Di Ming

Chapter 222 Spending the Night at the Western Xia Imperial Tombs…

The Yellow River flows for thousands of miles, but only Ningxia is truly prosperous.

Ningxia City (Yinchuan) is located on the plain on the west bank of the Yellow River. During the pre-Qin period, it was the Yiqu Kingdom. During the Han and Tang dynasties, it belonged to Shuofang Prefecture. During the Western Xia dynasty, it was the capital Xingqing Prefecture.

Eighty li northwest of Ningxia City lies the Helan Mountains.

Located on the plains east of the Helan Mountains and west of the Yellow River, the land was fertile, crisscrossed by canals, and abundant in water and grass, earning it the nickname "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall." This fertile land, suitable for both agriculture and animal husbandry, allowed the Western Xia Kingdom to flourish.

Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty was short-sighted. He abolished the prefecture system in Ningxia, turning it into a military garrison, and relocated all the people who had lived in Ningxia for thousands of years to the south. As a result, the well-established prefecture-level civil administration system was abruptly disrupted.

Although Ningxia had become a military town, the military settlements and households registered under the Dusi Prefecture numbered in the tens of thousands. Including the civilian households that had migrated back from other places, the population still numbered over one hundred thousand.

Bo Bai and his son rebelled, plunging Ningxia into war. However, because the rebellion lasted less than two months, the impact on the common people was not significant.

Bo Bai's escape was sudden and hasty. He didn't have time to harm the people in the city and countryside, and he didn't even take many of his personal belongings with him.

Before Zhu Yin pursued Bo Bai, he immediately sent men into the city to retrieve the clothes worn by Bo Bai and his son. He had Xiao Hei smell them to lock onto the scent before leading his troops in pursuit.

With Xiao Hei around, Zhu Yin wasn't worried about not finding Bo Bai's direction. What worried him was that the complex maze-like caves in the Helan Mountains might be hiding rebel ambushes.

Although they have a large number of troops, once they enter the complex terrain of the Helan Mountains, those with more troops may not be able to defeat those who have the advantage of terrain.

Bo Bai and his son did not take the easiest route through the Three Passes, because west of the Three Passes was Liangzhou, where there were also Ming army castles.

His safest route would be to escape north of Helan, enter the western grasslands, then head west to the former territory of Heishui City, graze and rest at Juyan Lake, and either seek refuge with the Oirat Mongols to the north or cross Gansu to seek refuge with the Qinghai Mongols to the south.

As Zhu Yin marched north, he frequently saw farmers tilling the fields and herding horses, and the smoke from their cooking fires never ceased.

Of course, many villages were also destroyed by the rebel soldiers, and many people fled into the Helan Mountains.

Scouts observed the traces of the rebels' escape and reported that they had headed directly north along the official road to Zhenyuan Pass.

Zhu Yin spurred his horse and led his troops swiftly north in pursuit. Even the Li brothers hadn't expected Zhu Yin's horsemanship to be so exceptional.

Cao Wenzhao and others admired Zhu Yin to the point of prostration.

It's unbelievable that this noble gentleman, who passed the imperial examinations in three consecutive years, could also ride a horse so skillfully.

What they didn't know was that Zhu Yin was already a skilled horseman. Over the years, he had been continuously training in riding, archery, and martial arts, and was no weak scholar at all; he was already a formidable opponent capable of taking on ten men.

Six thousand Ming cavalrymen, each riding two horses, galloped for half a day, covering seventy li in one go, and arrived at the New Northern Great Wall.

During the Zhengde era, the incompetent Ming court abandoned the Zhenyuan Pass section of the Great Wall in the north, citing its "isolation and inability to be defended." They then retreated a full eighty li (approximately 40 kilometers) and spent a great deal of money and manpower to build the "New Northern Great Wall."

The Ming Dynasty had many such shady tactics. They built many fortified towns and passes along the nine borders, then constructed another one in the south, abandoning the old cities in the north and retreating to newer cities further south.

When Zhu Yin arrived at the foot of the "New Northern Great Wall," he found it completely empty, with not a single soldier left, but the city gate was firmly blocked.

It turns out that when Bo Bai fled the New Northern Great Wall, he closed the city gates to prevent the Ming army from pursuing him.

"Quickly open the city gates so that the army can pass through!" Li Rusong ordered.

It took a while before the Ming army opened the city gates and passed through the new northern Great Wall.

"Please have General Fu stay at the city gate," Li Rusong said. "I will continue to lead the troops in pursuit, even if it means chasing them across the Helan Mountains and the desert, to capture the ringleader Bo Bai and rescue Prince Qing!"

Li Rubai also said, "A son of a wealthy family should not sit under a dangerous roof. We urge Mr. Zhihu to remain here. The rebels still have three thousand loyal soldiers and the strength to fight back. If something were to happen to Mr. Zhihu, how would we explain it to the court?"

