Chapter 69: Marriage Alliance

The Altai Mountains, also known as the Golden Mountains.

It was a mountain range running from northwest to southeast, stretching between the Northern Border and the Mongolian steppe, dividing them into two different geographical and cultural plates.

At this time, twenty thousand troops from the Northern Border set out from Jin Prefecture and brazenly entered the Golden Mountains.

They would cross the entire mountain range through some passes in the Golden Mountains and enter the western part of the Mongolian steppe, the territory of the Naimans.

Northeast Pass.

Sunlight was blocked by the towering peaks on both sides, casting a shadow.

The sound of horse hooves rang out like thunder, and hundreds of cavalrymen galloped toward the pass like a surging tide.

“Kill!”

Dressed in heavy armor and holding sharp spears, they swept in like a giant yellow dragon.

Charging bravely and fearlessly to the front of the pass, what greeted them was a dense rain of arrows and rolling stones.

Fortunately, the charging troops were the Khitan army of the Six Divisions, almost everyone wearing armor, so the dense arrows couldn’t cause fatal damage to them.

But when they were about to rush into the middle of the pass, a trench appeared in front of them.

The bottom of the trench was covered with dry grass.

With the approach of the Khitan army, the Naiman general ordered the fire to be lit.

The fire soon burned fiercely, blocking the footsteps of the Khitan army.

“Sigele!”

An angry roar came from under Xiao Linta’s iron helmet.

Seeing his soldiers occasionally hit by rolling stones from both sides and injured by arrow rain, helpless, he could only issue an order to retreat.

The Khitan attack failed again.

At this time in the rear, Xiao Simo rode on his warhorse, wearing armor, constantly paying attention to the battle ahead.

Seeing Xiao Linta’s men forced to retreat, a trace of disappointment flashed across his face.

“Huff.”

The valley in front was the most suitable route for marching, but unfortunately, it had long been occupied by the Naimans.

Not only digging trenches and piling rocks inside the pass.

Large numbers of Naiman soldiers were stationed on the peaks on both sides.

To capture this pass, one could only eliminate the Naimans on both sides first.

But this was even harder.

“What about the situation at other passes?” Xiao Simo asked.

There were several passes to cross the Golden Mountains, but all were occupied by the Naimans at this time.

“No progress; simply can’t attack in,” Xiao Tuolatu shook his head and said.

The terrain of the pass in front was already flat; the situation of other passes could be imagined.

Unless a miracle happened.

“Retreat.”

Xiao Simo had no choice but to issue an order to withdraw troops, returning to the camp with a gloomy face.

The battle of the Golden Mountains was probably going to fall into a stalemate; the Naimans were too crafty (turtling).

Meanwhile, at another pass, Li Xiao just sent people to attack symbolically a few times, encountered resistance, and quickly retreated.

Looking at the rugged terrain in the valley and the towering peaks on both sides, Li Xiao shook his head slightly.

“Who the hell can pass through this?”

The Naimans occupied the high ground and favorable terrain, controlling the entire pass with very few troops.

To capture it, one must pay several times the casualties of the Naimans.

“It seems we can’t do it here; let’s wait for the situation at the main camp!” Luo Ping shook his head.

Didn’t recommend continuing the attack at all, and others meant more or less the same.

And Li Xiao was even more reluctant to risk his own people’s lives.

“Have everyone withdraw.”

“Return to camp,” Li Xiao ordered.

After returning, everyone’s expression wasn’t too good.

Confronting the Naimans here, although there would be no more casualties, they couldn’t afford to wait either.

Because the supply of military rations for these twenty thousand troops currently relied on Jin Prefecture.

If the confrontation lasted too long, that son of a turtle Xiao Simo would definitely order Jin Prefecture to collect grain again.

“If this continues, Jin Prefecture will definitely be dragged down,” Li Xiao shook his head gently.

He had subconsciously regarded Jin Prefecture as his base of power and couldn’t let the Khitans ruin it.

“It seems we can only take that road,” Li Xiao sighed lightly.

The Golden Mountains were a mountain range stretching from north to south, with many passes to cross.

Currently, both armies were fighting for those passes easy for large armies to pass.

And Li Xiao happened to know a relatively obscure pass, but the terrain was steep.

Although it could allow a large army to pass, the risk was higher.

Just didn’t know if the Naimans had deployed troops there.

…

Khitan main camp, Xiao Simo’s face was livid.

The previous failure of the attack only made his mood somewhat bad, but the next matter made him thoroughly furious.

“Seeking death, this Toqto Bolad is seeking death.”

“Who gave him the guts to propose this condition?”

Inside the big tent, Xiao Simo roared angrily, tearing a piece of paper in front of him to shreds.

That was a letter Buyruq Khan wrote to him.

Saying he was willing to ally with him to attack the Naiman tribe from both sides.

But listed several conditions, for example, after defeating the Naiman tribe, Buyruq Khan wanted to be the true Great Khan of the Naiman tribe.

For example, asking Xiao Simo for a huge amount of cattle, sheep, slaves, grain, etc.

