The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 355 The Fall of the Liao Capital, and the Reappearance of Husi'erduo
In front of the city gate tower of Yinshan City, the white sun and moon battle flags have long been replaced with bright yellow ones.

The vanguard of the First Town arrived ahead of schedule and took over the defense of Yinshan City.

Below the city gate, Li Dongshan, the commander of the Third Garrison, was dressed in white armor, followed by the main generals of the Third Garrison. Each of them stood tall and straight, their eyes fixed on the distance, waiting for the arrival of the main force of the First Garrison.

Before long, a thick cloud of dust rose from the distant horizon, accompanied by the thunderous sound of horses' hooves.

The bright yellow flag pierced through the sand and dust first, like a golden torrent, slowly surging towards Yinshan City.

The chilling aura emanating from those seasoned warriors left the Third Garrison commanders below the city walls in awe.

Among the group, Li Xiao wore dark gold dragon-patterned armor, the yellow tassels on his helmet fluttering in the wind, and his black warhorse was exceptionally swift and powerful.

He stood tall and straight, with a stern face. Compared to the naive young man from Jinzhou ten years ago, he had long since shed his immaturity and now exuded an aura of authority that commanded the entire situation. Just sitting upright on his horse, he was enough to make people dare not look him in the eye.

"This humble general, Li Dongshan, along with all the officers of the Third Division, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty!"

"Welcome, Your Majesty!"

Li Dongshan was the first to salute with his hand on his chest, and the generals behind him followed suit, their voices in unison.

Li Xiao reined in his horse, dismounted, and strode forward to help Li Dongshan up. He patted Li Dongshan on the shoulder and said, "Sixth Uncle, it's been many years. You've become more composed than before."

Li Dongshan stood up, looked at Li Xiao, his eyes full of admiration.

"Your Majesty is now the ruler of Qin, while I am merely guarding a corner of Yinshan. How can I compare to Your Majesty's great talent and ambition?"

He paused, then turned his attention to the war: "Your Majesty, the Third Division has completed the stockpiling of provisions and the reinforcement of defenses as ordered. It is ready to march west once the main army has joined forces."

"it is good!"

Li Xiao nodded, his gaze sweeping over the general of the Third Division: "In this western expedition, the Third Division will serve as the left flank army, attacking the front line of the Ili River."

"Your subordinates obey!" the generals of the Third Division replied in unison, their voices strong and clear.

In the distance, Shulu Wujin held Xiao Xuance's hand and quietly watched this scene.

Having not seen him for more than four years, Li Xiao's changes made her feel somewhat disoriented.

The naive boy of yesteryear has now become the King of Qin, commanding an army of hundreds of thousands. His composure and majesty inspire awe.

"Mother, those soldiers in yellow uniforms are so powerful!" Xiao Xuance said with wide eyes, full of curiosity.

Shulu Wujin squatted down, pointed to Li Xiao below, and explained softly, "Those are your uncle's personal guards, called the Wuwei Army, which is the most elite force in our northern frontier."

“That man wearing dragon-patterned armor and a yellow-tasseled helmet is your uncle, Prince Li Xiao of Qin.”

"Uncle..."

Xiao Xuance muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on Li Xiao, a hint of admiration in them.

He finally met his uncle, whom the people in the manor often said was "more powerful than a prairie eagle."

Just then, Li Xiao noticed their gazes and looked up.

When he saw Shulu Wujin, a look of understanding flashed in his eyes, then his gaze fell on Xiao Xuance beside her, and a slight fluctuation unconsciously appeared in his eyes.

The child's features faintly resembled those of myself from back then.

Then, Shu Lu Wujin took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, took Xiao Xuance's hand, and slowly came over.

"Sister-in-law."

Li Xiao spoke first, his tone gentler than when addressing the generals, "It's been many years, how have you been, sister-in-law?"

"Thanks to Your Majesty's blessing, all is well." Shulu Wujin bowed slightly, his gaze falling on Li Xiao, his eyes revealing a hint of something indescribable.

Li Xiao waved his hand, looked at Xiao Xuance, and asked with a smile, "This must be Xuance, right? He's grown so much."

Xiao Xuance hid behind Shu Lu Wujin, secretly peeked out, looked at Li Xiao, and whispered, "Uncle."

"Good boy."

