Song Dynasty female artist

Let’s look at the Liao Dynasty.

At this moment, Yelu Hongji was a little regretful that he had agreed to sell the 100 precious horses to the Song Dynasty.

One hundred horses may not seem like a lot, but as stallions, they can breed thousands of mares in three or four years, and the first batch will be adults and can be sent into the battlefield.

In the Liao Dynasty court, Yelu Hongji said: "The Tibetan king Pingcuo was captured alive. The Tibetans are dead. After the Song Dynasty has recovered for a while, it is very likely that they will target the Liao Dynasty. Do you have any pertinent suggestions?"

The ministers looked at each other, but neither of them said anything.

Yelu Hongji: "Don't you usually talk a lot? You suggest this and that, impeach this and that, but now you are silent?"

"Xiao Houjun, you go ahead."

Xiao Houjun was named and had to stand up.

He had been impeached many times by the censors over the years for his carefree personality, so he developed a cautious character in his words and actions.

Now that His Majesty asked him to speak, he pondered for a moment and decided to lay out the thorny issues currently faced by the court: "Your Majesty, I think the most important thing now is not to prevent the Song Dynasty from going north, but to solve the problem of the Jurchens first."

Xiao Deli said: "The Jurchens are just a small tribe. What kind of trouble can they cause?"

Xiao Deli had always been at odds with Yelu Renxian. After Yelu Renxian's death, his son Yelu Tabu gradually became a capable minister like his father and had close contacts with Xiao Houjun.

So they will target Xiao Houjun.

Yelu Tabu also stood up and said, "Sir Xiao, although the Jurchens are only a small tribe, they are powerful and have developed rapidly in just a few years. If you don't take them seriously, we will destroy ourselves before the Song Dynasty attacks."

Xiao Deli: "Master Yelu, your words are too alarmist."

Although Yelu Hongji was annoyed with Xiao Deli, he did not quite agree with what Yelu Tabuye said.

The Liao Dynasty was so great and powerful, with such a vast territory, how could it be afraid of a mere Jurchen tribe?

Therefore, he did not take it to heart, but focused all his energy on how to deal with the Song Dynasty. He first recruited 100,000 soldiers and stationed them on the Song-Liao border to guard it strictly.

Later, trade between the two countries was banned, and any violation discovered would be severely punished.

The Liao Dynasty entered into intensive preparations for war.

At this time, Zhao Rui actually wanted to make a concerted effort, march his troops northward, and unify the country.

Although Tubo was not strong, it had a vast territory. In order to prevent them from having the ability to rebound, it was necessary to send heavy troops to be stationed there. For at least the next two years, they would not be able to deal with the Liao Dynasty.

If you can't spare the time to attack the Liao Dynasty, then just vigorously develop the economy.

In 1085 AD, the powerful Song Dynasty decided to march north, and Zhao Rui led the army in person.

The Queen and the Crown Prince are stationed in Kyoto.

Privy Councilors Lu Gongzhu and Fan Chunren assisted in managing state affairs.

Northern Front
Since the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were recovered, the Song Dynasty has always sent heavy troops to guard it, especially Youzhou. After Zhao Rui succeeded to the throne, he sent Di Yong, a descendant of Di Qing, to garrison here.

After years of development, Youzhou has become very prosperous.

The command center is in Youzhou.

There was a large sand table in the middle of the commander's office, and a huge map was hung behind the sand table. Gu Qingjue was looking at the map with his hands behind his back, while Bai Chengnan, Li Duanyuan, Leng Zhongyan and others were working on the sand table, and Zhao Rui was sitting aside watching.

The battle was intense, but Zhao Rui found that his greatest role was to appear in front of the battle array riding the white horse when the two armies faced off.

He doesn't have to worry about the rest.

"Your Majesty, we have decided to attack here next." Di Yong knew the topography of the northern border very well. After discussing with Li Duanyuan and others, they decided to attack Bandaogou first, where there were about 10,000 soldiers stationed.

About fifty miles north of Bandaogou, there is a tribe of the Liao Dynasty. This tribe has about 10,000 soldiers. Even if a war breaks out, it will not be a problem if this tribe comes to support. We can also take advantage of their support to directly cut off the source of the trouble and wipe out this tribe.

Zhao Rui stood up and walked to the sand table, watching Di Yong re-deduce the idea.

Gu Qingjue didn't look at the map again. He stood next to Bai Chengnan and listened quietly.

After the deduction, Di Yong looked at Zhao Rui.

Zhao Rui nodded: "I think it's okay! Just do as Commander Di said."

Di Yong was naturally happy that his strategy was recognized, but seeing that Gu Qingjue didn't say anything, he still thought it would be better to ask a question.

"Commander Di knows the North very well. We all trust your judgment."

Di Yong's confidence increased instantly.

Turn around and go down to deploy.

Two days later, the Song army assembled 50,000 troops and divided them into two routes. The left route was commanded by Di Yong and the right route was commanded by Bai Chengnan.

Di Yong led 20,000 soldiers and horses and headed straight for Bandaogou, while Bai Chengnan led the remaining 30,000 soldiers and horses to bypass Bandaogou and ambushed 2,000 soldiers and horses on the road that must be passed between the tribe and Bandaogou.

Why were there only two thousand? Of course, they were not really trying to stop them, but were just trying to buy time so that they would think they could break through the blockade and see hope for support.

The remaining 28,000 soldiers headed straight for their tribe.

Di Yong stopped halfway through the march and asked Bai Chengnan to lead the team from the north first. They needed to march secretly and the distance would be longer than theirs.

Therefore, they had to wait until they had bypassed the halfway ditch before Di Yong could continue his march.

After Bai Chengnan's team bypassed the half-ditch, the accompanying practitioners informed Di Yong, and then the left-wing army accelerated its march.

Di Yong was not wrong. After the Liao army stationed in Bandaogou discovered them, they immediately sent troops back to the tribe for help.

The two thousand soldiers who blocked the reinforcements were led by a deputy general named Mo Ze beside Di Yong.

He has rich combat experience, especially with this tribe. He has fought against them no less than a hundred times in more than twenty years.

Mo Ze knew the enemy very well, and the enemy generals also knew Mo Ze very well, so this time Mo Ze's tactics against the enemy were all determined by Bai Chengnan.

He did whatever Bai Chengnan said.

So, when the reinforcements thought they could pass quickly, they were fooled by Moze’s desperate efforts to stop them.

"They only have 2,000 men, but we have 10,000. They are just trying to delay us. If we can get there in time, the Song Dynasty will not be able to conquer Halfway. Follow my orders and break through with all your might."

During this process, Moze was deliberately shot by an arrow, and the team fell into chaos for a while, and was torn apart by the reinforcements.

"General Mo, is your injury okay?"

Mo Ze shook his head: "No vital parts were injured. The blocking mission is completed. You take them to support General Di."

Mo Ze was injured, so he left behind a few soldiers and hid on the spot, waiting for Bai Chengnan and the others to return to the city together.

After two days and one night, the Song Dynasty successfully captured Bandaogou and the tribe behind it. In order to prevent a counterattack from the Liao Dynasty, it did not rest for a moment and allocated 50,000 troops to build fortifications overnight.

The loss of a half-ditch and the confrontation with a tribe of 10,000 soldiers caused an uproar in the Liao court.

"Your Majesty, the Song Dynasty has sufficient military strength and high morale. The loss of Bandaogou is inevitable." (End of this chapter)