Chapter 153: Annihilating The Huihu Army, Skinning And Disemboweling, Lingchi
Bie Shibali City, under a day of frenzied assault by the Uyghur People, had endured great hardships yet still stood tall and majestic.
However, on the second day, as the morning dawn just sprinkled onto the city wall, the garrison faced a heinous sight.
The Uyghur Army reassembled, advancing menacingly toward the city wall.
And at the front of their ranks was actually a group of Han People being herded forward.
These common people were in tattered clothes, their expressions panicked and tense, their bodies covered in dust and wounds.
The Huihu Soldiers held long sabers, shouting and driving them from behind; anyone who hesitated even slightly would be viciously lashed with a leather whip.
“Move, hurry up.”
“If anyone dares stop, the bow and arrow in my hand doesn’t have eyes.” A Huihu Soldier bellowed threats with a ferocious face, waving his leather whip nonstop.
It landed heavily on some of the Han People trailing at the back.
Some elderly people, exhausted, stumbled and fell to the ground; they struggled to rise but were mercilessly kicked by Huihu Soldiers, only able to groan in pain on the sand.
The women had disheveled hair and faces pale as paper, some clutching young children tightly in their arms.
The common people supported each other, their steps unsteady as they slowly shuffled toward the city wall, cries, pleas, and the Huihu Soldiers’ curses blending together.
On the city wall, Xiao Chilü saw this scene, his face instantly turning ashen.
“Damn it, these Uyghur People are nothing but beasts.”
His fist slammed heavily onto the city wall, his eyes blazing with fury.
“Lord, these seem to be the common people from our Great Desert.”
“These Uyghur People are too despicable.” A Khitan General said angrily.
“It must be Shi Gu Bi, that bastard who did this.” Xiao Chilü roared in anger.
Only Shi Gu Bi, the local snake, could plunder so many common people here in such a short time.
The Gaochang Army from afar probably couldn’t even find two or three villages.
“Most of our garrison officers and soldiers and Han People come from the villages outside the city.”
“They have deep ties with those common people outside the city, I’m worried~” The Khitan General said anxiously.
The Khitan People of the Great Desert had mostly vanished after Xiao Tula Duo’s death in battle, leaving fewer than three hundred Khitan Soldiers in the city.
They could only rely on Han Soldiers to defend the city.
But the current situation was very troubling.
Sure enough, as the Han People drew closer, many Han Soldiers on the city wall began to panic.
They had spotted their relatives outside the city.
“Second Uncle, Second Uncle!”
“Mother, how are you? Mother~”
“You damned Uyghur bastards, let go of my younger brother.”
“You dare hit my father, I curse your eight generations of ancestors.”
On the city wall, the Han Soldiers’ eyes were filled with anxiety and rage; seeing their relatives herded by Uyghur People and suffering such torment, they longed to charge down and fight the Uyghur People to the death.
“Hahaha~”
“Let’s see what Xiao Chilü does now?”
At the rear of the Uyghur Army, Da He Chu Luo Duo saw this and instantly laughed triumphantly.
His scheme had succeeded; with these Han People as shields, the Han Soldiers on the wall dared not shoot arrows.
Today, Bie Shibali would surely fall.
“I even killed Xiao Tula Duo, so how could I not deal with his whelp?”
“Pass the order: full army assault.”
Seeing the garrison on the city wall too afraid to counterattack, the Huihu Soldiers grew smug, driving the common people forward even more brazenly.
They cursed loudly while brandishing long sabers, constantly urging the common people to speed up.
Finally, over ten thousand Huihu Soldiers and tens of thousands of Han People crowded beneath the city wall.
The Huihu Soldiers began the siege.
Though some garrison soldiers began to fight back under the officers’ threats, the Huihu Soldiers’ offensive remained fierce.
“Lord, let’s break out.”
“Bie Shibali can’t hold anymore.”
The Khitan General shouted loudly to Xiao Chilü, full of urgency.
With relatives right outside the city, the soldiers were shackled; more and more Uyghur People were about to storm the wall.
Everyone knew the tide had turned.
“Break out?”
“Uyghur People surround us on all sides—where could we break out to?”
“Besides, our families are still in the city.”
Xiao Chilü’s face was full of despair.
“We can’t worry about that now, Lord.”
