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Reports of the Great Zhou's conquest of the Tang Dynasty spread like snowflakes in all directions.

Every battle report was news of conquering cities and seizing territory.

With the fall of Chuzhou and the surrender of Yangzhou, all fourteen prefectures north of the Yangtze River fell into the hands of the Great Zhou.

The flag of the National Defense Army was planted all the way from the Huai River to the north bank of the Yangtze River, with a distant view of Nanjing across the river.

When the news reached the southern countries, it caused a stir in both the government and the public.

In Chengdu, the capital of Western Shu, Emperor Meng Chang summoned his ministers for a meeting overnight.

The main hall was brightly lit by candlelight, and everyone's face was solemn.

"Zhou Jun crossed the Huai River in March and pacified Jiangbei in May. This...this is too fast!" An old minister's voice trembled. "The Southern Tang had been building up fourteen prefectures north of the Yangtze River for decades, and they're gone just like that?"

"How exactly are those soldiers in the National Defense Army trained? I heard they use gunpowder to blow up walls when attacking cities, and if the defending general doesn't surrender, they turn on their inside agents. They've taken down city after city like slicing melons and chopping vegetables..."

Meng Chang sat on the throne, his face pale.

He recalled that five years ago, the imperial letter from the Great Zhou Dynasty had also been sent to Chengdu...

By surrendering the land to the Zhou dynasty, one can preserve wealth and status.

He didn't take it seriously at the time.

He thought the treacherous Shu Road was his talisman.

Now look at the Southern Tang Dynasty. Was the natural barrier of the Yangtze River inferior to the Shu Road?
They were still driven to the other side by Zhou's army.

“Your Majesty,” a minister said cautiously, “why don’t we also submit a petition?”

Meng Chang remained silent for a long time.

"Wait a little longer..."

Jingnan is gone, and the Southern Tang is on the verge of collapse.

How much longer can Western Shu wait?
he does not know.

King Kui of Chu and Liu Sheng of Southern Han were both restless.

Only the Wu-Yue Kingdom remained relatively calm.

When Qian Hongchu received the battle report, he was drinking tea in the back garden.

After reading it, he put it down, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

"Where has the army advanced to?"

"Your Majesty, we have arrived at Liuhe, and across the river we face Jinling."

Qian Hongchu nodded.

Where are our people?

"The National Defense Navy is conducting drills in Hangzhou Bay, and I hear they are doing quite well. The Qian family members are studying at the Imperial Academy in Bianliang. Last month, they wrote to say that His Majesty treats them very well."

Qian Hongchu was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"When I first surrendered to the Zhou, some people called me spineless. Now look, who's spineless and who's tough?"

He stood up and looked north.

"If the Great Zhou can truly unify the world, then my Qian family members can also be proud and upright citizens of the Great Zhou."

The countries south of the Yangtze River were filled with fear and unease, and the north was not idle either.

In the capital city of Liao, the atmosphere was heavy in the palace of Emperor Yelü Jing.

Yelü Jing sat on his throne, holding a secret report sent from the south in his hand, his face so gloomy it looked like it was about to drip water.

"Fourteen prefectures north of the Yangtze River, gone in just three months?"

No one in the hall dared to respond.

He slammed the secret report onto the table.

"How many years has Guo's adopted son been on the throne? How old is the third son? Twenty-one, right? At twenty-one, he's already brought the Southern Tang to this state?"

A Khitan nobleman cautiously said, "Your Majesty, that Prince Qin is the one who personally charged into battle during the Battle of Gaoping..."

"I know!" Yelü Jing interrupted him. "In the Battle of Gaoping, Yang Gun ran fast and didn't suffer a big loss. But I'll remember that Prince of Qin."

He stood up and paced back and forth in the hall.

"We can't wait any longer."

"Once Zhou's army conquers Southern Tang and integrates Jiangnan, who will be next?"

No one answered.

But everyone knows the answer.

They are Khitans.

Zhou Jun will head north sooner or later.

At that time, the Khitan will not be facing a small court that is content with its corner of the country, but a behemoth that has unified the Central Plains and controls the wealth and military power of the entire south.

