Chapter 82: Sun Khan’s Shock
Upstream of the Igol River.
This is the temporary location of the royal court.
The Naiman are a nomadic tribe, and the royal court is actually the largest tribe among them, likewise following water and grass.
In this season, the foothills area upstream of the river has abundant water and grass, suitable temperatures, and is most ideal for cattle and sheep and herdsmen to survive.
At this time, on a grassland by the riverside, Sun Khan’s guards had already secured the area.
During this period, Sun Khan was troubled by warfare, and upon the queen’s persuasion, he came to the riverside to relax his mood.
The maidservants had already laid out a thick layer of ground cloth on the grassland, and lying on it was Sun Khan’s family of three.
“These are melons and fruits that I had chilled in the river water, Great Khan, come taste them quickly.”
The speaker was a woman around twenty years old, with the standard features of a Naiman woman.
High nose bridge, big eyes, fair and delicate skin, small mouth like a cherry, her white tender feet like pearls exposed, legs together as she sat, nibbling small bites of the ice-cold watermelon.
Feeling the sweetness of the juice, her eyes instantly bloomed with smiles.
While feeding her two-year-old son, she also beckoned Sun Khan to share.
Guerbiesu, also known as Gebi.
Naiman Princess Consort.
Possessing peerless beauty, she was hailed as the ‘Northern Desert’s number one beauty’.
Back then, Sun Khan’s father Chi Yinan Khan encountered her by chance while touring subordinate tribes, was immediately stunned by her beauty, and directly made her his princess consort.
After Chi Yinan Khan’s death, the brothers Tuoteboluo and Baibuhua went to war over her and the khanate.
After Baibuhua’s victory, he too made her his princess consort.
Soon after, Guerbiesu smoothly gave birth to a son for Sun Khan.
And in history, after Temüjin defeated the Naiman Tribe, he too was moved by her beauty and took her as a consort, doting on her greatly.
“Hehe, my beloved consort, eat first!” Sun Khan lay on the ground cloth, basking in the sun, slightly opening his eyes, said in a gentle voice.
Appearing less than forty years old, with a sturdy build, covered in fat, full-faced beard.
On the surface he looked extremely fierce, but he doted on Guerbiesu exceptionally, almost to the point of obeying her every word.
Historical records state that Guerbiesu often interfered in Naiman affairs by relying on his favor, leading Sun Khan to make many wrong decisions.
“Great Khan, don’t be so troubled, Gebi will feel heartbroken.” Guerbiesu shifted her posture, lay on Sun Khan’s chest, and said in a soft voice.
Seeing his beloved consort like this, Sun Khan was immediately enchanted, chuckling: “Not troubled, not troubled.”
“As long as I can see my beloved consort anytime, This Khan will have no troubles in his heart.”
The current situation of the Naiman is not too good; Xiao Simo of the Liao State has sent an army pressing at the border, confronting the Naiman at Golden Mountain.
And Ong Khan of the Kereit Tribe to the east is also stirring like a wild dog smelling shit.
Most hateful of all, Kekexue Wu is simply a waste, unexpectedly letting a Liao State army slip in, and several tribes were broken through.
Upon hearing this news, Sun Khan exploded in rage.
If not for the urgent military situation not allowing easy change of commanders, he would have replaced Kekexue Wu long ago.
“Seeing Great Khan happy makes Gebi satisfied.”
“A mere Liao State cavalry of just one or two thousand, Gebi believes her clansman brother will surely crush them all.”
Guerbiesu’s soft and tender voice said, making one’s heart tingle.
Which man could resist such temptation?
Sun Khan certainly could not.
Even at Guerbiesu’s pleading, he appointed one of her brothers to lead a khanate imperial guard force to the west to eliminate that small Liao State cavalry detachment.
And this was merely the beginning of Guerbiesu fighting for power for her son.
Sun Khan was of course fully aware of this, but he did not care, instead doting on Guerbiesu to his very bones.
He truly intended, once Guerbiesu’s son grew up, to pass the khanate to him.
“Hehe, my beloved consort is thoughtful.”
“In these turbulent times, only my beloved consort thinks of sharing This Khan’s worries.”
“Your clansman brother is capable; if he achieves merit this time, This Khan will not stint on rewards.” Sun Khan chuckled.
Guerbiesu smiled, her soft voice saying: “Gebi thanks Great Khan on behalf of her clansman brother.”
“Hahaha~”
Watching Guerbiesu’s alluring posture, Sun Khan’s troubles indeed eased a lot, and he even prepared to have a big romp with Guerbiesu.
Just as he was about to have the maidservants take the son aside, he turned and saw his guard commander standing in the distance, looking anxiously this way.
Clearly there was urgent business, but he did not dare to come disturb.
“Chahan.”
“What is the matter?”
Sun Khan asked loudly.
But the guard captain could no longer worry about disturbing, and hurried over anxiously: “Great Sun Khan.”
“News just came from Golden Mountain: General Kekexue Wu has been defeated.”
“The Liao State army has already broken through Golden Mountain.”
Hearing this, Sun Khan’s face changed drastically, he sat up from the ground cloth in one motion, his expression dazed, incredulous.
“What?”
“Defeated?”
“How is that possible?”
Three questions in a row left the guard captain unsure how to respond, fully revealing Sun Khan’s shock and fury without exaggeration.
“A full fifteen thousand army, how could it be defeated?”
