Chapter 1080 Northern Expedition

Zhao Zhen, who had worked hard to have a son yesterday, yawned lazily, sat on the upper seat with boredom, ate a bite of the dried fruit tributed by Wang Yan, and sipped the health tea prescribed by Wang Yan for him to communicate with him remotely about his physical condition.

He sat in the government hall, watching the ministers who governed the country quarreling.

The court hadn't been so lively for a long time, he thought...

The government hall is really lively now. Any one of them is famous through the ages. It can almost be said that it is the strongest lineup when Zhao Zhen was in power.

Prime Minister Wen Yanbo, Deputy Prime Minister Fu Bi, Privy Councilor Han Qi, Deputy Privy Councilor Di Qing, who had just been promoted and had been unemployed for more than two years, Zhang Fangping, the Three Departments Envoy, and Fan Zhongyan, the Three Departments Deputy Envoy. Bao Zheng, the acting governor of Kaifeng Prefecture, Hanlin Ouyang Xiu, and Wang Anshi, who was transferred to the government hall to work as a clerk because of Wang Yan's little wings.

In addition, there were several vice-chancellors and other second-in-commands, such as Zeng Gongliang, Wang Yaochen, and others. All qualified people were here.

Although the number of people was far less than that of the grand court meeting, the intensity of the quarrel was incomparable to that of the grand court meeting. Because except for those sitting around and serving tea and water, and except for Di Qing who said nothing, the group sitting in the front row was not afraid of anyone.

There is no doubt that what they discussed was the issue of whether to fight this battle.

Among them, Fan Zhongyan, Bao Zheng, Fu Bi, Ouyang Xiu, etc., all clamored to fight. Even Wang Anshi interrupted and expressed support. The rest of the people were naturally opposed.

At this time, in this hall, those who could speak were not allowed to occupy the middle, and there was no room for the middle faction to survive. At this time, it was necessary to be clear-cut and have opinions. When the fire was burning, those who dared to fool around would definitely be kicked out of Beijing.

So everyone was arguing about whether to fight or not.

If they said they wanted to fight, they must have trusted Wang Yan's ability. After all, in all these years, Wang Yan was the one who started the war and defeated Xixia. In the past two years, although there was no war, there were frequent rebellions in Xixia, and the people fled to Song territory, and the border automatically expanded by dozens of miles. The border troops rubbed against each other every day.

And everyone knew the situation on Wang Yan's side. He had a well-trained army and sufficient food, and was ready to fight. It's not like he had no previous record. He was now submitting a document, which seemed to be a request for instructions, but in fact it was a notification.

But everyone also knew that Wang Yan was a wise man. This time he would definitely not give the court time to react like last time. Many things can only be done once, and Wang Yan has this sense of proportion.

But they also had no doubt that if they didn't agree, Wang Yan would have to go to war even if he didn't want to be an official.

This was the idea of ​​those who believed that not fighting was the best. They also knew that Wang Yan would fight whether they agreed or not. They also seized on the fact that Wang Yan was definitely going to fight and they could not stop him, so they not only got rid of Wang Yan, but also got the job done.

Fan Zhongyan and others wanted to protect Wang Yan, while Wen Yanbo and others wanted to get rid of Wang Yan. This was the root of their argument over whether to fight or not.

In fact, everyone thought they should fight. Since the second Song-Xia war, there was no tribute from Xixia and Khitan. After Fan Zhongyan returned to Beijing and started to reform the commercial tax and the taxes for the people, the income increased.

On the other hand, the military expenditure, which consumed the most, was because Xixia was defeated. In the northwest, the old and weak were dismissed, and a new army was formed, which reduced a lot of expenses. The military expenditure of the northern border army remained the same. In this way, the finances were greatly relieved.

The Song Dynasty, which made Zhao Zhen feel a little hot and a little precarious, became more and more stable.

As the saying goes, when you are full and warm, you will think about lust. Zhao Zhen's lust was satisfied very well, and he was busy every day. For him, this was the lowest level. His real desire is that at his age when he obviously feels incapable, he should consider his reputation after death, and naturally he wants to be a civil and military ruler. If the Song Dynasty grows stronger in his hands, then he will be satisfied.

Now that the internal situation is safe and there is no shortage of money, and there is even a lot of surplus, and his prestige and power have reached the peak of his reign, he certainly wants to work harder.

