Know the horses on the horse racing road, and know the heroes in the wrestling ring.

- Mongolian proverb

As a close confidant of Tulei, Badr was very happy that the Khan of the Great Mongolian State had returned from the Ögedei family to the Tulei family, so he gave strong support to the Great Khan of Möngke. Unfortunately, Möngke's life was short, and the throne passed to his younger brother Kublai Khan.

Because Badr supported Möngke too strongly, he poked the softest part of Kublai Khan's heart. In order to dispel the suspicions of the new Great Khan, Badr sent his son Dalai and Ali's son Nuhai to join Kublai Khan's army as a sign of his loyalty to the Tolei family.

Nuhai and Dalai followed Kublai Khan to the Quartet and learned first-hand the great talents of the Mongol Great Khan.

Kublai Khan was born on September 23, 1215, the grandson of Genghis Khan and the fourth son of Tolei. On July 1, 1251, Möngke, the eldest son of Tulei, ascended the throne as Great Khan. Because Kublai Khan was the oldest and wise of his brothers, Möngke appointed Kublai Khan to be in charge of the affairs of the newly occupied Han land in Monan.

During this period, Kublai Khan appointed a large number of Han aides and Confucian scholars, and put forward the idea of practicing Han law and respecting Confucianism, which had an important influence on the policies he pursued after his subsequent accession to the Great Khan.

In 1253, Möngke rewarded the princes with a fief of Jingzhao (the ancient name of Xi'an) to Kublai Khan, who took special care and trust in him. Subsequently, Meng Ge ordered Kublai Khan to lead his troops south and make a large-scale crusade against Dali. Dalai and Nuhai went with the army.

The state of Dali was a state established by the white Duan clan. In 937, Duan Siping united with the nobles of the Erhai region Gao Fang and Dong Jialuo to eliminate the Dayi Ning Kingdom, and set the capital of Yang Tho Bacheng (now Dali, Yunnan Province), and took the country name Dali, known as Qianli in history, and the territory covered Yunnan, Guizhou, southwestern Sichuan and parts of Burma, Laos and northern Vietnam in today's China. In 1095, Prime Minister Gao Shengtai usurped the throne, changed the name of the country to Dazhong, and died the following year and returned to the government Duan Zhengchun, known as Houli in history.

In October 1253, Dalai and Nuhai led the Central Route Army to cross the Dadu River in Sichuan and arrived on the banks of the Jinsha River on the northern border of Dali. The Mongols were always good at fighting on horseback, and they were helpless against rivers without ferries.

At the behest of Kublai Khan, Dalai and Nuhai posted notices everywhere to reassure the people, visited local leaders and dignitaries, and made many tribal chieftains of the Yi, Naxi, and Tubo tribes join the Mongol army, saving the local militia from harassing the army.

Fearing that the Mongol army would remain on their territory for a long time and plundering their wealth, these leaders did everything they could to dismiss these foreign guests. When they heard that the Mongol army was preparing to cross the river to the south, they were so happy that they immediately offered Nuhai a plan to cross the river.

In accordance with the method taught by the local chiefs, Dalai and Nuhai tied the skins of the animals from the four legs and necks with ropes, blew vigorously into them, so that the skins bulged into a large bag, and then lowered it on the surface of the river, allowing the Mongolian soldiers to practice paddling with the air bag.

Mongolian soldiers grew up in the steppes and could not swim. Although they all have fat heads, big ears and short figures, after a few days of study, they actually crossed the Jinsha River smoothly in laughter and fun.

After Kublai Khan led his army across the river, he was stationed in Lijiang, and first sent lower-ranking officials as envoys to Dali to persuade him to surrender.

Gao Taixiang, the prime minister of Dali, was a staunch anti-war faction, and not only condemned the Mongol invaders in a harsh manner, but also violated the rule that "the two countries do not kill the envoy when they are at war" by killing the envoy specially sent by Kublai Khan.

When Kublai Khan heard the report, he was furious: "The southern barbarians actually toasted and didn't eat and drink!" ”

He led the Mongol army into Longshou Pass, north of Dali, and met with almost no resistance. At this time, the Eastern Route Army and the Western Route Army of the Great Mongolia also crossed the river and reached the suburbs of Dali. In this way, the three-way army formed an encirclement of Dali City.

