Usurpation of Mongolia: My father-in-law is Genghis Khan

Chapter 251 Victory and Conquest, the Sphinx Medal!

Although the Han army had many banners, the number of cavalry that arrived was not large. After all, the main force of the Han army was still continuing to mop up the remnants of the Ayyubid dynasty. Let alone more than 200,000 men, even more than 200,000 pigs would take a while to catch.

These cavalrymen did not attack the city; they simply galloped around, blocking all roads leading out of Cairo and cutting off all contact between Cairo and the outside world.

Cairo's city walls are 28 li in circumference, constructed from massive limestone quarried from Mount Muqatam, and reaching a height of 5 zhang (approximately 10 meters). Numerous watchtowers, 3 to 5 zhang (approximately 10 meters) higher than the walls, soar into the clouds.

Within the city also lies the Cairo Citadel military complex, built on Muqattam Hill, a structure that was constructed over nearly forty years since the founding of the Ayyubid dynasty. It is extremely easy to defend and difficult to attack.

It must be said that Egypt has a profound history, and Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, was a great ruler who left a very solid foundation for his descendants.

If Adil II hadn't made the disastrous decision to engage the Han army in open battle and instead had held Cairo, even if Zhao He's main force had arrived, they wouldn't have been able to breach the city, let alone with the cavalry in front of them.

He would have to conquer the whole of Egypt first, and then spend six months to a year recruiting soldiers before he could hope to capture Cairo. Or perhaps, he could only hope for a protracted siege, letting the soldiers and civilians inside starve to death.

Of course, it's much easier to deal with now that the Ayyubid dynasty's last strength was lost in the battle for the pyramids.

The city has no more than 7,000 regular troops. Even if they temporarily gather able-bodied men to defend the city, how strong would their fighting power be?

Not to mention, Zhao He gained a large number of Balu Camp warriors after the Battle of the Pyramids.

Throughout the Battle of the Pyramids, Zhao He's army killed 47,636 enemies and captured 163,874. Only a little over 10,000 Ayyubid troops escaped, but they never managed to enter Cairo. This was because Zhao He's army was primarily cavalry, while the Ayyubid army was mainly infantry, making escape extremely difficult.

Regarding these prisoners, Zhao He rounded it up, using the 43,874 weakest among them as a pledge of allegiance to the other prisoners.

In this way, Zhao He added 120,000 soldiers to the Balu Battalion.

These men were originally intended to be Cairo's defensive force, but now they've become Zhao He's main force to use in attacking the city. With one side increasing while the other decreases, how could Cairo possibly hold out?
Three days later, Zhao He's 180,000-strong army gathered at the foot of Cairo and erected white tents.

Among them, Zhao He's main force numbered over 30,000, Bedouin warriors numbered over 6,000, and the remaining force consisted of over 140,000 Balu battalion warriors.

Plop!
The heads of over 40,000 Ayyubid soldiers who died in the Battle of the Pyramids, along with over 40,000 heads of prisoners who were beheaded, totaling nearly 100,000 heads, were piled up on the banks of the moat outside the "Victory" Gate north of Cairo, demonstrating the terror of the Han army.

Wow~~
Countless suits of armor, tents, and flags were piled up into a small mountain outside the Victory Gate, proclaiming the glorious victory of the Han army.

Then, with the sound of hooves, a Han general, guarded by fifty armored soldiers, reined in his horse outside the moat.

He proclaimed loudly, "I am Guo Kan, the Tiger of Baghdad, commander of the Semu tribe before Crown Prince Zhao He! The person in charge of the Ayyubid dynasty, come quickly to hear the Crown Prince's decree!"

He was speaking Turkic, not Chinese.

Before the Mongol invasion, in Central and West Asia, and even in India in South Asia, although it was the territory of the True God religion, the power of the Arabs had declined, and a large number of Turkic military nobles had seized power.

Most of the upper-class figures in all countries understand Turkic languages.

Although the ruling class of the Ayyubid dynasty was neither Turkic, nor Arab, nor the local Berbers, but Kurdish, they were not unfamiliar with the Turkic language.

Of course, Guo Kan believes that in his lifetime, not only in Central and West Asia, but throughout the entire world, Chinese will be the language of communication.

"I am Allai, the prime minister of the Ayyubid dynasty!"

With the Han army making such a commotion outside Cairo, Allai and Pearl Branch had already arrived at the north city wall.

Alley asked, "Guo Kan, what does Prince Zhao He have to say?"

