You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 135 One direction east, one direction west, the Great Liao Dynasty perished.

Xiao Gan looked up.

On a distant hill, several Jurchens stood, dismounting and observing the Liao army's march.

There was absolutely no fear.

These people were short and stocky, with bowed legs, and although they wore brocade jackets and turbans.

Beneath their shaved heads, the exposed scalp was shaved clean and dark blue. From the side, one could see two or three tufts of hair the size of copper coins on the back of their heads, with the long hair behind them braided into small braids hanging down.

Upon realizing that the Liao people had discovered them, the Jurchens remained calm and mounted their horses.

Immediately afterwards, from behind the hill, a vanguard of over a hundred riders slowly appeared.

Each of them had a bag at their waist that was full to the brim, with the fletching of arrowheads sticking out.

The Jurchens have arrived!
The Liao soldiers around Xiao Gan all held their breath and concentrated, but the feeling that made their hair stand on end grew stronger and stronger!

The Liaodong soldiers from Nanjing Prefecture had already seen the Jurchen people there when they went to Liaodong to quell the rebellion.

Even the Jurchens, once considered "civilized," were already a powerful ethnic group within the Liao Empire.

After the Battle of Hubudagang, the defeated Liao soldiers who retreated from there brought back terrifying rumors, filled with dread.

Those Jurchen people who rose up in the Changbai Mountains and Heilongjiang River region, with strong and robust bodies, were said to wear animal skins and have rat tails. They were all like ferocious gods descended to earth, and weapons could not harm them.

They fought for days on end without sleep or rest. Even their mounts were ferocious beasts.

Hundreds of thousands of elite troops of the Liao Empire were wiped out by thousands of Jurchens at Hubudagang!

This is an absolute triumph of a powerful empire that, with just a few thousand people, destroyed the rule of a great empire that had been hailed as the strongest in the world just a few years ago!

As the Liao Dynasty suffered repeated defeats, the rumors became increasingly frightening and exaggerated.

Having witnessed the Song army's five consecutive victories, it was uncertain how much morale they had left.

The Jurchen people, riding warhorses, were increasing in number along the mountain ridges in the snow.

Xiao Gan also began to command his men to prepare for battle; this was not his first time fighting against the Jurchens.

If Emperor Tianzuo hadn't run away, the Jurchen army would have gathered in Nanjing, the capital of the Liao Dynasty.

Xiao Gan was deeply impressed by that battle. He felt that the Jurchens were not entirely invincible, but he felt powerless when fighting them.

Xiao Gan believed that the reason why the Liao soldiers who fled from the north were afraid to fight before the battle was due to the presence of too many treacherous officials around Emperor Tianzuo. This delayed the battle.

This time, he was going to test his idea.

Not far behind these Jurchen warhorses lies the once majestic and winding Great Wall, a protective barrier built by the Qin Empire for the people of Hebei.

However, after a thousand years since the Qin Dynasty, this Han Dynasty bulwark stretching for thousands of miles no longer seems to be an indestructible barrier.

Moreover, it was no longer protecting the Han people, but the Nanjing Prefecture of the Liao Dynasty.
The Great Wall's greatest function has never been defense, but rather the transmission of messages.

However, no one noticed the Jurchens crossing the Great Wall because the Liao Dynasty had just experienced a serious internal strife.

Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan, now the only two remaining generals of the Northern Liao, almost came to blows against each other.

Xiao Gan's decision to go into battle was out of necessity. He longed to be of one mind with Yelü Dashi, but he had no choice.

Yelü Dashi was the last hope of the Khitan, and he, the King of the Six Xi Tribes and Commander-in-Chief of the Four Armies, was the last hope of the Xi people.

Thus, the Great Wall, such an important place, also withdrew all its troops because of internal strife.

In fact, throughout history, what has truly been able to keep out the even more barbaric nomadic tribes from the north is not this defensive fortification.

Rather, it was the soldiers of the Han Dynasty who, during their period of strength, used the Great Wall as a bridgehead for their northward offensives.

Internal unity is far more important than this Great Wall. At this time, the Jurchens had reached the city walls, and the news had only just been received in Yanjing.

Xiao Gan felt a pang of shame. He felt that the entire Liao Dynasty was sick, and that he and Yelü Dashi, despite considering themselves heroes, were not much better than others.

The Jurchen knights gazed intently at the landscape of Yan, south of the Great Wall, their eyes gleaming with a sharp light as they stared intently at everything unfolding before them.

