Chaos of the Three Kingdoms Summons

Chapter 2729 Yuan Military Council, Dragon Court Meeting

The Mongol troops in the city, although called Mongol troops, were basically composed of Han Chinese and people from the Western Regions.

The cavalry outside were mainly composed of the Mongol steppe homeland.

Although most of these soldiers were from the lower ranks, not all of them were beneficiaries of the system.

However, they had also become accustomed to bullying and oppressing the people in the city, and the people in the city hated them to the core.

To win over the Han Chinese and Qiang-Hu people in the western part of Liangzhou, their heads are the most direct and effective method.

Liangzhou was originally a gathering area of ​​Qiang and Hu peoples. However, after Su Dingfang conquered the Qiang, some of them went to the plateau, some fled to the grasslands, and the rest were assimilated by Liangzhou.

Therefore, there is also a large Qiang and Hu population here.

Under the Mongol system, they were treated the same as the Han Chinese.

Compared to the earliest group of Qiang people who integrated into the original population, this group of Qiang people lived an extremely miserable life.

Therefore, this group of people also harbored resentment towards the Yuan and Mongol dynasties for a long time.

At the same time, Meng Tian built this Jingguan (a mound of statues) to deter the Mongol army in the three prefectures of Liangzhou behind him.

Meanwhile, what was Esen, whom Shi Tianan had been thinking about so much before the city fell, doing at this time?

At this point, Esen couldn't care less about Shi Tianan; he only wanted to retreat towards Jiuquan and Zhangye.

Although he fell into the ambush set by Ashu and Yelü Deguang, once he realized this, he immediately rushed out of the battlefield at all costs.

Therefore, the loss was within his acceptable range.

At this point, he still had enough strength to fight again.

However, not long after, he discovered that he had become deaf and blind.

His small patrol suffered heavy losses and was unable to establish effective battlefield observation.

Under these circumstances, how could he dare to launch a rash attack?

At the same time, Esen discovered that a large number of Jin army light cavalry and guerrillas had penetrated deep into his rear, attacking his supply lines, water sources and scattered small units.

These methods were clearly the same ones that the steppe cavalry used to deal with the people of the Central Plains, but now the people of the Central Plains were using them against them.

This is precisely why Esen was put on the defensive.

In that case, he would only choose to prioritize preserving his own power.

He naturally forgot about the fate of Shi Tianan's troops.

Within the Yuan-Mongol Empire, Kublai Khan relied on Han Chinese and Western Region people to build and train elite infantry corps belonging to the Yuan-Mongol Empire.

As the infantry corps grew stronger, although Temujin and Kublai Khan, in order to balance internal relations, also incorporated some steppe generals such as Gaisuwen, Murong Baiyao, and Murong Shaozong into the infantry corps.

However, within the framework of the Yuan-Mongol regime, the power of meritorious marquises such as Shi Tianze and Wei Shu still needed to be guaranteed by this infantry legion.

For established Mongol nobles like Esen, their power still relied on their cavalry.

Given the internal conflicts between the two sides within the Yuan-Mongol alliance, it is not surprising that Esen took this action to preserve his strength.

Ultimately, the two of them are not from the same interest group; in fact, they are from two opposing interest groups.

........................

Yuan Menglongting.

A group of civil and military officials had already come together. Among them were Jebe, Subutai, Gaisuwen, Murong Chui, Menglike, Toqto'a, and Kunan, who had been highly trusted by Temujin during his time.

As for Maodun, Murong Ke, and Muqali, they were naturally not within the Dragon Court at this time.

These men, like Hulagu, Batu, and Ögedei, were all granted the title of Khanate.

In most cases, they would remain stationed within the Khanate.

In particular, Muqali and Murong Ke bestowed the Khanate upon people of different surnames, partly to set an example for other civil and military officials and to inspire their enthusiasm.

On the other hand, because the Khanate they were granted was geographically close to the Great Jin Dynasty, it served as the first line of defense. Given this context, they were even less likely to leave easily.

Besides these veteran officials, there were also Shi Tianze, Wei Shu, Chen Zhibao, and others who were promoted during Kublai Khan's reign...

At the same time, there were also people like Helian Bobo, Shi Le, and Yelü Lihu who surrendered to the Yuan Dynasty during the conquest of the Tuoba Wei.

When they surrendered, they all brought some of their remaining troops with them.

Those who voluntarily bring their own capital and surrender must at least have their status guaranteed.

At the very least, they should be given a decent position as a token gesture.

In addition, there were also the Grand Councilors Yelü Chucai, Yue Wan, Yang Wu, Feng Yi, Wang Maide, Zhang Bin, Yuan Benxi, Yelü Helu, and others, whom Kublai Khan had learned from the Qing Dynasty.

Of course, although Kublai Khan learned from the Qing Dynasty and established the Grand Council, the functions of their Grand Council were different from those of the Qing Dynasty's Grand Council. In fact, it was more similar to the cabinet of the Great Jin Dynasty.

These people, to put it bluntly, were Kublai Khan's think tank, his advisory group, who came together specifically to give him advice.

People like Wang Maide, Zhang Bin, and Yuan Benxi were all recruited from the Tuoba Wei after the Tuoba Wei were defeated.

Yuan Benxi, in particular, was a member of the Tuoba clan with impeccable lineage.

Although he was from a collateral branch of the family, Kublai Khan still boldly employed him and made him a close advisor.

At this time, Temujin had just been buried. Although Temujin had made a will at the end, he was able to smoothly succeed Kublai Khan, the crown prince who had been ruling for many years.

However, at this time, Kublai Khan, after arranging Temujin's funeral, had not even had time to formally hold the ceremony of ascending the throne.

At this time, reports of the Jin army's large-scale invasion had already reached the imperial court.

At this time, both the veteran officials of the Mongol Yuan dynasty and the meritorious marquises of the Han people were eager to make their move, for only by fighting could they gain something from the war.

Helian Bobo, Shi Le, Yelü Lihu, and others remained completely unmoved.

They have only recently integrated into the Yuan-Mongol society and do not yet have a strong sense of belonging.

Yelü Lihu, in particular, didn't care which side won.

If the Yuan Mongols won, then he would continue to serve as their subject.

If he wins the battle against the Great Jin, he will go and seek refuge with his elder brother.

As for Kublai Khan's confidants, such as Yue Wan, Yang Wu, and Feng Yi, a hint of worry couldn't help but surface deep in their eyes at this moment.

They were well aware that the Great Jin was launching a large-scale military campaign at this time.

Firstly, their Great Yuan Dynasty was at a critical stage of power transition, which presented a good opportunity for their Great Jin Dynasty.

Secondly, Kublai Khan could not afford to lose this battle.

If Kublai Khan had lost, he would have suffered a defeat right after ascending to the throne, and some of his subordinates would have been in an uproar.