Chapter 205: The Eastern Front Encirclement and Annihilation Battle

Guo Kan slept halfway on a soft couch and lifted it in for the two eunuchs. Guo Kan held the soft couch with both hands and was about to support her body. Kublai Khan stretched out his big hand and pressed it on his shoulder, saying, "Zhonghe, it's okay." Guo Kan made a gurgling sound in his throat. Kublai Khan nodded, indicating that he was accusing him of guilt.

Kublai Kan supported Guo Kan and leaned against the soft couch, saying, "I invited Zhonghe to discuss with Zhonghe. Zhonghe, I think, as far as the current situation is concerned, the Eastern Front is the most critical, but there are Temuer, Babul, and the third brother there, so there shouldn't be any major happening. The Western Front has A Shu and Zhang Hongfan, which is not good, but can support it. What worries me the most is the Southern Front. The Southern Dynasty has hundreds of thousands of troops. I guess the Southern Dynasty will definitely take advantage of the Third Brother's Army before it really plays its role. Zhonghe, who do you think you are suitable to send?"

After thinking for a while, Guo Kan wrote on the paper: "I am willing to go."

Guo Kan is now disabled and has become a waste, but his mind is not bad and his talent is still there. It would be best to send him to the southern line. Kublai Khan shook his head and said, "Zhonghe, you are in poor health and should not be able to work hard in the transition, so you don't have to go."

Shaking his head, Guo Kan wrote on the paper: "Your Majesty, it's better for me to go."

As of now, Kublai Khan is not without people who stand alone, such as Temur and Babur are all good talents, but they are already trapped on the Eastern Front. Apart from Guo Kan, there is no one to be found. Kublai Khan also understood this point, pondered for a while, and said, "I feel very comforted by Zhonghe's loyalty to the king. But he is too tired and Zhonghe."

"Do your best to do everything you want to die!" Guo Kan took a pen and wrote Zhuge Liang's famous saying on paper, meaning that he would be loyal to the end.

Kublai Khan did not doubt this and said, "Zhonghe is my great loyal minister, and I can trust it. Zhonghe, the current situation is beneficial to the court and it is also unfavorable. The disadvantage is that if the Southern Dynasties take action in a short period of time and the third brother's army has not yet played a role, the problem will be troublesome. The advantage is that after the imperial court obtained the reinforcements of the third brother, its strength will greatly increase. As long as the third brother's army plays a role, the victory will be determined. Zhonghe, in the previous situation of the court, have you Han ministers never thought of seeking the Southern Dynasties?"

Guo Kan picked up the pen and wrote on the paper: "I dare not."

Guo Kan Zhongchen did not have such a ruthless idea. Kublai Khan believed it and nodded and said, "Zhonghe, tell me the truth. Do you Han ministers have any hope of winning the Southern Dynasties?"

Nodded, Guo Kan wrote on the paper: "I am also a Han Chinese. The Han Chinese imperial court's northern expedition will restore the ministers of Zhongyuan!"

After reading the words written by Guo Kan, Kublai Khan did not speak, but remained silent for a long time and sighed: "Zhonghe, since your grandfather followed Taizu, your Guo family has been officials in the court for three generations. Is your Han complex so difficult to cut off?"

"I thank the emperor for his kindness and kindness to favor the three generations of the Guo family. I am extremely grateful! After all, I am a Han person. This is my root. In the past, now, and in the future, my grandfather is a Han person, my father is a Han person, and my descendants are still a Han person!" Guo Kan sighed lightly and wrote on the paper.

If you change someone, you will inevitably be furious. But Kublai Khan just smiled slightly and praised him very much: "The ministers who do not forget the roots are the true loyal ministers! It is a good bird to choose trees to live in, and a good minister to serve. The current emperor of the Southern Dynasty is a great ruler. It is the generation of wise rulers that you Han people have been looking forward to for a hundred years. Have you never thought of surrendering to the past? With the talent of loyalty and harmony, if you return to the Southern Dynasty, you will definitely have a high official and a generous salary and a good reputation. Why don't you do it?"

