Free Web NovelChapter 2051: Chapter 1499: Capturing Prisoners and Sacrificial Rite Before the Winter Snow Arrives...
"Praise the Chief Divine! The fleet is landing!..."
"Get the samurai on the ship, bring all the captives down!..."
The fighting by the seaside gradually faded, the long snake fleet docked by the shore. The Japanese sailors landed in fear, and the Warriors of the Kingdom took control of the customs ship. After a meticulously planned encirclement, it was time to reap the spoils of war.
"Step... Step!"
"The Great Chief orders, cavalry ride southward along the river for sixty miles, keep an eye on the southern river beaches and mountain passes!"
"Howl howl howl!"
"Hunters, search with the dogs! Capture all the scattered balds and human warriors one by one!..."
"Yes! Great Divine Spirit bless us!"
Blood-red residual light spread into the icy sea, and the dark night enveloped the Ezo wilderness. From night to day, the barking of horses and dogs continued, as the tribal huntsmen’s search lasted a full two days.
"Ta ta ta!..."
By noon on the third day, Chief of Harman Ali once again brought twenty Jurchen cavalry, escorting seven or eight of the final monk soldier captives back. The traces of battle and fire from a few days earlier had completely dissipated within the camp. Large and small tents of animal hides were rebuilt, but the dark crimson blood stains seeping into the grass roots and soil and the grave mounds piled outside the camp still subtly hinted at the ferocity and brutality of that battle.
"Tie these newly captured captives together with ropes, secure them! Tie the rope to a branch, just like those two hundred captives!..."
Under the big tree in the center of the camp, the bald Japanese captives crouched or sat, huddling together. Ali counted slightly, easily calculating two hundred thirty or forty. Right now, the captives among the monk soldiers had been stripped of armor and weapons, and were roped together like a captured herd of deer. Upon closer inspection, the fanaticism and fierceness once present on their faces had vanished. What remained was only numbness, hunger, and despair.
"Buddha... homeland... Tiantai Sect’s temple..."
Many monk soldiers remained motionless, staring intently at the once golden treasure tree as if gazing at the vanished Buddha light. The "Golden Amulets" on the treasure tree had now disappeared, transformed into piles of gold spoils stacked by the coast.
The general of the monk soldiers, the commanding Shiba Official, was now a comatose, severely injured person. Although the Shiba Official had been medically treated by the Shandan Priests, whether he lived or died depended entirely on Providence. As for the Master Juehui, who radiated Buddha light, he surrendered directly to the Shandan Tribes completely unharmed. He even personally stepped forward, using his status as Monk Master of the Tiantai Sect, to command the monk soldiers to "be obedient, do not defy Mr. Shanda, do not escape!..."
"Shandan... Ezo... What will the future hold?..."
At this moment, the over two hundred captured Tiantai monk soldiers were unaware of their future fate, having lost the courage to imagine it. From fanatic faith to collapsed decline took only a few short days. Fortunately, the injured monk soldiers were carefully treated and bandaged by the Shandan Priests, and even had straw tents and a sip of hot water. Based on this treatment, it seemed the Shandan People were not intending to kill them all at once...
"Ha! These southern captives really cannot endure! Just three days of hunger turned them into helpless creatures like this!"
"Exactly! With such good equipment, they fought courageously in battle! Didn’t expect them to be so incapable of enduring hunger, hardly pursuing far during search, wasting our efforts going southward sixty miles to block them..." fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
The Shengshu Jurchen Cavalry laughed heartily, pointing at these Japanese captives. According to tribal custom of capturing people, these captives were starved for three days first, then given a daily portion to barely keep them alive. After this treatment, apart from a few particularly strong ones, the majority were too weak to stand, much less attempt escape.
"The Shaman suggested, once they endure, to engrave talismans on them, make them pledging allegiance to the Great Divine Spirit! I reckon they are almost ready..."
"Great Divine Spirit bless us! Xiong Kulu Alluo, should these captives be divided among us as auxiliary for war? Or form a separate team with a distinct leader?..."
"The Shaman Chieftain didn’t specify, several masters have their own notions! Let’s go take the gold talismans, and get those excellent equipment distributed! Once the boys at home grow up, they can wear the armor and fight for the Shaman Chieftain!..."
The leader of the Shengshu Jurchen Heavy Cavalry wore iron armor, had a hummingbird engraved on his forehead, and added a feather of the Haidong Qing. He was clearly the captain of this Shengshu Jurchen Cavalry, called "Xiong Kulu Alluo".
So-called "Xiong Kulu" meant "Haidong Qing" in Tungusic, and in these Shengshu Jurchen cavalry’s perception, it was the name of their "Great Bird Tribe". As for "Alluo", it was derived from "Zuwaro" in "Shaman Chieftain", personally bestowed on the captain by him. The "Master" arrow masters referred to several leaders of the Kingdom, including the Warrior Captain Tamicao, High Priest Loshanda, Vanguard Captain Fu Shan...
Indeed, as the first batch of captives pledging allegiance and joining the Kingdom as Shengshu Jurchen Warriors, Xiong Kulu Alluo was renowned for his bravery and loyalty, second only to the most valiant Tiger Vanguard. This batch of Shengshu Jurchen cavalry under his command had been accepted and trusted by the warriors of the Kingdom, enjoying the nicest equipment and supplies, regarded as equally reliable as the Shandan Hunters "Kingdom’s Main Force".
Furthermore, possessing the privileges of the Warriors of the Kingdom’s Main Force, they were even allowed to own auxiliary captives, and could earn military achievements as rewards, possess their own private equipment and wealth. Such treatment was unimaginable when they struggled and wandered in the Forest Sea...