They fought their way from the Changbai Mountains to this place, and even in the capital of the Liao Dynasty, they had never seen such a sight.

Standing on high ground, the Youyan Plain unfolded before them, a land that produced almost everything that any powerful nation of this era needed.

Abundant food, sufficient fish and salt, forests, iron and stone, and a large source of soldiers from the Youyan Han people, who have been known for their strong army since the late Tang Dynasty.

The vast and fertile plain stretches to the horizon, seemingly endless, with the Xiaoxiao River and the majestic city of Yanjing dotting the landscape. This expansive expanse will surely leave a profound impression on anyone who sees it for the first time!

Yin Shuke reined in his warhorse, and he and a few trusted advisors stared in amazement at everything before them. They looked at the crisscrossing fields in the distance, at the scattered villages and towns, at the dense population and wealth that this land still possessed despite the ravages of war, and at everything that seemed unfamiliar even to those from beyond the Great Wall.

They were fierce beasts who had emerged from the most barren and harshest mountains and rivers, accustomed to snowstorms and biting cold, and had never seen such a majestic city before.

Even though it had been ravaged by war many times, even though it was on the verge of the end of its dynasty, and even though it had been plundered by the Song army once.

But it was still a level of prosperity that the Jurchens had never seen before.

The city of Yanjing alone was something they had never seen before in their lives. When people emerge from the primeval forest and see such a magnificent city, it is hard not to be moved.

The Jurchens rose up in the mountains and forests of the extremely cold land. After defeating the Liao army and capturing Shangjing, Zhongjing, and the various prefectures of Liaodong, they felt that everything they had in their hands was something their tribe could not have imagined when they lived in the old forest.

However, once they crossed the Great Wall of Han, they discovered that the land south of the Great Wall, Youyan, which had always been the main source of revenue for the Liao Empire, was ten times more prosperous and wealthy than they had imagined!
And to the south of this Youyan Plain lies the Song Empire, which is said to be ten times larger than this place. What kind of scene will it be when the Jurchen warriors' hooves tread there?
Almost every Jurchen was so shocked that they were speechless.

They were Zonghan's men, and at this moment they couldn't help but recall Zonghan's frequent remarks about continuing south and conquering more land.

At the time, everyone was dismissive, believing that the Jurchen uprising was solely aimed at overthrowing the Liao Dynasty. Emperor Aguda harbored deep hatred for Yelü Yanxi.

In everyone's eyes, there was only Yelü Yanxi. Only by capturing and beheading him could the Liao Dynasty be truly destroyed and the Jurchens' wish to rise up be fulfilled!
Only Zonghan was determined to go south.

They even wanted to abandon Yelü Yanxi and head south to Yanjing instead.

Everyone knows that the Song people were fighting to the death with the Liao people there.

The Song and Liao people were fighting amongst themselves; what did that have to do with the Jurchens?

Not to mention that the Song people and the Jurchens still had an alliance, and at this time the Jurchens still had some simple and honest spirit, and considered breaking the alliance a disgrace.

Zong Han's decision was hard to accept! But they were Zong Han's subordinates and had no choice but to obey his orders.

At this time, the Jurchens were still quite loosely organized. If the majority opposed it, it wouldn't be impossible for them to abandon their duties and ignore Zonghan's orders.

But in a year or two, once these top nobles had established enough prestige through their military achievements, things would be different.

In the eyes of these Jurchen people, the further south they went, the hotter it became.

The Jurchen warriors, who grew up between the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River, felt that they had already fought their way here.

In the four capitals of the Liao Dynasty, excluding Yanjing, they had already plundered enough wealth and slave women. They wanted to destroy Yelü Yanxi and then return north to enjoy their lives. After enjoying themselves, taking a bath in the river was the greatest pleasure for the Jurchens.

Why bother going to those places in the south that are supposedly unbearably hot?
I've heard that Wanyan Balisu's people in the west exchange their slaves for unimaginable gold, silver, and fine goods. Their clothes are as thin as gauze, their jade and porcelain are exquisitely beautiful, and their wine and fermented rice are the ultimate pleasure in the world.
Everyone was envious, wishing they could switch places with Wanyan Bali and enjoy it too.

We've fought for so long and gained so much. If we continue fighting and someone dies, wouldn't it all be for nothing?

Before, when I had nothing, I could just die. Now, if I were to suddenly die, that would be such a waste.

