You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 130 Chen Shao, King of the Northwest

The fighting on the northern front ended somewhat faster.

Because the northern route was mostly manned by heavy cavalry, the chances of them escaping were even lower than those on the southern route.

However, many of the soldiers in Xia Prefecture were from other tribes, and not every one of them was willing to fight to the death for the Western Xia Tuoba clan.

Especially after Yinxia was occupied by Chen Shao, he did not carry out mass killings, but instead made good use of some people from the Yinxia faction.

They had been secretly communicating with the Xiazhou soldiers, and their kinship ties were unbreakable.

Therefore, the fighting here was not as fierce as on Richard's side.

After more than half of the Xiazhou soldiers were killed or wounded, their morale collapsed, leading to their eventual surrender.

Unable to stop Yeli Chongshan, he could only fight to the death for his country, ultimately dying from multiple stab wounds.

Wu Jie immediately led his troops to besiege the city.

Inside Xiping Prefecture, Li Qianshun retreated to the rear, by which time he was utterly despondent.

However, he still refused to surrender and ordered his troops to be left behind to burn the city, as he intended to retreat to Xingqing Prefecture.

Halfway there, upon hearing that there was unrest in Xingqing Prefecture, Li Qianshun, unwilling to take any risks, retreated directly to Helan Mountain.

In Xiping Prefecture, a scene of utter devastation unfolded, with the remaining Tangut soldiers beginning a massive massacre.

Burning houses and destroying buildings.

Chen Shao's two armies launched an attack on Xiping Prefecture at the same time. Due to the lack of defenses and the indiscriminate killing by the Western Xia soldiers in the city, many civilians rushed to the city gates and opened them.

Chen Shao issued an order strictly prohibiting killing, burning, looting, and arson, with violators to be punished according to military law.

He saw the Western Xia's will to resist, and if the fighting here became too fierce, it would likely become a long-term destabilizing factor.

You never know when they might suddenly appear to seek revenge.

Unless, like the later Mongols, they completely razed this place to the ground and wiped out the Western Xia Tangut people.

However, Chen Shao had many Tanguts under his command, who were destined not to follow the example of the Mongols.

Therefore, he could only temporarily appease these people and let the Tanguts fight amongst themselves to deal with the royal Tuoba clan.

Even some of Noribe's followers can be won over.

After the Dingnan army entered the city, their first action was to suppress the Western Xia soldiers who were frantically killing and setting fires.

These people were fearless and would hang any civilians who wanted to surrender by the roadside.

They also went to great lengths to humiliate the corpse, stripping it naked and writing all sorts of obscene words on it.

Some people broke into the homes of wealthy families in Xiping Prefecture, forcing them to kneel on the ground and swear to the White Stone God that if they surrendered to the Song people, they would surely be childless and without descendants.

Those who were unwilling to swear an oath, or who hesitated even slightly when swearing one, were slaughtered along with their entire clan.

The Tangut people valued oaths highly, and many families were killed as a result.

Chen Shaorang Wei Minglitong, leading the Dangxiang people to kill the Western Xia soldiers in the city. These people were scattered and committed atrocities everywhere in the city, making them very difficult to eliminate in a short period of time.

Chen Shao decisively adjusted his policies, sparing no harm to ordinary people, but killing every mutinous soldier he captured and hanging their heads on both sides of the road.

Those who harbor rebel soldiers will have their entire families exterminated.

He quickly mobilized a large army into the city, closed all four city gates, and began to investigate the people from house to house, clearing out the mutinous soldiers.

Chen Shao was in no hurry to attack Xingqing Prefecture. The Western Xia had no troops left, and Xingqing Prefecture and the surrounding cities could be described as empty cities.

Li Qianshun's final blow exhausted all of Western Xia's military strength.

Among the cities in Shuofang, some who were unwilling to surrender led their troops, along with all their possessions, livestock, and servants, to Helan Mountain to seek refuge with the emperor.

They burned their houses and mansions to the ground, leaving nothing behind.

