Meishan Su family, Su Yun is the most virtuous

Chapter 402: The experienced and prudent Duke Wen Lu!
Yan'an Prefecture.

The candlelight flickered, Su Yun frowned, and paced back and forth in the room.

Ping Zicheng walked over quickly, bowed, and said solemnly, "Sir, I have something important to report."

Su Yun nodded and said, "Is it about Duke Wen Lu coming to the northwest?"

Ping Zicheng nodded with a heavy face and said, "Since Wen Yanbo arrived in Hezhong Prefecture, he has been very active and has become a great threat to us."

Su Yun stared at Ping Zicheng with a sharp gaze and said in a deep voice, "Tell me in detail!"

Ping Zicheng said quickly: "Our intelligence personnel have noticed that a large number of people have disguised themselves as merchants and refugees and sneaked into Yan'an Prefecture.

They are gathering information everywhere, probably collecting information about our troop deployment, military operations, and even our internal conflicts.

These people should be sent by Wen Yanbo. It is said that Wen Yanbo is cunning and sly, and this move is indeed extraordinary!"

Su Yun laughed when he heard this and said, "Wen Yanbo is really a shrewd man! Once he gets hold of this information, our every move will be exposed.

But it is understandable. Wen Yanbo is not a fool like Zhao Xie. He has actually fought in wars and put down rebellions.

During the Qingli period, Wang Ze fully mobilized the soldiers and peasants of Beizhou, Jizhou, Dezhou, and Qizhou to revolt.

On the winter solstice of the seventh year in the Qingli period, the uprising was officially launched. After capturing Beizhou, Wang Ze established the country in Anyang, proclaimed himself Prince of Dongping, appointed Zhang Luan as prime minister, and Bu Ji as privy envoy.

In the first month of the eighth year of the Qingli period, Emperor Renzong appointed Wen Yanbo as the envoy of Hebei and Ming Hao as the deputy envoy, and led the army to besiege Beizhou and suppress the uprising.

Just sixty-five days later, Wang Ze and others were taken to Kaifeng and executed, which shows the ability of Wen Yanbo.

But there is no need to be afraid of him. Although Wen Yanbo has experience in suppressing the Beizhou Uprising, the Song Dynasty is now in tatters. Even if he has extraordinary abilities, he cannot hold on alone.

The emperor and empress were fighting in the court, the two sides were fighting openly and secretly, and it was difficult to unify the government orders.

As a minister, Wen Yanbo had to carefully negotiate between the two parties every time he submitted a memorial. If he was not careful, he would be caught up in court disputes and arouse suspicion from one side.

In this case, how could he command the battle without distraction?
After Zhao Xie led the imperial guards to Hezhong Prefecture, he allowed the soldiers to plunder the people, causing public resentment.

Even if Wen Yanbo carried out reorganization after taking over, the three-foot-thick ice does not form overnight. How easy is it to restore the morale of the army and rebuild the trust of the people in a short period of time?

Moreover, the imperial court did not value Zhang Yu, an experienced general, but was worried that he would surrender to us, so they used Liu Zhi, who had no combat experience, to seize Zhang Yu's power. Haha, God is helping me!"

At this point, Su Yun showed a helpless expression on his face, and said: "This is always a good thing for us, but I always think of the time when I served the Song Dynasty, these people also held me back like this, and I feel hatred and helplessness, and I can't help but smile bitterly."

Ping Zicheng smiled and said, "Isn't this why we want to overthrow the Song Dynasty? The Zhao family is so stupid, it's time for us to replace them, revitalize our glorious China, and restore the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties!"

Su Yun smiled and nodded when he heard this, "Yes, it is naturally a good thing for us.

Qinglan, let's make the next arrangements. Although Wen Yanbo is experienced, he is not invincible.

He is used to formulating strategies based on past experience, which makes it easy for him to fall into a fixed mindset.

Before, we released the false news that there were heavy troops in the east, and he mobilized heavy troops to the east without hesitation. This is clear proof.

Furthermore, he is old and his energy is not as good as before. Whether his body can withstand the long-term consumption of war is also a big problem.

Next, you should make more arrangements on intelligence and give Duke Wenlu more work."

Ping Zicheng's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he smiled and said, "I understand, sir. In the next month, the spies sent by Duke Wen Lu will receive a lot of valuable intelligence every day.

This information has to be considered and handled by Duke Wen Lu himself. Hehe, considering Duke Wen Lu's age, a month would be enough for him to become ill from overwork!"

Su Yun smiled and shook his head, saying, "I don't want him to become ill from overwork, but it would be good if he could use his old brain to work a little more, confuse him a little, and make it impossible for him to give correct instructions."

