Chapter 77: Sweeping

In the twilight, a girl rode a horse in the valley, holding a whip, constantly driving her sheep towards the tents.

She had a pair of black eyes shining like stars, a fair face as bright as a pearl, and jet-black hair draped behind her, beautiful as the Milky Way.

She was the most beautiful girl in this Naiman tribe.

Her name was Naren, meaning the sun.

As she drove the flock, her gaze turned to the south from time to time, revealing a trace of worry and unease, hands placed on her chest as if praying for something.

Two older women nearby saw her like this and teased each other.

“The beautiful girl Naren is starting to worry about her sweetheart.”

“Hahaha!”

“Don’t worry, Naren, Agulalu will definitely come back safely.”

“That’s right, Agulalu will definitely bring fifty snatched sheep to ask your father for marriage.”

Hearing the two women’s teasing, Naren’s face blushed instantly.

“Not him; I am praying for my father.” Naren shook her head stubbornly.

But the two women continued to tease her.

What these married women liked most was teasing these unmarried young girls.

But having said that, they were also worried about their husbands and fathers in their hearts.

A month ago, their tribe received an order from Tayang Khan, conscripting five hundred warriors to go to the Altai Mountains.

This order almost emptied the male population of this tribe.

Only women like them, the elderly, and some teenagers remained in the tribe.

It had been more than a month since the tribesmen went on the expedition, and there was still no news. Their hearts were not calm, looking toward the grassland countless times, expecting the return of their husbands and relatives.

Unfortunately, every time was disappointing; the war couldn’t end so quickly.

Just as the group of women were driving the cattle and sheep toward their tents, they heard Naren suddenly exclaim.

“What is that?”

At this moment, Naren’s eyes were wide open, looking at the hilltop with astonishment on her face.

The other women looked in the direction of the sound and saw black shadows appearing on the hilltop at some point.

It was already quite dim at this time. They could only see a group of figures riding on horses, and the number was increasing, constantly rushing up the hilltop from behind.

At this moment, the smiles on the faces of the Naiman women slowly froze.

Someone shouted: “Run quickly!”

Panic spread; all the Naiman women ignored the cattle and sheep, riding horses and running frantically toward the camp.

Naren followed the crowd subconsciously, completely frightened by this panic, her mind blank.

Staring blankly at the cavalry on the hilltop, only one thought remained.

Who are they?

In the twilight, Li Xiao jumped on his horse and stood on high ground, drew his cavalry saber, and roared in a low voice: “Charge down, don’t let a single one escape.”

At this time, the Northern Border cavalry could no longer suppress the agitation in their hearts.

Walking in the Altai Mountains for so many days, the dull and desperate emotions even crushed them to the point of collapse.

Now, finally seeing a Naiman tribe.

And there were many women below; they were completely unable to suppress the riotous emotions in their hearts.

They needed an outlet.

“Kill!”

“Kill!”

Three thousand cavalrymen rushed down from the mountain like a tide.

Exploding with roaring sounds shaking heaven and earth, surging majestically from the earth, quickly enveloping the entire valley.

The powerful momentum shocked people’s hearts; the violent power seemed capable of destroying everything.

At this moment, they were no longer soldiers, but a pack of crazy beasts.

The terrifying power like toppling mountains and overturning seas destroyed this Naiman tribe completely in an instant.

The men in the tribe had gone to war, leaving only women. Under these circumstances, some were screaming in panic, and some went home to grab weapons and mount warhorses.

The entire tribe was in chaos, like a small boat in a storm, swaying everywhere, unable to stop the power of nature at all.

Naren rode on her horse in a daze, body trembling, her beautiful face pale. She saw countless demons wearing tattered sheepskin coats, holding spears and war sabers.

Easily rushing into the tribe, war sabers stained with blood, tribesmen fell to the ground one by one, and the terrified wails of women came to her ears.

Everything in front of her was simply a nightmare for Naren, this young girl.

The battle ended, and the screams in the Naiman tribe disappeared, but soon even more miserable screams of women rang out.

The men of the Northern Border Army rushed toward those Naiman women, wantonly venting the suppressed emotions in their hearts.

The torment of the days in the mountains was too painful, and the cold wind in the mountains was too piercing.

But fortunately, everything was over.

In this cold night, they didn’t have to continue spending time in the cold mountain wind; they could walk into the warm tents of the Naimans and sleep holding Naiman women.

After experiencing a difficult march, nothing could compare to the reward of women.

Before long, Luo Ping came over.

“Da Long, last time I said I would give you two Karluk women, but you kid ran away.”

