Chapter 206: On the Road (End)

Yelu Abaoji seemed to have some feelings and looked over with narrowed eyes.

Gong Yangzuo laughed loudly: "My life in exchange for a great Khan of Mobei is enough!"

Xiao Dilu's breathing became heavier, and he just said in a loud voice: "How dare you!"

But I saw the riders on horses getting closer and closer.

"You are seven feet tall and good at using the bow. Can you rival the flute?"

The latter was stunned when he heard this, but his eyes were still fixed on Gong Yang Zuo, and he said nothing.

Unexpectedly, at this moment Yelu Abaoji suddenly laughed and asked loudly: "Who is coming?"

"Xiao Yan."

There was a moment of silence in the field, and everyone's expression suddenly changed. Wanyan Agunai and Wanyan Hanpu's expressions also tensed up, and they looked at each other, the latter seeming to want his brother to leave quickly.

Wanyan Agunai just shook his head slowly. He looked up and glanced around, his face ashen.

Yelu Abaoji laughed loudly, and then said in a deep voice: "Old man, please let me go. I can't escape in this situation! Why should you exchange your life for mine?"

Gong Yangzuo smiled, glanced at Xiao Dilu who was already mentally shaken, rolled over and avoided the arrow that was pointing at him.

Only then did he realize that his whole body was in extreme pain. After counting carefully, he found that he was hit by seven or eight arrows.

Xiao Dilu suddenly relaxed his breath, his two sore arms could no longer hold on, and he loosened the bowstring as if he was losing strength, and the longbow broke on the spot.

He ignored everything else and hurried to help Yelu Abaoji, but the latter waved his hands with all his might, then struggled to get up, staring at Lai Qi with a fixed gaze.

Although there were countless elite cavalrymen in armor behind Xiao Yan, he did not take anyone with him this time. He just dismounted and stood with his hands behind his back, as if he did not take Xiao Dilu or even Wanyan and others seriously.

"You are..."

A Baoji pondered for a moment, then nodded and said to himself, "We met once in Yuyang that day, and I remember your figure."

Xiao Yan said, "It's been a year since we last met. Brother Liu is still as charming as ever."

A Baoji was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, then turned to a wry smile, and pointed at himself with all his strength: "I really can't understand why you are so difficult to deal with, and so... Are all the opponents in the Central Plains like this?"

"That's it for now."

"Then this king lost shamefully." Abaoji shook his head, coughed twice, and took a few steps forward.

In the distance, Xiao Dilu was about to catch up, but the former raised his hand to stop him.

Xiao Yan did not retreat, but asked: "I brought a pot of Wang Ting's fine wine with me, Brother Liu, would you like some?"

A Baoji laughed and shook his head: "I'd better not drink it. I'm afraid I can't bear it."

Xiao Yan nodded slightly without refutation.

When they got closer, Abaoji asked in a low voice.

"Mobei, how are you going to deal with this?"

“It’s just to maintain stability.”

After hearing this, Abaoji breathed a sigh of relief and then laughed: "According to what you people in the Central Plains say, success makes you a king and failure makes you a bandit, it's nothing more than this... You are no more than 25 years old, right?"

"nineteen."

"..." Yelu Abaoji was silent for a moment, then shook his head: "I am defeated by you, I am not convinced, but it is fate, I have nothing to say."

He looked up to the north, thought for a moment, and sighed: "I heard from the old Taoist priest beside Liu Rengong that I should have the appearance of an emperor, but my luck has run out and I can't become an emperor. I didn't believe it at first, but now I do.

It's over, it's over. This king has devoted all his energy to this, but Mobei was destroyed by this king. It seems that I have to believe it. My Mobei rose from the humble grasslands, and after several generations, it finally became the overlord of the grasslands, controlling countless tribes, but it was defeated by you in one day. Who would have thought that you were only nineteen..."

This is destiny..."

Xiao Yan listened quietly and said calmly: "The so-called destiny is that the Central Plains grasslands will eventually stop fighting. The word destiny, when it falls on people, is just a wave in this rolling trend.

If you only want to achieve a grassland hegemony, why not be an emperor? However, you are greedy to go south and start a war with the Central Plains, in order to seek grassland hegemony. You go south with swords and spears, but you can't kill the blood of the Yan people, but it is easy to break the swords and spears. This is what you call destiny."

A Baoji laughed loudly and continued, "You said that I started the war, but you have started less war? Not to mention Liu Rengong's rebellion, didn't you kill my people when you entered the grassland?"

"It's different." Xiao Yan remained calm and said, "You went south to lay the foundation of the grassland in the Central Plains, and I went north to end the thousands of years of fighting between the two places, for the future."

"I don't understand what you mean by future and past." Abaoji shook his head and said, "I only know that a man should accomplish great deeds in this world and build a great country that far surpasses the Turks or even the Tang Dynasty in the Central Plains. Only in this way can this life be worthwhile."

Xiao Yan nodded slowly, obviously not objecting to this idea.

