Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 896 - 739: Generals Should Know the Seasons

Chapter 896: Chapter 739: Generals Should Know the Seasons

The Mongolian meaning of Ulan Bator is ’palace’ (note, it actually means ’Red Hero City’, originally named Urga (palace), this is for the convenience of the reader’s understanding).

This place was once where the royal court of Northern Xiongnu was located, and right beside it is the Mongwu holy mountain Kent, also known as Langjuxu Mountain —— the ’Langjuxu’ where Marquis of Guanjun during the Han Dynasty was stationed.

After the Datan people rebuilt the royal tent in Ulan Bator, they also established a small-scale palace here, following the Mongo tradition.

The nobles of Mongwu were accustomed to living in brick houses; who would want to continue staying in a felt tent?

They were not like ordinary herders who had to move with the grass and water.

When Zhang Yue followed Li Xuan’s footsteps and entered the small palace of Ulan Bator, he seemed somewhat confused.

In the past three days, the Jin Army opened a hundred-mile wide formation and marched westward with large strides, sweeping forward.

Zhang Yue had been prepared for a decisive battle with the Mongwu people, but by the time they arrived at Ulan Bator, the place was already deserted.

The amassed Mongwu’s army of over six hundred thousand had left behind tens of thousands of Mongolian herders and hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep who could not evacuate in time, and retreated to the western bank of the Aruhun River.

They had taken away everything movable; the two-mile radius small palace did not even have a chair left, and the windows had been dismantled.

Zhang Yue looked around and noticed that there wasn’t even a single mouse, then returned to Li Xuan’s side with a sullen expression.

"Didn’t they assemble over six hundred thousand Iron Cavalry? I thought they wanted to fight us, especially since they had more people than we do."

At this time, due to the need to split the troops to guard the grain routes and sweep the surrounding pastures, the number of troops under Li Xuan’s command had been reduced to less than four hundred and thirty thousand.

The ’Shenji Camp’ and ’Ten Camps’ equipped with ’runed rifled flintlock guns’ still had a main force of one hundred and seventy thousand, along with forty thousand auxiliary troops from the army of Weisuo.

The number of cavalry remained at about two hundred thousand.

Zongbing of Xuanfu, Fan Guang, then frowned and said, "Perhaps they are waiting for the troops from Wuliangha Three Weisuo and Duoyan Three Weisuo?"

The location of Wuliangha Three Weisuo is in the eastern grasslands of Hulun Buir, where Emperor Tai of the Jin Dynasty during his third personal expedition had subjugated the Wuliangha Tribes and established three Weisuos near Hulun Buir.

Later, once Tai withdrew his troops, the Wuliangha Three Weisuo rebelled again.

Due to the overly rapid advance of the Jin Army, the troops from Wuliangha Three Weisuo and Duoyan Three Weisuo on the eastern grasslands were cut off to the east.

The two major groups of Mongwu people also had about two hundred thousand cavalry.

The number of cavalry was not initially that high, but since Jin Army’s northern expedition had arrived, over twenty thousand Mongolian herders were drafted.

"It’s unlikely."

While looking at the map laid out inside the Mongwu royal tent, Zongdu Zhu Guoneng spoke solemnly, "Actually, I am not surprised; this is the tactic the Mongwu people used against Emperor Tai. Fortified clear fields, avoid the sharpness, disrupt our grain supply! They are waiting for our grain supply to be cut off, or for us to be exhausted."

Jin Dynasty has always regarded Mongo as a formidable enemy. The Great Ancestor launched eight northern expeditions, while Emperor Tai launched five.

At first, Mongo vigorously fought several battles against Jin Dynasty, but after repeated severe defeats, they learned their lesson and never engaged Jin Army directly, focusing solely on disrupting Jin’s grain supply.

Qiu Fu, Duke Qiguo from Tai’s era, fell victim to this tactic of Mongwu. In pursuit of the main force of the Datan people, he led a lightly equipped force of over a thousand men and ultimately died in battle when encircled by the Mongwu people.

That’s why Emperor Tai’s five northern expeditions employed millions of troops, yet six to seven hundred thousand of those were specifically used to secure the grain supply.

