You have truly caused me great suffering!

Old Camp in Southern Desert.

On what used to be the ranches of the Kereit people.

Many children, holding lambs, watched them gather on horseback.

During this chaotic period, the Tatars rallied many times, but their opponents were always the same.

It was to fight the Khitans.
When the Liao Dynasty unified the northern border, the Kereit tribe led the people to resist the cruel exploitation of the Khitan, and at one point they even made the Xijing Prefecture Commandery dare not leave the city.

Later, the Jurchens arrived and conscripted various nomadic tribes from the grasslands to jointly destroy the Liao dynasty.

Now that they have submitted to the Great Jing and become its subjects, they have been conscripted to destroy the Western Liao.

The Tatars, who had been exploited by the Khitans for over three hundred years, were particularly excited when they heard about going to fight the Khitans.

Moreover, now that we have weapons, we no longer need to use bone arrows or wooden sticks tied with stones.

With swords, guns, armor, and even saddles and stirrups, defeating the Khitans wouldn't be difficult.
In fact, they did not know that although the rulers of the Western Liao were Khitans, there were only a few thousand Khitans in total.

Most of the Western Liao troops were Central Asian natives they had conquered.

These people's fighting ability is even worse than that of the Khitans.

Moreover, they might not be very loyal to the Khitan. They had only recently been conquered by the Khitan, and if Yelü Dashi continued to win, they might remain loyal.

They would immediately rebel if Yelü Dashi suffered a defeat.

Just like Fu Jian, the Heavenly King of the Former Qin Dynasty, no matter how much benevolence he showed, after his defeat at the Battle of Fei River, everyone wanted him dead.

Yelü Dashi established the Western Liao Dynasty later than Chen Shao established the Great Jing Dynasty, so he didn't have as much time to win people's hearts.

In the spring of the seventh year of Jianwu, soldiers were being recruited both in the south and north of the Gobi Desert.

The Tatars, Shiwei, Jurchens, Khitans, Xi peoples, and Koreans from the northern desert were recruited to pacify the Ainu people (Hokkaido) in Japan.

Meanwhile, the southern part of the Gobi Desert formed a cavalry force to support the western expedition.

The person in charge of recruiting and mobilizing soldiers was Wang De.

He sat on his horse, frowning, clearly dissatisfied with being assigned this dirty work.

This is truly dirty work.
Because these Tatars do not bathe.

He reeked of a foul odor.

When Wang De came here to recruit soldiers, the first thing he did was to have them bathe in herbs to prevent insects, doing everything according to Jing Jun's requirements.

He was just a young military officer and naturally did not understand his superior's intentions.

From his perspective, the ultimate goal of war is to win, to defeat the enemy.

Our own Han troops are enough; there is no need to conscript Tatars.

However, for the upper echelons, taking the Tatars out to fight a battle is the most transformative thing an army can do to change a person.

When they returned, they carried with them the qualities of the Han army, and they were able to learn the Chinese language in the army.

In the future, they will subtly influence those around them.

If someone makes a great contribution and gets a position in the Central Plains or a newly conquered prefecture, that family is considered to have been completely Sinicized.

Moreover, sending them to fight and conquer the western lands with the Jing army would subconsciously increase their sense of belonging to the Great Jing.

Wang De is not a very meticulous person, and he doesn't pay much attention to hygiene in his daily life.

However, he still disliked the Tatars, but due to military orders, he couldn't just cover his nose and leave.

His attitude was terrible; he was cold and unfriendly to the Tatars, his face expressionless and unsmiling.

But the Tatars were quite content.

This official from the imperial court came to our grasslands and did not kill anyone, reduce the population, rape his own wife and daughters, extort money, or slaughter any of our cattle and sheep.
With a stern face?
So what if you have a stern face?

The misdeeds committed by the Liao and Jin dynasties greatly lowered the Tatars' threshold, making them think that the grumpy-faced Wang De was a living bodhisattva.

In fact, the Tatars were much stronger than before. When the Jin army conscripted them, their appearance as mixed nomadic tribes on the grasslands was only slightly better than that of primitive people.

Those lords and chieftains were the ones who still looked somewhat human.

The others were all humanoid beasts dressed in animal skins.

This trip with Jingjun was actually a great opportunity for them.

Many people will thus enter the civilized world and become a truly respectable 'person'.

Once they cross this chasm, even if they later decline and fall into poverty, they will never return to their former barbaric ways.

At most, he'll be a little frustrated, trying to make a living in the Central Plains and figuring out how to make a comeback.

Chen Shao is actually very good at transforming a race or a group of people.

From the Micao tribe and Hengshan Qiang to the later Wanyan Balisu tribe.

He used various methods to transform them all.

