The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 358 Li Xiao's Power: Flattening the Mountain with Cannons

On the Gobi Desert west of Seran, the scorching sun bakes the earth, the sand is heated to a scorching temperature, and even the wind carries a burning heat.

An army of over 20,000 men was slowly marching eastward, their hooves pounding the sand, the dust they kicked up blending into a hazy yellow mist under the sunlight.

This is the Khwarazmian reinforcement army, led by General Timur Myri, which was ordered to go and support the Liao Dynasty.

The Khwarazmian soldiers looked very different from the people of the Central Plains: they mostly had high noses and deep-set eyes, curly hair and thick beards, and their skin was dark brown from years of sun exposure.

The armor was not the lamellar armor or scale armor commonly seen in the Central Plains, but was made of multiple layers of thick cowhide sewn together, with brass rivets inlaid on the outer layer, and curved iron plates on the shoulders and chest, which was both lightweight and could withstand the slashing of curved swords.

Timur Merri reined in his horse and stopped it on a high slope, whereupon his generals gathered around him.

He stroked his beard and laughed in Persian with a Central Asian accent: "By Allah, our Khwarazmian cavalry are the true masters of this land."

"The Liao Kingdom? It's nothing but a dying old dog, and the people of the Northern Frontier are nothing but the Liao Kingdom's watchdogs."

"The general is right."

A lieutenant immediately chimed in, his voice booming: "No matter how powerful the people of the Northern Frontier are, they are nothing more than watchdogs kept by the Liao Kingdom on the border. Now they have turned against their masters."

"They were able to defeat the Liao Dynasty back then only because the Liao Dynasty itself was corrupt. Our Khwarazmian Empire has tens of millions of people and tens of thousands of iron cavalry. Why should we be afraid of a bunch of barbarians?"

A hint of arrogance flashed in Timur's eyes as he nodded and said, "That's right, that old bastard Yelü Zhilugu still wants to rely on us to preserve his empire?"

"However, there is a saying among the Liao people: 'Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse.' The Liao Kingdom has become an old dog that is barely surviving, but its strength should not be underestimated."

"Yes, General Ali is right."

"However, we don't need to be in a hurry. We have plenty of time to wait for the Liao people to perish on their own."

"Once the Northern Frontier people and the Liao people are both exhausted, we will then launch an eastern expedition, first taking down the Western Karakhanid Khanate, then the Liao Kingdom, and finally annihilating the Northern Frontier people, restoring the glory of the Persian Empire, and letting our hooves trample across the Pamir Mountains."

"Ha ha ha ha."

The generals burst into laughter, their voices echoing across the Gobi Desert, filled with ambition for the future.

"But~"

Timur Myri changed the subject, his tone becoming contemptuous: "Those cowards from the Western Karakhanid Khanate have moved quickly this time; I heard they've already reached Seram."

"Are they so used to being dogs of the Liao people that they're eager to pledge their loyalty to Yelü Zhilugu?"

"It's a pity that Yelü Zhilugu couldn't even give them a bone."

The crowd burst into laughter again: "Hahaha~"

Among the Central Asian countries, the Western Karakhanid Khanate was the weakest and had the smallest territory. It was bordered by the Liao Dynasty to the east, Khwarazm to the west, and the Ghurid Kingdom to the south.

Not only was the geopolitical situation extremely unfavorable, but even the capital, Hezhong Prefecture, was controlled by the Liao Dynasty.

Therefore, the Western Karakhanid Khanate has always sought political independence and national strength.

In practice, they kept switching back and forth between Khwarazm and the Liao Dynasty.

Historically, the Liao Dynasty was driven out of control by the Khwarazmian Empire, but was then controlled by the Khwarazmian Empire and eventually destroyed by it.

While they were chatting and laughing about the Western Karakhanid Khanate, one of the generals suddenly remembered something and said, "General, although we are here to support the Liao Kingdom, we can't really exert ourselves."

"The benefits promised by Yelü Zhilugu will only be valid once he wins."