"Now, the Ayyubid army has been first destroyed in Baghdad, and then annihilated at the foot of the pyramids. Both of the Ayyubid sultans, Kamil and Adil, have perished at the hands of our army. Cairo is utterly indefensible! If they surrender within seven days, that's fine. But after seven days, our army will attack the city. Once it falls, only young women, artisans, and children no taller than a cartwheel will survive!"

After a pause, Guo Kan waved his hand and said, "Bring him up!"

"Yes!"

At Guo Kan's command, a large cart covered with burlap was pushed up.

After the burlap was opened, two figures on wooden stakes were revealed.

The one on the left is Camille, whose skin has been peeled off.

The one on the right is Adil II, who, although killed by Guo Kan's arrow, could not escape the fate of being skinned alive.

The people of Cairo had only heard of it before; they had never actually seen any peeled daylilies.

As these two figures appeared, gasps of surprise erupted from the city walls, and countless people turned ashen-faced.

Even the Prime Minister Allais looked extremely unwell.

"Adelai is really dead? Then... is Aibak still alive?" A woman's voice rang out beside Alelee.

Guo Kan frowned and asked, "And who are you, woman?"

“I…I am Queen Shejar Dur of the Ayyubid Dynasty,” Pearl Branch replied.

Although she was a favorite of Adil II, she did not have the title of queen.

However, Adil II did not appoint a queen and had no sons.

Khalil, the son of Pearl Branch and Saleh, is now the most legitimate heir to the dynasty.

Although Pearl Branch did not have the title of queen, she had the power of one.

"So she was the queen of the Ayyubid dynasty."

Guo Kan had indeed heard of Aibak's name before, and asked, "Is he the commander of Adil's Mamluk Guard?"

"This is the man. Please tell me directly, General Guo."

"Guards, summon Nosawal and Fuliuduo and tell Queen Ayub the whereabouts of Aibak!"

Before long, Norshawal and Furudo arrived at the scene on horseback.

Because they killed Aibak and led 5,000 Mamluks to surrender, they were not promoted or ennobled, nor were they admitted to the Balu Camp. Instead, they became two ten-household leaders in the Semu Eight Banners.

Right now, the two of them are filled with "converted fanaticism" for Zhao Shuo's country.

Nosawale shouted, “Let me tell you, Shezer Duer, don’t hold out any hope, Aibak is dead! His head is right here in this pile of heads. If you really want to find his head, you can surrender and look for it slowly.”

Fu Liuduo chimed in, "Aibake was killed by the two of us. When the Crown Prince's troops arrived, Aibake didn't surrender but instead fled to Cairo. Didn't he deserve to die? Shezer Duer, if you don't want to end up like Aibake, surrender quickly! Otherwise, Aibake's fate will be your fate!"

"okay, I get it."

Although she had a premonition in her heart, Pearl Branch still burst into tears upon hearing these words.

She had three men in the first half of her life: Saleh died, Adil died, and Aibak also died.

How could she not be heartbroken?
However, Pearl Branch was no ordinary woman. According to historical records, after Saleh's death in battle, she continued to lead troops, captured the Frankish king, and was crowned Queen of the Ayyubid dynasty.

Romantic love did not hold a significant place in her heart.

During the three days of the Han army's siege, she had thought a lot.

Even if Aibek is alive, he's already in the Baru camp. What can he do to help her?
Now that she doesn't want to die, she has to find a way to live well.

For herself, and even more so for her son Khalil!
Pearl Branch wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said, "Thank you for your frankness, General Guo. As for the matter of surrendering, I will definitely give the Crown Prince a clear answer tomorrow."

"Do as you please. If we don't surrender within seven days, we'll send troops to attack the city!"

It would take seven days to build the siege equipment, so Guo Kan wasn't in a hurry and led his men back to the Han army camp.

It was nighttime inside the main hall of the Cairo Royal Palace.

"You all know the situation in Cairo right now, even if I don't explain it."

Holding four-year-old Khalil in her arms, Pearl Branch slowly looked at the 164 nobles in Cairo and said, "Although Cairo is fortified, it has no soldiers to defend it. Zhao He's 200,000-strong army will attack the city in seven days. We have no chance of survival. Now, I am prepared to surrender with Khalil and nearly a million soldiers and civilians in Cairo. What do you think?"

"Let's surrender then, as long as the Han army can guarantee the safety of our lives and property."

"Even if you take away our property, it's better to be alive than dead."

"No! How can the noble children of God kneel before evil heretics?"