……

However, after Wen Yanbo took control of tens of thousands of imperial guards in Hezhong Prefecture in a short period of time, he turned his attention to the armies in Qinfeng Road, Huanqing Road, Fuyan Road and Yongxingjun Road.

Inside the central military tent of Hezhong Prefecture, the candlelight flickered, stretching Wen Yanbo's figure to appear longer and shorter.

This veteran minister, who had experienced many battles and court events, frowned and stared at the military map hanging in the center of the tent.

On the map, the red marks representing Su Yun's rebels were entrenched in the Yan'an Prefecture area like a cancer, while the Song army marks in Huanqing Road, Fuyan Road, Yongxingjun Road and other places were scattered everywhere, like a pile of loose sand.

Wen Yanbo sighed slightly.

The war situation in the northwest has become increasingly serious.

Su Yun defeated Zhang Meng's army in Huanqing Road and even annexed Zhong Pu's 30,000 troops, thus greatly increasing his strength. Now he has an army of 100,000!

With Su Yun's ability and an army of 100,000 at his command, the entire Northwest is in danger!

The Song Dynasty will also be in danger!
If the command of the various armies is not integrated as soon as possible, and the situation remains fragmented, by the time Su Yun has completely eliminated the 30,000 Song troops, Guanzhong will be in danger!
Wen Yanbo knew very well that Yan'an Prefecture was just a place to survive. If Su Ni wanted to fight for the world, he would have to do his best to take over Guanzhong!

Wen Yanbo stared at the location of Guanzhong on the map. After pondering for a long time, Wen Yanbo slowly walked to the desk, picked up the pen and dipped it in ink, and began to write an official letter.

His writing is steady and powerful, and there is an unquestionable majesty between the lines.

[Message to the commanders of the Northwestern military garrisons:
Today, Su Yun is a rebel, occupying Yan'an Prefecture as his lair, gathering together rebels and invading at will.

Its momentum was like a raging fire, spreading rapidly. Huanqing, Fuyan, and Yongxing were all affected. Civilians were massacred, cities and fortresses fell one after another, and the northwest defense line of the Song Dynasty was in danger.

If this rebellion is not put down in time, the rebels will surely advance straight into the Central Plains and devastate the country. The hundreds of years of foundation of the Song Dynasty may be destroyed in an instant.

This governor was ordered by the imperial court to take charge of the military affairs of the northwest, aiming to integrate the various armies, put down the rebellion in one fell swoop, and restore peace in the northwest.

All of you generals are loyal ministers of the Song Dynasty. You receive salary from your emperor and share his worries. At this time of national crisis, you should serve the country, obey unified command, and fight against the rebels together.

From now on, the armies in Huanqing, Fuyan, Yongxing and other routes must unconditionally obey the dispatches and commands of this governor.

This move was not intended to seize power, but was necessary to quell the rebellion.

Only when various armies fight in coordination can they form a powerful force and defeat the enemy.

Many war examples in the past have shown that fighting alone will only lead to being defeated one by one by the rebels, resulting in failure in the war and loss of life.

If all of you generals can work together, fight bravely, and successfully put down the rebellion, this governor will truthfully report your achievements to the court, recommend you for promotion, and reward you with gold, silver, land and houses, so that you can enjoy wealth and glory.

However, if any general pretends to obey orders but actually disobeys them, resulting in the defeat of the war, this general will punish him severely according to military law even if he has to give up his title of Duke!

We must bring them to justice to restore military prestige and show no leniency!
Every man has a share of responsibility for the fate of his country. I hope that all generals will put the overall interests first, abandon their selfish thoughts, obey orders, and fight bravely.

Once the rebellion is quelled, it will be your time to make achievements!

Wen Yanbo, the Northwest Governor of the Song Dynasty

After writing it, Wen Yanbo reviewed it word by word to ensure that the wording was precise and the logic was rigorous, so that the generals could realize the severity of the situation and feel the court's determination to quell the rebellion.

Especially the last sentence, which seemed murderous - […If any general pretends to obey orders but actually disobeys orders, causing the war to fail, this general will be severely punished according to military law even if he has to give up his title of Duke! He must be brought to justice to restore military prestige, and there will be no leniency! ]

This is Wen Yanbo’s warning: If you don’t obey my orders, I will resign as Duke Wen Lu, and I will fight you to the end and make sure you don’t end up well!

After the official letter was drafted, Wen Yanbo immediately summoned more than ten soldiers with excellent riding skills and ordered them to ride at full speed to deliver the official letter to Huanqing Road, Fuyan Road and Yongxingjun Road.

These soldiers were fully aware of the importance of the mission and did not dare to delay. After taking the official letter, they mounted their horses and disappeared into the night.

At the same time, Wen Yanbo still felt uneasy, so he selected more than ten aides. Most of these aides were smart and capable, with outstanding eloquence. In the Warring States Period, they would have been outstanding strategists.