Guo Kan shook his head slowly and wrote on the paper: "The Southern Dynasty invited ministers several times, but they refused them all."

This is also the fact. Kublai Khan knew it and asked, "Why did Zhonghe refuse the surrender of your Han court?" He was really a little difficult to understand.

"I'm already wearing a naughty face!" Guo Kan picked up his pen and wrote Li Ling's famous quote on paper.

Li Ling was originally the grandson of Li Guang, a famous general of the Western Han Dynasty. He led 5,000 infantry into the border of the Xiongnu more than 1,000 miles. The Xiongnu Chanyu personally led more than 100,000 troops to encircle and annihilate him. Li Ling fought and retreated until he was about to reach the Han territory. The Xiongnu Chanyu had no choice but to give up his plan to wipe out him. At this moment, a traitor betrayed Li Ling and told the Xiongnu Chanyu about Li Jun's predicament. The Shanyu fought again. Li Ling did not want the soldiers to die meaninglessly, so he dispersed the soldiers and surrendered to the Xiongnu.

Li Ling defected to the Xiongnu, originally wanted to find an opportunity to rebel. Unexpectedly, history made a big joke with him. A Han officer named Li taught the tactics of the Hun army. This matter was discovered by the spies of the Western Han Dynasty, but he mistakenly thought that it was Li Ling who did it. Emperor Wu of Han was furious and killed all his family. From then on, Li Ling lost the idea of ​​returning.

By the time of Emperor Xuan of Han, after decades of rest and recuperation, the national strength of the Western Han Dynasty returned to its strength. Emperor Xuan of Han decided to carry out the great cause of Emperor Wu of Han to attack Hu, and launched a large-scale military force against the Huns, and sent people to surrender Li Ling. After Li Ling met with the Han envoy, he talked for a while. The Han envoy mentioned that he wanted him to return to the Han Dynasty. Li Ling said nothing, and was silent for a long time before finally saying a sentence, "I have already subdued Hu!"

This means that although he was a Han Chinese, he surrendered to the Huns and did not intend to return to the Han Dynasty. Li Ling did what he said. After his life in the Huns, he did not make a plan to the Huns, which was much better than traitors like Li Guangli. After his death, he asked his son to bury him in the Han realm and erected a monument, which was the monument that Yang Lao Linggong was killed in "The General of the Yang Family".

It can be imagined how exciting Li Ling was at that time. He really wanted to return to the Han Dynasty where he missed day and night, but in the end he chose to stay in a foreign land.

Kublai Kan could understand Guo Kan's complex mood. After a while, he said: "It is a valuable quality that a great loyal minister can possess if he has feelings and righteousness. If he does not forget the roots, he will entrust you with loyalty. I will entrust you with the matter of loyalty on the southern front." He sighed: "My gain of loyalty is tantamount to the previous lord's gain of Kongming."

"Thank you, the emperor." Guo Kan wrote on the paper with tears in his eyes. If he had changed someone, it could be imagined that after knowing Guo Kan's true thoughts, he would definitely not have sent Guo Kan to the southern line. But Kublai Khan was very relieved. It would be impossible to do this without an extraordinary demeanor, and anyone would be moved.

The things that moved Guo Kan were not over yet, Kublai Khan continued, "Zhonghe, if the situation is wrong, you can surrender to the Southern Dynasty. Don't worry, I don't blame you, I will treat your family well and send your family to reunite with you."

Guo Kan did not write this time, but leaned against the soft couch and started crying.

Kublai Kwan's nose was also sore, he patted Guo Kan's shoulder, and said nothing. The sorrow of parting was shrouded in the house.

Maybe Kublai Khan felt that this was the last time he and Guo Kan met in his life, and he said so many things, many of which should not be said, but they were the most intimate words.

"Get up! You sleepy guys, get up quickly." The officers yelled in the barracks, awakening the soldiers who were sleeping, and dressed in a hurry.

