Chapter 178: The Grassland’s Foremost Beauty
When Li Xiao led his army to the Naiman Khanate, he found no one there; the ground was littered with hoof prints and carriage tracks, in utter disarray.
“They haven’t gone far, pursue them!” Li Xiao commanded in a deep voice.
Three thousand Golden Armored soldiers surged forward, pursuing them along the direction of the carriage tracks.
The Golden Armored Army were all cavalry, traveling light and unburdened, while the Khanate’s people carried a large amount of supplies and had to herd cattle and sheep, making their progress very slow.
In less than two hours, the scouts of the Golden Armored Army discovered the Khanate’s main group of people.
“Brothers, attack!”
“Capture the Naiman Consort, and everyone will be rewarded.”
“Giddy up~”
Tannu Uriankhai, on the Eastern Grassland.
The Khanate’s people were advancing in a tense manner, with a convoy of horse carriages and pack horses forming an endless, winding line, all filled with supplies and tents.
A thousand guards followed sparsely on both sides of the convoy, nervously looking around.
Just then, a man with a dark face, his hair matted with grease, wearing a sheepskin jacket, galloped over.
He rode into the middle of the convoy, beside a luxurious horse carriage ten feet square, covered with light gauze and thin curtains, and shouted anxiously:
“Consort, the Jin Prefecture people are upon us.”
Hearing this, Guerbiesu lifted the curtain, revealing a fair but terrified face, her eyes filled with panic.
She said in bewilderment, “What?”
“How did the Jin Prefecture people get here so fast?”
“What should we do?”
“Where is General Tagesu?”
Guerbiesu’s greatest asset was her beauty; relying on the favor of men, she navigated and maneuvered with ease within the Khanate.
But without a man’s protection, she was merely an ordinary woman.
Facing the current dire situation, her mind was in chaos, filled only with anxiety.
“General Tagesu has already sent people to intercept the Jin Prefecture army and has instructed you to quickly leave the Khanate and retreat with the prince towards the Du’er River.”
Soon, Guerbiesu abandoned everyone else and retreated with a small group of people in another direction.
Along the way, Tagesu caught up with her, but he was accompanied by only a dozen guards.
“Cousin, what happened?”
“Where are the Jin Prefecture army?” Guerbiesu asked anxiously.
But Tagesu’s face was filled with panic and terror, and he said in a trembling voice, “The Jin Prefecture army is too terrifying.”
“They are simply devils.”
He had originally thought that his thousand cavalry would be able to hold back the Jin Prefecture people for a while, but he never expected that as soon as they made contact, his guards were immediately routed.
Those Jin Prefecture soldiers, clad in yellow armor, seemed impervious to sabers and spears; in just a few moments, they had taken the guards’ lives.
Of the thousand guards, only a dozen or so remained; the rest were either killed or surrendered.
“The Great Khan’s defeat was not unjust. My Naiman soldiers are no match for the Jin Prefecture people; it’s like a moth to a flame.”
“There is no possibility of victory for us in this war.”
In just one skirmish, Tagesu’s morale had been shattered, and he had lost all courage to fight further.
Guerbiesu’s face was also pale, and she asked nervously, “But, but where else can we go?”
On the grasslands, tribes were numerous, each with its own territory and its own pastures.
Before, Guerbiesu was the Naiman Consort, holding great power and position, able to go wherever she pleased.
But now, the Naiman army had been defeated, and the identity of Consort Guerbiesu was no longer useful.
If she rashly entered the territory of another tribe, it was possible that on the very same night, Guerbiesu would be taken by the local leader for his pleasure.
“Where to?”
A hint of confusion flashed across Tagesu’s face, and he then shook his head and smiled bitterly, “We can’t go anywhere.”
This was because he could already hear the sound of galloping horses behind them.
A large contingent of the Jin Prefecture army was closing in.
Thinking of this, Tagesu gritted his teeth and said, “Guerbiesu, let us surrender.”
“Surrender?”
Surprise filled Guerbiesu’s beautiful face.
“That’s right, surrender.” Tagesu nodded heavily.
“The Khanate’s army has been defeated, and the Great Khan’s whereabouts are unknown.”
“Even if the Great Khan can escape the pursuit of the Jin Prefecture army, our Naiman tribe’s vitality is already greatly damaged, and there is no hope of a resurgence.”
“The eagles of the grassland have broken wings; there is no hope.”
“The iron hooves of the Jin Prefecture people will sooner or later tread all over this grassland; they will become the new masters here.”
“To preserve the honor of our tribe, to let the cattle and sheep continue to graze on the lush green grass, and to spare our tribesmen from the suffering of war, we must bow our heads to the Jin Prefecture people.”
