Prime Minister

Chapter 1378 Finale (Part )

November 5, the third year of Yuanyou.

A cold wind swept across Liangzhou City, carrying fine yellow sand.

Wang Hou stood with his hand on his sword.

Ten years of recuperation and ten years of lessons learned have allowed the Song Dynasty to take root and flourish in Liangzhou. Since the court appointed Wang Hou to manage the northwest, this once barren land of rolling yellow sand has now become crisscrossed with fields and military settlements everywhere.

Meanwhile, the Liangzhou pastures supplied the Song army with a large number of cavalry, and the surplus horses were used to equip a large number of chariots for this deep penetration attack.

As the war drums sounded, the Xihe Road army rose up from Liangzhou, including the Liangzhou direct troops, the Dangxiang direct troops, not counting the cavalry attached to various armies, and the Han army's direct cavalry. Countless cavalry and caravans poured out of the camps, merging into the advancing army from all directions.

As the nearly 100,000-strong army marched, the cavalry moved back and forth, and apart from the dense sound of footsteps, there was no other noise; the order was solemn and orderly.

Tens of thousands of cavalrymen marched out of Liangzhou, displaying the indomitable spirit of the Han people. Behind them were large wagons and more than 200,000 laborers, more than half of whom were conscripted from Qinfeng Road and the rest from Xihe Road.

Yang Datou was one of them.

He is fifty years old this year. He was originally from Qinzhou. Due to the imperial court's recruitment of farmers, he moved to Xihe Road, settled down, married and had children.

This time, he was conscripted from his home in Xizhou and sent to Liangzhou.

He had traveled this road from Xizhou to Liangzhou countless times, and thought that he was too old to walk it again in his life.

But this time, for a nationwide war, one man would be conscripted for every three able-bodied men in Xihe Road, and one man for every five able-bodied men in Qinfeng Road. The imperial court had issued a death order for the Baojia Circuit.

What is a death sentence? It means that anyone who dares to evade service will be executed.

So Yang Datou was unlucky enough to be chosen and had no choice but to go.

As the sandstorm raged, Yang Datou's cloudy eyes witnessed everything. Fortunately, his family had built a house, and his eldest son was beginning to learn. The imperial court promised that if he died in battle, his eldest son could continue his studies, and that he would be given priority for future government jobs.

Throughout history, the suffering of the people has been immense during times of war. His eldest son, who was still in school, recited a poem for him, "The Officer of Shihao," which left Yang Datou silent for a long time.

But then he thought again, the current emperor is more enlightened than the sages of the Tang Dynasty. If he dies, but secures a future for his child, then his life will have been worthwhile.

Yang Datou glanced at the cart, which was loaded with horse feed, but this was not for the mules and horses that pulled the cart; it was a special feed for warhorses that were ready to charge into battle.

As for the other large carts, they were loaded with various weapons and armor or provisions.

"drive!"

Yang Datou raised his whip and followed the marching army.

Marching more than 300,000 people was no easy task. The soldiers were of varying quality, and their marching speeds differed. They also had to conceal the civilian laborers transporting supplies.

If they didn't advance properly, they would scatter. Therefore, Wang Hou divided his troops into three parts: cavalry and infantry. The army marched towards Helan Mountain in a grand and imposing manner, with no end in sight. The vanguard set out at sunrise and the rearguard did not leave Liangzhou City until sunset.

The Qingtang tribe also crossed the desert with them, but they took a different route, otherwise it would have been difficult to obtain water along the way.

……

Fuyan Road.

Yinchuan City.

After the Song army's failure to build Yongle City, in the second year of the Yuan You era, the Dangxiang also lost Lingzhou City. In order to seek peace, Li Bingchang ceded Xiazhou, Yinzhou, and the other three prefectures of Dingnan.

Taking advantage of the situation, the Song army advanced and abandoned the original plan to build a city in Yongle City. Instead, they chose to build Yinchuan City in Yinzhou as their main base for conquering Hengshan. In just one year, they not only built a 1,500-step city wall, but also eight protective forts.

After the Song army built Yinchuan, two-thirds of the tribes near Hengshan surrendered to the Song Dynasty. Li Bingchang repeatedly ordered that they not surrender to the Song, and that any tribes that submitted to the Han people be arrested and killed.

But it couldn't withstand the overwhelming trend and the will of the people.

Since the Yuanfeng era, the five prefectures of Dingnan have suffered repeated severe droughts. For the Dangxiang people, only Hengshan and Tiandushan in Henan Province are suitable for farming and grazing; the rest of the land is barren.

Now that Tiandu Mountain has been lost and Hengshan suffers from severe droughts every year, Li Bingchang has been conscripting troops annually, but the Hengshan tribes have long been unable to respond. Now that the Song army is building Yinchuan City, many Hengshan tribes have openly or secretly surrendered to the Song.

In fact, the Song army could have chosen to garrison Xia Prefecture, which was the former site of Tongwan City built by Helian Bobo, and was ceded to the Song Dynasty last year.

However, Xia Prefecture had been devastated by years of warfare, and even the city walls had been breached by Emperor Taizong of Song. Lü Huiqing had repeatedly led troops from Hedong to raid for supplies, leaving the land barren and causing the people to flee. Therefore, the Song army left only one detachment to guard the city and instead focused on developing Yinchuan.

Today, Yinchuan is heavily fortified with troops, exuding an aura of war and conflict from the inside out.

The atmosphere in the Baihu Festival Hall, a five-room, seven-bay structure in the city, was even more somber. Armored soldiers were densely packed under the eaves on all four sides of the hall, and the commander's flag and banners were placed in front of the hall, rustling in the cold wind.

Zhong Shidao, along with Mi Yun, Qu Zhen, Gao Yongneng, Jing Siyi, Liu Fa, Liu Yanqing, Liu Zhongwu, and others, are currently gathered in the hall for a discussion.

The windows on all four sides were tightly closed, and thick red candles burned in the hall. In the center of the military map were the original five prefectures of Dingnan.

But then the commander-in-chief, Zhong Shidao, spoke.

"In the past, the Qiang tribes of Hongzhou, Youzhou, and Yinzhou were the most powerful and brave, and were always controlled by Li Yuanhao and Li Bingchang, posing a great threat to China. Now, only Hongzhou remains!"

"But as long as we capture Hongzhou, Longzhou, and then Yanzhou, Hengshan will be secured, and the strategy assigned to this route by the Minister of Works will be completed!"

But then Liu Fa stepped forward and said, "Reporting to the Commander, this humble general has a plan!"

Master Zhong said, "Tell me."

Liu Fa said, "This subordinate has sent men to investigate. Hongzhou City is low-lying, with only a moat. We can send several thousand cavalry to rush and attack it."

“Each cavalryman carries a bundle of grass and a shovel. They fill the trenches, dig through the city walls, and then they can capture the city.”

Mi Yun, standing to the side, said, "The Dangxiang Qiang people have been managing Hongzhou for over a hundred years. How can we take shortcuts? This strategy is not feasible."

Another general, Liu Yanqing, chimed in, "Our army has many soldiers and generals; advancing slowly is the right way."

