Meishan Su family, Su Yun is the most virtuous

Chapter 448: Ming Dynasty, Song Dynasty and Liao Dynasty, the new Three Kingdoms!
Thousands of miles away, the temporary palace in Yingtian Prefecture was leaking continuously due to rain.

Zhao Xu looked at the mud outside the window and suddenly grabbed Cai Jing's sleeve: "Quickly send someone to contact Su Yun... As long as he is willing to send troops to repel the Liao people, I am willing..."

His voice suddenly stopped and he started coughing violently. The blood seeping from between his fingers dripped onto the faded dragon robe, like a blooming red plum.

Cai Jing hurriedly asked the eunuch to call the imperial physician, but Zhao Xu stopped him and said, "...No need, my health is just like this."

Cai Jing quickly supported Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu's skinny hands tightly grasped Cai Jing and whispered, "Send someone to contact Su Yun. As long as he is willing to send troops to repel the Liao people, the northwest will all belong to him in the future!"

Cai Jing was greatly surprised and whispered, "The emperor wants to recognize the fake dynasty established by the rebels?"

Zhao Xu remained silent for a while before he said, "I will just ignore the northwest for the time being until we get through this hurdle.

Whether it is Western Xia, Liao Dynasty, or the Northwest, we must take them back one by one!

Cai Qing, you must help me!"

Cai Jing was immediately overjoyed. This meant that the emperor was going to entrust him with state affairs. He immediately knelt down and prostrated himself before Zhao Xu, saying loudly: "Your Majesty, I, Cai Jing, will devote myself to your work until my death!"

At this moment, a messenger came running in from outside, stepping on the rain. After the imperial guards checked, the messenger's secret letter was delivered to Zhao Xu. When Zhao Xu opened it, he froze and the secret letter fell from his hands.

Cai Jing was quick to grab the secret letter and glanced at it. He was shocked and said, "Xingqing Prefecture has fallen! Queen Mother Liang of Western Xia, Liang Yibu, and most of the Tangut nobles have been captured! Western Xia... is dead?"

Zhao Xu suddenly began to tremble violently. He grabbed Cai Jing's hand and shook it like a dead leaf in the autumn wind, his nails digging deeply into the other's flesh.

"Impossible! How is it possible..."

His voice was hoarse and broken, his eyes full of disbelief, “In the first year of Baoyuan, Yuan Hao proclaimed himself emperor, and in the Battle of Sanchuankou, Liu Ping and Shi Yuansun fought hard and were captured;

In the Battle of Haoshuichuan, Ren Fu was ambushed and more than 10,000 Song soldiers were killed or wounded..."

Every time he mentioned a battle, his tone became more serious, as if he wanted to forcibly awaken the memories that were engraved in his bones to prove the strength and tenacity of Western Xia.

“After the Qingli Peace Agreement, although there were annual gifts, the border wars never stopped!
During the Xining period, Wang Shao expanded the territory of Hehuang, and in the fourth year of Yuanfeng, five armies attacked Xia... Although Li Xian conquered Tiandu Mountain, he ultimately failed!"

He staggered and held onto the chair, his knuckles turning white from exerting too much force, his joints protruding like jagged rocks. "And Su Yun took Yanzhou and broke through several cities in Xixia..."

At this point, his voice suddenly choked and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Everlasting wise rulers have tried so hard but failed to destroy Xixia. But now, how could Xixia..."

Zhao Xu suddenly started coughing violently. Blood flowed from the corners of his mouth and dripped onto the dragon robe, forming a bunch of enchanting red plum blossoms.

He panted, his voice weak but full of reluctance, "In the defeat of Yongle City, Xu Xi died in battle, and 200,000 soldiers and civilians lost their lives... I have been planning revenge day and night, how can Xixia just..."

Cai Jing's hand holding the secret letter was shaking slightly. He had never seen Zhao Xu lose his composure like this.

The young emperor who used to be able to plan and strategize seemed to have lost all his soul at this moment, leaving only a walking corpse.

"Your Majesty, the traitor Su Yun..." He was about to speak but was interrupted by Zhao Xu.

