their horses and fled.

As soon as the Xia cavalry stopped, they circled back and continued to follow, like a pack of cunning wolves.

This stalemate continued until the following morning, when a vanguard of several hundred northern cavalrymen arrived on the battlefield, completely changing the situation.

This vanguard force no longer merely followed, but instead directly harassed the Xia army's formation.

The cavalry, armed with powerful bows, fired arrows from afar, targeting the weak points in the Xia army's formation.

Occasionally, they would even adopt a charging stance, forcing the Xia army to stop and readjust their defensive formation.

But once the Xia army had formed its battle formation, the Northern Frontier cavalry immediately withdrew and continued to roam the flanks, looking for another opportunity to harass them.

Under such relentless harassment, the Xia army only advanced less than ten li in a day. The soldiers were exhausted and fearful, and their morale was at its lowest point.

Even more terrifying, as the sun set, dust billowed up on the distant horizon, and more and more northern cavalrymen surrounded them.

The yellow banners with white borders fluttered in the wind, making it impossible for the Xia army to escape.

What Heniheda didn't know was that what surrounded them was merely the vanguard of the Northern Frontier Army.

The first town, led by Li Dongshui, had 190,000 households but fewer than 5,000 cavalry.

But for the Xia Kingdom, whose national strength was exhausted, this was already an irresistible and powerful force.

"Woooooooo~"

The next morning, a desolate bugle call echoed across the wilderness, and the decisive battle officially began.

As the Xia soldiers looked up, they saw the northern cavalry stretching out like a sea of ​​mountains in the distance. Their yellow flags and armor gleamed coldly in the morning light, and the sound of their hooves made the ground tremble slightly.

"Mother... how many cavalrymen are there?" A thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy soldier gripped a wooden stick in his hand, his voice trembling, his face as white as paper.

"I was just drafted into the army last month, I don't want to die!"

The old peasant soldier next to him sighed, his face full of despair: "We only have a broken wooden stick in our hands, while they wear iron armor and ride big horses. How are we supposed to fight them?"

"I was attacked by those cavalrymen for a whole day and night, and I didn't dare to sleep at night. My legs are still weak!"

"Stop, stop talking! Look at the armor of those northern soldiers! I heard even crossbows can't penetrate it. We don't even have a single piece of tattered leather armor!"

Another junior officer, wearing tattered leather armor, shrank back, his eyes darting away, not daring to look at the distant Northern Frontier Army formation: "I heard the Northern Frontier Army also has cannons, one explosion can wipe out a whole group of people, our numbers are not even enough to fill their teeth!"

"How about... we run away?"

"Are you crazy? The general is watching from behind. Anyone who dares to run will be cut down!"

"But staying here is just another way to die!"

"I have a wife and children at home. If I die, how will they live?"

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, filled with fear and despair.

Most of them were newly conscripted farmers. They didn't even have proper spearheads, let alone leather armor. The wooden sticks in their hands couldn't even pierce through thick clothes.

Only a few elite soldiers, dressed in tattered leather armor, had been humiliated by the previous harassment and were now trembling as they held their weapons.

Just then, Li Dongshui, who was riding a horse at the front of the formation, lowered his telescope and shouted, "Fire!"

"Boom boom boom~"

More than a dozen Tiger-type cannons roared simultaneously. The shells, with a piercing whistle, landed in the Xia army's ranks and exploded instantly.

Blood and flesh flew everywhere, limbs and torsos scattered in all directions, and the Xia soldiers let out shrill screams as their formation instantly broke apart.

"Run! Run!"

Someone shouted, and the Xia soldiers, as if finding an outlet for their frustration, threw down their wooden sticks and turned to flee.

Heniheda personally wielded his sword, hacking down one deserter, but he couldn't stop the surging tide of people: "Don't run! Kill your way back!"

But no one listened to him. The soldiers were only concerned with escaping, and some even pushed and shoved each other. Many fell to the ground and were trampled and seriously injured by those behind them.

"Kill~"

Li Dongshui had not expected that a single artillery barrage would cause tens of thousands of Xia troops to collapse, so he simply ordered a charge.

Heniheda tried to break through the encirclement on horseback, but was surrounded by several northern cavalrymen. His horse was shot down, and he was captured alive.

