The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 346 The First Emperor of the Kunlun Mountain Fengshan Ceremony

At the city gate of Longcheng, a large crowd of people had already gathered to welcome them.

At the forefront, Xiao Yanyan wore a dark gold phoenix robe, her makeup exquisite but unable to conceal the anticipation in her eyes. This was the magnificent attire she had specially prepared to welcome Li Xiao.

Standing beside her, Qin Dani, though not dressed in glamorous attire but only in a dark blue brocade, could not hide her excitement.

He stood on tiptoe and looked into the distance, trying to spot Li Xiao's figure.

Her eyes were already red; her eldest son, whom she had been waiting for for three years, had finally returned home safely.

Behind them stood concubines such as Er Ya, Han Ying'er, and Suo Lu He Tie Ni, some holding infants in their arms, others accompanied by wet nurses, who also held young children in their arms.

The children, dressed in matching yellow vests, gazed into the distance with wide, curious eyes.

Further to the sides were Da Feng, Er Feng, and Li Xiao's other relatives, as well as the families of the soldiers from the Northern Frontier.

"Tap tap tap tap~"

Soon, the vanguard of the Northern Frontier Army arrived at the foot of Dragon City in a grand procession.

The golden sun and moon battle flags covered the sky, and when the wind blew, the flags fluttered loudly, as if announcing the glorious return of the army.

The sound of horses' hooves rolled in like thunder, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

The soldiers, standing in neat rows, wore yellow armor. Although their armor was covered with dust from battles, they still stood tall and straight, with sharp eyes, exuding the majesty of iron-blooded soldiers.

In the group, Jin Dao sat in Li Xiao's arms, his little face full of excitement, his eyes looking around.

Upon seeing his family waiting below the city gate, he immediately shouted excitedly, "Dad, look! It's Mom and Grandma!"

He didn't forget to wave to his younger siblings in the crowd, "Lingyue! Changgong! Mengge! Our father is back!"

The children whose names were called looked up. Lingyue was born to Han Ying'er and was four years old this year. She had her hair styled in cute double buns and was holding a cloth tiger doll in her hand.

Chang Gong and Meng Ge were born to Huang Xiuer and Suo Luhe Tieni, respectively, and were just over three years old.

They gazed at the vast army before them, then looked timidly at Li Xiao, clearly having no recollection of this "father."

Infected by Jin Dao's excitement, she also waved her little hand and muttered "Dad" softly.

Li Xiao dismounted, put down his golden sword, and strode to Qin Dani, saying excitedly, "Mother, your son is back."

Qin Dani could no longer hold back, tears instantly streaming down her face. She patted Li Xiao's arm and choked out, "You beast!"

"They were gone for three years, and they took Erhu and Sanbao with them."

"Do you know how worried you are if you leave this old woman here?"

"Woooooooooo~"

Qin Dani burst into tears, her worries about her son gradually overshadowed by the joy of reunion. Wiping away her tears, she said, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back... You've lost weight and gotten darker. You must have suffered a lot these past three years."

Xiao Yanyan stepped forward, her eyes full of tenderness, and said softly, "Your Majesty must be tired from your journey. Please come into the city quickly."

"The manor has prepared a meal."

Li Xiao waved his hand and smiled, "No rush."

Turning his gaze to the children behind him, he stepped forward and picked up Lingyue, Changgong, Mengge, and several other younger children in turn. Although it was the first time they had met, his fatherly love was evident.

Currently, Li Xiao has six sons and five daughters.

The eldest son, Jin Dao, was born to Li Shizhao and Xiao Yanyan, and is five years old this year.

The eldest daughter, Lingyue, was born to Han Ying'er and is four years old this year.

The second son, Chang Gong, was born to Li Shixuan and Huang Xiuer and is three years old this year.

The third son, Möngke, was born to Li Shihui and Suoluheteni, and was one month younger than Changgong.

The second daughter, Ruyue, was born to Tajiguli, the daughter of the prime minister of Gaochang, and was born on the same day as Möngke.

The fourth son, Tie Jian, is Li Shiyao. Er Ya was born shortly after Li Xiao went to war and is two years old this year.