Li Xiao patted his head, his eyes softening: "You must study hard and practice riding and archery well in the future, and grow up to be a warrior who protects the northern border."

Xiao Xuance nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with determination: "Yes! I definitely will!"

Shu Luwu Jin felt a surge of warmth in her heart as she watched this scene.

After Li Xiao led his generals into the city, he did not go straight to the general's mansion. Instead, he instructed Li Dongshan: "You take charge of all matters in the military camp first. I need to go to Prince Xiao's mansion to pay my respects to my elder brother."

Inside the Xiao Wangfu Ancestral Hall, candlelight flickered, and a portrait of Xiao Simo hung in the main hall, his features still bearing the heroic spirit of when he guarded the northern frontier.

Li Xiao removed his helmet, donned dark gold dragon-patterned armor, and stepped forward slowly with three incense sticks in his hand. He bowed respectfully and inserted the incense into the incense burner.

Amidst the rising smoke, he gazed at the portrait, his voice low yet resolute: "Brother, you trusted me and helped me back then, but I failed to protect you."

"Today I lead a large army on a westward expedition, determined to take Yelü Zhilugu's head, both to avenge you and to fulfill my promise to marry Aman."

"The sky over the northern frontier will never again be trampled by the wolves of the Liao Kingdom."

Shu Lu Wujin stood to the side, listening to these words, her eyes slightly reddening.

"Your Majesty is very kind. If my husband could know this from beyond the grave, he would be at peace."

Li Xiao turned to look at her, his gaze softening slightly: "Sister-in-law, you've had a tough time these past years. It's good that you've taken care of Xuan Ce."

For the next two days, the army rested in Yinshan City, replenishing its food and weapons.

Li Xiao specially set aside half a day to have someone bring Xiao Xuance to the military camp outside the city.

On the grassland, he personally led a gentle pony to Xuan Ce and patiently taught him how to hold the reins and spur the horse: "Xuan Ce, ride steadily, keep your eyes on the front, don't be afraid, your uncle is protecting you from behind."

Then Li Xiao taught him archery, and they practiced until very late.

After nightfall, the tent was extremely quiet.

Xiao Xuance was exhausted after a long day, and soon fell into a deep sleep on the couch.

Shu Luwujin tossed and turned, unable to sleep, the scenes from the daytime flashing through her mind.

The patience Li Xiao showed when teaching Xuan Ce to ride a horse, the majesty he exuded when clad in armor, and the gentleness he displayed after letting his guard down—these images intertwined, causing her heart to beat faster involuntarily.

Just then, the tent flap was gently lifted, revealing a tall figure standing against the light.

Shu Lu Wu Jin's heart leaped into her throat, her fingertips gripping the brocade quilt tightly, but she felt no fear whatsoever.

She knew who it was without even looking.

She pretended to wake up with a start, her voice hoarse from just waking up: "Who's outside?"

"it's me."

Li Xiao's voice was deep, with a hint of gentleness that was barely perceptible: "I just finished dealing with military affairs and came to check if Xuan Ce was sleeping soundly."

He stepped into the tent. Under the dim light of the oil lamp, Shulu Wujin's profile glowed with a soft light, and he looked more mature and charming than he had four years ago.

Shu Lu Wu Jin looked up at him, her eyes filled with a hint of panic, but she did not flinch. Instead, she gently bit her lower lip and leaned forward slightly.

Li Xiao's heart stirred, and he slowly walked to the bedside, reaching out to gently hold her hand.

Her hands were a little cold, but she didn't pull away; instead, she tightened her grip slightly.

"These years have been tough, haven't they?" Li Xiao's voice softened.

Shulu Wujin lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly: "Your Majesty's campaigns in all directions are truly arduous."

Before anyone knew it, the breathing inside the tent gradually became rapid.

Shulu Wujin opened her mouth wide, but dared not make a loud sound, and could only let her rapid breathing swirl in her throat.

She gazed unsteadily out of the tent, moonlight streaming in through the gaps and falling on Xuan Ce's face.

The child was sleeping soundly, with a slight furrow in his brow, as if he were having a sweet dream.

In a Liao army camp on the south bank of the Ili River, nearly 20,000 Liao soldiers were in a state of high alert, but an eerie atmosphere permeated the camp.

