You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 132 Commander Tong Xuan flees south, Commander Chen launches westward expedition

When they received news that Wang Bing had recaptured Yanjing.

Chen Shao was eating by the riverbank.

"one more bowl!"

Chen Shao was overjoyed, his happiness was palpable. He secretly wondered if it was because of the butterfly effect caused by the flapping of his own wings as a transmigrator.

Yang Cheng also stood to the side with his bowl in hand. After taking a few bites, he wiped his mouth and said, "Tong Xuanshuai really did a great job this time!"

"What's so great about that? They led an army of 200,000 to fight a Khitan that was like a dead dog, and still lost so many battles," Yang Guangqi said disdainfully.

Chen Shao waved his hand dismissively. Yang Guangqi himself almost made a huge mistake in Xiazhou, and he still looks down on others.

In any case, taking Yanjing is a good thing.

Chen Shao laughed and said, "It doesn't matter how many times you lose, the most important thing is to win the last time."

At this moment, Yang Guangqi brought him a bowl of rice and said, "I'm afraid he might be able to take it but not hold it."

Chen Shao, holding his chopsticks, was taken aback upon hearing this. He looked down at the rice in his bowl and thought to himself: Tong Guan, Tong Guan, you can't possibly be so bad that it makes people want to eat rice, can you?

He then thought of Xiping Prefecture.

If I hadn't promptly restrained my troops and enforced strict military discipline, taking over this city smoothly wouldn't have been so easy.

Moreover, by the time he entered Xiping Prefecture, he had already completely defeated Richard and Yeli Chongshan. The situation in Yanjing was even more complicated, with Yelü Dashi and Xiao Gan of the Khitan eyeing the city covetously, and Yanjing being surrendered by the Liao traitor Li Chuwen, neither of whom had been defeated.

Chen Shaohao's mood was greatly affected. He lowered his head and silently ate his meal, trying not to let anyone see his emotions.

Although Chen Shao was not the kind of person who could calculate everything perfectly, and his will was not particularly strong, he often had some worries and anxieties. However, gradually, he began to care about his image.

When dealing with subordinates, it's not always better to be as close as possible; sometimes it's important to maintain a sense of mystery.

You must not show your emotions, and you must make people believe that you are the best.

These are all conclusions that Chen Shao has drawn up little by little. Only in this way can his subordinates respect him and reduce the probability of them developing disloyal thoughts.

Some people think that having a good relationship with subordinates, like brothers, is the best, but Chen Shao doesn't think that's quite right.

He concluded from his interactions with those around him that a good lord needs to be mindful of certain things.

Fortunately, Chen Shao wasn't someone who particularly enjoyed mingling with people, so for him, pretending wasn't too tiring.

"Eat, eat, eat! Never mind him, let's get our own business done first!" Yang Cheng shouted.

That's the good thing about the Dingnan Army; most of them are genuinely interested in getting things done.

Because here, unlike the rigid and corrupt bureaucratic systems of the Song, Liao, and Xia dynasties, you can truly get promoted if you do your job.

Are people really afraid of hardship and fatigue?
It's just that after all the hard work, there's no corresponding reward. If diligence could really lead to wealth and performance could really lead to promotion, you'd see if anyone would just lay down their sleeves and work hard.

Since he had let Wei Li set about assembling the team, Chen Shao had indeed become much more relaxed. He returned to his residence from the suburbs just after noon.

As he walked down the long corridor south of the bedroom, he slowed his pace, because it was raining again.

There has been a lot of rain in the Northwest this year, and I heard that Hebei was also flooded, causing great suffering to the army that was fighting against Liaodong.

However, Chen Shao thought this was a good thing, as the mud and water would slow down the cavalry, and the Song army was mainly composed of infantry.

However, Chen Shao heard that the Western Army was very agitated after being drenched, and even dared to curse Tong Guan. He was also worried that those convict soldiers might mutini.

A string of water droplets dripped down from the eaves of the long corridor, splashing water droplets; the air was damp and clean; the distant view was hazy in the rain curtain; the rustling and tinkling sound of the rain was different from the noise of the crowd, the sound of the rain was very soft and quiet.

Chen Shao stood in the corridor, listening quietly to the sound of rain for a while. What came to mind was the helplessness and irritability he felt when he was drenched by the rain during the seven days he had been guarding Hengshan.

A shadow fell over my heart for no reason.

Why is there so much rain?
Chen Shao sighed. He admitted that he had a weak side and sometimes couldn't help but think that if Tong Guan had done a good job, he might not have had to fight those Jurchens head-on.

Let's just enjoy a few more years of this decadent and corrupt feudal lord life here.

Perhaps the task of resisting the Jin dynasty should be undertaken by those with hearts of stone.