"Issue my decree." Yelü Jing stopped in his tracks. "Summon all tribes and prepare to march south to prevent the Great Zhou from unifying the city."

One minister hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, the Zhou army is at its peak; it would be too late to march south now..."

"Why not head south now, and wait until they've finished fighting the Southern Tang before heading north?" Yelü Jing sneered. "I'm not that stupid."

"Send a message to the Northern Han. That good-for-nothing Liu Min is more eager to fight than we are because of national and personal vendettas."

"Tell them that the Khitans will be the main force this time, and they can send as many troops as they want. If they win, they will get a share of Zhou's territory."

"Yes!"

The envoy rode south on horseback, heading towards Taiyuan in the Northern Han Dynasty.

Inside the Northern Han imperial palace, Liu Min was gazing blankly at Kaifeng when he received the letter from the Khitan state.

It is important to know that Kaifeng holds great significance in everyone's hearts, and Liu Min naturally wants to destroy the Great Zhou and take control of the Central Plains.

After reading the Khitan letter, Liu Min remained silent for a long time.

"Your Majesty," a minister whispered, "the Khitans want to use us as cannon fodder..."

"I know."

"Then let's..."

"Hit him." Liu Min stood up, his gaze icy.

"We lost the battle at Gaoping, and the losses were heavy. But this time the Khitan are the main force, and we are just following behind. Even if we lose again, we won't lose by much."

"But what if we win? Will the Khitans discard us after they've served their purpose?"

"Hmph! If we win, I will enter Kaifeng and sit on the throne as the emperor of the Central Plains."

The ministers looked at each other, and no one offered any further advice.

……

In the autumn of the third year of Xiande, the Khitans assembled an army of 50,000, claiming to be 100,000, and led it south to Youzhou under the personal command of Yelü Jing.

Liu Min of the Northern Han gathered 10,000 remnants of his forces, making a total of 20,000, and marched east from Taiyuan to coordinate with the Khitan's actions.

In reality, the Khitans viewed these 20,000 Northern Han soldiers as mere vassal troops, whose only purpose was probably to intimidate people.

Two armies, one from the east and one from the west, marched menacingly toward the Great Zhou.

The urgent battle report from the border was sent to Bianliang by express courier.

When Guo Rong received the battle report, he was in the imperial study reviewing memorials.

After reading it, he remained silent for a long time.

"The Khitans... have finally made their move."

Empress Fu stood to the side and said softly, "Your Majesty, should we summon the Prince of Qin back?"

Guo Rong shook his head.

"He was doing well fighting in the south, and recalling him now would mean all his previous efforts were wasted. Moreover, the Khitan's goal is to disrupt our unification process."

"What about the north?"

Guo Rong thought for a moment.

"Send Li Chongjin north immediately to command the Sixth Class A Army stationed in Hebei. Also dispatch three Class B Divisions of the National Defense Army, led by Shi Shouxin, to rush to the aid overnight."

Is that enough?

……

When news of the Khitans' southward advance and the Northern Han's eastward advance reached Yangzhou, Su Ning was in his tent discussing strategies for crossing the river with his generals.

After reading the battle report, he remained silent for a moment before handing it to Zhao Pu beside him.

After reading it, Zhao Pu's expression changed. "Your Highness, the Khitan have 50,000 troops, and the Northern Han have 20,000, totaling 70,000. What about His Majesty's side..."

Su Ning raised her hand to stop him, "What did His Majesty say?"

"The battle report didn't mention it. But I imagine they're summoning His Highness back."

Su Ning shook her head. "I can't go back."

The generals in the tent looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Your Highness," Pan Mei, commander of the First Division, couldn't help but say, "The situation in the north is critical. If we don't return..."

“If we retreat, the Southern Tang will have fought for nothing,” Su Ning said. “Jiangbei has just been pacified, and the people’s hearts are not yet won over. Once the army withdraws, those surrendered generals and those observing powerful clans will rebel in the blink of an eye.”

"Next time we come, we'll have to play it all over again..."

