The prince is more stable

Chapter 207 Lurking Like a Shadow
Zhao Xiaoqian was riding on the horse, looking a little listless.

He and the Dragon Guards had just arrived in the northwest, and had no time to rest before rushing to the battlefield. With Zhao Xiaoqian's pampered and laid-back personality, it was hard for him to accept this for a while.

It's been a long time since I've been so diligent, and I'm eager to go to the battlefield and fight the enemy.

Watching the desolate scenery rapidly receding before his eyes, Zhao Xiaoqian couldn't help but reflect on himself.

What on earth made this lazy and lazy person like him become so reckless?

Is it love? Is it responsibility?

Someone is whipping me from behind!

This battle was a battle for the Song Dynasty to establish its prestige.

The Song Dynasty, which had been weak for a hundred years, wanted to use this victory to tell its powerful neighboring countries that your uncle is your uncle after all, and your uncle was just tired and took a short nap in the past hundred years.

After waking up, your uncle will rub the faces of you barbarians on the ground just like he has done for thousands of years.

The key to success this time lies in the 5,000 musketeers under his command.

It seems a bit of an exaggeration to say that these 5,000 people are the trump card, but at least they are four twos, which can play a role in turning the tide of battle at critical moments.

Five thousand people set out, heading westward towards the Henan Military Command of Western Xia.

The full name of "Henan Military Command" is "Zhuo Luo Henan Military Command". After Li Yuanhao of Western Xia established the country, he set up twelve military commands in the territory. Henan Military Command was one of them, and it was also the military command closest to the border of the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Xiaoqian's first plan was to wait for news from Zhang Yu. Once the Northwest Army launched an attack to occupy Yanzhou, the musketeers under his command would launch an attack on the Henan Army. The two armies, one in the east and one in the south, would respond to each other from afar, and then leave the 300,000-strong army of Western Xia with a choice.

Should they continue to advance eastward into the Guanzhong region of the Song Dynasty, or should they withdraw their troops and rush to support the capital.

I am looking forward to the answer from the Western Xia army. No matter what the answer is, the war rhythm of the Western Xia will be disrupted.

Zhao Xiaoqian, riding on his horse, was feeling lazy and listless.

Got up early.

Marching is also very tiring. There is nothing poetic about it. It is just riding on a horse and marching non-stop. The energy in the body is gradually exhausted in the endless journey.

Zhong Jianzhong rode his horse over and rode side by side with Zhao Xiaoqian.

"Marquis, your soldiers only brought ten days' worth of rations. Isn't that a bit too little? If we don't get a supply in ten days..."

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at him and said, "Ten days later, do you think there will be logistics to replenish our food supplies?"

Zhong Jianzhong was stunned: "No more food supplies?"

"Old Zhong, our troops are going deep behind enemy lines. Can the Xixia people make way for us so that the Song army can resupply their food supplies before we start fighting?"

"It seems not."

"So, from the moment we set out... we were already an isolated army, without any supplies or assistance. We had to rely on ourselves for everything."

Zhong Jianzhong's expression became more and more solemn.

"Relax, don't look like you're going to a funeral, it's very unlucky. There's no need to worry. We should do the same as Huo Qubing did during the Han Dynasty."

"Supplying food and fodder is the easiest. We just rob whatever we can find wherever we go. To put it nicely, it's called 'fighting to support the war'. To put it bluntly, we're just a bunch of poor bandits who just came down from the mountains, robbing whatever we can find."

"Well, that's how you understand it, that's correct."

Zhong Jianzhong hesitated to speak.

Zhao Xiaoqian said with a smile, "We're so familiar with each other, just say what you want to say. If you say something wrong, I can hang you up and beat you, right?"

Zhong Jianzhong sighed, "The marquis first allowed his soldiers to keep all the loot they took, then used war to support war, relying on looting to replenish the army's food and fodder. I'm worried that after this battle, these five thousand soldiers will become arrogant and wild. Each one of them is no longer human, but more like wild beasts out of a cage, biting anyone they see..."

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and said, "If so, it will be a blessing for the Great Song Dynasty."

"Soldiers should act like soldiers. What kind of soldiers are they if they act limp? They should be like wild beasts released from their cages. No, they should be as irrational as mad dogs. Any enemy that stands in their way will be torn to pieces indiscriminately. This is the kind of soldiers the Song Dynasty needs."