An officer stretched out his hand and slapped a soldier yawning on the stomach, cursing, "Even the pigs have woken up, you are still yawning, I'll help you." He stretched out his right hand and was about to slap them again. The soldier jumped out of the bed as if he was burning his butt and said, "Don't hit him, I'm awake." He muttered, "I'm not a pig, why are you calling him a pig?"

"Only pigs are as sleepy as you." The officer retorted: "Hurry up, eat soon, if you go late, you can't eat, and if you die in battle, you will be a starving ghost." He strode towards another bed.

With the efforts of the officers, after a while, all the sleeping soldiers got up and put on their clothes.

"All assemble." At the command of the officer, the charge sounded, and the soldiers ran over and quickly took the queue.

Accompanied by Liao Shenggong and Zhao Liangchun, Li Jun stood in the local area and looked at the gathering army. Li Jun had a godly status in the eyes of the Song army. Perhaps his status was a little higher than that of the gods. When the soldiers saw that he was full of energy, they cheered in unison: "Long live the emperor!"

Waving his hand, the soldiers calmed down, Li Jun gave a pre-war speech: "Soldiers: The land under your feet is called Central Plains, and it is the heart of China! A hundred years ago, when the Jurchens went south and the two emperors were captured, this land fell into the hands of foreign races. Now, I have led you back! After the bloody battles of the soldiers, the vast area has been recovered. This is the best reward for your heroic behavior! Now, the first battle since the Northern Expedition is about to begin, and your heroic actions will be passed down to future generations! Your descendants will remember your bravery! The soldiers will avenge them with your heroic actions!"

With a wave of his hand, under the command of the officer, the soldiers ran to the cafeteria and began to have a full meal.

"The emperor has an order that he is only allowed to eat 80% full. Those who violate the order will be beaten with thirty military sticks!" The officers inspected the cafeteria and conveyed Li Jun's will over and over again. Generally speaking, before the war, the soldiers were asked to eat with their stomachs, but Li Jun considered that this was the last meal before the war, and eating too much was not good, so he ordered that he only eat 80% of the meal.

In order to best implement Li Jun's will, in addition to quantitative distribution of food, people were also assigned to supervise it. Because people were different, the amount of food was different. Some people ate more, while others ate less. If it was just quantitative, there would be omissions and problems.

Since the Northern Expedition, victory has been continuous, good news has been frequent, and morale is high. For the soldiers, fighting is as easy as drinking pumpkin soup. Li Jun issued a combat order, which means victory, which is extremely exciting, stewing rice with big mouthfuls, and eating extremely happily.

The soldiers who had a full meal of fighting were fully armed and entered the starting position under the command of the generals and officers, and disappeared into the night sky.

"That's great, Yierkhan led the army to rescue us." Babur handed a piece of paper as big as a palm to Temuer, and said excitedly: "Yerkhan can fight well and make no decisions. With his rescue, we will definitely win."

Although Hulagu has not returned to the east for twenty years, there is nothing he does not know about his famous Mongolians. Everyone knows that he only brought 100,000 people to set off, but he created a military miracle to wipe out the Middle East and destroyed countless countries. Hulagu has become the hero in the minds of the Mongols. When he came to the Central Plains, it means victory, and it is impossible to be unhappy with Babur.

Timur read the information and said extremely excitedly: "Yir Khan led an army of 300,000 to the Eastern Front. Even if the emperor of the Southern Dynasty is ten times more powerful, it will be useless. Come on, let's make a good idea, how should we fight next?"

Hulagu's reputation is so great. Sang Ge, Shi Tianze, Saidiani, Sainuo and others all emit light from their eyes, as if a dying person suddenly saw the miracle doctor.

The excited Babul and Temuer and the others didn't know that Hulagu had played a trick for them. Hulagu brought only less than 30,000 troops to the eastern front, and there was no 300,000 troops. The reason why Hulagu exaggerated the numbers was to cheer up Babul and others and asked them to stick to the end was the trick in the art of war. If Hulagu said the truth, if Babul and the others were not very discouraged, they would be lacking in confidence. If they lie, then the problem would be solved.