"If the situation becomes unfavorable, we should leave the battlefield to the Liao people, and it would be best if the people of the Northern Frontier and the Liao people perished together."

"well said."

Timur-Merli nodded approvingly: "However, if there is an opportunity, we can give the people of the Northern Frontier a good beating. Don't forget, the Empress Dowager's anger has not subsided yet."

Upon hearing this, the generals' expressions turned serious.

Six years ago, the Kangli tribes united to launch an eastern expedition to northern Xinjiang, but were completely annihilated by the northern Xinjiang army.

Turhan, the Queen Mother of Khwarazm, came from the Kangli Boyue tribe. Her brother was captured in that war, and the Boyue tribe lost thousands of elite troops.

This grudge was something that Empress Dowager Turkhan had always kept in mind. If she could take the head of the King of the Northern Frontier and present it to her, Timur Merri's future would be limitless.

"Don't worry, General. As long as we encounter the people from the Northern Frontier, we will definitely let them taste the power of the Khwarezmian battle axe," the lieutenant assured, patting his chest.

The generals unanimously agreed, not believing that the enemy they faced was particularly powerful.

But just then, a scout galloped in from the east, rushed up to him, dismounted, his face pale and his voice trembling: "General, something terrible has happened."

"We have spotted a group of defeated soldiers from the Western Karakhanid Khanate ahead."

“They said… the people from the northern frontier had reached Seram, and the 10,000-strong army of the Western Karakhanid Khanate… was completely wiped out.”

"what?"

Timur's smile froze instantly, his eyes filled with shock: "Ten thousand troops? All gone? Are the people of the Western Karakhanid Khanate all stupid sheep? They couldn't even hold out for a few days?"

The adjutant beside him also panicked, his previous arrogant expression vanishing completely, his voice trembling: "General, this...this can't be, can it?"

"No matter how powerful the people of the Northern Frontier are, they shouldn't be able to defeat an army of 10,000 so quickly."

"Could it be that the people of the Western Karakhanid Khanate are exaggerating to trick us into going to rescue them?"

"Shut up."

Timur Merri shouted, but could not hide the panic in his voice: "Send men to bring those deserters from the Western Karakhanid Khanate. I want to ask them myself."

Not long after, several ragged deserters from the Western Karakhanid Khanate were brought over.

Upon seeing the Khwarazmian general, they immediately knelt down and cried out for food.

Timur Myri had someone hand him naan bread and water, which the deserters wolfed down, crumbs falling all over them as they ate, vaguely recounting the horrors of the war.

"The people of northern Xinjiang... are terrifying."

One deserter choked so hard his eyes rolled back, and he only recovered after drinking some water. His voice was trembling with sobs as he said, "Their crossbows can kill people from hundreds of paces away."

"Our cavalry charged forward, but before they even got close, they were shot down in droves. The corpses piled up like small mountains, and the blood stained the sand red."

Another deserter was so frightened that he trembled all over and shouted wildly, "There's also thunder, boom boom boom!"

"The explosions spread out in a wide area, with metal fragments and nails flying everywhere, and people being blown apart..."

“This is terrifying. Allah must be angry. We shouldn’t have helped the Khitan infidels fight. This is Allah’s punishment.”

"Yes, it is Allah's punishment."

The deserters around him echoed his sentiments, and some even began to pray: "We should first go to Liaodong and the northern frontier to spread Allah's blessings."

"When everyone believes in Allah, we will all be brothers, and there will be no more wars."

They talked amongst themselves, their logic was chaotic, and their conversation drifted to Allah and faith, making it impossible to explain the specific tactics of the Northern Frontier Army.

The Khwarazmian generals listened with furrowed brows and speechless expressions, yet they still grasped the key information: the Northern Frontier Army possessed powerful long-range weapons, numerous cavalry, and an absurdly fierce fighting force.

"You're saying... three West Kara soldiers can't beat one Northern Xinjiang man?" Timur Mieli stared at a deserter, his tone icy.

The deserter nodded hurriedly, tears streaming down his face: "Yes, I saw it with my own eyes."

