The World Online

Chapter 1271 – Can Only Die Standing and Not Live Kneeling

Wang Jian’s plan was to throw the surviving 1.3 million Tibet troops onto the Mongol battlefield. He wanted them to adjust their attack direction to go up north toward the House of Ogedai.

The Privy Court’s opinion on this matter was split.

Du Ruhui argued that after the war of Tibet, the remaining 1.3 million soldiers were, strictly speaking, proper Great Xia Army soldiers unless they were disarmed.

They had just risked their lives on the Tibet battlefield. Although it was for self-survival, they had tried their best for the Empire. As such, they should be given the due respect and dignity and receive the right treatment.

“How can we treat them as consumables and toss them onto the Mongol battlefield?” Du Ruhui did not understand.

Du Ruhui’s words had some sense to it.

Facing the complaints from the Privy Court, Ouyang Shuo chose the middle ground and made it clear that the 1.3 million troops were in charge of attacking the House of Ogedai. After they took it down, they would break away from the name of ‘consumable army’.

During the war of Tibet, either someone leaked the news, or outsiders had guessed correctly. People termed the two million troops thrown into Tibet as a ‘consumable army’.

Such a humiliating term obviously made one’s heart feel cold.

When Ouyang Shuo got the news, he immediately sent people to investigate. Only after he captured the rumor makers did this storm ease up. If this storm continued and spread to the frontlines, who knows how much chaos it would cause.

Speaking of which, Ouyang Shuo was the final decision maker of the meat grinder operation. However, he now stepped up to clear the rumors, which was truly a little fake.

However, politics were like that.

As a ruler, Ouyang Shuo had to face such conflicting choices.

His hands were far from being clean.

Ouyang Shuo only wished for his conscience to be clean in the end.

The House of Ogedai housed the troops of Ogedai, Bo’er Shu, and Chi Laowen. Since they had suffered some loses when attacking the Persia Empire, their overall strength was around 550 thousand, and they were basically all cavalry.

1.3 million troops against 550 thousand, the House of Ogedai had no chances of winning.

As for the potential support from the Mongol Empire, Great Xia had considered it long ago. When Ouyang Shuo agreed to Wang Jian’s plan, the Privy Court had given an order to the Eagle, Hedong, Beijiang, and Phoenix legion corps to stop the disarmament temporarily. If the Mongol Empire tried to help out the House of Ogedai, they would directly attack.

Now, it all depended on what choice Genghis Khan would make.

…

11th month, 10th day, Wang Jian led his troops to take down the castle, leading his troops into the Tang-Tibet ancient path and signaling the start of the war of the House of Ogedai.

Following which, the 1.3 million troops split into four and went up north into the House of Ogedai.

When Ogedai received the report, he was not nervous. He ordered his troops to form up defenses as he galloped around the Mongol Empire, trying to raise the fighting spirits of those who wanted war and use this chance to recruit more troops to go against Great Xia.

All of a sudden, the Mongol Empire was really jittery.

At that very moment, 1st prince and 2nd prince Chagatai and Jochi both sent letters to Genghis Khan, asking him to send troops to assist Ogedai Khan to fight to the death against Great Xia.

“Sons of Mongol can only die standing and not live kneeling.” Jochi said.

All of a sudden, the Mongol Empire was pumped up, and more and more people sought battle. At such a time, even Genghis Khan found it hard to control the situation.

Jochi’s words became the motto of the Mongol people.

11th month, 12th day, Karakorum, Imperial Palace.

Genghis Khan’s expression was unprecedentedly serious. He did not expect the Empire to disregard Great Xia so much, and the waves of people asking to go to war was about to flip the palace.

If this continued, a coup would definitely start.

Tolei, who was facing Genghis Khan, also had a complicated expression. When Genghis Khan decided to hand the throne to him, Tolei was summoned back from the south border to Karakorum.

“Tolei, what is your view on this matter?” Genghis Khan asked.

Just as Genghis Khan asked this question, the two of them vaguely heard shouts from the streets outside of the palace. Those were the people who sought to go to war.

Tolei gritted his teeth and said, “Father, we cannot go against the people’s sentiment.”

Genghis Khan’s eyes froze up and said, “Even you agree to fight Great Xia? You do not even want the Khan position?”

“Father, I am a warrior. I do not truly want the throne, but I’m forced by the situation. Compared to the throne, I value the backbone of our Mongol people more.”

“Can only die standing and not live kneeling?” Genghis Khan’s eyes became tough to read.

Tolei nodded and said, “Can only die standing and not live kneeling!”

At that moment, Genghis Khan seemed to have grown several years older, showing signs of exhaustion. He slowly closed his eyes. When Tolei saw that, he felt really uneasy.

