Chapter 304: The Imperial Star Returns To Position, Sealing Wolves At Zhuxu
“Woo woo woo woo woo woo~”
“Woo woo woo woo~”
“Dong dong dong dong dong~”
The low war drum sounds and melodious horn sounds echoed across the peak of Burkhan Khaldun.
Sound waves carried by the mountain winds surged, stirring up layers of echoes between the peaks.
This is the source of the Onon River, the “holy land” revered for generations by grassland tribes such as the Kiyan tribe and Merkit tribe.
In even earlier times, it had a more resounding name—Wolf Ju Xu Mountain.
Atop the peak, the crisp summer wind swept in coolness, making a golden sun and moon battle flag flap loudly.
Thousands of Northern Frontier Soldiers clad in yellow-based red-edged cloth armor stood like golden statues in the ankle-high short grass, exuding a earth-shaking aura in silence.
At the widest part of the peak, nine levels of blue stone steps rose from the grassy slope, in the exact specifications of a Huaxia altar for sacrificing to heaven.
Li Xiao, clad in dark gold dragon patterned armor, had a dignified face and sharp eyes. He gazed at the firmament, ascending the steps, each step as steady and heavy as Mount Tai.
Stirring the entire mountain range to seem to condense an unshakable majestic force.
Northern Frontier generals stood divided on both sides of the altar, all holding their breath and focusing on Li Xiao’s figure.
In a trance, they seemed to feel colorful glows on Li Xiao, with Huaxia dragon qi subtly gathering from all directions, entwining his body, making his figure even more upright like a peak atop the mountains.
Zha Heganbu, Da’er Wusun, and other surrendered grassland leaders stood with heads bowed at the rear, their fingers under leather robes digging deeply into their palms, not daring to look directly at the sides of the altar.
Only because there was a small mountain piled from nine hundred ninety-eight heads, emanating intimidating pressure.
At the very top were the heads of Ogedai Khan, Chagatai, Muqali, and others.
All of them had eyes wide open, as if still glaring angrily at this grassland they once vainly sought to conquer.
And below them were all the heads of Northern Frontier hostile grassland tribal leaders or various military generals.
Some died bravely on the battlefield, others were killed, but none were cowards.
Just like Muqali and Subutai, captured by the Northern Frontier Army, they preferred death to surrender, and Li Xiao ultimately granted them that.
Accompanying Temüjin on the road to the Eternal Blue Sky.
As for Jebe, under Li Xiao’s ‘sincere’ persuasion, he was ultimately moved, turned from evil to right, and surrendered to the Northern Frontier Army.
Because he was different from Muqali and Subutai.
Muqali’s family were hereditary family slaves of Temüjin’s family, growing up with Temüjin from childhood, with bonds hard to sever.
While Subutai came from the Uliangha tribe, on good terms with the Kiyan tribe, and was Temüjin’s companion, his father having died at the hands of the Northern Frontier Army, also hard to persuade to surrender.
Only Jebe came from the Besud tribe hostile to the Kiyan tribe, forced to surrender after Temüjin broke through his tribe.
Moreover, he had surrendered to Temüjin only three years ago, and had family ties, ultimately surrendering.
For the latter, Li Xiao naturally would make heavy use of him, sending him later to campaign in the West with the army.
For the former two, Li Xiao did not regret it.
Heroes are made by the times; their glory certainly stemmed from their own abilities, but more importantly the great backdrop of the Mongol Empire’s rise.
Now, heaven’s mandate is with the Northern Frontier.
Talented people emerge in droves under Li Xiao, with countless able generals and strategists; he truly does not lack these two.
Moreover, compared to subduing enemy generals and officials, Li Xiao prefers to cultivate his own.
The Hexi Military School and Jin Prefecture Military Academy were established for precisely this reason.
Besides these enemy general heads, over forty grassland battle flags planted around trembled in the wind, no longer able to stir up their former arrogance.
Only the Kiyan tribe’s Suludun Spear still retained some remnant shadow of grassland kingship.
These spoils of war were all sacrificial offerings Li Xiao presented to the heavens.
Though cruel, sacrifice was an indispensable color of this era, so Li Xiao could only follow local customs.
Immediately after, two soldiers escorted Temüjin over.