Tagesu quickly approached Guerbiesu, his eyes burning, “Guerbiesu, you are the most beautiful woman on the grassland; flowers bow their heads in shame before you, and the moon hides its face. What man can resist your beauty?”
“As long as you walk into the tent of the Great Governor of Jin Prefecture and win his favor.”
“Our tribe can continue to take root on this land like the drought-resistant shu-shu tree, and you can still enjoy the honor of a consort.”
Listening to Tagesu’s words, Guerbiesu seemed to be persuaded.
She was a woman with a strong desire for power and could not bear the pain of being cast down from her high status. If she could remain in a high position and maintain her noble status, she wouldn’t mind who her man was.
Moreover, she had heard that the Great Governor of Jin Prefecture was not old; serving him would be much better than staying with that old man Baibuhua.
Guerbiesu was tempted.
“But, what about Erdun Celeng?”
Tagesu then grabbed the child from the carriage, a boy of three or four years old, Guerbiesu’s son.
“The wolf king of the grassland will kill the cubs of other wolf kings.”
“Erdun Celeng cannot be kept.”
“Listen, Guerbiesu, you are still young, and you will have other children in the future.”
“Leave Erdun Celeng to me.”
Hearing the child’s cries, Guerbiesu shed tears of pain, her heart aching uncontrollably.
At this moment, the ground trembled violently, and the dull sound of hooves like rolling thunder approached from afar.
“Rumble rumble rumble!”
The Jin Prefecture iron cavalry swept in like a gust of wind carrying yellow sand.
Countless Wuwei Army soldiers, clad in bright yellow cotton armor, shone like a golden sea under the sunlight.
Iron hooves flew, sand waves soared into the air, and in the blink of an eye, they had surrounded Guerbiesu and her retinue.
“Roar roar roar~”
Seeing the Golden Armored soldiers holding their spears like a forest, their spearheads gleaming coldly, riding tall war horses and circling, constantly closing in on the center with imposing momentum.
Tagesu and the others huddled together tightly, their bodies trembling with fear.
“We’ve found the Naiman Consort,” Tie Tou shouted loudly.
At this point, most of the Khanate’s people had been captured and were being herded together like livestock.
Guarded by soldiers wielding spears and strong bows, they crouched on the ground, trembling.
“Great Governor, the count is complete, over twelve thousand people in total.”
“Among them are over eight hundred Khanate guards, and the rest are all old, weak, women, and children.”
“We have also captured three sons and two uncles of Sun Khan, a total of over a hundred members of the royal family.”
This Eastern Expedition against the Naiman was a great victory.
Not only was the Naiman army annihilated, but the Naiman Khanate was also completely destroyed.
The only regret was that Sun Khan had not yet been captured.
“Execute all members of the Naiman royal family, and the Khanate guard officers, execute them all,” Li Xiao said in a deep voice.
“As you command.”
The greatest spoils of this campaign were undoubtedly the wealth of the Khanate.
The Khanate could be considered the largest tribe of the Naiman, possessing the most gold and silver, and also being the tribe with the most cattle and sheep.
In this battle, the Jin Prefecture army captured over a hundred large chests of gold and silver treasures, with an estimated value of over one hundred thousand taels of gold.
In addition, there were over five hundred thousand cattle and sheep, making them a veritable wealthy household.
Soon after, Tie Tou returned to report.
“Great Governor, your subordinate has led men to capture the Naiman Consort Guerbiesu and her son Erdun Celeng.”
Li Xiao nodded slightly and said, “Send more people to take a look and see if he is truly the Naiman prince.”
Li Xiao did not want to go through another incident like the Orphan of Zhao.
Fortunately, Erdun Celeng was already three or four years old, and there were certainly many people in the Khanate who had seen his appearance.
If they found a group of people to question separately, and even one person said that it was not Erdun Celeng, Li Xiao would unhesitatingly execute the liars and then search for the real Erdun Celeng.
“As you command.”
Tie Tou nodded heavily, emphasizing the need for careful verification to ensure safety.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, night eagerly enveloped the grassland.
The cold wind raged, and within the camp, revelry ensued, filled with the screams and moans of Naiman women.
Guerbiesu was then sent to Li Xiao’s tent.
Having just dressed and adorned herself, her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, tied up high with a silver crown inlaid with turquoise.
Her face was powdered, radiating a soft glow, her eyes slightly upturned, and her eyelids tinged with crimson.
She wore a brand new crimson silk robe, and the silver engraved belt at her waist cinched her slender waist tightly, further accentuating her graceful figure.
She had clearly put considerable effort into attracting Li Xiao.