For a long time afterward, Wanyan Balisu's men felt genuine contempt when they saw their former Jurchen comrades.

I don't want to associate with them.
Therefore, when the Jurchens needed troops the most, Wanyan Balisu stayed in the northwest and refused to return to his unit, which almost angered Zong Han to death.

If I could reach him, I would have chopped him down long ago.

Previously, Chen Shao's abilities were limited, so this was the only way he could modify people.

But now his strength is already the strongest in the world, and his methods have naturally reached a higher level.

Winter camps were never the final solution to the grassland problem, but only the beginning.

Regardless of who you're translating, aligning interests is always the best approach.

Going out to fight together and conquering the West was the beginning of our bond.

Another point is that these Tatars on the grasslands are truly the 'victims' of the West.

A hundred years later, when they ravaged the West, their equipment was nowhere near as good as it is today.

Now, with the backing of a super powerful mountain, the Tatar legion has received epic upgrades in supplies, baggage, horses, weapons, and winter clothing.

Their fighting power is far superior to that of the Mongol descendants a hundred years from now.

Throughout history, no dynasty has been better at fighting than the Jing Dynasty.

The emperor's team has been coordinating the war at a high intensity for over a decade, without stopping for even a single year.

The machinery of the empire has long been tainted by a deep-seated war mentality.
-
Inside Li Xiaozhong's camp in the Ili River Valley.

Apart from Wu Jie, the other three kings have all arrived.

Wu Jie did not have a close relationship with them, after all, they had never fought against the Jurchens together.

After sending troops to Nuanquan Peak, Wu Jie parted ways with them and has been guarding the rear area for many years, fighting mostly in the southwest.

These three brothers truly fought side by side and went through life and death together.

The fact that the three of them could get together and chat shows that Chen Shao was kind and that the relationship between the emperor and his subjects was close.

If it were any other emperor, he would have been suspicious.

They themselves also need to avoid suspicion.

Li Xiaozhong poked at the campfire with a stick, saying, "His Majesty's actions in this western expedition are quite significant. The troops he has mobilized do not seem to be targeting only the Western Liao."

"It's just a prelude." Jin Ling was obese, but for some reason, she didn't look bloated at all while sitting there. Instead, she seemed quite composed. "Two years ago, the mines in the Southern Wilderness were robbed, and His Majesty issued an edict to attack Jianyi Village and Zhenla."

"And then?" A knowing laugh rang out from inside the tent.

Later, the entire Southern Wilderness was taken over.

As it turns out, Kasugiri and Zhenla were two completely unlucky people.

Now that they say they're going to fight the Western Liao, how could they only fight the Western Liao? If they really stop here, wouldn't they become a laughing stock among the naval forces in the South China Sea?

When they attacked Jianyi Village and Zhenla, they had a legitimate reason, since the mines were indeed robbed and miners were indeed killed or injured.

Now, the westward expedition has brought up all the old grievances between the Khitans and the Han people.

The Khitans originated in the northern deserts and did not come into contact with the Han people until the Tang Dynasty.

And he really did behave himself, serving as a subordinate to the Tang Dynasty for a long time, until he was forced to rebel by Wu Zetian.

During the Song Dynasty, especially after the Treaty of Chanyuan, the two sides had very close exchanges.

There was never a major war.

The actual feuds were concentrated in the Five Dynasties period.

This became the reason for the Great Jing to start a war.

His Majesty just wants to launch a western expedition. Yelü Dashi is really clueless. Why don't you just surrender?

What right do you have to hit me?
How do you compare to Wanyan Zongwang and Wanyan Zonghan?
Han Shizhong was different from the other two. He had long lost his ambition to achieve great things. Now that he had reached his current position, he just wanted to enjoy the wealth and status he had earned.

Moreover, there was indeed no imminent crisis that warranted him fighting at his age.

So he wasn't as excited as the other two, he just casually echoed them, thinking to himself that His Majesty's ambitions were too great, and that this fight would never end.

Back in Hengshan, you didn't say that. Didn't we agree that once we made a success of it, we'd share the wealth and prosperity together?

At that time, they talked in great detail. Han Shizhong said he wanted to take more concubines, and Chen Shao said he wanted to build a big mansion, hire singers, dancers, and cooks, and serve them fine wine and food.

I have already begun to fulfill my wish from back then, but His Majesty is still striving.

Li Xiaozhong was the most dedicated. He had never left the military camp all these years, and even after being enfeoffed as a king, he continued to command troops on the front lines.

This was partly due to Chen Shao's trust, but also to his own will.

He had always lived in the harsh, cold north.

Li Xiaozhong and Qu Duan were somewhat similar in this respect; both were eager to establish great achievements, and no achievement was too great for them.