"Irhan's army of 300,000 will come to the eastern front, which means that the west can rest assured." Shi Tianze took the lead in expressing his opinion and said: "I guess that in order to block Yirhan's army, the Southern Dynasties must have deployed a large number of troops in the west. Then the eastern South Dynasties' troops in the eastern side are relatively weak, so we should make a fuss about it." He is worthy of being a veteran and has rich combat experience, so he thought of this one at once.

Babur nodded and said, "General Shi, your idea is very good. We sent an army westward to create a momentum that the Southern Dynasties mistakenly thought that we were going to break westward with all our might and join Irhan. In this way, the Southern Dynasties would block the gap with all their might and deploy most of the troops to the western front. And our other army quietly advanced to the east and caught the Southern Dynasties off guard."

"What a big shot!" Temuer agreed very much and said confidently: "When we break out of the encirclement, we will turn around and surround the Southern Dynasty. Together with Yierhan, we will attack you with something, completely eat the army of the Southern Dynasty and capture the emperor of the Southern Dynasty alive. This matter should be fast, and we will act immediately!"

It has to be admitted that Babur and Temur are indeed top talents. Based on the information, they quickly formulated such a plan that can both escape and turn defeat into victory. Of course, they absolutely did not expect that they were wishful thinking, and Hulagu deceived them.

Li Jun stood on Gaogang, with Liao Shenggong, Zhao Liangchun and Zhu Ruixiang beside him. Li Jun looked at the Mongolian military camp and had not spoken for a long time. It was before dawn, and it was the darkest time. There was nothing in the Mongolian military camp except Diao Dou.

Zhu Ruixiang couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, I don't understand why the emperor asked me to deploy artillery on this narrow strip, and also deploy artillery on three sides to make a box. Your Majesty, I think our artillery can move forward and prepare for fire before the infantry attacks, and plow the Tartar camp several times before saying that this is the fighting method we used before, and we have never made any mistakes."

Li Jun withdrew his gaze, patted the cannon beside him, and said, "The cannon is indeed a good thing! It is not a must to fight as you say. However, it is too troublesome and the effect will not be too good. Making a box-type position is to better attack the Tartars. General Liao, please explain it to General Zhu."

"Abide by the order." Liao Shenggong received the order and said to Zhu Ruixiang: "General Zhu, if you fight as you said, it will be very troublesome. This battle is different from the previous style of fighting. It is because the Tartars will automatically come to the door and enter this narrow and long area. At that time, the infantry will hit from behind and slam the hole, and your artillery will be able to show its power. I can predict that your artillery will explode at that time."

Zhu Ruixiang blurted out without thinking and asked, "Why is that? Why did the Tartars come to him automatically?" This was too unbelievable, and he couldn't help but be curious.

Zhao Liangchun explained to him: "General Zhu, if you were Hulagu, what would you do if you were ordered to rescue the siege?"

"Of course I'm sending a letter to Timuer and others, asking them to stick to me and wait for me to arrive." Zhu Ruixiang said in contemplation: "It's not good to say this. Maybe they will not fight to the death and annihilate the court before I arrived. It would be better to exaggerate it. Not to mention that I brought 30,000 troops, I said that I brought 100,000, not 200,000, but simply said that 300,000. When Timuer and others heard it, they must be overjoyed and will hold on to the end."

Li Jun praised his analysis very much and said, "Although Zhang Daqi's words are good, there are also disadvantages. If you were Timuer, what would you do?"

"Stay in a position to wait for help!" Zhu Ruixiang blurted out without thinking, and then rejected it, saying, "This is not good, too passive, you should think of a way to change passive to active. By the way, I can send my army westward to create a momentum of preparing to break out to the west. Another army took advantage of the night to protect it and quietly advance eastward, catch the court off guard. Break through the encirclement and then surround the court." He paused and said, "What a sinister move."

Li Jun smiled and said, "Train is a master move, but it is not strong enough, and it will actually be counterproductive."
Chapter completed!