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In the spring of the third year of the prosperous reign, Bianliang City was filled with an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.

The battle in the north was over, Liaodong was captured, and the Khitans cowered in Huanglongfu and Shangjing, not daring to move.

The south has long been pacified, and the newly surrendered prefectures and counties are now peacefully paying their taxes and grain.

Merchant ships came and went on the Bian River, their sails stretching for dozens of miles; the streets were bustling with people, and the cries of vendors rose and fell; smiles were on the faces of the people, and even the air was filled with a lazy and comfortable atmosphere.

It's time to rest and recuperate.

Su Ning sat in the imperial study, looking at the reports sent from all over the country.

The wheat in Hebei is growing well, the tea harvest in Huainan is bountiful, the silk in Jiangnan is in high demand, and new copper veins have been discovered in Sichuan.

The officials in the Ministry of Revenue were so busy they barely had time to breathe, laughing to themselves as they did the accounting...

The national treasury has never been so full.

“Your Majesty,” Zhao Pu entered, handing over a document, “another envoy from the Khitan has arrived.”

Suning took it, glanced at it, and smiled.

"The same old routine?"

"It's the same old story," Zhao Pu said. "Withdrawing troops, returning them, negotiating peace—it's all the same old stuff over and over. They don't dare mention a single word about the annual tribute."

“Then let’s keep dragging it out,” Su Ning said. “Let them wait. We’re not in a hurry anyway.”

The Khitans were indeed in no hurry.

Or rather, there's no use in them being anxious.

They can't win a fight, and they refuse to back down in peace talks, so they can only drag it out like this.

Messengers came and went, talking at length, but made no progress whatsoever.

Suning is happy with this.

Let's just drag it out then!
The longer it drags on, the stronger the Great Zhou will become.

Once the Khitans can no longer hold out, they will naturally obediently send their annual tribute.

But now, he has something else to do.

The map was spread out on the table. Su Ning's finger moved westward from Bianliang, across Luoyang and Chang'an, finally stopping at one place...

Dingnan Army.

Hetao region.

That land was occupied by the Tanguts for nearly a century.

Zhao Pu stood aside, looking at his fingers, and understood.

"Does Your Majesty intend to attack the Dingnan Army?"

“Yes,” Su Ning said. “We can stall the Khitan side; there’s no need to rush to resolve it. But we can’t afford to delay any longer in the west.”

He pointed to the fertile land on the map, "The Hetao region is the granary of the world. The Yellow River brings a hundred harms, but it enriches the Hetao region. It's such a pity that the Tanguts occupy such a good place."

"Furthermore, those Dingnan Army people nominally submitted to the Great Zhou, but in reality, they declared themselves kings. When Li Yixing died, his son Li Guangrui succeeded him without even a word. What's the point of keeping such 'subjects' around?"

Zhao Pu nodded: "Whom does Your Majesty intend to send?"

“Wang Yansheng and Li Chongjin,” Su Ning said, “the two of them, one steady and the other brave, complement each other perfectly. With the Second, Fourth, and Sixth Divisions, 30,000 men will be enough.”

When to make a move?

Su Ning thought for a moment, "Autumn is the best time! The horses are fat and ready for battle. Once we win the war, we can stabilize our territory in winter."

"promise!"

"An imperial edict was issued to the Privy Council and the Ministry of War to prepare for the western expedition, allocate provisions and military supplies, and formulate a battle plan."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

……

In August of the third year of the prosperous reign, the military order for the western expedition was issued.

When Wang Yansheng received the order, he was in Nanjing overseeing the reorganization of the southern border defenses.

After reading the military order, he immediately mustered his troops and set off westward without saying a word.

The Second Division was an old unit he had personally trained, and they had never lost a battle, from the conquest of the Southern Tang to the pacification of Jingchu.

When Li Chongjin received the order, he was resting in Bianliang.

After reading the military order, he grinned and said, "It's finally our turn!"

Thirty thousand men set off from Bianliang and headed west in a grand procession.

Flags blotted out the sky, and the sound of horses' hooves was deafening.

