The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 7 Blood debt must be paid with blood

Throughout the night, the rain over Hexi Fort grew heavier, as if it wanted to wash away all the sorrow and suffering in the world.

However, reality is always so painful.

Sin cannot be washed away, and hatred cannot be resolved.

Before dawn, more and more people in Hexi Fort knew the news.

The Battle of Beishan was a disastrous defeat. Only six of the 100 young and strong men in Hexi Fort returned, and the whereabouts of the others were unknown.

The whole village was shrouded in a heavy atmosphere of sorrow, and everyone's face was filled with worry and even despair.

In some courtyards, women in plain clothes could be seen hugging each other and crying. This was because they had heard accurate news from Lao Zhu, Wang Wu and others: their husbands, fathers and children had died in the war.

There are more young and strong people whose whereabouts are unknown. Their families, besides being worried and nervous, express more prayers and expectations.

Many people stood at the entrance of the village, looking out, hoping to see their loved ones returning.

The children were also infected by the depressing atmosphere. They stopped laughing and playing, and just timidly cuddled up to the adults.

In the Li family, the atmosphere of grief has completely enveloped this originally harmonious family.

When the old lady heard that her eldest son was dead and her second son was missing, she fainted. After waking up, she burst into tears and fainted several times.

"God, why are you so cruel to me?"

"I've been doing good deeds all my life and have never done anything bad. Why did you take my son away?"

"The sea~my son."

"Erjiang, come back soon!"

The old lady cried bitterly, and a desperate silence surrounded her.

Qin Dani was not much better off.

I never expected that in just half a month, I would be completely separated from my husband, and even his body could not be found.

She was so grief-stricken that she could only hug and cry with her mother-in-law and daughter.

The three Li Xiao brothers were all wearing mourning clothes at this time.

Wrap a circle of white cloth around the head, waist and ankles.

This is the greatest filial piety for a son, but Da Hu and Er Bao, who are nephews, do not need to tie white cloth around their waists.

All five brothers knelt facing Li Dahai's tablet, crying quietly.

It is for the deceased Li Dahai and also for Li Erjiang who was seriously injured and missing.

Not far away, the old man and others were sitting together. Although everyone was sad, they had more important things to do.

"Dongzi just came back."

Third Grandpa squatted on the ground and looked at the old man who was sharpening a long knife with a whetstone.

He continued, "He went to Hedong Fort. They already knew the news and sent people out to investigate last night."

"And we found traces of the Karluk rebels at Eagle's Beak Rock, thirty miles to the east."

Hedongbao, like Hexibao, is a village located on the south bank of Longgu River.

It’s just that one is in the east and the other is in the west.

The two are not too far apart. Since the Qarlugs have appeared around Hedong Fort, Hexi Fort will be there soon.

After hearing this, the old man's expression remained unchanged, but his whole body was like a piece of ice, emitting a cold and murderous aura.

He just said calmly: "Send the children to Dragon Heart Island~ It's safer there."

"Okay." Third Grandpa nodded slightly.

There are two major rivers flowing through Jinzhou, both originating from the Altai Mountains in the east.

There is a river in the north called Yide River, which flows into the far north with no end in sight. It is the Irtysh River in later generations.

The river in the south is called Longgu River, later named Ulungur River, and is an inland river.

At the end of the Dragon Bone River is a lake called Dragon Bone Lake.

The location is about ten miles northwest of Hexi Fort.

There is a small island in Longgu Lake, which was named Longxin Island by the ancestors of Hexi Fort.

Most nomadic peoples were not good at swimming and did not dare to enter the lake by boat, so Longxin Island also became a refuge for Hexi Fort.

When a powerful enemy attacks, women and children will be transferred to Dragon Heart Island in advance.

The remaining men from Hexi Fort decided to stay and avenge their loved ones.

The Karluk rebellion in Jinzhou has been planned for a long time. After defeating the Jinzhou army, they will certainly not stop there and will inevitably turn their attention to other places in Jinzhou.

