When Bermu learned that water had been pumped out of the Iron Gate, he became suspicious and suspected that there was really an evil god of Buddhism to bless them. He thought about the rain two days ago: even if the wound quickly festered because of poisoning, it was obviously impossible for the rain to be controlled by them, but it happened at such a coincidental time, and he couldn't help but be a little scared. ”

He immediately ordered the siege to be halted, but still cut off the Peacock River and had the mullahs who accompanied the army pray all day. But he was afraid that his mullahs did not have such high mana, so he sent someone to ask the Great Khan to send the mullahs to his aid. Jesbu said.

"Haha, Bermu is scared. But he didn't blame him, the Ming army stationed in the Iron Gate Pass was so lucky that they were able to encounter two such strange things in a row. But sending the big mullah to his army doesn't have to. It's just two coincidences. Timur said.

In fact, Timur also had some doubts about the fact that such a coincidence happened twice in a row, but a person who can become the ruler of a country has the same belief in religion, and a person who is too pious cannot be the boss, especially Timur, who climbed up from the middle level. In addition, the consideration that the morale of the military must not be shaken, so the above decision was made.

"But." Of course, Yesbu also knew that Timur's disposition was right, but if he did not send the big mullahs over, I am afraid that the army led by Bermu would not be able to restore its morale for a long time.

"Isn't there a hundred thousand people who have been conscripted from the country to come in a few days? In the name of their prayers, they sent the big mullah to Urumqi. Timur said.

Jesbu immediately understood what he meant, said yes, and asked, "Who will you send to escort the mullah back?" ”

"Just send Abu Berk. He will only make trouble in the army, let him go back to the rear and stay. Timur said. Abu Berk was his other grandson, and he had thousands of men and horses under his command. This man had a violent temper, discriminated against the Khitans and Semu people in the east, and did a lot of things that made Timur very unhappy. This time it was just right to kick him out.

When it came to Timur's family affairs, Yesbu was also not easy to speak, so he changed the topic and said: "Speaking of which, if it weren't for the people of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate who fled without a fight, and the cattle and sheep were abandoned a lot without horses, we would have to save the soldiers' rations now, not to mention the re-recruitment of herdsmen from the country." ”

"Mongols! Isn't it about running fast to fight? Since it is not uncommon to run fast when you are fighting, it is not uncommon to run fast when you run away. Timur laughed.

After burying the Mongols for a few words, Yesbu suddenly thought of something and said, "By the way, Great Khan, that army has also been brought. ”

"The army? Which army? Timur asked suspiciously, then reacted and said with a smile: "I didn't bring them because I was worried that there would not be enough meat to eat, but it's better to bring them this time." However, it is no problem for them to scare the Ming army once, and it is not very useful to fight. ”

"It's good to be able to scare the Ming Army once."

"That's right."

After chatting a few more words, he saw that Timur's mood was better, and asked seriously: "Great Khan, what should I do next?" ”

"Next." Timur stopped laughing when he heard Yesb's words, walked out of the tent and looked at the Ming army who were still holding the funeral with clairvoyance, and sent someone to call Shaharu and others over and asked them: "What do you think our army should do now?" ”

"Great Khan, now that the reinforcements of the Ming army have arrived, although the total strength is still less than ours, there are not many of them, and there are reinforcements coming later. According to my idea, we should immediately withdraw our troops and retreat to the Gurbantunggut Basin, and then actively contact the Mongols in the east, leaving some soldiers to defend Urumqi, and the main army marching east into the Mongolian steppe. ”

"The border between the Mongolian steppe and the Khitan territory was too long, and even if the Ming army really had more than two million troops as they claimed, it would not be enough to deploy enough soldiers at every point along this long border. After the Mongols were absorbed, our army could have sent a small number of partial divisions to attack and harass to attract the attention of the main force of the Ming army, and then the army would break through their Great Wall in the more fertile places in the north of the Ming Kingdom, such as the north of Hebei Province or Shanxi Province, and enter the interior of the Khitans. After that, it is necessary to carry out the strategy set by the Great Khan. Shaharu said.

Timur did not comment, but asked: "Do you have any other opinions?" ”

"Great Khan, to prevent the Mongols and the Ming from uniting against our country." Salha said: "Although the Mongols on the steppe have enmity with the Ming people, and the hatred is still deep, it is difficult for the Ming people to really destroy them, but we can really eliminate them." So now is not a good time to enter the Mongolian steppe. ”

"Then how to prevent them from uniting with the Khitans?" Timur laughed.

