Chapter 146: Quelling The Rebellion Ends, Western Expedition Concludes
“What did you say?”
In that gold and jade resplendent yet oppressive-scented large tent, Yelü Zhilugu’s eyes bulged wide, staring deathly at a soldier before him who looked like a disheveled stray dog.
He saw the soldier was utterly disheveled all over, his voice trembling as he repeated, “His Majesty, Your Majesty.”
“General Xiao Lintta’s army… the entire army has been annihilated!”
As the words fell, Yelü Zhilugu abruptly stood up, slamming both hands heavily on the table, with a “crash,” the ink brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table all shook and fell to the ground.
“Xiao Lintta!”
“How did he fight the battle? So incompetent, causing our army such heavy losses.”
At this moment, Yelü Zhilugu’s chest heaved violently, gasping for breath in big mouthfuls, his eyes full of bloodshot veins, like a maddened beast.
That was over ten thousand troops!
And it included Iqta Cavalry, five thousand Kangli Cavalry, three thousand Xiong Department Pishi Army.
All of these were elite forces in the Royal Court Army.
But they were all defeated in one battle by Xiao Lintta, directly infuriating Yelü Zhilugu nearly to death.
He paced back and forth in the large tent, his boots stomping heavily on the ground, each step carrying irrepressible fury.
“Damn it, damn it, Xiao Lintta is utterly damned.”
“If I had known he was so useless, I should have executed him earlier.”
“Why drag down my Royal Court Army?”
He cursed loudly like a shrew, his mind constantly flashing with the tragic scene of Xiao Lintta’s army’s annihilation.
“Xiao Lintta ah Xiao Lintta, I trusted you so much, yet you give me this result!”
Yelü Zhilugu was extremely angry, but Yelü Wusitu beside him was even more furious.
His face ashen, teeth clenched tight, cheeks bulging in and out, forehead veins bulging like angry little snakes.
“Zhilugu, is this the general you carefully selected?”
“My five thousand iron cavalry handed to him, yet the entire army annihilated?”
“How am I supposed to explain this to the tribe’s people?”
His voice was low and suppressed, full of anger and unwillingness, his blazing gaze turning toward Yelü Zhilugu.
On this southward expedition, he had mobilized twenty thousand cavalry, but after these successive battles, now only over ten thousand remained.
Such heavy losses could no longer be described as crippling.
One must know, many tribes dotted the Kangli people.
Yelü Wusitu was not without enemies, and now with vitality greatly damaged, his enemies certainly wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
“Once the Northern Frontier is recovered, I will personally lead the army north to help you suppress the other tribes and establish the Kangli Khanate.”
Yelü Zhilugu took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, softly soothing Wusitu, though the anger on his face was still hard to conceal.
But his words only made Yelü Wusitu sneer coldly.
“Recover the Northern Frontier? What a joke!”
“What chance do you have now to recover the Northern Frontier?”
“The excellent situation was ruined by Xiao Lintta; next, the rebels will surely defend around the Ili River.”
“The weather is getting hotter, the river water surging, our army’s crossing will be even more difficult.”
“Instead of fantasizing about the army crossing the Ili River, you might as well pray for when Xiao Simo will die and the Northern Frontier splits on its own.” Yelü Wusitu mocked coldly.
He had already lost hope in this war, or rather, in Yelü Zhilugu himself, never having any hope.
Rely on him to personally lead the expedition to help establish the khanate?
Believe him my foot.
With that, Yelü Wusitu stood up, his face growing even colder.
He said in a deep voice: “For your throne, enough Kangli people have died.”
“I have fulfilled my promise; now it’s your turn to honor yours.”
Yelü Zhilugu’s face also darkened, glaring angrily: “Wusitu, what do you mean?”
“Hmph, our Kangli people’s war ends here.” Yelü Wusitu said coldly.
“Kangli warriors cannot keep dying.”
The death of nearly ten thousand Kangli soldiers was a heavy blow to Yelü Wusitu.
He not only had to face suspicion from internal headmen but also guard against other tribes taking advantage.
For him, the situation was already extremely dire.
