Chapter 142: Plundering The Imperial Palace, Zhilugu’s Fury
Kuyun-Ordu, the Imperial Palace!
Following the commands issued by Li Xiao, the Jin Prefecture Army surged into the Western Liao Imperial Palace like a tide.
This palace, symbolizing supreme power and glory, was instantly engulfed in fear and chaos.
The vermilion gates of the Imperial Palace crashed down with heavy impacts, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Li Xiao led the charge, wielding his cavalry saber, clad in white armor, with countless Jin Prefecture officers and soldiers like wolves and tigers behind him.
“Search for me, not a single corner shall be missed!”
His voice boomed through the entire Imperial Palace square, echoing in every corner of the palace.
“As you command!”
The Jin Prefecture soldiers behind him scattered like hungry wolves, rushing towards the various palaces and pavilions.
The war sabers in their hands glinted under the sun, each man carrying the demeanor of a victor, breaking the tranquility of the Imperial Palace without mercy.
“The rebels have entered the palace.”
“The rebels have broken into the palace.”
Palace maids shrieked in terror, fleeing in all directions, only to be easily apprehended by the soldiers.
Eunuchs collapsed on the ground, trembling, their usual arrogance completely gone.
Li Xiao, astride his war horse, led a contingent of white-armored personal guards, slowly moving through the Imperial Palace that was now being plundered.
His indifferent gaze swept over everything around him.
Once, this Imperial Palace was the symbol of Western Liao’s imperial power, a place of awe for countless people; now, it was trampled beneath his feet, subject to his will.
By his side walked a middle-aged man named Chen Chong.
He was the Chancellery Attendant Official of Western Liao, the second-in-command of the Chancellery, assisting the Chancellor in handling affairs, reviewing edicts, and signing memorials, and so on.
After Li Xiao led his army into the city, he surrendered decisively.
“Lord Li.”
“The Imperial Palace is mainly divided into four sections.”
“The great hall directly opposite us is where we hold court and discuss state affairs, but because Yelü Zhilugu often goes hunting, the hall is usually empty and only used for major discussions.”
“To the left and right of the great hall are the library, the workshop, the imperial kitchen, warehouses, and so on.”
“Further back is where the Imperial Harem is located; I have not entered there.”
“In my humble opinion, the treasures in the Imperial Palace are most likely hidden in the Imperial Harem.”
“It is rumored that Emperor Renzong was fond of collecting and built an underground secret chamber in the Imperial Harem to store many treasures.”
Emperor Renzong was the second emperor of Western Liao, Yelü Yilie.
He was famously fond of gold, silver, jewels, and all sorts of rare treasures.
Although Yelü Zhilugu would have taken a portion of the treasures with him while hunting, there were certainly more remaining in the Imperial Palace.
“Search!”
“Thoroughly search every single corner.”
“Interrogate all the old eunuchs and the stewards among the palace maids and eunuchs, and find the location of the secret chamber.” Li Xiao commanded sternly.
Prior to this, Li Xiao had no intention of raiding the Imperial Palace, merely surrounding it with troops.
Because this place was rather sensitive.
He wouldn’t displease Xiao Simo for the mere treasures within the Imperial Palace.
Therefore, Li Xiao had planned to wait for Xiao Simo’s arrival and have him personally dispatch people to take charge of the Imperial Palace.
But it seemed now that Xiao Simo had no fate with this Imperial Palace.
And Li Xiao was about to withdraw from Kuyun-Ordu, so he naturally had no more reservations.
He might as well plunder it clean and transport all the gold, silver, and jewels and other valuables back to Jin Prefecture.
Soon, a soldier excitedly shouted, “Found it, the entrance is here!”
After interrogating an old eunuch, the Jin Prefecture Army quickly learned the location of the secret chamber, which was beneath a rockery in the Imperial Harem.
Li Xiao rushed over upon hearing the news and directly ordered the soldiers to forcibly pry open the secret chamber door.
Afterward, he only allowed his personal guard unit to enter, with Li Xiao following closely behind.
The secret chamber was dimly lit, filled with a faint moldy smell.
But when the torchlight shone into the secret chamber, everyone was stunned by the sight before them.