Along the way, people from various prefectures and counties stood by the roadside watching, pointing and discussing.

"Where are we going to fight?"

"I heard that they are fighting the Tanguts in the west."

"The Tanguts? Didn't those people already submit?"

"We've submitted, but they won't listen. If they don't listen, we have to beat them."

"That's right! Our Great Zhou is now a powerful and prosperous nation with a strong army and a wealthy and powerful people."

"Three generations of emperors worked diligently to govern the country! This is truly a blessing for the people of the Central Plains."

……

In early September, Zhou Jun arrived at the border of Dingnan Army.

Li Guangrui, the leader of the Dingnan Army, was a young man in his early twenties.

During his father Li Yixing's reign, he was able to survive in the cracks, feigning compliance with the Central Plains dynasty while paying tribute to the Khitan in the north, thus avoiding offending either side.

But as soon as he took the throne, he became arrogant.

“Great Zhou? What is Great Zhou?” he said to his subordinates in the palace in Yinzhou. “We Tanguts have lived in this Hetao region for over a hundred years, from the Tang Dynasty to the present. We have always treated everyone who comes with respect. If the Zhou army dares to come, we will make sure they never return!”

The subordinates looked at each other, none of them daring to speak.

Someone whispered a reminder: "General, Zhou's army just annihilated 80,000 Khitan troops and occupied Liaodong..."

"That's because the Khitans were useless!" Li Guangrui waved his hand. "Do they have the Hetao region? Do they have cavalry? Do they have the advantage of terrain? When the Zhou army comes, I'll show them what's what!"

When these words reached Zhou Jun's ears, Wang Yansheng was on the march.

After listening to the scout's report, he smiled and said, "Young man, you don't know your own limitations."

Li Chongjin, standing nearby, suggested, "Should we just attack them directly?"

“No rush,” Wang Yansheng said. “Let him float for a few more days. The higher he floats, the harder he will fall.”

Instead of launching an attack, Zhou Jun set up camp on the border and sent out scouts to thoroughly investigate the terrain, troop strength, and defenses of the Dingnan Army.

In Yinzhou City, Li Guangrui began to panic.

He didn't expect Zhou Jun to arrive so quickly, and he was even more surprised that his usually confident subordinates would run away faster than rabbits as soon as they heard that Zhou Jun was coming.

"General, shall we fight or not?"

Li Guangrui gritted his teeth, "Fight!"

……

On the eighth day of the ninth month, the Dingnan Army cavalry, numbering 50,000, launched a full-scale attack on the Zhou army camp.

Wang Yansheng stood on the high slope, looking calmly at the dark mass of cavalry in the distance.

"Form ranks."

Zhou Jun slowly unfolded.

Spearmen were in front, swordsmen and shieldmen were behind, and archers were on the flanks.

Catapults were lined up in a row, crossbow carts were mounted on high ground, chevaux-de-frise were buried in the ground, and trenches had already been dug.

The Tangut cavalry were getting closer and closer.

"Fire arrows!"

The bowstring vibrated, and a volley of arrows was unleashed.

The Tangut cavalry at the forefront fell like stalks of wheat being cut down.

Warhorses neighed, and men and horses fell to the ground.

But the cavalry behind them continued forward, trampling over the corpses of their comrades, and charged toward Zhou's lines.

"put!"

The catapult launched huge stones that crashed into the cavalry, creating a cloud of blood mist.

The ballista fired giant arrows, each capable of piercing two or three horses.

The Tangut people's advance was thwarted.

But they are still moving forward.

The two armies clashed.

The sounds of clashing metal, screams, and the neighing of warhorses mingled together.

Li Chongjin led the Sixth Division to attack from the flank, cutting the Tangut formation in half.

The Second and Fourth Divisions advanced head-on, pressing forward relentlessly.

The Tanguts began to retreat.

Li Guangrui desperately broke through the encirclement under the protection of his personal guards.

His sword was worn dull from repeated blows, he had already changed horses three times, and he had five or six wounds on his body, from which blood flowed incessantly.

"Withdraw! Quickly withdraw!"