When he saw the heads of his own sons and brothers, his whole body trembled violently, endless grief flashing in his expression.
He suddenly turned his head, staring deadly at Li Xiao’s upright back, growling from his throat like a trapped beast: “Li Xiao, you heaven-stealing thief, the Eternal Blue Sky will not spare you.”
But Li Xiao merely faced away from him, indifferently saying: “Temüjin, the era of the Eternal Blue Sky has ended, and your era has ended as well.”
“But don’t worry, I will inlay your skull with gold and place it by my war drum…”
“So you can watch with your own eyes how I accomplish what you could never do.”
Temüjin laughed haha upon hearing this, utterly unmoved, his pupils burning with final madness.
“The heroic spirits of my Borjigin clan will surely turn into the fierce winds of the grassland, swirling day and night above your empire, and when your empire collapses, I will bite every falling brick and stone.”
As soon as the words fell, the ferocity on Temüjin’s face abruptly stopped.
Two long swords pierced his chest, blood spurting from his mouth, and he slowly closed his eyes.
In this life, he at least died under weapons of war, not disgracing his life’s heroic name.
When Temüjin’s head was placed at the topmost of the offerings, Hu Li, the Court of Diplomatic Relations Staff Officer serving as the ritual officer, immediately shouted loudly: “Heaven sacrifice begins!”
As soon as the words fell, twelve giant drums resounded again, intertwining with the horn sounds, echoing through the clouds.
Li Xiao turned to face the heavens, slowly adjusting his robes.
Mad winds lifted his cape, revealing the lifelike golden dragon on his armor, flickering with dignified light under the sky.
Hu Li then shouted loudly: “Burn the offerings.”
A group of soldiers carried in the three livestock offerings—cattle, sheep, pigs—and with Hu Li’s cry of “Burn!”, torches were thrown into the offering pile.
All the offerings slowly ignited into fierce flames, devouring those grassland battle flags and heads; black smoke carrying grass and wood ash rose spiraling, piercing the clouds, as if delivering this message of piety and victory to the heavens.
This was an important step in the heaven sacrifice, burning the offerings for the heavens to enjoy.
Three days later, when sacrificing to the land at Guyan Mountain, the offerings needed to be deeply buried underground.
“First bow~” Hu Li’s voice echoed across the peak under the roaring flames.
Li Xiao slowly bowed, and thousands of soldiers behind him knelt on one knee simultaneously; the clashing of armor converged into a torrent, shaking the entire peak.
“Respectfully request the heavens to witness!”
“I, Li Xiao, have today flattened the Northern Desert not for personal gain, but truly to eliminate this great scourge for the Huaxia’s ten thousand li frontier.”
“May the heavens show mercy, protect the Northern Frontier army and people from eternal war, with bountiful years every harvest, no beacon smoke seen.”
“Second bow~” Hu Li’s chant grew ever higher, as if to break through the rising smoke straight to the firmament.
Li Xiao bowed and kowtowed, his forehead nearly touching the scorching altar stone surface.
The dragon patterns on his armor floated in the firelight, seeming to resonate with the pulse deep in the earth.
“Respectfully request the heavens to witness!”
“This land adrift for a thousand years outside returns today to royal transformation.”
“I, Li Xiao, swear here to send good officials, promote agriculture, open trade routes, make the Northern Desert teem with cattle and sheep, no longer a barbarian land.”
“May the heavens and thick earth nourish all things, turning yesterday’s battlefield into paradise.”
“Third bow~” Hu Li’s voice suddenly turned deep, with blood-weeping solemnity.
Li Xiao kowtowed a third time: “Respectfully request the heavens to witness!”
“Northern Frontier sons paved this road with their bones; their blood will not flow in vain.”
“I, Li Xiao, will erect monuments and temples for the fallen officers and soldiers, offer tribute four times a year; properly settle their families, with no worry for food or clothing.”
“May the heavens receive the loyal souls, so their spirits in heaven may see the rivers and mountains eternally secure, no more foreign insults.”
As Li Xiao’s words fell, the Northern Frontier Army’s tsunami-like response echoed through Burkhan Khaldun, as if to carry the sound to the ninth heaven.
“Rivers and mountains eternally secure, no more foreign insults!”