The secret chamber was filled with chests and cabinets of treasures, dazzling to behold.
Brilliant gems, large pearls, and golden ingots and silver sycees shimmered with dazzling light under the torchlight, each ingot substantial in weight.
White and delicate ivory was carved into various exquisite ornaments, and all sorts of jadeite and jade emanated a warm luster.
Many gold dinars lay quietly in boxes in the corners, their golden brilliance undimmed despite the passage of time.
Most mysterious of all were three luminous pearls.
They were placed in specially made brocade boxes, emitting a cold, ethereal glow, capturing everyone’s attention even in the brightly lit secret chamber.
Seeing this scene, Li Xiao’s pupils slowly widened considerably.
Of course, there were also things that made him both amused and exasperated: a row of sparkling objects displayed on a cabinet.
“Is this colored glaze?”
Li Xiao picked up a lifelike piece of colored glaze and examined it carefully.
This was just glass with impurities not removed!
In this era, it was treated as a priceless treasure.
This made Li Xiao feel both amused and exasperated.
Later in Jin Prefecture, he would open a glass shop; such items would be as common as he wanted.
No, rarity makes it precious.
He would make only a small amount first, and make it beautiful.
He would sell them at sky-high prices to the rich patrons in the Central Plains and Central Asia.
The bumpkins in India would probably like them too.
“What’s the deal with that empty space over there?”
“Were the contents taken?”
Li Xiao, snapping back to reality, turned his attention to two other empty rooms.
He could clearly see footprints and the imprints of boxes scattered on the floor.
Those places should have also been filled with gold and silver, but they had been carried away not long ago.
The one who responded to Li Xiao was an old eunuch in his fifties, his body covered in bloodstains, having just undergone severe torture.
Clearly, the old eunuch was not a tough man, and after simple interrogation, he confessed everything.
As the deputy steward of the Imperial Harem, his most important daily task was to guard the secret chamber.
To open the secret chamber, one needed Yelü Zhilugu’s command, and two other old eunuchs had to be present simultaneously.
Therefore, no one knew the situation inside the secret chamber better than the old eunuch.
“Yes~”
“Over the years, His Majesty has spent a lot, frequently drawing gold and silver from this treasury.”
“Additionally, a portion was given as a gift to Your Highness Wusi Tu a month ago,” the old eunuch said with a trembling voice.
Li Xiao’s face immediately fell.
Yelü Zhilugu needed the Kangli people and the Iqta Cavalry to help him suppress the rebellion, but the treasury’s money had been largely squandered by him in his daily life.
Therefore, even the money in the private treasury had been significantly depleted.
Thus, by now, two-thirds of the entire secret chamber had been emptied.
Li Xiao’s heart bled; this money should have been his.
“You scoundrel Yelü!” Li Xiao cursed hatefully.
But he had to admit, there was indeed a lot of money in the private treasury.
Even after Yelü Zhilugu had used a large portion, the remaining amount was still astonishing.
“How much money is here?” Li Xiao asked.
He added, “Convert it all to gold.”
The old eunuch pondered for a moment and replied somewhat uncertainly, “Approximately 300,000 Liang remaining.”
300,000 Liang of gold is quite a lot!
“The Yelü family has deep pockets,” Li Xiao mused, with a hint of envy.
Over the past decade, Yelü Zhilugu’s pursuit of pleasure had surely led to much waste.
Yet, even so, to have over 300,000 Liang of gold remaining showed how substantial the Yelü family’s accumulation over four generations was.
Especially the first generation, Yelü Dashi, who must have raided many national treasuries during his western expedition in Central Asia.
Now, at least Li Xiao could get a taste of it.
“Seal off all this gold and jewels.” Li Xiao commanded sternly.
Then he looked at Da Hu and said, “Da Hu, personally lead men to guard this gold; absolutely no accidents are allowed.”
Da Hu nodded heavily, his expression fierce, saying, “Brother, don’t worry.”
“Even when I sleep, I’ll sleep on top of these chests.”
Li Xiao nodded slightly, then ordered soldiers to carry these chests out, one by one.
Load everything onto carts and transport them to the camp.
