Chapter 206: Fifty Thousand Army Takes The Eastern Capital
Beneath Eastern Capital City, on the execution ground where scorched earth had yet to dissipate, Xiao Pula Yelu and Ali Da’s mutilated bodies were bound to the pitch-black cannon barrels.
Blood dripped like rain onto the grass below the cannon muzzles, the foul stench spreading everywhere, but neither had died yet.
If one listened carefully, faint moans from the two could still be heard.
This state of near-death yet enduring immense agony at every moment might persist for a while longer.
Witnessing this scene, besides some Jin Prefecture Army soldiers, were the captive Eastern Capital Army and Northern Sea Army generals.
“Hiss~”
Looking at the two blood-dripping torsos on the cannon barrels, Yalixin’s expression was horrified as he drew in a sharp breath.
“Is this the power of the Thunder God Pillar?”
Suppressed gasps rose from the crowd; a Northern Sea Army chiliarch trembled while wiping blood from his face, his Adam’s apple bobbing: “Could it be that the Jin Prefecture Army truly borrows the power of the heavens?”
The other generals murmured: “No wonder even the sturdy Eastern Capital City walls were blasted down.”
“With such divine weapons and sharp tools, who under heaven can stand against them?”
Amid the rising and falling whispers, the crowd stared at the two still-smoking giant cannons, their expressions even more terrified and grave.
Soon, the group was escorted to the city wall.
Li Xiao, clad in a simple black robe, stood with hands behind his back under the battle flag, while Princess Consort Shu Lü Wujin beside him wore plain white clothes, tear stains still lingering at the corners of her eyes.
Yalixin and the others suppressed the shock from the cannons in their hearts, placed hands on chests, bowed, and said in unison: “We have seen the Princess Consort.”
“We have seen Governor Li.”
Li Xiao simply gazed at them coolly without a word, yet an intangible pressure enveloped them.
As time passed, cold sweat beaded on some generals’ foreheads, their legs beginning to tremble involuntarily.
In the past, though they held Li Xiao in awe, they had never sensed such intense aura from him.
Even the aura Li Xiao exuded now surpassed that of Xiao Simo in his time.
Finally, after a few breaths, a Northern Sea Army chiliarch could no longer bear Li Xiao’s gaze and knelt with a thud.
This triggered a chain reaction, with all the generals kneeling before Li Xiao.
A chiliarch said in a trembling voice: “Princess Consort, Governor Li, we deserve death for trusting villains, leading to the Great King’s demise.”
“We cannot atone even with ten thousand deaths!”
With that, the others also showed remorseful anguish, begging forgiveness from Li Xiao and Shu Lü Wujin.
Shu Lü Wujin raised a hand to wipe her tears, her sorrowful gaze turning to Li Xiao.
Through their brief exchange just now, she had learned Li Xiao’s stance toward these men.
Thus, as Xiao Simo’s widow, she said mournfully: “Though you erred, you were deceived; your crimes do not warrant death.”
“Moreover, before his passing, the Great King said he did not blame you, only hoped you would awaken in time to avoid further infighting, preventing more Northern Frontier warriors from dying at their own hands.”
The final statement was naturally not from Xiao Simo but fabricated by Shu Lü Wujin; at this moment, such a pretext was needed.
This lie struck the generals’ hearts like a heavy hammer.
Yalixin choked up, leading the group to turn uniformly toward the makeshift funeral bier, wailing: “Great King~ We have failed you!”
“We cannot atone even with ten thousand deaths, ten thousand deaths.”
Li Xiao watched their performance quietly for a long while before saying: “Enough.”
“Stand up, all of you.”
“Crying and sniveling like a bunch of women—where is the spirit of Northern Frontier men?”
His words fell, and the wailing ceased abruptly; the generals shrank like startled birds, looking up timidly.
Li Xiao narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping like blades over every panicked face: “Xiao Pula Yelu plotted rebellion and chaos; Eastern Capital fell—you cannot escape blame.”
“But since Elder Brother left words not holding you accountable, I shall honor his wishes.”
“Moreover, considering your timely repentance, death penalty is spared, but living punishment remains.”
Li Xiao paused, then said gravely: “After defeating the Royal Court Army’s main force on Seven Rivers Grassland, each of you will receive one hundred military cudgels.”
Hearing this, Yalixin and the others breathed sighs of relief, kneeling to thank: “Thanks to Great Governor for your mercy.”
These were Eastern Capital and North Sea generals, Xiao Simo’s men; Li Xiao had no intention of killing them.
After all, the primary enemy remained the Royal Court Army.
Killing these generals might not spark mass rebellion among Eastern Capital Army and Northern Sea Army soldiers.