“Rivers and mountains eternally secure, no more foreign insults!”
……
Immediately after, Li Xiao raised a scroll of eulogy with his hand, proclaiming in a voice resounding through the mountain valley: “In the summer of the 1426th year of the Huaxia Calendar, the Northern Desert is purged, the grasslands submit.”
“Now offering the heads of the rebel chief Temüjin and his 999 followers as sacrifice to the heavens…”
“Thereafter governing the Northern Desert, divide the frontiers for rule, build water conservancy, reclaim oases, construct cities, breed livestock abundantly…”
“Western Sea, Middle Sea, Eastern Sea all as Northern Frontier barriers, bloodlines connected, mutual exchange, jointly guarding the sun and moon battle flag…”
……
“May my Northern Frontier be secure for ten thousand li, descendants eternally firm, wherever the sun and moon battle flag points, all becomes Huaxia royal land!”
As the eulogy ended, Hu Li chanted loudly: “Ritual complete~”
The Northern Frontier Army officers and soldiers instantly erupted in deafening shouts: “Victory! Victory! Victory!”
The sound waves rolled like raging waves atop the peak, surging straight to the clouds.
At that moment, large swaths of purple smoke suddenly appeared on the eastern horizon, like spilled purple ink slowly spreading in the sky, making the peak seem like a fairy realm shrouded in purple mist.
Immediately after, a bright star appeared in the northern sky during the day, its light not matching the sun and moon, yet strikingly conspicuous against the purple smoke, drawing all eyes.
“Purple qi from the east! It’s purple qi from the east!”
A knowledgeable veteran was the first to cry out in shock, eyes full of awe.
“And that star, that’s the Purple Forbidden Star!”
“Star appears in daylight, this is a great auspicious omen.”
“Purple Forbidden Star appears, the emperor star returns to position—this is heaven’s mandate!”
“The Great Protector is favored by the heavens; our Northern Frontier will surely prosper for ten thousand years.”
Gasps and discussions rose one after another; the excitement on the soldiers’ faces grew thicker, their gazes toward Li Xiao filled with fanatical worship.
Zha Heganbu, Da’er Wusun, and other grassland leaders stared dumbfounded at all this.
They did not fully understand Central Plains culture, but upon hearing others explain, they grasped the meaning of purple qi from the east and the Purple Forbidden Star appearing.
Their gazes toward Li Xiao were full of shock.
“Tengger… really acknowledged him?”
“Is he truly the heaven-mandated lord of the grassland?”
Only Li Xiao, amid the crowd’s surrounding, gazed at the sky full of purple mist and that bright star, a faint arc hooking at the corner of his mouth.
These were not some heaven’s will, but his long prearranged handiwork.
The purple smoke was special smoke material prepared beforehand in the eastern mountain valley, ignited by artisans versed in weather at the calculated wind direction; mixed with woad, sulfur, and other substances, it formed purple smoke upon burning.
And that daytime star was made using special reflector mirrors to focus and reflect sunlight onto high-altitude clouds.
At specific angles, it would shine like a star, even more miraculous against the purple smoke background.
All this was to manifest “heaven’s mandate,” to stabilize morale and awe the old grassland factions.
As the purple smoke gradually dispersed and the “star” vanished, the cheers on the peak continued unabated.
Three days later, Li Xiao would lead the generals to turn southeast to Guyan Mountain.
There would be the site for the land ritual, like General Huo a millennium ago, announcing this land’s belonging with the grandest ceremony.
At the same time, Li Xiao ordered stone carving to seal Wolf Ju Xu; General Huo’s stele from back then had long vanished.
Now, Li Xiao would erect a new carved stone here, not only a permanent record of the Northern Desert victory.
It more represented the re-assertion of Huaxia power on this land, the foundational proof of the new era Northern Frontier territory.
And on the back of the stele, the full text of the eulogy Li Xiao had just proclaimed was engraved in small characters.
The “1426th year of the Huaxia Calendar” in the eulogy was Li Xiao’s preparation to redefine the Huaxia Calendar.
Before this, Huaxia calendars were all set by the reigning emperor’s reign titles.
Even one emperor had several reign titles, very complicated.
The common people could not even distinguish the current year.
