Chapter 1076 The Battle between Song and Xia (two updates in one)

Xizhou.

Li Xian gave the secret order of dispatching troops to Zhang Zhi, the military envoy, and Wang Hou, the deputy general manager of troops and horses, reviewed it.

Zhang Zhi and Wang Hou were accustomed to the emperor's pattern of issuing orders directly to front-line generals without going through the Privy Council.

Zhang Zhi read the secret edict and said that Li Xian was left to guard Xihe Road and Qinfeng Road.

However, the commander-in-chief of Jingyuan Road and Xihe Road was Wang Zhongzheng. It seemed that his dignified envoy along the way and Shen Kuo, the envoy of Jingyuan Road, had to take orders from a eunuch, and he was immediately very dissatisfied.

It is not that he is discriminating against the fact that the other party is a eunuch, as Li Xian is also a eunuch, but the other party is capable of both literary and military skills, and he can also respect the opinions of the generals ahead.

But it’s not like he didn’t know what Wang Zhongzheng was. When he was accepted by Xihe Road, he clashed with Zhang Yue in order to carry out the emperor’s order. The lawsuit between the two finally came before the emperor, and the officials withdrew Wang Zhongzheng.

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After that, Wang Zhongzheng slandered Zhang Yue again and again. Zhang Yue couldn't bear it and dragged Wang Zhongzheng off the emperor's carriage, causing the other party to lose face.

At this time, the conflict between the two became public.

In the past, Wang Zhongzheng controlled the Jingyuan Road and Zhang Zhi was able to keep his peace, but now he actually controlled the troops and horses on the Xihe Road and let himself be at his disposal. Zhang Zhi had a lot of thoughts in his heart.

Li Xian saw Zhang Zhi's brows furrowed, knowing that the other person was a person who showed emotions and anger.

However, Li Xian likes the other party's temperament. Judging from his experience in dealing with Zhang Yue, Zhang Kai and Zhang Zhi, three Xihe military envoys, none of the Zhang family members are economical.

In terms of military use, Zhang Yue seems to be the worst person, and he is secretive in everything he does. However, he is clever and skillful, and he can set an example at the same time. The generals below all obey him.

Zhang Kai took action after making a decision.

Before the Battle of Taoshui, Xixia Prime Minister Liang Yimi led his army to arrive in full vigor and challenged the Song army at every turn, but Zhang Kai couldn't bear it and avoided its sharp edge.

When the Xia army saw that the Song army was not coming out, they carried out large-scale demolition on Xihe Road, looted and burned the fields.

The Song army couldn't stand it and repeatedly asked Zhang Kai for battle, but Zhang Kai said, "Anyone who dares to speak out will be killed."

It was not until Li Xian successfully negotiated with Ali Gu that the Qing Tang Dynasty retreated in exchange for ceding a state. When Liang Yimi learned about the peace talks between the Song Dynasty and the Qing Tang Dynasty, he was shocked and immediately withdrew his troops.

The Xia army returned from the Song Dynasty with a full load of plunder, and met the angry Song army led by Zhang Kai at Taoshui.

In the Battle of Taoshui, not even one out of ten of Xixia's 70,000-strong army was killed.

As for Zhang Zhi, he was upright and brave, able to share joys and sorrows with the soldiers, and was very popular. This man was born with charm. Li Xian looked at his resume since he became an official. Not only did the emperor praise him all the way, but even Wang Anshi praised him.

This forced Zhang Yue, his successor in politics, to 'criticize' him a few words to prevent the other party from showing too much sharpness.

Zhang Zhi persuaded Guang Rui's army to surrender, and later assisted Zhang Yue in repelling hundreds of thousands of Chen divisions' Liao army on the border.

However, Zhang Zhi’s shortcoming is that he is too ‘straight’.

Li Xian comforted Zhang Zhi and said: "His Majesty's edict stated that this was so restrained before the routes were divided. After Mingsha was captured, the two routes merged into one place, and then the general commander was appointed!"

Zhang Zhi said: "That is the best. If we attack the two states of Xing and Ling, if this person draws a line to control us, wouldn't it be like a defeated army?"

Li Xian thought for a while and said to himself, the officials may not be suspicious of your Zhang family. If they attack Xingzhou, it may be difficult to appoint a member of your Zhang family as the commander-in-chief.