“Our Havida (a junior officer) surrounded a man from the northern frontier with two cavalrymen. The man from the northern frontier swung his sword and slashed, and Havida’s head was chopped off. The two cavalrymen were also killed.”

"They are too good at fighting."

Upon hearing this, the Khwarazmian generals fell silent.

The deputy general, who had initially planned to reap the benefits without lifting a finger, now turned pale and muttered, "Oh, Allah, these barbarians from the north are too cruel..."

"The existence of these barbarians from the northern frontier is a defilement of the holy world created by Allah."

"They shouldn't exist in this world."

"We should purify them."

"I originally thought we could wait until they were both exhausted, but I didn't expect the people of the Northern Frontier to attack the Western Karakhanid Khanate first."

"But should we continue our advance?"

"Can we really purify the barbarians of the northern frontier?"

One of the generals hesitated before speaking: "Although we have 10,000 more men than the Western Karakhanid Khanate, the people of the Northern Frontier are so fierce, will these 10,000 men be enough?"

"The Liao people are not worth our lives."

Another general immediately chimed in: "This was never our war in Khwarezm. We have no grudge against the people of the northern frontier. There's no need to fight them to the death."

Their previous arrogance and ambition had long since vanished, and the generals were beginning to show signs of wanting to retire.

Timur Merri frowned, calculating in his mind. The Khwarazmian army was indeed powerful, but if they really clashed head-on with the people of the northern frontier, they would definitely suffer heavy losses. It was not worth it for the meager benefits promised by Yelü Zhilugu.

"Retreat is possible, but we must first consult the Sultan."

Timur Merri said in a deep voice, "We cannot make decisions on our own. Let the army set up camp on the spot first."

Just then, a young general's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward and whispered, "General, the Western Karakhanid Khanate has lost 10,000 elite troops, and the country must be severely weakened..."

"Instead of fighting to the death with the people of the northern frontier, why don't we take this opportunity to go to the Western Karakhanid Khanate? The beauties, gold and silver treasures there are much more worthwhile than fighting for the Liao people."

These words were like a ray of light, instantly illuminating the minds of all the generals.

Timur clapped his hands suddenly, a greedy smile spreading across his face: "Yes, Allah's people deserve their due wealth."

"Send someone back immediately to consult the Sultan, saying that the Northern Frontier army is too powerful and it is not advisable to confront them head-on. We suggest taking advantage of the opportunity to seize the Western Karakhanid Khanate and expand our territory."

The generals cheered, their previous panic vanished, replaced by a desire for wealth and land.

The wind in the Gobi Desert was still scorching, but the direction of the Khwarazmian army had quietly changed.

Instead of sending aid eastward to the Liao Dynasty, they camped in place, awaiting the Sultan's approval, preparing to turn their swords against their former "allies."

Meanwhile, Yelü Zhilugu, far away in Chaqi, was unaware that the Khwarazmian reinforcements he had been hoping for not only failed to arrive, but were instead about to stab him in the back.

……

In Chaqi's Liao army camp, dust billowed as Yelü Zhilugu dismounted from his warhorse, his right leg slightly limping.

That was an old wound from fighting the Northern Frontier Army years ago, and it would ache whenever the fighting became tense.

He took the arm of a guard and strode quickly toward the main tent, asking in a deep voice as he went, "Where are the armies of Khwarazm and the Western Karakhanid Khanate? Is there still no news?"

The general on guard outside the tent quickly bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, no scouts have yet brought back any news..."

"damn it."

Yelü Zhilugu suddenly stopped and lashed the wooden stake beside him with his horsewhip.

"These Uyghur bitches and Persian bastards, I have given them so many benefits, yet they are still making excuses and are unable to arrive at the battlefield."

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and said to the eunuch behind him, "Immediately order Timur and Arslan to launch a general offensive against the rebels' rear with the main force of their legions before dawn on July 4th."

"Military orders are absolute, and military law is merciless. Disobeying orders and missing opportunities will be severely punished as a crime of insubordination." "Yes, sir." The eunuch dared not delay and hurriedly turned to relay the order.

