The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

There was deathly silence in the golden tent, Yelu Zongzhen's eyes were blank and he didn't know where to look, and the expression on his face didn't know whether it was anger or sadness.

"Your Majesty, all the generals are here, Your Majesty." The veteran Zhang Jian coughed and reminded softly.

Zhang Jian was a veteran of the two dynasties and the chief supporter of Yelu Zongzhen's ascension to the throne. He is highly respected, and at this moment he is the only one who dares to speak out.

Yeluzong really came back to his senses, sat up straight, his expression regained his majesty, and he said in a hoarse voice: "My dear friends, before you entered the tent, did you see the one hundred thousand human ears outside the tent?"

All the ministers nodded their heads, casting questioning eyes on Yeluzongzhen's face. [

"That's the ear of more than 5 soldiers of our vanguard army. Just last night, the vanguard army led by Han Wang Xiaohui encountered a surprise attack by 15 Xia troops in the wilderness twenty miles north of Ketun City, and the entire army was wiped out." , Xiao Hui desperately rushed out of the siege and escaped with his life!" Yeluzong really couldn't hide his anger, his voice was trembling.

The ministers immediately burst into an uproar, the news was like a thunderbolt exploding above their heads, some of the ministers were astonished, some panicked, and some even wept.

Yelu Zongzhen sighed and said: "I came here with an army of 22, and I was wiped out [-] cavalry in the first battle. How will the attack on Xia end this time? It is really difficult for me to make a decision, so I called all the generals and ministers here to discuss countermeasures. , I don’t know if this is the best time to attack Xia Guo.”

The ministers and generals started discussing one after another, and after a while, one of them came out and said: "My minister, Yeluqi, just made a statement."

Everyone stopped discussing and looked at Yelu Qicai. This person is the Deputy Envoy of the Northern Privy Council. His official position is second only to Xiao Hui. The envoy is the big celebrity in front of the emperor.

"I believe that King Xiao's defeat was not the fault of King Xiao. It is obvious that the Xia people were on guard. According to the pre-war reports, Xia's 30 troops were stationed in southern Xinjiang, and the total strength of all the troops north of Dingzhou was insufficient. 8 people, if 15 troops really raid King Xiao's forward army this time, it is obvious that Xia's army is well prepared. Under such circumstances, I suggest that it is better to retreat immediately. If you go south, you may suffer even greater trauma, please make a clear decision."

All the ministers nodded one after another. What Yeluqi said made sense. The Xia army had so many troops that it was unbelievable.

"Qizou Your Majesty, I agree with the Deputy Privy Councilor's statement. In addition, I am a little puzzled. In just one month, even if we try our best to recruit soldiers, it is difficult for Xia Guo to gather so many soldiers and horses. Moreover, King Xiao's tent is full of people. Soldiers who are good at fighting, even if the Xia people recruit soldiers and horses, but if they don't train them, King Xiao's vanguard army may not be defeated so easily, even though they are inferior in number." A Han minister also came out and said, this person is Liu Zixun, Shangshu of the Southern Academy, said that in the Liao Kingdom, the Nanya was the place where the Han people worked together, and the Nanya did not have the power to control the army. However, Liao Xingzong also attached great importance to the Han ministers in the Nanya, so he brought a lot of Han people with him this time. The minister followed to make suggestions.

Yeluzong really frowned and thought hard. Logically speaking, the Song people launched a fierce attack in Huizhou and Youzhou. The main force of the Xia people should be restrained. Where did so many Xia troops come from?Was the previous information wrong?Xia Guo is actually not as weak as the information shows?If that is the case, it is entirely possible for the Xia army to split up and resist the attack on both sides. In comparison, if the strength of the troops is equal, the terrain in the north is better at playing cavalry, which means that Xia people are more likely to fight against their own cavalry. On the contrary, the Song people in the south are good at using weapons to attack the city. Comparing the two, it is not that the Song people are restraining the main force of Xia for Liao and Daliao, but their own side is making wedding clothes for the Song people; if the Song people take Xingqing Mansion before Daliao, So what's the point of fighting this battle?

"Your Majesty, what your lords said is quite reasonable. The original strategy was to attack the enemy's emptiness. The people of the Song Dynasty restrained the main force of the Xia Kingdom from coming to help. They used a quick southward attack to occupy the enemy's capital, Xingqing Mansion. Now it seems that even if Without more Xia troops stationed, the 15 troops that have already appeared are already very difficult. It seems that the strategy needs to be re-discussed, and we should not rush forward." Zhang Jian said.

Yeluzong was really silent, a little hard to make a decision.

Suddenly, an arrogant and loud voice rang out from outside the tent. Accompanied by the sound of thumping footsteps, a tall figure in bright silver armor and wearing a fiery red cloak strode forward, his words were full of disdain: "It's a joke, it's a mere defeat!" , Are you scared out of your wits?"

Everyone didn't need to look, just by hearing the sound, they knew who had arrived. This person was the emperor's younger brother Yelu Chongyuan. This time he led an army of [-] troops as the commander of the southward marching army on the left side of the vanguard.