He was thinking about the endless lands of the West, and wondered how far they could eventually fight their way.

Throughout history, no one has ever conquered a vast territory as prosperous as we are today. Whenever he thinks of this, he is filled with excitement. “Originally, I thought that conquering the southern and northern deserts would be the greatest achievement in history. When the city of Baidao was built, it was to separate the north and south. I thought that after the city was built, I could dedicate my life to serving His Majesty and completely sweep away the desert.”

"I never imagined that in just a few years, we would be conscripting Tatars to join us on our westward expedition. Even the Heavenly Khan of yesteryear did not have such power and prestige."

Han Shizhong was somewhat tempted by what he said. Why not come out and give it another shot himself?
But after thinking about it carefully, I decided against it.

Their military achievements are already great enough. Apart from Chen Guanglie, no one in the entire Dajing can say that they can definitely surpass the Qiwang Mansion.

What's the real use of such a thing? It's just something that gets its place in later historical records.
My body isn't made of bronze; I didn't know how dangerous it was when I was young, and I really pushed myself to the limit.

What if I get old and don't live long, can't get up, and spend all my time bedridden? That would be a huge loss.

I will continue to follow His Majesty, visit him from time to time to catch up, and I can also make contributions to the Great Jing Dynasty while working in the Privy Council!

The other two were somewhat surprised that he wasn't involved in the western expedition.

But it's better that he doesn't come.
-
Chen Shaoqing was fortunate to have let go of many people in Lingzhou.

If they all come at once, there might really be staff reductions.

It's so cold here.

Especially at night.

Chun Tao is always full of energy wherever she goes, but now she's curled up in bed and won't come out.

"Brother Chen, why is it so cold here!"

"It's still spring," Chen Shao smiled, still holding the candle and looking at the map. "It's much colder in winter."

However, two months later, in late spring and early summer, the snow in the Ili River Valley melted and the grasslands turned green again, which not only ensured the passage of the army but also solved the problem of food and fodder for the warhorses.

At that time, the grass was lush and the roads were clear. The average daily temperature was stable at 10-20℃. Early summer was the best time to send out troops, with green grass and fat horses.

Yelü Dashi had less than two months left.

Thinking about this, Chen Shao became somewhat excited.

In reality, Yelü Dashi was merely a stepping stone, the first gate through which he broke into the West.

But Yelü Dashi was also the biggest opponent in this western expedition.

So once you get rid of him, the rest will be much easier.

Just then, Li Wanshu came in carrying a wooden basin, making her shiver with cold.

Chen Shao asked, "Isn't there a coal stove burning?"

"It was a little cold when I went out to fetch water."

Chen Shao pulled her into his arms, and sure enough, her body was ice-cold.

Li Wanshu trembled and secretly glanced around. Only Consort Wu on the bed was watching.

She mustered her courage and wrapped her arms around Chen Shao's waist, and Chen Shao held her as they walked together in front of the wall.

She bent over and followed with small, quick steps, looking just like a girl being bullied by a school bully.

But I felt very happy inside.

She had no interest in maps and didn't know why His Majesty could look at them for hours on end.

"Let's all sleep inside tonight." Chen Shao's sleeping place was the warmest; even the outer room was a bit cold.

Before Li Wanshu could speak after Chen Shao finished speaking, Chun Tao laughed. She held tightly to the edge of the quilt, only her head peeking out, "Okay, okay, come up here and let me hug you."

Chuntao was an untamable horse, wandering from one palace to another every day and rarely returning to her own.

She was familiar with everyone and was a social butterfly in the palace. But if you had to pick her closest friend, it would be Jin Laosan.

Li Wanshu blushed, thinking to herself that this was the border, so she should be fine and decided to be reckless this once in a while.

Chen Shao then thought that the weather in Xiliao was probably no better, and neither side could mobilize manpower to prepare for war at this time.

The soldiers also remained holed up in their camps, waiting to launch their attack in late spring.

I started stockpiling supplies several years in advance. Do you, Yelü Dashi, have the same resources?

Although Yelü Dashi had been winning battles in the west, his forces were too weak; he only brought a small number of men, which was a disadvantage from the start.

Even if you manage to hold out, you can't afford to waste time. The outcome of the great battle will be decided within six months at the latest.

As for Yelü Dashi's talk of building some kind of defensive line, Chen Shao thought it was pure nonsense.

Perhaps they deliberately spread the rumor to lull themselves into a false sense of security.

When I first arrived, I was faced with Tong Guan preparing to attack Liao and deal with Yelü Dashi.

You were incredibly strong back then.

Now, it's time to strike Yelü Dashi again.

I'm not Commander Tong Xuan, Yelü Dashi, and you don't have Xiao Gan by your side anymore. (End of Chapter)