The four princes and all the generals feared Genghis Khan.

After a long while, Genghis Khan slowly opened his eyes. In his cloudy eyes, there was not even a trace of hesitation. There was no more lethargy, weakness, or yielding; there was only a steel-like determination.

“Since that’s the case, let’s go to war!”

Genghis Khan stood up and looked out at the white clouds as he said, “Let these blue skies and white clouds witness the Mongol legends. Use fresh blood to protect the honor that will never be lost!”

“Yes!”

Tolei nodded his head. The blood in his body was boiling.

…

11th month, 13th day, the Mongol Empire ended all negotiations with Great Xia. This also meant that before the arrival of winter, the only two empires left in China would have a life or death battle.

Without any words being said, the Eagle, Phoenix, Hedong, and Beijiang legion corps valiantly charged into Mongolia from four paths.

In Ouyang Shuo’s words, Great Xia would never allow any enemy to charge into their borders. “Defending the enemy outside of their doors.” This was Ouyang Shuo’s basic requirement for the Great Xia Army.

All of a sudden, the flames of war rose in the north once more.

Ouyang Shuo had seen through all of this. A month ago, he could feel that this war was unavoidable, which was why he told the four legion corps to prepare themselves.

The grain supply had been prepared long ago.

Apart from the 500 thousand House of Ogedai troops, the Mongol Empire had 800 thousand split up in the north, south, east, and middle. They were definitely unable to go up against the four legion corps of Great Xia.

Not to mention that behind these four were the Leopard and Tiger Legion corps acting as reserve forces.

In this war, the Mongol Empire had no chances of winning. They only considered how to maximize the price that Great Xia had to pay to take them down and unify China.

As the war happened in the north, and it was already the 11th month, this war was destined to not last for a long time. If not, the moment winter arrived, both sides would be stuck in a tough situation.

“Bear with it; it’s just this one left.”

Ouyang Shuo sighed as he settled the post war Tibet matters.

After taking suggestions from the Cabinet and borrowing ideas from history, they decided to rename Tibet as Xikang Province. The ruling city was naturally Lhasa City.

Chuannan Province Xunzhou Prefecture Governor Bao Shuya was promoted to Xikang Provinical Governor.

Bao Shuya was also a long serving minister of the Empire and had once competed with Fan Zhongyan for the Chuannan Provincial Governor spot. Be it in terms of experience or ability, he was competent enough for this job.

Some meticulous people could even notice that along with Bao Shuya’s promotion, out of the five Prefecture Governors of Chuannan Province, none were historical people. The third uncle of Ouyang Shuo, Wuzhou Prefecture Governor Ouyang Heng, shone brightly in Chuannan.

“Is this a coincidence, or did his majesty plan it?” The officials only dared to think about this question in their hearts.

Along with the Empire taking down Tibet, Ouyang Shuo finally fulfilled his promise to Wufu and established the Xijiang Governor-General House.

The Jiangchuan Provincial Governor role that he left behind would be taken up by Jiuzhou Prefecture Governor Sima Guang. With his ability, running Jiangchuan Province would not be a problem.

The Xijiang Governor-General House temporarily only had the Xijiang and Xihai provinces under it, and its ruling city was Lhasa City, radiating out to the entire west territory.

As for the Shu Lands, based on the Empire’s long-term strategy, it would not be listed under Xijiang. Even to say that on the Empire’s map, the Shu Lands belonged to the core area.

Along with the establishment of the Xijiang Governor-General House, Mulan Yue, Bai Hua, Gong Chengshi, and Wufu had all received their rewards. Feng Qiuhuang would be next.

As for Xiong Ba, that would naturally be arranged in the future.

Along with the Xijiang Governor-General House’s establishment, the northwest warzone headquarters would be moved west from Chengdu to Lhasa City. Relatively, the Bear legion corps led by Zuo Zongtang would move into Xikang Province.

The main mission of the Bear legion corps would be to take care of the one million prisoners.

Ouyang Shuo had already given the order to disarm the war prisoners and send them to build the two paths connecting Lhasa City to the Shu Lands and Xihai.

These two paths were crucial for the Empire’s rule of Xijiang, so a lot of attention was placed onto it.

For this matter, these war prisoners were the best laborers. Although they could not be treated like slaves, as long as they were fed and kept warm, they could be ordered to work.

Apart from these two paths, Ouyang Shuo was planning to build two paths from Xikang Province to the Peacock and Gupta dynasties to prepare for their future war.

In Asia, India was a target that Ouyang Shuo had to take down.

For this, Ouyang Shuo had already quietly buried a land mine for both the Gupta and Peacock dynasties.