They also wanted to burn down their neighbors' houses, and other tribes, unable to stand by and watch, rose up in resistance.

After so many years of Western Xia rule, many people were dissatisfied with them and had long wanted to rebel, but the Tuoba and Yeli clans were too powerful.

Now that the dynasty is nearing its end, these Tangut nobles still dare to be so arrogant; their long-suppressed emotions have finally erupted.

Before Chen Shao's troops could intervene, fighting broke out everywhere, and chaos reigned.

In Xiping Prefecture, the monotonous, repetitive noise of sawing wood echoed through the streets.

The soldiers carrying the logs also shouted "Hey-yo" in a very orderly and rhythmic manner.

People are logging and transporting timber, building siege equipment such as catapults and siege ladders, and the scene is bustling with activity.

Chen Shao led his men to the Qi Prince's residence. Qi Prince Li Yunsheng was the younger brother of Li Qianshun. He did not have the talent of Jin Prince Li Chage and was sent to Bianliang to negotiate with the Song Dynasty.

It is still in Bianliang today.

Li Yunsheng's family lived in the back courtyard, while Chen Shao and others lived in the first courtyard, forcing his family to move to the second courtyard.

The central hall had been transformed into Chen Shao's main military tent, filled with numerous maps and various documents.

The people in the main hall were the same few as before, except for Wei Li, who had rushed over.

The room contained military generals such as Han Shizhong, Wu Jie, Zhu Lingling, and Yang Guangqi.

The crowd gathered around the map, pointing and discussing whether to directly attack Xingqing Prefecture or first capture the surrounding cities.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside. Brother Pang, his face pale and ashen, still rushed over, leaning on a cane.

He fought a fierce battle against the Tangut cavalry in the valley, then was swept away by the floodwaters released by Li Qianshun, but finally managed to climb out with amazing perseverance.

Everyone grimaced when they saw his appearance.

This guy is really afraid of getting all the credit; even in this state, he still wants to attend the meeting.

Chen Shao found it somewhat amusing and had someone bring him a stool so he could sit down.

Pang Ge didn't care about the outcome of the discussion, nor did he want to express his opinion. He would just attack wherever the commander told him to.

But I have to show my face!
Otherwise, he'd be afraid someone would steal his credit.

He sat contentedly to the side, watching the crowd argue.

Zhu Lingling patted his belly and said, "We, the Qiang people of Hengshan, are sworn enemies of the Tuoba clan. Here's what we'll do: you go and attack Jingzhou, Shunzhou, Dingzhou, and Huaizhou first. I'll lead the Hengshan troops to take Xingqing Prefecture!"

"You're dreaming!" Han Shizhong immediately cursed. "We fought bloody battles, and now the glory of destroying the country is within our grasp, and you want to steal it?"

Zhu Lingling laughed and said, "You two are just arguing, aren't you? Besides, we're not just standing by and watching this battle. Yeli Chongshan's leg is still hanging in my tent."

Han Shizhong was about to start cursing again.

Chen Shao stood up, pointed to the rough and large map behind the desk, and said in an unquestionable tone: "Send more people to Xingqing Prefecture to negotiate. It would be best if they were willing to support a member of the royal family as emperor and then surrender the city."

He couldn't be like the military generals who only considered the war situation; he had to think about what to do next and how to govern.

Zhu Lingling suddenly lowered her voice and whispered to Chen Shao, "There is a baby in the Prince Qi's mansion."

"Is he Li Yunsheng's son?"

Zhu Lingling nodded.

Chen Shao nodded slightly. Li Yunsheng was the emperor's younger brother, and his son was indeed of royal blood.
-
The Qi Prince's Mansion was built very grandly.

The magnificent mansions in the front hall and the vast expanse of houses all have a Buddhist style.

Xiping Prefecture was, after all, the place where Li Jiqian made his fortune. He achieved his hegemony here, and of course, he also died here.

