Chapter 1075: War Begins

Of course, the Xixia people knew Wang Yan very early and were very clear about his deeds. Some of their dignitaries were fans of Wang Yan's calligraphy and loyal customers of the perfume shop.

They knew before that Wang Yan was different from other officials in the Song court. After all, there were too many people handling the financial data of the Song Dynasty, so it was not a secret. Moreover, it was announced during the grand court meeting, and everyone knew that the court had become rich in the past two years. They knew the political turmoil caused by Wang Yan very clearly. Even how Wang Yan operated was known in great detail.

But it was not until Wang Yan knew Yanzhou that the Xixia people knew how powerful the name Wang Yan represented. They watched the great changes that took place in Yanzhou before their eyes, and they also gritted their teeth and watched the summary of the number of elite soldiers lost because of the single-handed action initiated by Wang Yan.

They were sure that Wang Yan was a thorough advocate of war and a war madman who wanted to provoke a war between the two countries.

So they sent envoys to Cheng Kan first, and after not getting any effective response, they sent people directly to the capital, strongly condemning the Song Dynasty for ignoring the peace treaty between the two countries, and threatened that if this continued, they would go to war.

They also bribed people, saying that Wang Yan had private relations with border generals and monopolized the power of the border areas, and that Wang Yan was arrogant and disrespectful to his superiors. They also said that the border soldiers and generals all praised Wang Yan and thought of his goodness, saying that Wang Yan bought people's hearts and deliberately rebelled...

Obviously, Xixia did not want to fight at this time, but Wang Yan was determined to provoke a war, so they began to play tricks. It is even more obvious that they have a deep understanding of the Song court, and they attack the heart and alienate the people. A set of tricks is very smooth.

Xixia's tricks are still very useful, but unfortunately, this person is Wang Yan.

Even those who hate Wang Yan the most will not doubt Wang Yan's loyalty to the Song Dynasty court. Because if Wang Yan had this idea, with his ability, he would have just raised the flag and rebelled. Why would he have gone to such great lengths to generate tens of millions of guan for the Song Dynasty and suffered three assassination attempts? Why bother?

Although Wang Yan built a medical clinic and distributed piglets to the people, making money and gaining fame, that was because Wang Yan cared about the people and was doing it for the good of those peasants. Otherwise, why would he go against the big families? That was Wang Yan's political proposition, which was clearly written in the book. It was a slogan that he had shouted when he established his Taoism several years ago. He was there to establish his destiny for the people and bring peace.

Besides, Wang Yan also said that he had limited power and asked the court to allocate funds to set up a special department. Just kidding, how could it be possible. If you want to be a saint, don't ask the court to pay money...

If a person persists in doing one thing, even if the knife is cut on his body, people have to admit his purity. There is no doubt that in the Song Dynasty, Wang Yan is such a pure person.

However, the court officials in the capital all tacitly reported Wang Yan to the emperor, and reported to the emperor five times a day. Some people took Wang Yan as a joke, and some people took Wang Yan as an achievement.

This made the Xixia envoys very happy, thinking that their strategy had worked, but they didn't know that Wang Yan, who received the news, directly sent an urgent report 800 miles away, saying that this was a great opportunity to fight and recover 300 miles of territory in one battle.

Two days later, Wang Yan sent another urgent letter 800 miles away, saying that the enemy in Qingjian killed our people and despised our national prestige. The soldiers were all loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and they were good men who protected the people. They couldn't bear to see their compatriots suffer and the national dignity was humiliated. The public was angry and could not be suppressed, and changes could happen at any time.

Another three days, eight hundred miles of urgent work, Yanzhou's wing troops were all out, Qingjian's imperial guards were encouraged, Zhong Yan was unable to restrain them, and worried about mutiny, so he had to order an attack, and joined forces with the wing troops with 17,000 soldiers, defeated 6,000 enemies, and at the same time asked Di Qing to be transferred, and then sent ministers to preside over the situation...

"Zhizhou, is it really okay?"

Qingjian, on the city tower, Zhong Yan asked this question again.

He didn't look outside the city, but inside the city. It was densely packed with fully armed soldiers.

"Now that things have come to this, does Zi Zheng still have room?"

"Can the Zhizhou really protect us?"