In this decisive battle, the Northern Frontier Army, with fewer than 5,000 cavalry, routed 40,000 Xia soldiers at minimal cost. More Xia soldiers were trampled to death by their own men than were killed by the Northern Frontier Army.

The fleeing Xia army was quickly caught up and all of them obediently squatted down with their heads in their hands to surrender.

Two days later, the Northern Frontier Army surrounded Xiping Prefecture. The army spread out like a tide, with yellow and red flags and armor forming a continuous line in the morning light, and even the air was filled with a chilling atmosphere.

The soldiers guarding the city were all horrified, trembling with fear that had seeped into their very bones.

"Then, what is that?!"

A soldier guarding the city pointed to the flagpole in front of the Northern Frontier Army's formation, his voice trembling.

On the tallest flagpole, a blood-stained figure was bound with a thick rope; upon closer inspection, it was revealed to be Heniheda.

On the flagpoles to his left and right hung a row of more than a dozen captured Xia army generals.

"General He... General He has been captured?"

The soldiers erupted in chaos, their faces filled with disbelief.

They were already panicked by the defeat of the army outside the city, and now seeing their commander captured, they were terrified.

"Where is the Crown Prince? Why hasn't His Highness shown up?"

Someone shouted, scanning the city walls: "They said the Crown Prince was staying behind to guard Xiping Prefecture, but now the Northern Frontier Army has besieged the city. Why is there not a trace of him?"

"And what about the adults? What about the generals? Isn't there even one person who can take charge?"

"The Emperor has gone to Xia Prefecture to mobilize troops, but the Crown Prince still needs to come out and stabilize public morale, right? Could it be that..."

An ominous premonition arose in everyone's heart.

Unbeknownst to them, Li Chengzhen had already led his men away when news of Heniheda's army's defeat reached Xiping Prefecture.

Meanwhile, the ministers in the city ran faster than anyone else, some even taking their families to Xia Prefecture to chase after Li Anquan.

Some hid in villages outside the city, having long since forgotten their vow to "defend the city."

They knew all too well the Northern Frontier Army's modus operandi.

The Northern Frontier Army might spare the lower-ranking soldiers and civilians, but it would show no mercy to these "masters" of the Xia Kingdom.

Their family property would be looted, their land would be divided up, their women would be given as rewards to meritorious soldiers in the northern frontier, and their men would be sent to the mining areas to work in the mines.

That's absolutely tragic.

At this moment, the Xia soldiers on the city wall looked at each other in bewilderment, and panic spread like a plague.

Their eyes were filled with despair; some were even muttering curses at the fleeing crown prince and ministers.

Just then, a loud shout came from outside the city: "Brothers on the city walls! Let us have something to say from the bottom of our hearts!"

The familiar hometown accent startled the soldiers guarding the city. They looked in the direction of the voice and saw a soldier walking out from the front of the Northern Frontier Army.

“I used to be a Xia citizen too. Like you, I came from a poor background. When I was a soldier in Xia, we were always hungry and were beaten and scolded by the Dangxiang officials. The landlords treated us like livestock.”

“But since we surrendered to the Northern Frontier, life has been different. The Northern Frontier distributed land to us, and the land rent and land tax together only accounted for 40%. There were no more exorbitant taxes and levies. We even had cotton-padded clothes to wear in winter, and we could eat our fill every meal.”

"You people probably haven't had a proper meal in a long time, have you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, several more soldiers stepped forward. They were all former surrendered soldiers from the Xia Kingdom and began to recount their experiences.

“I used to be a soldier in Xingqing Prefecture. Last year I was transferred to the northern frontier. Now my family has been allocated twenty mu of land, and my mother will never have to go hungry again!”

"The Tanguts treat us like cannon fodder, but the people of the Northern Frontier treat us like brothers! Last time I was wounded in battle, the Grand Protector even sent a doctor to see me. This is something we wouldn't even dare to dream of in the Xia Kingdom."

"What are you doing guarding this dilapidated city? I heard that the emperor of Xia has fled, the crown prince has fled, and the ministers have fled too. What makes you think you can risk your lives for them?"

The more the Xia soldiers on the city wall listened, the more uneasy they felt.

They looked down at their rusty weapons and then touched the half-eaten, hard piece of dry rations in their pockets.

