Chapter 726: Sage Zhang Takes Another Adopted Son

Boom—the crash of the battering ram echoed out. Steppe peoples were not skilled at attacking cities, and naturally they were even less skilled at defending them.

Even the Khitans, who came from a fishing-and-hunting background and had briefly held the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan-Yun, still had defensive skills limited to shooting arrows from the walls.

In fact, there were not even many men shooting arrows from the walls.

After being defeated by the river, the entire eight tribes of the Dilie and the assorted Khitan fringe forces Shulu Ping had gathered collapsed completely.

The defeated Dilie cavalry never even regrouped, and of course they did not retreat back to Kedun City either; they fled around the city instead.

Most of their families had begun evacuating several days earlier. These men, cavalry in name but armed herders in reality, once routed, simply went chasing after their own families.

Only a portion of the Shiwei, Tieli, Wugu, and Xi people withdrew into the city.

They were not locals and did not know the terrain or geography, and most of them were infantry, so they had nowhere to run.

Although Kedun City counted as a stronghold on the steppe, making a group of Shiwei and Xi who were not locals defend it was asking too much.

They held out for less than a single watch. The Zhou army had only just knocked a crude battering ram together from a huge log and rammed the gate three or five times when infighting broke out inside the city.

A group of men with weapons tried to break out from the west side of the city. Man Xiong simply let them out, and then on the flat ground west of the city, the Beigui Iron Cavalry Battalion scattered them with a single charge. Not one escaped.

Since breaking out was a dream, the "clever men" inside the city knew they had no choice but to lay down their weapons and surrender.

So after a burst of shouting loud enough for even the Zhou army outside to hear, the army's commander, the Khitan Yelu Pode, was dragged out by a group of Shiwei men dressed in animal hides.

After Zhang Zhao gave his consent, Yelu Pode was brought before him.

This was not like last time. Last time, Zhang Zhao had pitied the man's loyal courage in wanting to die a martyr for Yelu Deguang, and had deliberately let him live, even sending him back to the Khitans. Who would have thought he would dare come back and oppose the Great Zhou again?

"Wugulin, you have some nerve. We spared your life, and you dare repay kindness with enmity?"

Zhang Zhao asked this with righteous indignation. After Yelu's defeat, Yelu Pode had indeed escaped with his life only because Zhang Zhao had shown him special mercy.

Yelu Pode's cheeks were slightly swollen and his forehead was streaked with blood; clearly the Shiwei men who had just turned on him had not treated him gently.

Hearing Zhang Zhao's question, Yelu Pode actually felt a surge of shame. He slid straight to his knees on the ground, pressing his forehead into the earth at the same time.

"Your Majesty has indeed shown me kindness, but that was a private kindness. Refusing you today is a matter of state.

Wugulin should have died long ago. It was the Sage Son of Heaven who let me live a while longer. Today I only beg the Sage Son of Heaven to spare these Shiwei and Wugu Xi people. They were incited by Shulu Ping and only then dared to oppose the sage dynasty."

Zhang Zhao sneered. The man's mouth was full of "sage dynasty," yet when he had shot his arrows at them, there had not been a trace of hesitation.

"And you? Do you also want Us to release you back to the Great Xianbei Mountains to fish and hunt?"

Yelu Pode said in a mournful voice: "In public duty, I could not hold the Khitan realm; the state is broken and the house destroyed. In private conduct, I received Your Majesty's pardon yet still dared to come with blades raised against you—my virtue is lacking. Wugulin deserves to die today."

"Father! Father!" Hearing Yelu Pode say he deserved death, two young fierce generals in armor who had been brought over with him cried out loudly.

Well, not both of them were crying out—one was crying, while the other stared at Zhang Zhao, his face showing grief and indignation.

"My son, do not weep. My life is fated to end here. If the Sage Son of Heaven is merciful, you and Xiuge should return to Rabbit Mountain, fish and hunt deer, and live well!"

Yelu Pode looked at the weeping young general, and tears finally streamed down his face. Even as he called out, he looked at Zhang Zhao imploringly.

Heh! Zhang Zhao was angered into laughter. So he spared the father once, and now he was supposed to spare the son too?

Did they really think the mercy of Sage Zhang was fruit growing on a tree, there for the picking whenever they reached out a hand?

Sage Zhang turned to look at the young general who called Yelu Pode "Father." He must surely be Yelu Pode's son. The other one, called Xiuge, was probably either Yelu Pode's son or nephew.

Hm? What? Xiuge?

Yelu... Xiuge?

Zhang Zhao was startled and uncertain. If he remembered correctly, Yelu Xiuge should be that famous Liao general who took an arrow in the rear and still had his soldiers pull him along in a light cart to pursue the Song army.

And the Song army he pursued was none other than the Great Song chariot god, Second Brother Zhao, of the Gaoliang River donkey-cart drift.

Zhang Zhao thought back. Second Brother Zhao's age—last time Zhao Kuangyin had said he was eight or nine, hadn't he?

