Chapter 137: Muye River, Sealing The Wolf At Zhuxu
“Rebels?”
“Why are there rebels ahead?”
“Damn it, we’re surrounded.”
When Li Xiao’s Left Army appeared on the Saksu Highlands, there was a great uproar throughout the Royal Court Army, and many soldiers became terrified.
Seeing this, the commander Zhen Wuchi’s eyes widened in shock, and his expression instantly turned as dark as water.
At this moment, he finally understood Xiao Simo’s conspiracy; the prolonged trailing and non-aggression was merely to wait to rendezvous with this rebel army and form a pincer movement against him.
He was filled with regret, realizing he had been completely fooled by Xiao Simo.
“No one panic.”
“Anyone who dares to disrupt morale will be executed without mercy.”
“Listen to my command, archers, advance!”
“Xiong Department Pishi Army, prepare to hold them back.”
Zhen Wuchi shouted loudly, his demeanor calm and collected; facing the situation of being attacked from both front and rear, he still commanded with ease, as if not the least bit flustered.
At the same time, Xiao Simo’s Central Army, which had been closely following, also discovered Li Xiao’s Left Army.
“Hahaha~”
“Li Xiao, that kid, did a good job.”
Xiao Simo burst into laughter.
Wearing a wolfskin coat over gilded chainmail, he stood even straighter, full of imposing presence, and roared loudly.
“By my royal decree.”
“The entire army advances to eliminate the Royal Court Army.”
“Wuwuwu~”
Ox horns blared across the grasslands, the sound of hooves like thunder, and soldiers’ shouts, charging towards the Royal Court Army like a surging tide.
At this moment, the Eastern Capital Army’s encirclement was complete.
The main force of the Royal Court Army was now in dire straits, caught between two powerful armies, like lambs awaiting slaughter, with no hope of escape.
In the rear, Da He Chu Luo Duo, being pulled by a horse carriage, had removed his armor. His chest was a mass of dark bruises, his face was deathly pale, and he was coughing up blood continuously.
Despite the protection of his armor, he had still been severely wounded by Li Xiao’s attack.
Upon hearing the news of the White Armored Army’s appearance ahead, he was stunned.
“Damn it, we’ve fallen into a trap.”
“Li Xiao’s forces didn’t link up with Xiao Simo; they came ahead to the Saksu Highlands to ambush us,” Da He Chu Luo Duo said, his face a mask of horror. In his agitated state, he coughed up another mouthful of blood.
But he couldn’t worry about anything else now. He ordered his subordinates: “Go, get out of here quickly.”
“Leave this place.”
“But General Zhen Wuchi ordered us to hold back the rebels,” one of the Eagle Unit generals hesitated.
“He wants us to go to our deaths,” Da He Chu Luo Duo said in exasperation.
He saw the current situation very clearly: if they fled now, there was a glimmer of hope, but if they resisted, the Eastern Capital Army, three times their strength, would crush them to powder in an instant.
“Listen to me, all you brothers of the Eagle Unit, leave immediately.”
“Let Zhen Wuchi take the brunt of the rebel attack for us.”
Afterward, Da He Chu Luo Duo, enduring his injured body, mounted his horse again and led his five hundred Eagle Unit cavalry away from the main army at high speed.
With his lead, the soldiers from other tribes became even more panicked.
“Damn it, those Pishi Army soldiers are running away.”
“We’ve been abandoned, they want us to stay here and die.”
“We’re defeated, if we keep fighting, there’s no hope of survival.”
“Brothers, let’s run.”
“Anyone who wants to live, follow me.”
The true main force of the Royal Court Army consisted only of the Eagle Unit and Xiong Department Pishi Army, along with some ordinary Khitan tribal soldiers.
The majority were conscripts from other tribes, plus five thousand mercenaries from the Eastern Kara-Khanid Khanate.
When the war went smoothly, everything was fine.
But now that the Royal Court Army was in a desperate situation, it was the ragtag troops who began to falter first.
No matter how Zhen Wuchi tried to instill discipline, more than half of the tribal soldiers on the flanks and in the rear had scattered in a short period.
On the vast grasslands, the shadows of tribal soldiers were everywhere, like moving pawns.
“Don’t bother with them.”
“Eliminate the Royal Court’s main force,” Xiao Simo did not order his soldiers to pursue the deserters.
They were merely turncoats.
