Chapter 251: The Emperor Of Western Xia’s Furious Roar, The Hexi Corridor’s Foremost Beauty
“I am He Dagan, Prefect of Shanle Prefecture, greeting the Great Protector of the Northern Frontier.”
When Li Xiao entered the city, he saw He Dagan bowing with his rear end in the air and his head touching the ground, kneeling before him.
Although he was a Uyghur, his spoken Chinese was quite smooth, his tone extremely respectful, and his expression exceedingly fawning.
The dignified Prefect of a city acted like a lackey, trying to curry favor with his master.
Li Xiao couldn’t help but be stunned; such a shameless person was truly rare.
“The Prefect of Shanle City?”
Immediately, as if discarding trash, he calmly waved his hand and said, “Kill him.”
What does it matter if he’s a Prefect?
How many higher-ranking Prefects, Commanders, or even Great Khans of the grasslands has Li Xiao killed?
A mere Prefect was just a slightly larger ant in his eyes.
“As you command.”
The two personal guards standing behind He Dagan shouted heavily, grabbed He Dagan’s small shoulders, and prepared to drag him away.
He Dagan immediately let out a pig-like scream: “Wait, wait a moment.”
“Don’t kill me, Great Protector, don’t kill me.”
“I am willing to offer two hundred thousand taels of silver and two hundred beauties.”
“Please spare this dog’s life.”
He Dagan struggled, continuously kowtowing and begging for mercy on the ground.
Li Xiao didn’t even bother to lift his eyelids.
Shanle City had already been breached; if he killed He Dagan, the silver and beauties would also belong to Li Xiao.
Seeing that Li Xiao was unmoved, He Dagan had to bring out his trump card.
Disregarding the beatings and tugging from the two personal guards, He Dagan shouted at the top of his lungs: “Great Protector, this woman is named Abugema, she is the pearl of Hexi, and a peerless beauty in this world.”
“Your Great Protector’s fame is like thunder in my ears; I have long admired you and only wish to serve by your side.”
Hearing this, the actions of the two personal guards pulling He Dagan faltered, and they secretly glanced at Li Xiao’s expression.
They cursed He Dagan inwardly for being shameless, capable of such actions, truly not a man.
But Li Xiao was not particularly surprised by this.
Since ancient times, have there not been many who sold their wives to achieve greatness?
Given Li Xiao’s current status, if he so much as hinted at it, the women sent to him could fill hundreds of tents.
But he disdained doing so, specifically not with his own people, though that did not include the wives and daughters of enemies.
However, when Li Xiao saw He Dagan’s wife, he nodded slightly.
He had to admit that this so-called ‘pearl of Hexi’ did possess some allure.
Her skin was fair and delicate, like a warm, lustrous pearl, and her figure was slender and tall, possessing the unique resilience of Uyghur women.
Her legs were thin and weak, kneeling before Li Xiao, looking pathetic. The rope marks around her fair ankles only added to the sight.
“Look up.”
Li Xiao commanded.
The woman’s heart trembled heavily. She slowly raised her head, revealing a stunningly beautiful and delicate face.
Her nose bridge was high, showing distinct foreign features. Her palm-sized face was pale, and her eyelashes still held unshed tears that occasionally trembled, making one’s heart pound.
The so-called celebrities of later generations seemed insignificant in front of this naturally exotic face.
Li Xiao nodded with satisfaction and said, “Keep her.”
Before He Dagan could breathe a sigh of relief, Li Xiao’s tone shifted, “But this does not mean your sins will be forgiven.”
With that, the two personal guards behind him acted again, frightening He Dagan’s face, which had just regained some color, into becoming pale and anxious once more.
He inwardly cursed Li Xiao for being shameless; he had already given Abugema to him, yet he still wanted to kill him.
This was like eating and wiping his mouth clean, reneging on his word.
But in Li Xiao’s view, this was clearly his spoils of war.
To take his own possessions and then offer them back to him, He Dagan was trying to get something for nothing.
The woman, he wanted.
The man, he killed!
Seeing Li Xiao’s ruthlessness, He Dagan was both angry and afraid.
