Phags-pa seemed to have pondered this question for a long time. Hearing the question, he answered directly, "Western Xia toyed with our Mongol State and humiliated the Fifth Prince at the previous marriage selection. It should have been the first target of our retaliation, but Western Xia has been established for many years and cannot be taken down overnight."
"On the contrary, the Dzungar tribe to the west seems to have allied itself with Western Xia and the Jin Dynasty lately, contacting the remnants of Khwarazm. Large numbers of merchant caravans travel between them and Western Xia and the Jin Dynasty, selling Central Plains silk and porcelain to the west, then transporting weapons from places such as the Rus principalities back to the Central Plains. If this continues, the strength of those nations will only grow. Moreover, they support one another like horns, so they must be eliminated as soon as possible."
Temujin nodded. "Indeed. I was occupied with the Western Expedition these past few years and never expected Galdan to grow so powerful, constantly harassing my rear. I had not been able to spare the time before, but this time, I will sweep away all these rats on the grasslands and ensure the safety of the Mongol Empire's right flank!"
The Dzungar Khanate was not weak. It commanded tens of thousands of mounted archers, all born of Mongol tribes and fierce in battle. Yet most of its territory was desert or grassland, terrain so flat that it was ideal for cavalry warfare. And when it came to cavalry, Temujin was confident that his Kheshig were not targeting anyone in particular—everyone present was trash.
Phags-pa smiled. "And there is good news for us as well. The Dzungar Khanate will inevitably suffer internal turmoil in the coming days."
"Oh, internal turmoil?"