You have truly caused me great suffering!

Pingzhou City.

Because the Jurchen Tartars blocked the south gate from allowing escape, the city was able to return to normal order.

People had witnessed the brutality of the Jurchen Tartars firsthand, and everyone volunteered to do what they could in the city to stop these beasts.

Although I had heard people who had fled from Yanjing talk about the behavior of the Jurchen Tartars before.

But there's a difference between seeing it with your own eyes and hearing about it.

With everyone working together, they transported all the stones that could be dug out of Pingzhou City to the city walls.

Each household organized its able-bodied men to carry supplies at the foot of the city wall or wait to go up to the city.

The women set up soup kitchens and cared for the wounded soldiers.

Zhang Jue, who had originally resigned himself to certain death, was surprised to see the people of Pingzhou City spontaneously organizing themselves to defend the city.

He distributed all his family's wealth to reward meritorious soldiers and incorporated all the sons of his clan into the army.

After nightfall, they repelled another wave of Pingzhou soldiers who were besieging the city, and gathered in small groups.

Beside a campfire, Zhang Dungu shouted:
"Xi King Xiao Gan has already led his troops to harass the Jurchen flank; Li Anbi's trip to Yanshan Prefecture will surely bring back reinforcements from the Song Dynasty!"

"This time, Wanyan Zongwang will suffer the same fate as Wanyan Zhamu!"

He tried to encourage his men, but few responded; most stared blankly at the fire.

These days they haven't fought the Jurchens at all; they've just been killing the captives driven in by the Jurchen Tartars.

Those are all local residents; perhaps one of your relatives is among them.

The Jurchens were in no hurry; they were like hunters, with plenty of patience.

"Once we drive back the Tartars, we'll ask the Song Dynasty for a reward, and I guarantee everyone will be pocketed full!"

Seeing the lifeless atmosphere, Zhang Dungu felt extremely frustrated and wanted to curse.

However, he still tried his best to put on a smiling, confident face to boost morale.

Zhang Jue also stood up and said, "Our retreat is cut off. Fortunately, we have strong support from Song Xi. Only by forging ahead ourselves can we wait for reinforcements."

Zhang Jue's family had been from Pingzhou for generations, and he had a deep attachment to his hometown. He didn't want to leave Pingzhou and even had the idea of ​​staying with the city until the end.

With his escape route cut off, his resolve hardened, and he became certain that the Song Dynasty would come to his rescue.

Zhang Jue and Guo Yaoshi had an excellent relationship. When they were both military generals of the Liao Dynasty, they fought side by side and supported each other more than once.

Moreover, there was no reason for the Song Dynasty not to rescue Pingzhou. By occupying Pinglu, they provided a huge buffer zone for the Song Dynasty.

They should strongly support themselves to block the Jurchens' southward advance from the eastern gate.

With the loss of Liaodong, the Jurchen Tartars could easily advance south, leaving the land wide open!
"When Wanyan Zhamu came, everyone said how brave he was, how he defeated Gao Yongchang of Bohai, and how he first went to the capital, Linhuangfu, and captured Tabuye. When he first arrived in our Pingzhou, he also won battle after battle, but he was still defeated by his brothers."

Zhang Jue's words carried more weight than Zhang Dungu's, and everyone raised their heads, which genuinely boosted morale.
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The fighting in Pingzhou resumed, but the Song Dynasty court remained silent, as if unaware of the matter.

However, Lao Zhong, Xiao Zhong, and Wang Bing from Hedong successively submitted memorials, emphasizing the importance of Pinglu and stressing that troops must be sent to its rescue immediately.

Moreover, Zhang Jue was the military governor of Taining Army appointed by the imperial court, so the Jurchens' attack on Zhang Jue could be regarded as a declaration of war.

Chen Shao also suggested sending someone to the Jin Kingdom to explain the situation. If they did not retreat, while Yelü Yanxi was still alive and the Liao resistance had not yet subsided, they should launch a full-scale war to take back all sixteen prefectures of Youyun.

As long as the Song Dynasty declares war, Chen Shao, as a subject of the Song Dynasty, will have a legitimate reason to fight. He guarantees that he can quickly take Weizhou and Yingzhou and advance on Yunzhou.

At that time, Hedong will no longer be a border region, and the imperial court can transfer Wang Bing's troops from Hedong to Yanshan Prefecture.

If we could save Yelü Yanxi, allowing him to preserve some of his strength and occupy some prefectures, thus creating a tripartite balance of power, that would be ideal.

Knowing that Zhao Ji lacked the courage and boldness, Chen Shao wrote separate letters to Tong Guan and Cai Jing, hoping that these two sensible men would submit a memorial.

