Han Shizu

Chapter 424
Although the emperor was worried because of the wind from the north, it did not affect the normal operation of the Han court. On the contrary, because of the pressure from top to bottom, the efficiency of government administration was greatly improved.

Spring plowing is basically over, Dahan's preparations for war are also speeding up, rivers and canals are still being dredged, and dozens of granaries along the canal line are also low-key transshipment and hoarding.The arms workshop in Tokyo is also in full swing to create armor.Under the instruction of the Ministry of War, private textile workshops began to manufacture shoes, robes and quilts.

The senior generals of the two divisions of the imperial army were also assigned special tasks. Hebei's anti-Liaoning campaign was only given a topic. The subject matter and style were not limited. An "answer sheet", those who have insights, can be submitted to the imperial case, and Liu Chengyou can personally read it.

Under the leadership of the generals and schools of the two divisions, the Imperial Guards of the two divisions have also strengthened their training, especially the actual combat training. In addition to the sharpening of combat skills, marching, camping, and wading are all included in the exercise.

The most important thing is the Jingjiang Army of the Navy. Under the command of Xiang Xun, it is divided into several branches to practice on the Yellow River and Bian River.Although the hydrological conditions in the Huainan waters are different from those in the Central Plains, Liu Chengyou's requirements for the Han Navy are not high at all, and they only need to cover the rear.

If there is a real battle with Khitan, then the navy Liu Chengyou also needs to be used.In terms of blocking the river crossing and limiting the range of activities of the Khitan cavalry, the water army may be able to work wonders.Liu Chengyou's investment in the navy also has the idea of ​​two-handed preparation.

However, after the emperor's strict order and the relevant departments of the imperial court invested a lot of manpower, the investigation and spying on the situation in Khitan was finally fruitful.

Based on the news from various sources, we can make a bold judgment. In Khitan, the conflicts between Emperor Yeluruan and the clan and other nobles have become very acute. Although there has not been as big a rebellion as before in the past two years, there have been minor rebellions, and it is like a quiet The gathered whirlwind is like a day waiting to erupt.

Yelu Ruan may be far behind Liao Taizong Yelu Deguang, but he is not considered a mediocre master. He probably also noticed the hidden undercurrent in the country, so Yelu Ruan planned to use war to divert domestic conflicts and take the opportunity to stabilize the regime. Realizing his ambition to invade the south can be said to kill three birds with one stone.

And Yeluruan clamored that he wanted to lead the army to attack Han in the south, the shame of Xueluan City, and recapture Youyan, Hebei and even the Central Plains. Similar remarks have been going on for a long time.

Since the end of autumn last year, Yelu Ruan sent Yelu Antuan, the confidant minister who helped him seize the throne, to the south. The intensive raids since this spring are all written by Yelu Antuan.This person can basically be sure that he came to stand in front of Yeluruan, the leader of the Liao Dynasty.

News from the north came in one after another, and the temple calculations of the monarchs and ministers of the Northern Han Dynasty were constantly calculating, and they had a clearer understanding of the situation in the north.

Wang Pu even asserted that, given the situation in Khitan's country, without external force, it would be chaotic without a fight. This is probably the vision of a strategist.

But it was also like this, the possibility of the Khitan invasion to the south was greatly enhanced, and Wang Pu reluctantly suggested to Liu Chengyou that he must suspend the Huainan strategy and actively prepare for Hebei to deal with the Khitan invasion.

Even though he was mentally prepared for this, Liu Chengyou still felt a huge unwillingness in his heart, so he gave orders and changed his strategy.Of course, the shift in strategic direction does not affect the preparations below, but the focus is different.

Even so, Liu Chengyou still kept a little thought in his heart.It even rejected the preemptive plan proposed by some generals.Unlike the concealment of the Huainan strategy, which has always been hidden and concealed, it is limited to the spread among a few high-ranking officials of the Han Dynasty and the emperor's close officials.

