The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 368 Ten Days of Blood and Fire: When an Ancient Civilization Encounters the Laws of the Grasslands

On the walls of Samarkand, heavy infantry from the northern frontier were wedging themselves into the Liao army's defenses in groups of three.

With shield blocking, spear thrusts, and arrow shots executed in one fluid motion, the Liao army at the breach was quickly routed.

A heavy infantry centurion was stabbed in the left arm but was completely unaware. With a ferocious expression, he swung his sword and severed the Liao soldier's wrist, then slashed at the attacker behind him: "Those who block my Qin army shall die."

His armor was already splattered with blood, but his eyes remained as sharp as a wolf's.

The Qin heavy infantry around them were also fierce. Some used their shields to knock Liao soldiers off the city wall, while others stepped on corpses and leaped up, wielding their scimitars to take a life.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers of the Western Karakhanid Khanate were so frightened that they threw down their weapons and turned to flee, wishing they had two more legs.

After clearing the city walls, the heavy infantrymen quickly descended the city walls and shouted to the Khwarazmian prisoners of war and East Karakhanid soldiers who had followed them: "Quickly, clear away the stones and firewood in the city gate."

"A moment's delay, and you will be dealt with according to military law."

Subsequently, the black-armored heavy infantry lined up to guard the city gate passage and resist the counterattack of the Liao army.

"Get your work done! I saw you all fighting the Liao army on the city wall just now," a centurion shouted to the soldiers from both countries who were busy carrying miscellaneous items.

"In the Qin state, military merit is paramount. Regardless of whether you were prisoners of war or slaves before, you have rendered meritorious service in capturing the city today. I will petition for your reward."

"From now on, you will no longer be trash to be slaughtered, but warriors of my northern frontier."

As the centurion's words were translated into Uyghur and Persian, the prisoners of war's previously numb eyes instantly lit up.

They never imagined they could escape their status as slaves.

Since we cannot resist Northern Xinjiang, we might as well join Northern Xinjiang.

Moreover, the status of people from the northern frontier is even more prestigious in the Western Regions.

A Khwarazmian prisoner of war picked up a head-sized rock and excitedly shouted in Persian, "Warriors, we are warriors!"

In the northern frontier, military merit is paramount. Regardless of ethnicity, anyone who achieves merit in battle will be rewarded.

This ironclad rule is the foundation of the strength of the Northern Frontier, inspiring people of different ethnic groups and classes to strive for the rise and expansion of the Northern Frontier, as well as for their own future.

Therefore, after receiving the promise, the Khwarazmian prisoners of war and the soldiers of the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate were even more motivated, and the city gate was quickly cleared.

"Squeak~"

The heavy city gates slowly opened, and sunlight streamed in through the cracks, illuminating the dense ranks of red cavalry outside the city.

Erhu was wearing red cloth armor and a red-plumed helmet. The stains and bloodstains on his armor had formed a dark patina.

Seeing the city gates open, a flash of fanatical excitement suddenly appeared in his eyes: "Hahaha~"

"The city of Hezhong has fallen."

"Clang~"

The crisp sound of a sword being drawn cut through the air, and Erhu shouted loudly to the crimson cavalry behind him: "Warriors, do you see? The city gates are open."

"The city is piled high with gold and silver treasures, and beautiful women from the Western Regions are waiting for us. Today, come with me to storm the city, and you can plunder the wealth and choose any woman you like."

These words were like a spark falling into a pot of boiling oil, instantly igniting the soldiers' enthusiasm.

A cavalryman raised his scimitar and roared in response: "General, rest assured, we will turn Samarkand upside down!"

"Let those barbarians from the Western Regions know what will happen if they dare to resist our Qin army."

"Kill, rob money, rob women!" another veteran shouted, his voice filled with greed and ferocity.

The shouts were deafening, and the eyes of the crimson cavalrymen were shining. Some couldn't help but spur their horses on, while others gripped their weapons tightly, eager to rush into the city.

Erhu looked at the fervent expressions of his soldiers, a ruthless smile curling at the corner of his lips. He raised his cavalry saber high once more: "Good, worthy of being warriors of my Qin Kingdom."

"Now, follow me and charge in."

"Let the swords not be sheathed for ten days, so that the people of Samarkand will remember who is the master here."

"Kill!"

The crimson cavalry roared in unison, their hooves thundering forward like a red torrent surging into the city through the gates.

"Boom boom boom~"

"Drink~"

"Whoosh~"

The cavalrymen bent down and swung their swords, cutting down the scattered Liao soldiers who resisted by the roadside. Blood splattered on their armor, but it did nothing to stop their advance.

