Chapter 281: Flourishing Heirs, Rake And Virtuous Lady
In late October, Li Xiao embarked on the road back to Jin Prefecture.
The north wind whipped snowflakes that stung his face.
When he set out at the beginning of spring, he still wore light armor, but now, returning, his marten fur was as thick as a layer of armor.
For over half a year of battles, the hoofs of the Northern Frontier Army had trampled the Gobi Desert of the Hexi Corridor, their sword edges had been stained with blood from the Hexi Valley, and even the sabers of the officers and soldiers had been ground thinner than before.
Now, he could finally shed the dust of his campaign and rest.
As they crossed more than half of Jin Prefecture, the silhouette of Dragon City gradually became clear in the wind and snow.
The gray city walls resembled a dormant giant dragon, appearing even more majestic against the white snow, and the golden battle flags fluttering at the city gate snapped crisply in the cold wind.
The familiar sun and moon emblem instantly brought a wave of warmth to Li Xiao’s heart.
“They’re here~”
Someone, it’s unclear who, shouted first, like a pebble tossed into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.
“It’s the battle flag of the Wuwei Army.”
“The Great Protector is back!”
The snowy ground outside the city gate was already filled with people.
Li Xiao’s wives and concubines, dressed in thick cloaks, bloomed like flowers in the snow.
Many of the Wuwei Army’s family members were also present: elders with graying hair, women holding children, and children on tiptoe, peering into the distance, their faces filled with anticipation.
Xiao Yanyan was draped in a thick, dark golden cloak, cradling Jin Dao, who was bundled up like a zongzi.
The little one was just over a year old, wearing tiger-head shoes and a fluffy hat, with only a pair of dark, curious eyes peeking out, his small face full of bewilderment.
A child’s memory is very short. Li Xiao had been away for more than half a year, and he had long forgotten what Li Xiao looked like.
The scene before him was entirely unfamiliar excitement to him.
Xiao Yanyan lowered her head and smiled, wrapping the child tighter in her cloak, her voice gentle, “Look, Daddy is back.”
“Daddy~”
Jin Dao mumbled, looking confused.
He pointed with his little finger at the approaching cavalry in the distance, his eyes wide, but he couldn’t distinguish which one was his father.
Li Xiao’s gaze swept through the crowd, and he immediately spotted the familiar figures.
Xiao Yanyan stood at the front, her dark golden cloak exceptionally conspicuous in the wind and snow. Beside her, Er Ya, wearing a plain white cloak, was excitedly waving at him.
And Han Ying’er, Sorghaghtani, Huang Xiuer…
These familiar faces instantly dispelled more than half of his fatigue from the journey.
“Great Protector!”
“Great Protector!”
The cheers of the Common People echoed one after another in the wind and snow, dispelling much of the chill.
The soldiers of the Wuwei Army were even more excited, straightening their backs and placing their hands over their chests towards Li Xiao. At Li Xiao’s wave, they immediately scattered and rushed towards their own family members.
Li Xiao, however, led a contingent of his personal guards to Xiao Yanyan.
He extended his hand, wanting to take Jin Dao from her arms.
“Jin Dao, come here, let Daddy hold you.”
Jin Dao blinked his large eyes, looking at the man in the marten fur with a stubbled face, and his small brow furrowed.
The unfamiliar scent made him uneasy. He quickly burrowed into Xiao Yanyan’s arms, his small hands tightly gripping his mother’s clothes. His lower lip trembled, and he looked as if he was about to cry.
“This is Daddy, Jin Dao, don’t be scared.”
Xiao Yanyan smiled, patted Jin Dao’s back, and then said softly to Li Xiao, “It’s been over half a year since we last met, and your son doesn’t recognize you.”
Li Xiao laughed heartily, unbothered. Instead, he scooped up Jin Dao and held him steadily in his arms.
The little one was caught off guard and froze for a moment. Then, his small hands fumbled at his chest, his mouth opened, and he was about to cry.
“You little rascal, I’m your father.”
He then looked at his wives and concubines beside him. Er Ya’s eyes were already red, tears welling up. Han Ying’er and Sorghaghtani also gazed at him with teary eyes, full of concern.
“This war took a bit too long, thank you for holding down the fort,” Li Xiao said with a hint of guilt in his tone.
