The struggle of the reborn prince

War is the continuation of politics, and politics is the concentrated expression of economy. Therefore, any war is always linked to the economic interests of the two opposing sides. Economy is the motivation for war in the final analysis, and land is the foundation of a country and the source of wealth.Internet without pop-up window update fast

The establishment of Xixia was entirely the result of continuous outward expansion by force. The competition for land, population and wealth was the starting point of Xixia's conquest. In addition to encroaching on the territory of neighboring countries by means of invasion and farming, Xixia mainly plundered land by war.When Li Yuanhao proclaimed himself emperor, there were twelve prefectures in Xixia: Xia, Yin, Sui, You, Ling, Hui, Yan, Lan, Sheng, Liang, Gan, and Su.

Hetao, located north of the 37th parallel north latitude, generally refers to the land east of Helan Mountain, west of Luliang Mountain, south of Yin Mountain, and north of the Great Wall.Including parts of the Yinchuan Plain, the Ordos Plateau, and the Loess Plateau, it now belongs to Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi.Here, the Yellow River first goes north along Helan Mountain, then goes eastward due to the blocking of Yin Mountain, and then goes south along Luliang Mountain, forming a "ji" shape, so it is called Hetao.The Hetao Plain is generally divided into the Yinchuan Plain between Qingtongxia and Shizuishan in Ningxia, also known as Xitao, and Dongtao in Inner Mongolia.Sometimes 'Hetao Plain' is used to refer only to Dongtao, alongside the Yinchuan Plain.Dongtao is further divided into the Bayannur Plain between Bayangol and Xishanzui, also known as "Houtao", and the "Frontao" of Tumochuan Plain between Baotou, Hohhot and Lamawan.

Climatic conditions determine that irrigation is the main method in Xixia, and agriculture is limited to plains, valleys and beaches that are limited in area and easy to irrigate.In the era of Li Jiqian, water conservancy was built, and it was guaranteed in the form of legislation.History has developed to this period.After reclamation from the Western Han Dynasty to the Han Dynasty, agriculture in the Ningxia Plain, Hetao Plain, and Hexi Corridor Plain has been very developed. Like the Ningxia Plain, the Hetao Plain has become a major grain-producing area.

well known.Good natural conditions are the prerequisite for the rise and development of cities and towns. The difference in geographical environment makes the economic development of Xixia unbalanced, which in turn affects the distribution of cities and towns.The Ningxia Plain has a network of canals, numerous lakes, and is relatively rich. Therefore, the prefectures and counties are the densest, including Dingzhou, Huaizhou, Jingzhou, Xipingfu, Xingqingfu and other cities.

The Xingling area is the hinterland of Xixia, and Lingzhou is located in the Hedong area of ​​the Yinchuan Plain.It is close to the Ordos platform, and its natural conditions are much better than those of Xiazhou, which is surrounded by quicksand. The agriculture and animal husbandry here is developed, and it is also a transportation hub.It has an important strategic position and has become the political and military center of Xixia.There are many troops and bureaucrats stationed in this area. There are 17 troops stationed in Xingling Prefecture and Helan Mountain, and [-] troops stationed in the Khitan Houtao area. If you add their families, royal families, nobles, bureaucrats, monks, and Handymen and servants of industrial and commercial producers and dignitaries.There are more people, and there is a large population engaged in agriculture, accounting for half of the country's population.

The war is about financial resources and population, after capturing the rich Xingling, Hetao, Ganliang and other places.Xixia was able to stand up to the Song, Liao, and tripartite.The horses produced in the Ganliang area, the green and white salt in Yanzhou and Hetao, and the grain in the Hengshan area became the three economic pillars of Xixia.

The area in northern Shaanxi is suitable for farming and animal husbandry, and the Song and Xia Dynasties are along the border.From Hengshan in the east to Tiandushang and Maxianshan in the west.Although it is a mountainous area, the ecological environment is relatively good, the production is developed, the population is dense, and there are many states and counties. Hundreds of thousands of people are Xixia's important source of troops and main food producing areas. The rest of the places are mostly desert areas. Except for military defense fortresses, there are few towns and even fewer people.Now after many years of war in the northern Shaanxi area, especially the westward expedition of Zhao Tama's Hedong Army has seized this place, killed and recruited more than [-] Xia troops, recruited hundreds of tribes and tens of thousands of tents to surrender to Song Dynasty, and the population has dropped sharply.

Insufficient population affects economic development and weakens national defense forces, so the population problem has always been a prominent problem in Xixia.Harsh natural conditions and limited harvests have restricted the growth of the Xixia population. The continuous drought, locusts, rats and other natural disasters have deteriorated the living environment. occur.Underpopulation has become a very prominent social problem in Xixia.

It also had a great impact on its source of troops. In addition to men, there were also women in the army, and village women became part of the military force in the border areas.The law stipulates that a man is 70 years old, and he is exempt from tax when he is [-] years old.However, in ancient times, "the life expectancy is [-] years, and those who are [-] years old are rare", which shows that enlisting in the army and fighting has almost become the obligation of every Xixia man in his life. The implementation of the system of all people being soldiers is not only a tradition of nomads, but also a manifestation of underpopulation.

At this time, the Hengshan area and Yanzhou had been captured by Zhao Tama's Hedong army, with a population loss of more than 40 to 160, while Xixia's population reached its peak in a hundred years of development, only about [-] million, which can be described as a heavy loss.Now that the Hedong Army has entered the Hetao area, once this area is taken again, and two of the three pillars are lost, Xixia will lose its national strength and will no longer be able to wage wars. It will drop from a "world" power to a regional power, but It shows that this is a decisive battle related to the destiny of the country, and the resistance will become more intense. . .

