Chapter Thirty-Eight: Marquis Stockade

Hou Stronghold!

Located forty miles east of Sanhe Fort, it is a mid-sized fortified village with a population of over six hundred. The most prominent clan in the stronghold is the Hou clan, which numbers more than a hundred people. For the past fifty years, the Hou family has been the dominant power in the stronghold, ruling it with an iron fist. In their eyes, the stronghold is their private estate, and they are its masters. Everyone else is merely a servant raised by the Hou family, destined from birth to death—along with their children and grandchildren—to farm and herd for their masters.

One afternoon, a cavalry troop of about ten riders departed from the stronghold, moving at a leisurely pace toward the southeast. In the center of the group rode a woman with a lithe and graceful figure. Though not tall, she possessed a seductive charm, dressed in a red silk long gown, adorned with gold and jade hairpins, and layered with a short sheepskin jacket. This attire appeared far more opulent and wealthy compared to the average woman of the Northern Frontier. Her sparkling, peach-blossom eyes exuded allure, and her every movement carried the poise of a mature woman. With her fair, delicate complexion, one might mistake her for a high-born lady from the Central Plains, bearing no resemblance to the women of the Northern steppes.

At this moment, however, her brows were tightly knit, her expression betraying a trace of unease as she turned to look at the man riding beside her.

"Husband," she asked hesitantly, "are we truly going to persuade my father?"

The man beside her, also under the age of twenty, was fair-skinned and handsome, with a high bridge of his nose and thin lips. He took the woman's hand and smiled gently. "My dear, we are not going to persuade your father; we are going to save him! We are saving the entire Yellow Sand Stronghold."

"But," the woman said, her expression troubled, "my father has never liked the Karluks. If we ask him to lead the Yellow Sand Stronghold to surrender to them, he will certainly refuse."

Although she possessed a seductive appearance, the woman was traditional at heart, always remembering the virtue of following her husband after marriage. Therefore, when her husband’s family decided to submit to the Karluks, she had never spoken a word of opposition, despite her internal reluctance. She knew a woman could not stop such monumental events; she only wished to be a dutiful wife. Yet, she had not expected her husband to take her back to her maiden home to convince her father to surrender as well. Her father was known for his stubborn, unyielding temper and his deep hatred for the Karluks.

"I am afraid," she said worriedly, "that he might draw his blade and kill us on the spot."

Seeing her distress, the man gave a nonchalant scoff. "My dear, while your father’s temper is poor, I believe he is a man of intelligence. In the current situation, what benefit is there in continuing to oppose the Karluks? The Khitans have been defeated, the Jinzhou Governor’s Office is gone, and we are left as scattered Han people—how can we possibly resist the Karluks? Besides, you know as well as I do that Sanhe Fort to our west has already fallen. I heard that many were slaughtered there; it was truly miserable. Do you wish to see the Yellow Sand Stronghold suffer the same fate?"

Hearing her husband’s grim warning, the woman shook her head in terror. If there was a way to live, who would choose to die?

"Once we arrive, we will reason with him," the man continued. "Even if he is stubborn, he must consider the lives of the hundreds in his village. And I do not believe everyone in the stronghold is so obstinate."

His name was Hou Tiancai, the young master of Hou Stronghold. Beside him was his wife, Huang Xiu'er of the Yellow Sand Stronghold. The reason they sought to persuade the Yellow Sand Stronghold was that the strength of Hou Stronghold alone was too meager. With fewer than seven hundred people, they could barely muster two hundred combat-ready men. Previously, his father had traveled to Sanhe Fort to discuss terms with the Aslan tribe, but because the Hou clan was seen as weak and undersized, they were snubbed and returned empty-handed. Thus, the Hou family planned to gather more villages to increase their leverage and surrender to the Maman tribe, another faction of the Karluks.

"Once our villages are united, the Karluks will never look down on us," Hou Tiancai said calmly. "Once they occupy all of Jinzhou, we will be the greatest heroes. All the Han villages will henceforth follow the orders of Hou Stronghold and Yellow Sand Stronghold. We two families will be the 'Kings' of the Han people in Jinzhou!"

As he spoke, his tone grew more excited, constantly attempting to indoctrinate Huang Xiu'er. "As for whether the Karluks can take Jinzhou? Let me tell you the truth, my dear! The Karluks are supported by the Naimans! With the Naimans' help, they will surely defeat the Khitan armies from the Eastern Capital and perhaps occupy the entire Northern Frontier! When that happens, we will have the merit of being founding supporters."

