Compete for the Song Dynasty

Wa Zhuang followed Wang Pang for a day or two and ran back and forth on the saddle. Wang Pang asked and found out that the young man had just turned his birthday.Although he looks a bit old-fashioned, his eyes are lively and his actions are clever.After getting along for a day or two, Wang Pang had a good impression of this young man, but for some reason, Wang Pang always felt that there was something wrong with this boy.It seems that there is always something on his mind, and his brows are often tightened.

After all, Wa Zhuang is not Wang Pang's bodyguard, so it is inconvenient for Wang Pang to ask too many questions, and Wang Pang really doesn't have time now.The next day early in the morning, Yelu Liang, a palace attendant, came to pick up the king and went to see Yelu Hongji.Yelu Hongji was not in Nabo, after returning from Taizi Mountain, Yelu Hongji went to the imperial city in Dadingfu city of Zhongjing.

Along the way, Yeluliang became Wang Pang's guide. He pointed to the Daliao Pagoda passing by and said to Wang Pang: "When Wang Shilang comes back, let's go visit Elder Xia Qisong together."

Entering the city of Dadingfu from Zhuxiamen, the south gate of the outer city of Dadingfu in Zhongjing, Liao Kingdom, you can see a Fucheng with a layout that resembles Bianjing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, in front of you. A wide avenue leads directly to Yangdemen, the south gate of the inner city.This avenue is twenty or thirty feet wide, and the two sides of the avenue are lined with palaces and temples. Handicraft workshops, merchants and markets are located in it, and the city is a bustling scene.

Passing through Yangde Gate and continuing to the north, you will find the imperial city of Liao Zhongjing, the core of Zhongjing. Liao Zhongjing is an important town in the history of Liao. It is an important companion capital second only to Shangjing. The capital of the Liao Kingdom, but because it was built in the middle of the Liao Dynasty, the national power was strong, and it caught up with the Liao and Song alliance and peace period for more than a hundred years. The capital city was built better and bigger than the capital Shangjing. [

Although it was not the first time for Wang Pang to enter the capital of Dadingfu, but this time the feeling was different.Time flies so fast. When I first came to Liao Kingdom, I didn't know when I would be able to leave, but now I will send troops to Korea soon. Naturally, my mood at this time is different from when I first arrived in Liao Kingdom.

The people of Yeluliang brought Wang Pang into the inner city of the palace. Yelu Hongji, the emperor of the Liao Kingdom, had already held a banquet in the imperial garden. The people Wang Pang saw coming to the banquet included Li Enze, the envoy of Korea, and Yelu Asi, who was ordered to go out this time. , and Lin Ya Xinzan of the South Campus.In addition, there are naturally King Xiaoying who has made great contributions to countering the rebellion, and Prime Minister Yeluren.

Yelu Hongji, the emperor of the Liao Kingdom, and Empress Xiao Guanyin were sitting on the felt on the front seat. Yelu Hongji's drooping hand was empty. When Yelu Hongji saw the king walking into the hall, he greeted with a smile: "Immortal Wang, please come to the hall." I'm waiting for you, take your seat quickly." He pointed to the empty seat.

This is not the usual way of treating them like honored guests, even the prime ministers and kings of the Liao Kingdom are ranked behind the king.Wang Pang hurriedly thanked Emperor Liao and sat there as ordered.

After a while of singing and dancing, the food and drink in front of everyone had been set, Yelu Hongji said to Li Enze: "Ambassador Li was ordered to ask for help this time, and now he has successfully invited Wang Xianren to help, and the [-] Bohai Navy from our Liao Kingdom sent troops to expel Wo Nu country is worrying."

Li Enze forced a smile on his face and thanked him.Seeing his reluctant expression, Yelu Hongji asked slightly dissatisfied: "Why, isn't Ambassador Li still satisfied with the success of this trip? Why don't you thank Immortal Wang?"

Li Enze hurriedly explained: "Satisfied, satisfied, it's only because of our weak national strength that the Japanese slave country is so bullied. Why do we need [-] troops to deal with the Japanese slaves. I am afraid that because of the continuous war in Korea, if so many troops arrive in Korea, I'm afraid I'll treat the Liao army badly, so..." When he said this, he looked at the king.

Before Li Enze went to the Song Kingdom this time, he finally met his younger sister Li Enxi, and learned something about Wang Pang from Li Enxi. Originally, he wanted to find a chance to meet Wang Pang and have a good chat.In addition to thanking Wang Pang for taking care of his sister, he always felt that although the [-] soldiers helped Koryo solve the current harassment of the Japanese slave country, if the Liao Kingdom did not withdraw its troops and stationed there, it would be even bigger for Koryo. Threats, did Goryeo come out of the tiger's den and into the wolf's den after she became a country?

Wang looked at Li Enze and looked at himself, and knew in his heart that this was Li Enze asking for help. From Wang's perspective, he really hoped that Yelu Hongji would be unkind. In the future, I will cross the Yalu River with great vigor and arrogance.Even if it is for the sake of Goryeo, it will save them from having a north-south divide hundreds of years later.

Seeing Li Enze's embarrassment, Wang Pang secretly laughed.Yelu Hongji nodded instead, he turned his face to the king and said: "Oh, I only lent you soldiers and horses of the Song Dynasty because of the rescue of the immortal Wang. Otherwise, you will have to pay back if you send troops again It’s not cost-effective to go all the way to help Goryeo fight the Japanese slaves for food. Besides, if they don’t provide food and grass in the territory of Goryeo, then our troops will be wasted there.”