“Don’t forget, the Governor’s vengeance hasn’t been avenged yet.”
“You must live on.”
With that, the Khitan General prepared to have his personal guards bind Xiao Chilü by force and break out of the city.
“Get away, I’m not leaving.” Xiao Chilü broke free, roaring ferociously in rage.
“Father’s great vengeance is unavenged, yet I’ve lost Bie Shibali.”
“I have no face to face Father’s spirit, nor the Great King.”
“Today, I’d rather die in battle here.”
He gripped his long saber and slashed at a Huihu Soldier who had just climbed the wall.
Blood sprayed, staining Xiao Chilü’s face.
“Kill!”
Then, like a demon, he charged at another Huihu Soldier, fully prepared to fight to the death.
Seeing more soldiers climbing the wall via ladders, Da He Chu Luo Duo outside revealed a satisfied expression.
In his eyes, Bie Shibali’s fall seemed imminent, victory’s dawn about to light his campaign.
But at this critical moment, a low rumble suddenly echoed across the battlefield, like thunder rolling from the horizon.
Da He Chu Luo Duo instinctively frowned, an ominous premonition rising in his heart.
“What’s going on?”
“Where did this large cavalry force come from?”
This was a chaotic battlefield with deafening shouts and screams, yet the sound of war horses thundering was still clearly audible.
It showed the cavalry numbered in the thousands.
The Uyghur People had long lost their ancestors’ honor; after coming to the Western Regions from the grassland, they had gradually devolved into an agricultural people.
Though they rode horses, their cavalry numbers weren’t that great.
The sudden thundering of cavalry on the battlefield made Da He Chu Luo Duo’s nerves tighten instantly.
Before he could react, a Huihu General rode up hurriedly, his face pale as if he’d seen a demon and lost his courage.
“Your Highness, Your Highness, bad news.”
“The Northern Frontier Army is here.”
“What?” Hearing this, Baershu’s face turned terrified.
“How many are there? Which direction? Who’s the commanding general?”
“Why didn’t our scouts report ahead?”
The barrage of questions stunned Hamamu.
In a trembling voice, he said: “Northwest~”
“The Northern Frontier Army came from the northwest; no idea how many, just saw a golden flag.”
Baershu hadn’t spoken yet when Da He Chu Luo Duo lost his composure.
He grabbed Hamamu’s collar and yanked him close.
“What did you say?”
“Northwest?”
“What did you tell me that night?”
“You said northwest is White Bone Plain—no one can cross White Bone Plain.”
“What’s this now?”
“And I clearly ordered you to add scouts toward White Bone Plain.”
“Where are the scouts?”
“Why do we only learn of the Northern Frontier Army now that they’re upon us?”
Da He Chu Luo Duo’s face twisted ferociously, like an enraged lion.
His eyes bulged wide, murderous aura blazing, as if he would devour Hamamu alive.
The worst had happened: the Northern Frontier Army had truly come from White Bone Plain.
And in the Northern Frontier, the only force using a golden battle flag was Li Xiao’s Jin Prefecture Army.
This enraged Da He Chu Luo Duo even more.
No red-eyed hatred of enemies meeting—instead, only panic and fear.
Li Xiao was like a demon; any weakness would be found and met with a frenzied attack.
“I-I-I~”
“Th-this, I don’t know~”
Hamamu wailed, face ashen; he had indeed sent a scout team toward White Bone Plain, but who knew if those guys slacked off?
The scout squad leader was his brother-in-law, and Hamamu often enjoyed his sisters’ services, so he turned a blind eye to that cuckold, being lenient.
But he never imagined something would really go wrong.
“I’ll kill you!”
Da He Chu Luo Duo raged; he knew this Huihu General had treated his orders like fart and faked it.
In fury, he drew his saber and slashed at Hamamu.
“Pfft~”
With a dull thud, Hamamu sprayed blood and collapsed limply.
But the mistake was made; killing him a hundred times wouldn’t fix it.
“Northwest direction—organize defenses immediately.”
“We absolutely cannot let the Jin Prefecture Army break our army’s formation.” Da He Chu Luo Duo roared, feeling his soul flee in peril.
As the army’s direct commander, Baershu hurriedly issued orders.
Meanwhile, as the rumbling grew nearer, the ground trembled faintly; the battlefield fell deathly silent as countless turned to look.
