Prime Minister

Chapter 1379 Finale (Part )

Inside Ren Duo Bao Zhong's tent, a military council was held before the great battle.

The Tangut generals' faces were somewhat gloomy as they discussed the matter.

The earliest military councils of the Tangut people involved everyone sitting together, a tradition stemming from their tribal system, unlike the clear hierarchy among Song generals and commanders.

Anything can be discussed before the big battle.

However, after Li Yuanhao became emperor, this system was changed, but it has gradually been changed back now, with him discussing matters with the tribal leaders to overcome national difficulties together.

This was unavoidable. The strongest force in the Tangut army was the centrally-administered troops, primarily composed of the Six Garrisons of the Imperial Garden. However, after several battles with the Song army, the veterans of these centrally-administered troops were almost entirely wiped out. Within the Six Garrisons of the Imperial Garden alone, several garrisons had been replaced several times.

Even the system itself deteriorated, with those in charge of military horses and weapons all engaging in corruption. Li Bingchang tried to rectify the situation, but after repeated defeats, he was unable to put things under control.

Ren Duobaozhong lacked the prestige of Li Yuanhao, and was far inferior to Liang Yimai and Li Bingchang, who had previously led the army.

Moreover, when the Liao state rebelled, they had already anticipated that the Song army might invade. However, one theory suggests that the Song army, judging from the mobilization of its supplies and troops, would launch an attack between the spring and summer of the following year.

Rendo Baozhong himself held this view, so the Tanguts' preparations for war were slow and leisurely. However, when the Song army actually arrived, the Tanguts realized that their preparations were still too hasty.

At the beginning of the military council, some generals made strange remarks, saying that Ren Duo Bao Zhong had made a mistake in judgment and that the current passive situation of the Dangxiang was caused by Ren Duo Bao Zhong.

Ren Duobao said loyally, "Song Xiang Zhang Yue has been plotting against me for decades. This time, the Song army claims to have two million soldiers. Now that the life and death of my Great Baigao Kingdom is at stake, let's stop talking about these arguments."

Upon hearing this, the generals quieted down and began to devise a plan. Some advocated for war, while others advocated for defense, and so on.

One of the generals said, "The Song army has come from afar to seize the grain supplies of the city. We will burn the grain and retreat while fighting, luring the Song army into an ambush. Once their grain supplies are exhausted, we will switch from defense to offense."

One of the generals said, "If we burn the grain and fodder in Tanliang City, the Song army will be without food, and so will our army. How can we resolve this matter?"

After some discussion, the generals decided to fight a battle first. The commander of the Heishan Weifu Military Supervisory Office, who had been stationed in the northern border to defend against the Liao army for a long time, advocated engaging the Song army in battle first.

The commander of the Heishan Weifu Army immediately said, "Today I have observed the Song army's camp. It has a strong front but no rear defense. It can be broken!"

Everyone laughed: "You've only ever fought with the enemy's servants; you don't know the strength of the Han army."

"We still have a chance of winning in open battle. If the Song army defends, even ten times the number of troops cannot break through."

The commander sneered, "I simply don't believe that Han people have three heads and six arms."

The next night, the sky was pitch black.

The Heishan Weifu Yan Army decided to take the initiative, bypassing the main Song army camp and sending several thousand cavalry to attempt to cross the river. However, due to the cold winter, the water was very shallow.

The warhorses only crossed the river at knee-deep.

The soldiers took off their trousers and waded into the icy river before putting them back on and mounting their horses.

The entire Song army was concentrated on the front lines, preparing for a decisive battle with the Tanguts. However, they neglected their defenses on the riverbanks, allowing the Tangut army to discern their weaknesses. At dawn, the vanguard of the Tangut army, without waiting for the rear guard to cross, donned their armor, mounted their horses, and charged towards the Song army, brandishing their swords and spears.

The Tangut soldiers were already familiar with the area around the river and knew the roads well.

Just then, a thick fog rolled in, and by the time the Tangut vanguard reached the Song army, they were already less than a mile away.

The Dangxiang troops under the Heishan Weifu Military Command had not recently experienced the might of the Song army, unlike other Dangxiang troops who lost some of their courage at the sight of the Song army's trenches, wagon camps, and arrow formations.

Moreover, the Song army did indeed neglect the defense of this side. In addition, the unexpected fog meant that when the Song army was awakened from their sleep, large numbers of bald Tangut soldiers filled the area outside the camp, forcing them to hastily form ranks and fight.

The Tangut soldiers quickly filled in the two trenches, flattened the fences, and stormed into the camp under the sparse arrows of the Song army.

The Tangut soldiers were in high spirits. They knew that their lives depended on this battle, so they showed ten times the courage and displayed the same invincible spirit they had shown when Li Yuanhao fought.

Several Tangut soldiers, seeing hundreds of Song soldiers who had just formed their battle lines, dared to charge in and fight.

The general on the Song army's side was Wang Kuo, the son of Wang Shao. This time, he followed in his father's footsteps and led troops under his elder brother's command.

Wang Kuo joined the army with his father and brothers from a young age and was experienced in many battles. When he saw the Dangxiang troops crossing the river and launching a night attack from all sides, he was not flustered.

The generals under his command knew that Wang Hou had offered rewards before this great battle, but unfortunately they were assigned to the second line of troops to guard the rear. Seeing that the Dangxiang troops in front were all eager to make a move, they could only hope for military merit.

At this moment, a Tangut army had already broken through the Song army's blockade and was charging straight towards Wang Kuo's banner.

The enemy general charged left and right, repeatedly slaying Song soldiers with his axe, appearing unstoppable.

Wang Kuo was surrounded by elite troops, and seeing the enemy general charging towards them, they all wanted to step forward to fight. However, Wang Kuo ordered them to stop and commanded his soldiers to take up their divine crossbows and go out.

Under the barrage of two hundred divine bows, more than twenty Tangut soldiers were shot down, and the once-imposing Tangut general was hit by dozens of arrows on the spot.

But a moment later, the Tangut troops broke through the Song army's blockade and headed straight for Wang Kuo's command flag.

After the Song army engaged in battle, they saw that the Tangut troops were continuously increasing in number, and nearly half of the Song army in Xihe Road was composed of soldiers or archers from the Qinghai-Tibetan tribe. The Qinghai-Tibetan soldiers were usually very brave in battle, but their weakness was that they could not hold out for long when they were at a disadvantage.

The Song army was attacked without having eaten breakfast, and their strength was already low. Seeing that reinforcements were arriving one after another, it was all in vain. In the end, Wang Kuo had no choice but to fight and retreat, and was eventually driven out of the camp.

Seeing that Wang Houqi's army was coming to their aid, the Tangut generals also withdrew from the siege of the Song camp in a timely manner.

The fierce battle lasted two hours, during which Wang Kuo, the Song general, suffered over two thousand casualties, and his troops were almost completely incapacitated. The Tanguts achieved an initial victory, a rare triumph against the Song army in many years.

Just as the Tangut army was about to celebrate, a junior officer in the military tent reported that Wen Xixin, the general of the Song army's Qing Tang tribe, had led 50,000 troops across the desert from another route, captured the important town of Baima Qiangzhen Jianjunsi, and cut off the retreat of the 100,000-strong Tangut army.

Upon hearing the news, the tent fell silent, followed by a chorus of curses.

"Wen Xixin is truly a good dog of the Han people!"

"The Han people have truly not been wasting their time by providing high-ranking officials and generous salaries to the Qing Tang tribe over the years."

Despite the criticism, no Dangxiang leader was not envious of the treatment the Qingtang tribes had received since surrendering to the Song Dynasty.

……

Zhang Yue arrived in Yanzhou City.

Upon arriving in Yanzhou City, battle reports from Hedong, Fuyan Road, Jingyuan Road, and Huanqing Road quickly reached Zhang Yue's desk.

As the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, how to choose where to station his troops is also a crucial issue.

While he was in charge of grain and supplies and logistics in Jingzhao Prefecture, the news was slow. In contrast, the news from the front lines in Yanzhou was faster, allowing for more deliberate decision-making. However, he also had the problem of being too close to the situation and missing the bigger picture.

After Zhang Yue arrived in Yanzhou, he compiled the battle reports from various places and held a meeting with his staff to discuss them.

"Reporting to the Minister of Works, it has been ascertained that the main force of the Dangxiang army has headed towards Xihe Road and will confront Wang Hou's troops at Tanliang City."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue nodded and said, "Just as I expected."

"Reporting to the Minister of Works, apart from the tens of thousands of troops in Xingzhou, all other Dangxiang tribes can be taken along the way."

The staff members in the staff office said that being recruited to serve in the staff office was an extremely risky matter, and the consequences of defeat were self-evident.

However, everyone believed that Zhang Yue was the right commander and never took risks. Therefore, following Zhang Yue on the expedition was the best choice for those who were ambitious and eager to make progress.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue smiled and sat down, saying, "You all discuss it."

"To make up for the lack of wisdom and strategy"

One of them stood up and said, "The most worrying thing right now is Yelü Hongji's million-strong army that has come here. After Zhong Shidao's troops in Fuyan Road clear out Hengshan, they can send troops to support Hedong Road."

One person stepped forward to object, saying, "No, what if we send reinforcements to Hedong Road and the Liao army bypasses Hedong Road and goes straight for Xingzhou?"

"Zhong Shidao's troops should be allowed to clear Hengshan and then remain stationed there. This would allow them to support Hedong and also prevent the Liao army from bypassing Hedong to come to their aid."

"Both of you have made a poor decision. In my opinion, the entire army should cross the Yellow River immediately and take over Xingzhou. Once Xingzhou is captured, even if the Liao Kingdom sends its entire nation to help, it will be helpless."

