Chapter 203 Go find the queen!

From Lulong Mountain, going northwest along the Luan River for hundreds of miles, you will reach Hengshan in Bei'an Prefecture.

However, due to the unrest on the border in the past few decades, there were no tribes grazing on the grasslands near the Great Wall, so it seemed very desolate. Although the scenery was beautiful, it seemed almost uninhabited at a glance and was very desolate.

Abaoji's plan for more than ten years was to expand the pastures in Mobei to the north of the Great Wall, and even learn and promote farming from the Han people.

Unlike other people in Mobei, Yelu Abaoji was not an illiterate fool. On the contrary, he paid great attention to learning the culture of the Turkic Khanate and the Uighur Khanate, which also dominated the grassland in the past. By comparing with them, he could easily find the shortcomings of Mobei. As a nomadic people, it might be inevitable to be strong for a while, but if the Central Plains dynasty was strong, it would be easy to crush the grassland through its extremely huge national strength.

The Central Plains dynasties, culture, craftsmen, technology, farming levels... and so on, have been improving and changing from the pre-Qin Dynasty to the Han and Tang Dynasties. Their armor has become increasingly powerful, and their bows and crossbows have become increasingly sharp, which are all out of reach for Mobei.

Yelu Abaoji knew very well that since ancient times, the nomadic regimes on the grasslands had been able to grow stronger because of the decline of the Central Plains dynasties, which enabled the nomadic peoples to march south and abduct a large number of craftsmen, wealth, and population from the Central Plains dynasties, enabling the nomadic peoples to develop rapidly. Equipment updates, military development, and cultural continuation are all factors that can make the nomadic peoples' strength advance by leaps and bounds.

However, through careful study of Han culture, Abaoji quickly came to a conclusion.

It is better to teach people how to fish than to teach people how to fish.

Plundering is a way for Mobei to quickly accumulate wealth, but although the current Central Plains dynasty is fragmented, each force is not weak. Instead of letting Mobei head south, it is better to learn Han culture, reform customs on the grassland, build cities, create Khitan characters, and develop agriculture and commerce...

If Mobei had its own craftsmen, its own farmland, and its own cities, it would not be a Khanate, but a dynasty that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Central Plains!

Only in this way can Mobei truly rise, accumulate national strength, develop production, and wait for the right time...

Therefore, Yelu Abaoji has made use of Han people, established the Haner Army, and built a "Han City" in the royal court in recent years. These can be said to be his gradual pilot projects to subtly break the ideas of other Mobei nobles.

That was why he sold everything he had and brought 20,000 elite cavalry with him when he went south last year, because in his opinion, that was the first opportunity for the rise of Mobei. If he could win then, he could expand his pastures to the edge of the Great Wall, and also use this to shut up most of the nobles, and then formally implement his sinicization policy.

The queen also supported him.

The night outside the Great Wall was bleak, but the sky was clear. Yelu Abaoji stood alone on the watchtower, feeling melancholy.

In fact, he sometimes wondered whether the result would be different if he had handed over the 20,000 elite cavalry to Shulido at that time. At least he would not have suffered such a terrible defeat, and the royal court would not have been usurped by Yelu Lage.

But fortunately, there is still a chance to make a comeback.

He glanced around at the camp dotted with bonfires and nodded with satisfaction. The only thing he was worried about now was Shuliduo's safety. Apart from that, there was the problem of the army's supplies. Going south to get food was not an option. Since Xiao Yan did not go north, he would be dead if he went south now. So he could only send people to recruit some small tribes to provide cattle and sheep.

Thinking of this, he went down from the watchtower and sent someone to call his brothers Yelu Helu and Wanyan Agunai, preparing to formulate a strategy to leave the grassland overnight.

……

"Great Khan, Great King."

In the tent, Wanyan Agunai and a tall man with a short beard walked in. The two had very different body shapes, the former was short and strong, while the latter was tall, but judging from their aura, Wanyan Agunai was obviously more sturdy, while the latter seemed very steady, with a calm gaze, showing the demeanor of a great general.

At that time, Abaoji was injured in Yuyang. It was Yelu Helu who acted decisively to protect him and fled eastward to Bohai. Otherwise, Abaoji might have been captured alive by Xiao Yan in Yuyang.

The two of them grew up together and had a genuine brotherhood, even better than that between Abaoji's brothers. Therefore, Yelu Helu was highly valued by Abaoji since he was a child.