Yinshu was one of the Jurchens who was very supportive of Zonghan.

From the very beginning of his rebellion, he was a staunch supporter of Zonghan, following his lead without question.

In fact, it wasn't just Yin Keshu; many Jurchen warriors who weren't from Aguda's lineage liked to follow Zong Han.

Yin Shuke reached out, closed his eyes, took a deep breath of the air, and muttered to himself, "It's already winter, but it's still so warm here. Back in our hometown, the snow would probably be so heavy that our horses would be choked to death by now!"
"Damn Heaven! It gave these Liao and Song people such a wonderful place, but left us in that bitter, cold land! Luckily, our swords are sharp enough, our horses are fast enough, and we managed to seize it ourselves!"

When he speaks, his gaze is full of heroic spirit; this kind of invincible confidence cannot be faked.

The Jurchen muke around him couldn't help but chime in: "I misunderstood Zonghan! Eating sand in Jiashan is nothing compared to this place! Look at these villages and towns, there are countless lives waiting for us to take, and countless riches waiting for us to divide!"

"Why chase after Yelü Yanxi? We've killed enough Liao dogs and had our fill of their women."

"I wonder what the women south of this pass look like? I heard they all wear light gauze, and you could crush them if you held them too tightly? Are we supposed to take them back and then hold them up all day long?"

The group completely disregarded Xiao Gan's troops below; they had already ravaged these soldiers dressed in Liao armor far too many times.

They disperse at the first impact, and then become as easy as chopping melons and vegetables, utterly vulnerable, allowing themselves to slaughter at will.

It's much simpler than hunting.

A Jurchen mook, brandishing a steel sword, shouted loudly:
"Leave a portion for Zonghan! If it weren't for his foresight, how would we have gotten here? Give Zonghan the best armor, the strongest men, the most beautiful women, and the most gold and silver!"

"We must also bring back the most heads, to pique the interest of Emperor Aguda, and let them see that Zonghan was right! Let our army march south and cross this place, making this land our Jurchen territory!"

"We need to go further south, we need to fight our way to the very south and take it all!"

At the height of their excitement, almost everyone was shouting out loud. The roars echoed through the mountains, occasionally mixed with bursts of laughter. Even their mounts seemed to be infected by the shouts, neighing loudly incessantly.

The Liao people below were terrified. They didn't know what the shouts were saying, but to their ears, it sounded like the howls of ghosts and demons.

"Alright! When Zonghan goes south in the future, we have to clear the way for him first, otherwise who will take the lead when Zonghan lashes out with his whip?"

"My men, follow me and fight!"

A mountain breeze swept by, ruffling the long mane on the warhorse's neck.

At Yin Keshu's command, Jurchen knights poured out of the mountain in an endless stream, each raising their swords and cheering.

These fewer than four hundred Jurchen knights constituted the entire vanguard of the invading army. The rest of the troops remained with Zong Han, blocking the area north of Gubeikou.

These four hundred cavalrymen alone were enough to cause a huge shock in the border region of Youyan, not to mention that after the Gubeikou Pass was opened, Zonghan's army would continue to arrive.

Although the Song army withdrew to Hejian, not a single Liao soldier pursued them, and they didn't even have time to recapture Zhuozhou and Yizhou. Instead, these two cities remained in the hands of the Ever Victorious Army.

Because they simply didn't have enough time.

Zonghan seized the opportunity very well.
At this juncture, he chose to abandon the immense achievement of killing Emperor Tianzuo Yelü Yanxi, which was pursued by the entire Jurchen upper class, and instead chose to head south.

He wanted to use his achievements to bring back information about the situation in the south, so that his people would know the benefits of going south.

The Jurchen cavalry's charging power was legendary; the Liao army in front of them had already been somewhat intimidated by their shouts, and now they were even less willing to fight a bloody battle.

Seeing that the vanguard was routed with a single charge, and dozens of cavalrymen had already been cut down, the situation was about to repeat itself, a scenario that had occurred countless times in the Liao-Jin War.

Xiao Gan suddenly roared and gritted his teeth: "Follow me to kill the enemy!"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, staring at the Six Xi Kings and the Four Army Commanders.
Seeing that he was really charging ahead, the Xi people went completely mad. Even if they died, what was there to be afraid of if they could die with King Xiao?
The Liao army saw Xiao Gan's central command flag, which resembled a cluster of sharp arrows, rushing towards the Jurchen Tartars.

