Chapter - 501 Secret Order In an Embroidered Pouch (8) (1/2)

Guo Jing contemplated for a while then shook his head, ”We are not attacking Daliang,” he said.

Ogedei and Tuolei clearly heard their father king said they were going to attack Daliang, why did Guo Jing say they were not going to? They were startled and looked at him with a questioning look. Genghis Khan still showed a faint smile on his face, ”Not attacking Daliang, then what?” he asked.

”Not attacking is actually attacking; attack but do not attack, do not attack but attack,” Guo Jing said. He made Ogedei and Tuolei more confused than ever.

”Attack but do not attack, do not attack but attack [gong er bu gong, bu gong er gong],” Genghis Khan smiled, ”These eight characters were very well said. Explain it to your two brothers.”

Guo Jing complied. ”I can guess the Great Khan's troops advancement method; we pretend to attack the Jin capital, destroying the enemy under the city wall. Daliang is where the Jin Emperor resides, but the troops stationed there are actually not too many. As soon as it is under attack, the Jins will immediately send troops from the neighboring city Tongguan to rescue. Chinese military strategist said, 'A massive troops movement can't be done in a day; traveling hundreds of 'li's is draining the energy and crippling the three generals. Strong at first, weary in the end. This is the eleventh method.' By traveling fast for a hundred 'li's, the soldiers strength will be reduced to only 10% of their original strength. As they leave Tongguan and go to Daliang, the great distance is their biggest disadvantage; they should take ten rest stops, but can only take one instead. Even if they reach Daliang on time, they will be weary and unable to fight. Our troops simply have to wait for the exhausted enemy then we can easily destroy the Jin army. Once the strong Jin army is defeated, then Daliang will fall. If we concentrate on directly attacking Daliang, not only it will be difficult, but we can be attacked from both front and rear.”

Genghis Khan clapped his hands and laughed aloud, he called out, ”Well said, well said!” He pulled a scroll out and spread it on the table. Three people looked at it and were greatly astonished. Turned out it was the map of Daliang and its neighboring area. On it were drawn routes of troop's movement, both theirs and the enemy's. It also contained strategies on how to attack the enemy's rear flank, how to attack the enemy's main body, how to lure and destroy the incoming enemies from Tongguan, how to make them weary and obliterate them outside the city wall; everything was just as Guo Jing had said.

Ogedei and Tuolei looked at their father king, also looked at Guo Jing with bewilderment and admiration on their face. Guo Jing's heart was also full of admiration, he thought, ”I learned the military strategy from the 'Wumu Legacy', nothing strange about it; but the Great Khan is illiterate, he possesses a natural ability for this kind of things.”

Genghis Khan continued, ”In our expedition to the south this time, I am sure the Jins will be destroyed. I have here three embroidered pouches for each one of you. After Daliang falls, the three of you should gather inside the imperial palace of the Jin emperor; you can open them up and act accordingly.” Upon saying that he took those embroidered pouches from his pocket and gave one to each of them.

As Guo Jing received the pouch, he saw that the mouth was sealed with wax and the seal carried the image of Genghis Khan's signet ring.

”Before entering Daliang, I forbid you to open the pouch without authorization,” Genghis Khan said, ”Before you open them, I want the three of you to examine each other's pouch to see if the seal is damaged.”

The three of them bowed and said, ”Who dare to defy The Great Khan's decree?”