The desire for wealth and women had long since overwhelmed everything else, and Samarkand had become a hunting ground for the Qin army to vent their fervor.

The once-prosperous palace in the inner city of Samarkand has long been swallowed up by panic.

Along the palace roads, one could see palace servants carrying bundles, rushing about in a panic. Some had gold and silver utensils from the royal palace tucked into their arms, while others had silk brocade draped over their shoulders, hurrying away as they fled.

The people of the northern frontier besieged the city for more than ten days. The daily roar of cannons was like a death knell. News had spread outside the palace that "the city walls are being blasted down three feet every day." Everyone knew that the fall of the city was only a matter of time.

“Umm, listen, the cannon fire outside is starting again…”

The maid held her two-year-old child in her arms, her voice trembling, and looked anxiously out of the hall.

The child had delicate features, but was completely oblivious to the chaos around him, only clutching the maid's clothes and babbling.

He was the son of Osman, the former Sultan of the Western Karakhanid Khanate, and is now the Sultan of the Western Karakhanid Khanate, Amir.

But when Adana, as a mother, looked at her child, her eyes were as cold as ice, without a trace of maternal warmth.

This is because the child was never her biological son.

On the eve of the last palace coup, when her husband Osman was still the Sultan of the Western Karakhanid Khanate, he noticed that Yelü Hongxin of Liao was gradually revealing his ambitions and was preparing to fight back. He sent her and her son Amir back to his father's estate overnight.

But no sooner had they settled in than devastating news arrived from the direction of the palace: "The Persians have breached the palace, and Sultan Osman has been killed."

Adana was heartbroken, but her father told her, "Where did these Persians come from?"

This is clearly a conspiracy by Yelü Hongxin.

Those wolf cubs covet the land of the Western Karakhanid Khanate and will never let the mother and child go.

Even if they aren't killed now, once he secures his position in Samarkand, the mother and son will inevitably die in an 'accident' sooner or later.

To save Amir's life, she had her father find a child of similar age to Amir to act as a substitute, and hid her own son in the countryside, entrusting him to the care of her most trusted old servant.

As expected, in order to stabilize the hearts of the people of the Western Karakhanid Khanate, Yelü Hongxin not only did not harm the "mother and son", but also sent a ceremonial guard to "solemnly" bring them back to the palace.

They also publicly declared that they would establish this child as the new Sultan of the Western Karakhanid Khanate.

But behind this "honor" lies an invisible cage.

The mother and son were confined to the main hall of the palace, which was guarded by Yelü Hongxin's Liao soldiers. They had to go through layers of questioning to even take a step outside the hall.

Adana sat by the window, gazing at the dust rising from the city walls in the distance, and said in a low voice, "What's the panic? No matter how fast the palace servants flee, they may not be able to escape Samarkand."

"My father said that the people of the northern frontier could even blast the 50,000-strong army of Khwarezm into pieces, and that their elephant soldiers were like paper under their cannons. How long can our little palace walls hold out?"

"But...but what if the people from the northern frontier attack the royal palace first after they enter the city?"

The maid's voice trembled even more: "I heard from the guards that when the Northern Frontier people conquered Husi Ordos, the first thing they rushed into after breaking through the city was the Liao royal palace. They killed all the men, and the women... the women were all taken away as slaves."

Adana stiffened, a flicker of fear crossing her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it: "Being afraid is useless."

“That wolf cub Yelü Hongxin has detained us here, claiming it’s for ‘protection,’ but in reality, he’s using us as hostages.”

"He wants to rely on us to stabilize the hearts of the people of the Western Karakhanid Khanate, but once the city falls, he will be the first to push us out to take the blame."

She paused, reached into her clothes and touched the jade pendant hidden inside, then placed the other one into her son's body.

"I just wish I could see my Amir right away, and I wonder if he's eaten properly..."

When talking about her son, Adana's voice softened, and her eyes reddened slightly.

The maid quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, Um, the people the master arranged will definitely take good care of the Sultan."

"We need to find a way to escape now. If we get caught by the people of the Northern Frontier, we're doomed."

Umm, or more precisely Umm Sultan, meaning mother of the Sultan, is the Queen Mother.

"escape?"

Adana gave a wry smile, her gaze sweeping over the Liao soldiers guarding the palace with spears: "Look at these Liao soldiers, they're all staring at us. We can't even get out of the palace gates, how are we supposed to escape?"

