Chapter 1 The Golden Horde Assembly Begins

In Li Fei's eyes, the barbarians' assembly was steeped in a rustic flavor.

The short-walled royal court, the barbarians' crude aristocratic system, tribal relations mixed with brothers and in-laws, the mingling and merging of various forces, and the mutual dislike and estrangement, and so on...

Perhaps this was the most essential taste of power,

But sadly,

Because there was no "ceremony," it exuded a sense of barbaric wildness.

This reminded Li Fei of the old Confucian scholar's saying:

"The Xia Emperor honored rites, and thus there were the Xia."

Whenever the old Confucian scholar drank too much, he would pinch peanuts and lament the declining morality, the collapse of rites and music, and the absence of the kingly way.

Li Fei and Chen Xianba used to think that the old Confucian scholar's sourness came from this, no wonder their nanny looked down on him.

But now,

After witnessing the preparation and beginning of this grand assembly of the barbarian royal court, Li Fei seemed to truly grasp the meaning of the old Confucian scholar's words.

A country, a nation, if not complete in its rites and laws, would indeed feel awkward no matter how one looked at it.

If the barbarians were still strong, it wouldn't matter. This rough, barbaric feeling could still inspire a sense of awe, though savage, yet terrifying.

Just like the Yan Kingdom to the Qian Chu;

But the problem was that as a Yan person, as the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei's府 (mansion), he didn't have that sense of fear towards the barbarians. When the fig leaf of strength disappeared, and the fig leaf of etiquette was tattered,

What you saw,

Was like a bunch of clowns trying to act important.

Any vulgar words could be used to express disdain for them.

Even from the perspective of a mountain village boy, one could feel that it was inappropriate for these nobles to sit together like this. It was inappropriate for the little prince to wrestle with those who called themselves brothers, and it was even more wrong for everyone to gather around the campfire to sing and dance, with the barbarian king even offering some of his young concubines to join in and flirt with the chieftains present.

What was acted out in operas,

What the storytellers said,

Even a commoner of the Yan Kingdom, while he might fantasize that the emperor could eat a hundred meat pies a day, would never believe that nobles and emperors would do such unrestrained and ridiculous things.

Then, thinking that his father and Prince Jingnan should have already set out with their armies, and might even be lurking near the royal court;

Looking at the scene before him again,

It seemed as if a layer of misty gauze had been laid over it,

The noise and commotion before him,

Was a dream, one easily punctured, picked open, and torn apart to reveal the fresh flesh and bloody subversion beneath.

The old Confucian scholar had commented on the works of Lord Pingxi,

He said that Lord Pingxi was a great talent of the age, skilled in commanding troops and fighting wars, and also had extremely high attainments in the literary arts.

It was a pity that Lord Pingxi perhaps believed that in this age of great contention, poetry was but a minor art, so he was stingy with his writing.

Li Fei felt that if Lord Pingxi were sitting in his place at this moment, with his great talent, he should be able to create a remarkable poem, or even paint a famous painting that could be passed down for generations.

"What are you thinking about?"

Igu Xie walked over with a wine glass.

After that night of "Who's the real father?", this brother-in-law not only wasn't angry, but even valued this brother-in-law even more.

Barbarians believed in the strong and disdained the cowardly. If you had courage and boldness, you would be respected here.

"Nothing, just thinking it's very lively."

"Of course, after today, the glory of my royal court will reappear in the desert."

"Congratulations, congratulations."

"I just heard my father reporting to grandfather that one army of your Zhenbei Army has entered my desert."

Hearing this, Li Fei was shocked, but on the surface, he still tried to maintain his composure.

"Li Chenghui, you know him, right?"

"Would you forget your brother's name?" Li Fei retorted.

Li Chenghui was one of the seven great generals under the former Prince of Zhenbei, skilled with the bow. When he was young, he once entered the desert alone and brought back a bag of ears from barbarian eagle shooters.

"Father said he's here to look after you, afraid you won't be well received here. However, grandfather has already sent the Left Xian Wang (Left Worthy Prince) to take 50,000 Golden Horde iron cavalry to deliver wine and meat to him."

This was going to greet and confront them.

The royal court was holding the Golden Horde Assembly here, so some actions from the old neighbor were expected.

Even though they sent a son-in-law to seek marriage, they still had to raise the big stick.

At this moment, today, it was impossible for the royal court to show weakness.

"Oh."

Li Fei nodded. He didn't understand warfare. After all, no matter how powerful the old Confucian scholar was, he couldn't be omnipotent.