"Mobei is yours." Abaoji sighed, as if he didn't want to say anything more, but he said again: "I want to see, with the chaos in the Central Plains, if you get the grassland, can you make it to the end. The intrigues and battles in the Central Plains are hundreds or thousands of times worse than those in the grassland. How long can you make it?"

"Brother Liu, please don't worry about my affairs."

Xiao Yan stretched out his arm, slowly pointed at Gong Yangzuo and the others, then pointed at the countless elite cavalrymen in the distance behind him, and said: "With them around, I have nothing to fear." "..."

Abaoji was silent for a long time. He turned around and looked at Xiao Dilu and others, and then looked at Wanyan Agunai and other Jurchens who followed him all the way. He seemed to have some feelings, but he just said: "I also have countless loyal and righteous men, but they were defeated by you. I want to see if you will follow my path."

Xiao Yan nodded slightly.

He dismounted this time and was willing to have this long conversation with Abaoji, just because he was willing to give some respect to the former Khan of the grassland. To be honest, he had never had a head-on fight with Abaoji, but he had been entangled with him for a whole year, which was very strange.

To be honest, Xiao Yan was willing to admit that Abaoji was a hero. At least for the various tribes on the grassland, this man made an indelible contribution. This was also the reason why he was willing to travel thousands of miles south to see Abaoji in person for the last time.

In short, all of this is finally coming to an end.

"This war that has affected the grasslands of Yandi has really lasted long enough, and I have killed enough people. Brother Liu must know that as long as you are alive, this grassland will never be peaceful. Whether you hate me or want to kill me, if Brother Liu wants to see how I end up, just keep this in mind and go on your way."

He turned around and walked past, looking north with his hands behind his back, and said, "From now on, the affairs of Mobei are my business. Brother Liu, just rest assured."

Yelu Abaoji smiled sadly, and then said in a deep voice: "I hope you can treat everyone well."

"can."

"I mean, everyone."

Xiao Yan knew what he was talking about. In fact, it was not difficult for Abaoji to guess what he was talking about. Xiao Yan's presence here could explain a lot of things, such as why Shili Qixiang met Abaoji in Tanzhou, and why Shuliduo was able to return to the grassland half a year later...

Xiao Yan nodded slightly at him and said nothing more.

Yelu Abaoji also knew that if he continued to talk, it would only add to the jokes. He was not really moved, and there was no need to ask anyone at this moment. People from the grasslands were open-minded and would not be trapped by just a few things.

The winner is the king and the loser is nothing more than this.

He also nodded to Xiao Yan, then turned around and looked at Xiao Dilu.

"Aru, please lend me your knife."

The latter collapsed completely, his knees limp to the ground, tears streaming down his face.

"How can a good man live and die together?"

Abaoji forced a smile. He looked at Wanyan and Agunai and suddenly shouted, "After I leave, you brothers can follow General Xiao. He is a great man. I will admit defeat sincerely and he will definitely protect the Jurchens!"

The two men did not say much. The Jurchens had done their utmost to Abaoji, and Abaoji's words could be regarded as a token of their allegiance. It was really difficult to comment on it, so they just crossed their arms and bowed.

Yelu Abaoji said no more. He certainly understood that Xiao Yan controlled Mobei and everyone was just his pawn. He only hoped that his last kind words would make him forgive his family members at the critical moment.

Not just his children.

He walked over and said almost nothing. His shoulder, which had been stabbed, suddenly felt strong. He snatched the sword from Xiao Dilu's side, held it in his hand, and swept his eyes around the mountains and rivers.

This is the grassland, the northern desert, and where he grew up.

At least, he didn't die in a foreign land.

It’s a pity that I can’t see with my own eyes what the future holds for Mobei.

but……

A Baoji turned around and met Xiao Yan's calm gaze, but his mood inexplicably eased. At least, the man in front of him was ambitious and courageous. If he wanted to achieve great things, he would not force the grassland into a desperate situation.

Since ancient times, those who have accomplished great things have been good at using people and tolerant of people, just like the Heavenly Khan of the Tang Dynasty in history books, who was loved equally by the Yi and Di peoples.

If Abaoji had won, he would have tried his best to employ the Han people in his affairs, that's all.

As the saying goes, heroes appreciate each other. Just a glance is enough to say nothing.

He laughed loudly, without hesitation, he put the knife across his neck and tightened it hard, and blood spurted out immediately.

This great Khan of Mobei, who had dominated the grasslands for nearly a decade and personally led the rise of the Yelu clan, and who would even establish a super-powerful dynasty spanning thousands of miles a few years later, died here.

The scene fell into silence, with the only sound being Xiao Dilu's sobbing.

Xiao Yan showed no emotion. He just took down the wine jug hanging next to the saddle, took a sip, and then poured it all onto the ground.

He climbed onto the horse's back and slowly scanned the surrounding mountains and rivers.

In the distance, Wanyan Agunai and Wanyan Hanpu had already knelt down, beating their chests.

Groups of silent Mobei cavalrymen finally threw down their weapons and lost everything.

This day.

The long river of history has changed because of Xiao Yan.

(End of this chapter)