Just then, an even more violent roar came from afar, causing the palace to tremble slightly and the smoke and dust outside the windows to thicken.

The child in the maid's arms was so frightened that it started to cry. The maid hurriedly tried to comfort it, her voice trembling with tears: "Um, what should we do? Is the city wall about to fall? The people from the Northern Frontier are coming in."

Adana took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

Looking at the substitute child in his arms, his eyes hardened again, "For Amir's sake, I must live."

Not long after, the Liao soldiers guarding outside the palace were thrown into disarray, simply because news of the fall of Samarkand had reached them.

There are rumors that Yelü Hongxin was captured by the people of the northern frontier, some say he was beheaded on the spot, and others say he escaped.

In short, Yelü Hongxin's whereabouts are unknown, but the city walls have definitely been breached and the northern cavalry have entered the city.

As a result, the once-strict guard collapsed instantly. The Liao soldiers disregarded Yelü Hongxin's order to "keep an eye on the Queen Mother and the Sultan," their minds preoccupied with fleeing with the valuables they had stolen from the palace in recent days.

In the midst of this chaos, Adana also became prey for the rebel soldiers.

The three Liao soldiers did not flee like the others, but turned back, their eyes greedily fixed on Aidana inside the hall, rubbing their hands together and grinning maliciously.

"Since the city has already fallen, we might as well have some fun with the Queen Mother of the Western Karakhanid Khanate before we leave."

"That's right, we're destined to be beasts of burden in this life, but if we can have our way with an Empress Dowager, even if we die, it'll be worth it."

"She's widowed at such a young age, she must be incredibly lonely. It's a good opportunity for us brothers to help her out."

"Hahaha~"

As the three Liao soldiers approached arrogantly and greedily, Aidana's face turned deathly pale. She retreated, her voice trembling with fear: "You dare?"

“I am Um of the Karakhanid Khanate. Yelü Hongxin is not dead yet, and you dare to defy me?”

"Yelü Hongxin can't even protect himself, how can he care about you?"

The leading Liao soldier shoved aside the maid who was blocking Aidana's way, slapped her to the ground, and shouted to the soldiers behind him, "Drag this girl to the back and let the brothers have some fun with her."

"This queen, I'll be the first to try her!"

The maid was dragged away by two Liao soldiers, crying and begging for help. Her clothes were quickly torn and disheveled.

Aidana, witnessing the humiliation before her, was filled with a mixture of anger and fear, yet she could only clutch her clothes tightly and struggle incessantly. Just as the Liao soldier reached out to grab Aidana, a shout of battle suddenly rang out from outside the hall, followed by a group of warriors wielding curved swords rushing in, led by Aidana's father, Hasiyeti.

In the past, he always wore loose brocade robes, had a round body, and always had a smiling expression on his face. He was known as the "kind fat man" in Samarkand.

But now, his brocade robe had been replaced by sleek leather armor, and the smile on his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by a ruthlessness that Adana had never seen before.

He swung his sword and cut down the Liao soldier, shouting sternly, "Who dares to touch my daughter?"

Seeing this, the other Liao soldiers dared not linger in battle. They hurriedly abandoned their maids and fled in a sorry state, clutching their valuables.

Hasiyet was a merchant. The reason he risked his life to break into the palace to save his daughter was not out of genuine fatherly love, but rather out of self-interest.

His daughter was the Queen Mother of the Western Karakhanid Khanate, and his grandson was the Sultan of the Western Karakhanid Khanate.

Only by saving his daughter's life and preserving his title of "Empress Dowager" could he preserve his own wealth and status.

Hasiyeti strode forward, supported his trembling daughter, and had his disheveled maidservant helped up. He said in a deep voice, "The Northern Frontier people have already breached the city, and the palace guards have scattered. I took the opportunity to bring my servants and rush in."

Adana's face turned pale and she looked terrified, but then she looked bitter, as if it were only natural.

The people of northern Xinjiang could crush even the elephant cavalry of Khwarezm, so what was the destruction of Samarkand?
Looking at the chaotic palace road outside the palace, she lamented, "Samarkand, this ancient city, has now become a place where anyone can trample on it and ride on our heads... Let's run away quickly."

"Run? Where to run?"

Hasiyet shook his head, his eyes resolute: "The Northern Frontier has 100,000 cavalrymen who have long since surrounded Samarkand. Their people are everywhere on the grasslands; there's no way they can escape."

"Why don't you stay?"

"Stay?" Adana was shocked and dumbfounded.