Zhu Guoneng then pointed to the western direction on the map: "Or perhaps they are luring us towards Hangai Mountain, further stretching our grain supply line."

Hangai Mountain, also known as Yanran Mountain, is the Yanran in Henan ledengshi.

In the past, Dou Xian and the Northern Chanyu fought a great battle at Keiluo Mountain, vanquishing the enemy and then pursuing them north for more than three thousand li. At Yanran Mountain, he inscribed stone to commemorate the Han’s achievements, honoring their might and virtue.

All the many generals present had solemn, heavy expressions on their faces.

This prairie was just too vast. If the Mongwu people refused to battle Jin decisively, then their forces were like a massive fist, striking at nothing.

"Then let’s outlast them!"

The speaker was the third-generation Marquis of Changping, deputy commander of Liaodong, Yang Zhen, who was the grandson of the inaugural Marquis of Changping, Yang Hong.

Marquis of Changping, Yang Hong, was a famous general who had served through four dynasties.

From the beginning of Yongle to the end of the Zhengtong era, he served on the frontier for over eighty years, renowned for his courage and skill in battle and his fame spread far and wide.

The Mongwu tribes feared him like a tiger and called him "King Yang," his reputation known across the grasslands.

During the Tumu Fort incident, when Khan Yexian of Shiwei led several hundred thousand Iron Cavalry southwards, demanding the Zhengtong Emperor to open the city gates.

It was Yang Hong, then the Zongdu of Xuanfu and the Great General of Zhenshuo, who not only sternly rejected the Zhengtong Emperor’s decree but also directly confronted Yexian, delaying Mongwu’s several hundred thousand troops at Xuanfu for months, providing Jingtai Emperor and Yu Jie with an opportunity to reorganize Jin’s mountains and rivers.

Regrettably, in the third year of Jingtai, Marquis of Changping, Yang Hong, passed away suddenly due to severe injuries.

If according to the history of another world, after a palace coup, Yang Zhen would have been striped of his title and imprisoned by the reinstated Zhengtong Emperor, and his entire family would face disaster.

But in this world, soon после palace coup Yang Zhen campaigned in Liaodong and last year, when he regained the ’Nuergan Zhihuishi Division’, displayed exceptional military leadership, and was promoted to deputy commander of Jedong.

This time, under Li Xuan’s northern expedition, Yang Zhen led thirty thousand Liaodong Iron Cavalry.

At this moment, with a stern look and a piercing gaze, Yang Zhen said, "Now that the Court has sufficient funds and grain, what does it matter if we continue to wear them down?"

But his former superior, Wang Yuan, who had been promoted from deputy commander of the Shenji Camp to Zongbingguan of Jizhou after the war in Liaodong, shook his head, "We have enough funds and food, but the soldiers, having campaigned for a long time, inevitably long for home and become weary. And with the saying that ’a prolonged defense surely fails,’ can we guarantee that our supply routes will always remain safe?"

The comments of these few individuals immediately sparked a vigorous debate among the many generals in the tent.

"But we can’t just keep waiting like this, right? Can’t we march into Hangai Mountain?"

"Foolish! It’s obvious that Hangai Mountain is a trap set by the Mongwu people, and what if the Mongwu people retreat further? How many men will we need to secure our supply routes?"

"Perhaps we could emulate Emperor Taizong and first pacify Wuliangha and the chieftains!"

"That plan might not work. The chieftains, maybe, but Wuliangha can simply hide."

Shang Hong simply watched coldly, saying nothing.

He would not easily interfere with military affairs, but if Li Xuan were to rashly advance into Hangai Mountain, or if the army were to remain stalled in MoBei until September, he would certainly not sit by idly.

In Shang Hong’s view, Li Xuan had already fallen into the same quandary that Emperor Tai faced during his northern expedition, expending tremendous effort and resources for scant returns.

Regrettably, after this battle, the world’s opinion of Li Xuan’s military capabilities would certainly decline—they would no longer be revered as divine.

The royal relatives, already disgruntled due to the new emperor’s ascent and the Ancestral Worship Law, would surely react as well.

