Mount and Blade Central Asia

Not only that, the approaching army is also detrimental to Li Rufeng's rule. Even if he is popular, it is impossible for him to be all-powerful and make everyone loyal to him. After constantly comparing the strength of Li Rufeng and Qinggeli, the nobles in the tribe will also change their attitudes.

Fortunately, the nominal leader of Li Rufeng's tribe is Wuerhun, and many things that Li Rufeng is not convenient to deal with can be handed over to him for handling.

Wuerhun was also happy to do this kind of thing. He was old and his former ambitions had been worn down by time. But if anyone thought he was a soft persimmon, they were wrong. He would not show mercy when killing people.

Last night, when Li Rufeng was tormenting his little maid in the tent, Wuerhun personally visited a herdsman in the tribe. These days, he has been secretly sending people he knows to join Qinggelinayan and restore the purity of the Mongols.

In their words: "Shaman Rufeng is not even a Mongol. What right does he have to rule us? What became of the Mongol people whose blood was polluted? They became people from the Transoxiana region! What a shame to us!"

But the good news is that after Wuerhun visited the man, he would not be so talkative anymore. When Wuerhun passed by the dog tied at the door of his house, he threw half of his tongue to the dog and said, "Enjoy it. This tongue has been well-trained and must be very chewy."

...

"Master Li...Master Li, it's time to get up!" A soft and coquettish voice woke Li Rufeng from his sleep. The standard Chinese pronunciation made Master Li almost think that he had traveled through time again. Then he saw a hint of milky white on Satuya's collar, and then he remembered that this was what he called her yesterday.

Tsk, life is getting better and better, and the day when we reach the average wealth standard of those who travel through our sight is not far away, not far away!

Li Rufeng put on his clothes with the help of Satuya. As the saying goes, when drunk, he sleeps on the lap of a beauty, and when awake, he holds the power of the world. He has already achieved part of the former. Although Satuya is not stunningly beautiful, the mixed-race girl is qualified to be called a beauty after dressing up carefully. As for the latter, he needs to work hard to achieve it today.

In this land, the army is equal to power, and the number of soldiers determines the size of your power.

From today on, Master Li will be an entry-level player in the power arena, commanding an army of a thousand men. When the old Sultan Timur started out, he was at the same level. I am much younger than him!

"The best." Qinggeli glanced at Li Rufeng with disdain. In his mind, apart from the Mongols, the Tang people were barely worthy of a blow, and the rest were all vulnerable. Among them, the Persians and Delhi people (Note 1) were the most despicable, and the people of Transoxiana were their enemies.

Qinggeli's view represents the perception of the outside world by most Mongols. It is actually difficult for Li Rufeng to change it, because the ethnic groups on this land are indeed in a state of destitution and have been beaten to death to form the current situation.

Li Rufeng did not want to limit his "kindness" to the Mongols. Although the Mongols were good at fighting, their numbers were too small and they did not produce anything. The way Timur Sultan used them was undoubtedly the most efficient, equivalent to a military aristocracy.

They enjoy certain privileges on weekdays and contribute manpower and effort during wars.

Thinking of this, Li Rufeng glanced at Saladin Muhet, who was two horse lengths behind him. Perhaps the Kurds could also be included in this category. At least from a historical perspective, they were also a famous warlike nation in this land.

The Mughals and Kurds will become their own Sipahi knights, and then the Janissary Corps will be established... Li Rufeng was immediately fantasizing about his shallow military plan. He knew that reality often does not go according to your plan. If the plan is 100% and 20% is implemented, it would be good enough.

After all, this world is more complicated than he imagined. God knows whether the opponent will pull out some surprising treasure this time when facing Dost. The God of the Four Winds is like the Sword of Damocles hanging over everyone's head.

Although Qinggeli said that, he was actually full of expectations for Li Rufeng's Kurdish cavalry. As the saying goes, one only regrets not having enough soldiers when they are needed. Because of Dosite's continuous attacks, the soldiers of various tribes that Qinggeli originally planned for now have gaps to varying degrees.

He was counting on this sudden appearance of the Eastern Shaman to fill this hole.

Led by Habashibuhua, the group rode for two hours and finally saw a dusty cavalry team in the distance.