Zhu Yin hesitated for a moment.

He was the commander-in-chief of the army, a man of high status. Logically speaking, personally leading the army to pursue the fleeing enemy was indeed risky. After all, the three thousand elite Mongol soldiers that Bo Bai took with him were all family retainers who had been raised for many years, and their fighting strength was far superior to that of ordinary Mongol cavalry.

However, if he didn't pursue him, it would be extremely detrimental to his prestige in the army, especially in front of the entire force.

The enemy had only 3,000 men, while our side had 6,000 cavalry and 12,000 infantry, making our forces six times the size of the enemy's.

Moreover, the enemy's morale was low, and they were as panicked as stray dogs. Under such circumstances, for the commander-in-chief to remain there and order his men to pursue them—what could this be but cowardice?
The prestige that Zhu Yin had painstakingly built up among the Ming army would be weakened.

Before Zhu Yin could speak, Shang Yang, who was following him, immediately said:

"General Li, you are mistaken. Our Ming Dynasty's civil officials who supervise the army have always advanced and retreated with the main force; otherwise, why would they be called supervisors?"

"Furthermore, Bo Bai is the leader of the rebels, not just an ordinary bandit leader. As the commander-in-chief, how could the governor not personally pursue him?"

"Even if we take a step back and assume that Prince Qing is still in the hands of the rebels, if Prince Qing and his family were to perish, or if Bo Bai were to escape, the court would surely impeach the governor of the army, and that would be the governor of the army's crime."

Shang Yang's words were like a wake-up call. Zhu Yin's brow twitched, and he immediately knew that he had to pursue them personally.

Because the entire Qing family is in the hands of the rebels!

Even if he personally pursued the Prince of Qing and failed to rescue him, it would only be considered incompetence, and at most he would be dismissed from his post.

If he didn't personally pursue the Prince of Qing and the Prince of Qing were to die, it wouldn't just be a matter of incompetence; at the very least, it would be considered utterly depraved. To sit idly by and watch a prince perish without offering any help would surely land him in jail, and at worst, cost him his head.

While the emperor was naturally wary and suspicious of the vassal kings, if a vassal king got into trouble, the emperor would severely punish the relevant officials to maintain a facade of parental authority and demonstrate his benevolence and affection for the vassal kings.

In this battle, Zhu Yin made many correct calculations, so much so that the rebel army collapsed in less than two months, saving half a year compared to previous years.

But Zhu Yin did not expect that Bo Bai would flee with Prince Qing as soon as he arrived!

Historically, in order to force the Ming army to retreat, Bo Bai killed Princess Qing, concubines, princes, and princesses, but he did not kill Prince Qing.

Now history has changed, and Bo Bai has escaped with Prince Qing's entire family as hostages.

In this way, they would have no choice but to pursue, which put them in a passive position.

Man proposes, God disposes; I've ended up with a hot potato!

Upon hearing Shang Yang's words, Li Rusong realized that he had been oversimplifying things.

The general must personally lead the troops in pursuit; this is a gesture!
Because Prince Qing is the sovereign, and the General of the Army is the subject. If the General of the Army does not personally go to the rescue, he is being disloyal!
But then Zhu Yin said in a firm and resolute voice, "The king has fallen into the hands of the rebels. As his subject, how can I not bravely pursue them!"

Li Rusong said, "In that case, please take care, General. We will protect you with our lives!"

The army continued forward for dozens of miles and finally arrived at the Western Xia Imperial Tombs, which were more than a hundred miles from Ningxia City.

The Western Xia Imperial Tombs are situated on a high plateau at the foot of the Helan Mountains, overlooking a desolate landscape with no human habitation for miles around. Under the setting sun, the barren plain appears particularly desolate, tragic, and mysterious.

Six thousand soldiers turned their heads and rode their horses before the Western Xia imperial tombs.

"Pacify the army!" Li Rusong rode up to Zhu Yin's side. "It's getting dark, and cavalry should never pursue the enemy at night, lest they be ambushed. Bo Bai's rebels are only one man and one horse; they can't go far. In my opinion, it would be safest to set up camp on this high plateau and set off early tomorrow morning."

"Our troops have covered more than 100 li in three hours, and the warhorses also need to rest and be fed."

Li Rubai echoed his brother, saying, "Yes, Mr. Zhihu. The rebels are less than a hundred miles away from us; they can't escape far at all. We need to rest our horses, and they need to rest their horses even more."

Zhu Yin knew, of course, that he shouldn't have pursued them at night. He not only had to guard against a counterattack and ambush by the rebels, but also against the Mongol cavalry that might suddenly appear from the west of the Helan Mountains.