"I told you a long time ago that I can't protect you." Wang Yan smiled and shook his head, "If you win, everything will be fine, I will guarantee you safety. If you lose, I can't protect myself, how can I protect Zi Zheng? Zi Zheng doesn't need to worry, just fight, do your best, and leave it to fate."

Zhong Yan shook his head, can he say that he was forced?

Wang Yan made up a story out of nothing, saying that the Xixia people on the opposite side shot and killed the people who ran here to look for sheep, and then sent a message to the Xiang army, encouraging them to avenge their compatriots. Then his Zhong family army listened to Wang Yan's deception. After two days of preparation, he had to wear armor and stand on the top of the city with Wang Yan. He didn't have the opportunity to choose, and he is still confused.

"Zi Zheng, if I were not a civil official, I would never give you the opportunity to lead the army. Remember, in this battle, take Suizhou as soon as possible, and then Xiazhou. I will guarantee the support of food and grass, and I will also send troops from other places to start the war on all fronts. While Xixia has not reacted, you can conquer as much land as you can."

"I understand."

"Go, General Zhong, draw your sword and mount your horse, and expand the territory. I am waiting for your good news."

Wang Yan stretched out his hands and patted the shoulder of Zhong Yan's armor hard, making a rustling sound.

Zhong Yan let out a long sigh, finally accepting his fate that he could not control. He knelt on one knee and clasped his hands together: "I will not disappoint the governor."

"Go!"

Wang Yan nodded with satisfaction, and stood on the city wall with his hands behind his back, watching Zhong Yan lead a group of commanders in charge of 1,500 people to start a combat meeting.

Fighting is not an easy thing, and it all requires careful planning. Of course, this first real battle is very simple, just a siege. As long as you arrange the right people, cut off the retreat of the Xixia army, and attack the city directly.

For a general like Zhong Yan who left his name, it was a piece of cake. So soon, the army began to go out in batches. Not from the north gate, but from the south gate, to go around a big circle and completely surround the Xixia army.

If you have a military advantage, you must use it.

There is no doubt that this battle was provoked by Wang Yan.

Because Xixia's operation deeply demonstrated their fear of Wang Yan and their fear of starting a war, the top leaders of the Song Dynasty had a consensus on this point. In fact, the middle and lower levels also have a consensus, but in this matter, it doesn't matter whether they know it or not.

Of course, this is also because of Wang Yan. After all, if it were someone else, without Wang Yan's ability and Wang Yan's resume, they would have done so many things in Yanzhou. There is no need for the Xixia people to spread rumors secretly. In order to improve performance, Taijian just reported a rumor and executed the person.

In Xixia, the young emperor Li Liangzuo is on the throne. He is only seven years old this year. His mother, Mo Zangshi, is in charge of the government, and his mother's brother, Mo Zang Epang, controls the government. There are internal struggles when there are powerful ministers, and there are internal struggles when there are no powerful ministers. The emperor is young, women are in power, and the uncle is in charge. Such a combination is destined to make the country have no ambition.

Li Yuanhao has only been dead for six years. Li Yuanhao in the later period was quite cruel. Everyone's good days did not last long. The young emperor was ignorant, Mo Zangshi was busy with men, and Mo Zang Epang was busy taking power and eliminating dissidents. At the same time, people from top to bottom were busy making money. How could they want to fight?

So Wang Yan took advantage of this and wrote a letter to request a war, but in fact it was a notice to the capital.

There are too many excuses for fighting. If it weren't for the Xixia people's wave of operations, he would have just found an excuse to start a war. But it couldn't escalate so quickly.

Although they were all illegal operations, the Xixia people did give the bigwigs in the court and the emperor on the dragon throne a certain amount of confidence. They didn't get numbed when they heard about the war, and even had some small expectations.

This is the small expectation.

Wang Yan made an in-depth analysis of the strength of both sides, and boasted very calmly about his merits in provoking Xixia and causing the enemy to suffer more than 10,000 casualties, etc., to give Zhao Zhen and others a preview and a reassurance.

As the saying goes, a general is not subject to the orders of the king when he is away. He said when to fight, he would fight.

However, for Wang Yan, this time was actually a bit sudden. Fighting Xixia was premeditated, but choosing to suddenly start a war at this time was a temporary decision.

Zhao Zhen and others certainly understood what Wang Yan meant. After all, Wang Yan didn't hide anything. The consecutive urgent letters of 800 miles were just two words, must win. Of course, it can also be four words, if you lose, it's my fault...

