Chapter 107: Helu Tribe

Chapter 107: Helu Tribe

In Yanbei City.

Han Da had led thirty thousand troops marching day and night and arrived here three days earlier.

After they arrived, they found many refugees gathered here.

Originally, Yanbei City was Bao An’s ‘enclave’, guarded by several thousand garrison troops.

However, after the news of Bao An and his son’s deaths arrived, the garrison troops here revolted on the spot.

After all, most of those stationed here were Bao An’s confidants.

After they fled, Yanbei City, the gateway to Northern Desert, became an empty city.

Yet, even though it became empty, many refugees wandering in the wilderness had come back.

Without officials and prominent families to oppress them, these days had actually been their happiest.

When Han Da’s army first arrived, these refugees were so scared they were about to run away.

Even though they had heard some children’s rhymes.

“The sky of Northern Desert, the land of Northern Desert, a new emperor has come to Northern Desert.”

“The new emperor loves his people, collects no taxes, and even shares the land!”

“The sky of Northern Desert, the land of Northern Desert, the people of Northern Desert are truly happy.”

“The new emperor punishes the powerful. Gives houses, and even gives rice.”

“The sky of Northern Desert, the land of Northern Desert, the new emperor’s army is truly proud.”

“The new army follows discipline. Doesn’t rob the people, and even helps you.”

…

Even though the children sang this, the refugees did not believe it.

After all, they had seen too many soldiers who claimed to rid the people of evil but ended up harming them!

However, before they could run, Han Da’s army sealed off the entire city!

Han Da told them that times had changed! The King of Northern Desert now ruled Northern Desert.

He explained Xiao Ce’s new policies and told them that those willing to stay would be registered and given land.

The refugees couldn’t believe it at first, but they saw Han Da genuinely using their army rations to save people who were starving to death.

Also, the soldiers in this Northern Desert Army seemed different from any they had seen before.

Each soldier greeted them with a smile, never bullied them, and only helped them.

The Northern Desert Army proved with their actions that the rumors were true.

The refugees settled down and registered.

…

Han Da stood on the city wall, watching soldiers in the night dig many Horse Trap Pits around the walls.

Other soldiers were busy strengthening the city’s defenses.

Sun Qiang, who was among the first to defect to Xiao Ce under Bao An’s command, approached.

He said to Han Da, “General Han, the refugees here have been counted. There are sixty thousand! And almost all of them have no food. If we keep supplying them with our army rations… our rations, which should last a hundred days, might not even last a month!”

Han Da replied to Sun Qiang, “I have already requested instructions from the Princess Consort. She has ordered grain requisition from the nearest Prefectural Assistants! They are transporting grain to us! The Prince always says that people are the primary productive force! Every common person is our future wealth!”

Sun Qiang nodded. “General Han, I understand. Since you have made arrangements, that’s good! Our scouts have gone out to investigate several times. The Turks’ troops are restless. They will likely attack us in a few days!”

Han Da’s face was firm, with a hint of excitement. “Good! Tell everyone! Stay extremely alert. We must hold Yanbei City! If the city stands, we live. Even if we die, the city must not fall!”

“The longer we hold out here, the safer the Prince will be!” Han Da looked into the distance with a complex expression.

…

Nightfall came slightly later on the grasslands.

After night fell, Xiao Ce led one thousand cavalry. Guided by Zhang Yunqing, they moved swiftly towards one of the Helu subtribes.

The Turk tribes were formed from countless subtribes into one large tribe!

They did not choose the Helu subtribe nearest to them, but a more distant one.

The reason for choosing that tribe was because during the daytime scouting, Da Lei had discovered that within that Helu subtribe, over a thousand Xiao Kingdom slaves were corralled together like pigs or dogs!

Da Lei observed along the way. Usually, slaves were scattered doing lowly work and were not gathered in such large groups. His gut told him something was wrong.

He reported this to Xiao Ce upon his return.

After hearing this, Zhang Yunqing explained that this period was their ‘Tengri Festival’.

Xiao Ce asked, puzzled, “What is the Tengri Festival?”

Zhang Yunqing explained.

Tengri was the Celestial God worshipped by the Turks.

This festival started from the onset of winter freezing and lasted until the thaw ended! It was a sacrifice to pray for favorable weather in the coming year!

Each tribe had its own method of sacrificing to the Celestial God.

The method used by this Helu Tribe was particularly cruel and bloody.

(The sacrificial method was too bloody and got censored, so it won’t be elaborated on further.)

After hearing Zhang Yunqing describe their sacrificial method, Xiao Ce decided immediately to go there.

The reason was simple: to save those poor Xiao Kingdom slaves! They were innocent and should not be treated that way!

…

In one of the Helu subtribes at that moment.

These Helu Turks sat together, drinking and eating meat. Beside these Turks, a few slaves knelt, bare-chested, serving them.

These slaves were required to kneel for everything they did, never allowed to stand, otherwise they would be whipped.

The scar upon scar on their skin was the best proof!

Not far from the Turks, there was an altar.

Around the altar were piles of white bones, built from skulls and skeletons.

Below the altar, a dark mass of slaves knelt…

The slaves knelt on the ground, trembling!

Their feet were bound with shackles made of thorny vines.

This left their feet bloody and mangled, some even rotten.

These slaves were precisely those captured from the Four Northern Desert Prefectures!

They knelt on the ground, trembling. Their eyes were full of fear and despair.

In the center of the altar stood a large Bronze Cauldron.

Beside the cauldron, two naked slaves kept placing firewood under it to keep the fire burning.

The hot water in the cauldron bubbled and churned!

Next to the cauldron stood a Turk wearing animal furs, his face fierce. He scanned the trembling slaves below the altar and showed a mocking smile. “Good, the time is almost right! Our Helu Tengri Festival is about to begin! It is an honor for you lowly people to offer your worthless bodies in sacrifice to the Celestial God Tengri!”

“Quickly give thanks to the Celestial God Tengri for choosing you! The sacrifice begins!”

At the Turk’s command, a group of five people, bound with thorny vines, were pushed onto the altar.

The five trembled. Their eyes were filled with despair. They had suffered all kinds of abuse and should have been used to it. But they all knew what was about to happen; it was something ten thousand times more terrible than death! A trembling that came from the depths of their souls!