Because information transmission was slow, by the time the previous reign title was in use among the people, the Imperial Court issued a new one.
Thus, Li Xiao decided that if one day he entered the Central Plains, he would use only one reign title.
And additionally establish a unified ‘Huaxia Calendar’.
Defining the First Emperor’s unification of Huaxia in 221 BC as Huaxia Year 1.
And counting forward from there.
Now, the Northern Frontier Army flattening the Northern Desert is AD 1205, adding them gives Huaxia 1426.
This also facilitates recording historical context, simple and clear.
As for the governance plan for the Northern Desert, the most important was dividing administrative regions.
Mainly using mountain ranges as boundaries.
The area from east of Golden Mountain to Yudu Jin Mountain was designated as Western Sea, the former land of the Naiman Tribe, long part of the Northern Frontier.
The area from east of Yudu Jin Mountain to Burkhan Khaldun was designated as Middle Sea, mainly including the former lands of the Kereit Tribe, Merkit tribe, and Oirats.
Finally, the area from east of Burkhan Khaldun to Greater Khingan Range was designated as Eastern Sea.
Mainly including the former lands of grassland tribes such as the Kiyan tribe, Tayichiud tribe, and Hongjila Tribe.
After delineating the three Northern Desert parts, armies would be sent to conquer, retired officers dispatched for local governance.
At the same time, build cities, restrict grassland herdsmen’s activity ranges, household registration for common people under military administration, and so on.
These matters were myriad and complex, all requiring Li Xiao to stay a long time in the Northern Desert.
……
The Hongjila Tribe was a powerful nomadic tribe living on the Barghu Grassland.
Its power second only to the Kereit Tribe and Naiman Tribe, on par with the former Kiyan tribe and Merkit tribe, holding a pivotal status on the grassland.
But like many traditional nomadic tribes, the Hongjila Tribe was not a unified clan, but an alliance of many small tribes.
There was cooperation between the tribes, but also their own considerations.
Temüjin’s mother Hoelun and wife Borte both came from the Hongjila Tribe, though from different small tribes; this deep connection kept the Hongjila Tribe closely tied to Temüjin.
This day, in Deshichen’s camp in the Ulishen River basin, pasture grass was lush, cattle and sheep plentiful, originally a scene of peace and harmony.
Suddenly, a fast horse galloped in.
“Leader, leader, big trouble!”
A soldier in tattered clothes dismounted and stumbled toward tribal leader Deshichen’s yurt, voice full of panic and urgency.
Tribal leader Deshichen was discussing tribal affairs with several clan elders in the yurt; hearing the shout, his heart tightened.
“What happened?”
“Leader, Temüjin leader was defeated!”
“What?” Deshichen paled in shock, nearly fainting at over sixty years old.
The other clan elders were also greatly shocked.
“What’s going on?”
“When did he lose?”
“How is Temüjin now? Where did our young and strong go?”
Facing the clan elders’ barrage of questions, the soldier’s face was ashen, his mind involuntarily recalling the battle at Burkhan Khaldun.
The sky-covering cannon fire roar, the boundless armored cavalry charge, and the Onon River water inexplicably flooding their own army.
Everything made him on the verge of collapse.
Familiar companions fell one by one, until only he remained, surviving hardships to luckily escape back to the tribe.
“It’s over, all over!”
The soldier broke down crying, stumbling through the account of the battle to Deshichen and the clan elders, making everyone’s faces turn ashen.
The Kiyan tribe army was utterly defeated, the whole army annihilated, and even Temüjin might have fallen into the Northern Frontier Army’s hands.
Grief instantly swept everyone’s hearts.
Deshichen was Temüjin’s father-in-law; between them, beyond father-son-in-law affection, there was deep alliance friendship; supporting each other for years, sharing weal and woe.
When Temüjin was defeated by Ong Khan, in dire straits hiding east and west, he unhesitatingly gave all his tribe’s young and strong to Temüjin to command, aiding his regrouping.
Among the two thousand warriors who attacked Zhezhe Yundushan Mountains back then, many came from the Hongjila Tribe, from his tribe.
Those were the tribe’s elites, future hopes, now possibly buried on the battlefield.