But he also understood that Abugema was like a meat bun thrown to a dog, so he quickly upped his offer.
“Great Protector, Great Protector~”
“I am still useful~”
“In the secret chamber of my manor outside the city, I have hidden another hundred thousand taels of silver; all of this can be offered to the Great Protector.”
“Also, the Deputy General of the City Gate Department in Liangzhou City is my cousin. I can persuade him to surrender to the ‘Heavenly Army’ and cooperate with the Great Protector to take Liangzhou City.”
He Dagan continuously kowtowed and shouted, blood seeping from his forehead, mixing with the yellow sand and dripping onto the ground.
Li Xiao raised his hand and stopped the personal guards: “Stop.”
Then, with a look of suspicion, he looked at He Dagan: “Can you help this commander take Liangzhou City?”
“Yes, yes, yes~”
He Dagan nodded frantically; in reality, he had no such capability.
Liangzhou City had high walls and a large garrison. It wasn’t just his cousin who was a deputy general; even a higher-ranking general might not be able to accomplish the task.
But to save his own life, He Dagan had to bite the bullet and accept, to get through the current predicament first.
She had confidence in Abugema’s abilities. Perhaps later, if she spoke well of him to the Great Protector, things might be alright.
“Good.”
Li Xiao smiled and nodded with satisfaction, pointing at him with his horsewhip and saying, “This head of yours now belongs to this commander.”
“It will be temporarily kept on your neck. If you can break through Liangzhou City, you will be a meritorious official of my Northern Frontier, and this commander will reward you handsomely.”
“But if you fail to take Liangzhou City~ Hmph!”
Li Xiao gave a light snort, a cold smile on his face, causing He Dagan’s body to tremble instantly.
“Tonight, we will reward the three armies. Prefect He Dagan, don’t forget to attend.”
With that, Li Xiao slowly rode away.
He Dagan, however, looked completely drained and collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.
In the evening, bonfires blazed throughout Shanle City, bodies were everywhere, and blood stained the yellow sand, turning it into gore.
Meanwhile, outside Li Xiao’s Golden Tent, generals from the Wuwei Army and the Fourth Garrison gathered.
They were primarily reporting on the battle situation and the spoils of war, and discussing the next course of action.
“To think that such a national beauty was in a small city like Shanle, it truly opened my eyes,” Li Xiao said, smiling at Abugema.
He Dagan sat below, completely indifferent, with a servile smile.
“The Great Protector is mighty, truly a hero of this world.”
“He will surely lead the warriors of the Northern Frontier to defeat the Liangzhou army.”
“Taking Xingqing Prefecture will also be an easy task~”
“Capture the Empress and consorts, drink and admire the moon together, and chat about life. How wonderful would that be?”
Hearing this, Li Xiao laughed: “Hahaha~”
“Prefect He Dagan also has a rather charming personality.”
“Tonight, you will be rewarded by serving outside the tent.”
Upon hearing this, He Dagan’s face instantly stiffened, his lips trembled, and he was on the verge of tears, but could only offer a fawning smile: “Thank you for your reward, Great Protector.”
The army reward banquet ended, but the energetic soldiers did not rest; instead, they prepared to fight through the night.
Outside the Golden Tent, dozens of Imperial Guards stood at attention, holding sabers and bows and arrows, constantly patrolling as if ready to assassinate Li Xiao.
However, as each Imperial Guard passed He Dagan, they wore expressions of contempt and cold smiles.
“So utterly pathetic, to be considered a man.”
One Imperial Guard sneered and continued his patrol.
At this moment, He Dagan no longer showed his previous subservience and fawning. His lowered face was covered in dark clouds, his expression ferocious, his teeth clenched.
He almost crushed his fists, his eyes seeming to spew fire.
“Bitch~”
Human nature always unconsciously avoids its own mistakes. He did not realize that his own incompetence and weakness led to his current situation, but instead preferred to blame Abugema.
However, compared to her, He Dagan hated the Northern Frontier Army even more, and Li Xiao.
“Despicable barbarians, you deserve to be torn to pieces!”