Li Rufeng and Qinggelinayan stopped in the sunset. Looking around, they saw a cavalry team of 600 people dotted on the grassland, looking like a large black mass. Their weapons and armor occasionally reflected the luster in the sunlight, like surging water.

"Master Shaman! The Kurdish Saladin Muhet led his 543 riders to respond to your call and are willing to fight to the death for you!" Saladin Muhet rode forward and said loudly beside Li Rufeng.

His tone contained pride, uneasiness, and anticipation for the future.

Saladin never thought that one day he would have an armed force of such a scale, but now he has staked everything on it, with no way out, just to fight for a future.

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Author's Note: The history of the Kurds is difficult to describe. They have experienced several organized and planned massacres. There is basically no reliable information available, so I will just write this and you can just watch -

Note 1: There is no such ethnic group as Delhiites. It refers to the Delhi Sultanate. When Timur conquered the Delhi Sultanate, the country was in the Tughlaq Dynasty, and the main ethnic group was Persianized Turks.

The core members are basically immigrants from Central Asia, so modern Ganges tribes generally believe that the Delhi Sultanate during this period has nothing to do with them.

Historical records of Timur's conquest of the Delhi Sultanate are highly exaggerated. A specific description states: "On the eve of the capture of Delhi... one hundred thousand men were killed, and within a few days the four cities of Delhi, Siri, Chahanbanar, and Old Delhi were reduced to ruins..." (A General History of India, by N.K. Sinha and A.K. Banerjee). The description of the results of the battle states: "Some soldiers received 150 slaves, men, women, and children, while some child soldiers received 20 slaves each." (A History of Afghanistan, by Percy Sykes, UK)

Chapter 85: We can finally discuss important matters together!

Before nightfall, Li Rufeng's existentialist cavalry set up camp outside the tribal camp. A large amount of fresh dairy products, meat and even wine were brought out from the tribe and sent to the Kurdish camp.

Guests are welcome, and they must be well fed and well-dressed on the first day at least. This is the free benefit provided by Li Rufeng based on simple Eastern values. The morale of the Kurds, who came as guest troops, was naturally greatly boosted. They have fought all their lives, and this is the first time they have gained benefits before the war.

When the old Sultan recruited the people here as auxiliary troops, they were not even given the job of digging up corpses after a battle.

Where some are happy, others are sad. Li Rufeng's generous and high-EQ statement shows a strategic vision, focusing on long-term interests. A low-EQ statement would be like a son selling his father's land without feeling any regret...

A large amount of supplies were shipped out for the Kurds to enjoy, but some people in the tribe were still dissatisfied. For example, Huluchirga wanted to urinate in the wine that was sent out to express his disdain.

Although the quality of the wine might have made it taste better if urinated on, Huluchirja's behavior undoubtedly represented the attitude of a part of the people in the tribe.

They would rather let these things rot in the fields than share them with foreigners for free.

At this time, some people with ulterior motives would take the opportunity to spread the word: "Oh, so our Rufeng Shaman is also a foreigner..."

Lehun, the powerful centurion Dangertai, and his powerful nephew, the centurion Mengge.

There was also a short and strong man with severe bow legs. His eyes were as Mongolian as they could be. Li Rufeng looked at him several times but couldn't tell whether the man's eyes were open or closed.

"This is Baoledebagen, the centurion." Qinggelinayan briefly introduced the stranger. The people in this room were equivalent to the core figures in Qinggelinayan's circle. They controlled 400 elite cavalrymen who met the Khanate standards.

These 400 cavalrymen were not only grassroots officers of the Mongols, but before the Doshite Wanhu broke off relations with them, the entire Wanhu had to provide for these people, ensuring that they had good food and drink, and had horses to ride during the day and girls to ride at night.

They are the terminal embodiment of the military power of the Timurid Khanate. Each of them is a true elite. In addition to riding, hacking and shooting, they also understand simple flag signals and have basic tactical thinking. When they gather together, they are elite cavalry, and when they spread out, they are grassroots commanders.

Li Rufeng drooled with envy whenever he thought about it.

