Gongsun Xiaochen first reported: "Your Majesty, according to the report of the returning scouts, the Yuan army marched northward after retreating and had no intention of turning back."
"Okay, let's investigate and report again. Jiang Aiqing, General Xia, have you completed the task of clearing the battlefield?"
Jiang Wanzai said: "Back to Your Majesty, our army's casualties have been basically counted. Among them, 4,364 people were killed, more than 4,900 were seriously injured, and more than 3,600 were slightly injured. At present, the number of minor injuries is 4,364. The wounded are receiving first aid in the camp, and the seriously wounded are being sent to Songhepo Field Hospital for treatment after being treated by army doctors. According to preliminary estimates, our army killed a total of enemy troops in this battle, excluding the Yuan army cavalry who were killed by our army's artillery fire. There were more than 40,000 people and more than 6,000 prisoners, and the detailed data are still being compiled,"
"Well, report to me immediately after the statistics are calculated,"
"Yes, Your Majesty,"
I nodded and sighed: "Our army is waiting for work, and we have firearms first. Moreover, in the infantry battle that our army is good at, the casualties reached more than 10,000. It seems that the Yuan army's combat effectiveness is really strong. Jiang Aiqing, I How much of the army’s firearms equipment is left?”
"Your Majesty, our army's grenades, artillery shells, and musket ammunition are all damaged to varying degrees, especially grenades and artillery shells. If the Mongols launch another offensive battle of the same scale, our army's ammunition will be It’s not enough to cope with,”
"Xiao Chen, ask Lu Xiufu to notify the Gunpowder Supervisor to speed up production."
"Yes, Your Majesty,"
Fang Ling smiled and said: "Master Jiang, Kublai Khan has suffered such a big loss, how can he dare to come again?"
Jiang Wanzai also smiled and said: "Your concubine is right, I think Kublai Khan will never have the courage again,"
"Kublai Khan didn't know the specific situation of our weapons. If he had known, the outcome might have been different." After winning the battle, I was naturally in a happy mood. "In today's battle, the performance of all the generals and soldiers was very outstanding." , I am very satisfied with this. After the entire Xiangfan battle is over, I will discuss the merits and rewards. The summary of the war will be conducted tomorrow. Generals, if you have anything to report, please go back to the camp to rest."
Jiang Wanzai said: "Your Majesty, what should we do with the captured enemy troops?"
"Let's imprison them first and deal with them after the war is over," I thought for a while and said, "General Zhu, these prisoners will be handed over to your department for the time being. They will be provided with one meal a day to prevent them from starving to death." If you are unable to escape, starting from tomorrow, we will interrogate each one one by one to see if there are any generals of the Yuan army, and also, separate the Han and Mongolians,"
"Yes, Your Majesty, the general will obey your order,"
Towards evening, the latest news came from the scouts. After the Yuan army withdrew northward, they stopped briefly at the Lumen Mountain camp and then all headed towards the Baihe City Castle.
"It seems that Kublai Khan wants to withdraw his troops," the wily Jiang Wanzai said first after hearing the news.
"Well, this possibility is very high," Xia Gui, who also has rich experience, agreed, "Your Majesty, since the Yuan Army's fortress at Lumen Mountain is vacated, the general suggested that our troops should be stationed there tonight."
I thought for a moment and said: "It's feasible, General Xia. This will save the need to build a new camp in Guanzitan. Your army will send more scouts outside at night. If it encounters a large force of the Yuan army, it can attack from the east." Face withdrawal,”
"Your Majesty, don't worry. After today's battle, the Mongolian infantry has suffered all casualties. Except for the front, the Lumen Mountain Fortress is relatively strong. And Kublai Khan has no artifacts to use, so he should not let his cavalry come." attacking,"
"Okay, General Xia, it's getting late. You should leave immediately. It's time for me to give instructions on today's memorial."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take my leave."
At noon the next day, I got up from the cot and slept for nearly six hours. When I walked out of the tent, it was already sunny outside and it was a hot day.
After hurriedly finishing breakfast and lunch, I saw Gongsun Xiaochen, Jiang Wanzai and Zhu Huan coming to the big tent.
Jiang Wanzai said: "Your Majesty, among the enemy prisoners this time is a Mongolian captain named Suodu. This man was defeated by the Royal Forest Army He Quchen's troops in Tongfu Town outside Yingzhou City. Yesterday's attack During the battle, Suo was extremely strong and strong. In the end, he was captured by the guards due to exhaustion. General Zhu, please come and tell the emperor about the interrogation process,"
"Yes, sir," Zhu Huan said, "Your Majesty, Sui was escorted to the sixth camp by the emperor's personal guards. This man did not conceal his identity and personally admitted that he was a Mongolian captain. During the interrogation, Sui Just one sentence, kill or behead him. From the mouths of other prisoners, the general learned that this man was born in Qiuxue. He is currently serving in the Mongolian Middle Route Army and is highly regarded by his superior, the commander of ten thousand men, A Qihai."
"The captain of thousands is considered the backbone of the generals of the Yuan army, and he comes from Qie Xue. I plan to use him to exchange for our captured battalion commanders Wei Guohu and Xiao Chen, and summon everyone to come here to discuss the matter."
"Your Majesty," Gongsun Xiaochen said with a smile, "all the generals are already near the tent, waiting for the Emperor to hold a summary meeting of yesterday's battle."