Not long after, Yelü Zhilugu climbed the hill on the east side of the camp and looked out at the Northern Frontier Army camp to the north.

Yellow, red, and white war flags with the sun and moon colors were spread out on the grassland, and the dust kicked up by galloping warhorses intertwined with the white figures of herding sheep.

You can even vaguely see the slaves being escorted working on the edge of the camp.

This was the first time he had seen the Northern Frontier Army in six years, and the crushing defeat in the Battle of Qihe was still a nightmare in his heart.

Six years later, he led the Liao Kingdom south to plunder the Gur Kingdom in an attempt to revitalize its national strength, but the Northern Frontier Army before him looked even stronger than before.

"Your Majesty, look."

The veteran general Yelü Xiuduo pointed to the terrain: "To the east of Chaqi is the Tianshan Mountains, to the west is the Huzhang River (Syr River), and on the opposite bank is the desert."

"If we just hold Chaqi and block them layer by layer, we will definitely wear down the strength and morale of the Northern Frontier Army."

Tayanggu quickly chimed in, "Once the armies of Khwarazm and the Western Karakhanid Khanate arrive in Seran and cut off the Northern Frontier Army's retreat, we can launch a pincer attack and achieve a great victory."

Yelü Zhilugu nodded slowly. Chaqi's terrain was indeed advantageous to the Liao army, but his unease grew stronger.

Suddenly, he squinted and looked toward the west side of the Northern Frontier Army camp.

An army clad in white armor was converging on the main camp. Although the distance was too great to see the unit designation clearly, based on his knowledge of the Northern Frontier Army, he immediately recognized it as the insignia of the Third Division.

What alarmed him even more was that there seemed to be a group of bound people in the group, who looked like prisoners of war.

"Could they be prisoners of war from the Western Karakhanid Khanate?" Tayangu noticed the group and murmured to himself.

Yelü Zhilugu's expression changed drastically, and he glared at him fiercely: "Insolence! Stop talking nonsense!"

Tayanggu quickly chuckled awkwardly, "Yes, yes, yes, it was just my ramblings, don't take it seriously."

“Those must be the herdsmen and women brought back by the people from the northern frontier who conquered the tribes in the Chu River basin.”

"Your Majesty is a brilliant strategist. The people of the Northern Frontier would never have imagined that our two surprise attacks would be so effective. The armies of the Western Karakhanid Khanate and Khwarazm have probably already reached Seran and bypassed the rebels from behind, while Li Xiao is completely unaware of it."

The surrounding generals echoed their sentiments, angrily denouncing the Northern Frontier Army for "only plundering the people," and so on.

But Yelü Zhilugu's unease did not diminish in the slightest.

He paused for a moment, then said to the general beside him, "Send an envoy to the Northern Frontier Army camp and tell them that I intend to negotiate with Li Xiao and find out their true intentions."

The envoy quickly arrived at the Northern Frontier Army camp and saw from afar that there were indeed many women being guarded at the edge of the camp, and some tents could be faintly heard with noise and women's cries.

They didn't look like prisoners of war; they looked more like herdsmen who had been captured.

He felt a little relieved and was led by the guards into the main tent, which was Li Xiao's golden tent.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the King of Qin."

The envoy bowed deeply, adopting an extremely humble posture: "His Majesty of the Great Liao Dynasty, mindful of our kinship by marriage, does not wish to engage in warfare and is willing to restore friendly relations with the Qin State."

"We are willing to recognize the Qin state and Your Highness's position as King of Qin. The two sides will take the Ili River as the boundary and will not invade each other."

In fact, Yelü Zhilugu offered the envoys more lenient terms for negotiation.

We could also give some money to the Northern Frontier, and even cede the area north of the Chu River, which has already been occupied by the Northern Frontier army, to the Northern Frontier.

Although Yelü Zhilugu presented a tough image to his subordinates, he still harbored resentment towards the Northern Frontier and Li Xiao.

If you can't help it, don't fight.

It would be more worthwhile to attack the Ghurid Kingdom in the south.

