novelFacing desperation
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Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
Chapter 1221 - Facing Desperation
Ouyang Shuo's cold treatment sent the West Xia emperor into a frenzy.
Li Yuanhao was also a smart person; he knew that Great Xia did not act because they felt that West Xia did not give a high enough offer.
However, this was already Li Yuanhao's bottom line.
Did he have to learn from Jin, Shu, and Sui and submit to Great Xia?
Li Yuanhao could not do that.
No matter who it was, as long as one sat on the throne, they would not give it up before the last moment arrived.
Li Yuanhao decided to order Yeli Wangrong and his brother to return to assist before Xingqing House falls regardless of the cost.
Facing the aggressive Tolei Army, Li Yuanhao personally commanded the troops.
...
The 12 month soon arrived.
After the calamity, the aftereffects were many. The northern land in the 12 month was a solemn and cold place. Some places were already snowing, dyeing white the dark red land.
Mongol Empire, Karakorum.
Genghis Khan looked at the snowflakes outside his window and said listlessly, "Winter has arrived."
In a short two months, due to the lack of food, groups of cows and sheep had died. To protect their animals, some of the herders had no choice but to sacrifice their grain to feed them.
An unprecedentedly cruel test burned right at the grassland.
To exchange for grain, some of the herders at the border took the risk to sell their animals to the mid plains to buy grain to feed their remaining animals.
Many Mongol nobles participated in this matter.
The most unrestrained transactions happened at the Great Zhou Dynasty, where the Imperial Court allowed it to happen.
On the other hand, Great Xia that was right next to Great Zhou had sentries keeping a close watch, making it difficult to smuggle grain. Throughout the entire mid plains, Great Xia's grain market had the most supply, angering everyone.
"Great Xia Dynasty."
Genghis Khan muttered. Currently, his mind was not focused.
Looking at Chinese history, there was no dynasty like Great Xia, not only ruling China but also sweeping overseas. There were rumors that said that Great Xia had land all over the globe, which made Genghis Khan jealous.
"To be able to compete with such a person is a fortune." Genghis Khan was really pumped. The more motivated he was, the clearer his mind felt.
He knew that now was not the time for him to go head to head with Great Xia.
Genghis Khan looked out into the distance. With the intuition of a ruler, he could feel that a tiger was waiting at the south of West Xia. The empire's road to taking down West Xia would definitely have problems.
"Maybe it's time to consider Ogedai's suggestion."
The house of Ogedai not attacking Tibet was naturally not because it was afraid. Rather, it was because Tibet was useless. It might have vast land, but it was a poor region.
Ogedai had his eyes set on a piece of juicy meat, but he did not dare to go for it.
...
Great Zhou Dynasty, Handan City.
This winter was similarly a cold one for Di Chen.
With his country weakening, a lone piece of wood was hard to keep afloat. Everyone was betraying him. The series of blows pushed him to the depths of the abyss, and he nearly could not climb up. Only after his grandfather personally stepped out did he pull himself together.
What was ahead of Great Zhou was not how to go against Great Xia but how to get past this winter.
Natural and man-made disasters pretty much used up the Great Zhou granary. Tens of millions of civilians were hungry and were waiting for Di Chen to think of a plan. When there was no path he could take, Di Chen could only take a risk.
He instructed Chun Shenjun to use the chamber of commerce to use the limited grain to exchange for cows and sheep. As the herders were having a tough time, this would allow the Great Zhou chambers of commerce to make a killing.
With meat supporting them, this winter would not be too cold.
After dealing with the grain crisis, Di Chen was exhausted and did not have an inch of fighting spirit. On some nights when he was alone, he even envied Xiong Ba and Zhan Lang who had such revitalized lives.
The world was just so ironic.
...
12th month, 5th day, Xingqing House.
Tolei led 200 thousand Mongol cavalry and were right under the city.
Both sides were racing against time. To Tolei, if he could take down the city before the West Xia reinforcements arrived, it would be a huge win.
It was naturally the opposite for Li Yuanhao.
The best point of the Mongol cavalry was that they did not have a logistical burden. For example, during the current Battle of West Xia, their two fronts only brought three days of rations. The rest was settled along the way.
Hence, the West Xia civilians were in trouble.
To attack Xingqing House as quickly as possible, Tolei's methods were really gory and bloody. He ordered the troops to chase hundred thousand civilians from the cities and villages to help the Mongol army siege.
Countless pitiful civilians were forced by the bows and arrows of the Mongol cavalry to swarm toward the city gates, trying to use the most simple battering rams made from logs to open up the city gates.
Xingqing House was the capital of a country, so how could its solid, boulder-like gate be broken so easily?
Li Yuanhao was already forced into desperation and did not have the ability to pity people. The city protection troops were helpless and could only attack their brethren, killing wave after wave of innocent civilians.
In just one day, the city protection river was dyed a pale red.
And this was just the start.
In the next few days, similar atrocities were on full display.
The entire city protection river was filled with corpses. The river stopped here, not to mention the river water, but even the canals within the city were dyed red.
In just five days, 600 thousand innocent civilians were buried outside of the city. Half of them were actually killed by the Mongol army themselves.
They did this to scare the city protection soldiers.
Such crazy actions finally incurred the wrath of the people.
Learning that their brothers were being slaughtered like pigs and dogs, the travelling West Xia army ignited their talent. Apart from leaving a group to cover the others, the rest charged back toward Xingqing House.
To stop the Muqali army, the part of the West Xia army that stayed back launched a fearless assault. With anger and grief, they charged forward with the determination to die along with the enemy.
Facing such a fearless enemy, the Mongol iron cavalry could not help but feel terrified.
An unassuming picking off battle became a heaven shocking fight to the death. Both sides fought for a day and a night. In the end, none of the 100 thousand West Xia troops survived.
Even the commander, Yeli Yuqi, died on the battlefield.
After the battle, only 70% of Muqali's troops remained.
The surviving Muqali only felt that he had walked out from hell. Looking at the battlefield filled with corpses, he gave a deep bow, "They were enemies worthy of respect."
This battle had caused Muqali's remaining forces to suffer heavy casualties. They had no more energy to chase, so they could only rest up on the spot.
...
12th month, 9th day, after rushing all the way, Yeli Wangrong led close to 300 thousand troops and arrived in Xingqing House.
The scales of victory were tilted toward West Xia once again.
However, just as this West Xia army arrived on the battlefield, they suffered a loss.
Tolei had once again made use of the West Xia army's desire to take revenge to disguise the camp. He only left a small number of troops there - the rest were civilians dressed up as Mongol cavalry soldiers.
Since they did not have much intel, the West Xia army charged right into the camp. By the time they realized that it was an empty camp, it was already too late.
Suddenly, they heard the rumbling sounds of horse hooves from outside of the camp.
Tolei personally led the troops to swarm in from both sides of the camp. They charged right into the camp, waving their machetes at the panicking West Xia army as they started a slaughter.
The West Xia army arduously clung on. With much difficulty, they fought a way out under Yeli Wangrong's leadership. However, they had suffered heavy casualties, and their morale was really low.
Tolei was god-like at using troops.
When Li Yuanhao in the city got the report, he pretty much sat on the throne like a paralyzed man.
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