end song

Chapter 1215 Private Soldiers
Yuan army camp.

Wu Gudai just sat down and drank a few sips of wine to warm up his body, then stood up again after a while, opened the curtain and looked outside.

It was already November [-]th, and there was still heavy snow falling on the ground in Hebei, which blocked his view of Zhending Mansion and made him feel more and more anxious.

After waiting for a long time, the soldiers rushed over and said, "Your Majesty, Commander Zhang is here."

"Then why don't you come here?! What are you asking?!"

Wu Gudai suddenly became angry, and threw the wine bag in his hand on the cowardly Xue soldier, and at the same time, his boots stomped heavily on the ground.

No, the cowardly Xue soldier was also nimble, and as soon as he bent down, he put the wine bag in his hand, said something with a smile, turned around and ran away.

"Thank you king!"

Wugu was furious, kicked the snow all over the ground, stood in the snow and watched for a long time, finally saw Zhang Hongfan walking towards this side unhurriedly.

"How? Any news?"

"Why is Your Majesty standing in the snow? I am ashamed to welcome you like this." Zhang Hongfan saluted with a smile.

"I'm not welcoming you, I'm waiting for news. Er Xiute, the Han people just talk a lot of nonsense."

Wu Gudai cursed to himself, turned back to the tent first, and drove out all his concubines.

Wugu Dai is still very young, only 23 years old this year, but he has inherited his father's title and became the King of Hejian in Dayuan.

Although his grandfather Kuolejian was the bastard son of Genghis Khan, his mother was Hulan, who was famous for her beauty, so he was very popular with Genghis Khan.

Although Kuo Liejian did not make enough meritorious service in his short life, he still made his descendants a higher status among the golden family than the four sons' family.

Wugu Dai had served Kublai Khan since he was a child, and he was said to be a cousin, but he was obviously much closer to Kublai Khan than the nephews born to brothers Mengge and Alibuge.

He and Zhang Hongfan have also known each other for a long time, and they speak very familiarly with each other, and they don't have too many polite words.

"Hao Jing has been away for four days, can you convince Li Xia, why hasn't there been any news back?"

"Not urgent."

Zhang Hongfan entered the tent, feeling as warm as spring, took off the cloak he was wearing and put it aside, took out a small jug of wine from his arms, walked around the tent and started looking for a cup.

"Why are you not in a hurry?" Wugu looked fierce, as if he was about to beat up Zhang Hongfan at any time, but when he stood up, he picked up two cups from the carpet and wiped them with his cloak, "Don't I found it, here it is."

"Everyone persuades the king to live in Baozhou city, why should he eat and sleep here?"

At this time, Zhang Hongfan did not forget to instill sinology to the Mongols.

This is something that Zhang's father and son have been doing subconsciously for a long time.Since the death of the Jin Dynasty, Zhang Rou has devoted himself to protecting northern literati, and Zhang Hongfan has received his father's words and deeds, and it is also his duty to do so.

"I'm a Mongolian, so I have to live in a tent," Wugu said.

Zhang Hongfan's eyes darkened for a moment, thinking that Wugudai was not like this before, but since Zhenjin's death, even Kublai Khan didn't live in the palace in Kaiping City anymore, and Wugudai has more Mongol habits.

He poured a glass of wine and said: "It's a trivial matter if you can't live in a tent. If a war breaks out, it's better to stay in the city."

"My subordinates are cavalry." Wu Gu led the way, "Also, if we really want to go to war, can Hao Jing persuade Li Xia?"

"If it's really the cavalry's way of fighting, they shouldn't be stationed here to confront each other. They should have gone around to the rear to attack Li Xia's baggage."

"E Xiute, can you answer the important question?! This king gave you face, right?"

Wu Gudai stretched out his hand, and lightly slapped Zhang Hongfan's face.

This blow was not heavy, it was more like a joke between friends, but it also showed the difference in status between the two.

Zhang Hongfan smiled calmly, took a sip from his wine glass, and said, "Your Majesty, don't worry, the longer time passes, the better for us."