At this time, Wang Bing in Hedong strongly advocated sending troops, especially the troops from Yanshan Prefecture, who had to rush to relieve Zhang Jue's siege.

In Xiping Prefecture, Chen Shao was already welcoming some of the Lingwu Army back home early in the morning.

The Lingwu army that went on this expedition totaled more than 30,000 men, though it was said to number 100,000.

The Dingnan Army, which had always underreported its troop strength, could finally exaggerate and fabricate its numbers.

After the army's victory and the destruction of the country, they began to withdraw their troops. 20,000 returned, while more than 10,000 were stationed in Xizhou to prevent them from making a comeback.

The power in Xizhou was very decentralized. The local area was governed by the governors of twenty-four cities. Tribal leaders (such as the Turkic titles "Di Yin" and "Yu Yue") still retained military power, and the concentration of royal power was limited.

The Lingwu Army's method of dealing with them was simple and direct: kill.

In places like the Central Plains, unless you are a figure like Fang La or Huang Chao, you should not easily provoke the local powerful families.

However, things are different in Xizhou. Their so-called prominent families and local bullies are really nothing special; they don't have the same ability to control the local area as the gentry in the Central Plains.

Once they have money, they usually live a life of luxury, buying plenty of beautiful maids and servants, and flaunting their wealth all day long.

Meanwhile, the gentry of the Central Plains, especially the prominent families, would repair bridges and roads, establish schools, provide financial aid to candidates, and offer relief to their fellow villagers during times of disaster.
Through clan power, local charitable institutions, academies, and other organizational networks, they built a vast social network in the area.

The clan system strengthened blood ties, and the gentry were often the leaders of the clan, enhancing their influence by controlling clan resources.

The academies and schools allowed them to monopolize the path to advancement, further consolidating their position.

Over time, and through generations, they became deeply intertwined with the family of everyone in the area who had any influence.

If you really push him too far, he can raise his arms and immediately organize a local militia.

Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, and Zuo Zongtang all started their careers in this way.

In Xizhou, barring any unforeseen circumstances, a similar group of gentry will soon begin to emerge.
Because the moment Chen Shao occupied it, the Han dynasty inevitably began to decline.

They were all new forces that rose to power by relying on Chen Shao, and for at least the next few generations, the vast majority of them would be of one mind with Chen Shao.

If we consider the Dingnan Army as a large tree, then Chen Shao is the trunk, and they are the branches.

Because Chen Shao conquered the territory of Western Xia, and because the Western Xia ruling class resisted fiercely and did not surrender en masse, he purged a large number of old noble forces, allowing him to employ many new people and create a large number of new nobles whose interests were aligned with his.

This is the most important reason why his territory is so vibrant and full of life.

Similarly, the Jurchen Tartars are so powerful now for the same reason.

Therefore, Chen Shao's focus was always on the Jurchens, and he didn't pay much attention to the Song Dynasty. The reason he kept urging the Song Dynasty to join the war was to have a legitimate reason for the war, so that the Song Dynasty wouldn't bring up the maritime alliance behind his back after he went to war.

It should be noted that the Song Dynasty was not very good at fighting foreign wars, especially in expanding its territory, but it was unparalleled in the history of dynasties when it came to fighting internal wars and fighting its own people.

Throughout the Song Dynasty, no powerful separatist figures or leaders of displaced people emerged.

Fang La was already the pinnacle of rebellions in the Song Dynasty.

The Qin Dynasty had Chen Sheng and Wu Guang; the Han Dynasty had the Green Standard Army, the Red Eyebrows, and the Yellow Turbans; the Sui Dynasty had the Wagang Army and Dou Jiande; and the Tang Dynasty had Huang Chao.
They're all ruthless.

After the Song Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty had Zhu Yuanzhang, Chen Youliang, and Zhang Shicheng.
The Ming Dynasty had Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong.
The Qing Dynasty had the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

Only the Song Dynasty, which so severely exploited its people, produced only one Fang La, who was quickly quelled.

Because the power of the gentry in the Song Dynasty was actually very strong.

Despite its current internal and external troubles, if Chen Shao were to lead his troops into the Central Plains, it would be mired in a quagmire.

Inside a watermill near the Lingwu camp, Chen Shao was doing something very unbecoming of his status.

He was grinding flour while pedaling a waterwheel, his arm hanging from a thick bamboo pole.

Amidst the creaking and groaning of the waterwheel, Chen Shao's mind, like the waterwheel itself, was racing.

If Zhang Jue can be saved, it would be equivalent to giving the Han people of the former Liao Kingdom the last piece of pure land.

If the Song Dynasty cannot hold Pingzhou, it must at least protect Zhang Jue, giving the Han people in Liao a reason to surrender to the Song Dynasty.