But this Yelu Xiuge before him looked to be sixteen or seventeen. Was the age gap between the two really that large?

In fact, this was simply Zhang Zhao's ignorance. Historically, although Yelu Xiuge's birth year is unknown, his grandfather Yelu Shilu was the elder uncle of Liao Taizu Yelu Abaoji.

That is to say, Yelu Xiuge's father was of the same generation as Yelu Abaoji, and Yelu Xiuge himself was of the same generation as Yelu Deguang.

Even if Yelu Xiuge's father had him late in life, Yelu Xiuge being more than twenty years younger than his cousin Yelu Deguang was about right.

But doubts aside, Zhang Zhao still walked slowly forward. If this really was Yelu Xiuge, then he would have to be carefully cultivated.

In history, this man was, after all, a peerless general and renowned minister of the Liao dynasty!

Without him, my Zhao the Second might well have recovered Yan-Yun, and whether the Khitans could have held on is hard to say.

Moreover, this tender, fresh age of sixteen was exactly the time when one's worldview and outlook on life were being shaped. Take him in hand and mold him a bit, and given this man's historical temperament and ability, he would at the very least be a Jin Midi!

Thinking this, Zhang Zhao walked over and first pointed his horsewhip at the boy crying "Father."

This boy was a full size bigger than Xiuge beside him. He had a solid foundation; he should at least be able to become an iron-armored general.

"Who are you?" Zhang Zhao asked in a low, sharp voice.

The armored soldier holding this young general immediately shoved his head down into the dirt, and both his arms were pinned so he could not rise.

The young general hissed twice through his teeth, then answered: "I am Yelu Xidi."

Truly, enemies are bound to meet!

Zhang Zhao could not help glancing back at Yang Jiye, which left Yang Jiye utterly baffled.

He of course did not know that in history, at Chenjiakou, it was this very Yelu Xidi who had led troops to surround him—then called Yang Ye—and made him fight to the death.

Likewise, in history, when Second Brother Zhao besieged Youzhou, the defending general was Yelu Xidi. He counted as a fierce commander too.

And anyone who could keep company with a close Liao imperial kinsman like Yelu Xidi was, needless to say, in all likelihood a member of the Yelu family.

"You are called Yelu Xiuge?"

Hearing Zhang Zhao's question, before Yelu Xiuge could answer, the armored soldier holding him moved to press him to the ground just as he had done to Yelu Xidi.

Zhang Zhao waved his hand lightly, signaling them to release him—and even Yelu Xidi beside him was released as well.

"There is no need to be nervous. Those contending with Us are only Shulu Ping and her son. It has nothing to do with anyone else."

Hm, when it came to winning hearts, Sage Zhang's smooth talk came in set after set.

Yelu Xiuge was released. He looked at Zhang Zhao, who stood with his hands behind his back in golden armor, like a god descended, and told himself he must be neither servile nor overbearing. But in truth, after Zhang Zhao spoke to him gently for a couple of sentences, bathed in the aura of a supreme emperor, he could not help but prostrate himself.

"I am Xiuge of the Yelu family."

It was indeed him. Zhang Zhao's face betrayed nothing, but inwardly he was rather pleased.

What he had just said was not wrong either — those contending with him for the realm were indeed only men like Yelu Deguang.

Toward Khitan like Yelu Xiuge who had not joined the southern invasion, Zhang Zhao was quite lenient. In truth, even Khitan who had invaded south were not pursued by Zhang Zhao, so long as they had committed no grave crimes.

He now had no small number of Khitan under his command. The four lower Khitan tumens of the Hetao region alone held sixty or seventy thousand Khitan, and the four upper Khitan tumens controlled by Murong Xinzhang were estimated at over a hundred thousand.

The new Eight Khitan Tribes formed from these two Khitan tumens would likely soon break past the three hundred thousand mark.

Yelu Pode looked at Zhang Zhao, and suddenly felt a familiar air. It was the same expression Zhang Zhao had worn back then, when he had permitted him to return north at Shahu Forest.

Though Yelu Pode did not know what had softened Zhang Zhao's just-now hard stance, he knew the opportunity would not come again.

So this last famous general of the Khitan knocked his head on the ground three times, then called out to Zhang Zhao.

"Sage, after this battle, the Khitan shall exist no more. The Yelu family has already shed enough blood for the Great Khitan State.

Wugulin may deserve death ten thousand times over, and I do not ask the Sage to pardon him, but I beg the Sage to pardon these children, and let them serve the Sage's dynasty!"

Zhang Zhao turned at these words and looked at Yelu Pode. The man looked rough and bold, but his nose was keen indeed.

Yet Zhang Zhao would not show any willingness to use Khitan. Instead he asked in return: "Khitan serving me — Wugulin, are you sure you are not just talking wildly to save your life?"

Yelu Pode raised his head and looked at Zhang Zhao, and said bitterly: "After this battle, there will be no Khitan left, and no need for Khitan any longer.

If Your Majesty permits, we wild men of the mountains and forests are willing to be as the Xiongnu of the Han, the Xianbei of the Northern Dynasties, the Turks and the the Shatuo of the Tang.