“Where is Kekexue Wu? Have him come see me, This Khan will dismember this waste a thousand times.”
“And Qu Chulü, where is he?”
Watching Sun Khan’s ferocious face, panting roughly like an enraged lion, everyone fell silent as if chilled.
The guard could only steel himself and say: “According to the soldiers who escaped back, General Kekexue Wu has died in battle.”
“Prince Qu Chulü, he, he, seems to have been captured by the Liao State people.”
Hearing this, Sun Khan’s expression instantly froze, his face twitching continuously, a feeling of rage with nowhere to vent.
On the contrary, the nearby Guerbiesu felt a surge of joy upon hearing of Qu Chulü’s capture.
This defeat at the Battle of Golden Mountain seemed instead like good news to her.
“Let’s go, back to the royal tent.”
“Summon everyone, This Khan will personally lead the expedition.”
Sun Khan said with a grim and furious face.
Now there was no other choice; with the Golden Mountain army defeated, what awaited the Naiman was inevitably the Liao State army sweeping in.
Perhaps at this moment, Liao State iron cavalry were charging toward the royal court.
No more luck could be hoped for; all tribes’ troops must be summoned for a decisive battle with the Liao State army.
At this time, Guerbiesu did not dare say a word, hurriedly calling the maidservants to pack things to return.
“Great Khan, this lowly one will help you mount.”
One of Sun Khan’s guards brought the war horse, preparing to help him up.
But Sun Khan pushed him away: “Get lost, This Khan doesn’t need help.”
Sun Khan forced himself to say, but perhaps due to the shock of the defeat news, his heart was in turmoil.
He stepped on the stirrup, tried to mount several times, but failed to get on.
In the end, he only succeeded with the guard captain’s help.
His over two hundred jin body on horseback looked very incongruous.
Turning to look at his reflection in the river water, Sun Khan fell into deep thought.
“Wine and women have misled me, ruined me to this state, even mounting a horse is difficult—how can I speak of personally leading an expedition against the Liao State people?”
Sun Khan muttered to himself, his face suddenly darkening, and said in a resolute voice.
“From today, no more alcohol.”
“This Khan vows thus, to surely sweep away the Liao State bandit army.”
Afterward, Sun Khan returned to the royal tent and issued mobilization orders to all tribes.
Every man thirteen years and older who could mount and fight was to assemble entirely, preparing for a decisive battle with the Liao State army.
The Buyantu River is an inland river originating from Golden Mountain.
After the Battle of Golden Mountain, Li Xiao led the army eastward along the river, always keeping about fifty li from Xiao Simo’s main force.
The strategic goal was very clear: to sweep the Naiman people’s tribes.
At this time, by the riverbank, a small Naiman tribe once again fell victim to Li Xiao’s army.
The originally peaceful and harmonious tribe was instantly shrouded in the gloom of war.
Soldiers surged into the tribe like a tide, mercilessly hacking down resisting Naiman people, blood splattering, staining the ground underfoot.
Tents were toppled, property plundered, livestock driven away.
The tribe was filled with cries, screams, and the sound of hooves everywhere.
A young Naiman youth, holding a long saber, charged at Li Xiao, his eyes full of anger and resolve.
But Li Xiao remained unmoved, not even needing to act personally; this fierce Naiman youth was directly shot dead.
Li Xiao watched all this, his heart long since frozen and cold, without the slightest pity.
The rules of the world are thus: law of the jungle.
Today it was merely the Northern Frontier being strong; when Naiman people invaded the Northern Frontier in the past, the evils they committed there were countless too.
Soon, the battle ended.
Soldiers gathered cattle and sheep and property, cleared the spoils of war, especially herding the women together under guard.
Though this tribe was small with limited spoils, little by little it adds up.
“Da Sha!”
Li Xiao on horseback saw a Northern Frontier man with a Naiman woman on his horse passing nearby, and couldn’t help calling him over.
“Hey, I’m here~”
The man paused, then hurried over, dismounted, and saluted Li Xiao.
“Chiliarch!”
The man grinned sheepishly, scratched his head, looking very honest.
It was the man Li Xiao had personally interviewed in the Great Desert Army Camp not long ago, a sheep herder.
“That woman~”
Li Xiao just pointed at the Naiman woman on the horseback when, before he finished, Da Sha immediately said: “That’s my woman.”
Li Xiao was stunned, his face instantly darkening: “I’m not robbing you of your woman.”
Besides, that Naiman woman’s hips were so big, clearly having borne children; Li Xiao truly had no interest.
But men of this era fancied this type.
The reason was simple: good for bearing children.
“Hehehe~” Da Sha scratched his head, grinning honestly.
After these days of fighting, Li Xiao had discovered that this guy looked honest but was ferocious in killing.
“Since you’ve taken a liking to her, I’ll reward her to you as your wife; no one can take her away.” Li Xiao said flatly.
Da Sha nodded repeatedly with a silly grin: “Good, hehe, thanks Chiliarch.”
Orphaned from childhood, he grew up herding sheep for others to make a living, with no family fortune, still a bachelor to this day.
His greatest wish was to marry a wife and have a bunch of kids.
Today in this tribe, Da Sha instantly fell ‘in love at first sight’ with this Naiman woman, directly took her on his horse to bring back as his wife.
To bear him children.
But what Li Xiao sought him for was another matter.
“Once the campaign is over, do you want to return to the Great Desert or stay in Jin Prefecture?”