"Can Hao Jing persuade Li Xia? Is this battle still going to be fought?" Wu Gudai became more and more fierce, "If there is no peace talk, I will send troops to destroy him!"

"It's hard to say whether there will be peace talks or not. The important thing is to delay the time. We are waiting for Lu Wenhuan to attack Meng Jindu."

"Really?"

"Song Ting has already agreed. After the surprise attack on Mengjindu, Jia Sidao's army will enter Shu, and Li Xia will have to make a decision on whether to withdraw."

Wu Gudai asked, "Then will he retreat or not?"

"I'm not quite sure yet."

"why?"

Zhang Hongfan pondered: "As a person in power, he often receives a lot of news, some are true and some are false, some are timely and some are not timely. No one can completely predict the direction of the situation based on these news."

"What do you mean?"

"For example, when Li Xia learned that Jia Sidao was leading an army to attack Shu, it was impossible for him to judge where Jia Sidao would go. The situation might be serious, and it would be a disaster for him to destroy the country. But it might not be serious, after all, Song Dynasty The country is very weak, you and I both know this. Then, what will Li Xia decide whether he will withdraw his troops and return to aid Sichuan and Shu?"

There are a few Chinese words mixed in this large section of Mongolian, which Wu Gudai can understand, but he is still confused.

"Depends on what?"

"It depends...whether he can withstand the pressure." Zhang Hongfan said: "It is impossible to determine how the battle in the south will be in the north. If he wants to be stable, he will retreat. It is not that he has no choice. Now it is up to him to make the choice. How can I be sure?"

"But didn't you analyze a lot and say that he has no food and grass, and that he is surrounded by enemies, and he will definitely retreat, so you sent Hao Jing to negotiate peace."

"Analyzing these means that if we are asked to make a decision, we must retreat."

Wu Gu said: "Then of course retreat! His rear has been smashed, of course he has to retreat!"

This is something he is very sure of.

He imagined himself standing in Li Xia's perspective, how could he not be in a hurry after hearing so much news?How can you not worry?It must be returned.

"That's right, coupled with His Majesty's conditions, it gave him a step down." Zhang Hongfan said: "Even if he doesn't retreat, he will send a heavy army back to help... At that time, it will be our chance. Therefore, I advise Your Majesty, there is no need to worry, the longer it is delayed, the better for us."

Wu Gudai asked the question he was most concerned about, and said, "Tang Jun won't attack us by surprise?"

"We still can't relax at the moment." Zhang Hongfan said, "It's better for Your Majesty to garrison troops to protect the city."

"But I am a cavalryman."

"After talking for so long, I just want to tell the king that the way of fighting this battle is different."

"Okay then." Wu Gudai finally agreed, and said with some dissatisfaction: "I can see that you are here today to command me..."

~~
Kuo Liejian, the grandfather of Wugudai, had received 1 households from Genghis Khan. This time, 2000 people were recruited for reinforcements, and [-] of them were his Qixue.He planned to bring all these cavalry into Baozhou City.

As for Zheng Yunbiao and Di Jia, they led troops and stationed in Shunping and Tang counties, respectively, as horns.

But now there are two thousand prisoners in Baozhou City, and there are more than ten thousand soldiers and horses brought back by Zhang Hongqing from Hetao. These are mostly the defeated Han army gathered after the defeat of Helan Mountain.

In addition, the Zhang family has always had its own private soldiers in Baozhou.

These private soldiers were said to be 1 in name, but Wugudai knew that there were far more than that.

More private soldiers of the Zhang family may take off their armor and work in the fields at ordinary times, but once called by someone with sufficient prestige, they can quickly put on their armor and go into battle.

Kublai Khan obviously wanted to reduce the military power of the Zhang family. First, he resigned Zhang Rou and handed over the military power of the Zhang family to Zhang Honglue.