The generals were engaged in a heated debate, their shadows cast on the window paper, resembling a shadow puppet show.

Zhong Shidao knew that the various factions in Shaanxi were intricate and complex, especially in the Fuyan Road, where the major and minor military families had their own conflicts and were always vying for credit and shifting blame.

Emperor Zhao Song liked to promote officials from humble backgrounds to balance the political situation in the court. Zhong Shidao not only used members of the Zhong family, but also promoted Liu Fa, who did not belong to any faction, so that he could stand out.

But Liu Fa said, "The right way to use troops is to combine the orthodox and the unorthodox. As the saying goes, speed is of the essence in war. When Wang Zhongzheng led a large army to attack Xingzhou, Lingzhou could have been taken with just a few hundred cavalrymen, but he did not take action, thus missing the opportunity."

"Taking Hongzhou now only requires this much effort, why go through all this trouble? This humble general is willing to sign a military pledge."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Shidao said, "You are truly a brave man. I will do as you say."

Mi Yun, standing to the side, said with a face full of dissatisfaction, "Has the commander reported the strategy for advancing the troops to the headquarters?"

Zhong Shidao waved his hand and said, "No need. Before we set out, the Minister of War had already said that military operations should not be planned from afar, and that the task of defeating the enemy should be left to the generals!"

"If things don't go well in the rear, the responsibility lies with him; if things don't go well at the front, the responsibility lies with me."

"In short, everything is fine as long as we win. If we really have to consult the Minister of Works on everything, we'll still be punished if we lose!"

The generals fell silent upon hearing this.

Zhong Shidao said to Liu Fadao, "With a major battle imminent, each of your soldiers should be allocated five strings of cash, a bolt of silk, and a bolt of cotton for their settlement. If you need any other military supplies or food, just bring them. I will allocate everything according to your command."

"We must win this battle, we cannot afford to lose!"

Liu Fa roared, "This humble general obeys!"

……

Weizhou was the location of the former Dangxiang Jingse Military Supervisory Office.

In the past, Li Yuanhao had briefly traversed Huanqing and Jingyuan routes here, but now Weizhou has long become the logistics base for the Song army's two armies, Huanqing and Jingyuan, in their campaign against the Dangxiang.

In the past, the Dangxiang people managed Xingzhou and Lingzhou, where water conservancy and irrigation were well-developed.

Large-scale rice cultivation was possible in Lingzhou, so this measure alleviated the difficulty of transporting Song army's provisions over long distances.

During the Tang Dynasty, the military governor of Shuofang commanded 64,000 troops, with 20,700 stationed in Lingwu County (Lingzhou). Stationing heavy troops in key front-line prefectures, where supplies were self-sufficient, was a primary method of deterring enemy states. Similarly, Linfu in Hedong Circuit also had 20,000 Song troops stationed there, preventing the Dangxiang people from farming and herding there.

After capturing Lingzhou, the Song army stationed 20,000 elite troops from Huanqing and Jingyuan Road, and recruited several thousand local Han Chinese from Guanzhong who had been assimilated into non-Han culture to serve as archers, eyeing Xingzhou across the river.

Besides stationing troops, retaking Lingzhou had another important significance. Emperor Taizong of Tang met with the various Tiele tribes in Lingzhou and was later honored as the Heavenly Khan, thus formally establishing the Tang Dynasty's control over the various tribes of the grasslands.

Recapture of Lingzhou signifies the restoration of prestige in the Central Plains.

To facilitate the westward expedition of hundreds of thousands of troops, in addition to Lingzhou, the Song army also built several grain fortresses along the marching route in Weizhou, Huanzhou, and Mingshazhou. This was also due to the different offensive and defensive situations in the war between the Song and the Tanguts; the Song army placed a large number of grain fortresses in advance to shorten the supply distance.

After Wang Shan and Peng Sun became the military commissioners of the two routes, they continuously recruited Dangxiang people, soldiers, and garrison commanders to defect to the Song Dynasty. Within a month, more than ten thousand Dangxiang rebels had joined them.

After confirming the news of the troop deployment, Wang Shan, the military commissioner of Huanqing Road, sent Yao Xiong as the vanguard to Jingzhou.

Yao Xiong used surrendered Dangxiang soldiers as his vanguard. He had learned the names of the soldiers guarding the beacon tower beforehand and ordered them to falsely announce that their leader had arrived.

They would call out one person and immediately kill another, using this method to capture more than ten beacon towers set up by the Tanguts to guard against the Song army.

When Yao Xiong's army arrived at the city of Jingzhou, Wei Mingyaomo, the Dangxiang military supervisor stationed in Jingzhou, was greatly surprised and immediately surrendered without a fight.

After easily capturing the western gateway to Xingzhou, the Song army proceeded to besiege and attack Huaizhou. Wang Shan sent troops to attempt to cross the Yellow River, but they were repelled by the defending forces.

However, Peng Sun, the military commissioner of Jingyuan Road, had learned in advance that the garrison at Weijing Mountain was weak and incapable of fighting.

Peng Sun sent Wei Ming Amai, the former Left Wing Military Supervisor who had surrendered to the Song Dynasty, to persuade the two tribes of the Fan tribes, He Qiangshan and E Xin, to surrender. The Dangxiang troops stationed at Weijing Mountain were thrown into turmoil. Qiangshan informed Peng Sun of the true nature of the Dangxiang troops' deployment. Peng Sun immediately ordered Generals Guo Cheng and Liu Long to cross the Yellow River from upstream and downstream respectively and directly attack Weijing Mountain. As a result, the Dangxiang troops suffered a great defeat, and Weijing Mountain fell.

When the Song army's banners fluttered over Weijing Mountain, the gates of Shunzhou City were wide open, allowing Peng Sun's main force from Jingyuan Road to easily cross the Yellow River, a natural barrier. The Dangxiang troops along the river dared not resist, either surrendering or fleeing.

Shunzhou was once again besieged by the Song army.

At the beginning of the war, the Jingyuan Road and Huanqing Road projects progressed very smoothly.

……

At the foot of the Qilian Mountains, Aligu rallied his army, with Tong Guan serving as the military supervisor.

The Uyghur and Tatar warriors led by Aligu were heading towards the military command of the Tangut Black Mountain Town.

Tong Guan carefully examined the troops under Aligu's command. They were indeed more valiant than the troops of the Qing Tang tribe he had seen before, but unfortunately, only about 10% of them were armored.

In contrast, the armor coverage rate of the Song army in Xihe Road was close to 50%, while the other routes in Shaanxi had an armor coverage rate between 20% and 30%. When Li Yuanhao swept through Guanzhong, he captured Song army armor, resulting in an extremely high armor coverage rate for his troops, even creating a powerful army like the Iron Falcons, where all soldiers were fully armored.

However, after the Battle of Pingxia City, the elite Tangut soldiers were wiped out, and all their armor was lost.

Aligu said to Tong Guan, "Tell me, should the land we conquer be given to the Song Dynasty or belong to my family?"

Tong Guan said, "The military governor is not an official of the Song Dynasty, so why do you say that?"

