The economic development of the Han Empire was slightly better than that of the Northern Song Dynasty in its heyday, and the administrative efficiency of the Han government was far better than that of any Northern Song Dynasty.

Half a month after Xiao Tienu withdrew from the siege, the additional supplies from Yunzhong arrived in the bitter cold, and Lu Yanlun also rushed to Xiao Tienu's side from Eilechuan and handed him a handover. Xiao Tienu had the rations in his hands, and he didn't wait for the beginning of spring, so he immediately launched a second attack.

Not only him, but after Liu Qi made sure that the rear grain road was unhindered, he ignored the advice of the generals to "march again in the spring", and led the main force to point to Lingzhou! And Li Yanxian and Liu Xi of Qin Fenglu also cooperated with Liu Qi's action to attack Zhuo Luocheng, trying to take over Liangzhou, which was captured by Shangzhu and disease.

And the two departments of Qu Duan and Wang Xuan, who worried the Xia people the most, have also crossed northern Shaanxi and approached Lingzhou.

The Han army's early attack was somewhat unexpected by Brother Mingcha, and it also disrupted his plan to recover the west first and open up the southwest.

Zong Han discussed with Wanyan Xiyin, Yelu Yujian and the others: "Xiao Tienu went and returned this time, will he come too quickly?" ”

Yelu Yu said: "I also think he is in a hurry. Nowadays, the snow and ice have not disappeared, the roads are difficult to walk, and even short-distance transportation is a difficult task. Even if Xiao Tienu had grain and grass in Keyimantun, it was not easy to brave the snow to transport it to the city of Zhongxingfu. I expect that his attack this time will be mostly more virtual and less real, and the real big offensive will have to wait until next spring! ”

Wanyan Xiyin said: "But Xing and Ling are the capital of the Western Xia country, where the Xia lord is, and they are all afraid of Xiao Tienu, even if Brother Wei Mingcha knows that Xiao Tienu is here to be more virtual and less real, Xing and Ling's soldiers and horses will not dare to move!" ”

Gao Qingyi said: "The disease came from the northwest, attacked the city all the way, and the foundation was unstable, and the troops left behind in Gansu and Xiping were weak. At this moment, if an elite army swept over, the thousands of miles of Silk Road under Qilian Mountain could be fully recovered within a few months. But if the soldiers and horses of Xing and Ling do not move, it will inevitably miss the opportunity. ”

Yelu Yu took the opportunity to say: "Your Majesty, if I don't ask for orders, or I don't need Brother Wei Mingcha to transfer troops to help, I only need to bring 10,000 people to achieve this big thing." ”

Wanyan Xiyin said: "I also have this intention. ”

Gao Qingyi was overjoyed when he heard this: "If this can be done, it will not only help Xixia open up the northwest and southwest roads, but also find a foothold for us in the future." ”

But Zong Han hesitated slightly, and still decided to recommend himself by Wanyan Xiyin.

After the second day, Yan Xiyin went to ask Brother Wei Ming Cha for his life, but Brother Wei Ming Cha refused on the spot. Wei Ming Renli was a little puzzled by Brother Wei Mingcha's decision, and asked after Yan Xiyin left: "Now that the enemy is pressing, our army does not dare to leave Xing and Ling without permission, and we can't entrust Xing and Ling to Zong Han, if we let the Jurchens help us fight Xiping in Gansu, we can recover from winning the northwest and the southwest, and if we lose, it will not affect the overall defense of Xing and Ling." Why did King Jin refuse to agree? ”

Brother Wei Mingcha snorted and said: "Although the two families have the same hatred now, the untamed wolf can be used as a dog's tooth when it is circled around, and it will be difficult to control it if it is placed too far!" ”

Wei Mingren Li was suddenly enlightened.

Zong Han over there still refused to give up, and asked Yelu Yu to recommend himself, but he was still politely rejected by Brother Wei Mingcha, and the two families have been separated since then, but Brother Wei Mingcha is strictly guarded, and Zong Han has no way to take advantage of it, and he does not dare to kill each other first when the enemy is pressing.