Instantly, morale soared, and some mid-level officers began shouting at the top of their lungs, "Follow King Xiao to the death!"

At this moment, the Liao soldiers, who had been terrified, felt their blood boil and they pulled on their reins, brandishing their weapons and shouting in unison: "We're going back! We'll die with King Xiao!"

The marching column of more than four hundred cavalrymen was actually quite impressive, not to mention that this force was composed of highly skilled Jurchen cavalry.

They charged down from the heights with unstoppable force, but the Liao dogs, who had been scattered, suddenly rallied, much to Yin Shuke's surprise.

He quickly discovered the reason, and then commanded his Jurchen men to rush straight to Xiao Gan.

Although he didn't know which Liao general was so brave and courageous, he didn't take him seriously. Yin Shu never expected that it would be Xiao Gan, because this man was already the most powerful person in the Northern Liao court.

Even after the Liao soldiers rallied, they were still no match for the Jurchen soldiers.

However, this time we might lose a hundred or so Jurchen soldiers!
The two sides clashed and fought fiercely. The Jurchens were bloodthirsty and showed no intention of retreating.

Although they were outnumbered, they managed to overwhelm the Liao people.

Did Yinshu know that the Liao people's excitement came from the central army's banner? Then cut down the central army's banner; it's probably a big fish!
Xiao Gan had already injured his arm. His bravery inspired the Liao soldiers, but it also put him in danger.

He wouldn't have needed to do this if he hadn't been driven to the brink of despair. The life of a national commander is far too precious to be risked.

The Liao soldiers around them fought desperately, but they couldn't stop the Jurchens from charging and attacking. They could only watch from the sides as the Jurchen Tartars, like arrows, pierced straight into the location of King Xiao.

Just now.

Suddenly, a force of about eight hundred riders appeared from the direction of Yanjing City. Their banners were bright, their helmets and armor gleaming, and their blades were like a forest of swords. They were galloping aggressively northward!
The thunderous roar of hooves signaled that this group was about to join the battle.

Yin Shuke naturally saw it too, and suddenly shouted, "The Liao dogs are reinforcing their troops! Retreat!"

Upon hearing this, the Jurchens opened a gap and broke through from the side, leaving the Liao people helpless.

This group of people came and went as they pleased, just like Zhang Liao on the northern battlefield hundreds of years ago, leaving their enemies helpless.

The Liao soldiers stared wide-eyed as the army appeared on the horizon and headed towards them!

The flags at the head are all familiar; they have all fought side by side with each other.

The guards behind Xiao Gan made gurgling sounds in their throats, as if they wanted to say something, or more likely wanted to cheer, but in the end, all that came out were incoherent sobs.

He's saved! King Xiao is saved!

They all recognized that it was the banner of Da Shi Lin Ya, and that Da Shi Lin Ya's reinforcements had arrived.

Despite their animosity and near-war, Da Shi Lin Ya came to their aid knowing they were fighting a fierce battle!

In his heart, the Liao Dynasty was number one!

Xiao Gan calmly turned around, grabbed the reins of his horse, and mounted it. He even had the leisure to dust off his clothes, muttering to himself, "Finally here!"

A path parted in the crowd, and Yelü Dashi slowly rode in on horseback.

The two exchanged a glance, but showed no sign of joy.

Today, they are merely a vanguard force of the Jurchens.
Even with their combined efforts, they couldn't hold on, and they didn't even dare to chase after them.

The Jurchens' skill in shooting arrows from behind their horses was unparalleled. If we rashly pursued them, who knows how many more people would die.

The Liao Dynasty now has very few troops left.

Xiao Gan sighed, stretching out his arm as his personal guards bandaged his wound to stop the bleeding. "Let's go back to the city and discuss this further."
-
Xiao Gan went into battle and encountered the Jurchen vanguard. He killed 100 enemies but lost 500.

Even so, this result is already a rare victory.

Upon returning to the city, they were even greeted with cheers and welcomes by the people, but Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan were somewhat disheartened.

For them, even with a force several times larger than the enemy, repelling the Jurchen vanguard was still not enough to completely annihilate the Jurchen army.

So where does the way out lie in the future?
After the Jurchen army arrives, how many more days can Yanjing hold out?

Yanjing has been a majestic city since ancient times, and Youyan is a place where tigers crouch and dragons coil.