"But Xingzhou is a fortified city with high walls and deep moats, and it has tens of thousands of soldiers inside. How can it be easily taken? If our entire army is trapped under the city walls, and the Liao army comes to our aid, we will be caught in a pincer movement, repeating the mistakes of the Battle of Gaoliang River. In my opinion, we should besiege the city and attack the reinforcements first!"

"The Liao army cannot bypass Hedong and advance from Yinshan to reinforce Xingzhou. Once our Hedong army moves north, our flank will be threatened."

“Our Hedong army consists entirely of infantry, and can only travel about twenty li a day. Why should the Liao Kingdom fear cutting off our rear? South of Yinshan, the Wanggu and Baspa tribes are there to provide support.”

"Do you expect anything from the Zubu tribes?"

The staff argued endlessly, even quarreling in the room.

Zhang Yue pinched the bridge of his nose. Don't think that just because you're in a favorable situation, everything will be easy.

While a general direction is essential, when it comes to the details, it's a matter of taking things one step at a time. When faced with directional choices at different stages, one must be adaptable and go with the flow.

"Minister Sikong, Lü Huiqing has written to you requesting that you be stationed in Hedong. This would allow you to oversee the affairs of Hebei and Shaanxi and prepare for the Liao army's southward advance."

"Minister Sikong, how can you believe Lü Huiqing's nonsense? The focus of the war should be in Shaanxi, not the Liao army. How can we go to Hedong?"

Zhang Yue had always admired Lü Huiqing's talent. As the second-in-command of the Xining Reforms, Wang Anshi's role was more like a spiritual leader; in fact, the actual reform policies were all devised by Lü Huiqing. Later, when he was in charge of the troops in Hedong, Shaanxi, his political achievements were remarkable. However, Zhang Yue disliked one thing about Lü Huiqing: he always spoke from his own perspective.

Do you think that blocking Liao reinforcements is the key to victory when you are in charge of Hedong?

Of course, whether Zhang Yue is stationed in Hedong or Shaanxi is now a matter of choice.

The outcome of this battle can be judged by the capture of Xingzhou, but the movement of the Liao army's million troops has drawn 70% of the Song army's attention.

Yelü Hongji faced three choices: one was to ignore the Dangxiang and instead attack Hebei or Hedong to relieve the siege of Wei.

One option is to bypass the east bank of the river and attack the Hengshan direction from the Yinshan Mountains.

Another option was to send the Xingde Army, directly entering Xingzhou from Keyi Gate to reinforce it, and engaging the Song army in a decisive battle beneath the city walls.

There are also different coping strategies in this chapter.

But how to deal with it properly?
You try to deal with everything, devising a seemingly foolproof plan, but then your forces are scattered, unable to cope with anything. If you concentrate on one or two issues, what if the enemy takes advantage of your weakness by attacking three?
"Cross the river! Cross the river!"

We absolutely must cross the river!

However, a young aide vehemently opposed the trip to Hedong, instead demanding that Zhang Yue cross the Yellow River and station himself in Xingzhou.

Zhang Yue found the face of this advisor somewhat unfamiliar and asked Zhang Gen, "Who is this person?"

Zhang Gen said, "This person was invited to join my staff more than ten days ago. His name is Zong Ze and he is from Yiwu! He is very courageous and ambitious!"

"No wonder."

Zhang Yue carefully examined the magnanimous-looking staff member and smiled slightly.

That's right, it's all about crossing a river.

"This person is usable," Zhang Yue said to Zhang Gen, who silently kept it in mind.

Putting everything else aside, Zhang Yue's ability to recognize and select talent is second to none. Sometimes, he can appreciate and promote talent based on just one meeting and a few words.

Wang Shao, who laid the foundation for Xihe Road in the Song Dynasty, was recommended by Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue then pointed to another person and asked, "Who is this person who opposes crossing the river?"

"Sikong, this is Li Bangyan, the man from Huaizhou whom I told you about."

Zhang Yue thought to himself, "Well, they're all acquaintances. One is on the offensive, and the other is on the defensive. They are truly the two pillars of my empire."

……

Unlike the debates at the Song army's main camp, the scene in the Dangxiang Zhongxing Prefecture was quite different.

The Song army won one victory after another in various places, and many of the garrison commanders of the prefectures and forts surrendered without a fight, and all sorts of rumors spread like wildfire.

Upon learning that Weijing Mountain, Jingzhou, Hongzhou and other places had fallen into the hands of the Song army, Li Bingchang muttered to himself one day, "Since ancient times, has there ever been a country that did not perish, or a ruler who did not die?" His officials were all greatly alarmed upon hearing this.

When faced with such momentous events as the collapse and destruction of a nation, Li Bingchang sometimes appeared passionate and righteous, seemingly just like any other ruler who would restore a dynasty throughout history. However, at other times he appeared unusually dejected, prone to taking his anger out on others and killing people on a whim, as if he were a neurotic.

Li Bingchang is now seeing his ministers less and less, and instead favors shamans and sorcerers, a scene that many of his trusted ministers find quite laughable.

Indeed, Li Yuanhao valued the role of witchcraft and even applied divination and divination techniques to military operations. However, he relied heavily on loyal and brave subordinates in battle. Moreover, Li Yuanhao repeatedly suffered defeats and killed generals, so no one thought there was anything wrong with it. But now... Li Bingchang's actions are a sign of hopelessness.

Of all the officials, only Chancellor Li Qing was still working tirelessly, trying to turn the tide. Since the Song army launched a five-pronged attack, Li Qing had been reorganizing the city's defenses, building strong fortifications along the city for defense and troop deployment, and improving the weak points in the defenses of Zhongxing Prefecture.

Furthermore, they forcibly conscripted civilians to build watchtowers, watchtowers, and battlements in Zhongxing Prefecture, continuously mobilizing manpower and resources from the populace to prepare for the siege.

However, the nobles and relatives in the court did not think so. As the Song army launched attacks from various directions and continuously captured prefectures, counties, and supervisory offices, the ministers and nobles could no longer contain themselves and one day suddenly kowtowed to the palace of Li Bingchang.

Li Bingchang was initially unaware of the plot, but he was startled to see the palace servants in a panic, saying that the ministers were plotting a rebellion. Rebellions by the Dangxiang people were commonplace; his grandfather, Li Yuanhao, had been killed by Crown Prince Ninglingge, who slashed his nose with a knife.

Li Bingchang mustered his courage and went out of the palace to investigate, only to find the ministers kneeling before the palace gates. He breathed a sigh of relief, realizing it wasn't a coup. However, the palace guards didn't try to stop him; instead, they stamped their feet and breathed on the ground. When Li Bingchang appeared, they didn't offer any protection for the imperial carriage.

Only a few loyal green-clad eunuchs followed Li Bingchang around.

Li Bingchang knew this was not the time to pursue the matter, so he gently reassured them, "What brings you all here?"

The leading officials of the Privy Council said.

"With the annihilation of the military supervisory office of Baima Strong Town, Tanliang City is likely in grave danger."

"Your Majesty, please move to Dingzhou immediately! We will then proceed to Keyimen and head towards the Liao Kingdom."

"Zhongxing Prefecture only needs to have one empress and one prince guard it."

"Your Majesty, this isolated city cannot be defended. With reinforcements cut off from all four directions, being trapped in Zhongxing Prefecture is a dead end."

"If we abandon Zhongxing Prefecture and send the prince as a hostage, the Southern Dynasty might be able to withdraw its troops."

Li Bingchang was horrified by this, and many of his ministers echoed his sentiments. Li Bingchang secretly sneered to himself; many of these men had vowed to fight the Song army to the death before the battle and had vehemently opposed his going to Bianjing to submit to the Song emperor and pay tribute.

Now that the Song army is at the city gates, they are the first to be frightened by the Song army's strength.

Li Bingchang harbored resentment in his heart, but on the surface he feigned helplessness and stamped his foot, saying, "The Southern Dynasty's intention to destroy us is obvious. How can it be dispelled by abandoning Zhongxing Prefecture, sending the prince as a hostage, and offering peace talks?"

Many ministers wept, saying, "The morale of the people in the city has collapsed; how can we expect to hold out? Li Qing's actions have placed Your Majesty in an extremely difficult situation. Once two million Song troops are stranded at the city walls, and Liao reinforcements are nowhere in sight, how can we possibly defend it? If Your Majesty does not make a decision now, it will be too late to regret it later."

Another minister said, "Your Majesty, ever since that scoundrel Zhang became prime minister in the Southern Dynasty, the country's strength has declined day by day, and each battle has become worse than the last. This siege of Zhongxing Prefecture must have been made with thorough preparations! There is absolutely no chance of survival."

The ministers all said, "Your Majesty, if we don't leave now, we won't be able to escape."

"Your Majesty's safety is of paramount importance to the nation; we, your subjects, are willing to sacrifice ourselves for you."

Li Bingchang was somewhat moved upon hearing this, just as Prime Minister Li Qing arrived.

Li Qing, as prime minister, was unaware that his ministers had rushed to remonstrate with the emperor, and felt he had lost face.

Upon seeing this, Li Qing said, "Your Majesty, the Song army only has Zhongxing Prefecture in this battle, and their intention is to destroy the ancestral temple of our Great Bai Gao Kingdom. Their intentions must not change."

"Dingzhou is a low-lying city with scarce food supplies, so how can it be defended? As for the other prefectures, none of them are strong enough to resist. Only Zhongxing Prefecture has a high city and a solid moat. Even if hundreds of thousands of troops besiege it, it can be defended for half a year without any problem."

One general objected, "The city has a population of 300,000. What's the point of the Song army besieging it? They can't even last a month, let alone half a year."