But he knew one thing, and that was as long as his father and the army led by Prince Nan weren't discovered, it would be fine.

"Can you ride a horse?" Igu Xie asked.

"A little."

"It's interesting. The men of the Li family can only ride a little."

"I'm making a fool of myself."

"Alright, you gave me a dagger that day, and today I'll give you a barbarian saber. I'll be participating in the capture-the-arrow competition later. The one who gets the first prize will receive a barbarian saber as a gift."

"You?"

"What, you look down on me?"

"You're still too young."

"I know, but my status is different. They don't dare to seriously compete with me."

"Oh?"

So straightforward?

"The wolf king's cub wants to eat meat. Do other wolves dare to snatch it? This is a declaration, a declaration of the authority of my Golden Horde. It's to let me, this kid, take the first prize. Others are afraid of my status and dare not snatch it."

"I see."

"You just wait."

"Okay."

The Golden Horde Assembly couldn't be completed in a single day.

The first two days were for banquets and celebrations.

Because there was also news of the Yan Emperor's death, the number of banquet days was increased by one.

There was no helping it. The Yan Emperor's death made the barbarians' enthusiasm even higher.

Moreover,

There was already a saying that it was because the Golden Horde was about to rise again that the barbarian god had taken away the powerful emperor of the eastern neighbor.

This was a ridiculous statement, but many barbarians believed it.

Because the assembly was supposed to happen, and on this basis, everyone didn't mind and was even very happy to add some sacred divine will to the event.

To put it another way, it was excellent to have a good omen.

On the fourth day, there was a hunting大会 (dà huì, grand meet). Warriors from various tribes chased and hunted, and the little prince, on behalf of the old barbarian king, rewarded the one with the most abundant harvest.

The hunting大会 (dà huì) was divided into several parts. In one of the parts, Igu Xie won first place. He won very easily and very shady, but no one dared to object.

After the hunting大会 (dà huì), Li Fei clearly felt that the people of the royal court and the nobles of various tribes began to pay attention to their seating arrangements. Everyone ended the debauchery of the previous few days and finally had some sense of rules and hierarchy.

A heap of loose sand already had a tendency to re-coagulate.

On the fifth day, there was a Golden Horde cavalry military exercise, equivalent to a military parade in the Xia countries, which was a direct way to boast of martial prowess.

Li Fei watched with his newlywed wife.

Although the Left Xian Wang (Left Worthy Prince) had drawn away 50,000 cavalry to guard against Li Chenghui,

The royal court still managed to gather 80,000 cavalry here. At the front were the direct descendants of the royal family, with complete armor and a majestic aura.

The armor of the subsequent troops was much worse, but they still gave a sense of grandeur.

Charging, forming formations, echoing, circling. The royal court declared its power to the various tribes of the desert, showing off its muscles.

This was a very perfect performance,

In fact,

The strength of the Golden Horde wasn't enough to pacify the desert, far from it.

Even when the Prince of Zhenbei's 府 (mansion) was at its strongest, possessing 300,000 iron cavalry, it still didn't pacify the desert. Half of the reason was that the desert was difficult to govern, and the other half was that the desert was boundless, with many tribes. Even if every soldier in the Zhenbei Army was like Li Fusheng, a butcher, it wouldn't be realistic to clean up the desert.

But what the wolf king had to do was not be able to defeat all the wolves with his own strength, but to ensure that he had the ability to slap dead the one that dared to stick its head out.

What the royal court was showing was this kind of strength.

In fact, in order to make this military exercise even more beautiful, the royal court even drew back several troops that were roaming outside to fill the gap left by the 50,000 cavalry taken away by the Left Xian Wang (Left Worthy Prince).

The consumption of the Golden Horde cavalry during the whole day's military exercise was enormous, no less than a full day of great battles, and even more tiring and exhausting than real fighting.

However, the effect received was also excellent.

That night,

Was the highlight night of the Golden Horde Assembly,

And when the old barbarian king and the little prince didn't appear, all the nobles and chieftains of various tribes stood on their seats, waiting for the main characters to appear.

Li Fei also stood there, not sitting down.

These days, watching the changes in these barbarian nobles, Li Fei had a feeling of self-confirmation.

At first, he simply felt that these barbarians didn't understand etiquette, but now he understood that the real etiquette in this world was the size of one's fist.

They might not have the beauty of clothing or the brilliance of literature, but they were essentially the same as the Xia countries, obeying the strong.

These days were an extremely vivid lesson, allowing this young heir of the 王府 (wáng fǔ, prince's mansion) to truly taste the flavor of power and strength.