However, the envoy could not possibly reveal these conditions at the outset.

He deliberately concealed Yelü Zhilugu's bottom line, only revealing some of the conditions first.

Li Xiao sat behind his desk, tapping lightly on the map on the table with his fingers, and said calmly, "If you want the Qin army to withdraw, so be it."

"But you must grant me two conditions."

He looked up at the envoy, his gaze sharp as a knife: "First, the Liao Kingdom shall submit to the Qin Kingdom, and Yelü Zhilugu shall demote himself to King and shall no longer be called 'Emperor' or 'Jurhan'."

Li Xiao's western expedition was primarily for the sake of legitimacy.

After all, the northern border once belonged to the Liao Kingdom. Although it is now independent, the existence of the Liao Kingdom is always an eyesore.

If the Liao Kingdom were downgraded to a kingdom and Li Xiao were to then declare himself emperor, it would establish the prestige and status of the Qin Kingdom in the Western Regions.

"Second, cede all the land north of the Huzhang River, including Ferghana."

The land north of the Chu River was sparsely populated and of little practical significance to the Qin state.

Because the Qin state had many, many lands like this.

However, the upper reaches of the Huzhang River are the famous Fergana Basin, the granary of Central Asia, with fertile land, and the site of Ferghana, the capital of the Liao Dynasty.

Taking this place would be of great significance to the Qin state.

By ceding the land north of the Huzhang River, the Liao Dynasty was left with only a small portion of its southern territory, completely losing its qualification to become a major power.

If Yelü Zhilugu has ambition, he could go south and annex the Kingdom of Gur. Li Xiao would be happy to do so, as it would give him more reasons to continue heading south in the future.

These two points are the most important; the other compensation in gold and silver goes without saying.

Upon hearing these conditions, the envoy's face grew increasingly grim. He raised his head and resolutely declared, "Your Majesty, these conditions are far too harsh. I am afraid that my Liao Kingdom will never agree to them."

"Your Majesty, please state some conditions that are acceptable to both of us, instead of making such exorbitant demands."

"Our Great Liao has 200,000 troops ready for battle. If we were to fight to the death, we might not necessarily lose. His Majesty is willing to negotiate because of our friendship. Your Majesty, please do not push your luck."

"Two hundred thousand troops?"

But when Li Xiao heard the envoy's threat, he scoffed disdainfully: "Are they cannon fodder for the Gur people, or remnants of the Western Karakhanid Khanate?"

He called out to the outside of the tent, "Bring him up."

A soldier carried a wooden tray into the tent, on which lay a bloody head.

Li Xiao pointed to the head: "This is Arslan, the commander of the Western Karakhanid Khanate. Go back and tell Yelü Zhilugu that the Western Karakhanid Khanate's army cannot come."

The messenger's gaze fell on the head, and his face instantly turned pale. His legs went weak and he almost knelt on the ground.

He recognized Arslan; he had seen him at Yelü Zhilugu's banquet last year.

He never imagined that not only would the army of the Western Karakhanid Khanate not reach Seran, but their commander would also be beheaded.

"you you……"

The envoy's lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time. He could only stagger out of the golden tent, looking so frightened that he even forgot to say goodbye.

When the envoy returned to Chaqi with Arslan's head and reported Li Xiao's terms and the news of the Western Karakhanid Khanate's defeat, Yelü Zhilugu smashed the wine cup in his hand on the ground with a "clatter," spilling wine all over the floor.

They completely disregarded the almost harsh conditions proposed by Li Xiao.

He stared intently at the severed head, his face turning ashen with disbelief. "Arslan... really lost? What about the Khwarazmian army? Where are they?"

"Also, how did the people of northern Xinjiang know about the military intelligence of the Western Karakhanid Khanate?"

"What went wrong?"

Yelü Zhilugu planned to use the two armies of Khwarazm and the Western Karakhanid Khanate as surprise attacks, allowing them to quietly bypass the Northern Frontier Army from behind.

Even within the royal court, not many people knew about this battle plan. How did the people of the Northern Frontier find out?
The generals inside the tent were also completely panicked. Yelü Xiuduo's face was even more ashen than Yelü Zhilugu's, and he muttered to himself.

