First of all, the current situation in the Western Xia has gradually calmed down, but because there are still the remnants of the Western Xia court and the need to maintain local stability, it is necessary for the Western Xia to temporarily retain about 150,000 garrisons. Bayi Chinese ? )>).〕8〕1〕Z]〉.)C)O>M] After completely destroying the remnants of the resistance of the Western Xia, the garrison of about 100,000 troops could be retained, and then the decision would be made according to the rule of the Great Song Dynasty.

At the same time, it was also necessary to gradually establish a fixed local garrison system in the Western Xia region. If the Western Xia region was conquered, then the Lanzhou Imperial Garrison, which was originally set up for the Western Xia, would not have the need to continue to exist. In the Western Xia region, Yang Yan proposed to set up two imperial garrisons, each with a strength of 30,000, one in Xiazhou and the other in Wuthorn Sea City. On the one hand, it was to ensure the stability of the Great Song Dynasty in Western Xia, and on the other hand, when the Northern Expedition was in the future, troops could also be sent from the Western Xia region to cooperate with the Song army in Sichuan to attack the northwest region of the Jin State. However, the distribution of troops in the Ju body will wait until the end of the Western Xia war. In the early stage, the men and horses withdrawn from Western Xia were a Sanya forbidden army and a part of the local box army. The rest of the men and horses were withdrawn again and 6.

As for the remnants of the Western Xia who fled to the Xiping Military Division, Yang Yan thought that there was no need to rush to send troops to conquer, because the Song army had been fighting for several months, and the men and horses were very tired, and it would take a while to repair. Moreover, the area around the Xiping Military Division is barren and has few people, the number of troops is limited, and the potential for development is also limited. The remnants of the Western Xia fled there, but they were only surviving on their own, and they did not play much role. At the same time, the road from Xingqing Mansion to Xiping Military Division is almost a desert area, there are few cities inhabited, and the logistics supply of the army is very difficult, so if you do not make full preparations, you will only be defeated if you blindly send troops.

Therefore, the top priority at present is to stabilize the situation in Western Xia as soon as possible and establish a sound local administrative structure to ensure the supply of Houle and the stability of the region after the army goes out. And to appease the people, carry out spring ploughing, settle the local population as soon as possible, and let a military fund be self-sufficient from the Western Xia region, without the need for the imperial court to supply. In addition, during this period of time, more people were sent to explore the terrain from Xingqing Mansion to the Xiping Military Division, and to formulate the route of the march and the route of logistics supply, so as to make full preparations for the remnants of the Western Xia army to be sent out in the future.

After about three months, it is believed that the situation in the Western Xia region can be stabilized, and at that time, the Song army has also completed the rest and recuperation, and all the preparations have been completed. Of course, when sending troops, there is no need to use large-scale troops, the number of troops is about 20,000 or 30,000, and it is enough to march lightly and quickly, and then use a similar number of logistics troops.

But after listening to Yang Yan's plan, Han Yanzhi and Ye Hao also thought it was feasible, but Zhou Kui proposed that during this period of time, would there be any external forces interfering, so that the already clear situation in Western Xia would become complicated again?

Yang Yan thought it was unlikely, and he had done some research on it. Among the several external forces that can intervene in the situation in Western Xia at present, Mongolia is an ally of the Great Song Dynasty and will not interfere. And Jin Guo is having civil strife, even if he wants to interfere, he is powerless. Tubo was intimidated by the military might of the Great Song Dynasty as early as two years ago, and behind Tubo is the former Dali, which is now the Annan Road of the Great Song Dynasty. Therefore, at present, there is only one country that has the ability to interfere in the situation in Western Xia, and that is Western Liao.

The Western Liao was originally a large country in the Western Regions established by the Khitan royal family Yelu Dashi, and it had been passed down for nine generations, so that it had the ability to interfere in the situation in the Western Xia. But the relationship between Liao and Western Xia was not very good, Western Liao and Western Xia did not have too deep diplomatic relations in the past, there were both commercial and trade exchanges between the two countries, and there were also fights between the two countries, and Western Xia is now dying, and it has no strength in itself, and the price to rescue it will be very great, and the benefits may not be at all, so the possibility of Western Liao interference is not large.

And in terms of taking 10,000 steps back, even if Western Liao sent troops to aid Western Xia, it was not a matter of worry. Although the great desert blocked the continued offensive of the Song army, it also brought huge trouble to the counterattack of the Western Xia army, so as long as the Western Liao sent troops, the Song army would immediately withdraw its troops, and would not engage the Western Liao army head-on, and the Western Liao army could not be stationed outside for a long time, and after a long time, it would naturally withdraw. If the Western Liao army dares to attack, then the Song army can just hold the city, fortify the walls and clear the wilderness, and then send an elite cavalry to cut off its grain routes, and then defeat the Western Liao army in one fell swoop.

Of course, during this period, the Great Song Dynasty also actively carried out diplomatic work, trying to stabilize Tubo and Western Liao, so that it was best for them not to intervene in the affairs of the Great Song Dynasty and Western Xia.