You must know that Zhang Yue and Zhang Kai have already taken over Qingtang. If Zhang Zhi breaks Xixia again, with such a family here, the emperor will not be able to sleep at night in the future.

Li Xiandao: "Our family will report this matter to Your Majesty on behalf of Commander-in-Chief!"

Zhang Zhi paused and said: "His Majesty issued an edict to mobilize troops along the Jingyuan Road and Yanyan Road in June, but I think we from the Xihe Road will attack Lanzhou one month in advance!"

"Flying to Lanzhou? One month in advance?"

Li Xian was taken aback.

Zhang Zhi said: "Yes, the terrain of our Xihe Road is in the upper reaches of the river, and we can attack it by land and water. Now the Qingtang has conquered it."

"You can let the leader of the Qingtang Dynasty, Dong Zhan, send his troops out of Huangzhou, while our main force on Xihe Road goes into Lanzhou! Take this place first!"

But Zhang Zhi waved his hand and heavily covered the location of Lanzhou on the map.

Li Xian looked at the map and said: "Yes, Dong Felt sent troops to pretend to leave Huangzhou and get behind the bandits. I will attack Lanzhou and make a plan to take Ganliang directly. I will mobilize Xixia soldiers and horses to defend here, and then go out to Huizhou and Jing."

The original road meets Mingsha, Tiandu Mountain is the first line!"

Wang Hou smiled and said: "Yes, after we took Huangzhou, Xixia deployed heavy troops to defend Liangzhou, fearing that we would cut off its trade routes. Once our army makes a move to take Liangzhou, Xixia will defend it with all its strength."

"Although it was a feint this time, it may not be the next time."

Li Xiandao: "Wonderful strategy! Wonderful strategy! First, we feint a shot at Ganliang, but actually take Lanzhou. With Lanzhou, the situation in Henan will be complete. After that, the military envoy will lead the army out of Huizhou and directly take Tiandu Mountain."

"We will immediately submit a joint signature to the Emperor!"

Zhang Zhi and Wang Hou both put their hands on each other and laughed loudly: "That's how it is!"

The three of them immediately signed a petition and reported it to the emperor as a matter of urgency.

…

It takes at least ten days for a letter to travel from Xizhou to Bianjing, but now that Zhang Yue has improved the post road with the postal method, it only takes eight days for the letter to be sent to the official's court.

After the official read the letter, he realized in his heart that the troops on the Yanyan Road would be the main force in attacking Xia this time.

Jingyuan Road followed, while Xihe Road only sent more than 20,000 troops.

However, the suggestions of Li Xian, Zhang Zhi, and Wang Hou also moved his heart. If he pretended to attack Ganliang and captured Lanzhou, he would definitely attract many Xixia soldiers and horses, creating a good opportunity for Jingyuan and Yanyan Road to advance troops.

The official showed the letter to Xu Xi, who said without hesitation: "Your Majesty, this strategy is feasible!"

The official said: "Do you think so too?"

"But I'm afraid of being distracted. Once Xihe Road attacks Lanzhou, if it attracts heavy Xixia troops to go south, and Zhangzhi here takes the front line of Tiandu Mountain, what should we do?"

Xu Xi said: "Your Majesty, the Western bandits may not be willing to send out all their troops to fight for Lanzhou with us. Besides, as long as we can capture Xingling and Lanzhou, even if we lose Xizhou and Lanzhou, it will be a good deal for me!"

The official paced and thought for a moment and said, "That's exactly it."

The official immediately ordered Xu Xi to write a handwritten edict immediately.

The edict is as follows. Things have priorities and priorities, and I know it. However, when it comes to military conflicts, I belong to the generals. If I can know how to pursue advantages and avoid disadvantages, then why do I need to take precautions? This is really difficult.

Now I send you and others to choose the enemy when they are facing it. If you can show off your power and encourage the soldiers of the three armies to point directly at the owl's nest, and join forces with the generals to capture the ugly ones, this is the best policy.

When you leave Ganliang and attack Lanzhou, you can carry out the task at your own convenience.

After the decree was issued to Xihe, Li Shunju went to Beijing with Zhong'e memorial.

Zhong E vigorously advocated the attack on Xia in his memorials and said in his memorials, "There is no one in the Xia Kingdom, but Bingchang is a little boy. The ministers raised his arms and came to lower his ears."