On the east side of the camp, several Khitan soldiers were squatting by the campfire, clutching sheepskin wine pouches in their hands, but they had no interest in drinking; their faces were so solemn they could drip water.

One of the veterans, still bearing a deep scar on his left leg from the Northern Frontier Army's scimitar during the Battle of Qihe, was stroking the scar and speaking in a very low voice: "The Northern Frontier Army... they're getting serious now. Li Xiao is personally leading the troops..."

"Back then, our 30,000 Pishi soldiers were beaten so badly at Qihe that their bones were almost shattered. My leg was almost cut off..."

The Turkic veteran next to him nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with fear: "That's right! The armor of the Northern Frontier Army is very tough; our swords can only leave white marks when we cut into it."

"And their mighty cannons, once they start firing, our men fall like wheat being harvested..."

"This time they are launching a full-scale westward expedition, with Li Xiao personally leading the troops. Our 20,000 men are probably not enough!"

The veterans' words silenced the surrounding soldiers, and a sense of unease spread like a plague.

However, these Khitan soldiers were not entirely pessimistic; they all had their own hidden agendas.

"Now in the Northern Frontier Army, King Xiao's sister is Queen Qin, and there are plenty of Khitan generals. I've heard that in the Northern Frontier, the Khitans are the second largest ethnic group after the Han Chinese, and they live much better lives than we do here."

"You can rent pastures to raise your own cattle and sheep, pay some taxes, and become a minor nobleman without having to fight and risk your life every day."

Upon hearing this, the Khitan veterans fell silent, a hint of longing flashing in their eyes.

A younger Khitan soldier couldn't help but interject: "My cousin surrendered to the northern frontier six years ago, and last year he even sent someone to deliver a message back."

"They say he built a yurt in Jinzhou, raised over two hundred sheep, and even married a Naiman girl. He's living a wonderful life! Or perhaps..."

"If we can't win, we can surrender to the Northern Frontier. It's better than dying here!"

"Shut up!"

The veteran quickly covered his mouth and looked around warily: "If General Bahushadi hears this, you're dead."

"However... if it really comes to the worst, defecting to the Northern Frontier isn't out of the question. After all, we're all Khitans; they probably won't make things difficult for us..."

The veterans' whispers, like a pebble dropped into water, stirred the thoughts of the surrounding Khitan soldiers, and a sense of unease quietly spread among them. Meanwhile, on the west side of the camp, a group of Gur and Persians who had recently joined the Liao army were discussing among themselves, their faces full of doubt.

"Is the Northern Frontier Army really that powerful?"

A Gur soldier scratched his head and asked, puzzled, "Haven't we often repelled their raids over the past year?"

The Karluk chieftain frowned and chimed in, "Yeah! I don't think those Northern Frontier soldiers are anything special. If we charge at them with our scimitars, they'll run away!"

"Aren't those Khitans and Turks too cowardly, exaggerating the Northern Frontier Army like gods and demons?"

"What do you know?"

Hearing their discussion, a Khitan veteran couldn't help but stand up and angrily rebuke them: "Last time, what you drove back was just a small group of raiders from the Northern Frontier Army."

"The real main force in northern Xinjiang are ruthless characters who can flatten the grasslands and make the Ili River flow backward."

"Back then, our Liao Dynasty's Pishi Army was considered the most capable fighter on the grasslands, but what happened?"

The Gur soldiers were red-faced from the rebuttal, but they were still unconvinced: "Even if they are powerful, we have more than 20,000 men, and we also have General Bahushadi sent by His Majesty to oversee us. What are we afraid of!"

"What are you afraid of?"

The veteran shook his head with a wry smile. "General Bahushadi? He also participated in the Battle of Qihe back then. He knows the strength of the Northern Frontier Army better than we do."

"Just you wait and see, this battle won't be easy!"

Just then, a scout rushed over, his voice urgent: "The general has given orders! The Northern Frontier Army has begun crossing the river; it's the first wave of troops from the Fifth Division! All soldiers, prepare to meet the enemy!"

Upon hearing the news, the veterans tensed instantly and instinctively gripped their weapons.

The new recruits, including the Ghurs and Persians, also rose to their feet, but their eyes were mostly blank, yet also filled with a sense of eagerness.

They had never truly witnessed the terror of the Northern Frontier Army and thought it was just an ordinary border conflict.

Inside the command tent in the center of the camp, Bahushadi stood in front of the map, his face grim.