Nestled against the Yanshan Mountains and bordering the Bohai Sea, to the north lies the gateway to China, guarded by agrarian societies. To the south, it is a strategically important location, high above the plains of Hebei and Central China.

The surrounding North China Plain is rich in resources, enough to support armies vying for supremacy. Since the Qin and Han dynasties, this area has been a strategic pass in the Guandong region. During the Tang dynasty, An Lushan could have used this location to wreak havoc across the land. Moreover, in the eyes of the people of Hebei, An Lushan was probably not a villain, but a true hero sent from heaven.

After all, Hebei was no longer under the control of the Tang Dynasty after An Lushan. You could say that the Tang Dynasty won the An Lushan Rebellion, but they really did not recover Hebei.

With Shi Jingtang surrendering the land, the Khitan invaded and occupied this Han land, which then oppressed the Central Plains dynasties for two hundred years!
This Yanjing city, and the Youyan region, are strategically important places in the world. For two hundred years, the Song people have been obsessed with it. Since the founding of the country, 100,000 brave soldiers have been buried on the banks of the Wuding River. They only managed to catch a glimpse of the tall city walls of Yanjing from afar at the foot of the Gaoliang River!

After the defeat at Gaoliang River, Tong Guan's army launched its campaign against the Liao Dynasty. History gave him an opportunity, but unfortunately, neither the Song Dynasty nor Tong Guan seized it.

The Khitans used this area as Nanjing Road and established a southern official post there. This strategically important location alone was enough to oppress eight Song emperors for nearly two hundred years!
But by this time, the imperial aura of the Khitan seemed to be gradually dissipating, and even heroes like Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan could not recover the lost destiny.

Just like the Song Dynasty, which never recovered the Youyan region, it wasn't that they lacked heroes, strength, or even luck. Li Chuwen and his son had already handed over Yanjing City, but the Song Dynasty simply didn't have the destiny or the fate to do so!

The Liao people had ruled Yanjing City for over a hundred years. It was originally a formidable city, and it was fortified several times to defend against invasions from the Song Dynasty.

The city walls were high and the moat deep, with a long, gray-black wall extending outwards. The people here were devout Buddhists, and temples and monasteries dotted the area both inside and outside the city.

Nestled among the temples, the city was surrounded by vast expanses of abandoned fields. Such fertile land was now largely uncultivated, though a few sparse green wheat seedlings remained hidden beneath the snow.

I wonder what risks the farmers took to come here in the dark to sow their seeds, given that this place is constantly ravaged by war.

When the Song people entered the city, they thought it was a royal army, but it turned out to be a group of vengeful ghosts.

Compared to ambitious and ruthless figures like Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan, the people of Yan suffered greatly.
Below the city wall, a large, chaotic area of ​​refugee shacks stretched out, almost completely covering the area around the city wall.

Everyone knew the Jurchen Tartars were coming, so who among the surrounding people dared to stay outside the city?

Only the high city walls of Yanjing could give them a sense of security, but the city dared not let them all in.

Because the grain reserves in Yanjing were limited, and the Song people's destruction of the city further reduced them to almost nothing.

If too many people flood in, should we provide relief or ignore it?

During the Liao Dynasty, Yanjing had eleven gates. At this moment, the city was surrounded by guards, all of whom looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy. Their serious expressions were solely focused on guarding the roads leading in and out of Yanjing.

Nine of the eleven gates were blocked, with only two remaining open. The wide city gate passages were deserted, save for the occasional galloping messenger.

The city walls remained as tall as ever, and the soldiers guarding the city walls remained as disciplined as ever, their imposing presence undiminished.

The city wall's defensive structures resembled wolf fangs, their layers of sharp blades gleaming with a chilling light.

But this magnificent city always feels like a dead city, devoid of any vitality, as if it could collapse at any moment!
Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan had an argument on their way back to the city.

Those who witnessed the events firsthand remained silent, and others had no way of knowing the specifics.

However, everyone already knew that these two people were at odds.

Although Yelü Dashi saved Xiao Gan this time, he still could not change the deep-rooted contradictions between the two sides.

This is unsolvable, because one is wholeheartedly devoted to the Khitan, while the other intends to restore the Xi Kingdom.

While Xiao Gan was setting up defenses outside the city, he suddenly heard news that Yelü Dashi had entered the city and led his troops to break into the prison, taking Li Chuwen and his son out.

At the bustling intersection, Li Chuwen and his son were executed by slow slicing.

