You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 119 Refugees from a Devastated Nation
None of those present knew about Chen Shao's campaign against Xia.

Emperor Huizong was no longer bothered to pretend to love his third son. He wanted to support the crown prince and the old faction of reformers behind him.

Emperor Huizong stood up, turned and left.

The usually composed and elegant Third Prince Zhao Kai appeared slightly flustered at this moment. He didn't know what he had done wrong, but after saying just one sentence, his father seemed to get angry.

After leaving Genyue dejectedly, Zhao Kai immediately instructed his men, "Quickly check how Chen Shao's campaign against Xia is going!"

At this point, the so-called conquest of Xia was actually coming to an end.

The Western Xia returned empty-handed this time, and it was impossible for them to go to war during the coming winter.

Their already scarce resources did not support them in fighting a major battle involving hundreds of thousands of people in the winter.

Winters in the Xingling Plain are quite cold.

Li Qianshun ordered that a large number of livestock be slaughtered and then the meat be cured with salt.

Otherwise, these cattle and sheep will lose a lot of fat after winter.

He is a man who refuses to admit defeat. Even though Western Xia is facing a serious crisis, he still wants to find an opportunity to turn the tide.

Now, he places his hopes on the rising Jurchen people.

Despite the long-standing friendship between Liao and Xia, Emperor Li Qianshun of Xia secretly sent someone to the Jurchen camp to pay a visit to Wanyan Aguda.

It's laughable that those old nobles in the court are still pinning their hopes on the Liao Dynasty's resurgence, its annihilation of the rebellious Jurchen tribes, and their subsequent help in getting out of their predicament.

In a daze, the carriage suddenly came to a stop. The guard driving the carriage announced in a low voice from outside, "Your Majesty, we have arrived."

Li Qianshun lifted the curtain, stepped down from the imperial carriage, and prepared to visit his younger brother, Prince Jin, Li Chage.

He returned empty-handed once again, even suffering some losses in his troops. He was so ashamed and indignant that he fell ill and never recovered.

Li Qianshun may not be without resentment towards his younger brother, as he has already missed two opportunities to turn the tide.

However, he knew that he still needed to rely on this younger brother for the time being.

His victory over Liu Fa at Tong'an City was arguably the biggest win for Western Xia in recent years.

If it weren't for that battle, the Western Xia dynasty might have been destroyed long ago.

As Li Qianshun entered the Prince of Jin's residence, all the owners of the residence came out to greet him.

Li Qianshun smiled and gestured to them, then picked up the Prince of Jin's youngest son and walked to his bedside.

Richard struggled to get up from the bed, trying his best to put on a smile, but his nervousness only made his expression look even stranger.

Li Qianshun walked over, took his hand, and gently patted it, saying, "Take good care of yourself."

"Your Majesty, my brother is guilty."

Li Qianshun laughed and said, "Whether you are guilty or not, do you think I don't know? This is the current state of our Xia Kingdom. It doesn't matter who we send. As long as you can restrain yourself and not sacrifice too many of our men, we still have a chance to fight back."

“Our ancestors placed too heavy a burden on us. No matter the outcome, we brothers have done our best and will not be ashamed when we meet our ancestors. You, take good care of yourself. Even if we lose, we must lose on the battlefield, not on our beds.”

Richard's eyes reddened, and he gritted his teeth as he said, "Brother, I, Richard, swear to the Great God Baishi that I will definitely kill Chen Shao, reclaim Yinxia, ​​and avenge our humiliation!"

Chen Shao twice stopped Richard, but they were actually mortal enemies.

The Tangut people had a deep-seated obsession with revenge. Volume 8 of the "Western Affairs" clearly records: "The Xia people considered it shameful not to take revenge."

If a member of the clan is injured or killed, the entire clan must act collectively. Before taking revenge, they must be "disheveled, barefoot, and abstain from meat" until they have personally killed their enemy before they can return to normal life.

This is why the Western Xia people always massacred the inhabitants of cities after they recaptured them; they felt that the soldiers and civilians inside had betrayed them and surrendered to the Song Dynasty, which was an unforgivable act.

Deep down, they possessed a fierce, martial spirit. Later, when Genghis Khan destroyed the Xia dynasty, the Tangut army fought to the death against the Mongols in the Battle of Lingzhou, preferring to burn the city rather than surrender.

Similarly, they also valued 'oaths' highly; in the early days, the eight tribes of the Tanguts often "sat in a circle to drink and hunt."

Before Li Yuanhao planned to attack the Song Dynasty, he would always gather the chieftains of various tribes at Helan Mountain and swear an oath together.