“In the past, you were merely slaves raising horses for my Uyghur Khaganate, and now you have killed your master, a great act of rebellion, a great act of rebellion!” He Dagan roared in his heart.
Every Uyghur could not forget the glory of the Uyghur Khaganate in the past.
During the An Lushan Rebellion, the Uyghur iron cavalry swept through the Central Plains, killing how many people? Looting how many women?
Now, it was merely the cycle of heaven. The Uyghurs declined, and being settled for by the Northern Frontier Army was also heaven’s will.
But He Dagan was unconvinced. Listening to the sounds from inside the tent, his eyes flashed with hatred.
“Northern Frontier villains, today’s humiliation will be repaid a hundredfold in the future,” He Dagan gritted his teeth, filled with fury.
Not long after, Li Xiao came out.
His shoulders were bare, and under the moonlight, his strong muscles were clearly visible. As his arms moved, they bulged like coiled dragons.
His shadow fell upon He Dagan, as if an endless aura of malevolence surged towards him, making him instantly feel a sense of dread, as if being targeted by a ferocious beast.
He Dagan immediately suppressed his hatred and anger, his face returning to its usual fawning and flattering demeanor.
In his view, he was enduring humiliation and patiently waiting for revenge.
Li Xiao could naturally sense the hatred deep within him, but what of it?
Not only did he not care, but he looked pleased and said, “Prefect He Dagan, you are doing very well.”
“After Liangzhou City is conquered, you will be the Prefect of Shanle City in my Northern Frontier.”
As the words fell, He Dagan’s expression became ecstatic.
Had he not paid such a heavy price precisely for the glory and wealth of the He Dagan family?
Now, not only had the He Dagan family survived, but he could also continue to be the Prefect of Shanle City.
It made him feel that his sacrifices had not been in vain.
Being shamed? He didn’t care.
Only by surviving first would he have the right to seek revenge.
“Thank you, Great Protector, thank you, Great Protector,” He Dagan repeatedly kowtowed.
After he left, Thin Monkey, standing beside Li Xiao, said, “Great Protector, this Sali Bazi is very cunning, a thoroughly treacherous man.”
Li Xiao nodded lightly upon hearing this: “I certainly know he is not a good person, he doesn’t even deserve to be called human.”
“Then why did you~” Thin Monkey asked, confused.
“The position of Prefect of Shanle is merely a title. As long as our Northern Frontier Army does not leave, Shanle will remain our territory.”
“I don’t trust him, nor am I greedy for beauty; I just suddenly had an idea,” Li Xiao said with a faint smile.
He of course did not believe that He Dagan had the great ability to help the Northern Frontier Army take Liangzhou.
Even if He Dagan’s cousin opened the gates of Liangzhou, so what?
What Li Xiao truly cared about was not that city wall. Even if Liangzhou’s walls were high, there would always be a time when they would be brought down by the Divine Might Cannon.
What truly made Li Xiao wary were the tens of thousands of soldiers inside Liangzhou City.
If the army of Waiming Shian could not be dealt with, even if Liangzhou City was captured, it would inevitably result in the loss of tens of thousands of soldiers.
Therefore, He Dagan’s so-called cousin was dispensable to the Northern Frontier Army, like a chicken’s rib.
But this did not mean He Dagan himself was useless.
Keeping him around might still give Li Xiao some pleasant surprises.
…
Xingqing Prefecture, no court today.
Li Chunyou was in the palace of Consort Shu, consorting with Madam Wang.
Madam Wang hailed from a prominent Dangxiang clan, with her father and brothers serving as officials in the Imperial Court.
She had been educated and sensible since childhood, admired Chinese customs, and was very talented, excelling in calligraphy and painting. She was known as the ‘Number One Talent of Western Xia’.
At this moment, Li Chunyou was admiring the 【 Nine Songs Painting 】 that Madam Wang had painted for him.
However, soon, an accompanying eunuch walked in and reported in a low voice: “Your Majesty, Nai Ling, the Privy Councillor, has urgent matters to report.”