These years, the Han army in Baozhou was nominally under the command of Zhang Hongfan, but Zhang Hongfan was not there all the time, sometimes training Li Fen's soldiers and horses in the Daming Mansion, and sometimes accompanying Kublai Khan.

If Zhang Hongfan had led veterans of the Zhang family during the battle of Helan Mountain, then the battle might have had a different outcome.

Maybe, in short, Kublai Khan was suspicious of Shihou, but it was far from as serious as Song Ting's. With Li Xia's Northern Expedition, Zhang Hongfan, who had been proven loyal and capable, had regained more military power .

He was the only one who could not actually command the [-] Mongolian cavalry led by Wugu, but all the Han troops on Shuntian Road, including Zheng Yunbiao and Di Jia, were under his command.

After planning to kill Zhang Hongdao and let the Yuan army win a small victory, he officially showed up and began to deploy defenses.

For the time being, it was going well, at least he persuaded Wugu to bring him back to the city, avoiding the risk of being attacked.

Many old members of the Zhang family were very dissatisfied with this.

These generals stood on the top of the city and looked at the cavalry entering the city, each with their arms folded and their faces ugly.

"Why did Jiulang invite these Mongolians in?"

Zhang Hongfan acted frankly and said: "You need to take a long-term view. Now Your Majesty appoints me as the Marshal of the Mongol and Han Army Capital. I am no longer the chief officer of the Yifu Road. I have to think about it."

"Does Jiulang treat them all as his own soldiers? Can he command them well?"

It was Jia Wenbei, the left deputy marshal of Shuntian Road who spoke, pointing at the Mongolian cavalry under the city with his chin.

Zhang Hongfan patted him on the shoulder and said sincerely: "Brother, trust me, I will restrain these soldiers and horses, and will not cause trouble to Baozhou City."

Jia Wenbei's father, Jia Fu, has always been Zhang Rou's deputy, and the two families are also in-laws. This kind of closeness can be seen from their characters. Zhang Hongfan's character is Zhongchou, Zhang Honglue's character is Zhongjie, and Jia Wenbei's character is Zhongwu.

Therefore, Zhang Hongfan respected Jia Wenbei very much, and treated him as a brother.

"I hope so." Jia Wenbei was also greatly favored by Kublai Khan, and after reminding Zhang Hongfan, he didn't say anything more.

Soldiers and horses entered the city, busy, and finally arrived in the evening.

The city gate was closed, and Zhang Hongfan stood there alone, sighing silently.

"Brother Nine." Zhang Hongqing, who had been busy all day, came over and said, "It's been arranged."

"The soldiers and horses of the Yuan Dynasty are too chaotic."

"Of course it's messed up. There are Mongolians, Han people, and Semu people. There are a lot of hereditary families, and they don't belong to each other."

"Therefore, it cannot be suppressed without King Zong sitting in charge." Zhang Hongfan said, "I have my own helplessness."

Zhang Hongqing lowered his voice, and said in Mongolian, "I heard that Jia Wenbei has troubled you."

"No, I just asked a few more questions." Zhang Hongfan frowned and said, "But there is another matter."

"what?"

"I didn't find the golden rune tiger."

"I also saw that you dispatched troops this afternoon."

"Not this one." Zhang Hongfan said: "This one was given by His Majesty, but my father never gave me that one."

"Are you talking about my golden tiger amulet that proclaims power to thousands of households?"

"No."

Zhang Hongfan pressed Zhang Hongqing's hand, but didn't let him take out the new talisman. Zhang Hongqing's talisman was already a new talisman for the division of power between the army and the people after the Li Fen Rebellion, and it didn't even have the words "military and civilian chief".

"I'm talking about my father's own one. Before he met Wo Kuotai, he had been using it to command the old department of the Zhang family."

"Is there such a thing? Is it still useful?"

"Hard to say."

"Where is that?"

"I asked my second brother before I came here, and the second brother said that it was in Jia Wenbei's hands." Zhang Hongfan whispered to himself, "But Jia Wenbei has always refused to give it to me, and even pretended to be confused with me..."

(End of this chapter)