In the distance, sand and dust billowed; a force of iron cavalry surged like a black flood.
Leading the charge was Li Xiao personally commanding the White Armored Army.
In moments, they reached the Uyghur Army’s front.
Fifteen hundred soldiers in white cotton armor struck like a white bolt of lightning, piercing the Uyghur Army’s lines.
“Loose arrows~”
Li Xiao gripped his cavalry saber and bellowed; instantly, over a thousand arrows whistled like locusts, piercing the front-rank Huihu Soldiers.
Screams rose everywhere; the Uyghur Army’s formation descended into chaos.
“Spread out!”
With Li Xiao’s order, the corresponding horn sounded across the battlefield.
The White Armored Army split into two, like twin serpents, swiftly flanking to both sides.
This sudden tactical shift caught the Uyghur Army off guard.
But then, an even more terrifying sight appeared before the Huihu Soldiers.
“Th-this… what army is this?” A Huihu Soldier said in terror, his voice trembling unclearly.
“Armored Cavalry!”
“It’s Armored Cavalry~”
“Run, we can’t stop them!” Another soldier shouted, turning to flee.
After the White Armored Army dispersed, five hundred Black Armored Army in heavy armor had accelerated to full speed.
Fully exposed before the Huihu Soldiers.
Clad in thick armor, spears gleaming coldly in hand, they were like steel behemoths, aura overwhelming.
Hooves thundered like lightning, shaking the land.
Before this terrifying iron cavalry, the Uyghur People seemed utterly insignificant, their faces instantly overtaken by fear.
“Kill~”
Fully encased in heavy armor, eyes fixed ahead, Er Hu gripped his spear, swung it down hard, and bellowed.
“Crush them!”
As his words fell, the lead Black Armored Army thundered into the Uyghur Army’s ranks.
Wherever the iron cavalry went, Huihu Soldiers fell; they couldn’t withstand the immense impact.
The defensive line shattered instantly; the battlefield plunged into chaos with endless screams, splattering blood, severed limbs everywhere—the slaughter had begun.
Meanwhile, atop Bie Shibali’s wall, Xiao Chilü fought bloodily to the last; soldiers around him dwindled.
More and more Uyghur People climbed the wall.
His body was covered in wounds; his and the enemy’s blood had soaked him into a blood-soaked figure.
At this critical moment, the Khitan General beside him suddenly shouted.
“General, General, our reinforcements have arrived.”
“Reinforcements have arrived.”
Xiao Chilü slew the last foe before him, his staggering body slumping against the wall as he looked west.
Upon the land, a black iron cavalry charged violently, turning everywhere into a sea of blood.
Further back, amid endless iron cavalry, a golden battle flag whipped in the wind.
“Jin Prefecture Army!”
“It’s Governor Li’s Jin Prefecture Army.”
Xiao Chilü said excitedly, tears welling in his eyes; he then rallied, shouting to the soldiers on the wall: “Reinforcements have arrived.”
“Brothers, kill for me.”
Meanwhile, the Uyghur People’s morale collapsed; soldiers’ eyes filled with terror as they shouted in panic.
They discarded helmets and armor, fleeing everywhere, their earlier siege arrogance gone.
Many were terrified out of their wits, even jumping from the wall in desperate flight.
On the battlefield outside, the Black Armored Army shattered the hastily formed Uyghur defensive line with overwhelming force.
The White Armored Army followed, pressing the assault.
The six chiliarch armies flanked left and right, gradually forming a three-sided encirclement, herding the fleeing Huihu Soldiers in one direction.
In the pursuit, more and more Huihu Soldiers fell behind, kneeling to surrender or being slain.
Pursuing defeated soldiers was always the phase with the highest kill ratio.
When the sun reached its zenith at noon, the battle gradually ended.
Gunpowder smoke lingered on the battlefield, a pungent bloody scent pervading.
Uyghur severed limbs, broken weapons, tattered flags littered the ground; corpses of fallen soldiers everywhere, like a human purgatory.
Li Xiao, in bloodstained cotton armor, slowly walked this ravaged battlefield, face coldly impassive.
His gaze deep and calm, as if the brutality before him could no longer stir his heart.
After countless wars’ baptism, life and death, bloody slaughter had become part of his life.
But such gore was a nightmare for those unaccustomed to war.
Just then, an old man and a young man approached Li Xiao.
