The wind at night was very cold, and it was chilly on my body. The window was not closed tightly, and it swung gently in the cold wind, hitting the window frame.

Jiang Min sat in front of the table, frowning. The tea next to her was already cold and there was no trace of heat.

When he came back that day, Jiang Min seemed to have suffered a serious illness. She didn't think about food and food every day and rarely talked. In a few days, the person had lost weight. The personal soldiers couldn't help but worry, and they had a doctor to see him, but there was no disease.

After being silent for a long time, Jiang Min raised her head and carefully looked through the information on the table. These days, Jiang Min sent someone out to carefully investigate the customs and customs of Shenshan County. Today, it finally gathered on the desk.

Shenshan is a small county, and after several ravages by the Jin soldiers, the population is already very small. When Xuanhe was at its peak, the county had a population of less than 2,000 households. Now, there are less than 500 households, most of which are distributed in mountainous areas.

Shenshan County is located among the mountains, and the cultivated land is mainly distributed beside the Laohe River, Dihe River and other rivers, as well as the alluvial plains at the foot of the mountain. Although the Jin army only had more than 100 people this time, the damage was very great. They came from Jinzhou along the Laohe River and almost killed everyone along the way. After destroying Shenshan County, nearly 300 households were all over the city, only more than 30 people were left. Wang Xiaoli counterattacked, because he deliberately blocked the Jin army's return, the remaining people fled south and slaughtered the villages along the Dihe River. After this disaster, the richest part of Shenshan County almost turned into a white land.

Putting down the case file in his hand, Jiang Min sighed heavily.

I was still too young and did not realize the cruelty of this war. I decided to establish a base in Shenshan County, so I took people to choose a suitable place and build a base, and did not guard against the Jin army in Jinzhou. I was caught off guard by the sudden attack by the Jin army.

After the destruction of the Jin army, the population of Shenshan County has withered now, which is no longer enough to support Jiang Min's army. There is only land around but no one cultivates it, so where does the food come from? Without food, there is no way to start a military.

Shenshan has a superior geographical location. It is Jinzhou to cross the mountains to the west, which poses a great threat to the Jin army after it has developed. The surrounding mountains are full of easy defense, and it can be said to be a place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. If you cross Yangjiao Mountain in the south, you will enter the Fenhe Valley and easily get supplies. If you cannot establish a foothold in Shenshan County and search for Hedong, it will be difficult to find such a place again.

Standing up, Jiang Min walked to the door and looked at the night outside.

I brought more than 500 people myself, but without supplementation, these people would not be of great use. But with the current Shenshan County, even these 500 people could not be raised, so how could I talk about development? All of these 500 people went to farm and could not grow much food.

After standing for a long time, Jiang Min felt confused. She wanted to retreat but was unwilling to accept it. If she did not retreat, it was difficult to take root here.

Suddenly I remembered Hua Jie Du Wu. This man has never done anything good in his life, and the people in the village look down on him. But for his only grandson, he can endure the pain, follow him all the way, suffer all the hardships, and finally die silently on the road. The grandson he was looking for became the food of the Jin army. How many tragic things in the world can be compared with this?

When the Xiangyang commander's office was in charge, Wang Xiaoli sat behind his desk and looked at the letter written by Jiang Min.

As soon as he arrived in Hedong, Jiang Min was suddenly attacked by the Jin army before he gained a foothold. Although all the Jin army was wiped out in the end, Shenshan County suffered serious losses. The population is too small now, and it is difficult to support the establishment of a base there.

Put down the letter, Wang Xiaoli lays the map of Hedong Road on the case and checks carefully.

The terrain of Hedong Road is generally the Taihang Mountains in the east and the Luliang Mountains in the west, which is interspersed with a series of mountain basins. The most important places are the Taiyuan Basin and the Fenhe Valley in the south. Together with the Datong Basin in the north, it is the essence of Shanxi Province in later generations.

The Datong Basin has never belonged to the Song Dynasty. It is now the center of the Jin Dynasty West Road, mainly controlling the grasslands in the north. Taiyuan Prefecture is the garrison of Hedong Wanyan Yinshuke, and there are many Jin troops. Establishing a base on Hedong Road, these two places do not need to be considered.

For Wang Xiaoli, what is really meaningful is the Fen River Valley in the south.

According to the Song Dynasty, Jiezhou in the south, that is, Yuncheng area in later generations belonged to Shaanxi. After the Jin army invaded the south, they regarded the north of the Yellow River as their own land, and established the pseudo-Qi regime south of the Yellow River. The current Fenhe Valley actually belongs to Hedong Road.

Shenshan County is very special. Although this county is small, with barren land and a small population, its geographical location is very important. There are mountains around it and a valley in the middle. As long as you guard the two intersections of the north and south, it can be said to be as solid as a god. It is not too far from Jinzhou, an important town in the Fen River Valley. You can reach it by climbing the mountains to the west, and there are mature roads.

After seeing the surrounding terrain, Wang Xiaoli took a photo on the map.

This is a natural base, and no other place is more suitable than here. It is very close to Jinzhou and can restrain the Jin army. Go south to cross Yangjiao Mountain and not far from Yuanqu County, and you can get your own support.

He picked up Jiang Min's letter and looked at it. Wang Xiaoli looked at the map and thought.

Shenshan County is very poor. Relying on the resources of the county alone, even if the whole people are soldiers, it cannot support 10,000 troops. In that place, it is not easy to raise thousands of people. But if you get support and especially open up the passages of Shenshan, Yicheng, Jiangxian and Yuanqu, you should not be underestimated. If you have a regular army of 10,000 people on Hedong Road, you can run rampant.

After thinking for a long time, Wang Xiaolie looked down at the southernmost end of the map, Xijing Luoyang City.

In terms of strategic value, Luoyang is far more important than Kaifeng Prefecture. The land of Luoyang Valley itself is fertile, with many barriers around it, and the geographical location is dangerous. More importantly, Luoyang controls Shaanxi in the west, and can reach Hedong in the north, and go to Nanyang in the south. For the Central Plains, this is a key place. If you have mastered Luoyang, you can rely on Dengzhou, Xiangyang to threaten Shaanxi and Hedong.

The strategic focus of the pseudo-Qi is in Hebei and Jingdong, and it does not pay attention to Luoyang. Meng Bangxiong, who guards Luoyang, is just a local tyrant, is not as good as Wang Xiaoli, who wandered around the world. The only trouble is that if he occupied Luoyang, he will face the attack of the main force of the Jin army.

After thinking for a long time, Wang Xiaolie shook his head helplessly. Now is not the time to fight with the main force of the Jin army, nor is it the best time to attack Luoyang in the Northern Expedition, so I can only see it.

As I gave Jiang Min, I could only go to Ruzhou, Dengfeng, and through Gongxian to Jiyuan, then from Yuanqu County, or from Qinshui County to Yicheng County, and then to Shenshan. Although this road is a little rugged, farther and more expensive, it is something I can control.

After thinking for a long time, Wang Xiaoli knocked on the table: "Zhi Niang, what if you spend more money? As long as you take root in Shenshan County, half of Hedong Road is in my palm! You have to spend money if you make money, and spending it here is worth it!"

He made up his mind and supported Jiang Min to build the base in Shenshan County at any cost. If there is no food, then transport it. It was just that he consumed ten kilograms on the road to transport it to one kilogram, which was a little higher.

Ruzhou is on the other side of the mountain, and there is no waterway to Xiangyang, so the grain cannot be transported out. Instead of being stored in the warehouse, it is better to support the base of Hedong Road. As long as you can gain a foothold in Hedong Road, no matter how big the price is, it is worth it.
Chapter completed!