Chapter 75: Suppress
A Lai Ridge is one of the highest mountain peaks in the southern part of Golden Mountain.
Towering into the clouds with jagged rocks, it resembles a giant arm extended from the land, thrusting straight into the sky.
On the surface of the mountain body, the marks of time are clearly visible, with gullies like wrinkles on a giant’s face, recording the long passage of time.
And between the two mountain peaks, a deep mountain valley is hidden, like a profound wound torn open in the land by the years.
The mountain walls on both sides are vertical as if cleaved by axes and knives, the rock surfaces covered with sharp edges, like the grim fangs in a giant beast’s mouth, making people hesitate to approach.
“A Lai Ridge Pass.”
Li Xiao stopped outside the pass, unable to see the end of the mountain valley.
Behind him was a group of cavalry in leather armor, holding spears, their expressions grave. The war horses’ hoofbeats echoed in the mountain valley, sounding particularly dull.
Compared to the towering mountain peaks, the cavalry seemed so insignificant, like a group of ants crawling at the feet of a giant.
“I didn’t expect such a mountain path to be hidden here.” Li Dashan said in surprise.
“The terrain is really treacherous.” Luo Ping said with equal amazement.
“You just need to station ambush troops on the mountain peaks on both sides, and even with a hundred thousand troops, it would be completely useless.”
Indeed!
Li Xiao nodded lightly. According to historical records, in the autumn of 1204, Temüjin pursued and killed the Merkit People to A Lai Ridge.
His hatred with the Merkit People was the kind that could not coexist, determined to exterminate the Merkit People.
Unfortunately, at that time the Merkit People held the advantageous terrain and stood firm without coming out. Temüjin’s army launched multiple attacks but achieved nothing, suffering heavy casualties themselves.
This shows how treacherous the terrain of A Lai Ridge is, completely a place where one man guards the pass, and ten thousand cannot open it.
In the end, Temüjin decided to wear down the Merkit People in A Lai Ridge.
After one winter, the Merkit People in A Lai Ridge endured the torment of cold and hunger, their combat strength greatly reduced.
In the spring of the second year, when Temüjin launched an attack, the Merkit People collapsed without a fight.
After thinking of this event, Li Xiao’s expression seemed to fall into contemplation, but a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
“Merkit People!”
As long as they were Temüjin’s enemies, Li Xiao regarded them as close friends.
The Merkit People and Temüjin fought to the death at A Lai Ridge—how could Li Xiao not come to help?
If he could take the chance to kill Temüjin, that would be hitting the jackpot.
“Pass the order: the whole army rests.” Li Xiao said to the messenger.
After the messenger received the order and left, Li Xiao’s gaze turned to Chen Erqiang.
“Uncle Qiangzi, take men to climb the mountain peaks on both sides and see if there are enemies ambushing.”
“Yes!” Chen Erqiang nodded and said, then went to assign personnel.
Immediately after, Li Xiao ordered Lin Dazhuang: “Take a team of men and horses into the mountain valley. If the situation is wrong, return immediately.”
“Yes.”
After assigning all the scouting teams, Li Xiao arranged for the soldiers to eat and rest.
But soon, Li Xiao heard a commotion from the rear of the team.
It seemed to become somewhat chaotic.
“Da Hu, go see what’s going on.” Li Xiao said while eating Hu Bing and swallowing a mouthful of mountain stream water.
“Yes!”
Da Hu mounted his horse and returned shortly after to report the situation to Li Xiao.
“Heh, a bunch of weaklings, trash.”
After hearing it, Li Xiao shook his head and sneered.
He had long anticipated this situation; otherwise, why bring those people?
So he stuffed the unfinished Hu Bing into the pouch on his horse’s back, mounted up, and led his guards toward the rear area.
In the distance were towering mountain peaks and a deep ancient path, with hills of varying heights on both sides, and vast grasslands everywhere.
On a hillside, a group of soldiers with yellow cloth strips tied around their necks were shouting loudly, clashing with their sergeant and centurion.
“Where the hell are we going?”
“You have to give us an explanation, or we’re not going anywhere.”
“Right, we absolutely won’t go to our deaths.”
There were more than ten of these soldier ruffians, gathered together, their aura not weak at all.
“Wang Hu, are you fucking courting death?”
“Soldiers eat grain; wherever the chiliarch orders us to go, we go!”
“No need to explain to you.” A man shouted loudly, his face ferocious.
He was Li Sanhe, the son of Li Xiao’s third grandfather, currently serving as centurion.
He was leading a group of people from Hexi Fort, confronting Wang Hu and the others.
“I used to be a horse bandit; I didn’t even give a damn about the governor’s orders.”
“A mere chiliarch, and a kid who hasn’t been weaned yet—what the hell is that?”
After Wang Hu spoke, his companions behind him burst into laughter.
Although these past few days they had eaten well and drunk well, without having to fight the Naiman People, living comfortably.
But Wang Hu, who had been a horse bandit for so many years, knew clearly: no courtesy without a reason is either deceit or theft.
Perhaps they were about to be sent to fight the Naiman People to the death.
He hadn’t lived enough yet, so naturally impossible.
He had planned to escape midway and return to the great desert to continue as a horse bandit.
But unexpectedly, Li Xiao’s team marched without any laxity, giving him no chance to sneak away.