However, the more Abaoji trusted Yelü Helu, the more respectful he became. In addition, Yelü Helu had outstanding abilities and a calm personality, so Abaoji believed that with Yelü Helu's assistance, he would be able to suppress the nearly 10,000 Yan troops.

"I have considered it for a while. Our army is stationed here and lacks supplies and food. It would be unwise to wait for too long."

Yelu Abaoji raised his hand and asked the two to sit cross-legged on the carpet, then he pondered and said, "At the moment, the best way is to send a wave of troops to the north. In this way, even if we are frustrated on the grassland, as long as we control the Lulong Pass, we can still advance or retreat, and we won't face the situation in Yuyang again."

"The Khan is right." Wanyan Agunai nodded and agreed, "This Lulong Pass is indeed a good place, with easy access, but it is too desolate. Two days ago, I took a few men to explore the area 20 miles north, but there was no one there. It is such a waste of such a good grassland."

A Baoji sighed, drew a line on the carpet with his finger, and said, "It is just the beginning of spring, and the tribes may not have had time to move back from the deep grasslands. But if they have moved back with their cattle and sheep, they will graze them in the area a hundred miles to the north. Over the past hundred years, the Tang Dynasty's military governors have often fought outside the borders, so there are very few tribes that take the initiative to graze here within a few dozen miles of the Great Wall."

Wanyan Agunai nodded thoughtfully, and his impression of the people from the Central Plains in the south deepened.

"Helu, I intend to send you to divide the two capitals of Yan soldiers (2,000 men) northward for a hundred miles to help me contact the nearby tribes. You are always by my side, and those chiefs will recognize you. I think it will be much easier for me to do things."

"No." Yelu Helu just shook his head: "Now that Xiao Dilu has left, I am the only one left to command Your Majesty. If I also send troops north, and there is an enemy, Your Majesty will have to take risks again, right?"

"Who among us Mobei men didn't grow up on horseback? I have fought in many battles over the years, big and small?" Abaoji said with a smile, "Now is the time when I am in my prime. You want me not to fight. Do you think I should hide behind my men?"

Yelu Helu just remained silent.

On the side, how could Wanyan Agunai not hear the hidden meaning of the Mobei monarch and minister? He immediately touched his scalp, which was shiny and blue, and laughed: "General Helu, why worry? With me here, I can protect the Khan. If there is a war, we Jurchens will rush to the front of the Khan."

At this time, Yelu Helu said, "Since you have said so, I am relieved. The men under your command are all rare warriors. With you here, the king will be able to suppress all injustices."

Wanyan Agunai laughed loudly, but he was secretly alert in his heart. Yelu Helu usually looked honest, but he turned out to be quite cunning and was setting a trap for him.

But he had to drill. The Jurchens came from afar. As a foreign race, if they wanted to gain a foothold on the grassland, they had to have the support of Yelu Abaoji. Only in this way could he lead the tribesmen who were still left in Anchuhushui out and escape from that poor place.

He laughed heartily, as if he didn't take the matter to heart, in order to appear very reliable.

Abaoji also laughed, patted the two men on the shoulders, poured each of them a glass of wine, and finalized the plan.

However, just when the tent was peaceful and the three were about to drink, they all heard something move in their ears.

It was already midnight, and according to regulations, each camp had already been resting peacefully in their respective camps under the surveillance of the Mobei Rangers. But at this moment, suddenly, noisy and chaotic shouting and gong sounds were heard from several camps outside.

Yelu Helu reacted very quickly. He threw away the wine glass in his hand, almost jumped up from the carpet, and then clenched his fists to protect Abaoji behind him.

Since they were meeting in Abaoji's tent, their weapons had been taken away by the guards at the entrance of the tent. However, Yelu Helu was already quite intimidating just by virtue of his tall stature.

However, Abaoji was surprised and patted him on the back: "Why are you standing in front of me? Go and see what happened."

Seeing Yelu Helu hurried out, Wanyan Agun was stunned for a moment, then squinted his eyes and drank the wine in his hand, then followed Abaoji out of the tent and looked in the direction of the shock.

Outside the tent, there were already many Mobei guards galloping on horseback, and several Jurchens were running from a distance to protect Wanyan Agunai. Since they were not wearing hats to cover their heads, the golden rat tails behind their heads were swinging high.

"Great Khan, this is..."

Wanyan Agunai was stunned. He only heard shouting and howling from all directions outside the camp, which suddenly rose up to the sky, but he could not hear clearly who was shouting. It just sounded so suddenly that made people confused and at a loss.