These staff members not only had a deep understanding of military strategy, but were also good at speaking and could accurately convey Wen Yanbo's intentions.

Wen Yanbo summoned them to the central army tent and said seriously: "This mission is of vital importance. You must meet with the generals of various divisions and explain to them the strategic significance of unified command and the practical benefits that this move can bring to the various armies.

Remember, your words must be sincere and your attitude must be firm. You must convince them to obey my unified command. If there are those who shirk their responsibilities, you can take my secret letter and mobilize your subordinates to kill them!"

Many staff members were shocked. However, they did not dare to say much, and quickly took Wen Yanbo's handwritten letter and set off for the various military camps.

After Wen Yanbo arranged these things, he sat with his hands behind his back in the tent, repeatedly deducing the situation of Huanqing Road in his mind.

Huanqing Road is located at the strategic junction of Song and Xia. It controls Xixia in the north, connects to Fuyan in the east, and Qinfeng in the west. It is the core hub of the northwestern border defense of the Song Dynasty.

Once Huanqing Road is lost, the Western Xia and Su Yun rebels will be able to unite and pour into the Guanzhong Plain like a tide. The northwest defense line of the Song Dynasty will completely collapse, and the heartland of the Central Plains will be wide open, directly exposed to the iron hoofs of the rebels.

Furthermore, the army under Huanqing Road is known for its elite force and combat effectiveness.

Since famous generals such as Fan Zhongyan and Zhong Shiheng took charge of the army here, the Huanqing Army has gone through many battles, both large and small, and accumulated rich combat experience, making it a powerful force in the northwest of the Song Dynasty.

Zhang Yu served here for a long time and established a very high prestige in the army with his outstanding military talents and personal charm.

However, Su Yun was his nephew-in-law, and this complicated relationship inevitably made Wen Yanbo suspicious, worrying that Zhang Qie would waver in his position at a critical moment.

Although Liu Zhi was appointed as the governor of Huanqing Road, he had previously been active in the court and lacked practical military command experience. It was difficult to determine whether he could be competent when suddenly faced with such a complex military situation.

Thinking of this, Wen Yanbo frowned, still feeling a little restless. He paced back and forth in the study room, and finally stood up and said, "Come here, arrange to go to Qingzhou!"

When the guards on duty heard that Wen Yanbo was going to Qingzhou, they were stunned at first, but then they took the order and began to prepare for the trip.

Early in the morning of the second day, Wen Yanbo led a guard composed of elite cavalry and set out on the journey to Huanqing Road in the biting cold wind.

Along the way, strong winds blew yellow sand in their faces, and the road was rugged and difficult to travel on, but Wen Yanbo and others did not slow down at all.

A few days later, Wen Yanbo and his party arrived at Huanqing Road.

After Liu Zhi and Zhang Qie learned the news, they hurriedly led a group of generals out of the city to welcome them.

Wen Yanbo looked at the soldiers lined up neatly in front of him with a stern expression, and walked straight into the tent. Seeing this, everyone hurriedly followed him in.

Inside the tent, Wen Yanbo glanced at everyone and said in a deep voice: "Now that Su Yun's rebels are strong, the situation in the northwest is precarious. As the frontline position to resist the rebels, Huanqing Road has a heavy responsibility.

The reason why I came here is to ensure that all the armies can work together and put down the rebellion as soon as possible."

Liu Zhi and Zhang Qi looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

Afterwards, Wen Yanbo inquired in detail about the troop deployment, food reserves and recent military operations in Huanqing Road.

After listening to the two people’s reports, Wen Yanbo pointed out the existing problems and proposed a series of rectification measures.

In order to further control the military power of Huanqing Road, Wen Yanbo announced on the spot that a military conference room would be established, which he would be personally in charge of. Liu Zhi, Zhang Yu and the commanders of each camp were required to attend the meetings regularly, and major military decisions had to be discussed and decided in the conference room.

As soon as this move was made, there was a lot of discussion in the tent.

Although Zhang Qie was somewhat dissatisfied, he was well aware of Wen Yanbo's prestige and power, so he did not dare to oppose openly and just remained silent.

Liu Zhi was extremely positive and took the initiative to express his support for Wen Yanbo's decision.

Although he had recently seized Zhang Qie's military power, he clearly felt that there was still a lot of resistance to his command in the army, and many military orders could not be carried out at all.

In the following days, Wen Yanbo went deep into the military camp to understand the soldiers' training and living conditions, rewarded soldiers with outstanding performance, and punished soldiers who were slack in training.

At the same time, he also carried out a comprehensive review of the military defense system of Huanqing Road, strengthened the city fortresses, and added beacon towers and lookout posts to ensure that the enemy's movements could be grasped in a timely manner.