He immediately entered the city, leaving the Khitan cavalry outside the city. They simply reined in their horses by the roadside, watching with complex expressions or blank stares as the large contingent of Xi knights, led by Xiao Gan, entered the city like a dragon.

Because Xiao Gan held great power, he had the authority to mobilize all the troops of the Liao Kingdom, and Empress Dowager Xiao Puxian was on his side.

Hearing the faint cries of alarm coming from the city, Xiao Gan immediately went to the mansion of the Great Stone Forest Guardian upon arrival.

News spread throughout the city that Da Shi Lin Ya was lying in bed when he heard the news. His family guards and personal soldiers drew their swords, ready to fight Xiao Gan to the death.

They have decided on their own to cover Da Shilinya's escape from the city and mobilize loyal Khitan troops to counter Xiao Gan.

When the Jurchens were about to arrive, it seemed that the two pillars were about to fight each other, which made people despair.

At Yelü Dashi's residence, the crowd below was in an uproar, but Yelü Dashi, sitting in the main hall, merely smiled and raised his hand to stop his men.

"I had anticipated that King Xiao would be unable to restrain himself! I always thought that King Xiao could not see that my desire to seize power was to give the Great Liao Yan a boost?"

I hoped he would delay his move, even if it was a little later, but I didn't expect King Xiao to be so impatient! Taking down my Dashi now would be easy, but I'm afraid it would demoralize the army, making it difficult to stop the Jin army.

"Then we'll both perish! But King Xiao still insists on attacking. Fine, fine! So be it! I have no regrets towards the Liao Dynasty!"

The people below looked at each other in bewilderment. When had they ever heard Da Shi Lin Ya say such a thing? What did he mean by having a clear conscience towards the Liao Dynasty?
Amidst everyone's confusion, Xiao Gan had already led his army straight to the gate of the Da Shi Lin Ya Mansion. Seeing the middle gate open, Xiao Gan stopped his men in their tracks.

After waiting a short while, Yelü Dashi indeed came out on his own.

Xiao Qian dismounted and stepped forward to shake hands with Yelü Dashi, gently comforting him: "Lin Ya, killing Li Chuwen was a mistake! We all know that you, Dashi Lin Ya, are loyal and devoted to the country, but after all, our Emperor is still alive! This matter has indeed incurred some suspicion. The Empress Dowager has personally summoned me to the capital, how could I refuse? Lin Ya has been through many battles, please rest first. Your safety rests entirely on my shoulders!"

What are the young emperor's thoughts? The Empress Dowager's handwritten letter is not actually the Empress Dowager Xiao Puxian's intention.

Xiao Gan's words were not very sincere.

Yelü Dashi just laughed heartily, grasped Xiao Gan's hand and said, "I have nothing to be ashamed of. King Xiao is not a Han Chinese, unlike Li Chuwen and his son, who would willingly surrender to the Southern Dynasty! The Khitan and Xi people are originally one, and from now on, this heavy responsibility will be entrusted to King Xiao!"

Since the Jurchen uprising, Yelü Dashi has smiled more than he has in this one night.

He seemed to have seen through something, or perhaps he had let go of something; his entire demeanor and spirit were different.

Xiao Gan looked at him, trying to glean something from his eyes, but to no avail.

Yelü Dashi truly let go. In his heart, this hero of the last days of the Khitan had tried his best, but he did not really want to exhaust the last bit of vitality of the Khitan.

Did the street battle between Yanjing City and Xiao Gan ultimately benefit the Song people or the Jurchens?

Or perhaps, from the moment Xiao Gan rushed back to seize power, Yelü Dashi had already given up hope on this small Northern Liao court!

Xiao Gan is already the most reliable person, yet he remains the same. In Nanjing Prefecture, the tragedies of the Liao Dynasty's Upper Capital, Middle Capital, and Western Capital will surely be repeated.

There is not a glimmer of hope in sight.

He's leaving.

The hope for the revival of the Liao Dynasty does not lie in Nanjing Prefecture, nor in Youyan, and certainly not in this King Xiao who is not of Khitan blood.

Yelü Dashi was utterly disappointed in them. He wanted to leave this place and go to a place where the Jurchens could not reach for the time being, to gather strength and strive to revive the Khitan Empire in his own way.

Rumors circulated in Yanjing that the power transition between Xiao Gan and Yelü Dashi had ended peacefully.

Those involved remained tight-lipped, and no one knew exactly how much struggle and intrigue was involved.