Seeing they were going farther and farther, perhaps about to reach the Naiman People’s territory, Wang Hu couldn’t hold back and secretly contacted some unruly soldier ruffians to start trouble.
“I think you’re courting death.” Li Sanhe was instantly furious, gripping his spear, wanting to teach this bastard a lesson.
And at that moment, a low rumble of war horse hooves came from the distance.
Li Xiao arrived with men, wearing leather armor, gripping a horse spear, his face stern, galloping across the mountain grassland.
In an instant, like black lightning, he charged into everyone’s view.
“Who dares to rebel and cause chaos?”
Li Xiao roared, his gaze sharp as a hawk, sweeping straight toward Wang Hu.
This man’s originally arrogant aura was instantly suppressed by the powerful aura emanating from Li Xiao, a flash of panic in his eyes.
But Li Xiao’s war horse didn’t slow at all, the horse spear in his hand gleaming with sharp cold light, charging straight at Wang Hu and the others.
“What do you want to do?”
Wang Hu and the others were shocked, panicking as they saw Li Xiao approaching closer.
But the next second, Li Xiao’s horse spear thrust out directly, accompanied by a miserable scream, tearing a large hole in Wang Hu’s chest instantly.
“Neigh neigh”
Li Xiao yanked the reins sharply, the war horse rearing up on its front hooves with a neigh, then landing steadily.
Immediately after, the powerful strength of his arm raised the horse spear high; Wang Hu, not yet dead, was hoisted into the air like a flag.
“Aaaah~”
The shrill screams echoed through the mountain valley, blood dripping down from mid-air like rain.
This scene made everyone feel a chill all over, shuddering.
Li Xiao looked down imposingly at the group who had followed Wang Hu in rebellion, his voice low but carrying an unquestionable dignity: “Capture them all for me.”
As soon as the words fell, Li Sanhe led men to act, charging forward directly.
Intimidated by Li Xiao’s terrifying might, those people didn’t dare resist at all.
Then, Li Xiao threw Wang Hu to the ground like tossing garbage.
“Thud~”
Soon after, Li Xiao rode on a high slope, overlooking the increasingly gathered soldiers below, his horse spear still dripping blood.
The troublemakers were all bound and kneeling on the ground.
“You are all elites I personally selected from more than twenty thousand troops.”
Li Xiao faced the many soldiers and shouted loudly, directly bestowing upon them the title of elite warriors.
The soldiers looked at Li Xiao’s figure, silent, but a trace of confidence unconsciously flowed from their bodies.
That was the recognition and affirmation from their superior officer.
“But some people are cowardly and fear death, hesitant to fight.”
“They intend to stir up morale and rebel.”
“Military law demands execution.”
As the words fell, Li Xiao swung his horse spear, and Li Sanhe led men to personally carry out the executions.
Amid the troublemakers’ terrified pleas and curses, their heads were directly chopped off.
This scene instantly stunned the surrounding soldiers.
The atmosphere became terribly silent, flashes of fear and relief on the soldiers’ faces.
Good thing they hadn’t listened to Wang Hu and those people’s bewitchment before, or they would almost have died too.
Satisfied with the kill the chicken to warn the monkey effect, Li Xiao nodded lightly.
He continued: “You may have already guessed that we are indeed going to fight the Naiman People.”
“After passing through this mountain valley, it’s the Naiman People’s territory.”
Following the direction of Li Xiao’s horse spear, everyone’s gazes turned to the deep mountain valley, their hearts inevitably tense and uneasy about future events.
“But I’m not taking you to die.”
“I’m taking you to earn merits, to get rich, to grab women.”
Li Xiao shouted loudly: “The Naiman People’s main force has been held back by Lord Xiao’s army in the south; the Naiman People’s territory is completely empty.”
“Almost no troops guarding it. We just need to pass through this mountain valley, and no one will be able to stop our sharpness.”
“The cattle and sheep the Naiman People left at home are ours; the women in their tents will be yours to play with.”
“After fighting this battle, your status will no longer be slaves, no longer sheep herders.”
“You will have enough cattle and sheep; your tents will have several Naiman women to bear your sons.”
……
“Now, who still wants to leave?”
Li Xiao spoke until his mouth was dry, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd below.
Being asked this way, naturally no one dared to suggest leaving, after all, Wang Hu and the others’ heads were still warm.
No one dared to be the leader anymore.
Most soldiers settled down, even showing a hint of longing on their faces.
Moved by the beautiful picture Li Xiao depicted.
Many of them were slaves or sheep herders with nothing, and even many had no women willing to be with them due to low status and lack of money.
Now, with such a chance to get rich overnight, they naturally felt tempted.
Of course, this was also because Li Xiao had selected a group of honest men; they didn’t lack the drive to risk it all.
If they were the type who seemed clever on the surface but were cowardly inside, the effect of Li Xiao’s words would be greatly reduced.
In short, through Li Xiao’s combination of kill the chicken to warn the monkey, mixing grace and might, the army’s morale stabilized.
They no longer resisted the upcoming battle to the Naiman People’s base.
Finally, the soldiers returned under their respective sergeants’ lead to continue eating and resting, with no further incidents.
Li Xiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, this was a temporarily assembled army, though all honest men.
But with many people, hearts become complicated.
Fortunately, Li Xiao used various means to temporarily unite the morale.
Next, continuous victories were needed for this temporarily assembled army to truly transform into iron cavalry.