Back then, he fought with the Tibetan chieftain for control of the northwest. He was ambushed by Pan Luozhi, the Tibetan chieftain who had feigned surrender, and died from his serious injuries.

Buddhist architecture emphasizes spaciousness. Upon entering the gatehouse, a spacious courtyard comes into view, with a high platform in the middle. The double eaves on the top are supported by pillars and are built like an open hall.

If a person is on top of it, they will surely have a wide view and a relaxed mind.

Chen Shao looked at the woman in the hall, then waved his hand behind him, signaling Da Hu to come closer.

With Genghis Khan as an example, he considered these Western Xia women to be somewhat too dangerous.

This princess is quite pretty, and her demeanor is even more elegant. She has single eyelids, a small nose, and a small mouth. Her appearance isn't the strikingly beautiful type, nor can she be described as pure and lovely, but her face shape is indeed well-proportioned and attractive, and her features combine to create a unique charm.

She held a baby in her arms, staring coldly at Chen Shao with a terrifying look in her eyes.

Chen Shao coughed lightly and said, "Princess Qi, your husband is in Bianliang. You have now been captured by me, and your lives are in my hands."

"You wouldn't want your husband to never come back, and your son to be beheaded at such a young age, would you?"

"Oh? Then how will the general let us go?" Princess Qi's voice was cold, but she had a very pure and elegant feeling, yet she also had a hint of allure.

The contradictory feeling is quite unique, like a virtuous woman who is slightly alluring yet seems unwilling to be touched easily.

Her skin was also very fair and delicate, and she was well-developed, with a bulge under her cross-collar top.

She's probably still breastfeeding; she might still smell of milk on her.

Chen Shao said, "I want your son to be the emperor of Western Xia for a few days."

After saying that, Chen Shao glanced at her arms again. This Zhu Lingling was really too unreliable.

King Qi did have a son, but he was so young, how could he become emperor!
They're still breastfeeding!

Princess Qi stood there stunned. She looked down at her child and was surprised by this request.

"You did this to win over the hearts of the people of Western Xia."

"more or less."

Princess Qi's eyes were already shifting uncertainly; her original expectation was that things would be much worse than this.

"Will you spare my son's life?"

“I am not a bloodthirsty person. As long as you cooperate with me to finish this play, I will arrange a house for you in Yinzhou City and ask Bianliang to take back your husband so that you can be reunited.”

Princess Qi glanced at Chen Shao and said, "Your conditions are too lenient, making it difficult for me to trust you. How about this, you send your personal guards away, and I will offer myself to you."

"Personnel guards are never allowed to leave one's side."

"If you don't care, that's fine too." Princess Qi's face was a little red, but her tone was as firm as ever.

Chen Shao was having some trouble keeping up. Everyone said that the women of Xixia were fierce, and each one of them was a ruthless person with a phoenix tattooed on her collarbone.

But he hadn't expected it to be so fierce. However, he certainly wouldn't take the risk, and patiently said again, "I keep my word, Your Highness need not doubt me. Once we reach Yinzhou, the Prince of Qi's identity poses no threat to me. Saving his life will only put the Dangxiang nobles at ease."

“I can tolerate even the King of Qi, let alone them.”

"Can your opinion count?" Princess Qi suddenly asked. "What about Bianliang?"

Chen Shao was getting impatient and yelled, "Why are you making such a fuss? Are you going to do it or not? If not, I'll find another royal family."

Princess Qi's expression was complicated, mixed with a hint of emotional breakdown. She said in a trembling voice, "My body is very fair and soft. You will like it."

Although Chen Shao knew that she kept trying to increase the stakes because she was worried, Chen Shao's personality meant that he would never take risks in such a matter.

So he rolled his eyes and said, "Then let's put it on the tab. Your Highness, remember you owe me one time, and you can pay me back later."

Princess Qi gritted her teeth, watching his retreating figure, and silently cursed.

However, she did feel a little relieved. She didn't want to die, and she wanted to save her son's life even more.
-
The fourth year of Xuanhe, the eighth month.