If not, Di Qing would not be sitting down. He received Wang Yan's letter and recalled him as soon as possible, and he didn't even go through the procedures, but just put up the name first to express his attitude.

He is not a fool, he is wise, and he also understands the thoughts of everyone present.

After listening for a long time, he drank a sip of tea, then coughed lightly and cleared his throat, and the noisy political hall quickly quieted down.

He glanced at the expressions of the people around him, smiled kindly, and was not worried about the war that was about to begin. He admitted that he hadn't slept for a long time when Wang Yan secretly provoked the war with Xixia. But it was that battle that made him unable to sleep now. It was just that he couldn't sleep because he thought of the great sense of achievement in his civil and military achievements...

"I think this war must be fought."

He set the tone as soon as he opened his mouth and picked up Wang Yan. Are you kidding? He was the greatest contributor to his civil and military achievements. How could he treat a meritorious official poorly during his tenure? Of course, he understood that the current situation of Zhao Song was all because of Wang Yan. He could suppress Wang Yan, but he could never dismiss Wang Yan. He would never do that. He was the most loyal minister of Zhao Song.

Give him good things, provide him with remote medical treatment, and take care of his health every now and then. Moreover, he was on the border, governing millions of people and commanding an army of 100,000. No official under his control dared to disobey him, and he was a self-contained entity. He was no weaker than the Jiedushi envoys in the troubled times of the Five Dynasties. Moreover, Wang Yan's imperial army and Xiang army had the highest combat effectiveness. All the armies that the Song Dynasty could fight were under Wang Yan's command. They were all trained and played by Wang Yan.

With such power, he was ostracized by courtiers, but he still worked wholeheartedly for Zhao Song. Although various arrangements were made to restrain and decentralize power, people in the past could not defeat Wang Yan at all, and the power was all in Wang Yan's hands. Those people also play a supervisory role. In such a situation, who has no worries and does not rebel, how can there be such a loyal minister?

His power, Lao Zhao's, suddenly increased, all because Wang Yan was supporting him.

Fan Zhongyan is not the only one who knows how to "let Wang Yan go", he, Lao Zhao, can also. The ministers are collectively looking for trouble for him, so he will convene a group of ministers to discuss the appropriate position for Wang Yan's return to the capital...

"Since the arrival of peace, the long-standing evils in the country have gradually eased, the national treasury has also had surplus food, and the people of our Song Dynasty have become better. A few days ago, I went out to the imperial city in private to have a look, and it seemed that everything was renewed.

It has been one hundred and twenty years since the son emperor cut off the sixteen states of Youyun and exchanged the throne with Khitan. My great achievements, Taizu of the Song Dynasty, have not yet been completed. Taizong succeeded him and failed to conquer Khitan twice. It has been fifty-two years since my father, Emperor Zhenzong, failed in his northern expedition to Khitan and formed an alliance with Chanyuan.

Over the years, I have also been thinking about the Northern Expedition to Khitan and the recovery of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun. Now that the country is rich and the people are prosperous, and the army is at its peak, I think it is time to restore our old land... If we want to fight this battle, we must take the Khitan to the north of Yanshan Mountain. "

Zhao Zhen gave many reasons and also mocked Shi Jingtang of course. There's nothing wrong with that. Even the car god is a hundred times better than Shi Jingtang, and he's already someone who is eyeing the pillar of shame.

After Zhao Zhen finished speaking, Fan Zhongyan took over: "The officials are wise, and our Song Dynasty is no longer the Song Dynasty of yesterday. It is necessary to expedition to the north of Khitan to restore our old land."

Lao Fan praises the bad feet, but it is not just to praise the bad feet, but to confirm that 'this battle must be fought to regain the old ground'.

After he opened his mouth, other people who were originally in favor of the war were followed closely by the "official wise".

The opposition headed by Wen Yanbo understood Zhao Zhen's intention to protect Wang Yan, so naturally they could only agree in unison. Zhao Zhen has already set the tone. If they can no longer distinguish between the big and small kings, they will have to go on a trip.

Zhao Zhen nodded with satisfaction: "Okay, since all of you dear friends want to fight, then let's fight. I guess Wang Qing must have been waiting impatiently. This time, the battle will be led by General Fan Qing, Han Qing will lead together, and Di Your Majesty is in charge of the army, and the rest will coordinate with you. You will wait to decide on the specific deployment..."