The good thing is that he always manages to convince himself that since he's already come this far, he should go all out.

Chen Shao didn't have his own living quarters in the mansion; he would rest wherever he went each day.

He hadn't seen Chun Tao for two or three days, so he walked towards Chun Tao's courtyard. When he entered the room, Chun Tao was trying on new clothes.

With her long, flowing dress, graceful figure, charming oval face, and cloud-like hair, Chun Tao had matured considerably since then.

Seeing Chen Shao come in, she ran over happily and took his arm.

Chen Shao smiled and hugged her, his eyes full of doting affection, a look that often captivated Chun Tao.

The two sat together, listening to Chun Tao chatter on about trivial matters, and Chen Shao temporarily forgot about the troubles in Hebei.

Chuntao touched Chen Shao's wet body and told someone to prepare warm water for him to bathe.

After washing, she personally dried Chen Shao's hair and combed it with a smile.

At this moment, Lady Zhe arrived, carrying a purple garment in her arms. Chen Shao did not rise to greet her, but asked with a smile, "A new garment made for me?"

"I heard you came back to Chun Tao's place, so I brought this over for you." Madam Zhe said with a smile, "Quickly change into it and see if it fits. It was just finished a few days ago and has just been washed and dried. I see that you only have a few robes all year round. For important occasions in the future, you should dress more properly."

As he spoke, Zhe smiled.

In fact, Chen Shao didn't really need such fancy clothes, because he didn't usually attend any banquets.

But seeing that she was in a good mood, Chen Shao put it on and tried it on. Her hair was also styled, and she looked radiant in the brand-new purple brocade with large floral patterns.

Everyone in the room clapped and said yes.

Chun Tao watched as the two women lingered after delivering the clothes, reluctant to leave, and tried to find trivial things to talk about, which she herself had no interest in. She couldn't help but look at them with some suspicion.

Chen Shao seemed to notice her gaze and whispered something in her ear with a smile. Chun Tao looked shocked, her eyes darting back and forth between Zhe Shi and Chen Shao.

Seeing their suspicious behavior and Chun Tao's intimate actions with Chen Shao, Zhe Shi became curious and asked, "What are you talking about?"

"We were saying that it's raining heavily today, so don't leave. Let's rest together tonight."
-
The capital city of Yanjing was in complete chaos.

Standing atop the city wall, Wang Bing looked at the chaos before him, and a sense of powerlessness welled up within him.

Half of Yanjing was burned down, and the Song army that entered the city looted a small portion of it in the chaos. Everywhere there were charred ruins and corpses of those who died in the chaos.

The grandeur of this ancient city has faded considerably, and it now resembles a giant pile of rubble.

Fires raged everywhere in the city, and there were rapists, plunderers, and indiscriminate massacres of unarmed civilians. The soldiers, their eyes bloodshot, were like demons.

After entering the city, he initially ordered a strict ban on massacring the city's inhabitants, but instead sent out small teams to search for the whereabouts of Empress Xiao Puxian of the Liao Dynasty.

Tong Xuanshuai even ordered that "no Liao soldiers should be killed without authorization" and printed "surrender flags" in preparation for recruiting them.

Unfortunately, the torrential rain made the roads muddy, and Tong Guan's army was delayed in reaching Yanjing City.

Gradually, voices began to circulate, saying that all the Khitans should be killed.

The Western Army's discipline caused a major blunder at this moment, especially with the fleeing soldiers pouring into the city from the surrounding areas.

Because the lower and middle-ranking military officers were dismissed, and the sons of powerful and wealthy families who came to gain military merit had long since left, these lower-ranking soldiers of the Western Army, without the restraint of their superiors, gradually became uncontrollable.

They committed murder and arson in the city. At first, they distinguished between Han and non-Han people, killing only Khitans and Xi people. Later, they completely lost control, killing anyone they saw and burning, killing, raping, and looting from house to house.

At first, Guo Yaoshi's invincible army could be restrained, but later they also joined the killing spree.

Wang Bing slammed his fist on the city wall, gritting his teeth and cursing, "Cut them down! Cut them down! Even if the court wants to reduce the size of the Western Army, there's no need to rush it! They've dismissed all my captains and lieutenants, transferred them to Hebei to manage the local troops, and sent me some deserters and cowardly battalion commanders. Now these bandit conscripts are out of control, what are we going to do!"

Guo the Pharmacist said with great concern, "Unless Commander Xuan's army arrives soon, this situation will continue."

Wang Bing turned to look outside the city; after the heavy rain, the land was flooded.

"Damn it! This damned heavens won't let anyone have an easy time!"

