Ch.281Proxy (6)

“I heard that a battle has broken out between the Song Dynasty and Jin Dynasty!”

I gestured to calm the messenger who was making a fuss.

The messenger then made an expression as if he’d made a mistake, took a deep breath, and reported to me.

“There was a battle near Jiannan. The Song Dynasty suffered a major defeat and their deputy commander was captured.”

“The deputy commander…”

Our intelligence network wasn’t properly established yet, so I didn’t know the identity of the Song Dynasty’s commander-in-chief.

Still, I wasn’t completely in the dark—I only knew that the commander-in-chief was young and from a military family.

“Gather information about him quickly.”

“I will obey your command, Your Majesty.”

With that, the messenger bowed and disappeared.

After he left, I immediately got up.

“No battles for a while, and then as soon as we bribe the corrupt officials of the Song Dynasty, they immediately engage in battle… This means their commander is no ordinary person.”

The Song general was a shrewd man.

That’s probably why he seemed to have sensed the internal strife within the Song court with uncanny precision.

“Then there’s a high possibility that the deputy commander’s capture by the Jin Dynasty is also part of the plan.”

Others might consider this a crazy thought.

But seeing how he was able to keenly respond to internal court issues while surveying the battlefield, it seemed entirely possible.

While I was thinking about this, Munglig entered the ger.

“Have you heard about the battle between the Jin Dynasty and Song Dynasty?”

“I just heard about it.”

“I believe now is the perfect time to attack both countries.”

Munglig’s words made sense.

Judging by the circumstances, attacking when the two countries were fighting each other would be the most rational choice.

“Your words make sense. But this looks like a planned trap to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s too coincidental that they immediately engaged in battle with the Jin Dynasty right after we spread bribes within the Song Dynasty.”

“Brother, you might be overthinking this.”

“Perhaps.”

I nodded at Munglig’s words.

Seeing this, Munglig thought for a moment and then made a suggestion.

“How about deploying the Qaraunas to the battlefield?”

“The Qaraunas?”

In Mongolia, there were various units that operated according to different roles.

The Kheshig for guard and special missions, the Tamma for intelligence and disruption missions, and the Kerik for regional defense and security.

Among these, the Qaraunas specialized in plundering.

Plundering was part of warfare, eroding the enemy’s production capacity while benefiting one’s own forces.

In actual history, many countries operated such plundering units.

As such, the Ulus also operated separate plundering units like the Qaraunas.

“Yes. They mainly operate in mountainous regions, so they’ll be familiar with entering Sichuan territory.”

The Qaraunas were currently active in the Persian and Afghan regions.

The reason for stationing them there was largely to prepare for Indian rulers, the Rajas, who might covet Persian territory.

Anyway, since they were operating in Afghanistan, a treacherous region still called “the graveyard of empires” in modern times, they were suitable for attacking Sichuan.

“Good. Send them.”

“I will obey your command, Gur Khagan.”

* * *

Li Zhengzhi, who had been captured by the Jin Dynasty, couldn’t help but feel bewildered.

This was because he was directly facing the Jin Dynasty’s commander without even being bound.

“Is it strange?”

“Yes, very strange.”

“Understandable. No one would have expected a general from Jin and Song, once enemies, to meet so peacefully like this.”

Wanyan Shengyu said this while offering Li Zhengzhi tea.

Li Zhengzhi silently looked at Wanyan Shengyu.

At this, Wanyan Shengyu smirked, took a sip of tea from his cup, and smiled.

Seeing this, Li Zhengzhi looked at Wanyan Shengyu with a wary expression and drank the tea.

“How’s the tea? I heard it’s the best tea from Sichuan.”

“It’s bitter.”

“Seems you don’t enjoy tea much.”

Li Zhengzhi didn’t answer and just nodded.

Wanyan Shengyu put down his teacup and spoke to Li Zhengzhi.

“Don’t worry, all your soldiers are doing well.”

“…Have you ever met our commander-in-chief?”

“No. Not even once.”

“Then why do you two act as if you know each other so well?”

Hearing Li Zhengzhi’s words, Wanyan Shengyu laughed loudly.

“Hahaha! That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard.”

“…”

“I’m sorry for laughing so loudly.”

Wanyan Shengyu put away his smile and wore a serious expression.

Then he murmured softly.

“I don’t trust your commander-in-chief. I trust the situation that forces me to trust him.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. We attacked you, and I gained merit. That’s enough.”

“…Conversely, the Song Dynasty was defeated.”

“Didn’t it happen while the commander-in-chief was away?”

Li Zhengzhi was greatly surprised by Wanyan Shengyu’s words.

It was as if he knew about this situation.