He shouted hoarsely as he spurred his horse into a gallop. Behind him, Zhou Jun pursued relentlessly.

At the foot of Yinzhou City, Li Guangrui led his remaining troops in an attempt to escape into the city, only to find that the city gates were already closed.

The general guarding the city stood on the city wall, looked at him, and shook his head.

"General, I'm sorry. The Zhou army is too powerful, we surrender."

Li Guangrui was stunned. "You...you guys..."

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of horses' hooves thundered behind him.

Li Chongjin led his cavalry to the scene and surrounded him.

Li Guangrui knelt on the ground, trembling all over.

"It's...it's dropped..."

Li Chongjin looked at him and shook his head. "Why didn't you do this earlier?"

The gates of Yinzhou were flung open, and Zhou's army swarmed in.

Li Guangrui was escorted to Bianliang.

The Dingnan Army was annihilated.

The Hetao region was entirely incorporated into the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

……

When the news reached Bianliang, Su Ning was having dinner.

On the table were a few simple dishes... a plate of cured meat, a plate of green vegetables, and a bowl of hot soup.

He had just picked up his chopsticks when Zhao Pu pushed open the door and entered, his face beaming with barely suppressed joy.

"Your Majesty! Good news from the western expedition!"

Suning put down his chopsticks, took the battle report, and unfolded it.

Wang Yansheng and Li Chongjin jointly submitted a memorial to the throne... The Dingnan Army was pacified, and the entire Hetao region was submitted to the emperor.

Li Guangrui has been captured and is being transported.

After watching, Su Ning nodded, "Well played."

He picked up the soup bowl, took a sip, and said, "Issue an imperial decree to reward the three armies. Those who died in battle shall be generously compensated. Those who made meritorious contributions shall be promoted and rewarded according to their merits."

"In the Hetao region, have the Ministry of Revenue send people to measure the land and recruit people to cultivate it. Also, establish several prefectures to govern the area."

Zhao Pu agreed to everything.

“Your Majesty,” Zhao Pu said, “with the Dingnan Army defeated, the west will be secure. Next…”

"Next, we need to manage the Hetao region well," Su Ning said. "That land is fertile and can support many people. Tell the Ministry of Revenue to expedite the process so that planting can begin next spring."

"What about the Khitans?"

Su Ning smiled and said, "Let them keep waiting!"

……

The Khitans were indeed waiting.

But they weren't just waiting idly.

After Xiao Feng and the other envoys returned to the capital, they reported everything they had seen and heard in Bianliang to Yelü Jing.

Upon hearing this, Yelü Jing's face turned ashen, and he smashed a room full of things.

"Annual tribute? You actually want me to send annual tribute to the Han people?"

But after smashing things and yelling at people, he calmed down and realized he was helpless.

We can't win.

They refused to negotiate.

He refused to pay the annual tribute.

That leaves only one option—delay.

But delaying isn't just about waiting idly.

Xiao Feng was once again sent on a mission to Bianliang, this time bringing cartloads of gifts.

It wasn't for Suning, it was for the important officials of the Great Zhou.

In the imperial study, Su Ning put down the news that the Khitan envoy had arrived again and looked at Zhao Pu.

What are they planning to do this time?

Zhao Pu pondered for a moment and said, "As far as I know, Xiao Feng brought quite a lot of things with him this time. Before entering the palace, he had already visited several ministers one by one."

"Oh?" Su Ning became interested. "Who did you give them to?"

"Wei Renpu, Li Gu, Wang Pu, and several ministers and vice ministers from the Six Ministries. I don't know what they sent, but I imagine it wouldn't be anything insignificant."

Su Ning laughed, "They're quite clever. They know they can't get anything out of me, so they go down to the lower levels to make their moves."

"Your Majesty, shall we investigate this?"

"What are you checking?" Su Ning waved his hand. "Have them deliver it. It's better if they do."

Zhao Pu was taken aback: "Your Majesty means..."

“If you accept gifts from the Khitan, you have to speak up for them,” Su Ning said. “I’ll take this opportunity to see who accepts the most and who speaks the most. Once I see this clearly, I’ll know who can be given important positions and who should be moved.”