The northwest of 1684 quickly passed under extremely tense conditions both inside and outside. The cold weather lasted for a long time this year, and the river ice was still not thin in the first lunar month. Xiao Tienu selected 20,000 cavalry in the army, led by Ren Dejing and Chong Qu Sick, braved the cold spring to go south, Ren Dejing led 8,000 people to attack Zhongxing Mansion, and 12,000 people to attack Lingzhou in a roundabout way. In terms of the Shaanxi army, Liu Qi also selected elite soldiers and gradually approached Lingzhou. Wang Xuan and Qu Duan have already made contact with Xiao Tienu, and they are cooperating with the offensive of planting and eliminating diseases in the back, layer by layer.

Ren Dejing came quickly, and after arriving at the city of Zhongxingfu, he did not attack, but only set up camp outside the city, and the sick men and horses came slowly, but ten days later, they also appeared in the field of vision of the Lingzhou scouts. Xiao Tienu led 50,000 people to follow, and even marched in the direction of Lingzhou.

In this way, Brother Wei Ming Cha and Zong Han both expected that Xiao Tienu intended to attack Lingzhou first, and then break Zhongxing Mansion. At this moment, the main force of the Jinxia coalition army is stationed in Lingzhou, but the city of Zhongxing Mansion is strong, and the city of Lingzhou was only destroyed once a month ago, in terms of military strength, Lingzhou is better than the summer capital, and in terms of city defense, Zhongxing is better than Lingzhou. Xiao Tienu is good at field warfare, and likes to take risks, and is particularly fascinated by the hard-hitting changer, which is known to the world. He would give up the nearby Zhongxing Mansion and choose the farther Lingzhou as the target of attack, but it was also expected by Brother Wei Ming Cha and Zong Han.

Both Wei Ming Chage and Yelu Yu Jian believed that the siege was not Xiao Tienu's forte, and his strategic purpose in doing so this time was mostly to try to annihilate the main force of the Jinxia coalition army. Theoretically, as long as the main force of the Jinxia coalition army was defeated, Zhongxingfu would become the bag of the Han army, and it was only a matter of time before it was conquered; On the contrary, if the main force led by Brother Wei Ming Chage still exists, then even if Zhongxing Mansion is broken and the Xia people retreat into the grasslands and deserts, they will still have a chance to make a comeback, but then they will become a wandering army that has lost its national capital.

After determining the intention of the Han army, Wei Mingchage mobilized all kinds of troops, the Xia army took the city as the camp, and the Jin army lined up along the river. Zong Han was very unhappy in private, thinking that Brother Wei Mingcha was clearly using himself as cannon fodder for such an arrangement. But as a bereaved guest, he couldn't disobey orders.

Wei Ming Renli was very worried when he saw the Han army coming, but Wei Ming Cha Ge was as usual, Wei Ming Renli couldn't help but admire it in his heart, and said in his heart: "The King of Jin is worthy of being the pillar of my Xixia court!" The Han army is so fierce, but he is still calm, looking at the world's famous generals, I am afraid that I can't count five! But remembering that the Han army was attacking from all sides, but he was worried, so he told Brother Wei Mingcha about his worries.

Brother Wei Ming asked him what he was worried about, and Wei Ming Ren said: "First, I am worried that there are many Han soldiers, and second, I am worried that Lingzhou is not dangerous enough and cannot bear the responsibility of sticking to it." ”

Brother Wei Ming Cha laughed when he heard this, and laughed so inexplicably that Wei Ming Renli asked, "Is Renli wrong?" ”

Brother Wei Mingcha smiled: "That's right, that's right. When ordinary people see this kind of formation, most of them will be so worried. Seeing that Wei Mingrenli looked slightly embarrassed by what he said, they are also of the same clan, and their status is not far apart, so it is not good to lose his face too much, his tone turned gentle, and said: "The prison army is not a very person, but after all, he has been living in a civilian position for a long time, and in the affairs of the military, I am afraid that he is not as good as this king." ”

Wei Mingren Li hurriedly said: "This nature, this nature!" But I don't know what superhuman opinion King Jin has on the current situation? ”

Brother Wei Mingcha smiled: "Superman doesn't dare to have an opinion, but the prison army just said that Lingzhou is not strong, but do you intend to retreat the army across the Yellow River and concentrate in Zhongxing Mansion to defend the city?" ”

Wei Mingren said: "This is exactly what I mean. ”