Li Qing said, "Throughout history, the attacking side has always valued decisiveness, while the defending side has valued perseverance. As long as we hold out for more than three months, the Liao army will surely defeat the Song army. I have already ordered men to go out of the city to collect grain from all directions. Not a single grain of rice or a single blade of grass should be left in the Song army's territory within a hundred miles."

"Zhongxing Prefecture is the place where our Great Bai Gao Kingdom is revitalized, and it must not be abandoned!"

The ministers fell silent upon hearing this. These people had previously entered Song territory to burn, kill, and plunder without a word, but now that they were setting up a scorched earth near the capital, Zhongxing Prefecture, who would be willing to do so?
The officials were even more resentful.

Li Qing continued to persuade the officials to abandon their plan to flee to Dingzhou. But all that could be heard was Li Qing repeatedly proclaiming in the imperial court, "My Great Bai Gao Kingdom."

Suddenly, a Tangut nobleman below mocked.

"Prime Minister, what do you mean by 'my Great Bai Gao Kingdom'? You are a Han Chinese, when did the Great Bai Gao Kingdom become yours!"

Li Qing was filled with shame upon hearing this and dared not refute it. Instead, he said, "Your Majesty, the Southern Dynasty has a blood feud with me. When Emperor Jingzong raised an army to attack the Song Dynasty, how many Han people were killed? How can the Southern Dynasty forgive us now that it has raised an army? No matter where we go, it is better to defend Zhongxing Prefecture and try to make a living."

Li Bingchang said, "What the Prime Minister says makes sense."

"My beloved ministers, please do not blame the Prime Minister. If there has ever been anyone who has brought disaster to the country and its people over the years, there is only one person, and that is me!"

"This has led to widespread public discontent and internal and external troubles. All of this is my fault."

Li Qing looked up in astonishment, and tears immediately welled up in his eyes. Even now, the emperor was still so open and honest with him.

The ministers remained silent, but many of them were actually using the accusation against Li Qing, who was a Han Chinese, as a subtle way of criticizing Li Bingchang.

Li Bingchang said, "In the early days of the nation, everyone devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the cause, and after a hundred battles, the country was won, standing as one of the three powers between the Song and Liao dynasties. But as the nation grew, it gradually fell apart. No dynasty or country in history has ever escaped this fate."

"I have renamed Xingqing Prefecture to Zhongxing Prefecture, intending to forge a new path. Without this prefecture, the morale of my subjects will be lost. Only by holding fast to this place can we hope for a revival."

"I hereby issue an edict of self-reproach, and all blame rests with me. I urge all my beloved ministers to offer their advice and strategies, and work together with me to overcome these difficult times."

Since Li Bingchang had already confessed his guilt, what else could the ministers say? Li Qing's eyes were filled with tears.

Just then, someone came to report: "Your Majesty, the Song army's main force in Huanqing Road has crossed the Yellow River to the north!"

"So fast!"

The entire court was shocked. Someone muttered to himself, "The Song army has crossed the Yellow River. It's too late to abandon Zhongxing Prefecture and retreat north to Dingzhou now."

Li Bingchang angrily said, "That Zhang Sanlang, you insist on destroying my Great Baigao Kingdom! I will never let you live under the same sky."

Li Qing was both surprised and delighted. He was surprised by the rapid progress of the Song army, which left the local troops with almost no power to resist. He was delighted that the Song army's crossing of the river meant that the retreat route to the north was cut off, and everyone's only option was to defend Zhongxing Prefecture.

This is a do-or-die situation, a fight with no way out.

However, Li Qing's judgment was proven wrong the very next day, as more than thirty Dangxiang nobles and officials, including Wei Mingzhonglang, fled from Zhongxing Prefecture overnight.

Li Qing wasn't too upset, after all, she was used to receiving one bad news after another.

……

Listening to the staff members' discussion.

Zhang Yue has already assessed the talents of others.

If the two sides are roughly equal in terms of tactics, then the difference in strategic ability will determine the key to victory or defeat.

Ordinary people, when two armies are at war, only focus on the gains and losses of a single city or territory.

A true master's insight extends beyond the gains and losses of a single city or region; it encompasses the broader concept of "preserving people at the cost of territory, or preserving territory at the cost of people."

From individual knowledge points to a broad range of knowledge, and finally to a complete knowledge system.

Elevate the knowledge points to a broader knowledge base, and ultimately build your own knowledge system.

This system of knowledge is the Tao.

And each time one's understanding deepens, the original principles become the basic techniques.

Just like trading salt and paper money, ordinary people focus on the profit and loss on paper, while experts focus on the depth of the capital pool, but the most important thing is to grasp and build up the mindset.

Zhang Yue had long ago developed his own knowledge system or breadth of knowledge through learning by doing and doing by learning. But precisely because of this, he became increasingly reliant on his past successful experiences, increasingly self-righteous, and fell into the trap of being blinded by his own limited perspective.

Therefore, although Zhang Yue has his own methods of judging things, he still relies on his team of advisors. Firstly, to listen to the ideas of young people and make up for his own shortcomings, and secondly, to maintain a state of continuous learning and constant updating.

The advisors chimed in with their opinions, and for example, Zong Ze's theory of crossing the river, while secretly agreeing with Zhang Yue's thoughts, was met with opposition from many.

Zhang Yue understood that nearly half of his staff were young men temporarily assigned to gain experience, and of course, the risk would be extremely high if the army were to cross the river.

Conversely, crossing the river during a military campaign would have a decisive morale boost for the Song army.

During the Jingkang Incident, Emperor Huizong of Song fled to Bianjing, abandoning the country. Later, Emperor Gaozong of Song rejected Zong Ze's advice and refused to cross the river. However, conversely, it is also unacceptable for Emperor Chongzhen to be trapped in Beijing and hang himself on Coal Hill.

The human mind is a chaotic system.

When faced with a large army besieging the city, if you tell your subordinates to hold firm and there is a way out, do your subordinates really believe you?

On the contrary, the more you tout victory, the more your subordinates will feel that everything is doomed.

Therefore, at this point, we must produce something substantial.

"Xingzhou is a fortified city, garrisoned with tens of thousands of elite troops. How can it fall in a day or two? What if Liao reinforcements arrive and a decisive battle ensues beneath the walls of Xingzhou?"

"At the time, it was said that there was a 70% chance of defeating the Dangxiang, and the remaining 30% was due to Xingzhou. Xingzhou was probably no less fortified than Taiyuan City of the Northern Han back then. Whether it could be captured after a six-month siege was unknown to anyone, and that was the 30% variable."

"Choosing to station troops in Yanzhou would allow us to reinforce Hedong to the north and control the Yellow River to the west, which is the best strategy."

Listening to the debate, Zhang Yue smiled and said, "Actually, it's not necessary to cross the river. If the Liao army really comes to our aid with all its might, it wouldn't be a problem to withdraw our troops and return to the capital."

Everyone was speechless upon hearing Zhang Yue's argument. Zhang Yue spoke so lightly. This time, the whole country was mobilized to conquer the Dangxiang. If they were to actually win back the war, but the campaign was abandoned halfway, how would the court view it? How would the people of the country view it? Military affairs are not to be treated so lightly.

But Zhang Yue said that, could he be trying to trick us?

"Reporting to the Minister, all operations are progressing smoothly at present. If this news gets out, it may shake the morale of the army."

Everyone said, "Sikong, we've come this far, we must persevere no matter how difficult it is."

Zhang Yue smiled and said, "Yes, you are all right. I misspoke just now. But these are all my trusted confidants, so I can speak the truth."

“Those who undertake great tasks should handle them with ease. The more a nation is at stake, the more they must know when to withdraw and when to let go. It is indeed imprudent to suggest retreating, but you should consider the matter objectively. Being able to maneuver with ease is the way to conquer. Do not act out of spite or insist on doing it this way.”

"Therefore, please speak freely without any reservations. I will gather your thoughts and opinions."

Hearing Zhang Yue's words, the tense nerves of the staff relaxed slightly.

Of course, no one truly believed Zhang Yue's words about ending the war. Some speculated that this was Zhang Yue's usual tactic: stubborn and self-willed, making decisions based on his own will but then blaming others and finding more people to take responsibility for the outcome.

If things are done well, that's fine; but if they're done poorly, it's purely the work of a treacherous official.

Many loyal ministers and treacherous ministers are like two sides of the same coin; it just depends on which side you land on.

Just then, a servant came to report: "Reporting to the Minister of Works, Wang Shan, the military commissioner of Huanqing Road, has come to report that the garrison commander of Huaizhou surrendered yesterday, and the main force of his army has successfully crossed the Yellow River for the second time!"

The news was met with great excitement.

Following Peng Sun's troops from Jingyuan Road crossing the Yellow River, Wang Shan's troops from Huanqing Road have also crossed the Yellow River one after another, forming a pincer attack on Xingzhou.

As the situation gradually becomes clearer, it also provides a basis for the next steps.

Zhang Yue said, "The outcome of a battle between two nations does not depend solely on the gain or loss of a single city or territory, nor entirely on the loss of elite troops and generals. Ultimately, it depends on the will of the people and the confidence of the military and civilians of both nations in the prospect of victory!"

"This is the general trend; everything else is secondary."

"My mind is made up...the entire army crosses the river!"

Everyone replied in unison, "We will obey the orders of the Minister of Works!"

Seeing this scene, Zhang Yue knew that at this crucial moment, one must have an obsession with victory and be willing to go all out.

We must have a decisive move, like the one that led Liu and Deng's army into the Dabie Mountains, that disregards local losses. This is far more effective than any propaganda or hype.

We'll keep quiet and not make any empty promises; we'll let our actions speak for themselves.

