The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 379: Becoming Emperor?

In the Battle of Lahore, the Sultanate army suffered a crushing defeat, with its 60,000 troops collapsing and scattering.

The Qin army's pursuit did not stop; the Red-Armored Cavalry, like a persistent leech, chased the fleeing soldiers of the Delhi army all the way south.

Along the plains, the bodies of Delhi soldiers lay piled high, some with their heads chopped off, some trampled into mincemeat by warhorses, and some lying in pools of blood, still breathing. The pitiful screams and faint groans echoed across the wilderness.

The cities that had been plundered by the Qin army but had been fortunate enough to regain peace due to the attack by the Deli army were now gathering with the people who had escaped the calamity.

They had originally thought the Delhi army could drive out the northern barbarians and were holding up garlands and cheering "Long live the Sultan!"

But when news of the Delhi army's defeat arrived, the cheers abruptly ceased, and the relief of surviving the ordeal was instantly replaced by fear.

"how is this possible?"

"Sudan's 60,000-strong army was defeated? Impossible."

"It's true~ So many people died, it was so tragic."

"Bullshit Sultan, damn infidels, I knew these slaves were unreliable."

"So what do we do now?"

"The people from northern Xinjiang are coming back! Run!"

Everyone was in chaos, packing their belongings again and fleeing south with their families.

But the Qin army moved much faster than they had imagined.

The red-armored cavalry quickly arrived at the city walls. The city gates had just been closed by the nobles' private soldiers when they were breached by the Qin army, followed by a new round of looting and massacre.

The Qin army advanced southwards and soon crossed the Shen River (Indus River).

In less than five days, they captured the important city of Istanbul.

The noble mansions in the city were ransacked, gold and jewels were loaded onto trucks, young women were tied up and taken away, and resisting soldiers fell to scimitars.

Finally, the Qin army arrived at the gates of Lahore, the capital of the Sultanate. At this moment, the city gates were tightly closed, and the defending soldiers trembled on the city walls.

"Have you heard? All 60,000 troops at the front have been wiped out. His Majesty the Sultan has already fled to Delhi with his family."

A young soldier sidled up to his comrade, his voice trembling: "Aren't we just waiting to die here?"

The veteran beside him sighed and wiped the cold sweat from his brow: "What can we do? The people of the northern frontier kill without blinking an eye. Even if we surrender, we might not survive..."

Before he could finish speaking, a low rumble suddenly came from afar, like muffled thunder rolling across the plains, making the city walls tremble slightly.

The two of them looked up abruptly, their pupils contracting instantly.
On the northern horizon, countless red dots of light were rapidly approaching; only when they got closer could one see that they were swarms of red-armored cavalry.

"Gee, gee, gee~"

"Roar roar roar roar roar~"

The horses' hooves pounded the dust, raising clouds of gray mist that obscured the figures of the red-armored cavalry, making them appear both indistinct and imposing.

The cavalry surged forth like a vast, crimson cloud pressing down on the sky. The soldiers pointed their spears diagonally towards the heavens, with scimitars at their waists and longbows on their backs. Their eyes were sharp as eagles, and they roared like wild beasts.

The entire force, like a colossal beast awakening, slowly pressed towards the city of Lahore.
The young garrison soldier's legs went weak with fear, and he nearly fell off the city wall, his voice trembling with tears: "So...so many...we simply can't hold them off!"

The already demoralized army completely collapsed. Some began to sob quietly, some gripped their weapons tightly but trembled all over, and others stared at the sun and moon battle flag with eyes full of despair.

At the front of the Qin army, Erhu reined in his horse, looked at the disorganized defenders on the city wall, a cold smile appeared on his lips, and shouted to the commander beside him: "Pass on the order, attack the city, take Lahore, and the golden women in the city, the first to rush in get to choose first."

"Follow the order."

The commander shouted in unison, drew his cavalry saber, and roared at his soldiers, "Brothers, take this city, and riches and glory await you! Charge!"

He then personally led his men to attack the city.

The defending soldiers were already terrified, and within half an hour, the Qin infantry breached the city walls.

The red-armored cavalry followed closely behind, surging into the city like a tide.