But without their backbone, these armies could not form effective combat strength in the short term.
With great enemies at hand, Li Xiao needed these troops to fight for him.
“We vow to kill the enemy to the death, protect our Northern Frontier, and not fail the Great King’s spirit in heaven.”
“Indeed, I will cut off Yelü Zhilugu’s head to avenge the Great King.”
“I will obey the Great Governor’s command!”
“I will obey the Great Governor’s order!”
The generals shouted one after another; those who reached this position, even if somewhat honest, were not fools.
They all understood Li Xiao spared them to use against the Royal Court Army’s main force.
And for them, this was also an opportunity.
If they earned military merit, offenses could offset, even sparing the hundred military cudgels.
“Return and assemble your troops to return to camp; at dawn tomorrow, depart for Seven Rivers Grassland,” Li Xiao said gravely.
“Yes, sir!” the generals replied in unison.
In the Eastern Capital battle, Jin Prefecture Army captured over two thousand six hundred Eastern Capital Army and over four thousand five hundred Northern Sea Army.
Those truly killed by Jin Prefecture Army were not that many.
Li Xiao reorganized them simply.
Three Northern Sea Army chiliarchs retained command of their troops but were assigned to Jin Prefecture’s three towns, temporarily under the commanders’ direct jurisdiction.
The remaining fifteen hundred Northern Sea Army were originally under Ali Da’s personal command.
After purging Ali Da’s confidant generals, Li Xiao scattered all these soldiers.
Like Zhang Ergou’s Kuli Army, they were distributed into every squad.
Li Xiao planned to gradually assimilate this portion of Northern Sea Army.
As for those three North Sea chiliarchs, they could not escape this fate.
Though Li Xiao would keep their chiliarch positions, after the war, he would gradually reassign their original centurions under other Han chiliarchs.
Then transfer some Han centurions under their command.
Slowly achieving absolute control over these three chiliarchs.
As for Eastern Capital Army, besides the over two thousand six hundred recently captured, Jin Prefecture Army had also rescued nearly two thousand Eastern Capital Army prisoners of war from the prior Royal Court Army decisive battle.
These too would be scattered and placed into Jin Prefecture’s three towns.
Thus, the military households under Jin Prefecture Army reached fifty; adding those under Great Desert Governor’s Mansion, at least fifty-four.
Moreover, in the Yili battle, not all Eastern Capital soldiers were killed or captured.
Most simply scattered; in the coming time, many soldiers would surely return to Eastern Capital.
Jin Prefecture Army could add at least one or two more chiliarchs.
In total, after absorbing Eastern Capital and North Sea troops, Li Xiao’s usable forces in Eastern Capital reached nearly fifty thousand.
But after absorbing them, new problems beyond grain arose.
“The proportion of Han People has shrunk again.”
Li Xiao dismissed everyone and stood alone on the city wall, gazing at the vast endless Eastern Capital Grassland, murmuring softly.
Though Jin Prefecture Army was a multi-ethnic force, it had always been Han-led.
Li Xiao must ensure Han numbers absolutely suppressed other ethnicities at all times.
Otherwise, it could easily cause internal division in Jin Prefecture.
“Once Northern Frontier stabilizes, must make another trip to Western Xia.”
“Jin Prefecture’s Han People need replenishing,” Li Xiao murmured.
Western Xia’s existence was a large blood bank for Jin Prefecture.
Supplementing Jin Prefecture Han People relied mainly on plundering Western Xia, besides assimilating other ethnicities.
……
The next morning at dawn, morning light pierced the grassland’s thin mist; outside Eastern Capital City, desolate ox horn blasts suddenly rang out.
Abruptly, the land began to tremble.
Amid the golden Sun and Moon Battle Flag flapping fiercely, twenty thousand Jin Prefecture iron cavalry surged like tides over scorched earth, iron hooves crushing remnants of frost as they charged from the camp toward Seven Rivers Grassland in the southwest direction.
In the rising dust clouds, elite veterans in three-colored cotton armor stood distinctly apart from new recruits in motley armor.
Twelve thousand three-town veterans wore yellow, red, and white cotton armor, like three surging floods.
By contrast, the eight thousand new three-town soldiers’ attire appeared particularly haphazard.
Among these eight thousand were three thousand Kuli Army just added to the garrison soldiers and five thousand from Eastern Capital and North Sea.
After a day of intense reorganization, they had barely integrated into Jin Prefecture Army.
Though not matching the veterans’ coordination, they at least knew their units.
They knew who their squad leader was, who their comrades were.
The rest would come through gradual integration on the march.
