Originally, it was a happy thing for several envoys of the Fan Kingdom to come to the court, but now, although Zhao Zhen was also very happy, he was not in a mood because of the shadow of the war.

A few days later, the edict was issued, urgently recruiting Fan Zhongyan, who was the governor of Dengzhou, and Han Qi, who was the prefect of Yangzhou, to return to Beijing, and Su Jin also went to the northwest non-stop, while reorganizing the army for war, and discussing with Xia Guo about borrowing the road.

A series of movements of the Liao people on the Song-Liao border have already caused the idea of the Xia State, Su Jin's visit made the Xia Kingdom quite nervous, the trade between the Song and Xia Dynasty resumed for more than a year, and the leather goods, medicinal materials, green salt, etc. were exchanged for a large number of urgently needed grain, cloth, tea and other materials, and in just one year, Daxia recovered a lot of vitality, and the rebellious small tribes no longer made trouble, and there was no friction and conflict between the Great Song Dynasty in the west and the Liao in the east and the south, and the court felt the benefits of peace to Daxia for the first time. The dispute between the court and the Song State on the peace conference also disappeared, and the original discussion of slandering the Empress Dowager Yeli for groveling and losing power and humiliating the country immediately became a far-sighted and far-sighted praise.

Su Jin arrived in Xingqing Mansion, the summer capital in mid-April, he only took a dozen people with his entourage, mainly because he did not want to arouse the idea of the Liao people in the Xia Kingdom, and at noon the next day after arriving, the Empress Dowager Yeli held a banquet in Tianyi Pavilion to summon Su Jin, and called the Minister of State Zhang Yuan to accompany him.

Su Jin concisely explained his future intentions to the Empress Dowager Yeli, thinking that Su Jin was here to coerce the Xia State to send troops, but the Empress Dowager Yeli and Zhang Yuan even thought of a way to deal with it, but they didn't expect that the Song people were just borrowing the way to pass the army.

For Su Jin's plan, Zhang Yuan greatly appreciated, he had seen Su Jin command the army to fight, he never dared to underestimate Su Jin, this time the Liao people gathered a large army to prepare to attack the Song Dynasty, Zhang Yuan also studied several combat strategies with the Xia courtiers, everyone finally felt that the Song people could only stick to the border pass and fortify, the number of wins and losses was five or five, and the Song people's winning side was smaller, let alone able to counterattack; But Su Jin's proposal completely subverted his opinion, the Song people not only wanted to counterattack, but also seemed to have the opportunity to destroy Liao's spirit.

"Lord Su, is your country planning to fight to the death with the Liao? Although it is wonderful to use my Great Xia to go deep into the hinterland of the Liao army, once the Liao people transfer troops to encircle them, will your Northwest Army have to be surrounded and annihilated? It's dangerous, be careful. Zhang Yuan kindly reminded.

Su Jin said: "I didn't want to withdraw at all, they didn't care about me, which means that my role has not been fully played, and I want them to turn around and deal with me, so that my border army can take the opportunity to go north." ”

Zhang Yuan said movingly: "Are you planning to destroy the Liao State in one fell swoop this time?" ”

Su Jin smiled, showed his neat white teeth and said, "Do you Xia Guo want to come and get a piece of the pie?" ”

Zhang Yuan glanced at the Empress Dowager Yeli, the Empress Dowager Yeli shook her head slightly, Zhang Yuan smiled and said: "My Daxia is weak now, I'm afraid I won't be able to help much, but it is still allowed to borrow the way, maybe I can provide a little help, which can be regarded as a wish of my vassal country." ”

Su Jin knew this, but he didn't think it was strange, the victory of the Liao and Song Dynasty was minus five or five, if it wasn't for the absolute crushing game, how could the Xia people be willing to wade into this troubled water, it was good for the Song people to win, and it didn't hurt for the Liao people to win, they didn't pose a threat to the Xia State, the Liao people couldn't destroy the Song State, and the Song people couldn't destroy the Liao State either, the fiercer the two beasts fought, the better, Xia Guole survived in the cracks, and it was right to work hard to restore the national strength.

"Zhang Xiangguo is right, Lord Su, the mourning family agrees to your request to borrow the way, and in addition, Lord Su can put forward some requirements that my Xia country can do, and the mourning family will help, as long as it is not to send troops, now my Great Xia army is still insufficient to protect itself, let alone attack other countries."

Su Jin smiled and said: "The Queen Mother doesn't need to explain, I understand very well, originally I just came by the way, since the Queen Mother and Zhang Xiang are so kind to help, then I'm not welcome, I want to borrow Kedun City as my grain and grass camp, I don't know if it's okay?" ”

"Yes, the mourning family promised you." Yelidulan promised that it was not a big deal to borrow a small city as a camp.

"I also want to borrow something, which is important to me."

"What is it, please say it clearly."

"I want to borrow some horses to improve the mobility of my army, which only you can help." Su Jin said with a smile.

"This ...... How much? Ye Li Dulan thought that since Su Jin had spoken, he naturally couldn't help but give face, and it was not a matter to borrow more than 10,000 war horses, as long as it was not forcibly occupied, killed in battle, or returned in the future, it was acceptable.

"I want 150,000 horses ......!" Su Jin smiled.

"What?"

"Nonsense!"

Empress Dowager Yeli and Zhang Yuan didn't expect Su Jin to open his mouth, the war horses currently in Daxia are only 300,000, and there are still horses that have not yet reached the standard of war horses, each war horse needs several months of domestication from adulthood to being able to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, and the energy and financial resources consumed are not small.

"What? Is it too much? Su Jin said.

"Forgive me, I will lend you a maximum of 10,000 horses." The Empress Dowager Yeli's little face was flushed.

