The first prince of Song Dynasty

Chapter 71

Looking at this person who didn't know where he came from, the men in black were in a commotion, not knowing what to do?
I also have weapons, but they have hand crossbows that have been facing us all the time, so I dare not move rashly, and I will die at any time.

However, there are also people who think this way, since they are going to die anyway, it is better to fight, so that there may be a chance of survival.

Didn't Zhao Xu just say that?The one we have to catch alive is our amulet, so let's fight.

So some people ran towards Zhao Xu, and others attacked the people who came behind, fighting for a chance.

It's a pity that they chose the wrong place. This time they were destined to be tragic. The people who rushed towards Zhao Xu were killed by him in anger.

And those who rushed to those who followed Miao Xun were looking for death. Although Zhao Xu said that they would stay alive, if you are looking for death, it's a different matter.

The rest of the people saw some of the miserable conditions of their companions, and they couldn't help but feel fear, and obediently surrendered.

At this time, Ling'er had already fainted from crying. Zhao Xu put him in his arms later, his face was covered with tears, and he was especially pitiful when he saw it.

"The subordinates and others paid their respects to your lord, and finally found you." The words of Liu Qinhu and Dong Zhenhai were full of joy.

Of course, Miao Xun was always special when it came to addressing Zhao Xu. He always addressed him as the lord, while the others did not have this right.

Zhao Xu felt very kind when he saw them, but he didn't show it. He just nodded.

"Mr. Lao, please take someone to interrogate these people to find out who they are and why they came to assassinate me. Liu Qinhu, you go and help, your muscle-splitting hand can be used this time."

After Zhao Xu finished speaking, he carried Ling'er into the house, placed him gently in the house, and very gently wiped away the tears on his face.

Zhao Xu has a lot of things to do now. First, let someone change the old man into clean clothes, and then prepare a good coffin for the old man.

These were purchased by people, and even the local government was alarmed and killed. As a local official, it was also a headache.

But when they heard that the person inside was the Duke Yuhou in front of the palace, they left in despair, with endless regrets.I am a small county magistrate who is only seventh grade, how can I compare with this master.

A few months ago, this master disappeared for several months. At that time, the central government issued an approval letter to search for his whereabouts with great rewards.I didn't expect him to be right under my nose.

At this moment, Miao Xun came over and saluted Zhao Xu:
"My lord, we are incompetent and these assassins seem to have received special training, and they refuse to confess..." Miao Xun said a little embarrassed.

After all, he claimed to know everything about astronomy and geography, but he couldn't even handle the trivial matter of interrogation, which made him a little embarrassed.

"Sir, you don't have to be like this. How can you understand this when you are a senior? Let me go and see how hard their mouths are."

Zhao Xu's face was frosty. He didn't go to Miao Xun, but to the assassins.Miao Xun also felt a chill in his heart. He had known Zhao Xu for so long, but he had never seen him like this.

Zhao Xu walked into a room that was temporarily used as a torture chamber. It felt a little crowded with more than a dozen people in it.

There were a few people lying on the ground, looking limp, as if their bones had fallen apart.

These people were dismantled by Liu Qinhu's muscles and bones, and some people beside them were beaten to pieces.

These people are quite stubborn, and none of them said who was instigated by them. I don't know if they are really stubborn, or something else.

"I'll just ask once, who told you to come, otherwise I will make your life worse than death." Zhao Xu looked calm.

Anyone can tell that there is an unquestionable determination under the calm expression, but still no one speaks.

But Zhao Xu noticed that everyone's eyes drifted to the second person on the left intentionally or unintentionally. It seemed that this guy was their head.

Zhao Xu walked up to him: "What do you mean?" His eyes revealed a substantial light, which made people afraid to look directly at them.

However, this person turned his head to the side and hummed.

According to Zhao Xu's previous personality, he would definitely be kind and powerful, but after a series of plots against him, his heart has changed, completely changed.

Seeing that this person was still working for his master at this time, in a rage, he drew out the sword that he carried with him, and a big brain rolled to his feet.

The few tied assassins also shuddered when they saw this. Zhao Xu didn't stop because of this, and chopped off the heads of two people. He looked like an executioner.

And when I asked again, someone started begging for mercy, because if I didn't beg for mercy, he might be the next one, so I said everything like beans in a bamboo tube...

After the Emperor Chai Rong of the Later Zhou Dynasty forced the Southern Tang Dynasty to become a minister, he obtained the fourteen northern and southern states of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

That is, Guangzhou (now Huangchuan, Henan), Shouzhou (now Shouxian, Anhui), Haozhou (now Fengyang, Anhui), Sizhou (now Sixian, Anhui), Chuzhou (now Huai'an, Jiangsu), Haizhou (now Jiangsu Lianyungang), Taizhou (now Taizhou, Jiangsu), Yangzhou (now Yangzhou, Jiangsu), Chuzhou (now Chuxian, Anhui), Hezhou (now Hexian, Anhui), Luzhou (now Hefei, Anhui), Shuzhou (now Qianshan, Anhui) , Qizhou (now Qichun, Hubei), Huangzhou (now Huanggang, Hubei)
The territory of the Southern Tang Dynasty has thus been reduced from 35 states at its peak to 21 states, and all of them are in the old land of Wu State south of the Yangtze River and a part of Fujian.

