King of Song

Chapter 551
The Western Army was one of the three main imperial forces in the Song Dynasty, with a large number of people.

However, the frontier defense line in the northwest of the Song Dynasty was very long, starting from Fuzhou and Linzhou at the bend of the Yellow River to Xizhou, roughly including the three provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia in later generations, and the border defense line was thousands of miles long.

There were even more objects to defend. In addition to guarding against Xixia in Linzhou and Fuzhou, they also had to guard against the Liao Kingdom, and there were Qiangs in Hengshan nearby.As for Huanqing Road, it was the front line to defend Xixia. Although Xixia had just experienced the defeat of Wudinghe last year, it was still a wolf whose strength should not be underestimated. Even if it was injured, it could still bite.

This was especially true when the Song Dynasty launched troops against Hehuang Tubo!Lips dead and teeth cold, Hezhou and Hehuang are like this, why not Hehuang and Xixia?

Hehuang Tubo is flanking behind Xixia. If the Hehuang area is occupied by the people of the Song Dynasty, what will be the consequences?
At that time, the Hehuang Plateau and the Shaanxi/Western roads will surround Xixia like a pair of pliers and completely restrain them.If it's just like this, it's fine, it's just restricted development.But the Song Dynasty and Xixia were natural enemies. The Song Dynasty had always had the heart to destroy Xixia and regain the country.

Once such a military structure is formed, will the people of the Song Dynasty miss their chance?It's no joke to attack Xixia from both wings!

Facing the enemy, the result can be imagined!

Therefore, Xixia absolutely does not want Hehuang to be occupied by the Song Dynasty people. After all, when Hehuang Tubo was biased towards the Song Dynasty, they were very annoyed.If the people of the Song Dynasty were allowed to rule Hehuang, they would be immersed in nightmares forever until the day they perish.

The Xixia people may intervene!

The so-called covenant does not have much binding effect at all. They have expected this from the beginning of the mobilization, so they must guard against the Xixia people!Therefore, Huanqing Road and Qinfeng Road have a large number of troops garrisoned, and they dare not mobilize easily, just to guard against and deter Xixia, especially when the main general Wang Shao is away, they need to be more careful.

In this case, the number of troops that can be transferred to the front line of Xihe is only 3!

Moreover, there is another characteristic of Han people's combat, that is, to divide troops and garrison them, especially garrisoning cities.However, grassland peoples like Tubo don't care, they can settle down anywhere.In this way, the troops will be scattered, and the mobile troops are not very large.

According to common sense, these troops are enough to simply deal with Tubo in Hezhou.But Mu Zheng is avoiding and not fighting, so what can you do?

Especially the Hehuang area has entered autumn. If the war continues to be delayed until winter, the severe cold will be a huge test for the Song army.In this regard, the Tubo people take advantage of it a lot, and their physique must be more resistant to cold.Furthermore, it is food transportation. It is good to say that the places along the Wei River can be partially transported by water. Even if it is land transportation, the terrain is relatively flat, but there are mountains and plateaus further on.The supply of grain and grass for the Song army is also under pressure. How can Wang Shao not be in a hurry?

Lin Zhao was also in a hurry!
The victory or defeat of this battle is not only of great significance to Da Song, but also to him.

Winning will have prestige and credit, and more importantly, military power.

How can we gain military power?At least for now, there is Wang Shao in front of me, he will be a huge obstacle!Without Wang Shao, Lin Zhao can take over everything smoothly!
But how to overcome this obstacle?
There are three ways: first, kill Wang Shao, do it yourself, or borrow the hands of the Tubo people; second, persuade Wang Shao and take it for your own use;
Lin Zhao had no intention of killing Wang Shao, after all, he had helped him back then.Even if he had the heart, it would be difficult to murder the head coach of the first army.After all, as long as the coach is strategizing, he doesn't go directly to the front line. How can he pretend to be the enemy of Tubo in this way?If you do it yourself, it will definitely arouse Zhao Xu's suspicion and the contempt of the world.Naturally, Lin Zhao would not do such a risky thing, and the loss outweighs the gain.

As for persuading Wang Shao, Lin Zhao was not sure of that!Although this person is a Jinshi in the second year of Jiayou, how much loyalty and gratitude does he have to Emperor Renzong?On the contrary, Zhao Xu has promoted Wang Shao a lot in the past few years, and entrusted him with important tasks. This kind of knowledge alone makes Wang Shao very loyal.The matter was so important that Lin Zhao didn't dare to take risks lightly.

The only feasible way is the third way, which is to transfer Wang Shao away in an open and honest manner!In the original history, it was the victory of the Battle of Hezhou in the early days, Wang Shao returned to Bianjing to report on his duties, and left after accepting the emperor's reward.However, during that period, the far-reaching Battle of Tabai City took place, and the Song Army was defeated.As a result, many plans in the Hehuang area were all in vain, and even had a profound impact on the national policy and destiny of the Song Dynasty.Of course, these are another story.

For Lin Zhao, at least this method is feasible and operable!Of course, there are other means that can be assisted, and these Lin Zhao has already let Mingyuezong arrange in secret.It's just that everything needs to be based on the victory of the Battle of Hezhou, even if it is just a reasonable victory.