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Even if Cairo falls, we will die for the true God and will surely gain eternal life in the kingdom of the true God!"

"Yes, what's there to be afraid of if we die? In the kingdom of the true God, there is endless fine wine and countless beauties as beautiful as flowers!"

“I think we should surrender. If a true god’s followers temporarily endure a powerful enemy, the true god will not blame them.”

……

The nobles of the Ayyubid dynasty all spoke.

About a third of them wanted to surrender, believing that it was better to live than to die. The remaining third, however, were determined to fight Zhao He's army to the bitter end, believing that they would surely receive a reward from the true god after death.

About 30% of the people, including Prime Minister Al-Ahram, members of the Ayyubid dynasty such as Ashraf, Aziz, Nasr, and Daoud, as well as some True God leaders such as Murogat and Zakhayuman, remained silent, seemingly unsure whether to surrender or make peace.

If it were an ordinary monarch, faced with this situation, he would certainly find it difficult to make a decision, leaving the court mired in a long debate.

However, Pearl Branch simply held the child and watched quietly, remembering everyone's position with her extraordinary memory.

When no one else spoke, she clapped her hands three times.

Snapped!
Snapped!
Snapped!
Pearl Branch held the child, and the sound of her clapping was not loud.

But then, rumble...
In an instant, hundreds of armored soldiers stormed into the hall. "Shezher Duer, what do you want?"

"You wretch, you want to rebel?"

"Why has it come to this? Weren't we discussing important military and national affairs? Why are we mobilizing troops?"

"It's all for the sake of the Ayyubid dynasty, let's talk this out!"

……

A series of panicked, angry, and even desperate male voices echoed throughout the hall.

Pearl Branch did not argue. After two armored soldiers stood behind each nobleman, she softly uttered a name: "Demutu!"

puff!
Two long swords pierced the back of a nobleman named Demutu, the one who had just shouted, "Even if Cairo falls, we will die for the true God and will surely gain eternal life in the kingdom of the true God!"

Pearl Branch continued, "Nabo Chuqin!"

puff!
"Rosk!"

puff!
……

For every name that Pearl Branch called out, a person lay dead on the ground.

These people share a common characteristic: they had just opposed surrendering and wanted to fight Zhao He's army to the bitter end.

Soon, someone tried to change their stance, but was immediately targeted and eliminated by Pearl Branch!

The remaining men began to resist, but they were unarmed and no match for these armored warriors. They were killed on the spot.

In an instant, fifty-five powerful nobles of the Ayyubid dynasty fell to the ground. The hall was filled with a heavy, suffocating stench of blood.

Four-year-old Khalil was held tightly in Pearl Branch's arms, unaware of the cruel massacre unfolding before him.

After killing the person, Pearl Branch did not speak immediately, but waited for a quarter of an hour to let everyone digest the facts before them.

Then, Pearl Branch said, "If we want to live, we have to surrender cleanly and completely. Killing these fools now is just to prevent us from being implicated by them later."

She paused, then looked at the assembled Ayub nobles again and asked, "I'll ask one more question: who agrees and who opposes surrendering to Prince Zhao He?"

"I agree!"

"I approve with both hands!"

"Surrendering to the Han army was truly the wisest move Your Highness made!"

“Ran their houses and offer all their wealth and women to the Han people!”

"We will all obey the Queen!"

……

Everyone responded, including those who had been silent before.

Pearl Branch nodded in satisfaction and ordered the armored soldiers to leave, but still forbade everyone to leave the main hall.

That night, shouts of battle echoed throughout Cairo.

The next morning, the "Gates of Victory" in Cairo opened, and wagons were pulled out of the city and headed towards the Han army's camp.

These large carriages contained not only the heads of those stubborn nobles, but also the young and beautiful women of their families, and countless gold and silver jewels.

Zhao He, however, was not in a hurry to enter the city and enjoy the fruits of victory.

He simply sent 10,000 troops into Cairo to seize key locations throughout the city. Then, he ordered artisans in Cairo to cast some medals.

Ten days later, outside Cairo.

Banners fluttered, bugle calls swirled, men shouted and horses neighed, and helmets and armor gleamed.

"Soldiers!"

Zhao He stood on the command platform, looking down at the soldiers below.

There, besides the 10,000 Han troops who entered the city to control the situation, there were more than 20,000 remaining Han troops, as well as about 6,000 Bedouin camel cavalry.

Zhao He said loudly, "Cairo is the name the Ayyubid people call this city, which is a direct transliteration of their name. The Ayyubid people actually pronounce it as 'Kahera,' which translates to 'conquest and victory' in Chinese."