Besides these twenty-three thousand three-town cavalry, the expedition included ten thousand Kuli Army and three thousand Great Desert Army.
Totaling thirty-three thousand troops, all pure cavalry.
Additionally, forty portable Tiger Zun Cannons, each weighing a hundred or so jin, pulled by horse carriages.
The twenty Divine Might Cannons were left in Eastern Capital by Li Xiao.
Left behind too were the troops commanded by Li Dashan.
“Sixth Uncle, Eastern Capital City is yours now.”
“Guard it well; absolutely do not let Kangli People cross Eastern Capital and threaten Jin Prefecture.”
Morning’s cool breeze swept the ranks, battle flags flapping loudly.
Jin Prefecture Army’s vanguard troops had gone far ahead, while Li Xiao still stood at the camp gate, briefing Li Dashan.
“Rest assured, Great Governor; with over ten thousand troops in hand, I will never let those Kangli pups have it easy,” Li Dashan said gravely, his face full of determination.
After breaching Eastern Capital, Li Xiao ordered the Imperial Guard to interrogate Xiao Pula Yelu and Ali Da overnight.
Xiao Pula Yelu was cunning, his words half-true, half-false.
But Ali Da seemed resigned to death, cooperating fully in interrogation, answering whatever was asked.
The most crucial revelation was that Xiao Pula Yelu had contacted the Kangli People.
In his initial actions, unsure of controlling Northern Frontier armies to expel Royal Court Army.
For insurance, he colluded with Yelü Wusitu to contact other Kangli tribes, form an allied army, and advance east to loot Northern Frontier.
Use Kangli People against Royal Court Army, fishing in troubled waters.
After jointly defeating Royal Court Army with Kangli, simply bribe them off with property and slaves.
After all, Royal Court sought to annex Northern Frontier, while Kangli aimed only to loot; Xiao Pula Yelu could lure them with profit to serve as his knife.
Now, though Xiao Pula Yelu was dead, Kangli’s large army had assembled in Northern Frontier.
Per Ali Da, this was not just Yelü Wusitu’s tribe but many tribes forming an army of about thirty thousand.
Poised to loot Northern Frontier’s cattle and sheep, population amid the chaos.
Facing this dire situation, Li Xiao decided resolutely to defeat them one by one.
First lead Jin Prefecture Army main force to eliminate Royal Court Army, then crush Kangli.
On this expedition, Li Xiao took thirty-three thousand main force, leaving Li Dashan six thousand Jin Prefecture veterans, six thousand Kuli Army, and four thousand Eastern Capital Army.
Totaling sixteen thousand men and twenty Divine Might Cannons.
“Leaving Eastern Capital to you, Sixth Uncle, I am at ease,” Li Xiao said, nodding lightly at Li Dashan’s resolute face.
“If those Eastern Kara-Khanid Khanate prisoners stir trouble, no hesitation—kill them outright.”
Though Li Dashan held sixteen thousand troops, he also had to guard over ten thousand prisoners and face thirty thousand Kangli Allied Army.
The pressure was immense.
Li Xiao’s order was: if truly untenable, abandon Eastern Capital, prioritize preserving forces, await Li Xiao’s return.
“Rest assured, Great Governor,” Li Dashan nodded firmly.
Then Li Xiao looked to Shu Lü Wujin beside him, nodding gently: “Princess Consort, take care.”
Shu Lü Wujin wore vibrant, festive clothes today, specially to see Li Xiao off.
Lightly powdered, her eyes soft, she looked at Li Xiao and said softly: “You must return safely.”
“A Man and the child in her belly are waiting for you.”
Li Xiao nodded with a faint smile: “That fool Yelü Zhilugu cannot keep me, Li Xiao.”
“Wait for my return!”
With that, he waved grandly, leading his three thousand Wuwei Army from the camp, charging toward Seven Rivers Grassland with the cavalry host.
……
After Yili war began, Yelü Zhilugu’s Royal Court Army crossed Ili River like black tides into northern Seven Rivers Grassland.
Without reinforcements, Seven Rivers Governor Jiu Meng’an He’s hastily assembled garrison gradually collapsed in this lopsided slaughter.
He led remnants in fighting retreat, building defenses at every riverbank, trying to use water as shield against Royal Court Army’s sharpness.
Yet besides the broad Ili River, other riverbeds were mere trickles on the grassland, even dried up in later eras.
Unable to provide true natural barrier protection.
Thus, in under a month, Royal Court Army reached south bank of Sihun River.
This riverbed, later called Aksu River, now became the line dividing life and death for Seven Rivers remnants.
On the north bank, Jiu Meng’an He stood atop a hill, gazing at the dense Royal Court Army tents on the south bank, his expression full of exhaustion and numbness.