Laughing loudly: “This time I specially selected one for you, although only one.”

After speaking, Luo Ping laughed loudly, turned, and left the tent.

Li Xiao couldn’t stop him from behind at all.

“Hey hey hey hey!”

“Uncle Luo, Uncle Luo!”

“You, sigh!”

“You’ve really got me in trouble.”

Li Xiao shook his head with a face full of grief and indignation, sighing helplessly in a low voice.

If Xiao Yanyan knew, could he still eat this soft rice (rely on a woman)?

However, when he looked carefully at Naren, he had a different state of mind.

Naimans had certain Turkic bloodlines, with high nose bridges, white skin, and big eyes that seemed able to speak.

And this girl in front of him was even more beautiful, absolutely rare among Naimans.

Heh, really smells good (is really tempting)!

Li Xiao couldn’t help rubbing his head.

Couldn’t quite remember, who was Xiao Yanyan?

…

Altai Mountains, Naiman main camp.

The arrival of a piece of news made many Naiman soldiers lose the will to fight anymore.

Their homes were gone.

Kuchlug walked hurriedly into the central army tent and asked immediately: “How is the situation?”

At this moment, Koke Xue’wu sat on the folding stool, looking gloomy, shaking his head and saying: “It’s the Liao people.”

“Xiao Simo’s people? Damn it.”

Kuchlug kicked the stool beside him over angrily.

“How did they get here? We clearly blocked all the passes.”

Koke Xue’wu shook his head and said in a deep voice: “Maybe they found a pass we didn’t discover.”

Just the day before yesterday, Koke Xue’wu suddenly received news that a tribe located in the northern part of the Altai Mountains was attacked by enemies.

Only a small number of people escaped and came to the Altai Mountains main camp for help.

That tribe wasn’t small, able to mobilize five hundred male adults.

Hearing this news, these five hundred Naiman soldiers collapsed instantly, completely losing the idea of fighting; they wanted to go back to save their families.

Koke Xue’wu spent a lot of effort to stop them from being so impulsive.

Not knowing the enemy’s situation yet, in case the enemy was numerous, these five hundred people would only be courting death.

But just yesterday, another tribe was attacked.

Still the same process; the Naiman tribe without men had no power to resist under the attack of enemy cavalry.

Fell instantly.

At this moment, all Naimans in the Altai Mountains couldn’t sit still.

Fighting desperately on the front line, but their homes in the rear were raided.

Although only two tribes were attacked now, who dared to guarantee the next one wouldn’t be their own tribe?

Thus, these Naiman soldiers had no mood to fight the Northern Border Army anymore, demanding to return to their tribes immediately.

This time, even Koke Xue’wu could hardly suppress this group of furious soldiers.

“Despicable and shameless, Xiao Simo is simply unworthy of being the Grand King of the Six Divisions.”

“Actually used such despicable and low means.” Kuchlug said angrily.

But Koke Xue’wu shook his head gently.

Despicable?

Indeed a bit.

But isn’t war just like this?

Using all means to eliminate the enemy’s effective strength, constantly wearing down the enemy’s will to fight, achieving the result of subduing the enemy without fighting.

War at this time had long ceased to speak of benevolence, righteousness, and morality.

Whatever cuts off the lineage (is most ruthless), that’s what is done.

“General Koke Xue’wu, please allow me to lead a force to eliminate all those damned Liao people.”

Kuchlug said angrily.

Now the able-bodied men in the western region of the Naiman tribe were all conscripted to the Altai Mountains, and the eastern army had to guard against the Kerait tribe. Only the Khan Court’s troops remained in the central region, but unfortunately, they couldn’t be mobilized easily.

“We cannot watch helplessly as these Liao people run rampant in our homeland. If this continues, our warriors will slowly lose their faith in fighting.”

“Give me five thousand troops, and I will wipe out this Liao army.”

From this matter, Kuchlug saw an opportunity.

As long as he eliminated this Liao army and established military merit, his father Khan would look at him with new eyes.

The soldiers whose tribes were attacked by the Liao army this time would be even more grateful to him and become his confidants.

So, for this battle, Kuchlug wanted to go personally.

Considering he still had to guard the Altai Mountains and couldn’t get away, Koke Xue’wu felt the only one with prestige was Prince Kuchlug.

“Good, I grant you five thousand men and horses, but absolutely do not advance rashly with light troops; think thrice before acting in everything,” Koke Xue’wu instructed.

Kuchlug was full of joy, nodding constantly.

His mind fantasized about the scene of wiping out the enemy in one fell swoop; how could he remember what Koke Xue’wu said?

(End of this chapter)