Chapter 31: A Barbaric Era

“A man’s greatest joy lies in subduing the chaotic masses, defeating enemies, seizing everything they own, riding their fine horses, and taking their beautiful wives and concubines.”

This is a sentence Temujin said in history.

War has always been this cruel, especially in environments like the Western Regions and the Mongolian steppe. Without the constraints of morality and rules, the ‘evil’ in human nature is brought into full play.

In the concept of ancient nomadic tribes, the distribution of spoils after a victorious war included population, livestock, wealth, and many other aspects.

Possessing the enemy’s wives and daughters was even seen as a symbol of conquering the enemy, and was also related to the tribal concept of reproduction at that time.

Because population was a very important resource for nomadic peoples, women could bear offspring for the tribe and continue the tribe’s bloodline.

Therefore, in this period where tribal conflicts were frequent and force was supreme, this concept was very common and was an embodiment of grassland war culture.

Whether nomadic peoples or Han people, all followed this rule.

…

Before long, screams, wails, and cheers merged into one in the camp.

During the battle, the four-fortress coalition was a pack of wolves capable of destroying any opponent who dared to resist, but after the battle, they were a pack of beasts.

Crazy beasts!

Li Xiao rode through the camp, ignoring the cries of Karluk women coming from those tents.

The price for the defeated was this cruel.

If blame must be assigned, blame the Karluk men for lacking the ability to protect their women.

Li Xiao couldn’t stop it, nor would he stop it.

“Truly a barbaric era!” Li Xiao shook his head.

First, clarify a concept: soldiers in this era fought not for so-called patriotism.

They were not the soldiers fighting for ideals and beliefs eight hundred years later; they were just a group of ordinary herdsmen fighting for survival and benefits.

Their combat needs were also clear: under the premise of protecting themselves and their relatives from infringement, to plunder the enemy’s cattle, sheep, wealth, and women.

Snatch everything of the enemy’s.

Allow their families to live a better life and live more comfortably themselves.

This was the inexhaustible motivation for their powerful combat effectiveness.

And they also needed to vent the repression in their hearts and soothe the psychological trauma brought about by the tense battle earlier.

So, at this moment, all the soldiers of the four fortresses went crazy.

They rushed barbarically toward those Karluk women.

Facing this post-war madness, or reward, Li Xiao simply couldn’t stop it.

Because that would harm the interests of the majority.

Although the people of Hexi Fortress would obey Li Xiao’s orders, dissatisfaction might accumulate in their hearts.

Li Xiao’s prestige hadn’t been completely established yet, and he wouldn’t easily do things that damaged his own foundation.

As for the soldiers of the other three fortresses, Li Xiao was even more powerless.

“Since ancient times, war has been this cruel, so I cannot fail.”

Riding on his horse, holding a horse lance, Li Xiao looked up at the pitch-black starry sky and murmured in an indifferent voice.

Then he slowly closed his eyes, letting the fine rain fall on his face, feeling nature’s baptism, which also made Li Xiao’s mind calmer.

Thinking about how to walk his path in the future.

The individual combat power of the Northern Border Han people was tough, and the overall combat effectiveness of the four-fortress coalition was also very formidable.

But in Li Xiao’s view, these factors couldn’t be considered the decisive elements of a truly powerful army.

“New Army!”

Suddenly, Li Xiao opened his eyes and murmured in a low voice.

“I must build a brand-new army, an army that truly belongs to me, Li Xiao.”

What are the most important core elements of a truly powerful, invincible army?

Cohesion!

Singularity of command!

Resolute obedience!

Only then come individual combat power and other elements.

Although Li Xiao was already the Lord of Hexi Fortress, for his own prestige to reach the Old Master’s level where his word was law would require a long time of accumulation.

Adults of Li Dashan’s generation would sometimes treat Li Xiao as a junior, let alone the older generation.

Although Li Xiao had established a certain prestige with his own battle achievements, enabling the Hexi Fortress crowd to obey his orders…

Once Li Xiao’s decision violated their interests, the so-called obedience would inevitably be greatly discounted.

But Li Xiao’s ambition was huge; what he saw in his eyes was the entire world.

Although the Han people of the Northern Border were regarded by Li Xiao as his base, they had to be changed, even reformed.

Because currently, the many fortresses and villages of the Northern Border Han people were like a sheet of loose sand. The four-fortress coalition seemed like a monolith.

But in reality, it was established on the basis of intermarriage relationships and the personal prestige of the fortress lords.

This alliance relationship was very unstable.

The alliance of many Han fortresses in the Northern Border was actually exactly the same as the tribal model of nomadic peoples.

The leader could only control everyone in the tribe by commanding the tribal headmen.

Everything had to be premised on the interests of the fortress.