Er Ya quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and smiled, shaking her head, “It’s good that the Great Protector returned safely. We didn’t work hard.”
Afterward, Li Xiao, carrying Jin Dao, returned to the Great Protector’s Mansion with his wives and concubines.
Upon entering the mansion, the maidservants had already prepared steaming ginger soup and charcoal basins to drive away the cold.
After settling Jin Dao, Li Xiao went to Han Ying’er’s room.
Inside the gauze curtain, a baby of four or five months lay in swaddling clothes; it was Li Xiao’s eldest daughter, Li Lingyue.
The little one had fair skin, like a freshly peeled egg, and had some resemblance to Li Xiao in her features. Her small mouth was pursed, and her large, dark eyes curiously observed the newcomer.
Li Xiao tiptoed over and gently extended his finger, touching her soft little cheek.
The little one seemed amused, her mouth widened into a smile as she looked at him.
“Is this Lingyue?”
Li Xiao’s voice was very soft, his eyes full of joy, “She’s truly beautiful.”
Han Ying’er sat by the bed, gently patting her daughter’s back, “She just finished feeding and is full of energy. Perhaps she knew Daddy was coming to see her, as she didn’t fuss much earlier.”
Li Xiao looked at his daughter’s small nose and mouth, and his heart melted.
Compared to the crying, noisy little rascal Jin Dao, Li Xiao preferred this soft little person.
“Little Moon.”
“Let’s name her Little Moon,” Li Xiao said softly, carefully holding the little one in his arms.
His daughters would all be named after the moon.
However, for his eldest daughter, Li Xiao had a bit more favoritism, so he generously gave her the nickname “Little Moon.”
Han Ying’er watched the father and daughter together, but her heart secretly felt a sense of relief.
She had been very disappointed when she had a daughter, fearing Li Xiao wouldn’t like her.
But looking at Li Xiao’s expression now, her worried heart finally settled.
A smile of peace spread across her lips. Perhaps having a son was important, but receiving such affection from her husband made having a daughter worthwhile.
She gently stroked her belly, thinking to herself, “But Little Moon is too lonely. I need to have another younger brother for her.”
Jin Prefecture, after the onset of winter, was completely covered by a heavy snow.
The world was a vast expanse of white. Even the walls of Dragon City seemed coated in thick frosting. Birds had vanished, and all was silent.
With nothing to do, Li Xiao was, as he had said earlier, constantly occupied by his wives and concubines.
During the day, he played with Jin Dao and taught him to recognize weapon models.
At night, it was a tempestuous storm, a flood of passion.
The life of nightly revelry kept him quite comfortable.
One morning, as heavy snow fell, Li Xiao had just finished writing a letter to the Hexi Merchant Guild in his study when Huang Xiuer’s maidservant rushed in, her face a mix of red and white, “Great Protector, my mistress… requests your presence.”
Li Xiao raised an eyebrow and put down his wolf brush, “What happened?”
The maidservant bit her lip, her voice trembling, “We just had a doctor look at her, and he said… he said Madam is pregnant.”
Li Xiao’s heart leaped with joy, and he strode towards Huang Xiuer’s courtyard.
Huang Xiuer was the oldest among Li Xiao’s wives and concubines and had been married before. She had been fearful when she was captured.
After entering the mansion, seeing Xiao Yanyan with Jin Dao, Han Ying’er giving birth to Lingyue, and Er Ya and Sorghaghtani also young and beautiful, her anxiety grew with each passing day.
She was always afraid she was infertile and would end up lonely and helpless in the future.
When she learned she was pregnant, she was stunned.
Years of pent-up grievances and fears suddenly broke through, and she cried uncontrollably in front of the servants.
“I thought… I thought I would never be able to…”
She sobbed, her fingers tightly gripping Li Xiao’s sleeve, “Great Protector, I am not a useless person…”
Looking at her tear-reddened eyes, Li Xiao raised his hand to wipe away her tears, his voice exceptionally gentle, “What nonsense are you saying? You have never been a useless person.”
Huang Xiuer’s pregnancy excited the Huang family, and the Li family was also very pleased, as Li Xiao had many offspring, ensuring the family’s prosperity.
In the back courtyard, the women each had their own thoughts: melancholy, envy, depression.