"Okay, Xuan,"
After a while, a group of generals followed Gongsun Xiaochen and entered the tent one after another: "See your Majesty,"
"All generals will be spared the courtesy and remain free."
"Thank you, Your Majesty,"
"My generals, before the meeting, let me tell you something else. In the previous battle of Fancheng, the commander of our 228th Battalion, Wei Guohu, fell into the hands of the Yuan army due to injuries. In yesterday's battle, our army captured The enemy has a commander of a thousand men, so I plan to send someone to the Yuan Army garrison in Baihe City to discuss the exchange of prisoners of war. Which general is willing to go?"
Hu Yande first said: "I will go there in the end."
"I will go there eventually," Wu Songhan followed closely.
,,,,,.
"The last general is willing to go," the other generals also said in unison.
I thought about it and said: "When I write a letter, General Wu Songhan will go there, Hu Yande and Shen Mo, you two will lead fifty personal guards to accompany you for protection."
"Yes, the final general honors your order,"
According to my dictation, Gongsun Xiaochen wrote a letter and gave it to Wu Songhan.
The Yuan Army fortress in Baihe City is quite far from the Guanzitan camp, so it would take two hours even if we hurry up.
The fifty-three people galloped wildly without resting at all. At half past midnight (four o'clock in the afternoon), Wu Songhan and others arrived at Baihe City, located in the northwest of Xiangyang City.
A hundred meters away, Wu Songhan reined in his horse and shouted to the castle: "People above, listen, Wu Songhan, commander of the third wing of Lin'an Military Region of the Song Dynasty, has been ordered to come and deliver a letter from His Majesty the Emperor of China. Please General Boyan handed it over to the Mongol Khan,"
The Yuan army, which had already seen the appearance of the Song army, was standing guard and was ready. Finally, it was discovered that the opponent only had fifty-three riders, and they were relieved.
After a while, Kublai Khan personally led Ashu and Boyan to appear on the fortress.
Boyan said: "General Wu, what's the matter?"
Wu Songhan did not answer. He took out the Chuanyun Bow and did not aim. He only heard a "swish" sound and shot an arrow with a letter tied to the earth wall where Boyan was standing. The arrow was very fast. Not very quickly, when he got closer, Boyan stretched out his hand and grabbed the arrow in his hand.
"Wei Guohu, is that the Southern Dynasty soldier captured by our centurion Yantai Hezong?"
Ah Shu said: "Back to the emperor, that's right."
"Still alive,"
"Alive,"
"Well," Kublai Khan nodded after reading it, "Saodu is also a fierce general in my court. Boyan, if this is feasible, it is scheduled to be exchanged at the middle position between Lumen Mountain and Baihe City early tomorrow morning. , you can arrange the specific matters,"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Boyan said to Wu Songhan outside, "General Wu, at noon tomorrow (eight o'clock in the morning), there will be an exchange between Lumen Mountain and Baihe City. The number of people on both sides shall not exceed fifty. ,"
"Okay, General Boyan, it's settled, I'll take my leave."
When Wu Songhan and others returned to Guanzitan, the entire camp was shrouded in night.
A night of silence.
In the early morning of the next day, Wu Songhan and Hu Yande, with forty-seven personal guards and a Song Army soldier who knew Wei Guohu, tied Suo upside down to a war horse, and arrived at Beihe City and Lumen on time. In the middle of the mountain, Kublai Khan considered the middle and lower-level generals like Suodu and Wei Guohu to be dispensable and did not pay any attention to it, so naturally he would not play any tricks.
The whole process was very smooth. On behalf of the Yuan army, A Cihai, Huaidu and forty-eight Qixue troops came here to exchange prisoners. After both sides verified and inspected the exchanged prisoners, Wu Songhan and A Cihai ordered the release at the same time. .
It seemed that Wei Guohu was in good spirits. Wu Songhan nodded, dismounted and said: "Commander Wei, I am Wu Songhan, commander of the third wing of the Lin'an Military Region. By order of the emperor, I am here to take you home."
"Go home, I can finally go home," Wei Guohu said with great excitement. "I didn't expect that General Wu had no intention of surviving after his subordinates were captured by the Mongols. I never expected that the emperor would actually I know the little ones, but also..." At this point, Wei Guohu had tears in his eyes.
"Commander Wei, you are a good man in our court and a role model for our army," Wu Songhan said with a slight smile and a standard military salute to the battalion-level general who was several levels below him. "Guohu, mount your horse, follow me back to the camp, and thank the emperor in person." After saying this, he personally helped Wei Guohu onto the horse.
Considering Wei Guohu's physical condition, Wu Songhan and others did not gallop back when they returned to the camp, but rushed back at normal horse speed.
When Wei Guohu followed Wu Songhan and others back to the Guanzitan camp, he was shocked on the spot. The current emperor of the Song Dynasty actually appeared in front of the camp, and he made a special trip to greet the commander of his small camp.
No need to ask, Wei Guohu also knew that the man in dragon robe in front was the current emperor of the Song Dynasty.
Almost rolling off the horse, Wei Guohu immediately knelt down and bowed: "Little Wei Guohu pays homage to the emperor, long live the emperor, long live the emperor,"
"General Wei, get up," I took two steps forward, stretched out my hand to help Wei Guohu up, and said with a smile, "General Wei, are you okay?"