Chapter 20 The second quarter small test

The news that Genghis Khan was going to attack Xixia spread to Xixia, but with the development of Xixia's feudal economy and culture, the life of the ruling class became increasingly corrupt, and the internal struggle for power and profit was very fierce. Xia Huanzong had no choice but to order the soldiers and the people to repair the city and strictly defend it. In the spring of 1205, after Genghis Khan wiped out the Naiman tribe, he led his army into the western border of Xixia on the pretext of pursuing Sangkun, and began to besiege the border castle - Jili City.Originally, Genghis Khan planned to adopt tactics of siege and annihilation.

Annihilate the Xixia reinforcements first, so as to disintegrate the army's morale in the city, and rely on the power of deterrence to let the city collapse without attack.However, Xixia did not send additional reinforcements.Genghis Khan had to keep half of the army to continue the siege, and the other half of the army went to besiege another city-Luosi City.However, the Mongolian army did not go as smoothly as expected. After more than 60 days of hard work, the Mongolian army broke through the two small cities under the cover of cavalry and archery.Because Sang Kun was said to have fled to the Western Regions, the Mongolian army did not go deep into the Xixia inland.After looting these two small cities, they took away a group of people, camels, horses and other livestock, and then led their troops back to the Mobei camp. This attack on Xixia is a tentative attack.In this war, Genghis Khan looted a lot of property, but he also deeply felt the difficulty of siege operations.

After Genghis Khan returned from attacking Xixia for the first time, he discussed with generals Mu Huali, Boershu, his eldest son Shuchi, his second son Chagatai, and his third son Wo Kuotai a plan to cut gold.But everyone believed that the Jin Kingdom was too powerful to send troops rashly, and they didn't know much about its politics, economy, military, terrain and many other situations.Therefore, it was decided to be weak first and then strong, to clear the periphery first, and remove the barrier to attack the Kingdom of Jin—Xixia. , Li Ping'an abolished Huanzong and established himself as emperor, called Xiaxiangzong.And attempted to unite with the Kingdom of Jin to deal with Mongolia.

In 1207, on the grounds that Xixia refused to pay tribute to Mongolia, Genghis Khan took advantage of the fact that Xiangzong came to the throne shortly before the alliance between Xia and Jin was formed.The Mongolian army came to the important border town of Xixia, located in Hanluohai City near the northern entrance of Langshan Pass. Genghis Khan first launched a heart attack, sending captured Xixia herdsmen into the city to preach: "If you voluntarily leave the city and surrender, you will be treated like a friend; if you resist the city, after the city is captured, everyone in the city will be slaughtered."

After the failure of the heart attack, Genghis Khan ordered to attack the city.This is a tough battle, and Genghis Khan has been fighting for several months.Originally, Mongolian cavalry were good at galloping on the Mongolian grasslands and fighting mobile warfare.However, they seldom try to walk without riding, erecting ladders, and transporting cannon stones.It was not until later that the fire attack was used to capture Hanluohai City.Except for the craftsmen, the people in the city were slaughtered. Then use this as a stronghold to plunder everywhere. Later, because of the blocking of the Xixia Right Wing Army, coupled with the fact that the troops have been fighting outside for a long time and lack of food and grass, Genghis Khan ordered a large number of treasures and craftsmen who made weapons and handicrafts to be brought back to the desert. North, the division returned to the Mongolian grassland.