Chapter 74: Wait For My Return
“Chililechuan, under the Yin Mountains.”
“The sky is like a dome, covering the four fields.”
“The sky is blue, the wilderness is vast, the wind blows the grass low and cattle and sheep are seen.”
……
The wind in the Northern Frontier is clear and cold, desolate as if it could tear open the curtain of years, revealing that magnificent and boundless scroll.
The sky was not yet fully bright, Li Xiao rode his horse across the vast Golden Mountain, his heart filled with boundless heroism, loudly chanting this Chilile song.
Although this song depicts the scenery under the Yin Mountains, Li Xiao felt it perfectly matched the beauty of all grassland scenery.
Every word resonated with the pulse of the grassland, every sentence seemed to depict the majestic and magnificent scenery of the Northern Frontier, which was his deepest love for this land.
The sky in the Northern Frontier stretched endlessly, like a cover enveloping the land, everywhere grasslands and mountains.
Heaven and earth extended around him, seemingly endless.
Only the undulating Golden Mountain stood like ancient giants guarding this land, vast and upright.
When the sun’s faint light sprinkled on the land, the army under Li Xiao’s command had already set off, galloping toward the vast northern land.
Standing on a hillside, Li Xiao overlooked the cavalry passing below, the sunlight as if draping them in a layer of golden gauze.
Everyone advanced silently, the sound of hooves dull and rhythmic, stepping on the soft grassland, like the steady heartbeat of the earth.
The cavalry’s sheepskin jackets were wetted by the morning dew, shimmering with fine light in the faint glow, every step forward measuring the distance of this vast grassland and the unknown journey.
And at the same time, on another hillside not far away, the figure of a woman on horseback slowly emerged.
Her posture was upright like a poplar, plated with warm yellow by the sunlight, her contours increasingly soft and beautiful.
Long hair like black silk danced freely in the wind, a few strands lightly brushing her slightly flushed cheek.
The colorful skirt she wore was embroidered with patterns symbolizing auspiciousness, gathering the blessings of the grassland, now gently swaying in the wind, as if softly singing for the departing ones.
At this moment, Li Xiao seemed to sense something, slightly turning his body to look back.
His gaze crossed the vast grassland, straight to the opposite hillside, meeting the woman’s eyes in mid-air.
In this instant, time seemed to freeze, a thousand words flowing in their gazes.
“Xiao Yanyan~” Li Xiao murmured softly.
He hadn’t expected Xiao Yanyan to come to see him off.
Also, the clothes she wore today were very beautiful.
The person was even more beautiful.
At this moment, Xiao Yanyan’s eyes were completely fixed on Li Xiao, her lips trembling slightly, as if wanting to say something, but in the end only biting her lower lip tightly.
Everyone’s emotions seemed to converge into four words.
“Come back alive.”
A flicker of emotion also passed through Li Xiao’s eyes, his mouth moved slightly, murmuring: “Wait for me to return.”
Then he firmly turned his head, gripped the reins tightly, urging his war horse to catch up with the troops.
As the cavalry gradually moved farther away, Li Xiao’s figure could no longer be found in her view.
Xiao Yanyan’s hopeful and reluctant expression became slightly lonely.
Then, the drum-like sound of hooves rose, Xiao Simo rode up, holding a wolfskin coat in his hand, gently draping it over Xiao Yanyan.
“The morning wind in the mountain valley is cold, don’t catch a cold.”
Feeling the warmth from the wolfskin coat, Xiao Yanyan’s gaze seemed unfocused, just staring blankly at the gradually departing cavalry.
“He will come back, right?” Xiao Yanyan murmured.
“A general who fights a hundred battles, no one knows if heaven will take him.” Xiao Simo’s low voice said.
This mission was indeed dangerous; Li Xiao’s isolated army entering Naiman territory, any carelessness would lead to total annihilation.
But it was also amusing to say, Xiao Simo as Eastern Capital Governor, Sixth Courtyard Department Great King, held a prominent status with numerous troops under his command.
Yet now Li Xiao had become the only general he could bring out.
Because this mission to cross A Lai Ridge was too important.
Using Khitan troops, Xiao Simo worried they would ‘hit the mark’.
Once this mission leaked, the ancient path of A Lai Ridge would be completely sealed off.
Breaking through Golden Mountain would become a distant prospect.
So Xiao Simo couldn’t afford to lose; he could only trust a Han person like Li Xiao who had no ties to the Royal Court.
“It’s a pity he’s not a Khitan.”
Xiao Simo looked at the departing army’s backs, suddenly shaking his head with a sigh.
In his eyes, Li Xiao was wise and brave, accomplished in battle, and at a young age wielded seasoned methods that convinced a crowd of battle-hardened veterans.
This was a genius born for the battlefield.
What a pity~
If he were a Khitan, Xiao Simo would even consider marrying his sister to him.
But Xiao Yanyan wouldn’t have it upon hearing this.