As for the colored glaze products, Li Xiao paid them no mind; they would take up too much space to bring back to Jin Prefecture.
But they could be put to good use.
So he gave them as rewards to the North Sea generals under Jiu Meng’an He and the leaders of the Seven Rivers tribe.
This greatly boosted his favor, making these people deeply grateful to Li Xiao.
Of course, Li Xiao would not forget the generals in the Jin Prefecture Army.
He wouldn’t favor one over the other.
He didn’t consider them treasures, but others certainly did.
Li Xiao, however, set aside the three luminous pearls.
He did not keep them himself but handed them over to his personal guards for safekeeping.
He recalled that in his previous life, Li Xiao had read some legends.
It was said that the principle behind luminous pearls’ glow was due to the inclusion of some radioactive elements.
Although he didn’t know if it was true, Li Xiao felt a bit wary of such items.
“They are just a few worthless stones, I, Li Xiao, do not covet them.”
“Luxuries lead to loss of ambition,” Li Xiao thought to himself.
Whoever wants them, it’s fine to give them away.
When he returns to the Eastern Capital, he’ll see if Xiao Simo likes them.
The plundering of other palaces and pavilions continued.
Jin Prefecture soldiers ransacked cabinets and drawers at will, seizing every precious item in the Imperial Palace.
Precious paintings and calligraphy were casually stacked on the ground, exquisite porcelain was shattered, and luxurious silk bedding was haphazardly thrown onto the carts.
The soldiers even overturned the Emperor’s Imperial Throne to the ground, the entire Imperial Palace descending into chaos and plunder, its former solemnity and sacredness extinguished.
At the same time, all the people in the Imperial Palace were driven to the square in front of the Great Hall, numbering over a thousand people.
This number was significantly less than that of the Central Plains Imperial Palace, primarily because Yelü Zhilugu had taken a considerable number of personnel with him while out hunting.
These people were divided into two groups. The palace maids were gathered together, weeping in each other’s arms from fear, while the eunuchs knelt to the side, daring not to make a sound.
There were also some guards of the Imperial Palace, whose weapons had also been confiscated, kneeling on the ground, afraid to move.
Most conspicuous were over a dozen women and children dressed in opulent clothing.
After the old eunuch’s explanation, Li Xiao learned that these women were Yelü Zhilugu’s consorts.
However, most of them were past their prime and unfavored, relegated to living in the Imperial Palace.
The truly favored ones were always kept by Yelü Zhilugu’s side.
Li Xiao, astride his war horse, slowly passed by these women, observing a consort around thirty years old, trembling, yet tightly holding a young princess, tears welling up in her eyes.
He then saw a consort around forty years old, holding prayer beads, with her hands clasped in prayer, murmuring Buddhist scriptures.
The vast majority of Khitan people still maintained their Buddhist faith.
“I recall that the False Khan Yelü Zhilugu had a daughter named Princess Hunhu.”
“Is she here?”
Li Xiao turned his head slightly and asked Chen Chong.
The Chancellery Attendant Official was essentially equivalent to the Deputy Secretary-General by the Emperor’s side.
He not only assisted the Emperor in handling state affairs but also involved himself in some private matters.
Upon hearing this, Chen Chong immediately replied, “Princess Hunhu is the False Khan’s most beloved daughter. She is only eight years old this year and is always kept by his side.”
Li Xiao inwardly sighed in regret.
He had wanted to witness how beautiful the famous Princess Hunhu was.
But then he remembered she was only eight years old this year.
He felt that it would be fine to meet her in a few more years.
“Then what about these ones?”
“Are they all daughters of the False Khan?”
Li Xiao looked at the five girls before him, each nestled beside their mother.
The youngest was only five or six years old, and the oldest appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen.
The older ones had already been married.
“Yes, these are all princesses of the False Khan,” Chen Chong nodded.
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xiao saw one of the princesses glare angrily at Chen Chong.
“You scoundrel Chen Chong, you are a traitor who abandons your lord for glory!”
“My father treated you well, with great kindness, bestowing upon you glory and wealth, granting you high official positions and generous stipends, yet you have lost your conscience and committed such a betrayal for personal gain, acting worse than pigs and dogs, truly a human in form but not in spirit.”