"Ten thousand? You send it to Hanako, and you are embarrassed to take it, so how about giving me 120,000? ”

"Twenty thousand, not one more."

"One hundred thousand, this is all done, I haven't asked anyone for anything, you have lost my face, don't blame me for not giving you face in the future." Su Jin began to play scoundrels and threaten.

"No matter what you say, we don't have such war horses, the mourning family went out to discuss with the courtiers, borrow you 50,000 war horses, no more, they must be returned after the war, and if you die in the war, you will be responsible for compensation." Ye Li Dulan hated himself for being troublesome, Su Jin just came to excuse himself, why did he want to show his sincerity, and now he is making a lot of trouble.

Su Jin was very happy in his heart, he didn't expect to get 50,000 war horses from Xia Guo at once, this is simply a joy from heaven, 200,000 troops go deep into the hinterland of Liao, mobility must be strong, otherwise the destruction is not strong, and it will also be surrounded and intercepted, he is worried about mobility, the Northwest Army only has 30,000 war horses, that is not enough in any case.

Su Jin looked at Yeli Dulan's angry appearance and smiled: "Okay, 50,000 is 50,000, the Queen Mother can be regarded as doing her best, Su Jin thanked the Queen Mother for her generosity on behalf of my Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, and the emperor mentioned you before I came." ”

Ye Lidulan said angrily: "What is the mourning family doing? ”

Su Jin said with a smile: "My emperor praised the Empress Dowager Yeli for her noble temperament, beautiful and courageous, and I admire you very much." ”

"Phew!" Ye Lidulan blushed and said, "Don't come to pour ecstasy soup." "It's beautiful in my heart.

Zhang Yuan heard the meaning of laughter, covered his mouth with his hand and coughed twice, reminding Su Jin to maintain solemnity, Su Jin said again: "Can you also ask the Queen Mother to lend me tens of thousands of livestock in addition to the 50,000 war horses, any inferior horses and lame horses, mules and cattle are also fine, my supply line is too long, and there must be a convoy to transport food." ”

Ye Liduran said: "Where did I get tens of thousands of cows, horses, and livestock? But...... If you are not afraid that I will be intercepted by Great Xia, you only need to transport the grain and grass materials to Youzhou, and then I will send Great Xia soldiers and horses to transport them to Kedun City for you? ”

Su Jin shook his head and said: "No, if your men and horses are delayed, I can't punish them, I have to transport them myself, so how about I exchange 3,000 barrels of oil for your 10,000 retired old horses?" You know the value of kerosene, and if it weren't for the circumstances, I wouldn't want to do it. ”

Ye Liduran is overjoyed, he finally took advantage of this kid, how expensive the oil is, the retired old horse is waiting to be slaughtered, there is no value at all, if this kid is not in a hurry to jump over the wall, he will not do this loss-making business.

"A word is a certainty, so let's do it, in order to show support, the mourning family will give an additional 1,000 adult horses that have not yet been trained, and let you pull food supplies?"

Su Jin hurriedly thanked him, he was also very satisfied with this business, the reserve of oil was already fifteen thousand barrels, the imperial court had no money to collect, and he was reluctant to make all his selfless dedication, this time the war naturally had to consume some, and it was also excellent to take out a small amount that was not enough to turn the tide of the war for something practical.

At that moment, Su Jin drew a route, asked for unimpeded passage along the way, and reminded Zhang Yuan and the Empress Dowager Yeli to keep their mouths shut, and the Liao people must not be aware of their strategic intentions.

In the afternoon of the same day, Su Jin hurried back to the northwest of the Song Kingdom, and after Su Jin left, Zhang Yuan and the Empress Dowager Yeli had a conversation worth mentioning.

Yeli Dulan asked Zhang Yuan: "If the Song State really destroys the Liao State this time, will the situation be good or bad for my Great Xia?" ”

Zhang Yuandao: "The Han people have made a promise, the emperor of the Song State has publicly promulgated a friendly alliance with my Great Xia, and he will not deal with my Great Xia after the destruction of Liao, but after the destruction of the Liao State, my Xia State will not be able to do what he thinks from now on, and honestly be a subject of the Song State, and it will be no big problem." ”

Ye Li Dulan said: "Do you think Song Guo can succeed?" ”

Zhang Yuandao: "The minister thinks that it is five or five, but Song has the variable of Su Jin, the outcome is really unpredictable, Su Jin is not unaware of his actions, the seemingly impossible thing will change in his hands, if Song Guo is not here, I am afraid that there will be no today's weather for a long time." ”

Yeli Dulan nodded slowly and said: "The mourning family has been to Pearl City, and that city is refreshing to the mourning family, I heard that it is the city built by Su Jinyi, but I didn't expect that there is such a city in this world; According to the merchants and envoys who returned to China, the national highway was being built in the Great Song Dynasty, and thousands of small markets marked by the Pearl City were also being built, as well as various policies for benefiting the people and strengthening the country, all of which came from the hands of the Development and Reform Department led by Su Jin. ”

Zhang Yuan said with a smile: "Don't be confused, the Queen Mother will not change, in the final analysis, Su Jin is the son-in-law of our Great Xia, and no matter how strong he is in the Song Kingdom, he will not turn his face against my Great Xia; But there is something that the Queen Mother has to consider, once the Song Kingdom is excellent, I suggest that we immediately send troops to assist, not to grab credit, but to make a show, and have some capital in the future. ”

Ye Li Dulan chuckled and said: "Zhang Xiang will also do this, is it that you Han people have more flowers and intestines in their stomachs than others?" ”

Zhang Yuan looked at Ye Lidulan's smiling and charming attitude, and was so frightened that he hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to take another look.