“I remember that in the eighth year of Yuanfeng, when I first ascended the throne, Queen Mother Liang of Western Xia usurped power and repeatedly invaded the border.

I intend to endure for several years, just to avenge my shame one day! Now..."

Zhao Xu suddenly let out a shrill laugh, which was full of despair and self-mockery. "After a hundred years of confrontation and dozens of battles, countless soldiers were buried in the northwest, and Xixia was destroyed by Su Yun..."

His voice became lower and lower, and finally turned into a sigh, "What on earth is wrong with this world..."

Cai Jing frowned slightly, somewhat worried about Zhao Xu's health, but more worried about Zhao Xu's mental state.

At this time, shouldn’t we be worried that after Su Yun conquers Western Xia, the territory and population will increase significantly, and the Hexi Corridor will be opened up. In the future, when goods are transported to the Western Regions, their strength will surely increase greatly, and they will then become the biggest enemy of the Song Dynasty!

He was about to remind him, but he heard Zhao Xu chuckle and say, "Cai Qing, we can stop the southward migration work now. We will stay here first."

Cai Jing was surprised when he heard this and asked, "Official?"

Zhao Xu snorted and said, "Does Cai Qing still remember the Chanyuan Alliance?"

Cai Jing hesitated for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, what are you talking about?"

Zhao Xu grabbed Cai Jing's wrist fiercely, his nails almost digging into his flesh, "Back then, the Liao people were afraid of the constraints from the Tanguts in the west, so they stopped in Chanzhou!

Now that Su Yun has swallowed up Xixia and the Hexi Corridor is in his hands, how dare Yelu Hongji not make some efforts to deal with it?"

His voice was hoarse but every word was as sharp as a knife. The heavy rain outside the window was beating against the window frame, but it could not suppress the solemn and murderous atmosphere that shook the whole hall.

Cai Jing was about to speak when he saw Zhao Xu staggering and pushing him away, his skinny fingers tightly grasping the map on the wall.

Rainwater meandered down the cracks in the wall, blurring the ink marks of the northwestern territory. "Look at this Hexi Corridor!"

The emperor's nails scratched across Yumen Pass fiercely, "If Su Yun wants to consolidate his foundation, he must deploy defenses in Ganzhou and Suzhou.

How could Yelu Hongji sit back and watch the changes in the western border? Once the Liao army splits up and marches westward, the Yellow River defense line will become a spent force! "

"But Su Yun has evil ambitions..." Cai Jing was interrupted by Zhao Xu's sneer before he could finish his words.

The emperor suddenly started coughing violently, and blood seeping from his fingers dripped onto the Xingqing Prefecture symbol on the map, like a blooming red plum. "So what if you have a wolfish ambition?"

He panted and pressed his bloody finger on the territory of Liao, "Yelü Hongji and Su Yun are fighting like wolves and tigers! When Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, the Liao people were able to suppress the Central Plains for a hundred years.

Now that Su Yun has occupied the Hetao area, it is like stabbing a sharp knife into the Liao Kingdom's back! "

There was a loud thunder outside the palace. Zhao Xu suddenly turned around, and the hem of his dragon robe swept the secret letter off the table.

He stared at Cai Jing intently, and the gleam in his eyes made the powerful officials shudder: "If Yelu Hongji attacks our dynasty, Su Yun will take advantage of the opportunity to attack Liao's Xijing Datong Prefecture;

If we deal with Su Yun first, our army can take the opportunity to recover the lost territory in Hedong!
This is a rare opportunity that only comes once in a century!" Zhao Xu's eyes sparkled.

"Pass on my order to stop retreating southward! Gather the imperial guards to defend the Yellow River defense line. At the same time, contact Zong Shidao and order him to clean up the troops in Shaanxi. Once the Liao army is transferred westward, immediately march north!"

Cai Jing looked at Zhao Xu's swaying figure in the rain, and suddenly realized that this terminally ill emperor had actually found a glimmer of hope in despair.

It was raining heavily outside the palace.

……

Taiyuan Prefecture.

Yelu Hongji moved in only after the army occupied Taiyuan Prefecture and eliminated the Song Dynasty forces inside. His arrival was to express his determination to his subordinates: I have led the army in person, and this time I have come to destroy the Song Dynasty!