The princes and nobles of Dali were greedy for life and afraid of death, and they went out of the city to surrender to the Mongol army.

In all fairness, the military power of Dali at that time was not weak. In order to weaken the power of the Duan royal family, Gao Taixiang, who held real power, deliberately put the elite army of Dali under his control, and at the same time focused on developing his own local armed forces, resulting in the defense force of the capital being quite weak.

At present, the great enemy is the most important thing in society.

The titular kings Duan Xingzhi and Gao Taixiang united in front of the enemy and led their officers and soldiers out of the city to fight, but suffered a crushing defeat. The two of them had no choice but to abandon the city and flee, and went their separate ways.

Dalai and Nuhai led the leading troops to easily attack the city of Dali and occupied the country of Dali, which had been established for 316 years.

Kublai Khan ordered his subordinates entering the city to hang up large banners with the words "stop killing" written on them, and to convey their orders in the streets and alleys. As a result, the panicked Dali soldiers and civilians finally settled down.

Dalai and Nuhai chased them to Yaozhou in northwestern Yunnan and captured Gao Taixiang.

Gao Taixiang swore to die and was beheaded by the Yuan army in front of Wuhua Tower. Before he was sentenced, he couldn't help but look up to the sky and lamented: "The Duan family's national fortune is not good, this is God's arrangement. I, a courtier, have no choice but to obey the mandate of heaven. ”

Kublai Khan was impressed by Gao Taixiang's feat. He believed that Gao Taixiang was a loyal minister worthy of emulation, and ordered that the descendants of the Gao family could hold official positions for generations. Later, Gao Taixiang's descendants were really named the Tusi of Yao'an, Heqing and other places, and they were inherited for more than 30 generations until they were changed and returned to the stream.

In 1254, Kublai Khan left his general Wuliang Hetai to continue the attack, and he returned north with Dalai and Nuhai. In the autumn of that year, the Mongol officers and soldiers pursued him to Kunming, captured the exiled monarch Duan Xingzhi alive, and sent him to the Mongol Khan's court far north.

The Great Khan of Möngke implemented a policy of gentleness towards Duan Xingzhi, not only giving her a golden talisman, but also appointing him as the hereditary governor of Dali, allowing him to return to Yunnan to continue to manage the original tribes on behalf of the Great Mongolia.

Möngke was as suspicious as all kings, and spent his days usurping his throne by others. He saw that Kublai Khan had a powerful political and military power in his hands, and he feared that he would one day threaten himself by holding troops and pride.

In 1257, Meng Ge ordered his confidant Alan Da'er to set up a hook examination bureau in Guanzhong to verify the financial situation of Jingzhao, Henan and other places.

Alan Daer was clever and clever, and in accordance with the will and instructions of the Great Khan, he quickly fabricated more than 100 charges from the officials of the Henan Economic Strategy Division and the Jingzhao Xuanfu Division, with the fundamental purpose of eliminating the officials used by Kublai Khan and weakening his local power.

When Kublai Khan found out that Möngke had suddenly found charges against his subordinates, he decided that he must have done it because he was not at ease with himself. He felt the need to meet with Möngke to clarify the matter.

Dalai and Nuhai bitterly advised Kublai Khan not to go back, lest he be subjected to the calculations of his own brothers, as his father had done with Tuolei.

Kublai Khan's personality was very stubborn, and since he had already decided something, 99 sturdy bulls could not pull him back.

Meng Ge thought that Kublai Khan was a thief and did not dare to come to see him. Now, seeing Kublai Khan standing in front of him openly, Meng Ge was moved to tears, and waved his hand again and again to ask his younger brother not to confess again.

On November 29, 1258, Kublai Khan, who had regained Möngke's trust, left his henchman Nuhai by Möngke's side according to the will of the Great Khan, and led Dalai and other cronies to set off in full gear and officially attack his old rival Southern Song Dynasty.