The Han villages in Hexibao were the first to be hit.

"According to the news brought back by Xiao Wuzi and the others, the scale of this Qarluk rebellion is quite large."

"All the Karluk tribes in Jinzhou have united, with a military force of at least 3,000 people." Third Grandpa said in a deep voice.

Speaking of this number, everyone feels a lot of pressure.

"The Qarlugs are already difficult to deal with, but now they have gathered 3,000 men and just defeated the main force of the Jinzhou Army. Their morale is high and they are formidable!"

After the third grandfather finished speaking, the old man's other younger brother, the fourth brother, spoke with a serious face.

There are more than 200 households and more than 1,300 people in Hexi Fort, but after excluding the 100 young and strong men, all the men who can hold a knife add up to only more than 300 people.

Three hundred versus three thousand?
It's just seeking death.

"We have to fight even if we can't defeat them by force. The men of our Hexi Fort cannot die in vain. We must make the Karluk people pay the price." Third Grandpa said viciously.

Their faces were full of murderous intent. Although they didn't know how many people could come back from the previous battle, the death of Li Dahai alone was enough to make the men of Hexi Fort angry.

"This revenge must be avenged."

"And even if we don't fight, the Qarlugs won't let us go."

"If we don't want to be coerced into rebellion by the Karluks, we have no choice but to fight."

"The news of the Jinzhou army's crushing defeat has spread. We just need to hold out for a while, and the troops from Dongdu will arrive to suppress the Karluk rebels."

"Hmph, I just hope the Khitans in Dongdu won't be as useless as Daha Chuluoduo."

...During Yelu Dashi's Western Expedition, he proclaimed himself emperor in Yemili and called himself Jurghan, which is equivalent to emperor.

And Ye Mili is located in Yinshan, one of the four states in northern Xinjiang today!

Eight hundred miles southwest of Jinzhou.

Later, Yelu Dashi conquered the Eastern and Western Karakhanid Khanates, and renamed the Eastern Karakhanid Khanate's capital, Balasagun, to Husiwoerduo, which became the seat of the royal court of the Western Liao Empire.

The original Ye Mili was called the Eastern Capital and the Old Capital!
The Dongdu Liaison Office was set up to manage the four prefectures in the northern border.

This time, although it was only the Karluk tribe in Jinzhou that rebelled, the threat to Western Liao should not be underestimated.

If the rebellion cannot be suppressed quickly, it is likely to cause rebellion among the Karluk people in the entire northern border area and even in more places.

Therefore, after the news of the rebellion of the Qarlug people in Jinzhou spread, the Eastern Capital Garrison Office would inevitably mobilize troops to suppress it.

Even if the Han people in Jinzhou could not defeat the Qarluk people, they just had to hold out until the Eastern Capital Army arrived.

Listening to the arguments of the people around him, the old man had already sharpened the sword in his hand. He stood up and glanced at everyone.

He said in a deep voice: "You are all right~The men of Hexi cannot die in vain."

"We Hexi men are not afraid of death or fighting, but our blood cannot be shed in vain."

"Contact other villages."

"Work together to wipe out the Karluk people!"

"eye for eye!"

The old man's prestige in Hexi Fort was unparalleled. After he finished speaking, everyone's face showed ferocity and determination.

"That's right, blood debt must be paid with blood~"

"eye for eye!"

Everyone cheered in a low voice, and Li Xiao and his brothers were also eager to fight.

Erhu was especially excited, the veins on his neck were bulging, and he wished he could rush over and fight a bloody battle with the Karluks immediately.

Not long after, Third Grandpa left Hexi Fort with several young men and went to contact other Han villages in the surrounding area.

Together they ambushed the Karluk rebels.

That afternoon, Li Xiao and a dozen young men from the village protected a group of children and left Hexibao.

Their target was Dragon Bone Lake, more than ten miles away.

This is one of the largest lakes in northern Xinjiang, covering an area of more than 1,000 square kilometers. It has rich fisheries and is also an important source of meat for the villagers of Hexibao.

