Guo Kang thought about it and felt that this was not too much of a problem.

"This expedition is not a secret. I guess all the major forces have some understanding. He said: "The Mamluk caliphs and the warlords, big and small, who have asked us to intervene, must have already invited other religious forces around them." ”

"It's just that the parishioners either come up and open their mouths, and the price is too high; Or they are too unreliable, or even think about annexing them before attacking them, which I prefer to do both, given the various cases in history. So, I really couldn't help it, so I came to ask us for help. This is the greatest possibility. ”

"So, everyone around should know that we are going to Egypt, and this strategic goal cannot be hidden. Moreover, because of Egypt's important strategic position, such expeditions have also appeared many times in history. The previous attack methods and results, we can acquiesce, they are also clear. ”

"That being said, the previous results weren't very good." Guo Ponu hesitated: "Since the Romans were driven out of Egypt, the forces on the north shore of the Mediterranean have never returned. The Eastern Romans' efforts to regain it were unsuccessful; Although the Crusaders forced the Fatimids to pay tribute, they were unable to take control of the country; The expedition launched by the French was also defeated by the Mamluks. ”

"Our whole country is desperately eager for the opportunity to make meritorious contributions, but this time, there are so many people who oppose it, and it makes sense. Expeditions across the sea never seemed to be a good thing, starting with the Athenians' failed war against Egypt in classical antiquity. ”

"The main problem is that I don't know what the level of education is for the Turkmen warlords in West Asia and the Mamluks in Egypt." Guo Kang scratched his head: "If everyone knows these stories, then these historical experiences can become our tools." I'm actually worried that they don't know ......."

"What does that mean?" Guo Ponu asked.

"If both the enemy and the potential enemy decide that you will fail, then you may find an opportunity to take advantage of their laxity to defeat them." Guo Kang replied: "Because of the previous failures, it was not because of distance and geographical factors. ”

"The crusaders were because there were too few people, and in those critical years, the prestigious king of Jerusalem, Amalric, fell ill and died. After that, there was a series of infighting, and the best opportunity was lost. The French were a complete military defeat, and I still don't understand their messy strategic plan, I don't know what they thought at the time - but that's their daily routine, so it's not too surprising. ”

"As for the ancient Athenians, to be honest, I don't think they could win a major offensive battle with that crazy decision-making mechanism. Instead of thinking about how to overthrow the Persians over Egypt, it is better to think about how to overthrow the democracy in the city. Otherwise, even if you win, it will be useless. ”

"So what should we do?" Guo Ponu asked.

"If you don't think it's safe to go by sea, there are too many precedents for failure, and you can go by land." Guo Kang said: "The vertical and horizontal network of the Nile estuary is indeed not conducive to direct entry into the hinterland of Egypt. But it's much more convenient by land. ”

"The Persians conquered Egypt on the same path as they started from Syria. After that, Alexandria, Antioch, all entered from this route. Until the war between the Ilkhanate and the Mamluks, it was also fought around the Syrian region, because after taking it, Egypt would be even more unsafe. Heading south, through the Sinai Peninsula, you'll soon reach the heart of Egypt. ”

"So we don't have to think too hard." "You see, the one who took the lead in inviting us this time was the warlord Hafez who is entrenched in southern Syria and the Palestinian region. If this road is opened, it will not be difficult to enter Egypt. We can even separate land and water to divert their attention. With more choices, there are more corresponding tactics. ”

"If I were to say it, three legions would be too much, and it would be possible to send only two, one to defend in Syria and one to attack in Egypt. I think that's enough. ”

"Why do you say that?" Guo Ponu asked curiously.

"The strength of the Mamluks is now far less than it used to be." Guo Kang said: "I estimate that there are only five or six thousand Mamluks at most, and they are divided into several camps. The largest one, but in its early 2,000s. So, either we send a particularly large force and suppress everyone in one fell swoop. Or don't invest too many troops in the beginning, lest you replace the unlucky guy now and become the target of everyone's attack. When we get a foothold, we can take in more soldiers and complete the mission in one fell swoop. ”

"Is that also the case in Syria?" Guo Ponu asked.

"It's the same." Guo Kang nodded: "If we send too many people, we will be suspicious over there, wondering if we are going to annex them in one fell swoop." It's hard to say whether they dare to bring their men out to attack Egypt. ”

"And, according to the previous idea, we went there, not to achieve military results and destroy as many enemies as possible, but to establish order as soon as possible. We all love war, but some people fight too much and forget that war is also a means to establish order, not an end. ”

"Only when a new order is established, and we join it, can we build our own foundations as soon as possible, so that our military power in Egypt can sustain itself, even cover the costs, and make the whole operation meaningful."

"And this kind of military action, I think, should be heavy at the beginning and tail, and the part of the war in the middle is light." Guo Kang thought for a while and said, "Our reconnaissance and exploration, material preparation, and diplomatic actions are the most important things. Whenever possible, it is necessary to try to divide the enemy, to co-opt those who waver, and to weaken possible obstacles. If these succeed, we will actually have very few enemies to face. The so-called 'expedition to Egypt' is just two thorns. ”

"Also, after arriving at the local level, how to operate can make all parties feel acceptable, so as to recognize the situation at this time and end the war. Who has to be presented, who needs to be beaten, and who can be united, these have to be analysed in more detail, and we are not prepared enough. He pointed to the file on the table: "A lot of things can only be done while marching. ”

"So, I'm inclined not to rush. The march is definitely going to be marched, but you can't be too panicked, and you have to make preparations while watching, and move forward at the same time. Do things like stock up on supplies along the way and see if the enemy will continue the infighting to make the surname more favorable. I don't think it's a small possibility. ”