Aligu said, "Since he is a military governor, he is a regional governor. Of course, there should be an explanation. We should ask questions in advance."

Tong Guan said, "In this Northern Expedition, our army has sent troops from all directions to pressure him."

"Your troops should lend a hand! Take advantage of the situation and launch a surprise attack on Black Mountain Town. It won't take much effort. We've already agreed on this beforehand, are you going to go back on your word?"

"Previously, we thought the military expedition was just a formality, a show of force. But I know that the Gaochang Uyghurs might send troops south to support the Dangxiang this time. What should we do then?"

Tong Guan asked, "How are the troops in Gaochang?"

Aligu looked at Tong Guan's expression as if he were assessing Gaochang's strength.

Tong Guan didn't hide anything, saying, "After conquering the Dangxiang, the imperial court will be bordering Gaochang, and we will inevitably have to deal with them in the future. Knowing their details early on may be useful for future advancements."

Seeing Tong Guan's undisguised ambition, Ali Gu secretly felt apprehensive.

He had served several years in the Song Dynasty and was very familiar with the affairs of the dynasty. Eunuchs like Li Xian and Tong Guan, who came to supervise the army, were not easy to deal with. These people acted solely according to the emperor's wishes, completely devoid of right and wrong, selfish, cold-hearted, cruel, and ruthless, only interested in creating bloodshed to satisfy their own wealth and power.

How can the Song Dynasty be considered fortunate for the country if its emperors employ such people?

After a brief moment of immersion in his ambition to achieve great deeds and expand territory, Tong Guan immediately turned around and asked, "What reward did the military governor just say he wanted?"

Aligu solemnly replied, "Defeating Gaochang is something I am willing to do at the behest of the Song Emperor. As for whether or not we can obtain Heishan Town, I would appreciate it if you, my lord, could make the decision for me."

Tong Guan laughed upon hearing this. This Ali Gu is still so flexible and adaptable. Sikong said that this person is the same kind of An Lushan, which is absolutely true.

Tong Guan immediately made a solemn promise, and Ali Gu also expressed his loyalty.

However, these two are birds of a feather, and they both know that not a single word the other says can be trusted.

……

The Xihe Road army set off from Liangzhou and went straight into the desert.

When the army first entered the desert, they could still see a lot of Artemisia argyi on the edge of the desert. However, as they went deeper, all they saw along the way was endless yellow sand. Apart from sand willows and black willows, there were no other plants along the way.

Fortunately, numerous lakes of varying sizes are scattered throughout the desert, which the Tangut people call "Haizi" (seas).

An oasis formed around the lake, and the Song army had scouted the terrain before advancing, making it easier for the army to replenish water along the way.

As soon as the troops arrived, men, horses, and camels all rushed to the lake shore to eat and drink.

Yang Datou cherished his livestock. He was reluctant to drink water himself when he was thirsty, but when he saw his mule thirsty on the road, he immediately took off the water bag on the cart and fed the mule.

Now that they had reached the lake shore, Yang Datou let the mules and horses drink water while filling his empty water bag. Only when he had a spare moment did he scoop up a handful of the icy water and slowly drink it.

Yang Datou had only traveled a little over two hundred miles when he saw that nearly ten percent of the army's livestock had already died along the way.

Many laborers had no choice but to carry their own grain as they went.

After drinking his fill of water, Yang Datou tenderly stroked his mule, which was his lifeblood. Seeing the mule grazing on the grassy bank, Yang Datou finally felt relieved.

"Reporting to the commander-in-chief, our army has advanced along the lake shore and has already swept away more than 500 Dangxiang tribe camps."

"Reporting to the Commander, scouts report that the Tangut scouts have reached the upper reaches of the Blackwater River."

Commander Zhong Pu hurried to report to Wang Hou, his armor clanging. Zhong Pu had a scar across his left cheek, left from a battle with the Tibetans five years ago.

"It seems the Tanguts were prepared and strengthened the defenses of the Blackwater River!"

Following Wang Hou's gaze, Zhong Pu saw that there were Tangut tribe settlements and caravans in the depths of the desert.

Wang Hou turned around, and torches lit up one after another in the Song army camp. This general, who had followed Zhang Yue out of the pass to conquer Xihe Road when he was young, now had gray hair at his temples.

"Order all generals to convene a meeting in the central command tent at 5 PM."

Inside the central command tent, a meticulously crafted sand table occupies the center.

Wang Hou lightly tapped one spot with his riding whip: "Tanliang City is the lifeline of the Dangxiang people, a crucial military stronghold, and also our division's target this time."

On the sand table, this earthen city is like a wedge stuck at the junction of the Gobi Desert and the oasis, surrounded by scattered fine yellow sand.

After Li Yuanhao's death, in the second Battle of Helan Mountain between the Liao and Dangxiang, the Liao attacked the Dangxiang in three routes. The southern route army set off from Youzhou to attack the vicinity of the Yellow River bend, the central route army set off from the southern foothills of Yinshan Mountain, and the northern route army bypassed Helan Mountain and directly attacked the Hexi Corridor.

Although the Liao army suffered defeats on its southern and central routes in this battle, its northern route achieved great success. After capturing Liangzhou City, they turned back to attack Tanliang City at the foot of Helan Mountain. In this battle, the Dangxiang suffered a major defeat, and even Empress Dowager Mozang, the mother of Li Liangzuo, and many other officials were captured by the Liao army. Afterwards, the Liao army besieged Xingqing Prefecture. With the southern route army defeated and the central route army returning without success, the Liao army forced the Dangxiang prime minister Mozang Epang to sue for peace with the Liao.

This time, the troops of Xihe Road will replicate this route. The difference is that the Liao Kingdom attacked from east to west and then turned back to the east, while the Song army went straight to Liangzhou from the east, crossed the desert and attacked Tanliang City, and then joined forces with the troops of Jingyuan Road and Huanqing Road at the city of Xingzhou.

"The Tanguts have stockpiled 500,000 shi of grain here."

Wang Hou suddenly slammed his whip on the edge of the sand table, "Take this city, and my army can march straight to Xingqing Prefecture with the supplies!"

The Song army's biggest problem was logistics, and the Tanguts understood this well. The reason they deliberately built the grain city on the back side of the Helan Mountains was to prevent the Song army from attacking directly to seize their grain. Therefore, Tanliang City has always been a key location for the Tanguts to store grain.

This time, the Song army marched from Hexi, bypassing the natural barrier of the Yellow River, attacking the rear of the Dangxiang people, and striking directly at their weak point. This replicated the Liao Dynasty's grand flanking maneuver strategy from the Second Battle of Helan Mountain.

The generals in the tent whispered among themselves.

Zhong Pu suddenly said, "I believe the Dangxiang troops are lying in ambush around Tanliang City. Our scouts who previously investigated this area were all driven away by the Dangxiang scouts."

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from outside the tent.

The guard lifted the tent flap and entered, kneeling on one knee: "Report! Urgent message from Liangzhou!"

Wang Hou took the lacquered bamboo tube, unfolded the military report, and his brows gradually furrowed.

