1220.Hualazimo suddenly feels the city. Mie Li, this brave general known as the "Iron King" in Khwarazmo, was staring at the setting sun falling in the west and the huge shadow drawn by the bright clouds with his hands folded, motionless.He has been standing like this for a long time, the Mongolian army has just stopped attacking Huzhi City for several days, and now Huzhi City is like a seriously ill patient, only helpless struggling and breathing that may stop at any time.After Mie Li sent away all the generals, he stood on the top of the city and stared at the west. In the sky, the bright orange mixed with the clouds gradually changes into a soft pink blue, and the sunset presents its final splendor.The satin-like Syr Darya is glowing with a little bit of pearl, as if pairs of compassionate eyes merged with the setting sun in the butt joint.This is the evening of the Syr Darya, quiet, beautiful, and sad.

Finally, the dusk fell, and the setting sun mercilessly put away the burning flames on the water, and a tired long dragon lay obediently in the night, slowly and quietly, waiting for the night to fall asleep and the dawn to come. Mieri changed his posture slightly. What was he thinking about?At this time?If at this time he has to think.in the future?If there is a future.The shadow of war has enveloped the sky of Khwarazmo since King Mahammad Shah's cousin Yinaler used despicable means to kill 450 merchants sent by Mongolia to Khwarazmo for trade. .And when the arrogant Shah foolishly rejected Genghis Khan's ultimatum to hand over the murderer, Khwarazmo had already begun to prepare for war.However, who would have thought that the Mongols would come so quickly!In the original one-year journey, the Mongols killed the border city of Khwarazmo in only three months, and then went straight to the river with lightning speed, cutting off the gap between the new and old capitals of Khwarazmo. contact.At this time, the monarchs and ministers of Khwarazmo really experienced the powerful combat effectiveness of the Mongolian army and the ingenuity of the commander Genghis Khan's military use.Facing the fierce offensive of the Mongolian army, the whole country of Khwarazmo seemed helpless.King Sha rejected the proposals of princes Zalandin and Mieli, and deployed his troops along the Syr Darya River and the eastern border. As a result, due to the dispersion of troops, the Mongolian army took the opportunity to defeat them one by one.

News from the front continued to spread that the other three Mongolian armies had captured the cities of Erdala, Zhande and Buhuala respectively.The culprit who killed 450 Mongolian businessmen, Yinale, has also been executed.Sand King fled and disappeared.Although the prince Zalandin wanted to compete with the Mongolian army, he had no military power and could only temporarily sit in the new capital of Samarkand.All these depressing news have repeatedly affected the morale of the defenders of Huzhi City. Mie Li can only rely on a strong iron fist to ensure that the army will not fall apart soon.

Huzhi City has no danger to defend, and the advantage that Mieli relies on is that his army is four times that of the enemy.The Mongolian army under the city was led by Jochi, the eldest prince of Genghis Khan, with only 5,000 people, but captured almost all the towns on the left bank of the Syr Darya along the way. Mie Li, who has experienced many battles, really can't figure out what is the reason and what power has created such an invincible and invincible army?He has never been able to analyze anything in detail, but this does not prevent him from making a correct judgment: the Mongolian army has not yet captured the city of Huzhi, however, the respite of the city has long been lost in the sound of the Mongolian army's dense artillery .Mie Li wanted to find a way out for his army as soon as possible.

The air was filled with the smell of burnt wood, and Mie Li really didn't want to sit and wait to die breathing the choking air.Before dusk came, he informed the generals to get ready and withdraw to the small island in the Syr Darya after nightfall.Mie Li firmly believed that he would be able to persist for a longer period of time on the small island where the arrows could not reach, and he might even exhaust Jochi's army.If so, it will completely change the current situation of being passively beaten, and even boost morale, providing a rare opportunity for a comprehensive counterattack.

