Usurping the Mongols: My Father-in-Law is Genghis Khan

Heda Hei almost ground his teeth in anger at Mochi Biedu Wen, but after thinking about it, he felt that what Mochi Biedu Wen said seemed to be right, so he held back from giving him two punches.

Indeed, the old general Hu Duhe was Temujin's sworn brother, having formally taken the Anda oath. His son, Alechi, even married Temujin's second daughter, Cheche Yijian. Although Huoerchi wasn't very capable, he was, after all, one of the five great chiliarchs, and to some extent, he represented the face of the Great Mongol Empire.

If Hu Duhe and Huoerchi were burned to death in a fire, even if all the Tumat people were killed, this battle wouldn't be considered a victory.

However, even though Mochi Biedu Wen's words made sense, Zhao Shuo wouldn't indulge him.

"Speak your mind directly, don't be sarcastic."

"Uh... yes."

Mochi Biedu Wen shrank his neck, a look of embarrassment on his face, and didn't dare to say more.

Zhao Shuo waved his hand, signaling everyone to continue.

His chiliarch, Duoer Bieduo Heishen, was quite familiar with the Tumat people and said, "Even without hostages, burning them is not feasible. The Tumat people's mountains are frighteningly high, covering nearly a hundred li. How easy is it to burn them all down in one fire? If we want to fight them, we need to think of other ways."

Heda Hei's brow twitched slightly, and he quickly changed his tune: "Then how about we burn their camps instead?"

Subutai smiled and chimed in, "If we really manage to attack their camps, there's no need to bother burning them. We can directly use the fire蒺藜 captured from Western Xia to bombard them, the effect will be better!"

During the battle of Keyimen in the attack on Western Xia, Subutai and Surchatai led the counter-raid operation and captured some fire蒺藜. Later, after breaking through Keyimen, they captured another batch. He was good at summarizing experiences and drawing inferences, and he found that this thing was quite useful when used in key places.

Zhao Shuo nodded: "Good, using fire蒺藜 is a good idea. The problem now is, how do we attack the Tumat people's mountain寨?"

The generals didn't have any good solutions to this question.

In plains warfare, the Mongol scouts could spread out for hundreds of li. But in the forest, people disappear after taking a dozen steps, and they can get lost beyond a hundred steps.

It was too easy for the Tumat people to find ways to ambush the advancing Mongols.

In fact, not to mention this era, even in later generations, there were no good ways to deal with enemies in the jungle. In the 1970s, the Americans, in order to deal with the Viet Cong guerrillas, did not hesitate to use the unethical Agent Orange in an attempt to clear the towering trees, leaving the guerrillas with nowhere to hide, but the effect was not satisfactory.

"Actually, the most important qualities for a sharpshooter are intuition and patience."

Finally, Jebe proposed a feasible plan. He gently stroked the feather of a carved arrow, and said unhurriedly: "Let's look for it slowly. I don't believe that there is really only one road leading to the Tumat people's mountain寨 in a hundred li of mountains and forests? As long as we are willing to look carefully, there will always be opportunities."

"Okay, let's do it that way."

Zhao Shuo made a final decision and said, "Duoer Bieduo Heishen, you are the most familiar with the Tumat people's mountains and forests, so I will leave this matter to you."

"Yes!" Duoer Bieduo Heishen agreed loudly.

The next day, Zhao Shuo mustered 12,000 troops and marched towards Lake Baikal.

Traveling 1,800 li in half a month, they finally reached the edge of the dense forest on the western shore of Lake Baikal.

This large area of mountains and forests is the famous Siberian forest.

The Tumat people lived on a high mountain deep in the Siberian forest.

Zhao Shuo and others passed through the edge of the jungle and set up camp at the foot of the Tumat people's mountain, and Duoer Bieduo Heishen sent his subordinates out to search carefully.

Another half month passed.

"Your Highness, the wolf cubs I raised in my felt tent actually sniffed out a small path!" Duoer Bieduo Heishen reported excitedly.

However, Zhao Shuo was not as happy as Duoer Bieduo Heishen had imagined, and said calmly: "The Tumat people are the masters of this mountain forest, they should know this small path, and they must also have defenses. Have you scouted it? How are the Tumat people defending this small path?"

"No, no, no, there are no defenses at all." Duoer Bieduo Heishen explained: "That small path, although it is said to be a path, it is actually not a path."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not a path made by people, it's a path trampled out by wild oxen, and it's very difficult to walk."

"Wild oxen? Can wild oxen go up the mountain?" Zhao Shuo asked suspiciously.

"They are not ordinary wild oxen, their voices are like sheep, but their temperament is as rough as oxen, and they have a pair of ox horns..."

Duoer Bieduo Heishen gestured, describing the appearance of those wild oxen.

After listening for a while, Zhao Shuo finally understood that these were not actually wild oxen, but takins.

He himself, together with Jebe, Subutai, Duoer Bieduo Heishen, and Dahei Ba Tuer, led the most elite three thousand people, set off secretly at the fourth watch, and when the sky was just getting light, they embarked on the takin trail.

The dense forest was secluded, the trees were as tall as iron towers, and the sunlight could only penetrate through layers of gaps, stingily transmitting a little mottled light and shadow, which greatly limited human vision. The roots of the trees were intertwined into a net, as if to entangle everyone. There were also countless thorns and leaves, densely packed and chaotically blocking the way forward.

The warriors used the thin light, holding long knives, to split the thorns and branches blocking the road, greatly consuming their physical strength.

Puff~ Puff~ Puff!

The rotten pine needles and birch leaves churned under their feet, and every step was like stepping into the stomach of a giant beast, making their progress even more difficult. The sour smell of humus filled the air, stinging people's eyes.

"Suspension cable!"

In some places, nimble takins can leap over, but humans can't do it at all.

With Zhao Shuo's order, the soldiers took out the prepared grappling hooks and built a simple and dangerous cable bridge using protruding rocks or sturdy trees as anchor points.

"Watch your step and keep up with the team!"

Zhao Shuo's voice echoed in the dense forest, his eyes firm and alert, paying attention to the surrounding movements at all times. Although the Tumat people should not be prepared, who can guarantee it until the final moment?

A little carelessness, and this team may follow in the footsteps of Borhu.

Finally, thank God, after a difficult trek of more than four hours, they did not encounter any sneak attacks and successfully reached the top of the mountain.

Looking around, about five hundred away, the Tumat people's camp stood out in the dense forest.

The camp was tightly surrounded by sturdy wooden fences, and deep trenches were dug outside the fences to prevent accidents. Inside the camp, pine wood buildings were built, and the roofs were covered with thick birch bark, which contrasted with the towering trees retained in the mountain寨, scattered and orderly, and very well-organized.

However, perhaps because their attention was drawn to the main road, the defense here was not very tight.

In the afternoon sun, in the open space outside the寨, only two or three patrolling soldiers were walking lazily, occasionally raising their heads to vigilantly scan the surroundings.

Faintly, the sounds of children playing could be heard in the mountain寨.

"Put on your armor! Attack! Break the Tumat people's mountain寨 and capture Taerhun alive!"

Zhao Shuo didn't care about the fatigue of the soldiers, seized this fleeting opportunity, and decisively issued the order to attack.