King of Song

Chapter 584
With the fluttering snowflakes, the Song Dynasty ushered in the sixth year of Xining.

At the beginning of the new year, side newspapers were sent to Bianjing City.

Lin Zhao's battle in Hehuang went smoothly, and he drove straight in, and he was already approaching the city of Qingtang.Hehuang Tubo is already on the verge of collapse, and it may not be long before they can all be pacified and brought under the rule of the Song Dynasty.

Expansion of territory and territory is a great achievement, and the good momentum makes Zhao Xu very happy.Although Xixia's 20 troops invaded the western states, there were three generals, Jing Sili, Zhekexing, and Zhong'e, who were in charge.The Xixia army has made no achievements in the past two months, and Li Bingchang, the leader of the small country, is already a little anxious.

Lin Zhao did a good job, and he did not disappoint!Zhao Xu also specially sent awards and New Year's condolences.

The new year is festive, the auspicious snow heralds a good year, the war is going well, and a series of happy events make Zhao Xu very happy.But before it was too late to celebrate, a thunderbolt fell on the sky of Yongzhou.

Yongzhou has fallen!
All the troops from the Guangnan roads rushed to reinforce, and the Jiaozhi army pretended to be defeated. The generals of the Song army were slightly relaxed, and the Jiaozhi people seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack.The reinforcements suffered heavy losses, and the city defense of Yongzhou was also breached by a sudden attack.

On the third day of the first month of the sixth year of Xining, the city of Yongzhou was destroyed!
The Jiaozhi people may be venting their anger, or they may be cruel by nature, or they want to give Da Song a blow.They began to massacre the city inhumanely, and almost none of the [-] soldiers and civilians in the city were spared.

The Yongjiang River was stained red with blood, and the corpses were thrown into the river, almost blocking the flow of the river.For a while, Guangnan West Road was filled with mourning, and the entire southwestern border of the Song Dynasty was filled with blood, like Shura hell.

When the news reached Bianjing, it was the Shangyuan Festival, and with Hong Ling's urgent envoys entering the city, the lively lantern viewing celebrations came to an abrupt end as in the past.

Sixty thousand soldiers and civilians died tragically!

The entire Song Dynasty was shaken. While the whole country mourned, countless subjects and scholars were aggrieved.

The tragic death of [-] compatriots made people very sad and angry, and people expressed that they would let the Cochin people pay their debts with blood.It is not just a question of avenging the victims, but also related to the face of the Song Dynasty.

A great country, all nations have come to court, but now it is invaded by a small country like Cochin, and such a big murder has been committed!What's the face of Shangguo?If Da Song didn't retaliate and seek justice, then who in the neighboring vassals would take Da Song seriously?
Whether it is tolerable or unbearable, the subjects and scholars wrote letters one after another, asking the court to crusade against Jiaozhi!
The snowflake-like memorials were sent to the imperial case in the Chui Gong Hall, and Zhao Xu's mood became extremely heavy.

What happened in Yongzhou made Da Song lose all face, the most direct manifestation is that he, the emperor, was embarrassed.While angry, he also felt a little guilty.

The Privy Council had already given an opinion and requested to dispatch the imperial army to the south, but because of his petty thinking, he did not agree.The southern army is corrupt and useless, so it is unreliable to ask them to save Yongzhou.If the forbidden army had gone south earlier, maybe Yongzhou would not have fallen, and the [-] soldiers and civilians would not have died tragically.

He blames himself, he feels guilty!The current situation made him even more furious. Such a situation, to him, was very passive.What annoyed him the most was that courtiers and common people expressed dissatisfaction with his delay in sending reinforcements.Some censors even wrote directly to accuse the emperor.

Zhao Xu was very angry, but he didn't dare to do anything to the censor who offended Tianyan!
In the Taimiao, the iron plaque set up by the Emperor Taizu clearly stated that no scholar-bureaucrats who wrote letters would be killed.This is the secret of the Song Dynasty. When every king ascends the throne, an illiterate servant will lead him to read the hadith of Taizu.Although outsiders don't know about it, such a tradition has actually been formed over the past hundred years.Especially in the Renzong Dynasty, when it reached its peak, it was nothing if the minister's saliva flew to the emperor's face.