Mie Li clenched his fists subconsciously. "Report to the general, one is ready!" "Report to the general, the second part is assembled!" ... The generals who had just left gathered around Mieri one after another, Mieri turned around and glanced at the subordinates standing behind him waiting for orders, a burst of helpless anger mixed with him suddenly surged in his heart.A few days ago, these faces were full of incomparable confidence, but now, the confidence is gone, only the panic after drowning remains. "Let's go, first follow me to see what the enemy is doing." Mie Li suppressed his anger and said calmly and expressionlessly.

The camp of the Mongolian army under the city was lit with piles of bonfires, and the Mongolian army could be seen eating from a distance.This should be the best time to retreat from behind the city to the small island in the Syr Darya under the cover of darkness. "Notice down, act now!" "Yes!" The generals ordered to leave. As the night grew darker, the back city gate quietly opened, and a team of nearly ten thousand people led by Mie Li passed through the city gate and moved towards the Syr Darya.In the past two days, under the strong attack of the Mongolian army, the defenders of Huzhi City were almost completely lost. There were less than 10,000 people left, and most of them were wounded.

Under the twinkling stars, the Syr Darya looks very quiet and intimate. For two whole days, all they could smell in Mie Li was burnt air other than the smell of blood. Now that they were far away from the battlefield, even the slightly sour smell of aquatic plants smelled no less than the freshly unsealed wine.But Mieli's team had no time to stop and take a deep breath. They approached the river bank as quickly as possible. Dozens of warships were parked on the bank. As long as they were transported back and forth ten times, all 10,000 soldiers could retreat to the island. Suddenly, the neighing of a war horse pierced the silent night sky, and then, a wide cloud of fire seemed to rise from the shore, and the fire cloud spread out little by little, and in the eyes of Mie Li, who gradually adapted to the light, they were reduced to one by one holding high. torches.It's the Mongols.

There was an immediate commotion in the team.Mie Li's heart was instantly hit by hatred and frustration, but he quickly regained his composure.He couldn't judge how many Mongolian troops had come in the flames that could not be seen to the side, but he knew very well that after the strong attack of the Mongolian army was repelled yesterday, his own losses should not be small; If the army came to ambush on the shore, the target would be too big, and the effect of winning by surprise would not be received. "Don't panic! They don't have many people! If we rush over, we can crush them into powder!" Mie Li raised his voice and shouted to the surrounding soldiers.His words were quickly passed on, and the commotion gradually subsided a lot.The soldiers clenched their weapons tightly, ready to fight the Mongolian army at any time.

The torches illuminated the shore like daylight, and more than 20 horses filed out and spread out to both sides. A handsome white horse appeared in front of Mieri, and immediately sat a young general in bright armor. Not more than twenty years old.The straight and straight nose, the sharp-edged face, and the piercing eyes all show some kind of unique strength. Mie Li and the young man looked at each other and confronted each other. A smile flashed across the young man's face. "General Mie Li, I respect you as a hero, and I hope you can lay down your arms. As long as the general is willing to lay down your arms, I promise you will not lose your status as a prince." He shouted to Mie Li through a translator.