After Li Chuwen surrendered the city, Empress Dowager Xiao Puxian of the Northern Liao Dynasty prepared to die with the city at Tongtian Gate. Her Xi and Khitan guards, who were protecting her, persuaded her to wait for Xiao Gan to return to the city.

Not long after the group escaped the city, they encountered Xiao Gan, who had returned to provide reinforcements.

So the two sides joined forces and attacked again.

Meanwhile, another major army of the Song Dynasty, the Fuyan Army led by Liu Yanqing, suffered a surprise attack by Yelü Dashi, which resulted in the burning of their provisions.

Then Yelü Dashi sent people to spread rumors everywhere, saying that the Jurchens were going south to annihilate Liu Yanqing's troops and seize Youyan.

Startled, Liu Yanqing hastily retreated, failing to enter Yanjing City in time.

At this moment, Xiao Gan returned with his troops, which included Khitans, Xi people, and Han Chinese from the north.

They already had some grudges against each other and each harbored their own ulterior motives.

However, at this time, the people in the city, who had been forced to unite by the Song army, also fought back desperately when they heard that the Empress Dowager and Xiao Gan, the King of the Fourth Army, had returned.

The north bank of the Gaoliang River was a blood-red mess, and the charred and broken pontoon bridge remained unrepaired, still resembling a battlefield.

A long rope was strung across the Gaoliang River, and a few dilapidated small boats were used to cross the river by pulling on the rope.

Ice shards drifted downstream in the river, striking the small boats towed along the river with a crisp, cracking sound.

Of the troops that Wang Bing led into Yanjing, only a few hundred escaped, and General Gao Shixuan was killed in battle.

Guo Yaoshi's ever-victorious army suffered relatively small losses because of its complete organization and ability to retreat in an organized manner, but it still lost one or two thousand men.

Wang Bing led his defeated troops out of Yanjing City, looking back with eyes full of resentment!

It was clearly a success! It was definitely a success!
If either Liu Yanqing or Tong Xuanshuai could run faster, they could reach the city!

If your soldiers can obey orders and not indiscriminately kill innocent people, they will incite the entire city's population to rebel!

This extraordinary achievement has now been accomplished, and it is time to hold a celebratory banquet in the Liao people's palace.

A great man has lofty ambitions and unparalleled achievements, but he lost them in this way even though he had them in his grasp.

Zhao Liangsi sat beside him, his eyes vacant and lifeless.

At this point, he began to doubt whether his decision to abandon Liao and return to Song was the right one, and whether this Song Dynasty was the one he had imagined.

After the heavy rain, the southeast wind picked up again, bringing a damp and chilling cold that went straight to the bone.

Zhao Liangsi's spirits lifted. Looking at the tragic scene before him, he forced himself to stay calm and said, "Don't be discouraged, everyone. Once Commander Xuan's army arrives, we'll storm the city and take our revenge."

He spoke with great reluctance, and the people around him didn't react much.

Head drooping, filled with regret.

Wang Bing, a seasoned military commander, had come to a complete realization that the army that was launching this campaign against Liao was utterly rotten.

They can't win any tough battles anymore.

The best solution is to withdraw to Hebei, make new preparations, and then come back.

But is there still a chance?
The Jurchens were unstoppable and had already reached Yanjing Prefecture of the Liao Dynasty. After capturing Yelü Yanxi, they would probably head south to take Youyan.

If the Song Dynasty couldn't even defeat the Khitan, then the Jurchen, who had crushed the Khitan, must have been an incredibly formidable opponent.

Tong Guan was halfway there when he received news that Yanjing City had been lost at the front.

After experiencing great sorrow and great joy, Tong Xuanshuai once again faced a rollercoaster of emotions.

Inside the central command tent, Tong Guan closed his eyes, his mind filled with the name Xiao Gan.

Despite having an army of over 100,000, he was defeated four times.

Tong Guan knew exactly how many troops Xiao Gan had; they numbered no more than 30,000, a mix of Khitans, Xi people, and Han Chinese.

Defeated by the Jurchens several times, they were like stray dogs, barely surviving in Nanjing Prefecture of the Liao Dynasty.

These people were simply too much for him to handle, and time and again, they shattered his dream of becoming a king.

He had completely lost his will to live, as if his bones had been removed and he had collapsed.

Tan Zhen and the others didn't know how to persuade him. They had followed Tong Guan for over twenty years, and it was impossible for them not to have any feelings for him.

But seeing him like this, no one knew how to begin.

Xuan Shuai is almost seventy years old.

Even a forty-year-old general like Xuan might not be able to withstand this kind of torment.

He's not crazy; that already puts him ahead of most people.
-
Xingqing Prefecture.

Chen Shao looked at the military report and slammed his hand on the table.