Who can be sure that the 20,000 fleeing Mongol cavalrymen from the Ordos region won't suddenly launch a counterattack?

It is indeed the safest place to station troops on this plateau.

The Western Xia imperial tombs are not only located on high ground, but also have several mountain springs flowing from the Helan Mountains, which can solve the water supply problem for the people and horses.

At the same time, they could also wait for the infantry again. Moreover, the Western Xia imperial tombs covered an enormous area, stretching twenty li from north to south and ten li from east to west. Where else could they set up camp if not here?

"Then the entire army will go up the plateau and set up camp at the Xia King's Mausoleum," Zhu Yin immediately ordered.

He looked up at the plateau, where the massive Western Xia imperial tombs, bathed in the last rays of the setting sun, cast a magnificent silhouette, silently stretching between heaven and earth.

Zhu Yin felt as if a pair of vast, distant eyes were gazing down upon him from the Helan Mountains and the royal tombs.

The mausoleum complex contains nine pyramid-shaped royal tombs, hundreds of tombs for empresses and nobles, and numerous stupas. The hillsides are dotted with tombs and stupas of varying sizes, creating a magnificent and wondrous sight.

The tallest of these pyramids, reaching a height of ten zhang (approximately 33 meters), was imposing and majestic. Only Zhu Yin knew that it was the Tai Mausoleum of Li Yuanhao.

Centuries have passed, and the once towering outer walls, moon city, watchtowers, mausoleum city, sacrificial halls, courtyards, barracks and other buildings have long since turned into ruins, silently facing the tombs, yet still clearly visible.

Stone figures and beasts lay fallen to the ground, half-buried in the yellow earth.

As the group led their horses through the mausoleum area, they all looked around with a touch of curiosity.

Scattered on the ground were large fragments of bricks, roof tiles, rotten wood, ridge beasts, and ceramics. Zhu Yin bent down and picked up a fragment of black porcelain, noticing its exquisite relief patterns, a style unique to the Western Xia people.

Within the mausoleum area, there are many Western Xia kiln sites built against the mountains, including hundreds of stone kilns, which were once used to fire bricks, tiles, and ceramics.

The army's encampment at the Western Xia imperial tombs transformed the once desolate and lonely place into a bustling hub of activity. The entire plateau was filled with shouts of men and neighing of horses, a cacophony of noise that seemed utterly unafraid of disturbing the Western Xia rulers and their ministers from centuries past.

After setting up camp, the group ate the dry rations they had brought, drew water from the mountain spring, and fed the horses with bean cakes, all in a busy but orderly manner.

After all this was done, the bright moon hung high in the sky, and the night was as still as water.

Zhu Yin, clad in full armor, stood before the Tai Mausoleum, sword in hand, with the ruins of a stele pavilion at his feet.

He silently gazed up at the enormous tomb in the moonlight, muttering to himself.

Li Yuanhao, you called yourself the Azure Emperor, a hero as majestic as the Helan Mountains. You created a magnificent kingdom, allowing the Tangut people to stand tall on this land for two hundred years.

But open your eyes and see that your kingdom has turned to dust, your tomb has become ruins, and even your Tangut people no longer exist.

They were wiped out.

You forced the already Sinicized Tangut people to shave their heads and braid their hair, restoring the old customs that had been changed at the end of the Tang Dynasty, just to sever ties with the Han Chinese. You were determined to be the ruler of those barbarians, arrogantly proclaiming yourself king, disdaining to assimilate into the Han Chinese, and forcibly created the Great White High Kingdom.

Isn't this going against the tide of history?
You were a master of martial arts, a ruthless killer, and a master of scheming throughout your life, but what was the end result? You had your nose cut off by your own son and bled to death.

Just over a hundred years after your death, the Tangut people were exterminated.

Oh, you're not called Li Yuanhao anymore. You gave up your original name, the ancestral surname "Li" that existed since the Tang Dynasty, and changed it to Nangxiao.

Even the imperial title has been changed to "Wuzu" by you, and the country's name has been changed to something like "Dabai Gao Guo".

Nang Xiao, how much do you hate China?
Hero, who is the real hero? Is it you, the Emperor?

What kind of hero is someone who has no love for the common people, no benevolence or compassion? They are nothing but historical garbage. Hero, do you even deserve to be called one? Emperor, do you even deserve to be called one?
“General Fu,” Li Rusong’s words interrupted Zhu Yin’s thoughts, “General Fu is well-informed and knowledgeable. May I ask whose grave this is?”

He could tell that Zhu Yin knew the owner of the tall tomb.

“Li Yuanhao. No, it should be Nangxiao. He has given up the name Li Yuanhao, so he is no longer worthy to use it,” Zhu Yin said calmly.

"So it was him." Li Rusong's gaze turned slightly cold. "Should we dig up his grave and raze it to the ground?"