"Those who resist will die."

A squad of red-armored cavalry, brandishing blood-stained scimitars, stormed into a noble mansion, roaring at the servants cowering in a corner.

The mansion's owner, a nobleman from the Sultanate, was now deathly pale. He tried to beg for mercy with gold and silver, but was kicked to the ground by a cavalryman: "Trying to beg for mercy now? Too late."

The red-armored cavalrymen rampaged through the streets and alleys, their posture arrogant and savage.

Some soldiers kicked open the temple door, looked at the statues inside, and sneered, "What a worthless god, he can't even protect you believers."

With that, he swung his knife at the base of the statue, looted all the valuables in the temple, and then ordered his vassal soldiers to frantically dig underground with hoes and shovels.

Soon, chests of gold were carried out, the sunlight shining on them so brightly that it was hard to open one's eyes.

The screams in the city lasted for three whole days. The cries of women, the screams of men, and the wails of children were all mixed together, but they could not drown out the wild laughter of the Qin soldiers and the sound of weapons clashing.

The Sultanate officials and nobles who had not managed to escape were dragged out of their hiding places by Qin soldiers like dead dogs.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer was being dragged by the hair by soldiers, his forehead covered in blood. He trembled and begged for mercy: "My lord, spare my life! I'm willing to give up all my possessions, just to be spared."

"Live?"

The soldier chuckled and took out a thick iron chain, putting it around his neck: "Look at your physique, you can carry a lot of stones. Go into the mine and move some stones, you might even come out alive one day."

The nobles were chained together and driven like livestock to carry spoils of war. Any slight delay would result in a beating, with screams echoing throughout the room.

Meanwhile, Qutbdin had already fled to Delhi in the south with his family and trusted men.

He stood on the walls of Delhi, gazing north, his heart filled with humiliation and resentment.

Lahore was where he made his fortune, but now it has fallen into the hands of people from northern Xinjiang.

"Those barbarians from the northern frontier have occupied half of my land. I swear I will not rest until I avenge this!" Kutbudin roared angrily.

Despite this, the fear in his eyes was unmistakable. If even a Qin army of 60,000 men couldn't stop them, what use would his remaining troops be?

With the fall of Lahore, the name of the Lahore Sultanate ceased to exist, and it became the Delhi Sultanate. Its former glory vanished, leaving it only a state of lingering existence.

Meanwhile, Yelü Hongxin, who was hiding in the mountains, learned of all this from the people who had fled into the mountains, and his heart was filled with fear.

He gazed in the direction of Peshawar and sighed to himself, "The barbarians of the Northern Frontier are still so powerful. They are no match for even the 60,000-strong army of the Sultanate. It seems that I can only continue to endure humiliation and wait for the opportunity to rebuild the Liao Dynasty."

After saying this, he led his remaining soldiers deeper into the mountains, fearing that the Qin army would discover their whereabouts.

Spring arrived the following year in the blink of an eye, and the weather in Lahore gradually warmed up, with a humid and hot atmosphere enveloping the land once again.

Some Qin soldiers began to feel unwell again, and non-combat casualties were increasing.

Erhu looked at the casualty report brought by the military doctor and knew that it was time to withdraw the troops.

If they stay any longer, the army will likely suffer losses due to the weather.

"Withdraw troops."

"Return to Samarkand and rejoin the main force," Erhu ordered in a deep voice after convening a meeting with the generals of various units.

"Yes, sir!" the generals shouted in unison, clutching their chests.

So the army began to collect the spoils of war, and wagons were filled with gold, jewels, silk, grain and other treasures.

Various South Asian horse breeds and elephants, along with female captives, were also used in the retreat towards Samarkand.

Lahore, once a prosperous capital, is now a ruin, with only broken walls and scattered corpses telling the story of the tragedy that followed.

Meanwhile, in Khutbdin, Delhi, people have been living in fear for the past few months.

Every day he stood on the city wall, gazing northwards, fearing that the northern peoples might suddenly march south and breach Delhi.

They had even begun to plan that if Delhi fell, they would take their remaining troops and flee to cities further south.

"Sultan, Sultan, good news, fantastic good news!"