Baoledebagen (Note 1) was a taciturn man. As soon as Li Rufeng came in, he could tell from the positions and body language of the crowd that there must be some story between this man and Qinggeli. His response to Qinggeli was far less intimate than that of Dangertai and Mengge. It was more of an obedience to his duties.

Tsk, that's interesting. Li Rufeng very naturally stood in the empty space between Baoledebagen and Mengge, connecting the circle into a whole, and praised: "Master Qinggeli is indeed a pragmatic person!"

A sand table had been placed on the table they were sitting around. Several Mongolian generals had used very rough lines to outline the general terrain of the Fertile Crescent region. If it weren't for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Li Rufeng really wouldn't have been able to recognize it.

On the shelf next to it hung a regional map with quite good accuracy. It was obvious that Qinggelinayan took good care of this old map and there was not even a trace of dirt on it.

"You said before that you wanted to discuss important matters with me, and I agreed." Qinggelinayan pressed a dot with her pinky finger at the approximate location of Martin City. "That bastard Duosite is right here. How do you suggest we fight him?"

The author says:

If they intend to defend their city, I will let the soldiers inside watch their people die outside the city."

"Good plan!" Li Rufeng applauded. The old Sultan had done this kind of thing before, and it worked very well. Most of the soldiers in this place had low morale, and it was easy for them to go back and forth. Some war history records seemed like a joke to Orientals.

Unfortunately, the Persians in this place who could be considered as Dost’s confidants were all outsiders, just like the Mongols. They would not even blink an eye no matter how many native Persians died.

Threatening the Armenians is undoubtedly an effective method. Qinggeli and his men have probably only considered the Armenians in the Dost camp and the people of Transoxiana as the real threat. The former are infantry, suitable for defending the city, while the latter are cavalry, useless in defending the city. So, they need to shake the morale of the Armenians first...

Li Rufeng sighed, thinking that although this was a stupid idea, it was not unfeasible. He waited for Lord Na Yan to continue speaking to see how he planned to fight next.

Then both sides fell into a strange silence. Qinggelinayan kept silent, and the three centurions and his powerless brother under his command were also silent, as if they had nothing to say.

hiss!

Li Rufeng couldn't help but gasp. "Ah... this means there's nothing else to do, right? You're a military group specializing in warfare, and there are five mid- and high-level officers in total. So, you only have one head?"

"What then, Lord Qinggeli? How do we fight then?" Li Rufeng asked with some annoyance.

"Then we will attack the city of Martin and kill that bastard Dosite!" Qinggelinayan punched the origin representing the city of Martin, destroying the structure of the simple sand table.

The other three centurions nodded calmly in agreement. Among them, Mengge seemed a little hesitant when he nodded. He felt the condescending attitude of Li Rufeng from his expression and tone, but he did not think there was anything wrong with Qinggelinayan's plan. They usually did this.

"What about the siege equipment..." Li Rufeng asked breathlessly.

"We have cannons!" Centurion Dangertai, who met Li Rufeng for the first time, spoke with a rather impatient tone. He was Qinggeli's youngest brother and a very powerful warrior himself. He was very dissatisfied with this Eastern shaman who had put together a thousand people in an attempt to share power.

If Qinggeli had not asked him not to be rude, he would have given Li Rufeng a warning as soon as he entered the door.

I caught a cold from my child. I hope it's not a reinfection. I just woke up feeling groggy. I'll update here later.

Chapter 87 Reasons for Cooperation

Li Rufeng's question made all the Mongolian officers present silent. Qinggelinayan might have some plans for the future, but obviously not too many. He just seized the opportunity and thought he could take the opportunity to get rid of Duosite's restraint.

This year is the third year since the old Sultan's death. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the Khanate is about to undergo a major change after the old Sultan's death.

The fact that this land was able to maintain the Khanate's overt rule during these three years was due to the old Sultan's exceptional martial virtue and far-reaching reputation.

After a period of silence, Qinggelinayan was the first to speak again, but this time his attitude towards Li Rufeng had changed somewhat. He began to truly regard the young man in front of him as someone he could discuss important matters with: "All of you go out and wait outside."

Qinggelinayan was speaking to his centurions. He waved his hand, his tone rather impatient: "Jiatalhun, you stay."

