Chapter 44: The Base of Power

The news of the annihilation of Aslan’s tribe soon spread within the Moman tribe.

“How is it possible?”

“Aslan’s tribe was a large tribe like our Moman tribe; how could it be annihilated by Han people overnight?”

“It’s true. During the thunderstorm the day before yesterday, the Han people took advantage of the night to launch a sneak attack, and Aslan’s tribe was completely unprepared.”

“A large tribe of more than three thousand people… gone just like that?”

“How can the Han people be so formidable? Does that mean our Moman tribe is also in danger?”

“Strengthen defenses! Don’t let those Han people find loopholes.”

“Sigh, this battle is getting hard to fight!”

…

On this day, the entire Moman tribe was shrouded in heavy pressure.

Through word of mouth among the herdsmen, everyone knew the news of Aslan’s tribe being destroyed.

Originally, the Moman tribe had breached Wuya Village, and morale was high, with an arrogant momentum from top to bottom.

They were preparing to carry out grand plans next, capturing more Han fortresses.

But the arrival of this news was like a basin of cold water poured in winter, silencing all the Karluks.

Unknowingly, a pessimistic mood even began to spread.

Many people even began to doubt whether this uprising could succeed…

Of course, the most helpless one was Hou Wen.

After hearing this news, Hou Wen returned to his temporary tent and sat in a daze for a long time.

His brows were tightly furrowed, his face gloomy, constantly changing.

Finally, he cursed fiercely: “A brat is unworthy of consultation.”

“These Karluks are simply a bunch of useless trash.”

Hou Wen’s mood was terrible.

Originally, he was optimistic about the Karluk rebellion and prepared to bet on the Karluks!

But unexpectedly, the powerful Aslan tribe was annihilated overnight.

It simply refreshed Hou Wen’s worldview.

He racked his brains but couldn’t understand which fortress had such strong power.

Or was it a joint operation of several fortresses?

But regardless, this meant that a powerful military force had appeared among the Han people, possessing the strength to confront the Karluks.

“Sigh, if I had known this earlier, I wouldn’t have come here,” Hou Wen muttered to himself in a deep voice.

With Aslan’s tribe annihilated, the strength of the Karluks was greatly damaged, and the future was dim.

Hou Wen no longer believed the Karluk rebellion could succeed.

Once the Khitan army from the Eastern Capital arrived, cooperating with this Han army in Jin Prefecture, the remaining two Karluk tribes would hardly be able to resist.

So, Hou Wen regretted it.

He shouldn’t have defected to the Karluks so early.

“Fortunately, not many people know about this matter!” Hou Wen murmured.

Besides the Karluks, only his own people from Hou Village knew.

In this way, there was still room for maneuver.

“After going back, kill Li Erjiang and those people immediately.”

Just as Hou Wen was considering how to remedy the situation, two hurried footsteps sounded, and the tent flap was lifted directly.

“Village Lord~”

“What is it?”

Hou Wen frowned slightly and said somewhat unhappily.

But when he looked back, his face changed slightly.

“Old Five, why are you here?”

There were two people coming. The one in front was one of the two Hou family guards following him.

The person behind looked flustered and wretched, his face full of grief.

He was a cousin of Hou Wen.

He should have been staying in Hou Village, but he actually ran to the Moman tribe to find him.

Hou Wen instantly realized something big had happened.

This person was travel-worn and panicked. Seeing Hou Wen, he actually burst into tears, his legs went soft, and he knelt down directly.

“Wuwuwuwu~”

“Brother, Brother~”

The man’s eyes were red, crying and shouting: “Hou Village is gone~”

“Our Hou family is finished!”

Hearing this, Hou Wen instantly couldn’t sit still, standing up abruptly.

Staring wide-eyed, his face changing drastically, he said angrily: “What happened? How is Hou Village gone? Explain clearly to me.”

Hou Wen’s heart suddenly rose to his throat, his emotions becoming increasingly agitated.

“It was the people from the Li family of Hexi.”

“A junior of the Li family named Li Xiao sneak-attacked our Hou Village~” the man cried.

He recounted to Hou Wen what happened at the time, including Hou Tiancai leading people out and being ambushed, and the village being breached due to emptiness of troops.

When Li Xiao led people to attack Hou Village, seeing the situation was hopeless, he escaped in the chaos.

Hearing this, Hou Wen was completely dumbfounded.

He sat on the ground, constantly murmuring: “How is it possible? How is it possible?”

Immediately after came waves of heartache.

He cursed loudly: “Stupid pig, stupid pig.”

“Simply foolish beyond reach.”

Although Hou Village couldn’t be considered impregnable, it wasn’t something ordinary people could breach.

If Hou Tiancai hadn’t fallen for the enemy’s plan to lure the tiger out of the mountain, Hou Village would definitely be fine.

At this moment, for the first time, Hou Wen was angry that he had actually fathered such a stupid son; back then, he should have just shot him onto the wall!