On this day, a general suddenly came running up, his voice full of excitement: "The people of the Northern Frontier... the people of the Northern Frontier have withdrawn their troops. They have taken their spoils and returned to Samarkand."

"What did you say?"

Kutbudin suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief. He even thought he had misheard and asked again, "Say it again, what happened to the people of Northern Xinjiang?"

"They've withdrawn. They really have withdrawn."

The general leaned close to him and spoke rapidly: "The scouts saw it with their own eyes. The Northern Frontier troops have already crossed the Shen River and are heading north. Lahore is completely deserted. They have no intention of heading south at all."

Kutbudin stood frozen in place, his mind blank, his chest heaving violently, and his eyes suddenly flashed with ecstatic light.

The huge weight that had been pressing on my heart for months suddenly lifted, sweeping away all fear and anxiety, leaving only an overwhelming sense of excitement.

"God has shown His power. God heard my prayers and thanked you for your protection, which drove those barbaric northern barbarians out of my land."

He kowtowed three times deeply: "God, you are the only ruler of the world."

"Your follower, Kutbuddin, will always follow and fear you. I will definitely expand the temple and pray devoutly every day to repay your protection."

The generals and officials in the city breathed a sigh of relief, some even bursting into tears on the spot, as they no longer had to live in fear.

Only Shankara looked smug. He put his hands together and proclaimed to the people, "Look, this is the power of 'nonviolent resistance'."

"The people of the northern frontier killed so many citizens of the Sultanate that they finally realized their brutality. Shiva awakened their conscience, and they felt remorse and withdrew their troops on their own initiative."

"My philosophy is correct: as long as we persist in kindness and peace, any enemy can be won over."

Most of the people were kept in the dark and knelt down to worship him, praising him for "receiving guidance from Shiva".

But Kutbudin looked at Shankara and found it all absurd.

In other words, almost all the natives of the Sultanate were Brahmanists, and Shankara was a Brahman leader with great prestige in India.

Killing him would provoke a rebellion among the natives, which would be detrimental to the rule of the Sultanate.

Otherwise, Kutbudin would have sent him to the northern border military camp long ago, so that he could personally influence the people of the north with love and kindness.

...In the city of Samarkand, inside a golden tent, wool carpets covered the floor, and captured flags of various countries hung on the walls.

Li Xiao leaned back on the throne covered with a white tiger skin. To his left sat the Queen Mother of the Western Karakhanid Khan, dressed in a Uyghur brocade robe, and to his right was Princess Hunhu, dressed in Liao Dynasty palace attire.

The two men would occasionally refill his glass of wine, creating a pleasant yet solemn atmosphere.

The generals, dressed in various colored armors, gathered in the center of the tent, chatting and laughing in a lively atmosphere.

The messenger, holding the battle report, read aloud: "This humble general, Li Ao, reports that this time, I led 10,000 soldiers of the Fifth Division on a southern expedition to India, decisively defeating the 60,000-strong army of the Sultanate and capturing 27 cities including Krakow..."

"We captured over 100,000 female prisoners and seized over 2 million taels of gold, silver, various gemstones, silk, ivory, and other spoils of war, totaling over 1,000 cartloads."

……

Li Xiao had already heard this battle report once before; this meeting was to inform the other generals.

"Good, as expected of my good brother." Li Xiao said calmly after the battle report was read.

"In just six months, not only did they cripple the Sultanate of India, but they also seized so much wealth. This achievement is enough to earn them the title of 'Pillar of the State'."

With the arrival of winter, the Qin army rested and reorganized in Samarkand, ceasing their campaigns.

In the past few months, Li Xiao has been thinking most about establishing a military merit system.

China has a long history of military achievements, including those of the Jin and Song dynasties at this time, as well as the Tang dynasty before and the Ming dynasty after.

However, the system was too chaotic, not only was it over-issued, but it was also often confused with titles of nobility, so soldiers couldn't tell what they should be rewarded for their merits.

Li Xiao planned to establish a new military merit system, more similar to the military rank system of later generations.

It is linked to military positions and cannot be inherited.

The highest rank is Pillar of State General, followed by General, Senior General, Middle General, and General.

