The prince is more stable

Chapter 398: Happy to Hear About the War
Zhe Keshi quickly entered the Dragon Guard Camp and came to the general's tent.

It happened that Zhao Xiaoqian was discussing matters with his generals in the camp today, and Zhe Keshi came in and paid his respects.

Zhao Xiaoqian hurriedly stood up and helped him up. Seeing Zhe Keshi's exhausted and dusty face, he couldn't help but smile and said, "General Zhe, it's been a long time since we last met in the northwest. It feels like a lifetime ago... The general has grown better and is full of muscles."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian patted Zhe Keshi's pectoral muscles.

Zhe Keshi looked uncomfortable and forced a smile, saying, "I am late, please punish me, Lord Zhao."

"Why are you so late?"

"After receiving the emperor's order, I set out that same day, but encountered a snowstorm that blocked the mountain and the road. I and my attendants were stuck on the road for nearly twenty days. We finally waited for the snow to subside and hurried on, but we were still late."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded. "The snowstorm blocked the mountains and roads. No wonder you came here today. General Zhe's arrival is very opportune. The Song Dynasty and the Liao Kingdom are about to go to war. General, you should rest well. I am still waiting for General Zhe to make great achievements."

Zhe Keshi was stunned for a moment, then said happily: "Are we going to fight the Liao dogs? Great!"

"Why are you so happy? It's still uncertain who will win or lose. If we lose, can you still laugh?" Zhao Xiaoqian said with a smile.

Zhe Keshi shook his head and said firmly, "We can't lose! I saw the flintlock rifles of the Dragon Guard Battalion with my own eyes back in the northwest. No matter how many Liao troops there are, a few rounds of volleys will wipe them out and they won't dare to cross the border again!"

Zhe Keshi looked around at the unfamiliar generals in the tent, but he was not at all nervous. He laughed and said, "This is a ready-made merit. Brothers, just reach out and take it."

"My Lord, I am a humble general, but I am willing to be the vanguard in this battle! My comrades, I am sorry for my wrongdoing. How about letting me take the credit for breaking through the enemy lines and killing the general? Consider it a welcome gift to you."

The generals in the tent gasped. Where did such a shameless person come from? Why should I give you the first merit of breaking through the enemy lines and killing the general as a gift? Do you think such a great achievement is like cabbage, which can be picked up anywhere? That is a bright future, big brother!
Some of the generals immediately stood up and refused, and then everyone challenged Zhao Xiaoqian to fight.

There was only one vanguard officer, and everyone wanted him. Suddenly, there was beating and scolding in the general's tent, and the atmosphere was chaotic. Even Zhong Jianzhong couldn't suppress it.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled.

This is the spirit we need, where everyone wants to fight and is happy to hear about war. This is what an elite army looks like.

In history, some armies killed enemies in order to serve the emperor, while others did so to save the people from disaster. It is undeniable that these were armies with true beliefs.

As for the current Dragon Guard Camp, Zhao Xiaoqian is very clear that their motivation for killing the enemy has nothing to do with those great beliefs. What drives them to kill the enemy is to be promoted to higher positions and to plunder money.

In essence, this army is actually not much different from bandits. The difference is that they are official bandits and are legal and legitimate.

However, Zhao Xiaoqian did not mind. Many things require gradual growth and transformation. One day, when they raised their swords against the enemy, but not for official positions and money, they would have become a truly invincible army of tigers and wolves.

Inside the commander's tent, the generals were arguing and fighting over the vanguard officer, but Zhao Xiaoqian yawned and looked bored.

"I'm not biased in this matter. I suggest you set up a fighting arena in the camp. Anyone who wants to be the vanguard officer can go up and compete. Whoever wins will get the vanguard position. The prerequisite is that no one gets maimed or killed. Dirty tricks like monkeys stealing peaches are strictly prohibited. Is that fair?"

All the generals clasped their fists and said, "As ordered!"

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at Zhong Jianzhong again and said, "Regarding the surprise attack on the 10,000 Liao troops, I won't elaborate on the specific tactics. You should discuss with the other generals and come up with a plan. I only want the result, and it would be best if we completely annihilate them and give the Liao army a severe shock."

Zhong Jianzhong clasped his fists and said, "I obey your orders!"

After giving the instructions, Zhao Xiaoqian left the camp.

After walking out of the gate, Zhao Xiaoqian mounted his horse, with Chen Shou and Jia Shi riding beside him on his left and right, ready to protect him at any time.

"Prince, shall we go back to the city now?" Chen Shou asked.

Zhao Xiaoqian rode on his horse, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon, and suddenly said, "Let's go to Hengling Fort."

Chen Shou asked in confusion, "Why are you going there?"

"War is coming, and Zhending Prefecture is full of dangers. A foolish woman actually dares to live in a village on the border. She really thinks her halo as a heroine is invincible."

…………

Liao Dynasty, Shangjing.

Yelü Hongji was already over sixty years old, but he was still in good health. In all fairness, he was considered a wise ruler. He did some foolish things during his reign, such as killing his own crown prince after listening to slander, and wasting a lot of national energy by being a devout Buddhist, renovating temples, and printing Buddhist scriptures.

But generally speaking, during the years when Yelu Hongji was in power, the political situation in the Liao Kingdom was relatively stable.

