end song

Chapter 1234 Secretary Cong

It's mid-February, and the weather in Yanjing has begun to warm up.

After Namuhan retreated from defeat, when he reported to Kublai Khan what happened in Baozhou, he understated his defeat.

"Zhang Hongdao is too despicable. He used some small tricks to save Zhang Rou. The son wanted to lead his troops to kill Zhang Hongdao directly, but Li Xia personally led the troops to meet him. The son knew at a glance that Li Xia had arranged for him in advance. The ambush was done, so the lead troops withdrew. The Tang army pursued for a while, saying that it was a big victory, but my son was not fooled by him at all."

"What about the casualties in the army?"

"By the time my son arrived, Aoluchi had already been defeated by Zhang Hongdao." Namuhan told the truth, but lightly and delicately blamed Aoluchi on his head.

Kublai Khan knew it well, and didn't ask much about the reasons for these defeats.

His bean-like eyes glanced at Muhan coldly, and said, "Talk about Li Xia's ambush, he built many watchtowers and fortresses in Hebei, right?"

"Some were built by Tang Jun, and some were rebuilt from the former strongholds of the Han people. Later, my son wanted to sneak attack on his luggage twice, and they hid them in it..."

After hearing this, Kublai Khan said calmly: "You said that you want to make a bet with me."

Na Muhan was stunned for a moment, and only then remembered that he had indeed said this. He had asked Kublai Khan to let him lead [-] cavalry south, promising to defeat Li Xia.

But what I didn't expect was that what I encountered was such a setback.

Not only did he fail to make Kublai Khan trust the Mongolian cavalry again, he was afraid that he would also get some reuse from the Hanchens who had been suspected.

as predicted.

On this day, after Kublai Khan drove away Na Muhan, he sat there thinking for a long time with a deep face, and summoned the officials of the Jinlianchuan shogunate.

……

Some Han officials believed that Kublai Khan's attitude towards Han law was vacillating, and believed that Kublai Khan was also determined to practice Han law, but he began to hesitate because of Li Fen's rebellion.

This kind of thinking was wrong, it was too superficial, and failed to capture Kublai Khan's mentality as a prairie hero.

It wasn't because of Li Fen's chaos that he hesitated at all, it was just an excuse.Even, there is no firm heart to practice Chinese law at all, it is just a promise.

Whether it is Chinese law or the old Mongolian system, everything is just a tool for the hero.Use the tool if it works well, and put it away if it doesn't work well.

However, some people, as tools, have too many ideas and expectations, which seems ridiculous.

Now, some of the ministers of the Jinlianchuan shogunate have realized this truth.

"Summoned by the Great Khan? The fourth prince's defeat, it's time for us to come up with suggestions again."

In the hall, when Kublai Khan summoned him, someone muttered something like this.

Liu Bingzhong didn't look back to see who said it, but he noticed very keenly that the speaker said "Khan" instead of "Your Majesty".

All the ministers went all the way to the Daning Palace, only to see Kublai Khan sitting on the head and waiting.

"Can I still trust you gentlemen?"

After one sentence fell, all the ministers were taken aback.

Because Kublai Khan spoke Chinese today, although it was very jerky, but it was true.

Liu Bingzhong raised his head in astonishment, looked at Kublai Khan for a long time, and suddenly his eyes turned red.

"Why did your majesty say that? The ministers are loyal and sincere to your majesty, and the sun can learn from it."

Unfortunately, at this time, Kublai Khan couldn't understand again, and he didn't say in Mongolian until the interpreter next to him translated it again: "But now there is a Han in the world who claims to be the emperor, and I will inevitably worry about you. Mind changed."

"Absolutely not, Your Majesty." Liu Bingzhong also said in Mongolian: "There has long been a Han Emperor Zhao in the world, and the traitor Li Fen also wanted to be emperor. But we have never betrayed because of this, which violates the way of monarchs and ministers." , the heaven and the earth are always governed, and the ministers and others will never do it."