The soldiers were ready, and at the appointed time, the large army in the city trotted out of the city. Zhong Yan rode a white horse, with a red wind on his shoulders, and rode slowly to the opposite side.

The soldiers who came out in a line, led by the generals, rushed to different targets. They carried ladders and pushed siege vehicles, and rushed to the opposite side with a roar, scaring the opposite side to quickly sound the warning.

At this time, Wang Yan also swung the drumstick and beat the war drum to cheer for the good men...

Ye Lizhong was drinking with his men, but unexpectedly, he suddenly heard the sound of the gong. He ran out quickly and heard people shouting: "The Song army is coming, the Song army is coming"

"What's the situation?" Ye Lizhong frowned and looked at his men who ran to report the news in a panic.

"More than 10,000 Song soldiers are already attacking the city, General."

"What? More than 10,000? Zhong Yan is leading the army personally?"

"Yes, I saw Wang Yan beating the war drum on the tower from a distance."

Ye Lizhong was startled. He had just cursed Wang Yan when he was drinking...

But he was a qualified frontier general. He narrowed his eyes and quickly ordered: "Send someone to break through and ask for help."

"Yes."

"Come on, put on armor with me."

Watching his men running away quickly, Ye Lizhong didn't bother to curse Wang Yan anymore, let alone think about how Wang Yan dared to fight. He split a stray arrow and shouted into the house...

Ye Lizhong thought of countless situations of meeting Wang Yan, either Wang Yan kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy, or he chopped off Wang Yan's head and kicked it like a ball, and then processed it and inlaid it with agate to make a wine vessel... But he never thought that he would kneel in front of Wang Yan and die unyielding.

"You can kill me or chop me up, whatever you want. I will never surrender." He said it very firmly.

Wang Yan laughed and waved his hand: "You deserve to die for letting your men shoot and kill civilians. Take him down and chop off one of his hands first to greet him. The specifics will be decided by the government after the war."

He just wanted to see what the enemy generals looked like, and he had no intention of recruiting them. If he hadn't been kept as a military merit to report to the higher authorities and show the harvest of the war, Ye Lizhong would have suffered a lot.

He didn't need the loyalty of Xixia's generals, he needed the loyalty of Xixia's three million people, and he wanted ethnic integration, regardless of Han and Qiang.

Watching Ye Lizhong being dragged away, Wang Yan strolled to the city wall again, stood with his hands behind his back, and watched the army go away, all the way north.

The Xixia border army station opposite was more like a stronghold than a city. It was a wall built with big stones and loess, only about three meters high. This height was not considered to destroy the city, but only to capture the stronghold.

The famous bloody city defense battles in history were mostly fought in the great cities in the Central Plains with a long history and strategic locations. The high walls made of bricks, stones and clay dozens of meters high are called strong cities, and they are also the so-called places that military strategists must fight for. Otherwise, the civil officials and military generals in ancient times were not fools. Why would they attack a city fiercely and take lives for nothing? There must be a reason for victory.

Of course, the 6,000 troops of the Western Xia on the opposite side were not a match for the Song army. Moreover, the Song army had the advantages of large numbers, complete tools, and the most important first-mover advantage. The distance of about 500 meters is only a few minutes. It is not enough time to put on armor, assemble, and fight.

The struggle for power and profit from top to bottom is also the slackness and collapse from top to bottom. Moreover, as early as several months ago, the elite troops here were killed by Wang Yan's Xiang army. Even if the vacancies were made up later, they were not the original elite troops. There are also ladders and siege vehicles, all of which were transported by Wang Yan during this period.

So the war started a little impromptu, but the preparations had already begun when he was fighting the biological war. This is called strategizing...

Four days before the war, Wang Yan calculated the time and distance, and sent a copy of the urgent official document to the capital to Cheng Kan. It is to kill my border residents, and the public is angry. I am afraid that it cannot be suppressed, and there may be a war.

Old Cheng did not disappoint Wang Yan, because he cursed as soon as he saw Wang Yan's official document, and then urgently convened officials to discuss matters, dispatched money and food supplies, sent a message to the front line, made arrangements, and attacked the opposite Xixia army in two days, as well as the next attack location after the breakthrough.

Old Cheng is not a waste, or to say that no player of Old Cheng's level is a waste, but he is old and has no courage. Wang Yan forced him to do it, how dare he not submit?