Many of the principles that the old Confucian scholar used to talk about in the village seemed too ethereal at the time, but after seeing, hearing, and thinking about them these past few days, they had become truly concrete.

So, that's how it is.

The old barbarian king appeared, walking out supported by the little prince.

He sat in the chief seat,

Today,

His eyes no longer had the gentleness of a kind old neighbor, but instead, fully displayed the demeanor of an old wolf king.

The little prince stood by his side,

Below, the powerful figures of the royal court and the nobles and chieftains of many tribes all stood there neatly, bowing their heads slightly, allowing the old barbarian king's gaze to flow over them.

Finally,

The old barbarian king opened his mouth:

"I am old."

No one spoke below, all quietly listening to the old barbarian king continue.

This was where the difference in rites and laws lay.

Looking at it from the perspective of the imperial court that Lord Pingxi had personally experienced,

If the Yan Emperor said these words, then the Great Yan ministers below would definitely kneel down in unison and shout:

"Your Majesty is in the prime of life, may you live ten thousand years!"

There would be no prior communication, but it could definitely be done in unison.

Unfortunately, the barbarian nobles wouldn't.

"My life has been a failure. From the moment I sat on the throne of the barbarian king, what I have faced is humiliation from the East and contempt from the West.

The Western countries, even those small countries, no longer fear my barbarian warriors, and those barbarian tribes left in the Western countries have long abandoned the barbarian god and worship the Western gods.

They no longer regard themselves as barbarians, no longer take pride in being barbarians, but are ashamed of being barbarians.

They yearn for the arrival of princesses from Western countries, and they yearn to be considered Westerners.

Hehe.

As for the East,

We don't need to talk about it anymore."

Speaking to here,

The old barbarian king's gaze swept towards Li Fei, who was standing at the bottom.

"When the former Prince of Zhenbei was around, he sent troops into the desert every now and then. The current Prince of Zhenbei is better. On the surface, everyone is at peace."

Speaking to here,

The old barbarian king didn't continue to pay attention to Li Fei standing here,

Because this was a barbarian festival, and there were some things he had to say. Even if Li Liangting himself was standing here, he would have to say it.

The previous series of concessions, retreats, and tolerance of humiliation;

Including the destruction of the mother clan of the Left Gu Li Wang (Left Guli Prince), who was most valued by the royal court, the royal court chose to submit, which eventually led to the Left Gu Li Wang resigning and fighting to the death alone in the Prince of Zhenbei's 府 (mansion) to demand an explanation;

All of this, the royal court had endured, and had acknowledged!

All for today,

To gather the various barbarian tribes together again!

"But back then, even when we were at our worst, the 300,000 iron cavalry of the Prince of Zhenbei's 府 (mansion) were always watching us. Now, half of them have been driven away to fight for their empire.

We,

Are getting worse every year.

I have also been thinking, I have been thinking, has the barbarian god abandoned us?

I thought about it for a long time,

And asked many people,

Gradually,

I understood.

It's not that the barbarian god has abandoned us,

But it is ourselves, we are unworthy, we are degenerated, and have gradually lost the qualifications to be the descendants of the barbarian god.

Therefore,

I firmly believe that,

When we pick up the glory of our ancestors again,

When we gather again under the Golden Horde,

When we barbarians, re-coagulate and unite together,

The barbarian god,

He will once again turn his gaze back to these loyal people of his!

The barbarian god is immortal,

The barbarian tribe will exist forever!"

"The barbarian god is immortal, the barbarian tribe will exist forever!"

"The barbarian god is immortal, the barbarian tribe will exist forever!"

"I am old, I no longer have the ability to lead you to conquer the East and West, but I have cultivated a suitable leader for you, a suitable wolf king.

Zhi Du."

The little prince stepped forward.

"If we don't rise up again, the barbarian tribe will cease to exist. If we don't rise up again, you and I will be ashamed of the barbarian god.

I hope,

That you can be led by Zhi Du, under the leadership of the new barbarian king,

With your horses' hooves,

With your scimitars,

With your bows and arrows,

Reproduce the atmosphere of our ancestors!"

Zhi Du raised his scimitar and shouted:

"For the barbarian tribe!"

All the nobles knelt down,

Shouting in unison:

"For the barbarian tribe, for the barbarian king!"

"Light the sacrificial fire, swear an alliance, and use the fire to comfort the barbarian god. We swear before the sacrificial fire that from today onwards, the Golden Horde will advance and retreat together with the various tribes of the desert, and jointly resist foreign insults!