While human nature may have contradictory aspects, it also tends to favor the winners.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yue looked into the distance and said, "Jinggong, Chizheng, and Zhifu, I will write down your achievements in history."

May the spirits in heaven protect us!
……

After crossing the river, the vanguard of the Song army on Huanqing Road rushed straight to the city of Xingzhou.

Once the vanguard cavalry of the Song army saw the towering outline of Xingzhou, cheers erupted from top to bottom.

Zhongxing Prefecture was originally named Huaiyuan County in the early Song Dynasty. In the fourth year of Xianping, it was captured by Li Jiqian, the leader of the Dangxiang people. In the fourth year of Tianxi, Li Jiqian's son, Li Deming, began to build a palace and established it as the capital, named Xingzhou, which has been in existence for nearly seventy years.

The Song cavalry, mounted on horseback, looked down from the high ground beside the city and saw towering Buddhist pagodas and tall, white-painted houses densely surrounding the Tangut imperial city to the north.

The Tanguts valued white, and the houses of nobles were all painted white.

Just then, several thousand Tangut cavalrymen, having requisitioned provisions from outside the city, were about to enter. Although the Song army's vanguard cavalry numbered only a few hundred and were exhausted, they launched an attack against an enemy force ten times their size before the rear guard arrived.

The commander of the Tangut cavalry was taken aback. The Song army, which was not used to only build strongholds and fight stalemates, had become so valiant.

The Song army launched a full-scale attack, displaying overwhelming momentum. Several thousand Tangut cavalrymen were unable to break through, until the garrison commander of Zhongxing Prefecture dispatched tens of thousands of troops to reinforce them. Even then, the Song cavalry fought to the death, refusing to retreat, until the entire force was wiped out.

This battle shocked the Tangut people. Although they annihilated several hundred Song cavalry vanguards, they suffered over a thousand casualties. What was even more terrifying was the Song army's fierce momentum, which chilled the Tangut people to the bone.

Subsequently, Wang Shan led the main force of Huanqing Road troops across the Yellow River and arrived at the city of Xingzhou. The Dangxiang troops hurriedly retreated and entered the city.

Outside the city, there were civilians who had no time to escape. As the general leading the Song army, Wang Shan did not follow the same strategy he had used when attacking Liangzhou, which was to let civilians into Xingzhou to deplete the enemy's supplies.

Instead, he blocked the people from entering the city.

When Wang Shan was in Xihe Road, he was ruthless and cruel. Even the Tangut children dared not cry at the mere mention of his name. He has not changed his ways since.

After crossing the river, Wang Shan launched a sweeping campaign through the villages, slaughtering anyone who dared to resist. For the villages that had surrendered, Wang Shan then selected the strongest men to form his army, and subsequently looted all the grain, fodder, cattle, and sheep, which were then collected and transported by women and children before attacking the fortifications surrounding Xingzhou City.

Xingzhou City was crisscrossed by ditches and canals, including ancient canals such as Tanglai and Hanyuan that drew water from the Yellow River, as well as the Wu Wang Canal dug by Li Yuanhao, earning it the reputation of being a "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall." Left and right wing walls were also built outside the city gates. All of these factors added considerable inconvenience to the Song army attacking the city.

Wang Shanxian first ordered the elite and strong Dangxiang soldiers he had recruited to attack the city, and then ordered the surrendered Dangxiang soldiers to guard and imprison them.

When these shaved-headed, earring-adorned, and sheepskin-clad strong Dangxiang men were pushed and driven by the surrendered army to attack the city, they probably knew they were destined to be used as siege weapons. Their eyes revealed a sinister and unwilling look. Seeing this, Wang Shan secretly plotted to kill them.

In the second year of the Mingdao era, Li Yuanhao issued a nationwide shaving order, requiring all people in the Dangxiang kingdom to shave their heads, and those who disobeyed were to be killed.

Now, there are also many Tangut soldiers in the Song army. Most of them have been Sinicized over the years and are no different from the Han people. On the contrary, these Tangut people with shaved heads, whether or not they are from Weiming, all have a fierce and sinister look in their faces and eyes.

After these elite Tangut soldiers failed to capture the city, Wang Shan immediately ordered the surrendered troops to kill them.

After killing off most of the strong and able-bodied Dangxiang soldiers, Wang Shan ordered the surrendered troops to attack the city again, this time with a larger number of Dangxiang soldiers from the Song army guarding the city.

The surrendered soldiers, their hands stained with blood, could not afford to fight back, so they had no choice but to launch a fierce attack on the city.

Even so, for surrendered soldiers who failed to capture the camp or were perfunctory in their attacks, Wang Shan ordered one-fifth of his entire force to be executed.

Seeing that the Song army was attacking the city's outer camps with great urgency, the defenders in the city also knew that an isolated city could not be defended.

The city continuously sent Tangut soldiers down the city walls to cross the moat and engage in battle with the Song army below. The fighting was extremely fierce.

A few days later, Peng Sun also led his army to capture Shunzhou.

After the Jingyuan Road army arrived at Xingzhou City and joined forces with the Huanqing Road army, they were amazed to see that Wang Shan had actually attacked the city with a small force, not only breaking through several fortresses under Xingzhou City, but also obtaining a lot of grain, fodder, cattle and sheep.

After Peng Sun captured Shunzhou, money and grain could be transported continuously to the city of Zhongxingfu through Lingzhou. However, eating one zhong of enemy grain was still equivalent to eating twenty zhong of mine.

When Peng Sun inquired about what had happened, Liu Anshi, the Inspector General of Jingyuan Road, turned pale upon hearing the news.

Wang Shan dismissed the matter, saying, "The Tangut people have their roots here. If we don't use swift and decisive measures to eradicate them, even more people will die in the future."

"One must never be so soft-hearted as to act like a woman."

Liu Anshi remained greatly dissatisfied.

Peng Sun, however, said with a face full of approval: "Cleaning the house and attracting new customers, why not do it this way?"

"Xingzhou's city walls are high and thick; it would be unwise to expend our own troops there. We should bring the surrendered troops from Shunzhou here and attack the city in the same way."

Once Peng Sun had finished speaking, he asked, "How many soldiers and horses are there in the city? How much food and provisions?"

Wang Shan said, "We captured prisoners and found out there were fifty or sixty thousand soldiers. We cut open the bellies of several surrendered soldiers and found they were all made from coarse and inferior food. It is likely that the city's food supplies are not plentiful."

When Liu Anshi heard that Wang Shan had disemboweled the surrendered soldiers, he was greatly alarmed and said, "Our dynasty has sent troops this time to relieve the people and punish the guilty. We are a dignified royal army and a benevolent army. We must not commit indiscriminate killing in the future. Such things must not be done again."

Peng Sun and Wang Shan each cursed the scholar's views in their hearts.

After the two sat down, they discussed the matter of joining forces. Zhang Yue decided that after the forces were combined, Peng Sun would be the leader, and Wang Shan and Liu Anshi would be ranked second and third respectively. However, Peng Sun and Wang Shan, who had just cursed Liu Anshi in secret, were not convinced of who should listen to whom and still harbored the idea of ​​competing for credit.

After a discussion, everyone decided that the troops from Huanqing and Jingyuan would each be stationed in the east and west respectively.

The troops along Jingyuan Road and Huanqing Road divided up the territory, with one force attacking the west side of the city and the other attacking the east side.

Peng Sun commanded his army to set up camp along the west side of Xingzhou, establishing a defensive posture along the Helan Mountains. However, Wang Shan could not wait and attacked the city while simultaneously setting up camp.

The Tangut soldiers fought their way through the city.

Although the Tanguts were already in a desperate situation, after learning that Zhongxing Prefecture was besieged, troops still rushed to the prefecture to defend the emperor.

However, the number of soldiers was only a few hundred or a thousand. Most of them died in the city and countryside due to the Song army's blockade. Only a few were able to break through the Song army's encirclement and enter the city.

Wang Shan understood best how to undermine the morale of the city's defenders, and sometimes he would deliberately let these loyalist troops break through the Song army's encirclement and reach the city.

Then the city's defenders watched helplessly as these loyal and brave soldiers fought in vain, only to be overtaken and killed by Song cavalry outside the city, annihilated in the wilderness.

Faced with this, the defenders roared in grief and anger, striking their shields with swords and axes, but to no avail.

Once the Tangut garrison captured Song soldiers, they showed no mercy, openly tying them to the city walls and then letting their soldiers shoot them to death one arrow at a time.

Wang Shan's Huanqing Road troops gradually cleared the city walls and led his infantry in an attempt to break through the walls of Zhongxing Prefecture. However, without the support of Peng Sunjing's original troops, they were repeatedly repelled by the defenders with arrows and stones. Seeing that the siege was unsuccessful, Wang Shan angrily rode ahead and challenged the defenders to battle from below the city walls, wielding a long spear. The defenders held firm and did not come out.

After suffering several losses, Wang Shan had no choice but to retreat. Instead, he set up artillery positions east of Xingzhou City, and, like Peng Sun, continued to fill in the trenches and build long palisades to begin besieging the city.

The strategy of besieging a city with another city has been a consistent tactic of the Song army in recent years, known as "shallow attack and advance on fortifications," and it has proven effective time and again in the campaigns to capture Lingzhou and Liangzhou.

Peng Sun built camps from south to north. He first cleared the iron chains and spikes that the Dangxiang people had laid in the Yellow River, built two passageways at Shunhua Ferry, the closest to Zhongxing Prefecture, and repaired roads to ensure the grain transport route from Lingzhou to Xingzhou City. He even built a dry dock to repair ships.

Only then did Jingyuan Road slowly clear the Dangxiang city walls.

From the city wall, one could see Song soldiers and their supplies arriving at Xingzhou city in an endless stream, like a great river flowing to the sea.