Then Qinggeli looked at the idlers behind Li Rufeng, his intention was very obvious.

"You guys go out too, Bater stays." Li Rufeng felt that the real communication had only started from now on, so he kept Bater. He hoped that this young man who was most influenced by him could get more exposure to the true face of power.

Li Rufeng's subordinates were either tribal militiamen brought up by him or tribal leaders of foreign races. They were all very obedient. Li Rufeng waved his hand to let them go, and they turned around and left without saying a word.

Especially Piri Reyes, this Ottoman man even took out some of his own money as military expenses in order to coax those people into joining the army.

He really didn't have any ambitions, but Reyes knew very well that no matter who ruled this land, their lives would not be better than they were now. At least Li Rufeng was a reasonable person, and like the old shaman, they were very kind.

No matter from which aspect, Reyes does not want his "lord" to be replaced.

He wants to hear his own plan.”

Hearing Qinggeli's heart-wrenching cough, Li Rufeng's first reaction was to step back. Damn, if this bastard is infected with some respiratory infectious disease, there is no way he can be saved in this place!

"It's a family inheritance, like a curse. There's only one in each generation. We thought the curse ended in this generation, but I didn't expect it to be me." Qing Geli used a large bowl of liquor to suppress his cough, staring at Li Rufeng with a grim look. "Don't think too much. I still have a long time to live."

So, COPD? Or chronic bronchitis? Li Rufeng is just a dentist, a latecomer. Although he's performed numerous surgeries in the past two years, his understanding of chronic diseases largely comes from his elders...

How could these chronic diseases that affect lung function appear on the grassland? The fresh air here made Li Rufeng cough for the first few days after arriving.

"Once people know I have the same disease as my father, new challengers will emerge. My brother has brains but no prestige, and Dangertai has neither brains nor prestige, only strength. If I have Taierbahe's support, I can force the people below to obey." Qinggeli stared at Li Rufeng and said, "But now, I'm afraid I can't get past you, so I plan to cooperate with you."

Chapter 88 I Want Aleppo

Since we are talking about cooperation, both sides must sincerely exchange their respective interests. In this regard, Qinggeli showed very high political command after he fell ill, so much so that his younger brother Jatalehun felt as if he had just met this Mongol Nayan for the first time.

"Making Doste pay the price is only the first step. My goal is to ensure the wealth and status of the Mongols." Qinggelinayan drank a herbal medicine that could suppress coughing after coughing. However, even Li Rufeng, as a pure Oriental, knew and applied Chinese herbal medicine far less well than these Mongols.

Bater was the last one to learn the old shaman's unique skill of identifying herbs and making decoctions, but his level was not high enough and it was estimated that he would not be able to master it until he was as old as the old shaman. Another herbal master, Wusali, died in the chaos of war. This is probably the dilemma of traditional Chinese medicine. The cost of inheritance is terribly high.

"The old Sultan is dead, and the new Sultan's position is unstable. No one can say when the Khanate will be able to resume its rule here, so we need a say." Qinggelinayan's words made Jatalehun's eyes widen again. He didn't expect that his brother had made such a decision.

"Duo Si Te must die. If the Black Sheep want to negotiate, they can come to me or you, but not Duo Si Te. He doesn't have the qualifications and can't fetch a good price." Qing Gelina Yan said with some contempt. "Now it's your turn, Shaman. What do you want?"

The rich and the landed forces were subdued, just as the old Sultan had done in the past.

"I can give you a city." Qinggelinayan was silent for a moment, then finally spoke, "But you can't bring all your people into the city to live. They are herders, warriors, and Mongols, not pleasure-seeking people from the Central Plains."

Li Rufeng shook his head. He wanted more: "I want the city of Aleppo."

Ever since he solved the problem of food and clothing, Li Rufeng has been thinking about that city. Its geographical location is too advantageous, and it is located at the intersection of the East and the West. Although the Silk Road has declined somewhat due to wars in recent years, the trade route between the Arabian Peninsula and the Anatolian Peninsula alone is enough to support the prosperity of this city.

More importantly, it was a strong city, so strong that it had only been captured by a direct attack once since its construction, and those who had captured the city were now sitting opposite him, waiting outside the tent, and living in the tribe.