Richard was originally filled with grief, indignation, and shame, and he was too ashamed to face anyone while lying in bed. After making the vow, his illness was half cured, and he was full of energy.

Li Qianshun was also quite satisfied. The Prince of Jin was actually quite capable; his defeats were purely a matter of national strength. The person on the other side, however, didn't give him a chance to demonstrate his command talents; all he knew was to set up camps and engage in disastrous battles.

The two brothers had lunch together at the Prince of Jin's residence, and then they immediately began to discuss how to defeat Chen Shao and reclaim the Hetao and Hengshan regions.

The Hetao region was the granary of the Western Xia Dynasty, and Hengshan was the Great Wall of the Western Xia Dynasty.

Now that everything has fallen into Chen Shao's hands, they can't take back Hengshan. It's like the Song Dynasty losing Youyan; the enemy can attack you whenever they want.
-
Yanzhou City, Chen Shao's residence.

Da Hu had set up a steaming pot of mutton soup in the yard early in the morning. The aroma of the mutton soup, which was filled with pepper, spices and coriander, wafted over in waves.

A group of young civil and military officials gathered on the first floor, taking turns standing in the middle to share their learning experiences.

Regarding how to build fortified villages, how to manage them, and how to cultivate land...
If these points are still not directed at the Western Xia, then the discussion should focus on how to improve the efficiency of the scorched-earth policy, how to incite hatred among the tribes against the Tangut Tuoba clan, and how to awaken the Tuoba clan's resentment towards the oppression they have suffered against the other tribes over the years.
This training was specifically designed for the Western Xia.

Human wisdom often explodes when people gather to discuss things.

You might sit there racking your brains for a month and still not come up with any good ideas, but when you get together to discuss something, what others say can often inspire you and stimulate your thinking.

Everyone was very enthusiastic and spoke actively. Chen Shao, who was on the second floor, felt the enthusiasm below and was in a good mood.

The plan to destroy Xia lies on this very first floor.

The Western Xia was neither a fierce tiger nor a majestic lion, but a sinister, vicious, and extremely vengeful serpent.

The best way is to slowly wear him down and drain his blood.

Otherwise, if we go straight in, we risk being bitten back or getting bogged down in war, and then how can we free up our hands to fight the Jin?

Chen Shao was very patient in dealing with the Western Xia. At least in terms of fighting, Chen Shao firmly believed that knowing is difficult but doing is easy.

Once he knew how to guarantee a win, Chen Shao was confident that he could continue playing according to this method.

The consequences of defeat in the war were so devastating that he didn't want to take any risks at all.

He had already figured out a way to deal with the Western Xia people, but Chen Shao had no idea how to deal with the Jurchens yet.

Thinking of this, he stood up, wanting to go for a walk.

The days Chen Shao spent in Yanzhou were rather austere, but after surviving those few days at Yuanbao Village in Hengshan, he felt that there was no life in the world that was truly unbearable.

Just then, a captain rushed in from outside. Chen Shao saw him through the window and recognized him.

He coughed by the window, and the captain looked up and quickly came up.

"General!" the captain said, clasping his hands in greeting. "Khitan cavalry have been spotted near Xia Prefecture."

Chen Shao was somewhat surprised. Were the Khitans really so loyal and righteous?

He didn't think Emperor Tianzuo had the time or inclination for this; it must be other Khitan forces that wanted to seize this territory.

He wasn't in a hurry; Xiazhou was not an easy place to conquer right now.

Actually, it wasn't easy to fight before, but it was isolated hundreds of miles away. In order to preserve its strength, the Western Xia made Yeli Chongshan take the initiative to withdraw its troops.

Chen Shao instructed Zhao He to summon all generals and civil officials of the fifth rank or above from Yanzhou to the Yanzhou government office.

Soon, people arrived one after another, and the clanging of armor came from outside the door. Han Shizhong walked to the door, handed his sword to the guard, strode in, and saluted, saying, "This humble general has come by order to pay his respects to the commander!"

Chen Shao took out his official seal as the Imperial Envoy, breathed on it a few times, and slapped it hard on the still-wet paper. He said, "After I leave, you will each proceed according to the established strategy. You must not be greedy for merit or act rashly, and you must not indiscriminately kill the people or undermine the morale of the Xia traitors."

Han Shizhong stepped forward and whispered, "General, where are we going?"

"I'm going to Xiazhou."

Chen Shao did not mention the discovery of Khitan troops in Xia Prefecture. He believed that the few scattered cavalrymen were more likely Khitan nobles who had fled there to escape the Jurchens' pursuit and were not necessarily after him. There was no need to create panic here.