This greatly disappointed the Dangxiang rulers and ministers who had anticipated that the Song army would capture Zhongxingfu before the Liao reinforcements arrived, and who were eager to attack the city.

……

Fengzhou, Hedong.

It borders the Hedong, Dangxiang, and Liao kingdoms.

Lü Huiqing led a large army to garrison this area.

The weather turned bitterly cold, and heavy snow fell continuously for several days.

Lu Huiqing had been coughing for several days. This benevolent guardian of the Xining Reform was getting old, and his years of military service had made him seriously ill.

Since taking charge of Hedong, Lü Huiqing not only governed it in an orderly manner, but also never stopped harassing the five prefectures of Dingnan. He sent troops to set fire to farmland, loot, and use all sorts of despicable means.

The Tanguts hated him so much they wanted to eat his bones and sleep on his skin. In the end, the Tanguts ceded three prefectures, including Xia Prefecture, after the Yuan You era. This was because they had no choice but to give up. They were harassed by Lü Huiqing to the point of exhaustion, so they simply gave up these lands.

After Lü Huiqing finished coughing, a servant brought him a bowl of porridge with a little red bean paste in it.

Lu Huiqing slowly began to drink. As he aged, he had always eaten a light diet, a tradition also observed by New Party officials. Lu Huiqing kept his food and clothing as simple as possible. This, however, did not interfere with the embezzlement of his younger brothers, creating a strangely self-consistent situation.

Soon after, it became feasible, and Gao Yongnian and several of his generals led their troops to Fengzhou City.

As the general of Hedong Road, Zhe Kexing and Gao Yongnian were surrounded by hundreds of personal guards. They were very powerful when they went out to war, but when they arrived at the city, their personal guards could only rest outside the city.

Upon entering the city and meeting Lü Huiqing, one must remove one's armor and weapons.

These generals stood under the eaves, barely daring to breathe, awaiting Lü Huiqing's summons. Snow covered their robes, yet they remained silent.

After finishing the hot porridge in her hand, Lü Huiqing gestured for several people to come into the house.

Inside, a charcoal fire was burning. Lü Huiqing reached her hand towards the brazier and casually asked, "How are the Liao troops doing this time? Are they handling it?"

Zhe Kexing said, "This time, when attacking Tiande Army, we did not encounter the regular troops of Liao. We swept away the local tribes and captured all the people and livestock."

Another general, Gao Yongnian, said, "Not only the Tiande Army, but also the Heqing Army and the Jinsu Army were burned to the ground."

Lü Huiqing nodded and said, "Did they set fire to the pastures where their troops were spending the winter?"

Zhe Kexing and several of his generals said, "They were all burned to the ground."

Lü Huiqing praised, "Very good. What about the Daoist Master Zhong of Fuyan Road?"

"I heard that only Yanzhou remains unconquered in Hengshan. The rest of the Dangxiang tribes have been repeatedly wiped out, and the mountains and forests have been searched. This time, I heard that Zhong Shidao was particularly ruthless, and anyone who resisted was slaughtered."

Lu Huiqing nodded and said, "This is the way to do great things. The art of war says, 'Win first, then fight,' which is exactly what this means."

“Zhang Duzhi is usually quite gentle, but when it comes to important matters, he knows how to be ruthless.”

"Over the years, many tribes have surrendered to the Song Dynasty, sending their leaders' sons to local schools and even the Imperial Academy. Now, the tide has turned, and those who still do not surrender now are surely stubborn bandits. If we do not act decisively now, they will surely rebel repeatedly in the future. We might as well settle this once and for all and not leave these dirty things for future generations to deal with."

Zhe Kexing echoed, "The Hengshan Mountains stretch for thousands of miles and have tens of thousands of elite troops. They used to dart between the Dangxiang and us, and have always been a major threat to us. Now that they have been wiped out in one fell swoop, it is truly a great thing. Even if we cannot take Xingzhou, we can prevent them from recovering their strength for several years."

Lü Huiqing nodded and looked outside. The cold wind was howling and the snow was falling heavily like goose feathers.

The mountains and plains, both near and far, high and low, were covered with thick snow.

Lu Huiqing coughed a few more times, then said to the generals, "It seems that the Liao reinforcements are not far away, and they will definitely come for our Hedong Road first. The Minister of Works is determined to take Xingzhou first, so we will probably have to rely on ourselves."

"As you all know, although Sikong and I are not on good terms, that's how the court is—there are factions and struggles. Sikong and I may have disagreements, but they are all for the sake of the country."

"Now, the power of our Great Song Dynasty is on the rise. As long as we win, everything will be fine, and these grudges and past grievances can be covered up. On the other hand, the Dangxiang Liao Kingdom is declining and becoming more and more infighting. You should focus on your work and make contributions. The country will reward you handsomely. In the past, Emperor Zhaolie of Han rebuked Xu Si for asking for land and houses, but his words were not worth considering. It is shameful not to stand up for the country when it is in danger."

The two men quickly replied, "We dare not."

Zhe Kexing asked, "What if the Liao army takes the route through Hebei and attacks Bianjing while the Yellow River is frozen?"

Upon hearing this, Lü Huiqing smiled and said, "They may go, but they won't be able to reach Hedong. If the Liao army goes to Hebei, even if they reach the gates of Bianjing, it will be useless. There are large cities and powerful troops behind them, so they will have to return after they go."

"Only Hedong is the roof of the world, and it is the true place where the life and death of our Great Song Dynasty depend on it."

……

The Zhongxing Prefecture was surrounded by more than 100,000 Song soldiers.

Li Bingchang and Li Qing also worked hard to boost morale and came up with various methods.

The soldiers in the city regularly held target shooting competitions, from which elite soldiers were selected to fill the palace guard positions, and they were provided with food and clothing. Li Bingchang would attend each competition to watch and personally provide them with food and drink.

Because of the freezing weather, Li Bingchang took out all the felt blankets in the palace to keep the soldiers guarding the city warm. Because there were not enough felt blankets, the palace maids all prepared to weave warm clothes and scarves for the soldiers. Even the pregnant Empress Yelü Xian personally set an example.

Therefore, the situation in Zhongxing Prefecture that Lu Huiqing predicted—where the country would perish due to internal strife, and even after the country's fall, internal strife would continue—has not yet occurred.

Now the Song army is resorting to its old tricks again, starting to build fortifications and cutting down trees everywhere to make siege weapons. Li Bingchang led his generals to the city wall to observe. In the past, he had only seen how the Song army besieged the city, but he did not know the system. Now, he saw that the Song army had set up camp in a very orderly manner.

The interconnected villages were built with great aesthetic appeal and were also very well-organized.

Within this massive camp, there was not a sound other than the logging noise. The Song army did not boast of its military might upon arrival; this low-key and pragmatic approach to building fortifications put immense pressure on the city's garrison.

Upon seeing this, the generals couldn't help but request to leave the city and attack, so as not to allow the Song army to build their camps so leisurely.

Li Bingchang, recalling the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Lingzhou, shook his head and advised his subordinate Renduo Baozhong that his troops would surely defeat the Song army north of Helan Mountain and return to rescue Zhongxing Prefecture, or that they should place their hopes on reinforcements from the Uyghurs or the Liao Kingdom.

At midnight, the city's garrison saw that the Song army's camps on the east and west sides were ablaze with fire, illuminating the outskirts of the city as if it were daytime, and all of them felt a chill run down their spines.

Overnight, countless camps sprang up in the distance like mushrooms after rain, and during the day, numerous ferries took advantage of the Yellow River's unfrozen state to travel back and forth between the two banks. It was no surprise that the Song army had mobilized a great deal of civilian labor and supplies.

As the Song army's artillery formations became increasingly complete, the eight-ox crossbows that had shone brightly under the walls of Liangzhou and Lingzhou were placed one by one beneath the city.

The defenders on the city walls were filled with an atmosphere of utter despair, their only hope of breaking through the siege of Zhongxing Prefecture resting on reinforcements.

The defenders on the city walls gazed northwest day and night, hoping for reinforcements from the Liao Kingdom. Any sighting of troops on the northwestern horizon would excite them, but their hopes were dashed time and again.

However, after December, instead of receiving reinforcements from various directions, Zhongxing Prefecture was hit by a large Song Dynasty army marching from the direction of Lingzhou.

This is precisely when Zhang Yue personally led his army to arrive.

Zhang Yue rode slowly along the temporary pontoon bridge that Peng Sun had laid across the Yellow River. The wind howled in his ears, and the dense clatter of armor plates echoed in his ears. Behind him stretched an endless army, and snowflakes flew overhead and disappeared into the waves of the Yellow River.

Upon arriving in Xingzhou, Zhang Yue stepped onto the Yellow River pontoon bridge, feeling full of pride and high spirits.

The journey was filled with good news, as if every step I took was leading me to the pinnacle of destiny.

Nevertheless, Zhang Yue still thought about the foundation of the nation's revival. He wavered between determination and hesitation, filled with both the anticipation of achieving fame before and after his death and the worry of failure. However, he was surrounded by his steadfast advisors and close followers, as well as soldiers whose eyes were filled with fervor.

From Bianjing to Jingzhao Prefecture, then to Yanzhou, and finally to Zhongxing Prefecture, Zhang Yue, as prime minister, did not ride in a carriage. Instead, he traveled a thousand miles with 100,000 soldiers, sharing their joys and sorrows.

Although the Song army was exhausted from their journey, their morale was extremely high.

Zhang Yue crossed the Yellow River, where Peng Sun, the military commissioner of Jingyuan Road, had been waiting with his troops at the river mouth for a long time.