I only pray that Your Majesty, in his boundless magnanimity, will accept their submission."

Zhang Zhao fell silent for a long while. Since the Khitan first stepped onto the stage of history in the early years of the Northern Qi, they had served as the successors to the Xianbei after the latter left the Great Xianbei Mountains, and for five hundred years they had kept close dealings with the Central Plains.

By now, apart from a portion who still kept the shaven-crown custom, their habits and customs were rapidly drawing close to those of the Han.

In fact, the Khitan of this time resembled the Han even more than the Khitan of the Northern Song period did, because in the Northern Song period the Khitan still held a slight psychological advantage over the Song — naturally, the ones receiving annual tribute were a bit more "noble" than the ones paying it.

But at this moment, it was an era of absolute Han cultural dominance. With a Great Tang about to appear before their eyes, many Khitan yearned for it in their hearts.

At the very least, when Zhang Zhao accepted Khitan tribes into his fold, his first condition was that they not shave their crowns — and not a single person objected.

Many had even long since voluntarily abandoned the shaven crown, that most conspicuous outward mark, without Zhang Zhao needing to remind them.

So, in the Northern Song of history, to speak of assimilating the Khitan would have been a fool's dream.

But for Zhang Zhao in this time and space, not only was it no fool's dream — it required Zhang Zhao's grace for the Khitan to even have the chance.

Thinking of this, Zhang Zhao nodded, turned, and walked toward Yelu Pode. If Yelu Pode could say such words, then this man still had his uses.

Seeing Zhang Zhao approach, Yelu Pode did not know why, but tears suddenly blurred his eyes. He performed another grand kowtow toward Zhang Zhao.

"The Son of Heaven is truly a magnanimous and benevolent sage lord! Had the Zhuangli Emperor been here, he would never have spared an ungrateful wretch like me."

The Zhuangli Emperor in Yelu Pode's mouth referred to Yelu Deguang.

After the death of that "Camel War God," Zhang Zhao had not stripped him of his imperial title, but had, according to protocol, conferred on him a temple name and posthumous name, granting this Liao Taizong of history a bit of face.

Zhuangmiao Li Emperor. "Zhuang" for repeated campaigns and slaughter, for dying in the open field. "Li" for killing the innocent, for propping up evil as right. One had to say, it was exceedingly apt.

Zhang Zhao heard the wish for death in Yelu Pode's words, so he stopped and looked at him. After a moment's thought, he said: "If We are willing to accept the Khitan, it may begin with pardoning you, Wugulin."

Yelu Pode showed a faint grateful smile, then bowed his head and prostrated again. "Wugulin should have died at Shahu Forest long ago. Now that I know the Sage's magnanimity and benevolence, I have no further attachments."

With that, he looked at Yelu Xidi and Yelu Xiuge and said: "You must remember the benevolence of the Sage Son of Heaven, and serve the Sage's dynasty unto death!"

The two wept aloud at these words. Zhang Zhao too was somewhat moved. He beckoned Zhang Xianyu over and said: "My son, remember this — when you employ men in the future, employ loyal and brave ministers such as these."

Then he looked at Yelu Pode and said: "Since you seek death, We shall grant your wish. We bestow upon you a whole sheep and fine wine — eat your fill, then be on your way. We shall order the Ministry of Rites to bury you at Rabbit Ear Mountain with the rites of a vassal-state lord."

Yelu Pode, tears in his eyes, kowtowed once more. "Wugulin, a wild man beyond the frontier, kowtows in thanks for the Sage's grace."

Zhang Zhao turned and walked over to the sixteen-year-old Yelu Xiuge. "Since the Khitan are to be brought into Huaxia, let it begin with you. Boy, are you willing to be Our adopted son?"

Yelu Xiuge was stunned, then a joy he could not suppress showed on his face.

Yang Jiye, hearing that he was finally no longer the younger brother — that this Yelu Balang was the younger brother now — stepped forward and, imitating Zhang Zhao, cracked a sharp knuckle-rap hard onto Yelu Xiuge's head.

"You fool, you've stumbled into great luck — why haven't you kowtowed to give thanks yet!"

Only then did Yelu Xiuge come to his senses. Enduring the sharp pain in his head, he prostrated himself and kowtowed. "Your son Xiuge pays respects to Imperial Father!"

Well now. Originally Zhang Zhao and Yelu Deguang had sworn brotherhood, so by proper ethics, Yelu Xiuge ought to be a younger brother.

Now that he had become Sage Zhang's adopted son, Zhang Zhao instantly became Yelu Deguang's uncle — invisibly raising his seniority by another generation, putting him on the same level as Yelu Abaoji.

At that moment, thousands of li away in the Divine Capital, Yelu Abuli, who was nursing her child, suddenly shivered for no reason at all.

Never in her dreams would she have imagined that in the space of that one shiver, she had smoothly been demoted from niece of her emperor husband to grandniece.

(End of Chapter)

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