"Bojizhi, why are you here? Didn't I want you to stay where you are? The former army was defeated, and now your [-] army has become the most advanced army. Why don't you stand firm in the army?"

"Brother Huang, I have to come, I can guess that there will be a group of people who are afraid of death to dissuade Brother Huang from continuing to attack. Xiao Hui's arrogance was taken advantage of by the Xia people, but just this one defeat frightened him out of his courage to attack." I have retreated, is this still my Daliao style? Is it okay for more than 5 warriors to die in vain? If we retreat at this time, how will we get along with Xia Guo in the future? This matter will become a shame for my Daliao, and it will be burned forever In the face of our Daliao soldiers and civilians, so instead of retreating, we must hit the Xia people harder to get back this face." Yelu Chongyuan waved his arms impassionedly.

All the ministers knew that Yelu Chongyuan was not easy to mess with. The court discussed whether the Khitan officials of the Northern and Southern Courts or the Han officials saw this emperor's younger brother, because not only was this person arrogant and domineering, but more importantly, the emperor treated him so well. He loves him very much, and never punishes him when he makes mistakes. Of course, everyone knows the reason for this.

Today's Saint Yelu Zong is really the eldest son of the late Emperor Liao Shengzong, but he is not the biological son of the Empress Xiao Bodhisattva. His mother is just a court lady with a rather low status. But after Shengzong's funeral, his biological mother Xiao Yujin was regent, but because Yeluzong really didn't want to kill his adoptive mother Xiao Bodhisattva according to her opinion, she felt hatred, and even plotted to set up her youngest son Yelu Chongyuan. For the emperor, Yeluzong's real throne is to be abolished.

This Yelu Zhongyuan was only 12 years old at the time. Maybe he was confused by the small favors that his elder brother Yelu Zongzhen usually gave. To Qingling to guard the mausoleum, in order to express his gratitude, Xingzong immediately made Chongyuan the emperor's younger brother.And when he was drunk, he promised to pass on the throne to him after death, and he was also extremely favored by him.

After Yelu Chongyuan became an adult, I don't know if he regretted his decision that day, but he has the identity of the emperor's younger brother, so he pretends to be the future heir to the throne, and his behavior and speech are quite out of line, but the emperor never blamed him. [

At this moment, after the scolding by the emperor's younger brother, all the ministers were naturally willing to provoke him, and they just stared and waited for the emperor to speak.

Zhang Jian cupped his hands and said: "Uh...Your Highness, you can't say that. The outcome of the war between the two countries is related to the safety of the country and society. Damou, if the main force of the Xia people is really in the north, our army will rush forward easily. Once we lose the best of the best, won’t we give the Xia people a chance to take advantage of the momentum? At that time, we will be passive. Although the [-] army will suffer casualties Some are unclear, but it is a blessing in disguise, and a timely retreat may bring greater benefits."

"Master Zhang, Lord Shangfu, you are old, and your courage has been sharpened to the point where nothing is left. Your highness doesn't understand such things as 'a little intolerance can lead to a big plan', 'a big loss' and so on. The principle does not work for me at all. To sum it up, it’s just that after being slapped, I cover my face and shrink back like a poor lamb. How can I, the Khitan of Daliao, tolerate such shame? After retreating What's the good? I don't see any good other than humiliation."

Zhang Jian blushed, his beard flew up and said: "Your Highness, after the retreat, the pressure on the northern part of the Xia Kingdom has eased, and the Song people in the south are attacking urgently, and the Xia people will definitely send troops to the south to rescue them. It's not a good way, one advance and one retreat is the way to strategize, how can it be the best strategy to fight recklessly."

Yelu Zhongyuan laughed loudly, pointed at Zhang Jian and said to the people around him: "Listen, Mr. Zhang is talking about the art of war, and he is planning strategies every time he advances and retreats. His face is swollen from being beaten. What are you talking about?" Strategizing? Let me tell you, this time it was entirely the luck of the Xia people that they met Xiao Hui, if they met His Highness, with an additional 15, my soldiers would beat them to pieces."

The officials clicked their tongues, and someone muttered secretly: "I'm not afraid that the wind will flash my tongue."

Yelu Chongyuan's ears were sharp, and he immediately pointed at the officials and shouted, "Who said that? If you have the ability to say it face to face!"

Zhang Jian and other veteran officials shook their heads and smacked their lips, Yeluzong really couldn't stand it anymore, and shouted in a low voice: "Bo Jizhi, restrain yourself, all of you here are important officials of Daliao, so don't be presumptuous."

Yelu Zong really spoke, but Yelu Chongyuan didn't dare to contradict him, he just said: "Brother, please give me an order, take my younger brother as the vanguard, and my younger brother will conquer the northern land of Xia Kingdom for you, and go straight to Xingqing Mansion! Our army still has 17, why are you afraid of him? Xia Guo’s army can’t even eat enough, how can a gang of mobs resist? The [-] ears outside the tent are naked humiliation. If this can be tolerated, how can they be worthy of the dead soldiers? How to deal with the late emperors and ancestors?"