Brother Wei Mingcha snorted and said, "If this is the case, then it is a plan to break the country!" Pointing to the west, he said, "That's the Yellow River!" Hexi is where our country is located, and Hedong has been fortified and cleared, and there is no food to cause. If we withdraw, then even if the Han army can't capture Zhongxingfu this time, it will take all the territory of Hedong. They only need to leave a group of men and horses to patrol the river in the east of the river, and it will be difficult for us to come again, but they can advance and retreat freely! In time, when their food and grass are gathered and the army arrives again, we will be in a big way! On the contrary, as long as we can hold Lingzhou, the Han army will not be able to stand in Hexi, and the Keyimen places in the north will not be enough to gather a large army. Once Xiao Tienu is defeated, we will follow him, chase the dead and chase the north, and the territory that has been lost can be regained in one battle! If the Han army wants to come west again, it will have to start again. ”

Wei Mingren said: "I'm afraid that the Han army has many generals, and our army may not be able to win the first battle in Lingzhou." ”

Brother Wei Mingcha smiled: "Others are worried that the Han army is coming too much, but I am worried that the Han army is not coming enough!" ”

Wei Mingren was even more curious: "Why is this? ”

Brother Wei Ming Cha said: "Although the Han army has come a lot, Xiao Tienu and Qu Duan came first, Wang Xuan and Qu Duan came later, and those who came later did not know the war ahead, and they were not accustomed to the local water and soil, Wang Xuan and Qu Duan were not Xiao Tienu's department, Xiao Tienu may be able to control them, but it is difficult to say whether they will obey Xiao Tienu's full command like a kind of disease!" If the commander doesn't believe in Ren, the military strength will be greatly reduced! Liu Qi came from the south again, and he may not be able to cooperate well with the military horses of the northern routes. If the roads are not well coordinated, it will only allow us to break each other, but to coordinate the roads, haha, the weather is still cold, the roads are not easy to walk, hundreds of thousands of troops are easy to encircle, but to achieve coordination, it will not take a few months of hard work but no imagination! And before that, Xiao Tienu will definitely have fewer troops than us who can organize an attack on us. We will wait for work with ease, and fight more with less, and we will not fail in the field battle with them under this Lingzhou city! ”

Wei Mingren said: "But if the Han army doesn't rush to attack, but only gathers on the periphery, waiting for all roads to coordinate before launching an attack, then what can we do?" Shall we turn against them? Will not they become those who work at ease? ”

Brother Wei Mingcha laughed and said, "How could Xiao Tienu wait!" He can't wait. If he had waited, he wouldn't have been in such a hurry! ”

Wei Mingren said: "Why? ”

"Why? Because he doesn't have enough food and grass! Brother Wei Ming Cha said: "Xiao Tienu came from thousands of miles away from Mobei, how much grain and grass can he bring?" He plundered all the way, how much grain and grass could he replenish? If additional supplies are sent from the clouds, hehe, even if there is enough grain and grass in the clouds, it is not easy to transport the rations of hundreds of thousands of people over thousands of miles! If you want to transport it from Yanjing and Tanggu, it will be even farther, and you won't have half a year to think of it! If what I expected is not bad, Xiao Tienu will be a month late, or half a month at most, and he will inevitably run out of food and grass and have to retreat. ”

Wei Mingren said happily: "I see! That's why King Jin said that he was not afraid that the Han army would come too much, but he was afraid that the Han army would not come enough! ”

Brother Wei Ming Cha smiled: "Yes, the more others come, the faster the grain and grass will be consumed!" The faster the grain and grass are consumed, the sooner the day of destruction will come! ”

Wei Mingren Li exclaimed: "The King of Jin has a good understanding of thousands of miles, this kind of military strategy, in the whole world, except for the King of Jin, there is probably no second person who can understand it!" ”

His sycophant shot made Brother Wei Mingcha drunk for a while, but he was not a small person after all, so he shook his head and said, "Otherwise, this kind of situation, I expect Xiao Tienu to know it in his heart!" Perhaps Zhi Yanchong and Yang Kaiyuan also knew this key, otherwise they would only send more reinforcements from the clouds than now! Even among our army, there are people who are well aware of the stakes here. ”

Wei Mingren asked, "Who?" ”

Brother Wei Ming Cha said: "Yelu Yu sees! ”