The Hou family had analyzed the situation thoroughly. The Karluks had the upper hand. After the battle at North Mountain, no force remained in Jinzhou to resist them. The Karluks would undoubtedly go on to conquer every city and village. Although the Eastern Capital would surely send an army, the Karluks had the Naimans behind them. The Eastern Capital's forces, coming from so far away, would be no match for the mighty Naimans. As for the Royal Court? That was even further away; by the time their army arrived, it would be months too late.

"As long as we seize this opportunity, our Hou family can become the leaders of all the Han in the Northern Frontier. We might even be able to set aside the Karluks and have the Naimans grant us all of Jinzhou as a fiefdom!"

Hou Tiancai fantasized about a glorious future. The risks were not small, but considering the potential rewards, the adventure was worth it. Huang Xiu'er, watching her husband's obsessive fixation, sighed inwardly. "A woman follows the man she marries," she thought. She did not understand his political schemes; she only knew she must be a good wife and relieve his worries. Whether it was the Khitans, the Karluks, or the Naimans ruling, the status of the Han people remained the same. To her, they were all the same. She only cared that her family remained safe. Her thoughts were simple, yet she failed to grasp the cruel nature of power transitions—each shift was accompanied by harrowing struggles, and failure meant total ruin, the destruction of one's home and family.

The group continued toward the Yellow Sand Stronghold, aiming to arrive before nightfall. Suddenly, a sturdy man in their troop shouted, "Young Master, there are cavalry!"

The group looked to the west and saw over twenty riders galloping across the green expanse.

"Who are they? Why are they outside our territory?" Hou Tiancai asked, frowning.

"Young Master, they outnumber us, and they do not seem friendly," the man replied.

Hou Tiancai hesitated before deciding to turn back. Being hunted by enemies on the open steppe was dangerous. Meanwhile, Li Xiao had also spotted Hou Tiancai’s group.

"Brother Dalong, those people look like they just came from the Hou Stronghold," a man nicknamed 'Thin Monkey' said to Li Xiao.

Li Xiao and his men had arrived near the stronghold only recently. He had left Dahuo and the others to rest while he took the twenty men of the first scout team to reconnoiter the surroundings. In warfare, many commanders preferred to reach the front lines to observe terrain and enemy deployment personally, combining these findings with those of other scouts to formulate a final plan. Li Xiao was no different; he placed great importance on reconnaissance and intelligence.

After his observation, Li Xiao realized the stronghold's defenses were tight—trenches, battlements, and even pits for horses had been dug. A forced assault would result in heavy losses and was not to be considered. His original plan had been to lure the enemy out to be destroyed on the open steppe, and encountering Hou Tiancai’s group seemed to be the perfect opportunity.

"The riders in the front and back look like guards protecting the two in the middle," Li Xiao muttered.

Tietou, standing nearby, nodded. "Those two must be important figures in the stronghold. One of them looks like a woman!"

Li Xiao chuckled. "Once we capture them, we'll know everything."

"Brother Dalong, they're trying to run!" Thin Monkey shouted.

Upon being spotted, Hou Tiancai’s group had also seen Li Xiao. The terrain to the south was flat, making it easy to see over long distances. Li Xiao could not let them escape. "Pursue them! Don't let them get away!" he roared, leading his men in a frantic chase. Because they had brought three horses per person, their steeds were fresh and full of energy. Twenty-odd Hexi youths, gripping spears and sabers, galloped across the wilderness with a thunderous, low rumble, exuding a murderous aura.

Hou Tiancai’s group realized the intent of Li Xiao’s men immediately. "They are coming for us! Are they horse bandits? Hurry back to the stronghold!"

"Don't panic! We are close to the stronghold; they won't dare do anything," Hou Tiancai shouted, trying to calm his men. He scanned the distant riders, wondering who they were—Han? Karluks? Horse bandits seemed most likely. Regardless, they were aggressive and his own force was at a disadvantage, so retreating was the best course of action. He urged his party to move faster; once back at the stronghold, he could call for reinforcements and no longer fear these men.

However, the pursuers were relentless and fast. "I will exterminate these damned bandits later!" Hou Tiancai thought, glancing at his wife with a touch of annoyance. If only she were a better rider, they wouldn't be moving so slowly. If this continued, they would be caught. Left with no choice, he shouted toward the approaching Li Xiao, "I am Hou Tiancai, Young Master of Hou Stronghold! Who are you? If you continue this pursuit, we will not be polite!"

He hoped to use the reputation of his stronghold to scare them off, as they were now very close. To his surprise, when Li Xiao heard his identity, his eyes lit up—not with fear, but with delight.

"The Young Master of Hou Stronghold?" Li Xiao laughed. "Who would have thought a simple scout mission would net such a big fish?"

Without hesitation, Li Xiao shouted, "Capture them!"