Chapter 118: Jin Prefecture Is Under My Command
The Eight Great Chiliarchs of Jin Prefecture are divided into Upper, Lower, Left, Right, North, South, Hexi Chiliarch, and East Mountain Chiliarch.
Among them, the Upper Chiliarch is Xiao Lintta’s confidant, served by a Khitan man.
The Lower Chiliarch has now become Amo, Li Xiao’s little brother.
The North Chiliarch and Right Chiliarch are respectively Wumeng and Huliji, two nomadic leaders.
Then, the Left Chiliarch is Li Xiao, the South Chiliarch is Li Dashan, the Hexi Chiliarch is Li Erjiang, and the East Mountain Chiliarch is Luo Ping.
These four Han Chiliarchs almost completely manage all of Jin Prefecture’s more than twenty thousand Han people.
They have also become Li Xiao’s basic disk, belonging to his direct lineage forces.
In addition, there is a Golden Mountain Chiliarch, which belongs to an informal establishment.
It is precisely the more than one thousand one hundred soldiers hidden by Li Xiao on the Naiman battlefield.
They are still stationed at Golden Mountain today, and only after Xiao Simo’s army leaves will these more than one thousand one hundred people bring large amounts of cattle and sheep supplies and women back to Jin Prefecture.
And the Golden Mountain Chiliarch is currently also concurrently held by Li Xiao.
However, specific affairs are all discussed by several Li Clan tribesmen such as Li Sanhe and Li Sishui.
Li Xiao plans to formally appoint Li Sanhe as Golden Mountain Chiliarch after some time.
In this calculation, Li Xiao’s direct lineage forces have five Chiliarchs, and if disregarding consequences, they can fully muster a cavalry army of more than five thousand men.
At the same time, there is also the Huormar Tribe of Naiman people, with six hundred cavalry obeying Li Xiao’s orders for immediate dispatch.
Then there is Amo’s Lower Chiliarch.
In this calculation, the troops in Li Xiao’s hands have already reached nearly seven thousand.
And all of them are cavalry!
He has suddenly become one of the most powerful military commanders in the entire Northern Frontier in terms of troops.
……
In the following time, Li Xiao personally backed Amo.
He summoned all the Centurions under the Lower Chiliarch to his large tent.
He announced Xiao Simo’s order to them.
“Wuliji Chiliarch is dead, now Amo is the new Chiliarch, and you must obey his orders from now on.”
“Does anyone disagree?”
In the large tent, Li Xiao sat at the head seat and said in a faint voice.
His tone was full of sense of oppression.
There are a total of nine Centurions in the Lower Chiliarch.
Among them, four are from the Uliji Tribe, and the remaining five are leaders of other small tribes.
After hearing Li Xiao’s words, they stood in the tent and glanced at each other.
They all lowered their heads and said, “We have no objections.”
“We will strictly obey Governor Li’s order.”
These five men had previously followed Xiao Lintta to the main army tent, and although they did not know the details of this matter.
But the final result told them.
Xiao Lintta had been frustrated, and Li Xiao had won.
They had no loyalty whatsoever to either Li Xiao or Xiao Lintta.
But following the strong is human nature.
So at this point, they naturally would not foolishly continue to oppose Li Xiao and decisively chose to bow their heads.
Moreover, having Amo inherit the position of Lower Chiliarch was also the result they hoped to see.
After all, this also meant that if something happened to them one day, the Centurion position could similarly be inherited by their own sons.
It was a good thing for everyone.
Thus, to uphold the legality of this ‘inheritance system’, the five men then clasped their fists toward Amo in salute and said.
“We have seen you, Chiliarch Lord.”
And Amo, in such matters, seemed somewhat immature and hurriedly said, “No need for formalities, no need.”
“We are not outsiders, you few are still my uncles’ generation, no need to be so polite.”
In fact, Amo knew clearly in his heart how much weight he carried.
He did not yet have the prestige and strength to subdue these five.
What truly made these five bow their heads was Li Xiao standing behind him.
The Jin Prefecture Deputy Governor who held great power, the dominant figure who oppressed even the regular Governor Xiao Lintta to the point of breathlessness.
It was precisely with his support that Amo could smoothly take the Chiliarch position and bring these five under his command.
Although it was fox borrowing tiger’s might, Amo was particularly enamored with this feeling.
And he was also very grateful to Li Xiao in his heart.
After all, according to nomadic tribe traditions, after the chieftain dies, the tribe is very likely to disperse in chaos.
Even if Amo barely maintained the Uliji Tribe, it would definitely become a small tribe struggling to survive.
But now, although his father was dead and the Uliji Tribe’s losses were also not small, Amo could still inherit this position.
No need to worry about enemy attacks or tribesmen fleeing.
Everything as usual.
So Amo was already very satisfied.
After these five left, he half-knelt in the tent and said to Li Xiao.
“From now on, this subordinate’s life belongs to you, Governor.”
“If the Governor has any orders, this subordinate will go through fire and water, and will not refuse even at the cost of death.”
His tone was full of determination, and his expression one of gratitude with tears streaming.
Li Xiao then stood up, personally helped him up, patted his shoulder, and said with a tone carrying some approval: “Good!”
“Amo, I already know your loyalty. But what I want is not only your obedience, but also your wisdom and courage. You are a general under my command, my brother, and moreover my left and right arms.”
“Do you understand?”
Amo raised his head, his eyes flashing with gratitude and determination: “Governor, rest assured, this subordinate will be loyal and will not fail your trust.”
Li Xiao nodded, his gaze profound: “Jin Prefecture is currently surging with undercurrents.”