After he broke through the Royal Court and ascended the throne, those fleeing tribal soldiers would humbly come to submit.
There was no need to waste effort on them now; Xiao Simo’s primary target was still the main Royal Court force in front.
His gaze was sharp, fixed on the core position of the Royal Court Army. He waved his war saber in the air and shouted loudly, “Tiger Pounce Camp, attack!”
With Xiao Simo’s order, the vanguard of the Eastern Capital Army instantly spread out to the sides, revealing a passage more than a hundred meters wide.
This exposed an army behind them to the Royal Court Army.
They were clad in heavy black armor, which gleamed coldly under the sunlight, like grim reapers descending from the darkness.
Each cavalryman rode a tall, sturdy black warhorse, also clad in heavy armor, with only their wild and fierce eyes visible.
Tiger Pounce Camp.
Xiao Simo’s true trump card, the absolute main force.
It was a unit of armored cavalry, similar to the Iron Pagoda and Iron Falcon, numbering around a thousand men.
It was also the result of Xiao Simo’s two years of efforts in the Northern Frontier.
He had gathered artisans from all over Yinshan Prefecture to forge iron armor, plus what he had captured from the Naiman Tribe last year.
After much effort, he had only managed to assemble a thousand sets of armored iron armor.
It was evident that heavy cavalry in this era was undoubtedly the most expensive type of troop.
The armor required frequent maintenance, and the warhorses had to be fed fine grain daily.
Without the strength of a major nation, it was impossible to sustain the consumption of heavy cavalry.
Furthermore, Xiao Simo’s Tiger Pounce Camp was fundamentally different from the Royal Court’s Pishi Army.
Although the Pishi Army had an armor penetration rate of about forty percent, the vast majority only wore a breastplate to protect vital areas.
They were far from achieving the complete coverage of armored cavalry.
Only Li Xiao’s heavy cavalry, the Black Armored Army, could compare to the equipment of the Tiger Pounce Camp.
However, the Black Armored Army numbered only about a hundred men, one-tenth of the Tiger Pounce Camp.
At this moment, the Tiger Pounce Camp, having received Xiao Simo’s order, was like a roused sleeping beast, unleashing an astonishing aura.
The soldiers gripped their heavy lances tightly, their points incredibly sharp, glinting with a chilling cold light.
They formed a neat square formation, like an unbreakable black rock, slowly advancing towards the Royal Court Army.
As the distance closed, the Tiger Pounce Camp’s speed gradually increased. The sound of hooves, like dense drumbeats, struck the earth, kicking up dust.
Like a black torrent, they charged towards the Royal Court Army’s defenses.
Their charge was unstoppable. Wherever they went, Royal Court soldiers were flung aside like leaves swept away by a strong wind.
The Royal Court Army’s defenses, under the impact of the Tiger Pounce Camp, instantly created a huge gap. The soldiers watched these demon-like heavy cavalry with terror, their faces filled with despair.
Meanwhile, the Left Army also charged ferociously into the Royal Court Army’s formation.
Er Hu, riding a strong, muscular dark red warhorse, led a hundred armored cavalry as the vanguard.
The black armor of these armored cavalry glinted under the sunlight, covering them from head to toe, and even their warhorses were encased in heavy armor, with only their hooves and fierce eyes visible.
Compared to Xiao Simo’s Tiger Pounce Camp, the aura of Li Xiao’s Black Armored Army was no less.
They wielded heavy horse-chopping sabers, their blades wide and incredibly sharp. Accompanied by the rhythmic sound of hooves, they plunged into the Royal Court Army’s formation like sharp blades.
Li Xiao, riding his agile black warhorse, led a thousand White Armored Soldiers closely behind.
“Wind~”
“Wind~”
“Wind!”
With unified shouts, the White Armored Army, like a white torrent, surged towards the Royal Court Army.
Their spears interwove into a cold light under the sun. Wherever they passed, Royal Court soldiers fell, and the defenses were continually torn apart.
Following them came the charge of tens of thousands of troops from the Northern Sea Army, Jin Prefecture Army, and Seven Rivers Army.
They were vast and boundless, as if covering the entire grassland.
Their speed was incredibly fast, like a fierce wind.
Wherever they passed, Royal Court soldiers fell, and the entire battlefield descended into chaos and bloodshed.
Under the valiant charge of the Eastern Capital Army’s main force and the Left Army, the morale of the Royal Court Army completely collapsed.