Hearing this, Li Chunyou immediately lost his interest in admiring the painting and said softly: “My dear concubine, please put the painting away. I will come back to accompany you after I am done.”
Madam Wang, being well-educated and sensible, heard this and did not show any displeasure: “State affairs are important. Your Majesty should not keep Lord Nai Ling waiting.”
Looking at Madam Wang’s understanding demeanor, Li Chunyou said with affection: “Nai Ling Sicong must be coming because of the Hexi war.”
“I understand~” Madam Wang replied softly.
The Hexi war was currently the most important conflict for Western Xia. Even a woman in the deep palace like her knew the brutality of the Northern Frontier barbarians.
Li Chunyou had also put great effort into this war, transferring a large number of troops from the Central Plains to Hexi.
Thus, Madam Wang helped Li Chunyou adjust his robes and said with a serious expression: “The ancestors of the Wei Ming Clan will surely bless this war and protect my Great Xia’s cavalry in pacifying the Northern Frontier barbarians.”
“I hope so!” Li Chunyou said deeply, but his mood was actually not good.
Because Nai Ling Sicong’s urgent request to see him at this time probably meant the situation was dire.
Indeed, when he met Nai Ling Sicong in the study, the first words he heard made him uneasy.
“Your Majesty, something terrible has happened.”
“Within one month, the Northern Frontier barbarians have successively conquered Heishui, Dunhuang, Guazhou, Suzhou, and Ganzhou, the five towns of Hexi.”
“The armies of Xiping, Zhenyan, and Gansu, all three Army Commands, have been completely annihilated. Over four hundred thousand soldiers and civilians in Hexi have all fallen into the hands of the Northern Frontier barbarians.”
Nai Ling Sicong knelt on the ground and cried with great distress.
Hearing this news, Li Chunyou was even more shocked. He sprang up from his chair: “What?”
“All five prefectures of Hexi have fallen?”
“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”
Li Chunyou shouted in panic, his body trembling, his face flushed red, his blood surging.
Immediately afterwards, his vision went black, his body swayed, and he almost fell to the ground.
Supported by the eunuch, Li Chunyou sat on a chair, staring intently at Nai Ling Sicong, his voice trembling as he asked, “Privy Councillor, why?”
“Why in less than a month have those barbarians conquered more than half of Hexi?”
“What about Liangzhou City? What is its situation now?”
Facing Li Chunyou’s questioning, Nai Ling Sicong didn’t know how to answer.
He was also bewildered.
There had been wars with prairie barbarians invading before, but they would only loot the villages and settlements outside the city and then leave; they had no ability to siege cities.
The previous invasion of the Northern Frontier was similar; they only captured Dunhuang and Guazhou and then left.
But no one expected that the Northern Frontier Army this time would be so fierce.
In less than a month, they had reached Ganzhou City.
The speed of their siege warfare was even faster than the speed at which Western Xia’s battle reports were transmitted.
It completely caught the Western Xia emperor and his ministers off guard.
“Your Majesty, according to the descriptions of the routed soldiers from Hexi, the Northern Frontier barbarians are very different from prairie barbarians like the Kereit Tribe and Naiman Tribe.”
“When they fight, they are not as disorganized as the Kereit Tribe; instead, they have strict coordination and cooperate closely with each other.”
“Furthermore, the Northern Frontier barbarians’ armor and weapons are sharp, their war horses are very fast, and they possess a terrifying weapon that can emit a sound like thunder,” Nai Ling Sicong reported.
However, Li Chunyou did not have the mind to listen to these ‘excuses’; in his opinion, they were all excuses from incompetent front-line generals shirking responsibility.
“Crash~”
Li Chunyou, having recovered some strength, overturned the table in front of him to the ground and roared ferociously, “Don’t give me this useless talk.”
“The Northern Frontier’s armor and weapons are sharp? Haha, that’s the funniest joke I’ve ever heard.”
“A bunch of wildlings who collect horse dung in the icy snow can also manufacture weapons? And are they sharper than our Great Xia’s weapons?”
“And weapons that can make a thunderous sound? Is there truly a deity helping the barbarians in this world?”