Han Shizhong nodded. If there was a battle in Xia Prefecture, he would very much like to go with Chen Shao.

In Yanzhou, although the fortified village tactic was safe, it was extremely boring for him.

When he was about to leave, Han Shizhong was somewhat surprised; this military commander was indeed decisive and efficient.

Having said he was leaving, he didn't delay for a moment. He quickly stepped forward and quietly asked, "General, shall I go with you?"

Chen Shao thought for a moment and then smiled, "That's fine. Just bring your personal guards. Your troops will be temporarily handled by Wu Jie, how about that?"

Han Shizhong said, "Excellent, excellent."

Just as Chen Shao was about to give Wu Jie some instructions, he suddenly noticed that the burly man standing behind him was staring straight at him.

"Brother Li?"

"Brother Shao?" Li Xiaozhong greeted him with a smile, then patted Da Hu on the shoulder, "Brother Da Hu!"

Da Hu scratched his head, chuckled, and called out, "Brother Li."

Chen Shao was pleasantly surprised and called Wu Jie and Li Xiaozhong to the inner hall.

Han Shizhong scratched his head and followed in. He was one of the main generals who rose to power in Hengshan with Chen Shao, so his personal guards naturally did not stop him.

After the group entered, Chen Shao smiled and said, "Sit down! What brings Brother Li to the army?"

Wu Jie quickly replied, "A few days ago, when I was guarding Jiuli City, Brother Li was being chased by the Xia bandits and entered our camp. Because we saw that he was an exceptional archer and shot and killed the Xia bandit leader, we kept him in the army."

"I never expected that Brother Li would know the General."

Chen Shao laughed and said, "Since we parted that day, I have sent people to Shihao Village several times to look for Brother Li, but they said he never came back."

"I heard that the military commander is a young man with the same name as you, Shao-ge'er. I never thought it was really you."

Seeing that everyone here was one of his own, Chen Shao said, "These past few days, some Khitan cavalry have appeared near Xia Prefecture. I plan to go there with Han Wu. Wu Jie, you stay here and remember to follow my instructions. Do not be greedy for merit or act rashly."

"Rest assured, General!"

Although Wu Jie is young, he is extremely reliable in his work, and Chen Shao trusts him completely.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been sent to guard Muzhou in Jiangnan, where he eventually captured Fang La.

"Brother Li, come with us to Xia Prefecture!"

Li Xiaozhong clasped his hands and said, "Now that I am under your command, Brother Shao, I will naturally obey your orders."

The two laughed together.
-
A troop of cavalry galloped across the flat plains, their hooves thundering, their momentum magnificent.

Chen Shao rode a tall horse, but he actually felt a bit cold, and the wind was blowing painfully on his face.

But everyone around him was running around like crazy and seemed to be doing it with ease, so Chen Shao had no choice but to grit his teeth and keep going.

Finally, Chen Shao saw the city walls of Xia Prefecture and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling slightly more at ease.

The city gates opened, and the group entered the city and headed straight for the Xia Prefecture government office.

Unlike the completely Central Plains-influenced architecture of places like Yinzhou, the architecture of Xiazhou retains some Western Region styles in many places.

Of course, this place has high walls and thick fortifications, is very well-stocked, has abundant food and fodder, and has running water, so it could hold out for ten years without any problem.

If it weren't isolated in the vast ocean, Chen Shao would have had to expend countless resources and manpower to take it down.

However, precisely because of this, once we take this place, as long as we don't make any major mistakes, it's not easy to lose it.

Yang Guangqi, the defense commissioner of Xia Prefecture, and others rushed over.

"General!"

Chen Shao nodded and asked, "What happened?"

“Since the beginning of the month, Khitan cavalry have been spotted sporadically in this area, likely coming from the direction of Yunzhou.”

Han Shizhong said, "I heard that the Khitan Tartars were routed by the Jurchen Tartars, and they were probably scattered and defeated soldiers. They didn't follow the Liao Emperor, either because they were completely disappointed in him, or because they were a group of Han Chinese from Yunzhou."

The Liao Dynasty had a vast territory, and not all of its inhabitants were Khitans, especially in Yunzhou.

Originally a city inhabited by the Han people, it was ceded to the Khitan by Shi Jingtang. Now that the Liao Dynasty is on the verge of collapse, it is not surprising that people are coming to surrender.

After all, the Jurchens had been relentlessly pursuing and killing the Liao soldiers, leaving them routed and carnage. They only recognized you as a Liao soldier or general, regardless of your ethnicity.

Have you contacted them?

