In the spring of this year, after Qi State completed its spring plowing, Zhao Tai suddenly launched a counterattack and took over the Central Plains in less than three months.
Not only did the army suffer no losses in this counterattack against Qi, it also did not affect Qi's autumn harvest.
Therefore, when Zhao Tai attacked Hedong, he wanted to attack after the autumn harvest and end the battle before the next spring plowing.
In this way, Qi's army can occupy the east of Hedong without affecting next year's spring plowing. Qi's strength will inevitably increase greatly again.
After entering Hedong, Zhao Tai always thought about how to end the battle quickly.
Zhao Tai frowned slightly after hearing Wang Bin's words, "Isn't it appropriate to attack quickly?"
Wang Bin nodded and said: "That's right. Since Guyu and Batu have entered Hedong, I estimate that the Mongolian military strength in Hedong should far exceed ours. If the Mongolian army has the advantage and is still on the defensive side, then I think we will launch an attack now. The odds are slim."
Zhao Tai is hesitant now precisely because he is not sure, "Sir, what you said makes sense! But if Gu can't make a contribution, it will definitely boost Mongolian morale!"
Wo Kuotai's death gave Zhao Tai a chance.
Now within Mongolia, Meng Ge and Batu are dissatisfied with Guyuk as Khan.
This gave Zhao Tai every opportunity to defeat him.
If Zhao Tai cannot defeat Mongolia this time, then Mongolia will realize the importance of unity.
Guyuk could also gain prestige by helping Meng Ge and forcing the Qi army to retreat, which eased the internal conflicts in Mongolia.
This is not what Zhao Tai wants to see.
"Your Majesty, don't attack in a hurry! But you can plan for it slowly!" Wang Bin said: "This land east of Hedong is sandwiched between Taihang and Luliang Mountains. The cultivated land from north to south is no more than Datong, Lingding, Taiyuan, Shang. The party and other basins, as well as the Fen River Valley in the southwest. I have estimated that the cultivated land east of the river can only support a hundred thousand Mongolian troops at most. What will happen now that Guyuk and Batu lead their troops to enter?"
The area of cultivated land in Hedong is far less than that in Hebei.
Zhao Tai narrowed his eyes, "Sir, continue."
Wang Bin smiled and said: "Now that Guiyu and Batu have led their troops into Hedong, the supply of military supplies will all fall on the people of Hedong. When Wo Kuotai was still alive, he had an agreement with the princes of Hedong. They only need to provide a fixed amount every year. Money and food. Now that the army is gathering, the Mongolian nobles will inevitably break the agreement and ask for more money and food from the princes of Hedong to support the Mongolian army entering Hedong. Those Mongols are used to burning, killing and looting, and will not treat the people of Hedong as human beings. If they come to fight in Hedong, they will not be satisfied simply by not having enough food. They will definitely have to eat well. The Mongolian army will definitely plunder and harass the people everywhere. In less than three months, the hearts of Hedong will definitely return to the king."
Zhao Tai nodded frequently. The cultivated land in Hedong was far less than that in Hebei. The money and grain that Mongolia normally collected in Hedong could only support 100,000 horses.
Now that Guyu and Batu have led their troops into Hedong, the Mongols under their command must have good food and drink.
These people don't care about the people east of the river, and looting will inevitably happen.
As a result, the conflicts between the people in Hedong and Mongolia will intensify.
Those princes will also be dissatisfied with Mongolia because Mongolia tore up the agreement and forced them to pay more money and food.
Now that Zhao Tai is backed by the granary of Hebei, he is naturally not worried about problems with military food supply.
So now he only needs to be stationed in Yangquan to ensure that Jingxing is not cut off by the Mongolian army, and then he can wait for problems to arise in Hedong.
Zhao Tai said: "Sir's words made me suddenly enlightened!"
