The prince is more stable

Chapter 479: Dangerous Return

The expedition to Xijin Prefecture was not an impulsive move. In fact, both the Song and Liao sides were well aware that this was just a deterrent action by Zhao Xiaoqian.

It's like a street urchin blocks a primary school student in an alley after school, pulls out a knife and threatens the student to contribute his pocket money.

Does this street urchin have the guts to actually stab a primary school student?

Of course I don't have the courage. If I really had such courage, I wouldn't have to rob elementary school students. I would have done something big long ago.

The same is true for the top leaders of both Song and Liao, including Zhao Xiaoqian himself. They actually have a clear understanding and judgment of the current situation between the two countries.

No matter how strong the Dragon Guard Camp was, or how powerful the Song army's firearms were, it was ultimately only an army of more than 30,000 men. This small force was simply not enough to capture Xijin Prefecture, let alone recapture Yanyun.

Therefore, when the Song army approached Xijin Prefecture, which was only two hundred miles away, the Liao army still did not make any fierce resistance. At best, small groups of troops made tentative attacks in batches.

Zhao Xiaoqian was not sure of his ability to capture Xijin Prefecture, and the Liao Kingdom was also afraid of a complete upset, so the Liao army was cautious even in their resistance.

They were afraid that a large-scale attack on the Song army would irritate Zhao Xiaoqian's fragile nerves, and that this guy would completely turn against them after being irritated and turn the feint into a real attack without considering the consequences.

Both sides have their own fears and restraints, which has led to the current delicate situation.

It is certain that Zhao Xiaoqian's move was just a deterrent, but since it was only two hundred miles away from Xijin Prefecture, this kind of deterrence was indeed disgusting enough.

But for Zhao Xiaoqian, this distance was just right.

Not too far, not too close, love is unrestrained and restrained.

In the past life, there was a hegemonic country that also liked to do this. No one provoked it, but it liked to send aircraft carriers to the waters near China to show off its power. It was not until China's military technology made rapid progress that this hegemonic country gradually calmed down after suffering several heavy blows.

To be honest, Zhao Xiaoqian's current actions also make him like a villain, but unlike his previous life, the Liao Kingdom is unlikely to have the strength to give him a hard time.

"We will withdraw in two more days. Don't worry. I am not trying to be a hero. I am not the kind of person who cares about face. When it is time to escape, I will escape faster than anyone else." Zhao Xiaoqian grinned and comforted Zhong Jianzhong.

Zhong Jianzhong was in a complicated mood. He didn't know whether he should be happy about His Royal Highness the Prince's shamelessness or condemn His Royal Highness the Prince's spinelessness.

"To be honest, I'm also scared about our 30,000 troops stationed here. I'm afraid that the Liao army will be suddenly provoked and fight us regardless of everything. There are at least 200,000 troops stationed in Xijin Prefecture, and our number of troops is really not enough." Zhao Xiaoqian sighed.

Zhong Jianzhong smiled bitterly and said, "Since Your Highness is so clear-headed, I am not worried anymore."

Zhao Xiaoqian pondered for a moment and said, "Yesterday we received an urgent report from the Imperial City Administration. According to the calculations, Su Shi and Zhang Rong will arrive in about three to five days. However, we can't wait that long. After all, the risks here are quite high. We should withdraw in two days."

Zhao Xiaoqian then shouted towards the commander's tent, "Chen Shou, call Zhe Keshi over."

Not long after, Zhe Keshi entered the tent to pay his respects.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and waved, "Come over here, Lao Zhe. I haven't seen you in two days. Your muscles have grown stronger. Lift up your clothes and let me see your abs... Hey? What's wrong with your face?"

Zhe Keshi's face twitched slightly and he grimaced in pain. There were several bruises on his face, a swelling at the corner of his mouth with a few traces of blood visible, and one of his eyes was still black.

Zhe Keshi said expressionlessly, "Nothing much. A few of these brats were disobedient and I taught them a lesson. I knocked them down in just a few moves. I only sustained minor injuries."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded without asking whether it was right or wrong.

The military has been a special group since ancient times. Reason is not very common in this group, and no one has the time to distinguish right from wrong.

The army believes in fists. Those who are strong can quickly win people's hearts without saying a word. Those who are weak... are bullied everywhere in the army and beaten every day. They deserve it and don't even have the confidence to complain.

In the Longwei Camp, Zhe Keshi was an outsider. He was temporarily transferred from the Northwest Army by Zhao Xiaoqian. Although he had won several battles, the soldiers of the Longwei Camp were not necessarily completely convinced of him. Even Zhao Xiaoqian could not completely eliminate the phenomenon of pretending to obey and secretly excluding outsiders.

At this time, Zhe Keshi needed to use his fists instead of reasoning. Now it seems that the principles Zhe Keshi spoke were obviously deeply rooted in people's hearts. Those who learned were grateful and most of them had to lie in bed for a few days to savor the principles that General Zhe had spoken.

Those little guys who don't obey Zhe Keshi probably don't know Zhe Keshi's background. He is a direct descendant of the famous Zhe family army in the northwest. He is the descendant of a military family for generations. It is easy for him to deal with a few little Karami in the army.

Although Zhe Keshi was slightly injured, he obviously didn't take it seriously.

"Your Highness summoned me here, but does he have any orders?" Zhe Keshi asked.

Zhao Xiaoqian hummed and said, "I'll send you on this errand. I'll give you five thousand soldiers and horses, plenty of rations and ammunition. You'll set out in two hours, heading north towards Shangjing, the capital of the Liao Kingdom, to pick up Su Shi and Zhang Rong..."