"The Dangxiang general Bairenduo Baozhong was appointed commander-in-chief, the Right Wing Army Supervisor was appointed commander-in-chief, and Weiming Lüling was appointed deputy commander. They mobilized 120,000 troops and moved towards Hexi."

The atmosphere inside the tent suddenly became tense.

Zhong Pu said, "General, they must be coming for us!"

"General, how should we meet the enemy?" the generals under his command asked in unison.

Wang Houdao said, "Our army is launching a five-pronged attack on the Dangxiang. It is impossible for the Dangxiang to meet us from all five directions. They must be heading straight for one of the routes."

"Gentlemen, this must be the final battle."

It turns out that the Tanguts had already made a bold decision and actually mobilized troops here.

……

Since arriving in Jingzhao Prefecture, Zhang Yue has been dealing with economic matters. Now that war has broken out, rice prices have skyrocketed. Although the imperial court has introduced policies to restrict hoarding and speculation, the more policies the court introduces, the more rice merchants unite to hoard their rice, which makes Zhang Yue feel somewhat troubled.

Throughout history, some businessmen have been adept at shorting countries.

They all deeply understood Soros's principle of reflexivity; they didn't come together as if by prior arrangement, but rather as a kind of hive mentality.

Just like now, when rice prices are rising, the imperial court has introduced policies to restrict them, but these people are just going against the grain.

Because they understood that once the bottom line of the imperial court's policies was breached, it meant that the regulation had failed, and rice prices would retaliate with a surge, even far exceeding the levels seen before rice prices were restricted.

So this surge in price represents the profits these people have made.

Zhang Yue, who was stationed in Chang'an, showed no mercy to these people and arrested and severely punished them all.

Of course, this move was opposed by many officials on Yongxing Road. These people were quite like Hayek's followers, saying that this was a market-oriented behavior.

But normally it would be one thing, but now that the three kingdoms are at war, a matter of life and death for the nation, one must consider the occasion. Zhang Yue completely ignored their advice and even drew his imperial sword to kill two civil officials who had secretly colluded with merchants to inflate grain prices.

This directly broke the tradition of "not killing scholar-officials".

After killing people and severely punishing a bunch of others, Zhang Yue took out the imperial grain reserves he had prepared in advance and sold them on the market, stabilizing grain prices and making a fortune.

At this moment, the officials of Yongxing Road finally realized that Zhang Yue's purpose was not to stabilize grain prices, but purely to kill people to establish his authority!

Zhang Yue used to be quite good at playing the fool, but it turns out he's just like Cai Que and Lü Huiqing. Sima Guang's classic saying is really damn true!

From then on, Yongxing Road was quiet and orderly.

This is also Zhang Yue's usual tactic: either he doesn't do it at all, or he doesn't stop once he starts.

Once a policy is issued, it must be absolutely firm, and the market must not be allowed to breach the policy bottom line.

From then on, no one dared to cause trouble or speculate on goods. All industries in Jingzhao Prefecture were orderly and prices were stable.

At this moment, Zhang Heng entered to report.

But then they saw Zhang Yue eating a bowl of wheat porridge.

Zhang Gen knew that Zhang Yue was a southerner who was used to eating rice, so why was he eating wheat rice today?

Zhang Yue put down his chopsticks and said, "What you said is indeed true. The borderlands are bitterly cold. This wheat was produced north of the Helan Mountains by the Dangxiang people."

"The wheat here takes a year to ripen, and it's so sticky that it's almost inedible."

Zhang Gen suddenly realized that this was why Zhang Yue was eating wheat rice.

"Not only in Helan Mountain, but also in Xizhou, the wheat is far inferior to that produced in Guanzhong. This is due to the cold weather."

Zhang Gen said, “Reporting to the Minister of Works, the weather has suddenly turned colder since the beginning of winter, even more so than in the past. This winter, when we are sending troops out, each route will be given sheepskin coats as gifts to the soldiers and horses. Each sheepskin coat is made of five sheepskins, and each sheepskin is worth five thousand coins, so the cost is twenty-five strings of cash.”

"They also provided strong liquor to keep warm, and fodder for cooking, plus two strings of cash per month."

"During their campaigns, all troops were given the same amount of grain as the troops of Xihe Road, with an additional two and a half liters of millet and two hundred coins per day."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue paced back and forth. Xingqing Prefecture was located near the Yellow River and had well-developed water conservancy. Advancing in the spring and summer would likely have resulted in encountering the same tactic the Tanguts used to flood the army at Lingzhou. Therefore, choosing to advance during the dry season of autumn and winter was an advantageous option.

However, the severe cold weather led to poor harvests for both the Tangut people and the Song Dynasty along their borders.

Meanwhile, the Song army's winter clothing and fodder, as well as their food and clothing supplies, all cost money. In contrast, the Tangut people were accustomed to this kind of weather.

The cost of sending troops and supplies was astronomical. But the wealth accumulated over the years of reforms was precisely for this day.

Zhang Geng said, "Recently, there have been rumors in Chang'an that are detrimental to the court..."

"How to say?"

"Because of the sudden cold in Chang'an, the words of Master Shao are circulating among the literati. It is said that when Master Shao was strolling on Tianjin Bridge in Luoyang, he heard the cuckoo calling and said, 'There are no cuckoos in Luoyang, but today I see a cuckoo. This means that the world will be well-governed, and the earth's energy will come from the north and south. Chaos will come from the north and south, and now the earth's energy from the south has arrived.'"

"Afterwards, the court appointed Wang Anshi as prime minister, and people from the south became prime ministers...and many projects were undertaken."

Zhang Yue knew that this was the origin of the rumor, which ultimately aimed to oppose his campaign against the Tanguts and his implementation of reforms. At the same time, it also mentioned his status as a southerner serving as prime minister.

However, Shao Yong's theory of the northward shift of the earth's energy actually has some merit, and it shares a similar theme with the famous curve theory of Zhu Kezhen in later generations. Zhu Kezhen summarized the temperature changes over the past five thousand years, stating that Chinese civilization generally experienced a period of expansion and prosperity when temperatures rose, which was a period of good governance, while it experienced a period of chaos when temperatures fell, which was a period of disorder.

For example, there were ice periods during the Spring and Autumn Period, the Three Kingdoms Period, the transition between the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties, and the late Ming Dynasty.

Wang Anshi wrote a poem: "The flowers are just beginning to bloom in mid-spring, but they cannot withstand the cold. Northerners, not recognizing them, mistake them for apricot blossoms." This means that northerners, unfamiliar with plum blossoms, mistook them for apricot blossoms when they bloomed.

As for Shao Yong's statement, Luoyang originally had no cuckoos, and the cuckoos that flew in were just like that.

In the warmer ancient times, elephants were also found in Henan.

Zhu Kezhen's research shows that the weather in China was still warm in the mid-Seventh Century, turned cold in the early Eleventh Century, and reached its extreme in the mid-Twelfth Century.

From the mid-11th century to the mid-12th century, during the Xining to Jingkang period of the Northern Song Dynasty, the country was in an ice age.