Zhu Yin shook his head: "Forget it. Why bother with a madman who has been dead for hundreds of years? He has harmed others and himself, so it is only right."

Soon, everyone knew that the tallest tomb was the grave of Li Yuanhao. As the story spread in the army, many also learned that Li Yuanhao had been killed by his own son who cut off his nose.

At night, the howling of wolves echoed through the Helan Mountains, making the night even more desolate, and even the moon seemed sinister.

Zhu Yin had a dream.

He dreamt of a terrifying king without a nose, his face covered in blood, glaring at him angrily, cursing madly.

The king spoke the long-extinct Western Xia language, but Zhu Yin somehow understood the meaning behind his words.

In his dream, the king cursed his army to be wiped out in the Helan Mountains, and cursed him to be left all alone, weeping in despair in the vast Helan Mountains, and finally having his soul devoured by the evil spirits in the mountains, never to be reincarnated.

Zhu Yin woke up in the middle of the night with a start, sat up abruptly, and was covered in cold sweat.

I'm having a nightmare.

Xiao Hei immediately became alert and quickly wagged its tail as it approached. Zhu Yin stroked Xiao Hei's fur, looked at the guards outside the tent, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

He stepped out of the tent and saw the vast expanse of camps around him, the lanterns hanging in the army, and the warhorses snorting. Listening to the soldiers' whispers in the night, he felt much more at ease.

The army is still here.

Zhu Yin gazed at the mysterious mountains to the west, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

The name Helan Mountain originates from the Helan tribe of the Xianbei people. Stretching for hundreds of miles, the Helan Mountains are majestic, resembling ten thousand galloping horses. To the east, they overlook Ningxia and the Hetao Plain, while to the west, they block the Tengger Desert.

Helan Mountain is also known as Ghost Mountain.

This mountain has a complex terrain, with steep peaks, rugged valleys, numerous caves, and a changeable climate. Coupled with its history of numerous wars and countless burials, as well as its role as a sacrificial site for nomadic tribes, it is imbued with a mysterious and eerie atmosphere, hence its name, Ghost Mountain.

The Helan Mountains were also referred to as the "Dragon Vein" by the Western Xia. Stretching 500 li from north to south, the ancient forests were so deep that even a few thousand soldiers would get lost. The Western Xia once stationed 50,000 troops in the Helan Mountains, yet still felt their forces were insufficient.

If I were to lead my troops into the mountains to pursue Bo Bai, I would have to be extremely cautious.

"Uncle Tiger." Ding Hongying, dressed in red armor, walked over. "Uncle Tiger, are you out patrolling the camp? Uncle Tiger, please rest assured, we will take care of you."

Ding Hongying's eyes sparkled in the warm moonlight, and she radiated vitality.

She was already nineteen years old. Her martial arts skills far surpassed those of a ten-man army. For the past few years, she had been a loyal protector of Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei.

"Hongying," Zhu Yin said gently, "I've asked you this several times, and I'll ask it again today: Don't you want to get married? You're nineteen already, you should start thinking about it."

“We’re family, I can’t let you suffer.”

Ding Hongying smiled and said, "Of course I will get married. Otherwise, I won't be able to explain it to my father. It's just that I haven't found a suitable person yet."

Zhu Yin smiled and said, "When you find someone you like, just let your uncle know. The dowry will definitely be the same as that of my own daughter. I won't mistreat you."

Ding Hongying tossed her hair, her eyes crinkling, "Then I won't thank you. I'll just wait for Uncle Hu and Aunt Ning to prepare a generous dowry for me."

As she said this, she suddenly became serious and said:
"Tiger God, in my opinion, you shouldn't go after the rebels yourself. I've heard that the Helan Mountains are extremely dangerous; what if something happens to Uncle Tiger..."

Zhu Yin sighed, "You don't understand. Prince Qing is in Bo Bai's hands, and I must personally pursue him relentlessly. Otherwise, it would be a grave crime."

Ding Hongying approached Zhu Yin and whispered, "Regardless of whether it's a big or small crime, in my opinion, we now have soldiers and money, why should we be officials of the emperor and suffer the emperor's temper? Uncle Hu might as well become the emperor himself."

Zhu Yin said in a low voice, "It's not that easy. With our small army, every one that dies is one less. How can we compete for the world? Even if we could, how many more civilians would die if a civil war broke out? If the country is in chaos, it will be difficult to put it back on track. The foreign tribes will be the ones who benefit."

Ding Hongying whispered, "Uncle Tiger, please don't think I'm bringing bad luck. I just had a dream where a man without a nose scared me, saying our army would be wiped out in the Helan Mountains. I rarely have nightmares, but tonight I was woken up in fright..."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin frowned slightly.

Did Hongying also have nightmares?
(End of this chapter)