Chapter 65: The Situation in Jin Prefecture

Nowadays, the small Wuya Village had clearly become a huge military camp.

Gathering nearly twenty thousand troops from Yin Mountain, Beihai, and Jin Prefecture.

Stationed in the most core area was naturally Xiao Simo’s Six Divisions army.

In the big tent, Xiao Simo sat on a folding stool, listening silently to the report of a Khitan soldier with a solemn face.

“The Naiman army has already entered the Altai Mountains, occupying many passes leading to the Naiman tribe, defending strategic points.”

“The military strength is about twenty thousand.”

“On the west side of the Altai Mountains, we also found many Naiman scouts. We exchanged fire several times, with wins and losses.”

Listening to his subordinate’s report, Xiao Simo’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze fixed on a map of the Altai Mountains placed on the table.

Although very simple, several main passes leading to the Mongolian steppe were clearly marked on it.

However, these pass locations were all marked with symbols representing the Naimans by Xiao Simo.

After the soldier finished speaking, a Khitan general named Xiao Linta standing beside the map pointed at these passes occupied by the Naimans and said: “The Naimans have wild ambitions and have coveted our Northern Border for a long time.”

“They were long prepared to send troops to Jin Prefecture, but the Karluks were too useless, causing the Naiman plan to fail.”

Another general, Xiao Tuolatu, nodded heavily and said in a humming voice: “That’s right.”

“Naiman scouts have already appeared in Jin Prefecture; the Naimans are also probing our background.”

“They probably already know the situation in Jin Prefecture pretty well.”

During this period, the Eastern Capital Army stayed in Wuya Village without movement, but Xiao Simo sent out dozens of scout teams into the Altai Mountains to inquire about the Naiman situation.

Plan before moving.

But the Naimans were not idle either, also sending people to inquire about the situation of the Eastern Capital Army.

Both sides were probing, brewing an offensive.

“Go down!”

Xiao Simo waved to the scout and said softly: “You’ve worked hard.”

“Each person go collect ten sheep. For brothers who died in battle, collect thirty sheep to send to their families after returning to the Eastern Capital.”

Scouts were originally a very dangerous branch of the army, with the highest death rate.

So Xiao Simo definitely had to give sufficient rewards; triple rewards for those killed in action.

And the merits of these surviving scouts who brought back important intelligence must also be remembered, and they would definitely be promoted with priority when the opportunity arose.

Only in this way would scouts be willing to risk their lives to truly gather intelligence, rather than just muddling through.

“Thank you for the reward, Great King.” The scout saluted, turned, and left the tent.

Subsequently, Xiao Simo looked at the generals on both sides and said in a deep voice: “Tell me your thoughts; how should this battle be fought?”

The Naimans had already gathered twenty thousand troops in the Altai Mountains, occupying high ground and looking down on Jin Prefecture.

And occupying important passes, possessing terrain advantages.

This battle was not easy to fight.

“In the Altai Mountains, the terrain is complex and the environment changeable. Moreover, the Naimans took the first step and have already guarded the important passes. If we attack by force, the losses will inevitably be considerable,” Xiao Linta said.

“Perhaps we can find a way to lure them down the mountain and eliminate them on the Jin Prefecture grassland.”

Xiao Simo shook his head gently: “The Naimans are not fools.”

“Now that my Eastern Capital Army has gathered, it is the time when Jin Prefecture’s military power is most abundant. The Naimans will absolutely not march west at this time.”

If it really went as Xiao Linta planned, the situation would be simpler instead. Jin Prefecture was Xiao Simo’s home field; the advantage was with him.

Even if the entire Jin Prefecture was beaten to pieces, he would definitely make all the Naimans stay.

Unfortunately, the Naimans would not be so unwise.

At that time, when the Naimans gathered a large army in the Altai Mountains, the situation for the Karluks was very good.

Just waiting for the Karluks to wear down the spirit of the Eastern Capital Army, the Naimans could take advantage of the momentum to march west and unite with the Karluks to eliminate the Eastern Capital Army.

But now, the changes in Jin Prefecture’s situation far exceeded the Naimans’ expectations.

The Karluk rebellion was easily extinguished, and the Eastern Capital Army was intact.

At this time, as long as Tayang Khan’s head was still clear, he would absolutely not rashly enter Jin Prefecture.

After all, the Naiman military strength had no obvious advantage over the Eastern Capital Army. Even if they took Jin Prefecture, it would be a pyrrhic victory, and instead, they might be taken advantage of by other enemies of the Naimans.

Of course, another way was to wait it out with the Naimans.

The Altai Mountains in winter were covered with heavy snow and extremely cold; the average temperature was about ten degrees colder than the Jin Prefecture grassland.

The Naimans definitely couldn’t hold on in the mountains.

But this method wouldn’t work for Xiao Simo either, because he didn’t have time.

The Royal Court was also his enemy. He couldn’t stay in Jin Prefecture forever, giving the Royal Court an opportunity.

In short, the upcoming battle was a huge challenge for both sides.

“Great King, Buyirugh Khan can become our friend; he can help us cross the Altai Mountains.” Xiao Tuolatu mentioned Buyirugh Khan again.

Hearing this, Xiao Simo nodded silently and asked in a deep voice.

“Is there any news from the envoy sent to Northern Naiman?”