Wang Bin said: "This is a situation where the Mongolian army has far more troops than the king. If Guyuk and Batu don't carry many troops, there is no need to wait and the battle can be decisive quickly to avoid affecting the next spring plowing."
Zhao Tai's 120,000 troops entered Hedong. In order to ensure the army's food supply, various prefectures in Hebei mobilized a total of 300,000 civilians to transport food for the Qi army.
If the war is delayed until spring plowing, it will undoubtedly affect spring plowing and next year's harvest.
Zhao Tai nodded, "I have asked Wu Xian to send scouts to find out the information. It won't take long before we can find out the strength of the Mongolian army."
Taiyuan City.
Brother Meng thought that after Zhao Tai captured Yangquan, he would immediately rush to Taiyuan. Who knew that Guiyou and Batu arrived?
After reaching the predetermined position, Qi Jun still did not move.
It was early December. After Guyou and Batu had been lying in wait for a long time, Zhao Tai was not seen sending troops to Taiyuan. He thought that Zhao Tai had detected their existence and immediately led his army to Taiyuan.
At this time, 200,000 Mongolian troops gathered under Taiyuan City.
As Wang Bin expected, the supply of 200,000 Mongolian troops soon brought huge pressure to Hedong.
With so many troops, Hedong could not support them at all, so Kublai Khan could only give each army a basic ration.
In recent years, the Mongolian army has enjoyed no matter where it fights. In order to win the war, the Mongolian army can indeed endure hardships in a short period of time, but over time, the armies cannot bear it.
Within a few days of the Mongol army stationed outside the city, they began to harass the people outside Taiyuan City.
They entered the villages in groups, stole the villagers' cattle and food rations, and took the beautiful women abducted into the military camp for entertainment.
On this day, Kublai Khan took his subordinates to deliver food to the Mongolian troops stationed outside the city. When they returned, they passed through the villages and towns outside the city. They saw ruins everywhere and the city was in a state of depression.
Kublai Khan visited this town not long ago. At that time, it was a relatively wealthy village outside the city, but now it has been ruined by the Mongolian army.
At this time, Kublai Khan looked around on his horse, his face a little gloomy, thinking that when he returned to the city to find Brother Meng, he must strictly enforce military discipline.
Now the Mongolian army is not fighting in the territory of Qi State. They are burning, killing and looting in the territory of the enemy's country. They are depriving the enemy of food and weakening the enemy's strength.
Now that they are fighting in the Mongolian territory, ruining the people in this way will undoubtedly push the people to the side of Qi.
Kublai Khan was angry and was about to go back and tell Brother Meng when suddenly several Mongolian soldiers came out of a courtyard in front.
When Kublai Khan saw their big bags and small bags, he knew that this group of people must be up to no good.
"Get it!" Kublai Khan ordered immediately.
More than a dozen guards swarmed up and controlled the five Mongolian soldiers.
Kublai Khan's nose moved and he smelled the smell of blood, so he stepped forward on his horse and looked into the yard. He saw two corpses lying in the yard and a naked female corpse lying in the main room.
Kublai Khan did not object, and the Mongolian army slaughtered the enemy's people.
It's just that Hedong is now Mongolia's territory and Meng Ge's fiefdom. These people are the property of their Tuolei family.
Guyu and Batu's subordinates harmed the people east of Hedong in this way, which was a big loss to him.
Kublai Khan stared at the five Mongol soldiers who were being held with a dark face, and said angrily: "You all deserve to die for killing the people of Hedong!"
Several Mongolian soldiers didn't understand why they had to deal with them after killing several Han people.
They conquered the world, didn't they always kill people of all races whenever they wanted?
Several soldiers didn't know what mistake they had made, but they kept begging for mercy.
Kublai Khan felt that this could not continue, so he decided to kill the chickens as a warning to the monkeys and enforce strict military discipline. But at this moment, a group of people suddenly came from a distance, and the leader shouted: "Stop! Kublai Khan, you dare to touch my people!"