How many people lost their lives in this covert war!

On that day, faint shouts and sounds of fighting could be heard from within the palace of Yanjing. After Xiao Gan entered the city, torches were lit all the way from the palace to Yelü Dashi’s residence, which was witnessed by everyone in Yanjing.

The next day, large trucks carried out piles of things that were completely covered up, with faint traces of blood still visible.

No one knows whether Xiao Gan sent someone to enter the palace beforehand and kill Yelü Dashi, who was guarding Empress Xiao and his guards' corpses in the palace.

Yelü Dashi's decision to return to Yanjing and execute Li Chuwen ahead of time, completely disregarding the small court of Northern Liao, was an act of venting his anger that was not in Yelü Dashi's character.

As long as the Empress Dowager was still alive, a decree from the young emperor was easily issued. With the main Khitan army observing and the Xi army entering the city, and with a legitimate reason for surrender, how could Yelü Dashi, even a paragon of virtue, not surrender without a fight?
However, while Xiao Gan let him go and let Yelü Dashi go, Xiao Gan was also preparing for a big event.

The Liao Dynasty had reached this point, having defeated the Song people several times and personally led troops into battle to confront the Jurchen vanguard.

I have done right by the Liao Dynasty.

Since the Liao Dynasty is beyond saving, why should I waste my heart and soul and die for their Khitan empire?

Even if he were to die, he wanted to die for the Xi people. He wanted to unite the last remaining forces in Yanjing City, return to the ancestral lands of the Xi people, and establish himself as the Xi Emperor to the east of Yanjing!
From then on, the Xi people no longer fought for the Liao Dynasty, but only for themselves!

Yelü Dashi faced west, Xiao Gan faced east, and the Liao Dynasty, barely clinging to life, was still ruled by Emperor Yelü Yanxi.

However, on the night Yelü Dashi left, it was essentially destroyed.
-
In the winter of the fourth year of the Xuanhe era, as the New Year approached.

The Dingnan Army, which had just embarked on its westward expedition, was returning home. This battle was not particularly exciting, but the results were quite substantial!

Because they encountered little resistance, the western expeditionary army swept through the enemy lines with ease, and even the most difficult city, Liangzhou, was captured in just three days.

They beheaded the Liang King of Western Xia, reclaimed the Hexi Corridor, and presented their victory at Bianliang.

Both the Song Dynasty and the Dingnan Army were very happy.

One reason is that he gained a good reputation, and the credit for recovering lost territory was naturally attributed to Zhao Ji.

The Dingnan Army, on the other hand, gained tangible benefits. The Hexi Corridor was a good place, and from then on, the Dingnan Army's caravans had another way to make money.

Chen Shao had known the importance of money before, but he only truly understood it after taking control of such a large territory.

All ambitions require financial support; otherwise, they are just empty talk.

Chen Shao was very cautious when he came, but he relaxed a lot when he left.

Because officials had already been assigned to all the prefectures in Hexi, and they were all his men.

These officials hosted banquets for Chen Shao, who was no longer so cold and aloof. He ate and drank along the way and finally made it back to Xingqing Prefecture across the desert before the New Year.

In Xingqing Prefecture, many people waited outside the city, and their carriages finally arrived at sunset.

Chen Shaowan declined the banquet they had arranged, saying he wanted to return home to rest.

Wei Li and the others understood that he had been traveling a long and arduous journey, so they offered their congratulations and then left.

Back at the mansion, Chen Shao led his two new concubines back to the inner courtyard. The young women were somewhat uneasy behind Chen Shao, unsure of what the first wife's temperament would be like.

Zhang Yinghan gently tugged at Zhai Rui, afraid that she was getting too close to Chen Shao and arousing the jealousy of the first wife.

Cui Rui, who also came from a wealthy family, immediately understood, having seen plenty of such absurd and ridiculous things in her household.

Isn't that all there is to life in the inner quarters of a wealthy family?

"Thank you so much, sister. I hope you will take good care of me in the future."

"Let's look after each other."

Zhang Yinghan whispered to her.

Chen Shao turned around and asked curiously, "What are you two whispering about? Why are you standing so far away from me? Come here!"

The two exchanged a glance and stepped forward helplessly. Their master had spoken, and no matter how many tricks they had up their sleeves, it was useless.

Chen Shao had gotten quite familiar with the two women along the way. He put his arm around their slender waists and said with a smile, "I know what you're worried about, but you don't need to be so careful. My inner quarters are quite different from yours."