"Your Excellency, the city of Zhongxing Prefecture is well-fortified and has been built up by the Dangxiang people for many years. I first broke through the outer fortifications of Yicheng and other cities, and then set up a camp and siege around the city. Please forgive me, Your Excellency."

Peng Sun still referred to himself as "this humble general" instead of "your subordinate" in front of Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue said, "You are the former commander-in-chief, so you can decide these matters yourself. How is your relationship with Wang Shan?"

Peng Sun stammered upon hearing this. Zhang Yue had long known of the discord between the two, both harboring competitive intentions, and had secretly sabotaged each other during the siege. Zhang Yue sighed inwardly, thinking, "Don't assume your subordinates will consider the bigger picture or act solely for the sake of the nation. Everyone has their own agenda. Once I'm not around, the infighting will never end, even with a formidable enemy at hand."

Therefore, when faced with the highest priority issues, the person in charge must go to the front line.

A moment later, Wang Shan arrived with his troops through the snow. Zhang Yue glanced at him. Wang Shan bowed and said, "This humble general has failed in the siege; please forgive me, Minister of Works!"

Peng Sun silently wiped his sweat from the side. Zhang Yue helped Wang Shan up and said, "I already know about the siege. At least we've tested the city's strength and weaknesses."

Peng Sun and Wang Shan were terrified, and the other generals dared not utter a sound.

Zhang Yue turned around and asked, "Has the camp around the city been cleared?"

Peng Sun hurriedly replied, "I hope you will let the Minister know. The city was completely breached two days ago, and only the sheep and horse walls remain around it."

"Xingzhou is eighteen li, which is much smaller than Kaifeng Prefecture's forty-eight li. However, the moat is ten zhang wide and never runs dry, making it difficult to control. But I have already filled in the southern section of the moat. The remaining sections will freeze in another ten days or so, which will save me some trouble."

Zhang Yue said approvingly, "You did a good job filling in the moat before it froze over."

Peng Sun was overjoyed and said, "Thank you for your praise, Minister. I am just troubled by the high and thick walls of Xingzhou."

Zhang Yue said, "I expected it, which is why I brought you the Feishan and Xiongwu Imperial Guards from Bianjing this time."

Peng Sun was taken aback and asked, "May I ask, Minister of Works, has the Ordnance Bureau successfully completed its research?"

Zhang Yue nodded. Both the late emperor and the current emperor, who were determined to recover the lost territories of the Han and Tang dynasties, had an inexplicable fervor for military equipment and weaponry.

After the reforms by Zhang Yue, Lü Huiqing, and Shen Kuo, the quality of manufactured weapons in the Ordnance Bureau was indeed greatly improved, and various skilled craftsmen also personally offered their advice and suggestions.

Although many ministers believed that the emperor should not be preoccupied with such trivial matters, but should instead focus on the fundamental principles of governing the country.

Historically, every emperor who loved territorial expansion genuinely enjoyed studying military technology, and Su Song and Shen Kuo were able to cater to this interest. As a result, the military technology of the Song Dynasty took off.

The Feishan Xiongwu Second Route Imperial Guards were equipped with the latest weapons from the Military Equipment Bureau and were transferred from Bianjing to Xingzhou with Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue personally donned armor and arrived at the city of Xingzhou to observe the battle.

The Song army, upon learning of Zhang Yue's arrival, was in high spirits and eager to attack Xingzhou City.

The current prime minister and commander-in-chief of the three armies have arrived at the gates of Xingzhou. Need I say more?
The next step was to take Xingzhou in one fell swoop.

Looking at the city of Xingzhou, Zhang Yue felt a surge of emotion that was hard to calm down. Seeing Zhang Yue like this, Zhang Geng's eyes also reddened.

In the wind and snow, hundreds of warriors stood silently behind Zhang Yue, their hands on their swords.

"What a beautiful land!"

At the foot of the majestic Helan Mountains, Zhang Yue raised his head again to look at Xingzhou. Xingzhou had four city gates, which were indeed smaller than the ten city gates of Bianjing.

Geographically, Xingzhou is surrounded by the Helan Mountains to the northwest and the Yellow River to the east, forming a bracket-like structure. From a feng shui perspective, being nestled between mountains and water is indeed an auspicious location. The Helan Mountains, like the legendary Buzhou Mountain, rise majestically to the northwest of the city.

The Song army has now built camps and palisades up to about two hundred paces from the city walls, and then built an earthen wall behind the palisades.

The Song army pressed forward, with spears standing tall behind the wooden fence and their armor gleaming. Behind the earthen wall were Song cavalrymen, who sat down to rest their horses, while the warhorses repeatedly chewed on their bridles.

The watchtowers and platforms of the camp were filled with Song soldiers wielding crossbows, while dozens of ballistae were mounted in the center of the camp, and countless artillery formations surrounded the perimeter. At this moment, large and small flags fluttered in the sky above the Song army camp, resembling a red ocean with rolling waves.

Amidst the wind and snow, the banner of "Zhang, Minister of Works of the Great Song Dynasty" stands tall in the south of Xingzhou City, surrounded by countless banners from various camps, resembling stars surrounding the moon.

Judging from this formation, Zhang Yue was confident that he could fight even if the Dangxiang troops of Xingzhou or the entire Liao army arrived.

Zhang Yue exhaled a long breath and casually pointed to Xingzhou, saying, "Xingzhou is a well-fortified city. The Dangxiang Qiang have been building their territory here for decades, so it will not be easy to attack."

"Reporting to the Minister of Works, Xingzhou City appears imposing, but it is actually quite vulnerable. This humble general is willing to lead troops to test its strength!" The first to speak was Weiming Amai, a surrendered Dangxiang general.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue smiled slightly. Seeing that a foreign general had taken the lead, his generals all volunteered to attack the city, hoping to make a name for themselves in front of Zhang Yue.

Sun Lu, the transport commissioner standing nearby, said, "Reporting to the Minister of Works, should we send someone into the city to persuade them to surrender?"

Zhang Yue waved his hand and said, "If we can't take any ground, then words are meaningless."

Faced with the generals' requests to fight, Zhang Yue immediately assigned Guo Cheng and another surrendered Dangxiang general, Wei Ming Amai, to attack two weak points in the southern city wall of Dangxiang City.

Heavy snow fell, landing on the armor of the Song army.

Guo Cheng reined in his horse and stood on the bank of the filled-in moat, directing his soldiers.

On the other side, Ayame stood with his hand on his sword, ice crystals clinging to his bald head.

Dozens of wooden carts covered with thick iron sheets moved slowly forward, pushed and shoved by the soldiers, their wheels churning over the frozen ground. The carts were filled with gravel and firewood, to completely fill in the unfrozen sections of the moat.

Following closely behind were the cave dwellings, more than fifty wooden houses resembling mobile fortresses covered with wet linen and fitted with wheels at the bottom, where archers among the soldiers hid.

Finally, there were the towers. Five wooden towers, taller than the city walls, were slowly raised by winches, and inside, archers with their bows drawn were already nocking arrows.

The roar of the Tangut general echoed from the city wall.

On the city walls and inside the sheep and horse ramparts below, thousands of powerful bows were drawn, and countless arrows rained down on the Song army's ranks.

The archers inside the cave retaliated, their divine crossbows having a much longer range than the Tangut bows.

Arrows darted through the wind and snow, embedding themselves in the wooden fences atop the city walls.

Tangut soldiers who were shooting arrows from the city wall kept falling to the ground, their bodies hitting the frozen ground below with a dull thud.

Then the Song army's ballistae were unleashed.

The five crossbows unleashed massive arrows, each as thick as a child's arm, their shafts wrapped in iron, hurtling straight towards the city walls.

The first arrow struck the wooden palisade atop the city wall, which was laden with sacks of chaff and bedding. Wood chips flew everywhere, and the sacks of chaff were instantly torn apart, sending white chaff powder mixed with snowflakes flying into the air. The second arrow pierced directly through the wooden pillar of the watchtower atop the city wall. With a "crack," a corner of the watchtower collapsed, and several Tangut soldiers screamed as they fell into the ground below.

"kill!"

Upon seeing this, Weiming Amai drew his sword and shouted, personally leading hundreds of surrendered Dangxiang soldiers pushing goose carts towards the city.

The Tangut cannons on the city wall finally came crashing down. The boulders swept past with a whoosh, directly hitting a goose cart. The wooden frame shattered, and rubble and firewood scattered all over the ground. Two soldiers next to the cart were instantly crushed under the stones.

The other carts did not dare to stop, and some soldiers even jumped off the carts and pushed the rubble into the river with their bare hands.

The remaining sections of the moat were eventually filled in by the Song army, creating two passages more than twenty feet wide.

The vehicle is tilted and propelled forward.

Twenty chariots with iron wheels at the bottom were carried by soldiers towards the sheep and horse wall, their bodies covered with wet linen.

Meanwhile, the Tangut defenders on the city wall threw out burning bundles of straw and barrels of grease. The fires landed on the carts, but were blocked by the wet burlap, only producing puffs of white smoke.

The chariots advanced close to the city wall, their iron shovels constantly digging at the base of the wall and damaging the sheep and horse walls below.

Immediately, the Tangut soldiers jumped over the wall and charged out from behind the sheep and horse wall, and the two armies clashed... A Tangut general in white helmet and armor was also very brave. Holding an iron mace, he braved the Song army's arrows and charged into the Song army's formation, killing dozens of people.

However, such individual bravery was only a flash in the pan. Without reinforcements, the enemy was soon surrounded by the Song army and killed.

After nearly an hour of fighting, the Song army sounded the retreat. A large section of the sheep and horse wall south of the city was leveled, and hundreds of Dangxiang soldiers were killed. However, the defending army dug a second trench behind the sheep and horse wall, so the Song army had to set it on fire before retreating.

