The pork butcher is smoother than a pig butcher!

Chapter 299 Sharpening Knives for the Hu People

Gold and silver have always been symbols of wealth and status.

Perhaps the ancestors of nomadic peoples never had a fixed abode, and they especially favored gold artifacts when choosing objects.

Following the discovery of the golden sand covering the ground of the Golden Tomb.

The ancient commander and his men were once again broadened in their horizons.

They found the following among Hasbaren and his two sons' belongings:
Several gold artifacts, including a gold crown with an eagle's head, a plaque with animal patterns, a wine pot with a tiger's handle, a gold bowl with leopard ears, and a gold-plated ivory comb.

among them.

The most valuable items were forty chests of gold coins minted by the Kashgar Khanate!

Each gold coin was worth approximately six taels of silver from the State of Bei.

A box contains 1,000 pieces, with a total value of 240,000 taels of silver!
And those Hu people who were killed or wounded had plenty of valuable items such as gemstone rings, gold coins, or silver coins on their bodies.

Everything was called spoils of war.

The vanguard battalion members were extremely busy.

Each of them had bulging pockets that jingled and clanged.

His mouth was stretched so wide that even an AK couldn't contain it.

These days, everyone carries at least two water bags when they go out.

Some water bladders are used to hold water.

Some, however, have no idea what the next item they will pack will be.

In short, it's made of leather.

Can be installed!

According to the whispered conversation between the commander and Gan Minglan, a rough calculation suggests that each of the brothers could receive at least three or four hundred taels of silver.

Gan Minglan, however, didn't care about any of that.

Her sacred tree space was never short of gold, and she always got the largest share of the spoils captured on the battlefield.

They are all soldiers who risk their lives, so it's only right that they make a fortune.

The only spoils of war that cannot be divided up privately are weapons and warhorses.

Fortunately, the harvest this time was good.

They acquired another 12,000 horses, including several hundred Akhal-Teke horses!
The Hu people brought quite a few fine horses this time.

Some of those who were scared away by the thunderous explosion were later found with the help of Wild Horse King and King Atu.

When Su Rileg woke up after being knocked unconscious, he immediately discovered that his hands and feet were bound by some kind of vines.

He tried with all his might but couldn't break free.

Then I realized that I felt uncomfortable all over!

It turned out that he had been placed sideways on the back of a horse.

Head down, feet dangling in the air.

As the horse moved, he felt dizzy and nauseous.

Just as he was about to rebuke the other party for their rudeness, his mouth was stuffed with dry grass.

"woooooo"

I can't say anything.

He was the only one on horseback.

All he could see were countless horse legs and human legs.

The sixteen-year-old boy finally realized: they had been defeated!

Last night, more than 10,000 people died under the swords of the Bei army.

All three of them, father and sons, were taken prisoner.

The Bei army was good at recognizing people.

This is great!

This shows that they still have some reservations.

Or it could mean that they are more useful in life.

After figuring these things out, Su Rileg was no longer so afraid. He began to recall the various etiquettes his Han Chinese master had taught him, as well as some precautions for dealing with Han Chinese officials.

His master once said, "No official is without corruption!"

Yes, their family is not short of gold and silver!

As long as they don't kill their father and brothers and can return to the capital, everything is negotiable.
Surrage, however, was unaware of this.

Xiong Zhen, the commander-in-chief of the Seven Guards of Guanzhong, who was still recuperating in Weilumu, was almost killed by his third brother, Zhebie!
Xiong Zhen's left cheek had a long, gruesome wound running from the corner of his eye to his jawline.

Although the medical team stitched it up immediately, the herbal medicine was not very effective, and the entire wound is still red and swollen.

Even if you don't care about your appearance, no one would want to have their face disfigured.

This general is currently on the verge of going berserk.

Of the 20,000 troops that rushed to Hu's aid from the central route, half of them later explicitly stated that they wanted to surrender.

As a result, none of them were kept.

The Bei army suffered extremely heavy losses in the battle against Ricci at Xiong Gou Ridge that night.

The initial number of people was 50,000.

Only 20,000 remained standing.

The pensions for these 30,000 brave border soldiers who died in battle were also a large sum of money.

For hundreds of years, so many people have died on the border.

Tremendous stress.

Right at this opportune moment.

The commander-in-chief and his family, looking quite fresh and clean, were brought back.

Upon learning that the fifty-odd people on the ground were all nobles or officers of the Kashgar Khanate.

The older one was the king's father-in-law and also the supreme commander this time.

General Xiong almost drew his sword on the spot to slash these nobles across the face to vent his anger.

Gan Minglan privately advised him:
"General, under your command, the 250,000 Hu cavalry archers have been almost completely wiped out. We have captured a large number of weapons and warhorses."

However, the Hu people burned all the provisions before fleeing! This ruined the most important part of our plan before the westward expedition.

Next, we need to select a few of these prisoners who can speak and send them back to the king to deliver a message.

If they want their old general, King Chungshun, and more than a hundred nobles to live, they must offer them their sincerity.

The nobles don't ask for much. Princes and generals are more valuable, so they'll ask for 100,000 or 200,000 gold coins. Ordinary nobles can ask for no less than 10,000 gold coins.

With over a hundred people involved, this amount is enough to provide a generous compensation to the families of all the fallen brothers.

As for the provisions, let them burn them just as much as they want, and make them send them back to us in double the amount!

Xiong Zhen's eyes lit up as he listened, his nostrils flaring as he breathed heavily, the knife wound on his left cheek preventing him from becoming too agitated.
"General Gan, do you think these barbarians would agree? The Zhongshun King you captured before, his own brother still hasn't paid the ransom. Most of these barbarians are people who would rather die than give up money."

Gan Minglan said proudly:

"Times have changed. Before, they had 250,000 cavalrymen, thinking they could easily wipe us out! But now they've lost that entire force!"
Isn't it the proper stance for a defeated nation to pay reparations and cede territory?

Even if we take a step back and assume they don't pay the ransom, it gives us a perfect opportunity to storm Shache! Then, we can take all the good stuff from their royal palace!

Xiong Zhen nodded repeatedly as he listened:

"Even a fool would choose the ransom over the money they have to collect themselves! Humph, not only should we make them pay the ransom and provide provisions, but it would be best if we could also give them plenty of cattle, horses, and sheep."

Gan Minglan cupped her hands in greeting: "General, your idea is excellent! We're going to establish farms, and we really need a lot of livestock in those fields."

Her flattery earned her General Xiong's opportunistic attack:

"General Gan, we shouldn't trouble two people with the same idea. You came up with the plan, so we'll leave the negotiations to you as well!"

Gan Minglan: "."

I didn't want to be this capable!
Xiong Zhen: "."

If General Gan can accomplish this important task.

Not only was the issue of pensions resolved, but the problem of food rations for the families of the garrison soldiers and the more than 300,000 immigrants was also easily solved.

Sure enough, the wool comes from the sheep.

There's plenty of money to be made from the Hu people!
(End of this chapter)