He had to lead the remaining army back to the Kangli Grassland, or his status would surely be shaken.
“But before withdrawing, I hope you fulfill your promise, Zhilugu.” Yelü Wusitu suddenly said in a cold voice.
“Besides the Kangli Khan throne, you must also pay me one million shi of grain, one hundred thousand gold dinars, two hundred thousand sheep, and fifty thousand slaves.”
“This is the price you promised for my Kangli iron cavalry’s deployment.”
Now the Kangli Cavalry had suffered heavy losses, his status precarious; he must use these supplies and wealth to appease the nobles in the tribe and attract people from other tribes to strengthen himself.
So, no matter what, he had to get these things.
Hearing this, Yelü Zhilugu’s face twisted ferociously like an ugly wild boar, instantly standing up and staring deathly at Wusitu, saying angrily.
“Wusitu, are you kicking me when I’m down?”
“Don’t forget, you are also a descendant of the Yelü Family.”
Yelü Zhilugu had indeed promised these conditions before, but that was premised on recovering the Northern Frontier.
Using the Northern Frontier’s supplies to pay the Kangli people’s debt was no loss at all.
But now, the war was in dire straits, the army unable to cross the Ili River, and Kuyun-Ordu had even been ransacked.
What did Yelü Zhilugu have to repay the debt with?
In his view, there was no need to repay at all; since the Northern Frontier wasn’t taken, and the Kangli people wanted to leave, it was already good he didn’t trouble them.
The reasoning was sound, but Wusitu couldn’t settle accounts that way.
With an indifferent expression, unmoved, he said deeply: “Descendant of the Yelü Family?”
“Hmph, the Yelü Wusitu of back then is already dead; now I am Yuli Boli Wusitu.”
“This path is one you made me take!”
“Second Brother!”
This final “Second Brother” carried a hint of cold laughter and disdain in Wusitu’s tone.
The events of those years were vivid in his mind, and these years’ experiences had become Wusitu’s lifelong trauma.
At that time, the Western Liao’s powerholder was their aunt, Yelü Pusuwan.
The brothers lived every day under their aunt’s surveillance, without the slightest freedom.
Just then, the Yuli Boli Tribe among the Kangli came to propose marriage, wanting to wed a Western Liao princess.
Yelü Pusuwan at the time was no longer content with the regent position; she wanted to be emperor and already looked unfavorably on these nephews.
So, on some clever person’s suggestion, she decided to select one nephew for marriage alliance, marrying him to the daughter of the Yuli Boli Tribe leader.
And Zhilugu, to avoid being selected, ran to tattle to Pusuwan.
Falsely accusing Wusitu of disloyal acts, colluding with court ministers, secretly plotting to overthrow Pusuwan.
Moreover, Wusitu was the son Yelü Yilie favored most before his death; under multiple factors, Wusitu was selected as the prince for the marriage alliance.
In a blink, twenty-plus years passed.
In these twenty years, Wusitu endured humiliation, always thinking of revenge.
Initially, he was as humble as a dog in the Yuli Boli Tribe, gradually currying favor with his wife and father-in-law.
Little by little seizing power, finally in recent years, he smoothly killed his second uncle and became the leader of the Yuli Boli Tribe.
Relying on military merits, he also had high prestige among surrounding tribes.
Only thus could he gather twenty thousand troops to head south.
The purpose was to avenge the past, kill Yelü Pusuwan’s son, and annihilate the Xiao Family.
As for the stupid pig Yelü Zhilugu, he certainly hadn’t forgotten him either.
It was just that Wusitu still needed to borrow Western Liao’s influence to stabilize his status among the Kangli people.
He couldn’t move him for now.
But once the Kangli Khanate was established and Wusitu became Khan, thoroughly consolidating power.
The first thing to do would be to lead the army south, annex Western Liao, and imprison Yelü Zhilugu.
That day, the two brothers argued fiercely and parted on bad terms.
The next day, Wusitu led ten thousand Kangli Cavalry away.
A few days later, Yelü Zhilugu received another message that infuriated him to the extreme.
Kuyun-Ordu had been breached again.
