Chapter 93: Reporting Merits, Lavish Rewards
Sun Khan withdrew his troops, and the Liao Army took advantage to pursue and kill.
They chased all the way to the location of the Naiman Khanate, seizing large amounts of cattle and sheep supplies.
However, before the war broke out, Sun Khan had already planned his retreat route.
He had Princess Consort Guerbiesu take most of the cattle and sheep north for migration; what remained in the Khanate was only a small portion of supplies that hadn’t been transferred in time, which naturally fell into the hands of the Liao Army.
In this situation, Xiao Simo issued the order to stop the pursuit.
“Sun Khan has become a homeless dog; the other tribes on the Grassland will not miss this chance to beat a drowning dog.”
“Order all units to rest in place; we return in ten days.”
Xiao Simo rode on his war horse, his gaze fixed on the chaotic Naiman Khanate at the foot of the mountain, his low voice saying calmly.
The Grassland is a big melting pot, with tribes everywhere.
Everyone wants to swallow other tribes to achieve their own Hegemony.
Just like the Kereit Tribe, which has long-standing grievances with the Naiman Tribe.
Now, with the Naiman Tribe suffering heavy losses from the Liao Army’s blow, Ong Khan will certainly not miss this opportunity.
Sun Khan’s future situation will likely become even more difficult.
Of course, the most important reason is that the Liao Army also couldn’t fight anymore and urgently needed rest.
“What are the casualty figures for each unit?” Xiao Simo asked in a deep voice.
Standing beside him was Gu Zizhong, the strategist Xiao Simo had arranged to be a spy in the Governor’s Mansion of the Great Desert.
He had just finished tallying the casualties and hurried to report to Xiao Simo.
“The Sixth Courtyard Department lost eight hundred killed in battle, with about one thousand seriously wounded.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Simo slowly closed his eyes and said nothing, but his expression made it clear.
How angry he was inside.
The Sixth Courtyard Department could be called the core of Xiao Simo’s direct lineage.
The entire tribe had only a little over eight thousand young and strong.
To defeat the Naiman People, Xiao Simo had directly brought five thousand; unexpectedly, after one decisive battle, eight hundred were killed outright.
And with the medical standards of this era, the remaining one thousand seriously wounded were basically given a terminal notice.
The few who survived would likely never return to the battlefield.
The Sixth Courtyard Department’s troops for this campaign had losses exceeding one-third; Xiao Simo’s heart was bleeding.
“Any suspect targets?” Xiao Simo’s low voice said, a sharp glint flashing in his slowly opening eyes.
Gu Zizhong naturally knew what Xiao Simo meant; he was asking about the culprit behind such heavy casualties, that viper.
“Last night, General Xiao Tula Duo went to drink with Governor Wu Huaitu Bulü; the attendants he brought should have had a chance to contact Governor Wu Huaitu Bulü’s war horse,” Gu Zizhong said thoughtfully.
He then looked at Xiao Simo’s face and saw not even an eyelid flicker; unable to guess his thoughts, Gu Zizhong didn’t dare say more.
“Continue investigating this matter; thoroughly interrogate all the guards and others around Governor Wu Huaitu Bulü,” Xiao Simo’s calm voice rang out.
“Besides Xiao Tula Duo, see if there are any other suspects.”
“Understood.”
Next, Gu Zizhong continued reporting the casualty figures for the other units.
“The Yin Mountains units have about one thousand casualties.”
“North Sea’s situation is special; many soldiers deserted, leaving fewer than three thousand in the camp.”
Hearing this, Xiao Simo’s face darkened again.
Initially, North Sea had six thousand cavalry altogether; now less than half remained?
The others couldn’t all have died in battle; they must have fled somewhere.
It was precisely because of the North Sea units’ rout that the Sixth Courtyard Department soldiers suffered heavy casualties, deepening Xiao Simo’s hatred for those people.
“A bunch of damn bastards.”
“Pass the order: any North Sea tribe soldiers caught deserting are to be all arrested.”
“Execute the officers; ordinary soldiers are made military slaves.”
Xiao Simo had to use thunderous measures to deter morale and make all soldiers understand the cost of deserting in battle.
So others wouldn’t dare follow suit.
At the same time, it was preparation for the next North Sea Governor’s assumption of office, to establish authority for the upcoming Household Registration in North Sea.
“Understood.”
After the messenger left, Gu Zizhong continued reporting casualties.
“Jin Prefecture’s situation is not optimistic either; soldier casualties around one thousand eight hundred, with Li Xiao’s chiliarch unit alone at one thousand four hundred.”
“Great Desert’s is better, with fewer than five hundred casualties.”
After hearing the reports from all units, Xiao Simo’s expression didn’t change much.
After all, aside from the Sixth Courtyard Department’s direct lineage, the damage to these ragtag army units didn’t affect Xiao Simo much.
But hearing Li Xiao’s unit had such heavy casualties, Xiao Simo couldn’t help but feel pity.
“One thousand four hundred, nearly half losses.”
Especially thinking that in the final moment, it was Li Xiao who led his army in a desperate charge to rescue the main army from peril.
Such heavy casualties were reasonable in Xiao Simo’s view.
Though lives were just cold numbers in Xiao Simo’s eyes, this situation still called for heavy rewards.
Otherwise, who would fight for him in the future?
“For Li Xiao’s unit, every surviving soldier gets twenty sheep as reward; for those killed whose bodies are found, send fifty sheep to their families.”
This decision cost Xiao Simo a lot.