It turned out that the two were afraid of beating wolves with a stick, and Yelu Hongji couldn't be blamed for thinking too much. Wang Pang thought about a book he had read back then, what was it called? When it came to the Korean battlefield, many soldiers froze to death and starved to death due to insufficient logistics.When did this all happen? It is still in ancient times, and food and grass for marching is an extremely important issue.

Wang Pang has calculated: for ordinary troops to travel, obtaining military rations from the enemy is the most urgent task.It is not only expensive to transport grain, but also difficult to travel long distances.For example, each person carries six buckets of rice, and the soldiers carry five days of dry food. Each soldier can provide for one soldier, and the trip can last up to eighteen days;

If it is calculated as a round trip, it can only take a nine-day trip.Two people provide food for one soldier, and a group can last up to 26 days; (one stone and two buckets of rice, three people eat six liters a day, in eight days, a porter’s food has been eaten, and he will be sent back for six days, and the next ten Eight days, two people eat four liters or dry food per day).

If counted as a round trip, there are only thirteen days away. (Eat six liters per day for the first eight days, add return journey for the next five days, and eat four liters plus dry food every day) Three people can feed a soldier, and a group can last for 31 days, with one stone and eight buckets of rice. Return a porter and give him rations for four days; for seventeen days, the three of them will eat six liters a day, and send another porter to give him nine days of rations; for the next eighteen days, the two will eat four liters a day plus dry food.If you calculate the round trip, you can only travel mileage for [-] days (eight liters per day for the first six and a half days, six liters per day for the middle seven days, and four liters per day plus dry food for the next eleven days plus the return journey).It is the maximum limit for three people to feed one soldier.

If there are 3 soldiers, one-third of them will be in charge of the luggage, only 2 soldiers will be able to fight, and 10 people will be needed to transport food, and it will be difficult to add more people. (Soldiers should be sent back to transport people to protect them. Due to death and disease on the way, the number of people will continue to decrease, and the food saved will be used by the reinforcements. The system of transporting food is calculated on average by six buckets per person This is a total method. Among them, the captain does not carry anything, and those who gather firewood and draw water carry half of the burden, and the excess weight is shared equally among all the people, and even those who are unable to carry rice due to death or disease, the weight they should carry is equally shared. , then the weight that each person bears is often more than the weight of six buckets.

Therefore, there is no room for too much food in the army. For a surplus person to eat, two or three people need to supply him, and there may be insufficient supply.If you use livestock to transport grain, a camel can carry three stones, a horse and a mule can carry five buckets of stone, and a donkey can carry one stone. Compared with transporting grain by people, although the burden is more and the cost is less, if you don’t feed grass on time, many livestock will die, and one animal will die. , the food it carries has to be thrown away, compared to using people to carry it, there are advantages and disadvantages, and the advantages and disadvantages are equal.

Now the problem came out, Yelu Hongji promised to lend [-] troops to the king, there is no reason to say that regardless of the food and grass of his own army, before sending troops to Goryeo to Pyongyang, he would ask the Liao Kingdom to send food and grass.It's also not a small expense.And after the [-] soldiers arrived in Goryeo, Goryeo had to prepare at least tens of thousands of people to transport food to support this huge team.

Now the king can't just watch, the Liao army is short of food and grass before they have fought in Koryo.Li Enze, the envoy of Goryeo, and Yelu Hongji, the emperor of the Liao Kingdom, threw the problem to the king.Everyone in the big tent also looked at the king, what other tricks does this immortal have.

Li Enze thought that the Liao Kingdom was helping Goryeo, but how could he explain to the Emperor Goryeo that he needed so much food and grass to nourish the Liao Kingdom, which might eat up Goryeo at any time; Yelu Hongji thought, let me borrow troops to defend Promise, I can't help Goryeo in the war, and I will pay back the food, grass and armaments. In the end, the benefits made Da Song a reputation for helping Goryeo. [

Can't the king see their thoughts?Wang Pang smiled slightly: "Since Goryeo doesn't believe in the strength of the soldiers of the Liao Kingdom, the Liao Kingdom is not willing to send troops to help Goryeo. As a Song native, I should do my best. Anyway, I have borrowed soldiers. As the saying goes, the soldiers and horses are not used. When the specific matter cannot be resolved, I have no choice but to return to the Song Dynasty to return to my mission."

After Wang Pang finished speaking, he didn't even look at anyone, and took a sip of wine leisurely, as if his mission had been completed.It's not that Wang Pang is not nervous at all. If both ends of the ladder are withdrawn at this time, it will be regarded as half-empty for himself.But he is not afraid of that, the worst result is that the three-way attack will take the Japanese slave country directly, and he will just beat the little Japan to vent his anger.

Fortunately, one of Yelu Hongji and Li Enze was afraid that others would say that the borrowing of soldiers was false, and the other was really afraid that they would not be able to borrow soldiers.Li Enze hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Wang Shilang, don't get me wrong. Goryeo's national power is really weak now. You said you want money but no money, and food but no food, so you came up with a way to ask for help everywhere. Fortunately, the Daliao Kingdom He and the Great Song Dynasty both ruled the country with benevolence and righteousness, neither would they take advantage of others' dangers, but would also send charcoal to Goryeo in spite of themselves, and thank you for the emperor of Goryeo to the two upper kingdoms." He was first complaining about his grievances, and then elevating Yelu Hongji.

Yelu Hongji couldn't hear it, he said with sincerity: "Since I promised Wang Xianren, I will definitely do it. How about asking Wang Xianren to make another clever plan to solve the current problem?"