Chapter 64: Feiying Fort Master
A few days ago, Huang Daquan suddenly learned the news that Hou Village had been broken through.
He immediately staggered and nearly fainted.
Fortunately, he later learned that it was not the Geluolu People who broke through Hou Village, but the troops from Hexi Fort.
His daughter Huang Xiuer was fine, now living well in Hexi Fort.
It was just that his son-in-law’s entire family had been killed.
Huang Daquan then felt relieved.
This time coming to Wuya Village, he specifically sought out an acquaintance who used to be from Hou Village and is now enrolled in the Hexi Fort army, following Li Xiao on the expedition.
After inquiring about his daughter’s situation, he came to see Li Xiao.
“My foolish daughter has troubled Fort Master Li!”
Huang Daquan said, cupping his fists toward Li Xiao, as if he felt great remorse.
Li Xiao just gently shook his head: “No, no.”
“Lady Huang is gifted with rare qualities, clever and dexterous, and has caused no trouble.”
Huang Daquan did not respond to this, instead sighing and saying: “The Hou Family’s fate is their own doing.”
“Although I, an old man, am related to the Hou Family by marriage, I absolutely will not shield their traitorous acts of harming fellow clansmen.”
“It’s just that I pity my daughter!”
“She’s just twenty years old, widowed without child or daughter, and the thought of her living out her days in loneliness makes my heart ache~”
Huang Daquan spoke to Li Xiao as if an old monk chanting scriptures.
Gradually, Li Xiao understood.
The pressure was on?
This Old Huang seemed honest and straightforward, but he was no short of cunning!
He must have learned somehow about the relationship between Li Xiao and Huang Xiuer, or perhaps guessed it himself.
After all, the era was so barbaric.
Huang Xiuer was young and beautiful, her husband’s family slaughtered, leaving only her as a woman—what right would she have to keep her half of the cattle, sheep, and wealth without a man’s protection?
Moreover, it was perfectly normal for the victor to take the enemy’s wife.
Anyway, Huang Daquan believed that Huang Xiuer was already with Li Xiao.
The implication in his words was to ask if Li Xiao would marry Huang Xiuer.
“Damn~” Li Xiao cursed inwardly.
He only knew that one shouldn’t lightly touch a young girl, lest one get trapped, but he didn’t expect touching a young widow to be just as troublesome.
Really marry Huang Xiuer?
Though Huang Xiuer was not bad—young and pretty, a mature and desirable woman, gentle and considerate.
But Li Xiao had his own considerations regarding marriage.
Anyone who achieves hegemony often has a prerequisite: letting the small head serve the big head.
Simply put, political needs.
Unless Li Xiao met a woman who truly moved his heart, one he must marry, otherwise the first principle of marriage must be a woman who could help his career.
If he took Huang Xiuer as a concubine, Li Xiao wouldn’t mind, but Huang Daquan clearly wanted more.
“Lady Huang is young and beautiful, with many good years ahead; it would indeed be a pity for her to live out her days in loneliness.”
“But Village Master Huang, rest assured—Lady Huang is now one of us in Hexi Fort, and my Li Family will certainly not abandon her,” Li Xiao said.
At these words, Huang Daquan instantly understood Li Xiao’s meaning.
Slept with her and now refuses to take responsibility.
The smile on his dark face stiffened slightly, and his gaze toward Li Xiao instantly turned unkind.
In his view, Li Xiao had become Fort Master of Hexi Fort at a young age, and was also the decision-maker of the Seven Forts Allied Army.
Talented in both strategy and valor, with illustrious military merit, reportedly on good terms with the Khitan People, highly valued by Sixth Courtyard Department Great King Xiao Simo, with limitless prospects.
So Huang Daquan wanted to connect with Li Xiao early.
Having Li Xiao as his son-in-law would obviously be much better than the Hou Family.
But unexpectedly, Li Xiao was playing dumb here.
Huang Daquan’s face was losing some dignity, but he did not make the topic explicit.
After all, if he said it outright and Li Xiao refused, it would truly be irreparable.
The relationship between Huangsha Village and Hexi Fort would likely cool to freezing.
Still, the point remained: Li Xiao’s strength was sufficient, and with his Khitan connections, Huang Daquan did not want to fall out with him.
Even if not in-laws, they could not become enemies.
“Heh, good, yes good~” Huang Daquan nodded unnaturally.
Then he said: “Xiuer is after all my child; her husband’s family is gone, but her maternal home remains.”
“Old man wants to ask Fort Master Li for a favor—may Xiuer return to Huangsha Village to live?”
Let Huang Xiuer return to Huangsha Village?
Li Xiao was actually a bit reluctant.
But he couldn’t keep embarrassing Huang Daquan, so he said: “Of course, no problem.”
“As long as Lady Huang is willing, she can return to Huangsha Village anytime; Hexi Fort will never stop her.”
Hearing this, Huang Daquan breathed a slight sigh of relief, feeling that Li Xiao was not entirely unreasonable.
As long as he let her go, it was good.
After all, the Hou Family had been traitors, annihilated by Hexi Fort, so Huang Xiuer was technically a captive of Hexi Fort.
By the rules, Huang Xiuer belonged to Hexi Fort.
