After Jochi, Jebe and Subutai defeated the provocation of the Khorezm army, Jebe immediately suggested that Jochi lead his troops back to China as soon as possible, lest Mohammed send troops to retaliate, he said: "This place is located on the edge of the gate of the land of Khorezm, and it is said to come and retreat; Jochi accepted the advice and ordered the army to return home on the same day.

Genghis Khan was very satisfied with this expedition, killed Qu Zhulu, eliminated the legacy in his heart, destroyed the Western Liao State, opened up the channel to Khorezm for business and trade, and from then on the Mongolian caravan to trade with the Western countries was more convenient.

There was only a small episode, that is, a conflict with the kingdom of Khorezm, which made Genghis Khan very unhappy. Genghis Khan was originally an upright and righteous emperor, and he attached the most importance to the word Xinyi in his daily interactions with people, and after repeatedly asking Jochi and Jebe and Subutai, after understanding the causes and consequences of the conflict, he did not blame his son and subordinates.

At first, he was dissatisfied with King Mohammed's unreasonableness, and asked Jochi, "How is their army capable of fighting?"

Jochi shook his head and smiled: "Then the king is a little arrogant, relying on a large number of troops, commanding a battle like driving a flock of sheep, how can he not be defeated?"

Listening to his son's words, Genghis Khan couldn't stop laughing, he looked at Jebe and Subutai, and taught his son a lesson: "Don't despise others, if you don't have the two of them by your side, I'm afraid you may not be able to win lightly." ”

Subutai immediately said: "This is all the credit of Jebe, but the king is a little empty-sighted, this time teach him a lesson, maybe he will be more honest in the future, and he may not dare to be arrogant again." ”

But Genghis Khan reminded his subordinates: "No matter what, we must also focus on the overall situation, our purpose is to do business with them, to trade, not to mention that the two countries have just signed a treaty of friendship and commerce, for such an accidental incident, do not need to care, just use business to resolve it." ”

Genghis Khan's tolerant attitude towards this conflict is quite right. Because of the Mongol Empire at that time, the whole steppe was not long unified, coupled with the one-sided nomadic and hunting economy, it still could not meet the living needs of many herdsmen, and there was a lack of clothing and many other daily necessities in the Mongolian steppe.

The people of Khorezm are famous for their business, and the vast market of Eastern Mongolia is naturally a place where they are fascinated, so many Khorezm merchants are also happy to do business among the herdsmen of the steppe, and they can make several times the profits from it.

In order to promote economic and trade exchanges between Western countries and Mongolia, he took the initiative to establish friendly relations with the country of Khorezm, and set up a kharaci on the highway where merchants came and went, and specially promulgated a Zasa: "All merchants who enter Mongolia shall be issued with certificates, and goods worthy of acceptance by the Great Khan shall be sent to the Great Khan together with the owner of the goods, and shall be given a grand reception." ”

Shortly thereafter, Genghis Khan sent a large caravan to the kingdom of Khorezm to trade. He also ordered the kings, the nobles, the generals, and the concubines to select two or three of their cronies and go with the caravan to Khorezm to buy treasures. It is said that the caravan was large, with 500 camels, and carried various treasures, such as Chinese gold, silver, and silk, as well as camel hair fabrics, beaver furs, and panther skins.

This time, the leaders of the caravan were still selected from the Muslims living in Mongolia, and they were the Ramar of the Slav, the Hamal of the Scorn, and the Fahrud of the Buhuara. In addition to these people, Genghis Khan also sent a Mongol named Ukhuna as his personal representative to accompany the caravan.

Genghis Khan's caravan made its way through North Asia to the border of the kingdom of Khorezm on the Syr Darya River. The name of the defender of the city was Enalsu, the cousin of Mohammad, king of Khorezm, and when he saw the large amount of goods of the Mongol caravans, he became ill-willed and accused them of being spies, and seized them.

He then called on his confidant, Venasus, to report it to Mohammed, who ordered all the merchants to be executed on the spot and their belongings confiscated. When Genghis Khan heard the news, he beat his chest emotionally and faced the west, determined to repay the blood debt from the country of Khorezm. Genghis Khan couldn't bear it anymore, and war between the two sides was inevitable.

In order to repay the blood debt from the Khorezm, Genghis Khan consulted the opinions of his soldiers and conscientiously formulated a feasible strategic plan before the western expedition.

He said: "This western expedition is completely different from the style of fighting against the Jin Dynasty, and every battle must be fought quickly, and we must not drag our feet and take our time; every time we annihilate the enemy, we must completely annihilate them, and we must pursue them to the end without leaving any sins, so as not to resurgence and leave behind the root cause." ”

In terms of preparations for the war, Genghis Khan summed up the experience and lessons of the attack on Jin, further improved the establishment and equipment of his troops, and extensively mobilized troops from Mongolia and other places. After repeated consideration and careful selection, Genghis Khan decided to participate in the battle in addition to the Mongol cavalry, as well as the armies of the Kipchak, Uygur, Marimari, Hararu, Khitan and other ethnic groups in this western expedition, and the Han troops were mainly artillery engineers.