"Tong Guan is incompetent!"

To spit out a victory that's been fed to one's mouth is like spitting out twenty years of military command, which has gone to waste.

Chen Shao stood up and paced back and forth in the study, his chest full of cursing words, but he didn't know where to vent them.

Tong Guan was quite an oddball; after losing the fight, he retreated to Hejian Prefecture.

He neither reported it, nor withdrew his troops, nor prepared for war. Instead, he hid in his villa in Hejian Prefecture, drinking every day to numb himself.

The goal was simply to keep it from Emperor Huizong, taking it one day at a time. Within Bianliang (Kaifeng), since almost everyone had a vested interest in the campaign against Liao, no one revealed the truth.

The entire Song Dynasty was immersed in a state of numbness.

Finally, Chen Shao stopped, suppressed his anger, and began to consider the reasons for Tong Guan's great defeat.

Finally, we arrive at a conclusion in four words:
People's hearts are scattered
Now that Tong Guan has been defeated, we must take appropriate action. It seems that the Jurchens' southward advance is now unstoppable.

Because Tong Guan's defeat would make the Jurchens see the true strength of the Song Dynasty, that is, the Song Dynasty had no real strength at all.

Imagine you are a ruthless robber, and next to you is a wealthy man who is powerless to kill, with countless treasures and beautiful wives and concubines.

Is there any suspense left about how things will develop?
It all depends on how many Western troops Old Zhong can bring back.

If we bring back more, and retrain them, they might still be able to put up a fight.

Otherwise, the entire Song Dynasty, apart from its own forces, would not have any other capable government troops.

Chen Shao immediately sent an order to Xia Prefecture, instructing Li Xiaozhong to strengthen border defenses.

On the Jurchen side, the trade of exchanging gold and silver for human lives has been stopped.

Because they saw that such a good thing was happening, the situation was basically out of control, turning many places into complete no-man's-land.

There were some sensible people among the Jurchen leadership who knew that while it seemed like they were making a profit, they were actually losing more than they gained.

He was especially furious when he heard that Wanyan Balisu had granted credit to the other party, with interest rates to be increased the following year.

If war breaks out between the two sides, wouldn't that be like handing over nearly a million people to the other side for nothing?

Wanyan Balisu also had something to say: the Song and Jin dynasties had the "Alliance at Sea," and the two sides were originally allies, so why go to war!
He was Wanyan Zonghan's man, so the Jin state couldn't be too harsh on him; they simply stopped the continued trading without imposing any punishment.

Wanyan Balisu didn't care; he didn't have many survivors left.

As for other Jurchen nobles who were still secretly transporting people to Yunnei Prefecture for trade, he couldn't be bothered to care.

In Yunnei Prefecture, they indulged in revelry and enjoyed themselves to the fullest.

Having come from the harsh, snow-covered lands of the Northeast, he was suddenly transported to this dazzling world. Coupled with the extravagant gifts from the Central Plains that Chen Shao had sent him, he became completely intoxicated.

The Jurchen upper-class nobles were too busy hunting down Emperor Tianzuo, the champion of escape, to bother with him.

After receiving the order, Li Xiaozhong wholeheartedly agreed, as his view of the current situation was consistent with Chen Shao's.

Tong Guan's defeat was so humiliating that it laid bare the weakness of the Song Dynasty, making the southward advance of the Jurchens a foregone conclusion.

If we don't prepare early, we will inevitably be put on the defensive in the future. Fortunately, he has always paid close attention to strengthening the defenses of the border cities.

Moreover, Xia Prefecture is a place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it has so many fortresses built by Chen Shao. Anyone who tries to attack here will definitely have a tough time, as the fortresses are like tortoise shells.

When the enemy attacks, unless we are caught off guard and driven to our doorstep, we should fortify our defenses, retreat into our fortified villages, and then rely on the terrain to both attack and defend.

Anyone who comes in will be worn down, and resupply will be a major problem.

In Silver Summer City, there are many cavalry. They only need to harass your supply train. The Jurchens, who rely on looting wherever they go, have very limited supply transport capacity. If their supply lines are attacked, they won't be able to hold out for long.

Historically, after the Jurchens destroyed the Liao and Northern Song dynasties, they did not continue to attack the Western Xia for this very reason.

This bone is hard to gnaw on.

Furthermore, since the Western Xia was also sensible, Li Qianshun immediately submitted a memorial to submit to the Jin Dynasty, and the Jin Dynasty tacitly allowed the Western Xia to exist.

Later, the Western Xia even secretly attacked the Jin Dynasty and seized a lot of territory around Hengshan.

Li Xiaozhong focused on reinforcing Xiaoguan Pass.