Then, there were several flames rising up, lighting up the night in the distance. Several of the Yan army camps that had been well-behaved opened their gates, and teams of shouting soldiers poured out of them.

In addition, these Yan soldiers kept throwing torches at other camps while running. Wherever they passed, there would be a big fire, and the surface of the Luan River in the distance was shining brightly.

He rubbed his eyes in surprise, as if he was drunk by the glass of wine.

This scene in front of me, why is it so familiar...

Yelu Abaoji also frowned fiercely. He looked around and saw many Mobei guards rushing towards him, so he shouted loudly: "Don't worry about me, quickly climb up the wall to check the enemy situation and find out who is causing the chaos!"

As expected, the Mobei guards in the distance no longer rushed over here, but turned back and ran towards the village wall.

Yelu Abaoji quickly picked up his long-handled broadsword, jumped onto a warhorse, and shouted to Wanyan Agunai: "Agunai, I don't have enough men under my command. Go and gather your Jurchen warriors so that they can follow me to suppress the rebellion!"

Wanyan Agunai wiped his face, said nothing more, and turned around and left with a few of his men.

...Yelü Abaoji rode his horse a few steps towards the village wall, only to see more than ten riders coming up ahead, led by none other than Yelü Helu who had just hurried away.

"My king, this is really not good."

Yelu Helu's words were concise and direct: "Three Yan soldiers have caused chaos in the camp, and a group of soldiers are attacking our camp. You must not go out."

In fact, he didn't need to say it. When they reached this point, Yelu Abaoji could already see fires outside the camp, and several Yan soldiers holding long and short weapons were converging here from three directions.

He was extremely calm and immediately realized that this was a premeditated riot, just like the camp roar he had experienced in Danzhou more than half a month ago. But he really couldn't figure it out. He was closely monitoring the troops in each camp, so how were they connected together?

Moreover, he had just sent Xiao Dilu to lead his troops away during the day, and riots broke out immediately at night, which was enough to show that someone had been monitoring his movements...

Thinking of this, Abaoji said calmly: "You are right. We have too few men and will be annihilated if we go out. You go and suppress the 1,000 guards immediately. I will go up to the wall myself and defend the camp tonight!"

The so-called One Thousand Guards was a force composed of elite soldiers from all Yan army camps that Abaoji ordered in the name of Liu Rengong. These days, the baggage had been tied to them, the Mobei Army, and the Jurchens. At such a critical juncture, Abaoji must of course keep them under control.

Yelu Helu didn't say much. He left most of the guards behind and immediately galloped in another direction.

In fact, there were only about one or two hundred Mobei troops in the camp, and there were dozens of cavalry outside monitoring the camps. They were probably in danger now. The only people Abaoji could mobilize at this time were the remaining thousand or so Jurchens of Wanyan Agunai.

He hurriedly climbed up the wall of the village and saw that it was in chaos outside. Not to mention the large camp that was in chaos, just the waves of soldiers who kept setting fires and killing their way here were already extremely troublesome.

However, this riot was not as large as the one caused by Abaoji, because there were many old, weak, women and children in the Danzhou camp at that time, and they would collapse if easily provoked. The people he brought along were all young and strong, and they had been strictly controlled for more than half a month. Overall, they were still organized and did not collapse so easily.

Perhaps as long as these groups of rebellious troops are suppressed, this camp riot can be quelled soon...

Abaoji held on to the village wall tightly, constantly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

However, at this moment, a chill suddenly struck his face.

Almost out of inertia, he dodged to the side and lay down.

But then an arrow broke through the air and passed through his original position, killing a Mobei soldier on the spot.

Then, several arrows came one after another, and the arrowheads penetrated the wood, making a buzzing sound.

Abaoji looked up carefully, and saw a few old men holding bows behind the rebel soldiers who were climbing the wall of the village below. They had scarred faces and were riding horses. Every time they shot an arrow, it was so powerful that the sound of arrows cracking could be heard in the air.

"Give me a bow!"

Abaoji narrowed his eyes, pulled out a few feather arrows, put them on a bow, and was ready to shoot at the old men.

His archery skills were excellent, and he could almost suppress those old men by himself, but the latter were not only good at using bows, but also had good martial arts skills. Often when Abaoji's arrows were about to hit him, they would cut them down with a sword, or dodge them swiftly on horseback.

Moreover, his archery skills were of little use in this situation. Even if some of the Mobei people beside him also drew their bows, those arrows fell into the crowd like raindrops falling into the sea tide, and it was completely impossible to see what effect they would have.