The soldiers began to flee in all directions, no longer possessing the courage to resist.
Seeing the Tiger Pounce Camp and White Armored Army charging to within a hundred meters of him, Zhen Wuchi knew he was doomed to die today.
Reflecting on his glorious life, his battles, and his numerous military merits.
He never expected to suffer such a downfall here.
With a laugh, he placed his war saber across his neck.
“A general fighting a hundred battles and dying, wrapped in horsehide to be buried, is the fate of us military officers.”
Then, he looked at his surrounding guards and issued his final command.
“After I die, you may lay down your arms and surrender. Xiao Simo will not trouble you.”
Before his guards could stop him, his carotid artery was severed, and blood gushed out.
His body slowly fell into the arms of his guards, his gaze fixed on the southern sky, as if softly murmuring, “Late Emperor, your old servant has come to join you.”
“Old General~”
“Old General~”
“Why had you to do this~”
“Wuwuwu, General.”
Fifteen minutes later, the battle ended.
Excluding the early deserters from the ragtag troops, over two thousand Royal Court soldiers were killed in this battle, and over ten thousand were captured.
It could be considered a great victory.
Xiao Simo was in high spirits.
However, upon learning of Zhen Wuchi’s suicide, his smile paused for a moment, and he said gravely, “Bury him with honor.”
Afterward, Xiao Simo ordered the army to rest for two days to consolidate their gains.
The Eastern Capital Army captured a large number of warhorses and supplies, with Li Xiao’s Left Army receiving a quarter of them.
There was also iron armor stripped from the Xiong Department Pishi Army.
The lion’s share naturally went to Xiao Simo’s Central Army, with the Left Army only receiving four hundred sets.
The distribution remained the same: the Jin Prefecture Army received two hundred sets, while the Northern Sea Army and the Seven Rivers Army received one hundred and thirty and seventy sets respectively.
Thus, Li Xiao’s Jin Prefecture Army.
In addition to the thousand White Armored Soldiers and one hundred armored cavalry, it formed an eight-hundred-man Iron Armored Army.
They were to be commanded by two chiliarchs, Li Dashan and Luo Ping.
Concurrently, Xiao Simo dispersed ten thousand captives, filling the ranks of the three armies.
The Xiong Department Pishi Army and some Khitan soldiers were directly integrated into Xiao Simo’s command.
The Left and Right Armies each received three thousand soldiers from the ragtag troops.
Most of them were soldiers from Turkic tribes, followed by some soldiers from the Eastern Kara-Khanid Khanate.
The combat effectiveness of these individuals was questionable, and Li Xiao planned to use them as cannon fodder.
They would replace the role of the original Seven Rivers Army.
Soon, news of Zhen Wuchi’s defeat reached the Royal Court.
Yelü Zhilugu cursed furiously.
“Useless, Zhen Wuchi is simply a pig.”
“Even a pig is smarter than him.”
Inside a large tent, Yelü Zhilugu overturned the table in front of him and wildly swung his golden saber around the tent.
He vented his anger.
Shortly after, he sat down, panting, and looked at a middle-aged man in the tent, frowning and asking, “Wen Guan, what should we do now?”
“Without the cooperation of these twenty thousand troops, our plan has a flaw.”
The middle-aged man was named Han Jiuguang, courtesy name Wen Guan, grandson of the famous Western Liao Han official, Han Yuchen.
He currently served as the Privy Councillor of the Southern Privy Council of the Royal Court.
The Southern Privy Council was an important institution managing Han Chinese affairs, but it did not hold military power.
Military power rested with the Northern Privy Council. Han Jiuguang was more like a chief of staff in charge of logistics, and he also offered advice to Yelü Zhilugu.
The plan for the decisive battle with Xiao Simo was conceived by Han Jiuguang.
First, Zhen Wuchi’s twenty thousand troops were to be used as bait to hold back the Eastern Capital Army at the Ili River for a period, buying time for reinforcements to arrive.
Then, they would gradually lure the Eastern Capital Army into an encirclement.
However, now, before the big fish had even entered, the bait had been eaten.
Moreover, without these twenty thousand troops, the decisive battle plan would be significantly impacted.
Seeing that Yelü Zhilugu had finished venting, Han Jiuguang stood up, placed his hand on his chest, and asked, “Your Majesty, may I ask where Prince Wusi Tu has reached?”
“He should have reached Talas by now. In another ten days, he will arrive at the Royal Court,” Yelü Zhilugu replied.