The candlelight flickered as Li Xiao sat in the tiger skin chair that had once belonged to Sun Khan, his gaze appraising her.
Guerbiesu met his gaze, moved with light steps, and said softly, “Your concubine, Guerbiesu, pays her respects to the Great Governor.”
Li Xiao beckoned gently. Guerbiesu took light steps, came before Li Xiao, and knelt softly on the blanket.
Li Xiao reached out, grasped her chin, examined her closely for a moment, a smile tugging at his lips, and nodded, “Indeed, the foremost beauty of the grassland.”
Guerbiesu’s skin was snow-white, revealing a translucent luster under the firelight. Her face was sculpted, her nose high, her lips thin, showing distinct Turkic features.
Although she had already given birth, her figure was voluptuous yet slender, possessing both the youthful vitality of a maiden and the mature charm of a young woman.
It was no wonder she was called a femme fatale who could bring ruin to a nation.
Historically, she had been contended for by Sun Khan’s father and son, then fell into Temüjin’s hands, and had been greatly favored.
Truly a rare beauty.
Comparable to Nie Feng’s mother, destined to be the woman of the strongest.
“Change your clothes!”
Li Xiao commanded directly and without preamble, showing no intention of discussing any emotions with this woman.
Hutu, standing nearby, translated Li Xiao’s meaning into Naiman and then quietly withdrew from the tent, waiting outside for further instructions.
Guerbiesu, however, struggled, biting her lip, her watery eyes flashing with hesitation.
The Naiman people considered themselves descendants of the Turks and looked down upon other ethnic groups. As the Naiman Consort, she especially disdained those other grasslanders who reeked of sweat and sheep.
But now, she was to serve this Liao general with her body.
Although Li Xiao was young and far superior to Sun Khan, she still felt conflicted in her heart.
“What are you doing?”
“Take it off!”
Seeing Guerbiesu’s coy demeanor, Li Xiao was displeased. She was merely a captive; why pretend to be so virtuous?
Hearing Li Xiao’s roar, Guerbiesu’s delicate body trembled. Seeing Li Xiao’s displeasure, she knew she could not hesitate any longer.
So she slowly began to move. Once a woman who wielded great power and commanded the Naiman, she was now scantily clad, standing before Li Xiao like a plaything to be admired.
At this moment, Li Xiao felt an indescribable sensation.
To hold dominion over the world while awake, and to lie with a beautiful woman in drunken bliss.
Since ancient times, this had been the lifelong pursuit of countless heroes and valiant men.
As Temüjin said, the greatest pleasure for a man is to subdue the masses, conquer enemies, take all that they possess, ride their fine horses, and take their beautiful wives and concubines.
Being a powerful and ambitious figure was indeed a pleasant experience.
“It’s just a pity that such a rare beauty was enjoyed by that bastard Baibuhua; what a waste of a treasure.”
But it didn’t matter. Li Xiao had no intention of taking her as his own; he was merely seeking to satisfy his strong desire for conquest with her beauty and status.
If Guerbiesu were just an ordinary woman, Li Xiao’s interest would likely not have been so great.
Meanwhile, Baibuhua was being pursued by Da Hu and Er Hu and their troops, like a stray dog.
“How is it?”
“Did you shake them off?”
In a barren mountain, Baibuhua sat on a large rock, panting, and asked in a trembling voice.
After a long chase, only a dozen or so guards remained by his side.
The others were either killed or had scattered; even the remaining few were at the end of their strength.
“Great Khan, the Jin Prefecture army hasn’t caught up.”
“But, after dawn, they will still follow our trail,” the Guard Captain said nervously.
Baibuhua understood, but he did not want to admit defeat; he still had a chance to make a comeback.
“If we travel for two more days, we will reach the Kereit Tribe, and then we will be safe,” Baibuhua said, stuffing dry flatbread into his mouth like a starving ghost.
This food, which he usually disdained, had now become his life-saving sustenance.
After being pursued by the Jin Prefecture army for several days, they were long out of supplies.
The other guards could only stare enviously at the flatbread, lick their dry lips, and cover their rumbling stomachs.
“But, once we reach the Kereit Tribe, will Ong Khan definitely accept us?”
“Our Naiman tribe and the Kereit Tribe have been at war for so many years, with countless casualties on both sides; the hatred cannot be easily resolved.”
The Guard Captain said in a deep voice.
Hearing this, Baibuhua’s expression changed slightly, and he glanced at the Guard Captain, saying in a deep voice, “Although they are the enemy, we now have a common enemy with the Kereit Tribe.”
“The Jin Prefecture people are ambitious, and after occupying our Naiman Tribe, the Kereit Tribe will definitely be next.”
