Xixia is a country where agriculture and animal husbandry coexist. Agriculture is mainly concentrated on both sides of the Yellow River. There is sufficient water source and fertile land. It has been cultivated since the Han and Tang Dangxiang period and opened up a large number of farmland, mainly farmed from the Han people and some Dangxiang people who converted to agriculture. The animal husbandry in Xixia is more developed, mainly concentrated in three places, one is the Hetao area in the north, one is at the foot of the Helan Mountains, and the other is the Hexi Corridor. All the fertile pastures are almost completely divided by the eight Dangxiang sections.

The Eight Dangxiang tribes have their own pastures in the Hetao Plain and the Hexi Corridor, but their tribe headquarters are concentrated on the grassland nearly a thousand miles at the foot of the Helan Mountains.

Since a fierce battle between the tribal coalition forces and the Song army, neither side has continued to fight and maintained a state of confrontation, which has lasted for nearly ten days.

That afternoon, a 20,000-strong Song cavalry appeared on the edge of the pasture of the Xifeng tribe at the foot of Helan Mountain. It is about 300 miles away from the Xixia army camp and needs to cross the Yellow River to reach it. The 20,000 Song cavalry was led by the commanders Cao Meng and Xiang Huaisheng. It belongs to the Longxiang Guard and is also the longest-established cavalry, the most well-equipped and most powerful combat power of the Jingzhao Army.

There was a large tent in the distance, with about a thousand tents. This place was just a small tribe in the Seifeng Division, composed of thousands of herders. When 20,000 Song cavalry appeared several miles away, the herders suddenly discovered them. Everyone was not paying attention at first, but soon they realized the danger. The herders were extremely frightened and quickly fled northward.

At this time, the Song cavalry quickly launched and swept towards the camp tent, like a black storm swept across. The Song cavalry was cruel and ruthless. More than a thousand herders who had no time to escape were killed. The more than 100,000 sheep and sheep milk they raised also became the military rations of the Song army. The army immediately ignited the big tent and rushed to the next pasture.

In just one day and one night, eight of the fourteen tribes of the Seal Seal were taken, thousands of herders were killed, and fires were pouring into the sky and thick smoke was rolling on the grassland.

The chief of the Xifeng tribe was called Xifeng Heita. Seeing that the Xifeng tribe was about to be exterminated, the Xifeng tribe's army was fighting against the Song army hundreds of miles away. Xifeng tribe was extremely frightened and hurriedly sent people to divide the troops into two groups and rushed to Xingqing Prefecture and Jingzhou for help as quickly as possible.

Next, the other two larger tribes, Fei Ting and Xiangli tribes, were also bloody killings by the Song cavalry, with heavy casualties and huge losses. For a moment, people at the foot of Helan Mountain were panic, and many tribes began to move up the mountain.

In the Xingqing Palace, Li Qianshun was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, wandering back and forth in the study. He had received urgent requests from various departments of the Dangxiang. The Song cavalry began to massacre the herdsmen of various departments of the Dangxiang. This was equivalent to pulling the tendons of the Xixia Kingdom. Once the Dangxiang departments were slaughtered, the foundation for the establishment of the Xixia Kingdom would collapse.

Of course, the Dangxiang people still have more than one million farming Dangxiang, which is also the basis for the establishment of the Dangxiang people. The 80,000 permanent troops of the Xixia were recruited from the farming Dangxiang, but these permanent troops have been completely destroyed, leaving only 10,000 most elite cavalry to defend the capital.

Li Qianshun stopped slowly and sighed and said to Yinggui and Jiao Yanting: "Li Yanqing was ruthless, and even the elderly, weak, women and children were not spared. We were not helpless. What should we do?"

Jiao Yan said anxiously: "Li Yanqing sent troops to attack the Dangxiang tribe, which was obviously disrupting the morale of the army in Jingzhou. Once the morale of the army is lost control, the army of each tribe will likely go back, and the coalition forces will collapse. The minister suggested that Your Majesty immediately send the Iron Yaozi cavalry to Helan Mountain to block the Song army, and at the same time, comfort the Jingzhou army."

"No!"

Yinggui immediately opposed: "The Iron Harrier Cavalry is the guards in front of His Majesty. You must not leave the capital. Besides, it is useless to kill three thousand Iron Harrier Cavalry to He Nanshan. Facing 20,000 Song cavalry, there is no certainty to win, and instead it is easy to be attacked by the Song army halfway. If there are too many troops, the capital will be no defense, and ten thousand Song troops can capture our capital."

Li Ganshun also felt that Yinggui’s words made sense. Tie Yaozi really couldn’t leave the capital or leave his side.

Seeing that Yinggui always opposed him, Jiao Yanting was really annoyed, so he asked coldly: "Shangshu Ying said what should we do now? Will the Song army let the Party kill all the troops in the Party and Xiang?"

Yinggui pondered for a moment and said to Li Ganshun: "Your Majesty, it is better to stabilize the morale of the army first and tell them that Your Majesty has sent 10,000 cavalry to Helan Mountain and ask them to fight the Song army with peace of mind."