Each rank corresponds to a substantive and nominal position in the military. If you have made meritorious contributions, and there is no position available for promotion, you can first be promoted to a nominal position and then transferred to a substantive position.

The last eastern expedition and this western expedition produced a large number of meritorious soldiers, and it is not only they who need honorary titles.

Most importantly, Erhu and others have not been promoted in their official positions for a long time.

When there is no further promotion to be made, it is necessary to reward them with honorary titles.

What can be inherited are titles of nobility, which are two separate systems, and we will discuss this later.

However, Li Xiao has not yet revealed this matter to the outside world, and the generals are discussing the results of the two tigers' southern expedition.

As Li Xiao finished speaking, Li Dashan, who was sitting below him, nodded slightly and said, "Erhu did fight quite well in this battle."

"I originally thought that India was a great country and should have a strong military, but now it seems that it is just a facade."

"The Second General led 10,000 Qin soldiers and 10,000 auxiliary troops and defeated the Delhi Sultanate, causing it to lose its cities and country. The local army was a bunch of useless trash."

"The Second General is truly remarkable. If it were you, Old Zhou, you definitely wouldn't have won so cleanly and decisively."

"Haha, yes, yes, I, Old Zhou, am definitely no match for the Second General in leading troops into battle."

"However, India is rich in gold. We can send a cavalry unit to plunder it every year. It's much more profitable than farming."

Other generals also expressed their praise for Erhu and revealed their desire to continue fighting.

"Your Majesty, after conquering Samarkand, we rested for an entire winter. Our brothers lived in the warm tents of the Karakhanids, embraced the captured women from the Western Regions, and raised a strong and healthy army."

"Everyone is eager to fight, just waiting for your order to make another contribution..."

Just then, another guard came to report: "Your Majesty, General Xiao Chilu led 10,000 elite troops and 10,000 servants to capture Ghazni, the capital of the Kingdom of Ghur, occupy the entire territory of Khorasan, and completely destroy the Kingdom of Ghur."

"More than one million taels of gold were seized, along with more than 100,000 female prisoners and more than 300 members of the Ghur King's family."

Li Xiao chuckled, stood up, and slammed his wine cup down heavily: "I've annihilated two kingdoms and swept across the Western Regions."

"Good, General Xiao Chilu did a great job, you deserve a major commendation."

The generals instantly erupted in cheers.

"Our Qin army is now invincible. How many people throughout history have achieved this?"

"Our Qin army swept across the Western Regions; looking across the world, who can rival us?"

Wanhu Chen Erqiang raised his wine cup high and said in a loud voice: "Even when Emperor Wu of Han attacked the Xiongnu in the north, it was no more than this; when Emperor Taizong of Tang destroyed the Turks, the territory was not necessarily as vast as it is today. Your Majesty's achievements have long surpassed those of all the emperors of the past."

"General Chen is right."

Another general chimed in: "Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, but never set foot in the Western Regions; Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong of Song couldn't even reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, how can they compare to Your Majesty?"

"Now that the northern frontier has submitted, the western regions have surrendered, and the central plains are bowing in submission, Your Majesty will surely lead us to create a great cause that far surpasses that of the Han and Tang dynasties."

The generals echoed their sentiments, each praising Li Xiao, creating a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere in the tent.

At that moment, Li Dongshan knelt down on one knee, placed his hands on his chest, and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, I have followed you for many years and witnessed you raise an army in the northern frontier, pacify the northern desert, destroy the Xia Kingdom, defeat the Jin Kingdom, break the Liao Kingdom, and pacify the Western Regions."

"Now we command hundreds of thousands of soldiers and control a vast territory."

"Among all the heroes under heaven, you are the only one who reigns supreme."

"We earnestly request Your Majesty to ascend the throne, establish a national title, and stabilize the state, so that we soldiers may have a ruler to rely on, and the people of China may have a master to serve."

Upon hearing this, the other generals immediately reacted, kneeling down in unison, the clanging of their armor causing the felt on the tent roof to tremble.

Even the bewildered Hunhu and Empress Dowager Wang realized that something extraordinary had happened, and they both knelt down on either side of Li Xiao.

"I humbly request Your Majesty to assume the title of Emperor."

