In fact, the two sides began to fight as early as when the army arrived in Xanadu.

Eighty-seven thousand cavalry, including 5,000 scouts, fought against each other on the four hundred miles of grassland between Xanadu and Xilinhot.

Thanks to these scouts, the scope of exploration in Monan was reduced to about a hundred miles. After receiving the order to set off the army, they intensified their offensive efforts and pushed forward another twenty miles, reaching the limit. Going further,

That's not something the scouts can do.

The army easily advanced to a place 90 miles away from Xilinhot.

I hurriedly and slowly arrived here in the evening of the next day.

I thought that the Khan Court was going to play a trick of escaping from afar, but unexpectedly it turned out to be a battle to defend the city.

"Are these Mongol people crazy? They want to fight with us Han people to defend the city?" Jia Hui was puzzled.

"This is the first time I have fought a siege with them since they captured Shangdu City." Yun Yu didn't know what to say.

Jia Hui looked at the information about Xilinhot and scratched his chin.

"Not to mention that they only have city walls that are more than ten feet high, or rammed earth walls mixed with weeds. Xilinhot has a population of nearly one million. Where do they get their food and grass?"

"It's just a matter of killing cattle first, then sheep, and finally killing people. As long as we can hold on until our army is exhausted, Mantulu can bring people to help and repel our army. The materials consumed are much more cost-effective than running north with people."

”

Yun Yu pinched his beard and said.

"Human?"

"Yes, man, the population that the grassland can accommodate through grazing alone is always limited. What's more, there is not enough rain this year. As you can see, there is not much grass growing.

If more people die, it will make them feel better no matter whether they win or lose."

Yun Yu looked indifferent.

"Most of the time, wars on the grasslands are not about fighting for hegemony, but about fighting for lusher and warmer pastures and consuming people.

They are not naturally warlike. They cannot survive by grazing alone. And since Daqi has blocked the grasslands and closed the mutual market, they have money and cannot spend it. If they want to survive and live a better life, besides

They plundered each other and fought with each other. They had no choice."

"Then to what extent will the mutual market be restored again? The Khan Court will be completely destroyed?" Jia Hui was a little curious.

"Yes, when the Uighurs are more divided, they can trade with each other again."

While the two were chatting, the gang leader arrived.

"Report! Commander, General, dinner is here!" The gang leader signed up outside the tent and entered the house after receiving permission.

As a high-ranking official, he still has some privileges. While the army is nibbling pancakes and eating dried meat, the military commanders can still eat fresh mutton and freshly roasted meat.

Of course, the soldiers still have a bowl of broth.

A large piece of mutton cooked while making the broth was brought to the table. Jia Hui and Yun Yu stopped talking and hurriedly sat down at the table.

Huotoujun placed two silver-covered wooden bowls on the table and opened the wooden bucket filled with mutton soup. What he saw was a faint milky white soup, and a delicious aroma of mutton came out of the bucket along with the heat.

Come out.

The tangy aroma attracted the two of them to involuntarily poke their heads over to take a look. Huotoujun first picked up a bowl, took out a spoonful of the meat that Gangtoujun had cut in advance, sprinkled some chopped green onion, and poured a spoonful of soup on top.

Sprinkle a little more pepper, the aroma is overflowing, and your mouth is almost watering.

The gang leader brought two bowls of soup to the two of them, took out a spoon and chopsticks from the bag and handed them to them, and then brought out a basket of noodles.

Jia Hui took a noodle cake, tore it into small pieces, and carefully put it into the soup. After a while, the cake was full of soup and the soup soaked the cake. He picked up the cake with chopsticks and put it into his mouth, chewing it gently.

, soft, chewy, and the fragrant soup immediately overflowed the whole mouth. Slightly salty, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, and slightly hot.

"Ah..." After a mouthful of mutton soup, Yun Yu, who was as steady as Yun Yu, couldn't help but smile happily.

After a day of rapid marching, my tired body seemed to be healed by the warm mutton soup, and my body was filled with strength again.

"Ah, Shutan, did the whole army get a bowl?" Jia Hui drank a bowl in one go, feeling the warm mutton soup entering his body along the esophagus, and looked at the gang leader and asked.

"Back to the general, a total of 10,000 sheep have been killed, which is enough for the brothers to share. At most, there is not enough meat, but why is there still meat? It is enough to eat." The gang leader put down his hands and was helping the two of them cut the mutton.

knife, replied quickly.

"That's it." Jia Hui nodded and continued eating.

A night attack is a laborious task. If you can't protect everyone, you have to pursue it all night long. You must ensure that everyone has enough to eat.

After six bowls of soup, three kilograms of mutton and five noodles, Jia Hui put down the bowl and chopsticks.

"Ah, eighty percent full and comfortable." Jia Hui leaned back on the chair comfortably and took out a toothpick to pick his teeth.

Yun Yu also finished eating slowly. As he got older, his stomach was not very good, so naturally he had to chew slowly. Besides, he didn't need to go to the front line, so he just ate as much as he could.