If he did not want to break ties with Hexi Fort, unless Li Xiao agreed, Huang Daquan could not just take his daughter away.
Fortunately, Li Xiao agreed, so Huang Daquan planned to take Huang Xiuer back in a few days; she could not stay in Hexi Fort so ambiguously.
But Li Xiao scoffed at his intentions.
Li Xiao could still grasp that woman’s thoughts.
……
“Congratulations, Fort Master Li.”
“Young and promising.”
“To be personally appointed Chiliarch by Lord Xiao—Fort Master Li’s future is boundless.”
After Li Xiao finished talking with Huang Daquan, the other fort masters and village masters gathered around, congratulating Li Xiao.
They had just chatted with Qin Kaishan and others and learned that Li Xiao had been enfeoffed as Chiliarch.
Their hearts were full of envy and jealousy, but on the surface they all appeared loyal and congratulatory toward Li Xiao.
This was the first Chiliarch personally enfeoffed by Xiao Simo in Jin Prefecture, and Li Xiao had earned it through his own military merit.
This showed just how much Eastern Capital Governor Xiao Simo valued Li Xiao.
At this moment, these fort masters and village masters were even more glad of their choice.
Fortunately they had come to visit Li Xiao.
Building good relations with Li Xiao was definitely the right move.
“With such favor from Lord Xiao, Fort Master Li’s future is surely limitless.”
“I wonder what Wang Ermazi and those people will think when they hear,” Fort Master Li of Changshan Fort said with a faint smile.
“What else? They’ll be green with envy,” the Black Mountain Village Master chuckled.
Only now did Huang Daquan learn that Li Xiao had become Chiliarch.
“Hiss~”
His surprised gaze turned to Li Xiao, unable to suppress his astonishment.
Huang Daquan did not fully understand what a Chiliarch was, but he got the point.
The Eastern Capital Governor truly valued Li Xiao highly—that was the highest official in the Northern Frontier.
With Xiao Simo’s promotion, would Li Xiao not rise even higher?
Perhaps one day he could even become Jin Prefecture Governor.
So at this moment, Huang Daquan’s heart was bubbling with sourness—if only Li Xiao could really become his son-in-law.
But even if not, he could not afford to offend him.
Li Xiao ignored the envy from Huang Daquan and others, curiously asking: “Wang Ermazi is?”
“Fort Master of Feiying Fort,” Fort Master Li of Changshan Fort said.
And reminded: “Fort Master Li, that Wang Er holds quite a grudge against you.”
“Who knows what mischief he’s plotting—you’d better be careful!”
Fort Master Li of Changshan Fort and the others came only to exchange greetings; after all, as fellow Han People, they could band together at key moments.
Moreover, the seven Hexi Forts had arrived earlier and knew more, so they came to learn from them.
But upon learning Li Xiao had been made Chiliarch, their attitude shifted instantly, greatly increasing their regard for him personally.
They decided to do him a favor.
“Oh? Fort Master of Feiying Fort?”
“Why does he have a grudge against me?” Li Xiao asked curiously.
“Because Feiying Fort has always been close to the Hou Family; Village Master Hou Wen of Hou Village’s wife is from Feiying Fort’s Wang Family,” Fort Master Li of Changshan Fort explained.
Li Xiao instantly understood.
Feiying Fort’s Wang Family and Hou Family were in-laws; Wang Ermazi was Hou Wen’s second uncle?
Hexi Fort had destroyed the Hou Family and killed Hou Wen’s wife, who was Wang Ermazi’s sister—naturally hatred was forged.
“Fort Master Xu, have you seen Village Master Hou Wen of Hou Village?” Li Xiao asked.
According to Lin Dazhuang and other Hou Village herdsmen, Hou Wen had gone to the Moman Tribe to discuss surrender.
But after Li Xiao broke through the Moman Tribe, he found no trace of Hou Wen among the captives or corpses.
The guy had probably fled early.
Li Xiao was looking for him.
After all, following the principle of cutting the grass at the root, as long as Hou Wen lived, Li Xiao felt uneasy.
“Hou Wen?”
“Haven’t seen him,” Fort Master Li of Changshan Fort and others shook their heads, all saying they didn’t know where Hou Wen was.
Li Xiao took this matter to heart.
Regardless of whether Hou Wen was in Feiying Fort, since the Wang Family had made an enemy of him, Li Xiao would find a chance to deal with them.
“Have Feiying Fort’s troops arrived?” Li Xiao asked casually.
Fort Master Xu gently shook his head: “Not yet, but they should be on the way.”
Li Xiao nodded slightly, saying no more.
Afterward, the group discussed the upcoming battle and household registration matters.
Both concerned everyone closely.
Especially the latter, which involved everyone’s power and status—better to understand and prepare early; no one wanted to lose out.
And as the only one currently enfeoffed as Chiliarch, Li Xiao naturally became the hot commodity in their eyes.
They were eager to learn from Li Xiao how the Khitan People planned the household registration.
And if there were ways to secure more interests for themselves.
Half an hour later, Li Xiao stood outside the large tent, watching Huang Daquan and others leave, his expression slightly pensive, as if pondering something.
He then turned to Er Hu and said: “Come on, let’s go to the Khitan large tent.”