Weiming Amai, the commander of the Tangut army, fought extremely hard, and Zhang Yue immediately rewarded him with the position of commander of the local militia.

Guo Cheng was even removed from his post as the commander of the original road of Zuojing.

The two generals looked pleased, but secretly regretted not having volunteered more earlier, allowing the two of them to get there first.

After returning to their tents, the generals took their leave. Zhang Yue ate while listening to military reports, and people would occasionally enter the tent to pay their respects.

After the Lingzhou prefect Fan Chunli, who was escorting the military provisions to the tent, handed them over, he reported to Zhang Yue: "General, I heard while passing through Yanzhou that the troops of Fuyan Road had committed excessive killings against the Hengshan tribes."

Zhang Yue said, "The Zhongshidao Association will have a plan for this matter."

Fan Chunli left in a huff.

Zhang Gen said from the side, "Reporting to the Minister of Works, there is a secret report that an official from Qin Feng Road has submitted a memorial to the court impeaching Peng Sun and Wang Shan. Should we investigate? They have even copied down their words in secret."

Zhang Yue said, "Write down the names of all these officials one by one."

Zhang Gen continued, "The Minister of Revenue, Chen Guan, wrote that since learning of the arrival of the Minister of Works in Xingzhou, the prices of salt, paper money, and paper currency in Bianjing have skyrocketed, returning to levels before the campaign against the Dangxiang. He inquired about how to handle this situation."

Zhang Yue said, "Discard half of what the imperial court previously bought."

Zhang Gen was taken aback. Hadn't the siege gone smoothly today?

"Could it be that Xingzhou City cannot be taken down in the short term?"

But Zhang Yue laughed and said, "One should not be complacent in victory, nor discouraged in defeat."

"The Right Chancellor Su wrote that the Western Expedition has been extremely costly, and the expenditure is already insufficient. Previously, when the emperor discussed the matter, Cai Jing advocated that the court print another three million salt paper money, while Chen Guan advocated that taxes be levied on commerce."

Zhang Yue knew that the emperor greatly appreciated both Cai Jing and Chen Guan, but the two not only disagreed on opinions but also harbored competitive intentions towards each other.

Internal strife has existed in the past, exists today, and will certainly exist in the future. Currently, under the banner of attacking the Tanguts, everyone's plans are geared towards national affairs, and they are somewhat restrained; however, this will become unstoppable in the future.

Zhang Yue said, "Regardless of victory or defeat in this campaign, the court will not be able to recover its strength for at least three to five years."

"When faced with two evils, choose the lesser one. Print three million strings of salt paper money to make up for the deficit first."

Zhang Yue continued, "Give the order to Zhong Shidao's troops, instructing him to immediately lead his army across the river after pacifying Hengshan, and to join forces with our troops under the walls of Xingzhou City to take over the city!"

Zhang Geng asked, "Minister Sikong, have they abandoned the Liao Kingdom?"

Zhang Yue then said, "Geng-ge'er, remember that the strength of an army lies in the momentum, and it is crucial to seize the opportune moment."

"We must capture Zhongxing Prefecture before the Liao reinforcements arrive!"

Finally, Zhang Yue said, "Geng-ge'er, no matter how things change in the world, in the end, we must look at the world with our hearts. Therefore, the end of all paths is the heart. This is also the origin of the saying that nothing exists outside the heart."

“You say that cultivating the mind is about working on the root, which seems reasonable, but many people cultivate their minds their whole lives without ever becoming unmoved. Does that mean they are truly unmoved? Without empirical evidence, how can one remain unmoved?”

Zhang Gen smiled and said, "Father, this is still the method of gradual enlightenment."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue chuckled and said, "I am not a clever person, so this is the only way."

"They prioritize technique over method, taking long and arduous journeys, always employing painstaking and laborious approaches!"

Zhang Geng thought to himself, no wonder his mother said that his father was not simple. This is because one can know the depth of a person but not the shallowness of their true nature.

My father often said, "A mountain may be ten thousand feet high, but you can only climb one step at a time." Don't think about climbing the mountain; instead, focus on taking the first step well.

The affairs of the world are complex yet simple, and simple yet complex again; there is still much to learn.

……

The next day, the garrison south of Xingzhou saw the Song army carrying long, dark objects to their camp. These long, dark objects were mounted on large carts with round wooden wheels, each pulled by two strong horses.

These long, dark objects were carried down by a dozen or so burly Song soldiers and placed on sandbags. Then, Song soldiers would adjust their height.

The Song army's craftsmen were busy at work. Soon, the Song soldiers took out a stone projectile shaped like a cannonball, put it into the mouth of the long object, and then filled it with powder.

The cannonballs were so big they were as high as a person's knees.

Once everything was ready, the Song army craftsmen withdrew, leaving only the soldiers to operate the equipment. Soon after, the soldiers picked up torches and lit the fuse at the end of the long object.

The Dangxiang garrison on Xingzhou City watched the Song army's movements with curiosity, and many Dangxiang soldiers peered over the city wall to see what the Song army was doing.

Just then, the Song army displayed dozens of long, dark objects. Flames flashed at the entrances, and a terrifying roar suddenly erupted.

Several Tangut soldiers on the city wall were caught off guard and fell several meters down the wall.

A sound unlike anything ever heard before, along with a terrifying roar, resounded throughout Xingzhou City, causing the earth to tremble.

The long, dark object spewed out stone projectiles that whistled towards the city wall of Xingzhou, and then an explosion rang out on the wall.

The defenders on the city wall felt the ground shaking beneath their feet. Many Tangut soldiers felt their bodies swaying from side to side, and many lost their footing and fell to the ground.

The stones immediately exploded on the city walls, causing many sections to collapse. The low, single-layered rammed earth wall was no match for the bombardment and collapsed entirely. Sometimes, the stones fired by the Song army would leap over the walls and crash into Xingzhou city.

The houses bombarded by the stones were mostly destroyed, and the laborers under the city wall were all knocked down.

"Heaven is going to destroy my Great White Kingdom!"

These thoughts were on everyone's mind at the same time.

The Tangut people rushed to the streets, unanimously believing that the Song army had used some kind of witchcraft or sorcery to attack the city walls of Xingzhou.

Upon learning the news, Li Bingchang and Li Qing personally went to the streets to appease the people. According to information obtained from their subordinates, the Song army had probably used a modified type of cannonball.

Although its power was not as great as that of artillery fire, its sheer force of fire was terrifying. It shook the morale of the defending troops and created panic among the people.

Li Qing personally ascended the south city wall and ordered the execution of the soldiers fleeing from the city wall. He killed over a hundred soldiers before the fleeing momentum was stopped.

The defenders on the city wall realized that the Song army had only fired a hundred or so stone projectiles before giving up, but the Song army below the city was jubilant.

Li Qing went up to the city wall to reassure the troops. At the same time, he found that many sections of the city wall had collapsed. He immediately ordered the garrison to repair the broken walls with wood and stone. He also ordered the dismantling of houses next to the city wall to use wooden beams and other materials as building materials, and to cover the wooden fence of the city wall with camel skin.

However, Li Qing noticed that the Dangxiang generals defending the city were all pale-faced, and the soldiers' morale was also very low.

Li Qing had no choice but to go down the city wall and report to Li Bingchang. Li Bingchang consulted with his ministers and, while they were discussing the matter, reported that General Weiming Lizhi had secretly gone down the south gate to surrender to the Song army.

Li Bingchang was furious and ordered all of the other party's family members to be dragged to the city wall and beheaded. At the same time, he sent envoys to the Song army camp to sue for peace.

……

Zhang Yue, who was below the city, understood the situation after observing the bombardment.

The cannons and artillery manufactured by the Feishan Xiongwu Second Route Imperial Guards are the newest firearms and artillery produced by the Arsenal. When I was prime minister during the Yuanfeng era, I revealed the model of the cannons and asked the Arsenal to supervise their manufacture.

However, Zhang Yue himself did not supervise the process. In the early years of the Yuan You era, the Military Equipment Bureau roughly made the molds for the cannons and tested them. Shen Kuo and Su Song were very interested in the cannons and recommended them to the emperor.

The emperor immediately ordered the Imperial Arsenal to produce them on a large scale, prioritizing the equipping of the Feishan Xiongwu assault force within the Song army's Imperial Guard.

However, the cannons were indeed too weak, and they dared not fire too many, fearing they might explode. So the Song army stopped firing after only two or three rounds; the intimidation effect was greater than the actual effect. It must be said that Xingzhou was still difficult to attack. Historically, the Mongols besieged Zhongxing Prefecture for half a year, using various methods such as digging dikes and flooding the city, but they could not break through the city.

Historically, the Mongols believed their cavalry was invincible, but they struggled to conquer cities, so they ordered the demolition of the walls of almost all the cities within their territory.

That's why Zhu Yuanzhang later said, "Build high walls, store plenty of grain, and delay declaring yourself king," because no one really had city walls.

The city walls that have been preserved in later generations were almost all built after the Ming Dynasty.

A moment later, Zhang Yue learned that the Tangut envoy had arrived.

The Tangut envoy presented Zhang Yue with almost every condition except surrendering the city, but Zhang Yue refused them all, leaving only the surrender of Zhongxing Prefecture as the only option.

After pleading for a long time, the Tangut envoy, in a fit of anger, said: "Although the Eastern Dynasty's military might is superior, it may not be able to conquer our fortified city within a few months. Things are unpredictable."

Zhang Yue chuckled and said, "What you say makes sense. Even an ant trying to shake a tree has its merits."

Seeing that Zhang Yue remained unmoved, the Dangxiang envoy continued, "The Liao Kingdom is coming from the north. How will the Minister of Works deal with this? He will only repeat the mistakes made at the Battle of Youzhou."