The tent fell silent.

Everyone knows that His Highness is right.

Just like a boil, you either have to cut it off completely and remove it from the root, or it will only get worse if it keeps recurring.

But what about the north?
“His Majesty has his own plans,” Su Ning said. “Our mission is to take Jiangnan as soon as possible.”

He walked to the map, pointed to Nanjing on the other side of the Yangtze River, and said, "Order all divisions to speed up preparations. When Nanjing is ripe, that will be the time for us to reap the rewards."

"promise."

The news from Yangzhou was sent to Bianliang by express courier.

After reading it, Guo Rong remained silent for a long time.

"Just as I thought, my third brother is not returning." He handed the battle report to Empress Fu. "He said that Southern Tang is more important, and he doesn't want all his previous efforts to be in vain."

Empress Fu frowned deeply after reading it.

"Your Majesty, what about the north..."

"I will go myself."

Empress Fu was stunned. "Your Majesty? Are you going to lead the army in person?"

“Yes.” Guo Rong stood up and walked to the window. “The battle of Gaoping was fought by my third brother. I was in Bianliang overseeing the battle and watching him achieve merit.”

"This time, I will go myself." He turned around, his gaze intense. "Empress, I have been on the throne for three years. In these three years, my third brother has fought in the east and west, achieving great military exploits. And what have I done?

"I cannot rely on my younger brother for the rest of my life."

Empress Fu looked at Guo Rong but did not speak.

Because she knew that His Majesty was harboring a deep-seated resentment.

That drive was there from the day Guo Rong ascended the throne.

Guo Rong wanted to prove himself.

He needed to prove that he was not just Guo Wei's adopted son, nor just the King of Qin's elder brother, but the emperor of the Great Zhou, an emperor who could command thousands of troops and defend the country's borders.

"Has Your Majesty made up your mind?" Empress Fu asked softly.

Guo Rong nodded. "I've thought it through."

……

In October of the third year of Xiande, Guo Rong rallied his troops in Bianliang.

The main force of the National Defense Army moved north.

It was only at this moment that Guo Rong truly saw what kind of army his younger brother had built up over the years.

The 1st to 10th Divisions were Class A field divisions, each with 10,000 men. The 11th to 20th Divisions were Class B field divisions, each with 10,000 men.

Furthermore, there were also Class C garrison divisions, from the 21st to the 30th, stationed in various garrison areas of the Great Zhou, separating military and political power and eliminating military authority from the hands of the local military governors.

At this moment, the soldiers of the six Class A divisions and four Class B divisions were completely silent when they lined up, and their movements were perfectly synchronized.

With a wave of the command flag, ten thousand men moved in unison; with another wave of the command flag, all came to an abrupt halt.

Standing on the command platform, Guo Rong looked at the young soldiers and felt an indescribable emotion welling up inside him.

He led troops for over twenty years, fighting from Yedu to Bianliang, and believed he had seen countless elite soldiers.

But the soldiers of the National Defense Army were unlike any he had ever seen.

The soldiers looked at him not with awe or fear, but with a calm obedience.

They obeyed not him as a person, but the flag, the military order, and the system that required them to train daily, receive their pay on time, and receive compensation for those who died in battle.

This unit belongs to no one.

It does not belong to the third brother, nor to Guo Rong, nor to any general.

It belongs to the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Guo Rong suddenly understood why his third brother had gone to such great lengths to reorganize the army all these years.

Such an army will not rebel, will not mutini, and will not become anyone's private army.

This is the kind of army that is a true national defense force.

"Your Majesty," Shi Shouxin whispered beside him, "it's time to set off."

Guo Rong nodded.

He stepped down from the command platform and mounted his horse.

Behind him, an army of 100,000 stood in formation, ready to go.

Banners blotted out the sun, and horns thundered across the sky.

Guo Rong reined in his horse and looked back at the dark mass of troops, a thought suddenly forming in his mind...

If he were to personally lead such an army and defeat the Khitan, what would the outcome be?
My third brother was fighting the Southern Tang in the south, while he was fighting the Khitan in the north.