However, on the night he just moved into Taiyuan Prefecture, he received a secret letter from a spy in the west.

Yelu Hongji sat on a mottled tiger-skin chair in the Taiyuan government office, the candlelight casting a swaying shadow on the letter. The moment the secret letter was unfolded, the cinnabar writing on the parchment was like a poisoned dagger, fiercely piercing his pupils.

“Your Majesty, the Jingsai Army under Su Yun’s command bypassed the Helan Mountains and attacked Xingqing Prefecture at midnight on March 15th.

The Queen Mother Liang of Western Xia, Liang Yibu and other dignitaries were captured, and the elite Tangut troops were all killed. "

His Adam's apple rolled violently, and his fingers unconsciously stroked the three words "Jingsai Army" on the letter paper.

——The mysterious army that had inflicted heavy damage on the Liao cavalry outside Yanmen Pass had now become the sword of Damocles hanging over his head.

“Su Yun has changed Xingqing Prefecture to Liangzhou Prefecture and established a Grand Military Governor’s Office to govern the various prefectures in Hexi.

Ganzhou and Suzhou increased their troops by 30,000, and their elite cavalry trained day and night, seemingly intending to advance eastward.

There are even rumors from caravans that Su Yun has opened up trade routes with the countries in the Western Regions, and war horses and weapons are pouring in from Yumen Pass.”

The letter paper was wrinkled and candle wax dripped onto the word "Dongjin", staining it an ominous dark red.

"Most importantly, Su Yun built many forts in the Hetao area and stored food, fodder and military equipment at the Yellow River crossing.

According to spies, their food and grass reserves can support an army of 100,000 for two years of warfare."

The comment at the end of the secret letter made Yelu Hongji stand up suddenly, and the tiger-skin chair made a harsh sound when dragging on the blue brick floor.

An army of one hundred thousand and two years' worth of food and fodder, this was clearly a posture of fighting a decisive battle with Liao!
His eyes involuntarily turned to the west, as if he could penetrate the mountains and see Su Yun's arrogant look as he stood on the top of Liangzhou City and overlooked Hexi.

"Report!" The hurried footsteps outside the door interrupted his thoughts, "There are unusual movements among the old Xixia people, and they are suspected to be secretly communicating with Su Yun!"

Yelu Hongji's hand holding the secret letter trembled slightly, and veins bulged on his forehead.

Su Yun's move was too cruel. Annexing Western Xia was only the first step. Now he wanted to turn the remnants of Western Xia into sharp blades and penetrate directly into the heartland of Liao.

He suddenly thought about whether Zhao Xu had received the same news in the leaky palace in Yingtian Prefecture?
Is that sickly emperor hiding in the dark at this moment, waiting to see the Liao and Jingsai armies both suffer defeat?

Outside the window came the sound of the Liao army's night patrol clappers, but Yelu Hongji felt cold all over.

The original plan to destroy the Song Dynasty, which was destined to succeed, now seemed like a beautiful dream that could collapse at any time.

Su Yun's occupation of the northwest of the former Song Dynasty and the current Xixia homeland was like a steel nail driven into his back, preventing him from attacking the Song Dynasty with all his strength, and fearing that he would be attacked from both sides if he retreated.

He threw the secret letter into the candlelight and watched the flame greedily devour the parchment, but it could not burn away the anxiety and uneasiness in his heart.

This chess game was far more complicated than he had imagined.

The next morning, the candles were still lit in the meeting room of the Taiyuan government office.

Yelu Hongji was wearing a black dragon robe and sitting in the main seat with a gloomy face. His eyes were like an eagle, scanning the ministers below who had different expressions.

"My dear ministers, I received a secret letter last night that Su Yun has destroyed Xixia and occupied the land west of the Yellow River. Now the situation has suddenly changed, what should we do?"

Yelu Hongji's voice was deep and majestic, echoing in the empty meeting room.

The left prime minister Xiao Hudu was the first to step out and said, "Your Majesty, I think our army should take advantage of Su Yun's unstable foothold and march west to strangle him in Hexi!
Then we can return to attack Song, so that we don’t have to worry about anything else! ”

His words were passionate and his eyes flashed with fighting spirit.