Zhao Pu suddenly realized, "Your Majesty is wise."

……

In the days that followed, undercurrents surged within Bianliang City.

Xiao Feng stayed in the guesthouse of the Court of State Ceremonial and hosted banquets for officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty every day.

Today we'll invite Wei Renpu, tomorrow Li Gu, and the day after tomorrow Wang Pu.

After a few rounds of drinks and several dishes, they started complaining.

"The Great Zhou has a strong and powerful army, which we Khitans are ashamed of. But Liaodong is a place where we Khitans have lived for hundreds of years. If we lose it like this, we will not be able to explain it when we go back."

"Could you gentlemen please put in a good word for us before His Majesty and return Liaodong to us? We are willing to pay reparations, submit to His Majesty, and pay tribute every year..."

The private conversation in the guesthouse soon reached Su Ning's ears.

Zhao Pu would go to the palace every day and report all the news he heard.

"Your Majesty, according to the investigation by the Imperial City Guard, Wei Renpu accepted a fine horse from Xiao Feng, but said nothing about it."

"Li Gu accepted a pair of jade discs from Xiao Feng and said a few words on behalf of the Khitan during the banquet, but they were all just polite words and nothing of substance."

Wang Pu refused to accept it, saying that he was too old and not used to socializing.

“The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Zhang, accepted a thousand taels of silver from the Khitan. When he returned to the yamen, he said that Liaodong was bitterly cold and there was no use in keeping it. It would be better to return it to the Khitan in exchange for a few years of peace.”

As Su Ning listened, he nodded. "Write it down, write it all down. This is the duty of the Imperial City Guard. I need to know all the intelligence from the Great Zhou court to the people."

"promise!"

……

A month later, Xiao Feng entered the palace again and knelt in the Chongyuan Hall.

"Your Majesty the Emperor of Great Zhou, our dynasty is willing to negotiate peace with Great Zhou and form an eternal alliance. As long as the Great Zhou army retreats to Shanhaiguan and returns the Liaodong land, our dynasty is willing to become a vassal state, pay tribute, and come to court every year."

Su Ning looked at him and asked, "Envoy Xiao, what you said this time is different from last time."

Xiao Feng lowered his head: "Yes... Our Emperor has thought this through carefully and believes that the Great Zhou army is strong and powerful, and cannot be defeated by force. He is willing to prioritize peace."

"Oh?" Su Ning said, "Then tell me, how exactly do you intend to become a vassal and pay tribute?"

Xiao Feng was stunned for a moment.

He didn't expect Suning to ask that question.

All they had prepared before was to "request the return of Liaodong," and they never thought about actually negotiating terms.

“This…this…our dynasty wishes to pay tribute of one thousand warhorses and five thousand cattle and sheep every year…”

“Not enough,” Su Ning interrupted Xiao Feng.

Xiao Feng opened his mouth, "Three thousand warhorses, ten thousand cattle and sheep, and one thousand sable pelts. This is what I said before. If even one is missing, forget it."

"But...but this..."

“Go back and tell Yelü Jing,” Su Ning said, “if he wants to negotiate, he must first send his annual tribute. If he does, I will consider withdrawing my troops. If he doesn’t, then wait for me to march all the way to Shangjing.”

Xiao Feng knelt there, unable to utter a single word.

He was led out of Chongyuan Hall.

The military officers in the hall burst into laughter.

Suning did not laugh.

He watched Xiao Feng's departing figure and remained silent for a moment.

"Zhao Pu".

"The minister is here."

“Draw up a list of those who accepted gifts and spoke on behalf of the Khitan. In a while, those who should be transferred will be transferred, and those who should be demoted will be demoted.”

"Yes."

Outside the window, the autumn wind is blowing hard.

The wheat in the Hetao region should be ripe next year, and the Great Zhou Dynasty is becoming increasingly powerful.

As a result of this ebb and flow, the Khitan, who had wreaked havoc on the borders, declined steadily and could never again achieve the strength they had in history.

...(End of this chapter)