Within Xingqing Prefecture, Yeli Jun, the former prime minister of Western Xia, supported Li Renpeng, the youngest son of Prince Qi and grandson of Emperor Huizong Li Bingchang, to succeed to the throne.

Princess Qi ascended the throne while holding her infant son.

Ten days later, the Western Xia emperor surrendered and opened the city gates to welcome the Dingnan army.

Chen Shao finally stepped into Xingqing Prefecture.

At this moment, Han Shizhong, who had entered the city with him, finally felt triumphant.

Han Shizhong, who used to be as cunning as an awl in a bag, now fully displayed his sharp and extraordinary talent.

With his more than ten years of fighting in the west, having beheaded countless Tangut and Qiang people, and his unparalleled bravery, he immediately subdued the surrendered Western Xia troops.

The old brothers in the Western Army respected him greatly. He could curse people's ancestors for eighteen generations with a loud voice, but he could also pat you on the shoulder and be as good as a sworn brother.

At this moment, they stepped into Xingqing Prefecture together, something that generations of Western Army soldiers had dreamed of, and unexpectedly, it came true at this time.

Despite his constant battles on the front lines, he couldn't shake his carefree and extravagant temperament. Of the rewards Chen Shao gave him, he used them to pay off his gambling debts, and instead bought two new houses in Yanzhou City. He also selected beautiful girls from among the refugees in the north, one of whom was said to be the daughter of a Liao dynasty official.

After Chen Shao entered Xingqing Prefecture, Shunzhou, Jingzhou, Dingzhou, and Huaizhou surrendered one after another.

The spacious palace was draped with layers of curtains; Li Qianshun left early, which ironically allowed the place to be preserved.

Outside the palace, Chen Shao convened a meeting of the various Dangxiang tribes and made a pact with them never to settle scores or carry out massacres.

However, the Tuoba clan was to withdraw from Xingqing Prefecture, and all members of the royal family were to move to Yinzhou. Chen Shao could also send those who were willing to go to Bianliang.

To his surprise, quite a few members of the Tuoba clan actually wanted to go to Bianliang.

After all, this place had a great reputation, and they felt it was safer to go to Bianliang than to entrust their lives to their old rivals who had fought for so many years in the Northwest.

Although the Song Dynasty was not powerful, it still had to save face, especially under the current emperor.

This was exactly what Chen Shao wanted; the Western Xia royal family's voluntary departure to Bianliang would further diminish their influence.

Chen Shao immediately sent men to escort them to Bianliang, which he considered a victory presentation.

Such a joyous occasion allowed Emperor Huizong to share in the happiness. There were no tangible benefits, but he had to be given ample face, as this was a man who enjoyed such things.

This time, Chen Shao did not perform any act. After taking over Xingqing Prefecture, he did not hand it over to the imperial court.

Instead, they increased their troop strength in Yinzhou and Hongzhou.

Now that the main force of the Western Army is all in Hebei, the Song court can only acquiesce to his actions.

We can only settle accounts with him after the Youyan region is pacified and the army withdraws!
Just as Wanyan Aguda was determined to pursue and kill Emperor Tianzuo, Chen Shao also needed to send troops to Helan Mountain to hunt down Li Qianshun.

We will never have peace unless we kill him.

Wei Li arrived in Xingqing Prefecture with his Chengxuan Division staff, and Chen Shao personally went out of the city to greet him.

At this point, Chen Shao had essentially gained control of the entire former territory of Western Xia, and with such a vast territory, it seemed possible for him to even declare himself emperor.

He remained calm and maintained a relationship of ruler and subject with the Song Dynasty, because business still needed to be conducted.

But without a doubt, Chen Shao is now the true King of the Northwest.
-
Yeli Jun was very dissatisfied after surrendering to Chen Shao.

Because he discovered that many tribes that were originally lowly and insignificant were now above him.

Especially the Meicang tribe, which has long been nailed to the pillar of shame.