Xiao Tuolatu shook his head and said: “Not for the time being. Judging by the time, they might have just arrived in Northern Naiman.”

Xiao Simo said: “Send people over. Tell them that whatever demands Buyirugh Khan makes can be agreed to.”

“Let the army of Northern Naiman go south as soon as possible.”

“Yes!”

A few days ago, Xiao Yanyan had specifically told Xiao Simo that Buyirugh Khan might not be trustworthy and had to be guarded against.

But Xiao Simo knew in his heart; he didn’t even fully trust his own generals, let alone trusting a Naiman.

As for the conditions for sending troops promised to Buyirugh Khan?

After defeating the Naimans, let him go ask the Royal Court for them!

Xiao Simo agreed on behalf of the Royal Court.

Even if there was a chance, Xiao Simo wanted to wipe out Northern Naiman in one go too.

“By the way, where is the army from the Desert? Why haven’t we seen them yet?” Xiao Simo thought of another important matter.

The fifteen thousand troops from Yin Mountain and Beihai had already assembled, but there was still no sign of the Desert army.

At that time, the order Xiao Simo gave to the Desert Governor-General was to lead five thousand cavalry to arrive in Jin Prefecture before July 12th.

Now the time was almost up.

“This… still no news.” Xiao Linta shook his head helplessly.

“I will send people to urge them again immediately.”

Hearing this, Xiao Simo snorted lightly: “Tell Zhaoguyachi that he must arrive at Wuya Village before the 12th.”

“Yes~”

“Great King!”

At this moment, a personal guard’s voice suddenly sounded outside the tent.

“Jin Prefecture Thousand Household Li Xiao, requests to see the Great King.”

Li Xiao?

Xiao Simo didn’t know what he came for at this time, but Xiao Simo happened to have a matter for Li Xiao to handle.

So he nodded and said: “Let him in.”

Soon Li Xiao handed the cavalry saber at his waist to Erhu and walked in following the personal guard.

“My Lord.”

“What is it?” Xiao Simo sat on the folding stool, looked at Li Xiao, and asked in a deep and thick voice.

But Li Xiao’s gaze flashed past the map beside him.

Recognizing at a glance that it was a map of the Altai Mountains.

“Naiman troop deployment?” Li Xiao said secretly in his heart.

In this life, not only did Li Xiao’s physical fitness become better, but his memory also became stronger.

After just a glance, the image of the map appeared in his mind.

The markings on it showed that the Naimans had already occupied various passes of the Altai Mountains.

Looking at Xiao Simo’s bad complexion again, Li Xiao guessed he might be worrying about how to fight this battle.

“Passes of the Altai Mountains…” Li Xiao murmured in his heart, but noticed that a peak at the northernmost part of Jin Prefecture had no Naiman markings.

Perhaps there were no Naimans in that place, or perhaps Xiao Simo’s scouts hadn’t been there at all.

These thoughts flashed through Li Xiao’s mind. He immediately guarded his mind and said to Xiao Simo.

“My Lord, this lowly general just received word from family that my grandfather is critically ill.”

“This lowly general implores my Lord to grant a few days to go home and visit my grandfather.”

Li Xiao spoke the excuse he had concocted on the way.

He wanted to do some private business, but now the Khitans were the boss after all.

As a Thousand Household personally appointed by Xiao Simo, before a major battle, Li Xiao certainly couldn’t leave the military camp without orders.

So, he could only bring out the Old Master.

Hearing that Li Xiao was preparing to go home to visit the sick, Xiao Simo’s expression seemed to become a bit bad.

He said in an indifferent voice: “Thousand Household Li, do you know that the great battle between our army and the Naimans is imminent and we may march east at any time?”

“Do you want to visit the sick, or do you want to desert before the battle?”

Xiao Simo’s accusation was a bit serious.

Li Xiao originally thought Xiao Simo could grant his leave readily, but didn’t expect this bastard’s attitude to be a bit wrong.

Li Xiao recalled; he had been behaving himself these days and hadn’t committed any offense!

“My Lord, forgive me. This lowly general absolutely has no intention of shrinking from battle. It is truly because my grandfather is critically ill, and I am anxious.”

Li Xiao was just about to say some words from a petition expressing feelings, but Xiao Simo wasn’t in the mood to listen to these.

Interrupting him directly, he said: “Alright, since you are so worried about your grandfather, I grant you five days to go home and visit the sick.”

“It just so happens this King has a matter to hand over to you.”

“Twenty thousand troops in Jin Prefecture consume a lot of food for men and horses.”

“You go coordinate with General Xiao Linta. Within ten days, conscript ten thousand piculs (dan) of grain and ten thousand sheep as military rations.”

“Any problem?”

Xiao Simo’s majestic voice rang out, staring straight at Li Xiao.

It was unknown how long this battle would last. Once the Eastern Capital Army couldn’t quickly breach the Naiman defense line in the Altai Mountains, Xiao Simo should consider the food problem.

Although after breaching the Moman tribe and Qibi tribe, the Eastern Capital Army also captured a large amount of grain, cattle, and sheep, enough to eat for a long time.

But Xiao Simo also had to make long-term preparations; storing more grain was definitely right.

Hearing this, Li Xiao cursed in his heart.

Knew this son of a turtle wasn’t holding back any good farts (had bad intentions).

This job wasn’t easy to do.

(End of this chapter)