Therefore, Zhang Yue's expedition to attack the Dangxiang was naturally affected by the unfavorable macro-economic climate.

Zhang Yue said, "It cannot be generalized. The bamboo forests in Tiandu Mountain are dense, so there are exceptions. Furthermore, the Dangxiang people have suffered from droughts and floods in recent years, which is also a blessing in disguise. It is only right that they should perish."

"Do you know why I asked the late Emperor Tihu to reclaim the former territories of the Han and Tang dynasties?"

Zhang Gen said, "I don't know."

Zhang Yue smiled. Besides the Zhu Kezhen curve, there was also the Hu Huanyong line and the 200-millimeter rainfall line.

The Qilian Mountains, where Liangzhou and Hexi are located, received more than 200 millimeters of rainfall annually at that time. Xingzhou and Lingzhou, which were occupied by the Tanguts, were irrigated by the Yellow River. During the Yuan Dynasty, the cultivated land reached 90,000 qing. These were the living spaces of agricultural peoples, which could not be given to others.

Zhang Yue said, "The Dangxiang people, who are the former homeland of the Han and Tang dynasties, are still Youyan. They are agricultural or semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral lands. They are places that can be defended and taken when the current dynasty is strong. If we do not advance when the dynasty is strong and use them as defense, we will not only be unable to advance when the dynasty is in chaos, but we will also lose more."

"I see, Sikong. This rumor was most likely spread by the Khitans and Tanguts. Should we investigate it thoroughly?" Zhang Gen asked.

Zhang Yue thought for a moment and said, "These are not enough to punish them. You can have the Ministry of War's Department of Military Affairs and the Privy Council's Department of Military Affairs keep an eye on things."

At this point, Zhang Yue took out a letter: "Didn't Xiao Ta, the Southern King of Liao, also send a letter, asking me to temporarily withdraw my troops so as not to lose the goodwill between the two countries? He even said he was willing to persuade the Liao ruler to return Youyan to our Great Song, so as to preserve the existence of the Dangxiang."

"How do you think I should answer that?"

Zhang Gen said, "Father, this letter is absolutely unbelievable. The Liao Kingdom is arrogant and conceited; how could they possibly take us seriously? As for the handover of Youyan, it is a deceptive claim and should not be believed."

"Before we defeat the Liao Kingdom head-on, we must never believe a word or a statement from the Liao people."

Zhang Yue nodded and smiled, saying, "You can write a letter for me to reply to the Liao Kingdom. As long as I, Zhang Yue, remain in the position of Prime Minister, the Great Song will never have any intention of coveting Youyan."

Both of them laughed upon hearing this.

Since it's all just made up anyway, I might as well give you some "real stuff".

Zhang Geng immediately said solemnly, "Reporting to the Minister of Works, among the various Imperial Guards, except for the Northern Garrison Auxiliary Army, there are instances of gambling and drinking, and even the summoning of prostitutes... into the camp."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue said, "A great battle is imminent, yet they still act like this."

"This kind of trend must be eradicated..."

After Zhang Geng handed over the list, Zhang Yue's gaze sharpened slightly. With a major battle imminent, immediate reorganization was necessary. In the past, Yang Su would kill hundreds of people before every major battle.

If the Song army was on a winning streak and in an upward trend, then Zhang Yue would dare to take action to reorganize it; otherwise, he would not.

Anyone who has read the history of the Southern Ming Dynasty knows that when it was declining, it was also surrounded by powerful enemies, and its internal structure was not only torn apart, but also beyond repair.

If you dare to enforce military discipline, the enemy will dare to defect to you. Jia Sidao was determined to reform, but he forced the general Liu Zheng to rebel.

The Tanguts are probably in the same situation now.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yue picked up a vermilion pen from his desk, made a mark, and then asked, "You said the Northern Auxiliary Army is excluded."

Zhang Gen said, "The Northern Army is not only well-trained, but also disciplined. They did not disturb the people after arriving in Yanzhou."

Zhang Yue nodded, and Zhang Gen continued, "The Northern Auxiliary Army is able to maintain military discipline. Two-thirds of the generals of the Northern Auxiliary Army are students of the Imperial Academy or martial arts schools. In the last rebellion, they did not follow the Eastern and Western Auxiliary Armies in their rebellion."

Zhang Yue nodded, thinking to himself, "No wonder."

Just as the students under Hu Yuan's tutelage all possessed first-class temperament, today's students from the Imperial Academy, trained in Neo-Confucianism, are indeed distinguished and easily recognizable. The later Zhu Xi summarized this as "preserving heavenly principles and eliminating human desires," which certainly embodies this idea.

The reason why Confucianism is called Confucianism as a religion also originates from this.

What is Confucianism? It is a first-class belief.

The world is going to the dogs, and people's hearts are not what they used to be. You mean well and help others, but they are afraid that you have ulterior motives. But if you say that you are a disciple of Cheng Yi, the other party will understand instantly.

When you shout "To establish a heart for heaven and earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations," others say you are pretentious and hypocritical. But if you say you are a disciple of Zhang Zai, they will immediately understand.

Not everyone in this world likes money and profit, but it's also very difficult to be a good person in this corrupt world.

Therefore, one must enter the gate of the journey.

To put it bluntly, the Cheng School is a brand name. Many scholars did not become disciples of the Cheng brothers because they believed in the Cheng School, but rather because many upright people with ideals gathered together and thus became known as the Cheng School.

The more people like this there are, the more hope there is for the country and the nation.

Zhang Yue was lost in thought for a moment, then said to Zhang Geng, "Tomorrow, you will go to Wuzhang Plain for me to pay respects to Prime Minister Zhuge!"

……

On November 5th, all the armies gathered in Jingzhao Prefecture.

Zhang Yue inspected the troops.

On the platform were ceremonial guards including double-section flags, banners, gate flags, five-directional flags, leopard-tail flags, and identification flags. The most eye-catching item was the emperor's sword, which could kill officials below the third rank.

Zhang Yue stood with his hands behind his back on the command platform, while his old acquaintance, Yan Da, the military governor of Wuxin Army, served as the commander-in-chief, holding a command flag. Accompanying him were over a hundred local officials, led by Sun Lu, the transport commissioner of Yongxing Road. Zhang Yue also casually pulled two Dangxiang envoys along, letting them watch and show off their military might.

With the Yanda command flag waved, the inspection officially began.

First, they passed the auxiliary army of Jiangtai Naibei Town, and saw that the troops were marching with great momentum and high morale.

The students of the Imperial Academy were the emperor's disciples. Zhang Yue had also served as a judge at the Imperial Academy and knew many of the generals in the Northern Army by name.

These students, who used to criticize current affairs and give officials a headache, have now abandoned their studies to join the army, becoming the sharpest swords and spears of the Song Dynasty.

It must be said that after Emperor Taizu of Song released his generals from their military power over a cup of wine, his policy of separating civil and military affairs ultimately caused harm, leading to a decline in the combat effectiveness of the Chinese army. How can a national army exist without the participation of social elites?