Hundreds and thousands of rebellious soldiers slammed hard against the wall of the stockade, easily causing it to shake. Some of the weaker places were about to be broken open.

"Don't worry, Khan!"

Fortunately, at the critical moment, a loud shout suddenly rang out. It was Wanyan Agunai who arrived in time with his troops and commanded several teams of Jurchens to block the gap.

Abaoji breathed a sigh of relief. With a thousand brave Jurchens guarding the camp, they would be able to hold out until dawn. Camp roars are often the most harmful at night, so they can just wait until dawn to slowly deal with them.

But at this moment, the corner of his eye twitched.

But suddenly, among the crowd under the village wall, several figures rushed forward, everyone opened their hands to take off the bamboo hat on their heads, and then flew into the air, and then several bamboo hats flew out.

"Puff puff……"

Who would have thought that the seemingly harmless bamboo hat with a layer of aura attached to its surface was actually extremely ferocious, and it flew out layer by layer, bringing up several heads with rat tails!
The next moment, these figures that rose into the air drew out from their backs their Tang swords that were shining coldly under the bright light, easily climbed over the village wall, and fell into the crowd of Jurchens, relying on a frontal fight with only a few people.

At the same time, the section of the village wall that was almost knocked down was cut in half by one man's sword.

Suddenly, the chaotic army swarmed in.

"not good!"

Abaoji's face darkened and he was about to leave the village wall.

But Wanyan Agunai grabbed his arm and said in a deep voice: "Great Khan, don't take risks. These people cooperate well and may have been prepared. While my men are trying to stop them, let's retreat quickly!"

At the same time, Yelu Helu also rode over. When he saw this scene, his eyelids twitched. He dismounted and climbed up the wall of the camp and whispered, "Your Majesty, although the guards are still calm, the rebel army has poured into the camp, and the people will be in chaos. We only have a thousand people available, so we must not waste time here!"

Yelu Abaoji gritted his teeth, glanced fiercely at the chaotic fire outside the camp, and made a prompt decision: "Retreat, take Liu Rengong with you, and go find the queen!"

At this time, the Mobei Army that still remained under Abaoji's command had already been a battle-hardened army that had fallen into trouble many times. They immediately sent out troops to cover the rear, break out, and provide escort, in order to protect their great king as he marched westward.

All the war horses left in the camp were pulled out together, and some people from Mobei and the Jurchens were planning to escort Abaoji, Wanyan Agunai and others onto their horses, intending to head west as soon as possible.

However, at this moment, a cold aura suddenly enveloped everyone.

Yelu Helu, who was about to lift Liu Rengong, was suddenly startled and jumped off his horse without hesitation, knocking Abaoji off his horse.

But then a figure flashed by with a cold light, and Abaoji's mount's four hooves suddenly softened, and then the horse's head fell off and fell to the ground with a bang.

"Hehehe, you two reacted well."

The next moment, Gong Yangzuo stepped on the horse's carcass and rolled backwards to avoid the knife that Wanyan Agunai was chopping at him. Then he shook off the horse blood on the blade, stood on the ground, glanced at Yelu Helu, and then glanced at Wanyan Agunai who reacted very quickly.

Both of them were horrified. The old man suddenly appeared and they only noticed him at the last moment. It can be seen that his hiding skill is really terrifying.

But immediately, they were startled again, as they saw several figures leaping over from the distance, blood splattering wherever they passed, as if they were coming straight towards them to kill them.

"My king, you go first!"

Yelu Helu gritted his teeth and shouted, then stepped forward with a knife and clashed fiercely with Gong Yangzuo.

Yelu Abaoji also saw the scene in the distance. His eyes darkened as well. Without hesitation, he shouted at Yelu Helu: "Be careful. I will wait for you to catch up!"

He immediately jumped onto Yelu Helu's mount, exchanged a glance with Wanyan Agunai, and they rode out to the west together.

Behind them, the guards who stayed behind shouted and rushed towards Gong Yangzuo desperately.

"Hehehe, you are not my opponent."

Gong Yangzuo swung his sword and shook Yelu Helu away. He made a knife flower with his hand and cut the throats of several guards. He tapped the ground with his toes, jumped onto a mount, and chased towards the west.

Yelu Helu was very anxious, but before he could make any move, a scarred old man with a Tang sword came rushing towards him and instantly suppressed him to the point where he couldn't breathe, making it impossible for him to worry about his king anymore.

Because his life seemed to be in danger.

(End of this chapter)