Chapter 122

"Chahetai, stand up! A Mongol should not be defeated by setbacks, and certainly should not be crying like this now." Temujin reprimanded in a deep voice.

"Father Khan, I don't want to cry! I simply cannot think of any way to defeat such an enemy. I can't think of one!" Chahetai roared in agony; the crushing defeats and the wandering of these past days had almost driven him mad.

Temujin glanced around at the generals whose morale had plummeted. He knew that if he did not do something, his group would face total disintegration.

"Chahetai, pull yourself together. Do you think we are certain to lose to them? Do you all think so?" Temujin swept his gaze over the crowd and asked sternly.

"I admit their equipment is far ahead of ours. I admit their organizational strength is powerful enough to mobilize all material resources, manpower, and finances in the shortest time. Their soldiers' will is firm; they execute every commander's order with meticulous care. Such an enemy is indeed strong enough to make one despair."

"But military struggle is the continuation of political struggle. No matter how powerful the weapons, they need craftsmen to forge them. No matter how powerful the weapons, they need people to use them. No matter how powerful the army, it needs excellent commanders to form it. They underestimated human greed and treachery. That communism of equality for all is far too naive. Did countless people not spend so much effort just to become superiors over others?"

"Won't these people develop other thoughts? At that time, we can simply use money, land, and women to lure them to join us. Let them train our troops for us. Let them forge firearms for us. Then we can compete with them on equal terms."

"But, Father Khan, we only have these routed soldiers on hand. With nothing, how can we promise them land, women, or money?" Jochi said, unable to help but think internally, "We are currently beaten like stray dogs. If you make promises to others, they won't dare believe you."

"Although we do not have them, the Jin Kingdom does. In my view, although the Jin Kingdom has an army of four hundred thousand, they are bound to lose. However, given the Jin Kingdom's scale, while the People's Government can defeat them, it cannot be as easy as destroying Western Xia. At that time, the Jin people, once hurt and facing national extinction, will certainly accept our proposal." Temujin's confident demeanor and his ringing words reassured the generals who had followed him all the way.

Seeing this scene, Temujin could not help but sigh with relief. Fortunately, the hearts that were about to scatter were finally coaxed back by him.

His words just now could fool others, but they could not fool himself. After all, he understood the People's Government's system; if anyone was missing, someone could be replaced at any time.

The people they recruited could only come by themselves. For the armies under them to defect along with them was no different from a dream. Moreover, even if the people they lured had abilities, as long as someone else offered a high enough price, they would absolutely stab them in the back. Such people would have no loyalty whatsoever.

It was just that if he did not say this, the people's hearts would scatter completely. At this moment, although he had no confidence in his heart as a leader, he still had to appear confident.

Thus, Temujin led several thousand routed soldiers towards the Jin Kingdom. The general responsible for guarding the pass immediately ordered arrows to be fired to drive them away. After all, if these several thousand people were let in and could not be controlled, it would be a major disaster.

Temujin naturally did not wish to leave. After all, the Revolutionary Army was hunting them down across the entire grassland. Once the Revolutionary Army discovered them here, they would come to kill.

And based on Temujin's understanding of these Jin people, this group would certainly watch them be annihilated without sending a single soldier or horse.

Temujin exhausted his words at the foot of the pass, yet the guarding general had only one response: do not let them in.

Looking at the army he had barely gathered behind him, Temujin clenched his fists. Did he have to once again, as in years past, take his close confidants and family to live as dependents under others?

However, just as he felt despair, a middle-aged man dressed in magnificent clothes, with clear eyebrows and eyes and a high nose, galloped over on a fast horse and impatiently ordered the guarding general: "Open the gate quickly."

The general paused upon seeing this middle-aged man and refused: "Your Highness, it is not that I am unwilling, but letting this group into the city might cause unimaginable hidden dangers."

"Slap!" The middle-aged man slapped the general to the ground. "You dog, do you not see who I am? Although I am not favored, I am still a prince of the Great Jin Kingdom, not someone like you, a slave, who can disrespect and insult me."

"Yes, yes, Your Highness." The city-guarding general immediately ordered the soldiers to open the city gates and let Temujin and the others enter.

Seeing this, Temujin immediately instructed Muqali and others: "When we enter the city in a moment, you must restrain the soldiers. Now we are living as dependents under others; we must absolutely not act recklessly and offend them."

"Understood, Great Khan." After Muqali, Bo'orchu, and others spoke, they immediately went down to restrain the soldiers to avoid chaos upon entering the city.

Under the strict restraint of the various generals, the soldiers entered the city in an orderly manner.

Seeing this scene, Wanyan Honglie could not help but think inwardly: "After suffering continuous great defeats, he still has so many people following him. This Temujin is indeed a figure."

Thinking of this, Wanyan Honglie warmly went forward to welcome him and held a banquet in the city to entertain Temujin.

At the banquet, after Wanyan Honglie had drunk three rounds of wine, he came straight to the point and stated the purpose of his visit: "Brother Temujin, I heard you have clashed with the Tatars several times. May I ask how strong their power is?"

"What are the chances of victory if our Great Jin raises an army of four hundred thousand to punish the Tatars?"

Seeing Wanyan Honglie's sincere words and anxious expression, Temujin determined this man was not merely listening to flattery and asked: "Your Highness, I will ask one question. If this army of four hundred thousand attacks Western Xia, can they capture Wulahai City in a single day, then make a thousand-li dash to seize Keyi Sect in one day, and then effortlessly destroy Xingqing Prefecture? May I ask, Your Highness, can this army of four hundred thousand crush tens of thousands of Western Xia's 'Qingsheng' troops without suffering any casualties, especially since these tens of thousands of Qingsheng troops include Western Xia's three elite ace units?"

As Temujin's words fell, Wanyan Honglie was like a suddenly frozen frame, completely stunned. His eyes widened roundly, and for a moment he did not know what to say.

"Are the Tatars truly this powerful? Defeating you without paying any price?"

"Your Highness, to speak the truth, I hope even less than you that this is true. That day, hundreds of iron things—what you call 'cannonballs' on your side—fell into our army of tens of thousands at the same time. At that time, we only felt the sky collapse and the earth crack. Countless cavalrymen and horses were shattered, and then the tens of thousands of Western Xia Qingsheng troops collapsed."

As Temujin spoke here, he could not help but sigh. The scene of that day he still could not forget.

Wanyan Honglie understood in his heart; it turned out they had been ambushed by firearms. No wonder it was like this. The Tatars must have used cannons similar to the 'Boom-Fan Tianlei'. If it was that thing, it could indeed scare some ignorant barbarians.

As for who provided the Boom-Fan Tianlei, Wanyan Honglie was very clear: the only country with the ability to forge Boom-Fan Tianlei and the intention to give it to the Mongols was the Great Song.

It seems the Great Song has intentions to launch a northern expedition.