The barbarian warriors will use their martial prowess to seize more rations, cloth, and tea for the tribe, for the women, and for the children!

To sculpt a more majestic body for our statue of the barbarian god!"

"Wuwuwuwu!!!!!!!"

"Wuwuwuwu!!!!!!!"

"Wuwuwuwu!!!!!!!"

All the barbarians stretched their arms forward, making sounds in their throats.

This was an atmosphere, this was imitating a characteristic of wolves, proving that at this moment, they had willingly submitted to the wolf king.

And at this time,

Zhi Du pointed to Li Fei, who was standing on the side,

"Haha, let this king's son-in-law light this sacrificial fire for this king, for the barbarian tribe!"

The eyes of all the barbarians present were focused on Li Fei.

Letting the heir of the Li family light the fire for the barbarian alliance ceremony was definitely something that could make the barbarians proud.

Compared to this, the fact that the heir of the Li family married Zhi Du's daughter was nothing at all.

Because in the barbarian culture and customs, marrying off a daughter was not regarded as a matter of national humiliation, of course, they wouldn't think it was very glorious either.

"Husband."

Igu Na looked at her husband with some concern. She was already Li Fei's woman, so she would naturally stand by Li Fei's side and consider things.

The Yan people said, "Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog." The barbarians were more direct. Once married, they would naturally have to shoulder the responsibility for the prosperity and development of their small family and tribe.

Li Fei patted Igu Na's hand, stepped forward, and took the torch from Zhi Du.

"Father, let me go, how can such glory be given to a Yan person?"

Igu Xie said.

"Igu Xie, my fledgling eagle, now is not the time for you to spread your wings and soar, don't be impatient."

Zhi Du refused his son's request, and Igu Xie had no choice but to retreat.

Li Fei held the torch and walked onto the raised platform in front.

The barbarians around him looked at him with undisguised hatred and anger, as well as the joy hidden beneath these extreme emotions.

Any adult barbarian, especially a noble, had a natural fear of the Prince of Zhenbei's 府 (mansion).

Now,

The next generation of the Prince of Zhenbei was actually going to act for them. The barbarian's sense of pride almost burst forth!

Below the altar, there were sacrifices made of various livestock, and even the remains of living human slaves.

Li Fei walked up the steps,

Slowly walked onto the high platform,

There,

There was a very large brazier,

Above the brazier, hung a purple horn.

This was the horn of a Pi Xiu (mythical wild beast), a sacred sacrificial object of the barbarians. When a Yan Emperor personally led an expedition and died in battle, the horn of the Pi Xiu under his crotch was taken back by the barbarians and used as an object to boast of martial prowess.

At this moment,

Li Fei, holding the torch and standing here, seemed to hear the wailing of countless dead souls for hundreds of years.

He believed that,

After today, a new royal court would rise, and the power structure of the desert barbarians would be reshaped.

After being subjected to humiliation by the East and the West for a hundred years, the barbarians had to re-integrate and gather into a whole.

Of course,

The premise was that,

They could get through tonight.

"Bang!"

Li Fei threw the torch into the brazier,

A great fire started,

Burning the Pi Xiu horn above, and the Pi Xiu horn bloomed with purple light.

The barbarians below were boiling,

They cheered together, chanted together, and the clamorous waves rose one after another, shaking the altar.

Yes,

Li Fei initially thought so,

But because he was standing the highest now, so he could see the farthest, he saw that to the west of the royal city, there was a dark curtain, covering the starlight!

Li Fei laughed,

He danced with the barbarians below.

In the previous few days,

The barbarians cheered for the death of the Great Yan Emperor,

But little did they know,

Before the Great Yan Emperor died,

What he could not forget the most was his barbarian tribe!

In the midst of it all,

From the sky,

A towering figure seemed to appear, not the barbarian god, because the barbarian god wouldn't wear a black dragon robe.

His eyes,

Exuded a ruthless coldness.

"Wu Jing, Liang Ting;

For朕 (zhèn, I - imperial use), for Great Yan,

Break its backbone again, for a hundred years!"

Under the night,

The two princes of Great Yan rode Pi Xiu and began to charge. Behind them were 30,000 of the most elite veterans of the Zhenbei Army!

The sound of iron hooves formed an extremely unified rhythm at this moment.

Ahead,

Was the brightly lit barbarian royal city.

At this moment,

Seeming to truly feel something in their hearts,

The two princes lowered their masks together,

And almost simultaneously let out a low shout:

"Your臣 (chén, subject) obeys!"