Overall, Huanhuan has nothing to be jealous of because of her unique upbringing.

She hadn't witnessed much of the intrigue and power struggles within the inner quarters of the household. She had always been of a higher generation, and even Zhong Shidao's son, who was fifty years old, could only respectfully call her "Auntie."

Moreover, the stepmother, Zhe Shi, was also naive, and the two of them together didn't have much guile.

Zhang Yinghan immediately replied obediently, "Don't worry, Master, we will definitely serve the mistress well and not cause you any trouble."

Zhai Rui nodded vigorously from the side.

Chen Shao suddenly felt bored, pinched her butt, and ignored her.

There's no point in saying anything more. They'll just have to fend for themselves from now on. Whether they do well or poorly depends on their own abilities.

Back in the inner courtyard, Chen Shao went to Zhong Lingxi's courtyard and was surprised to find Li Shishi and the Jin sisters there.

It seems that after learning that I was coming back, they all gathered together to welcome me back.

Chuntao stepped forward, took off his cloak, changed his clothes, and stared intently at him.

Chen Shao touched the back of her hand and said with a smile, "Get me a hand warmer, my hands are terribly cold."

Chuntao responded crisply and turned to get him a hand warmer.

Zhong Lingxi said with dissatisfaction, "Why do you have Tao'er busy when you can just order around a maid?"

"When did you two become so close?" Chen Shao sat down with a grin. The table was full of food and wine. He was about to pick up some food when Li Shishi slapped him on the shoulder. "Wash your face and hands first. You've been out and about, covered in dust."

After speaking, she got up and personally helped him wash up, her eyes filled with tenderness. Chen Shao and she exchanged a glance, both understanding each other without saying a word.

We can stay up together again this year.

"Where's my stepmother?" Chen Shao asked, wiping his hands.

"She went back. Zhong Lie came to pick her up personally." Zhong Lingxi said this with some unhappiness.

Chen Shao felt the same way, and secretly thought of sending her some gifts and a letter along with them, so that she wouldn't be lonely in the New Year.

"These two are the concubines you took in Shazhou?" Zhong Lingxi asked with a smile, looking at Zhang Yinghan and Zhai Rui.

Chen Shao nodded, and the two maids quickly stepped forward to pay their respects to their mistress.

"Sit down and eat together."

She quite liked that Chen Shao brought some people with him. Zhong Lingxi hadn't had many friends since she was a child, and being too senior wasn't a good thing. People of similar age treated her with great respect.

After coming to Chen Shao's side, Chun Tao became very fond of him, and Jin Le'er also became her playmate.

Perhaps she will feel jealous in the future, but not now; she doesn't have that ability yet.
The two sat down carefully, only daring to touch half of their buttocks to the chair. When Zhong Lingxi asked a question, they stood up to answer.

Zhong Lingxi immediately found the eldest sister boring and stopped talking to them.

These two, however, seemed to have been pardoned.

After the meal, the Jin sisters served Chen Shaojing a bowl of tea and then took their leave.

Chen Shao said with a smile, "I've prepared some gifts for you. I'll personally deliver them tomorrow. By the way, take the two of them with you and let them stay at your place for the night. We'll arrange the courtyard for them tomorrow."

Jin Mo'er secretly winked at him, then blushed and left. Zhai Rui and Zhang Yinghan quickly bowed and followed them away.

Li Shishi thought that her husband might come to find her while she stayed up all night on New Year's Eve, so there was no point in trying now.

She also got up with a smile, ready to leave with Chun Tao.

Chuntao hesitated and refused to leave, saying she wanted to keep Huanhuan company.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Lingxi readily agreed, and Chun Tao immediately smiled, took her hand, and sat down together.

Li Shishi glared at Chun Tao in anger, then curtsied to Chen Shaofu before leaving.

Zhong Lingxi looked at Chen Shao still sitting there and asked in confusion, "Why don't you go with them? Tao'er wants to stay here, there's not enough room for her to sleep."

"Nonsense!" Chen Shao said, "This bed is so big, and Chun Tao is so small, how can she not sleep comfortably?"

Zhong Lingxi actually missed Chen Shao a lot, but she was too shy to admit it. Seeing that Chen Shao had offered not to leave, she was secretly delighted, but then yawned and said, "Whatever, I'm going to sleep!"

(End of this chapter)