The reason we haven't wiped them out over the years is simply because we haven't had the time or resources.

Empress Xuanmu Huiwen, of the Mozang clan, was originally the wife of their ancestor Yeli Yuqi, but she secretly had an affair with Li Yuanhao and was his mistress.

After Yeli was killed by Qi, the two of them stopped pretending and spent every day together.

At that time, Li Yuanhao's empress was also from the Yeli tribe. The Yeli empress banished her from the palace to become a nun, but Li Yuanhao still had secret meetings with her and they had a son, Li Liangzuo.

After Li Yuanhao was killed, Li Liangzuo succeeded to the throne, and Lady Meicang became the Empress Dowager. She also found a lover named Baobaochiduo and had an affair with Li Shougui, a subordinate of her ex-husband Yeliyuqi.

Together they plunged the Western Xia into chaos.

In October of the fourth year of the Fusheng Chengdao era, Empress Dowager Mozang and Baobao Chiduo were hunting in the Helan Mountains. On their way back at night, they were both assassinated by dozens of cavalrymen. Mozang Epang claimed that Li Shougui was responsible and exterminated his entire clan (there is also a saying that Mozang Epang and Li Shougui joined forces to kill them).

Later, Mezang Epang seized control of the government and wanted to rebel, which eventually led to the Mezang tribe being completely reduced to a third-rate tribe.

It is evident that the hatred between the Mizo tribe and the Nori tribe runs deep.

How could they possibly want to see the Mongol tribe rise again and climb over them?

Among Chen Shao's subordinates, the one who infiltrated the Western Xia most severely was Ye Lijun from the Yipin Guangyuan Hall.

Therefore, Chen Shao and the others were all waiting for him to make a move.

Sometimes, a clever person's six months of planning is not as effective as a fool's sudden inspiration.

Trying to purge the Yeli clan would alarm the old nobles of Western Xia, but if they took the initiative themselves, the situation would be different.
-
When Chen Shao was wreaking havoc in the Northwest.

Tong Xuanshuai's days are not easy.
He lost again.

Xiao Gan was like his nemesis. Originally, Guo Yaoshi and his Ever-Victorious Army had already defeated Xiao Gan.

However, Liu Yanqing's desire for credit once again took hold of his mind, so he withdrew the Ever Victorious Army and sent the Fuyan Army to fight in his own place.

As a result, Yelü Dashi somehow gathered another army and, together with Xiao Gan, defeated Liu Yanqing's Fuyan army once again.

The various armies of the Western Army, having long harbored resentment towards Liu Yanqing, simply stood by and did nothing.

This is already extremely excessive behavior.

However, because Tong Guan was not present, Liu Yanqing, as a junior, was unable to mobilize and suppress the old Zhong.

Logically, Tong Guan should have been advancing his headquarters to the front lines at this time. The closer he got to the front lines, the better he could control the situation and reunite the entire Northern Expeditionary Army, which had been defeated, scattered, and fragmented beyond recognition. He should have at least stabilized the Song army's front line on the south bank of the Gaoliang River before planning his next move.

But at this moment, Tong Guan's concern was no longer about fighting, but about responsibility!
Although Zhao Liangsi proposed another plan, suggesting that Guo Yaoshi's army could launch a surprise attack on Yanjing, the Northern Expeditionary Army of over 100,000 men had already been defeated. Anyone with a modicum of sense could hardly place too much hope on Guo Yaoshi's mere few thousand surrendered troops.

He really underestimated the Ever-Victorious Army.

On this land, the survivors of countless battles, the 80,000 resentful soldiers, nurtured like venomous insects, have cultivated a few thousand ever-victorious troops who possess the resilience and fighting prowess that the Hebei army has always had.

Tong Guan sent Wang Bing to provide support, which was nothing more than a desperate measure. At this time, any decent victory would be a great help to him in the future court struggles!
That's right, he's already starting to think about how to shift the blame.

