“Nephew, do you really not need me to send more men?”
At the collapsed city wall, a wall of Xuanjia soldiers prevented the Mongols from advancing.
Jia Yu was not far from the breach, gnawing on a roasted leg of lamb.
Eunuch Liu was beside him, elegantly using a small knife to cut the lamb into small pieces before putting them into his mouth.
Compared to Jia Yu's crude eating habits, he was incredibly graceful.
After learning more, Niu Jizong realized that the young man who was killing on the battlefield was actually Jia Yu, the illegitimate son of Jia She, the head of the Rongguo Mansion.
Looking at those soldiers clad in black iron armor, they must be the legacy of the two dukes.
Their family also had a similar contingent, the personal guards that followed him.
“Don't worry, it's all good.” Jia Yu chewed on the meat, “I've sent people home to recruit young men, once they arrive, the number will reach 600.”
“It's just the weapons and equipment, I may need Eunuch Liu to help me out.
These swords are not very durable, they dull after chopping just seven or eight people.”
Eunuch Liu, gracefully eating the roasted lamb beside him, gave his word, “Don't worry, I'll take care of it.”
Niu Jizong knew Eunuch Liu's identity. He was the current emperor's personal eunuch.
His position was only slightly lower than that of the Grand Eunuch Xia Shouzhong.
With him helping out, Jia Yu wouldn't have any problems with weapons and equipment.
“Minister Niu, is there anything I can help with on the city wall?”
Eunuch Liu spoke softly, “Xizhimen is crucial, if you need anything, just ask.”
Niu Jizong was responsible for defending Xizhimen, a heavy burden on his shoulders.
The Minister of War was a force the emperor desperately wanted to secure.
Because he currently controlled the entire defense of the capital.
In the vast political center of the capital, only the Commander of the Capital Garrison could surpass the Minister of War in terms of military power.
However, the Commander of the Capital Garrison had been vacant for many years.
“Lack of troops.”
Niu Jizong sighed, “The soldiers fighting desperately on the city wall now are the ones who followed the retired emperor back from Xuanfu.
They haven't had time to rest properly, I pulled them onto the wall.
I owe them my apology.”
The capital's garrison was said to have hundreds of thousands of troops, but only the Capital Garrison troops were actually usable.
The Five City Garrison, responsible for guarding the gates and patrolling daily, numbered about 20,000.
They could do things like guarding the gates and patrolling, that's fine.
But sending them onto the battlefield would be like a hindrance, affecting morale.
“Troops, yes…” Eunuch Liu fell silent.
An army isn't simply a bunch of people gathered together, it's more than that.
Whether it's the armies of the Great Zhou or the Mongols, they all have been through countless wars.
To send ordinary people who have just been recruited to face a group of ruthless enemies would be nothing short of sending them to their deaths.
Jia Yu put down the lamb bones, burping, “This is the tenth day the enemy has been attacking the capital.
This breach is their last hope, the next two days they may make a desperate attempt at this breach.
If they break through, they can enter the capital to plunder, if they can't, they will definitely retreat.”
Jia Yu made a bold suggestion, “I wonder how many cavalry remain in the Three Thousand Guard, do they have the strength to fight?”
Niu Jizong furrowed his brow, “Nephew, you have a plan?”
“No.” Jia Yu shook his head, speaking frankly, “I feel that the next two days will be a good opportunity, they have been attacking for a long time without success, their morale must be affected.”
“If there was a cavalry unit, a proactive attack, it would surely cause chaos in their ranks.”
“A proactive attack?” Niu Jizong shook his head, “The enemy is numerous, the cavalry charge would need at least 10,000 men.
Without 10,000 cavalry, you wouldn't be able to break through their layers of defenses, it would be a futile death.”
He knew the situation of the troops in the capital better than anyone.
Niu Jizong said, “The Three Thousand Guard currently has about 3,000 cavalry who can fight, the rest are either injured or incapable of continuing the fight.”
“3,000 men?” Jia Yu thought for a moment, “3,000 men, plus my troops, that's enough.”
Jia Yu said confidently, “Our goal isn't to kill all the Mongols, it's to cut down their banner, make them panic.”
“In two days, the armies nearby should have reached the outskirts of the capital.
They may not dare to attack because of the enemy's large numbers.
But as long as I cut down the Mongolian banner, as long as I show the might of the Great Zhou army, the surrounding troops will surely join us in attacking the Mongols.”
As he spoke, Jia Yu thought of something he saw in the Mongol camp.
“Moreover, most Mongols have lost the desire to continue fighting.
Their will to fight will fade with prolonged attacks without success.
Now they're probably just thinking about taking the loot they plundered from the Great Zhou back to the steppes.”
“In their camp, I saw a lot of gold, silver and jewels.
Those things are useless in battle, they're more of a hindrance.”
Eunuch Liu listened to Jia Yu's bold and audacious idea, and for some reason, he believed that Jia Yu could pull it off.
Niu Jizong was also tempted, but as the Minister of War, he bore the responsibility of the capital's safety, he couldn't take risks.
“Nephew, your uncle bears the responsibility of the capital's safety, I can't take any risks.”
“Alright.” Jia Yu didn't push it, thinking to himself that after finishing his meal, he'd go out and kill a few more Mongols to fill his battalion to 1,000.
Eunuch Liu did take this matter to heart.
Your Majesty, the thing you need most now is authority…