Li Ganshun and Jiao Yanting widened their eyes at the same time. Isn’t this just deceiving the soldiers of the former army?

Jiao Yanting suddenly became anxious, "The soldiers of the former army are not blind and deaf. Will they not know if anyone goes to save their family? Doing this will only make them completely disappointed with the court and will accelerate the fall of the coalition forces."

Yinggui also said tit-for-tat: "What do you think you should do? All tribes could have gathered 200,000 to 300,000 troops in the past, but why are they only willing to take out more than 100,000 troops this time? They obviously have an army to protect themselves, but they have to ask the court for help? Isn't this putting the court in a dilemma? They don't want to send troops to help the court overcome the crisis. Now they are just finding an excuse to recall the army!"

Jiao Yanting also admitted that Yinggui’s statement made some sense, but the problem is that now everyone should take the overall situation into consideration and not only consider their own acre of land. After the Xixia is over, their lives will never be easy.

Jiao Yanting said to Li Ganshun again: "Weichen has another way, that is, replace the defense."

Li Ganshun was like catching a life-saving straw and hurriedly said, "What to replace defense?"

Jiao Yanting thought and said, "The only one who can still have troops now is the Dangxiang Department. Tuoba Wanli has a relatively large view of the situation. It is better to ask him to send 30,000 troops to guard Xingqing Prefecture, and then send 10,000 cavalry from Xingqing Prefecture to rescue He Nanshan's troops. What does Your Majesty think?"

Of course, Li Ganshun also knew the century-old grudge between the Tuoba tribe and the Xifeng tribe, so it was indeed unlikely that Tuoba army would rescue the Xifeng tribe. However, as Jiao Yanting said, letting the Tuoba army come to defend the city and let the defending army rescue the Xifeng tribe, this is indeed a feasible way.

Yinggui did not object this time, and he had no choice. He had to admit that Jiao Yanting's method was still feasible.

Seeing that Yinggui did not object, Li Ganshun immediately made a decision and said, "Then please ask Mr. Jiao to go to Tuoba's army and ask them to send 30,000 troops to guard the capital."

Jiao Yanting and Tuoba tribe have a good relationship, so it is best for him to come forward. However, Li Ganshun thought of leading troops to rescue He Nanshan, and said, "Let King Pu Li Renzong enter the palace!"

Li Renzong accepted the appointment and was about to lead 10,000 elite cavalry to Henanshan for rescue, but he could not send troops immediately. At least they could leave when the Tuoba army crossed the Yellow River to Xingqing Prefecture, otherwise there would be an empty window period of no troops in Xingqing Prefecture, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

Just as Li Renzong was rectifying the army and preparing to set off, Xingzhou City began to control it, only allowed entry and not exit, and began to clean up the Han people in the city, preventing the Song army spies from conveying important information to the Song army.

The streets were full of chaos. At this time, an order to investigate the Han people had just been issued, and other measures were being implemented one after another. The Han people in the city were so scared that they took their families and fled outside the city. Xingqing Gate in the south had been closed and Han people were not allowed to flee, but it was said that several deputy gates did not convey the order to lock down the city, and the Han people rushed to hear the news.

Wei Ying has been living in his old servant's house these days since the Qiao clan was seized. At this time, a source of his information told him an important information that the 10,000 cavalry guarding Xingzhou City were about to rush to Henanshan, and 30,000 Tuoba troops came to defend the city.

Wei Ying realized that the news was extremely important, and he didn't care about packing things and rushed towards the city gate. As soon as he ran onto the street, a guy ran over panting, "Shopkeeper Wei, all the city gates are prohibited from going out. Only the Northwest Water Gate can go out. If you are late, you can't go out."

"Can't the deputy gate go out?"

"That was fake news. I came from the Northwest Deputy Gate, and the city gate had been closed long ago."

Wei Ying turned around and ran towards the northwest Water Gate. At this time, all the city gates received orders to lock the city, only allowed to enter but not leave. All the city gates were filled with Han people who were about to leave the city, shouting, crying, and making a fuss.

There is also a Caohe River in Xingzhou City. The Yellow River is transported from all over the country into the city through this Caohe River. The water gate is built in the Song Dynasty Water Gate and two iron gates were built. As long as the iron gate is placed, ships inside and outside cannot pass through.

At this time, dozens of small boats were also crowded in front of the iron gate. The people on the boat were clamoring to leave the city. Several soldiers with spears stood on both sides, quarreling with the people on the boat.

Wei Ying did find an opportunity. Although the iron gate had been put down, it was not put into the river to the end. The ship could not get out. He took advantage of the unpreparedness of the people around him and jumped onto a boat, then turned over and got into the water. He dived from the bottom of the water to the city gate that was fifty steps.

The water was filled with boats, and no one noticed the situation at the bottom of the water. Wei Ying quietly changed his breath twice on the shore, and held his breath and swam under the iron gate.

The reason why the iron gate was not completely put down was that several ships were stuck in the city gate hole, and the soldiers were driving the ships out, so the iron gate inside was put down, but the iron gate outside was still open, and the ships refused to go out, so everyone was in a stalemate in the city gate hole.
Chapter completed!