Once it didn’t align with their own interests, this alliance relationship would become loose.

Therefore, with this method similar to a tribal alliance, even if a regime was established, division would only be a matter of time.

“Power must be concentrated.” Li Xiao muttered to himself in a deep voice.

And this required a New Army that completely obeyed Li Xiao’s orders.

This army couldn’t use fortress and clan forces as its skeleton but had to promote based on military merit, using personal ability as the sole standard for measuring positions.

Most importantly, there could only be one voice.

…

In the camp, the voices of Karluk women rose one after another, but Li Xiao’s figure walked further and further away.

Just at this time, Dahu and Erhu walked toward him face-to-face.

“Brother~”

Seeing Li Xiao, the two accelerated their horses and ran over.

When they got close, only then did Li Xiao discover that a rope was being pulled behind Dahu’s warhorse.

At the end of the rope was tied a person, following behind with stumbling and wretched steps.

“They are all reveling; why didn’t you go over together?” Li Xiao looked at the two and asked.

Three young bachelors gathering together indeed seemed out of place with the liveliness in the camp.

“I, I didn’t dare~”

Dahu said with a slight blush, looking embarrassed.

It could be seen that this was an honest child.

Afraid of being scolded by his mother after going back.

But Erhu was bold; he chuckled and said: “I originally wanted to go over and have some fun, but I was dragged by Dahu to find someone.”

Erhu was tough-skinned; even if he participated in the revelry, he wasn’t afraid of his mother finding out. If beaten, then beaten; it didn’t hurt anyway.

But his idea was delayed by Dahu after all.

Looking at their contrasting expressions, Li Xiao shook his head and laughed: “We all practice martial arts; breaking the body (losing virginity) too early isn’t good.”

“Wait until you are sixteen.”

Although people in this era could marry very early, studies in later generations showed that losing virginity too early did have some impact on the body.

The short lifespan of ancient people, besides dietary structure, might also be related to this point.

Of course, mainly Li Xiao didn’t want to settle so hastily.

Proud and arrogant, he looked down on these Karluk women.

“Who is he?”

Li Xiao’s gaze turned to the person tied by the rope behind.

Dirty all over, with disheveled hair and a dirty face, his appearance couldn’t be seen clearly, but judging by his dress, he should be a Han person.

Mentioning this person, Dahu’s expression instantly became excited.

“Brother, I know where my dad is.”

Hearing this, Li Xiao was also surprised.

His cheap father and second uncle didn’t return after going to the Northern Mountains. Although guessing they should still be alive, there was no news at all.

But Dahu hadn’t given up asking around. While others went to the female prisoner camp to revel, he dragged Erhu to the male prisoner camp.

Finally found the news he wanted.

“Dahu, don’t get excited first, speak slowly.” Seeing Dahu’s excited appearance, Li Xiao hurriedly comforted him.

Next, through Dahu’s description, Li Xiao learned this Han person’s identity.

He was from Qianhe Village, named Wu Dayong.

But after the Battle of the Northern Mountains, he surrendered to the Karluks and became a traitor.

He even infiltrated Sanhe Fortress, sneak-attacked the Han people of Sanhe Fortress, and helped the Karluks capture Sanhe Fortress.

It could be said that such a person dying a hundred times would not be enough to atone for his crimes.

After Li Xiao and the others defeated the Karluks, Wu Dayong was quickly captured and then recognized by the surviving Han people of Sanhe Fortress.

Fortunately, Dahu and Erhu arrived in time; otherwise, Wu Dayong would definitely have been skinned alive by those women who lost their husbands and children.

“No wonder he’s covered in scratches!”

Li Xiao looked at Wu Dayong with an indifferent gaze and said.

Dying like this would simply be too cheap for him.

Feeling Li Xiao’s cold gaze, Wu Dayong’s body trembled violently, and he actually knelt down directly.

“Spare my life, spare my life~”

“I was wrong, I’m not a decent thing, I shouldn’t have surrendered to the Karluks.”

“But I had no choice!”

“They threatened me with my son’s life!”

Wu Dayong cried and shouted, mixed with grief.

The number of people in Qianhe Village was small, and adults couldn’t meet the Khitan conscription quota, so they could only send teenagers.

Wu Dayong and his son were both captured by the Karluks.

He might be a good father, but absolutely no one would forgive his actions.

“Speak, where is my second uncle?”

Li Xiao asked in a cold voice, having already sentenced him to death in his heart.

“Hou Village, Li Erjiang is in Hou Village!”

Wu Dayong couldn’t wait to confess.

Previously, he wanted to negotiate terms with Dahu and Erhu using this, but after these two boys beat his son severely in front of Wu Dayong, this guy instantly became obedient.

He simply confessed everything he knew.

(End of this chapter)