Yang Guangqi shook his head and said, "I have not received orders from the commander-in-chief and dare not contact him without authorization."

Chen Shao frowned slightly. In such a crucial place, how could someone holding the position of a prefectural defense commissioner, who wields military power, rely entirely on requesting permission to fight?
Yang Guangqi surrendered to me from Yanzhou, making him one of the earlier generals to surrender from Xia. He was promoted for his meritorious service during the attack on Hongzhou.

Chen Shao has decided to transfer him back to Youzhou or Yinzhou so that he can stay by his side and make it easier for him to ask for instructions. A place like Xiazhou is not suitable for him.

Where are they stationed?

Yang Guangqi stammered and couldn't speak. He was terrified when he learned that the Khitan cavalry had arrived.

After all, the Liao Dynasty was a formidable force, with Yunzhou still boasting an army of 700,000—a truly terrifying number.

Therefore, after reporting to Chen Shao, he did not take any further action.

Chen Shao snorted coldly and asked, "Have any nearby fortresses or strongholds come to ask for help?"

"No."

Li Xiaozhong said, "The area around Xiazhou is sparsely populated. If we have an army of about 10,000 men, we can have enough to eat and drink for three to five days by kidnapping a tribe."

Chen Shao nodded and said, "The southeast of Xia Prefecture is full of my newly built fortresses, so they can't infiltrate silently, but the north is a different story."

The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun were home to many powerful Han Chinese who each had their own armies.

After the Jin and Song dynasties broke off relations, many of them became the main force in the southward conquest of the Northern Song, plundering vast sums of money and continuing to serve as officials in the Jin state.

Li Xiaozhong stood up and said, "General, I have always taken every small merit as an example since I came to the army. This time, I will go and find out the truth of the matter."

Chen Shao nodded. Li Xiaozhong had been traversing the grasslands for many years and was more familiar with these foreign tribes than he was. He was courageous and insightful, so sending him was just right.

Given the state of Liao, they probably wouldn't be thinking of attacking us. They're more likely seeking refuge, or they've simply been badly defeated by the Jurchens and are fleeing here.
-
Zhang Tianwang was indeed a Han Chinese from Liaodong, and originally served as the deputy military governor of Yunzhou.

Because Yunzhou was Liu's territory, he was at odds with the Liu family, and the Liu family had already decided to surrender to the Jin. The Liu family came from a family of Han officials in the Liao Dynasty, with six generations of their ancestors serving as prime ministers in Liao. Now, the head of the family, Liu Yanzong, was determined to surrender to the Jurchen Jin Dynasty, and all the Han gentry in Yunzhou agreed.

Zhang Tianwang did not want to surrender to the Jin dynasty with them. When he was an official in Liaodong, he was responsible for collecting gyrfalcons and pearls from the Jurchen tribes, and he was afraid of retaliation from the Jurchens.

His wife happened to be from the Yeli tribe and was related to Yeli Chongshan. Having been severely defeated by the Jurchens, she decided to lead her people to surrender to the Western Xia.

As a result, the Liao Dynasty had been too isolated from news all these years, and they only found out that Xia Prefecture had changed hands when they arrived.

After he arrived, he saw that Xiazhou was indeed a good place. He wanted to seize Xiazhou as his base, but he had no good plan to build the city, so he asked his confidants for advice.

One of his advisors, Long Xingyi, racked his brains and offered him a plan. Zhang Tianwang thought it was brilliant and immediately put it into action.

He led his army through Xia Prefecture without entering, and hurriedly headed towards the Han Sea, making it seem as if he was continuing to flee for his life. Yang Guangqi, who was in Xia Prefecture, did not dare to come out to investigate the situation.

Zhang Tianwang first had his thousand elite soldiers ambush at Liuyang Ridge, and then personally led a thousand old, weak, and sick soldiers, carrying a large amount of gold and silver treasures, to a tribe in the northwest of Xia Prefecture to beg for shelter.

This place is about ten miles from Xia Prefecture. It used to be a military post station set up by the Western Xia in the north, called Liuyang Post Station.

After Yeli Chongshan fled, he was occupied by a tribe here. When the Khitans came to beg for shelter and offered a large amount of gold, silver and valuables, the tribe chief Shi Ercan was dazzled by the jewels and saw that the people he brought were old, young and disabled. His wariness disappeared and he generously agreed to take them in.

At this point, Zhang Tianwang added that another tribe had also left the Khitan with all their treasures, cattle, sheep, horses, and women. If Lord Shi Ercan wished to recruit them, he was willing to introduce them and allay their suspicions. He also told Shi Ercan with great concern that the tribe still retained an armed force of over three hundred men, possessing considerable fighting strength.

