In the Chongzheng Palace, Du Zhongxiao and several ministers sat below and were ordered to come here to discuss political affairs. The most important thing now is the war in the northwest, and other things are not worth mentioning compared to the war.

Jia Changchao said: "Since Captain Han captured Liangzhou, Liu Jizhan should be reasonable, the road has been opened, and the news is much faster than before. A few days ago, Captain Di Taiwei led his troops to break through Weizhou, and the army went to occupy Jianghui, Qingyuan, and Jile cities. Captain Di personally led the army in the middle and went straight to Mingsha. ”

Wen Yanbo said: "When will Mingsha be captured?" When does Captain Di plan to attack Lingzhou? ”

Jia Changchao said: "The march of the army cannot tolerate the slightest negligence. Especially now that guns and artillery are used in the army, ammunition is indispensable, and it is even more necessary to be cautious. It is expected to arrive at Mingsha on the fifth day, make a slight arrangement, and go down to Mingsha within 10 days. ”

Wen Yanbo sighed and said, "Taiwei, it's already the lunar month, and the New Year will be in half a month." If this is the case, it is already the middle of the first month when he goes to Lingzhou City to prepare for the siege. No matter how cold it is there, it should be thawed in February. When the Yellow River was broken, there was Ling Xun when it froze, and when Lingzhou City was surrounded by Zeguo, how could the army stay? The real siege of the city will be in the summer. ”

Jia Changchao said: "Xianggong, if not, what can be done?" Lingzhou is a fortified city in the northwest and has always been difficult to attack. Not to mention, the party has concentrated the elite of the whole country, around that city. As long as Lingzhou is captured, the party will no longer be able to support it. ”

Wen Yanbo shook his head and said helplessly: "Tai Lieutenant must know that it is not easy to supply grain and grass for more than 300,000 troops. In order to transport grain and grass to the front line, Captain Di mobilized the people of several states around the railway line, and he could not go on like this. ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Han Qi on the western front, 30,000 troops sent troops from Xingxing Gorge, marched more than 2,000 miles in more than two months, and broke through five states. The 300,000 troops under Captain Di Taiwei only advanced two or three hundred miles to take two military divisions, is the march too slow? ”

Jia Changchao said: "Your Majesty, the army of this dynasty gathers the Zhenrong army, and the party has no choice, which is equivalent to giving up several states in Hexi, so it will be like this." ”

Ouyang Xiu on the side said: "The party is outside Lingzhou, and there is no army. Is it possible to order Di Qing to divide his troops, like Han Qi's department, and take the surrounding towns first. In this way, the march should also be faster. ”

The privy deputy envoy Tian said: "Neihan, Han Qi's department is Zhao Zi's elite soldiers in a hundred battles, and it is not comparable to the various departments of the Zhenrong army. If you want to divide the troops, I am afraid that there will be chaos. As far as the Privy Council knows, in Di Qing's army, the distribution and transportation of grain, grass and ammunition is not so convenient, and it is not easy to divide the troops. ”

Ouyang Xiu said: "Why is Liu Qian 50,000 soldiers, and there is nothing?" ”

Tian said: "Liu Ji is playing, it is not that he has to repair for a month in Yingli. In the end, it is not yet known. ”

Zhao Zhen saw that the discussion could not come to a result, and said to Du Zhongxiao: "Zhongcheng was once handsome and familiar with the war. What should we do now that the front line looks like this? Forced to march, afraid of chaos. It has been delayed, and the money and food committee is really worrying. ”

Du Zhongxiao praised the wat: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that the front-line war is of course clear to the front-line generals." There is no particular reason, it is better to be commanded by Captain Di. How can there be a war that does not cost money and food? As long as Lingzhou is broken and the party is destroyed, everything will be worth it. However, Han Qi broke through Liangzhou, and the rest of Zhao Zi's troops could enter Hexi, and his 30,000 troops could continue to attack. He can be ordered to lead troops into Yingli, wait for the opportunity to attack the gorge, and coerce the surroundings of Xingqing Mansion. Now that the field battle of the party and the army is not as good as that of this dynasty, then make full use of this and occupy the cities outside Xingqing Mansion and Lingzhou first. ”