These ten days were originally supposed to be bought by Zhen Wuchi’s army.
Unfortunately, he failed to complete his task.
“Since that is the case, I implore Your Majesty to journey to Tala Mountain.”
“Once His Highness Wusi Tu’s army arrives, we can eliminate the Eastern Capital rebels in one fell swoop.”
Hearing Han Jiuguang’s words, Yelü Zhilugu’s face showed a hint of displeasure.
After all, this would make him a fleeing monarch, proving he feared that bastard Xiao Simo.
But there was no alternative; Xiao Simo’s troops were strong.
Relying solely on the more than ten thousand Pishi Army from the Royal Court, they were no match for the Eastern Capital Army.
Thus, Yelü Zhilugu could only reluctantly say, “Issue an order: We depart for Tala Mountain at dawn tomorrow.”
To temporarily avoid his sharpness.
“Xiao Simo, for today’s humiliation, I will repay you a hundredfold in the future.”
Five days after the Battle of Saksu, the Eastern Capital Army crossed Wusun Mountain and successfully arrived at the original location of the Royal Court.
As the sun set, the crimson clouds in the sky, like an overturned paint palette, wildly rendered the entire land, casting a layer of tragic yet mysterious color over this land that had been baptized by war.
Xiao Simo rode a tall, robust black war horse, moving forward slowly.
His gaze was calm and profound as he surveyed everything around him.
What met his eyes was a scene of chaotic tents, tilted and askew, some completely destroyed, their tattered fabric fluttering feebly in the wind.
The ground was covered with traces of war horses, deep hoof prints crisscrossing the terrain, showing how hastily the Royal Court had retreated.
Soon, Xiao Simo led his men to a hill, where a cruel, cold wind raged, continuously slapping his face.
Slowly dismounting from his war horse, he faced the heaven and earth in the east, slowly opening his hands, his broad palms seeming to embrace the entire world.
Xiao Simo slowly closed his eyes, feeling the cruel cold wind in the mountains, and murmured in a low voice, “Muye River, I, Xiao Simo, have returned.”
His voice was deep and hoarse, yet filled with endless emotion and determination.
At this moment, memories of the past surged to his mind like a tide, and every detail of his time at the Royal Court seemed to be right before his eyes.
Then, he slowly knelt on the ground, tears slowly streaming down.
“Grandfather, Grandfather~”
“Your unworthy descendant, Xiao Simo, has returned.”
…
Meanwhile, in the distance, Li Xiao also learned the reason for Xiao Simo’s excitement through his conversation with Jiu Meng’an He.
Because the land beneath their feet was called Muye River.
Legend had it that Muye River was the birthplace of the Khitan ancestor, the origin of the Khitan people, located in what would later be Inner Mongolia.
But with the fall of the Liao Dynasty, the Khitan people lost their ancestral land of Muye River.
Therefore, Yelü Dashi rebuilt Muye River in the Western Liao as the sacred site for the Khitan people’s sacrifices to heaven.
Every year between spring and summer, the Khitan people would come to Muye River to hold large sacrificial ceremonies.
When Xiao Simo was young, he would live in Muye River for long periods every year with his parents and grandfather.
This place held many fond memories for Xiao Simo.
But now, time had eroded everything, and former cousins had become enemies.
Xiao Simo had become an eternal rebel.
Although he had successfully captured the Royal Court and driven away Yelü Zhilugu.
He still felt more like a sinner of Great Liao when he thought of so many Khitan warriors who had died in the war.
“What a pity~”
Upon learning that Xiao Simo was preparing to hold a sacrificial ceremony to confess to heaven and earth and his ancestors, Li Xiao gently shook his head.
What a grand occasion, but a pity he wasn’t the protagonist.
If he were the commander and led the troops to capture Muye River, he would at least erect a stone tablet.
In ancient times, General Huo sealed the wolf and captured Xú; today, Li Xiao drinks horses at Muye River.
Unfortunately, on this Western Expedition, Li Xiao was merely a supporting character, far from qualifying for a place in history.
“For the next Western Expedition, I must ensure that the history books of the entire world will write about me.” Li Xiao looked towards the bloody sunset in the west, his expression resolute as he silently declared.
Since the Royal Court had not yet been eliminated, Xiao Simo only held a simple sacrificial ceremony.
He confessed to his ancestors, explaining the reasons for his uprising and the grievances he had suffered over the years.