When Shi Ercan heard that the tribe had brought a large number of cattle, sheep, treasures, and women, his eyes lit up. He was originally the chieftain of a small tribe nearby, but he was short-sighted. At this moment, his mind was filled with the golden gold and beautiful flesh, and his mouth was watering. He had no sense of caution at all.

So he immediately agreed without hesitation, and then led eight hundred tribesmen, with Zhang Tianwang as their guide, to persuade the Khitan tribe to surrender.

He didn't report this to Xia Zhou because he was afraid Xia Zhou would take his money and women.

As soon as he emerged, he was wiped out by Zhang Tianwang, who occupied his tribe and drove away and imprisoned all his people.

Just then, Li Xiaozhong arrived with his men.

It didn't take him long to find the tribe, and based on the fires that Zhang Tianwang and his men hadn't had time to clear on Six Sheep Ridge, he estimated their approximate troop strength.

It should be over ten thousand people.

At this moment, the weather in the Northwest is extremely cold, and light snow is falling from the sky like scattered powder.

On Liuyang Ridge, Zhang Tianwang heard the news and came out to check.

In the distance, amidst the swirling snowflakes, a group of people could be seen winding their way along the mountain path towards their location.

He gripped the hilt of his sword, but hesitated. These soldiers must be from Xia Prefecture; they were all strong and agile men, wearing thick coats and white sable hats.

He had never seen these robes before. He heard from the prisoners in the tribe that the current master of Xiazhou was named Chen Shao, and that he had just changed the military robes and jackets of his soldiers last year.

He had originally planned to take Xiazhou, but seeing these soldiers still full of energy in this weather and walking with vigor on the mountain path, Zhang Tianwang suddenly lost his confidence.

Once they got closer, and looking at the thin ropes wrapped around the hilts of their swords that seemed to be stained with blood, it became clear that these soldiers, dressed in the new-style padded military jackets but wearing extremely stylish white mink hats, were all battle-hardened men who had rolled out of piles of corpses.

Li Xiaozhong and his brothers were truly living on the edge, robbing Western Xia's warhorses from their pastures and then selling them in Song territory.

This kind of business is something that most people can do, and who would dare to do.
Walking along the winding Liuyang Ridge, Li Xiaozhong muttered to himself, "The people Shao-ge chose are really not very good."

They didn't even know this place was lost. If I were guarding Xia Prefecture, I would definitely station troops here!
Moreover, beacon towers should be set up.

By stationing only a few dozen soldiers on Liuyang Ridge, they could control an area of ​​more than ten miles around. The surrounding area is all flat land, and any slight movement can be seen from Liuyang Ridge.

Upon arriving at the pass, Li Xiaozhong clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Li Xiaozhong, a subordinate of the Commissioner of Dingnan Army, has come to pay his respects!"

Zhang Tianwang was silent for a moment, then nodded, closed the door, and opened it again.

Li Xiaozhong was not afraid. He led his three brothers and stepped forward.

Everyone else was waiting behind closed doors.

Upon arriving at the pass, Zhang Tianwang did not invite them in, but simply stared coldly at Li Xiaozhong.

Li Xiaozhong glanced at him and saw that he didn't look like a Khitan, as he didn't have a Khitan hairstyle. He should be a Han Chinese from Liaodong. So he clasped his hands and asked, "May I ask which general you are?"

"I am Zhang Tianwang, the Deputy Military Governor of Yunzhou in the Great Liao Dynasty."

As expected of a powerful Han Chinese from Liaodong, Li Xiaozhong had already made up his mind. He smiled and said, "So it's General Zhang. What brings you to Xiazhou with your troops?"

Zhang Tianwang sneered, "What do you think?"

"They can't be here to offer birthday wishes, can they?"

Several bodyguards beside Zhang Tianwang looked menacing and were about to draw their swords.

Zhang Tianwang suddenly laughed and said, "It really is! How did you know that the city lord of Xia Prefecture, Yeli Chongshan, is my brother-in-law!"

Li Xiaozhong smiled and said, "I think the general is a very insightful person, so I won't beat around the bush. You fled from Yunzhou to here because you were forced by the Jurchens and didn't want to surrender to them."

"You didn't follow the Liao Emperor westward, so your loyalty to the Liao Dynasty is so-so. It seems you either have a grudge against the Jurchens or were rejected by the powerful Han Chinese in Yunzhou and driven here. There used to be a tribe here, but now you've usurped their territory. You must have used some kind of trickery to seize their tribe."