The days slipped away amidst these complex emotions, and soon it was almost spring.
The accumulated snow gradually melted, and small patches of new green emerged at the corners of Dragon City’s walls. Good news continued to come from the Great Protector’s Mansion; Sorghaghtani and Tajiguli were also pregnant.
Tajiguli was the daughter of Alkus, the Prime Minister of Gaochang. She left no notable mark in history, perhaps perishing early.
Sorghaghtani, however, was famously known in history as the “Mother of Four Emperors.” Now, on the land of the Northern Frontier, her legend was about to begin.
When Xiao Yanyan specially went to visit her, she saw her gazing intently at a picture of child-rearing, and teased with a smile, “It seems you’re hoping for a son, my sister.”
Sorghaghtani looked up, her eyes filled with a sincere smile. She spoke in slightly awkward Chinese, “Either a boy or a girl is fine. They are both the Great Protector’s flesh and blood, and children of the Northern Frontier.”
…
Compared to the cold of Jin Prefecture, Hami now seemed like a place already kissed by spring.
The ice and snow had melted, revealing the reddish-brown soil beneath. The camel thorns by the roadside still had a greenish hue.
Although bathed in the warm sun, the air carried a tense chill.
In an ordinary courtyard east of the city, the adobe walls were covered with withered vines, and the copper rings on the wooden gate were rusted. The exterior was unremarkable, but the interior held a different world.
Hidden sentries lurked in the shadows of the corners, and at every intersection, seemingly idle men scanned passersby with vigilant eyes.
The owner of the courtyard was clearly extremely cautious, even the window paper was pasted exceptionally thickly, allowing no sound to escape.
This was one of the secret bases of Qibidu, the Minister of Justice.
In the courtyard at this moment, he was surveying the officials present with a stern gaze.
“That scoundrel Alkus has controlled the government for three years,”
Qibidu’s voice was low, like ground gravel, “Taxes have all gone into his private coffers, appointments and dismissals are based solely on his whims. The citizens are complaining, and the people are suffering.”
“If he continues to control the government, our Gaochang will cease to be a nation.”
As he finished speaking, a Minister of War sitting below said in a deep voice, “Under His Majesty’s orders, I have been lurking by the old thief’s side and have already seen through his ambition!”
He lowered his voice, a glint of ruthlessness in his eyes, “It won’t be long now. That old thief will rebel before the end of the year.”
At these words, the faces of everyone present changed simultaneously.
Everyone knew Alkus coveted the throne, but they hadn’t expected him to be so impatient, unwilling to wait even for this year.
It made sense. The old thief was nearing fifty, his temples already gray. If he delayed any longer, he might take the throne to his grave.
The crowd spoke one after another, all filled with righteous indignation, acting as if they were mortal enemies with Alkus.
These were all loyalists to the King. Qibidu had selected them through layers of screening before bringing them into his plan.
This was because these individuals were either staunch loyalists to the royal family or had grievances with Alkus.
The possibility of betrayal was not zero, but it was very low, making it worth the gamble.
“Everyone, please look.”
“This is the imperial edict to punish the traitor, which His Majesty passed to me through the Imperial Consort.”
Qibidu produced an imperial edict and showed it to everyone.
Alkus maintained extremely tight control over the Royal Palace. It was the Imperial Consort who hid it inside her clothes to evade the Imperial Army’s search.
The content of the edict was simple: summon all righteous men under Heaven to slay the traitor Alkus.
Upon seeing this edict, everyone became excited.
But then, a new problem arose.
They had no army.
How could they, with their limited strength, kill Alkus?
More importantly, Alkus was the father-in-law of Li Xiao, the Great Protector of the Northern Frontier.
Even if they could kill Alkus, how would their Gaochang face the Northern Frontier Army?
After all, the terror of the Northern Frontier Iron Cavalry was deeply ingrained in everyone’s minds. Who would dare to rebel?
Surrender to the Royal Court?
That was simply laughable.
The Royal Court couldn’t even deal with the Eastern Kara-Khanid Khanate properly; how could it protect Gaochang, thousands of miles away?
Therefore, contemplating these two difficulties, everyone’s spirits instantly sank.
But since Qibidu had proposed this plan, he naturally had countermeasures.