The five sons, Xuanjia and Li Shiye, and the three daughters, Xiyue, were all born to Xiao Yanyan and were also two years old.

The fourth daughter, Mengyue, was born to Princess Yelü Jin of the Liao Kingdom. She was only discovered to be pregnant after Li Xiao went on a campaign. She was ten months pregnant and is now just over a year old.

The sixth son, Li Shiqing, and the fifth daughter, Wanyue, were born to Li Xiao during his eastern expedition by Li Chunyou's favorite concubine, Lady Lü, and Princess Li Lingyang, and were less than one year old.

Now, Wang Lan, another of Li Chunyou's former favorite concubines, is also pregnant and will give birth in five months.

Six sons and five daughters—these are Li Xiao's publicly known offspring.

They were all around me at that moment.

After embracing them one by one and hearing them call him "Father," Li Xiao ordered someone to bring the gifts that had been prepared beforehand: eleven short swords.

Whether it's children or adults, everyone has one.

Each short knife is meticulously crafted, with simple patterns engraved on the scabbard, but the blade is not sharpened, making it both safe and exquisite.

"This is a gift from your father."

Li Xiao handed the short swords to the children one by one, his tone gentle yet solemn: "Every time I return from a battle, I will bestow a sword upon you."

"This knife represents military merit, and it also represents responsibility."

"When you grow up, you must be like the soldiers of the northern frontier, responsible, able to protect yourselves, your families, and the Qin state."

Although the children didn't understand the meaning of "responsibility," they all curiously took the knife and held it tightly in their hands.

The two older children, Chang Gong and Meng Ge, even imitated Jin Dao by tucking their small knives into their waistbands, which drew chuckles from everyone and made the reunion atmosphere even warmer.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yue, Li Lingyang, and the other women stood not far away, their faces full of fatigue and their thoughts varied.

They were all women from the imperial palace or royal residences, and in their view, it was perfectly normal for men to have three wives and four concubines.

Moreover, having already experienced Li Xiao's strength, she knew that having more women wouldn't diminish her affections; in fact, they could share her burdens.

He was just uneasy about his future life in Longcheng.

Zhao Yue's gaze quietly fell on Xiao Yanyan, her heart filled with curiosity and a sense of unwillingness to admit defeat.

Is this the legendary Liao princess?

The current Queen of Qin and the matriarch of the Li family?
Both being princesses, she had been pampered in the Lin'an Prince's Mansion since childhood, and subconsciously always wanted to compete with this "peer".

But now, seeing her up close, Xiao Yanyan, dressed in a dark gold phoenix robe, exuded an air of elegance and nobility. The aura of a matriarch that had been refined over the years gradually replaced Zhao Yue's initial resentment with awe.

Li Lingyang and Wang Lan were also observing in secret. One was secretly thinking about how to gain a foothold in the Prince's Mansion and how to give Li Xiao another son, while the other was worried that her status as a former concubine of the Xia Kingdom would be looked down upon.

"You all come here!"

Li Xiao noticed their unease and waved to them.

Zhao Yue, Li Lingyang, and the others quickly straightened their clothes, obediently stepped forward, and bowed to Qin Dani and Xiao Yanyan according to etiquette: "Your humble servant greets the Queen Mother and the Queen."

Qin Dani looked at the several women with different appearances in front of her and nodded helplessly.

She had long been used to her son's temperament; he would always bring back several women with him whenever he went to war, and the once spacious backyard of the royal palace was now almost overflowing.

However, when her gaze swept over the children in their arms, a genuine smile appeared in her eyes.

She stepped forward and gently teased the child, her tone softening: "You are all good children. Live well in the manor from now on and take good care of the children."

Xiao Yanyan appeared more composed. She had already learned of their identities from Li Xiao's letter, and now, as the mistress of the house, she nodded slightly.
"You must be tired from your journey. We have prepared accommodations for you at the manor. A maid will guide you there shortly."

"From now on, we will live in the same mansion, and we should value harmony and help each other."

Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant, demonstrating both the dignity of a mistress and giving the others sufficient face.

