Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 509: Xiao Chuo's Surrender (Special thanks to book friend 2023…0703 for the monthly ticket!)

After reading it, Xiao Chuo thought for a long time. She felt that according to what was said in the imperial edict and the letter, the weapons of the Great Zhou army had made great progress in recent years, and they had conquered the Star Sect world with an army of more than five million. With such combat power, the Liao Kingdom could not be the match.

The surrender conditions offered by Emperor Chai Zongxun of Zhou were extremely generous. As long as the Liao people surrendered sincerely, no one would be killed indiscriminately, and they could freely choose their place of residence.

Xiao Chuo also knew very well that the life and death of the Liao Kingdom now depended on her decision. A wrong choice would lead to her death and the destruction of her country.

However, seeing that in another year the Liao Kingdom would be able to conquer the Mayan Empire and build another huge empire, at this moment, Emperor Chai Zongxun of Zhou led a large army to arrive. Xiao Chuo was still unable to let go of this anger.

Xiao Chuo said:
"Lord Ding, I have carefully read the imperial edict and letter from your Majesty and Concubine Shu, and they are indeed full of sincerity.

But this matter concerns millions of Liao subjects, so I have to be cautious. Can you give me some time to think about it?"

Ding Wei bowed and said:
"What the Queen Mother said is absolutely right, it should be so.

Your Majesty has shown unparalleled benevolence and righteousness towards the Liao Kingdom. I believe that the Queen Mother will be able to make a decision that will benefit the people of both countries."

Xiao Chuo held a banquet in the front yard of the imperial palace to entertain Ding Wei, the envoy of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and gave him many gifts to take back to Chai Zongxun and Yelu Hegudian. At noon the next day, she sent Ding Wei and his entourage out of Xin to the capital.

At this time, Chai Zongxun led the army to continue southward and was less than a hundred miles away from Xinshangjing.

At noon, when the whole army was setting up camp and having lunch, Ding Wei and others rushed back.

After meeting Emperor Chai Zongxun in the main account, Ding Wei reported the trip in detail and presented Xiao Chuo's return gift.

Ding Wei said:
"Your Majesty, according to my observation, Empress Xiao of Liao is shocked by your great achievements over the years and is about 60 to 70 percent willing to surrender, but she is still hesitant because she is unwilling to give up on your grand plan to conquer the Mayan Empire."

Chai Zongxun pondered for a moment and said with a smile:

"This is easy to handle. After all, Xiao Chuo has not personally witnessed the power of the many magical weapons of our Great Zhou. I will find a way to help her dispel her hesitation."

After lunch, the army continued its march south. By the time they set up camp in the evening, they were only twenty miles away from the new capital of the Liao Kingdom.

The next day, August 21, the 38th year of Kaixi, Chai Zongxun ordered the entire army to set up a solid camp. The imperial camp where he and the two concubines lived was particularly large.

The Liao scouts who had just arrived in the capital saw from afar the mighty army and numerous artillery pieces of the Great Zhou, and they all showed fear on their faces and hurriedly rode back to the city to report.

The climate of the Mayan continent is similar to that of mainland China.

At noon on August 22, Chai Zongxun summoned all the generals to the front hall of the imperial camp to discuss matters.

After seeing the ceremony, Chai Zongxun said:

"The Liao people's impression of the combat power of our Great Zhou army still remains in the era of the Divine Arm Bow and the Tiger Crouching Cannon more than ten years ago.

As the saying goes, "seeing is believing", I will let the Liao people see the magic weapons of our Great Zhou now! In order to dispel Xiao Chuo's hesitation and surrender as soon as possible."

Chai Zongxun paused and continued:
"When the army set out, although we stopped at many military settlements along the way to get supplies, we have no more supplies since we entered the Maya continent. The army only has more than two months of supplies left.

All the generals will lead their troops to take turns to attack the surrounding Mayan tribes today to spread the reputation of our Great Zhou Empire and make them submit to our Great Zhou.

The accompanying officials shall immediately establish the rule of our Great Zhou government and collect food and supplies according to domestic tax regulations. All Mayan tribes that refuse to surrender shall be pacified, but no civilians who do not resist shall be killed indiscriminately. "

After all the ministers agreed, the generals began to discuss the plan of taking turns to go to the battlefield and arrange matters such as the provincial governor. Chai Zongxun handed it over to He Yao and Ding Wei to discuss and decide.