He had already learned from his scouts that Li Xiao had issued the Seven Grievances and was about to lead his army on a westward expedition. He had also received news from Yinshan that Li Xiao's main force was heading towards Qihe.

Now, Li Erhu has led his troops across the river before the main force has assembled, clearly intending to catch him off guard.

"The people of northern Xinjiang are truly cunning!"

Bahushadi couldn't help but curse aloud, his eyes filled with resentment: "When did I, Bahushadi, ever cross the Ili River?"

When will we go to raid the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate?

"That scoundrel Li Xiao actually pinned these crimes on me and even demanded that His Majesty hand me over to the Northern Frontier for punishment. This is simply outrageous."

He grew angrier the more he thought about it, and immediately ordered his generals: "Pass down the order: the left wing troops will hold the crossing, the right wing troops will circle around to the rear of the Northern Xinjiang Army, and the central army will meet the enemy head-on. We must stop the Northern Xinjiang Army on the south bank of the Ili River."

Just as the generals were about to accept the order, a messenger's voice suddenly came from outside the tent: "General, His Majesty has given an order!"

Bahushadi was taken aback, then took the order and began: "I hereby order that the Ili River defense line be abandoned immediately, and the entire army be withdrawn south to rejoin the main force west of Ferghana. There must be no mistakes."

Bahusha showed surprise. Yelü Zhilugu actually wanted to abandon the entire northern region of Liao and concentrate his forces in the south to fight a decisive battle with the Northern Frontier Army.

He quickly realized that His Majesty wanted to stretch the Northern Frontier Army's battle lines and then find an opportunity to cut off their retreat.

After all, there are few tribes in the northern part of Liao State now. The more than 50,000 troops in the northern frontier cannot replenish their food supplies by plundering. They can only rely on logistics and the sheep that accompany the army. Once the supply line is cut off, the northern frontier army will collapse without a fight.

"Very well, Your Majesty is wise."

Without hesitation, Bahushadi immediately ordered the entire army to break camp and retreat.

In reality, he only had 20,000 men under his command and had no intention of fighting the Northern Frontier Army to the death. He only wanted to put on a show of resisting for a while and then withdraw before Li Xiao's main force arrived.

If they really wait until Li Xiao's army arrives, they won't be able to leave even if they want to.

Soon after, the first batch of troops from the Fifth Garrison in Northern Xinjiang crossed the Ili River, and the soldiers scattered to search for traces of the Liao army and Liao tribes.

When Erhu led the main force to arrive, the report he received was: "General, the Liao army has withdrawn, and the tribes along the coast are also fleeing south."

Erhu reined in his horse, gazing in the direction the Liao army was retreating, a sharp glint in his eyes: "Retreat? It's not that easy."

He immediately ordered, "Pursue at full speed, make sure to keep up with the Liao army's tail, and prevent them from successfully joining up with the main force of the royal court."

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles south of the Ili River, in Husi Ordos, the former capital of the Liao Dynasty, a sense of panic is gripping the region.

The bricks and stones on the city wall are covered with cracks, and in many sections the wall has even collapsed and gaps have been exposed, revealing the yellow soil inside.

Eight years ago, Li Xiao followed Xiao Simo on his first western expedition, conquered this place, and looted the palace.

Later, Yelü Wusitu led Kangli cavalry to plunder the area, and the two battles severely damaged this once prosperous capital.

Now that Yelü Zhilugu has moved the capital to Ferghana, Husi Ordos is even more desolate, with very few pedestrians on the streets.

Most shops were closed, and only the occasional crying of children could bring a sense of life to the scene.

But when the news that "the Northern Frontier Army is about to attack" spread throughout the city, this glimmer of hope was completely swallowed up by panic.

People flocked to the streets to inquire about the news, and many carried bundles and rushed towards the south gate with anxious expressions.

That was the direction leading to Ferghana, and they wanted to flee south with the nobles.

"Have you heard? General Bahushadi's 20,000 troops didn't even defend the Ili River line; they just ran away."

"The Northern Frontier Army is almost at the Chu River. I'm afraid we won't be able to hold onto our Husi Ordo."

"The nobles have all run away with their families and wealth, what are we going to do?"

The discussions were filled with despair.

The Han people in the city, in particular, were filled with worry.