Zhao Yue and the others quickly agreed, their unease easing slightly.

Just then, Zhang Xiong, a centurion of the imperial guards, stepped forward and reported to Li Xiao, "Your Majesty, the heroic troops have arrived outside the city."

The smile on Li Xiao's face vanished instantly, replaced by solemnity and reverence.

He nodded slightly to Qin Dani and Xiao Yanyan and said in a deep voice, "Mother, Aman, I'm going to greet the martyrs."

After saying that, he turned around and strode toward the convoy, with Hu Li and the others following closely behind.

Outside the city gate, a carriage carrying urns containing ashes slowly came to a stop, with black lacquered wooden boxes and urns neatly arranged on the carriage.

Each one had a piece of white paper attached, with the name and hometown of the fallen soldier written on it.

Holding the list of the fallen, Hu Li stood aside and began to read it aloud in a somber yet resounding voice: "In the three years of the Eastern Expedition, our Northern Frontier Army has lost a total of 3,726 soldiers."

"Huang Zhonghe, a military officer of the Wuwei Army, was from Jinzhou and died in battle at Sanhe Town."

"Agula, a military commander of the Wuwei Army, was from Jinzhou and died in battle north of the Wei River..."

With each name read aloud, the cries of the martyrs' families echoed through the crowd.

When the words "In the Battle of Sanhe Town, our army suffered 2,110 casualties" were read, the air around seemed to freeze. Many family members couldn't help but tear up, and suppressed sobs rose from the crowd.

These fallen soldiers came from various places, including Jinzhou, the Gobi Desert, and the Hexi Corridor. The martyrs from the Gobi Desert and other places have already been properly taken care of by the local governors, who have built "Martyrs' Forests" in their places of origin and engraved their names on stone tablets for people to pay their respects.

Compensation for the families of martyrs is also being implemented.

All rewards and spoils received during their lifetime were distributed in full, and their offspring could inherit their official positions and directly succeed to them upon reaching adulthood, ensuring that the descendants of heroes would have no worries about food and clothing.

Now, the ashes of the martyrs from Jinzhou have returned, and Li Xiao personally presided over the memorial ceremony.

Li Xiao picked up the wooden plaque that had been prepared beforehand. The four characters "Heroes of the Northern Frontier" on the plaque were written in a powerful and vigorous style, and the names and battle achievements of each soldier were engraved below.

He handed the plaques to the families of the fallen heroes one by one, his voice low but firm: "They are all warriors of our northern frontier, who sacrificed themselves for the Qin Dynasty and protected the northern frontier with their lives. They are the backbone of the Qin Dynasty."

"The Northern Frontier will never forget them, and I, the King, will never forget them either."

"I hereby promise that from this day forward, within the territory of my Northern Frontier, if anyone dares to bully the families of martyrs or neglect their compensation, I will not let them off lightly and will punish them severely without mercy."

The families of the martyrs received the plaques and bowed deeply in gratitude, their clothes soaked with tears, yet they found solace in this weighty promise.

Li Xiao personally helped them up one by one, and then ordered someone to send the urns of ashes to the Jinzhou Martyrs' Forest.

A few days later, Li Xiao held a grand memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers and personally supervised the resettlement and compensation work for their families.

He also ordered the governors of all prefectures to treat this as the top priority of the year and to supervise its handling.

On the morning of the second day after returning to Longcheng, Li Xiao had just finished processing several documents on the reclamation of the Seven Rivers in his study when his personal guards informed Jinzhou Governor Han Jiuguang that he wanted to see him.

Li Xiao put down his pen and said, "Let him in."

Soon, Han Jiuguang, dressed in casual clothes, entered the study. He was nearly fifty years old, with a refined appearance and a calm demeanor. He bowed and said, "Your subject Han Jiuguang greets Your Majesty."

"sit down!"

Li Xiao gestured for him to sit down and asked directly, "How are the arrangements for the resettlement and compensation of the martyrs' families going?"

Two months ago, Li Xiao had already sent the list of soldiers who died in the Battle of Jinzhou to Han Jiuguang.