At this time, on the east bank of Longgu Lake, Li Xiao gently rubbed Sanbao's head, causing the boy to resist for a while, but he could not escape from Li Xiao's clutches.

"Brother, let me stay. I'm already grown up."

"I want to join you in killing the Karluks and avenge my father."

Sanbao raised his head stubbornly and looked at Li Xiao, his red eyes full of stubbornness and anger.

The ten-year-old child already understood a lot. He knew that his father was dead, and his grandfather and brother wanted to stay in the village to avenge his father, so they sent him to the island for refuge.

But he didn't want to be a coward, he also wanted to stay.

Li Xiao shook his head slightly and said firmly, "You are still young. Wait two years before joining us in the battle!"

A ten-year-old child is not mature enough, short and thin. If he goes to the battlefield like this, he will be a sitting duck!
So, at the old man's request, all the children in the village were sent out.

Only young men like Li Xiao, Da Hu and Er Hu, who were just beginning to develop their physical strength, stayed in the village.

As for Erbao, Sanbao and Li Xiao’s three cousins, they were all sent to Longxin Island in Longgu Lake.

"Brother, I can't bear to leave you, my parents, and my grandparents~"

Sanfeng lay in Li Xiao's arms and cried. She was the youngest child in the family and was only seven years old this year.

How could a child of such young age bear such a sudden change?
I've been crying all day.

Li Xiao hugged her and comforted her softly, wiping the tears from her face: "Sanfeng, big brother and mother can't accompany you for the time being."

"During this time, you must listen to your second aunt and your third brother while you are on the island."

"Brother will pick you up in a few days."

Li Xiao didn't have much experience in coaxing children, so he could only say nice things to Sanfeng and make promises that he wasn't sure he could fulfill.

This time the Karluk rebellion was unusual. If it were only the 3,000 Karluk rebels in Jinzhou, they would not be enough to make Hexi Fort feel so threatened.

It’s just because Li Xiao, the old man and others all know that the Karluk people must have the support of other forces behind them.

And it is very likely that they are Naimans.

　Before the Tang Dynasty, northern Xinjiang was ruled by the Karluk people.

　　At that time, the Karluk tribes mainly consisted of three tribes: the Mouluo tribe, the Chishi tribe and the Tashili tribe.

　　With the demise of the Western Turks, the three major Karluk tribes surrendered to the Tang Dynasty.

　　The leader of the Mouluo tribe was granted the position of governor of Yinshan Military Governor's Office by the Tang Dynasty. The location was southwest of Jinzhou, and the core area was the Tacheng area of Xinjiang in later generations.

　　The leader of the Tashili tribe was granted the title of governor of the Xuanchi Military Governor's Office, located in the north of the Yinshan Military Governor's Office, which was the southeastern region of Kazakhstan in later generations.

　　The Chishi tribe was granted the positions of governor of the two major military governorates, namely, the Great Desert and the Jinfu Prefecture.

　　The four major military governorates of the Qarluk people were all under the jurisdiction of the Beiting Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty, and were considered to be vassal forces of the Tang Dynasty.

　　However, later in the Battle of Daros, the Qarluk people betrayed the Tang army, resulting in a disastrous defeat for the Tang army.

　　Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was furious and ordered General Feng Changqing to launch a retaliatory war against the three Karluk tribes.

　　The Qarlugs were defeated by the Tang army, so most of their tribesmen were hunted down and left the northern border, with only a small number remaining.

　　During the Western Liao Dynasty, Yelu Dashi also borrowed the Tang Dynasty's regional division system and reintegrated the northern border into four states.

　　Among them, the Jinfuzhou Military Governor's Office was renamed Jinzhou, and the administrative area remained largely unchanged.

　　The Xuanchi Military Governor's Office was renamed Beihai, while the Yinshan Military Governor's Office remained unchanged.

　　The Great Desert Governorate was merged with the surrounding Shatuo Governorate and Huoba Governorate to become the new Great Desert State, also known as Han State.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)