The elder, Huang Daquan, was once Huangsha Village’s village master, now its centurion.
He also had another identity: Huang Xiuer’s father.
Beside him, the pale-faced young man with unsteady steps was his youngest son, Huang Erxi.
“Greetings, Governor.”
“Greetings~”
The father and son came before Li Xiao to pay respects, but Huang Erxi, just starting to speak, vomited uncontrollably.
His face bloodless, as if retching up his bitter gall.
Enraged, Huang Daquan kicked him: “Useless thing, how did I sire such a coward.”
Northern Frontier men grew up amid killing and strife, but Huang Erxi had been overprotected, a spoiled playboy from youth.
Forget fighting—he even vomited at the bloody battlefield.
“Forgive us, Governor.”
“My son is timid; you’ve seen our shame.”
Huang Daquan smiled apologetically to Li Xiao.
Though his daughter had long followed Li Xiao, she wasn’t the principal wife without even a title, so Huang Daquan couldn’t act the haughty father-in-law.
For Huang Xiuer’s diligent service, Li Xiao wouldn’t hold it against Huang Erxi.
Besides, Huang Erxi was a great meritorious official.
“Erxi, you rendered great service on this army’s march south into the Great Desert.”
“Tell me, what reward do you want?”
Li Xiao, hands behind back, smiled faintly at Huang Erxi.
The army had safely crossed White Bone Plain thanks to this fellow knowing a small path.
Huang Erxi shirked duties, preferring debauchery with cronies.
Once, sand bandits kidnapped him, demanding ransom from Huang Daquan.
To evade Huang Daquan, the bandits took him via a White Bone Plain path into the Great Desert.
Huang Daquan paid dearly to ransom him back; Huang Erxi was beaten half to death for it.
But the boy lacked skills—except one special talent.
Strong memory.
Mainly for winning at the gambling table.
Though blindfolded through White Bone Plain, he still memorized the path.
This time south, to avoid alerting foes, Li Xiao skipped the east road, going straight via White Bone Plain to Bie Shibali.
Li Xiao recalled history: Temüjin pursued Naiman People into White Bone Plain and emerged safely.
Proving White Bone Plain could pass an army.
He then had people inquire in Huangsha Village and nearby desert forts if anyone knew the path.
Thus finding Huang Erxi.
Hearing Li Xiao offer a reward, Huang Erxi perked up, color returning to his face.
“I-I-I~”
“Um, I~”
Huang Erxi looked troubled, glanced stealthily at Huang Daquan, then gritted his teeth: “Brother-in-law—no, Governor~”
“I want money, lots and lots of money.”
Huang Daquan glared wide-eyed and kicked at Huang Erxi again.
“You little bastard, what nonsense!”
Before coming, he’d clearly agreed with Huang Erxi.
An official post!
Best if Huang Erxi got centurion, deputy centurion would do.
But this boy wanted money instead.
“Dad, I just want money.”
“I don’t want to be an official.”
Before Li Xiao, Huang Erxi suddenly feared Huang Daquan less, sticking out his neck defiantly.
He’d once wanted to swagger as a centurion.
But seeing the battlefield’s horrors changed his mind instantly.
Officials died in battle—might croak in any fight.
He didn’t want to be centurion.
He just wanted money to gamble and spend freely.
With sister Li Xiao backing him, no one would bully him.
Living comfy like that was fine.
“You little bast~” Huang Daquan raised his hand again.
This time Huang Erxi dodged, huffing: “If I’m a bastard, you’re an old turtle.”
“You, you, you~”
Huang Daquan was furious, nearly passing out.
Their father-son banter made Li Xiao chuckle.
Such affection was truly good.
Though Huang Daquan sometimes wished he’d never sired this son.
In truth, this troublesome boy was what he cared most about.
Loving yet pained.
“Heh, Centurion Huang, don’t be angry.”
“I understand your hope for him to excel, but consider if he’s cut out for it.”
Li Xiao waved to Huang Daquan.
“In peaceful times, making him centurion or chiliarch—what harm?”
“But now, we fight yearly; Erxi lacks the skill—forcing it would ruin him.”
“You don’t want to bury him young, do you?”
Hearing Li Xiao, Huang Daquan calmed, face fallen and pained, sighing: “Governor’s right; this old man was muddled.”