Zhang Yue said, "The current army of our dynasty is far superior to that of the Yongxi era. Even if Yelü Xiuge and Yelü Xiezhen were to be resurrected, it would be of no use!"

"You have no choice but to surrender and open the city gates. In this way, our lord will not lose your wealth and honor."

The Tangut envoy could not answer and retreated in dejection.

After resting for two days, the weather grew colder, and the moat around Xingzhou city gates froze over.

The Song army launched a full-scale attack on the city. Peng Sun attacked the west side of the city, Wang Shan attacked the east side, and Yan Da attacked the south side. As for the north side of the city, it was where the Dangxiang royal city was located, and the Song army did not directly send troops there.

The Song army, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, clad in armor, their warhorses neighing.

Zhang Yue personally arrived at the front lines to oversee the battle, and the entire army was in an uproar.

After a fierce barrage of cannon fire, the Song army immediately laid straw and felt blankets on the frozen moat and launched a full-scale attack on the city. At the same time, the Song army was also secretly digging tunnels to get closer to the city walls.

The defending troops knew this, but the Liao reinforcements were far away, and only Ren Duo Bao Zhong's main force could solve the immediate crisis.

Every day, Li Bingchang and Li Qing would climb the city tower and gaze towards the Helan Mountains, hoping to see any signs of reinforcements.

……

At this moment, Rendo Yasutada, who was waiting day and night for the garrison of Zhongxing Prefecture, was too busy to take care of himself.

Beneath the walls of Tanliang City, Renduo Baozhong's 100,000 troops had been fighting against Wang Hou's 200,000-strong army for more than ten days.

After the Tanguts successfully ambushed them that day, the Song army strengthened its defenses, ensuring that Renduo Baozhong could never replicate the success of that surprise attack.

Afterwards, Wang Houze led his troops in several major battles against the Dangxiang. After more than ten days of fighting, the Song army fought more and more fiercely and gradually gained the upper hand. Meanwhile, the Qingtang Fan tribe, which had captured Baima Strong Town Military Command, also sent troops to reinforce them. Yesterday, they set up a camp behind Tanliang City, completely cutting off Renduo Baozhong's retreat route from Helan Mountain to Zhongxing Prefecture.

Rendo Baozhong stood with his sword on the ground, while a freshly slaughtered, lean sheep was roasting in front of the fire.

The generals, clad in armor, cut off pieces of flesh to eat while discussing the matter.

Rendo Baozhong said, "As you all have seen, we have been fighting the Song army for more than ten days. If the Song army really wants to fight fiercely, can we hold on?"

The generals remained silent, but everyone knew that the two armies had been fighting for more than ten days, but their envoys had also been secretly communicating for more than ten days.

"As you can see, the Song army has surrounded us, and we can't even gather firewood to cook."

A general stepped forward and asked, "Rindo Bochū, do you wish to surrender?"

"People say that after you escaped from Liangzhou, you had already become involved with the Song people. Is that true?"

Rendo Baozhong said, "That's absolutely not true."

The other party said angrily, "I am just reminding the Commander-in-Chief not to forget the story of General Renduo's martyrdom in Liangzhou."

“We have a deep-seated hatred for the Han people.”

The generals murmured amongst themselves, but dared not speak out. In fact, many of the generals present had harbored wavering intentions over the years. With the tide turning against them, who would be willing to fight to the death? Everyone was looking for a way out. There were also quite a few surrendered Dangxiang generals in the Song army, and they were treated very well.

"Where exactly is the Liao army now? If the Liao Kingdom doesn't come, we might as well not fight at all."

Another general said, "I advise you not to think too highly of the Khitans."

"The Khitans will come to our aid, but they won't send their entire nation to save us. The Liao Kingdom must first protect Youyan."

"I think surrendering isn't out of the question. What kind of wealth and honor would the Song people offer me?"

After a while of arguing, some people said they would stop fighting, while others wanted to continue. In the end, more people wanted to fight.

Rendo Baozhong said dejectedly, "Without a solid foundation, nothing can be discussed."

"Let's fight for another day tomorrow, everyone, give it your all!"

After saying this, Rendo Baozhong drew his sword and left, returning to his tent, where he saw a man in his forties waiting inside.

"If the commander hesitates any longer, it may lead to mutual destruction."

Rendo Baozhong said, "How could I not want to set things right? But many of the generals still want to continue fighting, so I can't force them."

The other party sneered, "The commander's excuses suggest he has no real intentions."

Ren Duobaozhong said, "How could I not have the intention? Over the years, I have learned so much about your Great Song Dynasty. I am already your inside man."

The other party said, "It would be difficult for me to explain myself in this way. If the commander-in-chief were to become angry... I would not report back."

Rendo Baozhong said, "Just one more day. Tomorrow our army will face the Song army openly with swords and spears, which will put an end to these people's thoughts. Fighting to this point will not betray the kindness of my lord in recognizing my talent."

The other party sneered inwardly. Rendo Yasutada, as a general, was so hesitant and indecisive; he was truly foolish.

While thinking this to himself, the other party said on the surface, "Commander Renduo is truly a man of great loyalty and righteousness. I admire him greatly. Very well, let's fight for another day tomorrow. I hope General Renduo will not forget the promise he made to my commander."

Rendo Yasutada nodded and said, "I will never break my promise."

Before dawn, the frozen soil outside Tanliang City was already as hard as stone.

Smoke rose from the Tangut army's camp, and the emaciated warhorses kept snorting.

Rendo Baozhong, clad in heavy armor, stepped out of the tent and looked toward the Song army camp: "Today, the Song army is up earlier than the roosters."

The Tangut soldiers emerged from their various camps and formed ranks with their backs to the fortified camps.

"Commander-in-Chief, all battalions are in formation!" a personal guard reported.

"The Song army has also formed ranks!"

The generals could clearly see that the Song army had surrounded the Dangxiang camp from three sides, demonstrating the Song army's formidable strength.

For the past ten days or so, the Song army's attacks seemed more like probing, unwilling to exert their full strength, even though the Song army clearly held an absolute advantage on all fronts. Today, just like yesterday, they were arrayed, waiting for the Dangxiang to attack, while Renduo Baozhong dared not send out his entire force to fight. This was because Wen Xixin's Qingtang troops were arrayed at a distance, not appearing to participate in the attack, but their mere presence exerted immense pressure on the Dangxiang.

As the war drums sounded, both armies advanced, with the Tangut soldiers leading the charge and fighting to the death.

These soldiers who died were either violators of military law or had committed serious crimes in the country, and today they were driven to the front lines.

The two armies fired their crossbows incessantly.

The forwards each took their shields and stepped forward.

The Tangut cavalry attacked the Song army's formation from the flank, but the Song army held firm and waited.

Renduo Baozhong was sitting on the high platform observing the battle when a general suddenly arrived and said, "Commander-in-Chief, Weiming Chahan is dragging his feet and refusing to fight!"

Renduo Baozhong was taken aback and looked toward Weiming Chahan's camp, only to find it completely silent. The Tangut army was simply standing in formation, not even firing a single arrow.

Meanwhile, the Song army troops facing them simply formed ranks and remained stationary.

Rendo Baozhong recalled yesterday's vow to fight the Han army to the end, and the most ferocious among them all was that of Weiming Chahan. Several members of his family had died in battles against the Song Dynasty, making them sworn enemies. Today, most of the Dangxiang generals, regardless of their words in their tents, were giving their all on the battlefield, except for this one… This was something Rendo Baozhong had never expected.

"Go and ask him what Weiming Chahan does."

The general rode his horse to Weiming Chahan's camp, only to find Weiming Chahan sitting in the main tent, not even wearing armor, drinking and eating meat.

"Weiming Chahan, what are you doing? Are you trying to surrender to the Song?" the general shouted, pointing at Weiming Chahan.

Weiming Chahan glanced at the other party, put down his wine bowl and said, "Rather than wait for your commander to sell us to the Han people, I'd rather sell us first and get a good price!"

The general was shocked, never expecting Weiming Chahan to be so shameless and to speak so frankly.

"Tied!"

A moment later, Renduo Baozhong saw the gates of Weiming Chahan's camp wide open, and the soldiers laid down their weapons, their armor and flags scattered all over the ground. Then they raised their hands and went into the Song army formation.

Upon witnessing this scene, Rendo Baozhong collapsed onto the high platform.

After the Song army sent cavalry to collect the surrendered soldiers, all the infantry were sent forward to attack the flanks of the Dangxiang troops deployed on the left and right sides of Weiming Chahan's troops through gaps in their formation.

With friendly forces surrendering, the Song army's flank was exposed, leading to the collapse of their lines and the desertion of their soldiers. The Tangut troops who had not engaged in battle, seeing the dire situation, did not rush to reinforce and plug the gap; instead, they decisively turned their horses and fled.

Meanwhile, Wang Hou, in the Song army's ranks, was speechless. Had the main force of the Dangxiang army been defeated so easily? Not only Zhe Keshi, Miao Lü, Zhang Shunchen, Zhong Pu, You Shixiong, He Guan, and other generals were also taken aback by this scene.

The Song army has not yet exerted even half of its strength, focusing solely on troop deployment and adjustments, being extremely cautious, seeking out weaknesses, and ultimately achieving victory in one battle.

After a heroic and tragic battle, they finally secured the Northwest.

After the Battle of Lanzhou, the Tangut people indeed became weaker in each battle. But no one expected that the Tangut people would lose so easily and so simply in this battle.

Even the Song army was unprepared!
"All troops, launch a general offensive!"

At Wang Hou's command, the three armies moved in unison, pressing down on the Dangxiang with overwhelming force!