After making such arrangements, Zhao Zhen left without hesitation. He was already looking forward to his victory and to welcome back the power of the Central Plains Dynasty during the Han and Tang Dynasties, in his hands...

Wang Yan didn't know Zhao Zhen's sense of accomplishment. What he knew clearly was that the courtiers would definitely agree to fight this battle because victory was addictive. I used to be timid when I couldn't defeat others, but once I win a fight, my confidence will rise.

Furthermore, Fan Zhongyan's commercial tax reform has been completed, and the finances are abundant. Following his method of cleaning up people, he expanded the scope of attack in the process of collecting business taxes. He also eliminated many large households and appointed many officials. A large amount of land was nationalized and redistributed to the people for farming. The heavy tax of one out of ten taxes also made the people We are grateful. Coupled with the reduction and exemption of many miscellaneous taxes, the people under high pressure have regained their living space.

It has greatly eased social conflicts and stabilized people's hearts, naturally reducing all kinds of troubles.

So many officials have the feeling that this is a prosperous time. It’s not a feeling, many people started to write letters to flatter me. So under such circumstances, it is natural to think about the matter of Youyun Sixteen Provinces. After all, if this matter is not resolved, no matter how hard you brag, the Song Dynasty will not be able to do it.

As for the recovery of the Sixteen Youyun Provinces, everyone from the emperor to the officials took credit for it. Because the Song Dynasty came to glory in their hands, they were the ones who created it. Such a great reputation will surely last forever...

They all have reasons for going to war.

As for the opposition from Wen Yanbo and others, Wang Yan also understood that it was these people who wanted to mess with him. It's just that this group of people is a bit complicated. Some people don't like him, some think he will harm the country and the people, and some are afraid that he will rise to power and kill them. He understands this.

There is no mention of holding grudges, after all, these people are destined to be run over by his wheels. He is not a grudge-bearing person, but those people are not upright and have nothing to do with him...

"My lord, have the officials decided to go to war?"

Seeing Wang Yan smiling and reading the letter from Beijing, Zhong E asked with suppressed excitement.

After the last battle against Xixia, he was not dealt with. His level was improved, he was given a title, and he was already a general. He hugged Wang Yan's thigh again to ensure stability, and life was still very comfortable. Now I am naturally looking forward to fighting, wanting to make new achievements and achieve greater achievements. He will be granted the title of Marquis immediately. He is not yet a Marquis, so he has to pursue it...

Wang Yan glanced at him, already aware of his restlessness.

He folded Lao Zhang's official document and put it back in the envelope. He nodded with a smile and said, "In the fight, Duke Fan will be in charge of the war, and Duke Di will be in charge of the troops."

"good!"

Zhong E touched his palms and praised, and everyone jumped off their stools, "My lord, please give the order. The last general will send troops right now."

"Okay, stop being weird. If you can't keep your cool, you'd better not be a general." Wang Yan waved his hand in disdain. "This time, we will attack Khitan in three routes. One route has 40,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry to guard against chaos in Xixia. One route has 15,000 cavalry, going north over Yinshan Mountain into the grassland to disrupt the Shangjing Road and look for an opportunity to advance east. Another route has 100,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry, going directly east to Xijing Road to attack Yanshan..."

"I will lead the cavalry over Yinshan Mountain and into the grassland to disrupt the enemy's rear."

"I also asked you to lead the army. This task is difficult, there is no support, no food, and at the moment It is already late autumn. When winter comes, the grassland will snow. I am afraid it will be difficult to survive. Even if the whole army is equipped with cotton clothes to keep warm, it will not help to ride horses for a long time..."

"Sir, don't say more. I will save it. A warrior will gain fame and honor immediately, and he will have no regrets even if he dies!"

Wang Yan nodded: "Try to stay as far south as possible. When in danger, run straight to the south. There will definitely be reinforcements. It will not take a moment to destroy the Khitan. There is no need to fight to the death. As long as the green mountains are there, there is no fear of running out of firewood. Moreover, our cavalry is elite. Remember the guerrilla method. It is okay to lose soldiers and generals, but not the whole army. "

"I will obey your order." Zhong Yan half-knelt on the ground and bowed his hands to listen to the order.

"Send troops in half a month, go."

