end song

In a blink of an eye, it was the [-]th of the twelfth lunar month.

Before dawn, Pang Pei woke up from the tent, and before he got up, he suddenly heard Li Zengbo whisper something.

"When the lotus root is blooming, the five lakes are misty and rainy, and the Xizi boat is flat. Turn your head and dream back to the remnant corner, recruiting people to fill in the new autumn."

"Master, what did you say?" "Nothing."

Li Zengbo shook his head and got up out of the tent.

They all huddled together and slept together to keep warm. When they got up, more than 20 soldiers came out of the small tent.

"It's so cold, my nose froze."

"Hey, scholar. Did you hear that just now? What did the commander-in-chief say?" Pang Pei asked in a low voice.

"That's the words of the commander. He may have dreamed of being on a boat in the West Lake, and when he woke up, he found himself on this battlefield...Don't talk nonsense with others, in case the morale of the army is broken."

"What can destroy the morale of the army? It's not just the commander-in-chief who is homesick for the New Year's Eve."

"General Pang, are you from Liangzhou? I'm curious to ask you, did you...have New Year's Eve too?"

Pang Pei smiled wryly, and said, "I used to be a Mongol's exorcist. How could there be New Year's Eve at that time?"

While speaking, they had already reached the defense line, picked up the shovel and began to build the defense line.

While working, Pang Pei said: "In this life, I have lived three years. The year Your Majesty took over Liangzhou, I didn't serve as an excuse anymore. I divided the land and built a house. Hey, I married a wife. That year , Liangzhou city sang a big show, and everyone in the army gave out three catties of meat. My wife and I sat around the broken pot, drooling here. And then on the second New Year’s Day, there was another big fat boy in my family, haha Scholar, what about you?"

"You also know that I came from Jiangnan with the commander-in-chief. The festivals over there are so festive that you don't even dare to think about it, that's all, don't mention it."

"How festive is it? How many theaters are singing a big show?" "Hehe...ah."

With a sudden sigh, Pang Pei also became sad, saying: "I am homesick, my heart is scratching."

"Who isn't?"

"But let me tell you, scholar, I don't regret coming here. The commander said yesterday that it is better for us to fight the captive chieftains in this ghost place than for the captive chieftains to go to Liangzhou and fight ten times in Liangzhou." Pang Pei He became proud again, and said, "My wife and son are still in Liangzhou."

Pang Pei has always said that he was born in the mouth, and his life is cheap.But there have been three New Year's Days in his life, and he felt that this year was particularly deserted.

He could see that Li Zengbo had been arranging defenses all the time, and felt that the figure of this old man was particularly absent today.

So, he ran to the top of the mountain and scanned through the binoculars, trying to find a little flavor of the year in the enemy's camp.

But the Mongols are not very interested in the New Year's festival, and more concerned about the Naadam Conference held in summer and autumn. The camp of the Yuan army is no different from ordinary days.

"Damn, it's tens of thousands of people, it's like a dead one."

Pang Pei became annoyed inexplicably, after thinking about it, he simply recruited a few soldiers under his command, and said, "Let's go, New Year's Eve, go get a cow and sheep and come back to add some food to the brothers."

When it got dark, Li Zengbo, who had been busy all day, finally returned to his tent. Seeing that the bonfire was a bit small, he went to chop some firewood to fuel the fire.

After finally sitting down, he said with emotion: "It's New Year's Eve, and His Majesty is not in Chang'an, so I'm afraid there will be unrest in the court." "The commander-in-chief is still worried about this."

"How can we not be worried?" Li Zengbo said: "Your Majesty has been fighting abroad for a long time, but if there is no news, there will be chaos in Chang'an."

"The final general doesn't understand that Chang'an can have a good year this year, not only in Chang'an, but everywhere. Thanks to the general and His Majesty for finally bringing the captives here, why is there still chaos?"

"People's hearts." Li Zengbo sighed slightly.

He has lived to this age and has seen too many things.It is conceivable that few of the people who spent the New Year's Eve safely in the territory at this time would think of the distress that the Northwest Army is going through, but some people may have other thoughts because the emperor has not been in court for a long time.

Surrounded by a large army, it is inevitable to be a little depressed... "Master!"

suddenly,

Someone shouted from outside the line of defense. "It's the last general, and the general has robbed a few cattle and sheep back."

Li Zengbo stood up and rushed over to take a look, only to see that Pang Pei was covered in blood, and he didn't know how many arrows were stuck in the cotton armor behind him.But Pang Pei looked up, his face was full of smiles. "Marshal, let's give our brothers a good New Year."

Li Zengbo originally wanted to be dealt with by military law, but he was stunned for a moment when he met those joyful eyes.

In this moment of stupefaction, the surrounding soldiers cheered. "Haha, General Pang is mighty!"

"Come on, give me a hand, kill sheep and cattle, and have a good year..." Li Zengbo turned his head to look, and saw that even a few educated school generals he brought from Jiangnan had rushed over to hook Pang Pei. Take a back.

"Well, you Pang Pei, the sky says you're a lowly life, and you'll still have a lot of fun after a new year."

"Haha, let's see what this is?" "Wine?" "No way?!"

Soon there was laughter in the army, and there was an atmosphere of New Year's Eve in an instant.

Li Zengbo then stroked his beard and smiled, shook his head and muttered, "Shangshang Zhengren...have a new year too."

~~
A copper pot is set in the fire, and the water in the pot has been boiled.Someone cut the mutton into thin slices and put them into boiling water.When the color of the meat in the pot changes, it is immediately scooped into a bowl and sprinkled with fine salt, chopped green onion and minced ginger.