"Come with me to see my General Jie. Xia Prefecture is willing to take in your ten thousand-plus people, which means you have a place to stay. Otherwise, in this vast world, is there anywhere else for you to go?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tianwang suddenly seemed to have all his strength drained away, and he was too lazy to refute anymore.

Everything was seen through.
Li Xiaozhong smiled and didn't say anything more. He knew this person had no other choice.

In his circumstances, it was already quite remarkable that someone was willing to take him in.

"Aren't you, General Jie, afraid of the Jurchens?"

“I’ve never asked, but I imagine they’re not afraid,” Li Xiaozhong said earnestly.

Zhang Tianwang knew that he had been exposed. On someone else's territory, if he did not cooperate, the Xia State army would be no match for him.

Since he was going to surrender, he had to show some sincerity, so he simply proposed to go into Xiazhou City in person to meet Chen Shao.

Such courage impressed Li Xiaozhong, so he took him back to Xiazhou.

Li Xiaozhong completed the task in less than half a day, which greatly pleased Chen Shao. Yang Guangqi, on the other hand, looked embarrassed and regretted his cowardice.

He knew in his heart that his position as the defense commissioner of Xia Prefecture was most likely in jeopardy.

The commander was always fair in rewarding and punishing, and would never turn a blind eye to anything.

Meanwhile, in the small building behind the government office, a warm curtain was hung and a charcoal brazier was set up. The interior was warm and cozy, like springtime, and several maids stood with their heads bowed in service.

After listening to Li Xiaozhong's account, Chen Shao roughly understood. Looking at Zhang Tianwang, who looked somewhat frightened, he laughed and said, "Did you originally intend to seize my Xiazhou City?"

Zhang Tianwang lowered his head, looking ashamed, but did not deny it.

The group burst into laughter.

“This city is not easy to take. I made a mistake in choosing the right people, which allowed you to take advantage of the situation. Otherwise, when we arrived at Xiazhou City, we should have surrounded all ten thousand of you.”

Yang Guangqi blushed and dared not speak. Chen Shao glanced at him and scolded, "When you were in Hongzhou, you were brave enough to be the first to charge into battle. How come you've become so cowardly now that you're an official! Go back and pack your things tonight, and get out of here in Youzhou. Wait for my arrangements."

Yang Guangqi knew that he hadn't been punished, only stripped of his official rank, which was already quite good; he guessed that his past military achievements had offset it.

He quickly bowed to Chen Shao with his hands clasped, and slowly backed out.

"Where are you going?" Chen Shao glanced at him and snapped, "Sit down and have some wine!"

It's not that he lacks ability; it's just that after becoming a high-ranking official, he became cowardly and afraid of death. However, his past achievements were not fake.

Chen Shao is short of talent and actually wants to use him, but he needs to be evaluated and refined further.

Sometimes, you can't just wait for talented people to emerge on their own. Once you reach that level, you also have to learn how to train your subordinates.

Yang Guangqi was somewhat moved, his eyes reddening, and he silently returned to his seat. When he had nothing, he was indeed daring and courageous, but after he made meritorious contributions and became an official, he became greedy for his current life of wealth and became timid and cowardly.

Now, after being reprimanded by the military commander, he felt both ashamed and remorseful. Fortunately, the military commander still gave him some dignity, treating him as one of his own and inviting him to drink instead of kicking him out.

Yang Guangqi silently vowed to wash away all these humiliations and wait to make meritorious contributions again!

Zhang Tianwang saw all of this and couldn't quite describe the feeling in his heart. He just felt that this place was completely different from the Liao Dynasty.

In Yunzhou of the Liao Dynasty, many Han officials were descendants of the Tang Dynasty's Lulong Jiedushi (military governor), such as the Liu family, whose family had served the Liao for two hundred years.

There, the walls were heavily fortified, the hierarchy was clear, and the relationship between superiors and subordinates was far less intimate than it is here.

After reprimanding his subordinates, Chen Shao asked, "The Jurchens only captured Shangjing a few days ago, and now Zhongjing has fallen. Are they really as skilled in battle as rumored?"

Zhang Tianwang sighed, unsure of what to say.

The Jurchens captured Shangjing City in a single day, and Huanglongfu's 20,000 troops routed 700,000. If we don't say they were good at fighting, does that mean the Liao people were easily defeated?

"General, you should make plans as soon as possible," Zhang Tianwang suddenly said.

"What do you mean?" Chen Shao's heart stirred. Could this person see that the Jurchens had the ambition to march south and attack the Song Dynasty?

If that's really the case, then he's either talking nonsense and stumbled upon a lucky coincidence, or he actually has some real knowledge.