Thinking again about the "land redistribution" and "tax reduction" mentioned by the surrendered soldiers in the northern border, his heart gradually wavered.

Yes, the emperor and the crown prince have long since fled. What are they guarding this isolated city for?
Moreover, if the resistance continues, and the Northern Frontier Army breaches the city, Xiping Prefecture will likely be awash in blood.

After all, this era was not far removed from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and massacres of cities were not uncommon.

"The emperor's already fled, what's the point of us guarding him now?!"

"Even if we fight to the death, no one will remember our kindness, so we might as well surrender!"

With the first person taking the lead, more and more soldiers laid down their weapons.

Someone lay on the battlements and shouted towards the outside of the city: "We surrender! Don't attack the city! We'll open the gates right now!"

"Yes! We surrender! As long as you don't kill us, we are willing to submit to the Northern Frontier!"

The commotion on the city wall grew louder and louder. The few junior officers who had originally wanted to maintain order could only sigh helplessly and give up trying to stop the soldiers when they saw that they had lost the will to resist.

Soon, the city gates of Xiping Prefecture were slowly opened.

After the vanguard cavalry of the Northern Frontier entered the city and confirmed its safety, the main force of the Northern Frontier army entered the city and quickly took control of the entire Xiping Prefecture.

The soldiers split into small teams and carried out a cleanup operation according to the pre-defined blocks, focusing on clearing out the residences of powerful Tangut families and Xia officials who had previously acted arrogantly.

"By order of the Grand Protector, all persons in the city shall leave the city and assemble."

"No one is allowed to remain in the city."

"One day from now, kill anyone who remains in the city!"

A centurion of the Northern Frontier Army, mounted on horseback, brandished his scimitar and shouted loudly.

As soon as the voice fell, several soldiers kicked open the gate of a large, vermilion-lacquered courtyard at the end of the street. It was the residence of the former Imperial Censor of the Xia Kingdom.

Chaotic footsteps echoed from inside the courtyard. Several servants tried to escape through the back door, but one was shot dead by the Northern Frontier soldiers guarding the alley entrance. The rest collapsed to the ground in terror.

"Don't move! Crouch down and cover your head!"

Soon, more than a dozen noblemen were brought out of the mansion. They were dressed in gorgeous brocade robes, but they had lost their former arrogance. They were all pale and trembling.

On another street, however, a completely different scene was unfolding.

A soldier from northern Xinjiang quickened his pace involuntarily as he saw a familiar courtyard on the street corner; his home was just ahead.

He was originally from Xiping Prefecture. Two years ago, he was conscripted by the Xia army and later captured in the Battle of Hexi. He then surrendered to the Northern Frontier. Now, he has entered the city with the army and can finally see his family.

"Father! Mother!"

He pushed open the half-closed courtyard gate, his voice choked with emotion.

Hearing the noise, the elderly couple in the courtyard walked out of the house shakily. The moment they saw their son, tears welled up in their eyes.

Soon, the soldiers from the northern border region in charge of this block arrived at his house and, upon seeing the situation, said directly, "No one is allowed to touch this house. Move on to the next one."

Similar scenes played out in various parts of Xiping Prefecture. Many of the soldiers in the northern frontier were originally Han Chinese from within the territory of Western Xia, so their families were not treated too harshly.

Meanwhile, a thorough search was underway within the palace, and eunuchs, palace maids, and concubines were all found.

They also found the Empress Dowager, who had been imprisoned by Li Anquan.

She lay on the bed, her face ashen and her breath faint. When she saw the soldiers from the northern frontier, a flash of despair crossed her eyes, but she closed them again, as if she had long been numb to her fate.

In the neighboring palace, after learning of the tragic deaths of Li Chunyou and his son, the Queen of Xia Kingdom seemed to have lost her soul and aged more than ten years.

Seeing the soldiers from the northern frontier enter, she remained calm and simply asked softly, "You...are here to kill me?"

The soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment. One of the captains spoke up: "By order of the Grand Protector, we are not to kill innocent women and children. Come with us outside the city."

"The Grand Protector might send you to Xingqing Prefecture to see Madam Li."

Upon hearing the soldier mention his daughter, a light suddenly shone in the empress's previously dull eyes.

Looking around the prisoner-of-war camp outside the city, one could see elderly people with gray hair, teenagers with innocent faces, and many frail women.