“Commanders must watch both the enemy and their own forces. Otherwise, they’ll get stabbed in the back.”

“…No way.”

To Li Zhengzhi’s words, Wanyan Shengyu answered honestly.

“That’s right. Both me and your superior are in the same boat. This war will become a tedious tug-of-war. We need to endure such a time of hardship to push back the Mongols.”

Wanyan Shengyu took a sip of tea.

Then he cleared his throat and continued.

“But the people behind us want something resolved right away.”

“…I understand.”

At Li Zhengzhi’s words, Wanyan Shengyu smiled faintly.

Then he extended his hand to Li Zhengzhi.

“Don’t you have something to give me?”

“…How did you know?”

Wanyan Shengyu didn’t answer.

Li Zhengzhi looked at Wanyan Shengyu and then handed over the letter sent by Mengong.

After reading the letter, Wanyan Shengyu clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Thorough indeed.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a bit difficult to tell you.”

“What is it that makes you say that?”

Wanyan Shengyu didn’t answer Li Zhengzhi’s question.

Instead, he gestured to call the soldiers around.

“W-what are you trying to do?”

“You’ll get some scratches, but they’ll heal soon.”

At Wanyan Shengyu’s words, Li Zhengzhi tried to protest.

But he couldn’t say anything due to the rough punches from the Jin Dynasty soldiers.

* * *

“If I just defeat those Jin bastards, I can also get on the path to success.”

The man said this while clenching his fist.

His name was Bagi, the commander leading the Ulus’s plundering unit, the Qaraunas.

“Move quickly, you sluggish bastards!”

At Bagi’s words, the soldiers moved busily.

Despite their busy movements, Bagi wore an expression of dissatisfaction.

“Slow bastards. If you’re this slow, how am I supposed to achieve military merit?”

Bagi said this and kicked one of the soldiers.

Seeing this, the other soldiers glared at Bagi and gritted their teeth.

“What are you looking at, you bastards? I am a Mongol, the noblest being in the Ulus. I’m different from you lowly and base creatures!”

In the Ulus, status wasn’t predetermined.

If one had ability, they could succeed regardless of their background, religion, or race.

But this was only what appeared on the surface.

In reality, some of the Mongols, who were a minority, frequently looked down on the residents of occupied territories.

Bagi was one of those beings.

“Please calm down, General. You shouldn’t treat the soldiers so harshly before battle.”

At the words of the Afghan squad leader, Bagi frowned.

“Are you defying my orders?”

“No, sir. I’m just trying to give advice as your deputy—ugh!”

The squad leader collapsed from Bagi’s kick.

“Did I ask for your advice?”

“Ugh…”

Seeing the squad leader covered in dust, the Qaraunas soldiers glared at Bagi with ominous eyes.

But Bagi glared back at the soldiers, as if not backing down from their gaze.

“The discipline has become lax, and you dare to glare at me? Today, all of you need to be punished to come to your senses!”

At Bagi’s words, the hands of the Qaraunas soldiers trembled with anger.

Seeing this, the squad leader knew that if this continued, the soldiers would make a bad choice.

So he immediately got up and scolded the soldiers.

“What are you all doing to the general! Go back immediately!”

At the squad leader’s shout, the Qaraunas gritted their teeth and then turned around to return to the barracks.

As they left, Bagi spat and glared at the squad leader.

“How dare you defy my orders.”

“I’m sorry, General.”

“Does saying sorry solve the problem? Report the list of soldiers who disobeyed my orders today.”

“The soldiers? If that happens…”

Then Bagi tapped the squad leader’s chest with his fist.

The squad leader was inwardly angered by his insulting behavior, but to avoid upsetting Bagi, he looked at him with as much patience as possible.

“If you don’t bring their list, you’ll be punished instead.”

“…Understood, General.”

“Hmph.”

After saying this, Bagi turned around and returned to his ger.

As he disappeared, Qaraunas soldiers who had been watching from afar approached the squad leader.

“Are you okay?”

“To think such a vermin is a general…”

At the soldiers’ complaints, the deputy admonished them.

“There are many ears listening around. Always be careful with your words.”

“Sorry, Deputy.”

“We’ll be careful.”

After calming the soldiers, the squad leader took them to a secluded place.

There, soldiers who had suffered from Bagi’s tyranny were waiting for the squad leader.

“Do we really have to be treated like this?”

“With no ability and only greed, he acts high and mighty just because he’s a Mongol. It doesn’t make sense.”

“That’s right. In the last battle, we won thanks to the deputy bringing reinforcements, but didn’t he take all the credit?”

“Calm down. Internal strife before a battle is not good.”

The deputy said this, but his face was filled with complex emotions.

As the soldiers said, if things continued like this, they would surely face a bad outcome.