Zhao Zhen hesitated: "Han Qi's 30,000 people, plus Liu's several departments, is only 80,000. Is it bold to let it go deep into the party? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Your Majesty, now the party does not dare to fight with this dynasty at all, for fear of what they will do." The party's soldiers and horses in Xingling Prefecture are less than 200,000. There are 70,000 in Lingzhou, 100,000 in Xingqing, and there are not many soldiers and horses in the rest of the states. Han Qi's 80,000 troops have run rampant. ”

Di Qing is not a fool, after Han Qi stands in Liangzhou, the stimulation for him must be great. However, there must be some unavoidable reasons for being cautious about the division of troops. Most of the contradictions between the forbidden army and the reform were entangled in his department, and many things were unknown to outsiders. At this time, it is better not to stimulate him, let him command the battle by himself.

With the Zhenrong Army Railway, Song can support the 300,000 army, and there is nothing to fight for an extra year. The only Khitan to worry about was not so urgent after Han Qi arrived in Liangzhou. It's a big deal to order Han Qi to sweep the small town of Dangxiang and lead the troops to Hequ Road. Di Qing sought stability, so he left Xingling and Liangzhou to him and slowly cleaned it up. Whether or not we can reform the army in the process cannot be forced.

Jia Changchao said: "Du Zhong is handsome in the river meander, and he has won consecutive battles, and the enemy country is all frightened when he hears it. What he said is very reasonable, and he can order Han Qi to sweep the party cities along the west of the Yellow River, take Shunzhou and Jingzhou, cut off the roads between Lingzhou and Xingqingfu, and slowly attack them. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "As long as the party does not dare to go out of the city to fight, Xingling and Xingling actually don't need to leave so many soldiers and horses." After separating the two states, Captain Han could lead the army north and return to Hequ Road. In the Khitan, it is said that Yelu Chongyuan had the intention of seeking peace, but Yelu Hongji did not allow it, so it has been deadlocked. After Han Qi led the army back to Hequ, he added another army of soldiers and horses, with 200,000 people. If the Khitan changes, you can take advantage of the gap to take Yunzhou. ”

Zhao Zhen nodded and said to Jia Changchao: "Taiwei, if the party item is not extinguished, take Yunzhou, is it feasible?" At the same time, if the war with the two countries is launched, can the soldiers, horses, money, and food of this dynasty be supported? Most of the army that has been trained is attacking the party, and the rest of the departments are still sufficient? ”

Jia Changchao said: "Back to Your Majesty, the army that has changed its guns and artillery has been trained in the past few years, and most of them are attacking the party. Most of the 200,000 soldiers and horses on the Hedong and Hebei routes have not yet been trained and have not been reloaded. If you want to fight against the Khitan, you need to wait for the party to be destroyed before you have any spare strength. ”

Wen Yanbo said: "The party has not been destroyed, and the strength to start a war with the Khitan is insufficient, so it is better to live in peace." Wait for a few years, when the whole training is completed, and the soldiers are full of food, and then try to Yanyun. Fighting on two fronts at the same time, how can the country support! ”

Zhang Fangping said: "Although there has been abundant money and food in recent years, there are many more places to spend money, and the country has no savings. The Khitan is not a party item, and fighting against it requires the strength of the whole country, not child's play. It's better to destroy the party first and recuperate for a few years. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The Khitan is now two emperors standing side by side, Yelu Chongyuan is based on Yunzhou, Yelu Hongji is based on Youzhou, no matter who wins, the imperial court should take a state." We are difficult, the Khitan has been fighting for several years, isn't it difficult? The war of annihilation of the country cannot be fought for a while. But the opportunity is right, and it is not difficult to take Yunzhou. If Yelu Hongji wins, he will not start an all-out war because this dynasty has taken the Chongyuan territory. ”