"Great Protector, many of these prisoners of war are relatives of our soldiers in the northern frontier."

The commander in charge of the prisoner-of-war camp whispered to him, "Several dozen soldiers have just reunited with their fathers or sons."

Li Xiao nodded and said, "Pass down the order."

“All prisoners of war who can find relatives in the Northern Frontier Army will be handed over to their relatives for resettlement.”

"Those without relatives will stay in the camp for now. After a while, they will be allocated land according to the policies for northern Xinjiang so that they can farm and make a living."

The elderly can enjoy their later years in peace, while the young can choose to farm, join the army, or do business as they wish when they grow up.

The commander bowed and accepted the order, immediately setting out to relay it.

Afterwards, Li Xiao went to the camp where the female prisoners were being held.

The female prisoners were divided into two groups: one group consisted of women from ordinary families who were driven out of the city to facilitate population counting and prevent defeated soldiers or important figures from hiding among the people.

The other group consisted of the families of Xia state officials and some palace maids.

"Let them recognize their relatives. If they have relatives in the army in the northern border region, they can leave with their relatives."

"Those without relatives will also be allocated land and resettled, and will be able to support themselves," Li Xiao instructed.

He then asked, "Have you found Li Anquan?"

The messenger replied, "No news has come from Commander Bali."

After learning that Li Anquan had fled to Xiazhou, Li Xiao immediately sent men to hunt him down, but they have not yet found him.

"Continue the investigation, we must find him," Li Xiao instructed.

"In addition, order all departments to clear out the villages and hamlets around Xiping Prefecture, search for and arrest Xia officials and gentry hiding in the countryside, eliminate the rule of all landowners, and permeate the laws and policies of the northern frontier into every village and every household."

After dealing with these matters, Li Xiao returned to his tent. Just as he sat down, a soldier came to report: "Grand Protector, we have captured Crown Prince Li Chengzhen, along with his family members."

Li Xiao stepped out of the golden tent and saw a group of soldiers escorting a group of people into the camp.

The leader was a young man around twenty years old, none other than Li Chengzhen.

Behind him followed a middle-aged woman, who was Li Anquan's empress, as well as other concubines, princes, and royal grandsons.

Li Chengzhen was inherently weak-willed. Historically, when the Mongol army besieged the city of Wuluohai, he was the commander-in-chief. Seeing that the situation was not good, he abandoned the city and fled.

Instead, it was Deputy Marshal Gao Yi who was captured by the Mongol army, vowed to die rather than surrender, and was killed.

Now that Li Chengzhen has fallen into the hands of the Northern Frontier Army, he is so frightened that he doesn't even dare to raise his head.

"This guilty subject, Li Chengzhen, is willing to surrender to the Northern Frontier and begs the Grand Protector for mercy!"

He knelt down with a thud, his voice trembling with tears.

Li Xiao looked at him, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes, but he did not get angry.

He spoke calmly: "You are, after all, the Crown Prince of Western Xia. I didn't intend to kill you. Live a good life in the Northern Frontier from now on."

The reason he didn't kill Li Chengzhen was twofold: firstly, to show the monarchs of various countries that the Northern Frontier Army would not exterminate monarchs who had lost power.

Secondly, it sets rules for future generations. The scholar-official class is involved in too many interests and needs to be dealt with severely, while the powerless monarch is just a matter of having more food to eat, and there is no need to exterminate them.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengzhen immediately kowtowed to express his gratitude, his face filled with the relief of surviving a calamity.

Li Xiao's gaze then swept over the family members behind Li Chengzhen.

There were Li Anquan's consorts, Li Chengzhen's wives and concubines, and several princesses.

He recalled that historical records showed that Li Anquan had given his daughter, Princess Chaga, to Temujin as a marriage alliance, making her his sixth empress.

Princess Chaga's real name is now unknown, so he looked at the group of women and chose the most beautiful girl among them.

"Keep this one."

He pointed to the young girl, and then selected two other outstandingly beautiful women from among the other concubines: "Keep these two as well."

"Take the rest with you."

Of the remaining women, half were to be kept as gifts or rewards in the future; the other half were to be distributed among the generals and meritorious soldiers according to their military achievements.

With this, Xiping Prefecture fell, and the Xia Kingdom was destroyed.

(End of this chapter)