Afterwards, Xiao Simo ordered cattle and sheep to be slaughtered to reward the three armies.
In the evening, a group of generals sat around a bonfire, and Li Xiao was eating a roasted lamb leg, taking large bites.
“Yelü Zhilugu has fled to Tala Mountain, returned to Kuyun-Ordu City to recuperate, and is continuously gathering troops from various factions, intending to fight a decisive battle with our army.”
Xiao Simo, also gnawing on a piece of mutton, his mouth full of grease, spoke in a deep voice about the news from the Royal Court.
After the Battle of Saksu, Xiao Simo’s success was almost a foregone conclusion, and Yelü Zhilugu’s efforts seemed like mere last-ditch struggles.
Under these circumstances, more and more nobles from the Royal Court were secretly defecting to Xiao Simo.
He didn’t need to do anything; he received countless messages from the Royal Court every day.
He knew Yelü Zhilugu’s every move almost like the back of his hand.
And Kuyun-Ordu was located at the foot of Tala Mountain.
“We must send troops and break through the Royal Court.”
“Capture the false Khan Yelü Zhilugu alive.”
Everyone said with firm voices.
At this moment, their hearts were burning with passion.
After all, this was an opportunity for great merit.
As soon as Xiao Simo ascended the throne as Khan, all of them would be enfeoffed as marquises and ministers, enjoying wealth for generations.
Their brothers under their command would also be promoted, becoming superior to others.
Was this not why they followed Xiao Simo in rebellion?
Therefore, the entire Eastern Capital Army would not allow Yelü Zhilugu to continue living freely.
“Great King, at dawn tomorrow, we will gather our troops and march towards Tala Mountain.”
“This humble general volunteers to be the vanguard.”
Xiao Tula Duo said with great spirit.
Li Xiao, unwilling to be outdone, stood up and requested to join the battle.
Xiao Simo nodded with satisfaction; the morale of the army was high.
“For this battle, our army will still divide into three routes to encircle Tala Mountain.”
“The Left Route Army will be led by Li Xiao, passing through Hasubo Mountain and entering the left flank of Tala Mountain.”
“The Central Army will be led by this King himself, attacking from Black Stone Mountain.”
“The Right Route Army~”
Xiao Simo quickly assigned the combat tasks and the marching routes for each unit.
The intention was to converge at Tala Mountain and completely trap the Royal Court’s troops within the mountains.
“Tala Mountain’s terrain is complex, not as simple as the grassland.”
“Be mindful when marching, everyone,” Xiao Simo admonished.
“As you command!” Li Xiao and Xiao Tula Duo shouted in unison.
However, as their voices fell, Xiao Lintta, whose presence had been increasingly low during this period, stood up.
He said to Xiao Simo, “Great King, I request to be transferred to the Central Army to escort Your Highness.”
Hearing this, everyone looked astonished. Xiao Tula Duo appeared particularly wronged.
“Xiao Lintta, what are you up to, old chap?”
“Are you being wronged in our Right Route Army? Although I’m the deputy commander, don’t we discuss everything together, brothers?”
Hearing Xiao Tula Duo’s words, Xiao Lintta gently shook his head, “It has nothing to do with you.”
He then looked at Xiao Simo again and said, “Great King, my grandfather died in battle at Black Stone Mountain, and my late father was also buried there.”
“Therefore, I wish to pay my respects when we pass by.”
Hearing Xiao Lintta’s words, everyone suddenly understood.
Xiao Lintta’s family was indeed one of loyal martyrs; his grandfather had died fighting during Yelü Dashi’s Western Expedition.
His father had also fulfilled his duty to the country.
Therefore, Xiao Simo had no reason to refuse Xiao Lintta’s request.
After all, even he himself had just paid respects to his ancestors.
Thus, he nodded gently, “Very well.”
“General Xiao Lintta’s contingent will be transferred to the Central Army for service.”
“Thank you, Great King.”
Xiao Lintta placed his hand on his chest and thanked him.
Meanwhile, towards the northwest of Tala Mountain, an army appeared, vast and mighty, dust rising like a storm sweeping in from the horizon.
Their marching speed was extremely fast, the sound of hooves like thunder, making the ground tremble slightly.
Their flags snapped crisply in the wind, embroidered with a blood-red wolf’s head, its ferocious fangs tearing at the sky, as if proclaiming their ambition.