"The Western Karakhanid Khanate has been defeated, and the Khwarazmian army probably won't be able to come either. Li Xiao won't give them a chance. Our escape route..."

Tayanggu held his forehead and sighed, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid... the Northern Frontier Army's retreat will not be cut off. On the contrary, we will be trapped in Chaqi by the Northern Frontier Army."

The wind howled across the hills, stirring up dust and sand. Yelü Zhilugu looked at the Northern Frontier Army camp to the north and felt despair for the first time.

Of the two reinforcements he had placed high hopes on, one had been completely wiped out, and the other had vanished without a trace.

The Northern Frontier Army was eyeing Chaqi with predatory intent. Was his Liao Dynasty really doomed?

When the envoy fled the Northern Frontier Army camp in a panic, all the generals had already gathered in Li Xiao's golden tent.

Chaqi is highlighted on the sand table, with the outline of the Tianshan Mountains to the east and the course of the Huzhang River to the west clearly visible.

"The terrain of Chaqi is truly challenging."

Li Dongshan pointed to the map, his brows furrowed: "The eastern side is the steep cliffs of the Tianshan Mountains, where cavalry cannot deploy at all."

"To the west is the Huzhang River, and on the opposite bank is the desert. The Liao army only needs to guard the two mountain passes to the north and south to keep us out. It is truly easy to defend and difficult to attack."

"In my humble opinion, it would be better to set up an ambush to lure the Liao army into launching an attack."

Xiao Chilu, the deputy commander of the Fifth Garrison, stepped forward, patted his chest, and said, "We can send a light cavalry to the mountain pass to provoke them, pretending that we are short of supplies and eager to start a war."

"If the Liao army is greedy for merit, they will definitely send troops to pursue us. At that time, we will cut off their retreat and defeat them in one fell swoop."

Li Dongshan shook his head and retorted, "With that old fox Yelü Xiuduo in the Liao army, I'm afraid they won't be easily fooled."

"Why don't we first send engineers to build a bridge over the Huzhang River, pretending to cross the river from the west to attract the Liao army's attention, and then send elite troops to launch a strong attack from the mountain pass on the north side, catching them off guard?"

The generals expressed their opinions one after another, and the discussion inside the golden tent rose and fell. Only Li Xiao sat in the main seat, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, without uttering a word.

Only when the tent gradually quieted down and everyone's eyes were on him did Li Xiao slowly raise his head, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"There's no need to put in so much effort."

His voice was not loud, but it carried a penetrating power that instantly silenced the tent: "My Qin Kingdom is no longer the power that could only live in the northern frontier six years ago. Does Yelü Zhilugu think that he can save his life by hiding in the mountains?"

He slowly stood up, looked up at the direction of the Liao army, and shouted in a heavy voice: "I will tell him that a few hills cannot save the Liao Kingdom from its fate of destruction."

"Doesn't he like to hide in the mountains?"

"Then use cannons to bombard it, flatten the hills around Chaqi, and turn the Liao army's fortifications into ruins."

"My Great Qin has ample ammunition, and my cannons are not just for show."

Upon hearing this, the generals were all shocked, but then a surge of heroic spirit welled up in their hearts.

Li Xiao walked to the sand table and pointed his finger heavily at a mountain pass in the northernmost part of Chaqi: "Yelü Zhilugu wants to rely on the terrain to defend himself to the death, but I will destroy his reliance."

"Tomorrow morning, all towns will concentrate all their artillery at the northern mountain pass and bombard the Liao army's positions with all their might."

Erhu watched Li Xiao's retreating figure, his heart pounding with excitement. He laughed loudly, "Your Majesty is wise! This humble general will go and issue the order to prepare artillery for all the armies. Tomorrow, we will surely let the Liao army taste the might of our Qin Kingdom."

Erhu loves these straightforward, hard-fought battles the most.

The other generals also stood up and shouted in unison, "Your subordinate obeys the order."

(End of this chapter)