Salha was shocked when he saw Timur's smile. This shows that there is something in what he said that Timur agreed with. "Great Khan, the most important thing to prevent the Mongols from uniting with the Khitans is to make them think that the Ming State is not an opponent of our country. The Mongols have always followed the strongest, and as long as they think that we are the strongest, they can prevent them from joining forces with the Khitans. ”

"For them to think that our country is the strongest, it is necessary to defeat the Ming Kingdom, and defeat the Ming Kingdom here. So I think we must stay here and fight the Ming people head-on, and if we can't wipe them out, we have to repel them. Salha concluded.

He completely disagreed with Shaharu's words, but Shaharu was Timur's grandson, and it was inconvenient for him to refute directly, so he made a big circle to express his meaning.

After hearing what he said, Shaharu immediately retorted: "Then the Mongols will not be co-opted." If our army does not provoke them after entering the Mongolian steppe, they will certainly not take the initiative to oppose our army. When we enter the Khitan mainland, the Mongols on the steppe will definitely be tempted, and they will go south to join the ranks of robbing the Khitans without us forcing them. ”

"But then, Shaharu, the first war was all our own soldiers. The Mongols could not be trusted, and if our army suffered too much loss in the war with the Khitans, the Mongols could turn back to the Ming at any time. Salha had to say directly.

Shaharu wanted to say more, so he heard Timur say: "Shakharu, Salha is right, the Mongols on the steppe cannot be trusted, and the combat effectiveness of the Ming army, even before the official war, is still somewhat underestimated, but the war during this period is enough to prove that it is a strong force." Rather than being in a situation where you might be attacked by the enemy at that time, it is better to defeat the Ming army here now. ”

"And," Timur finally said arrogantly, "Wouldn't it be afraid of the main force of the Ming army to be here, while our army went to the Mongolian steppe!" ”

As soon as Timur's words came out, everyone immediately stopped persuading. And it's not just a matter of face. If the army lets go to the Mongolian steppe by letting the main force of the Ming army go, it may be thought that the soldiers are afraid of the Ming army, and the morale of the soldiers will be reduced, and the battle will be even more difficult to fight.

But Jesbu had a worried look on his face. If his fear of not being able to win before his departure could be counted as unfounded, then the battle through this period of time was enough to prove his fear. And the total strength of the Ming army in the end will not be less than theirs, even if they are more adapted to the climate here because the land in the river is similar to the climate here, and the Ming army is not very adaptable, and it is unlikely that they will defeat the Ming army by taking advantage of this. Once the war drags on, because of the age of Timur, it will definitely not be good for them.

But it's not a good idea to retire at this time. If you haven't set off yet, it's nothing; But after setting off, when the main force of the Ming army was withdrawn, it would become that Timur was afraid of the Ming Kingdom, and those tribes who were only under Timur's prestige and submission might rebel again, and the country might be full of flames.

I only hoped that I could defeat the Ming army here and control the entire Eastern Chagatai Khanate, and then the Great Khan came to his senses and withdrew his troops after giving the Eastern Chagatai Khanate to a certain prince. That's all Jesbou could think.

"But our army cannot be stationed so close to the city of Hami. The enemy army has a city but our army does not have a city, and the defense is not good. I remember that there was another Acropolis west of Hami that was not too badly damaged. Tell me that tomorrow the whole army will be stationed near the city of the Guards. Timur said.

"Nayosa, prepare the equipment you need for battle." And he commanded.

"Yes, Great Khan." Nayosa hurriedly agreed.

Timur gave a few more commands, and finally said to them: "When your army has been reorganized and the ordnance has returned to its original number, we will fight the Ming army and defeat them in the field." ”

"Yes, Great Khan."

……

……

"My subordinates have seen General Xu and General Lan. The soldiers of the five guards under his command have all rushed to Igo City. A handsome person bowed down to Xu Huizu and Lan Zhen and said.

"Get up, we're all colleagues, you don't have to be so polite." "Yes, Yang Feng, you hurried all the way over, you're very tired now, just stand up and talk." Xu Huizu and Lan Zhen said successively.

This person is naturally Yang Feng, who was elected as the eldest princess and the captain of the horse, and now his official position is only that of a general and a general. The five Kamizhiwei led by him set off late, and they carried too much baggage, and the carriages running on the track were not infinite, so they were excluded from the guard post for emergency rescue of Igo Castle, and they did not arrive at Igo Castle until today.

After Yang Feng returned to Beijing last year, he was generally considered to be developed, and even Lan Zhen deliberately made friends, so what he spoke just now was much more casual than Xu Huizu, who didn't have much intersection with Yang Feng.

Yang Feng couldn't help but swell a little, but when he looked up and saw Xu Huizu, he immediately calmed down, and stood aside with another salute.