Her head snapped around instantly, eyes glaring fixedly at Xiao Simo: “What’s wrong with Han people?”
“Aren’t Han people people of our Great Liao?”
“Didn’t Empress Dowager Chengtian also marry a Han person back then?”
Empress Dowager Chengtian was Xiao Chuo.
During her regency, she personally led the army south and signed the Treaty of Shanyuan with the Song Dynasty.
But what she was most remembered for in her life was, as Empress Dowager, falling in love with the Han Prime Minister at the time, Han Derang.
And in a small gathering with some relatives and friends, holding a wedding and marrying Han Derang.
Of course, there were also rumors that Xiao Chuo and Han Derang were childhood sweethearts, and this was rekindling old affections.
But regardless, in Xiao Yanyan’s eyes, Empress Dowager Chengtian was a great woman.
She was the object of her lifelong worship and learning.
What Empress Dowager Chengtian could do, she Xiao Yanyan could do the same.
But seeing Xiao Yanyan now like a tigress protecting her cub, Xiao Simo’s heart shattered into pieces.
How could he not know Xiao Yanyan’s feelings?
It was just that Li Xiao was a Han person, and of too low birth, status insufficient, fundamentally unqualified for a marriage alliance with the Xiao Family.
“Hmph, wait until Li Xiao reaches the step of Han Derang before talking!” Xiao Simo forcibly said coldly.
“Fine!” Xiao Yanyan also huffed lightly.
“Then when Li Xiao returns this time and merits are established, make him Jin Prefecture Governor.”
“What?”
Hearing this, Xiao Simo was instantly stunned.
“Impossible.”
Jin Prefecture Governor?
Li Xiao so young, and a Han person, if he became Jin Prefecture Governor, what would those veteran generals who had followed the Xiao Family since the Xiao Wulila era think?
……
The army set out, the marching route certainly couldn’t be through the mountains.
After leaving the camp, Li Xiao led people northwest, soon arriving on Jin Prefecture Grassland.
The terrain instantly became open, allowing early response to dangers encountered.
Most crucially, this was already considered the rear area.
“Everyone, stick close to the person in front of you, recognize your troop’s color, don’t fall behind.”
“Shitting and urinating, solve it on horseback; without orders, no one may leave the ranks.”
During the march, couriers frequently ran back and forth, loudly reminding the soldiers not to get separated.
Soldiers of this era lacked organization; even a casual mountain path would lose dozens.
They would scatter while walking.
Li Xiao strictly ordered that unless collective rest, even shitting had to be done hanging from horseback, no one permitted to fall behind.
Violators, heavily caned twenty times.
Three offenses, direct decapitation.
“Da Long, this method of yours is really good; whether anyone’s fallen behind can be seen at a glance.”
“And when truly engaging in battle, it’s easy to distinguish friend from foe.” Luo Ping said in admiration.
During the army’s advance, Li Xiao and others stood on a high slope, carefully supervising the soldiers.
They discovered the marching ranks had become very natural; even if someone fell behind, it was easy to spot.
Because every soldier’s neck had a cloth strip tied.
Depending on the chiliarch unit, the cloth strips were in three colors total.
At the front were Li Dashan’s men, every soldier with a red cloth tied around the neck.
At the front of the ranks was a person carrying a red flag.
In the middle were the troops personally led by Li Xiao, every soldier with a yellow cloth strip around the neck.
At the rear were Luo Ping’s men, with blue cloth strips.
The three colors clearly distinct.
Once someone from the front fell behind and mixed into the rear with a different color, it could be spotted at a glance, followed by the military judge’s twenty strokes.
This method indeed greatly reduced the frequency of soldiers falling behind, saving time on re-forming ranks.
“Soldiers aren’t stupid, but their comprehension varies.”
“Can’t expect them to directly understand every order, but they can recognize colors; just follow the same color ahead.” Li Xiao said calmly.
Mainly because this was a temporarily assembled army, soldiers from all sorts of backgrounds, varied.
Language, appearance, clothing styles hard to distinguish.
A few days of training couldn’t possibly make them familiar with each other.
On the battlefield, if these soldiers couldn’t distinguish friend from foe, it would definitely be dangerous.
So Li Xiao used cloth strips to mark identity; soldiers just needed to see people with one of the three colored cloths around the neck to know they were allies.
Even if scattered, as long as same-color people gathered, they could quickly restore combat strength.
No choice, currently Li Xiao couldn’t possibly uniform the soldiers’ attire.
Could only substitute with these cloth strips.
Moreover, the three colors chosen were quite deliberate.
Red, yellow, blue are primary colors, with the strongest visual impact.
In short, the most conspicuous.
Soldiers could spot them at a glance, no need for second thought identification.
In contrast, white ‘blends in’ under strong sunlight, black even worse for night combat.
Primary colors perfect.
“Have the soldiers keep up, no one fall behind.”
“Before sunset, reach Northern Mang Mountain to rest.” Li Xiao commanded loudly.