Mie Li snorted contemptuously: "Who are you?" "He is our little prince Batu." The interpreter replied, and then whispered something to Batu. "General Mie Li, my father had expected that you would escape from the back of the city, and he had already laid a net here. You are so hard to fly! I respect the general's bravery, and I can't bear to force you too much. I also hope that the general will think about his brothers. Don't be obsessed with your mistakes." Batu calmly persuaded him in a gentle voice. Over the past few months, as Jochi led the army all the way through the border, Batu has long been known in Khwarazmo for his bravery and wit, and the stories about him are almost callused.However, Batu's youth was beyond Mieli's expectations, and the calmness and peace shown by Batu made Mieli feel incredible.Since he couldn't retreat completely, Mie Li didn't want to talk nonsense with Badu, so he waved his hand and rushed to Badu first.At this time, another unexpected change happened.Batu quickly turned his horse's head, and the Mongolian army threw torches one after another, retreating to both sides like a tide.The torches ignited the dry firewood piled on the shore in advance, and dozens of warships docked on the shore also caught fire, instantly putting Mie Li and his men under the light of the fire.Mie Li didn't understand what kind of tricks Batu wanted to play. Just as he was wondering, the team behind him was already in chaos, and soldiers were constantly shot down. Only then did Mie Li understand why Batu avoided confronting him, just as he estimated. In that case, Batu would only lead a thousand people, and if he fought recklessly, he would definitely not be the opponent of Mieli.Therefore, Batu adopted the tactic of using the long to control the short, taking advantage of the characteristics of the Mongolian cavalry's flexibility and superiority in bows and arrows, trying to exchange for the greatest victory with the smallest loss. To make matters worse, Mieli did not know exactly how many Mongolian troops had come.Let's find the Mongolian army to fight. The Mongolian army is hiding in the dark, and his own team has become a mess again.There was endless hatred in Mie Li, but he had no choice but to command the army to rush out of the sea of ​​fire, swim and escape to the small island in the river.After the shooting, Mieli's army left less than 5,000 people, and Batu had no intention of chasing them, so he ordered to stay put and stand by. In the early morning, a gap was cut in the heavy night, and Jochi led the army to camp on the shore. The "Iron King" Mieli is one of the strongest opponents the Mongolian army has encountered since the Western Expedition. Jochi understands that if this force cannot be wiped out, there will be endless troubles. The small island was too far away from the river bank, and arrows and ballistas were useless, so Jochi reined in his horse to the shore, thinking hard about countermeasures. Batu, Urduo, and Bie Erge quietly came to their father's side and looked at the small island in the river together.Ordo is the eldest son of Jochi, one year older than Batu, and Bie Erge is only fourteen years old, but they are famous in the Western Expeditionary Army for their bravery, wit, and tenacity.Jochi had always been very proud of his sons, especially Batu, the second son.In some respects, Batu is more like his grandfather Genghis Khan than Jochi himself, but Ordo has a lot to do with him in character.Perhaps out of deep admiration for his father Khan, Jochi had the highest expectations and strictest requirements for Batu.He hopes that Batu will become an excellent commander one day, and Batu has indeed lived up to his expectations. Since the Western Expedition, he has won consecutive battles and gradually established his prestige. Batu's eyes fell on his father's face.Jochi's face was pale and tired, years of fighting had seriously damaged his health, and sometimes, he even wished that he would never wake up from a long sleep. "Father, are you uncomfortable?" Batu asked worriedly. Jochi pointed to the small island in the river: "Batu, have you thought of a way?" He didn't want to talk about any topic related to his health at this time.Mieli is a banner of Khwarazmo, and he must not let this banner fly high forever. "Trap them, I'm not afraid that they won't move!" Bie Erge answered first. Jochi glanced at his son's tanned, still childish face, and shook his head imperceptibly. "No!" Batu categorically denied his younger brother's idea. "Why? Doesn't Zu Khan often want to besiege the city and fight for aid?" "Here, we have no help. Before I came to see my father, I asked the residents of Huzhi City about the situation of this small island. They confirmed that this small island is a veritable treasure island with a wide variety of animals and plants. , Rich, let alone a thousand people, even a team of 5,000 people will not be a problem for a month or two. Mieli can afford it, but we can't afford it. For the present plan, we can only try to force Mieli out of Xiaoli as soon as possible