Wang Bing was full of confidence and vowed to lead his troops into Yanjing City to report to the Song Dynasty and the Emperor, and to repay the kindness of Commander Tong Xuan.

In fact, if Tong Guan had thought about it carefully, he would have realized that this matter had great potential. This was because Li Chuwen had become the most powerful figure in Yanjing City, and he was eager to surrender, running around in circles in a panic.

He was also very curious about what Tong Guan was up to. No matter how good Xiao Gan and Yelü Dashi were at fighting, they couldn't get into Yanjing City. They also had limited manpower. Couldn't you just take a detour? Even a detour would have been better.
He only needed to send someone to meet him, and he would open the city gates himself, but Tong Guan's men were nowhere to be seen!

His repeated defeats in the campaign against Liao completely exhausted the ambition he had built up over twenty years of warfare. Now he was just an ordinary, mediocre, and even somewhat timid eunuch.

It is terrifying when a person's spirit and energy are broken.

Historically, Tong Guan also went from being a fairly shrewd and capable commander to a despicable person after his failed campaign against the Liao Dynasty.

He made many inexplicable moves that were completely inconsistent with his abilities in the early stages, as if he had become a completely different person.

This is a classic example of being defeated.
Just like Nehru of India and Le Duan of Vietnam, they were both stunned by a blow, and their spirits were completely broken.

It was precisely because he wanted to absolve himself of this responsibility and shift the blame onto Liu Yanqing as much as possible that Tong Guan absolutely could not put his own headquarters at the forefront at this time.

The reason is easy to find: after the heavy rain, the road was muddy and difficult to travel, and there were military forces ahead, which made it difficult for Tong to control the situation remotely.

When a big problem occurs, the best option is, of course, to stay out of it as much as possible.

Only when the situation is resolved should we consider how to gradually resolve this big problem.

Tong Guan had completely abandoned any intention of winning and was convinced that the Northern Expedition was doomed to fail.

Just a year ago, the entire Song Dynasty, from top to bottom, believed that victory in the war against Liao was assured.

Xiao Gan and Yelü Dashi shattered Tong Xuanshuai's grand dream with two powerful punches.

However, these two went too far and instead of waking Tong Guan up, they injured him.

It's quite pitiful, really. Tong Guan has completely given up on the idea of ​​being crowned a king; all he's thinking about is how to shift the biggest responsibility onto Liu Yanqing.

Even if Liu Yanqing and he were on the same side, Liu Yanqing's misfortune would inevitably implicate him. As long as he could avoid being the culprit in the inevitable court infighting, he would be content.

The reason is simple: this Northern Expedition was fought in a truly disastrous manner.

If Guo Yaoshi's ever-victorious army hadn't surrendered, and he hadn't gained Yizhou and Zhuozhou for nothing, it's hard to say whether he could have achieved a decent record!
As the commander of the Imperial Guard, how could Tong Guan possibly escape unscathed when another faction in the court was constantly waiting to attack him?

All he can do now is block the Baigou River, cutting off communication between the north and south. He waits anxiously for news from the front to arrive as quickly as possible, to know the full extent of the defeat, before he can devise a way to resolve the situation.

Now that Commander Tong Xuan is here, he has lost all his former air of luxury. His concubines and servants have all been driven out of his tent. They can go wherever they want; it's none of his business.

Every day, Tong Guan paced back and forth in his tent like a trapped beast, sending out scouts and messengers to gather information about the battle at the front, and then anxiously awaiting their reports.

At that moment, he heard a military report that left him stunned.

Chen Shao led the Dingnan Army and captured Xingqing Prefecture.

Emperor Li Qianshun, the self-proclaimed emperor of Western Xia, fled to the Helan Mountains. Chen Shao sent men to escort more than 200 members of the Western Xia royal family to Bianliang to present the victory report.

The success of his former subordinate, now his enemy, was more painful to him than his own failure.

Tong Guan's legs went weak, and he slumped into his command seat. Suddenly, with red eyes, he tore the military report in his hand to shreds.

(End of this chapter)