"Now, the main Egyptian force has been annihilated by us, and Cairo has surrendered. Perhaps we will have some sporadic battles in Egypt later. But without a doubt, we have won! We have conquered Egypt!"

"Long live the King! Long live the Crown Prince!" More than 30,000 soldiers, including the Bedouin, cheered loudly.

As their voices faded, Zhao He said, "Guo Kan!"

"exist!"

"Come forward!"

"Yes!"

With a series of footsteps, Guo Kan strode confidently onto the command platform.

Zhao He said, "Guo Kan, since you followed me on the western expedition, you were the first to breach the Baghdad Royal Palace and were awarded the Order of the Tiger of Baghdad. Now, in the Battle of the Pyramids, you personally shot and killed Sultan Adil II of the Ayyubid Dynasty. From this day forward, you are the commander of the 30,000th household of my Semu Plain Blue Banner! I also bestow upon you 10,000 taels of gold, ten beautiful women, and the 'Eagle of the Pyramids' medal!"

"Thank you, Prince!"

Guo Kan loudly agreed.

He respectfully accepted the gold "Pyramid Eagle" medal from Zhao He and held it high above his head!

"Guo Wanhu is mighty!"

"The Tiger of Baghdad, the Eagle of the Pyramids!"

"Among the famous generals of all time, Guo Wanhu's name must be among them!"

"Long live the King! Long live the Crown Prince!"

……

Cheers erupted from below the platform.

Soldiers admire capable people the most. This post of commander of the Semu tribe, as well as these two precious medals, and even the gold and beautiful women, are all well-deserved by Guo Kan!
No matter how many rewards and gifts Guo Kan received, no one was jealous.

After all, the person who achieved the greatest military merit received a generous reward, which set an example.

The Crown Prince will never mistreat meritorious soldiers!
Guo Kan was also very excited. When Zhao He personally pinned the "Eagle of the Pyramids" medal on him, and it shone brightly in the sunlight along with the "Tiger of Baghdad" medal, his eyes were a little red.

Now, Guo Baoyu, Guo Dehai, and Guo Kan, with a combined family size of 30,000 households, what a glorious achievement!

Moreover, the two sons of the Shi family, who were originally the top performers among the Han army's Eight Banners, did not shine in this western expedition.

Perhaps the greatest martial artist of the future will not be surnamed Shi, but Guo!

Thank you, Your Majesty and Crown Prince!
Merit is rewarded and wrongdoing is punished, which is why he gained such great glory through his own hard work!

Next, Zhao He continued, "Zhang Xilai!"

"exist!"

This Persian slave, originally named Qasim, stepped onto the high platform.

Zhao He said, "In this western expedition, among the many commanders, you ranked second in merit. I hereby bestow upon you eight thousand taels of gold and eight beautiful women! However, your merit is not enough for you to be appointed as the commander of the Semu tribes for the time being. But I hope you will continue your efforts and, after you have taken all of Egypt, I will personally appoint you as the commander of the Semu tribes!"

"Thank you, Prince!"

After a pause, Zhao He looked at the soldiers and said, "Originally, I planned to award the commander of Cairo the Order of the Sword of Cairo and the members of that commander the Order of the Center of the World. However, Cairo surrendered without a fight, and the Battle of the Pyramids became our key battle in Egypt."

"Therefore, I award Guo Kan, the commander of the first thousand in merit during the Battle of the Pyramids, the Order of the Eagle of the Pyramids. And what about the others? I believe that the soldiers in the Battle of the Pyramids fought in large-scale operations, and their contributions were difficult to rank. Today, I award them all the Order of the Sphinx!"

After speaking, Zhao He personally pinned a silver-plated iron sphinx medal on Zhang Xilai's head.

Below the platform, military judges, who had been prepared in advance, were awarding medals to the soldiers.

In no time, all the soldiers of the Mongol, Han, and Bedouin armies were awarded medals!

"Long live the King! Long live the Crown Prince! Long live the Crown Prince!"

The soldiers cheered in unison, their voices shaking the heavens!

The original "Center of the World" medal, although it sounds like it's more impressive than the Sphinx.

However, that was only for a meritorious member of the thousand-household unit, but now everyone gets a share!
Think about it, who wouldn't want to bring home a precious medal and show it off to their family, relatives, and neighbors?

Just as they wanted!
Next, they will carry this precious medal into Cairo for an entry ceremony.

What an honor is this?

(End of this chapter)