The princess’s almond-shaped eyes widened, her phoenix-like eyebrows bristled, her face was full of anger, her voice was like a sharp cry, and fire seemed to spew from her eyes.
“You disloyal and unrighteous wretch, no different from a traitor, you will surely be punished by heaven, your soul will enter the Avici hell, suffer all sorts of torments, and never be reborn.”
“Today, you aid the wicked and invite the wolf into the house, bringing shame upon my royal family and shattering my country. How can you still have the face to stand in this world?”
“The ancestors of my Great Liao in heaven surely will not let you, such a traitorous rebel, off lightly!”
Her chest heaved violently, her hands clenched into fists, her fingernails almost digging into her palms, her body trembling slightly, showing her indignation and unwillingness.
Listening to her furious scolding, Chen Chong’s face turned as red as a pig’s liver, and his chest heaved violently with anger.
“You, you you~”
He pointed at the girl, almost passing out.
But thinking of Li Xiao standing by, he had to suppress his surging anger and dared not act rashly.
He could only get angrier the more he thought about it.
Li Xiao, on the other hand, watched the scene with great interest, narrowing his eyes slightly, and surveying the princess with her angry face with amusement.
“Interesting, as expected of a Great Liao princess, she has some courage.”
Li Xiao said with a light smile, his voice neither high nor low, with a hint of nonchalance.
“However, times have changed, and no matter how much you curse, you cannot change this established situation.”
When the princess saw Li Xiao speak, not only was she not afraid, but she turned her angry gaze towards him, her eyes full of contempt and disdain.
“You scoundrel, you’re just relying on temporary brute force to commit such a robbery.”
“Although my Great Liao has suffered a temporary setback, justice will always prevail, and the world will have its judgment. You will surely reap what you sow today!”
Upon hearing this, Li Xiao simply shook his head, his smile undiminished, but with a hint of coldness.
“Judgment?”
“In this world, only the strong have the right to judge.”
“If you are sensible and obedient, perhaps I will spare your life. Otherwise…”
“I don’t mind sending you to the camp to be ravaged by countless soldiers.”
Hearing Li Xiao’s words, the girl’s body trembled slightly, and she gritted her teeth and said, “How dare you?”
“Xiao Simo is my uncle.”
“Aren’t you afraid of his punishment?”
The girl was very clever, knowing how to use her advantage.
Li Xiao had to admit that he was just trying to scare her.
Xiao Simo and Yelü Zhilugu were practically at each other’s throats, but they were still family.
They were relatives, and their bones were connected.
This grand and tumultuous Jingnan campaign was, in essence, just a family dispute for them.
Li Xiao could attack anyone else, but when facing members of the Yelü family, he had to be more considerate.
“Hehehe~”
Li Xiao laughed.
His gaze at the girl became even more amused.
“You’re right, it’s indeed not good to have the soldiers ravage you.”
“Then let me do it myself.”
Saying that, a playful smile flickered across Li Xiao’s lips: “Come to my tent tonight to serve me.”
“After that, I will ask Lord Xiao to bestow you upon me as an attendant concubine.”
“By then, you will be at my mercy.”
“Hahaha~”
With that, Li Xiao laughed heartily and turned to leave.
“You scoundrel.”
“Shameless dog, even if I die, this princess will not let you succeed.”
The girl’s face turned pale with fear, but she forced herself to remain calm and cursed.
But Li Xiao’s figure had already gone far away. Riding his horse, he heard the girl’s angry curses and chuckled, shaking his head: “She’s really a little firecracker.”
“By the way, what’s her name?”
Chen Chong immediately replied, “This is Princess Zheng, named Yelü Jin.”
Hearing this, Li Xiao turned his head back with a slight surprise.
During this time, Li Xiao had been studying Khitan with Xiao Yanyan, and he had made good progress, able to communicate in simple terms.
Jin, in the Khitan language, means tenacious vitality, unyielding perseverance.
What truly puzzled Li Xiao was the title Princess of Zheng.
“Who is her mother?”
“The late Empress Shenmi Clan,” Chen Chong said with a slight bow of his head.