Zhang Tianwang said, "Although I don't know if the Jurchens have the ambition to attack the Song Dynasty, I do know that the Han people in Liaodong, after surrendering to the Jin Dynasty, will definitely instigate the Jin Dynasty to march south and attack the Song Dynasty."

Chen Shao felt as if he had choked, feeling a bit upset and wanting to utter some foul language.

In many cases, this is indeed the case; the puppet troops are even more hateful than the foreign invaders.

The troops of the Han Chinese landlords in the north under Kublai Khan not only helped him sweep across the grasslands, but they were also the main force in his southward march to destroy the Song Dynasty.

Zhang Hongfan, the Yuan general who forced 100,000 people to jump into the sea at Yai Shan, was a member of a Han Chinese hereditary noble family in the Hebei region. It was he who single-handedly destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty.

Needless to say, Hong Chengchou and Wu Sangui at the end of the Ming Dynasty were also prominent figures.
The Manchus, with their small numbers, conquered the Central Plains thanks to the efforts of these Han Chinese from Liaodong.

Han Shizhong said, "I often hear people say that Tong Guan, the commander of our Great Song Dynasty, signed some kind of ridiculous treaty with the Jurchen Tartars."

Chen Shao laughed and said, "Do they look like people who keep their promises?"

The Song Dynasty was fortunate to encounter two brothers, Liao and Xia. Although these two were not good people either, they were generally quite trustworthy.

This made the Song people forget how cunning and fickle these foreign tribes were.

Chen Shao said, "You should stay in Xia Prefecture. Now the Western Xia is about to abandon the Liao Dynasty and surrender to the Jurchen Jin people. Even if you go there, you will be betrayed by the Xia people."

Zhang Tianwang rose and bowed in gratitude, saying, "I have no way to repay the kindness of the General in taking me in."

"However, the people you brought will be assigned to Yinzhou, Longzhou, and Youzhou. Let's not beat around the bush. I won't do anything behind the scenes; I'll tell you straight out."

Zhang Tianwang felt a little uncomfortable, but he still nodded. It was not easy to have a place to stand, so why should he expect those unrealistic powers?
He actually quite liked this place, and both Li Xiaozhong and the military commander Chen Shao were so straightforward and honest.

It's better to be open and honest with each other than to be suspicious and defensive.

Chen Shao glanced at Li Xiaozhong and said, "Brother Li, how about you take on the role of the Defense Commissioner of Xia Prefecture?"

Upon hearing this, Li Xiaozhong was somewhat excited, but still asked, "Won't some of the credit be insufficient?"

"Let's make our contributions slowly. There will be plenty of opportunities. At this point, I can only appoint people based on merit."

Yang Guangqi, who had been drinking silently, suddenly stood up, knelt on one knee, and hugged the wine jar: "Marshal, I toast you!"

Chen Shao extended his wine cup, and Yang Guangqi filled it for him. Chen Shao then drank it all in one gulp.
-
November of the third year of the Xuanhe reign of the Song Dynasty.

It comes from the vicinity of Xiazhou, on Liuyang Ridge.

All around were the sounds of people shouting and horses neighing.

In just over a month, this small, isolated military post station on the frontier had changed its appearance.

The original low stockade walls have been raised. In this area, there's not much else but stones.

The original rammed earth walls have been reinforced and thickened by covering them with newly quarried stones.

The outer layer has not been polished yet, and in some places, the rough stone fragments are exposed.

A trench was also dug, deep and wide. Even though it was cold and water could not be brought in, the trench was more than ten feet deep and more than two feet wide, with sharpened wooden stakes buried at the bottom. If you fell in, you would die.

Li Xiaozhong looked at Liuyang Ridge in front of him and nodded in satisfaction. Zhang Tianwang was right; their Dingnan Army needed to make plans as soon as possible.

Shaoge'er put it more bluntly: not only should we be prepared to guard against the Jurchens moving south, but we should also be prepared to take the initiative to move north.

Therefore, this place has become exceptionally important.

After a month of defense, Li Xiaozhong and Zhang Tianwang gained a new understanding of the strength of the Dingnan Army.

Whether it's quarrying stones to reinforce the stockade walls or digging such a trench in this freezing weather, both require a large amount of manpower.

If they used the original tribal manpower, including the people Zhang Tianwang brought, they wouldn't be able to finish the job even by next year.

But looking at the diverse crowds surging around, the manpower has increased by more than tenfold.
Even in winter, the manpower of Xiazhou can unleash such strong mobilization capabilities.

The requirement was that the villagers from those fortified villages built walls at an astonishingly fast pace.