The four major strategic passes of Guanzhong are: Hangu Pass in the east, Xiaowu Pass in the south, Sanguan Pass in the west, and Xiaoguan Pass in the north.

Xiaoguan Pass is strategically located and serves as a vital passage for the northeastern regions of Huamachi and Dingbian.

From Lingzhou south to the prefectural city, and from Guyuan east to Yansui, the distance is more than 400 li in each direction. Among them, only this county connects all four directions.

As the gateway to Yinxia and the key to Binning, relying on the surrounding terrain and the Great Wall of Qin, a large number of fortresses and villages are perfectly connected. They can echo each other and have a clear view of all the mountains, rivers, villages and roads within a radius of more than a thousand feet.

Then, the focus should be on strengthening the troop garrison capacity within the fortress, constructing fortifications, raising the walls, and deepening the moats.

These fortified villages are effective in both offense and defense.

Every time Li Xiaozhong saw the fortresses and strongholds outside Xia Prefecture, he felt very at ease.

He had to admire the commander's foresight; building the fortress was absolutely the right thing to do!
It's all worth the investment, no matter how much you put in.
-
There was no time to deal with the chaotic situation in Hebei.

Less than a month after capturing Xingqing Prefecture, Chen Shao and his men began to plan their westward advance with all their might.

Troop mobilization, food and fodder reserves, weapons and ordnance, logistics and transportation, and intelligence gathering.
He also painstakingly obtained a detailed map of the westward route, including mountains and rivers, and made multiple copies of it, distributing them to the generals of various departments.

The war was directed at the Jade Gate Pass and the ancient Western Regions road.

The Hexi Corridor is the ancestral homeland of China, home to millions of Han Chinese.

When Zhang Yichao raised his banner of righteousness, countless Han Chinese followed him. Thus, his ambitions swept across thousands of miles, and in a short time, he occupied eleven prefectures in the Western Regions, becoming the number one overlord of the Western Regions, surpassing even Tibet and the Hui people.

However, when they sent someone to report their victory to the Tang Dynasty, the envoy traveled for two years without ever reaching Tang territory.

This is because the forces involved here are complex and wars are frequent.

Now that Chen Shao has conquered other territories in the Western Regions, only this homeland remains, making it relatively easier.

Inside the hall, everyone sat around the sand table, appearing quite relaxed.

This time, Chen Shao dispatched a large number of barbarian troops, and instead of letting Wu Jie lead the troops, he went himself.

He didn't want the people here to feel like the Han army had come to reclaim their homeland, since this place was inhabited by both Han and non-Han peoples, and he wanted to win over the hearts of other ethnic groups as well.

After the Khitan established their state, there were more than 50 ethnic groups in the country. In order to respect the customs of each ethnic group and win the hearts of the people, and despite the arrogance and barbarity of the Khitan people, they still knew to follow their own ethnic group and customs. They also set up the South Court and the North Court to properly settle the Han people.

Over the decades, the various tribes remained relatively peaceful, and most of the rebellions within the Liao Dynasty were actually internal strife within the Yelü clan.

The Guiyi Army was initially invincible, sweeping across the Western Regions, but its power gradually dwindled because it denigrated other tribes, leading to endless wars between them.

The Han people in the Western Regions suffered greatly from it, gradually going from supporting it to abandoning it.

Therefore, Chen Shao did not intend to incite ethnic conflict.

Mei Zang Pang Ge laughed and said, "This time we're going on an expedition to show Tong Guan how to reclaim our lost territory."

Chen Shao smiled but didn't reply; this was tantamount to making a joke about the national crisis.

But everyone else inside the hall laughed.

Since most of them were not originally from the Song Dynasty, how much affection could they possibly have for the Song Dynasty? In fact, the majority of them were from the Xia Dynasty.

Chen Shao said: "In the past, the Tang Dynasty used the Hexi Corridor as a trade route to connect the east and the west. The wealth of Hexi was the greatest in the world. Later, the Tang Dynasty declined and lost Hexi. Various forces were intertwined and fought each other endlessly, which led to continuous war in the Western Regions for more than a hundred years, and people of all ethnic groups suffered as a result."

Regardless of whether they were Han or non-Han, rich or poor, the people suffered from the war. They were plundered and slaughtered, leaving nothing behind. The trade routes to the Western Regions were cut off, leaving the people without a livelihood and gradually leading to a state of desolation.

Now we must open up the trade routes in the Western Regions, so that they may be fully protected by our Dingnan Army, and revitalize Hexi, so that all the tribes in the Western Regions and the people of all directions may benefit from our kindness.

Agriculture, animal husbandry, industry, and commerce will be on our side, so we must publicize this beforehand to win over the local people. We must absolutely avoid talking about recovering lost territory, lest we be exploited by those with ulterior motives and incite rebellion among the nomadic tribes.”