Li Xiao immediately understood. No wonder Yelü Jin could be enfeoffed as Princess of Zheng!
The titles of princesses in the Liao Dynasty adopted the ancient Chinese dynastic names.
For example, Yelü Abaoji’s daughter was Princess of Yan.
Emperor Tianzuo of Liao’s daughter was enfeoffed as Princess of Shu.
And then there was Xiao Yanyan, the Princess of Chu.
However, not all princesses could be given dynastic names; their maternal lineage had to be noble.
For example, Yelü Zhilugu’s most beloved daughter, Princess Hunhu, because her mother was from the Turkic tribes and not a pure Khitan, had a low status and could not be granted a dynastic title.
It didn’t matter how much Yelü Zhilugu doted on her.
On the other hand, Yelü Jin’s mother, Shenmi Clan, was chosen for him by Yelü Pusuwan.
Therefore, even this daughter was not favored by Yelü Zhilugu.
But no matter how much he disliked her, Yelü Jin was a genuine princess with a dynastic title.
Her status was much higher than that of Princess Hunhu.
After learning the girl’s title, Li Xiao said no more, only instructing his subordinates: “Take good care of her.”
As for making her serve him, it was just to scare her.
Li Xiao always took Lan Yu as a warning, and at such times, he would not be overly arrogant.
After Li Xiao left, the women in the square breathed a sigh of relief.
A younger princess threw herself into Yelü Jin’s arms and cried, “Sister, what should we do?”
“That scoundrel is going to take you to serve him, sob sob.”
“He’s so scary.”
Thinking of Li Xiao, Yelü Jin also gritted her teeth.
He was around the same age as her, yet so detestable.
“Don’t worry, I will never let him succeed.”
“If that scoundrel dares to act rashly, I’ll bite him to death,” Yelü Jin said fiercely, grinding her tiger teeth.
…
North of Black Stone Mountain, the Royal Court Army and the Eastern Capital Army had been locked in combat for more than ten days, and finally, they gradually gained a strategic advantage over the Eastern Capital Army.
Inside the camp, the atmosphere was somewhat relaxed.
Yelü Zhilugu, wearing a fur coat and with his belly protruding, stood in the center with his hands behind his back.
Looking at the generals filling the room, he nodded with satisfaction.
“Gentlemen, according to intelligence from spies, Xiao Simo is likely to die soon.”
Upon hearing this, all the generals showed expressions of disbelief, and then became excited.
“Is that true?”
“Your Majesty, that rascal Xiao Simo has come to this day!”
Xiao Lintta’s face was full of joy, and he couldn’t help but ask loudly, with excitement flashing in his eyes.
Listening to Xiao Lintta’s words, the generals in the tent remained outwardly calm, but in the depths of their eyes, they showed a hint of disdain.
No matter when or in what position, traitors are the most looked down upon.
If he could betray Xiao Simo today, would he also betray the Royal Court tomorrow?
It could be said that the moment Xiao Lintta decided to betray, his awkward status in the Royal Court was sealed.
Yelü Zhilugu nodded slightly, a smug smile appearing on his face.
“Absolutely true.”
“According to reliable sources, Xiao Simo was hit by several arrows and contracted a serious illness. He is now on his last breath.”
He paced slowly, his gaze sweeping over each general in the tent, his voice filled with unconcealed joy.
“Hahaha, heaven is truly helping my Great Liao.”
“With Xiao Simo dead, the rebels will be leaderless and scattered. Our army can easily annihilate them in one fell swoop.”
Tāyánggǔ burst into laughter, clenching his fists as if he could already see the dawn of victory.
Others were also happily chatting with each other, as if victory was within reach.
Yelü Zhilugu nodded with a smile, “Indeed.”
“With Xiao Simo dead, the rebels have lost their backbone, and our army has no worries.”
“And all of this is thanks to General Xiao’s plan.”
“Otherwise, how could we have so easily dealt such a heavy blow to Xiao Simo?”
Hearing this, all the generals nodded and said, “Yes, yes, thanks to General Xiao.”
“General Xiao is indeed Xiao Simo’s trusted confidant. It’s only because Xiao Simo had no defense against General Xiao that we could so easily plant a spy by Xiao Simo’s side.”