Thus, he said in a deep voice, “Regarding the Great Protector of the Northern Frontier, you need not worry.”
“The Great Protector has already stated that whoever holds power in Gaochang, as long as Gaochang continues to submit to the Northern Frontier, pays tribute, and provides soldiers and escorts for campaigns, the Great Protector will not interfere in our internal affairs of Gaochang.”
Hearing this, everyone was instantly astonished, looking incredibly disbelieving.
The Minister of War asked with doubt, “But Alkus’s daughter is a beloved concubine of the Great Protector of the Northern Frontier!”
Qibidu, however, was full of confidence and scoffed, “It’s not as if that old thief is the only one with a daughter~”
“Princess Ayina is also in the Northern Frontier! And she is highly favored by the Great Protector of the Northern Frontier.”
At these words, everyone immediately became happy.
“Excellent.”
“Yes! We still have Princess Ayina.”
When the Northern Frontier Army broke through Gaochang City, they had indeed captured many royal women.
Among them were the former Queen and Princess Ayina.
They were the mother and elder sister of the current King Qibidu, respectively.
Of course, the princess could be considered part of a marriage alliance, but the Queen being captured was a disgrace. Thus, everyone understood the situation of the mother and daughter but no one mentioned it.
It was sufficient to know that Princess Ayina already held some status in the Northern Frontier.
Once they overthrew the old thief, they could persuade the Great Protector of the Northern Frontier not to resort to military action.
That was enough.
Seeing everyone’s excitement, Qibidu sighed inwardly.
The terror of the Northern Frontier Iron Cavalry was deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people of Gaochang.
It was like a sharp sword, perpetually suspended over Gaochang’s head.
Now, just a vague attitude from the Great Protector of the Northern Frontier was enough to send these people into raptures.
It was truly pathetic.
But no matter what, the immediate priority is to deal with that old scoundrel Alkus, and only then can we dream of breaking free from the Northern Frontier’s control and making Gaochang strong again.
Thus, Kudina Yan waved his hand gently, lowering the voices of those present, and said in a deep voice, “As for how to deal with that old scoundrel, we can’t do without one person’s help.”
“Who?” everyone asked urgently.
“The Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, Mocuowuba,” Kudina Yan said heavily.
……
Alkus’s son, Peiluo, had always been a swaggering figure inside Gaochang City.
Relying on his father’s immense power in court, he spent his days lounging around the streets with a gang of lackeys, engaging in cockfighting and horse racing, and harassing women. The common people of the city, upon seeing him, would all detour to avoid him.
One afternoon, Peiluo was lying on a sofa in a wine shop, enjoying himself with a female slave, but after only the time it took to brew two cups of tea, he had surrendered his arms.
At this moment, a skinny lackey suddenly approached, a fawning smile plastered on his face: “Young Master, your servant discovered an unparalleled beauty yesterday!”
Peiluo, in a state of post-coital clarity, didn’t even lift his eyelids and said dismissively, “How unparalleled?”
Having grown up surrounded by women since childhood, what kind of beauties hadn’t he seen?
The concubines in his mansion were all as beautiful as celestial beings; ordinary women simply didn’t catch his eye.
The lackey anxiously rubbed his hands, spitting as he spoke, “Young Master, this one is truly different.”
“That woman is like a fairy from a painting. I’ve lived this long and never seen anyone so beautiful.”
Seeing the lackey speaking with such fervor, Peiluo finally showed a flicker of interest. He sat up and kicked him, “If she’s not as you say, I’ll break your legs.”
“Rest assured, Young Master! If there’s a single word of falsehood, I am willing to have my legs broken,” the lackey guaranteed, patting his chest.
Only then did Peiluo lazily get up, dress himself, and lead a group of people in following the lackey towards the west of the city.
After passing through a few alleys, they arrived outside a secluded small courtyard. The courtyard wall was not high and was covered with withered vines; it truly didn’t look like the home of someone wealthy.
“It’s inside here?” Peiluo raised an eyebrow.
The lackey nodded quickly, “Young Master, please look.”
Peiluo peered through the half-open courtyard gate and saw a woman sitting in the courtyard, basking in the warm sun.
She was wearing a plain cloth skirt, her jet-black hair loosely pinned up, with a few stray strands falling by her cheek. The sunlight fell on her fair profile, making even the fine down on her skin clearly visible.