And that old man, simply getting more muddled as he lived longer; couldn’t even see through such a simple conspiracy?

It seemed his brains were squeezed dry by women, turning into a dead skull.

“And then?”

Hou Wen asked impatiently.

“All dead, our Hou family members are all dead,” the man cried.

At night, he secretly ran back to Hou Village to take a look and found that the Hou family members were all hacked to death by random blades; he collapsed on the spot.

He immediately ran to the Moman tribe to tell all this to Hou Wen.

“Pfft~”

Hearing this, Hou Wen’s anger attacked his heart, and he spat out a mouthful of blood directly.

Tottering, he fell directly to the ground.

“Brother, Brother~”

“Village Lord.”

Two Hou family members panicked and helped him up, while Hou Wen’s face was already covered in tears, his eyes bloodshot, his gaze ferocious.

Gritting his teeth, he said viciously: “Hexi Fortress, Li Xiao!!”

“The people of the Li family all deserve to die; everyone in Hexi Fortress deserves to die.”

“I will definitely kill you all.”

…

The marching speed of the large group was very slow, especially since there were many elderly people and children among the people of Hou Village, as well as a large number of cattle, sheep, and items.

The cattle and sheep stopped and went on the road, needing to eat grass and drink water, severely slowing down the speed of action.

Although it was only a distance of sixty li, it took a day to arrive.

It was already evening.

Looking at the familiar outline of Hexi Fortress from afar, Li Xiao’s heart also relaxed for a while.

Finally home.

“This is Hexi Fortress? Indeed much bigger than Hou Village.”

Huang Xiu’er constantly sized up Hexi Fortress and said softly.

Because the relationship between Hexi Fortress and Hou Village used to be a bit antagonistic, this was her first time coming to Hexi Fortress!

“Hexi Fortress has more than one thousand three hundred people, certainly bigger than Hou Village,” Li Xiao chuckled.

In fact, initially, the number of people in Hexi Fortress and Hou Village was about the same.

After all, the ancestors of both families were military leaders in the western expedition army, with the same rank and similar numbers of private troops under their command.

The conflict between the two families was also buried from that time.

However, later on, the population of Hexi Fortress grew steadily, while the Hou family treated the private troops as slaves.

The consequence was that there were more and more people in the Hou family, but fewer and fewer people in Hou Village.

That caused the obvious gap between the two families today.

“If you return to Huangsha Village, your parents will definitely help you find another family to marry, but these cattle, sheep, and property might not necessarily belong to you.”

Li Xiao looked at Huang Xiu’er and said: “Just stay in Hexi Fortress with peace of mind in the future. With me here, no one dares to bully you.”

Hearing this, Huang Xiu’er nodded gently with a slightly flushed face, knowing Li Xiao was telling the truth.

The Hou family was the master of Hou Village, so Hou Tiancai’s personal property was not a small amount. Even with only half left, Huang Xiu’er was still a little rich woman.

But in this era, women’s status was very low.

If she returned to Huangsha Village, these assets would definitely be taken over by her maiden family, at most giving a little dowry when remarrying.

But if she stayed in Hexi Fortress, under Li Xiao’s protection, Huang Xiu’er could continue to own these assets and live very well.

Of course, Huang Xiu’er also understood that Li Xiao’s decision was definitely not out of pure kindness.

Thinking of resting on the road at noon, being pulled by Li Xiao to a place with no people to practice oral skills again, ending up choking and coughing, unable to speak…

Huang Xiu’er felt a burst of shame and anger in her heart.

Although married for two years, in front of Li Xiao, she felt like an innocent girl who knew nothing.

This guy was simply rotten to the core.

Huang Xiu’er’s gaze secretly sized up Li Xiao, but for some reason, there was no feeling of dislike in her heart.

At this time, Li Xiao summoned Lin Dazhuang to arrange matters for Hou Village.

“Those tents in the east are for people from Sanhe Fortress.”

“You separate from them and settle in the west.”

“Live in tents for a while first; I will mobilize the people of Hexi Fortress to help you build houses,” Li Xiao arranged.

“Yes, Fortress Lord.” Lin Dazhuang nodded heavily.

Quickly adopting his identity; now they were people of Hexi Fortress, so they definitely had to address Li Xiao as ‘Fortress Lord’.

And Li Xiao’s prestige in the hearts of these Hou Village people was extraordinary.

He was like a dragon slayer, helping the herdsmen of Hou Village kill the evil dragon that was the Hou family.

He was the hero of Hou Village.

But Li Xiao’s strength and ruthlessness also made the Hou Village crowd hold him in awe.

It could be said that the current Li Xiao had replaced the status of the Hou family and became the spiritual leader in the hearts of the Hou Village people.

Even the original residents of Hexi Fortress revered Li Xiao far less than these people from Hou Village.

The people of Hou Village had become another base of power for Li Xiao, making his power grow again.

(End of this chapter)