In Khorezm, there are several fortified cities, and if you want to quickly break through those fortified cities, you can't rely on cavalry alone, you have to use artillery. So Genghis Khan said: "Our artillery will play a role in the western expedition, and Mohammed will definitely hold on to the city, and take care of us, so that we will be forced to fight a war of attrition, and with all kinds of artillery, he will not be able to hold on, and we can fight quickly." ”

Genghis Khan ordered a large number of technicians and craftsmen to accompany the expedition, and made a large number of throwers, catapults, captives, flame launchers, ballistas, etc. The cannons captured in the battles of attacking gold and Vaxi were repaired by the artillery division and allowed them to go with the army, and the number of self-made cannons exceeded 100.

Genghis Khan excitedly said to his generals: "Don't look at Mohammed's arrogance, when he hears the rumble of our cannons, he knows that he is afraid. ”

Because it was a long march, Genghis Khan accepted the advice of his generals and ordered each soldier to carry three or four horses, two sets of weapons, and also equipped with military doctors and quartermasters. It was decided to assemble troops in the spring of the next year, and after a period of rest, it was time for summer to come, and then to send out the division.

When Genghis Khan was actively preparing for the western expedition to Khorezm, two of the four princes were also secretly planning in the secret room, going out to do everything possible to become the heir of the Great Khan.

His eldest son, Jochi, has been the subject of discussion since his birth as to whether he was Genghis Khan's biological flesh and blood. But Genghis Khan did not look the other way at him, and never on any occasion or at any time did he express any doubt.

Jochi has accompanied Genghis Khan to conquer the Quartet since he was a child, and he is brave and good at fighting, and has made many military exploits, winning the trust of his father. When it comes to Jochi's performance, he is brave and honest, but he is impatient and lacks talent. In order to cultivate his talents, Genghis Khan asked the old minister Chiliu Yetier to serve as Jochi's master to help him establish virtue and cultivate people.

As early as more than ten years ago, Jochi had a dispute with his second brother Chagatai, and was scolded by Chagatai as a wild seed of contempt for beggars.

Later, the master Chiliu Ye'er once tactfully told him the cause and effect of his mother's abduction by the beggars, and earnestly warned Jochi: "You are the eldest son of the Great Khan, you should be strict with yourself, and on the question of whose blood and bones, you should depend on the attitude of the Great Khan." ”

Jochi told his master sincerely: "Father Khan has never shown any discrimination against me. ”

Chiliu also took advantage of the situation and said: "That's enough, you are the eldest son of the Great Khan, you don't have to mind what others say, just let them say it, as long as the Great Khan doesn't say it, the so-called body is not afraid of shadows." ”

Jochi asked the master again: "Can someone like me inherit the throne of the Great Khan?"

"The Mongols do not have a tradition of inheriting the throne from their eldest son, and the succession to the throne of the Mongol Khan is elected by the nobles of Nayan, so you must make more military achievements, train yourself, and increase your talents, and you must not be mediocre and do nothing." Be bold and careful in trouble, and not be as indecisive and lingering as a woman. ”

Hearing this, Jochi remembered an incident from the past, that is, when he and Chagatai were teenagers, his father Khan once asked the guards to bring out two cages of guinea pigs, and asked the two brothers to make a game to see who had more fun. Jochi thought for a while, then opened the cage door, and the mice immediately jumped out of the cage and fled for their lives.

At this time, Jochi looked at the little mice that had run away and said, "Father Khan, these little mice are so pitiful in a cage, wouldn't it be more interesting to let them out and let them be as free and happy as we are?"

At that time, looking at Jochi's innocent and benevolent smile, Genghis Khan couldn't help laughing. But Chagatai went to bring a pot of boiling water and poured it on the mice in the cage, which were so hot that they were screaming and jumping around, and they were very pitiful. At this time, Chagatai saw it, and couldn't help clapping his little hands, and shouted happily: "Father Khan, come and see, how high the guinea pig jumps!"

Genghis Khan saw it in his eyes, but he couldn't laugh, so he said: "You child, you are so cruel at a young age, when you grow up, if you manage the affairs of the country, won't you be a tyrant? Don't be like this in the future!"

When Chagatai heard his father's reprimand, he ran away crying for a while, and Jochi stood there stunned, and his father Khan said to him: "You are a little too kind, and you may not be a great talent, as a man, you should not be as indecisive as a woman, and you can't do great things with a bodhisattva's heart." ”

Later, this incident has been kept in mind in the depths of Jochi's heart, listening to the teachings of Master Chiruya Ti'er, and thinking of the past of his childhood, Jochi always wanted to correct his soft heart and strengthen his decisive and resolute style. In any case, the question of his origin had left sores in Jochi's heart, not to mention that among his uncles, nephews, and even among the generals, there were discussions from time to time, which would make him depressed.

The one who is most concerned about the succession to the throne is, of course, the second prince Chagatai, who has been smart and clever since he was a child, but because he was naughty and naughty, he was often punished. After becoming an adult, she is a good beauty, and she fights in the pile of women all day long.