June 1252, Mongolia. When the lanterns were on that day, the Mongolian capital Hara and the Wan'an Palace in the southwest of the forest were brightly lit. It was midsummer at this time, and it was extremely hot, but the frogs and cicadas outside the palace were heard one after another.Kublai Khan unbuttoned the collar of his robe, and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead with a silk handkerchief. "Attack from the north, west, and southwest, and the Song land can be broken." Holding a candlestick in his left hand, he said to Mengge Khan in front of a map that was spread out: "Brother Khan, it has always been the ancestor's and father's responsibility to destroy the Song Dynasty." Last wish. According to my younger brother, the destruction of the Song Dynasty must be carried out step by step. We should first start with Tubo (now Tibet) in the west and Dali (now Yunnan) in the southwest, and then attack the Song Dynasty from the north, west, and southwest. Now, Tubo has made a preliminary decision, and we should take Dali next." Kublai Khan said, hitting the symbol of Dali heavily with his right palm.

Mengge Khan looked down at the map and didn't speak immediately.He pinched his eyebrows with his fingertips, which was a habitual action when he was thinking.Kublai Khan stared at the drooping face of his elder brother. Since he was a child, this sharp-edged face represented wisdom and determination in his mind. For his elder brother who was eight years older than himself, Kublai Khan always Have a reverence akin to that of a father. For a moment, Mengge Khan nodded in agreement: "Yes—yes." He raised his head and found that Kublai Khan was looking at him, so he couldn't help smiling.

As the fourth Great Khan of Mongolia, his greatest ideal in life is to realize the last wish of the first three Great Khans, especially his uncle Ogotai Khan, and continue to complete the great cause of conquering the Song Dynasty.At this moment, he was discussing this matter with his younger brother.He seemed very happy to hear Kublai Khan express his inner thoughts: "Kublai Khan, your analysis is exactly what I want. I summoned you just to make up my mind to attack Song Dynasty. Although the Song court was corrupt and incompetent, But after all, the land is vast, the resources are vast, the army is numerous and the city is solid, and the Confucian idea of ​​loyalty to the emperor is rooted in the hearts of the people, all of which cannot be taken lightly.”

Kublai nodded and listened quietly. "Since the Song Dynasty was peaceful, the country's power has been declining, which is a good time for us to use our troops. Therefore, I order you to lead your troops to go to Dali through Tubo, so as to complete the encirclement of the Song Dynasty." Kublai Khan bowed his body and said: "My minister, Kublai Khan, complies with the order." Mengge Khan poured a cup of milk tea himself, put it in Kublai Khan's hand, and said with a smile, "It's just you and me now, you don't have to be formal, just sit and talk. Tell me, what are your plans?"

Kublai Khan was feeling a little thirsty, so he sat down and drank the milk tea in the cup in one go, facing his brother, he talked eloquently: "Brother Khan, I have been thinking hard about the matter of attacking the Song Dynasty these days, and I do have some worries. I was thinking that since the last years of Wokuotai Khan, we have not made great progress in using more troops against Song. The reason is that our navy is still unable to compete with Song. The Song army is only in Xiangyang by boat The division crossed the Han River, which made our army stop. In addition, I sent people to investigate many times in the past few days, and found out that the Song army had set up a large number of troops in the Dabie Mountains between Guangzhou, Huangzhou, Qizhou, and Anfeng. Dozens of cottages, large and small, set up the Sichuan appeasement system and stationed envoys in Sichuan, and ordered the states to choose dangerous places to build mountain cities, station troops to gather food, and guard the main roads. Once there is a war, they will respond to all calls. Therefore, For the current plan, it is imperative to build a strong navy. In addition, as we have been discussing just now, since the frontal attack of the Song army is difficult to be effective, we have to send another surprise army."

The candlelight flickered and made a crackling sound, and a stream of red candle oil flowed from top to bottom on the tall candlestick.Kublai Khan put down his teacup and got up to watch an exquisite tasong bonsai on the carved table. Mengge Khan walked up to him and sat on a waist stool teasing myna for fun. "It's very interesting to talk about it." Mengge Khan clenched a bird stand that was as tall as a person with a round bronze base, and moved forward. Kublai Khan sat down on an armchair next to the Qiaotou table, and said again: "I think the most urgent task is to win Dali as soon as possible and finally resolve the Tubo issue."

Mengge Khan raised his head, and gently hooked the starling's long beak with his right index finger: "When do you plan to leave? At the end of autumn, or next spring?" Kublai Khan stood up: "It's too late. I intend to leave now." Mengge Khan froze for a moment, then smiled thoughtfully: "Now? Are you ready?" "My subject, Kublai Khan, is at the disposal of Mengge Khan at any time!" Kublai Khan looked serious and confident. "Ghost," Mengge Khan smiled gently, but his tone was not without admiration, "In this way, you have already prepared! No wonder Elder Erji said that you are 'thinking great'."

"As a subject of the Great Khan, he should serve!" Mengge Khan sat before returning to the case, and said solemnly: "Prince Kublai Khan listens to the order! I order you to lead 100,000 elite troops to conquer Dali within three days. There will be no mistakes. I respect you." Kublai Khan knelt down on the ground: "My minister, Kublai Khan, accepts the decree." Mengge Khan leaned over to look at Kublai Khan with a serious expression: "I entrust you with such a heavy responsibility, you must be cautious and careful." "Obey!" "Let's get down. In a while, you go to visit Eji first, and stay with her to take care of her for the next two days. Remember, don't let her old man worry too much about you."