Wen Yanbo said: "Why is Zhongcheng sure that there will be no all-out war? If this dynasty occupies Yunzhou and Hongji pours the whole country's troops, what should happen to the south to Hebei Road? Now there are only 100,000 soldiers on Hebei Road, which can't stop the Khitan army. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Xianggong, there is a railway." Regardless of whether the Khitan attacked Hebei or Hedong, they could quickly transfer troops there. Not to mention, 200,000 troops were stationed in Yunzhou, and the Khitan dared to attack Hebei. The two states of Yanyun are each other's inside, no matter which state is taken, the two countries must fight together all the way. 200,000 soldiers and horses are not afraid of the Khitan attack. ”

Wen Yanbo shook his head: "The Khitan is mostly cavalry, and if you are negligent for hundreds of miles, you will go to Kaifeng City in one horse and Pingchuan, and you can't take risks." ”

Jia Changchao also said: "Although the strength of this dynasty is now superior, it must not make too many enemies. If you don't destroy the party, you can't start a war with the Khitan. ”

The rest of the ministers agreed with the two of them, and it was obvious that the weight of the Khitan was still very heavy in the hearts of these people.

Du Zhongxiao shook his head slightly and said no more. War is not simply a matter of calculating the strength of the two sides, counting the weapons of the two sides, and if so, many battles would not have to be fought. With the power in your hands, the key is how you use it. Most of the ministers of the DPRK and China have no military strategy and lack experience, so they are afraid that it will not be easy for them to make up their minds to fight the Khitan.

The two Khitan emperors fought each other, and no matter which side failed, the Song Dynasty had to intervene quickly. The loser has no choice but to cooperate, and the Song Dynasty can occupy the land of a state. Whether it is Youzhou or Yunzhou, as long as you hold it in your hand, it will be the first game in the future.

Since the outbreak of the Khitan Civil War, Du Zhongxiao has seen it clearly. The main force of Hequ Road was arranged in Shazhou and Shengzhou, which was to prepare for the failure of Chongyuan and quickly attack Zhanyunzhou on two routes. It's just that I didn't expect that Chongyuan and Hongji had been fighting for so long, and the victory and defeat would be divided into time to attack the party.

Ouyang Xiu said: "If Han Qi's subordinates seize Shunzhou and Jingzhou early, cut off the two states of Xingling, and return to Hequ Road with the main force, what Du Zhongcheng said may not be impossible." Chongyuan was defeated, and he lured him to take the opportunity to send troops to occupy Yunzhou. Hongji's new victory may not dare to start a war with this dynasty. ”

Jia Changchao said: "Military affairs, how can you be lucky!" Before thinking about victory, thinking about defeat first is the best strategy. At that time, if Yelu Hongji didn't care about Yunzhou, but sent troops from the country south to attack Hebei, would he transfer troops from the northwest to defend back? A land of thousands of miles, dozens of days can be reached, Kaifeng is in danger! ”

Wen Yanbo said: "There is no need to talk about this matter, before the party is destroyed, you must not have a bad relationship with the Khitan." The Khitan is a large country, with a territory of tens of thousands of miles and more than one million armor, which is by no means comparable. Only after the party is destroyed, can the soldiers of the whole country compete with it for a short time. ”

Ouyang Xiu saw that the other ministers did not support him, so he had to keep his mouth shut. Since Du Zhongxiao joined the Tianzhang Pavilion to teach, he has given several lectures in the Tianzhang Pavilion, and Ouyang Xiu has participated in it many times, and his knowledge is no longer comparable to before. Du Zhongxiao is right, the two Khitan emperors stand side by side, which is a good time. In the past, when they fought, if the Song Dynasty intervened, they might quickly distinguish the winner under pressure. Now that it's time to decide the winners, it's a pity not to intervene. Fighting for the emperor and defeating, Yelu Chongyuan should be clear about what he faced. The Song Dynasty rescued him and handed over Yunzhou very likely.

Du Zhongxiao sighed secretly, Di Qing's delay this time not only cost money and food, but also an opportunity to deal with the Khitan.