Zhong Jianzhong and Zhe Keshi were surprised: "The Liao Kingdom is going to the capital?"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and said, "Don't be afraid. Old Zhe, you'll meet Zhang Rong and Su Shi in two days at most. Just bring them back. If you encounter snipers from the Liao army on the way, just be polite to them and speak tactfully..."

Zhe Keshi was stunned and asked, "What should I say if I encounter the Liao army?"

"Just say you're following the orders of the Prince of Hejian of the Song Dynasty to cross the border and borrow a passage to welcome the Song envoy back home. Hopefully, the Liao officials and troops along the way will give way. Don't be so shameless..."

Zhe Keshi: “…………”

Is this what you call "euphemism"?
Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and said, "Times are different now. The offensive and defensive dynamics between Song and Liao have changed. As long as we don't overdo things, Liao will turn a blind eye. Furthermore, you have the emissary letter from the Prince of Hejian. Just send scouts to pass it on to Liao officials along the way." After a moment's thought, Zhao Xiaoqian added, "If you encounter Liao villages or tribes along the way, don't plunder them. Be patient. We, the Great Song, are a peace-loving people."

"This time you are a righteous army, not a bunch of bandits. After you set out, you must strictly control your subordinates and don't cause any trouble for me. The Liao Kingdom is at a time when it is both proud and humble, and we cannot afford to be provoked."

Zhe Keshi looked strange and nodded silently.

Zhao Xiaoqian added, "Of course, if Zhang Rong and Su Shi are in danger, you can lead your troops to kill them without mercy."

Zhe Keshi suddenly perked up, clasped his fists and said solemnly: "As ordered!"

After saying this, Zhe Keshi turned around and walked out of the general's tent with murderous intent.

Zhao Xiaoqian sat in silence for a while inside the tent. He turned to look at Zhong Jianzhong and asked uncertainly, "Was there anything ambiguous in the way I expressed myself just now?"

Zhong Jianzhong thought for a moment and said with certainty, "Your Highness's military order is very clear and there is no ambiguity."

Zhao Xiaoqian said with some concern, "Why does this fellow, Lao Zhe, look so eager to try, like a bandit ready to make a big move... Have I really explained it clearly?"

Zhong Jianzhong was also a little uncertain at this point: "Is that really clear...?"

…………

After Zhang Rong and Su Shi left the Liao Kingdom and went to Shangjing with 500 soldiers, they rushed towards the Song-Liao border day and night.

They knew very well that leaving Shangjing was not enough, and there would be many crises waiting for them on the road ahead. Yelu Hongji was forced to let Su Shi leave due to the general situation, but that was only a superficial phenomenon, and did not mean that he would not cause trouble secretly.

As Su Shi was already on the Liao Emperor's death list, it would be naive for him to think that he could save his life by leaving Shangjing.

The facts turned out to be exactly as Zhang Rong and Su Shi had expected.

On the second day after leaving Shangjing, the team of 500 people encountered no less than five ambushes.

The scale of the ambushes on Su Shi was not large, with only about one or two hundred people each time. They disguised themselves as bandits and vagrants, ambushing in the woods or narrow passes on the roadside, and then suddenly shot Su Shi with hidden arrows from a distance of about a hundred steps.

If the attack fails, they will retreat immediately, leaving no suspicious traces at the scene, so that Zhang Rong and Su Shi will not be able to find any evidence to accuse the Liao Kingdom.

After encountering the first ambush, at Zhang Rong's strong request, Su Shi had to wear iron armor to protect the vital parts of his body. The marching speed of the 500 people became faster. Sometimes they did not set up camp even after dark, but continued to travel in the dark.

On the fourth day after leaving Shangjing, we were not too far from Xijin Prefecture, about three hundred miles away.

This place is close to Datong Prefecture. There are many mountains on both sides of the road, and the road is rugged and difficult to travel, especially with many woods. Zhang Rong's heart is already hanging high and his eyelids are twitching.

Carrying the trust entrusted by His Royal Highness the Prince, Zhang Rong became even more cautious. As the team marched, he sent out scouts continuously to explore the way forward for twenty or thirty miles, and every step was taken as if walking on thin ice.

However, some things are more likely to happen the more you worry about them.

After entering Datong Prefecture for more than a hundred miles, only three of the five scout teams sent by Zhang Rong returned. The team waited on the roadside for more than two hours, but there was still no movement from the other two teams of scouts.

Zhang Rong's heart sank suddenly, he knew something must have happened.

There are rules for scouts to go back and forth to explore the way and report military intelligence. The time for going back and forth is agreed upon. If they don't show up at the agreed time, it means that something must have happened to this team of scouts. Most likely, they were discovered by the enemy and killed.

In other words, there must be enemy troops lying in ambush on the road ahead, waiting to take Su Shi's life.

"The entire army prepares to meet the enemy!" Zhang Rong gave the order decisively.

The five hundred soldiers drew their swords and calmly spread out along the roadside, looking around vigilantly.

The 500 soldiers that Zhang Rong brought with him this time were not equipped with firearms, but only with short-bladed bows and arrows and paddle swords.

Firearms are the secret weapons of the Song Dynasty, and it is impossible for them to be brought into the Liao territory. The Liao people will covet them when they see them, which will be even more dangerous for Zhang Rong and his party.

The soldiers were on full alert, all their eyes fixed on the rugged road ahead.

Sure enough, half an hour later, a chaotic rumbling sound of horse hooves came from the mountain road ahead.

Zhang Rong's expression tensed, and he shouted, "Prepare for battle!"

A row of shield bearers immediately stepped forward, raised their shields, and faced the road ahead.

The bows and arrows in the back row also drew their strings and aimed forward.

The air seemed to freeze in an instant, and an unexpected encounter was about to begin.

(End of this chapter)