After Chen Shao finished speaking, he laughed and cursed, "Even we Han people don't talk about recovering our homeland, but you, a Qiang person, are talking about recovering our homeland."

Meizang Pangge laughed and said, "General, that's not right. We Qiang people were once subjects of the Tang Dynasty. We fought for the Heavenly Khan and the Tang Dynasty's territory was our homeland."

Chen Shao laughed and continued, "Although this battle is easier than the one at Xiping Prefecture, we must not let our guard down. We must be more vigilant in battle. We should also walk around the camp regularly to check on the soldiers and make sure we don't make any mistakes."

The army set off from Xingqing Prefecture, bypassed the desert, and its first stop was Xiliang Prefecture.

Xiliang Prefecture, also known as Liangzhou, is rich in grains, especially wheat and rice. It is free from drought and plague, and is renowned for its animal husbandry.

Since the Han Dynasty established a prefecture here, Liangzhou has been under the jurisdiction of seven counties. After many years of development, it has become a large and prosperous place with abundant resources. There has been a saying since ancient times that Liangzhou has seven cities and 100,000 households.

This place is now occupied by the remnants of the Western Xia. As soon as Chen Shao's army arrived, the Tibetan leader Qusiluo from Qinghai came to join them.

His entire clan was on the verge of being wiped out by the Tanguts.

The Tibetans, who were originally the rulers of Xiliang, have indeed had a miserable life over the years. Not only were they driven out of Xiliang City, but almost all their sources of income were also cut off.

Finally, someone who could subdue the Western Xia Tanguts arrived. Gusiluo cried and begged Chen Shao to annex him, pleading for a way to survive.

Chen Shao was actually a little hesitant. He proposed that they move to the Yinxia area and offered Gusiluo an official position, asking if he was willing.

He thought he would refuse, but to his surprise, Gusiluo immediately agreed with great joy. He really had reached the end of his rope.

The six thousand starving soldiers under his command were not his strength, but rather a burden.

We must exhaust all means, begging and pleading with everyone, to get some food for them.

Otherwise, they would definitely betray us.

Surrounded by sworn enemies, surrendering to any of them would only bring bad consequences.

Actually, he wasn't originally in such a bad situation, but by sheer bad luck, he met Tong Guan. Tong Guan invited him to join forces to attack Western Xia, and seeing how powerful and wealthy the Song Dynasty was, he agreed.

Who knew that the Song Dynasty had no real strength and couldn't break through Hexi. After the Battle of Tong'an City, it completely abandoned its ally, Tibet.

From then on, Gusiluo's life became more and more difficult.

Having endured until now, he has reached the end of his rope and is at his wit's end, unable to survive. Apart from cursing Tong Guan every day, he has done virtually nothing.

Chen Shao immediately sent men to separate these Tibetans and send them to various parts of Yinxia.

Since Gusiluo was so sensible, Chen Shao specially wrote a letter asking Zhu to arrange a large house for him in Yinzhou and give him a leisurely official position.

Although they were poor, they occupied five of the seven cities of Xiliang because there were so many Tibetans, who were the largest ethnic group in Xiliang.

The Dangxiang people guarding Liangzhou City were all loyal to Li Qianshun. They did not enter Helan Mountain to follow the emperor, nor did they intend to betray him. They were only there to help him defend the first town in Hexi.

Looking at the massive army outside the city, the defending general Li Yihai was determined to die. He distributed all his wealth to reward his soldiers and mobilized the entire city's population to go up to the city walls to meet the enemy.

Chen Shao deployed his troops beneath the walls of Liangzhou. The imposing military formations stood solemnly like mountains, and various siege weapons were densely packed together. A solemn and heavy aura of killing intent enveloped the entire ancient city of Liangzhou.

Rows of archers were stationed on the city wall, their crossbows pointed down at the city below, ready for battle.

Li Yihai personally climbed the city wall to direct the battle. Seeing the well-organized battle formations outside the city, he sighed inwardly.

His Majesty's defeat was not unjust.

The Dingnan army was so strong and powerful that it was indeed a rare elite force. Moreover, their armor was bright and their morale was high. They were clearly an elite army with full pay, regular training and strict discipline.

Liangzhou City was most likely beyond defense. Li Yihai gripped the curved sword at his side, his eyes filled with murderous intent…

I will die today to repay Your Majesty's kindness in recognizing my talent.

Chen Shao, in the rear guard, personally ordered the attack on the city.

This is the first battle in Hexi, and the two sides are mortal enemies who must fight to the death. They must show their strength to the heroes of Hexi.

