Chapter 936 - 103: Where the Khan’s Banner Points, Victory Follows

The entire encampment of Jebe suddenly became a boiling cauldron, then quickly fell into a near-suffocating awe and solemnity.

All the cavalry, regardless of which tribe they originally belonged to, hurriedly mounted their horses and quickly formed a rough formation in front of the camp, bowing their heads, not daring to look directly at the sweeping might of the heavens.

Temujin charged ahead alone, rushing straight to where Jebe and the others were, then suddenly reined in his warhorse.

The magnificent black warhorse reared up, letting out a shrill neigh, while Temujin sat steadily on the horseback, his stature as unmoving as a mountain.

His gaze like lightning swept over the slightly disordered camp, piled-up goods, he neither dismounted immediately nor reprimanded, but merely nodded slightly toward Jebe: "I received the message you sent."

"It’s not too late."

The tone was calm, yet it made Jebe’s heart tighten. He hurriedly knelt on one knee: "The Great Khan is here, I haven’t been able to clear the road properly, please punish me!"

"Rise." Temujin waved his hand, his gaze already beyond him, cast towards the south, the direction of the Song border, "I hear the turtle shell to the south has hurt the teeth of our wolf cubs?"

Though his voice was not loud when saying this, it made every Mongolian general present feel their faces heat up and lower their heads in shame.

Only then did Temujin dismount, his movements agile and swift.

He walked over to a heap in the center of the camp, with broken Song Army shields and several captured muskets, picking up a musket to weigh it, then looked at the deep arrowholes and scorch marks on the shield.

"Is it just these things?" he asked.

"Yes, Great Khan." Jebe promptly stepped forward, explaining in detail the Song Army’s tactics of using wagon formations in combination with crossbow arrows and firearms, and the significant obstruction this defense posed to cavalry charges. "...That fire-spewing tube is particularly nasty, although there aren’t many, the sound is terrifying, it sprays iron sand, quite powerful in close combat, our leather armor and light shields are hard to resist."

"The lads charged several times and suffered losses."

Temujin quietly listened, his fingers brushing over the rough barrel of the musket, his gaze deep, revealing no joy or anger.

After Jebe finished speaking, he then slowly opened his mouth, his voice not loud, yet clearly reaching the ears of each general listening intently: "So, you were stopped by a few iron tubes that spew fire, and a few broken wagons?"

"Your claws were dulled by the stolen silver and cloth?"

No one dared to respond.

Suddenly, Temujin let out a cold laugh, casually tossing the musket back to the ground with a clang.

Though he spoke that way, he did not intend to punish these people.

As a ruler,

Temujin needed to maintain absolute contempt for the enemy.

This is fundamental to maintain his position.

But he was also aware of the influence these things had on their cavalry tactics, naturally not lowering the penalty.

This is where Temujin’s extraordinary nature lies.

With no unnecessary words, he directly led the generals into the center gold-topped tent and then had a map quite in the style of Liao brought in.

This map not only marked mountains, rivers, major cities, but even the known "wandering camp" activity areas of the Song Army, several destroyed workshop sites, and even guessed paths for grain routes and supply points, all meticulously symbolized.

Clearly, what Temujin brought was not only reinforcements, but more powerful intelligence support.

Temujin stood in front of the map, silently examining for a moment, his finger first pointing at Dingzhou State, then slowly traced across the main Song Army defensive line between Zhending and Hejian.

"What the Southern People rely on is nothing but two things—" he began, his voice echoing in the tent, "the turtles hiding in their shells, and those dogs that occasionally bite when they stick their heads out of their den."

"The turtle shell is tough, we won’t smash it hard for now."

"But vicious dogs... no matter how fierce a dog, when it’s chained near its kennel, its fangs only reach as far as the kennel."

He raised his head, his gaze sharply sweeping over the generals: "Jebe, the reason you suffered earlier is because you tried to smash the kennel, and got bitten by a chained dog."

"Foolish!"

Jebe’s face turned red with embarrassment, yet he dared not retort.

"What is our advantage?" Temujin self-asked and answered, his finger fiercely drawing a large circle on the vast area behind the Song Army frontline, "It’s the wind! It’s the speed of the prairie wolf pack!"

"The dog is chained, can’t run far."

"But we can run to anywhere beyond the reach of its chain!"

He specifically deployed, his plan clear and orderly.

"Bo’orchu, I will give you five thousand of the most elite archers, each with three horses, sufficient arrows."

"From tomorrow, on the hundred-odd miles front from Gubeikou Gate to Juyong Pass, appear day and night uninterruptedly for me!"

"Today attack the defending troops in the eastern mountain recess with arrows; tomorrow burn two beacon towers in the western river valley; the day after make a grand show of trying to force a passage... I want the Song Army west line commanders to sleep with one eye open, mistakenly thinking my main force intends to break through here, pinning their forces and vigilance securely on the west!"

"Muqali, you command the thirty thousand main forces I brought, and Jebe’s troops after rest, hide in the valleys and forests north of Yuzhou and Feihu!"

"Send more scouts, closely monitor the Song Army main force movements in the direction of Dingzhou and Zhending!"

"Without my order, not a single soldier is to reveal themselves."

It was apparent he had long planned everything.

Even the troops Gu Yan brought had already been calculated into his plan.

Finally, he once again looked at Jebe, his finger heavily jabbing on the Song Army frontline’s east side, Cangzhou, and even further east on the Bohai Sea coast: "Here, is the place we truly want to strike!"

Though Temujin did not speak directly, even then, Jebe was instantly invigorated.

"Familiar with the terrain up front, you should be the one." Temujin’s gaze was bright, "But not with everyone though."

"Select fifteen thousand cavalry from your troops and those I brought, each with two horses, only carry ten days’ dry rations, bows and arrows, and incendiary materials."

"Abandon all stolen burdens, advance swiftly and lightly."

His finger slid along a winding route: "From here, avoid the Song Army main military towns, utilize the dry autumn river valleys and hilly terrain, penetrate swiftly!"

"Your target is not any city, but the state’s salt fields, simple piers where grain and military supplies may be unloaded along the ocean, inland converted storage points, and those villages that just regained some vitality, thinking the war is far away!"

——A surprise attack!

This was absolutely Temujin’s most adept tactic at the moment.

And more importantly, it is highly suited to the prairie cavalry, while avoiding firearms!

"Go to burn! Go to rob! Go to create panic!"

"Salt is one of the lifelines of the Southern Dynasty court and army, burn their salt stacks and their soldiers and people will become unstable."

"Harass their sea and land supply line, Gu Yan’s frontline army’s resources will be stretched."

"Let the hinterland villages become chaotic again, the officials and minor garrisons sent to appease will scramble around tirelessly!"

——Still directly targeting the core.

Temujin’s thought process was indeed straightforward.

Directly target Great Song’s crucial water transport and maritime trade, as well as salt fields, essential for people’s survival!

"By the Khan’s command!" The generals loudly pledged their allegiance.

All hesitation vanished at that moment like smoke.

Such was the influence of Temujin among the prairie tribes now.

It can be said, from ancient times to now, the prairie has never seen such a figure, able to gain faith from all the tribes, with no doubts in his judgment.

The impact extended beyond just these people.

The soldiers outside were affected as well.

It could be said, when the banner representing Genghis Khan came into view, the atmosphere in the whole camp transformed.

Almost everyone’s blood boiled.

Even the soldiers under Jebe, who had been ready to retreat, now reignited battle spirit.

This, is Temujin’s influence today!

...

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