This time, it was Wusitu’s Kangli Cavalry who did it.
“Shameless!”
“Traitor of the Yelü Family.”
Yelü Zhilugu’s eyes bloodshot, forehead veins bulging, gasping heavily.
“Wusitu, how dare he!”
“Beast, worse than a beast!”
“Kuyun-Ordu, that is my Great Liao’s capital city; does he live up to the ancestors?”
“He is set to ruin the Yelü Family’s foundation!”
Kuyun-Ordu had been ransacked by Li Xiao once, though recaptured, its troops still weak, giving Wusitu an opportunity.
On his way back to the northern grassland, passing Kuyun-Ordu, he chose to attack the city directly.
After breaching the city, they plundered wantonly, even more ruthlessly than Li Xiao, not sparing even commoners.
In the end, the Kangli people looted the city empty, even turning all the common people in the city into slaves.
All packed up and taken back to the Kangli Grassland.
Moreover, all tribes encountered along the way were similarly not spared: people, cattle and sheep, women, property, all looted clean.
Done ten times more excessively than Li Xiao.
Hearing this news, Yelü Zhilugu was so angry he nearly passed out.
He knew this was Wusitu’s revenge against him.
Resenting him for not fulfilling the promise to pay the Kangli Cavalry money, supplies, and slaves.
So, Wusitu took the initiative to rob them himself.
And the benefits were obvious.
The Kangli Cavalry had lost the battle, suffered heavy losses, morale low; some must be dissatisfied with Wusitu.
To dispel the soldiers’ emotions, Wusitu let them burn, kill, and plunder in Western Liao territory.
After this, these over ten thousand soldiers would become Wusitu’s most loyal supporters.
Many benefits, merely sacrificing some of Western Liao’s interests.
Wusitu did it without any pressure.
Anyway, he no longer considered himself Khitan; his base was the Kangli people.
And facing such lawless Wusitu, Yelü Zhilugu had absolutely no way to deal with him.
The Northern Frontier issue unresolved, impossible to wage war with Wusitu.
He could only curse him as unfilial, unworthy of being a Yelü Family descendant, while watching Wusitu take large amounts of Western Liao’s cattle and sheep, property, people, women back to the northern grassland.
And after experiencing Li Xiao and Wusitu’s two ransackings, Kuyun-Ordu thoroughly became an empty city.
……
Meanwhile, Li Xiao also digested the results of the Ili River battle, leading the Left Route Army to rendezvous with Xiao Simo’s Central Army.
In this battle, the army under Xiao Lintta was completely annihilated.
Among them, over two thousand Jin Prefecture Army soldiers defected entirely under Li Xiao’s inducement.
Li Xiao selected a batch from his own subordinates, appointing them as centurions, squad leaders, and other junior officers in these three Jin Prefecture chiliarch armies.
Completing a major overhaul of the three chiliarch armies.
Thus, Li Xiao’s Jin Prefecture Army gained over two thousand more, with troop strength reaching six thousand five hundred.
And besides these over two thousand Jin Prefecture Army, the other Kangli Army, Eastern Kara-Khanid Khanate Army, Xiong Department Pishi Army, etc.
Most were not drowned, ultimately over seven thousand survived, becoming Northern Frontier Army prisoners of war.
However, in Li Xiao’s eyes, these prisoners of war were not the greatest gain.
What truly pleased him was the five hundred sets of armored cavalry gear from the Iqta Cavalry.
Though quality not matching Western Xia Pockmarked Armor, they were still exquisite, at least much better than the iron armor captured from Naiman People.
However, in this battle, Jiu Meng’an He had also contributed greatly.
Plus Li Xiao needed to solidify relations with him for support in future matters.
Thus, he could only painfully give him one hundred sets of full armor.
As for the Seven Rivers’ various tribe leaders, giving them some gold and silver treasures was enough; armored cavalry gear was certainly out of their reach.
In this way, Li Xiao had five hundred sets of armored cavalry gear in hand.
Fully capable of forming an army comparable to the Tiger Pounce Camp.
On the third day after the battle, Li Xiao led the army to rendezvous with Xiao Simo’s Central Army.
