Chapter 118: I Call the Shots in Jin Prefecture

The eight major Thousand-Man Commanders of Jin Prefecture were divided into Upper, Lower, Left, and Right, as well as the Southern, Northern, Hexi, and Dongshan Thousand-Man Commanders.

Among them, the Upper Thousand-Man Commander was Xiao Lintuo’s trusted aide, a Khitan.

The Lower Thousand-Man Commander had now become Amo, Li Xiao’s younger brother.

The Northern and Right Thousand-Man Commanders were Wumeng and Huliji, two nomadic leaders.

Then, the Left Thousand-Man Commander was Li Xiao, the Southern Thousand-Man Commander was Li Dashan, the Hexi Thousand-Man Commander was Li Erjiang, and the Dongshan Thousand-Man Commander was Luo Ping.

These four Han Thousand-Man Commanders almost completely administered the more than twenty thousand Han people in the entire Jin Prefecture.

They also became Li Xiao’s base, belonging to his direct line of forces.

In addition, there was a Golden Mountain Thousand-Man Commander, which belonged to an unofficial establishment.

It was precisely the more than one thousand one hundred soldiers hidden by Li Xiao on the Naiman battlefield.

They were still staying at the Altai Mountains now. Only after Xiao Sima’s grand army left would these more than one thousand one hundred people return to Jin Prefecture with a large amount of cattle, sheep, supplies, and women.

And the Golden Mountain Thousand-Man Commander was currently also concurrently held by Li Xiao.

However, specific affairs were all discussed and handled by Li Sanhe, Li Sishui, and several other Li clan members.

Li Xiao planned to formally appoint Li Sanhe as the Golden Mountain Thousand-Man Commander after some time.

Calculating this way, Li Xiao’s direct forces included five Thousand-Man units. If disregarding the consequences, it was completely sufficient to pull up a cavalry army of more than five thousand men.

At the same time, there was also the Naiman Huoerma Tribe, with six hundred cavalry obeying Li Xiao’s orders to be deployed at any time.

Then there was Amo’s Lower Thousand-Man Unit.

Calculating like this, the military strength in Li Xiao’s hands had reached nearly seven thousand men.

And all of them were cavalry!

He leaped to become one of the military leaders with the strongest military strength in the entire Northern Frontier.

…

In the following time, Li Xiao personally backed Amo up.

Summoning all the other Hundred-Man Commanders of the Lower Thousand-Man Unit to his own large tent.

He announced Xiao Sima’s order to them.

“Thousand-Man Commander Wuliji is dead. Now Amo is the new Thousand-Man Commander. You will listen to his orders in the future.”

“Does anyone disagree?”

In the large tent, Li Xiao sat at the head, speaking in a faint voice.

His tone was full of oppression.

In the Lower Thousand-Man Unit, there were a total of nine Hundred-Man Commanders.

Four of them were from the Wuliji Tribe, and the remaining five were leaders of other small tribes.

Hearing Li Xiao’s words, they stood in the tent, looking at each other.

They lowered their heads one after another and said, “We have no objection.”

“We respectfully obey Governor Li’s order.”

The five of them had followed Xiao Lintuo to the central army’s large tent before. Although they didn’t understand this matter deeply…

The final result told them.

Xiao Lintuo suffered a loss, and Li Xiao won.

Whether to Li Xiao or Xiao Lintuo, they had no loyalty to speak of at all.

But following the strong was human nature.

So now that things had come to this, they naturally wouldn’t foolishly continue to oppose Li Xiao and decisively chose to bow their heads.

Moreover, letting Amo inherit the position of Lower Thousand-Man Commander was also the result they hoped to see.

After all, this also meant that once something happened to them one day, the position of Hundred-Man Commander could likewise be inherited by their own sons.

It was a good thing for everyone.

Thus, to maintain the legitimacy of this ‘inheritance system’, the five subsequently bowed to Amo with their arms crossed over their chests.

“Greetings, Thousand-Man Commander.”

Amo appeared somewhat immature in such matters and said hurriedly, “No need for ceremony, no need for ceremony.”

“We are not strangers; you few are even my uncles’ generation, no need to be so polite.”

In fact, Amo knew clearly in his heart how much weight he carried.

He didn’t have the prestige and strength to subdue these five people yet.

What truly made these five people bow their heads was Li Xiao standing behind him.

The Vice Military Governor of Jin Prefecture who held great power, a forceful figure who pressed the main Military Governor Xiao Lintuo so hard he couldn’t breathe.

It was precisely with his support that Amo could smoothly take down the position of Thousand-Man Commander and take the five under his command.

Although it was relying on someone else’s power to bully others, Amo was exceptionally infatuated with this feeling.

And he was also very grateful to Li Xiao in his heart.

After all, according to the tradition of nomadic tribes, after the leader died, the tribe would very likely scatter in an uproar.

Even if Amo managed to maintain the Wuliji Tribe reluctantly, it would definitely become a small tribe, surviving with difficulty.

But now, although his father died and the Wuliji Tribe’s losses were also not small, Amo could still inherit this position.

No need to worry about enemy attacks and the flight of tribesmen.

Business as usual.

So, Amo was already very satisfied.

After these five people left, he knelt on one knee in the tent and said to Li Xiao.

“From now on, this subordinate’s life belongs to you”

“If the Vice Governor has any instructions, this subordinate will definitely go through fire and water, not declining under any circumstances.”

His tone was full of firmness, and his expression looked grateful to tears.

Li Xiao stood up, personally helped him up, patted his shoulder, and said with a tone of praise, “Good!”

“Amo, I already know your loyalty. But what I want is not only your obedience but also your wisdom and courage. You are a general under my command, my brother, and even more, my right-hand man.”