Her features, her figure – she was indeed, as the lackey had said, like a fairy from the heavens.
Peiluo’s eyes immediately widened, and an evil fire surged from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, making his blood run hot.
He could no longer restrain himself. He kicked open the courtyard gate and, with his lackeys, charged in, shouting, “Little beauty, grandpa is here!”
Seeing a group of menacing men barging in, the servants’ faces turned pale with fear, but they still mustered their courage to step forward and block them, “Who are you? How dare you trespass on a private residence?”
“Are your dog eyes blind!”
One of the lackeys raised his hand and slapped the servant, “This is the Prime Minister’s son, the future Prince of Gaochang! It’s your family’s fortune that he fancies your mistress!”
As he spoke, the lackeys had already moved, herding the servants and maidservants in the courtyard like sheep into a woodshed, and then locking the door.
Peiluo’s gaze was fixed on the woman as he slowly approached, “Beauty, submit to me, and I guarantee you will have silks and delicacies, and enjoy endless glory and wealth.”
The woman retreated in terror, clutching the hem of her skirt tightly, her voice trembling with tears, “No, don’t come near me!”
“Come now, beauty, stop struggling.”
Peiluo lunged forward with a sinister grin and grabbed the woman’s wrist.
The woman’s wrist was slender and soft, feeling like the finest silk, which only made him more agitated.
The woman struggled desperately, her skirt tearing and becoming dishevelled. Tears streamed down her face like pearls from a broken string, “Let go of me, my husband will be back soon!”
“Husband?”
Peiluo let out a scoff, “What if he comes back? Does he dare fight me for a woman?”
“Won’t he just have to kneel by the side and watch us?”
With that, he pushed the woman onto the bed and leaned over her, “It’s your good fortune from several lifetimes to be fancied by me!”
After a struggle, the woman finally closed her eyes in despair, tears flowing.
After the time it took for a cup of tea, the woman’s cries in the room gradually subsided, leaving only suppressed sobs.
Just then, a burly Uyghur man strode into the courtyard.
He was wearing the armor of the Imperial Guard, with a saber hanging at his waist, and his face bore the marks of wind and frost. He was indeed the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, Mocuowuba.
But as soon as he entered the courtyard gate, he saw several lackeys squatting on the ground, looking at the closed room door with lewd smiles.
Mocuowuba’s expression instantly changed drastically. He realized something had happened and angrily shouted, “Who are you?”
The lackeys, seeing his armor, were first taken aback. Some recognized his identity and inwardly cursed their misfortune.
However, the lackey who had enticed Peiluo before appeared indifferent, sneering in a swaggering manner, “What stray dog is this, daring to meddle in the affairs of the Prime Minister’s mansion?”
Before he finished speaking, Mocuowuba had already acted.
He had followed the Northern Frontier Army on an eastern expedition and had been through battles countless times. Dealing with these useless wastrels was like crushing a few ants.
In just a short while, only the screams of the lackeys remained in the courtyard.
Immediately afterwards, with a “clang,” Mocuowuba kicked open the slightly ajar room door.
But the sight before him made his eyes blaze with fury.
“Scoundrel, take your life!”
Mocuowuba’s eyes instantly turned red, like an enraged lion.
This woman was an orphan he had rescued from the chaos outside the city not long ago. He had intended to take her in as a maidservant to give her a meal, but after she changed into clean clothes, her refined and elegant appearance astonished him.
He immediately changed his mind, specially arranged an outer residence, ordered people to care for her meticulously, and regarded her as the apple of his eye.
He never expected that after only half a day of duty, someone would dare to trespass and defile her!
Peiluo flinched from the roar, and when he looked up, he saw the ferocious Mocuowuba, his face contorted with rage, as if he were about to devour someone.
He was instantly scared incontinent. Scrambling off the bed, he pointed at the other man and shrieked, “Mocuowuba! What are you doing?!”
“I am the Prime Minister’s son. If you dare touch a single finger of mine, you are rebelling.”
He shouted menacingly, but his legs were trembling like a sieve.
Mocuowuba then clearly saw his face, and his heart sank.
It was Peiluo!
The beloved son of Prime Minister Alkus, a notorious playboy in Hami City.