A month’s campaigning had drained this veteran general’s vigor.
His armor was caked in dried blood and riddled with holes, his body reeking; he had forgotten how long since his last bath.
The only unchanged thing was his hawk-like sharp eyes, scrutinizing the enemy movements across the river.
He murmured softly: “Cannot retreat further.”
Jiu Meng’an He gripped his bloodstained saber at his waist, gaze turning to the weary masses of soldiers behind.
Beyond Sihun River lay Lepse River, Eastern Capital’s final barrier.
If Royal Court Army crossed these two rivers, Eastern Capital would have no hazards left; Royal Court Army could drive straight to the city.
At that moment, distant hoofbeats sounded—Jiu Meng’an He’s personal guard.
“Any word from Eastern Capital? When do reinforcements arrive?”
Jiu Meng’an He gripped his saber, asking hoarsely and urgently.
Not long ago, he had sent messengers to contact Eastern Capital.
But the returned news shocked him.
Xiao Simo was gravely ill; Eastern Capital managed by Great Prince Xiao Daru.
Simultaneously, Xiao Daru messaged him to block Royal Court Army main force as long as possible.
Once Jin Prefecture Army, Northern Sea Army, and Great Desert Army reached Eastern Capital, they could counterattack.
First deal with Yelü Zhixin’s Eastern Kara-Khanid Khanate army, then support Seven Rivers.
After that, contact with Eastern Capital was completely lost.
Every messenger was intercepted by Royal Court cavalry under Yelü Zhixin, messages unable to reach Eastern Capital.
Now, Jiu Meng’an He truly could hold no longer.
Without reinforcements soon, Royal Court Army would cross Sihun River, advance unhindered, and link with Yelü Zhixin’s forces.
But fortunately, this time the personal guard did not disappoint; before the war horse fully stopped, he dismounted and saluted Jiu Meng’an He: “Governor, good news, good news!”
“Contacted Eastern Capital?” Jiu Meng’an He asked, eyes gleaming.
The guard shook his head lightly: “Not yet.”
“This time we evaded Royal Court cavalry, instead encountering a group of Royal Court deserters.”
“Deserters?” At those words, Jiu Meng’an He’s eyes widened sharply.
He asked urgently: “What happened?”
The cavalryman said excitedly: “We captured a deserter and forced the truth out.”
“Jin Prefecture Governor Li Xiao led army to Eastern Capital, clashed decisively with Royal Court Army, and routed them badly.”
“Even Prince Yelü Zhixin was taken alive by Governor Li.”
Hearing this, Jiu Meng’an He’s face lit with joy; he slapped his thigh excitedly: “Good, good, excellent!”
“Li Xiao did not let us down.”
“Hahaha~”
Jiu Meng’an He laughed heartily, releasing long-pent-up frustration.
He knew Li Xiao’s capabilities and Jin Prefecture Army’s prowess.
More importantly, Li Xiao’s status as Xiao Yanyan’s husband, Xiao Family imperial relative.
With him in Eastern Capital, chaos there was impossible.
Moreover, with Yelü Zhixin’s army crushed, Li Xiao must have joined Xiao Daru’s forces and be heading to support Seven Rivers.
“This game is finally turned around,” Jiu Meng’an He laughed.
The personal guard beside him said excitedly: “Squad Leader sent me back urgently with news; he continues toward Eastern Capital City to contact Governor Li and Great Prince.”
“Additionally, that captured Royal Court deserter confessed that Jin Prefecture Army can summon thunder…”
Hearing the guard’s account, Jiu Meng’an He chuckled and shook his head: “Those fools, so ignorant.”
“No thunder god—clearly just gunpowder.”
During the western expedition, Li Xiao was Left Route Army Commander, Jiu Meng’an He deputy commander.
He had seen Jin Prefecture Army use gunpowder to blast open Kuyun-Ordu’s gates.
So he was unsurprised now.
Instead, grateful for Jin Prefecture Army’s powerful gunpowder to inflict heavy losses on the opposing Royal Court Army.
“Pass the order: from today, station men to strictly defend north bank of Sihun River; absolutely no Royal Court soldier or officer crosses from Eastern Capital direction,” Jiu Meng’an He laughed.
Initially, Yelü Zhixin’s Royal Court cavalry blocked Seven Rivers-Eastern Capital links; now Jiu Meng’an He could likewise block Royal Court deserters from going south.
He would make Yelü Zhilugu deaf and blind, giving him a huge surprise unaware of Yelü Zhixin’s army’s defeat.
（Hand-drawn, effect mediocre, hope the bosses forgive!）
