Chaos of the Three Kingdoms Summons

Chapter 2769 A Pledge of Allegiance, Marquis of Guiyi

The Yelü family, within the Yuan-Mongol period, can actually be divided into two phases.

After Yelü Abaoji's death, his remaining forces split into three parts.

Some surrendered to the Yuan Mongols, some joined the Jin army, and some joined the Tuoba Wei.

After the fall of the Tuoba Wei dynasty, those who had initially sought refuge with the Yelü family split into two groups: one group followed Yelü Deguang back to the Jin dynasty, and the other group followed Yelü Lihu back to the Yuan dynasty.

Therefore, the Yelü family within the Yuan Dynasty can actually be divided into two periods.

Moreover, the span between these two periods is not short; it is quite long in terms of time.

People like Yelü Lihu, who came from a later period, had a shorter time in the Yuan Dynasty and naturally had little sense of belonging to the Mongol Empire.

Furthermore, since the Mongol Yuan dynasty had already conquered a large number of Han Chinese and various tribes in the Western Regions, under the new system established by Kublai Khan, these people were also considered foreign populations.

Perhaps those at the top were doing quite well, but those at the bottom were not so comfortable in the Yuan Dynasty.

They belong to the group that will be oppressed by the previous group, and they must constantly make meritorious contributions in order to become true members of the Yuan family.

During the Yuan-Mongol period, those with Yuan citizenship and those without Yuan citizenship received completely different treatment.

The previous group was different; they had been under the control of the Yuan Dynasty for several decades, or rather, they had become part of the Mongol ethnic group.

That's why, even though Yelü Lihu had already persuaded them, this unexpected turn of events occurred just when things were about to reach their end.

If Yelü Lihu hadn't used his father Yelü Abaoji's name to gather this group of people, he wouldn't have been able to create such a big stir and attract so many people when he returned to Han.

Huo Qubing and Yelü Deguang, who had already arrived with their troops, had nothing to say about this and simply prepared to have Yelü Lihu step aside so they could handle the situation.

Those who are unwilling to surrender will naturally be dealt with as enemies.

However, Yelü Lihu had clearly already made up his mind and took action before Huo Qubing and his men could.

They wanted to use the heads of Yelü Wuzhi and his group as their pledge of allegiance.

Although Yelü Lihu's martial prowess was not as great as Yelü Deguang's, he was also known for his superhuman strength and bravery in battle.

In addition, he had capable and skilled warriors under his command, such as Yelü Shilu, Xiao Tianzuo, and Xiao Tianyou.

Therefore, Yelü Wuzhi and his group were immediately at a disadvantage.

Yelü Wuzhi was killed by Yelü Lihu himself, Yelü Renxian died by Yelü Shilu's spear, and Xiao Wulila was killed by Yelü Xiuge and the Xiao brothers.

Yelü Lihu led a large number of his followers and herdsmen to abandon the Yuan dynasty and join the Jin dynasty. In Luoyang, he was personally received by Li Xiang.

The tribesmen and herdsmen together number nearly 100,000, which is no small number and certainly deserves his attention.

At the same time, we should set him up as a role model.

If this happens a few more times, the people on the grasslands won't even need to fight much; they'll collapse on their own.

Therefore, when Li Xiang received Yelü Lihu and his entourage of Yelü family members, he summoned all the civil and military officials, making the occasion extremely grand.

Inside the main hall of the palace, civil and military officials lined up on both sides, their robes adorned with crimson and purple, all eyes fixed on the area outside the palace gates.

"Summon—Marquis Guiyi, Yelü An, to an audience!"

The eunuch's high-pitched, drawn-out voice pierced through the layers of palaces and echoed across the vast square.

Marquis Guiyi—that was the title he bestowed upon Yelü Lihu. In comparison, the treatment Yelü Deguang received when he came to seek refuge was far inferior. After all, although Yelü Deguang also brought a group of people with him, it was only a few hundred.

But how many people has this one brought together? He is the one who can truly shake the very foundations of the Yuan Dynasty.

Yelü Lihu, who had been waiting for a long time, along with Yelü Helu, Yelü Shilu, Yelü Xiuge, and others who had accompanied him to Han, bowed deeply under the guidance of the eunuchs, following the etiquette they had practiced for a long time. Their voices were loud and clear, with a strong steppe accent.
"Your subject, Yelü Lihu, has been deeply moved and enlightened by the Emperor's holy grace. I wish to lead my people to righteousness and become a Han subject forever, guarding the northern border and defending against the barbarians for Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Yelü Helu, Yelü Shilu, Yelü Xiuge, and others were all talented individuals. After the Tuoba Wei dynasty came to the Yuan Mongol dynasty, Kublai Khan tried to win them over.

Yelü Helu, in particular, considered him a wise man, and even took him in as a courtier.

Unfortunately, Kublai Khan died too young.

Moreover, many of these people have already fought for half their lives, and their hair is already half gray; they don't want to keep going.

The Yuan Dynasty was in a state of great internal turmoil, which is why they were willing to follow Yelü Lihu to join Yelü Deguang.

On his throne, Li Xiang nodded slightly, a gentle smile on his face.

He raised his hand and said in a clear voice to the group of people kneeling below, "Marquis Guiyi, please rise."

"Your elder brother Yelü Deguang surrendered early on and has repeatedly made military achievements, which has already shown my sincerity in pacifying the four seas."

"Your Excellency is now deeply righteous, abandoning darkness for light and bringing your entire army to surrender, thus saving the border from the scourge of war and saving the lives of 100,000 people. This is a great service to the country and a great benefit to the people, and I am very pleased!"

Li Xiang's gaze swept over the assembled officials in the hall, and he raised his voice slightly, speaking clearly, "The chaos on the grasslands is not a blessing for my people. However, people like Yelü Lihu, who understand the Mandate of Heaven, know etiquette, and admire the king's rule, are models for the world!"

"I hereby confer upon you the title of Marquis of Guiyi, and bestow upon you a mansion in Luoyang, along with gold, silk, pearls, and jade, all in accordance with the standards for county marquises!"

"I will allocate fertile land to your 100,000 soldiers and civilians, and properly resettle them so that they may live in peace and prosperity forever!"

"Your Majesty is wise! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" All the civil and military officials bowed in unison, their voices echoing throughout the palace.

Regardless of what they were thinking, they naturally had to flatter the emperor at this time.

Several eunuchs then presented Yelü Lihu with the seal, clothing, and other items representing the marquis's title.

Yelü An kowtowed again to express his gratitude. No matter what, with this title, he would still be a person of high status even if he came to the Great Jin Dynasty.

Moreover, the young men of his clan who followed him were finally able to settle down.

"I will host a banquet! I will personally host a welcome feast for Marquis Guiyi!" Li Xiang was in high spirits and waved his hand to give the order.

The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, palace maids moved about, and exquisite dishes were served in a flowing stream.

The atmosphere inside the hall seemed much more relaxed, and some ministers began to smile and greet Yelü Lihu.

Yelü Lihu's defection to Jin was not without its roots!
The Yelü and Xiao clans have been related since ancient times and were as close as family. In the emperor's harem, there were three concubines from the Xiao clan.

Although they were getting older and their beauty had faded, they were all concubines with children, and they had all been granted fiefdoms, including one among the ten kings of South Asia.

The generals of the Xiao clan, along with Yelü Deguang, all had military achievements.

Those Yuan Mongol generals captured in Liangzhou, such as Esen, were dealt with by Jia Xu. However, Xiao Dilu and others were spared because Yelü Deguang and his men were given some face.

Most ministers wouldn't mind being a little friendly and doing a good job at this time.

(End of this chapter)