After listening to Yang Yan's analysis, Han Yanzhi and Ye Hao both thought it was reasonable, and Zhou Kui had no objections. So Zhao Chen immediately issued an order to set up a left-behind department in Xingqing Mansion, and ordered Xin Qiji, the director of Xingqing Mansion, to stay behind, preside over the restoration and stability of the entire Xixia region, and gradually establish and improve the local administrative institutions in the Xixia region, and appoint local officials. He also ordered Gao Zhen to stay behind as the deputy guard, and concurrently serve as the head of the soldiers and horses, temporarily hold the troops, and according to Yang Yan's plan, on the one hand, assist Xin Qiji, stabilize the situation in the Western Xia region, and actively rest and prepare on the other hand, and wait until the time is ripe, and then send troops to conquer the remnants of the Western Xia. At the same time, all the men and horses stationed in Western Xia, all the men and horses of the palace front division were withdrawn to Jiankang, and half of the local Xiang army was also withdrawn.

The issue of Western Xia has come to an end for the time being, so it is time to discuss the matters of the Jianghuai line.

The Song armies of the Northern Expedition withdrew to the territory of the Great Song Dynasty, and the armies with counterinsurgency tasks also entered their designated areas according to the plan, preparing to start attacking the rebels on two fronts. According to the comparison of the strength of the two sides and the development of the situation, there will basically be no big surprises in the counterinsurgency work.

And at this time, the latest developments of the Jin country were also transmitted from the Jin country, Wanyan Changzhi and Wanyan Yungong both sent troops separately, and faced each other in the area from Dingzhou to Taiyuan Mansion, and a civil war for the ruling power of the Jin country was about to begin.

Because the current situation in the Great Song Dynasty is on the good side, Zhao Chen's mood is also very good, so after Han Yanzhi and the others left, he left Yang Yan alone and chatted with him about the affairs of the Jin Kingdom.

Zhao Chen said: "Brother-in-law, now that the Jin civil war is imminent, and the civil strife in my Great Song Dynasty is about to subside, so after the civil strife in my Great Song Dynasty subsides, can I send troops to the Northern Expedition and take the opportunity to recover some more lost territory?" ”

Yang Yan shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid it won't work." Although Wanyan Changzhi competed with Wanyan Yungong for the throne in Hebei, he set up heavy troops to defend on the front line of Tokyo and Shandong, and it was the monk Wanyan Chen who was in the town here, so the land of the Central Plains should not be taken lightly. At the same time, the civil war of the Jin Kingdom will not drag on for too long, according to the ministers, at most one month, Wan Yan Changzhi can defeat Wan Yan Yungong and become the king of the Jin State. And I'm about the time it takes to breathe about the civil strife. ”

Zhao Chen was stunned and said, "Is my brother-in-law so optimistic about Yan Changzhi?" Although he knew that although Yang Yan's ability in other aspects was not good, he was indeed a miracle in military affairs, whether it was strategy or tactics, his predictions had never been missed.

Yang Yan nodded and said, "Yes, and a month's time is still a conservative estimate of the minister, in fact, with the ability to complete Yan Changzhi, twenty days is enough." ”

However, this time Zhao Chen was a little skeptical, and said: "Wanyan Changzhi only has 30,000 horses, but Wanyan Yungong has fifteen troops, and the disparity in strength is huge, why does my brother-in-law think that Wanyan Changzhi can easily win?" ”

Yang Yan smiled slightly, and said: "Your Majesty, the soldiers are noble but not too expensive, and they will no longer be brave in their plans. ”

Zhao Chen frowned and said, "Although I also know that Wan Yan Changzhi can use soldiers, except for my brother-in-law, I am afraid that no one in the world can beat him." But on Wanyan Yungong's side, there are also servants scattered Zhongyi and Sushi Lie Zhining leading the army, and the two are also experienced in a hundred battles and proficient in the art of war, so they may not be able to underestimate the enemy. And with the advantage of having more soldiers, in my opinion, the winning side of both sides should be fifty percent each, right?

Yang Yan said: "If it is really the two leaders of the two people, Shan Zhongyi and Su Shi Lie Zhining, the victory of Nuo Mo is not only fifty percent, but more than seventy percent." It's just that on Wanyan Yungong's side, the people who really hold the power of leading the army are not Fusan Zhongyi and Sushi Lie Zhining! ”

When Zhao Chen heard this, he couldn't help but be a little confused, and said, "It's not Fusan Zhongyi and Fushi Lie Zhining, so who is it?" ”

Yang Yan said with a smile: "Your Majesty, how can you forget, on Wanyan Yungong's side, there is only Wanyan Yungong who really holds the power, whether it is the servants who are loyal and righteous, or whether they can lead the army, it is up to Wanyan Yungong to have the final say." ”

Zhao Chen couldn't help laughing and said, "What is my brother-in-law talking about?" I can't understand it, on Wanyan Yungong's side, except for Fusan Zhongyi and Sushi Lie Zhining, who else can lead the army against Wanyan Changzhi, is it possible that Wanyan Yungong will personally lead the army to fight? As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of inspiration suddenly flashed in his heart, as if he understood, but he looked at Yang Yan with his mouth open, but he couldn't say anything.

Yang Yan said: "With the ability to use troops with Yan Changzhi, he will never fight against the army led by Fusan Zhongyi and Sushi Lie Zhining, and the tricks are not only available on the battlefield, but when used outside the battlefield, sometimes the effect will be better." And with a complete face and a respectful personality and mind, there is no need for any complicated schemes. ”

Zhao Chen finally understood, and said, "What does brother-in-law mean, will Wanyan Changzhi use countermeasures?" ”