This time, the 20,000 auxiliary troops, mainly composed of students from the Imperial Academy, were clearly superior to other forces in terms of both training and morale.

In addition to the auxiliary troops of Beizhen, there were more than 100 commanders from the Imperial Guards such as Pengri, Gongsheng, Longwei, and Shenwei, as well as the first, second, and fifth generals of Yongxing Army Road, totaling nearly 100,000 troops, serving as the general reserve force for this battle.

With a combined force of 700,000 to 800,000 against the Tanguts' less than 200,000, the advantage is clearly in our hands!
Zhang Yue watched the soldiers boasting about their military might, then looked at the ashen faces of the two Dangxiang envoys, and couldn't help but smile.

Zhang Yue stepped down from the platform and mounted his horse.

Dressed in a purple robe, he rode slowly among the troops, with Yan Da holding a flag next to him and Peng Jingyi carrying the emperor's sword at the rear.

The three riders rode in turn, and as Zhang Yue inspected each army, the soldiers erupted in cheers.

Looking at the generals and soldiers being reviewed, Zhang Yue simply put aside his worries about his great achievements overshadowing the emperor. Commanding a million-strong army to defeat enemy countries and capture their chieftains was the ambition of countless people throughout history.

Seeing so many soldiers at his disposal, Zhang Yue couldn't help but recall the game he played before his transmigration. When he had just ascended to the position of city lord and was feeling triumphant, the background music changed with his mood, as if he were flying through the sky.

At this moment, Tai Junrong is playing the "Qin King's Battle Song".

"Having received the decree from the emperor, we march together to punish the rebellious minister. We sing songs of victory, and together we celebrate this peaceful era..."

Under the majestic military songs, the army was inspected and then set off, arriving in Yanzhou one by one.

……

Outside Nanjing, Liao Dynasty.

Yelü Hongji led the Pishi army to this place and quelled the Mogus rebellion, causing the Zubu in the northern desert to submit again, which was a joyous and celebratory event for the Liao Kingdom.

However, the Song Dynasty's westward expedition against the Dangxiang people was a cold shower for the Liao Dynasty's rulers and ministers who were celebrating.

The city of Youzhou, which was supposed to be celebrating, was now unusually cold, like November weather.

Yelü Wotela, who had made great contributions in this battle, said: "Don't take benefits you don't have the strength to take. Greed is a terrible thing."

"It is absolutely impossible to make the Song Dynasty withdraw its troops with just a letter."

Xiao Tabuye, the Privy Councilor of the Southern Court, said, "It is truly difficult to wage war against the Song Dynasty."

Yelü Hongji sat on a large folding chair, drinking camel porridge, a delicacy made with camel meat and milk.

Listening to the words of the two high-ranking officials, Yelü Hongji took a sip of camel porridge and glanced at the Zubu leaders prostrate below the steps. These people had been ambiguous in their attitude during the Mogus rebellion, not only outwardly obeying the Liao Dynasty's orders but also secretly assisting Mogus in his rebellion.

Yelü Hongji withdrew his gaze and said, "The Song people have gained a lot of territory over the years, and now they are tasting the sweetness of it. They will definitely not be willing to spit out the meat in their mouths."

"Neither advice, nor the heads of the Mogus, nor the military might of our Great Liao can quell the ambitions of the Han people."

After saying this, Yelü Hongji pointed to the Zubu chieftain outside the tent and said, "These men cannot be the vanguard in this campaign against Song! We must use our own men!"

Yelü Wotelai and Xiao Tabu were both taken aback.

Xiao Tabu said, “Your Majesty, even when Emperor Taizong (Yelü Deguang) had a strong army and horses to conquer the chaotic Central Plains, he still could not make peace with his advisors. He did not know that the people of China were so difficult to control!” After saying this, he died.

"Now that the Song people are in power, it's better to retreat than to confront them directly. Let's bide our time and wait for the right moment to fight!"

Yelü Hongji said, "Times have changed. If we retreat now, there will be no future to speak of."

"The Song dynasty conquered the world using Wang Pu's 'Strategy for Pacifying the Borders,' prioritizing the south over the north, and tackling the easy tasks before moving on to the difficult ones. First, they defeated Qinghai, then annihilated the Dangxiang, and after opening up the Western Regions, the next step was inevitably to subdue Youzhou and Yanzhou, and finally…"

Yelü Hongji fell silent at this point.

Yelü Wotela and Xiao Ta also understood Yelü Hongji's meaning. In fact, this was the same strategy for pacifying Xia that Zhang Yue had presented to Emperor Shenzong years ago: start with the easy and then move to the difficult, from west to east, attacking the weaker enemy first and defeating them one by one.

This is a continuation of Wang Pushing's border strategy.

Readers of cultivation novels often have this question.

Why didn't the Nascent Soul stage monster just take action and kill the Qi Refining stage protagonist, letting him snowball and grow stronger and stronger?

This problem has now been collectively recognized by the elite class throughout the Liao Kingdom.

Yelü Wotera suddenly stood up and said, "What the king says is absolutely right. We are determined to stop the Han people's momentum in Xingqing Prefecture!"

Xiao Ta did not agree but thought to himself that when the Song Dynasty destroyed the Northern Han, the Liao Dynasty also helped several times, but still could not prevent the Northern Han from falling.

Moreover, after the Song dynasty destroyed the Northern Han, it also attempted to sweep through Youyan, only to suffer two defeats: one at Gaoliang River and the other at Qigou Pass.

The Liao Kingdom's attempt to rescue the Tangut people, a nation destined for destruction, was a costly and distant expedition, with the outcome uncertain.

The best course of action would be to simply abandon it, gain several years of space, and watch the Song people become arrogant.

At this moment, Yelü Hongji finished drinking the camel porridge in his bowl and said to the Zubu chief kneeling below the steps, "Rise and dance. Anyone who refuses to dance, kill him!"

The dozens of kneeling Zubu leaders below dared not disobey the order and rose to worship.

Two men refused and were immediately dragged outside the tent by the Khitan warriors on either side, where they were beaten to death with clubs.

Upon seeing this, Yelü Hongji burst into laughter and immediately lifted the curtain to leave.

Then a clang was heard, the sound of armor flapping, and Yelü Hongji emerged from the tent. Thousands of armored soldiers stood up simultaneously, standing solemnly before the tent.

This is the Liao Dynasty's most elite army, the "Iron Forest".

This time, he followed Yelü Hongji south to attack the Song Dynasty.

……

Wang Hou led his troops on patrol.

Before the two armies clashed, the commander-in-chief would survey the terrain and the enemy lines, and assess the astronomical and geographical features of the world.

Over the years, Wang Hou relied on his father's reputation as a disciple of Zhang Yue. It was inevitable that the Western Army would doubt his status as a renowned general. In fact, many of the battles Wang Hou fought over the years were indeed clumsy, but relying on the strength of the Song Dynasty and its powerful and aggressive army, he never suffered a defeat on the battlefield, which made him famous throughout the Western Regions.

However, although Wang Hou was very lucky, he did not dare to be careless in the face of battle. This time, Wang Hou, Zhe Keshi, Miao Lü, Zhang Shunchen, Zhong Pu, You Shixiong, He Guan and other generals and officials came to inspect the position.