“Indeed, indeed.”
“General Xiao is truly loyal and valiant without equal.”
Listening to the generals’ flattery, Xiao Lintta’s expression was very unnatural. How could he not hear their mockery? But he could not retort.
These people looked down on Xiao Lintta not only because of his character but also because Xiao Lintta’s arrival at the Royal Court would snatch the interests of the Royal Court generals.
Not long ago, Yelü Zhilugu had appointed Xiao Lintta as the Deputy Envoy of the Northern Privy Council.
This was the second-highest military position, a position of great power and importance.
Yelü Zhilugu was, in a way, buying a horse’s bones with a thousand pieces of gold to attract more rebel generals to defect to him, making a great sacrifice.
However, Xiao Lintta’s treatment also made the original Royal Court generals extremely envious.
They were subtly ostracized.
“General Xiao is naturally loyal to me, and he is valiant without equal.”
“I believe that with General Xiao’s help, our Royal Army will surely break through the rebel forces and recapture the Northern Frontier,” Yelü Zhilugu said to help Xiao Lintta out of his predicament.
The generals heard this and nodded.
“Yes! Your Majesty is wise!”
“Also, immediately spread the news of Xiao Simo’s death into the rebel camp to shake their morale!” Yelü Zhilugu added, a sinister smile flickering in his eyes.
“As you command.”
And just as the generals were discussing how to press on and crush the Eastern Capital Army.
A personal guard rushed into the camp, shouting in a flustered manner.
“Report…”
The personal guard entered the camp, knelt on one knee, his voice trembling slightly with nervousness.
Yelü Zhilugu suddenly turned around, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes.
“What is it that makes you so flustered?”
“Your Majesty, it’s a great disaster.”
“Kuyun-Ordu has been broken through, and the rebels have already entered the city.”
The messenger lowered his head, not daring to look directly into Yelü Zhilugu’s eyes.
The moment he heard this, Yelü Zhilugu felt a rush of blood to his head, his facial muscles contorted instantly, and his eyes bulged, as if he wanted to devour the messenger alive.
“What did you say? Say it again.”
His voice boomed like thunder in the tent, making everyone’s eardrums ache.
“Kuyun-Ordu… has been broken through by the rebels.”
The messenger’s voice grew weaker, and his body trembled.
“Ah~”
Yelü Zhilugu’s face was furious, and he heavily overturned the table in front of him onto the ground.
Everything on it scattered with a clatter.
“These damned traitors, how dare they be so bold as to attack my capital city while my main army is away.”
His hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white, and veins bulged on his forehead, like angry earthworms.
“Where is Da He Hu Da’an?”
“Where is he?”
“I entrusted him with the important task of guarding the Imperial Capital, and this is how he repays me?”
Yelü Zhilugu roared in anger.
“Lord Da He has already died in battle,” the personal guard said in a low voice.
Hearing this, Yelü Zhilugu’s rage instantly froze. After all, he could not blame someone who had served with all his heart and loyalty.
He could only vent his anger on Xiao Simo and Li Xiao.
He knew very well that Li Xiao’s Left Route Army had already bypassed the southern highlands and reached the Hala Mountain range where Kuyun-Ordu was located.
But he had not taken it seriously at all.
In his opinion, Kuyun-Ordu City had high walls and was guarded by an old general like Da He Hu Da’an.
Li Xiao could not have broken through the capital city in a short period of time.
But he never expected that the Imperial Capital would fall in just a few days.
Where is the Imperial Palace?
Where are the Consorts and daughters he left in the Imperial Palace?
Where is that Gold, Silver, and Jewels he hid in the Imperial Palace?
Thinking of this, Yelü Zhilugu was almost driven to Madness.
“Ah~”
“Li Xiao, you damned Scoundrel.”
“You lowly Han Slave.”
“I will exterminate his Nine Clans.”
At this moment, Xiao Lintta, eager to earn merit and make his presence known, immediately stepped forward.
“Your Majesty.”
“This humble general requests permission to lead troops to Kuyun-Ordu and annihilate Li Xiao’s forces.”
“I will capture and kill the Scoundrel Li Xiao and present him to Your Majesty.”