“Ha~ Privy Councillor, don’t you find these reasons laughable?”
Li Chunyou laughed in anger, sitting on the chair and panting heavily.
He admitted that the Northern Frontier had a large cavalry force, and the advantage of the grasslands was an undeniable fact.
However, Western Xia was a major arms manufacturing nation.
Its weapon manufacturing capability was comparable to that of the Song Dynasty.
The Divine Arm Crossbow, Pockmarked Armor, Great Xia Sword, and so on, were all representative works of Western Xia’s military industry.
Li Chunyou could not believe that the armor and weapons Western Xia prided itself on would be surpassed by the Northern Frontier barbarians.
He would rather believe it was due to the incompetence of the front-line generals.
The Xia Kingdom had enjoyed peace for a hundred years and had not launched large-scale wars for a long time.
The army had become lax, and its combat strength had seriously degenerated. Suddenly encountering the Northern Frontier’s large-scale cavalry, they lost the rhythm of war.
As for weapons, Li Chunyou was aware of the local generals selling military equipment.
Therefore, it was highly likely that those scoundrels sold their weapons to the Northern Frontier people, leaving themselves without weapons to use, and were then crushed by the Northern Frontier people using Western Xia’s weapons against the Western Xia army.
It must be said that Li Chunyou’s guess was very close to the truth.
These were the direct factors contributing to the Western Xia army’s defeat.
But most importantly, the combat strength of the Northern Frontier Army was truly formidable.
Since the time of the Jin Prefecture Governor’s Mansion, the Jin Prefecture Army had engaged in several large-scale external wars every year.
The combat strength of the Northern Frontier Army had been continuously enhanced through these trials of iron and blood.
“Back then, my Wei Ming Clan’s ancestors, hacking through thorns and brambles, sacrificing the lives of countless Tangut warriors, managed to capture the Hexi Corridor.”
“That is the western barrier of our Great Xia Kingdom, and even more so our Great Xia’s rear guard; it cannot be lost!” Li Chunyou declared sternly.
Although the relationship between Jin and Xia had always been good, circumstances were unpredictable. If Western Xia encountered an attack from a strong enemy,
then the Hexi Corridor would become the Tangut people’s last retreat. At that time, they would only need to defend Wushao Ridge or Tiger Wolf Gorge to isolate the Central Plains army.
Therefore, the Great Xia Kingdom could not afford to lose the Hexi Corridor.
“Issue an order to Waiming Shian, telling him to do his utmost to retake the Hexi Corridor and eliminate the Northern Frontier barbarians.”
“No mistakes will be tolerated!” Li Chunyou commanded solemnly.
“Understood.” Nai Ling Sicong nodded heavily.
The order from the Bureau of Military Affairs was soon transmitted to Liangzhou City.
Waiming Shian’s mood became even heavier.
“Trouble!”
The Emperor and the ministers in the Imperial Court were the first to lose patience.
They began to urge him to dispatch troops quickly to pacify the Northern Frontier Army, or at the very least, drive them away and retake the Hexi Corridor.
But this war was not that simple.
For a general, impatience and fighting passively were the greatest taboos.
And now, Waiming Shian felt a sense of being unable to control his own destiny.
“What are the Northern Frontier Army’s movements today?” Waiming Shian asked the deputy general.
“Reporting to the Marshal, the Northern Frontier Army is as usual, making no moves.”
Since conquering Shanle City, the Northern Frontier Army had halted their advance. They only dispatched scouts to reconnoiter Liangzhou, while their main force remained in Ganzhou, Shanle, and other areas without action.
This made Waiming Shian very angry.
He had already made all the arrangements in Liangzhou City, preparing to use the city walls and the more than twenty thousand cavalry inside the city to inflict a heavy blow on the Northern Frontier Army.
However, the Northern Frontier barbarians had changed their tune.
They had shifted from offense to defense.
But the key was that although he had the patience to wear down the Northern Frontier Army, those in the Imperial Court did not want to wait.
“Damn this war,” Waiming Shian cursed, though in reality, it was more an expression of his dissatisfaction with Li Chunyou and his officials.