Since Li Xiao rose to power in the northern frontier, the Han people of the Liao Kingdom have become "outcasts." Originally, nearly a third of the Han officials in the court were now reduced to just a handful, and they were all excluded from the core of power.

Normally, they were already oppressed by Khitan nobles and foreign soldiers, and now that war was approaching, they had become abandoned "pawns" with no one to care about them.

"Escape? Where can we escape to?"

A Han Chinese craftsman dressed in coarse linen clothes squatted in the corner, clutching the few copper coins he had left, his face full of sorrow.

"Outside the city are grasslands, with not only wolves but also scattered tribes. We might get killed by them before the Northern Frontier Army even arrives!"

The elderly Han farmer beside him sighed, "Staying here is just waiting to die. If the Northern Frontier Army starts massacring the city and goes on a killing spree, they won't care whether we're Han or not..."

Panic spread through the city until the next morning, when a deafening sound of horses' hooves came from the north—the vanguard of the Northern Frontier Army had arrived.

The crimson and white-edged armor stretched out in the sunlight, and the mighty army of the Fifth Division surrounded Husi Ordos.

The cavalrymen, armed with long spears, stood in neat rows, their sharp eyes fixed on the city walls, exuding an imposing aura.

"Listen up, people on the city walls! Surrender immediately, or we will leave no one alive after the city falls."

A general from the Northern Frontier Army shouted loudly, his voice echoing throughout the entire city.

The Liao soldiers on the city wall were already in a state of panic, and upon hearing this, they trembled even more, their hands trembling so much that they could barely hold their bows and arrows.

Before they arrived, Li Xiao had warned Erhu that this western expedition was intended to incorporate the Liao Kingdom's territory into the northern frontier.

Therefore, large-scale massacres should not be carried out against the Han, Khitan, Turkic, and Uyghur people in the territory of the royal court.

However, we don't need to worry about the southern ethnic groups such as the Karluks, Ghurs, and Persians.

After all, the essence of war is plunder, and it always requires sacrificing the interests of one side to satisfy the appetite of the Northern Frontier Army, which naturally targets these tribes in the south.

They were completely out of place in the northern frontier and had no connection with it. Even if they were all killed, Li Xiao wouldn't care.

Erhu originally planned that if Husiwoer put up a stubborn resistance, Tu Cheng would not blame him.

But unexpectedly, a trembling voice came from the city wall: "We surrender! Don't kill us!"

The one who shouted was a minor Han Chinese official in the city. They knew that continuing to resist would only lead to a massacre of the city, so they might as well surrender and perhaps have a way to survive.

As he shouted, more and more soldiers laid down their weapons, and the guards at the city gate slowly opened the heavy city gate.

Erhu, who was in the army preparing to order an attack on the city, couldn't help but feel a little depressed when he saw this scene.

Helpless, he could only say, "Pass down the order to enter the city and take over the city."

"All civilians are to be expelled to the camp outside the city. No one is allowed to hoard property. All warehouses and noble residences in the city are to be sealed up and confiscated as military assets."

"If there is resistance, kill without mercy!"

Erhu then ordered the generals beside him: "Leave a thousand-household unit to garrison here, the rest of you follow me south to pursue the remnants of Bahushadi's army!"

The soldiers of the Northern Frontier Army entered the city in an orderly manner, and there was no massacre as expected. They simply drove the civilians out of the city.

They were relatively restrained towards the Khitans, Turks, and Uyghurs.

However, when they encountered Karluks, Ghurs, or Persians, they would simply bind them up and keep them as prisoners.

Although the people were displaced, they breathed a sigh of relief, at least their lives were saved.

A few days later, Li Xiao led his army to Husiwoer.

Looking at this familiar yet unfamiliar city, my eyes were filled with emotion.

Eight years ago, he was the commander of the left wing army under Xiao Simo, leading his army to break through this place for the first time.

As time went by, the city became more dilapidated, the cracks in the city walls deepened, the weeds on the streets grew taller, and even the once-prosperous palace showed signs of roof collapse.

“Brother, look, we’re back.”

Li Xiao said softly, as if speaking to Xiao Simo in the afterlife: "What you couldn't accomplish back then, I will accomplish for you."

"The Liao Kingdom's territory will eventually change hands, and the people of the northern frontier will no longer be oppressed by the Liao Kingdom."

(End of this chapter)