After lunch that day, dozens of elite cavalrymen, numbering tens of thousands, rushed out of the Zhou army camp and headed towards the Mayan tribe which was hundreds of miles in radius.

When Empress Dowager Xiao, who was in the new capital of Shangjing, heard the news, although she saw the Zhou army beginning to conquer the surrounding Mayan tribes, she was afraid of the fighting power of the Zhou army and also because the Zhou army had already approached the city of Shangjing, she did not dare to send troops to fight.

Empress Dowager Xiao immediately issued an order to all officials and garrisons in various prefectures to withdraw to Shangjing and not engage in battle with the Zhou army.

These Mayan tribes in the central and western parts of the Mayan continent had been conquered by the Liao Kingdom in previous years and paid 30% of their taxes to the Liao people.

At this moment, they suddenly saw a large group of elite Zhou cavalry coming to the territory to declare sovereignty, demanding that all tribes submit to the Great Zhou and pay taxes to the Great Zhou. They were all shocked.

When the tribal leaders went to look for the Liao officials stationed in their tribes, they discovered that these Liao officials had already fled with their few garrisons as soon as they heard that the Zhou army was coming.

The tribal leaders could never have imagined that when their own tribe was conquered, the mighty Liao army did not even dare to resist the Zhou army. They also heard that the ruling policy announced by the Zhou army was more benevolent and beneficial to the people than that of the Liao, with taxes on agriculture, industry and commerce at 20% to 30%, and the Yao labor service was completely abolished. Therefore, most of the tribes surrendered to the Zhou army and handed over the grain, fruits and meat demanded by the Zhou army.

Only a few Mayan tribes living in the mountains and dense forests, with tough folk customs, were unwilling to submit to the Zhou Dynasty and immediately became the targets of the Zhou army's attack.

After more than 20 days of fighting, facing the Zhou army with advanced firearms, the Mayan tribe, which was still in the mixed era of bronze and iron, was crushed and quickly pacified and became the Zhou people.

Thousands of officials who followed Emperor Chai Zongxun into the war then came to various Mayan tribes accompanied by the imperial guards and began to establish the rule of the Great Zhou.

The Zhou army's attacks on the Mayan tribes were all seen by the Liao "Flying Fox Division" soldiers lurking nearby, who reported them to the Queen Mother Xiao Chuo in Shangjing City.

Only then did Xiao Chuo completely believe in the power of the Zhou army's firearms and completely gave up the fantasy of relying on the city to hold on.

In order to prevent the Liao people from being massacred again, Empress Dowager Xiao first sent envoys to Nakbe, a large city in the central region, to tell the Liao rulers and ministers to give up resistance and submit to the Great Zhou.

Then, he sent envoys to the Zhou army camp outside the city to meet with the Zhou Emperor Chai Zongxun and submit a surrender.

On September 17, the 38th year of Kaixi, Chai Zongxun was overjoyed when he saw the Liao Kingdom's surrender letter. He negotiated the surrender with the Liao Kingdom's envoys, hosted a banquet for them, and sent them back to the city.

After several days of preparation, on September 25, Chai Zongxun led an army of 200,000 to the north gate of Xinshangjing to accept the surrender.

Empress Dowager Xiao of Liao led 100,000 imperial guards and more than a thousand officials who stayed behind, and went to the capital with empty hands to surrender to Emperor Chai Zongxun of Zhou.

When the two sides arrived at the surrender altar, Xiao Chuo was the first to pay great respect to Chai Zongxun, and all the Liao people then knelt down.

Xiao Chuo said:
"I, the concubine, respectfully lead all the Liao people to submit to Your Majesty! I hope that under Your Majesty's wise rule, you will treat us Liao people well!"

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:
"Everyone loves you!

My dear Xiao, you are able to see the big picture and put the military and civilians of both countries first. You are truly a female Yao and Shun!

The Maya continent has been unified under our Great Zhou Dynasty. Whether it is the Liao people or the Maya people, they will all be able to live a good life with ample food and clothing and social justice from now on!"

(End of this chapter)