With the hadith and many previous examples, Zhao Xu is helpless. There is no doubt that after a series of things, Zhao Xu's prestige has been greatly hit!
Revenge is necessary, Zhao Xu can only vent all his anger on the Jiaozhi people.In addition, there may be people's grievances now, and the scholars of Taixue have gone to Xuande Gate several times to ask for orders.In order to appease the anger, it is necessary to send a large army.

Furthermore, after Jiaozhi captured Yongzhou, it did not stop, and it was advancing to the entire Guangnan West Road, and then it would threaten Guangnan East Road and the two lakes.The extent of its harm is almost beyond that of the Nongzhigao Rebellion, and it must be contained as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous.Half of the country in the south is crumbling, this is no joke!

Sending troops is a must!
The army on the Hebei Road should not move lightly, as for the Western Army, they were all thrown into the battlefield.Lin Zhao also told the Privy Council that there were not enough troops, and only 10 troops were thrown into the Hehuang battlefield.What we have to face is that there are nearly [-] people in Tubo, and the military strength is already stretched. The pressure is really not small, and it is impossible to mobilize one soldier.

The only thing that can be mobilized can only be the imperial army in the Beijing camp. As long as the south is stable, there is a western army in Guanzhong, and Wen Yanbo's army is stationed on Hebei Road.Of course, the premise is that there is no change between the Hebei Army and the Western Army.In contrast, the Hebei Army is a greater threat, after all, the distance is closer.As for the Western Army, there is no way to spare them now.Wen Yanbo, as the elder of the three dynasties, Zhao Xu still trusts him quite a bit.

As for Lin Zhao, it is not easy to work so hard in the northwest and make great achievements, and his loyalty and bravery are commendable.Now the court ministers and common people compare him with Di Qing, and he is widely praised as a representative of the bravery and loyalty of the Song Dynasty.What's more, his wife and children are all in Bianjing, so he probably won't have second thoughts.

Zhao Xu immediately decided that Guo Kui, the general of the Forbidden Army, would lead an army of 15 to the south to resist Jiaozhi.The Privy Council had previously planned a force of 10 troops, but that was a prediction based on Yongzhou's persistence.Now that Yongzhou has fallen, Jiaozhi is full of arrogance. If he wants to regain the lost ground and completely counterattack, he must have an advantage in military strength.

Furthermore, Zhao Xu couldn't afford to lose.If he loses this battle again, it will be an even heavier blow to his imperial prestige, and he dare not take risks.Give more troops, I hope Guo Kui can perform well and send good news in time to make him look better.

At the end of this year, the Song Dynasty was in a situation of fighting on three fronts, and was at war with three parties at the same time.In terms of military strength, it can still handle it for the time being, and the Privy Council can still take a breather, but the pressure on the third division will be great!

The huge food and military expenditures have become a heavy burden.Especially the millennium floods, last year's drought, poor food harvest, and disaster relief costs are not small.The financial pressure of the Song Dynasty was quite a lot, and the third envoy was already in a state of desperation.Under such circumstances, someone accused Zhao Xu of being militaristic, which is really helpless!

Forget it, we can only calm down the anti-popular anger by waiting for the good news from all parties.Standing on the city wall, Zhao Xu watched the army getting farther and farther away from Nanxun Gate, and said silently in his heart: "Guo Kui, Lin Zhao, don't let me down!"

Zhao Xu was obsessed with the battle ahead, but forgot one thing!
More than 100 years ago, the Bianjing court received news of the Khitan invasion and hastily sent a large army to resist, thus ruining the fate of a dynasty.The current situation has some vague similarities...

In addition to expectations, Zhao Xu also instructed Guo Kui and Lin Zhao to speed up their actions and end the war as soon as possible on the premise of winning.If this continues, the financial pressure of the Song Dynasty will be too great!

Even if Zhao Xu didn't urge him, Lin Zhao would speed up.

The pressure on military supplies is one aspect. In any case, internal fighting cannot affect the stability of Song Dynasty.The living example of Hehuang is right in front of us.There is also time, the 15 troops of the Beijing camp are going south, what a rare opportunity, how can we miss it?

Lin Zhao ordered to conquer Huangshuichuan within one day, but the three armies fought bravely and reached the goal at noon that day.The army went straight to Qingtang City without hindrance, and finally besieged the city.