Song Jun needs it very much, Wang Shao needs it very much, Zhao Xu of Bianjing also needs it, and the one he wants most is Lin Zhao!

Therefore, Mu Zheng's situation of avoiding and not fighting really annoyed him.The battle of Hezhou was delayed, and it put a lot of pressure on everyone!
So I have to think of a way to solve the predicament in front of me, but what should I do?

"General Wang, do you have a good strategy?"

Wang Shao shook his head and said, "We can only find a way to make Mu Zheng fight head-on!"

In the past, when the Central Plains dynasty dealt with the ethnic minorities in the north, the army took the initiative and went deep into the vast grassland. What it had to do was to find the main force of the opponent and then fight fiercely with it.This was true for Wei Qing in the Han Dynasty, it was the same for the Turks in the Tang Dynasty, and it was the same for the blue jade conquering Mongolia/ancient times in the Ming Dynasty.

"What is the key way to get Mu Zheng to come out?" Lin Zhao mused, "It is impossible for him to have no weaknesses. Even if he temporarily shrinks back and avoids fighting, can he really not care about everything in Hezhou? No. Everything can be moved and hidden, there must be something he cares about, once we move, he will definitely not be able to sit still and move out."

"But... what is it?" Wang Shao mused, "Hezhou City? That's where Mu Zheng's foundation is!"

"It is estimated that Hezhou is now an empty city. Except for some old, weak, sick and disabled, at least the young and strong have evacuated."

"Insulting? Or poking up his father's grave?" Thinking of these humble methods, both Wang Shao and Lin Zhao shook their heads lightly.Although everything is used on the battlefield, it must be effective.Mu Zheng's mind is very strong, is it useful to irritate him with insults?As for his father, he might have been buried directly in the sky after his death.Digging ancestral graves is very deterrent and stimulating in the Central Plains, but for the Tibetans, the effect is not obvious.

"The key is, what does Mu Zheng care about most at the moment? What do you want most, or what do you want to maintain!"

Both Wang Shao and Lin Zhao used their brains, brainstormed, and thought for a long time. Wang Shao said leisurely: "What Mu Zheng is most looking forward to at this moment must be the reinforcements from Hehuang!"

"Reinforcements..." Lin Zhao fell silent, as if thinking of something, but the thought disappeared in a blink of an eye.

"Unless Dong Zhan's reinforcements don't come, or they are defeated by us, then Mu Zheng won't be able to sit still!" Wang Shao's words are very reasonable, just bypassing Hezhou to attack Hehuang, that's not right. realistic.In any case, in this war against Tubo, the first thing to be wiped out can only be Hezhou.

However, upon hearing this, Lin Zhao suddenly became enlightened, and said with a smile, "Although we can't stop or annihilate Hehuang's reinforcements, we can stop them from joining forces with Mu Zheng!"

"What does Dongyang say?" Seeing Lin Zhao's expression change, Wang Shao was a little excited, and it seemed that he had a solution.

Lin Zhao smiled and said: "The reason why Mu Zheng avoids fighting is to delay time, wait for Dong Zhan's reinforcements, and then unite to strengthen his strength and fight us again. But if we can cut off the communication between him and Hehuang Relationship, prevent them from joining together, do you think he will be anxious?"

"Where is the throat that Dongyang refers to?" Wang Shao already understood what Lin Zhao meant. This throat is what Mu Zheng cares most about and cannot be lost.As long as there are police here, Mu Zheng will definitely not be able to sit still!

"Step into the White City!"

Historically, Mu Zheng and Qing Yijie Guizhang once teamed up to defeat the Song army in Tabai City, and let Jing Sili die tragically on the battlefield.But now Lin Zhao has moved his mind. Before the Tubo people set up a layout, he will now step into Baicheng to collect some interest.

"Treading the White City?"

Lin Zhao then said: "Tabai City is located in an important place, which happens to be the gateway to Hehuang. It was here that Mu Zheng and I met back then. He must have seen that this place is dangerous and very important, so he built it here. A city named Tabai City! He didn't know that the reason why Mu Zheng was named so had something to do with the little white dragon he was riding.

"Sure enough, it's an important place!" Wang Shao immediately stared at the sand table in the large tent of the Chinese army to observe. The things made by Shen Kuo were absolutely fine. Although Tabai City was newly built, it was marked!After careful observation, he nodded lightly and said: "If you control this place, you can indeed contain the reinforcements from Hehuang, and Mu Zheng will not give up here."

"That's right!" Lin Zhao said: "Then we will lead the army to attack Tabai City, force Mu Zheng to attack, and then fight with him! If we act quickly, we can finish before Hehuang Dong Zhan reacts, and then It is said that he stepped into Baicheng and defended against the enemy, and then looked at Hehuang in the distance. He can advance, attack, retreat or defend. I wonder what General Wang thinks?"

"Sure enough, it's a great plan!" Wang Shao nodded again and again, deeply feeling that it was absolutely right to let Lin Zhao come.

"Just one thing, we must make a quick decision, otherwise, when the Hehuang army arrives and encircle and counterattack with Mu Zheng, it will be dangerous. After all, we are going deep alone!"

Wang Shao asked, "Then who is the right person to lead the army?"

"This battle is very important, I will go!" Lin Zhao replied sonorously!
(End of this chapter)