And he was instructed to make preparations in advance.

Han Jiuguang took out a document from his sleeve and presented it with both hands: "The families of the 826 soldiers who died in the Eastern Expedition within Jinzhou have all been registered."

"Among them, there are 37 elderly people who are destitute and have been taken in by the Fucheng Nursing Home for care."

"There are 156 families with children. As Your Majesty has decreed, they have been granted admission to the military academy for their children. They will be able to enroll in the academy when the autumn semester begins."

"The compensation and job placements for the remaining family members have also been distributed..."

Li Xiao took the document, flipped through it, and nodded in satisfaction: "Well done. Make sure that every family member of a martyr is properly resettled, without any omissions or negligence."

"Your subject obeys the decree and will not dare to be negligent."

Han Jiuguang responded and took out another document: "In addition, I have brought with me the statistics of Jinzhou's output for the past year. Please take a look."

Li Xiao opened the document, and Han Jiuguang added from the side: "As Your Majesty also knows, Jinzhou is located in the northern part of our Qin Kingdom. The climate is bitter and cold, and there are not many arable fields."

"Last year, the total grain output was about 800,000 shi, including 500,000 shi of wheat and 300,000 shi of millet, which was a slight increase compared to the previous year."

"But compared with the desert, Xizhou, Gansu and other places, there is still a considerable gap."

"Industrial sector~"

His tone softened slightly, tinged with a hint of helplessness: "Jinzhou's steel industry is unparalleled in the world, but its textile workshops are gradually being surpassed by the desert."

"Last year, we produced about 50,000 pieces of various ironware and about 100,000 bolts of cloth..."

After listening, Li Xiao understood that Jinzhou's grain production was not as good as other states, its heavy industry was strong, and its light industry was gradually being surpassed. After all, Jinzhou's geographical location was in the north and its transportation was not very convenient.

However, the advantages of animal husbandry are obvious, with a large number of cattle and sheep produced. Jinzhou's wool products are sold far and wide to the Central Plains, which has increased the revenue of Jinzhou's treasury by a lot.

He put down the document and looked at Han Jiuguang: "You served as governor of Jinzhou for two years and managed civil affairs in an orderly manner. It is a pity that you, the former Grand Secretary of the Liao Dynasty, have been put to a bad job."

Upon hearing this, Han Jiuguang quickly stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Majesty is too kind. It is already a great honor for me to have Your Majesty's trust and to serve the people of Qin. How could I feel wronged?"

Han Jiuguang was Han Jiuyuan's elder brother and a former Grand Secretary of the Liao Kingdom.

Because Han Ying'er became Li Xiao's woman, Han Jiuyuan rose through the ranks in the Northern Frontier and became an important minister there.

Fearing retribution from Yelü Zhilugu, and sensing that the royal court was nearing its end, he...

So Han Jiuguang took advantage of the fact that Erhu was leading his army to raid the royal court's territory and plunder the herdsmen, and brought his family into Erhu's army to seek refuge.

Then they returned to northern Xinjiang.

Since he was originally assisting Yelü Zhilugu in handling government affairs at the royal court, Li Xiao appointed him as the governor of Jinzhou, still in charge of civil affairs.

The fact that Han Jiuyuan was relieved of his post as military advisor in the Ministry of Revenue and transferred to the distant Lingzhou as governor was also related to the arrival of Han Jiuguang.

Li Xiao did not want the Han brothers to have too much power in the central government. This move was both a check and balance and another way of making good use of the Han family.

Then, Han Jiuguang reported to Li Xiao: "Your Majesty, Wu Yanbansu, the Vice Minister of War of the Liao Kingdom, has sent someone to contact me, claiming that he is willing to do things for our northern frontier."

After all, his identity had been exposed, Yelü Zhilugu no longer trusted him, and his life was in danger.

Therefore, there was no point in him staying in the royal court, but he had served as the Grand Secretary for so many years and had developed a number of trusted confidants both openly and secretly.

Furthermore, given the current strength of the northern frontier, many officials in Liaoning are still willing to secretly pass on information to the northern frontier.