"We are willing to follow Your Majesty to the death."

“Your Majesty, if you do not declare yourself emperor, we will remain kneeling here forever.”

……

Looking at the scene before him, Li Xiao felt very gratified.

He didn't feign refusal like Zhao Kuangyin, nor was he impatient like Chen Youliang; he simply raised his hand slowly and said, "Get up, all of you."

“Our Great Qin does not practice kneeling and bowing; what kind of decorum would that be?”

Li Dongshan retorted: "Since ancient times, the Chinese people have always knelt to heaven and earth, to their fathers and mothers, to their rulers and teachers."

"Your Majesty is the only ruler of our Great Qin, and naturally we should kneel before you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the other generals shouted in unison, "Your Majesty, please ascend the throne!"

Now that Li Xiao is the King of Qin, it is only natural that he should become emperor next.

The vast northern frontier needs a single leader, a spiritual totem that everyone can believe in.

This person can only be Li Xiao.

He didn't need to be modest, because this was not only his wish, but also the interest of thousands of generals and hundreds of thousands of warriors of the Qin Dynasty.

These soldiers followed him in battle for many years, risking their lives and shedding blood, all for the sake of achieving great deeds and securing lasting wealth for their descendants.

Only by establishing themselves as emperors and founding a nation could their achievements be recognized and their efforts rewarded.

Li Xiao's gaze swept over the generals, and he said in a deep voice, "I agree to your request, but there is no need to rush this matter."

"The war in the Western Regions has not ended, and Khwarazm is still watching us with predatory eyes. This country still has considerable strength. If it is not completely eliminated, it will surely become a scourge in the future."

"Wouldn't it be more perfect to discuss the matter of declaring oneself emperor after we have pacified Khwarazm and completely eliminated the hidden dangers in the Western Regions?"

The Qin army launched a massive expedition, expending countless manpower and resources; this was no easy feat.

Li Xiao naturally wanted to achieve his goal in one fell swoop, eliminating all threats and leaving no future troubles.

Although the generals were disappointed, they understood Li Xiao's considerations and replied, "Your Majesty's plans are far-sighted, and we will obey your orders."

Li Xiao walked to the map and pointed to the territory of Khwarezm: "We have achieved remarkable results in this western expedition."

"We destroyed the Liao Kingdom, conquered the Western Karakhanid Khanate, overthrew the Ghur Kingdom, and drove the Delhi Sultanate to the south. Now, in the Western Regions, only Khwarazm still poses a threat to us."

"Although we do not have enough power to directly rule Khwarazm and the Kingdom of Ghur, we cannot relocate Han people here on a large scale in the short term."

Li Xiao's tone shifted, revealing his sharp edge as he said, "But the war must continue."

"What we need to do is not only defeat Khwarazm, but also completely eliminate their fighting force, destroy their possibility of rising again and reviving, and ensure that they will never be able to threaten the Qin state."

In another ten or twenty years, the Qin Dynasty stationed more and more troops in the Western Regions, and the people of China continued to migrate there.

Li Xiao was able to completely incorporate these areas, which were currently under the control of the Qin state, into the Qin's inherent territory, making them an inseparable part of China.

"Your Majesty is wise!" the generals shouted, their fighting spirit high.

It seemed that as long as Khwarazm was eliminated, Li Xiao could prepare to declare himself emperor, and they would be granted titles and honors, with benefits lasting for generations.

In the following time, Hunhu, Aidana and other women were driven out, and Li Xiao, Li Dashan and other generals began to discuss the matter of conquering Khwarezm.

They planned to completely wipe this country off the land, so that the Western Regions would no longer have any power that could threaten the Qin state.

Finally, Li Xiao ordered: "We will set out in three days, and our troops will be divided into two routes to attack Khwarazm."

"The detachment was led by General Li Dongshan to conquer the northern cities of E'dala and Yangjigan."

"I will personally lead the main force to attack Bukhara, Maru and other places, and take the Khwarazmian capital Urgench directly."

"We must completely eliminate it and leave no future troubles."

"Follow the order."

The generals responded in unison, their voices resounding throughout the golden tent.

(End of this chapter)