"The ministers are loyal to His Majesty and will not change to the death."

"Okay." Kublai Khan said: "Then I will trust you, and I believe that 'a word from a gentleman is hard to follow'."

He said the last eight characters in Chinese again.

Perhaps it was planned a long time ago to make a group of Hanchens make a promise, so he practiced it before.

And all the Han officials are indeed gentlemen.

In short, now that he was a little relieved, Kublai Khan began to talk about the war.

It has been a while since he has received these veterans of the shogunate, and he has to arrange for someone to talk about the latest progress of the war...

"Now Li Xia's soldiers and horses have continued to move northward, forcing them towards Yanjing. The Great Khan ordered King Yixiang to lead his troops to station in Wusui City and fight Li Xia in the Baigou area."

"At war?" Liu Bingzhong asked, "There is no further peace negotiation?"

"Li Xia is cunning and has no sincerity in negotiating peace."

"How was the fighting?"

"The phase-shifting brother can still block it now, but I am worried that the Tang army will transport more troops and firearms to the battlefield and build more fortifications..."

The ministers listened for a while, and they probably understood that after all, Dayuan's troops had shrunk back, and they were still able to hold on, but the Mongolian army did not have the invincible confidence of the past.

Kublai Khan asked, "Tell me, what methods do you have to defeat Li Xia?"

The ministers then began to express their views, until a timid general Xue rushed over and said to Kublai Khan, "Khan, the Song Dynasty sent an envoy to contact..."

~~
That night.

Kublai Khan and Chabi were sitting in Khan's tent talking, and suddenly said: "Secretary Cong didn't give Ben Khan any advice today."

"Khan is suspicious of Secretary Cong?"

"His hometown is in Xingzhou, and his brothers and sons have already surrendered to Li Xia." Kublai Khan said.

When he was talking, he was holding a full glass of milk wine, which could be spilled with a flick of his hand, but he could hold it steadily while thinking about things.

At this moment, someone told the news that Liu Bingzhong had come to see him outside the account.

Kublai Khan was a little surprised, but after raising his eyebrows, he showed joy and allowed Liu Bingzhong to come in.

Cha Bize personally poured a glass of wine and put it on the table for preparation. If Liu Bingzhong showed enough loyalty, she would give the wine.

After a while, Liu Bingzhong came in, still wearing the shabby black robe, and said when he saw Kublai Khan, "Your Majesty, I haven't offered any advice to Your Majesty today."

"That's right. Secretary Cong has been making ideas for Ben Khan for almost 30 years. Recently, Ben Khan is not used to it."

Liu Bingzhong bowed and said: "Your Majesty, please trust me. You and Your Majesty are like a husband and wife. If you are a Han woman who loves Your Majesty's arrogance and marries Her Majesty, how can you empathize with Li Xia because she is young and handsome?" Do not fall in love?"

In front of everyone during the day, such a metaphor is hard to say.

But now speaking in private, Kublai Khan was even more convinced.

"So, Secretary Cong is angry, so he doesn't give Ben Khan any advice?"

"No." Liu Bingzhong said: "The minister is suspicious. Today, some of the ministers have secretly informed Li Xia. Therefore, I dare not say more."

"Who?"

The milk wine in Kublai Khan's hand finally shook and spilled a little.

Liu Bingzhong said: "I don't know yet, but I have a way to find him."

Chabi smiled, and gave Liu Bingzhong the wine glass for the good wine. When Liu Bingzhong thanked him, he wiped Kublai Khan's hands with a cloth.

"Secretary Cong, tell me quickly."

"Today the Song State sent envoys to say that Kuizhou City has been captured. Then, among the ministers, those who have a close relationship with Li Xia will definitely send the news. Your Majesty only needs to deliberately let Yanjing be on guard against any negligence, and you will be fine." Take him down."

Kublai Khan nodded deeply, signaling that this is the way to go.

