Chapter 82: Tayang Khan’s Shock

Upper reaches of the Igor River.

This was the temporary location of the Khan Court.

The Naiman was a nomadic tribe, and the Khan Court was actually the largest tribe among them, also moving in search of water and grass.

In this season, in the foothill area of the upper reaches of the river, water and grass were lush, and the temperature was suitable, most suitable for the survival of cattle, sheep, and herdsmen.

At this time, on a piece of grassland by the river, Tayang Khan’s personal guards had already cordoned off the area.

Recently, Tayang Khan was troubled by the war, and persuaded by the Queen, he came to the river to relax.

Maids had long spread a thick ground cloth on the grass, and lying on it was Tayang Khan’s family of three.

“This is the fruit I had cooled in the river water.. Great Khan, come and taste it.”

The speaker was a woman of about twenty, with the standard appearance of a Naiman woman.

High nose bridge, big eyes, fair and delicate skin, a small mouth like a cherry. She was sitting with her legs together, revealing her white and tender feet like pearls, eating the cold watermelon in small bites.

Feeling the sweetness of the juice, her eyes curved into a flower-like smile instantly.

While feeding her two-year-old son, she also invited Tayang Khan to taste it together.

Gurbesu, also known as Gebi.

The Naiman Queen.

Possessing peerless beauty, she was known as the ‘number one beauty north of the desert’.

Back then, when Tayang Khan’s father, Inanch Bilge Khan, toured the subordinate tribes, he happened to meet her and was immediately astounded, directly appointing her as his Queen.

After Inanch Bilge Khan died, the two brothers Tayang Khan and Buyruq Khan fought a war to compete for her and the Khan position.

After Tayang Khan won, he appointed her as his Queen again.

Soon, Gurbesu successfully gave birth to a son for Tayang Khan.

In history, after Temujin defeated the Naiman tribe, he also took a fancy to her beauty and took her as a concubine, favoring her greatly.

“Hehe, my beloved concubine eat first!” Tayang Khan lay on the ground cloth, basking in the sun, slightly opening his eyes, and said in a gentle voice.

Looking less than forty, with a robust physique, covered in fat, and a full beard.

On the surface, he looked very fierce, but he doted on Gurbesu exceptionally, almost to the point of obeying her every word.

Historical records state that Gurbesu often relied on favor to intervene in Naiman affairs, leading Tayang Khan to make many wrong decisions.

“Great Khan shouldn’t be so troubled.. Gebi will feel heartache.” Gurbesu moved her body, lay on Tayang Khan’s chest, and said softly.

Seeing his beloved concubine like this, Tayang Khan was drunk immediately, chuckling: “Iam not, iam not.”

“As long as I can see my beloved concubine at any time, this Khan won’t have any troubles in his heart.”

The current situation of the Naimans wasn’t too good. Xiao Simo of Liao sent a large army to the border, confronting the Naimans in the Altai Mountains.

And Wang Khan of the Kerait tribe to the east was also eager to make a move like a wild dog smelling shit.

Most hatefully, Koke Xue’wu was simply useless, actually letting a Liao army slip in, and several tribes were breached.

When Tayang Khan learned this news, he exploded with anger.

If the military situation weren’t urgent and changing commanders easily wasn’t allowed, he would have replaced Koke Xue’wu long ago.

“Seeing the Great Khan happy, Gebi is satisfied.”

“A mere Liao cavalry of one or two thousand; Gebi believes that my clan brother will definitely defeat them all.”

Gurbesu said in a delicate voice, making one’s heart numb.

Which man could resist such temptation?

Tayang Khan was even less likely.

Even under Gurbesu’s pleading, he appointed one of her clan brothers to lead a Khan Court Imperial Guard army to go west and eliminate that small group of Liao cavalry.

And this was just the beginning of Gurbesu fighting for power for her son.

Regarding this, Tayang Khan naturally knew clearly, but he didn’t care… instead, he doted on Gurbesu to the bone.

He really intended to pass the Khan position to Gurbesu’s son when he grew up.

“Hehe, my beloved concubine is thoughtful.”

“In turbulent times, only my beloved concubine can think of sharing this Khan’s worries.”

“Your clan brother is a good one, if he establishes merit this time, this Khan will not be stingy with rewards.” Tayang Khan chuckled.

Gurbesu smiled and said softly: “Gebi thanks the Great Khan on behalf of my clan brother.”

“Hahahaha!”

Looking at Gurbesu’s enchanting posture, Tayang Khan’s troubles indeed eased a lot, and he even prepared to have a big one with Gurbesu.

Just as he was about to ask the maid to take his son aside, he turned his head and found his personal guard commander standing in the distance anxiously looking this way.

He obviously having urgent business, but daring not come over to disturb.

“Chahan.”

“What is it?”

Tayang Khan asked loudly.

The guard captain couldn’t care about disturbing anymore, ran over hurriedly, and said anxiously: “Great Tayang Khan.”

“News just came from the Altai Mountains; General Koke Xue’wu was defeated.”

“The Liao army has already breached the Altai Mountains.”

Hearing this, Tayang Khan’s face changed drastically. He sat up from the ground cloth at once, looking dull and disbelieving.

“What?”

“Defeated?”

“How is it possible?”

Three questions in a row left the guard captain unsure how to answer, and unexaggeratedly displayed Tayang Khan’s shock and anger.

“A full army of fifteen thousand, how could they be defeated?”

“Where is Koke Xue’wu? Let him come see me; this Khan will cut this trash into a thousand pieces.”