Entering the camp, a heavy atmosphere hit him, like a thick layer of gloom pressing heavily on everyone’s hearts.
When Li Xiao and Jiu Meng’an He each led a team of personal guards to the large tent, they immediately saw Xiao Tula Duo, face full of exhaustion, standing with a group of generals to welcome them.
Li Xiao dismounted, walked forward, seeing Xiao Tula Duo’s eyes full of bloodshot veins and weary appearance, couldn’t help but sigh softly.
“Governor Xiao, you’ve worked hard.”
Xiao Tula Duo sighed lowly, shaking his head powerlessly: “It’s nothing.”
“Rather, Governor Li and Jiu Meng’an He, you two did splendidly.”
“Finally helped our Northern Frontier regain some face.”
So many days had passed, Li Xiao’s battle achievements at the Ili River had already come through.
Breaching the dam, using the flood to annihilate Xiao Lintta’s army in one battle.
And these armies were all elite forces of the Royal Court Army, a heavy blow to the Royal Court’s effective strength, greatly relieving the pressure on Xiao Simo’s side.
It could be said that the face Xiao Simo lost was mostly picked up by Li Xiao.
“Just doing my duty!” Li Xiao nodded lightly, not arrogant.
At this time, everyone’s gazes turned to behind Li Xiao.
Two White Armored Soldiers were on horseback, each holding a ox tendon rope.
The other end of the ropes tightly bound Xiao Lintta’s body.
At this moment, Xiao Lintta was utterly disheveled, hair disheveled, face bruised and swollen, body emitting a foul stench, just like a beggar.
And some generals before the tent, upon seeing Xiao Lintta, had red eyes, faces showing indignation.
“Xiao Lintta.”
“You bastard, I’ll kill you.”
Bali’ala roared in anger, directly rushing up and kicking him flying viciously.
In the Northern Frontier Army, if speaking of hatred for Xiao Lintta, besides Xiao Simo himself, it was Bali’ala.
Because on the night the Kangli Cavalry sneaked attack, it was supposed to be Bali’ala’s watch, but he was deceived by Xiao Lintta, leading to the camp being raided.
For this, Bali’ala had always been immensely self-blaming, dreaming of killing Xiao Lintta to wash away the shame.
So, seeing the enemy, Bali’ala nearly drew his blade to chop Xiao Lintta.
But even without dying, Xiao Lintta was beaten miserably by the furious Khitan generals.
In the end, Xiao Tula Duo couldn’t bear to watch and stopped the crowd.
“Enough, don’t beat him to death.”
“Though Xiao Lintta deserves death, he still needs the Great King to pass judgment.”
With that, he said to Li Xiao and the other: “Come with me to pay respects to the Great King.”
And the instant Li Xiao entered the large tent, a strong medicinal scent hit him.
Looking around, he saw the large tent sealed airtight.
And on the central bed, half-reclining a man with eyes closed in rest.
Li Xiao could hardly imagine that in less than a month, Xiao Simo seemed like a changed man.
Face pale, bloodless, cheeks deeply sunken, cheekbones protruding high, as if a layer of skin barely wrapping the bones.
Beard covering the face, originally neatly combed hair now messy, several strands limply hanging on both sides of the cheeks.
“Li Xiao, Jiu Meng’an He…”
“You’re back!”
Xiao Simo slowly opened his eyes upon hearing footsteps, gaze turning to the two, and spoke.
His voice hoarse like a worn bellows, eyes dull, gaze revealing deep exhaustion and weakness.
Li Xiao stepped forward quickly to Xiao Simo’s bedside, leaning slightly, eyes full of concern: “Elder Brother, your injury…”
His gaze fell on Xiao Simo’s chest, wrapped in thick bandages, faint bloodstains seeping out.
The bandages’ color had been soaked dark by blood, and one could smell a strong foul odor.
Clearly, his wound had begun to rot.
“No matter,”
Xiao Simo waved his hand, saying weakly.
“This arrow hit a vital spot, but fortunately I’m tough, held on till now.”