island." "It's all your fault! Last night I could have shot that guy to death with one arrow, but you refused to let him shoot. Now you're causing trouble for us." When Bie Erge remembered what happened last night, his stomach groaned. resentment. Jochi glanced at his son.Batu's demeanor was the same as before, calm and serene, and he only responded with a lenient smile to his younger brother's censure.Jochi was secretly relieved that Batu had indeed become more and more mature. Ordo gave Bie Erge a hard look.Bie Erge came to his senses immediately, and hastily kept silent.He didn't intend to sue in front of his father, but it was just because of the willfulness of the young man.Fortunately, the father has no complaints against the second brother. "Tell me what you think." "Fill the river!" Batu stared at his father with piercing eyes, and replied concisely, without any hesitation in his tone. "Filling the river?" Uerdo and Bie Erge asked in unison, both feeling that Batu's idea was too whimsical.A thoughtful gleam flashed in Jochi's eyes. "Yes. We can start from here. I have learned that the water flow in this section is gentle, and filling the river should not be a problem. As we approach the island step by step, our bows and ballistas can play a role and deter Mie Li. Of course, Mie Li understands that once the island is close to the land, it means that his doom is coming. In this way, even if he wants to keep it, it is impossible. As long as he leaves the island, we have the opportunity to take this team Gather power and destroy them." Jochi nodded: "Forget it, this might be a solution, you can give it a try." "So, I'll arrange it?" "Okay! Let Urduo assist you. However, Mie Li will not sit still. He will definitely find a way to prevent you from filling the river. Have you thought about a countermeasure?" "Well. I want to ask Zu Khan for help, and ask him to send more people. The faster we fill the river, the greater our initiative." "Father, just send me to seek help from Zu Khan, I want to see Zu Khan." Brother Bie Er leaned over and eagerly took over the conversation. Jochi expressed his acquiescence with a smile. Batu held his younger brother's shoulders: "When you see Zuhan, send my greetings to Orduo. After killing Khwarazmo, let's visit him together." Seeing his sons miss their Zuhan so much, Jochi suddenly felt a little sad, which actually coincided with his inner longing. Over the years, he has been estranged from his father—at least on the surface, but this deliberate estrangement has not affected his sons in the slightest.No matter Orduo, Batu, Bie Erge or Xiban, they all respect Zu Khan and have sincere closeness and love for Zu Khan.Especially Batu, since this child was young, no matter what he did, he seemed to regard Zuhan as his role model.It is not difficult to understand, there is only one Genghis Khan in the world, and this great man is their grandfather, how could they not be proud of it? Why is he not like this!If he didn't have that kind of life experience, he must be able to appreciate the grace of God's will better than anyone else.However…… In order to get rid of this sudden sadness, he turned his head and looked at the Syr Darya River drifting away like a ribbon, and said nothing. The gorgeous morning glow is reflected on the Syr Darya, and the heart of the river seems to be blooming with fiery red flowers.Thinking of life passing away like morning glow, Jochi shed tears inexplicably. Mieli discovered that the Mongolian army was driving the local residents to transport rocks to fill the river, and immediately summoned his generals to discuss countermeasures. One general offered a plan: build twelve large ships, and dispatch soldiers to the bank every day to fill the river. Residents shoot arrows.Mieli adopted his suggestion. Two thousand soldiers worked together, and soon twelve large ships were built.In order to deal with the good shooting of the Mongolian army, Mieli asked a general who was a craftsman to design a movable baffle that could block the opponent's arrows without affecting his own arrows.There are a lot of woods on the island. This kind of baffle is made of fine and hard wood, which can effectively resist the sharp arrows of the Mongolian army.After that, Mieli divided the team into five teams, and took turns to shoot arrows at the people who filled the river by boat. As long as the filling of the river did not stop, the shooting of arrows would not stop. This trick really worked.The residents who were driven by the Mongolian army to fill the river saw twelve large boats lined up, and when the dense rain of arrows fell on them and around them, they immediately fled in all directions.Batu dispatched a group of archers to shoot at Mieli's fleet. The soldiers on board erected the baffle, and the Mongolian army's arrows only hit the baffle, and many of them fell in the cabin, which was given to Mieli for free. A lot of arrows.Batu had no choice but to order to temporarily stop filling the river. For three days in a row, Mieli followed suit, making the Mongolian army fill