“And Kuchlug, where is he?”

Looking at Tayang Khan with a ferocious face, panting heavily like an angry lion, everyone was silent as cicadas in winter.

The guard could only bite the bullet and say: “According to the soldiers who fled back, General Koke Xue’wu has already died in battle.”

“Prince Kuchlug, he, he… seems to have been captured by the Liao people.”

Hearing this, Tayang Khan’s expression instantly froze, his face twitching constantly, feeling like anger had nowhere to vent.

On the contrary, Gurbesu beside him felt a sudden joy in her heart upon hearing the news of Kuchlug being captured.

This defeat in the Altai Mountains seemed to be good news for her instead.

“Go, back to the Khan tent.”

“Summon everyone; this Khan will personally lead the expedition.”

Tayang Khan said angrily with a gloomy face.

Now there was no other choice. Once the Altai Mountains army was defeated, what awaited the Naimans was inevitably the Liao army driving straight in.

Maybe at this time, the Liao iron cavalry was rushing toward the Khan Court.

He could no longer indulge in hopes of mere fortune; he had to unite the warriors of all tribes and meet the Liao army in a battle to the death.

Gurbesu dared not say a word at this time, hurriedly calling the maids to pack up and prepare to go back.

“Great Khan, let this lowly general help you mount the horse.”

A personal guard of Tayang Khan brought the warhorse, preparing to help him mount.

But he was pushed away by Tayang Khan: “Get lost, this Khan doesn’t need help.”

Tayang Khan forced himself to say, but maybe because he was hit by the news of defeat and panicked inside.

He stepped on the stirrup, flipped several times, but actually failed to mount the horse.

Finally, he got up with the help of the guard captain.

His body of more than two hundred jin looked very incongruous riding on the horse.

Turning his head to look at his reflection in the river water, Tayang Khan fell directly into deep thought.

“Wine and sex misled me, harming me to look like this. Even mounting a horse is difficult; how can I talk about personally conquering the Liao people?”

Tayang Khan murmured to himself, his face instantly becoming gloomy, and said firmly.

“From today on, quit drinking.”

“This Khan uses this to show my determination; I will definitely flatten the Liao rebel army.”

Subsequently, Tayang Khan returned to the Khan tent and issued a conscription order to all tribes.

Anyone over thirteen, all men capable of mounting a horse to fight, gather together, prepare to fight to the death with the Liao army.

The Buyantu River was an inland river originating from the Altai Mountains.

After the Battle of the Altai Mountains, Li Xiao led the army east along the river, always maintaining a distance of about fifty li from Xiao Simo’s main army.

The strategic goal was clear—sweep the Naiman tribes.

At this time by the riverbank, a small Naiman tribe once again suffered the murderous hand of Li Xiao’s army.

The originally peaceful and tranquil tribe was instantly shrouded in the haze of war.

Soldiers poured into the tribe like a tide, ruthlessly hacking and killing the resisting Naimans— blood splattered, dyeing the earth beneath their feet red.

Tents were pushed down, wealth plundered, and livestock driven away.

Cries, screams, and hoofbeats were everywhere in the tribe.

A young Naiman boy, holding a long knife, charged at Li Xiao, his eyes full of anger and determination.

But Li Xiao’s expression didn’t change. Before he even needed to act personally, this fierce Naiman boy was directly shot dead.

Li Xiao watched all this, his heart had long frozen and indifferent without a shred of pity.

The rule of the world was just like this— survival of the fittest.

Today the Northern Border side was just strong— the evil deeds committed by the Naimans when they invaded the Northern Border in the past were equally countless.

Soon, the battle ended.

Soldiers gathered cattle, sheep, and wealth, cleaning up the spoils of war, especially guarding those women together.

Although this tribe wasn’t big and the spoils were limited, little adds up to much.

“Dashaa!”

Li Xiao rode on his horse, watching a Northern Border man carrying a Naiman woman in front of him riding past not far away, and couldn’t help calling him over.

“Hey, I’m here.”

The man was stunned for a moment before hurrying over, dismounting and saluting Li Xiao.

“Commander!”

The man chuckled, touching his head, appearing very honest and simple.

It was precisely the sheep slave Li Xiao interviewed personally in the Desert Army camp not long ago.

“That woman~”

Li Xiao just pointed at the Naiman woman on the horse’s back; before he finished speaking, he heard Dashaa say immediately: “That’s my woman.”

Li Xiao was stunned for a moment, his face turning black instantly: “I’m not snatching your woman.”

Besides, that Naiman woman had such a big butt, obviously having given birth; Li Xiao really didn’t fancy her.

But men of this era liked this type.

The reason was simple—good for bearing children.

“Hehehe~” Dashaa touched his head and smiled honestly.

After these days of fighting, Li Xiao also discovered that although this guy looked honest, he was fierce when killing people.

“Since you fancy her, I’ll award her to you as a wife and no one can snatch her away,” Li Xiao said calmly.

Dashaa kept nodding and giggling “Good, hehe, thank you, Commander.”

His parents died when he was young, and he grew up relying on being a sheep slave for others to get food; he had no family property and was still a bachelor.

His biggest wish was to marry a wife and have a bunch of kids.

Coming to this tribe today, Dashaa fell in love at first sight with this Naiman woman instantly. so he directly snatching her onto the horse to take back as a wife.

To bear children for himself.

But Li Xiao was asking him about another matter.

“When the war is over, do you want to return to the Desert or stay in Jin Prefecture?”

(End of this chapter)