However, the territory of the Zhou Dynasty was greatly expanded, and its strength would also increase rapidly. For this reason, Zhou Lord Chai Rong was not satisfied, and began to conquer Khitan in the north to take back the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures.

Later Jin Emperor Gaozu Shi Jingtang ceded sixteen prefectures including Yanzhou and Yunzhou in the north to Khitan in order to ask for Khitan's help to become the "child emperor", which greatly enhanced the Khitan's strength.

Relying on this large outpost, the Liao State invaded the Central Plains again and again, bringing great disasters to the people of the Central Plains.

Chai Rong's determination to regain this old land is also in accordance with the sky and the people, and the soldiers and civilians of Dazhou actively support it.

So on March 959th, the sixth year of Xiande Xiande ([-] A.D.), Chai Rong left the capital and began the northern expedition to Khitan.

Wu Yanzuo, the envoy of Xuanhui South Academy, was appointed as the left-behind in Tokyo, and Zan Jurun, the envoy of Xuanhui North Academy, was appointed as the deputy left-behind.

Came to Cangzhou on April [-] and took a short rest.In the evening, Chai Rong led tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry northward in military uniform, and drove directly to the enemy's territory.

Khitan Ning Prefecture Inspector Wang Hongju Kaesong surrendered.The army soon arrived at Yijinguan (now Ba County, Hebei Province), and the Khitan defender Zhong Yanhui also surrendered.

Chai Rong and Zhao Kuangyin deployed for the water routes, and Han Tong deployed for the land routes, advancing both land and water, and continued northward.

Soon, the vanguard approached Waqiao Pass (now south of Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province), Khitan guard Yao Neibin surrendered, and Chai Rong entered Waqiao Pass.

Intimidated by the Zhou army, the Khitan guards from all over the country surrendered one after another. After Liu Chuxin, the governor of Mozhou, surrendered, Gao Yanhui, the governor of Yingzhou, also surrendered at Yukou Pass.

Only 42 days after Chai Rong dispatched troops, he quickly regained the three passes, including three prefectures and seventeen counties, and completely obtained the territory of Guannan.

Southern Tang also thought that the Zhou Dynasty's Northern Expedition to Khitan would definitely fail, and at that time, he could take advantage of the situation to recover the land of the fourteen prefectures in Jiangbei.

But the information they received was from the army of Great Zhou, how brave it was, many cities in Khitan surrendered without a fight.

Li Jing also lamented that Chai Rong of the Zhou Dynasty was an extremely heroic emperor today, and the soldiers of the Great Zhou Dynasty were really unstoppable, which made him completely lose his confidence in regaining Jiangbei.

At the same time, in order to celebrate the victory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, people were specially sent to send gold and silver to the soldiers of the Northern Expedition of the Zhou Dynasty.

"This Li Jing is quite sensible." Chai Rong readily accepted the gold and silver, could he not be cheerful?
The eunuch Zhang Dejun was immediately afraid of flattery: "The Southern Tang Dynasty was afraid of our Great Zhou, all thanks to His Majesty's wise and holy martial arts, throughout the ages..."

"Okay, you don't have to flatter me anymore, tell me to go down and reward the three armies today, you go and pass the decree."

Zhang Dejun ran to deliver the decree after listening, leaving Chai Rong alone in the army tent.

"Li Jing, since you want to treat me to the soldiers, I will be disrespectful hahaha"

On May [-], Chai Rong set up a wine meeting, feasted all the officials, and discussed during the meeting to continue to march to recover Youzhou.

The generals Chai Rong congratulated and said: "Your Majesty left Beijing for 42 days, and took the land of Yannan without bloodshed. This is an unworldly achievement."

Even Qin Huang Han Wu is not as capable as His Majesty!Although this was suspected of being flattering, Chai Rong readily accepted it.

The emperors since the Five Dynasties who can compare with him mostly avoid the Khitan. Who is like the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty who personally conquered the Khitan.

Most importantly, wherever he went, all Khitan troops fled, which made him unhappy.

"Please drink this cup to the full, and then continue our great cause and recover Yanyun. This will make my great Zhou famous all over the world."

"Recover Yanyun and make your name known everywhere."

Recover Yanyun and become famous all over the world.

Recover Yanyun and become famous all over the world.

The next day, Liu Chongjin, the commander of the vanguard capital, led his troops to set off and quickly occupied Gu'an (now Gu'an County, Hebei).Chai Rong then led his troops to the Anyang River in the north of Gu'an County, and ordered to build a pontoon bridge to attack.

That night, Chai Rong suddenly felt dizzy, and then collapsed on the ground. After some treatment by the imperial physician, he finally regained consciousness.

But the body is very weak, the condition is very serious.I can't go to the front line in person, but there is a general in charge of the front line, so just follow his deployment.

But at this time, Chai Rong ordered his troops to return to the court and not to attack Khitan.At the same time, the whole army was ordered to retreat, and Zhao Kuangyin was ordered to come to see him immediately.

Zhao Kuangyin would not know why, but he still rushed back. Only Chai Rong himself knew why he withdrew.

He knew that his illness might really not heal this time, and his body knew it well. At the same time, he held a wooden board in his hand, with five words written on it:
"Check to be the emperor."

(End of this chapter)