Kublai Khan took the bowl, and while eating the mutton, he listened to the soldiers' reports.

Hundreds of years ago, the Khitan people ate boiled mutton like this, but because Kublai Khan liked to eat it this way, this way of eating it spread among the army.

"Khan, King Sui Du is back." "Let him in."

Soon, Sui Ge, who was wearing a snow cape, walked into the sweat tent, his face was full of joy.

"Khan! Ulu Khurnai promised to marry me!"

Kublai Khan paused his chewing for a while, a trace of imperceptible surprise flashed in his eyes, and he said lightly, "Sit down and talk, have you eaten yet?"

Soon, someone set up a copper pot for Brother Sui. "Great Khan, Ulu Khurnai said that she can submit to the Great Khan, as long as the Great Khan agrees to her a few conditions."

"Say."

"Her son, Mubalcisha, is dead, but Mubalcisha's wife is pregnant. If a son is born, the Great Khan must let the boy inherit the throne of the Jaghatai Khanate; if it is a girl, then She will give birth to a son with me, who will inherit the throne of the Jaghatai Khanate. This is the first condition."

Kublai was noncommittal.

Sui Gedu said again: "The second condition, she said that the Yili River Basin has been continuously destroyed by Alibuge, Mangela, and Tuohu, and her herdsmen lost their property, cattle and sheep, and that's why she came east. I hope that the Great Khan can reward her with 20 banknotes and [-] head of cattle and sheep to make up for her loss."

Immediately, Kublai Khan's face was very unhappy.

Over the years, for this Khan position, he has paid too much gold to buy those Mongolian nobles.

Brother Sui sensed his elder brother's displeasure, and persuaded him in a low voice: "Great Khan, the Mongolian Kingdom has never been stingy with its loyal partners. This is the great tradition of Genghis Khan."

Kublai Khan snorted coldly, and said, "How rich is the great Genghis Khan, and how many partners do he need to reward? What about now? There is no population in the world, and the descendants of the golden family are constantly multiplying. What do you want me to rely on to maintain the tradition? "

In fact, since he showed his displeasure, he could accept this condition.

The water in the copper pot was gurgling, and Brother Sui had already scooped up a bowl of mutton.

"Do you believe it?" Kublai Khan asked.

Brother Sui just put the meat to his mouth, put it down again when he heard the words, and asked cautiously: "The Khan is asking me...do you believe Ulu Khurnai's sincerity? I believe it."

"Why do you think she agreed to submit to me?"

"This is the best way out for her." Brother Sui took it for granted: "She helps Li Xia, and Li Xia will also seek her Ulus. She came here just to win the favor between Da Khan and Li Xia She will help whoever gives more."

Kublai Khan didn't speak any more, just sat there and ate the mutton intently.On the contrary, Brother Sui wants to promote

After completing this matter, he said: "Khan, there are no permanent enemies or friends in this world. She helped Li Xia before, and now she is surrendering to Khan, all in order to preserve her strength and status. I will ensure that she can get position, so she agreed." "Okay."

Kublai Khan put down the bowls and chopsticks in his hands, and said, "You don't have to go anymore, send someone to tell Ulu Khurnai that Ben Khan agreed to her conditions."

Brother Sui is overjoyed.

The two brothers talked about this matter for a long time, discussing the matter of Wulu Hunai's surrender, and asked her to tell Li Xia's military plan and besiege Li Xia together.

But when Brother Sui had retreated, Kublai shook his head and muttered to himself.

"Stupid Sui Gedu, you are so dazzled by her breasts..."

After a while, another courtier came in and said, "Khan, those Han people have been waiting for a long time. Today is their New Year's Eve. Heh, they hope that Khan will give them a New Year's Eve."

"Get ready for them to come."

Kublai Khan couldn't help thinking of the Naadam Conference on the grassland.Unlike the Han people who like to celebrate the festival in this cold winter, the Naadam Festival is often held in July and August every year when the livestock are fattening.It is entertainment and games held to celebrate the harvest.

Horse racing, wrestling, archery, singing and dancing are so lively and cheerful.

But there is no way, since I want the assistance of those Han people, I still have to allow their customs when necessary.

Kublai Khan still received his Hanchens on this night and held a small banquet...and he himself had already eaten boiled mutton.

In this way, the time came to the fourth year of Zhiyuan.

But in the fourth year of the Yuan Dynasty, many civil servants and generals in the Yuan Dynasty were still disappointed.

At a small banquet, someone hurried over. "Khan, Shi Gang is back."

Kublai Khan put down his wine glass, first glanced at Shi Tianze, then at Tachaer, only to find that Tachaer hadn't come to the banquet.

"Does he know where Li Xia is?"

"Shi Gang said that he has important military information to report to the Great Khan."

The curtains were lifted, and the cold wind blew, many of the Han officials, who were drunk, sobered up a lot. When they fixed their eyes, they saw that Shi Bang had already knelt down in front of Kublai Khan.

"Your Majesty, the general is not guilty! The general was defeated by Li Xia..." "Where is he, and how many troops does he have?"

"Report Your Majesty, Uncle Shu Zhen surrendered Li Xia, there are more than [-] people, and they are already coming here."

Kublai Khan turned his head to look at the big map hanging in the tent, and realized that his estimate of Li Xia's army strength was wrong.

However, in front of the ministers, he laughed. "It's good to be here, Ben Khan can finally see this kid...