Yelu Hongji frowned slightly, did not answer, and turned to look at the right prime minister Yelu Yan.

Yelu Yan pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Your Majesty, the Jingsai Army under Su Yun is powerful and occupies a strategic location in Hexi.

If our army rashly moves westward, we may be trapped in a protracted war. Although the Song Dynasty is weak, if our main force is transferred westward, Zhao Xu will take the opportunity to counterattack. At that time, our army will be attacked from both sides and will be in danger! "

"Hmph!" Xiao Hudu snorted coldly, "Yelü Yan, you are only boosting others' morale and destroying your own prestige! Think about it, my Liao cavalry is so powerful that they dominate the world. How could they be afraid of Su Yun?
When the three kingdoms of Song, Xia and Liao were first established, they constantly attacked each other.

Our Great Liao fought against the Western Xia in the west and the Song Dynasty in the south. Have we ever been afraid?

How can we shrink back just because Su Yun occupies the old land of Xixia?"

Upon hearing this, Yelu Hongji's eyes moved slightly, and he said in a deep voice: "Xiao Hudu, do you know why Song, Xia and Liao were able to form a tripartite situation in the past?"

Without waiting for the other party to answer, he continued, "During the time of Taizu and Taizong, the Song Dynasty wanted to recover Yanyun and invaded repeatedly;

Li Yuanhao proclaimed himself emperor, and Xixia also competed with Liao for the Hetao area. The three kingdoms checked and balanced each other, and no one could dominate alone, which maintained the balance for decades.

"But now..." Yelu Hongji stood up and walked slowly, "Su Yun destroyed Xixia, occupied Hexi, had elite troops, and was connected to the Western Regions.

If he advances eastward, he can threaten Liaoxijing; if he joins hands with Zhao Xu, Liao will be attacked from both sides. As one side gains strength while the other loses strength, a new Three Kingdoms has been formed! "

"Your Majesty is right!" Yelu Yan quickly agreed, "When Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, our Liao was able to suppress the Song Dynasty from a high position.

But now that Su Yun has occupied Hetao, it is like stabbing a knife in the back of my Liao.

If our army is determined to destroy Song, Su Yun will take advantage of the opportunity; if we attack Su Yun first, Zhao Xu will not sit idly by.

The matter of destroying Song is now like a flower in the mirror or a moon in the water, and it is difficult to achieve. "

Xiao Hudu was still unwilling to accept this and argued, "Should we just let Su Yun become powerful in Hexi?
Allow the Liao Dynasty to give up this golden opportunity to destroy the Song Dynasty?"

Yelu Hongji stopped and looked at Xiao Hudu sternly: "Good opportunity? In the current situation, if we are not careful, we will be doomed!

I have made up my mind to stop attacking Song for the time being. I have ordered the army to shrink the defense line and strengthen the defense of Xijing.

At the same time, envoys were sent to Yingtian Prefecture and Liangzhou to test the attitudes of Zhao Xu and Su Yun. "

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment. Although some were unwilling, seeing Yelu Hongji's firm attitude, they could only respond in unison: "We obey your order!"

Outside the meeting hall, dark clouds gathered and a rainstorm seemed to be approaching.

Yelu Hongji looked at the rolling clouds in the sky and sighed in his heart.

The chess game in this world is far more complicated than he had imagined, and the future of the Liao Dynasty has become shrouded in fog under the new situation of the Three Kingdoms.

He had originally given up the idea of ​​conquering the world, but a good opportunity happened to be placed before him. However, what was unexpected was that the opportunity was fleeting!
He never imagined that the newly established Ming Dynasty would be so powerful. The Western Xia, which had fought for supremacy with the Song and Liao dynasties for a hundred years, was destroyed within a few months!

Yelu Hongji suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

The newly established Ming Dynasty was so powerful that it was really frightening!

The Ming Dynasty replaced the Western Xia and could directly attack the Liao Kingdom from the Hetao area, which was in a dominant position. Now the Liao Kingdom was facing a major crisis!

(End of this chapter)