"My lord, after Li Yuanhao proclaimed himself emperor, he set up the Weizhou Jingsai Army Division in the south of Hanhai to control the two rivers of the Malian River Valley and the Hulu River Valley. The Xiangqing Army was set up in the Xingling area, and 20 Xingling soldiers were selected Thousands, don't deputy is supported by [-] soldiers, known as the Sixth Squad in the Imperial Palace, divided into three guards, and guards Gyeonggi with heavy troops. You can also dispatch surrounding garrisons, and you can gather [-] heavy troops in a short period of time. No more than [-], now that the Shaanxi army is blocked by the Lingzhou River, we may not be able to achieve our goal alone, so please think twice, whether to suspend the army here?" The generals gathered, after Zhao Tun explained the current situation, Wang Jin who joined the army couldn't help but Said without worry.

"My lord, what Wang Canjun said is also reasonable. When Li Jiqian attacked Lingzhou, he used his nimble and quick cavalry to occupy the vast sea, preventing our reinforcements and food from going north, and finally captured Lingzhou, an important military town. Although there is no shortage of food and grass for the next army, but the army is limited, stay in Xiazhou and transfer on the way, I am afraid that the Xia army will repeat the old tricks, and we are short of troops, unable to protect, so we have to worry about it!" Qin Feng has now been promoted to Lanzhou. The regiment training envoy went out with the army. He talked about the old things in the past without worry. The Song army was defeated several times, but they were all defeated this time. He was worried that the prince would repeat the same mistakes, so he also tried to persuade him.

"Xia Jun sent troops with only ten days of food and grass, but they can often last for dozens of days. Everyone understands the reason!" Zhao Tuo glanced at the generals present and said with a smile.

"That's right, Xixia always sends troops like this. They rely on looting to solve their military needs. There are a lot of fertile fields in the Hetao area, and now the autumn harvest is about to come. We think there will be a lot of food. We can also follow suit. As long as we lay down a city, it will be enough for us." Need it!" Zhao Yong said first.

"Having said that, our army is known as the army of benevolence and righteousness. Looting the people is detrimental to the prestige, and it is also true. General Liu Fa slaughtered the city the other day. Although he won a big victory, he was also criticized by the world. This time the death in the battle has not been recovered. I am afraid that there is also a reason for the conferring of pensions, the prince sent troops to plunder, if those people in the court do not mention it, I am afraid that the prince will be impeached after the war!" Said the chief secretary of the marching army Shen Songyue.

"Don't worry about this, the lord has already said that when we sent troops to the west, we can collect food on the spot, that is, pay part of the money, and it can also offset the tax. Although there is suspicion of forced buying and selling, we can also confess it! "Zhao Zhi said.

"Even if we have solved the military supplies, Xia's army has many generals and can defend the city to the death. It will not be easy for us to destroy a city!" said Han Tong, the training envoy of the Xianzhou regiment.

"Hehe, how about Fengzhou City, it was captured by our army in three hours, and capturing the city is just a matter of finding something, don't worry about this Korean regiment, we will take the lead then!" Gao Chong said with a big smile.

"The trainer of the Han regiment is also right. To capture Fengzhou, we are fighting on the inside, backed by the border, and the enemy has no foreign aid. Now that we have penetrated into the Xia territory, the enemy's reinforcements will be available in no time. I am afraid it will not be so easy!" Zhao Ren But he disagrees with Gao Chong's statement.

"I have a short period of time in the northwest, but I know that every time this is the time, the appeasement envoy of the Economic Strategy Department will lead troops to patrol the border to guard against autumn. What's the meaning of this?" Zhao Tang didn't express his opinion, but put forward his own doubt.

"Oh, my lord, when the autumn harvest comes, because Xixia steals crops and robs food, my dynasty built many fortresses to protect the farming along the border, and the military affairs of the frontier army have a special item of 'anti-autumn', and officials go on patrol. In order to prevent Xia Jun from invading Bian Huqiu!" Wang Jin, who joined the army, explained.

"Then our army's defense is very strict, and we have fortresses to protect the farming, why do Xia's troops always succeed?" Zhao Tong asked.

"My lord, when Xia's army sent troops to plunder, they often surrounded the fort first, so that the soldiers in the city could not go out of the city, and then divided the troops to plunder people and animals, and picked and dug cellars to collect them. However, the fields and livestock were all outside the city. Entering the city, the crops in the field cannot be moved into the city, so Xia Jun will always gain something!" Wang Jin thought about it, but when he saw the face of the prince who seemed to be smiling but not smiling, he suddenly came to his senses and smiled wryly, "Oh, come on! The official is stupid, why didn't I expect that, thanks to the awakening of the prince, we can also treat him in the same way!"

"That's right. Most of our army is cavalry. They come and go like the wind. We use dragon cavalry to besiege the city, and hussars to fight for reinforcements. Not only can we collect food, but we can also disperse the enemy's forces and annihilate them one by one, weakening the enemy's strength. I want to come down a few times. I'm afraid they won't dare to come to help again, as long as we clear the periphery one by one, then Lingzhou City is within reach!" Zhao Zhong nodded.

"Well, the reputation of our commander in the field for defending the city may have spread throughout Xixia, and I am worried that they will not dare to fight with us. In this way, we will not have to worry about the problem of transporting food for thousands of miles, but also solve the problem of the enemy defending in a group. Kill two birds with one stone!" Shen Songyue nodded and smiled.