The news of the war between the royal court and the Gur dynasty was passed on to the Embroidered Uniform Guard by his confidant.

Therefore, Han Jiuguang also became a bridge for communication between officials in the northern frontier and the royal court.

Upon hearing this, a hint of approval flashed in Li Xiao's eyes: "You have done a great job by planting so many spies in the royal court and getting the Liao officials to surrender willingly."

"I will have the Embroidered Uniform Guard contact Wu Yanbansu. As long as he is valuable and can provide Qin with sufficiently important intelligence, I will not hesitate to reward him and will not hesitate to protect his future."

After saying that, Li Xiao changed the subject: "If your Han family's descendants are willing, they can be sent to the army for training."

Now that the Qin state has just been established, it is in need of talented people. Officials from enemy states who have made contributions, like Han Jiuguang, can also serve as officials in the Qin state.

However, once order is established and a fixed set of rules is in place, most officials will have to transfer from the military to civilian life.

Without a military background, it is difficult to gain a foothold in the officialdom. This is both a rule and a test of an official's ability.

Han Jiuguang quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I understand. I thank you for your advice. When I return, I will discuss it with my family and ask them to go to the army to train more."

Han Jiuguang finally understood that the Northern Frontier was a country founded on military strength, and one could not survive without military merit.

For the Han family to prosper, besides marrying into the Li family, the most important thing is for their descendants to join the army and achieve merit.

Otherwise, they will only be gradually marginalized.

After reporting the important matters, Han Jiuguang seemed to remember something and said, "Your Majesty, I have another request. Now that Your Majesty has been called the King of Qin, the northern border has become the Qin Kingdom."

"I believe we should go to Jinshan to offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth."

Northern Xinjiang originated at the foot of Jinshan Mountain and in the Longgu River basin.

It can be described as rising from the Jinshan and Longshui regions.

These two places have always held special significance in the culture of northern Xinjiang. Now that Li Xiao has declared himself king and established a kingdom, he should indeed re-establish legitimacy in Jinzhou.

Moreover, in this feudal era, sacrificial rites were an indispensable part of people's lives.

Nowadays, the conditions for Buddhism, Islam, and Nestorianism to survive are becoming increasingly scarce in the prefectures of northern Xinjiang.

Although some people worship Li Xiao's portrait, most people still worship heaven and earth.

"If Your Majesty can formally offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth at Jinshan Longshui, it will not only win the hearts of the people but also demonstrate the legitimacy of the Qin state."

Li Xiao pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement: "You're right. Jinshan and Longshui are the roots of the Northern Frontier. Now that the country has been established, it's time to pay homage to them."

"You will take the lead in preparing for this matter. Choose an auspicious time, and I will personally go there."

"Your subject obeys!" Han Jiuguang was overjoyed and quickly agreed.

In this era, "divine mandate" and "auspicious omens" are important tools for uniting the people and establishing legitimacy.

These mysterious rumors not only fostered a stronger sense of belonging among the people of the northern frontier but also made Li Xiao's rule seem more legitimate, as if it were ordained by heaven.

In recent years, the reason why Jinshan and Longguhe have been given increasingly heavy "sacred significance" is not entirely due to a naturally formed cultural identity.

Rather, it was the result of Li Xiao's orders to spread propaganda, adding a mythical element to Jinshan Longshui.

Legend has it that the Dragon Bone River was formed from the bones of a giant dragon that fell to earth.

Jinshan is a piece of the golden skull of the giant Pangu!
Inside the study, Han Jiuguang discussed the specific details of the sacrificial ceremony with Li Xiao before taking his leave.

Looking at the sunlight outside the window, Li Xiao pondered in his heart that if he could one day surpass Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han in achievements, he would not only be able to perform sacrifices at Jinshan Temple.

We must perform the Fengshan ceremony!
It's impossible to go to Mount Tai now; that thing from the Zhao family lowered its prestige, and even Li Xiao finds it unlucky.

If you're going to go, go to Kunlun Mountain, which is the supreme sacred mountain in Chinese culture.

He wants to be the first emperor to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Kunlun Mountain!
(End of this chapter)