These were no problem; Xiao Simo could agree with his eyes closed.

But there was only one condition.

Buyruq Khan wanted to form a marriage alliance with Xiao Simo.

Wanted to marry Xiao Simo’s sister, Xiao Yanyan, as his wife.

Whenever Xiao Yanyan was sent over, Buyruq Khan would go south to the Golden Mountains.

But precisely this last condition touched Xiao Simo’s bottom line.

Xiao Yanyan depended on him for life since childhood; he watched her grow up bit by bit.

Although she was his sister, Xiao Simo had always taken care of her like a daughter, even closer than a daughter.

How could Xiao Simo bear to let Xiao Yanyan marry an old man?

“Wishful thinking.”

“Damn Toqto Bolad! A bastard left by the Turks…”

Xiao Simo broke his defense. Usually, he was always calm and composed, unhurried in handling matters, as if having a well-thought-out plan for everything.

But now, changing his usual image, he cursed directly.

He could agree to any condition proposed by Buyruq Khan, even if he wanted to be the Gurkhan of Western Liao, Xiao Simo would nod without hesitation.

Anyway, he didn’t plan to fulfill it.

But only his sister, no.

Especially since that guy insisted on seeing the person before sending troops south, Xiao Simo hated this so much he gritted his teeth.

“Great King, we absolutely cannot agree to Toqto Bolad’s condition. The dignity of our Khitans absolutely cannot be placed on a woman’s belly.”

Xiao Linta looked angry and said firmly.

Others also nodded, shouting one after another: “That’s right, Her Royal Highness the Princess is the pearl in the palm of the Xiao family; how can a lowly Naiman covet her?”

“After we eliminate the Naiman tribe, we definitely won’t let Northern Naiman off.”

“Make Buyruq Khan’s head into a horse stool, forever trampled under the Princess’s feet.”

…

The generals were filled with righteous indignation, but couldn’t say a useful word.

Everyone knew Xiao Simo couldn’t use Xiao Yanyan for marriage alliance, so they definitely spoke according to Xiao Simo’s mind.

But now the battle situation in the Golden Mountains had fallen into a stalemate.

It wasn’t easy to breach the passes of the Golden Mountains relying on the Northern Border Army alone.

Objectively speaking, Xiao Simo indeed needed Buyruq Khan’s help to attack the Naimans from the other side.

But obviously, this road was also blocked.

Listening to the generals’ words, Xiao Simo nodded expressionlessly and said in a deep voice: “Go back first.”

“Let the soldiers cheer up and guard against Naiman night raids.”

“Yes!”

The generals also saw Xiao Simo’s fatigue and dared not disturb him further, leaving one after another.

The big tent fell into deathly silence instantly, terrifyingly quiet.

Only Xiao Simo sitting on the folding stool, and a personal guard commander standing beside him.

At this moment, Xiao Simo suddenly said in a quiet voice:

“How did Toqto Bolad know the news that A-Man is in my army?”

As soon as these words came out, the wooden-like personal guard commander was stunned instantly.

That’s right.

After the Battle of the Northern Mountains, many people thought Xiao Yanyan was dead; even Xiao Simo was about to lose hope.

Fortunately, Xiao Yanyan was fine in the end.

But she had only been back in the main camp for just over ten days. Many ordinary soldiers didn’t know the news of Xiao Yanyan being in the military camp.

How did Buyruq Khan know?

And wanted to marry, sending her over as soon as possible, directly blocking Xiao Simo’s excuse to delay time.

At this moment, even the dull-witted personal guard commander understood that the matter was definitely not simple.

But Xiao Simo’s face became increasingly gloomy, roaring a sentence through his teeth.

“Detain the people who went to Northern Naiman this time secretly; don’t let a single one go. Must make them speak.”

“Who exactly is it?”

Someone leaked the news.

Xiao Simo recalled the Khitan generals in the big tent just now, feeling mixed emotions in his heart.

He didn’t want to believe this guess, but this possibility was the greatest.

“Yes, Great King.”

Xiao Simo’s personal guard nodded heavily, turned, and left the tent.

While Xiao Simo closed his eyes slowly with a disappointed face, leaning his body on the folding stool. When alone, Xiao Simo’s figure looked slightly helpless and desolate.

But his mind was incredibly clear, obviously thinking rapidly, recalling every doubt.

The generals in the big tent, some were up-and-comers promoted by Xiao Simo himself, some were old men left by his grandfather.

Loyal and devoted, standing firmly behind Xiao Simo even after his grandfather died, all worthy of trust.

Xiao Simo really didn’t want to suspect them.

“You better not disappoint me!” Xiao Simo sighed in a quiet voice.

But not long after, he was slapped in the face again.

The personal guard commander came to report that one person was missing from the mission to Northern Naiman.

Originally a Naiman slave, chosen as an interpreter and guide because he knew the situation of Northern Naiman well.

But after returning to the main camp, he suddenly disappeared.

Xiao Simo laughed, his voice slightly sad and angry.

“Truly seamless.”

(End of this chapter)

*Toqto Bolad: Birthname of Buyruq Khan.