In the distance, the Helan Mountains are covered with snow that never melts, while the area below is lush and green. But up close, the landscape transforms into a vast expanse of yellow sand.

The generals stood at attention on their horses, and the colorful cloaks of more than ten officials fluttered in the wind. Thousands of Liangzhou cavalrymen dismounted and, holding their reins, stood solemnly behind the generals with their hands on their swords.

These elite cavalrymen from Liangzhou included Han Chinese, Han Chinese who had become non-Han Chinese, Dangxiang, Qinghai-Tibetan tribesmen, and a small number of Uyghurs. These troops were organized together, lived and ate together for many years, and gradually became Sinicized.

Several generals who were graduates of the Imperial Academy were given pen and ink to draw diagrams on the spot.

Wang Hou and the other generals pointed the way with their horsewhips.

"The Blackwater River beach is in the distance. Although it is not frozen, it is not conducive to cavalry clashes. Therefore, the decisive battle will definitely not be held there."

“There are large irrigated fields to the east of Tanliang City. Farming in the border region requires winter irrigation. After the rice is harvested, the rice fields are filled with water to ensure the moisture level for the following year. As a result, they are muddy and muddy. We have to wait until the muddy soil hardens before we can fight. On the other hand, except for the south of the city, the area is not conducive to the deployment of troops. This seems to be a shortcut to attacking the city.”

"However, there is a Gobi Desert behind the wasteland south of the city, where troops can be ambushed and hidden. If I were the enemy general, I could have a force lying in ambush there, and then suddenly attack when our army sends troops to attack the city, thus putting us in a vulnerable position."

The generals talked as they observed the terrain.

There is a newly felled forest in the east of the city, presumably cut down by the defending troops for fear that the Song army would use it as siege weaponry.

Nearby, there were still many farmlands belonging to the Tangut people. Although most of them had been stored for autumn harvest, some late-maturing black beans and millet were being harvested by the Song army's auxiliary troops. After finishing the harvest, the Song army was still not satisfied and even cut down the wheat seedlings to use as horse fodder.

The generals continued to discuss this matter.

Miao Lu said, "The current strategy depends on whether we can launch a swift attack?"

"This is the last of the Qiang bandits' troops... barely enough to fight our army."

Wang Hou smiled and said to his men and women, "Sikong Changdao said that our army's tactics are like pig farming."

"Take a small cut each time, never take them all in one go, just gain a little advantage each time is enough."

"The elite troops of the Western Bandits were all lost in the early years at Taoshui, Lanzhou, and Pingxia. Even if they have regrouped for several years, how much skill do they still have?"

As all the generals knew, after years of fighting, the elite troops of the Dangxiang had been almost completely wiped out in the aforementioned battles. By the time of the Battle of Yongle City, even the entire army of the country could not defeat the Song army from the Fuyan Road.

Even if several more years have passed, so what?

At this moment, light snow is falling, and the faint sound of a Qiang flute can be heard in the distance, creating an inexplicable atmosphere.

Wang Hou brandished his whip and shouted, "Army, prepare for battle!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the generals were invigorated.

"After defeating the enemy in this battle, each soldier of the Xihe Road regular army will be granted 20 mu of land, and each auxiliary army soldier will be granted 10 mu!"

Upon receiving this order, the entire army was eager to fight.

It should be noted that other Song armies that won battles were mostly rewarded with gold, silver, and official titles, but rarely with land, as that was something only local militia received. Only Wang Hou, who adopted the system of regional military governors, could make such a promise.

Under the heavy reward, there must be a brave man!
To have an army, you either need money or power. If you don't give either, its fighting strength will be weak; this is an impossible triangle.

This is also why the troops of Xihe Road are so strong.

After observing the battle formation, the generals returned to their camps, and the three armies prepared meals and rested.

Yang Datou ate the mutton soup in his bowl with a flatbread. Today, not only was there mutton soup, but there was even meat in the soup.

It was still big chunks of meat, something only regular soldiers could afford to eat.

Looking at the bowl of mutton, Yang Datou knew that the time for a life-or-death struggle was coming, but the barbarian archer next to him was clueless, swinging his braid and eating meat and drinking soup with gusto.

Even after finishing the mutton soup and flatbread, Yang Datou still felt unwell.

The north of Helan Mountain is even colder than Xizhou. Although Yang Datou was shivering from the cold, he took out the cloth socks his wife had knitted and wanted to put them on, but ultimately couldn't bear to part with them.

Finally, Yang Datou covered his chest with his cloth socks and kept warm by stomping his feet.

He looked down at the gravel and fine soil interspersed with cold grass, and finally sighed, turning into a long plume of white smoke.

Silence reigned on all sides, broken only by the sound of watchtowers echoing through the camp.

Just as Yang Datou was feeling sad, the team leader came over cheerfully and said, "The commander-in-chief has ordered that each laborer's family be given two thousand coins and one bushel of millet."

After he finished speaking, he expressed his deepest gratitude.

Yang Datou was overjoyed. It was expected that the main army would be rewarded with a major battle, but he hadn't expected that even the laborers would receive extra rewards.

The barbarians nearby were overjoyed upon hearing this and danced with delight.

……

Meanwhile, Renduo Baozhong, the last general of the Tanguts, was also observing the battle. His 100,000 troops were cobbled together by the Tanguts from various places, including the Six Guards of the Imperial Guard, the Capture Army, the Poxi Army, the Iron Hawks, the Step-Bare Army, and other brave soldiers from the supervisory offices, forming the last elite force.

Many of these troops were reorganized from the remnants after the Song army had almost completely wiped out their forces.

Now, the head of the unit is composed of one main soldier and two support soldiers.

In the past, during Li Yuanhao's time, as long as a soldier had armor, he could be promoted from a subordinate to a regular soldier. Two strong and powerful men would be selected from among the surrendered people or prisoners to serve as subordinates. The Tangut army grew stronger and stronger with each battle.

In matters of battle, the most important thing is the regular troops; it doesn't matter how many soldiers die. Even the regular troops don't matter, as long as they are not annihilated as a whole, they can rise again in time.

After the Battle of Pingxia City, the elite Tangut troops were annihilated in an organized manner.

The more they fight, the weaker they become. Not only are many regular soldiers unarmored and lacking in combat experience, but the combat skills of the junior officers are also far inferior to what they were before Pingxia City.

At present, Rendo Baozhong relies most heavily on the troops of the Heishan Weifu Army, which are stationed at the foot of Mount Muna (Ural Mountains), bordering the Liao Dynasty's Tiande Army. Back then, Li Yuanhao stationed 70,000 troops to guard against the Liao Dynasty's southward expansion for a long time, and rarely participated in wars against the Song Dynasty.

Now all these troops have been placed under the command of Rendo Baozhong, to be used in a desperate gamble.

When Renduo Baozhong set out with his troops, Li Bingchang personally escorted him out of Zhongxing Prefecture, implying that he was entrusting Zhongxing with his duties.