He can only bite the bullet and go up, if he doesn't, the overall situation will be ruined by him.

However, Old Cheng would definitely not indulge Wang Yan's bad habits, and he would directly file a complaint against Wang Yan for provoking a war, saying that he was guilty of a heinous crime. He also knew that this document was not even worthy of being used as a table leg, but he had to file a complaint, otherwise he would feel uncomfortable...

After the Ah Q-like spiritual victory, Old Cheng moved his old bones and rushed to the front line with a curse. The next day, he received a message from Wang Yan, which was very brief, just two words, "War!"

The next day, the Shaanxi defense line attacked across the board...

At this time, Zhong Yan had already led his troops to capture Suizhou, which took only three days, and then he followed Wang Yan's order and went to Xiazhou.

All the people in Xixia were soldiers, but soldiers who were not organized had little combat effectiveness. With the momentum of a broken bamboo, the combined forces of the Xiang Army and the Imperial Army led by Zhong Yan had already shown a higher momentum, and no one could stop them.

Of course, the main reason was that they took advantage of the loopholes, which was a sneak attack, and Xixia had not yet organized a counterattack.

And the entire battlefield was not smooth. In a small range, the troops on Zhong Yan's side were the most successful. In a large range, the Yanzhou defense line was relatively smooth, which was of course because Wang Yan led his troops to fight a single biological and chemical war and killed more than 10,000 people, most of whom were elites.

Elite is the soul of a unit, the vanguard, and the guarantee of combat effectiveness. Only the Yanzhou defense line was challenged, so naturally Yanzhou's advancement speed was faster. Moreover, Wang Yan's logistics was also quite good, and material support was very timely.

Relatively speaking, the war in other places was not so smooth. With the first-mover advantage, but failed to fight an annihilation war of autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves. The enemy retreated calmly and retained a considerable part of its manpower.

And that place was relatively close to Xingqing, the capital of Xixia, and the support was relatively timely, so the war there was very tense.

This was Wang Yan's goal in itself. He never thought about the beauty of a full-line victory. As long as he could tie down the Xixia troops elsewhere, that would be a great achievement.

Such a vanguard unit led by Zhong Yan can stir up the situation. If there are too many, they can't catch anyone, and if there are too few, they can't kill enough. It's impossible to cut off the retreat. Wang Yan still has 6,000 wing troops in his hands. Although the other Yanzhou imperial guards obeyed Lao Cheng's dispatch, they also constantly helped Zhong Yan share the pressure.

The troops here have all scolded Wang Yan, and have witnessed with their own eyes how the Xixia people are cuckolds. Morale is a mysterious thing, but once it rises, it really adds to combat effectiveness. Especially in their surprise attack, it is basically a big victory of autumn wind and falling leaves, which will further increase their psychological advantage. They won't think that it was Wang Yan who killed the opponent's elite. They will only think that they are awesome and the Xixia people are not so good.

What he likes most is actually the national power crushing and pushing all the way. But there is no way, a bunch of dragging their feet. It can only be like this, most of the troops contain the main force, and a small part of the elite pulls the enemy's deployment, playing the enemy to death.

Why did Wang Yan waste his time and energy to fight with Zhong Yan in the previous half month? That was a lesson for him. He really talked about many ways to deploy troops. Zhong Yan was a cultured person, not a pure rough man. He was also familiar with military books and his professional ability was not bad. The sum of one plus one was greater than two.

At the same time, Wang Yan also sent out the cavalry unit of less than 2,000 people who had not been trained yet to carry out his cavalry guerrilla warfare. Divided into many small units, they roamed around Zhong Yan's troops. If there were fewer people, they would shoot arrows or use knives. If there were more people, they would run away, and they could also inform Zhong Yan in time and run away in advance.

In this way, when Song, Xia and Liao had not yet accepted it, the Second Song-Xia War lasted for half a month in a blink of an eye.

Regions outside Yanzhou were in a state of emergency, while Yanzhou was winning victory after victory. Every time there was an emergency, this side would definitely win. It was also during this process that Di Qing, who was requested to be transferred by Wang Yan, came, and there was another person who was unexpected, but reasonable when you think about it...

I would like to thank the good brothers who voted for the monthly ticket, recommended ticket, and read the book silently for their strong support!