Kingdom of Heaven and Han

Chapter 169 Next Step

After passing the Fukou Pass, the Fushui River becomes gentle, and the road next to it becomes flat and easy to pass.Xie Linong set out before dawn the next day, heading straight for Cizhou downstream of Fu River.In the afternoon, the sun had not yet set and had already reached one mile to the west of Cizhou.

Ling Tangzuo had been waiting there early with the entire city's civil and military forces.I was overjoyed to see Xie Linong arrive.

Xie Linong and Tan Shuwen dismounted their horses and hurried forward to meet Ling Tangzuo.

After meeting Li, Ling Tangzuo said with tears in his eyes, "I never thought that I would be able to see Master Wang one day! What a blessing from heaven, what a blessing from heaven!"

Xie Linong hurriedly persuaded them, saying: "It's already dark, let's enter the city quickly."

Ling Tangzuo hurriedly invited the army to enter the city and said: "The pigs and sheep have been slaughtered in the city, and we are ready to celebrate your success. Cizhou is located in a key location in Hebei, with Daming Mansion less than two or two miles to the east. The general occupied this place, and the puppet Qi I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay in Daming Mansion any longer.”

Xie Li Nong said: "Xuan Fu only ordered us to occupy Cizhou and Xiangzhou, and then we will decide whether to attack Daming Mansion after seeing the puppet Qi's reaction."

Ling Tangzuo nodded repeatedly: "It should, it should. Daming Mansion is the capital of the Puppet Qi, so naturally you should be more careful."

As they talked, they entered the state government office.

Ling Tangzuo had already prepared a reception banquet for Xie Linong, but Xie Linong didn't drink, so he was a bit happy.

Wang Xiaolie had just arrived in Datong when he received Xie Linong's letter.After resting, as soon as we entered the headquarters, the soldiers handed it over.

After taking the letter and reading it over, Wang Xiaolie said to Wang Ruohai: "Xie Linong's entry into Cizhou went smoothly. Ling Tangzuo really cared about his homeland and even cried when he saw Xie Linong's army. In the letter, Xie Linong said that the puppet Qi army in Daming Prefecture Not much, I asked if we would attack Daming Mansion directly."

Wang Ruohai said: "Indeed, Daming Mansion is the capital of the Puppet Qi Dynasty. How can he not want to take a bite with such a big piece of fat in his mouth?"

Wang Xiaolie smiled and said: "It's just that this piece of fat is too fat, so it's better to save it for later. Now that Daming Mansion is captured, I'm afraid that the Jin Army will directly destroy Liu Yu and allow the Jin Army to concentrate its power. Instead, It’s not beautiful. It will be appropriate to wait until all our troops are transferred to the east and the Jin army dare not depose Liu Yu even if they want to."

Wang Ruohai said: "I hope Xie Linong can understand Xuanfu's painstaking efforts and not make his own decisions."

Wang Xiaolie sat down at the table and said, "But things didn't go so smoothly in Xiangzhou. Fellow magistrate Hu Jingshan detained Magistrate Du Chong and spread out his troops, as if they were going to fight Xie Linong. Xie Linong is now here Cizhou, waiting for the follow-up troops to leave the border. However, Liu Lin's troops from the Puppet Qi Dynasty are quickly returning to Daming Mansion."

Wang Ruohai couldn't help but frown after hearing this: "Liu Lin returns to Daming Mansion? Then wouldn't there be no one to stop Yue Fei and Zhang Jun on the southern line?"

Wang Xiaolie nodded: "This is the only army the Puppet Qi has. If we don't transfer them back, will the Daming Palace not want them? As for Yue Fei and Zhang Jun, it will be up to the Jin Army to deal with the headache. They can't control that much. Now the Jin Army and the Puppet Qi If the army is insufficient, it will inevitably be stretched.”

Wang Ruohai listened thoughtfully and finally understood why Wang Xiaolie immediately sent Xie Linong and Li Xing to occupy Cizhou and Xiangzhou after the battle in Taiyuan.Occupying these two states completely absorbed the puppet Qi's military power and indirectly helped the Eastern Front.

