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Chapter 1398 Cossacks and Kazakhs 3
“...Andiyan, no wonder, no wonder. Since there is a general’s order, I will immediately send someone to Andiyan, and also send someone to notify the tribesmen to gather and select soldiers... They will arrive within a month at the latest!”

Aisim Khan slapped his thigh upon hearing this. In his mind at this point, Yangir Khan was certain that the 2000 muskets had already been claimed by Yangir Khan. As for whether they were intended for Middle Horde, that was not the point to discuss now; getting the guns was victory in itself.

Even if the Ming Empire lost the war, Zhongyuzi could easily switch sides and surrender to the victor. This world doesn't care about relationships; strength is everything. Even if you're meant to be a lackey of the strong, they'll choose the most capable fighter!
"Aismu Khan, take the guns and mobilize the troops, but not to help in the battle. When it comes to the confrontation between two armies, I have never feared anyone except His Majesty. These mere Rakshasa devils, even if we fight until this time next year, will not lose a single inch of this city."

However, this battle cannot drag on for too long; it must be swift and decisive, ideally leaving the enemy completely behind. As for escaping, I dare not be complacent. To the west, the area is sparsely populated, with vast deserts and Gobi, and the Aral Sea provides further obstruction, making encirclement and annihilation extremely difficult.

The enemy suffered a defeat at the city walls. They could either retreat westward along the Syr Darya Valley, or split their forces north and south, crossing the desert and taking the Aral Sea. It's extremely difficult to predict whether they will go south or north.

Aisim Khan was wrong. There were no 3000 muskets transported to Andijan, but there were more than 3000 muskets in stock at the Ming army base in Andijan.

These muskets were issued to the Western Regions theater of operations, and Huang Taiji's order was 100% valid. If Aisimu Khan really wanted to conscript several thousand more cavalrymen to participate in the war, providing 2000 muskets would be no problem at all, without even needing to consult the Army General Staff beforehand.

"...The general wants us to go to the north and south of the Aral Sea to intercept the enemy's fleeing troops? But that is the territory of the Lesser Horde, and we have a long-standing dispute with each other. If the Middle Horde sends troops across the border, Alim Ul Khan probably won't agree."

Upon hearing this, Aismu Khan finally understood what he had to do. However, this request was even more perplexing than leading troops to Turkestan to assist in the battle; sometimes, conflicts among one's own people are more brutal than fighting against the enemy.

“The Little Horde is indeed a big problem, but it’s not unsolvable. I will send cavalry to accompany your army. If Alimuk Khan doesn’t know what’s good for him, there will be no Little Horde in the future Kazakh Khanate.”

Huang Taiji did indeed want the cavalry of Middle Horde to outflank the enemy's rear, and he also knew that Little Horde's stance in this war was ambiguous, and that it might even have secretly helped the eastward-advancing European coalition.

However, to keep most of the European coalition forces advancing eastward, it was necessary to block the passage between the north and south of the Aral Sea. To this end, he and Ding Shun devised a plan to kill two birds with one stone.

Simply put, the strategy is to lure the enemy to the outskirts of Turkestan, refrain from attacking initially, and reduce defensive firepower to make them feel they have an opportunity. Then, a flanking force is dispatched to circle around to the Aral Sea, blocking their westward retreat and aiming to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

This naturally involves the question of which side the Lesser Horde is on, but since the truth of the matter cannot be determined at the moment, the only option is to err on the side of caution and not let the innocent go free. If the nobles of the Lesser Horde adopt a hostile attitude, they will be wiped out as well.

In other words, even without the support of the cavalry from the Middle Horde, the Ming army would still have to complete this flanking maneuver. Now, in order to improve his political standing in the Kazakh Khanate after the war, Aismu Khan is going all out, even deploying another 5000 of his own cavalry.

While their combat strength was not as high as that of the Western Regions Commandery's cavalry, they were very well-suited for fighting in familiar environments and were also particularly qualified guides. Most importantly, the Middle Horde and the Lesser Horde had a long-standing conflict over grasslands, so even if it came to the point of fighting the Lesser Horde, they wouldn't have many reservations.

As for whether it was necessary to take action against the Lesser Horde, Huang Taiji felt it was absolutely necessary. The post-war Kazakh Khanate would certainly be a different place; while it might not become a direct vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, closer ties would be necessary. Keeping such a large, unruly tribe in the far west would only bring trouble sooner or later. Moreover, waiting until after the war to deal with the Lesser Horde would attract the attention of the Greater and Middle Hordes. Eliminating them all under the pretext of war, and then shifting the main responsibility to the Russians and Cossacks, would not only avoid future troubles but also forge them even closer to the Ming Empire.

Huang Taiji firmly believed that the plan would be approved by the emperor. In fact, there was no need to wait for approval. The emperor had long anticipated that the frontline generals would not have time to consult due to the long distance, and had always delegated authority on how to fight.

Even if there were any mishandling after the war, they would be forgiven as long as there was no intentional violation of the established principles. But wouldn't carrying out an extermination operation during the war be a serious violation of military regulations, the laws of the Ming Dynasty, and the emperor's decree?

Huang Taiji was quite confident that he wouldn't be able to do it, because he had learned this technique from the emperor, and he had learned it quite well. He wouldn't say that he had mastered its essence, but he could be considered to have entered the inner sanctum.

The emperor constantly spouted words of magnanimity, forgiveness, and benevolence, but in reality, he was ruthless beyond compare. The number of tribes wiped out under his orders was countless, and generally, unless it involved domestic affairs or occurred during wartime, there were no serious consequences.

"...I and the 10 households of Zhongyuzi will forever be grateful for the General's great kindness and virtue!"

Seeing the murderous intent in the foreign general's eyes, Aisimuhan didn't feel much fear; instead, he was secretly delighted. He licked his lips, trying hard to suppress his laughter, and with the most serious expression, he placed his hand on his chest and bowed to express his gratitude.

If the Ming army could destroy the Lesser Horde, the biggest beneficiaries would not be the Ming Empire, but the nobles of the Middle Horde. This gift is too great to be underestimated; it deserves heartfelt gratitude.

The Great Horde is too far from the Lesser Horde, so they are unlikely to leave the fertile Seven Rivers region to migrate westward. However, within the areas inhabited by the various tribes of the Middle Horde, it is difficult to find land as fertile as the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, where large numbers of herders would be willing to migrate without any mobilization.

At this point, the ghuz tribes within the Khanate were no longer brothers and sisters; they were eager for the Khanate's demise. They were powerless to help themselves, so they tolerated relying on outsiders. Ancestral precepts and such were meaningless in the face of self-interest.

"Ah, it's not my kindness, but rather I must thank Your Majesty!"

Huang Taiji truly dared not accept this greeting, so he quickly stepped aside, clasped his hands, and bowed towards the east. His tone and expression were extremely sincere, without the slightest hint of affectation.

When two people's abilities and strengths are vastly different, submission is not a disgrace. Huang Taiji had no desire to rebel and establish his own independent state because he couldn't think of a way to deal with the emperor, nor did he feel that being driven by the emperor was a miserable job. On the contrary, he thought that there would be many troubles after establishing his own independent state, and he preferred to live freely now.

(End of this chapter)