But after all, it was a promise he had made; in the Battle of Golden Mountain, Li Xiao led three thousand elite troops risking total annihilation to cross A Lai Ridge, and Xiao Simo had promised heavy rewards for it.
Now, even if it hurt, he had to honor it.
As for soldiers outside the Sixth Courtyard Department, though they would get rewards, it definitely wouldn’t be this much.
But what Xiao Simo didn’t know was that the casualties in Li Xiao’s subordinate soldiers weren’t actually that high.
Of the one thousand four hundred, aside from the three hundred killed in the previous battles, the remaining over one thousand one hundred had been hidden by Li Xiao.
These people, Li Xiao had no intention of sending back; they were currently guarding Li Xiao’s “treasury.”
After the war, he would take them all back to Jin Prefecture.
Ten days passed in a flash; the Liao State’s army finished resting and was about to set off on the return journey.
On the day before withdrawal, Xiao Simo gathered all the generals to announce rewards for the army.
In the large tent, the wine banquet was in full swing.
Each general’s table had fine wine, fragrant roasted mutton, and other dishes.
In the center of the tent, a group of shapely Naiman Women with half-open clothes were dancing gracefully.
In this great battle, the Liao Army captured many Naiman People, and some Naiman Tribes, upon learning Sun Khan had fled, proactively came to submit to Xiao Simo.
Thus, now everything east of Golden Mountain to the Zabu River basin had become Liao State territory.
Xiao Simo’s sphere of influence had expanded by nearly half, and he wasn’t short of Naiman beauties under him.
At this moment, he sat on the folding stool, an arm around a Naiman Woman on each side, his face flushed, laughing to all the generals.
“Gentlemen, what do you think of these Naiman Women? These are gifts I specially had prepared for you meritorious warriors.”
Xiao Simo sat on the folding stool at the head, chuckling as he raised his cup to the generals.
The generals all chimed in laughing: “Naiman Women have delicate skin and slender figures; they have a unique flavor.”
“Great King’s taste is naturally impeccable.”
“Thank you, Lord.”
“Hahaha”
Xiao Simo laughed heartily, very satisfied with their responses, then waved his hand grandly: “Continue the music, continue the dance.”
“Today, we don’t stop until we’re drunk.”
Until the atmosphere was just right, the generals’ gazes at the dancers growing more lecherous and dazed.
Xiao Simo chuckled; how could he not know what these bastards were thinking?
He waved his hand, and the women scattered, going to each general.
After these great battles, Li Xiao’s seating in the tent had moved forward a lot; he was now quite an important figure.
Facing Xiao Simo’s kindness, he had no intention of refusing.
“Pour the wine.”
Li Xiao lightly tapped the table with his finger, and the Naiman Woman beside him immediately picked up the wine pot.
This was a girl of fifteen or sixteen; to be selected to dance for the generals, her looks were naturally beautiful enough.
She was just timid; while pouring, she trembled, just like a startled little white rabbit.
Li Xiao’s gaze flicked over, his calm voice saying: “Am I that scary?”
The woman set down the wine pot, looking bewildered.
Li Xiao suddenly realized he hadn’t learned the Naiman language yet; they couldn’t communicate.
And he couldn’t bring Hutu to such an occasion.
“Forget it~” He shook his head and ate the mutton on his own.
Roasted mutton really was tastier than boiled.
Meanwhile, the Naiman girl beside him was inwardly relieved.
She was originally the daughter of a small Naiman Tribe leader; after Sun Khan’s defeat, her father proactively submitted to the Liao State people to preserve the tribe.
And offered her to the Liao Army.
But seeing the room full of crude Liao State generals, old and unwashed, she was terribly nervous.
Fortunately, she was assigned to serve a young general.
Compared to those crude old men, this Liao State general was much younger.
And handsome too; it wasn’t a loss for her.
If she could follow this young general from now on, she even felt a hidden anticipation.
As the alcoholic beverage flowed, the generals in the large tent gradually grew unrestrained.
Groping the Naiman Women beside them; Li Xiao could clearly hear some women breathing lightly.
“Damn, a bunch of filthy bastards.”
This was just the Grassland version of a business K.
Following the normal flow, it wouldn’t be long before these guys turned this into an orgy.
At this moment, Li Xiao suddenly felt emotional; he still wasn’t despicable enough, always feeling out of place with them.
But looking at Xiao Simo, who was also hugging two Naiman Women in an ugly display.
He simply cast aside his scruples.
Company team-building!
With the boss leading, the underlings had to fit in.
“Just being filthy? Who can’t do that!”
Li Xiao wiped the grease from his hands and boldly pulled the woman into his arms, his hand slipping in through her collar too.
In no time, the girl’s gaze grew dazed, her legs tightly pressed together, and breathing sounds rose in Li Xiao’s arms.
But after all, this was a celebration banquet; the women were just to liven up the atmosphere—no one would treat them as the main dish.
Seeing the atmosphere lively enough, Xiao Simo pushed away the two women on his sides and said to the generals.
“This great victory was thanks to you all commanding well and the officers and soldiers fighting hard; that’s how we crushed the Naiman Tribe.”
“Merit must be rewarded.”
“Order to the whole army: every soldier gets ten sheep; fallen soldiers get twenty as heavy reward.”
At Xiao Simo’s words, the generals’ faces lit up with smiles.
“Great King is wise.”
“This general thanks Great King on behalf of the fallen brothers for the reward.”
“Thank you, Lord, for the generous reward.”
With so many generals, all sorts of words flew, making the scene chaotic.
Li Xiao instantly stopped his actions, his full attention on Xiao Simo.
After the soldiers’ rewards came the generals’.
The main event was here.