On September 3 of the following year, the Middle Route Army led by Kublai Khan crossed the Huai River and entered the territory of the Southern Song Dynasty, and then played a triumphant song all the way, opening up a new battlefield in Hubei and besieging Ezhou, a military town located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

Soon after, Kublai Khan received a secret report that the ministers of Hala and Lin were plotting to appoint Kublai Khan's younger brother Ali Buge as the Great Khan, and Ali Buge had ordered Alan Daer to send troops near Kaiping (present-day Xilin Gol League Zhenglan Banner in Inner Mongolia) and Tuolichi to recruit militia near Yanjing (present-day Beijing), so he urged Kublai Khan to return north as soon as possible.

On November 17, Kublai Khan's Confucian minister Hao Jing presented him with the "Banshi Meeting", stating the reasons why he must withdraw his troops immediately, and strengthened Kublai Khan's determination to withdraw his troops and return north.

Kublai Khan deliberately claimed to attack Lin'an, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, and privately left a large number of people to continue to besiege Ezhou and increase military pressure on the Southern Song Dynasty.

At this time, the prime minister of the Southern Song Dynasty, Jia Nidao, sent an envoy to ask for peace. So, the two sides hit it off and agreed that "the Southern Song Dynasty will cede the land, send New Year's coins, and Mongolia will withdraw its troops." ”

On the same day, Kublai Khan withdrew his troops and returned north.

On January 4, 1260, Kublai Khan's brigade returned to Yanjing and was stationed in the suburbs, preparing to spend the winter here. He actively contacted the Mongol kings in private, discussed the affairs of the state, and agreed to convene the Kulitai Assembly in the coming spring to hold an enthronement ceremony for himself.

Dalai asked Kublai Khan for leave and went home to visit his relatives.

His father, Badr, had turned white in his hair, beard, and eyebrows, and had entered his old age. He was very pleased to see that Kublai Khan inherited the legacy of Tulei and Möngke Khan, opened up the territory of the Great Mongolian State, and made many meritorious achievements.

On the question of the future of the empire and the throne of the Khan, Badr and Dalai talked all night.

At the same time, the Mongol army where Nuhai was located also escorted Möngke's coffin from Sichuan and Chongqing back to the north. Nuhai also took the opportunity to return to Yanjing City to visit relatives.

Ali is younger than Badr, but he is also about to turn 60. He left his shop in Cow Street to his youngest son, Arslan, while he devoted himself to the study of Islam, strictly observing discipline and diligent study, and regularly going back and forth between his house and the mosque every day.

Ali was naturally very happy to see that his son Nuhai had returned home safely. In addition to being happy, he saw that Nuhai, who was already 30 years old, had not yet married, and felt guilty as a father. Ali plans to take advantage of this holiday to give Nuhai a home.

Time waits for no one. He hurried to the house of his good friend Hussein, specially hired him as the man's matchmaker, carried dried fruits and rock sugar gift bags, went to the house of Abdullah, a merchant in Khorezm, to propose marriage, and asked Abdullah to give his third daughter Suli to Nuhai as a daughter-in-law.

After several procedures, such as proposing, replying, giving gifts, engagement, and marriage, Nuhai finally married the virtuous and beautiful Su Li back home.

Soon after their marriage, Dalai and Nuhai were ordered to follow Kublai Khan back to Hala Holin, the capital of the Great Mongolian State in the Mobei steppe.

On May 5, Kublai Khan officially ascended to the throne and became the fifth Great Khan of the Great Mongolian State by virtue of his personal wisdom and strategy, the fame of his son and the world-renowned military exploits, and the strong support of the loving generals Dalai and Nuhai. He immediately promoted and reused a number of officers, appointing Dalai and Nuhai, who had long followed him, as important generals of the army.

After Kublai Khan ascended the throne, he regarded the elimination of the Southern Song Dynasty as a major task, quickly adjusted the strategic layout, and decided to change the war to eliminate the Southern Song Dynasty from the Sichuan-Shu battlefield to the Jingxiang battlefield.

In 1264, a Han advisor named Liu Bingzhong suggested to Kublai Khan that the meaning of Yuan was Qianyuan, the origin or primordial force of all things in heaven and earth, and that it would be better to choose Dayuan as the name of the country from the Han classic Book of Changes.

On December 18, Kublai Khan immediately announced that he would change the name of the country from Great Mongolia to Great Yuan. He himself went from being the Great Khan of the Great Mongol State to being the emperor of the Great Yuan Dynasty. He was also the first emperor of the Great Yuan Dynasty.