“If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold; Ong Khan will surely help us.”
However, the Guard Captain had other ideas, shaking his head gently and saying, “Great Khan, let’s surrender.”
Baibuhua’s face changed drastically, and he looked at him with a look of horror, saying angrily, “What did you say?”
He never imagined that his trusted confidant would have a second heart.
“This humble general believes that Ong Khan will not help us; he will only use us, or even imprison or kill us.”
“Either way, it won’t be good. What’s wrong with surrendering to Jin Prefecture?”
“Shut up!” Baibuhua was furious.
“Guards, kill him.”
However, after hearing his order, only three or four guards took action; the others either stood behind the Guard Captain or hesitated.
The Guard Captain then said coldly, “Kill them.”
Afterwards, the guards who followed him to rebel killed the three or four guards loyal to Baibuhua.
He then looked at the hesitant guards and said, “In recent years, the Great Khan has favored the concubine Guerbiesu, indulging in her beauty, and spending his days seeking pleasure with her in the tent, neglecting tribal affairs.”
“Allowing Guerbiesu and her brother to harm loyal officials and eliminate dissidents.”
“Everyone, think about it, does the Great Khan still remember the hardships we endured fighting for him in the cold wind? Do you remember the injuries sustained while guarding the pastures for him?”
“Brothers, the Naiman Tribe has no future.”
“Even if we go to the Kereit Tribe, we will only become slaves.”
“The only way forward is to follow the general trend and submit to the Jin Prefecture people.”
“With our bravery, perhaps we can obtain an official position in the Jin Prefecture Army and continue to live a prosperous and stable life.”
“Moreover, the Jin Prefecture people have already promised that if we can capture the Great Khan and present him to the Jin Prefecture Army, they will reward us with a hundred taels of gold and a thousand cattle and sheep.”
“With these, why worry about our future lives being unsatisfactory?”
Hearing the Guard Captain’s words, the neutral guards began to waver, tacitly drawing their war sabers and pointing them at Baibuhua.
The captain is right. Baibuhua was infatuated with women, trusted villains, and treated those of us around him like slaves, scolding and beating us at will.
They had long been dissatisfied, and today was the day to settle the score.
“You, you guys~”
Seeing that he had been betrayed by everyone, Baibuhua’s expression was horrified, and he pointed at the guards in anger, so furious that he almost spat blood.
The next morning, nine guards tied up Baibuhua and sent him to the Jin Prefecture Military Camp.
“Every cause has its effect. Baibuhua’s favoritism towards villains and harsh treatment of his guards is now a form of retribution.”
In the large tent, Da Hu, clad in White Armor, looked at Baibuhua kneeling before him and said in a faint voice.
“It’s a pity Guerbiesu isn’t here, otherwise this Baibuhua might have staged a tragic love story like Mawei Slope.” Er Hu chuckled.
“Brother Dabao, dispatch a Chiliarch of cavalry to escort Sun Khan back,” Da Hu ordered.
“Your command!” Zhao Dabao nodded heavily.
He is the son of Li Xiao’s paternal aunt and currently holds the position of Chiliarch.
“As for those nine guards?” Da Hu pondered for a moment and said in a deep voice, “Although their act of betrayal is despicable.”
“Our Jin Prefecture Army keeps its word.”
“We promised that whoever captures or kills Sun Khan will be heavily rewarded, and we cannot go back on our word.”
“Distribute the rewards to those nine guards.”
The credibility of the Jin Prefecture Army is paramount; otherwise, if it loses public trust, who would dare surrender to the Jin Prefecture Army?
They are just nine traitors. If they are dispersed and integrated into the army, and die in a few wars, then it is their fate.
If they survive and achieve military merit, then they are talented individuals.
The Jin Prefecture Army recruits talent without regard to background.
After dealing with the matter of Sun Khan, Da Hu and Er Hu could not return to their base yet.
Li Xiao had an important mission for them.
“Originally, we agreed with the Kereit Tribe to launch a pincer attack on the Naiman Tribe from the east and west.”
“But now, our army has already eliminated the Naiman army, yet the Kereit Tribe shows no sign of deploying troops.”
“Perhaps they are massing troops on the border, preparing to watch the tigers fight from a vantage point, and seize the opportunity to profit from the chaos.” This was Li Xiao’s original statement.
Since the Naiman army had been eliminated, Li Xiao regarded the territory and population of the Naiman Tribe as his own.
He would absolutely not allow the Kereit Tribe to lay a claim on it.
Therefore, he dispatched Da Hu and Er Hu to lead the army eastward. If they found the Kereit Tribe attempting to profit from the chaos, they were to launch a severe counterattack.