If you ask them why they're so good, the answer is simple: practice makes perfect.
Following Commander Chen, eight out of ten days were spent in Jiezhai.
Patrolling the stockade walls were burly men from the north dressed in uniform. Li Xiaozhong didn't quite understand why Chen Shao insisted on spending a lot of money to remake the Dingnan Army's uniforms, given the current scarcity of resources.

They were indeed quite spirited. Although their armor was incomplete and their weapons were a mess, they all wore the same clothes, so they could tell who their own people were wherever they went.

The sheer number of strong men gathered in such a remote place was a formidable force in itself. Not to mention they were all dressed in neat armor and cloaks, making them look incredibly imposing!
The Xiazhou soldiers were not yet in a state of strict discipline, but at least they were organized, disciplined, and under command.

These northern men, who grew up in harsh and cold lands and took life and death much less seriously than the people of the Song Dynasty, became different in combat once they were organized into units.

Li Xiaozhong and Zhang Tianwang walked side by side on the stockade wall, looking at the fortress they had built with their own hands.

Advance to attack, retreat to defend!

He sent a lot of men to garrison this place. Just the men patrolling the stockade walls, setting up checkpoints outside the stockade, and coming and going in and out of the stockade numbered no less than four or five hundred!
The officers who command them, layer upon layer, probably number twenty or thirty. At least in this place, that's already a formidable force.

Xia Prefecture should have looked like this from the start. The old defenses were only good for dealing with Liao generals like Zhang Tianwang who had fled there.

If the Jurchens really came, the city gates would probably be breached inexplicably.

On Zhang Tianwang's advice, Li Xiaozhong began to take in Liao refugees near the Liao border.

The Jurchens' military discipline can no longer be called military discipline; it should be called their nature—they kill wherever they go.

Therefore, many Liao people flocked into Xia Prefecture to escape the ferocious Jurchen beasts.

Li Xiaozhong welcomed all who came, and Dingnanjun, because this land was sparsely populated due to its long-standing role as the main battlefield between the Song and Xia dynasties.

In Liuyangling, besides the garrison, there were also a large number of people who looked like refugees in the fortified village, which was packed with people.

Strong men were used to reinforce the village walls and transport grain and supplies from Xia Prefecture into the fortress for storage.

Various defensive equipment were put into order, and sheds were set up inside and outside the fortress. Steam rose from the sheds, where the cooks were preparing meals.

Stacks of steamed multigrain cakes, so thick they made my throat ache, were piled up, and a hot soup was also made.

The migrant workers kept glancing at the sheds as they worked; these simple meals were more precious to them than anything else.

Large groups of women and children also passed by the village. The number of these people was even greater; there were several thousand people just in sight.

With the biting wind howling, these people used everything they could to wrap themselves in, staggering through the snow.

Very few of them were elderly, because the old, weak, sick, and disabled almost all died on the road.

Li Xiaozhong asked, "Has the Liaodong region really fallen into such chaos?"

"The scene of a nation's demise," Zhang Tianwang said, "can only be described as utterly tragic."

After passing through the fortified village, a row of tents was set up. Every woman and child who passed by received a wooden bowl of hot soup and a bag of dry food.

The group of over a hundred men, all on horseback, escorted the women and children. Among them were seven or eight crudely made carts, pulled with great effort by the horses. Those lying on the carts were either too weak to walk or had fallen ill. Upon reaching the destination, they struggled to their feet to receive hot soup and dry rations.

In chaotic times, people are your most valuable asset.

Li Xiaozhong had a feeling that the Liao Dynasty was like a giant beast, and when it fell, everyone was thinking about having a good meal.

Even if they couldn't go to Liao territory to reap benefits, some lucrative resources still flowed over, such as these human resources!
Li Xiaozhong sent people to specifically take in refugees at the border, and then escorted these women and children to the heart of Xia Prefecture, where they were placed in fortified villages and settled down with the men.

The cavalrymen responsible for escorting the group shouted at the top of their lungs, "One bowl of hot soup for each person, with salt and oil, but be careful not to spill it! This bowl of hot soup will last for fifty li! After traveling fifty li and enduring another night, we'll be able to enter our Dingnan Army territory the next day!"

We're already destitute here; many won't survive the winter. Once we reach Xia Prefecture, those with strength can at least find work to support their families, and even women and children can at least find some food. And you all don't need to worry about the Jurchen Tartars! Every step south is a chance to survive, so let's all keep pushing forward!"

These subjugated people walked silently, too exhausted to even consider whether the man's cries were genuine.

The reason they fled here is ultimately because they were originally Han Chinese.

(End of this chapter)