Zhao Defang's road to the virtuous king

Jia Jun pulled Tan Bing over, "Say it clearly, how could the Liao soldiers retreat? Is there any reinforcements from Song Dynasty?"

"No, general, just now the Liao army went to a herald. After seeing it, the Liao general yelled a few times and led the large army to retreat northward. The small one stayed on for a while. The Liao army has indeed gone far."

"Explore and investigate again." Jia Jun summoned several other people, "Go together, you must see clearly."

"Yes!"

It turned out that Liao Emperor Yelu Longxu and Empress Dowager Xiao returned to Shangjing, boarded the Yuanhe Hall, rewarded the generals who defeated the Song army, and named Yeluxiu the King of Song. Pu Ling, Shouning, Man Nuning and other generals also received generous rewards. Brother Yeluxiu asked Emperor Liao to allow him to lead his army to take advantage of the victory to invade the Song Dynasty in the south and drive the Song Dynasty back to the south of the Yellow River, and use this as a boundary, but the Empress Dowager Xiao did not agree, and ordered all the troops to return to the station, beware of the Song army and other troops invading. Liao territory.

That's why this cavalry army of tens of thousands of people was about to march on Qigouguan, but was announced back by the officials who came to deliver the order, and Defang and his party escaped from danger, but Defang and Jiajun didn't know this yet, it was just the inexplicable retreat of the Liao army They didn't know why, so Jiajun didn't dare to delay, and urged Defang to return to Beijing. Defang was also worried that tens of thousands of cavalry would return, so he agreed to return to Beijing to return to his command. On the way, the team sent by Mi Xin found Defang and escorted him Return to the capital with several generals.

At this time in Beijing, Wu Sheng Jiedu envoy and attendant Zhao Pu wrote a memorial to Taizong, to the effect that since the imperial court marched north, millions of households would have to bear heavy military expenses, and dozens of states would stop farming. Flying like a bird, you lose as much as you get, and there will be more than a month, summer will pass and autumn will come, and the cold air at the border will increase. The soldiers in the Central Plains will not be comfortable with the cold, but the Liao army in the north is indeed powerful. Our army has been on an expedition for several months, and the soldiers will be exhausted. , I hope Taizong will issue an edict to withdraw the troops as soon as possible.This Northern Expedition was due to the great achievements of some people. They deceived the monarch and only considered their own wealth and honor. They must send these people to the capital to be executed to appease the sad hearts of the people. Zhao Pu also said that he would use his life to persuade, Regardless of whether it is exile or execution, he is willing to accept Taizong's punishment.

Taizong wrote back in his own letter, saying that his original intention was not so, but that he had made a strategic plan long ago, but he did not expect that some generals would not obey the holy order, change the combat deployment at will, and even abandon the city after capturing the city to lead the army to rescue the food road, causing officers and soldiers Fatigue, low morale, defeated by the Liao army, the failure of the Northern Expedition is the general's responsibility, and the border has made new deployments, so don't worry too much.At the same time, the imperial court ordered Liu Baoxun's grandson (Liu Lishezi) Liu Juchuan, who died in battle, to be the official name of the secretary, and Kong Yizi, Kong Yanshi, studied his family background.

Because of the defeat at Qigou Pass and Juma River, Taizong was worried that the Liao army would take advantage of the victory and invade the south, so he appointed Zhao Yanpu to know Beizhou, and at the same time appointed Zhang Yongde, a veteran who had not commanded an army for many years, to know Cangzhou, Song Xun to know Bazhou, and Liu Tingrang to know Xiongzhou. .I hope to use their prestige and courage to boost morale and guard the border.

In mid-June, the imperial court appointed Xin Zhongfu, Yushi Zhongcheng, as the official of Shizhong and Shenzhi.

In the same month, Zhao Changyan, a well-known daming mansion, wrote a letter requesting to behead Cao Bin and other generals who had been defeated in the war. Taizong was very moved, so he wrote back to appease him and commended his loyalty.If there is not much, he will be appointed as Yushi Zhongcheng.

A few days later, Cao Bin and other generals returned to Beijing. Taizong immediately ordered Jia Huangzhong, Lei Dexiang, and Li Chenyuan to interrogate Cao Bin, Cui Yanjin, Mi Xin, Du Yangui and other defeated generals in Shangshu Province.

After returning to the mansion, Defang was in a bad mood, but she didn't want to tell Concubine Di what she saw. She didn't talk much all day long, and sat in the study for several hours. Concubine Di knew Defang very well, so she guessed something. So I stopped asking, stewed some calming soup in the morning, and stayed with me every day, which made Defang a lot better.