Travels Of Marco Polo: Thirteen

When Kublai came to know of the move of Nayan and Kaidu, he was not at all alarmed, but declared that he would never wear a crown unless he bring the traitors to death. He made his whole army prepared for a strike. This he done in a clandestine way that the news never spread beyond his own council. Both mounted soldiers and infantry, consisting of his own huntsmen were put on two fronts to strike the enemies, the rest being engaged in distant raids and plunder; these being a secondary source of income, the primary being cattle and sheep rearing. He then called his astrologers, and asked of them if he would be victorious. They assured him that he would be victorious. This was a necessary ritual, to ensure that the morale of his fighters to winning position.

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