Ch.71Xingqing (3)

Munglig and Bekhter occupied a village near Xingqing.

They drove out the people living there as peacefully as possible.

Perhaps because of this conciliatory approach, the Western Xia people complied with our demands despite being raided by only a small number of our cavalry.

Of course, there could be several reasons behind their behavior.

Rumors spreading from Khara-Khoto, or the massacre of many Western Xia soldiers in the battle against Zhang Yunchang… reasons like that.

In truth, those reasons weren’t important. What mattered more was that our strategic objectives were progressing smoothly.

The fact that we had created refugees peacefully.

That fact was going to have a significant impact on our battle.

While I was thinking about this, Bekhter, having completed his mission, approached me.

He bowed and began to report.

“I have returned after carrying out your orders, my lord.”

“You’ve worked hard, my son.”

I said this while patting my son’s shoulder.

Bekhter smiled with a satisfied expression.

“As ordered, you used peaceful methods to direct the people near Xingqing toward the city.”

“Yes. And through Munglig, we were able to recruit Kerik from the locals.”

The Kerik mentioned here was a unit composed of settlers, that is, prisoners captured in the battle against Zhang Yunchang.

Most of them were infantry who would be responsible for siege and defense operations as Mongolia continued to expand.

It seemed Bekhter had instructed Munglig to recruit additional Kerik who excelled in regional defense.

“Now we just need to wait and see how the enemy commander responds.”

How we would fight would be determined by how they handled the refugees flooding into Xingqing.

If they were complacent like Li Deyun, we could stall for time, draw their attention, and then launch a water attack.

Conversely, if they were the type to send refugees to their deaths for their objectives, we could send people to divide opinions within the enemy ranks.

By intensifying their internal confusion until they couldn’t move their troops effectively, we could keep the enemy tied down in Xingqing and finish them with a water attack.

Either way, finishing with a water attack was inevitable.

While not a perfect tactic, it was clearly the one that could inflict the most damage against an army of 400,000.

Anyway, as we talked, I commended Bekhter for his achievements.

While expressing gratitude for the recognition, Bekhter appeared to be deep in thought.

Looking at my son, I asked him a question.

“You look like you’ve realized something while working with Munglig. Can you tell me about it?”

At this, my son’s face turned slightly red. After hesitating briefly, he nodded.

“Actually, I’ve been thinking about something since you buried the enemy commander.”

After saying this, my son carefully addressed me.

“I don’t know if I’m right. But… I clearly remember the expressions of the prisoners when they saw you respectfully bury the enemy commander.”

“What expressions did they have?”

“…They looked at you as a fellow human being.”

“…”

“Someone who breathes, feels… and respects those who understand honor.”

After saying this, my son looked at me.

Bekhter’s eyes were gleaming. This look was quite different from when Temujin had his realization.

“In my childhood, I was consumed by jealousy.”

I knew better than anyone that this jealousy was caused by Yesugei, that is, me.

So I could only look apologetic. But my son shook his head as if it wasn’t my fault and continued.

“I don’t blame you, Father. I just realized too late that I was trapped in futile jealousy.”

“My son…”

“Through this expedition, I’ve gained the greatest insight from you, Father.”

“What is it?”

“The people of Western Xia were also human beings. Their lives had ups and downs too. There were exploiters and the exploited. Rulers and the ruled, the strong and the weak.”

“…”

“I felt this while moving with Uncle Munglig. We removed those who exploited them and didn’t hastily exploit them with laws and regulations. By acting that way… they no longer see us as invaders.”

After catching his breath, Bekhter looked at me and proudly revealed what he had realized.

“The way to turn enemies into allies. That’s what I learned from you, Father.”

The Bekhter standing before me was no longer a child.

Bekhter… had now become an adult and a Khan.

“…That’s not something I taught you.”

“…?”

“That’s something you realized on your own, my son.”

I patted the shoulder of the grown-up Bekhter and continued.

“You are worthy of becoming a Khan.”

“F-Father.”

“Western Xia is waiting for a new master. They are waiting for a ruler who is strong yet gentle, who respects their customs while protecting them from enemies.”

And I looked at my son.

I spoke to Bekhter in a solemn voice.

“Can you prove that you are suitable for that position?”

“I will prove it to the steppe, to our ancestors, and to you, Father, by achieving military merit.”

Bekhter’s eyes were blazing with determination.

A wolf had already taken residence in his eyes.

