A confrontation unfolded, and both sides, as if by unspoken agreement, made identical deployments.
Just as Li Wenjin had predicted, Anda no longer harbored thoughts of attacking Deshengbao. Instead, he established his present location as the central command, with his forces spreading out to both flanks to prevent any encirclement by the Ming army.
Although cavalry were swift, their operational range was also vast. Consequently, it took approximately half an hour for both sides to coincidentally complete their strategic arrangements.
At this juncture,
Anda had long since packed away his royal tent, and the various tribal leaders were positioned along the flanks, leaving only his eldest son Xin'ai, his third son Tiebei, along with Dalaisun from Chahar, and Han advisors like Xiao Qin and Qiu Fu by his side. He ultimately couldn't trust the Chahar people to be too far from him.
Standing on a small hill, he gazed into the distance at the desert snowscape to the south.
Anda found it difficult to believe—
That this young man, Zhu Mo, possessed such courage and resolve to venture out with only forty thousand men? Yet, reality dictated that he not only came but was actually facing him in a standoff. In a moment of clarity, Anda felt a sense of unreality.
At this precise moment, with his mind preoccupied, he nonchalantly asked, "What do you gentlemen think will be the outcome of today's situation?"
Dalaisun, fearing Anda's suspicion, replied, "Great Khan, in today's situation, it is either we perish or the Ming army perishes… The Chahar people are willing to fight alongside the Great Khan until the very last moment."
Hmph.
Anda had no mood for flattery. He thought to himself: If I hadn't brought you along this time, I would have already marched south… You are now urging for a decisive battle, hoping to exhaust my elite forces so that you Chahar people can seize my foundation?
But with no recourse for regret, he could only shift the conversation and say with a smile:
"Xin'ai, what are your thoughts?"
Xin'ai, seasoned in warfare, understood that in such a situation, it would be difficult to gain any advantage if they were to fight. He said, "Great Khan, in our campaigns, we have always played to our strengths and avoided our weaknesses. Now, the Ming army's defenses are tightly organized, leaving no opportunity for exploitation… If we were to engage in a large-scale battle, I fear, I fear…"
Everyone present knew what he was implying. The outcome of this encounter, with both sides fielding forty thousand men each, was uncertain as to how many would remain.
Tiebei, the most intelligent among Anda's sons, found a way to de-escalate the situation and said with a smile:
"Father Khan, in our conflicts with the Ming army, we have never sought their annihilation. They are too numerous. Even if we annihilate forty thousand today, annihilating another forty thousand tomorrow would still be futile… What we seek are only those concessions promised by Yan Song. If this Zhu Mo is willing to grant them, why should we fight?"
Hahaha.
Anda couldn't help but burst into laughter, recognizing that Tiebei was providing him with an opportunity to negotiate peace. However, he also knew that his followers, the Golden Family, would not tolerate a weak leader. He immediately responded with feigned toughness, saying, "My Golden Family never seeks peace! Tiebei, do not mention this again! If there are demands, it must be the Ming dynasty who makes them first!"
"Hooray!"
"Great Khan is a hero!"
The personal guards, chieftains, and generals around him shouted in unison.
And at this very moment,
A messenger on horseback arrived, delivering a peculiar letter. It bore no official seal of the Ming dynasty, nor did it have a formal heading. It was written on a casual piece of paper, not official Ming stationery.
Anda was extremely surprised and blurted out:
"What is this? Mr. Xiao, Mr. Qiu, please take a look, what is this?"
Upon receiving it, the two men exchanged bewildered glances. Xiao Qin exclaimed:
"Great Khan, this is a calling card."
"A calling card? Who wrote it? What does it say?"
Anda was also greatly surprised and had begun to feel a hint of unease.