One day, Liu Quan, a general of the Southern Song Dynasty who had surrendered to the Great Yuan Dynasty, presented Kublai Khan with a strategy to defeat the Southern Song Dynasty: attack Xiangyang first and withdraw its defense. If there is no Xiang in the Southern Song Dynasty, there will be no Huai, and if there is no Huai, Jiangnan will be at your fingertips.

Xiangyang is located at the southern end of the Nanyang Basin, divided into Xiangyang and Fancheng, respectively on the north and south banks of the Han River, interdependent, across Jingyu, control the north and south, the terrain is very dangerous, since ancient times, it is a place where soldiers must fight, and it is also the frontline town of the Southern Song Dynasty to resist the Mongolian army.

Kublai Khan adopted Liu Quan's suggestion to attack Xiangyang first, and ordered Dalai and Nuhai to lead their armies to begin a strategic encirclement of Xiangyang.

Nuhai first established a land stronghold as a base for attacking the Southern Song Dynasty.

Liu Cheng also suggested: "The Jinghu system makes Lu Wende extremely greedy, and he doesn't even let go of small fortunes like small profits. We can bribe him with small favors and then make our demands. ”

Nuhai sent two envoys with a pair of precious jade belts to meet Lu Wende.

Lu Wende really took the bait, and accepted the jade belt with a smile.

The envoy of the Yuan Dynasty then asked: "In order to protect our goods and prevent thieves from stealing, is it feasible for us to build an earthen wall on the periphery of Xiangyang City?" ”

Lu Wende, who was obsessed with ghosts, actually replied: "Repair, repair." ”

Nuhai immediately ordered the Yuan army to build forts at Lumen Mountain southeast of Xiangyang and Baihe City in the northeast, establishing the first stronghold to encircle Xiangyang, thus cutting off the Southern Song Dynasty's aid to Xiangyang.

The Yuan army built more than 10 castles on the periphery of Xiangyang, established a stronghold of long-term siege of Xiangyang, completed the strategic encirclement of Xiangyang, and cut off the connection between Xiangyang and the northwest and southeast.

Xiangyang has completely become an isolated city.

Dalai was responsible for building a naval army and seeking tactical superiority to subdue the Southern Song Dynasty.

When Dalai led the army to attack Xiangyang, he was invincible on land, but on the rivers and lakes, he suffered a big loss because of the ineffectiveness of the naval army, and he was almost captured alive by the officers and soldiers of the Southern Song Dynasty, exposing the weakness of the naval army.

At a critical time, Liu Cheng made another suggestion to Dalai: "I am a crack soldier, and the one who should be broken, but the water war is not as good as Song Er." Seize the strengths of the other, build warships, and learn the navy, and it will be all right. ”

When Dalai heard this, he thought that the suggestion was good, and immediately ordered Liu Cheng to be responsible for organizing the manufacture of warships and training the navy, and strive to conquer Xiangyang as soon as possible.

Liu Cheng and his men quickly built 5,000 warships, trained the navy day and night, and obtained 500 warships sent by Sichuan Province to establish a large-scale naval army, which made up for the tactical disadvantages of the Yuan army and prepared the necessary conditions for strategic offensive.

From the construction of Lumen Fort and Baihe City to the complete siege of Xiangyang, the Yuan Dynasty army was already in a completely strategic advantage.

Only then did the court of the Southern Song Dynasty realize that the great period was approaching, and hurriedly issued an emergency mobilization order across the country, striving to save the crisis, and launched a battle against encirclement and aid to Xiangyang.

In the winter of 1268, in order to break the Yuan army's siege of Lumen and Baihe, the Southern Song general Lü Wenhuan ordered the defenders of Xiangyang to attack the Nuhai army outside the city, but was defeated by the Nuhai army.

Subsequently, the armies of the Southern Song Dynasty and the Great Yuan fought a three-year-long battle on the outskirts of Xiangyang City. The Southern Song army repeatedly carried out heroic counteroffensives, but was defeated by the troops led by Dalai and Nuhai. The casualties of the officers and soldiers of the Southern Song Dynasty were very heavy.