Li Xiao smiled lightly, beckoning Huang Erxi over.
Then said: “This Governor rewards you one hundred taels of gold, twenty Uyghur beauties.”
“Satisfied?”
Huang Erxi beamed with joy, nodding vigorously: “Satisfied, satisfied.”
“Thanks, brother-in-law—thanks, Governor~”
Li Xiao chuckled; the boy lacked great talent but had sharp emotional intelligence.
After sending the father-son pair away, a personal guard reported: “Chiliarch Xiao Chilü requests an audience.”
Li Xiao nodded lightly: “Bring him.”
Soon, Xiao Chilü, supported by personal guards, limped to Li Xiao.
Covered in blood, his armor full of saber gashes and holes, showing the wall battle’s ferocity.
“Greetings, Governor Li.”
Xiao Chilü endured his pain, kneeling on one knee, voice weak but resolute.
“No need for formalities.”
Li Xiao waved lightly, signaling soldiers to help him up.
“Chiliarch Xiao, you and your soldiers held the city heroically—a great merit.”
Xiao Chilü smiled bitterly: “Without your timely relief, Bie Shibali would have fallen. We fought to the death but took heavy losses…”
He glanced at the battlefield, eyes full of grief: “The city’s common people suffered too much.”
A Khitan caring for the city’s Han People?
Perhaps just currying favor with this Han Governor Li Xiao.
Li Xiao did favor him.
Compared to Xiao Tula Duo, Xiao Chilü had surpassed him.
“War is cruel that way—blame the Royal Court.” Li Xiao said.
“And the Uyghur People, with their wolfish ambitions!” Xiao Chilü said.
Father-killing enmity, irreconcilable.
Xiao Tula Duo died betrayed by Uyghur People—this grudge Xiao Chilü couldn’t let go.
Li Xiao nodded slightly: “Rest assured, this Governor won’t let Uyghur People off easy.”
He then told Xiao Chilü’s personal guards: “Take Chiliarch Xiao back to recuperate.”
“No~” Xiao Chilü said loudly.
“These are just flesh wounds; I’m merely exhausted—no need to rest.”
“Governor Li, don’t leave me out of the Gaochang assault.”
“I must avenge my father.”
Thinking of Xiao Tula Duo, Xiao Chilü’s eyes reddened with grief.
Uyghur People hung his corpse on a flagpole for the siege.
After the battle, it was minced meat, impossible to reassemble.
Such enmity towered to the heavens, deep as the seas.
Even with his last breath, Xiao Chilü would slay every Uyghur Person.
Seeing Xiao Chilü’s resolve, Li Xiao didn’t refuse, nodding: “Very well, I appoint you chiliarch under me to lead troops south to Gaochang.”
“Thanks, Governor.” Xiao Chilü knelt heavily.
Just then, Da Hu reported with men: “Governor, our army has routed the Uyghur Army.”
“Over fifteen thousand captive soldiers.”
“Da He Chu Luo Duo, Uyghur Prince Baershu, traitor Shi Gu Bi, and other generals—all captured alive.”
Li Xiao waved, having the three brought forward.
The three were disheveled; Baershu and Shi Gu Bi even lacked their status-marking armor.
Dressed in ordinary soldier clothes, yet they hadn’t escaped.
Though Uyghur ancestors were nomadic people, after the Western Regions, Uyghur People shifted from nomadism to farming.
Thus, their army’s cavalry far outnumbered by infantry.
Under Jin Prefecture iron cavalry encirclement, only scattered few soldiers escaped.
So Da He Chu Luo Duo and the two were all netted.
“Governor, Governor Li, Lord Li.”
“I was blinded by lard, bewitched by them.”
“Spare me, spare me~”
“I’ll do anything you command.”
Deputy Governor Shi Gu Bi knelt at sight of Li Xiao.
Face ashen, kowtowing madly in terror.
He’d marched west before, witnessing Li Xiao’s brutality; his only thought was to beg mercy.
Sadly, Li Xiao hated traitors most.
Without a glance, he said: “Skin him, rip his tendons.”
“Lingchi him piece by piece.”
“After death, boil in oil, grind bones and scatter ashes—soul never to rest.”
At these words, Xiao Chilü perked up, glaring like bronze bells, roaring viciously at Shi Gu Bi.
“Let me do it.”