"On the contrary, if the operation begins, it must be as soon as possible and cannot be given time to breathe and react. Beat the leader as soon as possible, and the others will be much more honest in no time. ”

"There are many warlords in his place, but there are more than these people in society. I guess that they are a place that has been historically wealthy, and there are a bunch of them...... Well, someone like that Frajos. These people have all kinds of resources and have some local influence, but they lack the will to resist compared to the warlords. As long as we win the battle, we will soon be scared enough to accept our request. ”

"Oh, that person ......" Guo Ponu also learned what they did some time ago, and showed a clear expression: "Such a comparison is convenient to understand." ”

This kind of person, no matter where he is, no matter what civilization he is in, no matter what religion he believes, he is this virtue. On the Egyptian side, it's even worse than we estimate here. Guo Kang shook his head: "But it's okay, with them, we don't have to worry about military spending." ”

"Just rob them?" Guo Ponu asked.

"It's not called robbery." Guo Kang corrected: "Actually, I hate the behavior of arson and looting. It's too inefficient and unsustainable, and it looks like you're getting a lot at once, but it's actually killing chickens and eggs. Not only will you be disgusted by the locals, but you will not get much profit, which is a very primitive way to obtain loot. ”

"After the turmoil in Dadu, I am also constantly reflecting. I found that we actually have a simpler way to solve the problem, which is to find a few of the richest and most angry people, and ask them to spit out all the gold coins for me. ”

"The concentration of wealth in the city is very high, and if you go to the city to plunder the spoils, most of the people will resist you. The total amount of wealth stolen is also limited, and the city is likely to be damaged and difficult to recover in a short period of time; And if you kill these most annoying rich people, the wealth you get will not be reduced much, and most people will come to your aid. Cities will soon be able to return to normal, amassing as much wealth as before, and perhaps even more efficiently. ”

"Local, we can try this line of thinking." He finally said: "If it can be done, I estimate that even in the early stage, it will not lose money, and even make a lot of money." ”

"Then these people can survive and keep their property for a long time, and they must have something to rely on." Guo Ponu said: "Won't robbing their money fight with these forces and make it difficult for more people to get along with us?" ”

"It's like this in peacetime, it doesn't matter during the war." Guo Kang analyzed: "I thought about this from the beginning - but if you think about it, the side that is at war with us can still let us occupy their city afterwards, what does this mean? It shows that the force to protect them is over. In this case, no matter who they turn to, won't their money be ours? Don't worry about it. ”

"It's not hard to think about it. Just think about it yourself. ”

“…… I really didn't think it that far. Guo Ponu pursed his lips and said helplessly: "This is too troublesome." ”

"You haven't thought about it, it means that someone is thinking for you." Guo Kang disagreed: "However, the efficiency of our side is indeed not high." ”

"Our ability to gather information now is not much better than it was hundreds of years ago, when the Mongols went west. Access to information is mainly based on merchants and envoys. ”

"From that time to the present, the most effective way to obtain information is to buy off merchants. By working with them, learn about the information they provide. In the past, this was not impossible, after all, on the side of the Europeans, the organization was too loose. In order to maintain the operation of the imperial court, merchants could enter and leave the court at will, and even arrange important tasks such as finance and taxation. In this way, there is no secrecy at all. ”

"But, after all, the merchant is an independent force. We get information from merchants, and many times we go to them to buy when we have a need. I still don't think it's very reliable. When they encounter places they don't go to, or when their interests are complicated, this source is not very reliable. Moreover, in addition to simply inquiring about the news, sometimes we need to do it directly, but these things may not be able to be done by the businessman. Later, this demand is expected to become bigger and bigger, and sooner or later we will have to do it ourselves. Like this time, who is worthy of our money, this kind of thing, it is impossible to rely on others to get it......"

"I'm not talking about this trouble." Guo Ponu said truthfully: "I think things other than military training and combat are quite troublesome. Shouldn't that be a matter for civilians and staff? ”

"You don't understand it yourself, how can you let someone else do it." Guo Kang shook his head: "A qualified commander has to take care of many things, and intelligence and logistics are only part of it. If you can't do that, you won't be able to qualify. The ancients said that there are five basic requirements for a general......"

"Alright, alright." Guo Ponu hurriedly interrupted him: "No wonder everyone says that you are suitable to lead the army." You're so much more thoughtful than I am......"

"It's not so much meticulous as timidity." Guo Kang didn't think there was anything about it: "I'm not as good as you in force, and I don't think I have any talent in military affairs." The only thing we can do is to study and think as much as possible, hoping that after the outbreak of war, we can minimize our own mistakes and not hold everyone back. In this way, it naturally seems to be 'meticulous' - it doesn't work if it's not meticulous, it's all forced. ”

"That's not bad, either. If you have this mentality, at least you won't lose the battle. After all, on the European side, there are no people like Han Shin in vain. Guo Ponu said: "On our side, the situation that often occurs is that everyone is too aggressive in the battle. Many of our relatives and the children of several other pillar countries died in the light of the enemy's rash advance. ”

"It's also a matter of mentality." Guo Kang thought for a while and said, "The tactics adopted in the battle ultimately depend on one's own purpose. These are the people who receive the most resources, but also the most attention and pressure. It is estimated that they are too anxious to want military merits. ”

"yes." Guo Ponu nodded, leaned over to Guo Kang's side, and stretched out his hand to press his shoulder: "You too, I see that when you fought before, you still couldn't help but want to rush forward." As a qualified commander, you have to restrain this impulse. ”

"I see." Guo Kang hurriedly pushed her away.

Guo Ponu looked a little unhappy, but he didn't continue to say anything.

(End of chapter)