Surrounding the capital city of Hehuang, this is already a major victory, and it can be written down in history.However, there have been many such examples in history, and there are countless situations where it is difficult to get out of the siege, so all previous efforts will be wasted.

Lin Zhao didn't want to do this, so he had to find a way to break the city as soon as possible.After several tentative attacks, it was discovered that Qing Yijie Guizhang guarded the city very tightly, at least for the time being there were no loopholes.

Lin Zhao knew Guizhang's strength, and the reason why he won in Tabai City last time was because of his carelessness.But this time, he was cautious enough and organized in every way.His military strategy is not bad, and he has rich combat experience. After putting his whole body into it, he is indeed difficult to deal with.

Lin Zhao was a little anxious. In this situation, there are usually only two options.

One is to besiege for a long time and then look for opportunities.But Lin Zhao doesn't have that much time, and it's already the first month of Xining's sixth year.

Although Hehuang is located in a bitterly cold place in the northwest, after February and March, spring comes and the ice and snow melt.Without the convenience of the sled, just transporting food and supplies can drag the army to death.Once the supply of food and grass is not in time, the troops will have to retreat at that time.

If Qingtang City cannot be taken down, all the land in Hehuang occupied will be lost again, and all previous efforts will be wasted.Furthermore, Emperor Renzong's birthday and memorial day are both in April, a good opportunity not to be missed.Therefore, there is not much time left for myself. At most until mid-February, if the city cannot be broken, then the troops will have to retreat.

Furthermore, it is a strong attack!

There is a saying that if you kill one thousand enemies, you will lose eight hundred. The price of storming and breaking the city will be very heavy.The city of Qingtang City is tall and large. After all, there is sufficient food in the city, and there are a lot of defenders. With the command of a strategic general like Qing Yijie Guizhang, it is not easy to break the city.Even if you are willing to pay a heavy price, it will not work.

After all, I only have 5 horses, my troops are stretched, and I have no advantage at all. How can I fight recklessly in this situation?

A long siege is not enough, and neither is a strong attack, so the only way is to lure the Tibetans to take the initiative.Losing the tall city, even the brave Tubo cavalry is not so terrible, and it is not difficult to win.Lin Zhao sent troops to provoke many times, and even deliberately bought a loophole to lure the Tubo people out of the city to fight, but Qing Yijie Guizhang could not hold out and strictly restrained the generals.

Thinking about it, he could also see that Song Jun couldn't hold on for long, so he couldn't hold on. When Lin Zhao couldn't afford it, he would definitely withdraw.For the Tubo people, as long as they are stable, they are victorious. Qing Yijie Guizhang is a cautious and steady person, and he can really hold his breath.

Helpless, Lin Zhao could only find a solution from other places, and his eyes fell on Li Jingcheng and Lin Bubi.Since Qingtang City is as strong as an iron barrel, we can only make a fuss from other places.Just when there is this intention, the opportunity will come.

There are many reasons why Dong Zhan asked Lin Bubi to go to Lijing City. One and two cities can be each other's horns, and they can be rescued when necessary.One is worried about the danger of Qingtang City. His biological son is not safe here. If the situation is bad, he can save his blood and strength.There is another reason besides this.

Dong felt not without confidence in the defense of Qingtang City. Apart from being just in case, the most important purpose was to strengthen the control over Lijing City and the entire Hehuang City.After all, the capital is under siege, and the connection with the outside world will be interrupted. In this case, the forces in various places will be ready to move and lose control. Even if Qingtang City relieves the siege, Hehuang Tubo may fall apart.

Therefore, he needed a trusted person to go out and control the army in Li Jingcheng, so as to deter all parts of Tubo and ensure the continued rule of the Jiaosiluo family over Hehuang.

This is the most important purpose of Dong Zhi, and also the most basic task of Lin Bubi!
Before leaving, Dong Zhanqian gave ten thousand instructions, but Lin Bubi didn't listen.After arriving in Li Jingcheng, he had his own ideas, or he had other ideas under the instigation of others.

There are no eggs under the cover of the nest. Aligu has already realized this sentence, but Lin Bubi has not yet realized it.

He got the important task of going to Lijing City, and after arriving, he successfully took control of the [-] troops here and [-] to [-] subjects.This is the foundational place where Mrs. Qiao and Dong Zhan lived in the past, and they have a strong sense of belonging, so Lin Bubi can easily control it.