“Do you understand?”

Amo looked up, gratitude and firmness flashing in his eyes: “Rest assured, Governor; this subordinate will definitely be loyal and not let down your trust.”

Li Xiao nodded, his gaze profound: “Currently, undercurrents are surging in Jin Prefecture.”

“Xiao Lintuo suffered a loss this time and will inevitably be unwilling; he will definitely retaliate.”

“You have offended him to death; maybe he will make a move on you.”

“You must pay attention to your safety; you are not allowed to act alone at any time.”

“Then, it’s about the troops of the Wuliji Tribe.”

“I will order Hexi Fortress to hand over all the captured population of your Wuliji Tribe to you to continue commanding.”

Hearing Li Xiao’s words, Amo looked even more grateful. He knelt on one knee again, expressing loyalty to Li Xiao, willing to die for him, and so on.

“Rest assured, Governor; I still have certain prestige in the Wuliji Tribe.”

“Now with these captured troops, I can definitely destroy Etulu and take back the tribe,” Amo said loudly.

Although the High Priest died, his son Etulu was still controlling the Wuliji Tribe.

Next, Amo would take advantage of the time when the other party hadn’t received the news to destroy him as soon as possible.

And in this process, Li Xiao would also send people to coordinate.

To unify the Lower Thousand-Man Unit as soon as possible for his own use.

After Amo left the large tent with confident steps, Xiao Yanyan walked in from the other side and chuckled.

“This Wuliji tribesman looks quite loyal.”

“Loyal?” Li Xiao raised his eyebrows and shook his head gently.

“I prefer to call him someone who understands the times.”

Amo might not necessarily be that loyal to Li Xiao, and Li Xiao likewise didn’t have much trust in him.

It was all compelled by the situation, done out of necessity.

Currently, the position of Thousand-Man Commander must be inherited by a son.

Otherwise, Li Xiao really didn’t want a foreigner to hold such an important position; he would prefer to let his own people rise.

But there was no choice—now he could only control the Lower Thousand-Man Unit through Amo.

In the future, Li Xiao would definitely make adjustments slowly.

Although Amo would still be the Thousand-Man Commander, the Hundred-Man Commanders under him might no longer be people he was familiar with.

“That’s not bad either; after all, not everyone understands the times so well.” Xiao Yanyan smiled gently.

Swaying her body, she walked in front of Li Xiao and sat on Li Xiao’s lap.

Breathing like orchids, her finger pad slid across Li Xiao’s cheek, and she said with a smile, “For example, you, Grand Governor Li.”

“You don’t seem to be a person who understands the times.”

“My big brother has almost hinted to you explicitly that the matter stops here, don’t continue to hold on tight.”

“But you…”

“Hmph, caused me to be scolded by Big Brother just now.”

Saying this, Xiao Yanyan looked aggrieved and bit Li Xiao’s shoulder: “It’s all your fault.”

Separated by clothes, it didn’t hurt at all.

Li Xiao shook his head and said, “That’s because his own butt is sitting crooked, always wanting to shield Xiao Lintuo.”

“Making me full of anger in my heart too!”

Although for Li Xiao, the result was already maximizing benefits.

But Xiao Sima’s attitude made Li Xiao understand that it would probably be difficult to bring down Xiao Lintuo in a short time.

Xiao Yanyan gave a charming smile, pinching Li Xiao’s chin, and said, “Little man, you look quite manly when angry.”

“By the way, my big brother is preparing to set off in three days, returning to the Eastern Capital.”

“Three days?”

Good!

In another three days, Xiao Sima would get lost.

With no one pressing down on Li Xiao’s head, he would become completely free.

Doing whatever he wanted.

As for Xiao Lintuo, just treat him as a decoration.

Although looking forward to Xiao Sima’s departure in his heart, on the surface, he looked surprised.

“Why leave in such a hurry?”

“Are you leaving together too? Or staying in Jin Prefecture?”

Xiao Yanyan bit lightly and snorted, “What would I stay in Jin Prefecture for?”

“It’s not justifiable or proper.”

Li Xiao gave a helpless smile— it seemed this woman couldn’t wait.

“Next year, I will take Grandfather or Second Uncle to the Eastern Capital.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yanyan snorted lightly, and the corners of her lips turned upward.

She said, “My big brother has stayed in Jin Prefecture too long.”

“News just came that the Karluks in Ili seem to have become restless too.”

“Ili?” Li Xiao was surprised.

Ili was located south of the Eastern Capital, separated only by a mountain range.

And there were many more Karluks in Ili than in Jin Prefecture.

Historically, the Karluks in Ili indeed caused many disturbances.

Although the specific process wasn’t recorded, undoubtedly, they were all suppressed in the end.

This Karluk ethnic group, in Li Xiao’s eyes, had seemingly become representative of being weak yet loving to play.

“Do the Karluks in Ili… have anything to do with the Royal Court?”

Li Xiao asked in a faint voice.

Xiao Yanyan, squatting below, immediately rolled her eyes at him: “How could it have nothing to do with it?”

“It must be Zhilugu playing dirty tricks behind the scenes.”

Ili was so close to the Eastern Capital—once the Karluks caused big trouble, it would inevitably have a huge impact on the Eastern Capital.

It might even shake Xiao Sima’s foundation.

Only Yelü Zhilugu would do such things that harmed others without benefiting himself.

“Then, it is indeed necessary to go back quickly.” Li Xiao nodded and said, his heart blossoming with joy.

Xiao Sima, hurry up and get lost.

As long as he leaves, Li Xiao calls the shots in Jin Prefecture.