Although Ren Duobaozhong was acting on orders, the morale of the army was low. When the soldiers left Zhongxingfu, they looked back every few steps, and many soldiers sighed.

No sooner had the army left Zhongxing Prefecture than a general suggested that they simply flee to the border of Liao and observe the situation in the area of ​​Heqing Army and Jinsu Army.

Rendo Baozhong shook his head upon hearing this. His troops still had morale in the country, but if they fled to the Heqing Army or Jin Su Army, their morale would probably collapse.

But the Song army in front of them was an elite, battle-hardened force, the Xihe Army, which was built by Wang Shao, Zhang Yue, Zhang Jie, Zhang Zhi, and Wang Hou.

Rendo Baozhong looked out and saw the Song army's camps stretching endlessly, layer upon layer, completely obscuring the distant desert. The camps were arranged in a very orderly and strict manner, with the soldiers and horses clearly divided into different ranks. Not to mention the regular soldiers and the laborers stationed next to the camps, there was not a sound of noise or commotion.

This is clearly a battle-hardened, elite force, and the generals are extremely disciplined.

"This battle is unlikely to be won!"

……

At the foot of Hongzhou City.

Left Wing Commander He Langluo led his troops to arrive and provide reinforcements.

Currently, all of Rendo Baozhong's troops have been withdrawn to aid Tanliang City, leaving Helangluo with pitifully few troops despite being the Left Wing Commander.

With the nation on the verge of collapse, He Langluo no longer cared about anything else. In the past, there were at least some strategies to fight the enemy, but now Li Bingchang only wanted everyone to fight their own battles. He didn't expect to defeat the Song army; he just wanted to stall for time and wait for the Liao army to come to their aid.

After the second year of the Yuanfeng era, the Tangut generals, including Helangluo, gradually lost hope in the uncertain war situation, and now they were in utter despair.

However, the Song army still mobilized troops from all directions. Did they need so many troops to destroy the Great White Kingdom? Absolutely not. The Song Dynasty had clearly deployed a million-strong army, aiming directly at the Khitan.

When a lion fights a rabbit, he also uses all his strength.

General Weiming Qile said, "Commander, the Song army's troops in Huanqing Road are already heading towards Jingzhou and Huaizhou. I estimate that Jingzhou and Huaizhou will not be able to hold out for more than a few days."

"If the troops from Huanqing Road come out of Yanzhou and cut off our retreat, we're all going to die here."

He Langluo said, "How could I not know? But what can I do? After the Han people conquered Lingzhou, we have no guarantee of even the safety of the vast sea."

"Now the Song army is advancing from all directions, and there are troops everywhere. We have nowhere to maneuver."

"If we are defeated, we can simply hide in Dijinze."

"Now our elite troops are all with Renduo Baozhong. Only if they win can we fight the Song army in Xingqing Prefecture. Even then, our chances of winning are only about 20%. As for us, whether it's Jingzhou or Huaizhou, they are no longer important."

The generals pulled on the reins and nodded blankly.

He Langlu also felt a deep sadness welling up inside him.

Two days later, Weiming Qile sent troops to rescue Hongzhou.

The area around Hengshan is mostly sparse forest and grassland. Due to the continuous wars and severe droughts in recent years, the Song and Xia armies built fortresses and continuously cut down large trees, resulting in the Hengshan area gradually becoming sparsely populated and the farmland becoming barren.

The Tanguts said that Hengshan was a fertile land, but even that fertility was limited.

As Weiming Qile observed along the way, he found that the Hengshan tribes mostly grew dry land crops such as buckwheat and millet on the slopes, and the fields were deserted when the army arrived.

When Weiming Qile realized that the scouts had not returned by the appointed time, he had a sudden bad feeling and immediately ordered his soldiers to put on their armor and proceed slowly.

"There's an ambush!" Before Weiming Qile could finish speaking, a horn suddenly sounded from behind the slope.

More than a thousand Song soldiers suddenly appeared, and the sound of arrows piercing the air was like a torrential downpour.

"Form ranks!" Over a hundred Tangut soldiers were shot down by the Song army's crossbows, and the remaining soldiers dismounted and raised their shields to form a tortoise-shell formation.

The arrows then clattered and struck the shield.

The elite Tangut troops have all been transferred away by Renduo Baozhong, and now the armor rate of the Left Wing troops is less than 20%, which is not enough to withstand the Song army's crossbows.

Therefore, the Tangut troops had no choice but to fight and retreat, retreating towards the roadside.

Liu Fa saw this from the slope and sneered.

Song soldiers then emerged with crossbowmen from the roadside and flanks.

The arrows were aimed at the backs of the Tangut soldiers.

Three rows of crossbows fired simultaneously, the sound of iron arrows piercing leather armor exceptionally clear in the morning light. The Tangut soldiers were instantly thrown into chaos, their ranks thrown into disarray.

Just then, Song cavalry surged out from both sides of the sparse forest.

But then Liu Fa arrived, leading five hundred armored cavalry. Both men and horses were heavily armored, and their spears formed a forest.

"kill!"

Liu Fa's roar drowned out the clamor of the battlefield.

When the Song cavalry penetrated the enemy formation, their iron hooves trampled and their long spears thrust wildly.

Upon seeing the banner of the Tangut army, Liu Fa immediately led his troops into battle.

One of Liu Fajun's junior officers, armed with a bow and arrow, shot an arrow at the enemy captain who was holding the flag.

"Good archery!"

Liu Fa praised his subordinate.

Just as the flag was about to fall, a Tangut junior officer hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to take it back.

Enraged by this, Liu Fa ordered his generals to personally fire their crossbows at the enemy. The junior officer fell dead from the arrow, and from that moment on, no one dared to take up the flag again.

The Song army swarmed forward and immediately cut down the Dangxiang flag.

Seeing the flag fall, the Tangut army was thrown into chaos.

Wherever Liu Fa's spear pointed, Song infantry surged forth from all sides like a tidal wave.

Originally leading his soldiers in a charge, Weiming Qile, seeing that he could not escape, immediately dismounted and surrendered.

After capturing Hongzhou, Song general Liu Fa of the Fuyan Road annihilated nearly 10,000 troops under Weiming Qile, the supervisor of the Left Wing Army, achieving his first victory.

……

Zhong Shidao then led the Fuyan Road army into Yanzhou, traversing the various tribes of Hengshan. By this time, the Dangxiang's rule in Hengshan was merely nominal, with large and small tribes plundering each other. Zhong Shidao encountered few troops along the way, but it took some effort to subdue the tribes and restore order.

At the same time, Lü Huiqing ordered his generals Zhe Kexing and Gao Yongnian to send troops from Fengzhou to attack the Liao Kingdom's Tiande Army and burn the Liao army's grain reserves in the area.

Meanwhile, Zhang Heng, the Pacification Commissioner of the Four Routes of Hebei, personally oversaw the deployment in Daming Prefecture, with over 200,000 troops on high alert in preparation for the Liao invasion from the south.

After the onset of winter, a heavy snow fell in various parts of Hedong, Shaanxi, and Zhang Yue led his troops to Yanzhou City.