The officials were overjoyed when they saw Zhong'e's letter, and issued an edict to commend him. They appointed Zhong'e as deputy envoy of Huanqing Road Economic Strategy, and gave Zhong'e a gold belt and ten thousand taels of silver. They also said in the edict that if the summer breaks, Zhong'e would be comparable to Di Qing.

, Guo Kui’s encounter.

To put it bluntly, he made a Privy Council promise to Zhonge.

Fuyan Road was indeed the top priority for this expedition. All the elite forbidden troops in Kaifeng Prefecture, Jingxi and Jingdong and other prefectures were transferred to the direction of Fuyan Road and placed under the control of Gao Zunyu. The officials also transferred the famous Western Army general Yao Lin to Huanqing Road.

Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Soldiers and Horses.

Zhonge, although Yao Lin's official name is on Huanqing Road, he is still on Fuyan Road, because the official still wants Gao Zunyu to control everything.

Finally, the official ordered Li Shunju to report to the ministers of the Privy Council the general strategy of advancing troops on the Yanyan Road and Jingyuan Road.

Wang Gui and Yuan Jiang knew a little bit about it in advance, but Feng Jing, Xue Xiang, Zeng Xiaokuan, and Zhang Kai didn't know the details of the emperor's troop dispatch until now. They had been kept in the dark before, and the officials never discussed it with them.

Pass.

Li Shunju went to Beijing to report to the second government. It was basically to give a notice and wait for you to know it, rather than to discuss it.

The officials all had this plan, and the Prime Minister of the Second Prefecture was very moved when he heard this, almost bursting into tears with gratitude. At this last juncture, the officials finally told me the strategy of conquering Xia, which was really touching.

The officials also ordered Cai Bian and Li Shunju to go to Zhang Mansion to report to Zhang Yue alone.

Zhang Yue has nothing to say. He is not a famous general. In terms of troop formation, he is only at the level of a third-rate general. In the past, he relied on Wang Shao, and later on, he relied on the collective performance of his staff and teachers.

What he is best at is using force to overwhelm others, and once they are evenly matched, he will attack. Therefore, Zhang Dun and Wang Shao treat people all day long, and Zhang Yue is a "clumsy general", which is not a lie.

He felt that there was something wrong with the official's deployment of troops this time, but Zhang Yue could not tell what was wrong. However, Zhang Zhi was able to "make his own decisions" and made the official decision accordingly. He pretended to attack Ganliang and captured Lanzhou.

He still appreciated the plan very much.

Although it was "stealing the show", after capturing Lanzhou, the corresponding defense line of Xihe Road and Qinfeng Road was complete, and the danger of the Yellow River was available. There was no need to always be wary of Xixia's heavy troops crossing the Yellow River and heading south via Lanzhou.

At the same time, I was also prepared for my next visit to Liangzhou.

Zhang Yue immediately replied to Li Shun saying that he was a little worried about Yanyan Road, but had nothing to say about the rest.

Li Shunju returned to report to the officials. The officials did not listen to Zhang Yue in terms of strategy, but followed Zhang Yue's instructions in terms of tactics. They also transferred 3,000 troops and horses from Di Yong, the second son of Di Qing, another general of the Western Army, to Gao Zunyu's account.

Di Yong was originally going to Jingyuan Road or as a reserve team on Huanqing Road, but the officials followed Zhang Yue's advice and strengthened his troops in the direction of Yanyan Road.

Before May, the officials completed the final arrangements for the attack on Xia.

There are generals Li Xian, Zhang Zhi, Wang Hou, Miao Shue, Li Hao, etc. on Xihe and Qinfeng roads. Not counting the arrangements for attacking Lanzhou and Liangzhou, the four generals have more than 20,000 troops.

The Jingyuan Road Plan included Wang Zhongzheng, Shen Kuo, Zhong Shidao, Liu Changzuo, etc., with seven generals, more than 50,000 soldiers, and more than 100,000 civilians.

There are Gao Zunyu, Zhonge, Xia Yuanxiang, Yao Qi, Di Yong, etc. in the planning of Yanyan Road, a total of 16 generals, with 100,000 troops and more than 200,000 civilians.

Before the capture of Mingsha, Wang Zhongzheng was also in charge of Xihe Road, Qinfeng Road, and Jingyuan Road, and sent three groups of soldiers and soldiers.

Gao Zunyu took care of the troops and horses of Huanqing Road, Fuyan Road, and Hedong Road (Linfu Road).
To be continued...