* * *

On the minister’s orders, the refugees entering Xingqing were immediately conscripted and given bamboo spears.

The people couldn’t help but express their discontent.

“The enemy didn’t even force us into conscription, but instead let us flee to Xingqing…”

“That’s right. They even showed us the way and helped us avoid getting hurt.”

“But here they’re not protecting us, but making us arrow shields?”

The refugees didn’t hide their complaints.

This was because they were standing outside the city walls with bamboo spears in hand.

They were essentially destined to be slaughtered when the Mongol army arrived, so they had nothing to lose.

“I thought we’d survive if we came to Xingqing…”

“Huh… if I’d known this, I would have been better off serving the Mongol army.”

As the refugees grumbled with dejected expressions, an officer who could no longer bear it stepped forward.

Commanding the refugees from atop the wall, he shouted with sword in hand.

“This is an order from the minister! As citizens of Western Xia, you should be grateful to fulfill your duty! How dare you show discontent!”

As the officer disciplined the refugees by brandishing his sword, the spear-wielding refugees had no choice but to shut their mouths.

Once the complaints had somewhat subsided, the officer pointed his sword at the refugees and threatened them.

“If something like this happens one more time, you will be summarily executed according to military law.”

“…”

“…”

“Do you understand?! Answer me!”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“W-we will follow orders.”

While the officer was restoring discipline among the demoralized refugees, a group of Mongol cavalry appeared before them.

At their appearance, the officer immediately ordered the refugees.

“Raise your weapons! You must prevent the enemy from approaching the walls!”

The troops summoned by the mobilization order had not yet fully assembled.

Of course, the number of troops in Xingqing was more than enough to tear apart the Mongol cavalry before them.

But the minister, who was the commander-in-chief, had ordered them not to leave the walls in response to enemy provocations until all troops had assembled.

This was because Mongol cavalry often used such provocative tactics to lure enemy forces into false retreat tactics.

Wei Xiaoyun knew this well, which is why he had issued such orders.

Of course, this order only applied to the regular troops inside the walls.

The refugee units, mere consumables, essentially had to absorb the Mongol attacks with their bodies.

“Sob… I don’t want to die like this…”

“Damn it… damn it!”

Following the officer’s orders, the refugees had no choice but to grit their teeth and hold their spears.

Without even these, they would have no means to protect themselves.

Of course, having spears didn’t mean they could stop a cavalry charge.

They were merely relying on these spears to barely overcome the fear of not knowing when they might die.

Bwooooooo!

The eerie sound of a horn signaling the start of the attack was heard.

After that sound, the Mongol cavalry began charging toward the walls.

As the ground-shaking cavalry charge approached, the spear-wielding citizens could only squeeze their eyes shut.

Just as they thought they would become corpses in a few minutes… suddenly they heard something flying over them.

Arrows filling the sky.

The arrows shot by the Mongol cavalry were raining down precisely on the Western Xia soldiers and officers on the walls.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Guhk…”

Contrary to the officer’s prediction that they would charge at the spear-wielding citizens, the Mongol cavalry’s target was the soldiers on the walls.

Caught off guard, the soldiers on the walls suffered significant casualties.

“Don’t panic! Shoot arrows at the Mongols! And the refugee unit, advance forward to block the cavalry’s approach!”

At the officer’s command, the refugee unit had no choice but to start advancing.

At the same time, the soldiers on the walls shot arrows at the Mongol cavalry.

As if anticipating the counterattack from Xingqing’s soldiers, the Mongol cavalry stopped shooting and retreated.

As they withdrew, the refugee soldiers pursuing them naturally suffered casualties from friendly fire.

“Aaaaargh!”

“Why… why are you shooting at us!”

“Hey! We’re on your side!”

As they suffered from friendly fire, the refugee unit began protesting to the archer unit on the walls.

But despite these protests, the arrows raining down on their heads did not decrease.

Thus ended the reconnaissance battle between the Mongols and Western Xia, without inflicting much damage on the Mongol cavalry.

The ones who suffered the most in this reconnaissance were none other than the unarmored refugee unit.

“Damn it…”

“They’re treating us as completely expendable.”

“The Mongol cavalry didn’t even swing their swords at us, but we’re dying from friendly arrows? Is this right?”

The refugee units were growing restless.

As this pattern repeated whenever Mongol cavalry approached the walls, the anger of the refugee units began to build.