Yang Zhi knew very well that no matter what level it was, the Western Xia would not allow the Dingbei Army to raid for the third time, and as long as the fight started, it would be a bitter battle that would never stop to the death, and it was very likely that there would be a scene of a decisive battle; Yang Zhi thought about it again and again, and ordered the transfer of men and horses from the Tuntian Army to make up for the losses of the cavalry and the eight battalions, and let Liu Ziyu and Li Heng recruit another 15,000 recruits and Fan soldiers to join the army.

Yang Zhi's army is not generally popular now, Shaanxi is more veterans and Sinicized people, the news came out, even the Yongxing military road has people to Qinzhou, Longzhou to sign up, and finally recruited 23,000 people, so that Yang Yi and others are overjoyed, Ye Meng can't cry or laugh.

It's just that in this battle against Western Xia, the enemy killed 1,000 and I wounded 800, and the Dingbei Army also killed more than 10,000 veterans, and nearly 10,000 wounded were resting, and there was really a shortage of people in the army. Ye Mengde couldn't stop such an army expansion, and at the same time, he couldn't stop the Fourth Road from starting to transfer 50,000 elites; according to Yang Zhi's estimate, there would be a fierce battle ahead, Qinfeng Road and Xihe Road each prepared 15,000 elite soldiers, and Huanqing Road and Jingyuan Road each prepared 10,000 elite soldiers to deal with accidents that could occur at any time.

Niu Gao, Chong Yan, Li Qiong, and Liu Xiang were appointed by Yang Zhi as the commanders of the four routes, and they were concentrated in Xi'an, Pingxiacheng, Lanzhou, and Huanzhou; Li Qiong actually commanded the army of the Mubo Department, and Mu Tiancheng and Jiang Feibiao returned to Hehuang to carry the entire tribe, and they also wanted to take the opportunity to expand their strength, and they agreed with Yang Zhi's transfer to 10,000 people to join the Dingbei Army. Although Zhang Zongge and Li Qi stood on their own side and were indeed incapacitated, Yang Zhi still decided to let them serve as the corresponding army, and Yang Zhi hoped that 150,000 troops could be used on the whole front next time.

To Yang Zhi's surprise, Fan Zhixu, who had only returned to Chang'an two days ago, came to Qinzhou again, and Yang Zhi personally greeted him at the door of Zhifu Division, and said with a wry smile: "Lord Fan, you won't want me to send troops, right?"

Fan Zhixu smiled and said: "How can it, the first batch of grain and grass has arrived, I will come over to see, what else do you need, in addition, Runzhou wants a thousand Western Xia prisoners, handed over to the Yongxing Army Road to escort over, the meaning of the saint, I want to hold a ceremony to sacrifice prisoners in Runzhou." ”

"Prisoners. Yang Zhi immediately understood the meaning of Runzhou, but there must be a reward for sacrificing prisoners, which was the practice of the Great Song Dynasty; but the Dingbei army would not go to Runzhou to do such a boring thing; it seems that Song Huizong did not care about the army receiving the reward, but only cared about the ceremony itself. Why did Yang Zhi flow waste water to outsiders, and said with a smile: "Lord Fan, these people are captured by the Dingbei Army, even if they are prisoners, they should be escorted by the Dingbei Army, I can't be the master of this matter, otherwise I will send someone to send you back to Chang'an first, and wait until I ask King Yun for instructions." ”

Fan Zhixu didn't care about his empty trip, if Yang Zhi really agreed, Fan Zhixu had to think about it, whether this guy would cheat himself; Fan Zhixu rejected Yang Zhi's request to send him away, and said solemnly: "Offering prisoners is a trivial matter, and it is a matter of negotiation between King Yun and Shengshang; the conquest of Western Xia is a major event, I want to watch you here for Shengshang, even if you don't fight, we need supplies and materials We must discuss it quickly." ”

Looking at Fan Zhixu's treacherous and cunning smile mixed with bitterness, Yang Zhi understood that Fan Zhixu didn't want to go back to face the intrigue all day long, and wanted to stay in Qinzhou to hide a clean place; Yang Zhi coughed dryly and said, "That's great, I still don't understand a lot in terms of governance, so I'll ask Master Fan for advice sooner or later." ”

Fan Zhixuan pretended not to hear anything, smiled slightly and said: "You still need to ask someone for advice, forget it, we just need to understand each other in our hearts, it's cold, I've come all the way and need to warm up." ”

Yang Zhi smiled knowingly, invited Fan Zhixu into the hall, and let people put wine and food; the charcoal fire was burning indoors, warm as spring, Yang Zhi and Fan Zhixu both took off their coats and sat opposite each other. Yang Zhi asked everyone to go out and stayed in the house alone with Fan Zhixu, before asking, "Is there an accident in Chang'an, or is there something wrong in Runzhou?"

Fan Zhixuan looked at Yang Zhi suspiciously and asked, "Why do you think so?"

A look of helplessness flashed in Yang Zhi's eyes and said, "You are not a person who dare not take responsibility. ”

Fan Zhixu tilted his neck, poured down a glass of wine, and said disdainfully with an empty wine glass: "What's the use of not daring to take responsibility? Runzhou is impeaching Li Gang, and when I come to you, no one will come to ask my opinion." ”

Fan Zhixu is absolutely right, no one wants to let the Dingbei Army participate in the affairs of Runzhou, Yang Zhi thought that his only use was to be used by Fan Zhixu to bluff, and there was no benefit at all, so he couldn't help but smile and drink a glass of wine, shook his head and said: "Li Gang can be called a lonely minister, and he has no party in the government and the opposition, even if the saint is unwilling, after a long time, he will be transferred." However, Master Li is in the heart of the emperor, so we don't need to worry. ”

"But in that case, King Kang's power will be too great. Fan Zhixu said softly, no matter what, as soon as Li Gang goes, the new person is likely to be the person of King Kang Zhao Gou, and when the entire Henan and Yangzhou regions obey King Kang's orders, it will be equivalent to restoring the original power, which King Jing and the ministers do not want to see. But if you don't agree, there are only two ways to choose, either insist that Li Gang not go, or simply turn your face completely with King Kang and choose a candidate who doesn't deal with King Kang.

Yang Zhi looked at Fan Zhixu, there was no more suitable candidate than the old guy in front of him, no wonder...... It's just that that position is definitely not what Fan Zhixu wants to go, according to Fan Zhixu's vision, he must be able to see the content behind this battle, and now the army in these places has become more and more like a feudal town, plus the conflict between Wang Yuan and Miao Fu and others needs to be suppressed, that is not what Fan Zhixu is good at.

Yang Zhi picked a piece of white-cut mutton and said, "King Jing must not like King Kang's plan, haven't you thought about using your strength." ”

"Borrowing strength?" Fan Zhixu also picked up the mutton and said: "What's in it for me, what's in it for the Great Song Dynasty, Zheng Yinian and Song Gongming are more suitable than me." ”

Zheng Yinian and Song Gongming are the right-hand men of King Jing Zhao Qi, and they are young and strong, so they are naturally more suitable candidates; but Yang Zhi has Yang Zhi's worries, after all, during the confrontation between Song and Jin, there have been many incidents of Xu Wen, Li Qiong, and Kong Yanzhou returning to the north, although some of these people were killed by themselves, and some are now in the Dingbei Army, but who can say that there are no such people in the armies of Henan and Yangzhou, history often has accidents, and when there is a conflict between the generals in the army, anything will happen.

Fortunately, he definitely can't intervene, and Yang Zhi doesn't have obsessive-compulsive disorder, forcing himself to be in a dilemma, and instantly changed the topic: "Do you want to arrange a house for you?"