This, for the nation, had both advantages and disadvantages—

However, what slightly surprised Shang Hong was that Shaofu Yu Jie, known for his military expertise, appeared to be completely unconcerned about the current predicament of the Jin Army.

Li Xuan sat solemnly in the commander’s seat, his eyes slightly closed, seemingly resting.

As time passed, the gaze of everyone in the tent gradually focused on Li Xuan.

"In the coming month, we will wait here in Ulan Bator for the Mongwu people to confront us in battle!"

As Li Xuan spoke, he opened his eyes, a hidden brilliance in his gaze, "A commander must understand the seasons! And now, the season is on my side."

"The season?" Shang Hong thought deeply.

Li Xuan placed his hand on his long sword, surveying the assembled generals, "Last year’s heavy snow on the grasslands greatly weakened the Mongwu people’s livestock, which still haven’t fattened up. This year, a severe drought has already set in on the grasslands, and there will surely be heavy snow after autumn, with cold will freezing the earth.

The Oirat People in the pastures to the west can’t accommodate the Mongwu people’s seven million subjects, the millions of cattle and sheep!"

Even if they could barely manage, the Wala Tribes who have been grazing there for generations would surely resent this.

Therefore—

Li Xuan’s voice turned icy, "From now on, our cavalry must raid all along the Tula River, Aruhun River, and Kerulen River. I want these fertile grasslands to be devoid of any Mongwu cattle and sheep!

Yexian thinks he can make us repeat the mistakes of Emperor Tai, so this time, we will teach them a proper lesson!"

At this moment, Shang Hong suddenly stood up, pushing his chair behind him until it toppled over.

He looked at Li Xuan in astonishment, and at the composed Yu Jie, wondering if this was why Yu Jie agreed to Li Xuan’s call for a northern expedition?

Shang Hong then turned his attention to the strategic map, unable to hold back any longer, "If we can truly force Yexian to a decisive battle in Ulan Bator, then a great victory for our forces can be anticipated."

Shang Hong had boundless confidence in the capabilities of Shenji Camp.

"But this is predicated on our cavalry’s winning in hit-and-run battles—"

At that moment, Shang Hong suddenly remembered the pack horses Li Xuan had provided to Shenji Camp and the tenth group camp.

With 170,000 riflemen covering the prime pasturelands within a 500-li radius around Ulan Bator, it was indeed feasible.

Although their cavalry quality was not as good as that of the Mongwu, in combination with the highly mobile riflemen, they were more than capable of controlling these rivers.

Li Xuan glanced at Shang Hong impassively, just as he was about to say something, his countenance shifted slightly, and he looked up towards the sky.

This was because his life-long protector, Divine Blood Azure Phoenix, was engaged in a fierce battle with the ’Thunder-Winged Peng’ high above.

That was the sacred bird raised by Khan of Shiwei, Yexian.

During the twelfth year of the Jingtai Emperor’s reign when Yexian attacked Xuanfu, the Thunder-Winged Peng nearly killed the Azure Phoenix Niulang and also severely wounded the dual swordsmanship of Li Xuan and Luo Yan.

Two years later, that ’Thunder-Winged Peng’ had clearly regained its former strength, reaching the peak of the 12th house level.

But the Divine Blood Azure Phoenix had also greatly advanced in cultivation since reaching the tenth house level, now possessing a strength akin to a lesser version of the heavenly level.

The two divine birds, like sworn enemies upon meeting, were currently engaged in a fierce death battle over the grasslands.

However, the Divine Blood Azure Phoenix’s mana was still slightly inferior.

It had grown in synchrony with Li Xuan, hence benefiting from it. However, it was still relatively young and many Divine Skills had yet to be developed.

Meanwhile, the master of the ’Thunder-Winged Peng,’ Oirat’s strongest at the heavenly level Yexian, had overall strength capable of rivaling the heavenly level.

However, the mana of Lv Qiluo was acting on the body of Divine Blood Azure Phoenix, aiding its recovery from injuries.

Niulang, ever fearless and heedless of danger, continued to inflict alarming wounds on the Thunder-Winged Peng.

What Li Xuan truly cared about, however, was not the ’Thunder-Winged Peng,’ but a figure that was rapidly approaching for an ambush.