the river extremely slowly.Erdo asked Batu if he would wait for Zuhan's reinforcements to arrive before making plans, but Batu asked him to find more gun cotton and fuel for backup, and Erdo went out to make arrangements immediately. In the early morning of the next day, dozens of trebuchets were placed on the shore after some camouflage, and fifty carefully selected marksmen hid behind the trebuchets.The Mongolian army drove the local residents to continue filling the river, and Mieli's fleet appeared on time, this time under the command of Mieli himself.Perhaps it was the continuous victories that gave Mieri the idea of ​​underestimating the enemy, and he didn't pay attention to any changes on the shore.The fleet began to shoot arrows towards the shore, and the crowd who filled the river fled in all directions. At this moment, the trebuchet immediately threw a log soaked in fuel oil to the fleet, and the log fell accurately in the cabin. Mie Li knew something was wrong. Just as he was about to order a retreat, the fuel wood in the cabin had been ignited by the arrow wrapped in gun cotton.For a while, the fire became more and more intense with the help of the wind, and many soldiers were also caught on fire, and they jumped into the water in panic.Mie Li swam ashore and watched the twelve warships burn to ashes in the sea of ​​flames. Of the 200 soldiers, only less than 40 escaped.Mie Li regretted being careless, but it was too late. Genghis Khan sent 20,000 Mongolian troops and 50,000 Huarazim captives to reinforce Batu, and the speed of filling the river was greatly accelerated.There was nothing to do in Mieli, so he hurriedly ordered the soldiers to rush to build ships overnight and break out of the siege at night. Batu, who had been prepared for a long time, intercepted Mieli's fleet with iron chains in the lower reaches of the Syr Darya River, and there were still archers on both sides of the river. For a while, arrows flew like locusts on the river, and Mieli ordered the soldiers to forcibly break the iron chains, making the fleet successfully passed.Seeing that he was out of danger, Mieri let out a long breath, looked back at the soldiers proudly, and said with a smile: "The Mongolian army is nothing more than that! The eldest prince of Genghis Khan is nothing more than that! If Shuchi is really handsome, he should form a boat on the river to make a living." Dam, at that time, let alone a mere thousand of us, even tens of thousands of people would not be able to fly.” Mieli sailed along the river, and when he came near the city of felt, he suddenly heard whistles ringing continuously, so he rushed to the bow of the boat to check, only to see hundreds of boats lined up in the river, just like a dam blocking the river.On the prow of one of the large ships, Batu stood with his arms folded, quietly watching Mieri and his fleet that were getting closer. "General Mieli, I still say the same thing: He who understands the current affairs is a hero. If the general is willing to surrender, Batu and my father will treat the general as a guest!" "Bah! Stop talking nonsense! Batu, if you are a true god, don't hide your head and show your tail. Do you dare to compete with me? Even if I die by your hands, I will have no complaints!" Babu shook his head regretfully. "General Mie Li, don't you still not understand where you are defeated? The reckless fight with each other, but the wise use cunning. It is because of your self-confidence that you make your soldiers fight less and less. Since I have given you several opportunities and you are still stubborn, Don't blame me for being ruthless." Batu ignored Mieli's roar, turned around and jumped off the boat next to him to leave.The shooters of the Mongolian army were divided into two rows, and they took turns shooting at Mieli's fleet non-stop.Mie Li groaned secretly, it seemed that he really underestimated both Jochi and Batu. The fleet of "Iron King" Mieli was intercepted by this, and they collided with each other. Countless people were drowned and shot by arrows. The boat landed, seized the horse and fled for his life.The loss of Mieli's team was extremely heavy, there were less than a hundred people left, and all of them were injured. Batu sent Bie Erge to chase and kill Li.When they arrived at the edge of the Kzilkum Desert, the hunted people were already exhausted, so Mieli ordered the accompanying soldiers to take a break and eat something. Bie'erge and the Mongolian army with their horses were used to fighting continuously. The men in Mieli had just dismounted when Bie'erge was already chasing him.Mie Li was powerless to resist, and under the desperate cover of his soldiers, he rode alone into the Dak Zirkum Desert. Seeing that Mie Li was not caught this time, Brother Bie stomped his feet angrily. If the guards hadn't tried to persuade him, he would have almost chased into the desert.The guards were worried that he would suffer from his unfamiliarity with the terrain, so after a lot of talking, he finally persuaded him to withdraw and pay the order to Batu first.