When the Northern Han had no choice but to take care of the north, in the south of the Han Dynasty, there was also a sudden disturbance.

Let’s talk about Hunan first. After the false Chu king Ma Xi’e usurped the throne, except for retaining the last sliver of reason to surrender to the Southern Tang Dynasty, he was full of ambition and uncontrollable arrogance.

Thinking about old grievances, killing endlessly, drinking and debauchery day and night, all military and political affairs in Hunan were entrusted to his younger brother Ma Xichong.Ma Xichong is also a person with shallow talents and morals, the government and punishment are disordered, and he employs people only for selfishness.Send troops to plunder people's wealth and use it to reward meritorious men, but the soldiers are still resentful because of the unevenness.

In the spring of the fourth year of Qianyou, the Langzhou officers and soldiers who accompanied Ma Xie to the south also gradually became divorced.There is a house slave Xie Yanyong, handsome in appearance, favored by Ma Xie, he sits with his wives and concubines, the palace has banquets, and because he ranks above the generals, all the generals are ashamed.

Thanks to Ma Xie's treatment of the old Ministry, when he attacked Changsha last year, a fire burned the palace, and Wang Kui, commander of Jingjiang in Langzhou, and Zhou Xingfeng, deputy envoy Zhou Xingfeng, repaired it with more than a thousand soldiers from the army. Work without reward.As a result, resentment and resentment grew among officers and soldiers, and people's hearts were turbulent.

In a country that is about to perish, chaos is rampant. The Ma brothers have only been in Hunan for four months, and the morale of the army and the people have already been lost.

On the [-]th day of Renshen in March, Wang Kui and Zhou Xingfeng led their troops to flee back to Langzhou.Ma Xie found out only after waking up from a hangover that he immediately sent his commander Tang Shizhu to chase after him with more than a thousand soldiers. The king and Zhou Zhou were ambushed and defeated, only to escape.

When Wang Kui and Zhou Xingfeng occupied Langzhou, they entrusted Ma Guanghui, the blood of the Ma family, as Jiedu envoys, and then sent people north to contact Lizhou, and asked to be proclaimed ministers in the Northern Han Dynasty.Cao Yin, the defense envoy, immediately reported to Tokyo, and Liu Chengyou gave his permission.

The situation in Hunan, with the defection of Wang Kui and Zhou Xingfeng, the fragile "tranquility" has come to an end.

In the face of such a dangerous situation, Ma Xie is basically slow-witted and unresponsive. Compared with rebelling to seize the throne, governing the country, and dealing with complicated situations, it is really too embarrassing for Ma Xie .

The subordinates rebelled, occupied the old nest, and suffered a small defeat. Ma Xie had no choice but to appeal to Nantang, hoping that Li Jing could help solve the rebellion.Of course, it wasn't that Ma Xie was completely stupid to that point, it was just because his control over Changsha's Chu army was already dangerously weak. If he sent troops by force, there was a high probability that the soldiers would turn against each other if they didn't go to Langzhou.

What Ma Xie didn't know was that the Southern Tang Dynasty he had expected had already sharpened his sword towards the land of Hunan.Liu Guangfu, the envoy he sent to Jinling as a tribute, also sold out the real situation between him and Hunan, and urged Tang Lord Li Jing to send troops to take Hunan.

The Southern Tang rulers and ministers' plan to annex Hunan has officially entered the implementation stage.Starting from Jichun, a large number of food, salaries and military equipment in the Southern Tang Dynasty were transported west and south, and stationed in Ezhou and Hongzhou.The same is true for soldiers and horses, which were secretly mobilized and stationed in two states.

In the north, the veteran He Jingzhu was appointed as the envoy of Wuchang Jiedu, who was stationed in Ezhou;The intention is obvious, the north and the south go hand in hand, and the intention is to make progress.

　I have nothing to do, it is rare to add another chapter

　　
　
(End of this chapter)