"We've lived in peace for too long. Everything is about etiquette and morality. When two armies engage in battle, they're eager to kowtow to the other side first. Expecting such soldiers to defend our country is a joke." Zhong Jianzhong pondered for a long time, then smiled bitterly and said, "The county lord has good intentions. I understand."

Zhao Xiaoqian narrowed his eyes and looked at the snow-covered desert in the distance. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Send the order down. We'll set up camp in an hour. Light a fire and cook. After eating, wash up and go to bed."

Zhong Jianzhong was stunned and said, "It's still a long time before dark, and we've only walked a few dozen miles today. Why are you setting up camp so soon?"

"Because I'm tired. I need to eat, sleep, and play Doudou."

Zhong Jianzhong looked at him strangely. A journey of dozens of miles, let alone riding a horse, shouldn't be so tiring even if it was just walking? How delicate was this county marquis?

"Don't look at me like that," Zhao Xiaoqian said sternly, "I'm only eighteen years old. I'm still a child. I'm still growing and I can't endure any hardship."

"You've delayed my development. Can you take responsibility?"

…………

Xixia, Xingqing Mansion.

Xingqing Prefecture was the capital of Western Xia.

It has to be admitted that the Western Xia Kingdom once produced a great figure, that is, the founding monarch, Jingzong Li Yuanhao.

With the tacit approval and support of the Liao Kingdom, Li Yuanhao established the Western Xia Kingdom and made Xingqing Prefecture its capital, which was Yinchuan City a thousand years later.

This monarch was quite legendary, and the historians of the orthodox dynasty in the Central Plains were able to write a separate page in the official history to write a biography for this monarch of the Dangxiang tribe. This shows that this awesome person was indeed awesome.

Under the governance of several generations of monarchs of the Western Xia Kingdom, Xingqing City was quite prosperous. It was a must-pass place on the Silk Road. No matter what goods the merchants traveling from south to north sold, Xingqing City was always their place of rest.

This was a huge bargain, and over time, Xingqing City became prosperous.

The Western Xia Kingdom was founded by the Dangxiang people, who were a branch of the Western Qiang. The Qiang was a large tribe, which was divided into several sub-ethnic groups, including the Dangxiang, Dongnu, and Bailang.

Xingqing City is a city where many ethnic groups live together. There are not only Dangxiang people but also Han people in the city.

On the slightly narrow side of the East Market Road, Zhang Xiaoyi, wearing a fur coat and a sheepskin felt hat, with a face as dark as a beggar who had gone hungry for three meals, squatted on the side of the road, watching the people coming and going.

Even if Zhao Xiaoqian stood in front of him at this moment, he probably wouldn't recognize that this guy was Zhang Xiaoyi.

In just one month, Zhang Xiaoyi's appearance has changed drastically.

But the amazing thing is that when he appears on the streets of Xingqing City now, it doesn’t feel out of place at all, because most people in the Western Xia Kingdom look like him.

After bidding farewell to Zhao Xiaoqian, Zhang Xiaoyi traveled alone. After traveling day and night, he actually arrived at the capital of the Western Xia Kingdom.

After stuffing half a piece of silver into the soldier guarding the city gate, Zhang Xiaoyi swaggered into the city, then went to the East Market to sell his horse, changed his clothes, and painted his face black. He looked basically no different from the local Xixia people whose faces were dark due to wind and sun.

In this way, Zhang Xiaoyi sneaked into Xingqing City silently like a shadow.

It's not enough to just blend in, he also has to integrate.

The official system of Western Xia was very strange. It was basically copied from the official system of the Song Dynasty. Yes, it also had the Secretariat, the Privy Council, and the Censorate.

What’s even more bizarre is that it actually has Kaifeng Prefecture.

That’s right, the original Kaifeng Prefecture, even the name has not been changed, and it is in charge of criminal security and other cases in Xingqing City.

I don’t know whether these foreigners are lazy or really uneducated, and I don’t know whether the emperor and his ministers of the Song Dynasty feel uncomfortable with this.

In short, I, Xixia, have copied your name. If you don’t agree, come and hit me.

After Zhang Xiaoyi entered Xingqing City, he rented a house in the East Market and then wandered around the market all day doing nothing.

If a person is too idle, he must have no shortage of friends, because in this era without mobile phones and computers, it is really difficult to find other ways to kill time except to get together with friends to chat and cause trouble.

As a result, Zhang Xiaoyi made a lot of friends.

(End of this chapter)