For him, these 3 people are a symbol of strength!

In the past, he had always been in a weak position in the battle with Aligu. A big reason was that he was not strong enough and lacked confidence.Now that he has the strength, his courage and confidence will naturally increase.In his opinion, coming to Lijing City is not only for the survival and inheritance of Hehuang Tubo, but also a good opportunity for him to seek development and make a decision in one fell swoop.

Crisis also means opportunity. Through this incident, it would be perfect if Aligu can be completely defeated and the crown prince can be confirmed.Now that he has strength, and his status in his father's heart has risen slightly, but he still lacks one thing.

"What the prince lacks most now is prestige!" This is what Lin Bubi's subordinate Qu Zha said.Suing Ali Gu for collusion with the Song people was Qu Zha's intention to magnify the matter and make suggestions for Lin Bubi.

For such a character, Lin Bubi, who lacks subordinates and think tanks, will naturally not let him go. When he came to Lijing City, he brought him here.

Qu Zha is also a talent, and he is well organized in all aspects, which saves him a lot of trouble, so Lin Bubi trusts him very much.At the same time, he also informed him of his plans and expectations, and asked him to help him figure out a way.

This is a very caring think tank, and he quickly found out the problem with a burst of blood.

"Prestige? I am the biological son of my father, the authentic Zanpu royal bloodline inheritance!" Lin Bubi felt that the appeal of the Zanpu bloodline on the plateau was strong.The little-known Jiaosi Luo back then was able to ascend to the throne and become the lord of Tubo because he was a descendant of Zanpu!

Qu Zha shook his head and said: "It's true that the prince's blood is noble, but prestige is definitely not determined by blood. The so-called prestige means to make others admire and admire you, and they are willing to serve you.

Heroes are admired on the grasslands, and the best way to increase prestige at will is to show bravery. As a prince, there is no need to fight bravely with others. The more suitable way for you is military exploits. As long as you have outstanding military exploits, you will be a hero in Tubo Aligu relied on this before and won the support and favor of many people.

If the prince can do this, relying on the strength in his hands and the innate advantages of his bloodline, everything will be easy to talk about! "

"It's just how to get military merit?" Lin Bubi also knew that this was a shortcoming of his own, and when Qu Zha brought it up, he was also thinking.As long as you make up for the entire short board, your overall strength will be greatly improved.From then on, Aligu was no longer his opponent.It is necessary to do so, but how to do it?

Qu Zha immediately said: "There is a good opportunity right now!"

"You're talking about..." Lin Bubi began to feel a little moved.

"Now that Qingtang City is under siege, this is a major event that the whole Tubo is watching, and all the Tubo people are anxious." Qu Zha said: "If at this time, who can solve the siege of Qingtang City, what do you say? Is man a great hero of Tubo?"

"That's right!" It's not that Lin Bubi hadn't thought about it, but he was more concerned about guarding the three-acre land in Li Jingcheng.

"Has the prince ever considered getting the credit for himself?"

Lin Bubi said softly: "But what the father wants is that I just need to stick to Li Jingcheng, and Qingtang City has a ghost badge to support it, and nothing will happen!"

"If this is the case, even if it succeeds in the end, it is still suitable for the old man to form a ghost badge. What does it have to do with the prince?" It is biased towards Aligu, the two of them have been walking very close, so there is no way to know if there will be any collusion, and it will not be of any benefit to the prince at that time."

"It is said that ghost chapters are not reliable..."

Qu Zha continued: "But if the prince broke the siege of Qingtang City, it will be different. At that time, the prince will be the great hero of the whole Tubo! It can completely overshadow the ghost badge and Ali bone, of course, so Somewhat disobeyed Zanpu's orders. But if the rescue was successful and the Song army was defeated, Zanpu was too happy, so how could he blame the prince?"

"That's right!" Lin Bubi was eager to try it immediately, very interested.These words were completely spoken in his heart, and he felt extremely urgent for a while.

"It's just that I can defeat the Song army and successfully clear the siege?" Lin Bubi was a little unconfident.

"That's natural!" Qu Zha said: "The Song army is fighting Guizhang and the others, if the prince leads the army to attack the Song army from behind..."

(End of this chapter)