When the gang leader saw that the two had finished their meal, he quickly put away the bowls and chopsticks, carried the bucket and the basket and retired toward the two.

"Okay, kid, go back to your camp and have a rest. You will be the commander at night." Feeling sleepy, Yun Yu began to chase people away.

"Yes, I'll take my leave then." Jia Hui stood up holding on to the table, said goodbye to Yun Yu, turned around and left Yun Yu's handsome tent.

The map shows that the army of the Khan Court is arranged in the shape of "Hui".

The city of Xilinhot is completely unable to accommodate a population of nearly one million. When it was designed, it was designed to accommodate a maximum of 50,000 people.

Therefore, except for a small number of nobles and regular soldiers, everyone else set up defenses outside the city.

With the city of Xilinhot as the center, the young and middle-aged men were arranged on the left and right, and in the rear were stationed the Qongxue of various tribes and some elite regular soldiers. Inside the city were the Great Khan and Hutaiji of various tribes, with a small number of Qingxue and most of the regular soldiers of Taiji.

As for the southern part of the city facing the Qi army, it is the old, weak and sick of the various ministries.

They didn't think they could defeat the Qi army in the south at all. They wanted to rely on defending the city to delay and consume the Qi army. Naturally, they were unwilling to consume the precious young population.

On the one hand, it is to seize the weakness of the Qi army's respect for the elderly and compassion for the sick and weak, so that the Qi army's attack will be hesitant, so that the young and strong soldiers on both sides and in the city can take the opportunity to attack.

On the one hand, the young men and regular soldiers were allowed to reduce their losses as much as possible so that they could escape when they were unable to resist. As a result, the old, weak and sick from each tribe were placed in the south of the city.

On the other hand, even the Qi army had their conscience eaten by dogs and abandoned their morality. When they saw the left and right men who were all in their prime and the Nanfang who were all old and weak, they would choose which side to attack.

Fortunately, most of the horses and antlers are placed in the south.

As for how to tell...

The walking speed of the people in the south of the city is obviously slower than in other areas. If you look carefully to the left and right, you can see that the tents are arranged in an irregular manner. In the north of the city, discipline is strict, and it is obvious that some of them are wearing iron armor.

The most important thing is that Shangdu City also had this formation in order to defend against the Qi army.

At the right time, Jia Hui, who was already well-equipped, sat on his horse and checked the map to make one final confirmation whether the formation had changed.

After confirming that it was correct, I closed the minimap.

The general formation had already been told to the generals during the day, and the specific details of how to fight would be discussed later.

Behind him stood Qi troops who were also well-equipped.

Jia Hui turned his horse's head, and the general who had been waiting for a long time came over and gave some instructions. After they returned to their respective teams, Jia Hui faced the army.

"Today is the day when you have made great achievements and become a wife and son! All officers and men listen to your orders!"

Jia Hui raised his horse's chariot and faced the north.

"Let's go!"

Khan Court.

The moonless night was so irritating. Tumutaihutaiji'ombuchuhu'er was awakened by nightmares. The day Bansheng City was massacred by the Qi army appeared over and over again in the dream. It has become a dream.

The nightmare of Ombu Chuhuer.

Ombu Chuhu'er looked out the window and was shocked to find that it was a dark moon today just like last year.

The irritated Ombu Chuhu'er suddenly lay down on the bed, waking up Mrs. Yan who was sleeping soundly next to her. Mrs. Yan looked blankly at the person beside her pillow. Ombu Chuhu'er ignored her, closed her eyes and forced herself to go again.

Go to sleep.

In the dark, there was no moonlight, and the scouts did not run far, only wandering within three miles outside the city.

There was no moon today, and Bilige Khan was also afraid that these elites would accidentally fall into Dalinuoer Lake, or fall into some pit and be killed or injured, so he didn't let them run too far.

Looking at the Mongolian scouts scattered outside the city like stars in the distance, Jia Hui quietly issued military orders to the back.

"A man holds his head, a horse's hoof is bound, and his mouth is strangled."

The soldiers behind them also whispered military orders to the back, and then passed them from person to person until the end of the team.

As early as thirty miles away from Xilinhot, Jia Hui had people extinguish the torches.

The infantry were fine, as long as the people behind them grasped the strings tied to the shoulders of the people in front, while the cavalry army held on to the ropes just like Jia Hui did on the plateau.

The names of the 60,000-horse army were tied forward to their respective commanders, who were then tied to Jia Hui's three direct subordinates. Finally, three ropes were tied to Jia Hui, connecting Guan Sheng, Lin Chong, and Yang Zhisan.

People.

If this happens and you still fall behind, then Jia Hui has no choice but to wait until dawn and let the stragglers regroup on their own.

At least eighteen miles away from Xilinhot, at the right foot of a small hill, I saw the faint light of fire again.

"The infantry will attack, and the artillery vehicles will follow." Jia Hui ordered.

The messengers immediately went to convey the military orders. They are still sneaking and cannot use the suona, so they can only notify them one by one.
To be continued...