Hasiyet nodded heavily and said, "Our Karakhanid Khanate has never been an enemy of the Northern Frontier, nor do we have any life-or-death feud with the people of the Northern Frontier. They have no reason to kill us."

“You are the Queen Mother. As long as we submit willingly and satisfy the appetites of the people of the Northern Frontier, they will not only not kill us, but may even let us regain power.”

Adana remained silent.

My father was right. There was no hope of escape; surrender might be the only way to survive.

But the thought of the rumors of the Northern Frontier people's brutality after breaching the city still made her tremble: "But... but what if the Northern Frontier people don't accept our submission?"

"They will accept it."

Hasiyet said firmly, “What the people of the northern frontier want is rule and wealth, not to kill everyone.”

“We are handing over ‘obedient subjects’ and ‘tools of governance’ to them. They have no reason to refuse.”

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves and shouts of battle came from afar, growing ever closer.

The northern cavalry have already reached the vicinity of the royal palace.

Hasiyeti took a deep breath, straightened his robes, and said to Adana, "Let's go and welcome the general from the Northern Frontier."

“Remember, you are Umm of the Karakhanid Khanate, so you must act accordingly.”

Adana clutched the jade pendant hidden in her clothes, her heart filled with complex emotions.

To survive and to see her son again, she had no choice but to choose the path of submission.

"Boom boom boom~"

Inside Samarkand, the thunder of iron hooves echoed.

The cavalry of the Fifth Division, clad in crimson armor, led the way through the streets of Samarkand, their hooves clattering loudly as they pounded the yellowish-brown dirt road.

A centurion reined in his horse, his gaze sweeping over a grand courtyard at the street corner—the residence of Umar, a nobleman from the Western Karakhanid Khanate.

He pointed his knife and shouted, "Brothers, charge in! All the gold, silver, and women inside are ours!"

Seven or eight cavalrymen immediately dismounted and kicked open the mansion gate.

Just as the gatekeeper was about to run away to report the incident, he was slashed to the ground, his blood staining the stone steps in front of the gate.

In the courtyard, Umar was directing his servants to hide jewels in the cellar when he saw the Qin army rushing in. He was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground and cried out, "Don't kill me! I'm willing to surrender! I'm willing to serve the Northern Frontier! I'll offer... I'll offer all my possessions!"

The nobles of the Western Karakhanid Khanate did not have much loyalty to the Sultan or the country; it was like a feudal system where loyalty was only to one's own interests.

Whether it was the Liao or Qin people who came, their first thought was to surrender and save their lives.

But what the Qin state wanted was not simply their submission.

"We want the money, and we want the people too."

A Qin army centurion grinned, grabbed Umar by the collar, threw him aside, and rushed straight into the inner courtyard.

A woman's scream came from the inner courtyard. Umar's wife and daughter were dragged into the room by Qin soldiers, and countless valuables were looted and piled up in the courtyard.

Samarkand is the largest city in Central Asia, a bustling commercial center where even a minor nobleman's household possessed an astonishing amount of wealth.

On the other side, the soldiers of the Third Town, dressed in white armor, were fewer in number but appeared even more barbaric.

They stormed into a wealthy merchant's shop, loaded all the spices and silks on the shelves onto carts and took them away, then chopped open the counter with knives and swept all the money inside.

The wealthy merchant tried to stop him, but a soldier in white armor stabbed him in the abdomen with a knife: "You dare block my way? You're asking for death."

His wife rushed over crying and screaming, but was dragged away by the soldiers and tied up with ropes along with the other women, being pulled out like livestock.

At this moment, soldiers from the First Garrison, clad in yellow armor, were advancing towards the eastern district of Samarkand, which was the Liao army's "Liao City" within the city.

This area, surrounded by high walls, served as both the Liao army's main camp and the settlement of soldiers' families, resembling an independent inner city. At this moment, it became the primary target of the First Garrison's encirclement and suppression.

"Brothers, charge in! Kill anyone who resists with weapons!"

Li Meng, the commander of the first town, brandished his spear and charged towards the gate of "Liaocheng".

The soldiers followed closely behind, unleashing a volley of arrows, and the remaining Liao soldiers who were trying to resist on the city wall fell in an instant.

The city gates were quickly smashed open, and Qin soldiers poured in like a tide, engaging in fierce battles with the Liao army inside the city.

A Liao general, wielding a scimitar, led dozens of remaining soldiers in a desperate defense of the alleyway, roaring, "Our families are right behind us! Fight these northern barbarians!"

But the Qin soldiers were all fierce, and as they wielded their long swords, Liao soldiers fell one after another.