Then, severely punish the remaining Tangut forces in the city, so that others would consider the consequences of resisting to the bitter end when facing them.

This battle is extremely important. If we can fight it well, things will be much easier afterwards.

Chen Shao reined in his horse and stood upright, looking proudly at Liangzhou City, which was wide but whose walls and moats were not particularly precipitous.

The closer one gets to the depths of the desert and grasslands, the simpler the city's architecture becomes. The men of the desert and grasslands are more accustomed to riding fine horses, carrying good bows, galloping across the battlefield, and wielding swords to kill enemies, rather than to city siege warfare.

However, before attacking Liangzhou, he had already made ample preparations, including domestic affairs, diplomacy, strategic reserves, and tactical drills. Whether in open field battles or city battles, he was confident that he would be invincible.

Chen Shao's face was solemn. Even with absolute certainty, he never dared to take the war lightly.

This matter weighed more heavily on his heart than mountains, because the outcome of a war often concerned the life, death, honor, and disgrace of hundreds of thousands of people.

When the weak challenge the strong, one must be prepared to burn one's boats and face death to survive;

Even when the strong attack the weak, one must be as cautious as a lion hunting a rabbit.

Chen Shao raised his arm and pointed towards Liangzhou City in the distance. Immediately, command flags waved and drums and horns sounded.

The massive army, as imposing as a mountain, began to move in an instant.

The massive armies surged forward in orderly formation, like a tidal wave. The soldiers shouted slogans in unison as they pushed various siege engines toward Liangzhou City. Amid the rumbling of wheels, huge new catapults, siege engines, siege ladders, and battering rams appeared like menacing giants.

Chen Shao brought together artisans from the Song, Liao, and Xia dynasties, who shared their expertise and developed numerous siege weapons.

The first conflict was the crossbow war. Although the Song Dynasty's crossbows were the best in the world, many of the technologies used were invented by the Western Xia people.

However, due to the limitations of national strength, it was impossible to manufacture them on a large scale. Moreover, the Western Xia had many cavalry, and the crossbows were cumbersome and more suitable for infantry.

The Western Xia's top-ranking archers unleashed a barrage of arrows, sending a cloud of sharp arrows flying up the city walls from beyond the range of the Tanguts on the city walls. The ballistae emitted a powerful whistling sound that could rupture eardrums, driving bolts as thick as a child's arm deep into the walls of Liangzhou.

Then the catapults started up. Instead of the traditional scene where hundreds of people had to run back and forth with ropes to throw a single stone, we saw heavy, massive stones being thrown high into the air. With a terrifying whooshing sound, they flew far into the sky and crashed heavily onto the city walls, raising clouds of dust and scattering blood and flesh everywhere.

Chen Shao's goal in this battle was to establish his authority, so he didn't hold back and went all out from the start.

Many of these new weapons were being used in combat for the first time, but they were incredibly powerful and effective.

They launched a crushing attack on the walls of Liangzhou. Many Western Xia soldiers were caught off guard, and many suffered brain damage, broken bones, and ruptured tendons. The soldiers hurriedly took refuge in the hidden bunkers. Some who did not have time to escape crouched under the arrow emplacements and the walls, watching in terror as the rain of stones poured down relentlessly on the walls.

The Western Xia dynasty's rule over so many years has led to increasingly severe suppression and exploitation of other tribes, especially during the recent Song-Xia wars.

When fighting the Western Xia, Chen Shao's men never showed any mercy.

"Boom boom…"

As the war drums sounded, the Western Xia soldiers in the city knew that the Dingnan Army had ended its long-range attack and begun to attack the city. They hurriedly crawled out from their hiding places and saw that the entire city wall was unrecognizable, with many places smashed beyond recognition.

But they didn't have time to look closely before they drew their arrows and quickly returned fire towards the city.

The Tangut people were skilled archers; their arrows were both accurate and fast.

The attacking soldiers, shields raised, advanced under the protection of the siege engines. Once within range of arrows, the slowly moving, forest-like ranks instantly transformed into a surging tide. Holding large wooden shields, they defended against the rain of arrows while rapidly advancing. People fell one after another, their blood soaking the oasis in the desert, but no one gave them a second glance.

Siege warfare is always brutal, especially for the attacking side.

Why do many famous generals allow their subordinates to massacre the inhabitants of a city after conquering it?

It's because the siege was too stressful, and the pent-up anger needed to be released.

Chen Shao had witnessed far more brutal sieges and defenses than this, but each time he could not harden his heart.

He forced himself to stop thinking about anything else and focus on the battlefield. As for feelings of compassion, they were not appropriate to be expressed here.

A short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one; to achieve long-term stability and security, some sacrifices are necessary.