Liu Bingzhong said again: "I think the way to defeat Li Xia is also related to this. It should be 'attacking the heart first'. Li Xia considered negotiating a peace before because the Song army had already invaded Sichuan and Shu. But now he has chosen Continuing to attack Yanjing shows that he does not think that the Song army is a sufficient threat. But now, the Sichuan and Shu soldiers under his command can still fight for him, which shows that he must have kept this news from his soldiers. Then, we should tell the Tang army Spreading the news will disturb the morale of the army..."

Kublai Khan finally laughed.

Because he can almost confirm Liu Bingzhong's loyalty.

There are many things still depend on these smart people.

Clan members like Brother Yixiang and Namuhan would not analyze in this way, they would only shout kill kill kill.

"Ben Khan should have come to ask Secretary Cong earlier. If he had asked Secretary Cong earlier, Li Xia would not have survived the New Year."

"It's better later. Now that Li Xia's army is in a mess, he doesn't even have a chance to retreat calmly."

~~
The city gate of Baozhou is full of traffic, and pedestrians of all colors come and go.

A group of people rode their horses and rushed to the gate of Baozhou City. The leader reined in the horses and looked up at the city with amazement in his bright eyes.

"The scenery in the north is really different."

"Yeah, the land is really flat. Yi Xianggong, look, there are still quite a few people in left-handed clothes."

"It's too late." Yi Shiying said with emotion: "It's all come to this point, Yanjing is right in front of us, when it is taken down, why can't it be changed back?"

He drove his horse to meet Li Xia first.

However, it turned out that Li Xia was in the barracks in the north of the city, so Yi Shiying, who entered the city from the south gate, had to go through the entire Baozhou City.

When entering the big tent, Li Xia was holding a stack of information and marking something on a large map himself. Looking back at Yi Shiying, he said, "How is Zhang Jue? Have you defeated Boyan?"

"Bo Yan should not be underestimated. Your Majesty might as well take a look at this first." Yi Shiying took out a letter from his pocket and said, "This matter is of great importance, and the Department of Public Opinion is worried that it will not be handled in time, so let me read it first."

"Lv Wenhuan's?"

Li Xia put down the pen and ink in his hand, took the letter in Yi Shiying's hand, glanced at it, shook his head, and burned it on the candle.

The content of the letter was also simple. Lu Wenhuan said that he did not want to be an enemy of the Tang army, but the court urged him urgently, so he had to pretend to send troops to attack Meng Jindu, but in fact it was just a show.

"Do you believe him?" Li Xia waved away the ashes in his hand.

Yi Shiying said: "I believe it, I don't believe it either."

"sit."

"At present, the situation of all parties is very delicate. Our army is heading straight for Yanjing. Lu Wenhuan must be afraid. He does not want to offend His Majesty, so this letter is credible. But in case the situation changes and our army believes him And if you neglect your defenses, this false attack may become a real attack at any time."

"Yes." Li Xia said, "Do you know why I summoned you here?"

"Yanjing is the most important thing." Yi Shiying said: "Even if the situation elsewhere is ever-changing, as long as your majesty takes Yanjing and drives the Mongolians and captives out of Yanshan, no one can stop your majesty's unification."

"I really think so, but it's almost March, and the food and grass are running low."

"Since the Northern Expedition, His Majesty's momentum has been overwhelming, but at this last moment alone, there has been no progress..."

"Because there is no prince to watch the wind and surrender, because Kublai Khan's shrinking of the defense line is to create this situation. At this time, we should not be in a hurry. You must know that we swallowed Henan and Hebei in one gulp, and we have no time to digest it. It is easy to choke to death. Zhen I see you are in a hurry."

"I am indeed eager to regain Yanyun."

"The more you have to stabilize your mentality at this time." Li Xia said: "The situation is getting worse now, I need you to fight a few tough battles, go to a place with mountains..."

(End of this chapter)