The general had just cut down a Qin soldier when a spear pierced his chest from behind.

The cries of Liao soldiers' families echoed throughout the alley.

Some women, holding their children, hid in corners, only to be roughly dragged out by Qin soldiers; others picked up weapons and fought desperately against the Qin soldiers, only to be cut down on the spot.

"All of you better behave yourselves. Anyone who dares to resist will end up like these remnants of the army."

Liaocheng is being gradually cleared out.

The remnants of the Liao army, who were putting up a stubborn resistance, lay sprawled on the ground, their blood staining the streets red.

The families were tied together with ropes and escorted by Qin soldiers with swords and spears, staggering out of the city. Their cries and pleas for mercy were intertwined, but they did not elicit any pity from the Qin soldiers.

At the same time, a troop of the Wuwei Army, led by Commander Yang Shoujing, charged toward Yelü Hongxin's residence.

"Break down the door and search thoroughly. You must find Yelü Hongxin," Yang Shoujing ordered coldly.

The soldiers kicked open the mansion gates and rushed in to thoroughly search every room.

They searched the entire mansion but found neither Yelü Hongxin nor many valuables.

After all, Yelü Hongxin had only recently fled to Samarkand and had not yet had time to amass wealth or enjoy luxury.

"Commander, we've found something here!" a soldier suddenly shouted.

Yang Shoujing strode over and saw two beautiful women huddled in a corner of the room, their faces filled with fear.

This was a concubine whom Yelü Hongxin had recently taken in. She hadn't even enjoyed a few days of luxury in the royal palace before becoming a prisoner.

Yang Shoujing squatted down and gently lifted the chin of one of his concubines with the tip of his long sword.

"Tell me, where is Yelü Hongxin? Did he return to his residence after the city fell?"

His voice was devoid of warmth, and his gaze was fixed on the other person's eyes like that of a hawk.

The concubine was so frightened that tears streamed down her face, her lips trembled, and she could barely speak: "M-My lord, spare my life."

“We really don’t know… His Majesty went to the north city wall to oversee the battle yesterday morning and has never returned.”

Another concubine hurriedly kowtowed and begged for mercy: "Please have mercy, Your Majesty! We are just His Majesty's concubines. We are not even allowed to enter the front hall on ordinary days. How dare we inquire about His Majesty's whereabouts?"

Yang Shoujing stared at the two women for a moment. Seeing that their eyes were panicked but not evasive, and that they did not seem to be faking it, he interrogated several guards and servants in succession, and the answers he got were all the same.
Yelü Hongxin has not returned since leaving the mansion yesterday.

"Commander, has Yelü Hongxin really run away?" a soldier couldn't help but ask.

Yang Shoujing frowned slightly, then sneered, "Run? Where can he run to?"

"Our Qin army has long since surrounded Samarkand on all sides, and even sent cavalry to patrol the grasslands outside the city. Not even a bird can fly out."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the high walls of the mansion: "He must still be hiding in the city, either in the residence of some former Liao army member or in some secret passage."

"Have the brothers expand the search area, especially the houses near 'Liaocheng,' we must find him."

"Yes, sir!" the soldiers responded in unison.

Even if Yelü Hongxin can escape for a while, he can't escape forever.

Samarkand is now trapped, and it won't be long before this former Liao "Khan" falls into the hands of the Qin army.

Meanwhile, the city of Samarkand was in increasing chaos as Qin soldiers looted everywhere, leaving no grand courtyard or shop untouched.

"Drive all these people out of the city."

"Those who disobey will be killed!"

"Your Majesty is merciful and willing to spare their lives. If they do not know what is good for them, they will be killed without mercy."

A Qin army commander, mounted on horseback, brandished a scimitar, his cold gaze fixed on the prisoners of war.

Umar and the other survivors were forced by soldiers to walk out of the city at knifepoint. Some of them were hit hard on the back with the back of the knife if they were slow, and screams of pain rose and fell.

As the sun sets, the streets of Samarkand are littered with corpses, bloodstains, and scattered valuables, the air thick with the stench of blood and the cries of women.

Crimson, yellow, and white armor swayed in the setting sun, like demons from hell, turning this ancient city into a living hell.

A carriage departed from the direction of the palace and slowly headed towards the Qin state camp outside the city.

Through the gap in the carriage curtain, Adana looked at the horrific scene on the distant street and trembled all over. She finally understood that the terror of the people of Northern Xinjiang was far greater than that of Yelü Hongxin.

(End of this chapter)