Who fought a bigger war?

Who made a greater contribution?

Once the thought popped into my head, I couldn't suppress it.

Guo Rong spurred his horse forward, and the army set off.

Behind them, Bianliang City gradually shrank, turning into a blurry black dot on the horizon.

Ahead lies an unknown battlefield, and an enemy waiting to be conquered.

It's also... an opportunity to prove myself.

When news of the emperor's personal expedition reached Yangzhou, Su Ning was checking the details of crossing the river with Zhao Pu.

He listened and remained silent for a moment.

"His Majesty actually led the army in person?"

"Yes," Zhao Pu said. "The main force of the National Defense Army has been mobilized, with six Class A divisions and four Class B divisions, totaling 100,000 men, heading north to resist the Liao."

Suning nodded without saying anything.

Zhao Pu looked at Su Ning, hesitating to speak, "Your Highness, His Majesty's departure..."

“I know,” Su Ning said. “He still wants to fight for it.”

Zhao Pu was stunned. "What are you arguing about?"

"Fighting for military power."

Su Ning put down the map in his hand and looked north.

“I trained the National Defense Forces. But even after they were trained, I continued to lead them. He probably had his own thoughts about it.”

Zhao Pu was silent for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, shall we..."

“Let’s fight our own battle,” Su Ning said. “Southern Tang is the priority.”

He picked up the map again and pointed to Nanjing on the other side of the Yangtze River.

"Order Mingli Hall to continue bribing Southern Tang generals and officials."

"Yes, sir!" Zhao Pu responded and left.

Su Ning stood alone in the tent, gazing northwards, and remained silent for a long time.

Brother, if you want to fight, then fight!
But you have to defeat the Khitan first.

If we win, everything will be negotiable.

They lost...

He didn't think any further.

Outside the window, the autumn wind is blowing hard.

……

Winter came earlier than usual in Jiangbei.

Outside Yangzhou in November, the river wind already carried a biting chill.

Inside the National Defense Army camp, soldiers, bundled in thick winter clothing, continued their drills as usual.

The rule of practicing once a day has never changed because of the weather.

Inside the central command tent, the charcoal fire burned brightly. Su Ning sat before the map, his brow furrowed.

Zhao Pu just delivered the latest intelligence... On the Southern Tang side, the Mingli Hall's operations have encountered trouble.

“Li Jing demoted several ministers who advocated peace and replaced them with a group of die-hard war advocates,” Zhao Pu said. “In Nanjing, the atmosphere is tense, and our people dare not make any rash moves.”

"What about Liu Shou's concubine? Wasn't she supposed to be able to turn him against his side?"

"Liu Shou has been placed under house arrest. Li Jing personally ordered that no one is allowed to visit him. Our people can't even get close."

Su Ning remained silent for a moment, then his gaze fell on Nanjing on the map.

That area was marked for three whole months, and the color never changed.

The Southern Tang's will to resist was stronger than he had anticipated.

Or rather, Li Jing was tougher than he had anticipated.

"Your Highness," Zhao Pu said cautiously, "how about... a direct assault?"

Su Ning shook his head. "A direct assault would be too costly. Nanjing is a fortified city with high walls and deep moats, and it still has 30,000 defenders. Even if we could take it, the National Defense Army would suffer at least half its losses."

"That……"

"Take another route."

Su Ning stood up, walked to the map, and shifted his gaze from Jinling to the small countries in the south.

The Min Kingdom, Southern Chu, Southern Han, and Later Shu.

Places marked with the country's name are like scattered chess pieces.

"Let's start with the easy stuff first," Su Ning said. "Southern Tang is tough, so let's not fight them for now."

Zhao Pu was taken aback. "Your Highness, didn't we agree before that we would destroy the Southern Tang first?"

“That was before,” Su Ning said. “Now that the fighting has broken out in the north, the Southern Tang can’t afford to lose. Rather than fighting to the death under the walls of Jinling, it’s better to deal with those smaller countries first.”