However, perhaps it was fate. Yelu Hongji considered himself a diligent emperor, but the national strength of the Liao Dynasty began to decline uncontrollably in recent years. Although the internal struggles in the court were not as serious as those in the Song Dynasty, the court officials also had their own thoughts and were fighting against each other.

Today, the Jurchen tribes in the northeast are on the rise, and many conflicts have broken out between the Liao Kingdom and the Jurchen tribes.

The Song Dynasty in the south has suddenly become stronger in the past two years, as if it had been injected with chicken blood. In particular, the Song Dynasty inexplicably gained a genius who created a mysterious and powerful weapon.

Song and Xia became famous in one battle. The emergence of this weapon directly changed the balance of the Three Kingdoms. Western Xia has now gradually turned to the Song Dynasty.

The Song Dynasty's military strength has gradually shown an aggressive momentum, and that inexplicably emerging genius has won the trust of the Song Dynasty emperor, who actually sent him to Zhending Prefecture to serve. The purpose is obvious, which is to let him fight against the Liao Kingdom.

With internal and external troubles and too many troubles, Yelu Hongji has been feeling increasingly exhausted recently.

A few days ago, Yelu Hongji finally completed his preparations and allocated 40,000 Liao troops to the border of Zhending Prefecture. This time he wanted to weigh the weight of the Song army, and at the same time, he wanted to allow the increasingly declining Liao Kingdom to regain its prestige among its neighboring countries through this battle.

The 40,000 Liao troops, plus the 10,000 Liao troops already on the Song-Liao border, totaled 50,000 troops, which was a rare large-scale battle in recent years.

The candidate for commander-in-chief was very suitable, Yelu Hongji's nephew Yelu Chun, and the candidate for deputy commander-in-chief was also suitable, his crown prince Yelu Yanxi.

There is no problem with the army, the generals are all fine, and the army set out from Shangjing a few days ago.

But Yelu Hongji always felt uneasy. His eyelids had been twitching violently these past few days. He didn't know if it was a sign of a stroke or that something bad was about to happen.

The beloved Crown Prince Yelu Yanxi went to war, and the palace suddenly became deserted. Sitting in his bedroom, Yelu Hongji felt a sense of loneliness and desolation.

While he was sitting alone, a palace maid reported that Yelu Otera, the Privy Councilor of the Northern Court, was outside the palace gate asking for a meeting.

"Yelü Otera" is a rather tongue-twisting name. From the surname, we can know that this is a family member. Like Zhao Xiaoqian, he belongs to the royal family and is also deeply favored by the Liao emperor.

The Liao Dynasty's court was actually divided into two systems, one was the North Courtyard and the other was the South Courtyard.

The North Court was the Khitan people's private reserve and the absolute center of power, while the South Court existed to balance the Han people and officials of other ethnic groups within the Liao Kingdom. Of course, the prime minister and privy councilor of the South Court had to be members of the Yelu royal family.

In Mr. Jin's "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", the Liao emperor appointed Xiao Feng as "King of the Southern Courtyard". This official position was actually very impressive, as it was equivalent to directly entering the power center of the Liao Dynasty, and was almost equivalent to the status of the prime minister of the current dynasty.

The person who asked to see Yelu Hongji at this moment was named "Yelu Wutera". He was the Privy Councilor of the Northern Courtyard, equivalent to the second-in-command of the Privy Council. This person was also deeply trusted by Yelu Hongji.

Yelu Otera entered the hall and performed the etiquette between monarch and subject first. Yelu Hongji smiled and offered him a seat.

Yelu Otera was impatient and did not sit down. After paying his respects, he went straight to the point.

"Your Majesty, the spies have reported that something unexpected has happened in Zhending Prefecture."

Yelu Hongji sat up straight. "Oh? What happened?"

"A few days ago, Zhao Xiaoqian, the governor of the western Hebei route and prefect of Zhending, appointed by the Song Emperor, suddenly mobilized the Dragon Guard Battalion, one of the four armies above the Song capital, late at night. He arrested the judge, prosecutor, supervisor, transport commissioner, and commander of the imperial guards, among other officials and generals, and brought them to Bianjing for questioning. This is a major incident."

Yelu Otera said in a low voice, "Spies report that Zhao Xiaoqian acted very swiftly that night, with almost no warning. The Dragon Guards suddenly entered the city, and Judge Liu Qianliang and the others didn't even have time to flee before they were captured."

"Zhang Lan, the commander of the Imperial Guards, and his officers finally managed to escape the city, but were eventually caught up by troops from the Song Imperial City Administration and taken back to the city. Meanwhile, Zhao Xiaoqian also sent troops to seize control of the 10,000 border troops in Zhending Prefecture..."

"Only one night later, he cleaned up the officialdom of Zhending Prefecture from top to bottom. This man's methods are really amazing. He is a ruthless character!" Yelu Otera licked his dry lips and said.

Yelu Hongji frowned. When he heard Zhao Xiaoqian's name, the uneasy feeling came over him again.

"Zhao Xiaoqian, Dragon Guard Camp, Governor and Pacifier of the Western Hebei Route..." Yelu Hongji muttered.

"Your Majesty, Zhending Prefecture has just experienced a great upheaval. Internal instability is inevitable, and the military's morale is also likely to be weakened. Choosing to dispatch troops now is a heaven-sent opportunity. The Crown Prince will lead the army to victory this time."

(End of this chapter)