Otherwise, if Zhang Jue dies, people like Guo Yaoshi and Meng Nuan will inevitably feel a sense of shared sorrow.

However, Chen Shao thought about it again. Based on the Song Dynasty's nature, the more you expect it to accomplish something, the more it will oppose you and inevitably mess things up.

"General, General Wu Lin has returned."

Chen Shao nodded. He naturally didn't need to greet them. A moment later, his subordinates brought Wu Lin and the others in.

Chen Shao got off the waterwheel, sat down next to the mill, and said with a smile, "Tang Qing, you've worked hard."

Wu Lin quickly clasped his hands and said, "This is my duty!"

Chen Shao took a closer look and noticed that Wu Lin's expression had matured considerably. Leading a large army on his own was a demanding and mentally taxing job, and the tests and training required were unparalleled by any other work.

This really depends on talent. If you don't have the talent, no matter how hard you try or how well you can recite military strategy, it won't help.

Because the battlefield situation changes rapidly, the timing and location are different, and the opponents are constantly changing, there is no fixed formula to apply when leading troops.

Leading a large army to conquer a country alone is even more difficult.

Fortunately, Xizhou was small and not very large, so it was a successful training opportunity for Chen Shao to train the Lingwu Army and the promising young general Wu Lin.

The battle that followed was far from simple.

No matter how the Song Dynasty responds, the Jurchen Tartars will surely move south in a year or two at most.

Chen Shao had already made up his mind; when the time came, he would only support the new emperor from the Zhao family.

If the emperor can command the people to serve him, then so be it. If not, then the only option is to support a legitimate emperor and then lead troops to fight the Jurchens in Hedong and Hebei.

In any case, such fertile lands as Hebei and the capital region should absolutely not be ceded to the Jurchens.

If they succeed, they will truly have the power to unify the world and completely enslave the resources and strength north of the Yangtze River.

Whoever gains control of Hebei and Liaodong and establishes a foothold becomes a behemoth that is difficult to conquer.

The terrifying oppressive force exerted by Yuan Shao after he occupied these two places in the early Three Kingdoms period is a case in point.

"Come, sit down and talk."

Wu Lin knew his temperament, so he didn't stand on ceremony with him and began to talk about his experiences in Xizhou after sitting down.

Chen Shao listened attentively, and he also learned about other aspects of Xizhou from Xiao Shi.

Taken together, a general picture of the fragmented and weak Uyghurs vying for power in the Western Regions emerged in Chen Shao's mind.

To Chen Shao's surprise, these Uyghurs from Xizhou, like those from Hexi, were supporters of the Liao Dynasty.

Buddhism had already begun to decline there, and when Chen Shao's army invaded, it was as if they had come to support Buddhism.

Therefore, they encountered little resistance, and in many places they were even welcomed to enter, especially the monk army of the Zhai family.

They nominally ruled as a dual-kingdom system: Gaochang was the Buddhist royal court, and Beiting was the summer palace, forming a governance system where religious (high-ranking monks) and secular (governors) coexisted.

Now, the entire Wang family has been moved to Bianliang to be used as mascots.

The region was originally governed by twenty-four city governors, but Wu Lin killed most of them, and those who surrendered also handed over their military power.

The worst off were the wealthy merchant caravans of Xizhou, who were basically wiped out by the Xiao family.

"General, the ten thousand troops we left behind are enough to deter Xizhou," Wu Lin said cautiously.

In fact, he wanted to recall all the Lingwu Army, because Xizhou didn't need so many troops stationed there.

The caravans protecting merchants and the monk army were forces they simply couldn't contend with.

Chen Shao nodded, roughly understanding Wu Lin's meaning, but he remained silent.

It is still necessary to station them here for a year or two, and then transfer the Lingwu Army back after the ruling system is established.

"By the way, have they caught the Long family who fled from Hexi this time?"

Chen Shao had a deep impression of the Uyghurs dressed in Tang Dynasty border army armor and carrying Tang weapons. After the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the Central Plains had long lost much of the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty. On the contrary, the Western Regions, especially the Hexi Corridor, still retained much of the splendor of the Tang Dynasty.

Wu Lin shook his head with a wry smile, "As soon as our army crossed the Jade Gate Pass, they fled west with their entire clan."

Chen Shao smiled. Going west is good. Going west will bring another small tyrant. Perhaps, this Uyghur royal court that he drove away can relive the glory of their ancestors in the west.

However, this track might be a bit crowded, because my brother Yelü Dashi has also started a business there.

He has already occupied both Hexi and Xizhou; he estimates that this time he will escape even further than in history. (End of Chapter)