What could be more appealing to Li Rufeng than such a fortified city? In this war-torn land, capturing Aleppo would allow him to face the criticism of thousands with a cold shoulder, attacking or defending. Whether it was the Qaraqai, Mamluks, or Ottomans, he wouldn't mind. If he couldn't defeat them, he could negotiate terms and surrender gracefully, becoming another new noble in the conquering empire...

"Aleppo?" Qinggelinayan was a little surprised. He didn't expect Li Rufeng to want that place. As the conqueror and slaughterer of that city, he subconsciously ignored its existence. "That's a good place, but aren't you worried about angering the Mamluks? We have to be cautious when facing the Black Sheep now."

The Mamluk Empire was still powerful. They were just frightened by Sultan Timur before. They were defeated too quickly, and before they could recover, the equally powerful Ottoman Empire knelt in front of Timur at a crazy speed of 200 miles per hour, which undoubtedly increased the Mamluks' fear.

So much so that in the third year after Timur's death, the city of Aleppo was still in a state of local self-government.

In name, it is still the territory of the Mamluks, but in reality it has been abandoned since the massacre eight years ago. The Mughals have been occupying the pastures in this area. Only in recent years have merchants begun to try to restore the vitality of the city.

Li Rufeng wanted to take advantage of the emptiness inside the city and take it over.

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It is a Christian church.

Due to geopolitical reasons and the emotional outburst of the ruling class, war eventually broke out between the two sides, and the outcome of the war has become history. Timur once again proved his invincibility and used Egyptian-style human head pyramids to teach all Mamluks what compromise means.

The historical records left after the massacre wrote: "The skulls of more than 20,000 Muslim residents were used to build a hill, ten feet high and twenty feet around, with the faces facing outward."

In addition, Timur, a devout Muslim, also burned down the famous Umayyad Mosque and killed all the legal scholars in the city. The only privilege they received was that their heads did not need to be used to build a wall, and their bodies could be kept intact.

After that war, the entire Mamluk dynasty was in a period of weakness. They were frightened by Timur's ruthlessness and cruelty. The young Sultan, who was only ten years old at the time, has not made up his mind to restore his rule over the Syrian region until now.

Li Rufeng's only memory of this land told him that the Mamluk Dynasty had never risen again since then, but no matter how much a dynasty declined in history, it would not necessarily decline in a straight line. A tiny ups and downs in the middle would become an irresistible trend for the leader of a small force like him.

Therefore, taking the opportunity to capture Aleppo is a gamble. If Li Rufeng wins, he can get a city like a pearl, which may become bigger and stronger in the future. If he loses... there is actually no result if he loses the gamble. The worst case scenario is that he can lead his people back to nomadic life and start from scratch.

Mr. Li just wants to go to the city to live a good life, what's wrong with that!

Watching Qinggeli's departing figure, Li Rufeng knew that the next outcome would be decided by time. The war in Tabriz would be the war that would determine the fate of him and his people.

If Maharaja Milanshah once again destroys the Black Sheep Dynasty, the conflict between the Dost and the Mongols will no longer exist, and the Khanate's rule will continue to exist firmly in this land for at least twenty years.

If the result is just the opposite, and the Qara ...

But no matter what, the war would not stop. The three camps of Qinggelinayan gradually gathered Mongol soldiers from all directions, and the total number soon exceeded 2,500. If the team responsible for escorting livestock and food was included, the total number had exceeded 3,000.

The herdsmen of Li Rufeng's tribe were also stepping up their preparations. Every day, cattle and sheep were slaughtered and bled, their skins peeled and their meat taken out. Piles of internal organs were rinsed with clean water, debris was washed away, and the edible parts were stewed into soup to reward the soldiers who were about to go to war.

Fresh meat was roasted and dried in the shade to make jerky as emergency military rations. The makeshift kitchen was used to make various pasta and cakes all night long.

The vanguard of Qinggelinayan has set out, identifying water sources and camping locations along the way. The whole process looks similar to the migration of the Taierbahe tribe, except that this time they are faster and on a larger scale.

Along the planned marching route, different tribes have already prepared herds of livestock in their respective areas to accompany the army. The fresh blood will become the main food of the Mongolian army.