Jiu Meng’an He stood by, seeing Xiao Simo’s tragic state, heart full of guilt and self-blame.
“Great King, it’s all my fault.”
“If we had rendezvoused with the Central Army sooner, you wouldn’t…” His voice low, eyes full of regret.
Xiao Simo raised one hand, saying weakly: “This matter doesn’t blame you; battlefield situations change in an instant, how can everything be foreseen.”
“Besides, you’ve already done very well.”
He already knew that at the Ili River, Li Xiao used the flood to annihilate Xiao Lintta’s army in one stroke, capturing countless.
Directly knocking out at least a third of the Royal Court’s strength, and capturing the traitor Xiao Lintta.
And this battle achievement far exceeded Xiao Simo’s expectations.
He looked at Li Xiao, showing a smile uglier than crying, saying softly: “Li Xiao, you’ve done very well.”
“In the future, pay more attention to Northern Frontier matters.”
Pay more attention?
What does that mean?
Does he want me to inherit his position?
Li Xiao thought fancifully, but he knew such an idea was unrealistic.
Xiao Simo still had a son; how would it be this brother-in-law’s turn?
And just as Xiao Simo finished speaking, he suddenly started coughing, each cough shaking his chest wound painfully, blood flowing again.
His brows furrowed tightly, forehead beading with fine sweat.
Xiao Tula Duo, seeing this, eyes reddening, hurried forward, gently patting Xiao Simo’s back to ease the coughing.
“Great King, don’t speak anymore, rest well.”
While Li Xiao quickly took out a bottle, saying urgently: “Elder Brother, you must rest and recuperate with peace of mind.”
“Army matters, leave them to us.”
“This is a divine medicine developed at my Hexi Fort, called Golden Jade Powder, very effective for treating external wounds.”
Li Xiao handed it to the army doctor, having him apply it to Xiao Simo’s wound.
This Golden Jade Powder was precisely allicin.
On this western expedition, Li Xiao had specially brought much garlic and alcoholic beverage for timely treatment of external wounds.
Unfortunately, allicin’s activity lasted less than a day.
Otherwise, Li Xiao wouldn’t need such elaborate efforts.
The doctor nearby held the porcelain bottle, looking at Xiao Simo somewhat at a loss.
Then uncorked it and smelled; a strong scent hit him.
“This, Governor Li~”
“May I ask, what is this Golden Jade Powder?”
“I’ve practiced medicine for thirty years, never heard of such a drug!” The doctor frowned and said.
After all, it was for Xiao Simo; he didn’t dare use it rashly, fearing for his life.
Li Xiao didn’t explain much, just said deeply: “Use it with confidence.”
“This Golden Jade Powder is a divine medicine for treating rotting wounds.”
“Back then, my Second Uncle’s injury was even heavier than Elder Brother’s, yet Golden Jade Powder pulled him back from the gates of hell.”
Xiao Simo smiled.
He said to the doctor: “Do as Li Xiao says.”
“I know my own injury well.”
“You have no better way, so try Li Xiao’s medicine.”
He knew Li Xiao certainly wouldn’t harm him.
Not trusting Li Xiao’s character, but his intelligence.
Only a fool would blatantly tamper with the medicine.
Soon, the doctor divided the Golden Jade Powder in two, applying half to the wound, feeding the other half to Xiao Simo to swallow.
In the following days, Li Xiao still needed to produce large amounts of allicin.
As long as Xiao Simo could stomach it, feed him relentlessly.
If efficacy insufficient, make up with quantity.
However, Li Xiao was not that optimistic about Xiao Simo’s injury.
Li Erjiang could recover fully because it was a superficial wound, just a large gash in skin and muscle that got infected.
But Xiao Simo was shot in the right chest by an arrow, a penetrating wound.
Bacteria from the arrow had entered the body.
Allicin could treat wound infections, but whether it could treat internal organs, Li Xiao had no great confidence.
But could only treat a dead horse as a live one.
After all, Xiao Simo could not have an accident.
Otherwise, once the Royal Court Army charged toward the Northern Frontier, Li Xiao’s small force alone couldn’t hold.