Zhong Yan responded and left with brisk steps...

Wang Yan smiled and asked the clerk to notify everywhere. He had to make further instructions, mainly to enter the wartime state and serve the war. At the same time, merchants should be dispatched. As long as they are allowed to make money, their subjective initiative is unmatched and their efficiency is very high.

As for the military supplies, they have been dispatched long ago. In the past, supplies were transported to the border areas almost every day, and a large amount of supplies were stored there, enough for the war.

The three elements of war, soldiers, money, and battle plans, soldiers and money have been ready for a long time, and it can be said that the big knife is impatient.

There are precedents for battle plans. He has demonstrated superb military talents and proved that he is a trustworthy military commander. So this time, it is natural to be like the last time he fought against Xixia, each responsible for a stall.

He fought from the west to the east, and Fan Zhongyan, Di Qing and others concentrated their superior forces to tightly guard the front lines of Hedong and Hebei, preventing the Khitan from breaking through the defense line and endangering the capital.

The importance of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun is unparalleled, because without the protection of the barriers of Taihang Mountains and Yanshan Mountains, there is no dangerous place to defend, which is equivalent to letting foreigners sit in the living room directly.

Of course, the foreigners here are the foreigners of today. Whether it is Khitan, Dangxiang, Jin, Yuan, etc., they have all become part of the big family a thousand years later...

And there is no doubt that Khitan is stronger than Xixia. The two battles of Helan Mountain in the Liao-Xia War were both fought by Khitan and Xixia. So this northern expedition against Khitan is obviously more difficult.

But on the other hand, the Song Dynasty has become stronger in recent years. Wang Yan has led more than 100,000 troops. The advantages of Khitan over Xixia have been filled. For him, it is not difficult. It mainly depends on Fan Zhongyan and others. They are not easy.

In this way, after various 800-mile rushes, I don’t know how many horses died, Wang Yan fully exchanged opinions with Fan Zhongyan and others, and finally set the rules...

Heqing Army is the border between the two countries in the war between Liao and Xia. In addition, there is a Jinsu Army, which is the same. It belongs to the frontier prepared by Khitan to attack Xixia.

Now that all the territory here has been conquered by Wang Yan, it is natural that this area has become the military border between the Song Dynasty and the Western Xia in this area.

It was getting dark as the evening approached.

The soldiers who had eaten earlier gathered together, looking at the Khitan military camp opposite, silently waiting for orders. In this late autumn ruin, there was a lot of killing.

The cold wind at night blew the withered green grass, and the horses seemed unable to bear the killing atmosphere, and they threw the ground under their feet restlessly, snorting from time to time.

Wang Yan was wearing a purple official robe, with his hands in his sleeves, blowing the cold wind of the autumn night.

He turned around and looked at the sky, which was only a line, and said softly: "Light it."

The soldiers guarding beside him took out the fire starter and lit the torch that had been prepared long ago.

Just as the fire burst forth with the raging autumn wind, the soldiers who had been sitting silently stood up at the shouts of the officers. For a moment, there was the rustling sound of armor leaves fluttering and the sound of metal and iron clashing.

After about five minutes, Wang Yan waved his hand: "Dance the torches, attack!"

The soldiers followed the order and waved torches back and forth.

As the signal came out, the soldiers began to march silently. They first walked and advanced in various predetermined directions. When they were completely dispersed, they ran and killed towards the Khitan camp a few hundred meters away.

In the half-moon darkness, only human figures could be seen moving around, densely packed...

Knowing Wang Yan's conduct, the Khitan garrison here was still on guard, and the investigators did not dare to relax their vigilance. The investigators at night were naturally not night blind. They quickly discovered the actions here.

In a moment, a warning sound with strong penetrating power and far-reaching sound was heard. Then, a desolate horn sounded, rippling across the vast land.

"Kill!"

The long-suppressed shouts of the Song army finally rang out on this ordinary autumn night...

After the Treaty of Chanyuan, 52 years later, Zhao Zhen brazenly launched a war against the Khitan, maintaining the formation that every Zhao Song emperor had to fight against the Khitan since Zhao Kuangyin.

The Northern Expedition has officially begun!

Thanks to Brother (Meet the King) for his 1,000-coin reward.

I also thank the good brothers who voted for the monthly tickets, recommended tickets, and read the book silently for their strong support!