News of Wu Shu's raid on Haozhou had spread to the western front. Wang Xiaolie looked down upon Zhao Gou's behavior of escaping south.Although I look down upon him, I still have to find ways to help the war effort on the Eastern Front.The simplest thing is to transfer the military power of the puppet Qi.After thinking for a while, Wang Ruohai said: "The three divisions of Shi Rong, Cao Zhiyan and Zhai Cong are currently resting in Shengzhou and Yuzhou. If they are ordered to threaten Youzhou, the Jin Army on the front line will probably also Pull back.”

Wang Xiaolie said: "They have been fighting for several months, so they naturally need to take a rest. Besides, there are only about 10 people in the three divisions, so it is still difficult to attack Youzhou. We should wait until next year after we destroy the puppet Qi and launch a large-scale offensive on the southern front. Press on, it will be better to go eastward then."

Wang Ruohai nodded and said, "I understand."

The meaning of Wang Xiaolie's words is that this year's war is over, and the war against the Puppet Qi and the East Road Jin Army will be the next year's war.Whether this means that the army needs to rest and recuperate for continuous operations, or because it needs to wait and see the situation, is hard to say.

Wang Ruohai is the person who knows the army best. He knows that although the army is tired and has insufficient logistical supplies such as artillery shells, there is no need to doubt its ability to continue fighting.When he said it clearly, he really understood it.

Frankly speaking, the current situation in the world is unclear, especially what will happen after Zhao Gounan escapes, no one knows.In name, Wang Xiaolie was still Zhao Gou's minister, and he could not help but be affected.It would be more beneficial for him to leave the Jin Army's forces in Hebei for the time being.

After a moment of silence, Wang Ruohai said: "Xuan Fu should not be able to stay in the clouds for long. To be honest, there are still many things waiting for Xuan Fu in Luoyang."

Wang Xiaolie said: "Yeah, in a few days, it's time to go back to Luoyang. What we have to deal with in the future is the Puppet Qi, and we need to take command in Luoyang. Here in Yunzhong, I don't know when I can come back again. Come and go in a hurry , it’s a pity.”

Wang Ruohai said: "After destroying the Jin Army's West Route Army, there will be no enemies in the clouds. We can only wait and see again when we are free."

Wang Xiaolie said: "Destroy the Western Route Army and Xixia. Don't think of Xixia as a good person. They have been coveting the states under the Yin Mountain for many years. If they have the opportunity, they will invade. Last time Jiang Min only attacked them. Local troops cannot be taken seriously."

Wang Ruohai couldn't help but frown: "When the Jin army was there, Xixia didn't dare to invade. Now that we're here, they dare?"

Wang Xiaolie said: "It's different. The Jin army rose a few decades ago. After the founding of the country, it destroyed the Liao Dynasty and defeated the Song Dynasty. The surrounding small countries were frightened out of their courage. And what about us? Since the time of Renzu, we have been unable to defeat Xixia. Win, if you can’t win with gold, why should Xixia be afraid of us?”

"Yes." Wang Ruohai nodded. "As long as we fight a few battles and let them know how powerful we are, they will be honest."

Wang Xiaolie shook his head: "It's not that simple. As long as we win, Xixia will be afraid that we will take them back. How can we easily admit defeat? I'm afraid that the battle to destroy Xia will be more urgent than the battle to destroy Jin."

Wang Ruohai couldn't help but trembled after hearing this.I want to say something, but I can't.

Wang Xiaolie made it very clear that in his heart, the threat from Xixia was even greater now.Yes, the Jin Army's West Route Army was annihilated. Now the only one who can threaten the Song Army on the West Route is Xixia.It is reasonable for Wang Xiaolie to set Xixia as the target of the West Road.

But, is it really difficult to say that Jin Jun will win surely now?

It's just that the Wang Xiaolie now is no longer the Wang Xiaolie before, and Wang Ruohai doesn't dare to say anything.

(End of this chapter)