At this moment, he pointed to the Min Kingdom on the map and said, "The Min Kingdom is located in the southeast and has a military strength of no more than 20,000. It has been plagued by internal strife for many years, so now is the time to take it down."

He then pointed to the Southern Chu, saying, "In the Chu Kingdom, King Kui is incompetent, and the court is in chaos. The people from Minglitang have already laid out their plans there, just waiting for us to make our move."

Then, pointing to the Southern Han, he said, "Liu Sheng of the Southern Han is cruel and tyrannical, and the people are filled with resentment. If we go there, we won't even need to fight; the people will open the city gates to welcome us."

Finally, pointing to Later Shu, he said, "The roads to Shu are difficult, but they are not as difficult as Jinling. Once Min, Chu, and Han are all captured, Shu will be isolated and without support. How long can Meng Chang hold out?"

Zhao Pu listened intently, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

"Your Highness, that was a brilliant move!"

Suning did not respond.

He simply gazed silently at the map, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

It's not that we are particularly powerful, but rather that the Northern Song Dynasty in history adopted this approach: unifying the Central Plains by tackling the easier challenges first, rather than fighting to the death with the Liao and Southern Tang.

"Issue the order. Mobilize the 16th Division, which is stationed in Wuyue."

"Target - Min Kingdom".

"promise."

……

Three days later, a military order was issued from Yangzhou and sent to Hangzhou by express courier.

The 16th Division, a Class B field division with 10,000 men, has been stationed in the Hangzhou Bay area since the Wu and Yue states were incorporated into the Zhou dynasty. It is responsible for the defense of the southeast and training of the navy.

The division commander's surname is Wang, and his given name is Yang. He is a veteran who came from the first batch of the study companion camp. He has followed Su Ning for eight years and is definitely Su Ning's most trusted confidant.

He received the military order while supervising naval training at the seaside.

After reading it, he immediately summoned his generals without saying a word.

"His Highness has ordered: Take over the Min Kingdom."

The generals in the tent were invigorated.

"General, how should we attack?"

Wang Mingyang pointed to the map and said, "We will divide our forces into two routes. One route will take the land route, heading south from Wenzhou and heading straight for Fuzhou. The other route will take the sea route, with the navy transporting troops to land in Fuzhou and attack from both sides."

"The Min Kingdom's forces are scattered, and Fuzhou City has only eight thousand garrison troops. Our five thousand men, plus the support of the navy, are enough."

When do we depart?

"Three days later."

Three days later, the 16th Division broke camp and headed south.

Meanwhile, the National Defense Forces' naval warships set sail from Hangzhou Bay and quietly approached Fuzhou along the coastline.

When the news reached Fuzhou, it shocked the Min Kingdom.

King Yanzheng of Min was a mediocre and incompetent ruler.

Over the years, the situation has been barely maintained thanks to a few veteran officials.

Upon hearing that Zhou Jun was marching south, he panicked on the spot, shouting, "Quickly, send an envoy to Nanjing to request reinforcements!"

"Your Majesty, Jinling is barely able to protect itself, how can it possibly have the resources to save us?"

Wang Yanzheng slumped into a chair. "Then... what should we do?"

No one could answer him.

Ten days later, the 16th Division of the National Defense Army arrived at the gates of Fuzhou.

The land and sea armies joined forces, completely surrounding Fuzhou.

The siege lasted only one day.

It wasn't that Zhou Jun was too strong, but that the Min Kingdom was too weak.

The city walls had fallen into disrepair over the years, the morale of the defending troops was low, and the people of Minglitang had been stirring up trouble in the city...

Less than two hours after the siege began, the defending general opened the city gates and let the Zhou army into the city.

When Wang Yanzheng heard the shouts of battle in the palace, he was so frightened that he wet his pants.

The next day, he held the imperial seal, knelt at the palace gate, and surrendered to Wang Mingyang.

The Min Kingdom was destroyed.

The news spread, and the world was shaken.

Meanwhile, Guo Rong, who was locked in a fierce battle with the Liao Dynasty, was filled with renewed confidence and ambition in the face of a powerful enemy.

...(End of this chapter)