If we win this battle well, we might be able to subdue the enemy without a fight.

To subdue the enemy without fighting, one must first possess overwhelming military power that leaves the enemy feeling utterly hopeless and unable to even muster the courage to fight. Now is the time for him to demonstrate his power.

To be an enemy of the Dingnan Army means facing such attacks.

The Western Xia people were willing to die for their emperor and dynasty, but the other provinces of Gansu, Guazhou, and Shazhou should think carefully about whether they want to fight to the bitter end.

After three days and nights of relentless siege, the fierce battle has finally come to an end.

The Dingnan army stormed into Liangzhou City and slaughtered the remaining remnants of the Western Xia regime.

Chen Shao rewarded his troops, generously rewarded those who had rendered meritorious service, and provided relief to the soldiers who died in battle. After resting and reorganizing in Xiliang Prefecture, he set off again after seven days.

Since Li Yuanhao launched a surprise attack on the Ganzhou Uyghurs in 1028 and destroyed their regime, Ganzhou has been firmly controlled by the Western Xia regime. It is the core hub of the Hexi Corridor and is administratively under the "Ganzhou Gansu Military Supervisory Office" of the Western Xia.

The dominant ethnic group in the area is the Uyghurs, but political and military power is controlled by the Tanguts.

It was supposed to be a fierce battle, but after witnessing the battle of Xiliang Prefecture, the "Ganzhou Military Commander" ordered all his men to retreat to Helan Mountain and prepare to join Emperor Li Qianshun.

In fact, Li Qianshun was under fierce attack by Han Shizhong, and their trip might just be walking right into the line of fire.

After leaving Ganzhou City, only a small portion followed the Ganzhou military commander to join Li Qianshun.

Most people chose to flee one after another, hiding in the southern part of the Qilian Mountains and the edge of Shazhou, waiting to surrender to Chen Shao.

They were Uyghurs, conquered by the Tanguts; there was no reason for them to risk their lives for them.

For so many years, the Tanguts have not been benevolent rulers, but rather cruel and tyrannical rulers who have governed this land.

The benefits of Chen Shao's ruthless attack on Xiliang Prefecture were immediate; he captured Ganzhou City without bloodshed.

Chen Shao pacified the Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Han Chinese in the city, and also formed a Uyghur army of 10,000 men in the city, preparing to follow Ding Nan's army on its westward expedition.

This time, he did not set off immediately, but waited for officials from Xingqing Prefecture to take over the area, lest the Uyghurs here take the opportunity to establish themselves after he left.

Although the Western Xia conquered them, they did not break up their tribal system. If a tribal leader had ambitions, he would still be in danger.

Leaving an empty city behind is definitely not a good thing; it's a challenge to the ambitions of these leaders.

In fact, Li Qianshun had already begun to promote Sinicization and dismantle the tribal system here.

However, Chen Shao interrupted his efforts. His Sinicization work was only halfway done when Chen Shao turned his attention to Xingling Plain, preventing him from concentrating his efforts on reform.

The Uyghurs make up about 70% of the population in the city, and most of them farm in the oases of the Heihe River basin.

Others controlled trade along the middle section of the Silk Road, transshipping jade and spices from the Western Regions.

Another ten percent of the Tibetans lived nomadic lives in the pastures at the foot of the Qilian Mountains, and Chen Shao had no intention of touching these people.

Chen Shao now has a large army stationed here. He first conscripted 10,000 soldiers, and then sent caravans to gather the merchants in the area.

Those who farmed the land migrated to Yinxia and Xingling, thus splitting them up.

In the tribe, the Uyghurs who farmed for the chiefs were all eager to try after hearing that they would be allocated their own land after the migration.

Although the leaders were unwilling, they dared not resist Chen Shao's troops.

In fact, there was another reason why they were so timid and weak: Li Qianshun had already laid the groundwork beforehand by killing all the troublemakers.

If Chen Shao hadn't suddenly appeared, he would have almost completely Sinicized Gansu and Jiangsu provinces by now.

Chen Shao completely reaped the benefits.

Outside Ganzhou City, Chen Shao, riding on horseback, said with a smile to the people who were about to set off: "Don't worry, I have already opened up a large area of ​​fertile land on both sides of the Yellow River. After the ancient road to the Western Regions is pacified, the grasslands will become quiet. Farming and animal husbandry will require a lot of manpower. As trade routes become more open and prosperous, inns, restaurants and other businesses will also need a lot of manpower. And defending the borders will require a lot of local young men. As a result, there will be a severe shortage of labor."

"Once you go there, it will be a vast world where you can achieve great things!"

The Uyghurs embarked on their eastward journey with a mixture of skepticism, anticipation, and unease.

(End of this chapter)