Thus, Deshichen could no longer suppress his inner grief, crying out in pain: “My warriors! My good son-in-law!”
“Is the sky of this grassland really going to change?”
His voice hoarse, carrying endless despair and unwillingness, echoed in the yurt, making the elders present also show sad color, the entire yurt shrouded in thick sorrow.
Afterward, they discussed immediately migrating the tribe to seek protection from other tribes.
Only because though Temüjin was defeated, his wives, concubines, and children were all in Deshichen’s tribe.
When preparing for a decisive battle with the Northern Frontier Army back then, Temüjin had foreseen the consequences and entrusted all his wives and concubines to his father-in-law.
Now, these wives, concubines, and daughters had become a huge source of disaster for Deshichen’s tribe.
“Go, we must leave this place immediately.”
“The Northern Frontier Army might be on the way here; if we don’t go now, it’ll be too late.”
Then, Deshichen’s people packed their belongings and migrated eastward to the Eastern Grassland with families in tow.
Soon they arrived at another tribe also under Hongjila, whose leader was an old friend of Deshichen.
“Brother, you can temporarily resupply here, but…”
Hearing the tribal leader’s sigh, Deshichen understood.
Nothing more than the Northern Frontier Army being too powerful; no tribe on the grassland could withstand them anymore.
With Temüjin’s family here, the other feared Northern Frontier Army retaliation.
“Brother, rest assured, I won’t implicate you.”
“After resting two days, I will lead the tribe to migrate toward Greater Khingan Range.” Deshichen said.
The other leader nodded lightly; it wasn’t that he didn’t want to help Deshichen, but he had to consider hundreds of lives in his own tribe.
“My tribe has some slaves captured from Greater Khingan Range; I can give you some as guides.”
This was the greatest help he could give Deshichen.
Afterward, the two chatted about the Northern Frontier Army in the felt tent.
“Brother, do you really think doing nothing will make the Northern Frontier Army spare you?”
“The Northern Frontier Army is ruthless and brutal, intent on unifying the grassland; they won’t spare our Hongjila Tribe.” Deshichen said.
But the other leader nodded lightly: “The Hongjila Tribe certainly can’t withstand the Northern Frontier Army, but if the Northern Frontier Army wants stable rule over the grassland, how can they do without us?”
“As long as we submit to the Northern Frontier, we might gain a century of tribal peace.”
This was the mind of many tribal leaders.
Before this, they firmly followed Temüjin against the Northern Frontier; now that Temüjin failed, they turned to seek refuge with the Northern Frontier.
Like what?
Central Plains gentry.
Always standing with the strong, regardless of whether foreign barbarians or not, eyes only on their own interests.
And the new conquerors also needed them as middlemen to rule the common people, so for their past actions, as long as not too excessive, only minor punishment.
The Hongjila Tribe people also held this mindset.
Northern Frontier People cannot do without these grassland nobles.
And at the same time, Da Hu had already led an army toward the Hongjila Tribe.
“Commander, the lake ahead is called Buyu’er Lake.”
“Beyond there is Barghu Grassland, the Hongjila Tribe’s pasture; Temüjin’s sons are all there.”
A Northern Frontier general from the Kereit Tribe said to Da Hu.
This time, Li Xiao dispatched Da Hu on eastern expedition to Barghu, mainly to conquer the eastern Hongjila Tribe.
This was precisely the Hulunbuir Great Grassland of later generations.
With beautiful water and grass, able to pasture a million cattle, sheep, and war horses; such prime grassland, Li Xiao naturally wanted to fully incorporate into Northern Frontier territory.
Of course, there was also the intent to eradicate Temüjin’s bloodline at the root.
His legitimate sons hadn’t escaped, but there were still many concubine’s sons.
It was said Temüjin had over forty sons in his life, most from after he became Genghis Khan, laboring day and night on them all.
And at this time, though the number of offspring wasn’t that exaggerated, there were definitely some concubine’s sons.
All must be eliminated as much as possible, lest someone use them to breed trouble.
“Brothers, put some muscle into it!”
At the front of the column, Da Hu reined in his horse, turning to shout loudly to the soldiers behind.
“The Hongjila Tribe has beauties, countless cattle, sheep, and slaves.”
“All waiting for us to conquer!”