“Xiao Lintta has been frustrated this time and will surely not be content, he will definitely retaliate.”
“You have offended him to death, he might even target you.”
“You must pay attention to your safety, never act alone at any time.”
“Then, as for the Uliji Tribe’s men and horses.”
“I will order Hexi Fort to hand over all the captured people of your Uliji Tribe to you for continued command.”
Hearing Li Xiao’s words, Amo’s face showed even more gratitude, and he half-knelt again, pledging loyalty to Li Xiao, willing to die for him, and so on.
“Governor, rest assured, I still have some prestige in the Uliji Tribe.”
“Now with these captured men and horses, I can certainly eliminate E Tu Lu and take back the tribe.” Amo said loudly.
Although the High Priest was dead, his son E Tu Lu was still continuing to control the Uliji Tribe.
Next, Amo would take advantage of the opponent not having received the news to quickly eliminate him.
And during this process, Li Xiao would also send people to cooperate.
Quickly unifying and completing the Lower Chiliarch for his own use.
After Amo left the large tent with confident strides, Xiao Yanyan walked in from the other side and said with a hehe.
“This Uliji man seems quite loyal.”
“Loyal?” Li Xiao raised an eyebrow and gently shook his head.
“I prefer to call him one who knows the times.”
Amo might not be that loyal to Li Xiao, and Li Xiao similarly did not have much trust in him.
It was all forced by the situation, having no choice but to do so.
For now, the Chiliarch position must be inherited by the heir.
Otherwise, Li Xiao really did not want a foreigner to hold such an important position and preferred to promote his own people.
But there was no way, now he could only control the Lower Chiliarch through Amo.
In the future, Li Xiao would definitely slowly make adjustments.
Although Amo would still be the Chiliarch, the Centurions under him might no longer be people he was familiar with.
“That’s not bad either, after all, not everyone knows the times like this.” Xiao Yanyan smiled lightly.
She swayed her body and walked to Li Xiao, plopping down to sit on Li Xiao’s lap.
Breathing like orchids, her fingertip trailed over Li Xiao’s cheek, and she said with a smiling face: “Just like you, Great Governor Li.”
“You don’t seem like someone who knows the times.”
“My elder brother has already almost openly hinted to you, to let the matter rest here and not keep dwelling on it.”
“But you~”
“Hmph, you got me just scolded by elder brother.”
Saying this, Xiao Yanyan put on a pitiful aggrieved look and bit Li Xiao’s shoulder: “It’s all your fault.”
Through the clothes, it didn’t hurt at all.
Li Xiao shook his head and said: “That’s because his own butt isn’t sitting straight, always wanting to protect Xiao Lintta.”
“It made me still full of anger inside!”
Although the result was already maximized benefit for Li Xiao.
But Xiao Simo’s attitude made Li Xiao understand that it would be hard to topple Xiao Lintta in the short term.
Xiao Yanyan smiled charmingly, pinched Li Xiao’s chin and said: “Little man, your angry look is quite manly.”
Saying this, she slowly squatted down and said: “I know you’re definitely unhappy inside, isn’t this me coming to help you!”
“Hiss~”
The next second, Li Xiao sucked in a breath of cold air, only feeling a cold current rushing straight to the top of his head, making him involuntarily shudder.
As if his flaming spear had stabbed into a millennial ice mountain, all the flames were completely extinguished in that moment.
“By the way, my elder brother plans to set off in three days and return to the Eastern Capital.”
Hearing Xiao Yanyan’s words, Li Xiao instantly sobered up.
“Three days?”
Good!
In another three days, Xiao Simo would be gone.
No one above Li Xiao’s head, he would become completely free.
Do whatever he wants.
As for Xiao Lintta, just treat him as a figurehead.
Although excited inside about Xiao Simo leaving, on the surface he showed a surprised look.
“Why leave in such a hurry?”
“Are you leaving with him too? Or staying in Jin Prefecture?”
Xiao Yanyan lightly bit and lightly hummed: “What would I stay in Jin Prefecture for?”
“My status isn’t proper, my words wouldn’t carry weight.”
Li Xiao smiled helplessly, it seems this woman couldn’t wait any longer.
“Next year, I will bring Grandfather or Second Uncle to the Eastern Capital.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yanyan immediately lightly hummed, her corners of the mouth lifting up.
Then while lowering her head to work, she said: “My elder brother has stayed in Jin Prefecture too long.”
“Just received news that the Geluolu people in Yili seem to have become restless too.”
“Yili?” Li Xiao was surprised.
Yili is located south of the Eastern Capital, separated only by a mountain range.
And the Geluolu people in Yili are much more numerous than in Jin Prefecture.
Historically, the Geluolu people in Yili did indeed cause a lot of trouble.
Although there are no records of the specific process, without doubt, they were ultimately all suppressed.
The Geluolu ethnicity, in Li Xiao’s eyes, had become a representative of being weak yet loves to stir trouble.
“The Geluolu people in Yili~ do they have any relation to the Royal Court?”
Li Xiao asked in a low voice.
Xiao Yanyan squatting below immediately rolled her eyes at him: “How could there be no relation?”
“It must be Zhilugu stirring things up behind the scenes.”
Yili is so close to the Eastern Capital, once the Geluolu make big trouble, it will inevitably have a huge impact on the Eastern Capital.
It might even shake Xiao Simo’s foundation.
This kind of harming others without benefiting oneself is something only Yelü Zhilugu would do.
“Then, he does need to hurry back.” Li Xiao nodded and said, his heart blooming with joy.
Xiao Simo, hurry up and get lost.
As long as he leaves, Jin Prefecture will be under Li Xiao’s control.