Xiao Qin quickly replied, "Great Khan, allow me to read it…"
After a brief perusal, he had a general understanding of the translation and read with a solemn expression:
"From Zhu Mo, Taoist of Qingxu Temple, with respect:
In the past, Genghis Khan, the True Man of the Desert, was friends with our Taoist patriarch, Qiu Changchun. He once said that spending a few months with a Taoist does not feel tiresome; it is like a horse herder meeting a shepherd, conversing with pleasure, and unknowingly, the sun has set. Now, this humble Taoist is traveling in the desert and has heard that Great Khan is herding horses here. Admiring the ancient sages, I am eager to visit. To avoid any offense, I present eight thousand iron pots, as a token of my respect. I await your esteemed opinion. Mo."
Oh?
Many present, who had a basic understanding of the Han language, were astonished—
What is this?
What does this mean?
Xiao Qin and Qiu Fu, however, had already understood: What trick was Zhu Mo playing? Hesitantly, they did not know how to respond. If they spoke the truth, which implied a willingness to negotiate peace, would that not negate their previous efforts? And would the golden dream of the Great Yuan not then be dashed?
While they were contemplating, Anda decisively said, "Gentlemen, please translate it truthfully!"
Uh.
Xiao Qin had no choice but to translate:
"This is a polite note exchanged between Han literati friends during casual social interactions, signifying a visit to a friend… Uh, this was written by Zhu Mo himself. He, he did not include any official title, but instead referred to himself as a Taoist of Qingxu Temple.
It means: Genghis Khan was friends with Qiu Chuji in the past, and they spent over half a month together. They conversed with great pleasure, much like a horse herder meeting a shepherd, talking until the sun set without realizing the time. Now, I, Zhu Mo, a Taoist, happen to be traveling in the desert and have heard that Great Khan is herding horses here. I am very eager to visit, and to avoid any offense, I have brought eight thousand iron pots as a meeting gift. I wonder if Great Khan would be willing to meet…"
Wow!
Hiss!
Everyone present was dumbfounded.
This… this is not a declaration of war.
It doesn't sound like peace negotiations either. What exactly is going on?
And what about these eight thousand iron pots?
What is all this about?
The crowd stole glances at Anda, whose face shifted between smiles and anger, his expression changing unpredictably. After a long while, his expression softened, and a smile finally appeared.
After all, he was an extremely intelligent person. He had smiled earlier because Zhu Mo mentioned herding horses, showing no prejudice. He had been angry because Zhu Mo spoke of the eight thousand iron pots, which touched upon a sore point for the Tatars, causing him great displeasure. But then, he considered that Zhu Mo, at least in this note, did not harbor any malice.
"Hmm, well done, Taoist Zhu Mo… truly a remarkable individual…"
Anda flicked his whip and said:
"Excellent! This Khan shall grant him an audience! Xin'ai and Xiao Qin, you two shall accompany me, and Tiebei, you shall lead a detachment of personal guards to provide support from the rear!"
Just as they were about to set off,
Dalaisun suddenly interjected, "Great Khan, this is absolutely not advisable. The Ming people are cunning and treacherous. Zhu Mo saying this is likely a ploy to lure the Great Khan, and there must be a stratagem involved! The Great Khan must guard against it!"
As soon as he understood the content of the calling card and observed the situation, he immediately thought—
Zhu Mo's offer of eight thousand iron pots signifies a sincere desire for peace negotiations; he is likely intimidated! Anda's hesitation to advance suggests a strategic bluff. Furthermore, if Anda were to successfully negotiate with him, it would undoubtedly be detrimental to the Chahar people.
Because, once the Tumet people reconcile with the Ming dynasty, they would enjoy the full benefits of post-negotiation trade. The Chahar people, however, have always been viewed with suspicion, and how could Anda possibly share these benefits with them? Within a few years, the Tumet people would grow stronger, and the Chahar people weaker, leaving them no path forward. At that point, they would have no choice but to migrate eastward. But the east was another great furnace, where Koreans, Jurchens, and Han Chinese were in constant conflict, leaving no place for them to settle.
The only solution was either to disrupt the peace talks or for the Chahar people to become a party to the negotiations, at least to make Zhu Mo consider their existence.
For this reason,
He decisively intervened to prevent the meeting.