"Yes, I'll go right away." Kublai Khan raised his head and met Meng Ge Khan's eyes. The eyes of the two brothers coincided with the deep worry in their hearts. As the soul of the Tuo Lei family, Mrs. Su Ru ensured the integrity of the Tuo Lei family with her forbearance and keen mind during the difficult years when her husband died young and Wo Kuotai Khan could not completely trust the Tuo Lei family. And with the help of the Golden Horde Khan Batu, the transfer of Khan power from the Wokuotai family to the Tuolei family was realized.But years of hard work made her contract a fatal disease. After she lost her eyesight, she has been lingering on the bed.

These few days, Kublai Khan served his mother's bed with all his heart, the date of the expedition has been fixed, he will go to Dali tomorrow, he doesn't know if he will be able to meet his mother again this time. Mrs. Su Ru braced her sick body, stroking Kublai Khan's thin face with her hands, she couldn't help but burst into tears: "Si Er, the south of Handi is densely covered with rivers and branches, and the climate is hot, so we must be careful when we go here, so as not to be infected with febrile diseases. Cough—cough—cough—" Her voice gradually weakened, the maid handed over a white silk handkerchief, Kublai Khan took it and gently wiped the corner of his mother's mouth, and saw that the white silk handkerchief immediately blushed .

"Sier, why is my mouth so salty? Is there blood?" Mrs. Su Ru asked in a very soft tone. "No, it's just a piece of phlegm." Kublai Khan concealed his heart-wrenching pain, but his eyes were already filled with tears, "Erji, my son will go to Dali tomorrow, if you have any orders, please do so." Mrs. Su Ru's face became paler and she had no choice but to lie back on the bed.After a while, she said in a hoarse voice: "Si'er, since you were young, you have been deeply thoughtful and have the ability to command an army. Eji is very relieved about this. I am only worried that you will kill innocent people indiscriminately when you go to Han. You have to promise Eji, you must never mistreat the captives, let alone kill those who put down their weapons." Kublai Khan knelt by his mother's bed, listening to the teachings of this wise and kind old man, his nose was sore, and a string of clear tears flowed down the nostrils and dripped on the carpet. "Eji, please rest assured, your words will be firmly remembered in my heart." "Well, that's good. Well, Si'er, get up and sit next to Eji." After she finished speaking, she turned her head and told the guards beside her, "Go and call all my children to the tent. speak to them." The guard took the order and retreated.After a while, Brother Meng, Xu Liewu, Brother Alibu, and Brother Mo came to the tent one after another.Among the five brothers, Brother Meng, Kublai Khan, Xu Liewu, and Alibu were all born to Mrs. Su Ru. Although the last brother was born as a concubine, he also grew up under Mrs. Su Ru's knees. "Children, stand forward." Mrs. Su Ru sat on the bed with her clothes on.At this moment, her face was covered with a genuinely contented smile. "Although you brothers are not from the same mother, I regard you as my own children. I love you and hope that you will unite and fulfill your grandfather and father's long-cherished wish of building a powerful Mongolian Empire." Mrs. Su Ru faced the five children standing in front of the bed, and stroked each of them with her hands, showing infinite nostalgia on her old face. She pulled Ali Buge to her side again: "You child has been self-willed and stubborn since you were a child, and your brothers and brothers have let you go. You can't go on like this." "Understood, mother." Ari Boke replied in a deep voice. "Come on, sons, let me tell you a story," Mrs. Su Ru held Mengge Khan in one hand and Brother Aribu in the other, and spoke softly, "When your grandfather Genghis Khan started his business, once After the army returned, he called his sons into the camp. He first took out an arrow from the quiver and handed it to your uncle: "Jochi, break it." Your uncle broke the arrow effortlessly. Then , Your Zuhan gave him two, three, four...and they were all broken. But when the number of arrows increased to ten, not only your uncle, but also your second uncle, third uncle and your father No one can break it. Genghis Khan ordered the most famous strongmen and warriors in the army to try. As a result, they tried their best to break the ten arrows. At this time, your ancestor Khan He spoke: "See? You are also in the same situation. As long as you are united and support each other, no one can defeat you. You will rule this huge empire for a long time." When she said this, she took over from the handmaiden. After drinking a bowl of mare's milk, I blew it gently and took a few sips. "Do you understand what I said?" "Understood!" The children replied in unison. Mrs. Su Ru wiped the corner of her mouth with a silk handkerchief: "I'm a little tired, you all go back to your respective tents. Kublai Khan, you go to Dali now, and take Dr. Xu Guozhen who is beside me with you. I hear Said that the place in Dali is very hot and humid, and the miasma is very heavy, so you should take him with you on the way." "Erji has a loving heart, and my child understands it, but I will not take Dr. Xu. At this moment, Erji needs his care more than I do. There are many good Menghan doctors in the army. With them taking care of me, my child will not be afraid." Something will happen, Erji, but please rest assured. Erji, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave first. Before leaving tomorrow, I will visit you again and bid you farewell." Kublai Khan's eyes were wet, and he had begun to lose control Silence your voice. The five brothers retreated one by one, and Mrs. Su Ru persistently "watched" them leave one by one.Although she has been blind for many years, the figures of her sons will always be etched in her heart.