During the period when Huanqing Road was busy with rectification, Wen Yanbo sent fast cavalry to Qinfeng Road and Yongxingjun Road, rushing to various places like a meteor chasing the moon.

A few days later, responses from all walks of life flew to Huanqing Road like snowflakes.

The first to be delivered was a handwritten letter from the Qinfeng Road Pacifier. The ink on the letter was not yet dry, and the strokes were strong and powerful: "Dear General Wen! Receiving the official letter is like seeing the sun after the clouds have cleared. I know that the situation in the northwest is already precarious.

We, the officers and soldiers of Qinfeng Road, are grateful for the grace of the imperial court and are willing to serve as the vanguard in suppressing the rebellion.

In addition to the troops guarding against Xixia, Qin Fenglu can dispatch 20,000 elite soldiers, all of whom are ready to fight and be dispatched at any time. If anyone disobeys orders, they are willing to be punished by military law! "

Wen Yanbo unfolded the letter and read it carefully word by word, and a look of excitement appeared on his face.

Soon after, the fast horses deployed by Yongxing Military Road also arrived at the Huanqing Road military camp.

The messenger presented not only the commander's handwritten letter, but also a detailed troop deployment map.

The letter was written with earnest words: "It is a blessing for the northwest and the Song Dynasty that Duke Wenlu has come to the northwest in person!

Our Yongxing Army is willing to put the overall situation first and fully cooperate with the economic and strategic operations.

The soldiers and horses of each battalion under your command will strictly guard the key passes and roads. If the rebels make any move, they will fight bravely and never retreat. "

Wen Yanbo spread out the troop deployment map, looked carefully at each marked point, nodded slightly, and appreciated the meticulous arrangements made by the generals of Yongxing Army.

In the following days, more letters were delivered from various generals.

Some of these letters are brilliantly written, while others are plain in wording, but they all express support for Wen Yanbo and the firm determination to quell the rebellion.

One general even wrote in a letter: "As a man of the Song Dynasty, I eat the salary of the emperor and share the worries of the emperor.

Now that the rebels are rampant, it is time for us to serve the court. I am willing to follow Wen Jinglüe, charge into battle, and die on the battlefield!"

Looking at the letters piled on the desk, Wen Yanbo finally felt relieved.

Wen Yanbo's fingers gently stroked the mountain of letters on the desk, and his eyes looked into the distance through the gap in the tent.

Outside the window, the night has fallen deep, and the stars are twinkling in the vast sky, just like his turbulent heart at this moment.

In his mind, this trip to the northwest was nothing short of a thrilling gamble, in which he was gambling his entire life's reputation and the rise and fall of the Wen family.

Looking back on the past, he relied on his outstanding wisdom and courage to maneuver between the court and the battlefield, leaving behind countless remarkable achievements.

Ever since he put down the rebellion of Wang Ze in Beizhou, his name has been closely linked with the safety of the Song Dynasty.

Having lived through the reigns of Renzong, Yingzong, Shenzong and Zhezong, he witnessed the glory and decline of the Song Dynasty and also accumulated supreme prestige during these long years.

He has already reached the age of achieving success and enjoying a peaceful old age. He only needs to wait for the final verdict and his name will be recorded in history.

However, Su Yun's rise completely disrupted his vision of a peaceful old age.

As a minister of the Song Dynasty, he shoulders the heavy responsibility of defending his country. His patriotism and loyalty make him unable to retreat.

Nowadays, the emperor and empress are fighting each other, and factional struggles are endless, making it difficult to unify government orders;

The common people were struggling under heavy taxes and frequent wars, and their livelihood was in decline.

Su Yun's rebels are rampant in the northwest. If they are not quelled in time, the Central Plains will fall into an abyss of devastation, and the Song Dynasty's hundreds of years of foundation will be destroyed.

Of course, this was one of the reasons why he volunteered to govern the northwest. In fact, the more crucial point, or the decisive point, was the grudge between him and Su Yun.

Back then, he made a bold statement that he would suppress Su Yun for ten years, thinking that with his influence and means, he would be able to suppress Su Yun firmly.

But Su Yun was like a sharp dagger, rising rapidly in the northwest, and his influence spread like wildfire.

Wen Yanbo knew very well that Su Yun held a grudge against him. Once Su Yun gained power, the Wen family would suffer a devastating disaster!

So, he had to come.

But coming and having confidence are not the same thing. He has always been paying attention to Su Yun and knows how powerful Su Yun is!

Now, his plan after coming to the northwest finally received some positive feedback. Seeing the responses from generals from all walks of life, Wen Yanbo was finally excited!

He personally wrote replies to every general who wrote to him, expressing his gratitude for their support and informing them in detail of the subsequent combat plans and deployments.

(End of this chapter)